Tag: Husband

Can I go back to early March?

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Well Hello!  Yes I am still around and I am shocked when I logged in here and saw that it really had only been a year since I last blogged!  Seriously thought it was longer than that.  If you can say something about my blog style, I am consistent with being inconsistent in blogging.  I mean I have always been told “blog for business” “if you don’t blog you won’t reach your customers” well obviously I have not been blogging and still thankfully have a steady business.  Or should say HAD a steady business until March 24th when the governor shut us down for being “non-essential.”

While truly I am loving this time at home.  I have cleaned out closets, the garage,  and sold things we no longer needed, I think we all need our busy lifestyles back.  My daughter misses her friends, school and gymnastics.  My son is missing his last 1/2 of 8th grade, he is most sad about his last season of track.  I miss watching my kids compete, I absolutely love watching them challenge themselves and seeing the pride in their smiles when they do better than they anticipate.  I miss my husband having a “normal” work week.  I miss photography.  I miss my all my AGP babies and little ones!  More on what we all miss later on another blog.  Yes I plan to do more blogging since I am caught up on editing for the first time in what seems like forever.

Can I go back to early March?  Pretty Please?  Can I go back to that facial room at His & Hers with Stephanie discussing all this Corona Virus stuff and telling her “Hey I am not going to worry until Reg worries because he literally never worries about anything unless its a stopped skyliner at Disney or an airplane ride.”  So we go on, she’s doing all her magic stuff to my face to hopefully make me look younger and well rested and we are talking about her upcoming Disney girls trip.  She shares a love for Disney just like I do, perhaps hers is possibly bigger.  She is an “Epcot Mom” and I am a “Magic Kingdom Mom.”  Don’t know what those are, look them up lol.  We were saying “Oh Disney NEVER closes, ever for hurricanes, you’ll be fine to go, just wash your hands.”  She finishes her magic, my face feels soft like a baby butt and I go back to the studio.

Disclaimer:  Her facial room is a lot more relaxing looking than this, this was just the only photo of it on hand right now since she is closed down also.  Book one with her, try it for yourself!  #beautybybatton (Stephanie Batton @ His & Hers Day Spa) 

Welp 3 hours after saying “I won’t worry til he worries” all hell broke loose!!   He calls, saying call your Dad tell him to stay home, the kids need out of school and it needs closed, you can’t take the girls out of the hotel this weekend for Alee’s birthday trip, it’s going to get bad quickly and no one is prepared.  Talk about panicking, again my husband again never worries,  so I was like “oh Crap here we go!”   For petes sake, I was at lunch a week prior with my bff and we were laughing at Corona memes and now we are buckling down and feeling the need to buy a toilet paper!

Text Stephanie like “ummm ya remember what I said this morning,  now it’s time to worry.” Call parents and tell them to stay home.  Go to the school ask about how absences will work if there is an impending pandemic coming and they don’t close.  Figure out how to pull off a great birthday weekend for your 10 year old since you shouldn’t be in public.  Stay calm on the outside because you can’t pass your fears onto your kids, but on the inside you are crumbling because of all of these unknowns.

Do you remember the time when you realized all of this was a lot more serious than you initially were thinking?

Cover photo is of my view each morning.  Don’t diss “ohhh she has a Christmas tree up!” Listen, my  big momma 12 foot is gone and packed away, this is a little pencil tree that only has my antique ornaments on it and it makes me smile.

Throwing a pic of Disney from February in here because I love it and miss is so much!  See ya real soon!

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Mr & Mrs Lavender

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Last month I had the privilege of capturing the memories of the beautiful wedding joining Jake & Sam as husband and wife.  They were married by the grooms great uncle in his church surrounded by their closest family and friends.  Carson & Jonah were pulled down the aisle by the groom’s sister Sarah in a wagon wrapped in ribbon.  When Samantha was escorted down the aisle by her father she was shedding tears of joy and happiness & Jake was smiling from ear to ear.  Their sweet little boy Carson sat so patiently on his aunts lap watching his mommy and daddy be joined in marriage.

