S.L. Smith Photography

Daniel-san, paint de fence

Am I showing my age by that Karate Kid reference?  What a crush I had on Ralph Macchio...where is he now?
I couldn't help but think of that line from the movie when I came home from the grocery store and found my husband and son in this sweet father-son moment. I love that our sons emulate their father so much.  That day my husband was staining the fence (that I power washed...seriously so much fun). Caleb went outside and saw what his dad was doing, disappeared back into the house, and emerged with a matching outfit and paintbrush.  I loved that he changed his clothes to match Daddy! I came home from the store and found this scene....

GLACK! GLUB! COUGH COUGH! SPUTTER!

I have pretty bad seasonal allergies, but do not really like to take a lot of medications. Claritin does not really work for me, I have yet to try Zyrtec, and who can raise 3 children and run a business in a Benadryl induced haze?  I decided to try the Neti Pot. Seems pretty gross, but I was getting desperate.  Besides, I saw Dr. Oz do it.  I even watched as Oprah did it...and if that annoying Kelly Ripa can handle it, so can I.

I go to Walgreens and excitedly purchased my Neti Pot. I even tell the pharmacist that I am so excited to clean out my nasal cavity and use my Neti Pot when I get home.  She looks at me with a mix of disinterest, like she wonders if I am on crack, and whether or not she should call the cops on me.  I arrive home with my purchase clutched in my eager little hands, rip open the box, and prepare to clean out my sinuses.  I've seen it done on TV, so why bother reading the directions....I can do this...I am already an expert!
I mix the saline solution with warm water, bring the Neti Pot to my nostril, and pour.....OH MY GOSH!!!!  HOLY FREAKIN NASAL CAVITY EXPLOSION!!!!!  I AM DROWNING!!!!  I AM GOING TO DIE! THEY ARE GOING TO FIND MY DEAD BODY WITH A POT STICKING OUT OF ONE NOSTRIL AND SALINE RUNNING OUT OF THE OTHER!!! ACK! GASP! COUGH! COUGH! I feel like I have just jumped into the Pacific Ocean and inhaled the whole thing!
Since I failed to read the directions, I do not know that you are supposed to "blow gently into a tissue".  In my panicked state I blow into the tissue with all my might..... HOLY CRAP! MY EAR DRUMS ARE GOING TO E-X-P-L-O-D-E!!!!!  WHAT???? I CAN"T HEAR ANYTHING!!!!! 
By this time my sinues and my eardrums are full of water and I am in pain with a capital P!  So I pop my ears and begin to gently blow the remainder of the saline out. I am feeling much better, but my nose continues to leak saline for the next few hours.
Since then, I have read the directions and poured less water into each nostril and you know what? It works, it's actually comfortable, and I do feel better. I would recommend this to anyone who experiences nasal allergies....but learn from my experience: read the directions, don't inhale, and  blow gently.

My Little Texas Tornado

Oh how I love my youngest baby, Jackson (Jack Jack). He is 22 months old and the cuddliest of all. He is will sit on my lap, read books ,and sing for an hour at a time. He covers my face in kisses at unexpected moments, he sings to himself all day long, and he will do anything to get a laugh....he is also giving me gray hairs!!!!
The other 2 kids never needed cabinet locks, but now I have to keep my house like Ft. Knox! My husband and I joke that the day is not complete until Jack Jack's head is bruised or bleeding. This really isn't a joke. He is a climber and a jumper. Maybe someday he will put his talents to use and join Cirque De Soleil.  I'm a runner, but really do not need a cardio workout since Baby Jack came along. He gets my heart racing at least 5 times a day. This afternoon during lunch he tried to do a forward roll off of  the arm of a chair. I was sitting right next to him and the ninja like reflexes I have developed since he was born kicked in and I caught him by the shirt with one hand....but he still got a bloody lip from hitting the arm of the chair. Then we went to the pool. I make sure to stand right next to him, but the second I turned my head to say something to one of my other kids, Jack was floating face first in the pool. He was not scared, but I sure was. I ripped him out of the water and he was fine. He held his breath and did not ingest any water, but was crying because I had disturbed his peaceful imitation of a manatee...so he did it again and again.
Jack is also like a mini Houdini. I mentioned cabinet locks above, but I do not even know why we bother installing them. 
Here is the time he got int my box of tampons while I was showering. He had a great time swinging them around and eating them:

I now have to hide them on the highest shelf in my closet because , for some reason, he LUUURVES those things!

Oh, then theres the time he dumped a Costco sized box of Grapenuts on the floor...very fun!

Then there's today. He wanted to be like mommy and put on my mascara:

I do not let him do these things, I CATCH him doing these things. He's smart because he will wait until I am in the shower or using the restroom. There may be those of you who say that I am not keeping a close enough eye on him. I watch this one like a hawk. ...but he is fast as lightning.

I love this boy with all my heart and spend each day soaking up his squishy baby-ness  and kissing those fat cheeks because I know that he will grow up way faster than I want him too. I know each day with him brings a new adventure, lots of fun, and a great story to tell ...and also some great blackmail for when he is a teenager.

Energy Value....awwww yeah!

Sometimes my husband travels for his job and brings back little trinkets to the kids and I. A few weeks ago he went to Europe and brought back a bunch of goodies. This was extra special to me since I spent a good part of my childhood living overseas. One of my favorite childhood treats were KinderEggs. They are a yummy chocolate egg with a secret surprise hidden inside. They are not sold in the U.S. due to the choking hazard of the tiny surprise, but you can order them online.  This treat brought back so many great memories of my childhood in Germany.

The hidden surprise...

and the very fun toy!

What I love about food in Europe is that instead of saying "Calories....2000 cal" the label says "ENERGY VALUE...2000 Kj"  I LOVE THAT!  It totally tricks my brain into thinking I am eating something healthy and full of VALUable ENERGY , even if it is a box full of hazelnut cream filled , chocolate covered wafers or a cherry liqueur filled chocolate bar.  I soooo love food, espescially if it tricks me into thinking it's healthy.

Of course, Josh doesn't have to buy me fancy chocolates to make me happy.  I get excited about anything.  He always saves the good hotel toiletries for me.  These soaps from London not only have such a pretty package, but they smell clean and citrusy too! I was also thrilled with these great teas and coffees he brought home for me too. I love that they remind me of my childhood and I love that my husband is always thinking about us when he is on the road.

Radiant Mom

This is Sarah, a mom from our Radiate session.  Katy Fulkerson did her make-up, I did the pics, and my friend Kristen was my multi-tasker and did everything else that I needed help with.  Kristen is awesome with placing the reflector, the shade, and the fan in just the right places. She also has fantastic ideas for composition and posing in  our shots. Katy is a make-up artist, actress, and public speaker.  She is just amazing and I can't wait until she finishes her website so I can blog about her and put up her URL.
Sarah is a fantastic mother,  a pillar of strength, and full of grace and kindness.  I could learn a lot from her and I really look forward to getting to know her better. She has an amazing beauty that truly radiates from the inside out.  Plus, check out those eyes...STUNNING!