A Day In The Life

HEAD ON OVER!

2008-05-28T16:03:00.000-07:00

I WILL NO LONGER BE POSTING ON THIS BLOG!

CHECK OUT THE NEW AND IMPROVED BLOG:

http://paulastillerphotography.blogspot.com

~A SECRET~

2008-05-22T08:20:00.000-07:00

Where has Paula been?

...working on a secret project! jk! This blog will now be mainly for my personal blogging. I have a new photo blog for Paula Stiller Photography!

Head on over and leave comment!

http://paulastillerphotography.blogspot.com

In other news, it was over 100 degrees here already. We went swimming at friend's house. Jonah is afraid of the water after watching Waterhorse. It might be a long summer.

Trinity just woke up so I better go get her!

This One Is for You, Mom!

2008-05-16T16:33:00.000-07:00

On Mother's Day:

Scott: Is there anything you like more than mommy?

Simon: French fries!

Jonah: Curly or straight?

I was very spoilt with cards and hugs and nice words all day. I felt very special and could not have asked for more. I love being a mom!

Another Mommy&Me!

2008-05-15T15:28:00.000-07:00

Here are a few from a recent session! I can't get enough of this 2 month old! She would look right at me and give me huge smiles and then right when I put the camera up, she would stop....the little stinker. She is so smart and beautiful already. Mommy E, you better watch out! I'll get more up from this session later! Grandma and Auntie came along and we had such a good time!

Allen + Stephanie

2008-05-15T07:53:00.001-07:00

It was a gorgeous Spring Arizona day and had all the features of a beautiful wedding.

the dress

the groom

the venue

(a gorgeous yard which happened to belong to the bride's mother...quite handy)

the adorable flowergirl (i couldn't just put one...she was so sweet!)

There were a lot of emotions throughout the day as Stephanie's father had passed just several weeks prior. I love this picture of her brother helping her with her dress taken a few minutes before giving her away.

a funny moment during the ceremony

the kiss

the stunning bride

the first dance

the rings

a fun picture

and they lived happily, ever after

Thank you for a beautiful day! Many blessings on your marriage!

<<<<<<<<<< LOOKY LOOKY!!!

2008-05-13T08:29:00.000-07:00

Yeah! I got my new logo! Thanks, Sara! I love the simplicity and vintagy feel!

I also finished my OPAM (one project a month) project last week. The rule is you have to have before/after pics but I did not this month. Sorry!

I should have maybe straightened the books but that is how my life is...books and toys everywhere! I let the kids help with the flowers on the walls. I need to fix a couple as I think they are too big but it will do for now!

I stole the silhouette idea from here but she did it different than me.

Here is how I did it:

1)take silhouette pictures of the kids

2)draw/trace them on white notecards...Scott did this!

(you could just print them out and cut out the pics)

3)cut out

4)trace on black cardstock and cut out

5)frames are from ikea ($2 each)

6)martha stewart paper from michael's ($2)

Very affordable, simple, and fun!

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

2008-05-12T09:04:00.000-07:00

I spend each day trying to be a little more like you!

I heard that somewhere and thought it was so appropriate.

I love you and thanks for everything!

i'm so excited!

2008-05-08T21:59:00.000-07:00

this is a little random so hang on. sorry that i didn't do a post yesterday. i probably won't tomorrow just so you know. today has just been fun! the kids were well-behaved (for the most-part) and i just feel good and blessed! i'm on scott's laptop so there are no pictures.

i took a couple hours yesterday and just called friends that i haven't talked to for the last month since we've all been sick. i really have some good friends here. i'm glad that after a month we can just chat and get caught up. they don't read this blog that i know of but if you happen to stop by, you know who you are! *hugs*

i have a little something up my sleeve for my business and the ladies that keep my business running (aka: my customers!). i've been talking to a friend who is a party planner extraordinaire and it's going to be fun! if you are a customer, stay tuned ~ it's going to be good!!! if you are not a customer, it's not too late to become a customer :) but you only have one month. the clock is clicking and the schedule continues to fill up! doesn't life seem to go so much faster when you have something you are REALLY excited about planned? did I say keep June 21st open?

i have an outdoor wedding to photograph on saturday that i am super-excited about and tomorrow is friday! yes!

i better go to bed. i got worn out typing all this.

Easy Kitchen Clean-Up

2008-05-06T14:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a crazy day! Scott forgot his wallet so I loaded the kids in the car to head up to the city. As I backed out of the drive, I knew something was wrong. I pulled back into the drive and walked around the van and "AHHH!", the front passenger wheel was flat as flat can get. My neighbor came to the rescue and got the spare on.(Thanks, Mr. C!) Then, as I was on the highway, I heard the dreaded "chink" of a rock hitting the windshield. I totally broke down. WHY ME???? WHY TODAY???? It seemed God was mocking me as all my favorite songs on K-LOVE were playing. I changed my attitude. I guess it's good as any day to get a star since I'm heading to the shop anyway. So...I spent the rest of the afternoon with the kiddos and Missy at the Dodge dealership (thanks for coming and reminding me to keep Satan out of it...it being my life). The windshield actually cost more than the tire to get fixed (ha!). We did get to go eat with the in-laws, which is always nice.

So today...

When I woke up, the house looked like a tornado hit the house. We were gone all day Saturday and took it easy on Sunday and yesterday happened...and the house showed it. I immediately went into shut down mode until I remembered something that I used to use to help me clean up. I am a list person and used to have these lists to help with each room. I think I borrowed them from a mixture of Elizabeth Elliot and Flylady (there's one more lady. mom, do you know?) and expanded according to my need. Here's the list for after meals. I hope all mom's find helpful. I'll add some other rooms later.

Kitchen Clean-Up

1. Pray for a good attitude of house blessing (sounds much better than cleaning)

2. Turn on Some Good Music

3. Unload Dishwasher (if not done already. mine is always full.)

4. Clear and Wipe Table

5. Fill pots and pans and leave to soak.

6. Put all food where it belongs.

7. Spray everything with spray cleaner.

8. Carry out garbage and replace trash liner (just if needed).

9. Wipe away cleanser and rinse pots and pans.

10. Sweep, vacuum, or damp mop floor.

Voila! Clean Kitchen!

Now get yourself a cool drink and relax!

Day #2 - Mommy & Me

2008-05-06T07:46:00.000-07:00

Her mission: to get good pictures of her and the kids to give as presents to her mom and grandma for Mother's Day. What a great idea!

Her mission now: to choose a picture

some natural sunlight and beautiful ladies!

attack of the little guy!

some mommy love!

even daddy got some love!

baby ducks!

that's all for now!

*I just want to add that I do not hire models. Although it may seem like it, these are real adults and children....just making sure everyone knows that :)

Day #1 - Post A Day

2008-05-05T08:55:00.000-07:00

I'm going to try to get a post up a day this week since I'm so far behind. Here are some pictures from a family session I did last weekend. It was my biggest session EVER with 22 people! They were all so fun and beautiful it made my job easy!

The little guy responsible for the party:

Beautiful mother of 6! (she told me it was her husband's fault):

The star of the show:

They had a photographer scheduled who had to cancel at te last minute so they called me. I was pretty nervous about the indoor pictures since I am so used to NO flash but after another quick tutorial from Scott, I think the pictures turned out pretty well.

I'm so glad I got to meet your family! I'm looking forward to many more celebrations with you!

Before/After

2008-05-04T09:38:00.001-07:00

I am so far behind with blogging it's ridiculous but I wanted to get a picture up for a special mommy from a Mommy-N-Me Session. I was working on her pictures this morning and wanted to show a before/after of these cuties.

I am frequently asked if I can do touch-ups. You will probably have to click on these pictures to see the differences but there are three main things I changed. Can you figure it out?

1) hair across her face

2)booboo on hand

3)buggars in his nose - this is pretty normal this time of year :)

I try to catch all the little details but if I miss one, as a customer, you have the right to call me out and I'll get you a new digital file...no problems!

I actually prefer the black and white but mom can decide when she prints them! Aren't they adorable? N, you are one blessed momma!

Etsy Break!

2008-05-01T08:45:00.000-07:00

I gave myself a few minutes to pounce around on etsy this morning and found another favorite...yeah!

First, there was Belle and Boo

(a new print that I L.O.V.E.)

Then there was Sarah Jane Studios

on a mission for all things cute,

And now, let me introduce to you, Sarah & Abraham!!!

She does invitations, stickers, notecards, and adorable prints that are pretty reasonable.

How much fun! Now to work I go feeling a little more inspired.

Mr. E ~ Newborn

2008-04-29T13:42:00.000-07:00

I know I've been promising these pictures forever. I guess good things come for those who wait :) I would like to introduce the handsome Mr.E - perfect in EVERY way!

We started out at the orchard but it was way too windy for a little guy so we went back to their home to get some better pictures.

he melted my heart!

love love love this series!

The session was short but so sweet! I wish this little one would stay itty forever but it's going to be fun watching him grow. Love you guys!

Let's Go Fly A Kite!

2008-04-28T09:54:00.000-07:00

We did not go to church yesterday because I have a conscious about breathing around people in close spaces when I am sick. Late afternoon, about the time when the kids were going stir-crazy, I packed up the van with picnic supplies and told Scott we were headed out to buy a kite. At that point, I don't think he was going to argue.

It was a gorgeous afternoon. The kite was taller than 6 feet and I thought it would carry the boys away with it. That would have been something! We have these huge fields of green grass here in Maricopa that are perfect for flying a kite!

Jonah absolutely loved flying the kite. Simon and Trinity mainly hung out in the shade and ate their sandwiches.

Scott had never flown a kite before in his whole life! I'll get him trained yet ;) He looked like a professional out there.

I let Jonah take some pictures...a future photographer?

and finally, a good picture of Simon! It really was a good day!

