the final bump.

i have never been really huge on taking cute maternity pics...we've always just done the basic profile snapshot of my growing belly with the other pregnancies. but since little leo will be completing our (biological) family, (god has put it on my heart to adopt someday...but that's another story for another time) i have been very nostalgic with this pregnancy and let my friend who took these pics convince me to do some big ole belly shots. and i am so glad i did. 

this is what 39ish weeks looks like: 

little leo will be here very soon...and hopefully daddy makes it home in time to be here for his entrance into the world. i am super thankful that my mom is here now, so i feel like he can come whenever.

 i can't wait to meet this little person and snuggle his wrinkly skin and squishy face. 

and kiss those little feet that have been kicking and pushing inside of me. 

everything is ready little boy, so you can come now! 

i remember.

today marks the 10th anniversary of 9.11. i remember it well. sitting in my first period class my senior year of high school. someone turned on the tv shortly after the first tower was attacked. we all watched, confused and saddened as the second plane hit the other tower. when we realized our nation was under attack and the news released video of the pentagon in smoke, i remember crying and crying because my brother and his wife, who worked in downtown DC, were so close to danger. my sister and i went home early from school and waited to hear from my brother.

ten years later...and the events of that day still have a direct effect on my life. i am now an army wife, whose husband is in iraq, fighting this war that started on that day...this is not at all what i thought 10 years after 9.11 would look like. americans still fighting...soldiers sacrificing their lives to protect the rest of us from harm.

my heart is overwhelmed with gratitude for those people who lost their lives on that day. for the firefighters, policeman, and other brave souls who gave their lives to save others. and for the soldiers who enlisted out of patriotism and fought in a war that we still haven't won. i have never really considered myself to be patriotic but today as i reflect on all of the 9.11 events, i am proud i live in this country. i am proud of my husband's bravery. and proud we live in a country where we can really stand united. proud that our president can read the 46th psalm and remind us that our country does stand united. under god.

i feel so many different emotions right now...sadness, anger, confusion, bitterness, hope... and thankfulness. this day will never be forgotten.

adventure walk

oh, hi! remember me? i have been so focused on my photog. business that i haven't even posted on our family blog for like EVER. so, i'm sorry about that. 

yesterday was a coolish day. it was the kind of weather that reminds you that fall is right around the corner. mmmm. love fall. we loooove us some fall. i almost put boots on anna grace yesterday, that's how excited i was. the only thing i hate about fall is my allergies going insane, and this year that is starting early...what better way to make my allergies worse than to go on an adventure walk in the country through tall grasses? haha.

but adventure walked we did. i love these trails, you can feel nature-y without getting too dirty. perfect!

i've been doing lots of sessions back on these trails, but anna and will hadn't got to experience them yet.  we had fun discovering things and finding bugs and sunflowers.

will is such a crazy child. he was really in touch with his wildness. :)

i'm so thankful that they are finally getting to the ages where they can enjoy each other. 

will explaining something to anna...maybe something about grass rocketships? 

you can see anna's smile from the back of her head! love that girl. :)

 she's really into rubbing things in her hair. all. the. time. 

she picked off little grass seeds and rubbed them into her curly mane. 

i love watching my babies discover and learn about nature...

i'm not a super nature-y person, but i'm learning. :) so i will learn with them. 

where have i been!?

oh my dear friends, i am so sorry i've been missing from my blog lately! there has been much happening. good and not so good. life is getting crazy, and it's not going to let up.

i had a little scare with the pregnancy this past weekend but thanks to a little hospital stay, an iv of fluids and some other meds, baby and i are healthy and well. i am 30 wks and it's hard to believe that i've got 10 more weeks to go. i'm nervous that this baby is going to be HUGE like his brother. big isn't necessarily bad, but considering i do labor/delivery the good old fashioned drug free way, that scares me a bit. and not to be gross, but the aftermath a 9-10lb baby leaves isn't so pleasant. if you're the praying kind, please pray that this baby comes before it reaches that l a r g e state. and also pray that the rest of this pregnancy goes smoothly and that the next time i'm in the hospital, will be when i meet our new son.

the photo challenge!! oh man, i'm slacking on this one. i will just post all the pics once i upload them. i've been doing other photography things...which brings me to my next exciting announcement...

one of my dreams is coming  has come true. i'm starting up a photography business! it's something that has been in the works for a long time and it's a love i've had since my teens. i'm so excited to announce the birth of my fourth child. hahaha. blue house fotos! check out the website...blog....facebook page and of course, the photos! i'd love to hear what you think about it...and you can be completely honest with me. :)

if you think i'm crazy for starting a business when i'm 30wks pregnant and caring for 2 kids 24/7...i just might be. after the brief hospital vacation, i wasn't thinking i'd launch everything until ryan got home...but it's been coming together so well and i think the timing is perfect.  it will be something to keep me busy until ryan returns because i think the last part of deployments probably goes by the slowest. it's so nice to have something to pour myself into and be excited about. and i can't wait to share this with other people!

so there is the latest update on r. life. :) will be posting new pics from the photo challenge and from july 4th soon!

