I’ve been cheating……………

My new love is a little more handsome, a little more stylish, alot less generic, and hangs on my every word.  It’s a match made in heaven so follow me on over to meet him (are blogs gender-specific?!?!?!) at www.rebeccacoyle.com/blog.  UPDATE your bookmarks and subscriptions because things are going to be D-E-A-D over here in plain blog land but I will keep this one active for those who just can’t let go (and for myself so I can remember where I came from and not get a big head [totally joking]).  ENJOY.

monster b-day party

Yesterday was our monster-themed birthday party.  Let me tell you, I started planning this party back in the fall when I found monster stationary and decided that it would be the basis for R&R’s next birthday party.  I made a monster pinata, made an almost 4ft felt covered monster for “pin the eyeball on the monster”, sewed 20 monster eyes, bought “decorate your own monster mask” kits, bought strap-on monster feet for monster races, blew up 24 monster faced beach balls, and hired a face painter to make the little monsters sweethearts look like monsters, etc………………you get the idea.  It was an elaborate setup and here’s how it went down:  monster races never happened due to a downpour, the monster pinata didn’t break properly so I ripped the damn thing apart with my hands, pin the eyeball was okay but not exactly thrilling, I totally forgot about the monster masks and didn’t even give them out (oops, anyone want to come over for a mask-making craft day!?!?!), and the face-painter who was excellent by the way wasn’t able to convince even one kid to have a monster face instead it went like this………………………..Miss Riley was up first and decided that she wanted to be a (drumroll please)

PRINCESS OF COURSE!!!!!!!  (DISCLAIMER:  All pictures were taken after my 3rd Corona and I’m a major lightweight when it comes to alcohol so I may as well have drank a bottle of whiskey.  Let’s just say, I was feeling good and my composition and focusing was NOT).

Okay, so back to the princess – once my daughter crossed from Monster Land into Princess World, all hope was lost for the rest of the little girls!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Thank God there were some boys there to break up the PinkFest because it was seriously starting to look like a beauty pageant from hell in here!

So anyway, it was a great party and the kids had a ton of fun and I think the adults did too (at least the massive collection of empty bottles on my kitchen counter would indicate that they did) and we are thrilled that everyone came out and had a good time.  I apologize to the kids whose pictures didn’t make it onto the blog but there were some who didn’t want their faces painted and they managed to escape my camera.  Those kids include my little guy who didn’t get one picture taken of him.  Oh well.  I’m now off to take a nap until next year! 

Happy Birthday to you too

Today my little bunny turned 4.  I wanted to post a message for her like I did for her brother on Monday so here it is.  I love you so much too Ri and 4 years ago today, you made me happier than I ever thought possible!!! 

Today was filled with Chuck E. Cheese, shopping, and getting ready for the big monster party tomorrow!  I’ll make sure to post party pics this weekend.

My sweet girl on her bed with her balloon:

So sassy!!!

 

 

She looks almost as jaundiced here as she did when she was born!  haha.

 

happy birthday Rowan!

I can’t believe it but my little guy turned 2 today.  I am in the midst of party-planning hell fun but I wanted to post a special happy birthday wish for my little guy!!!!  I love you so much buddy and I’m glad you liked your balloon this morning (I should have known that you’d play with the balloon more than you will the other $200 worth of toys I bought you). I can’t wait until your party this weekend!  xoxoxoxo

 Poor little guy did a face-plant on the sidewalk yesterday if you’re wondering what’s up with the cut on his chin and the puffy lip.  I could have PSed it out but then it wouldn’t be true to the moment. 

blue-alicious

These kids had the craziest most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen.  They were very sweet, very active, and very tired after our session – you’d be tired too if you ran a few miles after riding a “horse”.  I had a ton of fun with you guys and I really hope you enjoy your sneak peek.

how cute is she?!!?!?!?

and what a great sport she was while her big sister held her!!!

these 2 are almost exactly one year apart – March 9th and 10th – how’s that for precision???

I [heart] this in black&white.

THANKS GUYS!!!

cousins

I think everyone has a cousin that they look up to when they are growing up.  Phoebe was always the cousin that I wanted to be just like.  When she teased her hair up to the moon, I busted out the Vavoom and did the same thing.  When she insisted that she was going to marry Michael Hutchence, I declared that I was in love with his drummer, Jon Farriss.  When she dyed her hair, I dyed mine.  Phoebe had curly hair so I got a perm – you get the idea.  I don’t even hold it against her that I have a permanent scar on my lip from when she kicked me in the mouth doing a cartwheel in our Nana’s house.  Well, Phoebe now has this gorgeous little son of her own who will maybe-just-maybe look up to my boy someday and that would be pretty darn cool!  Noah is the happiest little guy I’ve ever seen and we had an impromptu session at my Nana’s house today.  Fun and look at those beautiful eyes – good Lord!!!!

 

 

LOVE YOU GUYS!  XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

if he can’t have it……

then don’t leave it on my desk.  Rowan was banging on the door to my office/disaster area because he left a toy in there so I asked Riley to open the door for him.  A few minutes went by and the little guy still hadn’t emerged so I came looking for him since my computer room is NOT the safest place for little hands (not to mention his fascination with my shredder which I now keep unplugged ever since my business materials met an untimely demise).  Well this is what he got into and I just can’t resist a good photo-op so here it is!  By the way, I may have to change printers soon if they don’t stop including these goodies with my orders.  They come in handy at the end of sessions but not when sitting on my desk.

