Wildflower Photography: Moler Family

I got a last minute call from the Moler family last weekend, as they had family in from out of town that hadn't been home in 5 years (if I remember correctly)! I was so honored to be asked to capture this special moment for all of them! The weather turned on us quickly, so our time was limited, but the results were breathtaking and the images are so full of love and happiness!

2016 Senior Rep: Kylie

This gorgeous girl came back for more! We did her official Senior Rep session in early Spring, but we could not pass up the gorgeous fall colors that hit the Bennett Creek Bed! Check out Kylie's amazing session!

My absolute FAVORITE part of this session was how patient Kylie was when I tried using my LensBaby on session for the first time! Any LensBaby owners out there...it is so hard to use it when you're not used to it, am I right? 

Well, anyway, despite the difficulty we created some awesome images! Not your typical portraits, but a little something different to catch your eye...

Survival Mode.

And just like that...four more weeks have passed by since my last post.

Does that sound familiar? That's because it's exactly how I started that last blog post!! I am drowning in so many ways and my poor tiny baby blog is getting the least of the leftover energy and attention. In fact, the only reason that this blog post is happening is because I figured out how to sync my wireless keyboard to my ipad so I can type from the couch...  Yep, technology is that amazing.

If you follow me on Instagram (still my only chosen form of social media!) don't let the "instaglam effect" fool you. Just because I can squeeze a smiling photo in every now and then doesn't mean everything is wonderful in this Little Life. I honestly feel like I am on autopilot and barely keeping up with life right now.

First of all, people prepare you to have a newborn, but no one prepared me for what having a toddler was like! It seems like when Jaxon turned 18 months old a light switched flipped and things have never been the same since. He is on the run, unpredictable, doesn't quite understand discipline, can't comuunicate clearly yet, and still does the whiney-crying thing to get his way. Also, no one told me that toddlers watch movies over and over and over and over and over...oh, and over again.

Maybe the veteran Mamas out there are thinking "yeah, welcome to the rest of your life" but I just haven't adjusted yet it seems! Having a toddler is HARD. Seriously hard. After teaching other peoples' kids all day I feel like I am exhausted when I come home and don't have energy to give to Jaxon, let alone to my husband. Jaxon hasn't even been sleeping calmly through the night recently. He is working on those two year old molars and so he whines and cries out in his sleep just enough to wake me up through the baby monitor and I am not sleeping well. It's adding up.

Don't get me wrong, he's adorable...but he is a non stop challenge in patience.

Secondly, balance in life is a mysterious concept that I feel like I may never get a grasp on. Like the tooth fairy. Or bigfoot. Does balance really exist?

I think balance is totally worth striving for, but I think something in your mix will always get left behind and get the least attention. Right now, for me, it's probably my photo business. That breaks my heart, but I'm all about the honesty.

My days are long, being away from the house for almost 12 hours. I am ready for the day by 6 am when Jaxon normally wakes up and I enjoy breakfast with him and get him dressed for the babysitter. I leave the house between 6:30 and 6:45 and HAVE to get coffee. I mean, everyone in Bennett asks for my drink as "the Breezy," I just can't go a day without my coffeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Can anyone else see those dark circles under my eyes?? Anyway, I get to work around 7:00 and hit the ground running. Go Go Go Go Go until 4:30, helping 180 wonderful students, 15 exceptional teachers and sometimes some needy family and friends. By that point, my mental energy is low but I take my cellucor amino acids and push through a workout at the rec, that takes me close to an hour and a half. So, I find myself getting home around 6:30 in the evening and it's time for the second shift. I take over for Jason and try my best to entertain Jaxon and keep him for throwing tantrums and throwing hot wheels at my head. We have supper around 7 and try to get Jax to bed by 8. I don't even know when I last bathed my child. Just kidding, but don't judge me it doesn't always happen each day!!

Among all that madness, I am having a very hard time balancing everything. Full time job, exercise, family, marriage, friends, myself, my side business, training for my Spartan race, house chores, etc... I just can't find the magical answer to getting it all done. If anyone has suggestions I am ALL ears!!

