Photographer in the Making

I've always loved taking pictures. I'd been talking loads of pictures before it was cool. Its MY thing. Now everyone takes pictures just so they can show them off on Facebook and Instagram-- plus having cameras on phones now make it a lot easier and a lot more accessible. 

Growing up I had my own video camera, which resulted in several priceless memories. I've also had lots of cameras (because I would have to get a new one each time I got sand in it from the beach).

Then when Blaine and I lived in Libby during our first married summer, I went and hung out with the town's local (only) photographer a couple of times and tried to learn about different things. We had different styles, but it was nice of her to let me explore and shadow her.

And then after having an advertisement for a Canon Rebel on the fridge for 4 years, Blaine finally bought me it for my birthday about a year and a half ago. (You may recall from my "Waiting for Baby" post). I haven't used it much, but the pictures I have taken with it show an obvious improvement in clarity compared to others. I took some outdoors shots in the mountains in Provo and then also got to practice on Abbie a little bit with her Prom pictures and also her Senior portraits... which turned out pretty great, if I do say so myself. Here is my model, not at all edited:

 she should be on a skin care ad 

and her cute little prom date Thomas, whose on his mission in Dallas right now

Anyways, while on our trip to New York, my camera worked fine one day and then the next day would not work! So I frantically called my aunt who is a photographer and was trying to see if she knew what could be wrong, but we couldn't figure it out. So today I took it in to the store and they figured out that (luckily) its not my camera, but my lens thats the problem. It still works great on manual, but the automatic part is what won't work. But the guy at the store was very helpful. He put a couple of different lenses on my camera and we were able to take some pictures and he explained what the advantages and disadvantages of different lenses were. I want to have everything ready to go before our baby comes so I can take a bunch of pictures of him and start practicing. So I'll probably invest in that in the next couple weeks and start exploring everything my camera and new lens can do.

I'll also have to start playing with Photoshop. I was the Sports Editor of the Yearbook for 2 years in high school and was pretty good with it back then. But that was years ago and its changed since then. So it will be a great project for this stay-at-home-mom. 

My mom taught piano lessons to make some extra money when we were growing up. But she's a lot better than me and actually had the patience to work on scales and all that formal stuff. I just like to play for fun and play things I want to hear, so thats out for me. 

Then I was talking to Blaine's grandma a couple days ago and she said that she sewed clothes for people to make some money from home. But I don't think thats very high in demand these days, nor would I have the patience. I do need to take the time to learn and get better at sewing in general though so I can make stuff for my kids. My mom always made us Easter dresses and stuff like that. And heaven forbid we ever wore a store bought Halloween costume! I can't drop the ball after the standard my mom set. Alivia, my 11 year old sister, is already a better seamstress than me. She's going to help me sew a couple blankets for baby boy when she gets here in July. 

But back to photography and making money at home. That has been and still is my plan and my hope. I think I would love learning all the cool features and effects and will use them all the time anyways on pictures of my own kids, so why don't do it for other people as well and make some money?! It's perfect. The only downside is that these days everyone and their mom is a "photographer." So even if I never get paid to do anyone else pictures, I'll still have great pictures of my own family and our own stuff and that'll be awesome. But I know of several girls who've done this exact same thing. So for better or worse, thats the plan. I'm excited to buy a new lens and get started with all my free time over the next couple of weeks.
Maybe 7 weeks to be exact, since today I am officially 33 weeks!

Birthing Class - Health Services Week

Our hospital has free classes for expectant moms, so we're taking advantage of them! The one we're currently in is a pretty basic birth class about how to know if you're in labor or not and the different stages of labor. And our friends are having a baby due 11 days after us, so we are in the class together. Our husbands were friends at BYU, so thats extra fun. We couldn't manage to get a good picture, but here they are anyways so we can show our kids :)

Take into consideration that I am closest to the camera...

After class 2 weeks ago, Blaine and I were walking past the cafeteria on our way to the elevators to head out to our car at about 9:15 and noticed that the cafeteria was all decorated nicely. We thought it was weird since it was so late at night, but as we walked by, one of the hospital administrators invited us to have dinner on them in honor of Health Services Week. So we got our free chicken, vegetables, and strawberry shortcake from the cafeteria and sat at the decorated tables and watched the NBA playoffs. We were pretty much the only ones in there, since all the nurses and doctors got all their food to go and headed back upstairs. 

And lastly, here is our sweet Jakey.

He dug himself a hole in our backyard, big enough for him to burrow in

They're best friends. And I'm not even joking. 

