Category Archives: Uncategorizedkerry and i are in bible study together.
she is the one i sneak off to movies with in the middle of the afternoon on school days.
(ok…it was only once…but we should do it much more often kerry!)
she is training to be a midwife.
i would love to have another baby so she could deliver it….at home.
(what do you think craig? don't laugh like that….)
dan is the hero who showed up just in time to save me from insulating the attic!
i had never met her family until this day.
i left quite embarrassed for her meet mine.
her children were so polite and happy and they seemed like they really liked each other!
what's that like?
they each have beautiful eyes…sparkley blue and green.
for the older girls just mentioning high school musical or any boys names…big embarrassed smiles.
kerry and dan….your family is just plain lovely.
your children were each so sweet and adorable.
the girls kissing on kenton? it was too cute….and he let them!
i loved it.
my kids are dying to come out to your farm and see a real dairy cow.
let's put them to work…
check out the playroom…. it's thinking it's "all that and a bag of potato chips."
wish me luck!
and check out their very fun colorful site.
(it's just fun to say….)
*edited to add….I got SECOND place!!!
woo-hoo.
very exciting.
big smiles around here.
very very big.
WTG, Meg! That is AWESOME! Great job and of course, the judges (if they have a good eye) would have seen that and they DID! Keep us posted and I hope you win the BIG prize! Hugs, Trac~ :o) How cool is that? Good work girl! Congrats Meg! I hope you win a great prize. I think your whole house should be in one of my favorite magazines so I can keep the pics for viewing all the time!
Congratulations! I love all the colors in your home, your photos and your life!
That is so cool! Remember when I said magazines were contact you about that amazing room?! Oh, i am so smart! heeheh! You are just so great! Congratulations! That’s awesome! Some fabulous spaces, and yours is the cutest! you came in second! yay! i still think you should have won though. you did a great job! I was hoping I could vote for it and couldn’t see where–still love it. And I think yours is the best because the ones with intense colored walls burn my eyes out (but they’re still fun). Congratulations! When my house is finished I’ll have a spare room for you to come spend a month and decorate my house! Oh Seriously!!! Hands down…you HAVE to be the winner!! Maybe I’m a little biased 😉 Best of luck!!!! Can’t wait to hear WHEN you win!!! Awesome Meg! Your room is fantastic. I just love that R E A D! Hope you win. Get outta town Meg…..that is GRAND ….. my goodness….fingers crossed here too. Yay!! Congratulations & good luck!! Your room is DEFINATELY the best and most colorful of all!! Congratulations! Are you for hire? 🙂 oh, check out how your playroom looks!! Right up there with the competition, well done! I love your colour combinations, awesome, so good luck! 🙂
what a big day.
she opened grandma and great grandma's gifts in the morning.
she couldn't believe she got her own CD player….the hannah montana marathon can now begin!
annie and i picked her up for lunch.
we ate her favorite dinner….stuffed shells.
and they got to drink POP at dinner!
she opened her presents from us (webkinz, littlest pet shop, hannah montana…what else?)
we sang happy birthday in the dark…always everyone's favorite job – turning off the lights.
we ate cake and ice cream.
then the 4 youngest kids climbed into the playroom bed
and watched Journey to the Center of the Earth all cuddled up together….the whole time!
it was the cutest thing.
happy birthday talby-loo.
are you sure you seven already?
She is adorable! Love the cupcakes and the candles on the cake! What a fabulous day. Such a sweet birthday girl! Her outfit was the best! I’m still a little bummed that you didn’t bring me something back from Braum’s… but at least I got a cupcake. 🙂 She even left one on my desk for Sophie to have after school. Sweet, sweet girl. what a fun mom you are! i love the outfit and the cake! i hope you win the playroom contest. i think yours was the best! 🙂
Your kids have the COOLEST birthday outfits! I’m jealous! Happy Birthday Talby – from Troy, Ohio! Can I celebrate my birthday at your house? I am 31 and this sounds totally perfect to me… and love the marshmallows on the cake.. brilliant. . happy weekend! I just love that shirt! Too cute! Happy Birthday, Talby!!!
