Suzanne McGrath Photography

Six on Sunday

1.  I had every intention of dedicating the entire day last Friday to working on my website.  That's right.  I said website!  I have the coolest design picked out but now I need to put together my portfolio and everything else that goes along with a website.  However, I was derailed.  Yes, my youngest came down with an ear infection.  That meant she wouldn't sleep unless she was in my arms.  Tried as I might, I couldn't get her to nap in her crib.  Thank goodness we haven't had problems with ear infections - or I wouldn't have four kids!!  (I hope I didn't just jinx myself.)  Her ears are better but now her nose is running like crazy.  Poor baby - I wish there was more I could do for her.  

2.  The other night it was my turn to take #2 and #3 to bed since they share a room.  As I walked down the hall towards their bathroom, I saw it.  I did a double-take.  My 6 year old was brushing my 3 year old's teeth!  She said to me, "Mom, I brushed her teeth because I know how much it grosses you out."  And she's so right.  I don't know what it is, but I almost gag when I have to brush my kids' teeth!  So the next night I was ready with my camera and I caught a couple snapshots...

        

3.  I am coming up with a list of my pet peeves.  I think I could dedicate an entire Six on Sunday to them.  They will be coming up.  Suffice it to say, bad drivers will make the list.

4.  Last night, as #2 was packing for a sleepover, she just cracked me up.  I was supervising to make sure she packed more than just her DS and a webkin or two - a definite possibility with no supervision.  So I asked her to pick out an outfit for today.  She grabbed a pair of brown, velour pants.  Fine.  No problems there.  Then she walked into her closet, grabbed a cream, waffle knit shirt with a hot pink design on it and said, "I'm not gonna match.  I'm just not that girl."  And it's so true.  She wears some of the wackiest clothes and doesn't care one bit!  

5.  I just signed #1 and #2 up for piano lessons.  I hope they like it.  I took piano for 7 years, I think.  I never really loved it but can certainly appreciate it.  It will be strange to hear our piano in use soon.  I think I'll like it, though.

6.  This weekend was our Great Wolf Lodge weekend.  I think this was our fourth trip.  We go every year when it's still cold out.  My parents always come down and my sister and her family stay out there, too.  The kids have a BLAST!  I wasn't really able to take very many pictures this year.  Our room was as far away from the pool as possible and I didn't want to leave my camera on a random table down in the pool area.  But you know, I'm totally OK with that.  No, I wasn't one of those moms who was perfectly made up and walking around with her SLR.  But that's because I was IN the WATER playing with kids!  I wouldn't have it any other way.  I asked the kids their favorite part:

• #1:  "The yellow water slide."
• #2:  "When you (me) played in the pool with us."
• #3:  "The little cool."  Translation:  The hot tub.  Yes, she calls pool "cool". 
• #4:  If she could talk, "The geysers."

Here are the six cousins all together.  The lighting in hotels does NOT bode well for photography.  And I was too lazy to try to compensate.  Afterall, these were just for memories - not display.  

  

This is #3 and dad having a carpet picnic.  Everyone else was still at the pool and #4 was sound asleep in her pack-n-play so we were relegated to the hallway.

    

Well, that's it for me.  Here's to a much less stressful week...have a good one!

Six on Sunday

Sunday.  Time for another installment of Six on Sunday.  This one is dedicated to a work-in-progress.  My basement.

1.  January is truly one of my favorite months.  I know that sounds crazy, doesn't it?  But after all the hustle and bustle of December, it's so nice to lay low for a month.  We don't have a lot of activities other than swim practice which means I can wear PJs almost all day:)  And usually I don't like to do that.  I am always on the go.  I have to leave the house at least once a day.  But not in January. 

2.  Since January is a lay low month, I typically have projects lined up.  Last year found us frantically trying to finish our basement before #4 arrived.  (For the record, we didn't make it.)  We were downstairs virtually every weekend framing it out.  We'd take turns.  Yes, I did just as much as my hubby.  I love doing that stuff - figuring out angles, using the miter saw, wielding a nail gun.  Yep, I can do it all.  

3.  This year is no different - my project was a small, accent wall in the basement.  I tiled it with glass mosiac tiles.  I thought it would be a piece of cake.  (I tend to under-estimate my projects.)  I spent MLK day putting up the tiles.  Then I spent yesterday grouting.  That is by far the worst part of it all.  It bites.  And to top it all off, I ran out of grout.  And of course the only place that had it in stock (The Tile Warehouse - love that place) is not close to home.  So after I bought the second bag of grout, I got back to work.  Of course I had company.  #3 made me popcorn and coffee in her kitchen about 50 times!  I had to turn off the iPod.