*I have a list of 101 in 1001 started and this is one of them. The list is only about half done and really it's just stuff I want to do before I turn thirty. Check one off! I'll post the list someday.

MOMMY & ME SESSIONS!

2008-04-23T22:33:00.001-07:00

FYI - I will be contacting those of you who scheduled a Mommy & Me Mini Session starting Monday, April 28th.

A Mommy & Me Session is 30 minutes of fun, playing, cuddling, and posing with your little one as I take pictures for you just for Mother's Day. A cd is included to print as you desire as with all my sessions. I still have openings.

This would also be a great gift for a special mommy/grandma in your life.

Please contact me soon if you are interested. May is already looking pretty busy!

sniff sniff

2008-04-23T22:18:00.000-07:00

We've got the sniffles in the Stiller house :( and thus slowing me down quite a bit. I will be resuming normal activity next Monday and taking it easy for the next couple days (if you call babysitting for the neighbors on Thurs/Fri and throwing a birthday party for my mother-in-law on Saturday taking it easy.) We will be headed out to the Salsa Festival on Saturday. That should be a fun/crazy time. And because I have a hard time posting without some pictures...here ya go...

and my absolute favorite from the day...

In the near future, I will be blogging about this spectacular birthday party...

and I'm still working on a little Mr.!

first comes...

2008-04-20T10:50:00.000-07:00

love...

then comes marriage...

then comes baby!

Autumn looking all radiant!

I think Mr.J is a little excited to be a big brother!

What an extremely gorgeous family!

after the session, we went to get some ice cream (a pregnant woman's must-have!)

*UPDATE: Mr. E showed up a little earlier than planned...all healthy and wonderful! I got to meet him last night for his photo shoot and he is so beautiful! Congrats again, my friends! Again...stay tuned to meet the little munchkin! I haven't even downloaded the pictures yet :)

"One Heartbeat at a Time"

2008-04-17T12:11:00.000-07:00

My mom sent me the lyrics to this song and I looked it up on YouTube. Moms, get your Kleenexes as this is so true for me most days. Be blessed today and remember that you are making a difference!

a princess is coming!!! pt.2

2008-04-16T09:35:00.000-07:00

She sounded nice on the phone. I really never know what to expect. I always get a little nervous before a session not knowing how it's going to go. When she greeted me with a warm smile and glowing personality, I was put at ease immediately and knew it was going to be a special session. As it was.

We started in the nursery that was only fit for a princess...

and a kiss for her majesty...

headed downstairs for some nice relaxed portraits,

then we headed over to to the country club for some great outdoor pics. Stay tuned for Part 3. Here's one for now:

I think her daughter is going to love this picture. Doesn't she look gorgeous?

Thank you so much for inviting me into your home to capture this precious time. I am so excited to meet the new little princess!

little bit of light...

2008-04-15T12:43:00.000-07:00

I used to be really bad about comparing myself to other moms and still have to catch myself often. If there was any advise I could give a new mom it would be to not compare yourself or your children. My life is pretty crazy with three little ones and now with adding photography I started comparing myself to other photographers. There is always something Satan will "bug" you with to get under your skin and focus on yourself rather than on God and others.

I love this from Sarah Jane's Blog:

I see artists all around me who seem to just "do it all." But then I realize:

They aren't changing diapers at 6:30 am. (the neighbor boys got here at 6:30)

Or playing dress-ups at 7:30am. (that sound like fun)

Or cleaning crayon off the walls at 8am. (that just happened to me right now...haha!)

Or feeding breakfast to two hungry toddlers at 8:30am. (5 hungry kiddos!)

Or going on library trips at 10 am. (library?)

Or doing 15 bajillion loads of laundry at 1 pm. (i just had to strip the couch due to a gatorade spill)

Or scrubbing bathrooms at 2 pm. (did that one yesterday)

Or building wooden block villages at 3 pm. (the living room is covered in legos)

Or going to the park at 4 pm. (been there this morning)

Or making dinner at 5 pm and drawing a bath at 6 pm with kids in bed at 7pm. (we attempt to get them in bed by 8 but that's a stretch some nights.)

Just some shots from the playground this morning. I do try to get pictures of Simon. A new friend I met at the party over the weekend reminded me how amazing 3-year-olds are. They are always in their own little world. I needed that reminder and reassurance as Simon is fully 3-year-old ;)

We're in that "anything you can do..." stage with the two older boys. it can get pretty intense around here.

and in case you didn't get enough...

and one of Simon from our trip back from Window Rock because I love him too. We stopped at a store near the Petrified Forest because I wanted to see how much a big piece of petrified wood for our front yard costs...it's expensive. It sounded like a good idea. I love this picture of him. He was so excited.

a princess is coming!!!

2008-04-14T17:10:00.001-07:00

there is nothing like family

2008-04-14T08:27:00.000-07:00

I get to see her smiling face every Wednesday night as she takes her son to Cubbies with my boys. I was so pleased when I got a phone call from this lovely lady to take pictures for her family. I was even more pleased when she told me that her extended family would be there also!

I have always wanted Maricopa's motto to be "Utopia Cornucopia". It's kinda silly and Scott makes fun of it but there is such a wonderful mixture of people from all over the world. I know it's not perfect but it makes a great home! This family doesn't differ at all moving all the way from Europe! The mother and youngest sister were visiting. It was a bittersweet photo session and as one daughter said, "It's hard to smile because they are flying back tonight."

It turned out to be a lovely afternoon with lots of smiles. The mother loves the palm trees so we met at the entrance of Rancho El Dorado. I had such a good time. I felt like part of the family.

The gorgeous sisters made me a little jealous missing my own sisters. I can tell they are very close (and fun!)
I'm so glad I got to spend more time with you, S (and everyone else). I hope there are many more times we can get to know each other more and more. Thank you so much!

Fuzzball Fight!

2008-04-09T17:01:00.000-07:00

I got up this morning wanting to do something more than my normal routine so I painted a little part of my wall and moved some pictures around but really that wasn't enough. On a crazy rampage where I lost my mind for a second, I decided to clean the dirt backyard. I raked up all the big rocks and shoveled them into piles and then transferred them to another pile. It was mostly out of spite and rage actually. Last week we were supposed to have the landscaper come and sketch out some ideas for our backyard. The same night they were supposed to come, I ended up in the ER with Trinity. The money we were saving to do something with the backyard has now turned into a ER bill...grrr! Such is life! Now I feel like Scarlet O'hara in the scene where she was talking about her hands while picking cotton. "Mother said you can always tell a lady by her hands."

Anyway...the kids were helping me slave away. I started spraying down the dirt because it was blowing everywhere. They all stripped down to their undies and had a Fuzzball Fight! Jonah calls mudballs fuzzballs (don't ask me). I would have taken my camera out but it needs cleaned anyway. You'll just have to imagine. It was just one of those fun times I'll keep in my head forever. I just kept thinking about how blessed I am to stay home and how sometimes we have to sacrifice some things because I do stay at home. God always seems to leave those little reminders for me!

*No pictures today. I tried but something isn't working.

Mr. D ~ 3 Months Old!

2008-04-08T13:19:00.001-07:00

I'm a little behind on posting but better late than never! What a sweetie! I absolutely love his smile and hair and personality and everything else. He was happy until he got hungry. I guess that's pretty normal for a little man :) I am so looking forward to watching this little guy grow!

Other News

*Say a little prayer for Scott. He went in to get a root canal today :( He couldn't sleep last night due to pain.

*How about those Jayhawks!?! I'm not really a big Jayhawks fan but grew up in Kansas and my sister and bro-in-law are big fans! Rock Chalk!

*Autumn called last night to report that she had her little boy and everything went well!!! We took the pictures just in time! Congratulations!!! I can't wait to meet him!

Another Monday!

2008-04-07T13:20:00.000-07:00

*We had a party last night! I made a double-layer chocolate cake with dark chocolate frosting and sprinkles. We called it a "Thank you, Jesus, that we made it through last week!" Party! Simon got the bug on Friday but he fought it pretty easily. Trinity is doing much better! She's lost a lot of weight and her size 12 mth pants are too big again but maybe that cake will fatten her up :)

*I had an amazing session on Friday with an amazing gorgeous family. I'll put more pictures up later but wanted to show you this one that I thought was so special.

A sister is a forever friend. ~author unknown

*We took it easy all weekend. Saturday afternoon, my friend Autumn came down for her maternity shoot! She looked gorgeous as usual! Lots of good pics from that also! I know....the pressure...gotta love the suspense. Here's one for you, Autumn! I love this picture! I showed Scott and he said it look like a mistake...What does he know,anyway?

~heartfelt~

2008-04-03T12:19:00.000-07:00

The best and most beautiful things

in the world cannot be seen or even touched.

They must be felt with the heart.

~Helen Keller

*I had an amazing shoot with my friend M and her baby D last week. You may remember him as my poinsetta Christmas baby. Where did these 3 months go? M is one of the sweetest people I know and I could talk on the phone or just hang out with her for hours. Her love for Christ and her family are evident. I told if I'm ever in a bad mood, I might just call her. I am so glad we met through my photograhy. I love this picture and quote together.

*Thank you for all the inquiries about Trinity. I took her to see the doctor again today. He started her on another antibiotic for infection. I am not a fan of antibiotic at all but hopefully this helps. She's keeping everything down now so I think we're at the end of "the bug". It's been a while since I've had a sick one and now I remember how hard it can be. The encouragement (food, pedialyte, babysitting) and prayers are much appreciated!

life on pause

2008-04-02T12:44:00.000-07:00

*my life is on pause at the moment because my baby is sick :( if you need to get a hold of me for any reason, please give me a call. thanks!

*i still have a 3mth old shoot to post from last week!

