Everyday Moments... | Mission Viejo Family Photographer

While it's been WAY too long since I've thrown down a post on the ol' bloggity, I am super excited to get back on the band wagon with a fun blogging project with nine other talented lady-photogs!  Our aim is to take our cameras, keep them in hand and capture Everyday Moments.  I hope you'll enjoy our journey and take the time to circle through their blogs, too.  If you follow through the links on each blog, they'll circle back to mine.  Blog circle.  Get it?  Love it!

I truly love doing "day in the life" projects like this, because the truth is, I live a spectacularly ordinary life.  It's so simple, but these moments that I live with my little crew are so fleeting.  So, now that you know what's happening here, I present to you the Everyday Moments of this little family!

 I have to laugh and tell you- this first one is telling about how we roll.  I couldn't even get my camera in hand before I got my oldest off to school.  I had a baby in one hand, coffee in the other and in between switching those things around, I got the three of them fed and my big girl off to school.

All that, and here we are back at home- and mini man is still in his footie jammies.  Ah well, at least diapers got changed and tummies got filled.  Who needs real clothes?

My mini man has this habit of edging his way into my lap.  It's sneaky, slow and calculated.  He walks around me a few times to stake out his spot, then backs into position.  It's one of my favorite things in the world.  I won't lie.

Let me introduce you to an integral corner in my home.  This heavenly corner of my kitchen fuels my day and keeps mama happy.  Hello, lovely.

My big girl is a kindergartener this year (insert sobbing sounds here) and luckily for me, that means she is only at school for three hours, so the time comes quickly to pick her up and head on home.

Such.a.goofball.

Opportunities to eat in our house are plentiful.  My kids are hungry every minute of every day.  I mean that.  Maybe tomorrow I will write down the number of times my big girl says, "Mommy, I'm hungry." It is stunning.  I'm not sure where it all goes...

Let's get real here for a minute.  On this particular day, I was intensely grumpy.  My tiny girl has been sick, and that means very little sleep for mama.  I'm talking "newborn phase is better than this" kind of a night.  So after making messes of epic proportions at the lunch table, I was a little on edge with these sweet faces.  Just being honest.

But then- oh, then- my sweet big girl said in the most PRECIOUS voice ever, "Mommy, would you like to play hide and seek with us?"  I looked at her eager little face, then looked at my son's big, hopeful eyes and my grumpies were just gone.  Gone.  I did want to play hide and seek.  I was all in.

And this, my friends, is why.  How could I possibly be grumpy anymore?  The hilarity of little tinys playing hide and seek was more than my grumpies could stand to be around.  Those ol' grumps were long gone.  These kids are so funny!  

When I asked him, "Where is your sister?!  I can't find her!" he just pretended to look around and said, "Uhhhh, nope!"  Very committed to keeping her hidden, as you can see.  He's a solid teammate.

The two year old hiding spots are my favorite.  He legitimately believes that this is the best hiding spot in the house.  I love him for that.

Tiny as she is, my arms still get tired of hide-and-seeking with her in my arms, so into the bouncer she goes.  Fun fact: I had no idea that the outside layer of the seat was totally falling apart until I got down to take this photo.  You learn something new every day!

Two year olds can only hang with hide and seek for so long, I guess.  Out of the bevy of beautiful toys we have in our home, he couldn't get enough of the little, simple baby toys I got out for tiny girl.  Mini man plays VERY well by himself.  Maybe it's a second child thing- maybe he likes having the quiet time to play with the things he wants to play with instead of having to fight over things?  I don't know.  But it is quite sweet.

Big girl is a kindergartener, as I mentioned, and as such is responsible for homework.  Homework!!  In kindergarten!  How times have changed.  She figured out that pattern like a boss, if I do say so myself.  Smartie pants.

Remember?  Hungry all the time?  Yep.  Chocolate milk and popcorn.  I'll be accepting nominations for mom of the year starting this afternoon, thankyouverymuch.  In my defense, it is reduced guilt popcorn from Trader Joe's.  Bam!

 We are super blessed with great weather in Southern California right now, so outside time is a must!  My spider chasing big girl and my chore-loving little boy.  Take that, sexism!  I'm stoked to have a kid that will squish spiders for me while I squeal in the corner.

Poor sweet sicky face.  Seeing your kids sick is the worst.

After some fun outside time, we heard the front door swing open and screams of, "DADDDDYYYY!!!" moved quickly from the yard and into the house into his arms.  I love that!

The camera rests through dinner and bedtime routine, but I'll leave you with the last few minutes of our night- after tiny girl is snug in her crib.  Big girl and mini man snuggle down in our bed and catch up on a little Curious George on the iPad.

So there you have it.  Moments from our everyday.  Our spectacularly ordinary everyday.  Moments that pass so quickly.  Moments I may forget in the years (or even months) to come.  But moments that I should be consciously treasuring!

Now what?  Well, two things.

1)  I hope that you'll be encouraged to capture YOUR every day!  It doesn't have to be with a fancy camera.  Pick up your phone, flip on the camera and leave it on the camera setting for a while instead of checking your email or Facebook again for the sixth time in an hour (I say it because I live it, friends).

2)  Continue getting inspired by visiting the Everyday Moments of Bamboo Leaf Studios!!  Go see her beautiful life here!  Everyday Moments- Bamboo Leaf Studios