Kaitlin turns 10! (The story at the bottom)

This is the bag full of goodies and bouquette of flowers Beth and Eric bought Kaitlin on her birthday. I was in bed sick and they worked together to makes sure Kaitlin felt special when she got home from school. My mom picked her up from school and brought her home to this. She was so happy. Without everyone's effort she would have come home to a mess of a house, a very sick mom, and no sign of her birthday. I didn't even have to blink and everyone was there taking care of everything. My family just came together and made this entire weekend happen. I cried in bed during the party, but I recovered...don't worry about me.

This is a great shot of the some of the party crew!

Kaitlin and Jenna

Kristin and Jessica

Two of my best girls....They came to celebrate and assist in my absense. Jessica was at the hosiptal within 3 hours of Kaitlin's birth and was excited to be a part of her 10th birthday. At the party, Kristin lovingly shared her favorite cheese nachos with Jack and made him a very happy boy. I didn't know you shared your food Kristin???

Jack and Carsyn

Jack looks like he's auditioning for a spot on the Jonas Brothers (Eric thought of that one)


The Story

This weekend was Kaitlin's 10th birthday. I managed to contract a terrible case of the flu on Wednesday and just went back to work today. Needless to say, I missed the entire weekend. I was in bed for 4 solids days and not doing so well the other 2. It was heartbreaking to miss Kaitlin's first DOUBLE DIGIT birthday but that is life. She had an awesome party...24 kids from school at the skating rink. She said it was her best birthday ever....music to my ears considering I wasn't there. haha

I want to thank my mom, Beth, Eric, Cindy, Jessica, and Kristin for pulling together and helping make all of this happen while I was sick. Beth, you were at my house 2 hours after my doctors appointment making soup and decorating for Kaitlin's big day. Amazing. Mom and Cindy- you jumped right to helping me and making sure everyone was taken care of. Eric- you blew me away! You handled the last 6 days with ease. Not easy to deal with 24 kids and a birthday party without your wife! I love you and appreciate all of you and your help over the last week!

It is hard to believe that my girl is 10 years old. I've been a mom for a decade! Maybe that explains my sudden illness...I'm exhausted! Happy birthday Kaitlin! I love you!!

Cuteness

These were too cute not to share. I love the sequence of their expressions. I didn't have time to edit all of them the way I would have liked because I need to get off this computer before I go crazy. Just look at how irritated Kaitlin is at Addie in the one above. She wanted her to smile but I LOVE the pout.

This was my favorite photo of the week. Kaitlin worked hard for this one. Angie and I just watched her at work and laughed, glad that it wasn't us!

Photos of the Week- Some of my favorite kids

Savannah Grace Carley

Kaitlin took this photo. She's a little photog in training. The Carley girls came over to play and Angie and I got to visit while Kaitlin played photographer. She did a good job. All of these Carley girls photos are Kaitlin's. You go girl. Savannah and Jack have known each other since they were in Utero. She's a beautiful little spitting image of her mom and my kids love playing with her and Addie.

Adeline Rose Carley

Addie is just about the cutest thing you'll ever see. Her cheeks alone make you smile but then you add those big eyes and her expressions and her PRECIOUS voice and she could easily be a child movie star. My kids kept talking about her after they left...they couldn't get over her preciousness.

Carsyn Ivey Vaughn
My sister's little DIVA. Oh, this child is ME made over as a child...watch out world! She is a spit fire and a ball of personality- a lady who knows what she wants. She is the President, Vice President, and treasurer of her own fan club, and even covered in dirt she walks around like she's on a runway. Confidence is her middle name. I use to be the same way but l.i.f.e. has a way of humbling you. :)

Jack Jack

Uncle Joe came over with his lighting studio and we played for hours. Here is one of the shots I got. His camera made my camera look like a 72 Toyota pick up truck but I thought this picture was worthy of a little show and tell. I wish I had the shots from his camera. He's coming over today to do a family shoot for practice. :)

Lily

(my friend's daughter)

This child is a real life china doll. Her skin is perfect and her little personality is unreal. She is so peaceful and content and just plane GOOD. Her mom has done a lot of praying and she is an answer to prayer...a true angel. Kaitlin is obsessed with her. I was so busy talking to her mommy that I didn't get a lot of good shots of her but I sure enjoyed her presense.

