Dance!

We went to the ward Christmas party last night. It was a fun one, and very well organized. Natalia is the child I am going to loose someday...because she just runs away. She has no fear of loosing me, she just runs, and occasionally looks back just to show me her smile! How considerate.

They do a slide show of all the families in the ward. But...this year it was almost like Jeri Tidwell Photography portfolio. He he he . I had images for our family, two clients, and of course Christie's family. I submitted Wyatt's Jedi picture, he was so proud! =)

The children were called to go up to the stage to sing, and Wyatt ran away very excited. Natalia was heartbroken, and ran after him....saying "kids going?". Lincoln went to go get her, so I just sat back and relaxed. Wyatt was a mess up there. Every child just stood calmly. Wyatt yelled, waved, and danced. They hadn't even started singing yet. All of a sudden, I see Natalia ON THE STAGE! Lincoln put her up there! I was mortified. My two year old daughter was on the stage. Lincoln just looks back at me and smiles.....Adrie and I call that smile of his "the sheepish grin." She was happy as a clam up there. When the music began, Natalia started to SHUFFLE!

Shuffle A forward brush followed by a back brush to the front, side or back, executed rapidly in a 16th note rhythm and counted "a 1".

Even though I was still so embarrassed....I WAS BEAMING. My little girl is a born performer. She even put her hands on her hips. The shuffling stopped, and there were turns and such. Wyatt was still crazy, but he sang most of the words, in between hugging his sister. I think I better send the primary chorister flowers. =)

Turducken

This year for Thanksgiving Lincoln and our friend Andrew decided we were going to have Turducken. For those of you that don't know what that is.......it's a turkey, and inside of that is duck meat, a layer of stuffing, and then chicken. Sounds weird doesn't it. I was against it at the start, and even more so when I saw the price. I can't even say how much this hunk of meat cost, without stammering.

I was wrong. It was good. There I said it.

We had the Baca's and the Wall's over. It was such a nice day. The kids had their own table set up in the front room, and the adults were in the kitchen. Along with the turducken we had sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, raspberry jello salad, homemade rolls, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, cranberry-sierra mist, pumpkin pie, and oreo cheesecake. Yum!


Turducken and dumplings the next day was good too!

Fall pictures

Funnies

We were telling Wyatt the Christmas plans for this year. (We are flying to Utah, to see my family. Then driving to Arizona, to see Lincoln's family. Then driving to California, to Grandpa Tidwells' 80th birthday party. Then back to Arizona, to fly out of Vegas.) He said "That means Grandpa Tidwell gets to choose anything he wants for his birthday dinner, right?" I nodded. "I hope he doesn't pick anything spicy," He said.

Talia is a tape recorder. (That is what we used to call my baby brother that repeated everything we said. I should probably come up with a name that is more fitting for this day and age. =) She says anything and everything, but so silly. You can't help but laugh when your around her. This is a perfect example....sorry it takes place in the potty room.... Everytime she goes potty, she repeats everything I have EVER said to her while teaching her the ropes. She sits down, says "hold shirt....don't pee shirt.....don't pee floor (points to the floor)....don't fall in....done.....I so proud of you (or good try)......I so proud of you mommy...dora panties....wash hands...potty treat.....chocolate bar."

She also has the BEST memory. I am able to remember where anything is.... If Lincoln misplaces something he never actually looks for it, he just asks me where it is. I usually know, and he always says "I LOVE YOU!" Well, the other day I was looking for the honey to make sandwiches. I couldn't find it. I knew we were almost out...so I thought Lincoln threw it out. I told the kids they would have to have jelly, and Natalia said "honey in fridge." It was in there....Lincoln had put there. (who wants cold honey?) If I lose something....now I ask Natalia where it is......and she has known quite a few times!! Maybe it's a "woman thing".

The Out takes

We went to Brookestone gardens this evening to take family pictures. I am showing some of the out takes because they are so funny! We did get a good one for the Christmas card though. =)



It was too cold by the end of the shoot. The kids' noses started to turn red.

