Natalie's World

FLASHBACK Friday

2011-08-26T08:46:00.000-07:00

These images have never been worked up, edited or anything. I just found them in my files. This FLASHBACK is from about a year ago. That's a dear friend of mine, Tanya, who loves my little sweetheart too and Viking football. Natalie is sporting her custom made cheerleader suit that I had designed to mimic Cari's last year.

Today a friend of mine had a photo of her son wearing his football jersey with jeans. It was apparently of photo of him before school. And I also saw a photo of a cheerleader on fb too. Since it is Friday this is the day that the kids wear to school what they wear to the games. It is kind of sad to me that my cheerleader isn't still in high school wearing her cheer uniform to school today. And that Natalie isn't wearing her precious little cheer suit to the game! But life never stays the same. It's always changing. That's how God planned it and I am at peace with that!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY (the birthday girl)

2011-08-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NATALIE!

2011-07-29T05:27:00.000-07:00

Six years ago today is the day that the author of this blog became Mimi to the most loving little girl she has ever known. She is loved and adored by her whole family. Anyone who meets her can't help but fall in love with her too. She captures your heart! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY LITTLE SWEET!

LOVE--MIMI

Then and Now THURSDAY

2011-07-28T07:10:00.000-07:00

(above and below)

SUMMER 2011 Summer 2007

She's gotten very picky with her clothes.

She rarely likes to wear what Mimi or Mommy picks out for her to wear.

She loves Justin Beiber and when I say love, I mean love...she's loved this teen idol since before Christmas. You can just bring up his name and she gets giddy.

She likes little "teen" shows on Disney or Nickelodeon verses Dora on Nick Jr. or Elmo or Curious George on PBS.

Wants to wear flip flops with everything and I mean everything. I had to let her know that they would not be allowed to be worn with a few certain dresses that she picked out recently when they were purchased.

She wants to dance like a teenager too (not good)!

She often very headstrong and opinionated and sometimes just wants to do it "her" way because it's nothing more than "her" way!

My, my...a lot of difference in four short years. This little sweetheart of mine has gone from cute-as-a-button toddler to an almost-6-year old. She's like 6 going on 16. Let me see if I can describe the similarity of that:

BUT IN MANY WAYS SHE IS STILL A LITTLE GIRL AND I LOVE THAT SO MUCH! SOME LITTLE GIRL TRAITS:

She knows that the Smurf Movie comes out on her birthday (tomorrow) and wants to go see it.

She recently giggled herself silly when Mimi took her to see the new Winnie-the-Pooh Movie at the theater.

She still loves playing at Chuck E. Cheese!

She still loves to be read to. I enjoyed reading many of her Fancy Nancy Books recently. And my almost-6-year old read the easy reader Fancy Nancy Books with me. We both just love the Fancy words in the books. Like Extraordinary....because after all, her Mimi thinks she is pretty extraordinary!

She loves to swim. I mean love it like a mermaid in training. She can swim up to 3 hours without taking a real break.

She loved her Beginning Tables Manners Class with Mignon. She didn't even complain about her dresses. Although I finally let her wear flip flops on the 4th day with a dress that would have looked nicer with sandals, but she had been so cooperative all week.

She picked out some really cute dresses recently at Kelly's Kids. Some nice little girl dresses!

She loves playing dress up and has loved that for about 2 years now!

NOTE: If I can think of additional things to add to these list I may do so since this is a little birthday documentary, since tomorrow is her 6th birthday!

~Natalie's Mimi~

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY....

2011-07-27T07:28:00.000-07:00

Tea Party Photo and Contest Entry

2010-08-05T10:57:00.001-07:00

It has been another busy summer here in Natalie's World and hopefully before summer is completely over we can do some backtracking and catch-up a bit. But today I am pleading that you vote for Natalie at the Kelly's Kid Photo Contest.

I've had several contests this summer...so it sure would be nice to win one. Here what you do: First go to this page KELLY'S KIDS; Click LIKE, of course, you have to have your own facebook page to play in this contest. NEXT: CLICK HERE (the photo on the KK page), then click LIKE under the photo to vote for Natalie. We are a bit behind. It sure would be fun to win this. Natalie will win $100 gift certificate for more Kelly's Kids clothes and free monogramming. Thanks so much!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

P.S. I have Birthday photos that need to be posted...oooh to win would be a great late birthday present. AND THE DEADLINE TO VOTE (LIKE) IS TOMORROW, FRIDAY, AT 9:00 A.M.

HAPPY EASTER from NATALIE...

2010-04-01T09:50:00.001-07:00

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2010-03-10T09:17:00.001-08:00

SPECIAL PROJECT FOR NATALIE AND POPPA

2010-03-05T05:55:00.001-08:00

GARDENING

Poppa likes to include Natalie on special little projects.

This one involves a project of planting a little garden this spring/summer. We are wanting to this for several reasons: save at the grocery store, to eat healthier food, and of course, to eat tastier food. Everyone knows food grown in ones own garden tastes better than any purchased at the grocery store.

Some of the seed packages. (above)

Natalie looks a little rough in these images. She stayed the night with me when she and Brittany came in for the Mardis Gras break. (These were photographed on Wed. a.m on Feb. 17th.) She is still wearing her jammies and has not had her hair brushed, but that's okay because we weren't going anywhere, huh? We were just spending quality time at Mimi's house.

Stopping to pose for Mimi...

We left this in the sun room (aka Natalie's room) over the next week or so. This is a photo of the progress 10 days later (after our trip to Memphis).

Poppa wanted Natalie to see the progress so I posted this photo that I took with my iphone on facebook. And this was her reaction...

BRITTANY: I just showed her.

NATALIE: They're growing?!

BRITTANY: Yep!

NATALIE: "Good! Yay Yay Yay! Me and Poppa planted them!

Yes, I think we just made another memory with our little sweetheart!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

Flashback Friday (12.05.09)

2010-02-19T07:37:00.001-08:00

SNOW DAY: 12.05.09

If you haven't figured out my mistake yet, go to see the post that was intended for this BLOG POST by click HERE. It was a little lengthy so I was not about to delete it and start over. So just follow the links. Sorry! :-(

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2010-02-17T13:12:00.000-08:00

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY (a day late)

2010-02-15T12:44:00.000-08:00

Oh what's that phrase...oh yeah, "Better late than never."

I don't think its just a phrase anymore, it seems to a MOTTO. The motto that I live by...

These were the Valentine's that I designed for Natalie for Valentine's Day. I mailed a few to my family. I was late mailing them...remember what I said. I had them in time....and it looks like Natalie will be late giving them to her friends at school too. I also mailed them to her in time, but I put their old mailing address rather than their current address on the Priority Mail box. She did NOT get them in time. They came back here. And I don't guess it even matters because her school Valentine's Day Party was cancelled.

If I only I would have known, I would have saved money on shipping, but I would have spent gas money going to BR to pick her up before the snow came because her school party was postponed. Her school let out early! You know that other phrase: "Hindsight is 20/20." I tend to use that one a lot too. I wanted to go to BR Thurday to pick Natalie up so that she could be here the next day for the snow, but I did NOT want her to miss her school party. Because of the snow (which had already melted) and low attendance, her school let out at noon. This inconvenienced her mommy tremendously. My sweet little Natalie missed all the snowman building and snowball fighing that Frogmore had to offer Friday.

I wished now I would have had the attitude that she'll have other Valentine Parties, but you never know if and when we'll have another snow like the one that was coming and just went to pick her up!

Oh well....I hope you enjoy the greeting even if it is a day late. I had intended to do a mini valentine's portrait session with her, but time just didn't allow it so I made this from one of her Christmas Portraits that could have easily been a Valentine's Portrait too because she was just wearing red and white. I chose to do it in black and white because often reds tend to clash with other reds just as they did in the case of the digital scrapbook paper that I chose.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!
(a day late)

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

"Why is my daddy crying?"

2010-02-10T06:11:00.000-08:00

...because his beloved football team, the New Orleans Saints, just won the Super Bowl!

Yeah, well...how do you explain that one to a 4-year old. That's how! Did she understand? I don't think so, but I think she'll remember the day that we all got dressed in our Saints clothes, went to New Orleans to eat and watch the game (in her case...color Saints pictures) ...and the day that her daddy and many other adults cried and screamed! At least, I hope she remembers the day that history was made! After all that's why I am blogging about it...I want her to remember she was just a little girl the first time that a team who had never even won the championship of their league won the Super Bowl!

Natalie has worn Saints clothes and accessories since since before she could talk. I am certain she doesn't truly understand who or what the Saints are, but I am sure that she will remember this day or something about it!

We chose to celebrate the Super Bowl in New Orleans (not downtown, but in Metarie) at Deanies Seafood...at Bucktown. Randy called Monday (to make reservations) after they won the NFC championship (defeating the Vikings) because that was where he wanted to go. He listens to the Saints on the New Orleans radio stations all the time. He listens to Bobby Hebert give the Point After Show from WWL. Randy was certain that this was the Deanie's Seafood where Bobby did the show. Come to find out, the show is actually at the downtown location not this one...OH WeLL. We weren't wanting to go downtown...just to the NOLA area. It all ended up being a great family adventure/family party with lots of new family--people with kindred spirits...aka other Saints fans. It was a nice family atmosphere.

So we had this super bowl party location booked at one flat-rate (per person). It was a little steep for our budget (even though we found out the one downtown was more than double the price we paid and sold out). We were concerned if the food would be good, would it be crowded, would it be a family environment...in general: would it be worth it!

I think YES it was! It was great that we did this as a family and made precious memories with our children, granddaughter, and daughter-in-law.

Before our food started coming out.

Can you just see the excitement (before the game started)?

I love that Cari and her daddy watch the Saints together. It is "there thing"!

Natalie, always happy to smile for the camera...

Me and my girls...

I love that watching the Saints with her daddy is one of her favorite things to do.

Cameron, Brittany and Natalie...

Everyone stood up for the National Anthem.

You can't tell for this photo and if you happened to miss this...that's Carrie Underwood singing it.

Natalie found a little friend. Her name was Paris!

This is one of Natalie coloring before Paris got there. I was her playmate (missing most of the game) coloring and entertaining Natalie as much as possible. I found and printed her these Saints and NFL photos online. She loves coloring with makers.

My family and many others in the background....seriously watching this. I think maybe this is when we were behind...at the beginning of the game. Those are some serious expressions!

See what I mean...

A posed photo of my hunny, sweetheart and me before the food came or the game started.

And this was how Natalie and Paris reacted to the screaming excitement as the game progressed...

Finally, it going our way...the SAINTS way!

After eating awhile, Natalie was very tired of being here. Her mommy wasn't feeling well. So they went to the car to watch a movie. After I got them set up, I came back in with intentions of going back to hang out with them. The game was just too good to leave. Once it became evident that the Saints were about to become Super Bowl Champions, Cameron asked me to get Brittany and Natalie. He wanted them in there as history was being unfolded right before our eyes! I am so glad he did. What compelling moments...

And yes, that is Tracy Porter right after he made that last breakout touchdown! It was awesome. It gave me chills!

My family could not have been happier if they had been there in person!

And yes, I know this is out of focus...we were caught up in the moment and I am not deleting the out-of-focus image because it make me cry with pride and joy. I love that those two shared this moment and I KNOW I WANT TO REMEMBER IT FOREVER.

People everywhere were laughing and crying...

SO WHAT WILL MAKE GROWN MEN CRY? OBVIOUSLY, IT'S THERE TEAM WINNING THE SUPER BOWL!