30 day photo challenge: {days 5-8}

day five: {from a high angle}
my belly at 27weeks...where are my feet?

day six: {from a low angle}
will about to take a step off the playground at yanney park

day seven: {fruit}
mmmm...nothing says summer like watermelon. delish! i personally think the outside of the watermelon is more beautiful than the inside....remember how much i love green? :)

day eight: {a bad habit}
this one was tough...i have a lot of bad habits, but i was trying to think of my absolute worst one...and that has to be cheese. and things fried in butter...thus the crispy-on-the-outside-but-ooey-gooey-on-the-inside grilled cheese that i ate for lunch today. i eat far to much cheese and butter...which is delicious, but so so bad. (at least it's real butter and not that artificial crap. that counts for something right?!)  ;)

are any of you going to be joining me in this venture? hmmmmmmmm?

my first guest post!

hi friends.

today, i had the fun privilege of guest blogging about my life as a mommy of two. lauren bonk, an avid blogger, writer, fellow mommmy and all around all-star, gave me the guest spot on her blog today. :) thanks lauren, for letting me share my heart with your readers!

take a minute and check out her blog! www.laurenbonk.com...if she doesn't win you over with her charming personality, her sense of humor will have you laughing so hard you just might get a side ache. :)

30 day photo challenge {days 1-4}

so i found this pin on pinterest a few weeks back. a thirty day photo challenge. i thought that sounded fun...and challenging. what i didn't realize was how much time it would take. but since photography is my second love, i don't mind.  :) plus it's a great way to practice my skills in shooting and editing. i think this may become an annual summer to-do. and shout out to, kim schukar, for nudging me along. ;) kim is doing this too, she's a few days ahead of me...check out her photos on delightful blog.

day one: {self portrait}
this pretty much sums up how i was feeling that day...lost in a mess of children's toys...and confused as to what i had gotten myself into. :)

day two: {what i wore today}
momma didn't look too hot today...i didn't shower and my hair was all sorts of crazy. i wore: maternity leggings from target, black skirt from h&m, gray tank and maternity knit shirt also from target...and as far as shoes are concerned, i was mostly barefoot all day. (please don't let my unkempt bed alarm you.) ;)

day three: {clouds}
oh the clouds. the beautiful stormy, thunder-brewing clouds of nebraska in the summertime. photo taken out at cottonmill park.

day four: {something green}
green is my favorite color...in case you didn't know. and what's better than the vibrant hue of green grass? nothing. photo taken at the park.

stay tuned for more! 

and if you're wondering if this is something you should do...yes, yes it is. :) 

a summer photo {wipeout}

mmmm...summer. we have been basking in your sunshiny gloriousness.

i've been taking a gajillion pictures lately, not that that's anything new. 

momma's been working her manual settings, baby! 

i'm hoping that practice will make perfect...or close to perfect.

summer means if we are outside, water must be involved. 

lake, sprinklers, baby pool, splash park, a hose. 

water = summer. 

will and anna's favorite park activity, throwing rocks into the water.

these two b&w pics of will remind me that he is growing up. he's turning into a little man.

and there's nothing i can do about it. 

it makes me so thankful for photography...so thankful that i can capture these moments before they vanish...i can remember the little things they do now that i'd otherwise forget about. 

and anna's mud obsession continues...watering the garden and turned around to this:

then she ran through the sprinkler and turned into a wet muddy baby. :)

sunshiny. sprinklers. and an {almost} three year old boy in heaven

 our neighbor gave us this pool...it's hilarious...it barely fits will...but clearly he enjoys it!

splash park!! anna didn't know what to think. she was surprised by a sudden burst of water.

(she's wearing will's old bumblebee swimsuit...with an added flower so you know she's a girl) 

don't let her fool you, she loved it.

the park is much more fun with friends. super tan friends who look so toasty next to pasty will. :)

june is the best summer month in nebraska. hot enough to swim and have the ac on, but not so hot that you can't breathe when you step outside. perfect.

how are you enjoying your june?