I got a new camera. I am in love!!! It is a canon 5d, and I got a new 85 mm lens. I love the combination of the two. Now to get a new computer!!! =)


I had a session last Saturday that was just plain hard. It was for family photos, and the 18 month old wanted NOTHING to do with it. We did a reshoot on Wednesday......can I just say.. MAGIC! We were able to go to my client's in-laws home, and it was on a gorgeous 3 acre lot. I feel a little guilty (okay, not really) but my favorite image was not one of the family photos. The little 5 yr old's Grandpa came outside and started pushing her in the swing. We were still waiting for her Dad, so I started snapping! I love this image! LOVE IT! There is so much emotion in this image...it really speaks to me. I hope they like it! (Click on the picture to see it bigger,.....so you can see his "grandpa hands".)




Another fav.



Here is the 18 month old. I like how tiny she looks here.

Halloween snaps...

Snow White and Qui-Gon Jinn before the ward Halloween party.

Twirling Talia
(I was going to iron the hem...but the tag said "no iron". As well as "hang to dry".I was going to hand wash the whole dress, but she had to wear it FOUR different times...and we just ran out of time! Who cares anyway right!? She still looked cute. Look at her flippy hair! Yes I said HAIR! =) Finally!
I reworked the lightsaber...I think it looks pretty cool! Wyatt sure likes this picture! I am going to print it for his room. =)


Snow White in the moon bounce at our neighborhood party.

Safe

I had a jewelry party here on Thursday night. I realized I have such an amazing husband. He took the kids out during the party, (they went to the gym) and then came home and put them to bed. He did a lot to help me get ready for the night too. Our house still looked like a construction zone, so he carried a lot of "stuff" down to the basement and out to the trash. What a pain I am..."help me, and then get out of here for a few hours, and take the kids." Looks like I owe him again! =) He wants to go hunting...I will have to do some planning.

I was busy making treats for the party, so dinner was well....a little lacking. We had corn dogs. Wyatt was watching me make homemade hot chocolate and wanted some so bad. I told him I would save him some. Later he came down the stairs at 11:00 at night. I could have been a mean mom, and sent him back up to bed. I didn't. I whispered, "I think now is a good time for your hot chocolate!" =)

"I have a good idea, put some marshmallows in it," he said. He drank it up quick...(it wasn't very hot anymore.) I gave him a big hug and a kiss on his cheek, and THEN he wiped my kiss off his face. I asked him why and he said, "Don't worry Mom, I have it. It is safe here in my hand."

--Talia is still doing a great job being potty trained. She has been in "big girl pants" for four days, and has been dry for three of them. She had a little accident last night and that was her first in those four days.
We borrowed a Snow white costume from our friends, the Mahaffeys, for Talia to wear for Halloween. She looks so cute in it, and she holds the sides of the skirt while she walks around on her tip toes. She doesn't really look the part with that blonde hair though. =) We also borrowed a GREAT jedi get up from them as well. You should see Wyatt!!! The best part of his costume is his smile. He is so happy! (I will take some pictures.)

Santa Claus is coming to town....

I use this song quite a lot lately!

I got done singing..."He knows if you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake."

and Wyatt says "it's okay if I act a little silly or something, right?"

Talia putting the stickers on her birthday card from Great Grandma James.




Wyatt worried about Talia climbing up the ladder after him.


I LOVE this pictures. It is so her. Who else would eat two apples at the same time!!! =)

Busy.....

I haven't had time to update this blog in so long. We have done so many fun things I will have to try to get to those pictures so I can post them.