Sam wore the prettiest lace covered gown with jeweled belt and shoes that were to die for!!!  I mean my feet bled looking at them but they where amazing!!!  She carried a beautiful bouquet of lavender roses and lilies.  Jake wore a suit of his own with a tie that matched Sam’s flowers.   Carson was dressed so cute with little suspenders and converse shoes!

After grabbing some formal family portraits at the church we headed to The Riverside Golf Club in Mason for the reception that was full of bouquet tosses, smiles, hugs, & delicious cake.

The wedding went perfect and flowed so smooth thanks to the awesome timeline made by Jake’s sister Sarah.  Seriously, best coordinator ever!   Most importantly, they are now Mr & Mrs Lavender!!

You can view the full wedding gallery by clicking The Lavender’s

Here are some of my favorites! Please subscribe to my blog to stay up to date on the life and happenings of AGP!

Thinking About Life & Oliver’s 1st Birthday

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Last week I had the pleasure of photographing my cousin Oliver’s 1st Birthday photos.  I have sat down to write this blog many times and each time I wanted to give Jami (his momma) a shout out but told myself “this Oliver’s post keep sappy families to yourself.”  Well I am ignoring that crazy thought, more on his session shortly.

I once heard the saying that your cousin is your 1st friend you’ll have. I never came to understand that phrase until adulthood.  Jami and I are 5 years apart, total opposites in so many ways, yet so alike in others.  When we were small we used to spend every Sunday at our Papaw and Mamaw’s house for Sunday dinner and playing outside, spend nights at each others houses, we went to Disney together once and a few trips to the beach.  Then tragedy struck our family and took loved ones away and with that took away our Sunday dinner’s & playing in mamaw’s giant yard.  We grew, I don’t want to say grew apart because that sounds harsh, our interests just seemed so opposite and the 5 yr age difference seemed to be obvious for a few years.  Adulthood came upon us, Marriage’s & Babies.  Jami became a momma to her sweet boy. Oliver has brought my bond with his momma back to light for me and makes me think of those childhood memories more often.  I am so thankful for those memories she and I share from our younger years and no one can take those memories away.

I can’t believe that Oliver is ONE!!!!  It seems like yesterday I was driving back and forth from the hospital to my house to take care of my kids and yet not miss his delivery!  Click the colored link to see the photos from his hospital session, Oliver’s Arrival & from his Newborn Session here  Oliver’s Newborn

Last week Jami brought Oliver up for some photos to remember his first birthday.  He wasn’t feeling very good and was not interested in his cake at all.  He gets his dislike of cake from his daddy.  I mean who doesn’t like cake!?!

You can view all of the photos from Oliver Finn’s 1st Birthday session by clicking here

Thank you for bearing with me this morning on my trip down memory lane.

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ps  There will be a BIG Announcement about my business within the next week!!!!!

Mr & Mrs Miller

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My internet has given me fits this week.  I really wanted to post about these love birds on Valentines Day but technology just wasn’t having it.

Jason & Catherine were married in beautiful warmly lit ceremony last October in Eleanor.  Catherine was a very hands on bride & left no detail undone.  She made the centerpieces, the arch, dried the flowers, gathered up family quilts and oil lamps for the tables, made a cute barbecue sign for the food and Jason made the perfect cake stand.   The details were so  beautiful, warm and cozy.

Catherine was a bride after my heart!  She wanted a “first look” & she had an “unplugged wedding”!!!   I believe first looks are great for taking off pressure from the bride and groom on the wedding day.  It’s gives them a chance to be alone, well as alone as you can be with me snapping your reactions, and take in the moments about to happen and shed a few tears if you wish without being in front of your guests.  I think I could & I might, do a whole blog about unplugged weddings.  Bride and Grooms have put so much in to planning their special day that they want you to be in the moment with them!  Not on your phone trying to take photos.  That’s what they pay me for.   When they look back at their photos they want to see your faces watching them take this step in life, not your phone or iPad hiding it.

