PROJECT!!!

WE LOVED having my sister Ashlee here for the entire week leading up to our trip to Florida. She helped SO MUCH (sorry if I'm repeating myself) but I honestly don't know how I would've gotten through the week. AND the boys are completely attached. They had so much fun!

Anyway, aside from all the photography busy-ness, we managed to fit in a few projects as we always do. The first was a picture memory wall right at my entry way. I've been wanting to do this for a year and a half now. WE FINALLY did it. I think I was just not wanting to actually hang the pictures b/c I thought it would be a pain. It took a lot of measuring, but it was worth it... I love it!!

This one was pretty quick. I found some cool fabric that I wanted to recover a couple of barstool type chairs I have in the dinning room. I had extra fabric so I sewed 6 place mats to match.

You can accomplish so much with TIVO playing on the side and the kids in bed!!! Love it. Thanks for coming Ash :)

Memorial Day Weekend - May 2009

This post is about a week old, but better late then never!! I had to incude LOTS of pictures and of course I upoaded them in reverse order (love how easy blogger makes it to upload and rearrange pics by the way :() But anyway, we had the Hyatt clan with us this past weekend and also planned a branch "carne asade party" on Sunday, so our house was packed the entire weekend. The Hyatt's have 5 with one more on the way and I have to say they were a DELIGHT to have stay. Their kids are incredibly polite and well behaved and it was a great time all around. We hit the pool on Monday... a little cold, yes... did the kids mind... NO!!

These are a few from the branch party. We had some major rainstorms last week/weekend and of course the boys couldn't resist the mud. Oh well... I was too busy eating my weight in carne asada and guacamole to care!

A pretty good half group shot!

Presidente A.K.A the grill master

My little family of 4 seemed incredibly manageable after this weekend!!!

Check out these studs...

It's been waaaaaay too busy today, so this is the only posting I can muster!!! Just 2 quick pics of my boys! MORE pics to come soon. Had a photo shoot (more on that later too) and then half the spanish branch over for carne asade.... it was a packed house tonight... My consolation... Florida in 2 DAYS BABY!!!!

Ashlee's Here!!

Just picked Ashlee up tonight and the boys are already attached!!  She is laying w/ Braden right now, though it's almost 11pm and I still hear them talking, so I can only imagine the conversation!!  I am SO HAPPY to have her here this week.  Aside from the obvious amounts of GREAT fun we are going to have, it is going to be a little crazy this week!  Blake is gone almost every night and I have 4 shoots: Wed., Thurs., Sat. and Sun (a catholic baptism... should be interesting!?!?!)  Saturday I have a wedding and we did their Bridals this past weekend.  I posted a few of my favs on the new blog: www.harttohartdigital.blogspot.com  

I also have a few more pics to post from this past weekend w/ Nana & Papa.  They came down for a quick visit and to be here as Blake was called to be the new Branch President Sunday.  That will be a whole different post.  For now, I better sign of and see if I can tear Ash away from Braden's room so we can watch our Tivo'd Dancing w/ the Stars Finale!!!  Goodnight!

Happy Mother's Day - May 2009

I couldn't have asked for a more perfect Mother's Day - it's been fabulous.  Started w/ breakfast in bed.  Then, Blake gave a beautiful talk on Mother's at church.  He gave me a gorgeous lily corsage, chocolate and cooked an amazing steak and shrimp dinner (wow, I think I am out of superlatives!!!).  Thanks to my sweet boys... love you!!

Just had to post a few pics of the Branch's Mother's Day Party.  

Here we are rockin' the Mackarena (sp??)

Braden found himself a little dance partner... oops, with a see through skirt!

I had to post these from my last Sunday in Primary!!  I have been in Primary for the past 3 years and just got released as Primary President.  It was bitter sweet.  I seriously love those kids (and the other ladies in there).  But I will move on... sniff!!!

I love Braden's face here... he can really ham it up!

ANNOUNCING HART TO HART DIGITAL'S NEW BLOG

I AM SO EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THE START OF MY NEW BLOG: 

www.harttohartdigital.blogspot.com

It will be a fun way, apart from the website, to stay connected and updated with my work.  I have lots of new pictures and even a few giveaways.  Check it out if you get a chance.  Thanks :)

HART TO HART DIGITAL IS GIVING A WAY A FREE PHOTO SHOOT - ENTER TODAY ON MY NEW BLOG

I was shooting in a nearby park this Sunday... it was GORGEOUS! I found myself wishing EVERYONE could have the chance to get beautiful pictures taken in this spot. 