I am going to make a quick list of the crazy things that have been going on for the last month and a half.
-My new web site launched YESTERDAY!! I am so excited. www.jtidwellphotography.com
-I received my BMT info net (Bone Marrow Transplant information network) calendar in the mail last week. I am happy with the image they chose. .....I better explain. I photographed a sister and brother last May for the calendar. It honors survivors of transplants, and it is very rare that two people from the same family have to undergo the same procedure. The little boy was only 15 months old when I photographed them. They want me to photograph a young lady in Virginia for next years calendar!!! =)
-We got hard wood floor installed. The entire first floor.....of course Lincoln was in Canada during the construction.
-Lincoln has also been in Oregon, and Ohio...and somewhere else....???
-We went back to my favorite place....the u pick farm!! =) (I have pictures!)
-My brother Brad and his family came to visit last week....the day after the floors were done. I am so happy they came. It was so fun to see family, and I hated watching them drive away!
-I had so many sessions...I need to look at my calendar to remember the number!!!!!!! My business is really taking off. =)
-I got to spend an ENTIRE Saturday at the mall! I didn't buy very much, but that is not why I went. I had so much fun, I owe Lincoln big time. Or do I???? I have been alone most of this month. I had to move all the furniture with the "floor guy". It is harder to move furniture when you are trying not to scratch the new floor! Now that I think about it...I had to do a lot of "crazy things" while he was gone. I think he actually may still owe me! =)
-Natalia is wanting to be potty trained. UMMM>>wait a second, she has only been two years old for three weeks. I keep finding her dora panties on the floor, and then I find her getting off her potty...saying "I did it." This may be easier than I thought. (Fingers crossed)
-Natalia got a little kitchen for her b-day. We didn't have a party, because we took daddy to the airport. I can't believe she is two. She is talking very well, and just as nutty as usual. She gave me the biggest hug today. Both of her tiny arms wrapped around my neck and then she said "I wuv you....much........much." She just kept holding on. It was the longest and sweetest hug....it made me cry.
-I got to be the co-op parent at Wyatt's school last week. It was on "black cat day". We had a lot of fun. Wyatt was good. I don't know how a little boy can make playing with play dough into a rough game....but Wyatt can. He was using the rolling pin as a sword. Enough said. How embarrassing.

*****THE TIDWELL SQUIRRELS*****
The squirrels get their own section on the blog. They are such a prominent part of our lives! =) I hate them, they are evil. I have several stories to prove it. (I am sorry if some of you have heard these before.)
#1 Our kitchen contractor was on his way up to the attic to give us a bid on finishing it. I warned him that I thought I had heard squirrels up there. He said "I think I have met that squirrel before." (meaning other homes)
After he had been up there a while I hear VERY loud banging. Lots and lots of loud banging. He comes back down after a long while, with a stack of paper and two Christmas ornaments. "I destroyed their nest, and I hit one of them with a 2x4...but I only got his tail. I think there were six of them." He shows me what he had pulled out of the nest....there were old bills, checks, mail, and of course the chirstmas ornaments...all from the previous owner.
He told me to put a radio up there, and they wouldn't come back. It worked.

One night Wyatt came into our room. "I can't sleep, I keep hearing this weird music."

I turned off the radio.

The squirrels came back.

#2 The short version, of the Cyrus/squirrel incident.

Cyrus (our dog) went out for a potty break....a squirrel RUNS right at HIM! Now the squirrel is in his teeth...Cyrus starts to shake him. I yell "drop it", he does. Squirrel runs...Cyrus gets him again. Shake shake shake . "Drop it", he does. Squirrel runs...Cryus gets him again. "DROP IT", he does....squirrel doesn't run away. A dead squirrel outside my door! gross. (it happened so fast...it was crazy!) Of course Lincoln wasn't home. (This was last year.)

All I can say is, what a good boy for dropping it THREE times.

#3 Lincoln tears apart the place in the attic where the squirrels made their nest again. Radio is back on as I type. Lincoln also shoots a squirrel in the bottom with a weak pellet gun. The squirrel just runs off. Lincoln doesn't realize this....but now the squirrels HATE US.

#4 Every time I load the kids in the car the squirrels ambush us with acorns. The are getting very skilled with their aiming. One day I had Talia in the car, but ran back inside to grab my phone. On the way in, I heard a squirrel in the tree. I yelled to Wyatt..."quick get in the car, the squirrels are in the tree."
Wyatt stayed there. As I came outside, I saw an acorn drop to the ground and bounce, about 12 inches from Wyatt. Then he ran to get in the car. I leaned my head in to buckle him, and BAM an acorn hit the top of the pathfinder. Wyatt and I were laughing so hard. I kept saying "those squirrels are crazy, they are evil."
I ran from Wyatt's door to jump in the drivers seat, and as soon as I shut the door...BAM, another acorn hit the top of the car.
They do this all the time.

#5 My friend, Christie, dropped off her three yr old. here. She still had her baby in the van, and left the sliding door open. We were chatting on the front steps, when she gasped and said "I just saw a squirrel jump in my van!!"
We both ran down the driveway, and she yelled at it,.. "get out of my van!" It did and ran up a tree as quick as he could. Imagine if she had not seen it jump in!! That would have been a funny story.