*my website hit another record last month! *happy dance*

*we went to Window Rock (northeast AZ) over the weekend to see my parents and traveled with their mission group and Navajo friend Mr.Pete to see Canyon de Chelly. took tons of pictures and enjoyed ourselves immensely! Scott and Jonah hiked to the bottom of the Canyon to where the ruins sit and Scott got this amazing picture plus many more!
*and lastly, i just got a HUGE box in the mail containing some awesome canvases!!!

HOWL!

2008-03-27T14:48:00.000-07:00

I'm a little bit nerdy...ok, a lot nerdy! When my husband came home a while back and told me that we were going on a date I was a little shocked as this doesn't happen as often as it should. "I got some hockey tickets!" he said excitedly. Hmmmm....I didn't know how to react. I'd never been to a hockey game but I LOVE sporting events. The night came quickly. Walking hand in hand up to the arena, I felt like we were dating again. I was so giddy. I simply love hanging out with Scott, my best friend. The game was pretty exciting. I learned two things: (1) the players can catch the puck with their glove anytime, and (2) hockey fights are real and intense. I had no idea how real or intense. We had to leave early because Scott had to go to work but I still had a great time! The Coyotes ended up beating the Sharks 5-4 in overtime! And... guess what?!? We're going back on Tuesday!!! *happy dance*

My date even let me use his jacket since I didn't think about how cold a hockey game might be...what a hottie sweetie!

Mocha Moms

2008-03-27T14:07:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday morning was a dream. I went to a beautiful park (The Railroad Park in Scottsdale!) with tons of photo opportunities on a gorgeous spring day with my camera. Then all these beautiful kind families with dreamy children kept coming up and having their picture taken! Thank you, Mocha Moms, for setting this up! What a wonderful group you have going! I could have hung out all day with each family. What a blessing to meet you all! Here's a little preview of the fun!

There are some more of my favorites on my website already! http://www.paulastillerphotography.com/

i love Easter.

2008-03-26T21:41:00.000-07:00

hymns. eggs. hunt. dyes. giggles. flowers. sunshine. cool breeze. ham. baby bunny. family. babies. hugs. kisses. bubbles. chocolate. baskets. swing. dress. bows. Christ arose!

I'm just sitting here editing several sessions and wanted to get some Easter pictures up of the kiddos. We couldn't have asked for a more lovely Easter. God is so good!

(btw - yes, my boys have on pink shirts and no, scott was not happy...but they sure looked handsome!)

BID NOW!

2008-03-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

There is a charity auction going on at 8523mine.com for two deserving Maricopa families. I have donated a session and it is up for grabs now! Why are you still here? Go get it!

One thing I was sure when I started this business is that it wasn't going to be worth it if I wasn't able to give back to my friends, my family, and the community. In a small way, I hope this helps.
On a different note, my weekend was one of those that you never want to end, that you keep pinching yourself because everything is going perfect, and that Monday you are happy to get up and get going. Yes, it was that good. I'll put some pictures up soon but for now I wanted to have you go and bid.

UPDATE! Congratulations Pretty in Pink! I know who you are and am SOOOOOOO excited for our session! Thanks for bidding and giving to these families!

50 Odd Things About Me

2008-03-19T23:19:00.000-07:00

Fill It Out and Return It (stillhere821@msn.com)! I'd love to hear from everybody!

1. Do you like bleu cheese? No
2. Have you ever eaten caviar? No
3. Do you own a gun? maybe...
4. Your favorite song right now? Superchick "Anthem" - I jam out in the van! Here's to the girls that don't give up!
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? sometimes
6. What do you think about hot dogs? Do you know what they put in them??? I like them. I don't know what is in them. Scott gets upset if they don't say beef.
7. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night or that one that starts out - Bells will be ringing...
8. What do you like to drink in the morning? Water or Milk
9. Can you do push ups? I had to try the other night and I think I got five :p
10. How much money is in your bank account? I am rich in so many ways (I stole that answer from my sista)
11. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? My wedding ring and a blue sapphire ring Scott gave me for my first Mother's Day
12. Favorite hobby? photography (of course)
13. Can you drive a stick shift? no...don't ask
14. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? yellow
15. What one trait do you dislike about yourself? makin assumptions about people
16. Middle Name? Suzanne
17. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment: I should go to bed, I should go to bed, I should go to bed
18. name 3 things u bought this week: toilet paper, pictures for my new etsy store...coming soon!, bows that match Trinity's Easter dress
19. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? water, milk, and lately suntea or crystal light
20. Current worry right now? I hope Scott doesn't catch me...haha!
21. Current hate right now? mouthy kids...of course not mine
22. Favorite place to be? On vacation with people I love (including all those I am sending this to!)(stolen also from my sister)
23. How did you spend New Year's Eve this past year? we were coming back from Kansas and in a motel
24. Where would you like to go? Hawaii or the East Coast
25. Name three people who will complete this: ?
26. Do you own slippers? Yes, a pair that look like puppies that my friend in high school gave me
27. What kind of shirt are you wearing? my Walk for Wishes t-shirt
28. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? no
29. Can you whistle? yes
30. Favorite color? mellow yellow
31. Would you be a pirate? yes
32. What songs do you sing in the shower? I don't usually sing in the shower
33. Favorite girl's name? Tabitha
34. Favorite boy's name? Kobe
35. What's in your pocket right now? No pockets
36. Last thing that made you laugh? probably Scott, he was calling me Puala all night for some reason
37. Best bed sheets as a child? I don't remember
38. Worst injury you've ever had? my broken nose
39. Do you love where you live? yes
40. How many TVs do you have in your house? 3 but we only use 2
41. Who is your loudest friend? I can't think of anyone real loud.
42. How many dogs do you have? 0
43. How many cats do you have? 0
44. Do you own a pet? a fish named Spikey or Shark depending on who you ask
45. What is your favorite TV show? We watch Biggest Loser, Corner Gas, and Pretender on DVD
46. What is your favorite candy? Mini M&Ms
47. What is your favorite Sports Team? Chiefs (in my gruntiest voice)
48. What song do you want played at your funeral? that's too deep for me right now
49. What were you doing 12 AM last night? sleeping
50. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? "Who is calling?"...it was my neighbor bringing her boys over

Easter Egg Hunt #1

2008-03-19T07:12:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday, I had the pleasure to spend the afternoon with an amazing group of moms. All these moms met through the internet through meetup.com and by having kids around the same age have grown together to become good friends. The kids were irresistably cute and could have each been models for Baby Gap or the like. It was a dream job going around and photographing at will. Thank you, ladies, for your kindness and sharing your friendship for the afternoon. It could not have been more fun for me! Thank you, Conni, for being such a superb hostess! I know we'll be good friends! Each mom is getting a cd with over 200 pictures to print as they desire but I can't put 200 pictures on my blog so this will have to do for now.

*My neighbor and I had a cookie decorating party yesterday. Can you say crazy? We had kids, flour, and frosting everywhere but mainly flour and frosting all over the kids! I'll get some pictures up soon.

*I will be speaking on Friday to a local Mom's Club and Saturday I have another Easter Egg Paparazzi Party! I'm so excited for Easter! The whole season is lifegiving....literally!

To My Customers: Be Creative!

2008-03-18T16:17:00.000-07:00

Most of my pictures are not original. I would say all of my pictures but I do have some "bright" ideas during a shoot. That's why I have added a list of some of my favorite photographers to the bottom left of my blog. I always tell my customers to come with some of their own ideas, be relaxed, and have fun! If you see a picture you would like me to try, we'll do it. So...check these out and sketch the picture out for us to play with. I consider each shoot an adventure not knowing where I'm going to end up!

Saint Patrick

2008-03-17T18:45:00.000-07:00

I was reading this morning about St.Patrick and what a remarkable man he was. When I was telling Scott what I had learned, he said, "Don't you watch Veggietales?"

Green Pancakes

2008-03-17T08:30:00.001-07:00

*My Dad used to make us breakfast every morning. On St. Patrick's Day, green pancakes were the specialty. Yum! Nobody makes pancakes like my Dad!

*It was a busy, yet fun weekend.

*Saturday, I headed out to The Duke golf course here in Maricopa to photograph the teams for Maricopa Stagecoach Days. It was a lot of fun and I got to meet some leaders in the community. Everybody there went out of the way to make sure I had everything I needed for the day. I even got to drive around the amazing course with one of their golf carts! Congratulations to the winning team from H&N Landscape! Some of them are actually my neighbors and they are going to be putting in our backyard! (Thanks Amber and Amy for all your help! It was fun getting to know you! Thank you, Ross, for inviting me to come and photograph.)

It was a gorgeous morning!

*Mid-morning, I went out to MotoX in Casa Grande for a birthday party. I didn't even know there was anything like this so close to Maricopa and these guys were GOOD! I couldn't have asked for better clouds, either!

the birthday boy!

one of the dads showing his stuff!

*The birthday boy's mom is going to make a picture into a poster and put it up in his room. How cool is that !?! I'll be taking my boys out to watch the big boys on the track. I was really impressed in the short amount of time that I was out there.

Walk for Wishes 2008

2008-03-11T08:39:00.000-07:00

Jonah, Zack, Simon

at the finish line! ("not another picture, mom!")

"Little Hooligans"

a fun hill and great sky!I finally got to meet Sara in person. We've talked on the phone several times and e-mailed and I read her journal every time she updates but I finally got to meet her on Saturday. I knew she was going to be a great person but she surprised me with her sweet disposition and outgoing personality. When we got home, I was telling my neighbor about her and my neighbor simply said, "Of course, God only gives you what you can handle and to go through what she has been through, she has to be a tremendously strong and kind person." She definately was all that. It was a please, Sara. I want my kids about the heroes in everyday. I see Zack as just that.

Perspective.