Now if I could just get my nephews to pose for a picture that would be great!

the dance

Kaitlin had a great time at the dance. Here are some shots of her and her friend Jenna. They looked so grown up! I was nervous all night but I kept my faith. When it was all said and done, I realized that this was the beginning of really raising a daughter....and it made me want to cry and smile at the same time. As long as she is nothing like I was as a teenager we will be fine. I know one thing though...I don't know how people raise children without faith in God. I have a beautiful story to tell about this night, but for now, I'm just going to focus on the pictures. She's looked precious.

She looks 16 in the picture below. The scary thing is that she will be in high school in 4 years. Aren't I too young for that?

I love the picture below. Beth came for the pictures and took them to the dance because I had somewhere to be at 7. She was outside with us during the photoshoot and jokingly told Kaitlin to blow a kiss at the camera. This was Kaitlin's reaction. :)

LOVE the hair.

She looks so much like my sister and I combined. I can really see it in this picture.

BFF's

Jenna and Kaitlin have a very cool friendship. They bring out sides of each other that would otherwise not exist without each other. Jenna encourages Kaitlin academically and Kaitlin encourages Jenna socially.

of course.....we can't forget the shoes

And we can't leave out Big Red! I rarely make Jack's pictures black and white because if his hair but this one just seemed fit.

Why so joyous? Eric had JUST found his Star Wars DS game that has been painfully missing in his dirty car for 5 days. No kidding....the kid jumped up and down shouting "yes! yes!" for 5 minutes. Below was his still joyous face playing his beloved Star Wars game on Kaitlin's DS. His was charging ("chowging" according to Jack)

Ahhhhhh.....the peace sign. Thanks to his cousin Layton, he now calls people Oprah Winfrey and tell everyone to peace out. When Layton and Camden leave my house he yells "Peace out Oprah Winfrey!". It's hysterical. Why Oprah?

I JUST got my new lens (and I spelled it correctly this time...leave it to the teacher!) so I am a little shaky with it. I'm learning fast though. It's so much clearer when I get it focused correctly, which is hard when your eyesight is as bad as mine. I'm off work all week so I am excited to play with my new toy!

boys

So I am sittting at my kitchen table making Poetry books for my students and Jack decides to join me. We quickly got into a silly mood, which is Jack's "always mood". He got bored with me and my Poetry books after a minute and walked away. He came back a couple of minutes later. This was our conversation.

Jack: "Mommy...I need to tell you a secret."

Me: "No one is in the room Jack. It doesn't have to be a secret. Say what you need to say."

Jack: "NO...this is a secret. No one can hear me, but you."

Me: Jack.....NO ONE IS IN THE ROOM. Tell me whatever you need to tell me."

Jack: Mommy, it is a secret. Come closer so I can whisper. I don't want anyone to hear me."

Me: "Fine.....what is it?"

Jack: (he whispers) "Poop". ( And he BURSTS into laughter)

Me: "what?"

Jack: laughs hysterically on the floor....all he had to sy was "poop" and he is instantly entertained.

BOYS!

This week in a nutshell

Kaitlin took this picture. It's blurry but I like it. It was good to see a picture of me looking so at peace....and Eric is SMILING!

Kaitlin is going to her 1st dance on Valentine's Day. She's is going with a group of girls and she is so excited she can't stand it. We went to the mall today to pick out a dress and this is it. It looks so cute on her. Now we need to find something to go over it (a blanket maybe?) and some shoes. We have rediculous amounts of fun shopping together. She feels more like a little sister sometimes, especially when she tells me what to do and what NOT to do. Having a daughter is hard, but I am so glad I get to experience it.