5.  So what's left downstairs?  A lot, actually.  I have the layout for an ultra-cool, very modern, floating entertainment unit designed in my head.  That's the next project - so I can actually get the TV out of the box and working!  I plan to put the wii down there and let the kids go to town.  We also need to finish the trim work, paint the doors and trim, put up a door to cover the fuse box, and cover up one of those support poles.  

6.  I'll finish this episode out with a question.  I have this 6 foot by 6 foot room divider.  It's actually the Expedit shelves from Ikea.  It separates the bedroom from the play room in the basement.  What should I put in there?  Since you can see it from both sides, everything has to look good from both sides.  So if you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them!

And since every post should have a picture, I'll show you my tile handiwork.  There's an electric fireplace hanging on that wall.  It's back is mirrored.  And it works with a remote.  Cool, huh?  It's hard not to notice the ugly window.  I need to do something there, too.  Ideas?  Suggestions?

    

  

Six on Sunday

I can't believe how fast a week goes flying by as I get older!  I remember when I was a kid, it seemed to take forever for the week to end, but not anymore.  That leads me to another installment of Six on Sunday.  I think, for this edition, I'll focus on my kids.  I have a learned a lot from them these past few months.

1.  Just because you are driving in the car does not mean you can use inappropriate language.  Your three year old will inevitably tell ALL her friends, "We don't say jackass.  That's a bad word.  Only daddy can say jackass."  She will intentionally say the word out loud.  Multiple times.  This may lead to fewer playdates.

2.  When you make a special trip to Home Depot to buy outlet covers for your 9 month old, don't go cheap.  Because if you do, the aforementioned baby will immediately crawl over to it, pull it out of the offending outlet, and eat it.  This will take approximately 3.5 seconds.

3.  If you swear and then tell your 8 year old not to repeat the word, don't be surprised if she questions you.  "You mean don't say damnit?"  She will say this with a complete, straight face.   (I'm sensing a pattern here.  Hmmmm....)

4.  Be prepared to have the birds and the bees discussion at all times.  This question will come up at the oddest of times - like when you are making chocolate chip cookies.  Your husband will not be any help!

5.  When you need to bunk up a couple of your kids - don't run out and immediately buy bunk beds.  Because if you do, your six year old will decide she's too chicken to sleep on the top bunk and will instead snuggle up to her 3 year old sister for protection.  See?  You could have kept that queen bed in there after all.

6.  When you have four children, the time will go faster with each child.  So by the time you're on #4, you will blink and she'll be 9 months old.  

That leads me to this, my baby turned 9 months old on Friday!  To commemorate such a momentous occasion, I had a little mini-session with her and my three year old assistant this weekend.  Mind you, my three year old assistant was paid in cookies, not dollars, and you really do get what you pay for:)  And so I don't forget all these important moments, a short letter to #4.

My dearest Kennedy,

I can't believe you're 9 months old already.  You are absolutely the apple of our eye.  We all love you so much and your sisters just dote on you!  They all take turns feeding you - I rarely get the opportunity to do so anymore.  We are just thrilled you were sent to complete our family.  You fit in just like the very last puzzle piece - just perfectly you.

What are you doing these days?  Let me make a list (because I'm a list-maker after all!)

• You are crawling everywhere!  You started to sit up and crawl at the same time.  I never got to enjoy that stage where you were sitting but not crawling.
• You are cruising the furniture now.  You prefer to stand.  You will scale anything - even the wall!
• You can climb up the stairs.  This is bad for me.  I can't turn my head for a second.  Luckily, you have three sisters to help me keep an eye on you.  
• You are FINALLY starting to take good naps for us.  We can usually get one 2-hour nap out of you on the weekend.  I love this because I can get some more things done around here!
• You are so very quiet and so very loud.  We will not hear a peep out of you for hours and then when you start talking, watch out!
• You "talk" yourself to sleep.  It's this funny, low-pitched, ahhhhhhhhh kind of noise.  You've done this for months.
• You are officially done with baby toys.  You refuse the saucer and the Johnny Jump-up.  But you love to play with Chloe's kennel.
• You don't cry.  Ever.  Well, except when you have your diaper changed.  

And that, my dear, is you at 9 months old.  I am so very glad we decided to go for #4.  I love you, my baby girl.

              

Have a great week, everyone.           

It's back! Six on Sunday

Back to our regular programming...

1.  Back to work tomorrow and a "normal" week.  The kids were out of school last Wed, Thurs, and Fri. for weather.  However, Wed. was just beautiful!  It was in the 20s and it didn't start snowing until 1pm.  There was absolutely no reason for school to have been cancelled.  However, the big girls enjoyed a few extra days home.  (The little girls still went to daycare.)

2.  #2 was busy this weekend.  She had a sleepover on both Fri. and Sat.  Since she was gone, #3 slept with #1 since she doesn't do well by herself.  That worked like a charm!