2008-03-11T07:57:00.000-07:00

My laundry is piled up to my knees in my laundry room!

But it is piled high with Scott's work clothes, little boy Star Wars underpants, and pink things (yeah!)!

The kitchen is overflowing with pots and pans and undishwasherable stuff.

We had a great meal last night, made some brownies, and got started on dinner tonight.

My head hurts from all the yelling!

But the yelling was because there was a insanely mean T-Rex chasing the kids around the round-about.

There are fingerprints and smudges on my back door.

Because the weather is amazing gorgeous and the kids go in and out all day.

My eyes are tired from Trinity waking me up too early this morning.

But I got to spend some sweet sleepy time with my angel.

The van needs gas again.

But we had fun on Saturday at Make a Wish 2008 and Scott and Jonah spent Sunday with Papa Stiller at a Spring Training game.

There is snot on my sleeve.

What?...that never happens to me! haha!

My bathroom floor need disinfecting.

Boys will be boys and sometimes Trinity tries to be a boy :)

Sometimes life is hard until put it in perspective.

(Idea stolen from Sarah Jane)

Interior Design for Baby

2008-03-10T14:13:00.000-07:00

The Sweet Dreams 2007 Winner has the most adorable nursery! I didn't get pictures because I was there in the evening and it was dark although I wish I wold have snagged some. When I asked who had decorated I was told a girl by the name of Jessica Flack who is starting up her own business. Moms-to-be, if you are having a baby and need help, CALL JESSICA (or call me and I'll give you her info.) I recently went to Jessica's adorable townhouse to get pictures of her daughter's nursery for her website. I thought I had just walked into a Pottery Barn but with so much more flair, style, and detail! Good luck with your business, Jessica! I know you are going to do great! (Click on the pictures to see all the incredible details.)

A-C-T-I-O-N

2008-03-07T13:02:00.000-08:00

I am not one for adding a ton of "actions" to my pictures. I prefer the natural look. This is one thing Scott and I can agree on. Sometimes it is fun to fiddle though (Scott rolling his eyes.) The program I use just added some new ones and I tried them out on the beautiful Miss L.

BTW - I LOVE this rock wall and am thinking of painting my tv wall like this - when a I get a spare..haha!

(remember to click a picture to enlargen)

a little bit of edgy sepiaglowing!Tomorrow, we will be walking the mile with Zack's Pack for the Make A Wish Foundation.

I'm going to try to get some pictures to show on Monday :) No guarantees as I'll have the three little munchkins.

Star on Their Crown

2008-03-06T08:57:00.000-08:00

My mom always says if you do something for somebody without expecting a return, you will get a star on your crown when you get to Heaven. I wholeheartedly agree. I had one of those moments last night when someone is saying something to you and you are so filled that you just want to break down and cry but don't want to look ridiculous in front of everybody. I owe a humongous (sp?) thanks to two special people (you know who you are!). They helped a ton yesterday and I got all caught up with my sessions! Yeah!!!

Now...I am rebooting for Easter! It's not too late to schedule a session!

Here's a little video of the boys last night at Cubbies. Can you guess which two are mine? Good grief! You would think I fed them jumping beans for supper!

Wickenburg

2008-03-03T14:54:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, I headed up to Wickenburg to meet the Nelson family from Alberta with their Grandma & Grandpa. I prayed the whole trip up there because it was raining cats & dogs and I really wanted to take some outdoor pictures. We met up at the elegant new Monte Vista Ranch. MVR: Thank you so much for letting us on your grounds!

It was raining when we got there so we did some fun indoor shots.

Then it let up so I took mom and dad outside (aren't they a great-looking couple?)

Then everyone else joined us for some fun!

the adorable kids!!! (undeniably brother and sister!)

and last but not least, my favorite of the day...

(humming)come away with me...for a while...come away with me

D: Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your vacation! Hopefully we'll get up to see you in Canada someday! Many blessings on your sweet family!

Happy Sunday!

2008-03-02T13:08:00.001-08:00

*In like a lion... I can't believe it's March already!!! We had a garage sale yesterday to start off the month. Thanks to everyone who came by. I met some very neat Maricopians and hope to hear from you soon!

*March is already getting booked up with Easter pictures and Easter Egg Hunt Paparazzi Parties. Please call soon to make sure we get some great pics of your little ones or if you have any questions about this.

*My website was five hits shy of beating its all-time record!!! Thanks so much to my faithful customers for spreading the word, mamasource.com , and family for always supporting me. Dude, I sound like I won an Academy Award or something :)

*Some pics of my littlest model this last week! She's a hard object to practice on but I think she'll do for now ;)

This is why...

2008-02-28T15:38:00.000-08:00

...I love my job. This picture was a total accident. I'm so glad that they get to keep this picture along with all the other pictures I took at the session. You might miss it if you don't look close enough.

SOTC (Straight Out of The Camera)A little exposure and sepia added. close-up
This family was such a breathe of fresh air and both the kids adored their parents. I'm so glad we got together! I'll post more soon. Here's more for now:
I have three sessions that I am in the process of editing right now but wanted to share again why I love this job and remind myself during the grueling yet fun post-processing :)

Playing Catch Up

2008-02-25T15:12:00.000-08:00

We had a super busy weekend starting on Friday with a trip up to Wickenburg to meet up with the amazing Nelson family from Canada for a special vacation picture session (pictures to come soon!). Saturday we spent the morning at church for the AWANA Grand Prix Box Car Races. We did not enter a car this year with Scott being out of town and on the pager the last couple weeks but had a good time with friends anyway. After the races, we headed to our neighbor's birthday party long enough to eat some cake and then headed up to Chuck E. Cheese for another party. Woohoo! We went to church yesterday morning and worked a little around the house in the afternoon. In the evening, we took a walk and I got to take some special pictures of Trinity for Nana Stiller (to come soon also!). Maybe that's why I'm so exhausted today. On top of everything else, I really really really want to start an etsy store to sell some still life photography. This picture is one I took last night. Spring is here in Maricopa and I LOVE IT!

Sweet Little Baby V

2008-02-25T09:44:00.000-08:00

I was honored to spend an afternoon with the beautiful new Baby V last weekend. What a pleasure! She is tremendously loved and cared for by some great parents. Thank you for inviting me into your home. You made my heart happy by sharing your little one and getting to know you.

My New Favorite

2008-02-20T13:05:00.000-08:00

I love cookies and anything pastry. Yesterday I made these crazy good things. It s my three favorite cookies (peanut butter, oatmeal, and chocolate chip) in one! It's a good thing I did some Turbo Jam exercise videos yesterday and today! I don't think the oatmeal and eggs make up for everything else. I did use dark chocolate chips though. Those are supposed to be better for you :) I don't even want to tell you but the nutrition facts say 155 calories per cookie so I suggest not eating them all in one setting. Enjoy!

Outrageous Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup margarine/butter softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup peanut butter

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 cup quick-cooking or regular oats

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 package (12 oz) of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix margarine, sugars, peanut butter, vanilla, and eggs in large bowl. Mix in flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.

My Prayer for Today

2008-02-19T22:30:00.000-08:00

"Lord, you know my day. You know what I have planned. You know what I THINK needs to be accomplished and you know the appointments that are on my schedule. But Lord, I GIVE YOU PERMISSION to interrupt my day, my schedule, and my appointments as You see fit. I pray for Your Holy Spirit to enter my heart and allow me to recognize Your Hand in my day. I pray that you will use me in a very special way to share Your love and Your character with someone today that needs to see and feel Your love. And Lord, I pray that You will help me to accomplish the things that must be accomplished and to let go of the things that can truly wait until tomorrow so that I have the time needed to be used as Your servant today."

~Borrowed from Teri Fode's Inspirations

J is for...

2008-02-19T21:31:00.000-08:00

JONAH!!!

My heart bursts with love for this little guy. I almost can't say little guy much longer because he is growing so fast. He's such a big helper and leader to his little brother and sister. We were definately blessed when God sent us this one. He is pure boy with a huge heart and desire to please God and his parents. Here are some reasons he fills me with delight:

*He loves the verse "Love one another" right now and likes to quote it when someone hurts somebody else.

*Sometimes we ask him about a girlfriend or who he is going to marry. He replies with his list of necessary qualities: 1. pretty 2. nice and of course, 3. must be able to breakdance

*He'll come and tell me something he did wrong and say with his big puppy-dog eyes, "But I told you the truth, Mom." (That almost works sometimes.)

*He wrote some rules on the computer the other day that looked like this:

1siaohgkdlmafg2klasjdoimg3asdjklgdj4jonah

His intepretion:

1. don't hit 2. don't kick 3. don't spit on the computer screen 4. jonah

I don't know what #4 means (?).

*He likes to pray before meals. It usually goes something like this:

Lord, thank you for this food. thank you for my friends and family. thank you for this house. thank you for my stuff. thank you for the wonderful valley. i love you. amen.

*When he prays at night he always wants to ask for protection for the army dudes :)

*He gives the sweetest little kisses and gentlest big hugs. Last night Simon gave me 3 sweet kisses before bed. Jonah wanted to do better so he gave me 10 kisses and made me count each slobbery one.

I AM SO BLESSED!

Congratulations, Miss L!

2008-02-17T15:40:00.000-08:00

It's such a small world. We moved from Kansas City and it just so happens that Miss L grew up in Overland Park, which is just on the Kansas side of Kansas City. She just graduated college(woohoo!) and needed some pictures for her senior announcement. It was a GORGEOUS day and the setting was great, not to mention L was great in front of the camera and so much fun. It was like hanging out with a sister I've known forever.

I felt like working with a model. She made this "job" way too easy!

Miss L rocked the soccer field through college...
we were having a hard time getting a serious look...

but I think we got it...woohoo! (fave!) L was willing to try pretty much anything!

