Pictures!

It was frustrating to be in such a beautiful place and not have my nice camera and lenses-BUT for convenience sake it was great to have my powershot along for this trip, and honestly I'm really pleased with some of the shots I was able to get. I wish I had more time to take pictures in Savannah but that will have to wait for another time. I love my family so much-they tickle me from the depths of my being. I feel very fortunate to have such an amazing husband and children. I can't wait to soak them up all summer!

A Great Start to an Amazing Summer

Geogia was great! I love adventures and experiencing new things and this trip did not disappoint. The trick to this trip was to get by solely using the MARTA while in Atlanta. MARTA is the public transit system. I love taking the train. The buses were fine-but I'm a slightly impatient person and would rather walk than wait for a bus-most times we coordinated our schedule with the buses-but there were a few times where my patience was worn thin-(15 minutes is my limit) :) I loved arriving at the station just as the train pulled up and getting whisked off to my next destination. Though I have to say by the time we got our rental car at the end of the week for our road trips I was SO ready to be done with buses and trains.

While we were in Atlanta we visited the Federal Reserve Bank and learned all about "monetary policy"; the Botanical Gardens and learned of all the beautiful flowers we will never grow in Southern Arizona; the Atlanta History Center where we toured what a typical pre-civil war farm would have really been like and a post civil war antebellum beauty The Swan House. This mansion depicted the wealth of the reconstruction era with plenty of gilded mirrors, marble floors and unparalleled landscape architecture. (The Swan House was one of my favorites). While at the Margaret Mitchell House the kids had a chance to type on a "real" typewriter. We saw not 1 not 2 but THREE Whale Sharks at the Georgia Aquarium swimming in a tank of Manta Rays and hammer head sharks. SO AMAZINGLY COOL! I tasted about 40 different soda pops from around the world at The World of Coca Cola. We learned it doesn't take much for a little monkey to out maneuver zoo keepers and enjoy several hours of freedom at the Atlanta Zoo. While at the High we viewed some of the most beautiful cars that have ever been engineered, and reaffirmed how irritating modern art can be and how lovely American art was in the 1800's. While at Six Flags I learned two things 1) Insisting that my son go on the most scary roller coaster in the park was actually a good thing in that it helped him have an insanely good time the rest of the day. Conquer the worst first and the rest is a piece of cake. The Georgia Scorcher was defeated TWICE-and I'm pretty sure Noah was one of the youngest riders ever-he just made the height limit thanks to the extra moisture in the air creating a little more volume on the top of his head. The second thing I learned was that walking around in the pouring rain with my family singing "Hey There Delila" at the top of our lungs in search of the perfect chili dog while the rest of the park patrons scurried out of the park was actually more fun than riding the rides at the park. On a side note-because we stuck it out and the park cleared out Hannah got to ride all by herself-(meaning NO ONE else was on the ride)on a splash coaster. She said it was awesome.

I revisited my birth place and birth home in Columbus Georgia, and completely fell in love with Savannah Georgia and the Atlantic coast. Savannah has all the charm of a little European town, all the history of colonial settlement, all the romanticism of the South and layers upon layers of picture postcard views around every corner. Live Oaks and Spanish moss will haunt me forever. As far as the Atlantic goes-BATH WATER!!!! Jared and I will definitely be revisiting Savannah. I also learned that Walgreens can be the most fascinating place to spend hours in. Greeting cards have really come along way.

I am happy to be home-it's nice to look out a horizon. Georgia was beautiful-and I'm grateful that in some small way I get to claim a piece of it as my own.

Is it really almost May?

Kids at the jump rope car wash giving Silvy a wash down.

Jared w/Mitch at the Gladden Farms duathlon.

She's 1!!!!!!!!!!!

My sweet nephew Charlie!

Engagement pics at Sabino Canyon. (I almost lost my camera to raging waters....)

Spring pictures for two of my favorite models....

Enough of the "time is going by so fast" nonsense-blah blah blah.... It's not like it's going to slow down because I keep acknowledging the seemingly warp speed that life has taken on. I just need to be better about posting more often. We have been having alot of fun. School is beginning to wind down for the kids and we are in great anticipation for the summer fun to begin. Before I get ahead of myself and post about future plans I should finish reflecting on past events.

