We got rain! One day. Very short shower. But it was enough to go out and enjoy it. And it had been so long since we had seen rain, the boys couldn’t wait to go ride their bikes in it and go puddle-jumping.
Ben got to attend one more summer camp… at the Cibolo Nature Center. He spent the week going on nature hikes, making casts of footprints, swimming in the creek, learning songs, doing crafts, playing games, and making new friends. He loved it!
The boys went to Lillian’s 3rd birthday party. A swimming event at their house, everyone stayed cool and had a great time. (and Evan enjoyed hiding out in the playroom playing with their trains the entire time)
Emily and I attended the Hill Country Pregnancy Care Center’s Ladies’ Luncheon. A room full of hundreds of Boerne women and wonderful food! We had a great time.
Nathan took the boys to Connor’s 3rd birthday party. And it sounds like they had a blast at the park.
We spent a day at the lake. We paddled the canoe around for quite a while, ate lunch on the water, and did a bunch of swimming and water gun-spraying.
I dropped Ben off at the Boerne Cooking Cottage for a one-day summer camp. It was all chocolates! He said they made several delicious items that they ate during the morning. And he brought home a few things to share with us too.
We made it to the last German concert of the summer.
The boys spent a fews day at my parents’. Sounds like they had a great time hanging out and playing. But they mostly spent time in water (in their pool and at Splashtown). At Splashtown, Ben and Angie spent lots of time in the big kids’ section and going down the body slides. And Granmom and Evan spent their day in the little kids’ area or tubing around the lazy river. They loved it. And they’re ready to go back… or try Schlitterbahn.
With the boys away, Nathan and I got to go out to a nice dinner at the Grey Moss Inn. The food was incredible! And it was sure nice not to have the kids to entertain and shush.
Last weekend, we spent an afternoon at the Malibu Castle. The boys rode the go-karts (even Evan was now tall enough to ride as a passenger), we played putt-putt golf, and we tried out their bumper boats for the first time (and everyone got soaked!).
And I took the boys to Emerald Rainbow Play Center yesterday. So much fun! We spent some time at the train table, jumped in the bounce houses, played mini-bowling, and slid down the huge inflatable slide. And Ben tried the rock climbing wall.
Very busy wrapping up summer! Can’t wait to see what this next week holds…
We were featured in a segment on San Antonio Living on the 4th of July! We offered a great deal with Groupigg… and I was interviewed by CyberBob, to discuss the studio and let everyone know about our special.
Second big deal….
The winners were announced for the Best of the Best again… and we’re one of the top photographers for the seventh year in a row! Silver! So thankful to our clients who keep voting for us and supporting us, but still challenged to get gold next year.
My parents kept the boys last weekend. So Nathan and I got to spend a day out and about. We had a Dream Dinners session in Austin in the morning. We snuck on over to Toys R Us to buy the boys a tee-ball set. And we enjoyed a lunch at the Nutty Brown Cafe on the way home.
Emily and I spent Monday together. Lunch at California Pizza Kitchen was delicious. And an all-day photography and marketing seminar was inspiring. Ready to step it up at the studio!
Tuesday, Ben had an extra permanent tooth pulled. It was considered minor surgery, so it was a big deal. He got a lot of attention and pampering and all the jell-o he could eat… And the tooth fairy gave him $5!
We spent an evening at the creek, enjoying the evening and feeding the ducks.
We had a grea time at the zoo with friends Robert and Lillian. We spent some time looking at animals and walking through the butterfly house. But the best was splashing at the beach area and kicking back with the fish in the aquarium. And, of course, before we left, we all rode the train.
Yesterday was an outing to Fredericksburg. We started at the Wildseed Farms, where we walked the fields, roamed the shops, and bought several pounds of wildflower seeds. Then we had a yummy dinner at Alamo Springs Cafe (some of the best burgers in Texas!). And then we watched the bats emerge from the old train tunnel.
Busy! Exhausting! And with Evan out of school and the boys staying up an hour later, I am losing just over a dozen hours a week to work. It’s no wonder I’m so tired… and behind on everything.
Ben completed four days of Cub Scout camp. He had a blast, getting to shoot bb guns, bowl, swim, do crafts, hike, use slingshots, and try his hand at archery. And what was he really good at? During the last day’s competitions, he won 2nd place overall for bb guns!
Then the boys packed up and left for the Anderson cabin in the Davis Mountains. They had a great week with Nathan, Granmom, and Papa, relaxing, hiking, playing games, and eating Granmom’s wonderful food. While they were gone, I got to work, finish up some fix-it projects, and make a dent in my movie list.
And then, this weekend, we packed in a ton of fun things here at “home”….
Friday, I took the boys to Fiesta Texas. We rode almost every ride Evan was tall enough for, including the kiddie roller coaster and the log ride! Then we picked up Nathan for Kuhl Yogurt. Yum!