The other day we took Jake for a walk around a big pond, where he got his first real look at ducks. He was dying to be able to run after them. It was funny. We took a video. Blaine was excited to see Jake's potential as a hunting dog. We also saw these baby ducklings and Australian Shepard puppy :)

Work Baby Shower & End of the School Year

Today was the last day of school for the kids at McLoud. The teachers still have another day and a half, but it is still an early start to summer compared to a lot of other schools around the country. I was actually a little sad knowing that it was ending today. It didn't really sink in until 7th hour--when everyone goes crazy and just waits for the bell to ring. The 8th graders even got a "clap out" where they walk down the hall and out the door a couple minutes early while the teachers and 7th graders line the hallway and clap. 

Even though I am SOOOOO excited to be a "stay-at-home-mom/trophy wife" it was sad. Also, I have been busy at work during my entire married life. Even through the summers! I don't remember what not working feels like. I've started thinking of some projects to work on to be productive and have fun with. I haven't had time for much of anything this year while I've been working. Blaine teases that this is my retirement since I won't go back to teaching until my youngest baby is in school. 

But I was blessed with a great experience and great people to work around. Who knows? Maybe this was a reason I didn't have a baby until now. This year did have it's share of hard times though. Remember my morning routine of throwing up on the side of the freeway? 2 hours of each day was my commute, plus I was the head coach of the pom team, assistant coach of the basketball team, taught my class, and was in charge of Red Ribbon Week and the Food Drive. What a resume booster in just one year. I will miss many of my students and colleagues, because they were nice, good people. They even threw me a little baby shower yesterday. Unfortunately I didn't have my phone so I didn't take any pictures, but one of the other teachers sent these to me. We had cake, a delicious blue punch, and a diaper cake built by one of my best teacher friends. I was impressed! I'd seen them on Pinterest so it was so fun to see one in person and for it to be mine! (You'll have to look for it in the pictures)

look at how the bags match my dress :)

Don't know why my face looks like that...

PS - I don't know how I look to other people, but I am never shocked by my appearance until I see myself in pictures. I saw some of these and I was like... "WOW!!!"

Also, it came up somehow along the course of the year, but I told my students about how I was an extra in High School Musical 3 and One Tree Hill, so I told them I'd show them at the end of the year. Many of you might not know that as well. 

One Tree Hill was mine and Alexis' favorite show when I was in high school. So one Spring Break, our family took a road trip from Boca to Wilmington, North Carolina and spent 2 days as extras on the set. It was exciting and we got to talk to the cast (who complimented Alexis' skirt and my necklace). We also toured Duke and UNC while we were there. I really liked it and tell Blaine that it could be a serious contender in our list of "settled down" locations since it has hills and lots of greenery but also the ocean. 

As with all Disney Channel movies, HSM3 was filmed in Utah. So the summer that they were filming it, Alexis and I got to be extras in that as well. It was a lot of fun. And my students (and students not in my class) were pretty excited about it, too.

OKC Stockyards

About a month ago, Blaine and I went to the Stockyards for the first time since we've been here. It was Blaine's friend Ollie's birthday and he invited us to go eat some steak and check out cowboy boots. So after my long drive from McLoud to Edmond, and then Edmond to OKC to meet them at school, and then being in traffic from their school to the stockyards, we finally made it to Cattlemen's Steakhouse... just in time for me to throw up. But then I was ready for some meat. It was like authentic man meat. There was even a bunch of cowboys eating in there, complete with their spurs on. 

Then we went to some shops across the street to check out cowboy boots. They're expensive, though, so we didn't buy any. But we tried them on and picked out what we want for when we DO have some extra money. They had walls and walls of colors and sizes and different animal skins on them. Ollie has a bunch and is our resident authority on all things cowboy.

Then we found they baby and kids section. Those tiny cowboy boots are soooooo cute. We'll definitely have to buy some for our baby boy. Just so he can embrace his Oklahoman roots :)

We passed the corrals as we left, but there was so much we didn't get to see. (In fact, we haven't got to do a lot of exploring or OKC activities this year because we've been so busy. But that will all change this year, mark my words!) We'll definitely have to go back to see all that the stockyards has to offer... oh, and to buy cowboy boots. 

Mother's Day

Twinners!

Today is my first Mother's Day as a mother! Granted, my baby is still in my tummy, but he's here - alive and well. I talk to him and he moves and his room is getting ready! 9 more weeks! We're  finally down to single digits.

This is the 31 week picture that I took right after church so I could change my clothes. (definitely not one of my best) Its mid-80s here in Oklahoma today and the A/C was broken in church and I was dyyyyyyiiiing of heat - just so uncomfortable and sweaty.

