Scott and the Majorettes

Sometimes...

2011-11-04T00:29:00.000-04:00

I try to get a pretty portrait of the girls and this is what happens...

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T21:02:00.000-04:00

Look what's missing!

2011-10-21T14:42:00.000-04:00

Ainsley lost her first tooth last Sunday, 10/16! She was so excited. It came out while we were eating dinner. She had been saying that it was loose, but I didn't realize it was THAT loose! She was nervous about the tooth fairy coming in her room, so she placed one of her extra pillows on the floor with her tooth underneath. She got NINE quarters and she was thrilled. She wants to spend it on icees.

Photo Shoot

2011-09-22T21:43:00.001-04:00

At least a couple of times a year, I try to photograph my girls as I would in a photo session with my clients. Here are a few of my favorites from the day.

My Pinterest Inspired door!

2011-09-22T14:14:00.000-04:00

First Days!

2011-09-01T21:40:00.000-04:00

These are from the first day of preschool for Brooklyn (& me!) and also Ainsley's first full day of kindergarten. They had great days!

Big Day!

2011-08-17T09:00:00.000-04:00

Today is Ainsley's first day of Kindergarten! She was excited and a little nervous. Her teacher is Miss Price and she is really nice. She goes today and next Wednesday. I love that they stagger in the kindergarteners. I packed her lunch and included a little note on her napkin. She has a PB&J, chips, peeled orange, and a chocolate chip cookie. When we left, Brooklyn is the one that cried! She wanted to stay with Ainsley and play. I thought I would be a mess, but I held it together, mostly. I didn't want Ainsley to think there was a reason to cry.

One of the girls in her class is also on her soccer team, so we are grateful for that. Soccer practice starts tomorrow night!

Brooklyn and I start back to preschool August 29th, which is also when Ainsley starts her first full week of school.

Brooklyn Update

2011-07-29T02:00:00.000-04:00

Brooklyn keeps us on our toes. She is so precious, cute and has a lot of spunk. When she gets in trouble (usually for not obeying, or hitting Ainsley) she will run up to me or Scott and get in our face and say, "I want to kiss you." I admit it worked the first time, but not since. The other day we drove by Sonic and she said, "Mommy, I want a hamburger, tots and a diet coke." (Maybe we out a bit too much!!) Ainsley has been the main talker until recently. Now they BOTH want to talk to me all the time. Brooklyn will say to Ainsley, "Stop talking, Ainsley. I want to talk to Mommy!"

She is doing so well with the potty. It has been the longest process!!! When other moms say that it was easy to potty train their kids, I smile and do not believe them! Tonight the girls were praying. They both prayed that it not storm tonight (they saw dark clouds) and I added to Brooklyn's prayer, "Please God help Brooklyn poopoo in the potty." She interrupted, "I peepee in the potty!" It was funny, maybe you had to be there...

Here's a series of Brooklyn playing peek-a-boo. She will be THREE in only TWO months. Bittersweet.

Kindergarten check-up

2011-07-29T01:48:00.000-04:00

Last week I took Ainsley to the doctor for her 5 year old/kindergarten check up. She did so great. I was nervous she would flip out over the vaccines, as many of her friends had told her horror stories about them. She was so brave and said "they weren't that bad." I think it helped that I told her that I would take her to get an icee when we were done.

Her stats were impressive:
weight: 49 pounds (75-90 %)
height: 45" (95%!!) She is the height of an average 6 year old.
Her bloodwork was perfect - great iron levels, blood counts etc...
She told the doc that her favorite foods are hamburgers, popcorn and strawberries.
She aced the developmental questionnaire and was off the chart for her age.

I am so proud of her.
Her first day of kindergarten will be the week of August 15th.

HHI 2011

2011-07-29T01:39:00.000-04:00

Back in June, we went to one of our favorite places, Hilton Head Island. We went with Scott's family and it was kinda like a family reunion. Cousins from Colorado were there. The kids had so much fun because there were so many playmates. The adults would play cards after we got all the little ones down each evening. It was a fun trip. We had perfect weather.

why we're all so tired...