It really was a great game and I am not even "real" sports fan.
Sorry, Peyton...it was our time!

I love how this quarterback got up there and gave God the credit!

Our family loves you, Drew!

Later that night when we were trying to wind down and I was thinking about the significance of the history that we had all witnessed I tried teaching this line to Natalie...she asked me to repeat it several times so she could learn it: "On February 7, 2010, I was four years old and the Saints won the Super Bowl for the first time and I was in New Orleans at the time."

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

Happy Holidays from Natalie

2009-12-24T04:26:00.000-08:00

Proud to be a Saints Fan...9-0

2009-11-15T13:15:00.001-08:00

These are my 15 favorites from the mini portrait Session that we did yesterday. Her Aunt Cari made her this Saints tutu. Cari is creating them to sell if you or you know anyone interested in purchasing a Saints tutu, an LSU Tutu or any other variation.

#2
#3

[Some of you might have seen this on facebook yesterday. I couldn't resist giving a sneakpeak]

[Have you ever seen a cuter pout?]

[I don't think she was really pouting, but that's sort of what we got. I would ask her not to smile or not smile so big, but that was often what I got. I love it!]

#10

#11

[And yes, I saw the cat in the background. The funny thing about that cat is that he won't come to you when you want him to AND he want go away when you want him to either!]

#12

#13

#14

#15

The sun was going down. So that was the end of this fun mini-portrait session.

My husband, Natalie's Poppa, has been a Saints fan for as long as I can remember [even before he was an LSU fan--don't tell the die-hard LSU fans! lol]. So his son followed that tradition and his daughter too. So now we pass it on to the next generation!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

TOO-CUTE TUESDAY

2009-11-10T06:40:00.000-08:00

I know this should be called Trunk or Treat or Halloween or something along the line of the event that was taking place the day that I took these images of my little sweetheart, but since I don't feel like these few images actually tell the whole story...we'll just make a "TOO-CUTE TUESDAY" post. One of the reasons that I stay behind on blogging is NOT because I don't take photos or it is NOT because fun things/memorable things don't happen in Natalie's World, it's because I don't have enough time to cover it with the detail that I desire. Thus if I can't do it like I really want, I tend to not get around to it all. I so wish I could summarize things much better and was NOT as detailed oriented so that I could. Oh well...I will stop whining and move on the matter at hand.

OUR LITTLE DORTHY

(close-up)

full-length view (including a view of Toto)...

Always a little poser these days...

Emma (the vampire) and Natalie (Dorothy)...

and again Natalie is posing! LOL

and now "cheesing"!

I wished I had more images ready to post from trunk or treat. This is one of the trunks, my friend, client, and assistant, Kate, her son, Cash and her mom! The theme was Farmer's Market. Cash is a carrot! I've never seen a cuter carrot!

Another trunk with a darling Charlie Brown theme.

This is Sarah and Natalie, twin Dorothies.

Natalie making the Trunk or Treat round.

After we got home we finished the evening off with watching...

yes, of course, THE WIZARD OF OZ!

We watched this movie for the first time about a month ago with Natalie. I was thrilled that she loved it and was excited to be Dorothy. A week earlier when I bought her RUBY RED SLIPPERS, we watched again. She wore them w/her jammies. She almost fell asleeep wearing them. Such precious memories!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

too-cute-Tuesday #3

2009-10-20T08:49:00.001-07:00

AREN'T THESE TWO TOO CUTE!

Finally fall! I bought her several fall clothes a while back with my ebay (paypal) credit when I sold some things a while back, but she has been able to wear them because it has been so NOT FALL!

Doesn't she look adorable wearing her new fall dress?

Natalie just loves her cousin, Dalton, (my newphew---my brother's son). She had not seen him in a while. Natalie was so happy to see her "daldun". It was so sweet!

My sister, Jackie, her daughter, Brooke, and Dalton came down Saturday for the Balloon Races. They didn't see any balloons, but just the same we had a great visit. I took these photos before church on Sunday morning. They were getting ready to leave to see my mom and we were getting ready for church (thus the reason Natalie is dressed up and Dalton, not so much). It sure was great seeing him and seeing how much Natalie loves him.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY...(okay, just a few words)

2009-10-07T14:24:00.000-07:00

Last Friday Natalie and I went to see her Aunt Cari's pep rally. Then we came back home. She brought me a Spider Lily (flower) and wanted me to put it in a vase. I could not find a bud vase. All I could find was a vase for a bouquet of flowers. So I told her to pick more flowers [since we had plenty]. She came back after just a few minutes with a whole bouquet and as soon as she gave them me she started rubbing her eyes. I thought, "Oh no! She's allergic to these flowers." Then I remembered she had been playing with the newest litter of kittens here on our cat farm. I am sure she is more likely allergic to cats than these flowers [since her daddy is allergic to them too]. So as cute as this image is with Natalie and the bouquet of flowers, it would have been cuter without her red eyes!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

MIMI'S PRETTY PRINCESS

2009-10-04T15:55:00.001-07:00

just a sneakpeak for now

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

Flashback Friday

2009-10-02T16:00:00.000-07:00

If you couldn't read the first one...how about now (a close-up of the same image)?

Okay...a better view and if you still can't see it well click on the image!

Our little tiger has cute bottom, but an even cuter face:

Two years ago and today too!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2009-09-30T05:43:00.000-07:00

too-cute-Tuesday #3

2009-09-29T07:06:00.000-07:00

BIRTHDAY PARTY DATE: 07.25.09 (4th Birtday Party) THE BIRTHDAY PRINCESS ON HER BIRTHDAY.

[posing in front of the sign]

Yes, it was two months ago and I don't know if I will ever get on top of blogging like I sooo desire, but I do enjoy sharing Natalie's World with those of you who enjoying viewing her images too.

STORY BEHIND THESE IMAGES:

She really learned to swim this summer. But for some reason she wasn't too sure about the diving board at first. This is her giving "ORDERS" to "bigger" people already in the pool. She strategicly planned to have them all around her when she jumped...you know--just in case, she needed them.

At this point, we were pleading with her to jump. We were getting tired of waiting. [not to mention--that other children wanted to jump too]

FINALLY...

swimming to the side (that's Ally playing with the beach ball on the side)...

Talking to her daddy...

[I love the expression on her daddy's face.]

Even though summer is gone and though today (09.29.09--exactly 2-months after Natalie's birthday) is a nice fall day, we can still enjoy the memories of summer again through the images that we capture.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

Summary of Natalie's Weekend with Mimi

2009-09-21T06:33:00.001-07:00

Okay, first of all excuse the photography of these images. I won't list all my excuses, but I will say that I just wasn't on my game. To begin with, I got my camera out at the game to capture the "cheerleader" in this little sweetheart only to discover in the mist of me making sure I had everything before I left the house (rain jackets, etc.) that I forgot my memory card. So I missed the first few shots that I really wanted to capture, but then I borrowed on from a good friend. Thanks, Delynn! Natalie was so excited to see her Aunt Cari cheer (and Alexa too). She really wanted to be down there with them cheering. She really thinks she's a cheerleader too. She would follow their moves. This is the first game that Natalie got to attend this season with her Aunt Cari as cheerleader. I picked her up before the scrimmage, but it was cancelled because of rain. Cari was sick at the first game and then last week was out of town and Natalie didn't get in town until Saturday. So finally! Natalie gets to see her Aunt Cari cheer and she has a ball cheering too! It was a great game (even though we did lose and even if it was so muggy that I felt like I ran through a sprinkler by the time I left). [I just added another image since I just realized that I posted this image twice.]

Natalie loved seeing people she knew and giving them hugs. I wished I had a photo of her and every person she hugged. I would have a really long post if I did. LOL! She truly is the most hugging child I have ever known. Here she is with Tori. Tori had to go get her a Viking tattoo. Natalie is soooo into tattoos...much more than I care to mention. So, of course, she was thrilled to get a tattoo for her face! Thanks, Tori! Natalie loves you!

Saturday morning I had an outdoor portrait session scheduled and I had intended to leave Natalie sleeping and hoping that she would sleep as long as possible so that she wouldn't be in the way. Painting is still ongoing at my house. But after it finally got daylight, I see it was going to be too yucky to capture the beautiful wall portraits that I knew this client wanted. So I re-scheduled and then started trying to think of something for Natalie and me to do to get out of the house out of their way! We decided on the SATURDAY MORNING MOVIE PROGRAM at the Grande Theater in Alexandria. This was perfect! For $3.00: a movie, popcorn and a drink! Something for us to do that didn't cost a fortune. The movie was wasn't new movie, but it was new to me and Natalie. Cari has the movie, but I've never seen it; we saw "Spirit--Stallion of the Cimaron". After the movie we killed more time at Wal-mart, purchased a few things, then got lunch at Subway to take to the park.

Natalie wasn't that worried about eating. She really just wanted to play,

but she got really excited when she saw this...

I had to make her eat and drink her milk before she could play.

I took just a few pics and then put my camera in the car so that I could play with her.

It was pretty and hot! We had a lot of fun and finally Natalie made some new friends and I was allowed to rest and watch.

The next day (yesterday) we went to church. They had their first Children's Church Service. We went to lunch at Nicki's. Natalie at beef tips. Poppa and Aunt Cari came home in her car and I met Natalie mommy and daddy in St. Francisisville. Natalie and I had ice cream while waiting on them.

It was a special weekend for Natalie and Mimi!

I love that little girl so much!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY...(okay, just a few words)

2009-09-09T07:55:00.001-07:00

I have to include a few words to explain the green that you see in her mouth. Yes, you probably guessed correctly, but it bugs me, it is gum. [PHOTOGRAPHED: before leaving to see the Wizard of Oz.]

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

2009-09-02T13:09:00.000-07:00

Okay...I know, I know it's been a while. I've been a bit overwhelmed...yes, again! I just realized that I won't have any posts to represent August in Natalie's world. I must admit that I didn't take that many photographs for August...probaby because I am already so behind. And since I am still feeling breathless, I won't make this post a long one, but I did want to share an image that was photographed the weekend before last before leaving for church. Isn't this a sweet image of my little sweetheart? I didn't see her last weekend and Man, I am really beginning to miss her.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

Way Back Whensday and HappyBirthday, Natalie!

2009-07-29T06:32:00.000-07:00

NATALIE'S VERY FIRST DAY OF LIFE

It's hard to believe that Natalie was this tiny only four years ago. And now she's this little girl who has changed so many lives today. This little girl makes tears swell up in my eyes at a moments notice with a just a thought of how precious she is to me. The same little girl makes me laugh when I least expected it. She's funniest when she's not trying to be...when she is seriously telling you something and even more funny when she says, "it's not funny, it really isn't!"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NATALIE, POOH!

We will all miss not seeing you today on your special day even though you don't really undestand that today is your "real" birthday and that you think you are already FOUR since you had your party a few days early. I honestly do not think there was ever an-almost four-year old who could be more precious at her party and more enthused about her gifts than you were Saturday. We (all your family and friends) were so proud of you and enjoyed sharing that special time with you! Thanks for making our world a little more special!

We hope you have a great day with your mommy and daddy today!

Love,

Mimi, Poppa and Aunt Cari

IT WAS A GREAT BIRTHDAY PARTY DAY!

2009-07-25T20:31:00.001-07:00

This was Natalie's typical expression opening her gifts. And this was her typical statement: "That's just what I've always wanted!"

