The Treat of the Trade

Its a dirty word. CHORES. They are dreaded. They are mundane. Daily, weekly, monthly and in my case we even have quarterly chores. The kids have them and as much as they think its unfair to have them, their dad and I know that in the long run it is teaching them responsibility. Of course they think they do more than the other and in some cases they think they do more than I do. And we all know that is just next to impossible :) They have a chore list in their rooms and are expected to do them on a daily and weekly basis. We aren't ripping away a childhood by giving the 3 kids chores. Its only fair that they 1) pick up after themselves 2) understand that this is a household with 5 people in it and in order for us to all manage, chores are a necessity. Whatever and how ever they want to run their house when they are on their own is their business. I just hope that they keep a clean house. That they will pass the torch on to their own kids and teach them that it takes 10 minutes a da...

I have never claimed to be a professional! YET! anyway. I have been playing around with my camera for a few years and have self taught myself a thing or two. But my goal is to take my first photography class this fall. I have always had an interest in photography. I am also so honored to be my sisters personal picture taker since she has son now. Hopefully one day I will have my pictures hanging on the walls of peoples homes, but until then, I will capture my kids and nephew!! HAPPY MONDAY!

I had to get started on the kids Valentines! Good thing the hubby went to the store the day before and was suckered in by the Girl Scout Troop selling cookies! Jessie's were first. A lot of cutting and gluing and cutting and....you get the idea! 22 were made for her class.  Then Jaxon came home from school and we had to break for lunch!   Jessie's Valentines completed! We chose NO CANDY Valentines this year. They get plenty of it anyway. Plus they are sweet enough :)   Next..Jaxons. And they were out of this WORLD! Made 17 of these and they turned out great! Valentines 2014 Complete!

 Due to Joshs schedule we had to have our family Christmas a week early. That was alright with the kids!   Jessie and her move of reading!   Jill got MAKE-UP!   Jaxon and his toys. Big boy toys!  Nothing better than a new racetrack and a mario car!   And this is the kids coming down the hall Christmas morning. At 4 am mind you!   Santa left him the video games he ask for!  Jessie got the exact Nintendo DS she ask for! ( Santa knew what was up this year! Thank goodness we have good kids!)   Love this picture of her. It just screams Christmas Morning to me! The small and wonderful dinner I made for the 4 of us. We miss dad on the big holidays, but we know he is there with us in spirit!

 Superheros, pizza, cupcakes, friends, family and bowling!  Dad and Batgirl!   Green Lantern and Captain America!   All the kids bowling!  Jaxon and his BFF   Flash Gordon and Captain America!   Love this kid! I tell him every year that he cant grow up anymore and that him getting older and bigger makes me cry. This year he told me to go ahead and cry cause he was turning 5 and next year he was gonna turn 6! There's no stopping this kid!  Friends and pizza! You cant go wrong!

  Jaxons shirt for the 4th of July celebrations. We try every year to go and 2013 we did. We beat the heat. Sat thru a parade, ate a hot dog in the grass and celebrated our freedom!   Jills shirt. I hope they still fir this year! And a huge thanks to Pintrest! They wouldn't have this little memento hanging in their closet if I didn't browse that site for countless hours!   July 2013. The month we also celebrate Dads Birthday. He was away at work for his day, but I took the kids out for a photo opp and this is ONE of my favorites. We have 3 hanging on the living room wall that we framed and gave him for his *gasp* 35th birthday!   We now live in a desert. We haven't seen a wet spring or summer since 2009. So when we do get our short spurts of 30 minute pour-downs, the kids dance and get wet and muddy and i snap photos from the front door.    We also spent hot humid days indoors. Crafting it up. Catching up on scrap-booking and yes....drinki...