2011-06-18T23:56:00.002-04:00

Hello there, I am Brandi and I am back from blog-retirement. Sorry for my absense! I have lots to blog about, but I'll take it a step at a time. Lsst weekend, we decided it was time to move Ainsley into Brooklyn's room, move Brooklyn into a twin bed (she has been sleeping in her crib that was converted to a toddler bed and transform's Ainsley's former room into an official playroom. It has been so much work! Moving stuff, cleaning, organizing closets, buying bedding and shopping for furniture, decluttering, etc! NOT TO MENTION that the girls have been so excited, they have a hard time going to sleep at night and then whoever is up first (at the crack of dawn) wakes up the other one and they think it is party time! We were so spoiled with kids who went to sleep quickly and would sleep LATE. I am not even going to publish how late they would sometimes sleep. Anyway, we are tired, but it seems to be getting better. The other night Brooklyn came to me at 9:30 (WAY TOO LATE) and climbed into our bed and said, "I sleep here. Ainsley sleeping." Then the other night, look what Brooklyn did:

So cute, but really?! Go to sleep! I love having all of the toys in one room. I have lots of decorating to do. I want to paint and re-do everything, (but who has time when they go to sleep at 9:30?!) Until then, I will window-shop websites and make to-do lists!

Off Road!!

2011-05-09T22:36:00.001-04:00

Kids Run!

2011-05-09T22:30:00.000-04:00

In early April, Ainsley ran in the Knoxville Marathon Kids Run with Scott. She was so excited to win a medal! She ran 90% of the mile. She loved it and cannot wait to run another race.

welcome spring!

2011-03-17T19:28:00.001-04:00

happy day!

2011-01-28T22:00:00.000-05:00

a trip to the zoo...

2011-01-28T21:54:00.000-05:00

ICE!

2010-12-22T01:04:00.000-05:00

One of our snow days was because of ice last week. It was beautiful! It warmed up by mid-morning and we even ventured out to meet Scott for lunch.

SNOW!

2010-12-22T01:01:00.000-05:00

Yippee! We had snow last week! We got 3 snow days. It was fabulous. We all enjoyed our family time. We went sledding, did some holiday baking and did lots of shopping once the roads cleared up.

Thanksgiving

2010-12-21T23:20:00.000-05:00

My grandmothers drove in from Arkansas for thanksgiving. They had the best time talking with the girls and just seeing how much they're grown! They also got to meet my sister's fiance. Here are a couple of pics from their trip.

a sad day

2010-12-21T23:03:00.002-05:00

a few weeks ago we had a very sad day. our beloved cat, garfield, passed away. he was the best cat. he loved the girls the the girls loved him. ainsley is still grieving. she says he was the best cat in the whole wide world. this experience brought up lots and lots of conversation about death, heaven and forever. Scott and I were asked many, many questions. where is heaven? which way is heaven? how do i get there? when will garfield be back? does God have water in heaven for garfield to drink? why did that mean dog kill garfield? it has been a tough time for her. she is doing much better, but still misses him. we all do. he was the best cat in the whole wide world.

Mario Cart

2010-12-21T22:33:00.000-05:00

Ainsley has recently discovered Mario Kart. She played quite a bit during our snow break and has really improved. As you can see, she takes it seriously!

Retreat!!!

2010-12-21T22:20:00.001-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, Scott and I ran off to Nashville for a quick overnight trip. We went to the Titans/Colts game and had the best time. It was FREEZING, but we both dressed in many layers and had hand & foot warmers. I have really gotten into the NFL in recent years and I was so excited to see the Colts play. It was actually my idea back in the summer when the tickets went on sale. Our "best available" seats were 3 rows from the very top row. Fortunately we had binaculars and we know most of the player's jersey numbers. On our way back we stopped at Burgess Falls in Cookeville for a quick hike. We have never hiked in December. It was fun to see all of the icicles, though I felt like a mom trying to keep Scott from climbing on them. :)

*Please note that the images of both Scott and me were taken by Scott in freezing cold temps, and we know they are out of focus. :)

Eric the Elf

2010-12-21T21:50:00.000-05:00

We started a new tradition this year, Elf on the Shelf. Ainsley loves looking for our elf each morning. She named him Eric. In case you're not familiar, Elf on the Shelf is a book & doll. The book explains that the elf will watch the children and report good or bad behavior to santa each evening. Each morning he ends up in a different place in the house. There have been several nights where Eric stayed in the same spot. oops!

Done!