K has been sick for 3 days..she got strep from me. She finally started feeling better last night. We were all sitting on the couch talking and she walked dowstairs with a tent attached to her head. She was lauging and holding her hair and asked me, with sarcasm, if I could cut her hair out of the tent's zipper. She was apparently crawling out of the tent and got caught. I had to take a picture. Seriously Kaitlin? She is a brunette but she does have blonded highlights...that must be it. No other explanation.

My sick girl

Jack in the box

The boy loves boxes, like most children. I've had a box of clothes sitting at the bottom of my stairs for 2 weeks and I guess Jack decided it looked like a great place to cozy up and play his beloved DS. He even brought his blanket for extra comfort. I guess he's right. It is quite cozy looking.

Here is Jack, first thing Saturday morning, playing his DS. We served his breakfast to him on the floor so he would eat (and we could eat in peace). Eric and I decided that while the house has been wonderfully quiet since he got this thing, we should be good parents and put him on a restriction for usage. We knew it was coming but we just really enjoyed the quiet. Please don't call Defacs.

I had to add this picture because it's just....JACK. He is SO expressive. He gets that from my side of the family. If you've ever had a conversation with my mother, you understand. Love you mom! Jack is about 99% Ivey blood (my mom's side) and is always on stage. He is the most expressive human being I've ever met. At school, he is labeled "the spirited child". His Aunt calls him "Big Red" because of his B.I.G and R.E.D. personality. He was also nicknamed "Jackenroe" after the infamous "screaming and repeated slamming of the tennis racket" incident on Eric's 30th birthday. This is just Jack...he knows I am snapping photos of him and he is giving me a show. :)

Good Reads

I have a few books to recommend.

#1: Eat, Pray, Love By: Elizabeth Gilbert

This is a must read. I have told everyone about this book. I cried and laughed until I hurt, but I related to this woman on so many levels. She is a phenomonal writer and it was really difficult to put the book down.

#2: Redeeming Love By: Frances Rivers

This is hands down the greatest love story of all time. It's really the love story between us and God, but it is focused on a really amazing Godly man who falls in love with a prostitute. I won't go into the whole story (I couldn't possibly do it justice) but I will tell you that I finished the 500 page book in less than a week. This book changed me and the way I look at love, God, and God's love. I really have no words for it. It's absolutely moving.

#3 Green Goes with Everything By: Sloan Barnett

This book was written by a mom whose son got really sick from chemicals in household cleaning products. She spent years researching chemicals and how they effect people and the environment. Her husband decided to create "greener" cleansers to try to prevent other children and adults from getting sick. It's got a lot of valuable information about harmful chemicals in everyday household products. It also has ideas for safer products to use. It's eye opening.

what is going on?

We have been busy....too busy to document our exciting lives on this blog. I have no pictures to share right now but my baby brother is home and he gave me a free and very valuable photography class. I remember blogging a while ago about all of my new discoveries from my camera manual. It turns out that I can't read! I was wrong about 50% of what I claimed to know about photography and camera's. He is my new mentor. I am getting a new lens in 2 weeks. A lens that Joe claims will change my pictures completely and he can't believe I don't have one. So that is exciting for me but I don't feel like using my current lens because it is just not good enough.:) I hope this new lens lives up to my expectations. I have such high hopes for this lens.....in the same way this nation has such high hopes for Obama....but on a smaller scale. :)

Kaitlin is already rocking basketball in her 1st season. She is a natural and she's loving every minute of it. I think she is built for basketball. I am enjoying watching her and watching Eric coach. It's really cute. She is also in the school play and taking hip hop classes weekly so she keeps us BUSY! (This is starting to sound like a Christmas letter)

Jack is now a "gamer". He got a Nintendo DS for his 5th birthday (per request) and he L.O.V.E.S it. It's all he wants to do. It is hysterical to watch my 5 year old son, who was just a baby yesterday, "defeat the level". He FREAKS when he can't "defeat the level." We have tried to get him into sports but he is not interested yet. I am surprised by this considering his genes but honestly have no idea how we would fit his sports schedule into our lives right now. I'll just let him enjoy being a gamer (for now). I'm one of those people who thinks it's good for children to play video games (in moderation). It's really good for their problem solving skills. I deal with kids everyday who have no idea how to solve even the tiniest of problems by themselves.