These gifts are two books from me, Poppa and Aunt Cari. The bottom book is titled "God's Little Princess Devotional Bible" and the top one is a Fancy Nancy book. I am excited about her receiving both books. The first book for obvious reasons: My heart's desire is that she becomes a Godly child/young lady. The 2nd book: Fancy Nancy is series of books that I have discovered last Christmas/Holiday season while shopping. If you have a little girl in your life, you should consider starting your own Fancy Nancy collection. Nancy is an interesting little girl who is OH SO GIRLY and loves to use fancy words like: extraordinary, gorgeous, fabulous and many more that my tired Mimi mind can think of at this moment! She loves to dress up too and she is such a darling drama queen, a girl after my own little sweetheart's HEART! Besides being just fun entertaining books, I love that Natalie will expand her vocabulary with the fun adjectives that Nancy uses to describe things. HERE A LINK TO AMAZON FOR A FANCY SEARCH.

We only own a few of those because I am collecting the hardback books and of course, they don't give them away.
We have these three:
Fancy Nancy: Explorer Extraordinare (the one she opened today)
Fancy Nancy: Bonjour Butterfly (our first book)
Fancy Nancy's Favorite Fancy Words: From Accessories to Zany

Okay, this was supposed to a quick sneak peak of Natalie's Great Birthday Party Day and I turned it into an ad. But I have enjoyed sharing Fancy Nancy with Natalie and I think anyone who has a child this age needs to discover her too!

It was a great day.

Natalie was such a sweet little birthday girl! Her sweetness and enthusiam made the day all the more special!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

FLASHBACK FIRDAY...

2009-07-24T10:06:00.000-07:00

Three years ago we were getting ready for Natalie's first birthday party!

Today we are getting ready for her fourth birthday party!

We've had so much fun in between.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

WORLDLESS WEDNESDAY...

2009-07-22T06:02:00.001-07:00

Almost no words...

(Front side of Natalie's birthday invitation)

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2009-07-08T09:48:00.001-07:00

Disclaimer: "I forgot I already had three words on the image. Sorry..."

BACKTRACK #7 (LINK) Brooke's Graduation Night

2009-06-28T14:54:00.000-07:00

The bad thing about starting a post, but not finishing it is that it shows it on the date that it was started (not the date and time it was finished). So I just finished it.

BROOKE'S GRADUATION NIGHT

(Use the above link to view the post that I just finished.)

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

Flashback Friday (06.27.06)

2009-06-26T05:50:00.001-07:00

Natalie strutting her purple swimsuit and purple swim goggles before a swim in the pool. Personally, I never seen a girl any cuter in a purple swimuit. [Approximately 3 years ago!]

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

Then and Now THURSDAY

2009-06-25T13:03:00.000-07:00

THEN: Natalie has really been dancing before she learned to walk. This image and the next group of images were captured June 23, 2006 (approximately one month before her first b'day when she DID learn to walk). She was NOT walking yet, but in spurts could/would let go long enough to dance. She has loved music and dancing from the very beginning of her sweet little life. Holding her daddy's hand...

again...

letting go to crawl to something...I think me (behind the camera)

Trying to get a photo of her w/o me or her daddy? I don't remember for sure, but she sure was a beautiful, precious baby.

Wanting to let go to dance...

THE FIRST IMAGE AGAIN: So he let go and she dances!

NOW: This was taken the same day that this last image was taken. This is Natalie pretending to be a "real" dancer.

NOW: This was taken (Monday, June 22, 2009, three years later). Natalie finally takes dance lessons!

...AND THAT'S A GLIMPS OF THEN AND NOW OF NATALIE'S WORLD!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY (a few hours early)

2009-06-23T19:03:00.001-07:00

UPDATE/EDITED TO ADD: Since it isn't Wednesday any longer, I am adding a few words. This was before swimming on Monday (the first day of swimming lessons). Poppa took her swimming while Mimi cooked supper.

First Day of Dance Camp in Photographs...and the story behind them

2009-06-22T14:33:00.001-07:00

OUR LITTLE BALLERINA PRINCESS FINALLY HAS HER FIRST DAY OF DANCENatalie did not wake up with the enthusiams that I expected, but she did wake on up and start eating her ceral after I insisted she get on up. This expression probably best represents how she feels about being up in the morning (when she doesn't wake up on her own).

Not really awake yet...

And if I remember correctly, this was the one when she was telling me that she was TRYING to eat her cereal.

Natalie still trying to eat...Mimi still tring to document our morning.

Natalie's FIRST BALLET BUN...

(I was quite proud of myself...I did many of those when Cari was a little dancer, but I had not done one in a very long time!)

Posing for our little mini session on the porch before leaving...

No, she doesn't have her ballet tight or leotard on. I discovered last night that we did NOT have pink tights. So we had to leave early to have time to go to Payless (the only store that I knew that would open early enough) to buy tights before class. So I didn't dress her in her ballet attire until I bought the tights. Doesn't she look precious in this little tutu. I bought her this for Christmas from gymboree. I think she has really enjoyed wearing it.

I love this sweet little face so!

She getting a little tired of our session and doing her own thing now!

Gotta have an eyelash image, huh?

"CHEESE"!!!!

It was quite stresssful getting there on time. I thought I have plenty of time and was afraid that I would get to Payless to early. They opened at 9:30 and Natalie had to be at Natchez Ballet Dance Academy at 10:00. By the time, I got her there, I had really broken a sweat.

When we got to Payless, she said, "Is this my ballet?" I explained to her that we had to get her tights first at this store. The smallest they had was medium...which for her little then body was really big and bunched up at her ankles. Oh well...it would have to do. We didn't have much of a choice.

She asked the same questions, we got to the dance school. It was so sweet...so precious! She remained excited about being there. I was a little concerned that she would get clingy at the last minute or something worse (like cry). There was a little girl crying when we got in there. So I decided that I would exit as quick as I got her settled before it got contagious. LOL

I asked Graci's (the little one crying) older sister, Mia, to show Natalie where to put her dance bag. When they were walking back into the studio, I over heard the sweetest conversation...maybe it wasn't a converstation, but oh so sweet. I heard her telling Mia, "I never had ballet before!" I am so glad that I overheard that sweet little statement. That's why even though I am behind catching up with my BACKTRACKING blog posts and have much that I needed to do today while Natalie was taking her nap, that I took the time to document this special FIRST in Natalie's life. Hopefully or the next two weeks, I can get a few more photos of her and do one more post with all of them!

I did not take any photos before class since we were running behind. So I saved the for pick-up time. This is her getting her sucker as she is leaving the class. I love Natalie's expression in this one, such a sincere expression for this special day!

Since Miss Mignon wasn't looking we did one more.

These next few images are for for from technically correct. They are from moments that a mommy/mimi photographer gets more caught up in the moment than what she has learned as a photographer. But just the same, they are OUR precious memories!

So I did a little anitque look for this one...

The next one black and white...

The last one was a little better...so I left it in color.

Over the next two weeks is Natalie's dance camp. I hope to capture a few more images to document this milestone in her life and I will capture many for the review next Friday! So between more BACKTRACKING POST and more of this, you have many reasons to stay tuned to NATALIE'S WORLD.

~~NATALIE'S MIMI~~

FIRST DAY OF DANCE OF DANCE CAMP

2009-06-22T05:12:00.000-07:00

Today's the big day! Natalie first day of dance. She will be here the next two weeks to take dance camp at Cari's ballet in Natchez, Natchez Ballet Dance Academy. I am both excited and nervous for her. Every since we took her to see the Nutcracker, she has wanted to be a ballerina.

I am up early going through email, facebook, etc. I need to go jump in the shower and get myself ready because I am bit nervous about getting Natalie up and going. She isn't a morning person at all. She went to bet at a decent time...well, for her...10:00. She is quite difficult to get down and even more difficult to get up in the mornings though I think today will be easier since she will be excited. However, we do have to leave earlier because I need to go get her some pink tights. I thought we had that covered only to discover last night that we didn't.

I have my camera laid out and even though this will be out of sequene since I am still posting all my Backtracking posts. I will try to post something on it this afternoon.

So again stay tuned.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: A dip in the pool...

2009-06-18T22:48:00.000-07:00

"We interupt BACKTRACKING MODE to bring you FLASHBACK FRIDAY today on Friday, June 19, 2008"

LITERALLY: A DIP IN THE POOL

(SUMMER 2006) THE ABOVE IMAGE: I posted this image first because it inspired my title.

These images were photographed June 20, 2006. Natalie was about almost 11 months old. This was the first year we had a pool. So we've had an above ground pool each summer since she was born (not the year she was born..since she was born in the summer). She has enjoyed the water and learning to swim so much each summer. It is amazing how she almost learned to swim w/o any formal lessons. Floaties really teach them to work their body (arms and legs) in the water.

Natalie in her float boat...

She liked it...

...but she liked being in someone's arms more!

Here's the dip again (in order sequence of moments)...

[And by the way: Did you notice how tan this baby girl is? And that's with 50 SPF and only the first few weeks of summer! She is as dark almost as dark as her daddy who worked was working in the sun that particular summer.]

Poppa played in the pool with them too...I just didn't post any of those image.

Poppa reading with her. She loved her picture books! I know she learned to identify things and talk from these books.

I guess she is wondering what Mimi's doing since Mimi is usually the one who reads her books with her...

All that swimming wears a baby out.

NIGHT, NIGHT!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

BACKTRACKING #7: Brooke's Graduation Night (05.15.09)

2009-06-17T17:39:00.000-07:00

BROOKE'S GRADUATION NIGHT I've posted this image already, but it makes a good FIRST/TITLE image.

Back row: Randy; Middle Row: Uncle Dale, Danny (my brother, Brooke's uncle and Natalie's too), his wife, Maria (my sister-in-law, Brooke and Natalie's aunt), and my Aunt Betty (my mom's sister); BOTTOM ROW: Cari and Natalie (you should know them, of course, LOL..actually I think Natalie is on the middle row, but since was leaning on Cari I chose to list her on the bottom.)

Brooke had many extended family members present for her graduation. I guess it makes it easier when much of your extended family live near your graduating high school. Which was also my graduating high school.

I realized earlier in the week that I would be watching my niece graduate at the same high school, Forest High School, that I had graduated at 25 years ago. I've have been sort of surprised that I have not heard from any of my classmates from 25 years ago since we had a 5, 10, 15 and 20 year reunion. I made the first three, but was unable to go to the last one. I knew there would probably be people there that I knew, but I must admit, that since I have gained the 20 pounds back that I lost last year, that I was hoping that I didn't notice anyone or that I wasn't recognized. Before I even got in the door good, someone spotted me and almost knocked me over with a hug. It was very nice to see Rhonda and we even discussed a possibility of a class reunion, but since not summer is almost over, I don't really see it happening this year.

BACK TO THE BLOG POST ABOUT BROOKE'S GRADUATION...

Randy took one of this group with me in this group.

There was several other groups there...the one with Quincy (my other brother and his family) and then the group of my aunts and family from my daddy's side of the family. Then there were the reserved seats for immediate family on the floor. I wished we could have all been sitting together so that I could have had one group shot.

It was very, very hot in the gym. I forgot the gym had not A/C...though it doesn't surprise me. I just didn't remember it being this hot at my graduation. Here is Maria being a very good AUNT MARIA fanning Natalie. And there's cutie Dalton sitting beside Natalie. Natalie was glad to see him there! She loves him so!

Brooke receiving her diploma...
I liked that the principal stopped with each student when the received their diploma for the photo opt. And I wished that VHS would do the same thing. I know my kids go to a bigger school, but it really wouldn't take THAT MUCH longer to stop for a photo.

Brooke and her mommy, my sister, Jackie. Don't they both have beautiful smiles?

