Poor Little Blog + Random + Wedding - Mine!

Poor, neglected blog.  It has been too long.  If I were a Bloggy Mommy CPS would be all over me.  With the whirlwind that is the holiday season I have not found the time to do this little thing justice.  The thought that I should tend to this withered tree was always there, nagging at the back of my brain.  So I started to ask the question - "why blog?"

Well, for one, I love reading blogs.  In fact, I've just discovered a new blog that is SCRUMPTIOUS in every way.  www.kellehampton.com  Check it out if you have some time - but you have to start with the story of her daughter's birth.  Just have the tissue at the ready.  I'm not a crier.  Well - I AM a crier - but I'm a closet crier.  I was reading this mom's words in bed with the hubby and I totally had to do the fake allergy thing.  "Ugh - these dang allergies - I need to hit the Sudafed AGAIN....."

Also, I have the greatest respect for all you scrap-book moms out there.  I wish I had it in me.  But just the sight of those craft tables covered in glue and fabrics and paints - sends my neat freak heart into convulsions.  I wish I were one of those super-cool, devil-may-care moms.  And with 6 kids, I have certainly loosened up A LOT.  But, for me, this blog is like my own scrapbook.  A way for me to record life's moments.  And it's not messy.  :)

Which leads me very nicely into my New Year's Resolution for 2011.  First, can I just say it took me 3 weeks to determine what my resolution was to be?  (Maybe it should be STOP PROCRASTINATING!)  One thing I have noticed (and almost ALL my other mom-photographer friends also admit to), is that once I have learned what makes a photo "great" - proper exposure, perfect light, white teeth, etc., I no longer get my camera out unless the picture will be "great."  So what do I have to show for this last year?  A bunch of gorgeous images of my family - images I will treasure forever - but I have nothing to show for our LIFE.  You know - messy, every-day living, laughing, silliness, frustration - MOMENTS.  So I've determined - no, vowed, I am going to treasure every day, and capture it with my camera.  Which means I have to change my definition of what a "great" photo is.

So to start, I wanted to post some pictures from our wedding last year.  It was a beautiful, precious day - and I'm so scared I'll forget the details.  I'm so grateful to my dear friends Kara and Brian Armas for making these images happen.  www.brianarmas.com

This was the easiest, most relaxing affair you could envision.  One thing we KNEW we wanted was to enjoy the day.  We all fixed our own hair and make-up - I greeted guests in a t-shirt and jeans as they arrived.  And   we had plenty of family, friends, aunts and cousins to help us all get it together.

The girls had fun getting to wear make-up and we spilled some petals in all the excitement.  Noni might have been the only one stressed (this little shindig was at her place after all) - she is there going over everything with the caterer - the fantabulous Lori Metcalf from Lori's Eats and Sweets.  We often go to Noni and Poppy's for Sunday lunch, or to just visit, and I love that I can look out back and see the special place where I married my honey.

I especially love our little one's helmet.  Rusty is here giving out instructions to the kids - they did so great!  It was an informal affair to start with - but what a day it was!

The ceremony was the sweetest thing - EVAH!

Our little girls were everything they should be - irresistibly sweet, giggly and shy.

The only thing I might change...my hair color.  Every time I see the sun glinting off our oldest two girl's red locks, I get a teeny bit envious - just so beautiful.  Which reminds me, I did a shoot with them last month - I'll have to post later - GORGEOUS!

We wrote our own vows, and we both talked to each of our children.  Rusty and our oldest boy had a trick up their sleeve.  When it was time to get the ring from his pocket - out came the biggest, gaudiest, ugliest thing you ever did see.  In our town, football is a big deal.  And the year of our wedding, we won the state championship.  Have you ever seen a state championship ring?  Well, they may be a High School boy's pride and joy - but in my opinion, it looks like it belonged on the hand of Mr. T.  "What choo talkin' bout foo?"  Eventually the correct ring made it's way to my hand.  After the ceremony, as we were making our way back up the "aisle" the theme song to 'The Brady Bunch" cued up and we all had another big laugh.

 One of the best things about the whole day was the Easter egg hunt we had for the kids.  We had the wedding Easter weekend, and more than anything, we wanted the kids to have fun and feel welcome.

Interestingly enough, the lucky recipient of the bouquet toss just got married this last weekend.

It was the best day - and I'm still so happy.  I know we haven't been married long - less than a year - but there is just nothing like being married to your best friend.  After the wedding, we had a very romantic dinner with all the kids at Red Lobster followed by a movie in 3-D.  That's right - that's how we roll.  Hey - when you have a family of 8, things are just different - but oh so much fun.  The face my husband made when he walked away from the movie ticket booth, $112.00 poorer was priceless.  I need to work that into a Master Card commercial.....  Cheers!