2010-11-10T23:21:00.001-05:00

Wishes Whirl Christmas

Make a statement with Shutterfly Christmas photo cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

Potty!!!

2010-10-22T15:38:00.003-04:00

Quick post: Brooklyn used the potty today! She took off all of her clothes, then her diaper and ran to her little potty. She was so proud! We've talked about pottying some, but I have not pushed it yet. I gave her some skittles and she was thrilled. woohooo!!!

Fall Vacation!!

2010-10-10T22:45:00.002-04:00

Back in September, the four of us snuck off to Hilton Head. We had a great time! The weather was absolutely perfect and the girls played well together and Scott and I even relaxed a little. We stayed at a very nice resort, Marriott's Grande Ocean, thanks to the points we had saved from Scott's work travels over the last several years. They had several pools and also a lagoon-type water feature near our villa that had lots of fish and turtles. The girls loved looking for the turtles. I wish I had recorded Brooklyn saying "turtles." She said it so sweetly.
Ainsley really advanced her swimming skills. She got the courage to jump off the side of the pool and swim to the ladder. Brooklyn figured out how to doggie paddle with swimmies. They played in the sand and ocean and just loved it. We ate at our favorite restaurant of all time, Alexander's successfully. It is a very nice place, with white table cloths and not at all child-friendly. I brought a bag of goodies and bribed them with suckers. It worked! I came down with the world's worst eye infection while I was there. That's why some of the pictures are out of focus! :/ I couldn't see clearly until several days after I got back! I will never take my vision for granted again.

2010-10-10T22:32:00.000-04:00

2010-10-10T22:30:00.000-04:00

2010-10-10T22:29:00.000-04:00

Vacation

2010-10-10T22:28:00.000-04:00

Guess who's 2?!

2010-09-30T11:23:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday Brooklyn!

Lady Vols Soccer Game

2010-08-30T23:07:00.000-04:00

Several girls from Ainsley's soccer team went to the Lady Vols soccer game Sunday afternoon. I have additional pictures from another camera that I will post soon. Ains loved it. She really got into it and didn't want to leave when it was over. Her favorite part was probably when she shared popcorn with her teammate, Larkin.

Ainsley lately

2010-08-30T23:03:00.000-04:00

First Day of Preschool

2010-08-30T23:01:00.000-04:00

Today was our first day back to preschool. Both girls had a fun day. Ainsley brought home a little homework - writing the names of her family members. Brooklyn didn't nap, but my girls have never been good nappers at preschool, even as infants. I was so proud to have an extra minute this morning to snap a couple of quick pictures.

one month until...

2010-08-30T22:56:00.000-04:00

my little baby turns 2!! what in the world?!

her most recent words/phrases are:
sip? (when leaning towards my drink)
look at me
mine!
yeah (nods head while talking)

Tonight she was so tired from not napping at preschool that she starting singing "twinkle, twinkle" as soon as I was done reading a book. It was so sweet.

Outside!

2010-08-25T21:41:00.002-04:00

The temperatures are finally condicive to playing outside again and we spent a lot of time out on the deck today. We took the crayon/marker box outside and also enjoyed a picnic lunch. I played with a relatively new camera lens and practiced a new (to me) technique.

Soccer!

2010-08-20T19:32:00.000-04:00

Lately

2010-08-20T16:27:00.003-04:00

I am so embarrassed by how long it has been since my last post. We've had a fun summer and are getting ready to go back to preschool. I don't think there was a single day that we stayed home all day. We've spents lots of time at the libary, Target, Dollywood, the gym, spash park, church, swimming pool etc. It's been fun. It's gone by fast and I am sad it's over.

I have been blessed with steady photography work. Feel free to visit BrandiMajor.blogspot.com to see some of my lastest work. I am excited about some big contracts on my calendar - preschool individual pictures this fall and group pictures in the spring as well as an engagement session in October. I have got to take more pictures of my own children! I have joined a local photographer group that meets monthly. It's fun to network and learn from others.

Brooklyn has really grown up a lot lately. She is talking so much - mostly one word at a time, but occasionally she will string a couple of words together. Her newest words are "yea" (with a head nod), Gatti's (a local pizza restaurant), "drink", "juice", milk". She has the sweetest voice. She kinda knows her ABC's and knows many basic colors. I have taken her pacifier away at her rest times and it has been hard on her. She hasn't napped much lately.