#6 Lincoln went to buy a stronger pellet gun. The man behind the counter said "you shooting squirrels?"

#7 A small rodent (we say squirrel) chewed through the wiring harness in our pathfinder. $800.00 to fix.

#8 Last week Lincoln was out of town. At 4:30 am I heard a loud crash. I sat up thought what could have made such a loud noise? I thought the worst. A MAN....in my house..here to hurt my children and I. (I was sleepy and alone..what do you expect.) Then I decided it was the stroller falling down the two steps below the landing. I had propped it up on the landing when I swept the floor, and that was the perfect explanation for the crash. I turned on the bathroom light and stuck into hall. My heart was pounding so hard...I was still picturing the MAN! As a peeked down the stairs I saw the stroller....right where I left it...on the landing. I began to cry...I mean bawl! I was so mad I was alone, angry that I didn't have a phone upstairs at that moment, and I just didn't know what to do. Should I be doing something to save my children from the MAN, or should I just go back to bed? I prayed. I had a very sweet spiritual experience, and went back to bed. =)

I think that loud crash was a squirrel, knocking something over in the attic. Nothing else was out of place.

I think that is all the squirrel stories I have for now. I sure there will be more. =)

A tender man....

Wyatt walked into the Kitchen and said "Mom, I am a really tender man."

"Why are you tender?"

"Because I don't have strong bones like Dad," he said.

He was wild in church today. We had alread talked about sitting on a hard chair and practicing being reverent at home for 15 minutes, if he was not well behaved at church. We talked about being good on the way to church and before we dropped him off at his class. When we got home I set him on a chair in the kitchen in front of the microwave. He actually sat for 15 mins...well everytime he would get up, giggle, or talk I would add thrity seconds to the timer. (Thanks to the "add 30 seconds button" on our microwave. ) I would guess he sat for closer to 20. I am hoping next Sunday goes better.

Natalia wasn't good either........but I let her pick the Sunday night show, because she was the better of the two. They are sitting on the couch watching Hi-5 right now. That is Talia's favorite.....she asks for it all the time. I usually let her watch two Hi-5s each day, they are 20 mins long. Wyatt wanted to watch Peter Pan again yesterday. I didn't want him to watch it, so I said "Lets pick a different movie..we have seen that movie too many times in the past week." Then he says "Well...HOW many times have we watched HI-5!!!!! Not as many times as Peter Pan."-----I guess he had me there.

Wyatt and Natalia can be really sweet to each other SOMETIMES. I stress sometimes, because Wyatt does like to sword fight...nuff said! Anyway....a cute story. Natalia always gives Lincoln and Wyatt big goodnight hugs and kisses before she goes up to bed. The other night I sent her over to give Wyatt his goodnight hugs. They hugged and kisses as usual, and then Wyatt put his hands on Natalia's cheeks. He bent down, looked her straight in the eyes and said, "Talia, tomorrow we are going to have a GREAT day." Then he hugged her again. Awww. It's not much, but I thought it was a sweet thing.

We went peach, apple, and flower picking last week. That was fun. Oh, we also picked black berries....but those never made it to a bucket! =) Yum. We got to go with friends, and it was such an enjoyable day. I have a love for U pick farms, it is quite funny. I could spend all day there.

Lincoln went deer hunting with his bow. He bought a tree stand so he could be sneaky. A tree stand has a harness....I think that is so funny. I am sure some poor guy fell out of the tree before they started selling them with harnesses. Lincoln said he did get pretty tried up there. He didn't have a chance to shoot any deer. He is sad, I am not. =)

We finally got our Pathfinder back yesterday. We took it in on Aug. 18th. We didn't know it, but a mouse or something had munched through several wires. It ran fine, but all the warning lights were on. A month and $800 later we have it back.

Pictures...

I got out the shower and found Natalia sleeping in my bed. I thought she looked so pretty, and so little. Soon, her binky will be gone, and she won't be my little baby girl anymore. =( Not that the binky makes her my baby...but you know what I mean....she is getting so big.


Wyatt and Talia hiding in the cubby under Wyatt's bed. I really couldn't find them...then I heard them laughing. I ran I got my camera, and snuck up on them! =)

One of my favorite pictures of Wyatt. I took this the on the sucker/mud day. I love the lighting.

