Three down, one to go...

First things first.....Happy Birthday Mom!!!!! She's the best you could ask for. My girls are so excited it's her birthday, they are digging out the dresses they wore to my nieces wedding to wear for Meem's party! Makenna wants her hair done up with curls and Marleigh is wearing a pajama top with her favorite pink skirt (that she has tried to wear out of the house the last three days in a row) and some striped socks that dont match each other (shaking my head at her shortcomings when it comes to attire).....she did NOT get that from me! I hope we can make Meem's day special - she deserves it so much. She's always up for watching the kids! When she has my brother's/sister's kids, she calls to invite mine over because they all have such a fun time at her house. She keeps all of them overnight often and without hesitation! She is really giving them great memories - I know that for as long as she is there, they will all flock there for comfort and peace as they get older, just like my siblings and I do. I hope her day is special :)

I love that photo of Makenna so much I decided yesterday I really wanted to try to get one of each of the kids that maybe I could love as much. I took out my zoom lens, returned to the same place again (great light on the side of my house) and started shooting each of the boys. I have to admit...I still love Kenna's most but these are awesome and I think if I print them in 12x18 too I might have a nice series :)

First Branden. I have to tell you how blessed this boy makes me feel as a mom. He's awesome!! He's a great kid with a good head on his shoulders. He makes good choices and he gives everything he tries his best. He's good at sports and seems to follow in Jean's footsteps in that he is athletic and works hard for his team. He's a good model for me....he will sit as long as I need him to. He will pose, smile, straight face, wear almost anything I ask of him, etc. A great kid I have!

Next is Cam. I'm totally smitten with this first photo of him. He makes my heart smile so much when I see this. I kept telling him how handsome he looked through the lens and that he was giving me some great stuff for my project. He lit up like this when I said that. This sweet face is a definite keeper. He's my sensitive one...but he's as tough as he is sensitive. The hockey coach called him "Cam, the quiet man Roy". He loves hockey...he's confident when he's on the ice and man are they cute to see skating so well at this age!

The boys like to pose with no smiles. I actually have to tell them when to smile so I find I get the better photos when I let them lead the way with what they want to do. Sometimes I get the silliest looks. Technically this photo is not perfect but I like it....that's all that matters, right?
Now I just have to work on Burgah and getting a good photo of her. Maybe while Kenna is at school today I can get her to the sweet spot for some keepers. I know....I have tons of keepers and what can I possibly do with all these photos....oh, I'll find something to do with them :) I'd paper the walls with my kids if it didnt make me look obsessive.

Today is freebie friday and I have a COOL gift to pass along. I will post it just before 10:00 AM so if you wanna check back!!

Happy Friday!

~kel~

Summer Special!!

STUDIO NEWS: I've been thinking....I'd like to have a special of some sort for summer....because you know I've been WAITING for it to get here!!! I am going to give away THREE (one per family) 11x14 prints ($75 value) with a booked/paid beach session for this summer!! This special cannot be used in combination with other coupons, giveaways or gift certificates. Must contact me to book a date for the session in order to receive this free print...only the first THREE to contact me will get this free print!

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Now the family stuff. My sweet Marleigh is turning into a.....well, she's going to be three this summer and though they say terrible two's....I beg to differ, three is more challenging. For one, the need for independence is a struggle and two...she heckles me!! At dinner the other night, Cam and Kenna were goofing off (its become a regular thing to try to make the others laugh so much they can't speak) and I was trying to get Cameron to eat so we could get to practice (see, me rushing the kids again). I would say something, Marleigh would heckle sarcastically, they would laugh. It made my job so much harder because she really is doing it innocently and trying to be funny.

Because ticks are so common around here now, we are constantly finding them just crawling around. I've picked two from Makenna's head and Im always checking the others when I find one because it creeps me out so much. Marleigh has started saying "Kenna, you have a bug in you hair.....ahhhh, just kiddin" Its so funny!!

Last night I tubbed the girls and helped Marleigh get dressed. When I put her PJ's on (right side out and the front in the front) she said "oh pretty jammies". I said, yah, this is what they look like when you put them on right. Her reply "Oh....and a giggle".

I went to pick Makenna up at school yesterday and was a bit early so I dug my camera out for some candids. These were taken with my long zoom lens (70-300mm). Its the least expensive lens in my bag but because of how cool it looks when the background is blurred, I love to take candids with it - it makes them more interesting to look at.

You know its a great slide when you end on your bottom!!!!

