Finally....I have time...

ahhhhhh....the joys of being on break! No deadlines to work with, no constant phone calls, no disappointing looks from my hubby when I tell him that he and the kids are on their own for dinner -ONCE AGAIN, no sneaking up the stairs so that the baby doesn't see me and cry --forcing me back DOWN the stairs to console her and help her to understand that the upstairs is not a void which eats her mother up every single day, and NO sleep deprivation!!! Yep--I cherish this short time with my family!

On my break, there is a laundry list of things that I have committed to do:

1) Organize Avery's room and (sniff, sniff) finally get around to selling some of her boutique clothes--there is TRULY not enough time now or ever for that child to wear all of the ridiculously overpriced, amazingly adorable, still has the tags on it outfits that I have somehow found the time to shop for in the last year. I am planning a "Sip and Shop" day at my home so people can come and get a little tipsy and take home some cute stuff that their girls can wear in future sessions with me--see--you win, I win, everyone is happy.

2) Organize the garage and bedroom #6 (AKA "the crap room"). Since we moved into our house over a year ago, I still have no earthly idea of where my silverware is. This is why (if you are ever lucky enough to get me to cook something) you will be eating with either kids cutlery or plastic ware. I refuse to buy new flatware when I KNOW that SOMEWHERE in this house, I have a perfectly good, complete set. The spare room especially needs to be cleaned out because I think that we may be wanting to use it as a nursery in 2009 - we will see...

3) One big goal during break is to wean Avery at last--yes, my 26 month old still nurses occasionally. No, I am not a granola mama, a "crunchy", an alternative medicine pusher--nor do I look down on these lifestyles. The simple truth is this: She and I get very little time together and that has always been our special time together--how could I deny her that? Now that I have made some changes to ensure that I will be around more next year and still have a successful business, I am prepared to cut her off. Hard? YES! Necessary? An even bigger YES!!!

4) LOSE MORE WEIGHT! I got on a kick while I was sick for 3 weeks--who knew that would be my motivating moment? I lost 15 pounds in 3 weeks and went from a snug 14 to an almost loose size 10. Being this close to a single digit size is making want to get my pudgy butt in the gym and lose another 30--which would hopefully put me at a size 6--which I can live with. Will I ever be a size 2 again? Probably not...sadly, I accept that. I am just ready to be a semblance of my former self and stop living in jeans and sweats. If you guys knew me before I started this business-whew--I was HIGH MAINTENANCE! Always had makeup on, my hair straightened, a cute dress on and high heels....was often called a "Barbie doll"...oh well--I would never trade Avery Grace and this business to go back to those skinny days. Doesn't mean that I have to settle for being the fat photographer, though. Best believe--I am bringing sexy back--or at least mildly hot.

And...that's about it. So far, I have made ZERO progress in getting any of these things done. I have become a mean drummer on Rock Band-which the girls got for Christmas. And today I caught up on all of my recorded TV shows that I never see otherwise. Tomorrow I think that I might get around to editing some of MY photos--the ones from June in Florida perhaps....

Also---
I was awarded these blog awards awhile back by glamRbaby and I never got around to posting them--



AND





And since I am still short on time and a bit lazy, I am answering the fun facts part of these awards in one post....

Five Fabulous Additions:
1) Starbucks
2) Chairs--the stranger the color or the more beat up, the better
3) the Cake Wrecks blog
4) Take out food--if it can be delivered, then I like it even more
5) Girls night at Melting Pot

And...

6 Interesting Facts about Me

1) I was born in Hawaii but grew up in South Georgia before becoming a Texan at 12.

2) I did not randomly pick up a camera and start a business. While I have never had classes or formal training, it took me 7 years of free photos for anyone who would get in front of my camera before I felt confident enough to charge for it. Glad I made the leap, but it took me a LOOONNNNGG time to get there.

3) I have been bungee cord jumping, skydiving, scuba diving and cliff jumping--I like to take risks in life.

4) I am a scary movie junky and force my husband to watch them with me in the dark. Every year for my bday, we try to go haunted housing. I like the thrill that being scared gives me.

5) I have really long second toes...really long toes...I get teased constantly but God gave them to me for a reason: A few years ago, while tubing in San Marcos, a little girl got separated from her group and floated away. She floated past me and I threw out my leg and she was pulled to safety by my really long second toe. Make fun of me all you want--but that toe saved a life.

6) I am the baby of 7 kids and was beat up constantly by my 4 older brothers. They taught me to be tough and I have somehow always had a rep of being the girl that you don't want to get mad at you. Let's just say that I can handle myself in a fight. I am also a huge UFC fight fan and have been since the early 90's. My hubby and I regularly hold fight night parties at our house.

That's me in a nutshell....thanks to my girl Noelle for the awards--she threatened me that if I didn't acknowledge that she gave me 2 of them then I would never get another one. ;-)


And my friend Amber said that it doesn't count if I post without pics--so here are a couple of a recent newborn---isn't she precious!