I had to capture these eyelashes...

and one that Scott set up for us... (can you believe it's february?)

Thanks so much, L, for the fantastic afternoon! I have about 100 more pictures that I want to post but unfortunately, you'll have to wait for the cd. Congratulations and I know we'll see more of you soon :)

Walk With Us!

2008-02-17T07:37:00.000-08:00

There are more than 200 critically-ill children in Arizona who are eligible to receive their fondest wish, and your participation in Walk for Wishes will help make their wishes come true.

From Zack's Mom:

On Saturday, March 8, 2008 Make A Wish will be having their annual Walk for Wishes. Zack's at it again. Even though he has had a very rough last nine months, he wants to do the walk again. He said "Mom, it's only a mile. I can do a mile". Last year, Zack, then six, headed up our team (Zack's Pack, of course) and raised money to help fill a child with a life threatening illness's wish. If interested in helping out, check out:

http://walkforwishesaz.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=263895&lis=1&kntae263895=7CC20159B4D34BB0A26A9C8DC30944BB

Teams are listed on the right of the page, click "more" and go to Zack's Pack. We are looking for donations and would welcome team members.

Go Zack's Pack!

If you would like to make a donation, would you please contact me. Our family goal is to raise $100. We will be walking the mile with Zack on the 8th in Tempe. It would be fun to have some more people with us! Thanks! ~Paula

~a lovely thought~

2008-02-14T22:24:00.000-08:00

~we don't even know~

Happy Day!

2008-02-14T13:15:00.000-08:00

yum.

in lieu of valentine's day

2008-02-12T21:56:00.000-08:00

(warning: mushiness coming)

The other day we were driving in the van and Scott was listening to his mp3 player as usual and this song came on. He was so excited and got all shy and sweet and grabbed my hand gently said, "It's our song!"

The first lyric did it for me but it only gets sweeter.

We should get jerseys cause we make a good team...

Must Have Done Something Right by Relient K

Family Session and Inspiring Blogs

2008-02-12T20:37:00.000-08:00

First, some more from the amazing family from last week! What a joy! This family is so cool. I am thinking about having some guest mommies on the blog and I think this may be one of the first. Maybe I should ask her before posting that :) Thanks again, D & J!!! Your family was GRRRREAT (in my best Tony the Tiger voice.)

and finally...how to be ridiculously cute: tilt your head to the side, shrug your shoulders, and grin like the princess that you are!

I wanted to mention a couple blogs that I have found lately. The first is called Inspirations. Teri Fode is also a photographer (and a great one at that) but finds the time to encourage and share on a separate blog her journey with God. The other blog is the Proverbs 31 Ministries Daily Devotions. These women always seem to hit the nail of the head of what I need God to say to me that day. It seems like the world is getting worse and worse and I am way too quick to get sucked into all that but there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that is the Hope I can have peace in.

my mom

2008-02-11T19:56:00.000-08:00

My mom is the most beautiful woman I know. Although it sounds cliche, I believe it's true. I failed miserably last week to mention on here that it was her birthday. I meant to but honestly just forgot. I did call her though and the 4 boys and Trin serenaded her with a beautiful, but loud, Happy Birthday Song.

While we were up there for Christmas, Dad (Pastor Bill) told me to bring the camera over for church because something special was going to happen. During the announcements, one of the ladies got up and told mom to come and sit down. They set up a table in front of her and put on a tablecloth and positioned a little tree to the front. Several ladies started singing "Mary, Did You Know?" but with different words describing my mom (good listener, amazing piano player, best friend, etc., etc., etc.) Then one by one each one of the congregation presented my mom with a gift card and hung it on the tree along with other gifts. It was a special moment that my mom deserved so much. At the end everyone stood up and gave her a standing ovation. She just glowed and I cried with pride.

Here are some pictures that I took. standing O! (isn't she adorable?)with all her gifts afterward...

Juanita and the Orchard

2008-02-10T20:11:00.000-08:00

We had an amazing Saturday celebrating the friendship of a lady named Juanita. I, personally, did not get to know Juanita until we moved down here to Arizona. She has let us stay at her home several times when we go up the mountain. She put it on herself to "adopt" all the missionary kids with United Indian Mission and show them love and support through the good and the bad times and makes it a point to keep in contact and pray for each one of them. I didn't get to hear all the stories but from what I heard I know she has had a huge impact in so many lives, including my hubby's. Juanita has worked with UIM since they were just starting out and has an incredible love for everybody but a special place in her heart for Native Americans. She is now in the process of writing a book that I will be sure to read and tell everyone when it comes out. She is a beautiful woman of God and an example to all of us. Thanks, Juanita!

The party was held at the orchard so we had to pick some oranges and of course take some pictures :) I spent most of the day in the orchard with the kids. It is a kid's dreamland where the adventures never end. They were utterly exhausted at the end of the day, as was I.

the boys with their wormScott with the orange picker (he said he wouldn't help if he couldn't use the picker)the delicious harvest (only 5 of the 3 grocery bags full)

and one to go on...

no guarantees

2008-02-07T06:38:00.000-08:00

My Aunt Nina, who had just arrived at Grandma's house after spending some time with Grandpa at the hospital, plopped down on the couch with a sigh and started telling a story. If you know anything about my dad's family, you know the stories are usually "Korfanized". After looking that up in the dictionary you may find that it means : over-exaggerated or maybe : the truth stretched a little told by a member of the Korf family. I braced myself for yet another story but what she said stuck with me a little longer than a normal Korf story.

She started with updating us all Grandpa's current condition and how he had lost his voice so it was hard to hear him. Then she got real quiet, "You know? Dad said something real interesting tonight." He motioned for me to come close so I leaned down my ear and he whispered with scratchy voice, 'Nina, my days are numbered, aren't they?'. I replied, 'Well, gosh, Dad, I think all our days are numbered,' and that was the end of that conversation. I didn't really think about what he said until the ride over here. But hey," she said standing and patting her thighs noting she was about ready to go, "We all better make our peace with God and make the most of each day because none of us are guaranteed tomorrow."

I share this story because I thought it fit in so well with this family session. When this mom e-mailed me, I was so honored because I have heard so much about her, which has never been bad. She is very active in her MOMS Club and the community. She basically told me they want pictures of the family in a natural setting to record them as themselves and not just the cheesy smiles (which definately have a place.) She wanted the pictures to reflect their personalities and lifestyle so the kids know how much they are loved now and forever.

I hope I captured some great moments and your family had fun, J.

a little sunflare shining on the family :)
Wouldn't you know, I ran out of space for photos on my blog. I bought more but it won't be available for 24 hours. I hope you can stand the suspense :) More to come from the park...

Be mine!

2008-02-06T14:04:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is just around the corner! I've always liked this holiday. Look at the sweetie I had a mini-session with in my new secret Maricopa location. (OK, if you ask, I'll probably tell you where it is ;) I love it and plan on taking my kiddos down there when it dries out. We've actually been getting quite a lot of rain lately while everyone else in the US is getting lots of snow. No snow here, though - just a beautiful baby!

I love snagging the candids!

Thanks N for the great adventurous session! You are so much fun! I am blessed that you are my friend!

drum roll

2008-02-05T06:22:00.000-08:00

After votes came pouring in from Mississippi to Colorado to Canada and who knows where, we have a winner!!!

The envelope, please!

Coming in as runner-up, we have sweet beautiful baby #1!!!! *audience ooohs and awes*

*crowd silences*

For first place we have a tie.

It goes to the two very handsome baby boys - #3 and #4 !!!

*moms shriek with glee*

*audience claps with approval*

And this year's winner *drumroll* (who must have a lot of relatives...*wink *wink) goes to the adorable yawning sweetheart #6!!!

*mom and dad do a crazy dance and jump up and down with delight*

*"Isn't She Lovely" plays in the background*

*audience cheers as Miss A claims her prize as P.S. Sweet Dreams Baby 2007 with a sleepy yawn and goes back to sleep being so overwhelmed.

Congratulations! This picture will be featured on the homepage of my website.

www.paulastillerphotography.com

Thank you all for playing my little game! It's been so much fun to recieve all your e-mails! Join us again next year :)

J&M Aloha Wedding

2008-02-04T09:11:00.000-08:00

While I was taking my weekly shower the other day (...lol! you other SAHMs understand :) I had remembered that it is now February and the P.S. Sweet Dreams contest is now over. I will now be tallying the thousands of votes that came pouring in during the last several weeks (alright, maybe not that many).

In the mean time, here are some pictures to quench your thirst. I second shot a wedding in December at our church. It was a Hawaiian themed wedding and was preceded by a baptism. Everything went so smoothly and beautifully.

J & M entering before the baptism

a beautiful father/daughter moment

a happy moment during the ceremony

the rings!

On another note, before I forget, I wanted once again to thank everyone for the e-mails and phone calls regarding my grandpa's passing. To quote my husband, "There are still good people out there." I hardly know most of you but you seem like family and to recieve such sincere thoughts and prayers mean a lot...so...thanks!

February 1 - Random Stuff

2008-02-01T14:47:00.001-08:00

1. I played a crazy game of hide and seek this morning with the kids and laughed so hard. There is always something exciting about being found. I also think it's funny that right after I hide in a spot that spot seems to be taken next time.

2. The Superbowl is here in Phoenix on Sunday. We will be having some friends over. I am going to guess Giants over the other team...uhhh...Patriots 27-24. I never know if my numbers could happen. We used to have these really big church parties and one time my guy friend Jarrod told me that my score would never work. Huh?

3. The boys loved having the neighbor boys over a couple times this week. They all play together so well. We went to the park yesterday but didn't stay long because of the weather.

