J Cooper Photography

Oh we had lots of fun.  Yep.  Lots.of.fun.  How can you go wrong with a room full of fabulous women, adorable clothes, and lots of food?  Throw in a house full of squealing little girls and you’ve got about the happiest place on the planet

I wish my living room always looked like this.

Cute.  Colorful.  Just down right yummy.  And I see some awfully cute kids in that photo on top…don’t you?

Everyone had such fun oogling over the clothes and chatting with friends.  I had a FANTASTIC group of women come!!  I even got a chance to meet a couple of NEW clients…just a GREAT group of fun women!  I had my list of “must haves” prepared ahead of time.  Yeah right.  As soon as I saw everything in person it all flew out the window and I had a terrible time trying to decide.  But you can’t really go wrong.  The possibilities are endless!

We even had some little shoppers!

And little cookie tasters (and hair flower models).

Not to mention all the mini sessions I booked by the end of the night!  I can’t wait to meet up with everyone again with my camera in tow!

Everyone left with their hair flower door prize, a full belly, and a smile on their face   I had planned to take so many photos…mingle with all my guests and capture them making their decisions.  But what my guests really saw was me running around getting drinks, corralling kids (mostly my own after Sam made a late night escape from his crib), and being a complete scatter brain.  I’m normally so much more on top of things.  HA!  My life is all about controlled chaos!  Love it!

A HUGE THANK YOU to all the great gals who came last night…to my ultra FAB Trunk keeper duo…and to my new clients!  I will have tons of images to share in the next month of all the mini sessions…can’t wait to see all these great families again!

And just because I can.  My two cuties on the way out the door to a birthday party tonight.   Oh please let me dress you in matching outfits forever.  Please.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend.  Soccer games, violin lessons, birthday parties, Sunday school, and a photo session…BUSY TIMES!

1.  TIME.  I love that my family carves out precious minutes to be together.  Even just for a day.  The time is worth a long drive “home” from college, juggling a crazy work schedule, and tired kids.  I love that my family documents the passage of time with silly family photos.  I love that those silly moments freeze time.  Keep us connected.  Keep us in love with the idea of being together.

2.  FRIENDSHIP.  How little girls can grow up together to become best friends.  How everything in my house relates to “how much longer until we see Carrie again”.  How tears make way to sobbing as we pull out of the driveway for the long drive home.  How these sweet faces giggle over Bitty Babies today but will zip each other’s wedding dresses tomorrow.  How hopes and dreams for their futures seems brighter when they are together.

3.  LEADERSHIP.  How our “Mimi” and “Baboo” show love in a contagious way.  How the grandkids adore them because they have taken the time to truly know them all.  We keep bringing them kids…and they keep loving them all.  And encouraging them.  And listening to them.  And hugging them (even when they are too old to be hugged).

4.  FUN.  We’ve got lots of it.  And plenty to go around.  And despite the 18 year difference in age…the kids are all just kids…and thrilled to spend the day together.  A big, giant assembly line of youngsters looking up to the next oldest in line.  This year another girl was added to “the big girl club”.  And the “three musketeers” will add a new member this spring.  But no one is too proud to play baby doll or bang on the Elmo piano.  Cause mi familia is just like that.

5.  SISTERS.  My sisters are more than my best friends.  They inspire me in all I do.  They laugh with me, cry with me, and tell me when I need to get up off my bum and do something with myself.  They give me advice when I don’t ask for it but desperately need it.  They are the definition of beauty to me.  Because they love me for me.  And sometimes that is hard to do.

6.  TRIPLE CHINS.  Because sometimes a chubby face can change your whole outlook on life.

7.  PLENTY OF CHOCOLATE.  Nuff said.

8.  SAFETY.  A chance to be myself and be loved because of who I am.  A place to take chances.  To fall down and not get laughed at (or at least not too hard).

9.  LOVE.  Pure and simple.

10.  LAUGHTER and good times.

To my family.  I love you all.

These came in the mail yesterday…haven’t gotten a chance to hang them up yet but I’m pretty sure I’m going to love seeing these sweet faces above my couch every morning.

Hubby is home (finally).  Kids are tucked into bed.  My brain is fried.  Leaving for Nebraska in a few short hours.  I promise to be witty and exciting as soon as we return.

1.  I.am.tired.  Really tired.  This single parenting thing is really killing me.  Single moms aren’t meant to have 3 children, I think.  My reinforcement has left (thank you Wanda!) and I am tired of cereal for dinner.  Calling Mr. P…can you please come home?

2.  I wish I had some really wonderful photos to share.  But the truth is…my camera is still sitting on the desk where I left it last week.  There are quite a few things like that that haven’t been done this week.  Like showering alone…sleeping alone…or even brushing my fuzzy teeth.  I need to grocery shop so badly I think I am going to have to feed my kids saltine crackers for breakfast.  If you live near me and can spare an Eggo..could you drop 3 by in the morning?

3.  I am getting all revved up for my Matilda Jane party (ARE YOU COMING?)  All of a sudden I am noticing all the things I’d like to change about my house in the next week.  I would love to go on a decorating frenzy…buying all sorts of cool, hip knick knacks and hanging new pictures.  Today I cleaned my oven and wiped the baseboards behind the sofa…because you know everyone will be looking there instead of drooling over all the CUTE CLOTHES, right?

4.  Consider becoming a family that can make a dent in the 147 million.  Click HERE to read more and buy your shirt.  I did.  My wheels have been turning ever since.

5.  Mr P. took a stuffie from each of the girls on his trip this time.  “Sweetie” and “Fruity” have been having all sorts of adventures in Paris and Munich.  Every few days they email to share their where-a-bouts as well as a little photo.

The mile high club

A bite to eat at On The Border

The big meeting

pretty cute huh?

6.  Whoever told me having a boy was different was grossly underestimating the wiles of my child.  He is a toilet paper shredding, floor licking, cabinet emptying, door slamming, stair climbing, gate manipulating, head butting, sippy cup spilling, food flinging, toy chucking, rock eating little monster.  And boy do I love him.

7.  Did I mention I’m tired?  See above.

8.  I am full swing in birthday party planning mode here.  Man, I love the dollar store.  I scored pink cowboy hats and miniature mommy and baby horse toys for A’s “Horsin’ Around” party.  J will be having a “Pumpkin Princess” party and we found orange glittery fairy wings and fairy slippers at…you guessed it…the dollar store.  I had to go to 3 different stores but it was worth it for what I saved!  A was adamant about having pony rides.  On real live ponies.  At our house.  And I did what every other mother across the good ‘ol US of A would do.  I caved.  Yep.  Ponies at our house.  I’m just thrilled.

9.  I’m having a really hard time coming up with two more interesting things to share (this is of course assuming that the items already shared are of any interest to any of you).  I’m so tired…brain officially turned off sometime earlier this evening when I “rescued” Sam from the middle of the soccer field for the 10th time.  I considered sending all 3 sweaty, dirty kids home with another family…but no one would take them.

10.  I made it to #10.  Happy Tuesday.  zzzzzz…..