Mom, I'm tired.

Today was the day I put my foot down and cut out naps for my oldest son- Connor. He's been waking up around 5 a.m. almost every day for the past 3 years. THREE YEARS PEOPLE! Even mornings after a long Disney day- or when he's under the weather. Or when he's up until midnight.  It just doesn't seem to phase him. Today he was up before 5- about 4:50. It kicks us in the face when we try to get him back in bed because after a whole minute of laying in his bed he gets antsy and wakes up his brother. So the next sound I hear is their whispering while trying to turn on a movie or find some random sugary treat I might have forgotten to hide on the ever growing mound of hidden food on my nightstand.  So today after the hubby read yet another article on how to get kids to sleep better, we decided that no matter how tired it would make me to not have a break from his energy in the day, we weren't going to have him nap. SO he was up from 4:50 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. It would have been an earlier bed time but we had a fun family outing and went to Ruby's for Kids Eat Free Tuesday! You really never value a good free kids meal until you've paid full price for both kids. We used to get away with them sharing our food, or sharing one kids meal. Nowadays it's just not as easy. So while we're finishing up dinner Connor says he's tired and decides to lay down on the bench. It's not a small feat to hear these words from this kid. He NEVER admits to his fatigue for fear of the imminent SLEEP that will follow. I considered it a win. I kind of feel like I set this post up to be more than it really is. Basically I'm just glad that the lack of nap led to him actually being tired and going to sleep in two seconds rather than the hour long back and forth battle of turning on the hall light and threatening to shut the bedroom door ALL THE WAY. The biggest battle was shower time which was absolute hell and will have a video coming soon to the tube...

But all in all those extra hours of NOT napping led to some pretty awesome moments. Like playing with the new puppet theater, playing grocery store, drawing, having deep conversations and watching some tv together. I guess this whole mom thing just gets better and better...

Kirsten Tube

Long before I even became a mom I started making YouTube videos as a character named Vera. It was SO much fun. It all started when I just recorded myself spouting off random information without pausing to think about what I would say next. I'd love to revisit Vera in the coming months...but also want to share a lot of other videos with you. My Disneyland tips, my beach adventures, my reviews of awesome restaurants and hot spots in Southern California. I'm even going to do some fun challenges to make things a little crazy and interesting.  So stay tuned for that- it's all coming to a youtube channel near you! Here's the link to my channel!

Through My Lens

I never planned on becoming a photographer. And honestly there are times when I still blush when I tell people that's what I am. Because while it's something I'm crazy in love with, I hate feeling like "another one of those photographers". I don't like feeling like I am out to compete in a completely over saturated market. I can't pretend that I was born with a camera in hand because I wasn't. But I was very reassured of my desire when I stumbled upon some old pictures I took when I was maybe 9 years old. I had posed my sisters on a fence in an area of some beautiful family property in Southern Utah and had even had them cheesily looking up into the sky.  They are seriously not grand by any means...but it showed me that even then I had a desire to capture moments, to pose people and to see the beauty around me through a lens.  Many years later after having my first baby I bought my first camera. And it took me a year or so to not use the auto setting. Eventually- after many impatient moments and half-assed shoots I became one with my camera. I no longer looked at others around me wondering how it was so innate for them. Because suddenly it was innate for me too. I was able to capture things the way they looked to me. And after a phase of wondering if I was good enough I finally decided I was. And while I may not be the highest paid or most quickly booked photographer, I LOVE what I do. And I know that if I were busier I wouldn't love it this way. I get chills when I cull my images sometimes. I cry looking at a perfectly captured moment. I LOVE the people I photograph because even if it's just for a millisecond, I get a glimpse into their souls. I used to think I loved weddings the most. But now I've discovered that my all time favorite form of photography is birth photography. It's the mother in me. The woman in me that cherishes my own birth experience beyond measure.  And it's the next best thing to giving birth myself! Witnessing this amazing moment with others- it's the best thing in the world.  But don't get me wrong- I love it all. I love snuggling new babies, giggling with toddlers and even posing 20 people for a large family gathering session.  I love working with brides, grooms, young moms, soon to be moms, you name it! Photography is an art I am proud to say I take part in. And I'm so excited to share some of that with you! I'll be posting bits and pieces of sessions here from now on. Thanks for sharing my creative journey with me!

Faces in the Crowd

I had this brilliant idea to start a blog showcasing some of the amazing people I've met and will meet throughout this life. (Obviously I won't be able to showcase the ones I haven't met yet--weird) and I started a whole website for it.  But now I'm calming things down a little and will have everything here in one easy to find spot. And someday, if I ever have a need for it, I'll buy a dot com and do a whole awesome layout for y'all to enjoy.  But for now I'm going all early 2000's and keeping it simple. So starting in January watch for this new feature of my blog. I'll be featuring some very interesting, beautiful and talented people I've had the pleasure of knowing. And the coolest part is that I'm going to then let them lead me to more people. And it won't stop there. I'm going to get to know EVERYONE around me. Not just the people in my inner circle, but the cashier at the grocery store, the nurse at my doctors office, my husband's co-workers...the sky is the limit. I'm going to identify what it is about all of us that makes us special, unique, and why everyone should be clamoring to get to know us all! So stay tuned...that's just one of the upcoming beauties you'll get to take part in!

Joining the Party

So I was a crazy devoted blogger for a long time- then it fizzled with the addiction to Facebook and Instagram and suddenly being able to post a singular memory in nanoseconds replace the urge to spend hours typing lengthy posts.  But I've felt a void lately. I have so much inside that I want to share, from my own personal triumphs, my kids crazy moments, my work and all the fun things I have the opportunity to do living where I do.  So while I've shuffled a whole bunch of ideas around, played with a lot of catchy blog titles, ideas for how to get all my creativity on the interwebs...after a lot of common sense talking from my husband I've decided to just be myself. To put it all out there as just ME. My name. After all what better way to introduce myself than by using the very words I am identified as? So this is me. This is my blog. It's going to have everything- photos from my home, my professional sessions, my Disneyland adventures, my holes I dig in the sand and even some cool videos I plan to start making. I'm joining the ever growing number of youtube mommy blogger people.  It's going to be a fun 2015. Thanks for joining me on this new adventure! I hope you walk (or click) away with a smile, a chuckle or a little inspiration to make your own life even sweeter, more adventurous and creative!