Those candles are SO SO SO COOL. How awesome are you? Love it! Those candles are SO SO SO COOL. How awesome are you? Love it!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TALBY!!! what an adorable birthday outfit on a beautiful young lady. I LOVE her outfit!!! Tell Talby “happy birthday” from me. I LOVE her birthday outfit. So cute! You are going to have to teach me how to make me for Cora some day.
What a fun cake, full of only the good stuff for kids: chocolate chips, marshmallows and sprinkles.
Your kids are the cutest and it seems like someone is always having a bday! 🙂
Oh, and where do we find those “Happy Birthday” candles? Did you do a tutorial on those shirts that I missed? How do you come up with those awesome birthday outfits? They are so stinking cute. (Does Lauren have one? 😉 ) ANd that cake? So fun. And easy-looking. Can I say again you have to be the coolest mom ever? How do you keep up with 5? I can barely handle it with 3! Great pics – love her outfit! You’ve inspired me to make a “2” shirt for my nephew’s bday next week and I’m going to make “B” shirts for my boys. this weekend a friend challenged me to live differently. they are struggling through the hardest time in their life with a child who is sick.
he pointed out their new way of thinking.
he said they are greeting every morning with a huge smile and saying
"you're ALIVE today!!!"
they are so grateful for each and everyday they have with him.
i just keep thinking of how much of every single part of my day is routine.
and everyone and everything could be feeling very UNspecial most of the time.
why do we wait till our child or spouse is sick to live this way?
why don't we think this everyday….I AM ALIVE!
and YOU are ALIVE!!
i am reminding myself to be grateful….for everything.
to give my love without conditions.
and you know what?
it's HARD. (just keepin' it real here people)
these are cupcakes for talby's class.
nothing to do with my thoughts other than i am so grateful to be a mother.
i GET to celebrate her special day with her.
i GET to make cupcakes and birthday cakes.
and i GET to eat lunch at Braum's with a birthday girl on a wednesday afternoon.
it is a privilege.
a true honor.
go hug your kids real tight and shout "YOU"RE ALIVE!"
i have a feeling a certain 13 year old will push me away….but i still have to try right?
Beautiful
It’s a wonderful attitude to have. My father is battling advanced neuroendocrine cancer. It’s very rare, and it is incurable. So far, he’s beaten the odds. When he was diagnosed just over three years ago, no one thought he’d live this long. Yet he’s still here. And still going strong. He joined us for Halloween to watch his only grandchild go trick-or-treating as a Pirate Princess. Every day that he’s here, we’re here, our child is here – every day is a blessing. 🙂
Keep hugging that 13 year old…I went thru those days with my last child who didn’t want hugs in his teens. Now at 19, he comes home from college and give me hugs. Thanks for your encouragement to LIVE and rejoice in it! I just found your blog and love your photography. What kind of camera do you have? Connie great post. thanks for the reminder! cute cupcakes too. No matter what happens – he will continue to touch so many of us in so many ways.
Beautiful, faithful girl. Lauren won’t always pull away.
Thanks for posting this and sharing it with us. A reminder that our loved ones are alive, well and loved. And don’t worry….I will also get a hug rejection by my 16 year old! Lol….that’s ok, though because she’s know I still love her and I am thankful for her!
I have been reading your blog for awhile. I love it. Today I was moved to share my thoughts about your beautiful words. My husband & I lost our 17 year old son James, almost 2 1/2 years ago in an accident—just 12 days after we returned home with our adopted daughter from China. He was the second of our four sons. Handsome, smart, kind, incredibly funny, and so very loved.Any parent would be grateful to call him their own. I sometimes imagine what it would be like to see him round the corner of my kitchen. I sometimes see him in my dreams. We were just crazy about him. I can, with all of my heart, vouch for your words. I also believe in heaven. I know that the undying love of our adored children, our parents, our husbands, can find it’s way back to us from there…
i am and i am sooo grateful. i too have friends whose daughter is sturggling (actually w a terminal illness) and i am reminded how blessed i am to have 4 of my own kiddos…thanks for the reminder. and honestly, i thought the cupcakes were perfect…
thanks, really…xoxo
Such an awesome post Meg. So true…about deciding to actually “live” once something tragic happens 🙁 Last February my sweet husband was diagnosed with cancer. Hearing those words…our life was swept up in a whirlwind and I could NOT gain control. And then, I just let go…I had a peace that God would just handle everything. And he did. I get goosebumps just thinkin about it again. EVERYDAY before my feet hit the floor I am whispering an extra prayer that he is still with me…us…our family. I know this is a long post, and I am sorry…one last thing…when we were going through all of this last February…I went to turn the page on the calendar and it hit me like a ton of bricks…we may not be guaranteed tomorrow. I have just always turned those calendar pages or marked off dates so nonchalantly. BUT, to keep it real…it IS VERY hard to not get caught up in the mundane. Okay, I should just stop…I could go on and on…let’s just say…I needed to be reminded and your post was just the kick in the pants I needed 🙂 THANKS! Yummy cupcakes 🙂
I’m not sure how I stumbled on your blog, but what a wonderful post! Thank you for that. 🙂 Just catching up on your CUTE pics and happiness going on at your house! I love your blog 🙂
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us today…I really needed this kind of optimism to lift my spirits. You are AWESOME! simply beautiful, the words and the cupcakes.
