I call her my Sunshine because she as the ability to light up a room just by entering.  I also call her my baby girl, because she always will be. 

Haley is my old soul.  She is 7 years old and she has wisdom beyond her years.  She is funny as all get out and is also loving and tender.  When she was two she began to love horses.  Horses quickly became her passion.  She has been riding since she was 5.  A few years ago she was invited to afternoon tea for one of her friend’s birthday party.  The invitation requested that she dress up and bring her favorite doll to share tea with.  My daughter did wear a beautiful dress, which is rare for her.  And she also wore her favorite cowgirl boots with that dress.  She also brought a stuffed horse, not a doll because she didn’t have any dolls that she liked.  She still wears her boots everyday (except when she has PE because coach has told her at least 10 times not to wear them to gym class anymore).  Yes, even when she’s wearing shorts she is wearing her boots.  It’s my fault – before I had children I used to tease my best friend’s son for wearing boots with shorts.  Paybacks.  Gotta love ‘em. 

Haley is passionate about everything she does.  About a month ago I tried to teach her how to ride her bike.  She got frustrated and didn’t want to try again.  Then last weekend when we were heading out for our nightly walk she told me she wanted to ride her bike.  She didn’t want my help this time, either.  After getting 1/4 of the way around our block she was starting to get the hang of it.  By the time we were 1/2 way she could go about the length of a house before having to put her feet down.  She never wrecked once and by the time we were all the way around our circle, she had it.  The next evening on our walk she decided that she was going to ride again.  And she did.  When she was riding down a dirt- bike trial a lady stopped and commented to me that Haley must have no fear and also said that she was really good on her bike.  She gasped out loud when I told her she had taught herself how to ride only one day earlier. 

Haley is also quite funny.  She told me a few weeks ago that she had a veggie.  I asked her what she meant and she said “you know mama, it’s like a weggie but in the front.” 

Here are some recent pictures of my Sunshine, my baby girl.

I am sure this has probably been around forever but I just came accross this MUST watch video. It not only intriuged me, but it also inspired me (oh, and made me cry…. but everything makes me cry.) It is so worth watching, though and so worth considering, too.

Here is The Story:
“Once upon a time, we awoke with a new question on our mind. We didn’t quite know what the buzz and bustle of a Brooklyn afternoon would bring. In search of nothing more than some fresh answers, we found a few dreams instead.

It’s a simple question and the answers can lead us anywhere. So go ahead, ask yourself…”

Click here:
Fifty People, One Question: Brooklyn from Crush + Lovely on Vimeo.

After you watch the video, please leave me a comment on what your answer to ‘the question’ is.

Me? I would want to wake up in a world where I didn’t have to fear what the day may bring, with no worries and of course with Haley and Shayna by my side.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? 
No, my mom chose it because no one else had it. (So she thought until I got into kindergarten and there were 2 other Amy’s in my class).   

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
Yesterday

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? 
Sometimes

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Pastrami

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
Yes – 2

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Yes

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
Yes

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
No

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
No

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Cinnamon Toast Crunch

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Almost never

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
Yes

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
A toss-up between Cookies and Cream OR plain ol’ Vanilla 

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
Their eyes. 

15. RED OR PINK?
Love both

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? 
I allow people to take advantage of me.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
My grandmother, Maxine.
18. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TECHNOLOGY DEVICE? 
My DVR 

19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
Black heals

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
Corn Nuts

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? 
AOLRadio.com’s Pop Mix – Leona Lewis Better In Time (Love that song!) 

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Blue-Green.

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Rain, peaches, garlic,  escape for men by calvin klein, lavender.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? 
My mom 

25. MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY OR BEACH HOUSE? 
Mountain Hideaway  

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? 
Football  

27. HAIR COLOR?
Brunette.

28. EYE COLOR? 
Brown

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
No

30. FAVORITE FOOD?
I love so many kinds of food.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Happy Endings

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Twilight

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? 
Red lace 

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Summer

35. HUGS OR KISSES?
Both!

36. FAVORITE DESSERT? 
Apple Crisp 

37. STRENGTH TRAINING OR CARDIO?
Cardio

38. COMPUTER OR TELEVISION?
Computer

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
Just finished New Moon by Stephanie Meyer

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
Pictures my daughter Haley drew

42. FAVORITE SOUND?
My daughter’s laughing

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
Rolling Stones

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Florida

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
Photography – capturing raw emotion

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Albuquerque, NM

47. WHERE ARE YOU LIVING NOW?
Highlands Ranch, CO

48. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR HOUSE?
Blue

49. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR CAR?
White and Gold

50. DO YOU LIKE ANSWERING 50 QUESTIONS?
Very Much.

Here are my latest photographs from my 365 Project

23_365

Let me begin by saying that I am not a fish eater.  At all.  But tonight’s dinner, salmon with fresh rosemary & capers, roasted mixed veggies and rice, was to die for.  So yummy! 