4. We're (me mostly) are looking forward to making homemade pizzas for family night.

5. I still have this obsession with decorating and crafty stuff. I found a new fun site that link a ton of other sites. decocentric.com

6. I was asked to do a golf tournament gig in March for the Rotary Club to help with the Maricopa public pool. I'm going to do it! I am excited not only because I like golf but I am going to get to meet a lot of great Maricopa residents! If you like to golf please let me know and I'll send you the sign up info.

7. My baby girl just woke up. She learned a new word this week. Whenever one of the boys get close to her she lets out a very dramatic and terrible "OWWWW!" It's so cute with her little sweet voice....better go attend to her :)

Sampras!

2008-01-29T13:00:00.000-08:00

I got some pictures from my sister of my new nephew Sampras! I was so wishing I could jump into my imaginary elevator and get sucked over to Kansas City (like those thingies the bank)* then I got a letter from my dear friend and neighbor from Kansas City Martha who wrote - "It is snowing here like a blizzard...temp dropped from 65 yesterday to 20 or under........". Maybe I'll just stay comfortabe in Arizona but it would be nice to snuggle up with a newborn. Enjoy it, Carrie! He is so doggone handsome!

I am so excited today. This last weekend we were blessed with some great new neighbors who have 2 boys around our boys' ages. It just works out that I get to watch her boys a couple days a week while she works. The boys play together so well and are really enjoying each other. Right now it's quiet time. Two out of the five are zonked. As for me, I think I'll sleep well tonight.

*p.s. If they invent this you know where they got the idea :)

Rainy Sunday Afternoon

2008-01-27T15:33:00.000-08:00

It's a dreary day here and we're all going to the birds...haha! We didn't go to church this morning because of the coughing that everyone is doing. There is so much going around everywhere it seems. Anyway, here's the finished mural above my sink. I like it a lot.

My sister Melissa sells these iris folding patterns and I made one today and framed it. I think it turned out pretty cute if I do say so myself. If you go on ebay you can go seller rev!ve. Then you can browse through her patterns. She has some super-cute stuff for Valentine's Day and any other occasion. Tell her I sent you :)

My mom also is an excellent artist to put it mildly. She definately has been an inspiration and taught me everything I know She paints rocks that are so amazing. I just wanted to put these up today. She also sells rocks so if you have an order she will willingly oblige.

Finger Painting!

2008-01-22T08:10:00.001-08:00

It started out so clean...

then things got dirty.... and the noises got funny...love the full head toss back laugh!

*If you enjoy doing a special activity with your children and are interested in capturing those moments professionally, please contact me about my A Day in the Life session and I will be happy to come play!

**We hiked South Mountain again over the weekend. I did not take my camera with me this time. We went with Vanessa and Missy on a little harder trail than usual. There's nothing like a huge mountain kicking you in the bottom to let you know how out of shape you are. Scott said he thought he was going to have to leave me for dead...ha! Anyway, we started a competition race around the block (Scott thinks it is about half a mile.) It took me ten minutes last night but I didn't run the whole thing. It took Scott 5 min 20 sec. My goal is to run the whole thing and then work up from there. It feels good to run again after about 5 years without running (that is not running after kids.)

Word of the Year

2008-01-21T08:33:00.000-08:00

I was recently challenged by a friend to come up with a word for the year. Last week a line from a song kept repeating in my head which just happens to also be a verse from the Psalms.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation

And sustain me with a willing spirit.

Psalm 51:12

Last week was a tough week for me with several things happening within the family and life in general that really stole my joy and discouraged me. This usually happens when I take my eyes off of my Creator and turn them on myself and my situation. So my word for the year is:

Restore my relationship with God the Father, my husband, my children, my new and old friends, my house, my physical body, etc., etc. The list could go on and on but I just know when God is out of focus that's when the rest of my world gets real fuzzy and out of control. It's funny how it works that way every time.

The Tree

2008-01-16T12:22:00.000-08:00

I really like to paint a lot! I finished the tree mural a couple days ago and am still getting used to it. The kids love it and were so excited while I was painting. They even helped a little. We'll see how long it sticks around. It's 52 degrees today so we're staying inside. It's been so nice the last couple days we've been able to go to the playground. Simon dressed himself this morning. I love the double shirt look with shorts. He's such a sweetie. Jonah is on his second lesson of reading today. He almost knows all his letter sounds and ready to move on to helper words. Trinity is getting some molars and being a little clingy which I don't mind unless I need something done. Oh well! That's the life of a mom with 3 kiddos.

The Little Things

2008-01-16T11:34:00.000-08:00

I have wanted a cake stand for a long time and never wanted to spend the money so when I opened my Christmas present from my superstar sister Heather I was pleased to say the least! I probably won't get a "Thank You" note out so this is the best I'll do. Thanks, Heather! BTW, Heather works for Focus on the Family. HOLLA! I know you all are out there reading this. I think FOTF leads for the most votes in the P.S. Sweet Dreams contest also :) Tell Heather thanks from me if you see her!

Hold Me in the Cradle of Your Hand

2008-01-14T10:25:00.000-08:00

What has become clear to me though is that you can plan and hope all you want, you can imagine and presume and expect life to go a certain way but really, there is no watertight guarantee. All the days are "normal". The happy ones, the sick ones, the bored ones, the tragic ones. I am no expert, I have less clarity than the average person but what I have found, because of One Normal Day, is this:
Live each day, every single day, with the understanding that one does not necessarily lead into the other. Hug your family. Tight. Put aside What Does Not Matter. Tomorrow could be a completely new kind of normal.
S xxx (Sheye Rosemeyer)

Sheye got me thinking about Grandpa and I was thinking about the peace that God gives when you know a loved one has gone to Heaven and this song says it all. I do like gospel and this boy can sing pretty well :) I especially like the high parts.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LgZBxCzS8zw&feature=related

I Know Who Holds Tomorrow

I don't know about tomorrow;I just live from day to day.I don't borrow from its sunshineFor its skies may turn to grey.I don't worry o'er the future,For I know what Jesus said.And today I'll walk beside Him,For He knows what is ahead.Many things about tomorrowI don't seem to understandBut I know who holds tomorrowAnd I know who holds my hand.

Every step is getting brighterAs the golden stairs I climb;Every burden's getting lighter,Every cloud is silver-lined.There the sun is always shining,There no tear will dim the eye;At the ending of the rainbowWhere the mountains touch the sky.Many things about tomorrowI don't seem to understandBut I know who holds tomorrowAnd I know who holds my hand.

I don't know about tomorrow;It may bring me poverty.But the one who feeds the sparrow,Is the one who stands by me.And the path that is my portionMay be through the flame or flood;But His presence goes before meAnd I'm covered with His blood.Many things about tomorrowI don't seem to understandBut I know who holds tomorrowAnd I know who holds my hand.

Burkhart-Ziegler Funeral Chapel : Dodge City, Kansas (KS)

2008-01-14T06:40:00.000-08:00

Burkhart-Ziegler Funeral Chapel : Dodge City, Kansas (KS)

A Time to~

2008-01-14T06:39:00.000-08:00

~A time to die. I know I say it all the time but I truly believe with all my heart that God works in the most mysterious ways. My Grandpa ended his pain and went to Heaven Saturday morning. I have so many memories of him that make me so happy. When I was real little I would snuggle between Grandma and him in the big bed. Someone would always toot and they would laugh and say, "Well, Polly!" and we would laugh and laugh. He had a big flea market he used to let us kids run around. Sometimes he would take us garage saling and put us to "work." He smoked a cherry tobacco pipe for most of my childhood. He would hand us kids cash and make us run into the smoke place and get him some more tobacco. He had a big round metal horse trough that he would fill with water and we would swim and swim until our feet were raw. I loved visiting Grandpa in the hospital. He had a steel rod put in his leg and I remember pushing him around in his wheelchair until we had toured the whole hospital. One time when I was older I got into some trouble and Grandma and him took me to get ice cream. They were so mad I guess that's all they could do to cool down. He always let us be kids and loved being a Grandpa and Great-Grandpa. I know I said it before but I am glad I named Simon after him. Simon James has that little twinkle of awnriness and spark of mischief that Grandpa always seemed to have in his eyes. We never knew what he had up his sleeve next. He would say, "Come here ya awnry little dutchman." Us girls would run and scream with delight. On the last day I saw him, he said, "I probably won't see you for a while." At least I know for sure that I will be seeing him and we'll have a great time again. Above is the memorial and some neat information about him.~A time to be born. My beautiful sister Carrie in Kansas City had baby boy yesterday! His name is Sampras Lee (Sampras after Pete and Lee after my Grandma - I hope I spelled it right.) My heart is breaking that I can't be there to see the little guy and his big sister Sophia. Congratulations, Jeremy, Carrie, and Sophia! Love you so much!

obsession

2008-01-11T23:08:00.001-08:00

(Scott laughed when he saw the title.) I'm having a bit of an obsession right now with decorating the house. Since this is the first house we've actually owned I feel like I should make it well...homey. My parent's house is so inviting and comfortable. I want my friends to feel that way when they come into our house. I have been bothered by this big blank wall in our living room for too long and it was time to do something about it. It's not done yet but here's a teaser. I e-mailed Mandy from Belle and Boo over in London and got an e-mail back saying she wants pictures for her blog when I'm done. I hope I can do her work justice. Isn't this adorable?

I also just found another favorite site off another favorite site

dominomag.com ~ scrappy girl decorates ~ ferm LIVING!!!

It's really late now and we are going to the zoo tomorrow with my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and our friend Missy! I just had to share.

Please Look Below for A Special Contest!

2008-01-09T15:52:00.000-08:00

I tried to move it to the top but I don't think I can. Thanks!

A New Car!

