A day in the life of Lyndon...

I was cleaning our bathroom last week. (don't be shocked.) I had to run downstairs for something and when I came back I saw my knight in shining armor, armed and ready to help me out.

Then not more than 5 minutes later I go back down stairs to find him in the garage, helping out Jonathon, sanding a table. (Notice in that time he had already changed clothes and put on some sunglasses.)

Then he was on to a tea party with Maddie. Can you guess Lyndon's favorite color?

This little goofball loves his family.

our little fashion designer

Maddie loves to create and design. Especially clothing. We woke up one morning to find that while she was "going to bed" she fashioned a beautiful wedding gown complete with veil for her Aurora piggy bank. What was it made out of? ...wet wipes.

Not too shabby if I dare say so myself.

Magical sunset

The weather, all last week, was pretty dreary. The sun didn't show it's beautiful face until Friday. I've been very busy the last few months writing my photography book and I needed a few more pictures to include as examples of different techniques. I was so happy to finally see the sun so I could go out and take those pictures I needed. So I made a quick desicion to do a photo shoot with Maddie and Lyndon. They're both a little "pictured" out, if you could only imagine, so I thought I'd better have a little bit of incentive in the form of balloons and cupcakes. Mission accomplished. We basically had a pretty enjoyable evening (minus me turning into crazy-mom/photographer-who-just-wants-you-to-do-exactly-as-I-say lady. It's not a lady who show's her face to anyone exept her own poor kids, btw.) But all in all in was a success. AND most important, Maddie and Lyndon got to eat a crap load of cupcakes.

I've posted some of my favorites and also some that made me laugh out loud when I saw them..enjoy!








Maddie has always been my sullen, not real eager to crack a smile little girl. But it works for her.





This one made me laugh. So true to life...Maddie telling me something while Lyndon is running circles around us. He ran up and down the path and finally dropped to the ground announcing "his feet could really use a break!"


I was having them wait patiently while I got the settings on my camera ready to shoot them actually eating the cupcakes. But the ones of them anticipating those delicious cupcakes were better than the one's where they were actually eating the cupcake.

My little girl...

Lyndon wasn't too keen on the idea of her tongue being on his potential cupcake.

His hand doesn't seem to be enough to stop her, though.

And after 3 cupcakes Maddie is finally feeling the effects. (They were mini, btw.)

Is Lyndon feeling the queasy tummy? ...not a bit.

sitting eating...

...and still eating...

I needed some close-up shots and Maddie checked out after that last cupcake so Lyndon graciously helped me out. This is unprompted, posing.

...and more, unprompted posing. Happy and carefree...that is until...

The balloons accidentally flew away...

And now, not so happy and carefree...

UNTIL...I tell him we can get more balloons! Ahhh, there it is.

And just when I think those two couldn't possibly get any more sugar in them...they were both licking the frosting off most of the remaining cupcakes.

And so it goes.

Feeling crafty.

I've had a few projects lately that I just so happened to take pictures of so I thought I would share...


I saw something kind of like this somewhere so I thought I would try and create an "I am a child of God" picture in Lyndon's room.  I printed it at kinko's for $2. I love how it turned out!




One of my Young Women are getting married in a couple of months. (I can't believe I could possibly be that old.) I went to her bridal shower last week and couldn't think of anything to get her until I remembered this idea from my very crafty sister, Lindsey. The jar is full of date ideas to do for a dollar. Isn't she genius? Things like "buy a kite from the dollar store and go fly it at the park" and "buy a notebook and take turns writing down how you met" and "start a trade-up scavenger hunt with a dollar bill". I typed them in photoshop elements then punched them out with a cute square scalloped punch. Oh, and for the "apothecary" looking jar it's a glass candle stick holder and a glass vase from the dollar store glued together with E-6000 glue.






I'm so excited about this one! I've had my eye on these pottery barn dry erase calendars for a couple of years now. But I just couldn't get myself to fork over the $50 for the board plus $20 for the rod to hang it. So my handy dandy husband made an exact duplicate in Photoshop and I printed it on 16x20 photo paper at Costco for $6. I had this frame that I got on clearance at Target for $8. I put the calendar in the frame and presto, my very own pottery barn-inspired dry erase calendar for $14. I love it.