As a Peds RN I get a reminder twice a week every week to be thankful as a mother. But still reading your post,makes me want to be better. I use to be part of a MOPS group which uplifted me twice a month. I need to re-find that thing in my life to be a constant reminder. what a wonderful post meg. you are so right!! i am so sorry for that family though. it is hard to live that way – to love without conditions. i am going to work on that too. and everytime i think of that i will also picture those wonderful cupcakes. hey, hug lauren hard and don’t stop!!!! Our church just read the Shooks’ book One Month To Live and did its own study to go along with it. The concept of grabbing each morning is so renewing. Just today I was almost grumbling about taking out the trash, when I thought, “Lord, THANK YOU that I have the strength to do this!” It’s such a paradigm shift.
Thanks, Megan for that reminder. I just got so angry at one of mine today and that was perfect for me to read today. I need to let go of the “small stuff” and love my kiddos unconditionally…like God does me. Oh,Meg, how true! I am reminded often because I came home one day at age 17 and my mom was lying in the kitchen floor. I saw her struggle for breath. The paramedics wouldn’t let me ride along so I followed. I sat an hour and a half waiting for family to arrive. It ended up she passed away in the ambulance and they could not revive her at the hospital- they couldn’t tell me because I was underage. How precious each moment is. My mom told me daily she loved me. She hugged me when she saw me and was met by a stiff board. Lauren wants it even if she can’t show it- trust me, I KNOW! Great post — great reminder. Thanks! I hope Talby has a wonderful day 🙂
Oh Meg! I’ve been having similar thoughts!! What a FABULOUS post. If your cuppies taste as good as they look you’ll have a lot of little people who will be thankful they’re alive to eat them! I know I’d like one!! Or two! Or maybe even three! Thanks for reminding me that tomorrow is never guaranteed!! Everyone around here will get extra hugs and smooches from ME.
thank you amanda and david for asking me to take your family pictures.
your babies are adorable!
i kept saying to myself that day "i POP out!" like taylor did.
his face is so funny in this one.
Will you come out to the NW anytime soon? I’d LOVE you to take my son’s photo. Pretty please? 🙂 {sulking} hi! i’m jennifer’s sister. we live in waldo/brookside, MO. where are you? made your stuffed shells the other night and my dh loved it! is it weird having strangers write? hi! i’m jennifer’s sister. we live in waldo/brookside, MO. where are you? made your stuffed shells the other night and my dh loved it! is it weird having strangers write? Darling family. That little boy reminds me of an old farmer man in that first photo. Wonderful pictures of a darling family. Well done. I love these pictures! They are such a beautiful family and the looks on the little boy’s face are priceless. So funny! You really should set up shop, ya know! You’ve got mad skills, girl!
Great photos as always, Meg! Wish I were local to have you take ours too but oh well. Have a great day and thanks for sharing! :o) Wow! I just found your blog and its great. Such awesome photos and fun stuff to read. Meg, those are great. I love the little guy’s face in the second picture. I am warning you if you keep offering to do pictures for people, laundry will will take over that awesome house of yours – I speak from experience. Really, you did a fantastic job with those I am sure they LOVED them! Aw Meg! These pictures are wonderful! Can you come take pictures of Mabel? 🙂 Great pics! LOVE THEM!! That first one is amazing…I would love to have someone as talented as you take our family photo!! Sadness is we have never even had a family photo taken!! Ridiculous…and you should see on our blog some photos I took of the ladies this weekend…I need a new camera! If we ever get out to Kansas I will definitely be begging for you to use your genius talents on my family!!