Marleigh has fallen off this rock wall but still climbs it every chance she gets!

I love the look here. Swinging is very serious business.

One more thing....I got that photo of Makenna printed BIG - I went with 12x18 and I LOVE IT! I took a photo of it above my kitchen sink so you could see how great it looks. Larger prints rock!

Have a great day :)

~kel~

How do I "do it"?

I hear it often....people say they dont know how I "do it" with four kids. I thought I'd address this today. I'm assuming when people say that, they mean get things done on a daily basis with four kids and without ending up in jail for murder of one of them or in the psyche ward at the hospital. If I imply at all that my life is like the Cleavers and each day is perfect then I apologize for that. Some days I struggle.....I mean....I really struggle with myself! My kids are lazy, my husband and I both yell at them almost daily and most days a basket of clean clothes will sit on my living room floor, still there from the day before, needing to be folded and put away.

If anyone just pops in on me for a visit, you will see my kitchen floor is covered in crumbs, dirt and old grass from the yard....my counters are somewhere under the piles of mail, school papers and whatever else has just been left there. My home is very modest and really too small for the size of my family so Im constantly trying to improve it so that I can enjoy it a little longer....because I HAVE to. I'm always rushing....rushing to appointments, practices and even just daily errands. It's become such a habit to rush that even when there's no need to rush, and I am getting the kids rallied and ready to leave, the words "hurry up, let's go!" just fall out of my mouth (Jean too).

It has become a habit for my children to sit with a blank stare when told they need to help with something around the house. I end up raising my voice and demanding they do what they are told and my heart is heavy because I've lost control. In my remorseful state of mind, I go to thoughts of the future, my kids with their own children and how we taught them that yelling is okay. Each day I try to change this one thing about me. I know that I am a good mom - you can ask any one of the kids.....they will tell you I'm the best....and then ask them if I yell.....the will lie and tell you that I don't. Maybe its because its so normal for them now they don't see it.

I know I'm no different than most moms and that everything I just wrote is probably familiar to most other families. I do think that my personal outlook on life is what makes people ask. How I "do it" with four is all a state of mind. My childhood growing up with four sibilings and an open door to my friends made my home (mom's home) a comfortable place to be. My mom tells me she yelled all the time when we were kids and though I can recall a few times being upset, I dont recall regular yelling but she says its true. We (my brothers, sister and I) still go there for comfort and peace to relax with our families. I want my kids to always come to my home for comfort and peace.

My kids are lazy but they are kids and it is my job to teach them about responsibilities and priorities....if they grow up to be lazy people, it is my fault for not teaching them better. I am a yeller but it is not constant and I am aware and thankful that I have the ability to refrain from physically hurting my children. I do not yell obscenities although I have been known to cuss under stress (not directed at my children).

I can honestly admit that I wish we were having more children as I feel I have so much love to give and each life is a blessing to the memebers of my family. I can also honestly admit that raising four is lots of work and some days its more than I'm up for but when I go to bed at night and reflect on my day with them, I smile and feel peaceful for the blessings of my kids. Not a day goes by when I dont utter the words "they are so cute". I love their personalities! I feel lucky to be their mom.

So, to sum this up, I don't "do it". I get through my days like everyone else. Most days lots of things on my list of things to do don't get done but in my mind I still feel lucky to have that list and generally the things on it can wait until tomorrow or even the day after. Life is much to short to stress about little things and I try to remind myself of that when I'm feeling a meltdown coming on.

I'm off to clean another spill.......its just another daily occurrence at the Roy house :)

Have a great day!

~kel~

Cabella's comes to Maine!

My brother, who had a birthday yesterday, has recently started working at the new Cabella's that is coming to Maine. He's got his own business installing overhead doors but when things got slow over the winter months (economy), he decided it might be fun to work in a place that brought him back to the outdoors he loves. Cabella's isn't open to the public until this weekend and last night they had an employee night where relatives were invited in too. It was so fun to watch Jean - like a kid in a candy store! He's been really excited about all he's been hearing about the store. I took a few photos of the animals there.....thought this guy was super cute.

We had a little party for Bud in the parking lot...Tina made awesome cupcakes and then after the store closed, we all headed to a burger joint for a quick snack. It was a nice night....something different and the kids really had a great time. Marleigh sang and talked the entire ride home even though it was hours past her bedtime.

I have NOTHING planned for today and it feels great!!! I think I will work on my garden a bit and maybe make a trip to Walmart to see if they have the petunias I like so much.

Have a great day!
~kel~

Happy Birthday Little Brother!!!