(this is the one from pottery barn)

(this one is mine)

Hello to all of you coming from the Crafting Chicks! For those of you who are wanting these files, head on over to my photo blog...I will be posting the files there for you to download.

can't get enough.

It's been awhile since I've recorded any Maddie and Lyndon-isms. But it's time...

Maddie went out to eat with Jonathon before they went to the Daddy-Daughter dance. She ordered fettuccine alfredo and just as she took the first bite she said, “Well, there goes my diet.”

Lyndon and I were reading a book called “The Trouble with Cauliflower”. After reading that Mortimer the Koala didn’t like cauliflower because it made him have bad luck the next day, Lyndon turned to me with a with a very serious tone and said, “Cauliflower makes my big toe hurt. That's why I don't like eating it." I wonder what all the other food he doesn't eat does to him?

Maddie watched a music video of Taylor Swift where she was wearing a beautiful long flowing gown. Throughout the entire song she kept saying, “I love that dress! Oh! It’s so pretty. I have to have that dress!” Fast forward about 2 weeks after she saw the video We’re driving when she hears that same Taylor Swift song on the radio. She immediately recognized it and after about 30 seconds I hear from the back seat, "I just can't get that dress out of my mind!"

Throughout the day Lyndon will frequently tenderly cup my chin with his hand and say, "I love you, Mom." How lucky am I?

I made a weekly schedule for Maddie and Lyndon. Maddie checks and follows it religiously. On Thursdays I usually clean the floors, bathrooms, etc so I put a little cleaning sticker on her Thursdays. The first Thursday since I put her chart up she saw the sticker and wanted to know what she had to do. I gave her a few chores (some that she already does) and she got to work. It took all of about 10 minutes and then she was finished. But that night she asked me, "What’s tomorrow?” “Friday”, I replied. Then with a very long over-dramatic sigh she said, “Oh good, cause cleaning day was awful!" Pa-lease.

Lyndon must have learned about saying "I forgive you" on some show because for about 2 weeks now whenever I say sorry or if I do something he may not entirely like he says to me, “That's okay Mom, I forgive you". Gee thanks, Lyndon.

Maddie loves to study things out and make notes. Here’s one of her papers she was making notes on while she was studying the American Girl Doll catalog. I know it's not much to the outside on-looker but she fascinates me.

We were checking out at Whole Foods and the cashier couldn’t get enough of Maddie and Lyndon. She kept talking to them, asking questions etc. We were getting ready to leave and she got out 2 stickers. She handed Maddie the turtle and then holding out the sticker to Lyndon said, “And here, you can have the octopus”. Faster than she could get out the word octopus he replied, “Uh, that’s a squid.” Thank you Baby Einstein for teaching my kids about sea creatures because I had to go home and look at google pictures to see if he was correct!

The other night as I was coming in to tuck her in bed she asked me to bring her a pen because “she had to make a quick note”. I brought her the pen and she immediately started writing something on a piece of paper. Before I left she showed me what it said…”Mom, I (heart) you sooooooooooooo much”. Awww, I heart you too, Maddie.

In Primary a couple of weeks ago Sister Munzer was doing sharing time. She asked the whole Primary, “What are some things we do in an order?” Apparently all Lyndon heard was “order” so what does he raise his hand and say? "McDonalds Happy meal!" That’s my boy.

row, row, row your boat.

On Tuesday Jonathon, the kids and I decided to go canoeing downtown Austin on Lady Bird Lake. It was so fun! The weather was perfect. We saw turtles, fish, a crane, ducks, and a big ugly black swan that was a little too close for comfort. (we used out mad paddling skills to get out of his way.) The kids loved it. Lyndon was excited from the second he put on his life jacket. Maddie--or should I say Nervous Nelly--was a bit more cautious. She loosened up after 20 minutes and ever since can't wait to go again. Just one of the many fun things to do in Austin.

(I didn't want to risk taking my camera in the boat so I got some pictures when we were finished.)