That repeat pic...that's worth repeating (in sequence order), Natalie and her Brooke...

Dalton, Brooke and Natalie...

Cousins: Cari and Brooke (The above image is cousins too!)

Natalie wanted to pose for this one...Dalton, not so much!

My family with Brooke:

me, Natalie, Brooke, Randy, and Cari

Cameron and Brittany didn't get to come.

Natalie just had to try on this new accessory.

If you ever need someone to help you open gifts, Natalie will there in a heartbeat!

If anyone is opening a gift, Natalie is never far away. She thinks it is one of her missions in life to "help you".

Finally Natalie seizes an opportunity to try on the whole graduation attire: cap and gown along with all the coordinating accessories!

Showing Aunt Jackie and Brooke...

FRONT VIEW...

Natalie and the "real" graduate!

She didn't eat much for supper so I guess it was time for some chips. I am not sure where the expression came from...it's not one that I am that familiar with, but I love that I captured it!

Natalie posing with Poppa...

That's the end of the images from Brooke's Graduation night. Isn't it amazing as to how much better and how many more you can capture, when it isn't your child (or almost child). The previous two years was Cameron's and then Brittany's. My mom gets a skip year and then another grandchild graduating. It will be Cari's turn in less than two years now. (WOW...less than 2 years...that gives me a lump in throat just thinking about it.)

I also realize that this was Natalie's 3rd graduation to witness. It's funny that I think she even remembers last years' or either she remembers the photos. Because she asked me on the way there if Brooke would be wearing one of those blue suits (meaning blue graduation gowns like Vidalia's). Of course, I explained that Brooke's would be red. Children are so smart, but leave it up to Little Miss Fashion Queen to be wondering about what color it would be!

I still have more catching up to do, but one BACK TRACK AT A TIME! (only 10 more to go!)

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

BACKTRACKING #6: Pics on the Porch (05.05.09)

2009-06-17T11:24:00.000-07:00

MY BEAUTIFUL LITTLE SWEETHEART, NATALIE

This photo shows just how big she has gotten. Yeah, she looks more like a four year old now than a 3-year old. [sniff, snif]
"cheese"

Okay...if the above image is cheese, this one must be "super" cheese!

...and other one!

These images were captured one morning before trip to town to get new library books and a surprize for sleeping in her "own" bed all night. This is one of the little outfits that I got her for her birhday last summer and since it is getting too small and since I never saw her wear it because she moved to BR soon after that, I thought we needed some kind of mini-photo session with her wearing it. She was more worried about leaving here to get her prize and wasn't as cooperative as I desired, but she did "cheese" plenty enough. LOL

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

BACKTRACKING #5: ABC'S in the tub? (05.04.09)

2009-06-17T09:16:00.000-07:00

ABC'S AND A LITTLE FUN IN THE TUB!

Natalie looks a little surprized in this one. Since it has been about 6 weeks ago since I captured this group of images, I don't remember exactly what this moment was, but I am still glad I have it. She looks so sweet and innocent in it.

Here she is being a silly girl. Since she was a toddler, she has enjoyed laying on her back in tub and swirling around. I think at that time (when she first started) she thought it was swimming. Now almost four years old, she is getting a little big for this fun activity in the tub. Too bad we can't easily, quickly, and inexpensively purchase a bigger tub so that she doesn't have to outgrow this activity.

This was the first image that appeared. I took several, but I am only posting one because they were the same. I guess I should have took images as she was doing this. She put all these letters on the wall in order. After she got further down the line, she would sing the song to remember which letter was next.

" A,B,C'S IN MY TUB!"

Can't put the camera up w/o getting some funny faces first.

An image captured during some of her "tub twirling". I love, love it and you guessed it...because of her eyelashes.

A different perspective/angle: It's nice to see things differently from time to time.

Don't you think?

Okay, 12 more Backtracing posts to go...actually 13 because I think I am breaking up #8. I am going to make a Part A and Part B. It's all from the same day, but two completely different activities. So stay tuned.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

BACKTRACKING #4: Picking Wild Blackberries (04.29.09)

2009-06-17T08:01:00.000-07:00

PICKING WILD BLACKBERRIES

OUT ON FROGMORE ON HUNTING CLUB LAND

NATALIE: WHAT'S WILD BLACKBERRIES?

OH! Okay I see now!

[OFF SUBJECT: Notice Natalie's Minnie Mouse Earrings. These were Cari's when she was younger. She recently cleaned out her room getting rid of many things from her "little girl" days such as these ear rings. Much of Cari's trash is a new treasure to Natalie.]

Watch for the thorns/briars. Actually, think Poppa is explaining to Natalie that we pick the BLACK berries not the red ones.

Poppa showing Natalie where some more berries are.

The briars reminded me of this Disney Story, "Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby", a little story book that my kids had or this story "The Laughin' Place and the Wonderful Tar Baby" that is included in a collection Disney Classics book that we have. The note on the story reads, "Adapted from Walt Disney's Motion Picture, Song of the South, based on Tales of Uncle Remus by Joel Candler Harris. Click here to read a short little version that I found online about the Tar Baby. It's a cute little story that rabbit is tricked and caught by his enemy Brer Fox and Brer Bear and how Brer Rabbit used his wits to trick them which in the end provided an opportunity for escape. Natalie loves for me to read this story. I, on the otherhand, do not care to read it that much. It is told in this southern/country/redneck style using words that are not in the english dictionary--words that I do not know how to pronounce. For example: "Nice wedder diz mawnin"." Interpretation: "Nice weather this morning." That I can read...probably in my own southern style, but try reading someone elses! So I don't know if Natalie just likes the story or likes me struggling to read it! LOL

Trying to keep her balance in the "briar patch"...

She thinks she got a briar/thorn somthing in her hand...

She's sure she does now...and using a little dramatic expression to show her pain and anxiety.

She got over it...actually I think I got it out.

Show Mimi you blackberry...

Poppa has a handful for Natalie.

I love this expression!

Posing...I think I can see her hands on her hip.

The End!

This is one of those few times that I didn't overshoot because my battery died. I put the camera up and helped Natalie and Poppa pick berries. I am glad we shared this experience with Natalie, but I don't think we'll be making an annual event of it. She wasn't to impressed with the taste of Wild Blackberries.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

BACKTRACKING #3: Park in Pineville 2 (04.27.09)

2009-06-17T06:58:00.000-07:00

NATALIE'S MELTDOWN

Natalie's mood soon went from this...

...to this.

I always try to give Natalie a warning 15 minutes, 10 minutes and then 5 minutes before leaving. She knew we would soon be leaving, but at the last minute (like after I said time to go), she insisted on showing Aunt Cari something. I proceeded to tell her, No, and that it was time to go. She wouldn't come. In fact, she threw herself down on the sidewalk (I'm sure gently enough that she didn't hurt herself. LOL). When she saw that I was heading to the car without her, she raised her head and yelled for me to wait on her. (the above image)

I wanted to take a photo of Natalie in front of this sign when we arrived, but I decided to wait for many different reasons. One of which was because I had my hands full with sonic snacks and camera bag, but mainly because I knew Natalie wanted to start playing right away. If I had known this was going to happen, I would have taken it first. I was so irritated with her because I really wanted a photo of her in her cute spring dress with the beautiful flowers in front of the park sign. I was pre-blog planning (doing any of you do this?). I was thinking a photo of Natalie with the park sign would be the perfect first photo to do this blog post: Of Natalie's fun day at this park! Oh well, I took one w/o her to use as the first image (shown in the previous post) while she was caught up in her rage and running around the sign. Oh well...life happens.

As a parent, I wanted my kids to be as perfect (especially in public and/or in photos) as possible. I guess I thought it would be a perception of my parenting skills. Gee! Maturity certainly changes many of our perceptions and takes on life not to mention actually parenting a child to adulthood. So as a parent who be quite embarrassed over the outburst in public became the grandmother, who was yet still very irritated and frustrated about it, but also understanding because I knew she had not had her nap and was getting very tired, chuckled about it, smiled at the family looking (that included a grandmother) that did laugh/smile at us and then I PHOTOGRAPHED IT! After all, it is one of those phases of life that I want to remember as well as the sweet, most precious moments. How can we appreciate all those wonderful moments in life if we don't have some like this?

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

BACKTRACKING #2: Park in Pineville (04.27.09)

2009-06-16T19:53:00.000-07:00

Cari got her braces off on Friday the 24th. They squeezed her in so that she could have them off for prom which meant us making another special trip back to Alexandria to get her retainer. Natalie staying here with us here in Vidalia (both set of grandparents) during the last two weeks of school to prepare for and take finals at LSU. So since Natalie had not had a nap, I thought we could play at the park before heading home. The play time at the park would help that nap come easier to her. So after Cari got her retainer, we headed to the Sonic for ice cream and then on to the park.

I had only been to the park one other time when Cari was much younger with her school group as part of field trip, but I drive past every time we go to Alexandria. Since most kids were still in school, there weren't many people there at all. Natalie had so much fun running for one thing to the next. After I finished my ice cream (Natalie decided she didn't want her fries--which was what she wanted instead of ice cream), I got my camera out. [She did, however, eat some of her cold fries on the way home. Children would definitely rather play than eat when they are hungry!]
So of course, I wanted to have a stop and look at Mimi for some of the photos. Action pics are nice, but a Mimi wants to see her beautiful LITTLE SWEETHEART'S FACE.

This photo of her flip flops in the sand seems to say to me: "summer has arrived".

Not to happy about looking at Mimi. She would much rather be swinging. This little girl loves to swing and has since she was very young.

"I AM looking at you, Mimi!"

Much happier here...

Cari still giving me a "closed-mouth" smile in this one. She is still adjusting to the new clear/plastic retainers that she just picked up at the orthodontist.

She loved this school bus.

It was finally warm enough for Natalie to wear some of her spring clothes. We had so many cool snaps that we had to keep going back to her fall/winter clothes. This was one of the cute little dresses that I bought her very early own from Gymobree's Happy Rainbow line. Doesn't it look cute on her. It goes with the same line the she had on in the Easter pics. And yes, we now that she should wear the plaid top with the plaid Bermuda shorts, but Natalie didn't. Brittany told me that she had two sets matched up...the plaid top with the pink shorts and the plaid shorts with another top, but these days Natalie LIKES TO MATCH THINGS. So we are learning to not give her certain choices!

I do not know what this tube thing is called, but it was like modern style seesaw or something. If anyone knows the of this, please comment and tell me. We are clueless. Needless to say it wasn't funless! LOL We had a lot of fun with this. I play on it too.

A GAME OF MONEY SEE, MONKEY DO

This image should be shown first. While Natalie saw her Aunt Cari playing on these monkey bars and insisted that she help her do it!

GAME TWO OF

MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO

Natalie's turn.

...down she goes!

Can't seem to contain her enthusiasm in this one.

Since it was about time to go, I asked Cari to take some pic with Natalie. Sometimes (not always since becoming a teen) she is such a good sport!

At this point she was still having so much fun. That is until I tell her we have to leave. Stay tuned for Part Two at the park.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

BACKTRACKING #1: Easter at Mimi's on Good Friday (04.10.09)

2009-06-16T18:20:00.001-07:00

THIS IS NATALIE'S EASTER WITH US THIS YEAR...

It was on Good Friday. Natalie spend the actual holiday in Baton Rouge with her parents. So this was "our" Eastertime with her.

And as you can tell by the expression, Natalie was very excited about her chocolate bunny that the Easter Bunny left her at Mimi's house. She (like her Mimi) loves chocolate!