I was grocery shopping about a month ago and was on an aisle by myself. This mom had her 2 daughters in her cart and turned onto my aisle thinking no one was there and singing "Let It Go" from Frozen pretty enthusiastically. I could tell she got a little embarrassed and said, "I can't be the only mom in America singing that song," to which I responded, "I'm not even a mom yet and I do the same thing." So she firmly told me, "You ARE, too, a mom!" and she was right.

One more funny anecdote about my son being with me - Blaine and I were ordering some food at Subway and I said, "I would like..." and the goofy little teenage boy at the counter said, "Don't you mean WE" and pointed to my stomach. It was so funny. Yes, "we." We do everything together :)

Blaine gave me a pedicure last night as part of my Mother's Day celebration with some new nail polish that he got for me called "Surf Spray."Nail polish and beach theme - he knows his girl. And its shimmery blue like a mermaid (#BlueForBoys). I also got 3 little presents and 3 cards - one from each of my boys, complete with appropriate signatures for each one. It was cute. Blaine did a good job. 

(We also ordered a little splurge item that I wanted for Baby Boy's room a couple days ago, so that counts as a Mother's Day gift as well. But it will be worth it. 

And it will last through all my kids - however many I will be blessed to have.) 

Then this morning Blaine made cinnamon rolls and brought the whole gallon of milk into our room for a breakfast in bed. Then after church he made dinner. 

He's going to be such a great dad :) 

I've waited (for what felt like a long time) to be a mom and am so excited that I finally get to. Jake was the first boy I got to mother, so I count him (even though lots of people think that sounds weird. You wouldn't understand unless you can relate... which some of my friends can). 

And now in July I can finally have a baby boy of my very own, which means the world to us!

  

                 

 

My dad thinks I'm funny because of how confident I am in my mothering skills and my confidence in being the best mother ever, and while I joke about it... 

I'm also completely serious.

 First of all, I'm the oldest of 6 kids and have a huge extended family - so I feel like I've been around plenty of baby and kids and mother stuff my whole life. Plus, that concern for safety and for everyone's feelings has ALWAYS been a huge priority/weight on me. Even in college when everyone's running around crazy freshman year, I think my friends would agree that I was the mother of our group. 

Second of all, I'm a teacher - so I have a lot of experience with dealing with tweens and (for the most part) I love them (and they love me). 'Nough said ;) Plus I've worked and waited for this opportunity, which always makes you value it more. 

And lastly, if not the best mother ever, then I know I'll be the second best mother ever because I have the best example ever - my own mama! (Not in a cheesy, cliche Mother's Day way, but in all sincerity every day of the year.) 

*Quick funny story - I was home in Florida with my family before I got married in the end of the summer of 2009 and I was sitting on the floor in the living room and needed my mom for something. So instinctively and randomly, I called out, "Mommy?!" and everyone started cracking up. I didn't even mean to or realize what I had done, but my dad said, "Great. How can she get married when she still calls her mom "mommy"?

She had her own fertility struggles and so she understands what I've gone through. Furthermore, she has always cherished her opportunity to be a mom and not taken it for granted - an attitude that I've automatically adopted as well. And when we ran out of money doing infertility treatments, she was quick to offer of her own means, expecting nothing in return. (But in a couple years we will be able to repay you and Dad. I have never and will never forget.) If our first baby was a girl, her middle name was going to be Kristin - for all my mom's good qualities and since she would've helped get the baby here... but then I got into a (fake) argument with my sister because she wants her daughter's middle name to be Kristin after our mom. Oh well. They both can I guess. I bet Abbie will use it as a middle name as well, but we all know Alivia will probably use it as a first name :)

My mom is the most selfless person I know and is always putting others first - especially her kids. So far she's probably earned 2 additional bachelor degrees, not to mention Seminary which she also taught.  I don't think she's slept in 25 years. My mom woke me up every morning for seminary around 5am - no way I could've gotten up without her. Then she went downstairs to make me an egg mcmuffin for breakfast. And when I stayed up late writing papers, she would lay on the couch and watch TV till I was done so I didn't have to be up alone. Rarely does she do anything for herself. I remember one year my dad bought her a $1000 gift card to buy herself clothes at Macys. She spent a little on herself, but a lot on us. 

I have tons of memories of her consideration and "concern for the one." She was aware of and attentive to anyone that needed extra love and patience--even some that I haven't had patience for. I don't remember her exactly teaching me to be aware and active about easing their discomfort or sadness, but her example was teaching enough. I can still remember 3 specific boys in my 2nd, 4th, and 5th grade classes that I was so concerned for and tried to help because of her influence. Even more recently as I've been teaching this year, I've had opportunities to develop more patience and to look beyond kids' outward appearance and think about or ask about how they're really doing or whats really going on. 