Ainsley is becoming so big! At her 4 year check-up she was in the 90% for height! She had her first soccer practice last night. It was so cute. Her favorite part was scoring a goal. She is excited to start back to preschool. She has missed her friends. She will be in Karen and Kathleen's class this year and I could not be more thrilled. I grew up with Karen's sons at church and school. They've both taught preschool for over 30 years. I know Ainsley will have the best time and learn so much. Brooklyn will have Ms. Gina and Ms. Julie - also excellent teachers. It's going to be a great year for them both!

I have a sort-of different job this year at preschool. I have absorbed many of the bookkeeper's responsibilities, so I am looking forward to using some of the skills I learned in college and previous work experience.

Scott is doing well and enjoying his job. We are so blessed. He does some light travel to Kentucky and Nashville, but not too much. Scott is Ainsley's soccer coach. It's so cute!

HHI

2010-06-12T22:25:00.000-04:00

Our family recently took a trip to Hilton Head Island, SC. We were blessed with great weather and we all had a great time!

2010-06-12T22:20:00.000-04:00

2010-06-12T22:18:00.000-04:00

2010-06-12T22:17:00.000-04:00

HHI 2010

2010-06-12T22:16:00.000-04:00

more lollipops

2010-04-30T23:56:00.000-04:00

Lollipops!

2010-04-30T23:54:00.001-04:00

Now Open!

2010-04-20T18:23:00.004-04:00

brandimajor.blogspot.com

In my lap

2010-04-07T20:54:00.004-04:00

Monday I got a phone call from a friend who needed a photographer for a work event Tuesday evening. My first thought was, "no way, I am so busy. not a good time." But I kept listening and the offer kept getting better and better. They needed someone to take pictures at Tennessee's College of Business Honors Dinner. They just needed shots pf the award winners as they received their plaque and group shots of the winners. (I could do that.) The dinner would be two hours long. (Getting better.) They would feed me dinner. (never a bad thing) They just need a CD of the images with copyrights. (okay!) They are willing to pay $ (yay!) I said let me check a couple of things and call you right back. I called Scott to make sure he didn't have an obligation and share my excitement and I called right back and committed. It was SO FUN! I was nervous, but so excited. It worked out that I could sit in the Dean's wife's chair (front table)(she was leaving early and she's a great friend from church). My fav picture is of the Dean cracking a joke. He is very serious, so I was proud to capture his smile. I got all the shots they requested. The gentleman giving out the awards worked with me to have the award winners pose and look at me. YAY! I was on cloud nine when I left. I am so thankful for the encouragement from so many family and friends.

My grandmother sent me the sweetest email the afternoon before my job.
My favorite parts:
Just do what Ps. 37:4-5 says, "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass".

II Chronicles 16:9 -"For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him." I like the translation that says "whose heart is totally devoted to Him."

Heb. 13:20-21 "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect (equip you) in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ: to whom be glory for ever and ever."

What a blessing. :)

Ains

2010-04-05T20:38:00.000-04:00

Conversation with Ains this morning:
Me: God says we should obey our mommy and daddy. That is in the Bible and the Bible is true.
20 minutes later on our way to preschool: Mommy, God says that I can take my bunny to school. It is in the Bible and the Bible is true.

At least she got "The Bible is true" part right.

Baby Evan

2010-04-05T20:30:00.000-04:00

cousins

2010-04-05T20:17:00.001-04:00

I love the expression on Emily's face:

Here are a few pictures of Ains & Brooklyn with their cousins, Ethan, Emily and Evan. I wish I had taken a picture of all of the photographers and helpers trying to get them to look the right way at the same time with a smile. It was a hoot! I will do some editing and try to transform the group pics into a better photo. (I love photoshop!)

Easter

2010-04-05T20:00:00.000-04:00

Eggs!

2010-04-05T19:57:00.000-04:00

Working in the Yard

2010-03-30T00:03:00.000-04:00

A video! - Sticky Fingers

2010-03-16T19:41:00.003-04:00

A couple of pics...

2010-02-19T13:30:00.000-05:00

The flowers were sent to me from Scott for my 29th birthday. Aren't they beautiful? He did well. :)

A much overdue update...