I wish I were local so you could take our pictures. But then, I might end up so embarrassed because my kids tend to be naughty for picture-taking. I can’t even bribe them.
seriously…those eyes!!! great shots….love how plyful they are!!! The first pic is my FAV! I have 2 of those chairs {from my great-grandmother’s porch} in our barn waiting to be sandblasted and painted… what am I waiting for!? You’ve inspired me! Great pics… so glad you shared them with us!!
meg those are awesome!!! the color is beautiful. they have got to be so happy with them. what an adorable family. I wish I lived in Kansas!!! Awesome pictures of a very sweet family 🙂 (Or at least your pictures make them look very sweet…I’m sure they are!)
You really should do an iPhoto (or whatever program you use) “How-To”. You’re pictures always look amazing!
i have so much to post about…. but i have to help craig insulate the attic.
i am trying to not be a total brat but i am not sure if i am succeeding.
i know i should help willingly….so what is my problem?
i better try harder.
back tomorrow with some great family pics i got to take this weekend.
amanda they were great!
the three big kids were so embarrassed to walk the dog this weekend.
hilarious.
Waffle looks he everything is fine….The is too funny Just when I had convinced the kids that they didn’t need a dog, they looked up your blog and have fallen in love with Waffle. Even my 2 year old has been yelling “Gog, Gog, mine?” If the Halloween costume wasn’t adorable enough, the cone has clinched the deal. Hope the insulating wasn’t too burdensome in the end. Maybe you could have an attic picnic when it’s done?
I have tears rolling down my face I’m laughing so hard. I can picture the fight at your house to get them to walk the dog. Oh my gosh this is soooo funny!!!!!!!!
guess that was really four questions… 🙂
why is it *so* hard to die to ourselves? It’s like once bratty feelings settle in, it is SO hard to kick them out. It feels impossible. I feel like I don’t know what to do except keep feeling them. And whatever I’m being bratty about is never as bad as I think it is. I’m trying to grow in this too. Kelly love that sweet baby and her helping!!! Aw!! Poor Waffle!! She is tooo cute! And Waffle…awwww! poor waffle. it is funny when they have those cones on. but then you feel bad laughing at them, but you can’t help it. that’s a lot of leaves for the kids to play in and rake up. cute pictures. i know what you mean, one day last week when roger wanted me to jump in the tractor and chisel, i was very cranky to him. didn’t want to at all, had other things i wanted to do.
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA………………..
we thought he was clumsy before the cone.
oh my goodness, he has cracked me up.
i do feel a bit sorry for him but it's just too funny.
and he gets 4 more days of it!
ROFL. HILARIOUS!!!!
That dog is adorable… even with the waffle cone. 🙂 Waffle is so stinkin’ cute…what kind of dog is he? okay… that is a waffle cone with REALLY cute sprinkles on top!
That has to be one of the cutest dogs ever… is it some sort of doodle? What breed, might I ask?
aaawww poor guy. that first picture is great you can see him pleading for you to take off the cone. Pooooooooooooooooooooor Waffle!!!! Gosh hes getting BIG!!! What a cutie. He needs that thing just because he got fixed??? Im confused? sooo cute! what a sweet pup…and the cutest waffle cone i’ve ever seen! I feel so bad,,,,because I am laughing so hard at the I’ll have a waffle cone… While this cracks me up, it also answers the question I had before…”Did you take him to the vet still pink?” I want your dog! Seriously, y’all named your dog SUCH a cute name! Kelly poor baby, tell him to pack his cone and come stay across the street with auntie amy, so you meanies won’t laugh at him! he is very cute though, with or without that awful plastic contraption. hang in there little guy 🙂
HAHA…good one! I would like sprinkles with my waffle cone – too funny – makes me giggle.
Poor Waffle, neutered AND a cone. He’s so cute, even with the appendage.
Oh the poor things when they have to wear those! I agree it is funny though. The best part was the title. How perfect that you named him that.
That first picture of him is the cutest thing ever! I love him! I think he’s still so cute! He’s a cutie patooty!
|
|
Jamie Sampson - gorgeous! Your rocked this session!