Saturday, we all headed out to the movies. The boys really enjoyed Cars 2. Lunch at Red Robin was great! And after a quick trip to Costco for groceries, the boys set up a lemonade stand in the front yard. Thanks to our amazing neighbors, Ben made lots of money in sales and tips!
Yesterday, we took the boys and Angie to the circus (Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus was in town). It was a couple of exciting and entertaining hours of acrobatics, dancing, tight rope walking, motorcycle stunts, trapeze aerobatics, and more. Ben was captivated. So much fun!
And this morning we headed out to Comfort for their 4th of July parade. Lots of candy caught and fun had despite the heat!
As smoothly as Ben’s session went, as good as Ben behaved… Evan was that bad! Two hours, several clothing changes, begging, bribing, yelling, and two lollipops later, I had some great images. What a CUTE little boy! (and when looking at these, you never would have known he was such a toot)
Larry and Debbie hosted the first meal and get-together at their house. We spent Saturday at a park where we fished, played a game of kickball, hung out at the playground, and partipated in the family olympics. Ben and Evan loved being with their cousins and grandparents… and we were happy to leave them with Granmom and Papa for a week.
Adventure #2 (Camp Granmom)
Nathan and I- errands, cleaning, editing, ordering, fix-it projects, phone calls, chores, work. And one really fun evening at the Boerne Cooking Cottage for a cooking class.
Ben and Evan- swimming, playing, and having fun with Larry and Debbie. They got to visit Larry at work and have a couple of dinners out. They went to a Rangers game (where Evan fell in love with the game and now plays baseball every day). They went to a drive-through zoo and got to feed ostriches, zebras, reindeer, and other exotics right from the car. And they got to go to the children’s museum. Looks like they did lots of amazing and fun things there!
Adventure #3 (Vacation Bible School week)
It sounds like Ben had a wonderful time learning about God, going to art and music, and being with friends. It fills my heart to hear him singing the songs he learned this week.
Adventure #4 (Berges Fest!)
Day One- We participated in the parade with a Hawaiian-themed float for Shutter-Happy. We painted surfboards, hung beach decor, and got everyone into tropical-wear. We threw candy and gave out chapsticks. Lots of fun! And after we treated everyone to lunch and a few of us got naps, we headed out to the festivities. Ben played in the Globulez water balls and he participated in the watermelon eating contest!
Day Two- Ben entered the li’l tractor races (and probably got 2nd place), we watched the dachshund races, and we visited the Happy Tails booth. There, the boys got to pet a boa, a bearded dragon, an african porcupine, and a lemur. So cool!
Adventure #5 (Incredible Pizza)
Mandy and I took Mary, Ben, and Evan to Incredible Pizza for a fun afternoon of bumper cars, games, putt-putt golf, go-carts, skee ball, bowling, and buffet! The kids had a great time… and came home with a few neat prizes they won with their tickets.
Thinking back to Father’s Day 2002… I snuck into the bathroom of our small apartment and took two pregnancy tests, both giving positive results. And I got to surprise Nathan with the news of our first pregnancy!
Now we have 8-year-old Ben and 3-year-old Evan. And we’re nothing short of blessed.
First thing this morning we surprised Nathan with a homemade taquito breakfast and gifts (a couple of funny DAD t-shirts for his more relaxed days, a couple of handsome ties in case he ever gets the whim to dress up, and a beautiful framed canvas portrait of the boys for his desk at work).
Then we got to work on making a homemade cheesecake, got in a few Berges Fest activities, ate a delicious steak dinner, and played in the backyard.
Good day! (hope Nathan enjoyed it)
Happy Father’s Day, Nathan… and to my dad, Bobby! Hope you both had wonderful days today! The boys and I love you!
A client inspired me to take on the task of a big family portrait for us.
She had booked and planned the appointment with Emily, told all her family and her in-laws where to be and when, and she made sure everyone was in coordinating colors. They were a delight to work with; their clothing was perfect. And thanks to all the attention to details, we created beautiful portraits and they put in wonderful orders.
So, this past Sunday, since we had everyone in town for Evan’s birthday party, I got everyone into warm reds, oranges, and golds, and we headed to the studio. One standing pose and one sitting pose later, we had two great images! Hot and tired, we didn’t continue on with individual family portraits, but I’m thrilled with what we got.
Thanks, everyone!
We’re going to design our new playroom around these images, creating a warm, happy place for us to hang out as a family.
We drove out to one of the River Mountain Ranch parks, where the kids immediately took to swinging at a Lightning McQueen pinata. After collecting all of the pinata stuffings (water guns, glow-in-the-dark whistles, sidewalk chalk, fruit snacks, and water bombs), everyone changed into swimsuits and headed down to the river with their new water toys.