She taught my music class in kindergarten and taught me to play the piano and organ. She loves music and has passed that on to me. I played the piano all the time in high school (especially when I was upset). She gets how powerful and dramatic music is. And when I wanted to play a specific song but it was too tricky for me, I would have her play it and she would do so easily and wonderfully. One time when Blaine and I went back to visit my family in Boca, my brother Austin's speakers and microphone were set up in the living room, so after church we just started messing around with them. It turned into a full fledge concert with my mom on the piano and me singing. Now be it known that my singing is nothing special, but I must say, I'm a fan favorite amongst my family and that was such a fun afternoon. My dad especially likes it/cracks up/feels uncomfortable when I dedicate certain songs or say some dramatic applications while my mom plays the introduction. (We'll talk more singing and dueting on Father's Day.) Mom also taught my dad to love musicals, which I am now teaching to my own husband. My mom and I have seen a couple together, but I remember one time we found out that Miss Saigon was playing later that night, so we bought tickets and just went! My whole family has seen Wicked, but one time just her and Alivia (my youngest sister went). 

Last summer when she was visiting in Provo, we went to the All-4-One concert and mom loved it. Especially the short Mexican guy ;)

And wasn't embarrassed to get her picture with them

She always has my back and supports me. If someone has messed with me, then they've messed with her. (For real, not just because thats a line from Blind Side... which is a great movie and portrays a great mother) After my last high school basketball game after playing for one of the worst people I've known, she left a dramatic note on my car simply saying "It is finished..." And when I was 12 years old and we went to my first Young Women's General Broadcast, the YW leader pulled me aside and told me that my dress was immodest and she expected me to set a better example for the girls around me. I didn't  tell my mom until we got in the car and I bursted into tears. I've always been very tall, so dresses ran shorter on me than normal and when you're 12 years old, the last thing you're trying to be is sexy. So we got home and she made me my favorite homemade hot fudge sundae and then called the lady and ripped her a new one. Thats my mom. People don't mess with us and if theres an issue, she has no problem marching up to the counter and demanding it be fixed. Thats rubbed off on me as well, for better or for worse I think, according to Blaine ;) And she doesn't love the smell and hair and all that stuff that goes along with having a dog, but when we decided to get Jake, she was supportive and has become a great "pet grandparent" :) She makes sure that he's taken care of and watches the puppy training show every Saturday morning and shares what she's learned. And one time I was going on a football trip with my dad and some of my friends (who were boys) were meeting us at the game (one of whom I had a nice crush on), so my mom took me to the mall and helped me pick out a new outfit :) Complete with a necklace - an accessory I would rarely buy for myself. 

I love my mama and am grateful my kids will have such a wonderful grandma (even though she doesn't look like a grandma). While I have full confidence in my ability to love unconditionally and give of myself freely and completely, I am very relieved and grateful that she will be with me for a while this summer to oversee the proper bathing, feeding, and sleeping of our baby, because choking babies and all those bizarre random things that can kill babies frighten me more than anything. 

Blaine gave me a great Mother's Day and is always respectful and appreciative of motherhood, and not just today. Sometimes he teases me about how nice and easy my life will be as a "stay-at-home-mom/trophy wife" but then he admits that he wouldn't have it any other way. He is also very sweet about his own mom. Blaine's a great note writer - always very sincere and grateful and complimentary. (Writing those notes or speaking that way can make me feel awkward, but he's never phased.) And reading his message to his mom in his Mother's Day card reaffirmed my excellent choice in my husband and father or my babes (and pups). And I'm grateful that our baby will have his mom as a wonderful grandma as well. It's fun to see how excited she is. She even has a new Pinterest board dedicated to him ;)

I've already shared 2 of these, but here are some other quotes about mothers that I love. 

(The cute "printables" formats are versions that I've found on Pinterest.)

I really like this quote in general, but I relate it a lot to motherhood. My dream job was to be an ESPN sideline reporter for college football and so my major in college was broadcast journalism. But once I got married and prioritized my life, I realized and accepted that I couldn't be both a successful mom and a successful reporter who has to travel all the time, so I made the choice to switch my major to teaching, since it is a better mom job. Just like my mom. 

I call my mom everyday... when she's not on the phone with my other siblings ;)

Lastly, one of my favorite parenting strategies is based on a quote by Marjorie Pay Hinckley. The message is simple: Say yes whenever possible, because they're only young once.