2010-02-18T21:07:00.002-05:00

I am sorry I have neglected this blog lately. I have more going on than I usually do! We're all doing well and the girls are growing like weeds. I had to buy Ains a few new mid-season outfits (size 4T) because she seems to have had a growth spurt. Many of her pants were too short. Brooklyn is growing like a weed too. Her personality is really starting to show. She knows what she wants and will often loudly say "MOMMA, MOMMA!!!" and point to whatever it is. This evening she said a word for macaroni that was something like "mawoni." She is trying to get out more words and often speaks in her own language. Ainsley is so funny when she tells me what she thinks Brooklyn is saying. The other day Ainsley told me on the way home from work that Brooklyn said that she wanted to go to Sonic! No joke! Ains loves root beer and Brooklyn has recently discovered apple juice slushes. It's a treat about once a week for them. The other day Ainsley was jumping on the couch when I had told her not to, so I put her in timeout. Ains was upset, so Brooklyn brought her a blanket and sat beside her. It was so sweet. I wish I had grabbed my camera! A few weeks ago, someone asked Ainsley if she has a boyfriend. She replied, "No. I have my Daddy." Too sweet. Brooklyn's gross motor skills have advanced. She is now running and can walk backwards. She is still the best sleeper. 630pm - 730am (later on the weekend) and naps 2-3 hours. She has started pretending with baby dolls and purses. Pictures to come.

Other new things in our life include Scott becoming a Deacon. He will be ordained Sunday. He is still enjoying his job and we are so blessed. He travels some, but not near as much as he did in the fall. I am so thankful! Scott's sweet grandmother, Wanda, passed away last week. It's been a hard time for him and his family. She will be missed very much. I told Ainsley the other day that Grandma went to Heaven to be with Jesus and she responded, "Wow! I want to go to Heaven to be with Jesus, too!" I had just read a story to her about Heaven.

I am busy training for a half-marathon that will be in the end of March. This will be my 4th half. (You may ask yourself, "I wonder why she doesn't do a full marathon." I finished the Disney Marathon January 2003 and do not want to go through that agonizing pain again anytime soon.) I ran a 10K this past Saturday in the freezing cold. It was 19 degrees at the start. I was so excited to see the finish line and get home to a hot shower. I don't like running and always regret signing up for these races when the training gets tough and burdensome. There's nothing like the feeling of accomplishment at the finish line though. Guess that is what keeps me going. Plus, I love the fact that Ainsley knows that I run and the example of fitness it sets for her. Another thing I have going on is our church's annual children's clothing sale and that will require a lot of my time. I love it though. It benefits so many people and I am always blessed to find the cutest clothes at great prices.

I am about to launch my photography business, which makes me super excited and nervous at the same time. I have loved researching a learning all the requirements for starting a business and all that. I LOVE taking pictures and look forward to serving others with this passion.

Ainsley Said...

2010-01-08T10:19:00.002-05:00

Ainsley received a harmonica for Christmas. She refers to it as "her monica" or "my monica." The other day a man was on tv playing a harmonica. Ainsley said, "Look, that boy is playing his monica!"

Scott was putting firewood in the fireplace and Ainsley grabbed her flashlight and shined it on the wood. When asked what she was doing she responded, "I'm lighting the fire."

Wild hair...

2010-01-08T10:09:00.002-05:00

What once was natural...

now requires static electricity...

Let's roll!

2009-12-27T20:57:00.000-05:00

Ask Brooklyn to do a roll, and this is what she does...
She gets to her tip-toes, but has yet to push over. Maybe soon!

Multi-tasking

2009-12-27T20:55:00.000-05:00

Here's Scott playing "Pretty,Pretty Princess" while catching some football.

Santa!

2009-12-27T20:53:00.001-05:00

Ainsley really got into Santa this year. (For the record we talked a lot about Jesus' birthday as well and she was excited about that too. I just don't have the pictures to show it...) We left out cookies, coke and carrots (for the reindeer) and they were all gone in the morning! Ains thought it was so funny that a reindeer left a little carrot on our front step. Ains was up at least hourly from 1 am on, probably due to both her fever and the excitement. (Her fever went away the day after Christmas - after a 2 hour trip to the pediatrician for the doctor to say that it is only a virus...)