What's your trick to feeling balanced when life gets hectic and full?

I am hanging in there and trying to get caught up on blog posts in this Little Life...

Woooooosh.

And just like that, three weeks of life passed by since my last post! Three weeks just disappeared. Flew by. Buh bye.

Why is it that when fall arrives, my excitement goes through the roof, but my energy seems to drop off a cliff?? The schedule is full, with something going every weekend, and the chores are falling behind at home. But all I seem to want to do is curl up on the couch and take a snooze. 

If you want to catch up with me a little bit, here is what I've been busy with:

I finished an online Origami Owl party and got some cool new jewelry! I am loving the locket bracelet I got and wear it literally every day! I am so excited for the Christmas gifts I got for family too!! 

Are you surprised I would include gym pics?? I've still been at the rec center  five days a week and doing a distance run on Sundays. I am still SO far from doing a pull up on my own, but I have been lifting heavier, holding a dead hang longer and trying some new exercises.

I have been spending a ton of energy at work. I feel behind every single day because of all the new things I have been trying. I think they are positive changes, and things will be getting better in the classroom, but it's not an easy process. More on that later, I promise.

I've been cleaning up after this crazy mess of a toddler!! Seriously, you take your eyes off him for one second and he is into everything! The day I took this photo, I was taking a shower and realized it was ALL too quiet. When I looked out to see what he was doing, he had my whole container of concealer painted on his face. It took a long while to get it cleaned off!

We've been to the zoo twice, and once we saw all these cool lego animal displays. Jaxon loves the zoo and I love that he can run around and explore.

We've been playing with hot wheels every day of our lives. This kiddo is obsessed with a capital O with all things cars and these hot wheels tracks have been his favorite thing lately.

Me back at the gym...getting my ONE pull up!!

We spent Labor Day in the mountains on a four wheeling trail. We didn't get to the lake at the end, because the quad wasn't working well in the altitude. Maybe we will try again sometime soon. Jaxon loved it nonetheless.

All boy right here. 

Sick of gym pics yet? I have been keeping up with Lauren Gleisberg's six week Beauty and Booty challenge and have really enjoyed the challenge that she has put into every workout. I am really seeing progress and change, especially in my tummy. Mamas, you know how tough that tummy area is after a baby, right?

We went with my entire family to Heritage Square to ride the Alpine Slide. It was an awesome day all together. We rode the rides, raced go karts and bumper boats, took old time photos and loved our bonding time.

This is what the Alpine Slide looks like coming down the mountain. Jaxon still calls slides "wees" and  sho uted wee all the way up and all the way down!!

I totally think these adorable old time photos deserve permanent spots in picture frames around the house. I mean seriously, how adorable is that naked little cowboy baby butt??

Out on my Sunday run. I have made it back up to 7.5 miles even though it feels like I am starting over with my distance run progress. I have 6 weeks until the Beast race so I need to get my endurance back up to the half marathon level. Ugh.

Right after my Sunday run, I went to my own photoshoot for beauty and headshot. My makeup and hair were professionally done, and even though I loved how it looked in the photos, I could never tolerate that much makeup every day!! It took so long to apply and felt so thick and heavy. No matter how hard I try, I am just not a makeup girl (other than my daily eye shadow and mascara).

A friend gave Jaxon this adorable ball pit toy and he has been living in the thing!! He puts his blankets in there and uses it like a tent. He will sit inside and watch movies all day long if I let him. 

When I play with him, my hair ends up looking like this! I think this symbolizes how I feel in life right now...

Last week, my new Erin Condren planner came in the mail and I was incredibly excited to start using it! I was positively amazed at the packaging, and how many extra treats they pack in with the planner! I have a whole post on it coming soon! This may be my new best friend.

I think that's all for my crazy three week catch up!! I am working hard on new posts and will get back with those as soon as I can!! 

I hope everyone is doing well as we transition into the fall season! 

....................Things are busy and blessed here in this Little Life....................