Love them! 🙂
Tracy - Oh my gosh, Meg – these are AWESOME photos! I am SO tempted to fly my entire family to Kansas so that you can take our pictures! ha ha! These were beautiful and great photos by you, as always and I LOVE the fact that you can “see” the closeness of these beautiful kids in your photos. Great job! Thanks for sharing!
Hugs, Trac~ :O)
traci - BEAUTIFUL. as always. your black and whites are fabulous.
Rachel - I love the pictures…they turned out great! I didn’t expect anything less though…you always have great shots!
kasey - i wish i had time to sneak away to a movie mid day!
lucky you.
k-
Jill - Wow Meg!! Beautiful family… beautiful photography!! Love the “Leaf” pictures best. So cool!! ~Jill 🙂
Allikayes Mama - I am tempted to pack up my toddler and drive out to KS…just to have you take our pics! It looks like so much fun! And they are so great!!
Staci - ooooooh! LOVE that last picture! They are all great…but that last one…LOVE it!
Staci - ooooooh! LOVE that last picture! They are all great…but that last one…LOVE it!
a thorn among roses - love the fam shots…and ur right, they really look like they love each other. ok, so did the momma sneak them some candy or something? and, i want a sneak to the movie friend! i guess i need to get all the kids out during the day first. ok…good job on the pics! love them!
Sarah Livesay - Meg,
I’ve seen your family photo shoots of several families I know (Balzers, McClenahans, etc.). I’m wondering if I can schedule a time to have you take some family photos for us.
Your photos are amazing!! What do you think?
Sarah Livesay
Sandy - Thanks for sharing, Meg & Kerry!! Your pictures are beautiful, as always.
Gini - GORGEOUS, as usual!! Wish you lived here.
callie - what a beautiful family, in many ways!
You captured it all, beautifully done.
callie
Lorilee - Meg,
Great photos, as always. I especially like the shots in the doorways!
Blessings,
Lorilee
MGF - Wonderful photos.
Yah what is that like to have kids sibling like each other.
Lanny Stanard - Oh miss Megan, how nice is that what a nice family I bet they like those pictures, great job thanks for sharing…
Lanny
PamperingBeki - What a beautiful family! And really great pictures.
Noooooo more babies for me! Whew!
Tami - They *are* a pretty neat family. So glad to know them!
Aubrey - My husband is about to be informed that we are saving money for a road trip to Kansas for family pictures, and to see a real flea market. I’m such a dork, but I’ve never been to one and am so intrigued by them from all I’ve heard about them. Okay, obsessed.
brittany - How cool your friend Kerry is training to become a midwife! I delivered my son with a midwife! And delivering at home…wow…a woman after my own heart! That is so my desire…and will happen with the next baby!
traci - this is my favorite photo shoot so far…LOVE IT!!!! I would love for you to blog sometime about how you go about each photo shoot…
Patty - Several times, I have wanted to compliment you on your blog, and thank you for all your efforts- this one moved me to actually do it! I don’t remember who posted it but I found your blog from a link to your bathroom! I have enjoyed reading it all so much (I’m a mom of 4, a dog-owner, but a New Jersey girl- ) and have tried several of your decorating ideas and recipes- and get inspiration from your very real attitudes. This whole week has been very nice to read. I wonder if you would mind at some point to talk about your photography- you get quite a lot of wonderful shots from your camera- do you use different lenses, how do you get that wonderful color we see- it all makes me want to never leave your blog! Thanks for sharing it all! Patty
Darby - Beautiful kids. Beautiful family. Beautiful pictures. Beautiful eyes on all of them! You really captured them!
Have you or Kerry seen the movie “The Business of Being Born”? I’ve not seen it but heard WONDERFUL things about it. {As long as you don’t mind seeing Ricki Lake naked…argh}. Anyway, I’ve always longed for a midwife to deliver my babies… unfortunately 2 of 3 of mine were c-sections. Makes me kinda sad to think about because I know my chances of a vbac are getting slimmer and slimmer. Sad… really sad. Have another one and let Kerry deliver it in that little corner tub… which by the way we have the EXACT same little corner tub in our house! It’s a classic and perfect for bathing children!! 🙂 Have a great weekend!!
check out the link and video clip—
http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/