Ainsley was most excited about her little bottle of sprite, lipsticks, tinkerbell panties and headbands. Brooklyn loved her new set of car keys.

Christmas @ Nina & Pops

2009-12-27T20:42:00.000-05:00

We had a fun time celebrating Christmas Eve at Nina & Pops' house. Ainsley baked cookies with Nina earlier in the day and they also enjoyed a "picnic in the car" when they went to Sonic. That evening Ainsley began running a high fever, so I gave her a cool bath while we were there. That is why her hair is wet in the pictures. She seemed to feel better after a dose of medicine and opening a few gifts as you can see. Ainsley loved her Snow White movie and PlayDoh sets while Brooklyn loved her new balls and a sweet little monkey from Mimi.

Dollywood

2009-12-27T20:36:00.000-05:00

We went to Dollywood to see the beautiful lights and play on the rides. It was chilly, but we had a great time!

In the news...

2009-12-12T11:31:00.003-05:00

At When Scott worked at ImagePoint, it was always fun to be driving around and out of the blue he would say, "there's my a new sign I designed." His work now is still interesting, it is just not as easy to see. Until last night. We were watching the news and a story about a DOE project came on that he did some estimating for. Here it is just in case you're curious.

Ainsley said...

2009-12-11T13:51:00.004-05:00

"Mommy, can you grow smaller so you can go to preschool with me?"

"Can you do me a favorite?" (favorite meaning favor)

"I need to go play outside. I have lots of...(paused while she tried to think of the word...) energy!"

While sitting in my lap and giving me a hug, "Mommy, your tummy is going 'boom-boom, boom-boom.'"

Snow Day!

2009-12-05T12:46:00.000-05:00

2009-12-04T21:36:00.001-05:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

14 Months Old

2009-11-30T22:03:00.000-05:00

Sweet Brooklyn is 14 months old today. Just a year ago, I was returning back to work after a sweet, precious time with her on maternity leave... My how the time has flown by!

She is developing quite a personality. She has some of her favorite friends at preschool already. She is a fast walker now and is very close to running! She knows what she wants and will let you know! Her words are: bye, hi, hello, momma, dadda, outside. I think that is it. I have tried to keep her paci out of her mouth when she's not sleeping and reading more to encourage more words. She likes to get ahold of Ainsley's crayons and scribbles. You can see above that she is learning to use a spoon. She wears a size 4 diaper and her 18 month clothes are beginning to fit better. Most days she wears 12-months. I love that she is beginning to hold on when I carry her around. She is a very sweet, affectionate, laid back girl.

Today Ainsley said...

2009-11-30T21:54:00.000-05:00

"Mommy, you're driving me bananas."

and a couple of more...

2009-11-28T22:06:00.000-05:00

A fun morning...

2009-11-28T22:04:00.000-05:00

This morning I had the opportunity to photograph a friend of mine's new baby. It was lots of fun and the baby was so cooperative. Her mom and I have been going to church together for nearly 20 years. Here are a few of my favorite shots.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-28T21:57:00.001-05:00

Pops and his girls...

Ains and Aunt Mimi enjoyed playing some Wii on Thanksgiving.

Christmas!

2009-11-28T21:55:00.000-05:00

Last weekend we put up our Christmas tree. I have never seen Ainsley so excited! She was talking a mile-a-minute. Her favorite way to look at the tree is to lie down and look up.

A sweet little mess...

2009-11-28T21:53:00.000-05:00

I let Brooklyn have a powdered donut the other day. She LOVED it!

Fall Choir Performance

2009-11-28T21:52:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, Ainsley's 3-year-old choir held an open house where we got to see them sing. It was sweet. The kids really got into their songs.

on the side...

2009-11-04T22:15:00.000-05:00

Recently I had the privilege of photographing some friends so they would have a special Christmas gift for their mom. They couldn't keep the secret very long, so I am sharing some of my favorite shots with you. It was so fun and I quickly learned how much fun it is to photograph young adults that stay still as opposed to sweet little toddlers who don't.