Natalia has been sleeping in this hat for a few weeks. Grandma James made it for Wyatt. She asks for it every night. (Along with many other things...pony, dog, baby, binky (two of them) and a drink. Then she asks me to cover her arms with the blanket, and says "feet" and sticks them in the air....waiting for me to tickle them. Then she says "house" and nods, and I say "yes, I am going to go clean the house." This happens every night!) This is her in the morning with the hat on at breakfast.

Peter Pan is such a bad influence

We were playing in the rain yesterday. (I feel like such a nice mom when I let me kids get dirty or wet. =) I wanted Natalia to hold her new flowery umbrella for a picture but she wouldn't do it. Our friends Julianna and Nicola came out to play with us, and they loved the umbrella. Wyatt and Julianna were standing underneath it together, and giggling. I was busy snapping away with my camera inside a grocery bag with a hole in it. Then I saw Wyatt move in close....and the giggling stopped. I said "Hey, did you just kiss her?" See picture for the answer!!! (He is saying "YA".) How odd is it that I have a picture of his first little kiss???? =)

Oh...the Peter Pan part....We bought the new Peter Pan movie. They are obsessed with kissing in that movie. I had to have a talk with Wyatt about saving kisses for the people we love.

A surprise!

I got two rolls of black and white film back today! That means today was a great day. One of the rolls was of my kids, and the other was from the workshop. OH MY...my workshop images are so good. I am very happy with quite a few. My kids pics are not so good, there are too silly. =) I hate waiting for my film to be developed, hence loving my digital....but I LOVE FILM. It has such a beautiful depth, and I miss the pretty grain. In digital land grain is called "noise" and it isn't pretty.

Here are two of Wyatt and Talia that turned out cute.



I was doing the dishes tonight, and decided to give Lincoln a call. He is NY this week, and I hadn't heard from him today. He didn't answer. That is not a good thing....my mind starts spinning all types of crazy things. I pictured him hurt (or worse) in NY, and I had no clue where he was. Except for doing work for HBO. Called him again a little while later....no answer. Later still....and finally he answers, but says "I am walking to my car, can I call you back?" A few minutes I heard a *only Lincoln would knock like that* knock on the door! He got to come home a day early. Now we sit here next to each other, on our computers......how sweet! =)

I had the hardest session of my life today. A darling little boy, but he was so quick. Really quick. It was extremely overcast too. I had to bump my iso to 1600 sometimes....(ideal for me is 200-400).

Here he is....cutie huh!?

A good week.

(The kids playing on the excersize station by the lake.)


Rebekah and Brian came to visit us! They attended a wedding in NY for Brian's friend, and made a side trip to see us before going back to AZ. They got here on Monday. We took them out to eat at Red Hot and Blue for BBQ, and then to a see a move..."The Illusionist". It was a good movie, but very predictable. The next morning we left at 7:30 to go tour DC. We saw the Capitol Building, the Natural History Museum, The American History Museum, The Washington Monument, The White House, The Lincoln Memorial, then we WALKED across the Arlington bridge, and went through Arlington Cemetery. Along with the changing of the guards at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier we were able to see a wreath presented from India, and a military band played. It was very cool.
We were supposed to be back at 4:30 for the babysitter....but we were going by Lincoln's watch which was an hour slow! oops! We came home a little sunburned and with very sore legs.

They left on Wednesday. We all went out to a yummy breakfast, and then walked around our lake. Well, not all the way around, but by the lake. It was so fun to have them here.

NO time to write...

I spent the first three days of this week at a photography workshop in Fredricksburg, VA. I have a lot to write about it, but need to get cleaning......

Here are a few of my favorite pictures!






Okay now I have a little time. The workshop was amazing. It was just what I needed. Lately I feel like every time someone hires me I change my style to fit what they will want...what they will buy. I love my style! I think it is unique, emotional, intense, but still beautiful and captivating. That is what I want people to hire me for.....for my vision and style. I am changing everything I have in place now....my site especially. OH! and my prices....they are going through the roof! =) I will have to do some marketing, but I have a few ideas.....I just need to start implementing them.