And what is Easter without Peeps. You did notice the pink peeps, huh. And yes, they come in pink too! If PINK is an option, I go for it...it's my favorite color, but best of all, PINK IS NATALIE'S FAVORITE COLOR.

He (The Easter Bunny, aka MIMI) also brought Natalie some new items for her doll house that she had gotten for Christmas.

I wanted her to have this little girl to go with the new little girl's bedroom furniture, but it came with this dad. Her doll house that Santa brought her to Mimi's house included a mommy, daddy and a set of boy/girl twins. So I told her this guy was their Uncle Danny (like my brother--aka her Uncle Danny). Since then, he has been Uncle Danny, a big brother and I also think another dad...not sure where that came from (nothing from real life...just a child's imagination).

Since she her 2nd Easter, we have made it a tradition to dye eggs together before Easter Sunday and I knew this would probably be our only opportunity since she was going back to BR.

HER PINK N-A-T-A-L-I-E EGG!

As you can see, she was very proud of it.

Emma came with Natalie and her mommy thus she dyed eggs with us too, the more, the better, huh?

And by the way, Natalie and Emma are wearing old tees over their good clothes to avoid having permanently dyed clothes. Natalie's tee was one her daddy's that she wears to paint, play with markers, etc. She loves knowing that it was her daddy's so much that everytime she wears it that she asks again if it was her daddy's T-shirt. Like the answer will change!

Natalie's Cross Egg (I think Aunt Cari drew it on the egg.)

I always love her serious face when she is concentrating on a task like this.

By Cari's expression, I am guessing that she had just as much fun dying eggs as Emma and Natalie.

She was proud of this one.

Poppa helping Natalie.

I think Natalie is admiring Aunt Cari's egg.

Their unique creation...

Not wanting to pose for Mimi...

Thankfully, she changed her mind! I love this one!

...and this one.

Silly girl or is it Drama Queen!

Another one of my faves from this activity...

Natalie and Emma...

After we colored our eggs, Cari and Brittany hid eggs for Emma and Natalie.

Let the fun begin...

Finally, I get her to look at me and the camera!

More eggs over here too...

and here too...

SHOWING OFF THE EGGS THEY FOUND BEFORE WE EAT THEM!

Next Natalie and Aunt Cari hid plastic eggs from Emma and Brittany. Aunt Cari took these photos for me while I fixed stuffed eggs with the real ones.

Natalie's Mommy (Brittany) posing with an egg she found. Aren't us mommies such good sports!

The egg finders: Emma and Brittany

Natalie's green fingers with her "daddy" egg...

Time to eat some boiled eggs...

Natalie, Brittany and Emma ate a boiled. They only ate the white which gave me more yolk for my stuffing for my "stuffed" eggs. Yes, some people call them deviled eggs, but a long time ago, a christian friend/cousin of Randy suggested calling them stuffed eggs instead. Why give the devil any credit! Great advice and it has certainly stuck with me all these years!

I have no actual photos from Easter day. I did buy me and Cari a new dress and a new shirt and pants for Randy. We went out to eat at Ruby Tuesdays after church, but since I found myself really sad that Natalie was here with us on Easter Day, I didn't take any photographs. I regret it now, but sometimes you just can't help the mood that slips upon you.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

SEVENTEEN POSTS BEHIND?

2009-06-16T18:15:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am 17 posts behind. I just went through my files and realized this. I have a few of them ready so I am going to do my best to start catching up or it's going to end up like Thanksgiving through Christmas--meaning I never get caught up and finally just move forward. I was wanting to go from more recent backwards, but I changed my mind. My next post will be Easter. I just need to go ahead and do this before I forget any significant moments or statements that Natalie said at the time.

So stay tuned for some serious catching up.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

ATTENTION FOLLOWERS:

2009-06-14T06:52:00.000-07:00

[RANDOM PHOTO: SUMMER 2007 (aound the time I started blogging)]

I hate to make a blog post w/o at least one photo so that I searched for a random photo. I thouoght this was appropriate since this captured around the time I started blogging almost two years ago now. Now on to the matter at hand...

I am in the process of playing around with a few updates on my three blogs. If you are currently a regular follower, would you mind joining "my follower's list". If some of you don't, I will have to take it down. It would be plumb embarassing to show only a few followers when people like Nicki and many other more famous bloggers like Macmamma with tons of followers. I know I have many followers though I (we) may not be as popular as some people in my blog community, but that's okay. I like know that I have followers, but I do it more for myself and for my family (though most of them don't appreciate it now...lol).

Thanks!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

FLASHBACK FRIDAY...

2009-06-12T06:20:00.001-07:00

BIKINI BEAUTY

These images were captured about 3 years ago. I emailed them to her daddy while he was off working. And yes, I titled the email "bikini beauty"...thinking he would be expecting something else. He told me this was what he was expecting when he opened the mail....I guess so...it was an email from his mom (not a buddy or something). LOL

~~jami~~

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2009-06-10T05:48:00.001-07:00

MONDAY MEMORY (06.08.09) [last week/weekends highlights]

2009-06-08T10:54:00.000-07:00

WEDNESDAY, June 3, 2009: Natalie spent the day with Mimi. Started her day off at the library, a trip to Wal-mart, lunch with Mimi and Poppa, swimming with Mimi, fell asleep enjoying her new books and after naptime, Natalie enjoyed swimming again.

THURSDAY, June 4, 2009: We got up early to go to LSU to see Cari's camp review and bring her home. Of course, Natalie, had to have her own cheerleader uniform. You'll see!

After seeing this (above image) and being told that she can't go down to the floor yet...

...this is what Natalie did next---

NO, SHE WASN'T A HAPPY CHEERLEADER ANY LONGER!

So I showed her this...

And this is her version...

Finally on the floor with the "real" cheerleaders!

SATURDAY, June 6, 2009: Dalton and Chloe's birthday party in Oak Grove. I wanted to get a photos of Dalton and Natalie. Dalton was too busy playing/swimming/sliding (all of the above?) and Natalie gave me this pose (almost Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue?), but for her very cute (not sexy at all...thank goodness!).

SUNDAY, JUNE 7, 2009: I guess we could get to church on time if I didn't insist on the little mini portrait sessions on the porch before leaving. I really thought I was was doing better yesterday. But after I get in the car, I realized (NOT)! I couldn't resist this one because I thought (unplanned) that Natalie and Poppa coordinated so well. The trim on her dress matched his cotton logo shirt. The hat is almost too small. This is a gymboree set I got her a while back and it was too big. It's a little halter dress that zips on the side that fits snuggly...so it wasn't a dress that could be worn on the big side like a float dress or something else. So finally she gets to wear it...still a little loose, but oh so cute on her! And she insisted on wearing the hat in church too! She doesn't really understand that it's a sunhat! LOL

After we had lunch at La Fiesta, I took Natalie to her other grandmother's house in Vidalia. Randy and I came home and took a much needed nap. What a week we had last week. After our nap, we started cleaning/straightening the house. After several hours of this, while I was back in my room, I heard someone that sounded like Natalie. It was She!

[Friday evening I got out this bag of dance costumes from dance recitals that were Cari's when she was a little girl. I was soooo tired from the day and the previous week that I didn't even take any photos of her trying on each one! She had so much fun. It was fun watching her excitement over these. It made me wonder where was my favorite FIRST costume. I found it, but I wouldn't let Natalie have it. I decided to preserve it (possibly for Cari's daughter) and not add it to the hatbox of Natalie "new" dress up clothes to keep at Mimi's house.]

With that being said, I will go back to what I saw when I came in here: Natalie was wearing one of the costume from Friday night! I was stunned. How was she here and I didn't know and already had on a costume. Brittany said they had been here for about 5 mintues. Man, that little girl is fast! Well, she had to show all these cool costumes to her mommy. Then she insisted that she show her mommy that "blue and pink" one in Cari's closet. She begged to try it on too. Since I am not letting her play with it, I did let her try it on.

This was my favorite pose with it!

Okay, I still have lots of blogging and lots of stories to go with these images, but for now this will wet your appetite for more thus let you know just how busy we've been.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

MONDAY MEMORY (06.01.09): [weekend memory highlights]

2009-05-31T19:22:00.000-07:00

These photos represent some of my weekend highlights that included Natalie. All day Saturday was yard sale day. I specifically asked that Natalie NOT be here for event...she would never let me sell anything. She would think everything that she liked that she had not seen before must be a "prize" for her.

Okay for these particular images...

FIRST IMAGE [FOUR BEAUTIFUL GIRLS]: Today was our ribbon cutting ceremony for newly remodeled church. Natalie doesn't have a clue as to what a ribbon cutting ceremony is...so I include the highlight of Natalie with her Aunt Cari, Alexa and Lauren that I snapped before the ribbon cutting. I did get some photos inside our church. I intended to do so last Sunday (our first Sunday in the building), but I didn't get my camera out of the car. Randy was grouchy by the time we got to church. (Dealing with three girls (me, Cari and Natalie) seems to stress him out for "some reason"!) So I wanted to make sure to get some today. But I will do that in another post. I only did a few with us. I didn't document this occasion as well as Nicki did. Click HERE to see the before and after images as recorded by Nicki (Jonah's mom).

SECOND IMAGE [JONAH'S POTTY TRAINING GIFT]: I bought this pack of gymboree "big boy" underpants a while back that I was going to include with Jonah's Christmas gift that has been riding around in my car since January. Nicki and I had made plans to meet for lunch, but something came up and the opportunity has not risen again. So I thought since big event in Jonah life this past week was potty training...HE NEEDED "I AM BIG BOY GIFT". As you can see in this photo, Jonah love his new "big boy" underwear and Natalie seemed to love them just as much.

THIRD IMAGE [NATALIE "newest" prize--her new Swimsuit]: Natalie showing off her new zebra print swimsuit that I bought before Christmas from gymboree. Yes, along with all the winter zebra print line called Wild One they had a swimsuit. So I bought and saved it. In fact, I lost it--I mean misplaced it, but found it last week.

FOURTH IMAGE [NATALIE'S HANNAH MONTANA POSE?": I wanted some kind of pose with her zebra boots and her swimsuit. And Brittany suggested something along this line from Hannah Montana and this was Natalie's interpretation of it! At this point Natalie was getting really impatient with us. She was ready TO JUMP IN! I do plan to do some kind of mini session like I did in January with the zebra tutu, the boots and this swimsuit. Often my intentions are not followed through thus I wanted to make sure to get this one now. (Just in case I dont' get around to it...imagine that! LOL)

I am putting this up tonight. I can't seem to catch up, but at least I can do this little highlight/sneakpeak for now. Tomorrow will be a busy day for me: getting up early, following the bus taking the cheerleaders to camp, helping Cari unpack and get settled for the next few days ahead of them, and then coming back to see a performance that night at 6:15 and then driving back home alone (which I dread).

Time to get back to straightening up and getting some things ready for tomorrow.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

BACKTRACKING #10: Saturday Fun (05.23.09)

2009-05-26T06:20:00.000-07:00

Above: posing (Mallory Pose--Brittany's friend, Mallary taught her this one!)

As look at these 2 years later and I can't help but remember this was when I could get her to look for the bug in my hair, camera or anything to get natural expressions. Now (July 2011) she just won't fall for that any more.

This was what she said when she had the camera in her hand! About being a photographer (not the others, but she had said those recently!)

MIMI AND HER SWEETHEART!

Cari and Natalie...

Poppa and Natalie...

Making Silly faces...

[I think we were waiting for the boyfriend to show up.]

Natalie and Precious!