Example:
student: "Mrs. Stark"
me: "yes"
student: "I found this piece of trash on the floor."
me: "Well, what should you do with a piece of trash?"
Student: "Um.......put it in the garbage?"
Me: "Yes, that sounds like a great place for trash." :)

These are very bright, successful children who ask these questions. I spend a lot of time as a teacher and a parent trying to teach my kids how to BE a problem solver. My saying: "If you have a problem, find a solution." I took that saying from KK's 3rd grade teacher. So let's hope Jack's new love for video games helps him in some way. If nothing else it is keeping him happy during these cold winter months. Ahhhhhhh.

My favorite Jack moment: Last week he was walking to the bathroom and he turned around and looked at me and whispered "mommy". I said "yes"...and he smiled, blew me a kiss and said "i love you".....out of nowhere. I melted. Nothing sweeter.

My favorite Kaitlin moment: Kaitlin said she needed to talk to me about something. I went upstairs to her room and sat on her bed with her. She went on to ask me questions about being a teenager, getting married, having kids, prom, first loves, ect. She wanted to know it all. We talked for a while. She just wanted to have girl talk with mom. It made me smile. Raising a daughter is hard, but very cool at the same time.

Everything else is the same. Eric and I are doing great, his business is picking up (finally). I'm having a good year as a teacher and I can't wait to have Jack at my school next year.....both kids in one building. It will be so nice to have them both walk into my classroom at the end of the day.

I saw a mom struggling with her screaming toddler in the grocery store the other day and I smiled. I felt her pain. I am just very glad that I know longer have to do that. Life is good.

Meet Jilian Grace Matilda St. Onge

A teacher friend of mine had this little doll last month. I offered to take some pictures of her. She was perfect throughout the hour-long photoshoot. I was sweating, but she was super calm and happy. She smiled and cooed and posed like a professional model. I posted these for the teachers at our school to see but the rest of you just get to enjoy looking at a really beautiful baby. She doesn't even look real in the some of these pictures!

Jilian Grace Matilda St. Onge

Baby Jilian

Big Red turns 5!

Jack turned 5 on January 10th! It is hard to believe he is 5. He was just this tiny little red-headed baby with a mouth so big you could drive a truck through it! The mouth is still big, only the boy grew into it.

The kids get to pick what kind of birthday party they want every year. And every year Jack says he wants his cousins and family to come over and eat a cake. Done. We had our family gathering yesterday. I looked around the room and felt lucky. 40 family members, yes, FORTY family members came over for his Big Day. He got a lot of great gifts and played with his favorite people in the world (his inner circle). He had an absolute ball.

I love having my family all in one house. All forty of them. It's always a good time. Of course, I have to share my favorite pictures of the Big Day. My Jack....he is the loudest, most expressive, most hysterical, most adorable boy in the world. I can't believe I have a 5 year old and an almost 10 year old. Hallelujah! This is a very nice time in my life.

After all of the guests were gone Kaitlin shared with me that she has always wanted to slam her face into a birthday cake. I told her she should embrace life and do it...just let me save some of the cake first. She did it! Again, and again, and again. It was fun to watch. How cool of her to just go for it! She laughed so hard, I am so glad I got a picture of her face.

Photos of the Week

I took these photos of Kaitlin yesterday. She was all decked out in her new Christmas clothes. She was in the midst of playing with Jack and his new Jeep so she was not happy that I called an impromtu photo shoot, but she was a good sport. I couldn't help myself...she just looked so beautiful. I had to capture the moment. Now I am glad I did it. She takes my breath away. Her skin is so perfect, and those lips! She has no idea how pretty she is. And her heart is more beautiful than anything. I don't deserve a daughter so precious, but I'll take her! According to my dad, the brain fairy is about to come take out her brain in the middle of the night and not return in until she is 25, so I am just going to enjoy this time when I think she is the sweetest girl on the planet.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas...

let your attitude stink!