Two days ago Jared and I had a workout date night at Crossfitt. I AM REALLY SORE. One of the trainers there was kind enough to send us pictures from the couples event-but I'm to vain to post them. Let's just say they are less than flattering. Sometimes I feel like the most unphotogenic person in the world. How ironic.

Jared also finished a duathlon and did awesome! He was frustrated about his down time in getting his shoes on and off-but he will be better prepared next time.

The kiddos are doing awesome-Hannah has mastered another piano feat-The Malaguena. Noah is an awesome little guitar player. He has almost all his chords learned. I will post video soon. (Maybe tonight...) Bradeigh is awesome at being irresistably adorable. I love her toothy grin-6 teeth now. She is almost walking.

In between everything I've been taking pictures, and while my love and appreciation of photography is long standing-I waiver between wanting to devote the time to a business and just wanting to be a friend who can take pretty good pictures. I like being a friend that can take pretty good pictures-who occasionally makes a little bit of $$ to support a hobby. So unless it is a special circumstance I'm not taking any more referrals-just keeping the clients I already have and like. :)

Now for future FUN! Going to Atlanta soon!!!!!! I have never been to the south since my birth at Ft. Benning a Columbus GA army base. So it will be neat retracing my early beginnings with my mom who is accompanying us on this trip. It will also be an interesting opportunity to trace more history of our country spanning from the civil war to civil rights. I also hear there is a really neat aquarium.

AND AND AND AND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My amazing husband has made it possible for me and the kids to accompany him to CHICAGO this June!!!!!!! I didn't think it was possible-but Jared made it possible, and I am so excited to take the kids back and show them all the places we enjoyed so much.

Where did the time go?

Two months to catch up...hmmm...

LA was great! (That was Feb) It was so wonderful to see Malea and her family. We spent an afternoon at the Getty Villa in Malibu-SO BEAUTIFUL! I forgot my camera... The airport was interesting-I was told it was not appropriate for an adult to fuss when they are tired-meaning it was not appropriate for a 10 month to fuss when they were tired (in a terminal-not the airplane) I was arrested for assault shortly there after-no just kidding-actually I had security arrest the woman for trying to separate me from my carry ons-totally illegal in an airport. Just kidding about that too-though had I thought of it I would have been very tempted. Then I had a very large, very tattooed, very feminine sounding, man squeeze in next to me on the flight figuring if he was seated next to a mother and baby he would be safe-flying really scared him. I thought this was pretty cute-though not so much at first when I watched him make his way towards me.

I had fun photographing a wedding, visiting the Greens and getting out of my grocery shopping rut by taking advantage of Bountiful Baskets, a regional food co-op.

We had a great time visiting friends and family in Utah. Cedar City and St. George are so beautiful! I found a home in Cedar that is perfect...it just needs to be reduced by a $100,000 or more. Which strangely enough isn't totally unheard of in today's market-which also would mean we need to sell are home which could take FOREVER-which is also not unheard of in this market... Coming back to Tucson after our trip rekindled my love for this area-especially in the Spring. This is a beautiful place. I guess you could say I've made peace with Tucson once again and have found my gratitude for all the blessings I get to enjoy on a daily basis-family, Jared's awesome job, our home, my mountain, and the WILDFLOWERS!!! I hate driving/traveling home from vacation-but I love arriving home from vacation. My perspective always seems so much clearer. Oh-while in Utah we visited a glass gallery and the kids(and I) were able to make these awesome glass flowers. I highly recommend the gallery and the experience.

WOW!!! This has been the best wildflower season EVER!!! I just want to be outside all the time. I took Bradeigh out for her 1 yr pics-and let's just say that all the tourists had a a good laugh at watching me try to make my very seriouse looking baby laugh and smile. I'm glad I afforded some entertainment. When I came home I was determined to get my toothy smile. I sat her in her high chair and she delivered!! I just wish I could have gotten this smile when I went to all the effort setting her up in the poppies. Oh well. :)