3D glasses!

Who looks better wearing them?

NOW CHUCK E. CHEESE...

This is sort of sad...another post that I didn't finish. This is why you should do these right away. I think this was Memorial Day weekend. Cari, her boyfriend, Natalie and Mimi and Poppa went to Alexandria to see a 3D movie (I can't remember which at the moment) and dinner at Chuck E. Cheese. I think it was the first time we took her to CEC.

MONDAY MEMORY

2009-05-26T05:35:00.001-07:00

THESE TWO IMAGES ARE WEEKEND (MEMORY HIGHLIGHTS FROM SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AFTERNOON)

first time in the pool summer '09

ME: "Wait Natalie let me take one picture of you before you in the pool!"

Natalie and her 3-D glasses

Natalie trying on her 3-D glasses for the movie (before the movie).

We had a full day with Natalie Saturday. A day that included her first 3-D movie and then Chuck E. Cheese. Wow we were all exhausted at the end of that day. The next day after church when her mommy and daddy came over Natalie and her parents took the first swim in the pool this summer. (My suggestion for them...not me to do this. I knew the water was still cool after all the rain and cooler weather we've had!) During some spare time over last week, I finised the images that I thought I was trying to finish so that I could catch Natalie's blogging up (imags from Easter). I THOUGHT that was all I had to do and this past weekend's images that I could post and everything and be caught up from Easter until now. Then I realized I had not worked on the images from last weekend, Brooke's graduation and fun at Gigi's and here. So I now I am thinking I may go backwards. Post the last weekend's and over the next week or so post all from the last month until Easter. If I don't I will end up doing like I did at Christmas and finally just skip it all together and proceed forward, which I don't want to do again.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

BACKTRACKING #11: First Dip in the Pool for Summer 2009

2009-05-25T22:57:00.000-07:00

Just realized that I never finished this post. I had the images and the title. So since it has been two years...that's all that this post will have. Apparently two years ago I had the best intention of backtracking a lot of posts (like 17 of them) and I didn't finish. Oh well...at least I still have the images to add! Enjoy!.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2009-05-20T06:17:00.000-07:00

MONDAY MEMORY (weekend memory highlight)

2009-05-18T08:04:00.001-07:00

We attended Brooke's high school graduation Friday night! Natalie had so much fun later in the evening trying on her cap and gown and all the other "accessories"!

I don't know if I will do this every weekend, but I thought of another weekly post: MONDAY MEMORY (a quick post of one image until I have time to get caught up on other posts or finish editing the weekends' images...something to show we're still alive and busy...a image that summarizes our weekend...okay, maybe you get what I am saying!)

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

Kittens at Wal-mart?

2009-05-17T15:57:00.000-07:00

We have kittens that turned 4 weeks old yesterday. And of course, Natalie loves to play with them. She likes to pretend they are her babies. Now tell me, what girl, at some time in their little girl life, didn't play that either a puppy or a kitten was her live little baby doll.

Here's what I over heard while Natalie is trying to keep the kitten in the doll stoller:

"You can't get out because we're at Wal-mart!"

I love it! I just had to share that. If I could mentally process the weekend, I am sure that I could have two or three of these stories to share, but for now that's the most recent CUTE thing she said. Kids really do say the darndest things!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

FLASHBACK FRIDAY (Take 2)

2009-05-15T10:02:00.000-07:00

The above photo screams "Raise your hands, if your SURE!" [SURE deodorant commercial]

Our little crawler...

Natalie wearing her first cotton logo tee (onsie) that we got for her in Memphis a few months earlier. I love the cotton logo and I love that Natalie can recognize it!

Okay, I need to be getting busy packing to go to my mom's for the weekend and for Brooke's graduation tonight. BUT...I couldn't close this folder of Natalie at 9 months old w/o posting a few more faves.

FLASHBACK FRIDAY...

2009-05-15T07:46:00.000-07:00

Natalie at 9 months old.

May 2006

It's so fun to see how much Natalie has changed in three years, but it is also intersting to see how much I have grown as a digital photographer...digital and doing my own enhancements and retouching was still so new in 2006. Though often I still feel like it is so new because I am still learning so much. This first and last image I did some quick retouching today. I absolutely hate to post anything w/o some kind of retouching these days.

(She has just discovered the "thing" on her wrist. So precious!)

This was or mabe not retouched soon after the session in '06. What a difference in the first one and last one.

Happy Baby!

I miss that little baby, but I love the sweet, loving little girl that has grown from that infant/almost toddler that she was in these images photographed on May 11, 2006..

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

TERRIFIC THURSDAY

2009-05-14T12:41:00.000-07:00

I can't seem to find time to finish updating Natalie's World because I can't seem to find the time to finish editing her Easter Pics. I have several blog posts that I want to add, but I confess that I don't have as many as I should because I have been a slacker with photos lately probably because I am already behind and I know it will put me even more behind. But since it had been a week since I posted, I scanned through some folders and came up with an image to post for now. Randy and I recently introduced Natalie to picking wild blackberries in the woods on the hunting club. This is one of my faves from the evening. I do have more that I plan to post soon. As soon as I can, I will share the whole Picking Wild Blackberries story.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY (04.28.09: sneakpeak)

2009-05-06T04:57:00.001-07:00

RECENT CONVERSATION:

2009-05-04T09:48:00.000-07:00

MIMI: Natalie, that kitten won't stay in there. (referring to the doll stroller)

NATALIE: I will make him! I am going to strap him down! (with much enthusiam)

Natalie chasing kitten under furniture after he jumped out of the stroller: "that cat's fast!"

Poor kittens!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

WORDY WEDNESDAY (Part 4)

2009-04-29T14:53:00.000-07:00

NATALIE'S FIRST (actually 2nd) VISIT TO THE LOCAL LIBRARY:

Today after lunch, Natalie and I went to town to run a few errands...one of which was going to the library. We've been reading some old volume collecting books from Sesame Street that I collected when her daddy was about two years old. The one that I read last night was about different jobs or places in your neighborhood (police, baker/bakery, fire fighter, mail carrier, construction worker, teacher, etc.). Librarian/Library was one of the places/people. So I thought what a great opportunity to take her to the local library. I don't have any photos...I still had my camera in the car from taking her to the park at Pineville after leaving Cari's orthodontist appointment yesterday to get her retainer, but I had my long lens...really just too much for the library. So again, I am documenting this special day to me and Natalie through words only (no photos). It wasn't her first time to go and someone else her mom or Nonna may have taken...in fact, she may have go with Brittany to library. It seems like I remember her mentioning it, but I am not sure. It is actually her 2nd time, but the first time she was very young. She around two...I think before her birthday. She was really beginning to enjoy books. So I thought it was time to introduce the library to her. She wasn't as ready as I thought she was. This time she totally understood about being quite at the library. She was all about whispering...well, at first she was. It was very great attempt on her part. I do think she may remember this as one of her first trips to the library. She was so excited picking our her books!

We came home and read all twelve books that we picked out. It was such a special time. She enjoyed all the new stories so much!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

WORD WEDNESDAY (Part 3..."Smooth Away")

2009-04-29T07:58:00.000-07:00

SMOOTH AWAY COMMERCIAL

Who has seen this commercial? It's a product to remove hair w/o a razor.

NATALIE: Hey, Mimi. If you need remove hair, you need to get that!

And I do think she used the word "remove". I am sure because they did! I love they way young children her age believe everything they are told (hear/see, etc.). So Precious!

WORD WEDNESDAY (Part 2)

2009-04-29T07:20:00.000-07:00

BUG IN THE HOUSE STORY

NATALIE: There's a bug in the house, Mimi!

MIMI: Is he alive or dead?

NATALIE: Alive...

MIMI: What do you want me do?

NATALIE: Swap, him, Mimi!

(after walking into the wash room/mud room)

MIMI: Where is it? What does it look like?

NATALIE: It's black and has three toes!

She cracks me up! She can be quite difficult from time to time, but boy can she make her Mimi and Poppa laugh!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

WORDY WEDNESDAY...

2009-04-29T07:11:00.000-07:00

It's official! My Little Sweetheart is spoiled. She woke and has thrown the bigggest fit this a.m. because she has no "package", no "prize". So I guess it is time to slack off so she doesn't expect so much! It makes me sad, but I guess it will soon teach another lesson in life for both us.

Not one of the sweetest moments in life to document, but it was on my mind as she was still whining while in time-out...thus I thought I would share this. No one can be perfect all the time...not even a little sweetheart/princess.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

FLASHBACK FRIDAY...

2009-04-24T05:12:00.001-07:00

Since I am in the midst of still posting Easter pics, I thought this would be appropriate for FLASHBACK FRIDAY since I am in the midst of finish Natalie's Easter photos for this year (her 4th Easter).

Natalie's First Easter...

Don't you just love that expression?

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

NEW LOOK: loving zebra...

2009-04-23T22:09:00.000-07:00

Our Little Wild Child How do you like my new header? I created it myself...I also created that one that I had up for the holidays. Nikki is great! After much frustration, I got it! I changed my blog myself (with detailed instructions....but I think I gonna get this!). I know I have plenty to update, but I just had to figure this out or I knew I couldn't sleep tonight!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY (okay...just a few words)

2009-04-22T05:34:00.000-07:00

Natalie discovering what the Easter Bunny left at Mimi's house on Good Friday (04.10.09).

I know I am behind on posting. I have had one delimia after another lately and not many images to go with the events of our lives lately. Though I do have about 74 from this day. If all goes well, I will try to share soon...though I do have several new sessions lined up for me the rest of this week (and several events for Cari...stay tuned to Worth Remembering to see those events, hopefully soon after the event)...so time may be an issue. But I will try...I really don't want to get any more behind.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

Short update...{playing with Dalton and helping Gigi}

2009-04-14T18:56:00.000-07:00

I haven't felt very good the end of last week and so far the beginning of this week. I am just now adding the images from dying eggs Friday, then finding Easter eggs.

Earlier in the week (April 7th & 8th), Natalie and I spend at her Gigi's house. She had knee replacement surgery on the 2nd. I went to help mom in whatever way I could. I cooked my homemade Chicken Pot Pie. My recipes makes several so we put the other three in the freezer for later. The next day I made my Shrimp Alredo Pasta. I doubled the recipes so they could eat on it for several days. Natalie and I also baked a cake for Gigi too. Natalie picked the cake mix and icing out while we were buying our groceries for my cooking at the market. She picked out a strawberry cake. I suggested some white icing (like cream cheese), but she insisted that we needed strawberry icing too! She really likes for things to match!

The 2nd day while there my nephew, Dalton, came to play with Natalie. She had so much following him around. Imagine this: Natalie was Dalton's little shadow...he played with her and her dollhouse for about 5 minutes, after that they played what he wanted to play outside...from the trampoline to the my dad's dirty shop. Natalie got so dirty. My mom said that she had never seen Natalie that dirty. I told her that I don't think I ever had either. I did not bring my camera...I don't even think a photograph with depict just how nasty and sticky our little sweetheart/princess was. She had to had a good bath when she came in. She had so much fun playing and my family enjoyed spending some time with Natalie too. She is so loving. She has
to make sure that she hugs and kisses everyone when she greets them and when she leaves. You would think that she sees them as much as me! That is definitely my favorite thing about Natalie...she's so loving!

I have no photographs for the memory of these two days, but now that I have posted it, we will remember! I do have photographs of the dying eggs and finding them on Good Friday. I just now put the images on my hard drive...I just haven't felt like myself so I've been behind on getting them off the card and onto the hard drive. I have a session tomorrow so it was time to get my camera ready....so I just now even looked at them. Maybe I will feel better by the end of the week and I can get them edited, cropped and ready to blog. So stay tuned for Natalie's Easter pics.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY--Way Back Whensday...

