Catching Up

So, I think I've decided that one of my new year's resolutions will be to try and get one blog post up a week and since I tend to "break" resolutions by about mid-February...I thought I should start now so that I might get a couple of extra weeks in. lol.    

I seldom make resolutions at the start of the new year but, I do enjoy the fresh perspective that a brand new year gives me and it often motivates me to take a little more action in the areas of my life that I had been neglecting.  Do you like to make new year's resolutions? 

On that note, I am going back in time just a wee bit because if I don't post these priceless images now they will soon fade away in the land of digital file space. 

Daisy wanted to be Belle for Halloween.  She has been a princess every day for the past 2.5 years and then some and I mean that she literally dresses up like a princess almost everyday.  Soooo...I was a little bummed that I couldn't convince her to be Supergirl or Shirley Temple or ANYTHING besides a princess again.  I kept my opinion to myself and made my 3 year old's dreams come true by sprinkling her hair with sparkles and dusting her cheeks with blush.  She was the sweetest princess in the land.  We went to a trunk or treat at my friend's church a week before Halloween and she had a blast!!

A few days later I happened upon a Minnie Mouse costume at a consignment shop.  It was her size and I just couldn't pass it up.  I showed it to Daisy and she said, "it's princess Minnie's dress!"  For that reason alone, she was willing to wear it and I didn't bother to explain to her that Minnie is in fact not a princess.  This way we both win. 

This year we went out a little later to trick or treat.  I think we got out close to 7 and stayed out until close to 9. We had our traditional Martinez/Bailey burritos before hand with Granddad and Beej (Daisy's great grandparents) and then Granddad passed out candy and the rest of us headed out. We treated with a group of neighbors and it was so fun to watch the kiddos go door to door together.  My little girl is getting so much more independent and well, she's growing up. tear. tear. 

 Look how small my baby girl and her friend look sitting up front together.  Sometimes they seem so big until you see them from far away and then you are reminded that they are still so little...I need those reminders from time to time:)

You can't tell by looking at her facial expression but, Daisy really enjoyed the puppet show.  It was her very first puppet show as a matter a fact.  The church did such a great job creating a fun, family friendly Halloween even for the community. 

 this is a terrible night shot on my phone but, I had to post it because it's the only one we got of our neighborhood crew before we set off on our trick or treat adventure.  

We got done trick or' treating around 9 and I put Daisy to bed shortly after.  She couldn't wait to dump all the contents of her bucket out first thing in the morning.  She immediately organized (yes she loves to organize just like her Mommy) the candies and picked her favorites.  Lolipops are always a top fave and her chocolate bars went really quick too.  This kiddo loves chocolate and she didn't get that from me:).

Fall on the east coast is gorgeous.  Growing up in Southern California we didn't experience much change in seasons.  Even after living on the East coast for six years the gorgeous fall colors never cease to take my breath away.  This pretty red leaf came off of the tree in our front yard.  SO red and lovely.

 Daddy and Daisy carved pumpkins together.  I was glad to take a year off.  Carving pumpkins is fun and all but, it's a lot of work and if I recall my hand felt like it was going to fall off after three hours of sawing pumpkins, with a tiny toothbrush sized saw last year.  It was nice to stay inside where it was warm and take pictures while sipping coffee this year. hehe.   

Last year Daisy was not impressed with the goop inside a pumpkin.  This year she was all about it.  I was so proud:).

I have to say that I was really impressed with my hub's pumpkin carvings this year and I thought it was really sweet that he carved the pumpkins with Ariel and Minnie Mouse just to make his little girl happy.  What a Dad:)  See for yourself. Pretty impressive huh.

And She loved throwing leaves around this year.  

 

I got to visit her at her fall school party.  She was so happy to have me there and it melted me to see my little girl in her class acting so big.

she was pretty tuckered out after her party as you can tell:).  Kids look so angelic when they sleep doncha think.  Lately I've been letting Daisy take her nap in my bed to make it more worth her while and more often than not I take a little nap with her and then quietly sneak out when she has fallen asleep.  She may be almost four years old but, she still looks like my little baby when she is napping:).

Now off I go to watch Walking Dead, sip tea, snuggle under a blanket, and work on my photography website.  Good night all. 

Thankful

I just dropped my kiddo off at preschool and she didn't even look back to say goodbye.  It's a good thing that I'm not terribly sensitive! lol  I'm just so thankful that she is loving her school experience.

