The Paper Mama: Remember

This week, The Paper Mama has asked us to share a moment we want to remember. Here is mine. This is Chloe's final moment as an only child. Just a few hours later, we were at the hospital having a rather quick childbirth experience. But before we left, she woke up and wandered out for some cuddles. It meant so much to Daddy and to me, but she did not fully realize how much or how soon her life would be changed. She has been a fabulous big sister from the start and I love watching them evolve that relationship every day, but there are times that you want to remember the feeling of only being pulled in one direction.

The Paper Mama: Favorite Photo From August

The Paper Mama is asking for our favorite photo from the month of August this week. We had a lot of great photos this month with school starting and birthday parties and more. However, my favorite one of the month is just from around the house. The girls were playing together up in the playroom and I snuck in with my camera, but they saw me and started trying to make each other laugh. This one just makes me so happy.

The Paper Mama: Furry Friends Favorite

My puppy photo made the list of favorites last week at The Paper Mama!

The Paper Mama: Eyes Favorite

My photo was chosen as one of the favorites for the eyes photo challenge at The Paper Mama.

The Paper Mama & I Heart Faces: Pet Week

Both The Paper Mama and I Heart Faces are doing pet photo challenges this week. I was about to torture my poor cat with yet another photo session when my friend and neighbor called and asked me to photograph her foster puppies for her. Whew! These pups were high energy and very fast. I was kinda worried as I left that I didn't actually capture a thing. But then again, puppies are so adorable that things don't have to be technically perfect for the photo to still touch you.

   

The Paper Mama: Eyes

I love these big brown eyes. And I love them even more when they are all happy and twinkly. I know the hair is in her face, but I think it adds to the pure excitement expressed in the photo.

The Paper Mama: Whatever

Whatever goes at The Paper Mama and Paper Heart Camera this week. Since "whatever" is my youngest daughter's favorite word, I figured I should submit a picture of her. Some people may think it's awful and disrespectful for me to let her say that to me so often, but she's so flippin' cute when she says it that no one can keep a straight face. Another favorite thing for her is to dance. We have daily dance shows in our house and sometimes she'll even sing for us too.

 

The Paper Mama: Summertime

Ahhhh...summertime...kids sure love it. Especially, when they get to slide down a huge water slide at their cousin's birthday party. Talk about some summer fun!

The Paper Mama: Black & White Favorite

You should check out the top 5 black and white photos from last week's challenge at The Paper Mama. They are so cool. Mine didn't make that list, but it was chosen as one of the favorites for the challenge! Thank you!

The Paper Mama: Black & White

I had fun playing with all of my different black & white conversion actions today. I don't do very much black & white because I'm just such a fan of color. I love bright, vivid color and warm, soft color. But, The Paper Mama is doing a black and white challenge this week and I thought it would be fun to play.

The Paper Mama: Sweet

Here's my littlest sweetie enjoying a little sweet treat for The Paper Mama sweet photo challenge.

The Paper Mama: Sparkle Favorite

The winners of last week's sparkle challenge at The Paper Mama were really, REALLY beautiful. You should definitely check them out! I wasn't in the top 5, but my photo was chosen as one of the favorites. Yea! Have a great day!

Sparkle

This week both The Paper Mama and Paper Heart Camera are having a "sparkle" photo challenge. I took this picture of my girls with their good friend over the holiday weekend. Of course, there is the obvious sparkle on the shirt with the patriotic butterfly, but I also love the sparkle in the eyes of this lovely little trio. They had so much fun together!

The Paper Mama: Your Best Shot Challenge

The Paper Mama is having a separate challenge right now. She's asking for our best shot of a child. Wow! How do you do that? I have no idea. Well, I couldn't choose one kid or the other so I'm entering this shot of both of my girls. I still think this is my favorite shot I've taken of the two of them together.

Father's Day and Parenthood Challenges

Seems as though everyone is having Father's Day or Parenthood challenges this week. I'd love to try to enter different photos for each one, but we just got back from the beach today and I have way too much to do to get caught up on everything else. Sorry! But, I did manage to drag my tired kids and their Daddy outside a little while ago to snap a picture or two. My girls love to cuddle with Daddy!

   

The Paper Mama: Green: One of the Favorites

My sassy photo of Sophia was one of Chelsey's favorites at The Paper Mama this week!

The Paper Mama: Green

Here's my sassy rock climber.

The Paper Mama: Blue Favorite

My photo was one of the favorites for last week's blue challenge at The Paper Mama.

The Paper Mama: Blue

I had lots of blue photos I could have entered in this week's challenge over at The Paper Mama, but this one just makes me smile. First of all, it totally captures how water plus a child equals pure joy. I love that. But, more importantly, this was a huge milestone for C. Today she jumped off of our hot tub edge into the pool for the first time. She went under and this is her when she popped up. That smile is not only pure joy. THAT smile is also pure pride in herself and her bravery. Anyway, this may not actually be my best blue photo, but it is the one that makes me smile every time I flip to it.

Simplicity: Laughter AND The Paper Mama: Friend

I'm using this photo that I took today for two photo challenges. First, Simplicity is requesting laughter photos and Sophia is cracking up because her big sister is tickling her. Second, The Paper Mama is asking for friend pictures this week. I almost dug up one of Chloe and her BFF, but then I realized, her baby sister really is her best friend in the world.