2008-01-09T08:54:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to sound like the Price Is Right. Here's the picture I promised ever so long ago. It is a Dodge Caravan base model. Everybody asks if it has the swivel seats but it doesn't which is fine. It was a huge blessing on our trip and I know will be in the future. Another huge THANK YOU to my rockin' customers who allowed us to put a nice down payment on it. Another blessing happened yesterday when I listed our old van on Craigslist.com. We were bombarded with phone calls for an hour straight and sold it for cash within 4 hours. Praise the Lord!

*On a sidenote, my Grandpa took a turn for the worse within the last couple of days. If you would say a prayer for the family and especially my Grandma, I'd be grateful.

Happy 6th Anniversary to Us!

2008-01-07T22:02:00.001-08:00

1 wedding, 2 naive people, 3 children, 4 moves, 5 jobs, 6 years, and by the grace of God more in love than ever!!!

Scott and I were married on January 1st.

P.S. SWEET DREAMS 2007

2008-01-05T10:40:00.000-08:00

I think I photographed the most beautiful newborns of 2007!

1
2
3
4
5
6
7

So...Tara Whitney had her best foot forward contest and The Image is Found had their best ring picture 2007 contest and I have thought way too hard about a contest I can have for my clients of 2007. Finally, I came up with P.S. Sweet Dreams ~ sleepy newborn pictures!

I am going to post my sleepy newborn favorites from the year. You will vote. The winner will get a 5x7 nicely framed and matted print!

rules:
the photos corresponding number will be ON TOP of the image.
ONLY ONE VOTE PER PERSON.
please e-mail your votes to stillhere821@msn.com

clients-feel free to have friends and family vote for your image!
i will take votes until midnight, Friday, January 31st.

Again, I think they are all great, just wanting to spice things up a little :)

e-mail from jesh!

2008-01-04T11:17:00.000-08:00

in my inbox this morning. i thought it was nice of him to add a p.s. :)

hello, wonderful Paula! and thank you so much for joining us in the explore! awards winter '07.

we just want to congratulate you on your top 10 nomination! as well as thank you for your continued support of our efforts to *explore*.

we received more than twice the number of submissions for this contest, making it even harder to choose our nominations, but we sure appreciate your willingness to share your vision and creativity.

continue exploring!

jesh : )

p.s. share the love...

the people's choice,,,(explore awards) - 8th place!

2008-01-02T18:01:00.000-08:00

I was shocked today when I saw my name on one of my favorite photographer's blogs. He was holding a contest called the explore awards. I entered before I left and somewhat forgot about it. I don't know how many people entered but I do know my picture was nominated by 4 of the greatest photographers (The Image is Found, Brianna Graham, Jessica Claire, and Jesh De Rox-who held the contest). The cool thing is I may have done better if I would have told everyone to vote. The particular contest was:

connection (c): images that feature the beautiful connections between us.

1) C-6 - Stephanie Beaty2) C-3 - Susan Yee3) C-2 - Cristina NavarroC-10 - Hailey BartholomewC-4 - Ron StorerC-7 - Shannon StewartC-5 - Heather Cole C-8 - Paula Stiller C-9 - Kim McMillanC-1 - Angie Monson

The great thing about this picture is the truth to it. Thanks again, R, M, & D!!!

Happy New Year!!!

2008-01-02T08:45:00.000-08:00

We have returned from an exciting and tumultuous vacation! I took over 800 pictures and have no idea where to start blogging about them. Our trip included a beautiful drive through snowy Colorado (including a trip over 10,850 foot Wolf Creek Pass in snow), Christmas with my family(to condense it mildly), sledding and playing in the snow, and just relaxing if you can imagine that.

Even though all that was great, I'm going to have to say that the highlight of out trip was definately going to Fort Dodge, Kansas. This is where my Grandma and Grandpa live. While we were away, we learned that my Grandpa (whom Simon James is named after) has a critical type of lung cancer that is very advanced. We had the pleasure of getting to spend some time with Great-Grandpa in the hospital. They don't look too happy in this picture but warmed up once they opened their amazing gifts. I love his proud look on his face. He loves his grandkids and great-grandkids so much. I got to spend some qualtiy one-on-one time with him while the kids went down to the cafeteria to party with Great-Grandma. Love you, Grandpa!

The trip was about 12 hours out of our way and Scott wasn't too sure he wanted to try it with all the weather. Grandma took us out for breakfast the morning that we left and Scott told her that he was very glad that we made it out. My cousin and friend Jonathan met us at the restaurant after driving all night. I don't think I'll ever forget looking down at Grandma sitting at the end of the table with her head down and eyes welling with tears and saying quietly, "God works in the most mysterious ways." I can't even imagine what she is going through right now but to say that in the midst of it all...even if it was just about that Jonathan and I got to see each other for a couple minutes...I think it meant a lot more.

I am honored that we got to name our Trinity Virginia after her Great-Grandma Virginia. I am so glad they got to meet and spend some together even if Trinity won't remember, I'm glad we have this picture for her to keep forever. Love you too, Grandma!

We Are Hitching Up the Sleigh!

2007-12-21T20:37:00.000-08:00

I called mom tonight and she said it is blizzarding there. Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow! - but only a little bit now and a lot when we get there. I can hardly wait to smell the wood burning, to see the snow-topped mountains, and hear peaceful slushing of the river running. But most of all I can't wait to see my family.

Have fun celebrating Christ's birth!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

(nothing to do with Christmas but i thought this was so cute today. i showed scott and he said, "any picture with her in it is cute." i guess i agree.)

Ryan - Class of 2008

2007-12-20T20:04:00.001-08:00

This was my grande finale session of the year and my first ever senior session! I had so much fun! Ryan totally was a natural and put me right at ease. (I teased him that it was weird not to be chasing him around and being silly trying to get a good smile.) This was a surprise for his mom's Christmas present so don't tell. Thanks, Ryan! Ryan's dad is also a deacon at our church and an excellent Sunday School teacher! His mom is pretty sweet, too!

I have to do some more research about senior pictures but will definately be adding this to my sessions next year along with a lot of other great ideas. Stay tuned!!! haha!

I is for Infant...

2007-12-19T06:22:00.000-08:00

but not just any infant. This time every year I get really emotional. Our church choir performed on Sunday and I choked up several times just thinking about the true meaning of Christmas and I wanted to write a poem or something about what I was feeling on here. Somebody else managed to do it for me (thanks matthew!) Here's a song by Matthew West and Mandisa (yes, she did it again). The first part is just them talking but enjoyable but then comes the song (skip to about 2:30):

Chrismas Makes Me Cry

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zSpjqgfhGPE

I think of loved ones who’ve passed away

And I pray their resting in a better place

I think of memories of years gone by

And sometimes Christmas makes me cry

I think of soldiers across the sea

And Sometimes I wonder why its them instead of me

For my freedom they give their lives

And sometimes Christmas makes me cry

Tears of thankfulness, tears of hope

I cry tears of joy at Christmas cause I know

There is peace on earth for every heart to find

And sometimes Christmas makes me cry

I think of families, I think of home

And say a prayer for those who spend this time alone

Cause love can reach out into a silent night

And that’s why Christmas makes me cry

Tears of thankfulness, tears of hope

I cry tears of joy at Christmas cause I know

There is peace on earth for every heart to find

And sometimes Christmas makes me cry

I think of Mary and the virgin birth

And I’m amazed at how much God thinks we’re worth

That He would send His only Son to die

And sometimes Christmas makes me cry

Tears of thankfulness, tears of hope

I cry tears of joy at Christmas cause I know

There is peace on earth for every heart to find

And sometimes Christmas makes me cry

It's a tough job...

2007-12-19T05:27:00.000-08:00

but someone has to do it!

Needless to say, I've been a little overwhelmed and neglected to post any of my last three sessions. I will definately get to it when I finish up. We went and got our Christmas present yesterday. It was a surprise and we weren't expecting to get it for another year but had no choice in the matter. I'll put a picture up tonight probably. I just want to thank everyone for the support and trust in me. We would not have been able to get this gift if it wasn't for my OUTSTANDING CUSTOMERS!

You all rocked the referrals and loaded me up! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

Stay tuned for information on a New Year's Open House!

*FYI: Paula Stiller Photography will be closed from December 22-January 3rd.

Warning: Cuteness Alert!

2007-12-13T13:19:00.000-08:00

Mr. W is 14 months old and out to conquer the world.

What a joy he was to chase around!

Daddy is a retired police officer so we tried to get some with the shirt and hat but this is all mr.w would sit still for. I think it's a neat picture, just the same.

and on to the ohio state jersey

Thanks Mr. S! He's such a sweetie!

so you had a good day!

2007-12-12T22:03:00.000-08:00

The phone rang at 7:30 this morning . I did not want to get out of my toasty warm bed. My whole body ached as I remembered how yesterday went. I answered and a husky southern accented voice answered back, "Is this Paula Stiller the photographer?" Half asleep and trying to remember who I was I moaned, "Yes."

He apologized for waking me up and proceeded with my ok. "My name is Vaughn and I'm from North Carolina. I just stumbled across your website and wanted to tell you that I am truly inspired."

We talked for another half hour. He was trying to get his business started and I gave him all the info that I know (which isn't a lot.) He also gave me some info on a workshop that he is planning to attend.

I just wanted to post this tonight because Vaughn made my day really special. I did stuff with a bounce to my step and a smile on my face. I wanted to do something nice for somebody else and finish stuff that I had been putting off for people.

Thank you, Vaughn, for your call and if anybody else is reading this I would encourage to "pay it forward."

My quote from my calendar that I got from my mom a long time ago read today:

"Giving encouragement to others is a most welcome gift, for the results of it are lifted spirits, increased self-worth, and a hopeful future." ~Florence Littauer

(singing) so you had a bad day...

2007-12-11T19:15:00.000-08:00

This used to be one of Jonah's favorite songs to sing. It was cute but when you really have a bad day it's not so much fun to sing. I was up in Phoenix all day getting our van worked on and new tires. After six hours in the tire place with three crazy/whiny kids, I am exhausted and ready for bed.