I can't believe that we are already a week into November and that the holidays are upon us once again.  I also can't believe that my little girl will be four years old in just a few short months. I guess I will never get used to the fact that time goes by much faster than I'd like but, I am so thankful for every day that I get to be alive and soak up this wild life.   

I'm thankful for sunshine, warm fires on chilly nights, coffee in the morning, unexpected phone calls and text messages from friends and loved ones (thanks Anna:)!, Pandora...free music is awesome!, Uggs-the best invention ever, my Jesus Calling daily devotional - seriously amazing, the cheery bright green chairs in my living room that I am currently staring at -happiness, my glasses - it's nice to be able to see clearly, my home -it's so cozy!, my health - arms to hug my loved ones and legs to run and greet them, my neighbors - they are all  freaking awesome, Netflixs - cuz we use it UH-LOT, my camera - the memories it allows me to capture are priceless, my husband - he works so hard for our family, my daughter - she is such a happy kid -such a ray of sunshine, my laptop - so I can sit here like a lazy sloth on the couch instead of at a desk, being able to hear - the laughter of my little girl and the sweet melodies of worship...okay, I will stop there for now...so hard to stop!

What are you thankful for today? 

I hope that you all have a blessed November. xo

I'm sure you already knew this but, Daisy adores her Daddy. They have a special bond. A silly one.  She is more wild with him.  They wrestle, they fish, they play corn hole, they smash faces, they tickle...it's funny to watch the two of them.  I'm very thankful that my little girl has a great relationship with her Daddy.  I can tell that these two will always be buddies. 

A photographer's view...also, a mom's view.  Daisy has super wavy, fine hair and it still has a slight strawberry tint to it.  So pretty. Oh hey, see my blue TOMS...I'm thankful for the friend who gave them to me:)...you know who you are.  I had never owed a pair before and now I'm hooked and trendy like the rest of 'Merica.  Yeah!

She's laughing...just in case you weren't sure and she is loving it:). She is quite ticklish unlike her Momma.  I'm thankful that I am not (really) ticklish...it's like having a super power to remain calm in the midst of a tickle.  It might come in handy some day...you never know!

And here we are singing her favorite song, Overcomer by Mandisa. We created hand motions that we do together and she asks us to sing it over and over and over again. It's a great song so I don't mind. I hope she always holds tightly to the truth.  She will always be an over-comer with Jesus in her heart!  I am thankful that my little girl gets so excited when we talk about Jesus!

and then came the best part...feeding the ducks and geese. We came with an entire loaf of bread and left with nothing. Fat, thankful ducks. Happy Daisy.

Sometimes I like to stand back and observe my family from afar and get a different perspective.  It's sweet to see the two of them enjoying a moment together in the great outdoors.  Life is beautiful. 

Summer Memories

I love the Summer time for so many reasons (with the exception of the sweltering humidity) but, one of the biggest reasons is that my mom has flown out to visit us just about every year since we have lived here.  Being so far away from most of my family has always been very hard for me and to be honest it has never gotten easier the longer that I live away from them.  This Summer my Dad was able to come out for a little while as well and it was an absolute treat to have them both under our roof!  Daisy is still quite shy around men in general but, she was quickly at ease with my Dad.  He's quiet and laid back.  Daisy enjoyed showing my Dad all of her things and on a couple of occasions I would come out of a room and overhear Daisy talking quietly with my Dad.  She would say such cute and simple little things and my Dad was so good about saying sweet and simple things back.  They just click.  Plus I think my hubby enjoyed having some male conversation and energy around for a change:).  Miss you Dad!  

I have a good two or three posts of instagram and iPhone pictures of our Summer to share.  These posts will probably not be all that interesting to anyone other than me and the people in them but, I am eager to preserve these special memories in blog form:). 

and can I just say how much I love going to church with my family.  Reminds me of the good ol' days when I was younger and we all went together every week only now we have Daisy in the mix which is quite special:)..She looks miserable in the picture below but, I promise it's just that she wasn't in the mood to have her picture taken.

After church Daisy was all about taking pictures with me and my mom (Lulu).  I made my mom take a portrait or two.  I like to do that to her a lot because I love her so much and I like to show her off:).

And then of course we logged lots and lots of pool hours!

And we spent an evening on the lake.  The lake is one of our favorite places to spend time in the Summer.  So peaceful.

And of course my family got to enjoy a good stormy sky or two while they were here. 

The boys watched Avengers in 3D one night...aren't the glasses awesome:).  My Dad's visit came and went so fast.  It was hard to see him go and I felt bad for my Momma because she had to say goodbye for a couple of weeks too.