Happy Fall Y'all!

My last post showed so much about spring and summer. Sprinklers, ice cream, and sweltering heat were the norm for a few months. At the end of August, at the peak of warmth, we celebrated the anniversary of the day my first baby took her first breath. Three years have gone by since that night, when so much changed. Not only did we have a baby, but our lives were jolted into a brand new life. We became more than Katy and Chris. We became Mommy and Daddy.




And this sweet, energetic, unique little being has been busy becoming her own person. She is rambunctious, creative, and so very smart.




I remember a teacher of mine in high school talking about his little girl, and the many things he has learned from her. And he said that his biggest lesson for us was this: If you want to have children to make little versions of yourself, you are having children for the wrong reasons. You will see that as soon as your children begin to grow, they are nothing like you. Because, they AREN'T you.

My little girl is a princess, who needs a break during dance class because she's "sweating and thirsty." She's dainty, girly, and delicate.



And I was a little tom boy. And that is more than okay, because through her strong will and stubborn personality, she teaches me. She teaches me patience, strength, and humility. She's lovely, and I adore her little soul.



And then, there's this.

The surprise of finding out I was pregnant with our second baby when our first was only 8 months old brought so many emotions. I was excited, nervous, eager. But I also had some guilt. Was I taking away Maggie's one chance to be a baby? How would I handle being 9 months pregnant and chasing a toddler? Well..... I'll let you see for yourself.



I can say, without a doubt in my mind, I gave Maggie the greatest gift of all. I gave her a playmate, a best friend, a buddy. And, a partner in crime. I'm paying for the gift everyday with the shenanigans they pull on me, and trust me, they are relentless.

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Bowling Green, Ohio is also known as the "Black Swamp." Who knew, right? I come from the Swamp of all swamps, and move clear across the country to another swamp. Awesome.




There was a lot of this:



And this:



And some of this:






And apparently the Kettle Corn is good. Although, we didn't brave the lines for it. But it smelled amazing!



It was a fabulous arts and crafts festival, with lots of tents showcasing the talent of the local artists. It was a huge event for the town!!

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In completely unrelated news, is this not the most precious pony tail ever?!



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Coming from Louisiana, I never have ever REALLY experienced Fall. Well, I believe its been love at first site.



But wait, there's more:



Its been incredible. Gorgeous weather, windows open, pumpkin pie candles. APPLES, OHHH the apples. Apple turnovers, apple pie, apple butter. Its been a delicious smelling past few weeks.

First experience apple picking was picture perfect. Early morning fog, chilly weather, hot coffee and warm donuts. And the most picturesque apple orchard I had ever seen.




There was so much learning, connecting the dots and complete awe from the girls. You could almost see what they were thinking... "Apple slices = whole apples = apples from the grocery = apples from...here?!"






And as for this picture, no, I did not put make up on my children. Their cheeks were flush from the chill in the air, and what with us being darn near transparent, every little blush shows. But aren't they gorgeous?!



Little blessings:



I can't wait to see what my first winter is going to be like. I'm scared, I'm not gonna lie. But I am so blown away by the beauty of a true Autumn, that I'm a little excited too.

And, for some reason I feel the need to include this: Although the pictures I post are full of happy faces, smiles, and sweetness, that is not to give off the impression that we don't have our bad days. Its just that, well, who wants to read a photography blog about someone having a craptastic time trying to get their three year old to listen? So, just know that I'm in no way trying to portray my life as a seamless transition from family and friends and familiarity to a new life clear across the country. We've had great times and some rough times. I'm terribly homesick, but I've made some great friends and I'm learning and experiencing new things every day. I'm blessed in every aspect of my life, and I try to remind myself of that whenever I feel down. This blog is intended to make the people who read it smile and think of the good times they've had and the ones they love. Hope you've smiled.


HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!