Birthday bash...

This years 27th birthday was SO MUCH FUN!

I had a great time celebrating my birthday with family and friends this last weekend. It was a great birthday not only because it was my golden birthday, but because I was able to celebrate it with two of my favorite girlfriends. My two very close friends from Kentucky came in to celebrate with me and to see the beautiful Northwest. We started our weekend on Friday (my birthday) with lunch, shopping, and a dinner celebration with my family at Fujiyama a local Japanese steak house. The following day, we met up in Seattle with five of my other close girlfriends for a girls weekend in the city. It was a great weekend with sightseeing, shopping, and local cuisine...

The view from our hotel room...the best view in the city!





All my girlfriends together for a great Seattle celebration! We had a great night eating out and riding around town in our very own limo...so much fun!



Next day sightseeing and photography opportunity at the Pikes Place Market in Seattle. Pikes Places is the famous landmark where they are known for throwing fish selling fresh produce, and flowers. They also have plenty of fun vendors to choose from for those unique souvenirs.











If you have never traveled to the beautiful Northwest, I highly recommend a visit. It's a beautiful place different from any other destination in that it offers a little something for everyone.

In conclusion, I am so blessed with great friends and family. Thank you all for making my 27th birthday one that I will never forget!!!



P.S. If you are unsure of what a golden birthday is, it's when you are celebrating the age of the day you were born on...for example I was born on February 27th and this year I celebrated my 27th birthday...so much fun!

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:)))

Just a couple of shout outs...

I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to Tim and Carey over at Fort Thompson and Jean Stockdale for awarding me a great blog award. I am super excited that people enjoy reading my blog. I know that I love reading and keeping updated with close friends through blogging. Not only do I enjoy reading, I also love to blog and journal on the daily events in my life. With that said, thank you, thank you to Tim, Carey, and Jean for acknowledging my blog and giving me these awards. They truly mean a lot:)

If you all have a moment, take a look at these amazing bloggers who I have grown to adore.

Tim and Carey at Fort Thompson at www.fortthompson.blogspot.com



Jean Stockdale at www.jeanstockdale.typepad.com



Thanks again for reading and enjoying my blog:))

Thank you I Heart Faces...

A warm thank you to I Heart Faces for representing my picture as a Top Contender. It's a great honor to be a part of this amazing site and to be acknowledged for my pictures is such a wonderful boost to my creative side. Thank you also to all who read and follow my blog. Your wonderful comments are great and I enjoy reading each and everyone of them.

"Photograph Each Day...So You Can Live Forever"




Check out I heart faces at www.iheartfaces.com and see all the amazing pictures and inspirational moments people are making in their lives!

Where's Austin...

I was on the floor laughing so hard at this morning's little adventure...I was picking up the house and all of a sudden realized Austin was gone. Now, lately he has had a huge fascination with the stairs, so I immediately ran to see if he'd gone upstairs. When I found him not whee I thought he would be, my heart started to pound...where is Austin! LOL:) Well, there he was sitting in his toy box watching Oswald on Noggin...Oh my goodness! I just started laughing and quickly grabbed my camera...can you see...where is Austin!







It's OK MOM I am right here...


My year, my story, one picture at a time!
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My little cookie monster...

Austin enjoyed his FIRST cookie this afternoon! After devouring his dessert and getting it all over, he looked like a happy mess. When it came time for him to get down and have his face cleaned he proceeded to throw a fit. He wanted more and as a mommy I had to say no. If any of you remember his first birthday post you'll remember that sugar and him don't mix...he kept me up until four a.m. on a sugar high. Needless to say one cookie is enough for my little guy:)

I had to capture this moment in it's entirety but don't be fooled by the faces at the end...he defiantly knows how to work the puppy face!

Mr. Happy Mess!



After he got his face washed and was told he couldn't have anymore cookies...



This look is hilarious...How could you Mom you just ruined my life!





My year, my story, one picture at a time!
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In my back yard...

I felt like the paparazzi today and not because I was following a celeb, but because I was chasing a mountain! Here in the beautiful northwest, we are very lucky to be surrounded by beautiful mountains, trees, oceans, and lakes. Today had to have been the nicest day in about three months. So of course I leave the house without my camera and head off for running errands. Not long after we left the house did I realize that Mt. Rainer was out and very clear. Normally it can be seen by it's tip, but today the whole mountain was out. So, I quickly ran home and grabbed my camera to take pictures and before I knew it, I was chasing the mountain for it's perfect angle. After driving around for about an hour, I finally found the perfect angle. It a beautiful mountain that takes my breath away every time in graces us with it's presence. It's a must see! Hope you enjoy my picture for today:)


(Click on the picture to see the full size)

This second picture is taken in the same spot as the first, but I was lucky enough to be there as the sun was setting...absolutely stunning!


P.S. Sweetie this is for you...I thought of you the whole time. I am SO sorry that I did not get Heidi in this picture...next time I promise:) Love you...MUAH!



My year, my story, one picture at a time!
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Baby Ashton is getting so big...

Baby Ashton is now one month old...I can't believe this month has gone by so fast. Adrienne and Cody are so lucky to have such a precious little boy and they are so cute as parents!

My year, my story, one picture at a time!
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I heart faces week three...Joy!

This photo is for the I love faces kids entry.



We are now in week three of the I Heart Faces photo contest and this week's category is "Joy." This photo represent joy for me because it is the look that my son gives me every time he looks up at me. He's always full of smiles, laughter, and joy. He truly makes my heart melt. I hope you enjoy this photo entry and if you would like to check out other contest entries, feel free to visit their website at www.iheartfaces.com


My year, my story, one picture at a time!
24/365