valentines day

PhotographyThe Story

Warning: The Cute May Cause Spontaneous Ovulation

by Jill
written by Jill

Last Friday I thought it would be fun to have a couple kids over for a play date (sisters) and have a little photo shoot. I’m at the point in my photography journey that I feel I have enough of a grasp of the technical stuff to exercise a little creativity, and I’m at a place where I’m really excited to exercise that creativity whenever I can.

Unfortunately, my kids are over it. Well, that, and also I’m their mom so there’s that whole, “Really, mom? REALLY?” ‘tude they have going on. Other people’s children, however, find my camera novel and listen like little sweethearts when I tell them to stand there and look here… but DON’T say “cheese!”

So I commandeered my friend’s children and made it sound like she’d be getting a great deal by letting me take their pictures, when really, I was the one who was having all the fun.

Aren’t they the sweetest?!

I was inspired to do (okay, basically stole the idea of) the baking themed shoot from the amazing Ariana from Becoming Mom (who was inspired by Sandy Wagerman of Lucky Ladybug Photography).

I got all the supplies I needed at Target (but of course). The baking supplies and “LOVE” wooden blocks were all found in their dollar section, and the colorful heart backdrop is a vinyl tablecloth from a Valentines end cap in housewares. We didn’t have time to find or make aprons, so we just folded a hand towel (also found in the dollar section) in half and ran a ribbon through it, then tied it around the child’s waist. Though, you really can’t see the apron much in these pictures.

I was glad I got some great pictures of my friend’s children with this set up because I knew mine wouldn’t cooperate with the idea. All is not lost, though. I managed to score this beauty of Kendall, which I turned into a wallet sized card for him to exchange at school.

Fitting, what with his love for all things sports.

Leyna did manage to model her pretty Tea Collection dress.

Have you entered to win that $100 shopping spree yet?

And, overall, she just had a grand time licking and chewing all the new photo props and hanging out with her little bestie.

Oh, and these pictures were taken in front of the floor to ceiling window in our newly enclosed home office. I never realized what beautiful light comes in there most of the day until we put a wall in front of it. Scott doesn’t know this yet, but I’m brainstorming ways to turn it into a home office SLASH mini studio. He’s going to rue the day he ever bought me that camera.

Kendall is 3.5 and Leyna is 1… annnnd they already get annoyed at the sight of my camera. 

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PhotographyReviews

I Gift You Cuteness and $100 to Tea Collection

by Jill
written by Jill

Present #1:

Little miss Leyna, baking up some love and smiles at our fun at-home Valentines photo shoot this morning. The new office we built (pics to come!) is the most amazing little natural light studio space. I’ll show off more of the pictures from the shoot next week, but I adore this dress from Tea Collection that she’s rocking here and wanted to share it now. Also? Look at her all standing up and stuff. And yes, that is a very big bow on her head, and I like it that way.

Now, for present number 2!

Tea Collection is giving a lucky one of you $100 to spend on some of their fabulous clothes! I have never seen clothes like this for babies and little kids before. The quality is outstanding. More expensive than your average baby clothes, for sure, but definitely pieces that will be worn and passed down for many years to come. We bought the kid’s Christmas outfits from them, too (Leyna is wearing her’s here), and received so many compliments on how nicely they coordinated without being matchy, matchy, and how unique they were.

They also have women’s clothes , which are really beautiful. I love me a pretty tunic.

If you’d like to win yourself a little Tea Collection shopping spree, all you have to do is comment below telling me what your favorite piece from their website is.

You can get an extra entry if you like Baby Rabies on Facebook
And another if you like Tea Collection on Facebook

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. I’ll use Random.org to draw a winner at the end of next week.

**Disclosure- I was not paid for this review, but I did receive clothing samples from Tea Collection at no cost. All opinions and pictures are my own.

Contest closed. Congrats to Laura, commenter #145, as chosen by Random.org!

 

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ParenthoodThe Story

The Love of a Practical Man

by Jill
written by Jill

I can count on one hand the number of times he’s bought me flowers, and one of those times he didn’t really buy them as much as he took them from the centerpieces at the end of a wedding he helped his dad cater.

It’s bothered me in the past. Why WHY can he never just buy me flowers?

It’s more of a symbol for other things, I think. He’s not one to really do anything impractical, it seems. He doesn’t like to throw money at things that don’t have a tangible purpose. He just doesn’t get it. Sometimes a girl just wants a stupid, pointless (in his mind), show of love that’s going to die, like a bouquet of flowers.

Our very first Valentines Day together, 10 years ago, he took my Jeep to get it’s oil changed and headlight replaced for me. At the time, I found it incredibly endearing and creative. But as the years passed, and I continued to get such practical gifts, I’m not going to lie, there were times I was annoyed that he wasn’t more thoughtful, less practical, more frivolous.

I’ve come to love him more and more for this side, though. Our many years together have taught me that this man shows his love by all the PRACTICAL things he does for me and his children. And I adore him for that. When I’m having a bad day, he doesn’t ever think to surprise me with jewelry. Instead, he pours me a glass of wine, tells me to sit down and cleans the house for me.

He may not be able to shop for me for Christmas without begging me for an itemized list of specific items I’d like, but every Saturday he lets me sleep in while he makes breakfast with and entertains Kendall.

So this year I really wasn’t expecting too much for Valentines Day. I did, after all, get my amazing Canon T2i camera for Christmas, and my 30th birthday is right around the corner. I figured I would get the standard card and candy.

Imagine my surprise when I came out of the room this morning to find on our kitchen island not only the standard card and candy (and Valentines from Kendall, too), but also a pair of pink Converse shoes.

Shoes I stopped to look at briefly over a month ago, and had long since forgot about. Not only did he make a note in his Iphone to go back and get them, but he also checked the shoes in my closet to make sure he got my size right.

“I was so excited when you said you wanted those! You need new shoes. They’re perfect,” he beamed over the phone this morning when I called to thank him.

I absolutely do need new shoes, and I absolutely love that they are pink.

Expensive? Not at all (on clearance at Target).

Practical? For sure.

Thoughtful? SO VERY.

Flowers? Pshaw. So much better.

Happy Valentines Day. I hope you’re enjoying all the ones who love you today, and ALL the ways they show they love you.

Scott and I have been together for 10 years and 14 days (our first date was 1-31-2001).

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