24_365

“Dazed and disoriented, I looked up from the bright red blood pulsing out of my arm — into the fevered eyes of the six suddenly ravenous vampires”
Bella Swan, New Moon, Chapter 1, p.29

I finished book one in about a week.  Today the girls are with their dad and so I went to the store to buy book two.  In four hours I have read 300 pages and am not ready to stop, but it is almost mindnight so I thought I better get my 365 done.  Still hooked….

25_365

Is she not the most precious angel you have ever seen? 

26_365

They were making funny faces while watching the pasta maker prepare our homemade noodles.  Their faces cracked me up.   

27_365

She was trying to dodge the camera.  It is only day 27 and my children are tired of the 365.  The sad part is that I don’t even take pictures of them every time.  Some things they are just going to have to get used to, and this is one of them. lol.

28_365

Haley and I had fun playing Wii together tonight.

There are some actual definitions of what love is, one being from the what I would say is the most reliable source: The Bible.   In I Corinthians 13:4-8, the Bible says “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” 

The sums it up pretty well for me, but just in case you want more information, this is what Webster says:
“Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English lufu; akin to Old High German luba love, Old English lēof dear, Latin lubēre, libēre to please
Date: before 12th century
1 a (1): strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties  (2): attraction based on sexual desire : affection and tenderness felt by lovers (3): affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests  b: an assurance of love
2: warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion
3 a: the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration  b (1): a beloved person : darling —often used as a term of endearment (2)British —used as an informal term of address
4 a: unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1): the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2): brotherly concern for others b: a person’s adoration of God
5: a god or personification of love
6: an amorous episode : love affair
7: the sexual embrace : copulation
8: a score of zero (as in tennis)
9capitalized Christian Science : god
— at love : holding one’s opponent scoreless in tennis
— in love : inspired by affection”

One of my favorite parts about being a photographer is that I am able to define love with one single photograph.  Here are some of my past photographs that I believe define love. 

Things that bug me:
1. When people say “my bad” instead of “I’m sorry”
2. When my computer moves slowly
3. Having to judge a person’s mood before speaking to be sure not to say the wrong thing at the wrong time
4. Fear
5. When I can’t figure out how to fix something that should be simple to fix
6. Gossip
7. When people go to a place they know will be busy (mall the week before Christmas/Wal-Mart on Saturday afternoons) and are rude and in a hurry.
8. More then 2 cloudy days in a row
9. Weak chai lattes
10. Zits
11. Commercials
12. When people don’t take responsibility for their own actions (aka, the blame game)
13. People who drive like idiots (but I secretly love it when they speed in and out of traffic and I end up next to them at the next red light)
14. How every King Soorpers in town is a little different so you can never find anything when you go to a different store than usual
15. When people say mean things
16. Not having money
17. Paying to go see a bad movie
18. Predictability
19. People who spread rumors
20. Feeling itchy
21. Pretty lip gloss that tastes bad
22. When smelly lotions or perfumes give me a headache
23. Feeling old
24. Waking up Sunday morning and realizing tomorrow is already Monday
25. Cheesy salesmen
26. Not getting to see my dad nearly enough
27. People who ask “probing” questions
28. When people assume something about me rather then asking
29. People who take advantage
30. Wind
31. Know it alls…
32. My scale….the thing lies!
33. Parents who ignore their children
34. Late night talk shows…
35. Transitions sunglasses
36. The lingering smell of cigarette smoke
37. Broken promises
38. Reality TV
39. Dieting
40. Going to the post office
41. Radio stations that play the same songs over and over and …..
42. Shoes that hurt my feet
43. Finding a new hair stylist
44. Deciding what to eat when more than one thing sounds good
45. Not feeling comfortable in my own body
46. Not understanding the ways of the universe
47. Milk…it just isn’t good no matter how much I try to convince myself otherwise.
48. When I forget to use a coupon
49. Gel pens that don’t work….half of the time or ever
50. Disrespect

Leave me a comment with something you love and something that bugs you…

Things I love:

1. My girls
2. Babies
3. Chai lattes

4. Baby-belly-roll laughs
5. Making people laugh 

6. Sesame chicken
7. Wedding Cake
8. Flickr
9. My Blackberry
10. Most fruit
11. Making new friends
12. Water with lemon
13. A good book – one that keeps me up all night not wanting it to end when it’s over
14. Gel pens (only the good ones)
15. Watching Haley and Shayna interact and grow their love for each other
16. The smell of rain
17. Meeting an old friend for breakfast (or lunch or dinner)
18. A good comedy
19. Horses
20. Tulips
21. Gerber Daisies
22. Pushing Haley and Shayna on a swing
23. The smell of sunshine in my daughters’ hair when they’ve been playing outside (non-moms would call this smell sweat but when you’re a mom its different)
24. Cuddling
25. Feeling safe and protected
26. Wii
27. The feeling you get when you leave church knowing that the message was meant for you to hear
28. Being in the present moment
29. Pedicures
30. Helping people
31. Playing games (especially Pictionary, but pretty much any game will do)
32. Shopping
33. My mom and my dad
34. Seeing friends accomplish a goal they’ve been striving for
35. Leona Lewis’ music
36. Being creative
37. Catching up with friends, feeling like no time has passed
38. Wedding toasts that make me cry
39. Having a few extra dollars in the bank
40. Vacation
41. Hosting parties
42. Bread (though I do like the band, I am referencing the kind you eat)
43. Staying up late and getting up early
44. Meaningful conversations
45. Grease – yep, I said it.
46. Starbucks

47. People watching
48. Not much beats a pair of comfy and cute shoes
49. Pink
50. Looking at old photographs

Stay tuned tomorrow for 50 things that bug me……

Since it’s been awhile since i blogged, I have not been sharing my pictures.  Here are my latest photographs from my 365 Project.  I will update you on more about what’s going on in the next few days.

9/365

My morning veiw. 

I am not much of a morning person…to say the least.    But in the winter I luck out a bit with the shorter days – sunrise isn’t until 6:30ish.  This is a typical view from my bed out of my bedroom window.   My entire life I have slept with the blinds shut not to be awakened by light, but not in this home. Now this is the way to start off a good day.

10/365

Abby.  Our cuddler, our protector, our pillow, our alarm clock, out face-licker, our blanket, our entertainment, our friend.

"I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love.  For me they are the role model for being alive."  ~Gilda Radner

11/365

Dinner

Jan 12 (tomorrow) is my mom’s birthday so tonight we went out for chinese.  Seaseme Chicken is my favorite so it is always good, but have you ever noticed that good food is even better with good company? 

 12/365

Sisters

THIS is rare.  They were sitting quietly playing Wii together and NOT fighting, so I had no options but to capture the moment to remind myself that they really can get along.  It helps that Shay is sick and Haley feels sorry for her.  They really do love each other.   (Yes.  Shayna is wearing the Fuffa shirt…again.)

13/365

 “Your life is the fruit of your own doing. You have no one to blame but yourself.”

~Joseph Campbell

14/365

She got her first camera for Christmas and loves it!  She’s a girl after my own heart. 

15/365

“I don’t like myself, I’m crazy about myself” ~ Mae West

Bath Kisses

I was taking photos of her glittery hair and messy face vs her clean hair and freshly washed face for my 365 today, then when I was about to put the camera away she started making kissy faces to herself in the refelction.  This was one of those adorable candid moments that makes this so much fun!  

16/365

“Sometimes I wondered if I was seeing the same things through my eyes that the rest of the world was seeing through theirs. Maybe there was a glitch in my brain.”  Bella Swan, Twilight, Chapter 1, p.11

One week ago I had never heard of Twilight (gasp!).  Yes.  That’s right NEVER.  I had a weekend away from my children so I called my long time best friend to see if she could use a girl’s night as much I could.  She said absolutly, but we HAD to go see Twilight.  I agreed, not because I had any interest in the movie, but mearly out of desperation to get out with an old friend.  Let me just say i loved the movie and I am now hooked on book one.   …..and when I say hooked, I mean hooked.  

17/365

 ”Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” ~Barack Obama

18/365

Wow.  The truth hurts sometimes.

In case you can’t read grade 2 language it reads: "I love you mama.  Do you ever see me enough and play with me and do my homework with me?  Because I don’t think you do.  I love you!!"