The weather and water were perfect! The adults got to wade and relax. The kids swam and played games. There were several water gun fights. So much fun!
Dinner was thanks to Nathan- bbq’d fajitas, chips and salsa, and fruit salad.
A delicious cake was decorated with a road, tires, and traffic cones and topped with two new Cars toys for Evan (McQueen and Mater).
Evan loved opening his gifts (a Cars playdoh set, sand toys, a cd player with microphones, a Chuggington playset, and a McQueen suitcase).
And then we headed to our lot to show the grandparents the tree house we had built for the boys a few months ago and to reveal to the boys their new slide, tire swing, and sand box. It was lots more fun. And we left there so late in the day, we had to activate the glow whistles.
THANKS SO MUCH to all who came to the party, for the wonderful gifts, and for all the birthday wishes sent. It all made the day so special.
We’ve been busy going back and forth with our architect these last few weeks. Several changes to and questions about the floorplan and look of the home have led to four revisions… and almost our perfect dream home. We’re very close!
I got to have a ladies’ night with friends Marli, Melissa, and Mandy. We spent a few hours at Chuy’s, visiting and eating. And then we headed out for bowling, finally getting me home after midnight.
The boys treated me to a nice Mother’s Day. A home-made breakfast, cards, and a picnic lunch and swimming at the river made for a relaxing day.
Curington had their bike rodeo. Ben prepared his bike and his skills the week before… and he won 3rd place out of all the 2nd graders.
Marli hosted another ladies’ night at her house, with great snacks, margaritas, and a jewelry party.
I took Ben to the nature center’s Art in the Park. He got to paint a tera cotta pot, participate in a chalk mural, bead a bracelet, create a frame, decorate cookies, and color a dragonfly magnet. And they had a great random playtime with music, bubbles, and instruments.
Evan had his last day of school. For their end-of-year program, he was ready to recite “1, 2, Buckle My Shoe” and sing the two songs. But terrified by the big crowd, he threw himself to the ground to hide and cry. (just like at the Christmas program!) But, he did get a great gift bag from his teachers that he was really excited about- play-doh, sidewalk chalk, sunglasses, fruit snacks, and a water blaster!
And we just got back from a trip to Port A. We stayed at our usual Pioneer RV Resort, in one of their cabins. We spent time at the beach every morning and evening. We hit the pool a few times. The boys rode their bike, big wheel, and scooter. We played with glow-in-the-dark sidewalk chalk. There were water gun wars. Nathan bbq’d. I photographed two portrait sessions. We fed the seagulls. We listened to the band playing at the dance. We enjoyed Granmom and Papa’s company for the days they arrived. And we stuffed ourselves at a wonderful lunch at the Railroad Seafood Station. Yay! for beach weekends!!!
And this was the start of several busy weeks for us. As the temps heat up, here comes our family reunion, summer camps, and trips. Woo hoo!
Two months have gone by since his birthday… and I finally had time for Ben’s portraits! Yesterday, Ben and I packed up a bunch of clothes and headed to the studio. Indoors, outdoors, 8 outfits, and several backgrounds later, I had some incredible images. What a handsome boy!
The sky was beautifully overcast. The crowd was big. And the boys were ready to go!
Ben walked the whole way. Evan walked the big overpass and a block, and then he was fast asleep, passed out in the stroller until the very end.
What an overwhelming, emotional, and inspirational event! All those people coming together to fight to win the war on breast cancer.
More than 28,000 participants raised over $1 million! And there is still time to add to it. Click this link if you would like to make a donation in our name. And thanks to Debbie, who has already donated.
Now, who’s ready to sign up with us for next year?!
Ben and Nathan just had a couple of fun boys’ weekends… while Evan and I stayed home.
Their first trip was the scout Family Advancement Campout. All the boys and families headed out to Medina Lake for camping, swimming, fishing, campfires, and s’mores. And at the campfire, all the boys received their new neckerchiefs, hats, and hadbooks for the next stage of scouts.
Their second trip was to Houston. They spent one morning at the Natural History and Science Museum. Then it was on to NASA for tours, seminars, and a night’s sleep under the “stars.”
And then it was on to celebrating Easter…
Evan and I went to the city Easter egg hunt, and he came home with a handful of eggs and treats. He also had a hunt at school, putting more candy into our stash. Then my parents came over with gifts and another hunt (for both boys), adding more goodies and sugar-highs.
And today we surprised the boys with Easter bunny pancakes for breakfast. Then we went to the studio for bunny portraits. When we got home, they got to use their detective skills as they followed clues through a scavenger hunt that led to their baskets. Then it was on to an egg hunt in the backyard! Later, we headed out to the lot with a picnic dinner for playtime in the tree house, on the trampoline, and on the swings. And then Nathan took the boys to Walmart to spend their money from Nathan’s parents. Ben got a new wii game and Evan got a big wheel! Lots of giggles, gifts, eggs, and chocolate! What could be better? We are so blessed!