I can't believe I closed my post before wishing my brother, Bud, a Happy Birthday! He's 39 and we are the same age for the next two weeks :) When we were younger, it never failed people would ask our ages during this two week period and then ask if we were twins....to which I exploded with a NO only to learned as I got older that they do refer to us as Irish twins because our birthdays are within one year.

When I think about him as we were growing up a few things stick out solidly in my mind....I remember watching him hanging out in the yard with his friends...Kelsey and Jay who, it seemed like they lived at our house most of the time (they were good guys and those are great memories for me). I remember him as a thin kid with sloppy hair and no fingernails because he chewed them to the first knuckle (still doesn't have nails). But, my fondest memory of him is when we lost my dad....though I wouldn't call us close-knit at that time, I will never forget how Bud held my hand on the way to the funeral home. It was a reassuring and comforting feeling to know that he was there for us...stepping up to the plate and taking care of us girls. I will never forget looking down and seeing his nailless hands holding mine...we grew up a lot during that time and I thank him for that memory!

If I had to describe my brother, I'd say he's hard as nails on the outside with a heart of gold for his family and friends. He's a great hunting companion for my hubby and he's so good to my kids. Sometimes we don't see eye to eye but I always know with him I can speak my mind and he respects me more for that.

Happy Birthday Bud!! (Hopefully this will teach him that Im serious when I say I'm blogging this)!!!

My Mother's Day

We were at camp for my Mother's Day. I was happy for Jean, he got some firetime Saturday night and got to hang out with his friends. He went to bed very late but still managed to get up with the kids in the morning. I knew Makenna wanted to serve me breakfast in bed so I lounged until they all appeared at the door. Cameron was holding a tray of Cheerios with a banana. They were all pretty excited but the girls were crazy for the idea that they got to bring me food in my bed! It was really cute! Jean bought me some petunias to hang around the yard and that's what I really like to get and give for Mother's Day so it was perfect.

We packed up our gear from camp, stopped at home to unload and get ready for our busy day. First, we visited with my mom. We keep it simple and have burgers and just hang out. Its relaxing and its kinda hard to leave because its nice just to sit and visit. Jean and Kenna enjoyed some time fooling around. She loves to be tickled.

I took this photo of my handsome hubby with his red, red face. He got a sunburn on Saturday because he didnt expect sunshine at Branden's lacrosse game. Its hard to get in that habit of screening yourself at the beginning of the season. I see the burn relief on the counter in the bathroom so Im sure he'll be good about putting sunscreen on now. Look at his awesome blue eyes with that shirt....and I love his gray hair!

Next we had a birthday party for my friend Tracy who turns 40 this year!!! There is a big group of us that are all turning 40 and we have a huge party planned for June - should be lots of fun. We stopped in for an hour or so to visit with friends and had a nice time socializing there too!

Last stop was my mother-in-laws. When we showed up, my sister-in-law was parked in the driveway and had the back of her van open. She brought all her yard toys and the kids went crazy playing with all the neat stuff she had. Marleigh tried so hard to do things like the big kids. She was too little for the pogo sticks....too little for the stilts....and too little for the jump rope.....but she tried everything anyway. Here she is holding onto the jump rope watching the bigger kids on the other toys with envy.

Aunt Lisa finally offered to hold the jump rope (long one) out for her to be able to jump like the big kids.....look at that delighted look! The first one she's getting instructions on where to stand. Then she jumped and jumped and jumped.

It was a really nice day and I enjoyed it.

Happy Monday!
~kel~

To All Great Women.....

I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day and were surrounded by the ones you love. I had a great day!

I just tucked my beautiful girls into bed after tubbing the yuck of the day off them. While tubbing them, Makenna was acting silly....closing her eyes like she was sleepy/drowsy and making her body go limp (like a baby). As I held her limp body to wash her up I was noticing the way she looked....so helpless and unable to care for herself. It made me stop to think how lucky I am to have healthy children. I started thinking about the experiences that lots of other moms live with every day with children with disabilities....or the moms who have lost a child (young or old). Those moms deserve special recognition on Mother's Day. I don't say this out of pitty....I say this out of compassion and appreciation for their strength for their children and their families. God bless those moms who were given more than any of us think we can handle.

We drive by this tree on the way to camp and I always wonder about the story behind this particular yellow ribbon. It makes me think......and I believe that's its purpose on that tree.

Mom's hug your kiddos extra tight tonight and remember the day you met.

Happy Mother's Day!

~kel~