19/365

My baby is sick with a UTI and has been for a week.  We spent a terrible afternoon at the doctor’s office after a long sleepless night last night.  Tonight she sleeps and I am too tired to think. 

I wanted to honor MLK in today’s photograph but I just didn’t have the energy.  Though my photograph has nothing to do with this quote, it is one of my many favorites of his "Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step. "
Martin Luther King, Jr. 

20/365

This girl loves her rodeo.

21/365

Shayna’s first pony ride.  She’s hooked.

22/365

 “The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be”  ~Marcel Pagnol

Here are a few happenings:

I was able to spend a lot of time just being with Haley and Shayna over the holidays and it was absolute heaven. This week has been a bit rough – Haley was sick and “real life” started again – having to get back to work and school, but now we are back on track! {Yes, it is Friday. Yes it took us a week to get back on track. But hey? What can I say? We’re slow sometimes!}

My NEW website is completed!  Yay!  I am SO loving it.  Please drop me a line or a comment and let me know what you think! 

I have to say a very big, very special THANK YOU to the talented band Addison Road for allowing me to use their beautiful song, Hope Now on my website.  Please check out their website, read their awesomely written blogs, buy some music and get inspired!

Sometimes, because I am a career woman (~giggle~ can’t believe I called myself that), a mother of 2, a daughter, a friend, a blogger and a photographer all in one, I put things off.  Typically what gets put on the back burner the most is my photography; my passion.   This year I really want to get my skills as a photographer up to the next level, and stop putting off something I adore so much.  What better way to do that than to practice, right?  So I started a Project 365.  I will {try} to take a photograph of something every day for 365 days.  They will be personal photographs that document a year in my life, from daily activities, my favorite things in life – including photographs of my daughters to items that discribe the day or my feelings that day.  I will share my Project 365 photographs here often so please keep checking back!  Here are days 1-8:

1/365

Shayna. We call her Shayna, Shay-Shay, Baby Shay, Shane or Love. 

2/365

Shayna, my 2 year old, picked out her own outfit today. I don’t think I could have picked one out better myself! She got the wings and tutu from my sister for Christmas and insisted on wearing them to the park today, and of course she picked out the red patten leather shoes, too!

3/365

My 7 year old got a Wii for Christmas. Let me just say that she likes it…slightly.

4/365

My big girl is sick today so the little one and I went with quick and cheap for dinner….the ol’ stand by, Top Raman. She was taking bites too big for her mouth but we were laughing and it was fun. My flash was upstairs so this was taken with the available light in the room, so the lighting is not so great but I still love the picture. Of course I do. I’m a mom.

5/365

She sleeps….

6/365

 Today I feel a little old. A little defeted. I have managed to have perfect eye sight for 34 years and now I am told that I should have these to help me see the computer screen better, maybe to help me read, too. I like them and things are a bit more clear now. They are just a little reminder that everything must go…eventually.

 7/365

Bath time! Both girls love bath time (this week, anyway)! I bought some specail bubble bath this week and they have taken a bath three days in a row now. Usually it’s a fight to get them in there. Why did it take my 7 years of being a mother to find out all I needed to do was buy bubble bath?!

8/365

The Shoes. Shayna loves these shoes. She wears them ALL the time, preferably without socks. I have a thing for shoes and because I have two daughters, I knew that someday my problem would become their problem; but at two? Seriously…come on…. lol…

Also, some of my rates will be changing, too so if you have been meaning to call me but just haven’t yet this week might be a good time to get in touch with me.  All appointments made prior to January 5th will be charged at the current rate. 

I will update my blog as soon as the website is complete so please check back soon so you can see my new baby.

When I made the decision to hold the contest for a free photo session I thought that it would be the perfect gift to give to one family who really deserves something special.  I thought that I was going to get a lot of nominations from people saying that they would love to get a family portrait done and due to the economy they just really could not afford one this year.  I thought I might get a few nominations for a family or two in need; maybe a single mom who would benefit or a dad who lost his job.  Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever thought that I would get three amazingly heartwarming stories from so many perfectly selfless people.  I also thought after I read the first nomination that there was no way anyone could’ve topped that story!  And then they kept coming and each story in it’s own way was perfect and the words that I read touched my heart.  It didn’t take me very long to decide that  every nomination I received would win because there was no way I could say no to any one of these. 

Thank you to each and every one of you who made a nomination for showing me what a wonderful little world this is in which we live.  I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and may you all be blessed with a New Year full of wonderful surprises, love and hope.