Happy Birthday Tristan!

Tristan turned 9, yep NINE, this weekend. And that's crazy. He's my baby and this is the last year in the single digits. Yikes.

Saturday, his real birthday, was kind of a funny day. Tori and I had committed to doing a charity walk in the morning thinking he would have a baseball game like every other Saturday morning. Of course he didn't because life is like that, but we still went.

This year we were running with a football theme so compliments of pinterest (if you are not on there yet get moving!) I had this fun idea to make a birthday break thru banner thing. Not the official name, for the record. So I crepe papered all across his door, back and forth, with a sign basically explain that football teams bust out of the locker room like this and today he was the star and could bust into his 9th year. Following phone call from walk site:
Me: Happy Birthday Baby!
Tristan: Thanks mom.
Me: Did you like busting out of your room this morning?
Tristan: Yeah...(insert odd pause)...but you're so weird. It was weird.

Anywho...the rest of the day was normal stuff. Dinner out, baseball practice, yogurt spot. Good. Instead of a party he chose to go to the Bucs game with "the guys". More on that to come. Waiting on pics.

So to Tristan, Happy Birthday little man. It is a pleasure watching you grow up. I love your gentle spirit, your knack for recognizing when someone needs a hug or a "its ok", and your caring ways. I love that you have a new best friend every week and even occasionally refer to Jake as one of the options (FYI - Jake is a dog). I love that you are shy and quiet in new situations but silly and loud in ones where you are comfortable. I love the face you get when you are thinking hard, where you put your face really close to the paper and your eyebrows burrow together. I love watching you play ball ... sometimes so focused and sometimes in lala land. I love how much you enjoy time with your sister now that she's around less. And I love your inability to say no to her when she wants to make a deal in Monopoly even though it makes you lose every time. And most of all I love that you are my son. Looking forward to seeing what the next year brings.

Meet Collin

Remember Carter . Well in the last 18 months he has changed ALOT. He knows names, loves to sing songs, and will point out and name the letters on EVERYTHING near him. He runs with the energy that only toddler's possess. Some things don't change...his smile still lights up his entire face. And those baby blues are still going to break hearts one day.

One of the biggest changes though for Carter is that he is no longer an only child. Meet Collin, my newest "nephew" (okay so it's not biological or by marriage...but still family in my world!). I believe his mama is calling him Squishy or Little Squishy and really...don't ya think she has good reason? Adorable!! Thanks Jenni - for letting me take photos of your gorgeous boys but more than that for letting me be a part of their lives. Love y'all!

Randomness.

For some fall has arrived when they see signs of changing leaves, a crisp wind starts to move in and aromas of pumpkin and apples drift from the oven. For us fall has arrived when the chaos begins to gather momentum, the calendar begins to fill with appointments and ball games, and the weather drops into the high 80s. And fall has arrived. So here's whats happening:

- Both kids are back in ball. Tori is playing majors softball this year for the first time (new rules!) and Tristan is playing minors baseball for the first time (first time kids pitch). Mon, Tues, Wed, Thus and Sat - gone. Just like that.

- Tristan gets a new teacher starting next Wednesday. After 10 day count they had to rearrange so one of the K teachers are moving up. Luckily Tori had her for K and we really like her but its still a bummer to be one of the kids moved a month in to school.

- Halloween preparations are in full swing. Costume ideas, party ideas, and frustration that they plan a big weekend tournament for softball right over the weekend we want to have a party.

- Work is busy, busy, busy for both Todd and I right now.

Really that's it. Our calendar is full of tedium - but the good kind. Baseball games, school open houses, church dinners, and birthday celebrations. And despite the temperatures screaming summer still I am thinking another week or two and I really will break out the pumpkins and the fall garlands, the cider recipes and the sweater box. Sometimes you just gotta fake it :-)

Ridiculous.

I have been playing in my "studio" a lot lately. Trying to figure out lighting at different times of day and perfect camera settings that require the least amount of off camera editing possible.

And Max, well sometimes highly irritating and really yippy, is a great model. But he just does not have the range of expression my family conjures up. Nor is he this ridiculous.

The muscle face. Creepy but funny.

Sprinkle

sprin·kle

noun /ˈspriNGkəl/ 

1. A small quantity or amount of something scattered over an object or surface.
2. A new trend in which expectant mothers get sprinkled with a few less and smaller gifts than at the sprinkle's more well known counterpart - the shower.


I have a friend (Hi Jenni!) who I have known since I was 15, that's more than half my life. And Jenni is amazing. And she has the most ridiculously creative friends. So when her friend Lauren emailed me and said we have to throw her a sprinkle - what date would be good...I had to write back and ask what a sprinkle was. But now I know.

And quite frankly I think it might be one of the best sprinkles ever, of course I have nothing to compare it too. Her friend Sarah is an AMAZING photographer so she handled the people photos. But here are some pics of the decorations/favors.

NYC

I am going. With my favorite travel buddies. At Christmas time. Through the roof excited.

That's it.

Random thoughts and updates.

First off the venting:

- Life is highly unfair and sometimes being positive in a situation is REALLY hard. Sometimes the injustices of life are far removed from us. We see them on tv or read about them in the newspaper. But sometimes they are close to home. And they break you heart. Please pray for these things:

- B & L (my brother/sister in laws) are stuck in a foreign country away from their other children for 3+ weeks trying to bring home a little boy with DS. But the judge said no. And so now they have to jump through a ridiculous amount of hoops (they are professional hoop jumpers at this point though!) to get an appeal. And to beg another judge, hopefully a nicer more compassionate one to let them take their son home to meet his brothers.

- My friend Karen is going through chemo. And that sucks in and of itself. But a "regime" has been laid out for her of chemo and radiation and reconstruction surgery and that plan spans out almost a year from now. Being in a tough situation with the light at the end of the tunnel being sooooooo far away, well that sucks even more.

- And on that same note one of Todd's coworkers has a little girl who was recently diagnosed with leukemia. I don't know him much less his little girl. But I know what it is to be a parent. And they too have a plan that provides a good prognosis but a long haul, even longer than Karen. And the little girl is not even two. So she is in pain and doesn't get it.

So pray for them. Quite frankly I think sometimes that's all we can do.

On a more positive note:

- The kids first week of school comes to an end and its been terrific. After a few false starts Tori now has the correct schedule and is thrilled that one of her BFFs is in 6 out 7 classes with her. And she has an elective and its not band. Score!

- I celebrated 31 years this week, the 28th birthday I have shared with my brother. We had a lovely dinner with him and Taylor as well as my parents at the Green Iguana. Odd little place but yummy. And I got the most amazing gifts. Books, sheets, etc....and another rocker for my front porch (insert visions of coffee in my rocker looking at the lake on a cool southern morning), studio lights for my photography (hello newborn photography!) and season tickets to the Broadway series at the performing arts center (9 nights out in one year - I might faint!). Mucho gracias to all those who spoiled me, I feel much loved.

- House projects next and next and next, underway. Laundry room (I know its weird but I spend ALOT of time there) and bedroom and studio all works in progress. Photos coming soon.