Thank you all for your continued patience with me! I'm working as hard as I can :) Maybe next year I'll have to hire an assistant :) Love you all! ~Paula

little mr.d ~ 9 days old

2007-12-09T17:56:00.000-08:00

When M called to tell that mr.d was here she said, "I just keep thanking God and thanking God but I just can't thank Him enough." I can see why. He is utterly adorable! Thank you for sharing your miracle with me.

God Loves Little Boys!

2007-12-06T22:47:00.000-08:00

God Loves Little Boys
(Randy Grayson)
God loves little boys and all that they do

Exploring and laughing and roughhousing, too.

God loves their energy, eagerness and wit.

He loves their serious side and their fanciful spirit.

He guides them and tends them while they grow,

Giving them all of the grace he can bestow.

God's plan for his boys is wondrous as well,

Because soon in their place little men will dwell.

What a great family this was! These boys were super and so much fun and energetic! They were all so gorgeous that I felt like I was taking pictures for a modeling agency.

Thanks J for letting me take your family's pictures. I can't wait to see your cards!

Raul + Mary

2007-12-03T19:23:00.000-08:00

From the first moment we talked on the phone, I knew Mary is a special person, sweet and sincere. We met up about a month before the wedding and her family warmly welcomed me into their home. We spent a little time getting to know each other and talking about the plans. She told me that Raul and her got married in the court 10 years ago and now they were to renew their vows with a traditional wedding in the church. As I left her house that evening, we talked about a plaque that she had on her wall. "It's something my Grandma always says - With God All Things Are Possible." I knew it was going to be a great day, as it was.

Mary's warm and welcoming smile made this day special for everybody. (not to mention that she looked gorgeous!)

Here comes the bride!

Raul's priceless first look at his bride

the happily married couple!

At the reception, we were serenaded by the mariachi and everyone joined in!

and a little bling bling to finish up

It was a crisp fall day and the decorations matched perfectly. Congratulations Raul and Mary! Many blessings!

Cold, Windy, and Wonderful!

2007-12-03T10:23:00.000-08:00

This beautiful family won a session for donating at the Kids’ Oktoberfest. MOMS Club of Maricopa-Cruz, Desert Sun Performing Arts and Desert Star Gymnastics raised $1,050.00! How great is that !?! This mom and I actually met that day and I am so glad we did. We both are members of the MOMS Club. I look forward to spending more time with you and your family, T! Thank you for your donation!

ninja hideout!

ninja kick!

The Early Bird

2007-12-03T05:18:00.000-08:00

I got up at 5AM this morning. I have to share because I'm quite proud. I made Scott coffee (which smells delicious btw) and a sandwich for his lunch. I put in a load of wash and did some insurance paperwork. When Scott left he said, "You better go back to bed or you are going to be grumpy." It's sad, but true. I am not an early bird, except for today.

It's Raining, It's Pouring

2007-11-30T12:40:00.000-08:00

I have to reschedule 4 sessions this weekend due to the weather. Right now, the boys are watching a movie, my girl is sleeping, and I am getting myself a mug of hot chocolate and editing me some pictures! What a great afternoon! I love the smell of rain!

H is for...

2007-11-30T11:59:00.000-08:00

hiking! We drove up South Mountain (scary) and hiked for a bit the day after Thanksgiving. The view is fabulous from the top and the hike isn't too hard. The boys liked to watch the bikers on the trails. Simon thought they were superheroes with their wierd helmets. Here's Jonah helping Simon through the rougher parts:

I asked Scott to climb to the top of the rock first so I could take his picture. Scott came down and went back up with Jonah. Scott and Jonah came down and Scott went back up with Simon. While I was taking Scott and Simon's picture another head poked up. It was Jonah! He had climbed up this rock with no help, the little mountaingoat!

("rocky" theme playing) simon beating up the "bad guys"

"the dog" - a neat rock formation. I thought it looked like they were about to be eaten. There was actually a little cave the boys crawled though. They thought that was pretty neat.

Phoenix!

Thanksgiving 2007

2007-11-30T07:56:00.000-08:00

This was our first Thanksgiving hosting in our house! I just kept thinking about how things have changed in a year's time. A year ago I was 9 months pregnant, we had just moved into a rental, Scott had just gotten a new job, and I knew nobody out here except his family. When it came to be my turn to say what I was thankful for, I could have talked the rest of the day but I knew nobody wanted to listen to me babble on. God continues to be faithful.

The kids waited for the company patiently.

papa's here!

Vanessa, Scott's sister, is a super-talented photographer. She uses a film Canon and does an excellent job. We went and did a little mini-shoot with the kids. I can't wait to get the photos that she shot!

papa and nana!

scott took this one!

kisses from nana!

piggy-back rides from daddy! (I am SOOO thankful for that man!)

We also made a new friend! Missy came down with Vanessa from Branson to visit. She is such a fun-loving person and I'm glad she was here. I can't wait for them to come live here in a couple months!

I did make a 22 lb turkey (haha!) and we had a full spread of food (nancy's cooking is near chef-like). I guess I was a little too busy to take pictures but it was great fun and we all stuffed ourselves silly!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

2007-11-29T09:19:00.000-08:00

Dana had her house so cozy and totally decked out for Christmas. There were candles lit and it smelled wonderful! Even the football game on tv reminded me that Christmas is almost here!

What a handsome couple,

family,

and boy!

Besides running her own daycare , Dana also sells Gold Canyon Candles.

Thank you so much for yet another great session!

Happy Birthday, Sweet Baby!

2007-11-28T08:43:00.000-08:00

then...

now...

Miss G Turns 2!

2007-11-27T16:38:00.000-08:00

I am about a week behind with blogging. I wanted to put some pics up of my friend's daughter's party last weekend. It was held at My Gym and the excitement didn't stop for the kids. Miss G loves the Doodlebops and her party was everything Doodlebops! Miss G's dad is our worship leader and Sunday School Teacher at church and does an amazing job at both. I cannot say enough good things about her mom either. She is a very giving and sweet person who I am so glad we get to talk often even if our talks are brief.

A Wonderfully Busy Weekend

2007-11-26T08:15:00.000-08:00

I have a ton of pictures to share but it's going to have to be done later. We had Thanksgiving here on Thursday, went hiking on Friday, a photo session and wedding on Saturday, and Christmas with the in-laws yesterday! I am going to try pull myself and the house together today and Scott said I could spend the evening working on my pictures. This is one of my favorite pictures from the weekend. I had to sacrifice the camera and let Scott have some fun. I think he did an excellent job. I couldn't have asked for a more blessed Thanksgiving weekend!

G is for...

2007-11-20T11:40:00.000-08:00

God, the almighty! I don't know where I would be on a day-to-day basis without knowing that someone out there knows me and remembers me and cares about the little situations that happen.

A little narration in the van today coming back from getting a turkey the store:

Simon out of nowhere with a mouthfull of candy, "Gof is 'mazin!"

Jonah, "Your right, God is amazing! He is even bigger than trucks and space. Mom, is God bigger than space?"

Me, "Yes, sweetie, He made space."

Jonah, "Simon, He made space and cars and Pizza Hut and the Valley and Phoenix and windows..."

A little while later...

Jonah, "Simon, God is in Heaven now, but he'll be back. He died on a cross and did he stay dead? Simon, I asked you did he stayed dead!?!"

Simon, "No."

Jonah, "You're right, he didn't stay dead! Give me five!"
They high five and go on eating their candy.

I wish I had a recorder and could listen to it over and over. I thought it was neat that I had the radio on and the song was playing, "I can feel Your presence over me." Very appropriate.

ALL MY TURKEYS IN THE CART! (It's a balmy 85 degrees here today :)

A Day In The Life

HEAD ON OVER!

~A SECRET~

This One Is for You, Mom!

Another Mommy&Me!

Allen + Stephanie

<<<<<<<<<< LOOKY LOOKY!!!

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

i'm so excited!

Easy Kitchen Clean-Up

Day #2 - Mommy & Me

Day #1 - Post A Day

Before/After

Etsy Break!

Mr. E ~ Newborn

Let's Go Fly A Kite!

MOMMY & ME SESSIONS!

sniff sniff

first comes...

"One Heartbeat at a Time"

a princess is coming!!! pt.2

little bit of light...

a princess is coming!!!

there is nothing like family

Fuzzball Fight!

Mr. D ~ 3 Months Old!

Another Monday!

~heartfelt~

life on pause

*HOWL!*

Mocha Moms

i love Easter.

BID NOW!

50 Odd Things About Me

Easter Egg Hunt #1

To My Customers: Be Creative!

Saint Patrick

Green Pancakes

Walk for Wishes 2008

Perspective.

Interior Design for Baby

A-C-T-I-O-N

Star on Their Crown

Wickenburg

Happy Sunday!

This is why...

Playing Catch Up

Sweet Little Baby V

My New Favorite

My Prayer for Today

J is for...

Congratulations, Miss L!

Walk With Us!

~a lovely thought~

Happy Day!

in lieu of valentine's day

Family Session and Inspiring Blogs

my mom

Juanita and the Orchard

no guarantees

Be mine!

*drum roll*

J&M Aloha Wedding

February 1 - Random Stuff

Sampras!

Rainy Sunday Afternoon

Finger Painting!

Word of the Year

The Tree

The Little Things

Hold Me in the Cradle of Your Hand

Burkhart-Ziegler Funeral Chapel : Dodge City, Kansas (KS)

A Time to~

obsession

Please Look Below for A Special Contest!

A New Car!

Happy 6th Anniversary to Us!

P.S. SWEET DREAMS 2007

e-mail from jesh!

the people's choice,,,(explore awards) - 8th place!

HOWL!

drum roll