Have you ever noticed how grouchy people get around the holidays? I am included in this. I don't mean to, because I do love the holidays, but it does bring out the worst in some people. I feel lucky and thankful that the holidays bring me positive memories. But I do notice that for many people, they cause stress, sadness, and tension. it's that time of the year when you are forced to face how broke you really are, or how annoying some of your family is, or how much you resent Santa for stealing J.C.'s thunder. The shopping alone is enough to make you want to go on ani-depressants. It doesn't matter how many years you say it, you never actually shop or save all year to relieve some of the financial stress. You end up charging up a credit card with disdain and paying it off with your tax returns.

Then there's the decorating process, which can be painful, literally. Most women end up doing it alone while their families mysteriously dissappear after hanging one ornament on the tree. That's how it is for me atleast. EVERY YEAR I get so excited to decorate. I envision a scene from a pottery barn catalog.....me, my kids, and my well dressed and happy husband gathered around the tree with Christmas music in the background, laughing and walking down memory lane as we look at all the ornaments. In my fantasy my house is clean and there is a warm meal on the table that some mysterious, illusive, ghost-chef has prepared for my perfect pottery barn, monagrammed- sweater vested family. It's a beautiful picture really. It's just not reality.

Here is the reality of this very experience for me. I must share.

I haul the boxes up MYSELF as Eric watches football and claims that if I'll just wait until the game is over, he'll help (Does he really think I'll wait until Jauary to decorate for Christmas?). Because I decorate on the weekend after a 60 hour work week, my house is trashed and we order a pizza for dinner. The only thing even remotely pottery barn about this entire event is the magazine on my coffee table, filled with items I can't even begin to afford. My kids are often fighting over, well, everything, so I find myself yelling at them A LOT. While I am dragging heavy boxes from my spider filled basement, the kids are unpacking the boxes and stringing decorations all over my house...even after telling them repeatedly to leave it all alone and wait for directions. As the kids and I are making all kinds of noise, Eric turns the T.V EVEN LOUDER, completely ruing my chances of feeling the Christmas spirit. After about an hour of this process, Eric goes upstairs to watch football and get away from the pshychotic Bree Vandacamp-esk woman who has taken over his wife, the kids get tired of hanging ornaments and being told not to mess with anything and retire to their rooms to play, and I find myself alone in my living room- with a complete mess for a house, Christmas music playing on my T.V, and a smile on my face.

I know it sounds strange, but I am so completely fine with this scenerio. EVen though I have this beautiful picure in my head every year of this joyous occasion, the truth is this. I do not expect my husband to wear a sweater vest and sing Christmas carols while happily decorating the Christmas tree. I would be wierded out if my kids were laughing and frolicking around my living room in monogrammed pottery barn Christmas sweaters. And my house is never clean, so if it was, it would make me highly nervous. I am seriously, 100% happy with the way this day plays out every year, because at the end of the day, I know these things.

#1 My husband is straight.
#2 My kids are normal.
#3 I have a family who loves me enough to participate in the process and then leave me alone to do what I love. Decorate for Christmas. Just me. In my living room. Music playing. Glass of wine. Smiling face. No one talking to me or fighting around me. Just me. In my zone. Ahhhh.

I do love for my family to come back into my zone once it is all up and the house is clean. Just not while it is all going on. I am sure there are many women who relate to me out there.

And for the the grouchy holiday people. Be grouchy! Honk your horns! Cut in line! Yell at innocent strangers over false advertising! Swing your fist at an old man for taking your parking spot! Go on with your grouchy self! Because honestly....if you have ANY sense of humor at all, those grouchy people are the most entertaining part of the holidays. And yes, the holidays can be very stressful and annoying. But that is what makes this time of year so great. All of it. The good and the bad. The happy and the sad. All of it. I wouldn't have it any other way.

I do suggest one thing. In the midst of Santa's big show.....it might be fun to bake a cake for the REAL birthday boy...Mr. JC himself. Light the candles. Let the kids blow them out. And remember what this day is all about. Love. Family. And forgiveness in this imperfect world.