2009-03-31T20:42:00.000-07:00

I DID IT AGAIN...

2009-03-31T08:21:00.000-07:00

...I posted on the wrong blog. So if you want to see what Natalie is looking at click HERE.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

MISSING YOU MONDAY...

2009-03-29T21:32:00.000-07:00

SWEET POSING NATALIE

My fine art image from this session...

her new spring Gymboree dress...

a sweet "cheesy" smile in her new spring dress...

Okay, it's almost Monday as I type this text for this post. Sometimes I spend just enough time with Natalie over the weekend that I really miss her even more. So instead of doing laundry this day (Sunday afternoon), I mostly watched movies on TV and worked on Natalie's images from last weekend. {I did do "some" laundry just not enough.} I posted most of my favs (about 30) on facebook. If your one of my "facebook" friends you can view the rest of them...I get confused very easily on facebook...they keep changing it! But it is definitetly easier to load several images at one time than blogger. So I just picked a few of my favs that I haven't previously posted here or at Jami Ainsworth Portraits...at least I don't think I've posted any of these yet.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

Weekend Fun..

2009-03-26T07:19:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we had a family day at our house!

We intended to do it the weekend before last weekend, but between the rain, playoffs, cheerleader tryouts, etc, it was put off until last weekend (03.21.08) which was perfect day. We wanted to do crawfish for Brittany's b'day (03.09.08).

Natalie posing and Poppa had to jump in!

okay, one w/o him...

I didn't get any photos of anyone else eating crawfish because I was busy eating them too. Cari and Brittany are slow eaters. Go figure!

Some fun with a baseball after crawfish...

I forgot to change my camera setting thus I got this really overexposed image. I should have deleted it, but since I didn't have another fun shot exactly like this...I played a bit!

The rest are better...

This was my Wordless Wednesday image for this week.

I love this one w/her looking up at her daddy.

"Poppa, swing me!"

He did.

This was another one of those days when it was Natalie told me and her mommy that she had "great fun" again! I love days like this! They are the best!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2009-03-25T06:43:00.001-07:00

WILDFLOWERS: SNEAK PEAK

2009-03-22T16:07:00.001-07:00

The highlight of my weekend: Viewing these images that we took out in the wildflower field after we had fun eating crawfish and playing some basketball. It was such a nice beautiful Saturday. I have many more images from this mini portrait session with my little sweetheart that I hope to create some kind of Easter/Spring Greeting.

I hope you enjoyed a little sneakpeak!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

A FLOWER FOR POPPA

2009-03-20T06:24:00.000-07:00

YES, NATALIE SAID THAT SHE WAS MAKING THIS FLOWER FOR POPPA!

After we put the cake in the oven (from previous post), Natalie asked to play with Play Doh. I really, really did not want to get it out and make the typical mess that is made with that particular activity, but she said pleeeeeze, Mimi! Could you resist that?
ABOVE: Playing with the ice cream play set that she got for Christmas from Aunt Cari!

And yes, that is chocolate around her mouth. Who can bake cake without licking the beaters? Well, not me or Natalie!

The bad thing about this cute little ice cream play doh set that Natalie had seen at Wal-mart and asked for is...not enough sprinkle play doh or chocolate ice cream play doh. Once you start playing, the colors mix and you end of having really funking colors. So since the doh itself isn't really that expensive, I throw it away after it mixes.

Another serious, "I am concentrating" expression!

and a "cheese"

It really is hard to push the lever down...even for Mimi.

Our ice cream creations:

Chocolate cone (see some of the pink mixed in?)

Strawberry with some kind of swirly cherry on top. LOL

Next, swirly ice cream with a pink cherry on top...

I got online trying to see if I could purchase the same play doh that came in the ice cream set: sprinkles, chocolate, etc. I could not find that, but I did find some play doh patterns or instructions...however you want to put it. So I showed Natalie this one that I thought I could do with her....not advanced stuff for this Mimi. (The instructions were grouped: basic, intermediate, and advanced.)

The flower in comparison with her hand.

Poppa posing with Natale since he was very pleased with his flower!

(03.14.08)

That was almost the end of our day last Saturday. Soon after this her Nonna came to pick her up. We had a really nice afternoon together. And I looking forward to seeing her this weekend.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

BAKING A CAKE FOR MOMMY

2009-03-19T13:14:00.000-07:00

CONCENTRATING FACE? Brittany's birthday was Monday before this Saturday (03.14.09). We had plans to boil crawfish for her b'day celebration when they came in that weekend. Well...things change! The VHS basketball team was in playoffs and they decided that they would rather go there...who could blame them. Brittany and Natalie came up the night before so that she and I could go that awesome $2.99 sale at Kellys Kids sale. [Who knew it was like a rock concert ticket sale...we should have camped out there...really people did! We got there about 15 minutes after the doors opened. It was madhouse! Oh well....]

Cari stayed home with Natlie while Brittany and I went to the sale. After we got back home, Cari and Brittany went to the Cajun Dome to see the final game (a loss) with plans to stay the night with them in Baton Rouge. We had plans to meet up at our favorite meeting spot, McDonald's in St. Francisville...to exhange girls. We had to rush back to V'town because Cari's cheerleader tryouts started Sunday afternoon.

But Saturday afternoon was a special afternoon with Natalie, Mimi and Poppa. First we took a little nap...Mimi was exhausted from the Kellys Kids drama (not to mention not sleeping well the night before). We baked a cake and then played with play doh. Then Nonna came to pick her for some time with them. Randy and I enjoyed the rest of evening by out to eat a the Duck's Nest. The next morning I picked Natalie up for her Nonna's house and then headed to St. Francisville.

CRACKING THE EGG...

ANOTHER ONE...

IT TAKES 3 EGGS...

She's actually pretty good at cracking eggs!

MIXING THE BATTER WITH THE WHISK...

POSING FOR MIMI...

SHE THINKS SHE HAS TO DO A SILLY EXPRESSION TOO...

NOW THIS IS GENUINE......because she gets to use the electric mixer. She was actually pretty good with it too.

It's the simple things that can be so memorable if you have photographic images to remind you of the simple fun!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

[BY THE WAY, WE FORGOT TO TAKE THE CAKE TO BRITTANY. MAYBE THAT'S AN EXCUSE TO MAKE ANOTHER ONE?]

WAY BACK WHENSDAY...

2009-03-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

About 3 years ago on a pretty afternoon, much like today, I took my little sweetheart outside. I grabbed the camera and a white wicker chair from my studio. These images were some of my favs.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

2009-03-17T06:57:00.001-07:00

FROM NATALIE!

This photos are in reverse order, but that's okay because I wanted the last one to be first since the first one isn't so sharp! I can't seem to always get a sharp image when dealing with "my family". I had this package fixed and meant to mail to Natalie before the end of the week, but I had forgot. Friday I realized that St. Patrick's Day was Tuesday... after asking Randy to mail it for me when he went to town, I changed my mind. So he wanted to tell her we just mailed it here! I know.. it doesn't really make since. But she loves her packages. And as you can see in this photo [above], she loves to pose too!

After Valentine's I saw these green M&M's on sale...so yes, St. Patrick's Day came to my mind. So I also bought a St. Patrick's Day card the same day (a month before the holiday...so not like me...though waiting to the last minute to send...so much me!).

So I had a package full of green in mind for the St. Patrick's Day surprize: green M&M's, green cash, a cutsie card, and a green dress that I wanted her to wear today. It was probably too cool to wear. I will find out later if she wore it!

Look at the expression on her face! She has seen this dress and wore it once, but you would think it is an article of clothing that she has really been wanting. I love her exuberance!

The not so sharp image: Poppa helping Natalie open her package!

HAVE A GREAT ST. PATRICK'S DAY! I HOPE YOU WORE YOU'RE GREEN!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

One-Year Ago Today, March 16, 2008...

2009-03-16T06:35:00.000-07:00

MARCH 16, 2008

Natalie joined her mommy and daddy in many of their engagement portraits. This was one of my favorites. I think this image will always be one of my favs. They officially became a family approximately two and half months later sharing the same name...our family name!

I love these three so much!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

Sort of Sad Saturday...

2009-03-14T11:59:00.001-07:00

I did the pro-version first. But I wanted to do this with some images that aren't quite professional, but still very precious to me. This is Natalie wearing a dress that was Cari's. It is a precious pink corduroy dress.

And yes...I am going to say it again, it is sort of sad that babies go from this...

...to this in less than three short years.

They grow up so fast. To see SORT OF SAD SATURDAY on Jami Ainsworth Portraits click: HERE!

I've said this before I miss the little baby that she was, but I adore the little girl she has become.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

FRIDAY THE 13th...FLASHBACK FRIDAY:

2009-03-13T05:55:00.001-07:00

This photos was taken exactly three years ago today, March 13, 2006. My! Things can and do change so fast in three years!

Those eyes just melt my heart. You gotta love that she had enough hair for a bow!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY (...I meant 3-Word Wednesday)

2009-03-11T11:03:00.000-07:00

NATALIE AT CARLIE'S BIRTHDAY PARTY!

2009-03-05T15:04:00.001-08:00

ABOVE: NATALIE AND CARLIE

"MUSTARD IN YOUR TEA?"

(The image that inspired the title.)

okay...I did this long post about Natalie at Carlie's Party with a very intersting title, MUSTARD IN YOUR TEA? If you don't blog, I will tell you now..."it is a lot of trouble to re-do this to the appropriate blog"...if there is an easy way and someone knows it, please share. So to read this post, use the link that I provided (the title).

Carlie has appeared many different time:

(each of these titles are links to some fun times with Carlie)

SEPTEMBER 22, 2007 (WEDDING DRESS SHOPPING)

NATALIE'S FIRST TEA (A GIFT FROM CARLIE)

SLEEPING AT THE WATERPARK

I am sure I have other photos from holidays like Christmas, but as you may know...I am not too good as posting Christmas images because I am looney before, during and after Christmas...by the time I re-cover...it's time to move on to Valentines or Easter!

Sorry for the goof up! But, hey! That's me!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

VALENTINE'S WEEK...

2009-02-15T13:52:00.000-08:00

Since it was warm and springlike, I went ahead and sent this Gymboree outfit home with Natalie from the new spring line. I was also suppose to rain this day. This is a darling raincoat. I LOVE EBAY! These are some of the most recent Spring 09 clothes and I got all of them at great prices!

Doesn't she look like a little model?

I showed this idea to B while they were in last weekend. She loved it. I am so glad that she did this since Natalie's Valentines still have not been delivered. [long story that I won't waste yours or my time with] Natalie and Brittany did these to take to Natalie's "school" (daycare) little Valentine exchange thing. [I don't think they really had a party.]

Before they went to school, Natalie had to go to the clinic. A few days earlier, she had to do X-rays. Natalie has had a chronic cough since before Christmas (possibly since Thanksgiving). She's been on antibiotics at least twice, but it won't seem to go away. It's not so bad in the daytime, but each night it gets really bad. She coughs until her eyes look like they are about to pop out of her little face and they begin to tear up. And her face is so red; she looks like she is about to passout!