Catherine’s son gave her hand in marriage, and they said their vows while each of their children smiled with pride as the two families became one.

The guests dined on freshly made pulled pork barbecue from Jason’s business, Mountain Que.  It was de-lish ya’ll need to stop and try it sometime!

It was a great wedding day and I was so happy to capture it for them.  You can view all of their photos by clicking their name, Mr & Mrs Miller  & a few of my favorites are below.

Are you newly engaged?   Still searching for your wedding photographer?  I would love to chat with you!

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Mr & Mrs Stowers ~WV Family Farm Wedding

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12 Days ago Chad and Angela became husband and wife surrounded by family and friends on their family farm.  I loved being able to capture their day and learn more about their story.

Chad’s family farm and Angela’s family farm are right next to each other.  The pair were married in the middle at a gorgeous spot decorated with hay bale seats, a flower filled blue mason jar aisle and the most gorgeous arch ever which was built by the groom!  Angela waited her turn to walk down the aisle behind a set of doors at the wood line that her dad built for her.  One of my top favorite moments of a wedding day is seeing the faces on the bride and groom when they see each other for the first time.  Chad and Angela opted not to do a “first look” so when she walked down the aisle and Chad laid his eyes on his bride and she to him …..seriously….. the smiles…. the very huge smiles…..  the look of absolute true love!!

After they sealed their vows with their first kiss as husband and wife we began formal portraits.  I could’ve photographed these two for hours!  Gorgeous Couple in a Gorgeous Field, a photographers dream.   During one of the poses I was going to have them look at each other for one and then kiss in the next one, well all of sudden Chad gives Angela the sweetest kiss and then looks at me and says “oh I’m so sorry she’s so beautiful I just couldn’t stop myself.”  This is a man whole heartedly smitten and in love with his new wife!  They both glowed all day!

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After their formals we headed down the hill to their reception by the fishing pond where everyone dined on barbecue, cake and pastries from Spring Hill Bakery and visited amongst each other.

Thank you Mr & Mrs Stowers for having me capture your wedding day.  You were so much fun to work with and I wish you a lifetime of happiness.

To view the full gallery of all of the 400+ images from their wedding day please click the highlighted text; Mr & Mrs Chad Stowers

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Bringing on Business Changes…

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Picking up from my blog last week, Long Weekend in Charleston SC… Part One, and still reminiscing about my time in Charleston with women who literally have changed my life.

You see, running a small business from home while juggling all of the other responsibilities of everyday life can become overwhelming trying to differentiate home life from work life.  Most days my “office” is my couch; trying to blog, edit pictures, market, answer messages, all the while the laundry is running, the cats are sitting there staring me down to pet or play with them, I get frustrated if the house is messy and torn between putting business aside to clean, if the kids are home it gets crazy too, while they truly are really great kids, it seems the minute I get on the phone or laptop they argue with each other which leads to me yelling at them which I really hate doing.  This is my first really busy summer since I became a legit business owner so my juggling act looked like a cheap circus side show!

Back to the women who changed my life… At Ashton Kelley Photography retreats, Ashton  ensures that in all of the awesome squad members presenting that there’s topics to interest all of the attendee’s.  Going into her workshops and retreats there is always that one person I am excited to hear from and take away valuable information and then there is always one who I am surprised by how much I connect with them.

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At the Charleston retreat, I was excited for everyone, but I was anxious to hear Amanda Hedgepeth speak.   I have followed her work and blog for a while.   Amanda is a married momma of 3 little girls and a successful photographer so I wanted to know her secret to balancing life and work from home!  I met this sweet tiny lady in person for the 1st time when she had me blocked in the parking lot and we had a quick chat about “mommy vans” and I let her know how excited I was for her talk the next day.