We wish you and yours a very Happy Easter. May God bless your family, today and always.
Very sad to leave our home of almost 9 years. But the 7 acres are calling. And the new home is being planned.
$210,000
Bentwood in Boerne subdivision (just behind Boerne High School)
1988 square feet
Brick home
3 bedroom, 2 bath
Kitchen, dining room, living room, and playroom (converted garage)
Fireplace
Laminate flooring
All appliances stay
Covered back porch
.33 acres
Large storage shed/workshop included
Playset with slide, sandbox, and swings can be included
Trees and gardens
Backs up to ranch, just off a cul-de-sac
Not sure if I’m caught up in a whirlwind or spiraling down into a whirlpool, but it has been exhausting here at our house and the studio!
Since Ben’s birthday party….
I went straight back to work and have gone non-stop. The National Model Search was a hit with our clients this year. With 31 kids participating, I could barely keep up and hardly got any sleep this last month.
We started getting our house ready to sell. It took us about two weeks to get all of our clutter and extra furniture packed up and over to a storage unit. We cleaned. We did lots of organizing and some fix-it projects. And now we have a handyman helping us finish the biggest projects.
We’re talking back and forth with our architect. He’s busy finding out who we are as a family, how we function, and what we’ll expect from our new home. And we meet with him next week to see some preliminary layouts that he think we will work for us.
Ben’s had a few scouts meetings. One week, they talked about the earth and our environment. And they planted seeds. One week, they got to go fishing. And another week was a pack meeting… Ben received his rodeo patch!
What else?
I took the boys to the Children’s Museum. Not the best idea for the first day of spring break, but at least we avoided the huge crowds at the zoo and Fiesta Texas! The boys had a blast doing the usual (playing with the balls and gears, the airplane, the shopping center, the trolley, and the front loader). But there were two new sections! They got to experiment with wind, build with blocks, race lego cars, and play with musical instruments.
The boys got to spend some of spring break and then two weekends with my parents and sister. (This is how we got all the packing, cleaning, and organizing done!) They played at the house and in the yard, had trips to their neighborhood playground, went for walks, rode their scooters, enjoyed some eating out… had a great time!
Emily and I participated in our first Boerne Outdoor Family Fair. Despite the cold wind, cloudy skies, and sprinkles, we were able to display our work, offer free fun in our photo booth, and got to give away some great prizes. The turnout? Hundreds of the community. So fun!
And the last day of spring break for Boerne was the day back to school for San Antonio. So we hit the zoo with Marli and the gang and had a great day. We walked the exhibits, saw the animals, and then let them loose at the little tot spot. Other than having five small children to manage (all of which wanted to go in different directions), the kids played very well together and had a good time.
We got to party one night at the Boerne Education Foundation’s gala with Emily, Lewis, Beth, Matt, Alice, and Don (Shutter-Happy staff, past and present). Our two donations for the silent auction raised hundreds of dollars for our local schools. And we got to enjoy a great dinner and dessert!
Ben had a school field trip on Tuesday- Deep Sea 3-D IMAX event and then lunch and field day at the gazebo. Evan had a field trip yesterday- fun with the animals at the farm.
And then, even though the bluebonnets are very sad this year, I had to squeeze in our portraits.
We got rain! One day. Very short shower. But it was enough to go out and enjoy it. And it had been so long since we had seen rain, the boys couldn’t wait to go ride their bikes in it and go puddle-jumping.
Ben got to attend one more summer camp… at the Cibolo Nature Center. He spent the week going on nature hikes, making casts of footprints, swimming in the creek, learning songs, doing crafts, playing games, and making new friends. He loved it!
We spent a day at the lake. We paddled the canoe around for quite a while, ate lunch on the water, and did a bunch of swimming and water gun-spraying.
The boys spent a fews day at my parents’. Sounds like they had a great time hanging out and playing. But they mostly spent time in water (in their pool and at Splashtown). At Splashtown, Ben and Angie spent lots of time in the big kids’ section and going down the body slides. And Granmom and Evan spent their day in the little kids’ area or tubing around the lazy river. They loved it. And they’re ready to go back… or try Schlitterbahn.
With the boys away, Nathan and I got to go out to a nice dinner at the Grey Moss Inn. The food was incredible! And it was sure nice not to have the kids to entertain and shush.
And I took the boys to Emerald Rainbow Play Center yesterday. So much fun! We spent some time at the train table, jumped in the bounce houses, played mini-bowling, and slid down the huge inflatable slide. And Ben tried the rock climbing wall.
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