OH MAN there is SO much to catch you up on...

I AM BACK AND IN FULL FORCE!

To my family, friends, and close bloggers, life has been crazy and I am now back to continue what I love...sharing lifes memories to all who love to read, catch up, and follow the everyday life of a busy mommy and a beautiful baby boy while daddy is away saving the world:)

As I said, life has been crazy! I am now feeling much better and back into the daily routine of being me! I feel overwhelmed writing this post, because I feel like I have so much to catch you all up on. I mean look at the last time I posted over a week and a half ago...CRAZY! Ok so where do I begin????

1) I started a photography class in Seattle, WA and am sooooooooooo ready to learn learn learn all I can. It's amazing how much more you can do with a camera after you learn how to use it...lol! Actually, I knew how to use my camera, but didn't truly understand it. Although I am not an expert...yet, I am following my passion to learn the ins and outs of Digital SLR photography. I'll keep you posted on how it goes, but for now, I will share a bit of my most recent work!

Our homework assignment for week one, was to take something and put it where it did not belong. I had a blast (not really) hauling this chair about 500 yards to the railroad to shoot it where it did not belong...let me know what you think:)







2) Austin and I started swimming lessons and Kindermusik last week. Kindermusik is a uniformed music program that is taught throughout the U.S. to encourage preschoolers to interact through music and play. It's a great program and if you are interested in checking it out or to find a teacher near you, check out the Kindermusic website at www.Kindermusik.com.

I'll get some pictures up soon, but for now I am enjoying watching my little man interact with others while doing what he loves!

3) We are now in Kentucky visiting family and joining in on the big birthday surprise. I have been hiding out for the last couple of days to surprise my brother in law at his well surprise 30th birthday party this evening....Man we got him good! There was about a crowd of 60+ people who gathered this evening to surprise my brother in law who thought he was coming to play a gig...lol...well the gig was on him...he was stunned!



To my sister in law Bethany you did a great job pulling this off:) You GO GIRL!!

Also, while I have been in Kentucky, I have been able to hang out with some of my very close friends. While hanging out, I decided to take some shots of my girlfriend Allison's little boy...isn't he sooooooooo cute!



4) Well while we are still on birthdays....hehehe! Mine is next week and it's my golden birthday...can anyone guess??? :)))


OK, well I guess that's it for now...I hope you all have enjoyed the update! Have a great weekend and I'll see you all back here soon...I promise:)

Mom of the year award...for real!

I want to say thank you to a great friend Michelle over at Circle of Life. She is such a wonderful person and definitely thinks of other before herself. After my heart ache yesterday with Austin's fall, she went and made the mother of the year award for me...what a great friend. From a mother to another, she understands the heartache and sacrifices we make for our children. Thanks Michelle and Courtney for making me feel better about my traumatic experience yesterday. You both are WONDERFUL. Have a great weekend:)))



Oh yes, while I am at it, thank you Tim over at Fort Thompson for awarding me an award for my "Charming Blog." Now Tim, all you have to do is teach me how to link other sites so that I can pay it forward and award others with this wonderful award. Thanks you for thinking of me! :)))

Mom of the year award...

So this year I will NOT be receiving the mom of the year award...I feel like the worst mom in the world right now:( Austin and I were sitting on the couch this morning doing our normal thing...hanging out and waiting for daddy to call when in a split second Austin stood up on the couch and went from smiling to falling off towards the coffee table. As I stood up to pick him up from off the floor my heart dropped when I saw his head. He had the size of a golf ball on his forehead and it was getting bigger by the second. In a panic, I gathered my things and rushed him to the ER. When I got the ER the wait was too long, so I immediately left and took him to my pediatrician. When I arrived at the doctors office, they got him in right away to asses the damage..Thank GOD it was not as bad as it looked. As I sat there balling, the doctor and her nurse reassured me that this was not the first time they had seen this happen and told me that I would be surprised how often children fall and get hurt.

I still feel like a terrible mother and now my precious son has a goose egg on his forehead to be reminded of how terrible I am...



These pictures were taken several hours after we got back from the doctors and thankfully a lot of the swelling has already gone down...Just imagine this bump ten times larger...YIKES!



Let me just say that my son is going to make me go gray before I am thirty!!

Dear Blog...

Dear Blog,

I am so sorry that I have been neglecting you here lately. I have been down in the dumps for the last couple of day with a nasty cold that won't go away. Now, I know that is no excuse, but with a crazy one year old running, climbing, and pulling at my leg, I am just too exhausted to post at the end of the day. Once I kick this cold...which I HOPE is soon. I will be back on to update the many loved ones who read you daily. I hope you understand and we'll see you again real soon!

With Love,
Stephanie

Sound the alarm the baby has escaped!

So a certain someone who has tiny feet and hands decided to climb out of his crib last night and to my surprise ended up in my bed for the night. Guess who is also going to go to the store today and buy a canopy tent to go over his crib...LOL! What a FUN night!!





P.S. Just so you know my son is only 15mo. old and already a monkey!

I Heart Faces week four...The eyes have it!

This photo is for the I Heart Faces kids entry and features my son Austin.



This photo is for the I Heart Faces pet entry and features our chocolate lab Heidi.



I can't believe we are now in week four of the I Heart Faces photo contest. It's been an amazing journey admiring everyones work and being inspired to keep the camera out. This weeks theme is "The Eyes Have It." It is also a week where we get to showcase our pets which in my family are considered our other kids. I hope you enjoy both photo entries for this week and if you would like to check out other contest entries, feel free to visit their website at www.iheartfaces.com

P.S. If you get the chance to visit my main page www.myloves-forever.blogspot.com I have some pictures I need your opinion on for a local radio contest...your help is much appreciated! Have a great week:))

I need your help and opinion...

OK as mommy to Austin, I am completely bias and need your help picking a photo that captures my son beautifully. I mean we all know as parents all the pictures of our children are too precious to pick just one or the best. So here are the selections. Please leave a comment and let me know which one you feel is the best. Thanks for your help!


#1


#2


#3


#4


#5



P.S. This is not for the I Heart Faces entry this week, it's actually for a local radio station entry for the cutest kid! Kind of fun:)))