So of course, we (parents/grandparents) are very concerned. The doctor said this time they heard wheezing, but she could only hear it with the stethoscope. And it had occurred since the x-rays were made. She took a breathing treatment immediately (while at the clinic) and has been on some type of breathing treatment at home for the last few days. Please pray for my little sweetheart...that God heals her of this and with some kind of diagnosis. She doesn't sleep well because of this cough that gets so bad at night...so of course, no one else in the same home does either. It is hard to see your child (I mean grandchild) suffering and you can't do anything about it!

I hope Brittany doesn't mind. I took this from her facebook page. These two were taken at the clinic Friday. They went very early-- then Nataie and Brittany went to their schools.

She is playing with this little doggie that she got for Christmas. I don't remember the name of it, but she really liked it!

I asked Brittany to photograph the candy bars since I wouldn't be there to see them. I am so glad she did so this is one more thing in NATALIE'S WORLD that she won't forget!

This is the back side.

This was all of the ones that she was taking to school (I think).

I don't have any photos of Natalie's gift. I forgot to ask Brittany to take a photo of her receiving it, but I will mention it. I guess I should have photographed it before I sent it...actually I was doing good to get it in the mail in time for her to get on Valentine's Day. I sent it off Wednesday. Usually she gets her packages in 2 days, but just when you are really hoping she will get them quickly...it takes longer. Brittany called me yesterday, when she received it. THIS WAS THE CONTENTS OF HER PACKAGE FROM MIMI AND POPPA FOR HER FOURTH VALENTINE'S DAY:

A Pink Plaque with three pegs for hanging her jackets for her room. It read: PRINCESS (she is poppa's princess)
I found this cute little teddy bear holding a heart that read: SWEET--- I thought this was perfect since the bear was little and she is my little SWEET heart! (the first two items were the sentimental gifts. The rest are "happies" that I thought she would like.)
Dora Mermaid Movie
Pink M&M's
HEART-SHAPED STICKERS THAT LOOK LIKE CANDY [I was thinking these would be good to put on the Valentine envelopes. I was not thinking that at best timing that the stickers would arrive after the party. Oh well...maybe she can still do it now...NO ONE CARES IF THEY GET A PHOTO GREETING AFTER THE HOLIDAY...at least I hope they don't because I am two holidays behind now...LOL!]

I know I am out of order. I still don't have images from our afternoon a week ago at the golf course and I still don't have much from Christmas. I was so hoping to backtrack, but it is so hard to go backwards in a fast moving forward world!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

OUR LITTLE WILD THING (lots of images)

2009-02-14T14:57:00.001-08:00

The above image is the Valentine's card that I created for Natalie to share with her friends at school and for me to send a few late greetings.

When they did not come in quick enough, I re-sized it and printed a few 4x6 for Natalie to share with her friends at school, but the quality of Wal-mart print can be so tacky sometimes and sometimes not. This was one of those times! So they late Greeting for everyone else except facebook and blog readers...YAY! YOU!

Gymboree called this Zebra line "Wild One". I had recently purchased many items (probably way to many) from the previous line, "Sweeter than Chocolate". So I limited my purchases of the Zebra stuff. I couldn't resist the boots and the swimsuit I that purchased before Christmas along with the other winter clothes (pink/brown clothing...sweeter than chocolate) that I gaver her as part of her Christmas gifts.

My new friend who I met through ebay...believe it or not made Natalie's Zebra tutu. Rachel (the friend) has a business out of her home (sound familiar?). She mades tutus, headbands, hats, cute, cute little baby shoes. She made my favorite Christmas Tutu for the studio! The Zebra Tutu was just as darling. Once I got the idea of doing "Wild Thing" for Valentine's, I also orderd her the pink leggins and Gymboree top to go with it. Okay...now I sound like an ad for Gymboree and Punkin's & Peanuts Baby. Actully we are doing ad work for Rachel...too bad Gymboree won't make the same trade-out arrangement with us! That would save me a ton of money! [Check out the link to see more of Rachel's items. Her website isn't finished yet, but you can purchase through ETSY!]

I took Natalie to Duncan Park to create some fun images with intentions of creating her valentine's cards. With no particular ideas of what we would do. Of course, she had to cooperate at her photo session before we could go play, but she really didn't seem to mind being photographed...I am sure I did a few more than she had in mind, but I am so glad that I did and I am so glad that she is much more cooperative about having being photographed than she used to be. Makes it more of a pleasure than a chore!

On NO! I accidently deleted one. These are just a few of my favs. I ended up with 88 that I kept. I plan to post most of them on facebook. So if you happen to be one of my facebook friends you can see more real soon.

Finally she is through doing portraits and we are headed to the car to change into play clothes!

I love her expression in this one

and I love how she stopped and looked over her shoulder at me.

I had soooo much fun swinging. After so many cool days in January, this was our first pretty Saturday. I am so glad that we enjoyed some of the day playing at the park!

I am also very glad that Cari joined up took this photo of me and Natalie. I will treasure it forever. I just love how it shows our excited at the park!

This should be my The End Shot.

But I wanted to include this one of Emma and Natalie. Emma and Brittany also joined us a little later too. It was about time to go by the Emma got there. We had not ate lunch yet and we were ready for our LaFiesta Fix!

SO HAPPY VALENTINIE'S FROM NATALIE AND HER MIMI!

GREAT FUN!

2009-02-09T05:51:00.000-08:00

I haven't even removed the memory card from the camera for proof to back up the title of this post! But trust me it was great! Since I am on this kick about eating healthier and getting more exercise, I have been trying to think of family activities for us to do that does not involve going out to eat. Eating out has been our main hobby for the last 5 years or so and boy does it show! I had thought of bowling, but then I when I realized it was going to be a pretty Saturday, golf came to mind.

Now I am sure you are thinking..."I didn't know Jami played golf." Okay, okay, I don't, but I can take lots of photographs and ride around in a golf cart while others do. I have always told Randy that when the kids grow up (leave home), I will have more time and I will learn then--I know it will be a nice outdoor activity for us to do together. Since we are less than two and half years from the empty next, I really think it time that I take an interest in some things like this for us to do together!

So I had the idea about the golf as stated earlier when I realized how pretty it would be. I told Cameorn to bring his and Natalie's clubs when they came. Cameron has been sick and so they didn't get off that early, but they did get here in time for us to play few holes. It was far from a serious game for anyone. No one (Randy, Cameron or Cari) had played in a while. Brittany and I are great specatators! Randy and Cameron were sure that Natalie would get bored with golf right away. So I thought Casey's kite idea could go along with this one. So Brittany got an inexpensive kite and some bubbles (just in case).

Natalie had so fun playing golf...she was just delightful to watch. Giddy is the one word that would describe her enthusiasm. It was fun for all us to watch her excitement. We did finally get the kite out. The wind had died down...so our timing wasn't the greatest. But Guess What! The wind from a speeding golf cart is just right for flying a small kite. It was hilarious! I don't think we got any photos of that...that is of flying the kite from our golf cart.

[as i was finishing this up, i remember this most special moment that also when I changed the time from "great time to great fun".] AS WE ARE GETTING IT ALL TOGETHER BACK INTO THE CARS, RETURNING THE CARTS, ETC...NATALIE PROUDLY EXCLAIMS "I HAD GREAT FUN!" I get a lump in my throat as I remember the sweetest memory that we shared with her. Great fun...what kind of phrase is that. I think it is a combination of Good Time, lot of funs...but even better was GREAT FUN...from the mouths of babes.

Randy had made his famous brisket the night before...so we came home, I cooked some veggies to go with it. It was a great meal with family in our own home visiting and catching up. Sometimes the best things in life are the most simple! I thank you God for family!

[I will try to add images soon. I know I have been such a slacker lately, but I am trying to catch up and all.]
~~Natalie's Mimi~~

FLASHBACK FRIDAY OR BETTER LATE THAN NEVER...

2009-01-23T17:27:00.000-08:00

I wanted to add something new to Natalie's World, but I don't really have time to go through all the images from the last two months that I need to back track and blog...so I looked at some olders files and came up with these that were photographed two years ago, January 20, 2007.

Before I go any further, I should give credit to the theme name, Fashback Friday. I had actually thought of creating Freaky Friday and find silly images to blog and I still may or maybe I just gave someone else a new idea! But since I have started blogging I like to view certain blogs. From time to time I will randomly look at new blogs or rather blogs that I do not know, but I have a few regulars that I frequently visit and now fell like they are my best blog buddies. One of my favorites is about this sweet baby girl who was adopted. Her mommy is quite inspiring and so in love with her baby girl. Their blog is respectively called "A GIFT WORTH THE WAIT". Today Sara Madalin's mommy started her version of Flashback Friday. She also mentioned being sure to give credit to who she knew started certain things like Way Back Whensday as Nicki did on her blog, The Glenn Gang. I guess I think about things like copyrighted photos, but I had not thought about this...so now you know!

I have used Wordless Wednesday, not sure who started it, but I got the idea from Cristi from Jesus Is. But as far as I know, I created Too Cute Tuesday and Terrific Thursday...but who knows maybe I saw them somewhere to and I don't remember. So if I need to give someone credit just let me know. It is fun to do a little different twist to blog! And thanks to those who gave me and others these new blog ideas.

NOW ON TO THIS POST...

It could be Better Late Than Never since it was two years ago.

At this age, almost 18 months, Natalie loved the Baby Einsteins DVD series. Her favorites was Baby McDonald. She loved watching it over and over. It was so perfect for a toddler, especially one who loved animals and making animals sounds. I recommend all the DVDs from this series. They are so perfect for a child's first experiences with TV.

So when we kept seeing the ads for the AG-EXPO in Monroe I thought Natalie would so enjoy seeing all the "real" animals.

As you can see in this image, she was a little afraid of the "real" chicks!

Awwwwhh! says Cari!

Scared of a tiny chick, but not afraid of Elsie the Cow! Go figure!

Poppa and Aunt Cari are having fun, but Natalie is wondering why Mimi is over in the corner. (taking photos, of course) It was so crowded and so hard to document this through my lens, but I am so glad that I did. It's so neat to look back at these two years later.

Emma came too!

I think she enjoyed it too!

I wish that I could remember what Emma was saying! [That's why you should document/blog your images ASAP.]

Emma is holding the little chick and Natalie still looks scared of it or is she scared that Aunt Cari will drop her because she is petting the baby chick and only using one arm to hold her.

Emma seesm just a little proud to be holding it, don't you think?

on to the goats...

What in the world is Cari laughing at?

Maybe Emma!

I think Emma looks a lot like Brittany in these images. What do you think?

It was a very cool and windy day! Look at Emma's hair in her face. I do remember we didn't look at the tractors and equipment that was outside very long. It was just too cool and it was beginning to sprinkle rain.

I noticed this tag as I was preparing these images for this post. This why I am glad that I am not a farmer...

JOHN DEERE IS CUTE AND ALL, BUT TOO MUCH FOR MY PURSE!

I have no idea why Natalie is screaming. But I do know we didn't get any more photos after this one...I wonder why?

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

Way Back WHENSDAY

2009-01-21T06:55:00.000-08:00

NOT TOO FAR BACK...THIS WAS ABOUT A YEAR AGO! I was asked by the magazine that was going to publish this for the gin show to do some photographs of Randy for the article about him receiving GINNER OF THE YEAR (2008). Of course, I couldn't resist including Natalie in some in hopes that they would use one of them..which they did (by the way).

We did some in the gin office too. Natalie loved the water cooler!

I think she is trying to destroy this crocheted cotton bole.

Disclaimer: Remember she was two yrs. old at this time.

She does "cheese" much better now...

These were photographed January 7, 2008! It wasn't a cold day like today, but very windy like today. [check out Natalie's hair in the first two images.]

~~Natalie's Mimi~~