a truck as a backdrop + giant squirrel

in my last post, i kinda hinted about a blow-up that gary and i had during our spring break travels. it's kinda funny now, it was kinda silly then, but in the end, he obliged and turned the van around when i asked him to stop at a car shop with a vintage studebaker truck in the front parking lot.

i mean, it was pretty obvious is was supposed to be a photo backdrop. but gary doesn't understand the importance of taking pictures sometimes. 

but looky here! the pictures? oh, they're adorable and i'll forever treasure them.

in an attempt to embarrass jonah, andrew always tries to show his affection. by way of hugging or kissing, he always makes jonah push him away. 

it kinda reminds me of my sister and i. she would never eveeeerrrr let me hug her or kiss her. is it a weird relationship? maybe, but they're siblings. the kids will be alright. 

it's interior was so dilapidated and yuck, which was a definitely no from andrew when i asked him if he would get inside. 

jonah? fearless. that's my boy.

that day was so cloudy and not very pretty. the wind was blowing and these two goofballs were just being well, goofballs. perfect little quick photoshoot, if i say so myself.

oh and yeah. another sigh exited gary's breath upon the screeches i made when i saw this giant squirrel. 

what? like we'll ever see another one???! STOP THE CAR NOW! 

come on! it's funny! it's memorable! not to mention they had some delicious fudge :)
happy friday guys! hope you all have a blast!
ps. how is May already here? 

grunter: my nephew

about a month and a few days ago, i took lots of pictures of my only nephew, Leo. this was my first time ever to attempt a photoshoot with a 'newborn'. i knew it'd be difficult....and yep, the process confirmed by fears. Doing a newborn photo shoot is hard!!! 

i don't have the proper lens and my lighting conditions were less than perfect. when i tried doing various shoots without my dslr with my boys, things were even harder, so i'd like to think i've come a little ways in putting my foot in through that door. but don't get me wrong, i am such a noob!

but Leo, i hope these photos are displayed as a symbol of joyful hardships and that your mommy and daddy cherish these simple photos throughout the years. 

by now, he's put on a few more pounds and he looks totally different. 

the photos below were taken outside close to the sun setting on the horizon. 

and one photo of the mandatory sink bath! 

i hope i get to see him again soon. but for now, phone pics & skype will have to do...
oh how i wish texas wasn't so big!

they will outnumber us!

It's official! I've kept it a secret for far too long. From the blogging world and my family {which makes up most of my readers, so it's really all the same}.
I mailed out handmade letters along with photos of the surprise!

We went to our local church to do this photo shoot and it turned out quite nice. The boys are now getting the hang of sitting still and cooperating because it means we get done much faster than if I have to fight them. 

I have had this bun in the oven for 13 weeks!! Do you know how hard it is to keep this stuff to yourself for 13 weeks? Holy bananas. I did it out of respect for my sister who insisted I did not steal her thunder her first pregnancy, which is understandable. {happy to announce also, that baby Leo is home--praise the Lord!!} How dare you steal someone's pregnancy thunder, right?!

we're all about the fake smiles...

So yeah, I have been sick, sick, sick this entire time. Tired as a dog like in the Beatles song. Not to mention, I already popped out. It's a bit ridiculous. But I guess it's what I get when you don't lose the baby fat from your previous pregnancies--haha!
We are SOOOOO happy about this, Witty baby #3 will make its appearance early 2014. I have already explained the baby business to the boys. Mommy's belly will get bigger and bigger {and bigger} and a tiny human will come out. Andrew already takes care of me by not kicking me in the gut, and Jonah already kissed baby. He really just was blowing me raspberries, but a mom can wish, right?
I asked the boys if they wanted a baby brother or sister...in unison they both said no. Andrew claims he already has a brother and he doesn't need another. Jonah said he just would like a baby. Not a sister or a brother.
Well kids, you're gonna get what you're gonna get and you're gonna be happy about it.

They're HERE!!!!

Tia finally emailed me the watermarked copies of our photo session!
They're so cute and memorable, I can't wait to print them out and put them on my wall.

I got onto Andrew for splashing water on his brand new shoes...

We put the boys on a bench with these two colorful lollipops.
Because the lollipop was too big, Jonah kept dropping his and it kept shattering all over the ground...
Meanwhile, Andrew kept licking it and sucking it and kept making the weirdest faces, obviously not the perfect smile for pictures...

Then...we put Jonah in big brother's lap.

He didn't refuse or try to push him down -- he just made more weird faces they almost seemed like he was in disgust...

Love their little shoes hanging off

Andrew: making more weird faces!!!

We tried giving Jonah some leaves to be entertained, but he just began eating them.

I love this shot of Jonah from his beautiful noggin...

Andrew against the fountain and his lollipop.

Hope you all like, I know I did!