Grammy and Cupcakes!

So we picked up Grammy this morning and have been running all day. Chance celebrated Fiesta at school with a parade and party. Here is the Graminator in action.   :)

The kids were making "moraccas" out of paper plates and pinto beans. And it didn't take Grammy five seconds before she was in the middle of it all. Look at her GO! Besides, seeing clearly now where Jason gets it :) , I'm also secretly jealous of how she carries her comfort zone around with her. Usually in these situations, I stand in a corner with my arms folded, feeling unexplainably shy about jumping in. I know, it's weird. But today she showed me that it's just a big pile of kids and pinto beans. Big whoop.  :)

Annnnddd....drumroll drumroll drum drum drum... If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know that I have been ON THE HUNT FOR YEARS for a good cupcake shop that delivered. Well, I FINALLY  FOUND ONE!!! They don't have a website, but it's called Kate's Frosting at 210-248-9809. Add the number into your contact list so you can send someone cupcakes on the fly! I just had some delivered to Mallory today. You can swing by her blog if you want to see pictures of the red velvet ones. They said that is their most popular flavor, so Mallory you can let us all know if they were good. San Antonio has needed this for SO LONG!! Yipee!!

Grammy

She gets here in the morning. And I'm not freaking out. Didn't have the carpets shampooed. Didn't repaint every room in the house. I did get groceries though. Because I have to pretend that we don't live on boxed pizzas and chinese take out. Shh... :)

And it's actually all self-inflicted because I couldn't have a more laid back mother-in-law. She just happens to have an impeccably decorated and well-kept house that makes me want to rent a villa somewhere, so she won't see the peanut butter smears on the walls. Oh well, I know she doesn't care. So I shouldn't either.

We're counting down Grammy! The weekend will be crazy fun with Fiesta events at school, practices, games, and Annie's birthday party. I can't remember the last time I saw a movie in an actual theater, so hopefully we'll be able to squeeze in a date night too. Woo for Grammy's that travel all the way from Kentucky to come hang with peanut butter stains!

And that's it for now.  Just wanted to pop in and say hooooooooolllaaaa!!  :)

How they make honey.

According to Annie.

I love this time of year because the jasmine blooms and it smells so good as you walk into the house. Makes me feel like I'm not a complete plant murderer. Because this is what they usually look like.

This one's name is Jesus, because he comes back from the dead all the time.  :)

Thank you for all the happiness you sent over in the last post about me catching up. Turns out there's no such thing. But it's still good in the hood. I'm working on new things. Ideas are swirling. New ways I want to start shooting. Just bought a new website today, so it will be fun cleaning things up and SPRUCING. I think that's my word for the day. I'm a Sprucing Sprucer, watch me Spruce.

Something I have not been able to say in at least a year.

I'm not drowning. I'm not overwhelmed. Orders are placed. Editing is on track. My inbox has less than 20 emails needing a response.

MY LIFE IS NOT SCREAMING AT ME.

I worked all weekend so I could enjoy LA. Then Jason had something come up, and I had to cancel my trip. I was bummed at first. Now I think it was meant to be. I was supposed to feel the somewhat uncomfortable, but also reassuring VOID of being TOTALLY CAUGHT UP. At least for a minute. Because the past three years have been the most intense of my life. I'm not saying that as if it's a tragedy, or to suggest that I would change anything. I wouldn't. But I'm realizing that work has always been the center of my existence. Even as a kid. I never played house, or with dolls. I only liked Barbies if I could be their hairdresser. I was forever "writing books", or selling lemonade, or playing "photographer" or "store". When I was a teenager, I would cut school to work. And in their busy season, I'd stay until 2 or 3 in the morning. Totally stoked to break child labor laws, if it meant buying another pair of daisy-dukes at Wet Seal. Pleather in the front, denim in the back baby.

I guess I've always been good at burning candles at both ends. It's just taken me this long to realize that I can't work the same insane way that I used to when I have three kids that I adore. SO, my resolution (and according to the scale, the only one I have stuck to) at the beginning of this year was to find Balance. And today, in a rather unclimactic, and slightly un-nerving way, I sat down at my desk to realize that I really have taken control of my calendar. And calendars are minutes. And minutes are your life. And not to get all Dr. Phil-ish, but I see so clearly now that saying no, usually means you're saying yes to what you really want or need.

So, I'd love to say that I'm going to go lay in the hammock in the back yard now. But the Void is inspiring me to fill it will the ideas that have been swirling around in the background of my head for months. There are loose ends that need to be tied, and new projects I can't wait to begin. The difference today is that I will spend the afternoon watching the kids ride their bikes and eat popcicles on the back porch.

WOOT. To the fact that it can be done. 

And Aretha says so too. 

*changing the subject, make sure you email me soon if you need a weekend appointment. Right now they're booking into August. Weekdays are booking into late May, early June. Have a great Monday y'all.

The Garzas

This is my good friend Selena and her cute family. She has been coming to me since Logan (the little girl below) was in her belly. Both she and Cary are two of the most easy-going people you can meet. Makes for a fun shoot and great candids. Thanks you guys!  :)

The kids with Grandma. I love Logan's expression.