Merry Christmas!

congrats to Angie!

It's been an amazing week-super busy and full of blessings beyond words. I got to see my pregnant cousin and spend much needed time with family. I got to listen to Eric talk about how busy he is at work- which is a HUGE blessing considering our finances lately. And I had the honor of being on the receiving end of a very special phonecall. A long awaited phone call. A much needed sigh of relief at 6:50 a.m this morning.

Angie and Joe have received a referral for their very long awaited baby boy! I am not sure what I am allowed to tell, so I'll just say that he is around 2 months old and living in good hands in Ehtiopia, soon (hopefully) to be home with his extrememly elated family! I feel a massive wait lifted from my shoulders and it's all because God is so good.....following through on his word and sending blessings beyond words to the poeple I love.

It seems that through all of the stress and worry in life we sometimes forget what is really important. This is an extra special Christmas and I am eternally thankful for every blessing in my life.

Congratulations Angie! I love you and and so happy for you, Joe, the girls. I can't wait to meet him and see your family interact. Merry Christmas!

lately

My Aunt Cassie, 1st cousin Ivey (pregnant with daughter Day Frances), Cindy, mom, and me at Ivey's baby shower last weekend. Ivey is thrilled to be having her 1st baby after a looooong awaited pregnancy. We are all beyond excited for Day's arrival. She is due to enter the world in February. We are looking so foward to adding another person to our family. It was so cool to visit my hometown in Mississippi to see her and the rest of my family. It was a walk down memory lane for sure. I can't wait to go back and meet my new niece. At least that's what I call her.

My little cutie. I had a parent-teacher conference with Jack's teacher today. She said they were having to work hard on Jack's "indoor voice". I didn't have the heart to tell her he doesn't have one. He could be telling you a story (with MUCH animation and sound effects) sitting right next to you and he yells like you are 100 ft. away. He is the loudest human being on the earth. She said he also has difficulty taking school seriously. He frequently sits in circle time and makes silly faces at his friends and tries to make people laugh. She said when she tells him to stop, he laughs and says OK in some wierd voice and then continues to entertain himself, and others. Needless to say, I have a feeling his picture is going to be in the yearbook next to 'class clown' every year. Uncle Scott part 2. I guess I have my hands full with this one! I might need to give the kindergarten teachers at my school a heads up about Big Red next year! I think I may request the most strict teacher. Oh my!

Kaitlin with her American girl doll, a gift from Mama.

She is in love with this doll. She treats it like her child. She will be a great mom someday. She already tells me how to raise Jack. Apparently I do need some help. I do hope she is atleast 28 until she becomes a mom. I need some time to travel and sleep after Jack graduates! Sweet girl...gotta love the matching outfits.

tagged

I've been tagged. I am suppose to post the fourth picture in my fourth folder. I believe this was taken New Years Eve at my mom's house. She gets the honor every year of keeping the kids while we all have a party at my house.

This is very typical Camden and Jack. They are so much alike. They finish each others sentences and would rather be together than with anyone else in the world. It's a sweet very cousin love. My sister and I joke that Jack finds his "chi" (inner peace) when he is with his cousins, especially Camden.

I think he may secretly feel he was born into the wrong family. He has told me several times that he would be glad to move in with aunt C.C. and he would just come visit me. It does hurt my feelings, but it makes me happy to know how much he loves his cousins.

I tag Ivey, Chantal, and Portia.

Photo of the Week

I know it seems as though I am favoring Carysn lately in the photography department, but there's an explanation. My kids are tired of their shutterbug mom and run from the camera most days, and Carsyn loves to be photographed. She's a natural, not to mention incredibly photogenic. Her eyes pop in pictures, and she let's me practice on her without a fuss.

With that being said, this photo will most likely go down in history for me. I took 7 shots of her...all of them being this precious, but this one stood out as my favorite. I edited the picture a little bit, but it didn't need much. It was just one of those rare photography gifts. Perfect lighting, a beautiful subject, and a good camera. This one, without question, is a framer.