How I love those big brown eyes and that one lonely dimple!!!

what do you think of the frame border?  love it/hate it???

she’s got the moves

I came across these pics while proofing their session and it made me laugh.  Mom, correct me if I’m wrong but I think she was trying to show me the moves from a wii game and she had us all cracking up!  I just love how her personality shines through!

Now I remember why…………

I need to hire someone to take pictures of MY family!  I tried to take the kids out for a session today since it was about this time last year that Heidi did ours and I wanted to have something nice for Kevin’s birthday tomorrow.  It is so not easy to do a session of your own kids because I do not have the same patience with my own that I have with other families.  I could not get a picture of the 2 of them together to save my life but I did get some cute individuals such as this one of Riley.  I’ll attach more pics of our not-so-fun-session later!

 

 

What a lucky mom!

You would think that if you made your 2 and 5 year old come out and do a photo shoot in almost 100 degree weather, there would be lots of whining and maybe even some tears right.  Nope – not these two!!!!  There was no way the brutal heat was getting them down!  They brought joy and laughter to the shoot and I sure needed it on a day like today where I would normally be holed up in my house with my beloved central air!!!!

The look of complete adoration Marin is giving her big brother “Gaga” (Logan for the rest of us) is just priceless!!!!

Looks JUST like his Dad here (who, coincidentally, I used to play with when I was about his age!)

Her expressions crack me up!!

This was after I showed her one of her goofy faces on my camera.  Love it!

I hope you enjoyed the sneak peek.  There’s alot more good ones where these came from!  xoxo

Warning to those with high blood sugar

We have such a severe case of sweetness overload that I feel sick to my stomach.    Little Avery is delight and adorable to boot.  Then again with hot parents like this – how can you help but be cute?!?!?!?!?

I wouldn’t normally show this many pictures but I just couldn’t decide which to post and Jeff (www.thejeffsilvateam.com) was my awesometastic realtor so I owe him (or does he owe me….hmmmm?)!

better in color:

or black & white??????

 

 

 

 

when oreos attack

First off, I admit that it’s my fault. They were taking a little break from playing to watch Jack’s Big Music Show (which I LOVE by the way) and I thought I’d also take a little break and work on designing the new blog that I’m hoping to have built sometime in the next millennium. I know I’m a bad mom but I do let them watch tv from time to time while I go do some work and so this is my payback. It’s really not a big deal in looking at this picture but I couldn’t bring myself to take a picture of the real victim – our couch (which we coincidentally had professionally steam-cleaned this morning).  For those of you who are supremely concerned about my couch, I think the stains are out but I couldn’t resist taking this picture of my little guy. He taught me a few very important lessons today and that is 1) he is now capable of reaching anything on the kitchen counters and what he can’t reach, he can get his sister to, 2) he will eat a quarter of a pack of Oreos before coming to show me the mess he made, 3) he inherited his father’s very annoying habit of licking out the center first, and lastly 4) he can flash one of these little grins and all is forgiven!  Why do they look their cutest when they think they’ve been mischievous?!?!?!?

and if you’re wondering why I watermarked a picture of my own son, it’s because my mother keeps trying to illegally download pictures of her grandkids.  Just joking – I just created a new watermark and I was curious to see how it looked. 

Beautiful Family!!

I met up with this family of 5 (6 including Jakey the dog) but they were 4 instead of 5 because this is a surprise for Father’s Day!  What a great idea – everyone should call me immediately and try to book a surprise Father’s Day session (shameless plug). When I say that this family was beautiful I mean it! I’ve never met 3 kids with such unique and sweet personalities. They are all so different from each other but yet there was no bickering or fighting that you’d expect with strong personalities, in fact they were incredibly loving with each other and it was SO nice to see.  I dream that my kids are like that someday.  Ann and Brian, you should be very proud of these guys (and you should write a book to teach me all of your secrets)!!!!!  Enjoy the sneak peak!

I almost forgot to mention that Ann is a v.p. for Arbonne International (check out their herbal skincare products at www.swissnaturals.myarbonne.com) and if her skin is a testament to the products – I’m sold!

I’m usually a “color” girl but I love this in black and white

 

 

My sweet pea

My my my, little Ri has been very cooperative with me lately.  I guess planning her upcoming birthday party is starting to make her think that she better behave lest her party be cancelled.  What would have given her that crazy idea?!?!?!?  I’m only joking – I never threatened to cancel it (afterall it’s Rowan’s birthday too) and that would be just plain mean!!!!!  I’m just happy that she’s been in a relatively happy mood this week.  If the princess isn’t happy, the whole castle isn’t happy!!!

Update:  Conversation with Riley about this post

Me:  Ri, I know you’re sick of pictures but I want to show you this one.

Ri:  I’m not sick of pictures, why would you say that?

Me: because you always huff and puff when I tell you to come look at pictures.

Ri: Well not when the picture is of me.  I like pictures of me! 

3 year olds crack me up!!!!

Session Outtake

I probably shouldn’t post this but I came across this picture while proofing my session from this weekend and I actually laughed out loud for a minute.  Delaney’s parents are the coolest so I’m sure they’ll laugh too.  I just think the expression and the spit-up are hilarious while her parents fuss over getting her dressed.  Kudos to dad for doing such a good job holding the baby (and not getting skeeved over the spit-up) while mom rearranges the tutu.