#Instagratitude Re-cap

I cannot believe we are already at the end of November! What a fun month this has been! I thought at the beginning of the month that I was wrapping up all sessions and seeing the end of the portrait season nearing. Well... turns out I still have some sessions on the calendar and I don't think I'm taking a holiday this year! Hah! It's awesome though. I am still making up from taking all that maternity leave, so I'm totally loving every minute of work right now. I hope that doesn't change anytime soon!

Anyway - So I participated in #instagratitude this month. You know, I didn't really think everyone in the world was going to be posting thankfulness posts in the month of November. I'm not really sure what I was thinking! But it was a fun little challenge and truth be told - not difficult at all. I almost wish instead of winging it daily, that I had really planned ahead what I was most thankful for in my life and spent 30 days expressing those things with intention. It was an uplifting time, yet a total breeze to be sitting on the couch and pause to take in my surroundings... to think "what am I thankful for in this moment?" And you know, then I'd snap a picture of my living room or my daughter's silly toys. Which created a bright moment in my day. Of course, it's awesome to stop and think about all the small things to be grateful for, but a few times I had the thought of wishing I were approaching the project a little differently... with more intention. Perhaps I'll revisit this whole idea next November!

Anyway - here are some of my favorite posts. These are actually the ones I posted to Facebook. It's near impossible to quickly grab Instagram images for web publishing without sharing them on facebook! But you can always browse my entire instagram feed to see what Facebook is missing! (I try not to spam my facebook friends TOO much... :))

What a happy November! Holidays, vacations, portrait sessions galore! All the things I love. I am feeling so blessed. #instagratitude

Happy Cyber Monday!

I have popped up from vacation land to post my First EVER Cyber Monday Sale! So super excited!

For 24 hours ONLY, I am offering 20% off of ALL Gift Certificates!

Gift Certificates can be sent straight to the recipient OR sent to you and you can hand them to the recipient yourself!

Click the above image to take advantage of the sale! It expires tomorrow morning at 10am!

Happy Shopping!!

Lynchburg Snapshot Studio: Sunday's Birthday Party

While I was planning Sunday's first birthday party I was racking my brain for activity ideas. I knew we would eat and have a cake smash, but I felt like there needed to be something else to fill the time. I thought about a cake walk with toy prizes... or maybe a small craft for kids. But space restrictions and a wide variety of ages of guests limited a lot of the ideas I was coming across in my google searches. I didn't really want to have a gift opening time even though it probably would have been a great time filler. I finally decided to bring in Lynchburg Snapshot Studio. It turned out to be the PERFECT activity for a first birthday party! It was set up and running throughout the entire party so just when guests started to feel like time was ticking slowly, they could get up and hop in the photo booth! Everyone seemed to have a lot of fun with it and it was a great way to get pictures of all the attendees, especially pictures of them WITH the guest of honor.

Here are just a few of my favorite shots from the photo booth images... I can't wait to make an album of these for Sunday to browse through when she gets older!

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Lynchburg Snapshot Studio is a portable digital self-portrait studio that provides a fun, memorable experience for wedding receptions, corporate events and private functions. Email info@lynchburgsnapshotstudio.com to check availability.

A Week of Sundays: Day 4 | Things My Daughter Has Taught Me

We need grace to make it.

A little TLC goes a long way.

A mess of toys can be cleaned up in under 5 minutes (with focus).

This too shall pass. This was my mantra on the tough days. The days when Sunday was only content in my arms all. day. long. This was my mantra in the middle of the night as I crawled out of bed for the 3rd, 4th, or 5th time. This was my mantra as she pinched and pulled at me while breastfeeding. This too shall pass. And I will surely miss it.

To slow down and listen.

Strawberries and bananas should be dessert, not a whole meal.

To savor the small things. Like really stop, breathe them in, and thank God for them kind of savoring.

Girls don't have to wear pink.

To embrace being a mother. Pregnancy, labor, delivery, and breastfeeding… All of these were great challenges that chipped away at my shell of selfishness and neediness (another great word is brattiness). They each molded me into the mother I am today. But it wasn't until Sunday was about 6 months old when I realized as I pushed her in the cart through the aisles of Target… this is motherhood. This is what I have always wanted. To spend time with my baby shopping, to nuzzle her cheeks and make her smile, to sneak her a cookie so she feels special. It was that moment when I surrendered to my new role in life. I decided to stop trying to be the person I was before she came. The coffee dates, the traveling, the social media… trying to pretend I didn't have a baby in my life and that everything was different was not working anymore. That was the day I dove in and embraced motherhood. The day I discovered the real joy of being a mother.

To not take this life for granted.

Schedules and routines are not overrated.

It only takes about 15 minutes to clean a whole kitchen.

Smiling is contagious. During Sunday's sad moments, I remember a piece of advice I read/heard/embraced: "Smile at her. Often." I stop and do this the most when we are at her changing table. Depending on her mood she is laughing and playing or screaming her head off and I never know what to expect until I lay her down on the table. When she is screaming I remember this advice and I smile. I turn up the volume on my voice and I speak to her in a soothing tone. "I love you sweet girl. You are my bestest little friend…!" And I smile. I smile big. And it works. She calms down and she may even smile back. It's a beautiful thing.

That eating healthy can be as easy as planning ahead and making the decision to do it. (And sweet potatoes are a God-given gift!)

Working too much makes the people around me feel neglected.

A little fresh air does a body and soul very good.

Saying family is a top priority and making family a top priority are two different things.

To stay true to my word. Something I admire about my own mother is that she never changed her mind. What she said is what was. "No" would not become "Yes" with any sort of convincing. While I remember this and don't seem to have a hard time implementing it into our parenting practices, I do have a hard time implementing it into other areas of my life. Sunday is a gentle reminder that I need to set boundaries and keep them, no matter who they affect. And if I say I am going to do something, I need to do it. More importantly, unless I have a plan to do it, I need not say I will. (sigh) Still learning this.

I must take care of myself first, or I am no good to my daughter.

I married a good man.

And finally: We are so very blessed.

Photos in this post shot by my dear friend Heather at Visions by Heather.

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Week of Sundays: Day 1 | Goose Beary Shop Giveaway! A Week of Sundays: Day 2 | Our Must Have Products for Baby’s First Year, pt. 1 A Week of Sundays: Day 3 | Our Must Have Products for Baby’s First Year, pt. 2 A Week of Sundays: Day 4 | Things My Daughter Has Taught Me A Week of Sundays: Day 5 | A year in pictures A Week of Sundays: Day 6 | Things about Sunday Quinn I am thankful for A Week of Sundays: Day 7 | Sunday’s Birthday Party

happy veteran's day!

The military life runs deeps around here. My grandfathers, uncles, cousins, my mom, dad, and husband... it is just what we do. I am honored and so proud to have grown up on a military base and raised with the pride and values of the military. Happy Veteran's Day to all of you who have served or are serving our country. I understand the sacrifice it takes and though times have been and will be difficult in the future, I believe it is all worth it.  This country is awesome and it's because of YOU that we are free! Thank you, thank you! Happy Veteran's Day!