Ains

2009-11-04T21:06:00.001-05:00

Ainsley's new favorite question is "WHY"? Why is it dark? Why is root beer delicious? Why do I have to go to school? Why do I have to obey? Why, why, why..... I think it is great she is so curious about the world around her and wants to learn. For a few weeks I would answer the best I could and that would be the end of it. After a while, that would not satisfy her. "But why does the sun go down... but why..." Then my answer became, "because God made it that way."
Ains: but why...?
me: You'll have to ask Him.
Ains: ok

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-04T20:58:00.000-05:00

The girls had a lot of fun halloween. Ains loved being a princess. I curled her hair, painted her nails and even let her wear makeup. She loved it - though I felt like a Toddlers and Tiaras mom. Ains' princess dress was my old pageant dress from the 1987 Miss Columbia County Fair Pageant. Thanks mom for keeping my dress. Brooklyn seemed to enjoy being a bee. I feel a little guilty for her wearing an Ainsley hand-me-down costume. I'll do better next year.

Grandmas' Visit

2009-11-04T20:49:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, both of my grandmothers (my mom's mom and my dad's mom) drove all the way from Arkansas to visit. Ainsley loved visiting them and still asks where they are. She affectionately called them her "grandpas."

Drive-in Movie!

2009-11-04T17:27:00.000-05:00

Racing for a Cure

2009-10-24T21:32:00.000-04:00

This morning my Dad, Sister and I ran in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure with 12,000 other folks here in Knoxville. We ran to celebrate my Mom's victory over breast cancer. We are so proud of her and it was an honor to celebrate her strength, grace, courage and beauty. To God be the glory!

We wore coordinating shirts. Mine and my sister's shirts said, "Celebrating my MOM, a Survivor!" My Dad's shirt said "Celebrating my WIFE, a Survivor!

I hope this is a new tradition for our family.

2009-10-18T23:04:00.001-04:00

Daddy's Girl!

2009-10-18T23:03:00.000-04:00

Pawley's Island

2009-10-18T22:56:00.000-04:00

One afternoon we drove over to Pawley's Island. It is such a cute little place. I think we were the only people there. Ains loved the birds!

2009-10-18T22:54:00.000-04:00

The bottom pic is Ains "posing like a princess."

The Beach (Brrr!!)

2009-10-18T22:52:00.001-04:00

We headed to Myrtle Beach for fall break despite the frigid weather forecast. I don't think we even had to use any sunscreen! We still had fun and enjoyed the indoor pools! The highs were in the 60's and it was windy and mostly cloudy. Brrr!

This one makes me laugh...

2009-10-18T22:51:00.000-04:00

Party Time!

2009-10-10T21:54:00.000-04:00

Today we had Brooklyn's official birthday party. We delayed it a few weeks because of Scott's traveling. Brooklyn enjoyed her ladybug strawberry cake.

Happy Fall

2009-10-02T19:04:00.000-04:00

Daddy's Home!

2009-10-02T19:03:00.001-04:00

Scott has been in Detroit all week on business. We're so glad he's back!

Waiting at the airport...

2009-10-02T19:02:00.001-04:00

(The lighting is so beautiful at the airport. It's a photographer's dream!)

Birthday Cake!

2009-10-02T18:59:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday Brooklyn!!

2009-09-30T01:00:00.000-04:00

I am getting teary just thinking of what to write about my baby turning one. Going from one baby to two was a big adjustment for me, but I have loved and treasured every minute. Brooklyn is such a sweet, happy, laid-back little girl. She is simply one of the biggest blessings in my life. Happy Birthday, Brooklyn!

Bunny ears

2009-09-29T20:26:00.000-04:00

This is Ains trying to do "bunny ears" behind Brooklyn's head. Brooklyn was obviously too fast for the shot, but I thought it was too funny not to share.

Attempt at a sister portrait...

2009-09-29T20:24:00.000-04:00

better luck next time!

Oh no,

2009-09-29T20:19:00.000-04:00

a lollipop in the hair! What's a girl to do?

A tired afternoon

2009-09-29T20:17:00.000-04:00

catching some TV.

Watching Ains @ Gymnastics

2009-09-21T20:52:00.000-04:00

Playing in the Rain

2009-09-21T20:51:00.000-04:00

On TV!

2009-09-21T20:49:00.001-04:00

Scott's big project from last summer made it to a TV commercial with UT's coach Lane Kiffin. I was so excited to see it, that I had to hit pause and take a picture. Scott was the Project Manager for ImagePoint's sign on the ceiling. It is the big circle with the Power T on it. In my opinion, the picture doesn't do it justice.