The little girl in the photographs above with the brown hair was my favorite subject. She totally reminds me of ME as a little girl. We had so much fun together....she was constantly trying to sneak in smiles, and we would both just laugh. (Yes, I said sneak in smiles!!!! I didn't want them!) I have so many amazing images from the workshop. Working with the models (these were not professional child models...just kids) was so liberating for me. I was shooting for me, and no one was over my shoulder saying "smile, SMILE, look at her- not me....smile!" I made real connections with my subjects, we had fun, we were a team....I want that feeling everytime I go to a session.

Cheryl critiqued my portfolio while I was there. She had some really positive things to say. One thing she told me to work on is backing up. I am always in for close ups, and she wants me to be comfortable with both close ups and shots from further back. Well I know why I don't scoot back!!! My 20d is having major focus problems....I don't have a problem when I am close to my subject and the sensor can't see anything else with more contrast to grab away the focus. Very frustrating. I am contemplating a new camera. I can't be with out my camera for 6-8 weeks for Canon to fix it. Anyway...I did take some "not so close" shots with my film camera...I will post them when I get the film developed.

I missed my kids like crazy, but the break was so nice. Lincoln dressed Natalia in some 12 month dresses while I was gone. How funny...she is in 2T now. They were so short he just put denim shorts on underneath. =) The night before I left Wyatt said," Mom, I will miss you when you are gone at your photography session, take so many good pictures that will blow my mind!" I am noticing that he is so observant and sweet. He noticed I painted my toes and complimented me, and I put sponge curlers in Talia's hair (that didn't work at all!!) and he told her she looked so cute with curlers in her hair. Little things like that. Except...here is a funny one. I went to sleep with a pony tail on top of my head because I forgot to take it out. When I woke up the elastic had slipped all the way to the very end, and my hair was crazy. Picture: large birds' nest. Wyatt walked into our room and in a sleepy voice said "I like your hair Mom." I should have taken a picture to show how funny I looked. =)

Natalia is talking so much. This is what she said about Nursery today...
Eye-li (Eli) and Tori. Babies. Play toys. cereal. Raisins. Color.
I know exacty what she did....I love it.
Oh, and Mommydaddy is one word, and she can say it so fast. She says, "Mommydaddymommydaddymommydaddy", as she runs to the door when Lincoln pulls up.
We called Mike to wish him a happy birthday and now she says happy birthday to everyone on the phone. I love the way she says "hello", but she only does it if no one is actually on the phone talking to her.

A messy day!

We were stuck at home Monday. Lincoln needed to take the pathfinder, so I was planning a day of cleaning and doing laundry. For some strange reason, there was no Tide...just an empty bottle sitting on the dryer. =) I decided that we would spend the day taking pictures, and the kids would love it. I had bought them two huge lollipops, and Wyatt knew they were hidden in the cupboard. We finally had some free time at home where they could eat them! I was ready....light meter, camera, a handful of paper towels (just in case!), and a plate to set any unwanted suckers on. We started on the steps, then moved to the grass...then we heard thunder. Wyatt is so scared of thunder....so we were tugged inside by him. It rained really hard for 20 mins, and then the sun came out. Perfect puddle weather! They jumped in the water, and dug in the mud.... and I just let them! On our way in the house, Wyatt picked up two handfuls of mud and proceeded to wipe his hands on his sister. She didn't mind...she looked at him adoringly as he did it a second time.

I did end up cleaning the house today...but mostly wiping up mud from the floor, and brown hand prints from the walls. =)

Snow in July...kind of

I bought the kids a Fun and Foam Factory. This is the coolest thing. It is regularly $99, and I got mine at KB toys for $27. Natalia is afraid of the sprinkler, and Wyatt just wants to step on it to make the water spray. This was the perfect solution, because they both want to play in all that foam. Wyatt is constantly trying to put the biggest pile of suds on Natalia's head, and she loves running from him. It was a little windy while we were playing, a few times a big gust of wind come through and pick up tons of the foam and fill the air with it. The kids thought it was hilarious. I also got them two water guns, that have a continuous spray....I don't have pictures of that....because I was too busy spraying THEM! =) Wyatt did his fair share of soaking me, even though I kept saying "don't spray me, I'm not in my swimming suit." One good thing...he couldn't figure out how to pump his own gun for the first few minutes! It was a good day.




Wyatt sneaking up to give Natalia a bubble hat....while she was trying to climb the lamp post!

Run, run, as fast as you can! You can't catch me.......