We'll, times are tough and I'm doing something I've never done before. I am holding a drawing for a FREE PHOTO SHOOT just because. Good luck. Read all the details below. Can't wait to see who wins. By the way, this is also open to anyone that lives in a state (city) I will be traveling to during my month long travel hiatus, including: Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Florida and of course all North/South Carolinians. 

IT'S A HEADSHOT PARTY

IF YOU LIVE IN CHARLOTTE.... COME!!!  IT'S GOING TO BE A BLAST AND A GREAT EXCUSE TO GET THAT HEADSHOT YOU'VE ALWAYS WANTED.  PLUS... IT'S FREE.  DON'T BE SHY... STOP ON BY.  WE'LL SEE YOU SATURDAY!

Strawberry Picking on Providence Road

This is one of my favorite things about South Charlotte... a family owned strawberry farm right in the middle of Ballantyne -  I love it.  We've been coming for the past few years, so I'm always excited for April when it opens.  We picked tons of beautiful strawberries... now if I just knew how to make jam or something!

Braden is not the hugest fan of strawberries, but Gavin picked and ate SO many of them!!!

SOME SPRING PICS

One of my favorite places to shoot is the Ballantyne Corporate Park.  It is a hidden gem!!  Anyway, Sunday before church we were running early, so I grabbed my camera and thought I would try and get a few pics of the boys and see how things were looking since spring (haven't really shot there since Christmas).  IT IS GORGEOUS there right now.  The perfect, picturesque backdrop.  Now if I could just get two little boys to cooperate!!!

the one and ONLY smile G could muster

DAY OF SERVICE - ARPIL 2009!!!

Hooray for the Day of Service!!!  This was a "region wide" service effort ranging from Florida (yes, my Parents were the HEAD of their committee and spent HOURS AND HOURS on their particular project) to NC, GA, VA, SC and any other states there in between (if I missed any).  Each Stake came up w/ their own service project... ours was a food drive.  I was the rep from our Branch and it turned out very successful.  We collected 3,500 bags of food for the Catawba food bank.  There were also Habitat for Humanity projects going on on the side.  Blake participated in helping building a house on Sat.  Here are a few pics of the food drop off.  Braden actually LOVED helping!!  

and Gavin just thought he would rest for a while....

The Waxhaw 5K

Last Friday a friend of mine from the neighborhood got a group of girls together to run a 5K in a cute little community close to ours.  The biggest appeal to me was that it was in the evening on a gorgeous day.  I hate running in the morning (well, I really don't like running period) but it wasn't too bad.  I don't want to make a big deal of it, because a 5k probably sounds pretty wimpy to most people!!!  But it was fun to do and I didn't stop running (which was my goal) and it was a good step towards my 1/2 marathon goal!!!

Easter Festivities - April 2009

(Still in FL).  Saturday my parents ward had a fun little Easter Egg Hunt.  I have to say, this is the first year Braden really GOT it... that was fun to see!  Gavin even enjoyed the "hunt" as well.  The rest of Easter Weekend is out of order and I'm way to annoyed w/ how hard it is to re-order pics in blogger... so oh well... here they are:

THIS EQUALS =

THIS!!!

A word about matching.  Growing up my mom loved to have her 4 girls matching.  I'm talking EVERY holiday and lot's of time in between.  It is just sort of a tradition (and Blake doesn't even flinch about it any more!!!!).  So, yes, it is a little odd to see 5 grown women (we can't forget about cuzin 'Tina) walk into church totally matching... but this is one tradition you don't touch and matchy matchy it is!! And even though when I was 13 - 17yrs. it wasn't my favorite thing in the world... I LOVE it now :) and I LOVE you Mom, you hot thing!

Easter morning... we all found our baskets... and thank goodness, not a single one got cooked in the oven this year!

Making "empty tomb" biscuits Easter morning

More egg hunting... this boy loves chocolate.

more Easter morning... gotta have the "stair pic"

Another Egg hunt... this time Easter morning... and not quite so much competition!  Look - the Easter bunny came and ate the Carrot we left him!  Awesome!

Gavy had to stop and eat the contents of each one :)

BALLS!!!!!