3.  I volunteered to help with Girl Scout cookie delivery day this year.  I had no idea it would be in the single digits!  So from 8:00am to 11:30am, I helped unload and load cookies.  Not my idea of fun on a Sat. morning.  (I hate to get up before 7:30!)

4.  We made it to church on Sat. evening.  One of my goals for this year is to make it to church at least twice a weekend.  I know us, and I know every weekend isn't a reality.  So I think this an attainable goal.  

5.  We are sending out New Year's cards this year.  I always strive to send out Christmas cards and it rarely happens.  The cards have been ready for days and days.  However, the letter held it up.  I waited for my hubby to write it.  Then, we were out of toner.  Then, we were out of ink.  It is FINALLY printed off and awaiting stuffing.  Hopefully he gets them in the mail tomorrow - then I'll post a picture of the card.  

6.  I am doing a Project 365 again this year.  It just means I am taking one picture a day and writing a little blurb about it.  Then when I'm done with the year, I have 365 pictures documenting our lives - both the big and little things.  I did it last year and made it well into Aug/Sept.  At that point I slowed down.  I managed to finish it, but there are some empty weeks where I'm going to take pictures of things now and pretend they were from 2009.  So this year, I'm going to keep up with it better.  I hope!  Below are some samples.  Mind you, this project is so not about being a professional photographer.  It's about documenting our lives - so they are almost entirely snapshots.  But that's the great thing about it; there's no pressure.

This is #4 in her snow suit.  Surprisingly, she never minded us putting it on her.  She looked like that kid in A Christmas Story.  It made me laugh - so this is my picture for Friday, Jan. 8th. 

 

This is a picture of #3 (sandwiched in the middle) with her two friends.  Her two friends are the daughters of my good friends from college.  A few times a year we all get together for dinner and to let the kids play.  The girls were playing dress-up in this picture - as if you needed that information!  They have a blast together.

  

Have a great week! 

The Jones family {Overland Park family photographer}

A little background here...we shot these pictures the day after Christmas.  We had a park all picked out and thought it would work well.  Mother Nature, however, had other ideas!  We got dumped on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day - a true winter wonderland.  Therefore, we had to make do with indoor shots.  Given all the people involved, the 26th was the only day open so there was no way to move the date.  So, we made the best of it!  

Laura and Craig, here you go...

      

This one is designed as a 10x20 storyboard.  I love my storyboards!

 

            

What I did over my winter break

Wow!  Does the time fly or what?  I can't believe it's been two weeks since I last posted.  So here are my updates, posted in random, stream-of-consciousness order...

1.  I took a ton of detailed shots of my house with all the decorations - it looked great!  However, I never did manage to post them, so they will have to wait until next year.  Because let's face it, nobody wants to see Christmas decoration pictures now!

2.  I decided on crab cakes and a delicious remoulade for Christmas Eve appetizers.  That part was already decided.  But I can't believe how good they turned out.  They were scrumptious.  And I landed on seafood risotto for the main course.  My kids ate some of it sans the seafood (crazy, I know) and it's pretty easy to make.  It was delicious.  The dessert was chocolate peanut butter pie - yum.

We ate all this after going to mass that afternoon.  Below is a picture of the girls with their Gamma and Papa.  I had about 2.3 seconds to capture anything from them.  They were not in the mood to have their picture taken.

3.  I took some pictures for my friend, Laura, over the break.  I'll be posting those soon!

4.  We took #1 and #2 to Weston to ski.  We wanted to get them excited for our spring break trip to Breckenridge.  I have to admit, the first 30 minutes on the hill were touch and go.  #1 was mad she forgot what she had learned two years ago and #2 couldn't stop.  But we remedied the situation quickly and it was great from there on out.  #1 managed to kamikaze it down the "black" slope and is now officially in love with skiing.  And now that #2 knows how to stop, life is good.  Below are a couple snapshots captured with my birthday present.

    

5.  We went over to #3's best friend's house for dinner one night.  Watching three year olds is hilarious. Check them out watching Tinkerbell...

  

6.  My kids come up with the wackiest ways to entertain themselves.  Case in point...they literally climb the door opening to the kitchen from the living room.  (Well, the empty living room.)  They call it the "Athlete Wall" and test themselves to see how high they can get.  They played this game one day, off and on, literally all day!  

 

7.  Christmas morning was really fun.  Santa Claus came.  The girls each got two presents from Santa.  Well, except for #4.  She doesn't know any different and she doesn't need any toys - we've already got them all!  Here are some snapshots...

      

8.  I love the snow.  It was such a beautiful Christmas this year.  And the girls had a blast playing in it, too.  

    

That's it in a nutshell.  All in all, we had a fantastic break.  We enjoyed being around each other, sleeping in, being lazy, and eating lots of cookies!  I'm just sad it only comes around once a year.

Happy New Year!