MONDAY MEMORY (06.01.09): [weekend memory highlights]

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~~

OUR LITTLE WILD THING (lots of images)

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!