Forward to Friday, I’m taking notes, listening so intently to what she’s saying waiting to hear that big secret to her life balance and she says “I couldn’t remember the last time I talked to my daughter and looked her in the eye” and at least have the room breaks into tears.  You see over 1/2 of us in there were momma’s to little ones.  That hit me hard, so many thoughts came rushing through my head of things I have said to my kids “hold on, let mommy check this message”  “hold on, let mommy edit this picture” “maybe we can swim later, I need to finish this” “in a minute” “maybe tomorrow” and so many more excuses!!  Alligator Tears are rolling!!!

Ashton says “Sarah you will be talking more about work balance tomorrow but would you like to say anything today?”  So then Sarah Houston begins to speak briefly and she says what totally did us all in, she says… “My business ruined my life.  My husband looked at me one day and said you choose us or your business and I chose my business” (disclosure; they are back together and totally happy)  Oh Hunny, talk about tears!!!!  Big Ugly Crying!  I am texting Reg to tell him I love him, ladies are leaving the room to call husbands, tears are flowing.

Bethanne Arthur spoke the next day about business practices and legalities but she is a married sweet momma of 2 so she gave some insight on how she balances her juggling act.  A door on her office where she can disconnect and have her space, working when kids are sleeping, etc. More tears.  Bethanne came up to me on the way to lunch hugged me and said “I love your heart, you need to work smarter not harder, raise your prices, you can do all this.”  And we sat and cried and talked for 30 minutes just she and I.  She truly has no idea how much that hug and those words meant to me!

At the end of the retreat, we did leave with lots of wonderful information on how to better grow our businesses and serve our clients, but we all left with the goal of making it work better for our families and spouses and shaking that mommy and wife guilt that so many of us carried.

So on that note, here is one of the 1st things I am implementing into my business plan.  OFFICE HOURS!!!  I have been trying to train myself on this since coming home, and let me just say, my evenings with my kids move smoother and I feel like a better mom and wife.  I think back to an evening last week when my little girl got in the car from school and said “Momma what are we doing tonight, how much work do you have to do this evening?” to which I replied with my new plan, “Momma isn’t going to be working in the evenings anymore unless it’s to shoot a quick session.”  She got so excited that it made me sad, sad on how happy she was, because it had been so apparent to a 6 year old how non existent, even though I was present, I had been in the evenings.  Since then we have crafted, swam, actually read bedtime stories without hurrying through and just hung out together.  My sweet boy, even though is almost 11, still likes to cuddle at night sometimes, by taking time to do that and not rush him, we have had some precious conversations. I fall asleep with my husband more nights out of the week than not now rather than hurriedly tucking kids in bed and going downstairs to edit, make phone calls, etc.  He has a demanding job and many nights is asleep by 8, but I try to lay with him and wind down with our favorite shows or talk about our day when he is up later.  Our little family is happier and running smoother in the last 3 weeks than I feel like we have been in a long time.

So here it is…

My office hours for returning messages and phone calls will be Monday – Friday from 8:30-3.   I am sure there will be occasions where I may do office work late at night after everyone in my house is asleep but not often, and I am planning on setting up auto responding messages for those times.

Yes I will continue to shoot sessions in the evenings and weekends because I am human and understand that not everyone can have pictures taken in the middle of the day on a weekday.

I am excited for this and I think not only can I be physically and mentally present for my family more, but by being more relaxed and happier, I can serve my clients better!!

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Long Weekend in Charleston SC… Part One

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Last Monday at this time I leaving my long weekend in gorgeous Charleston SC heading up Highway 17 towards a pit stop at Myrtle Beach on my way home to my kiddos.  I am happy to be home but I miss the cobble stone streets, sound of the horse drawn carriages going by, shrimp and grits, shopping and freshly made pecan pralines.

I was in Charleston for the Ashton Kelley Photography Retreat & a little vacation with my sweet husband too.  I had a wonderful time spending time at the retreat with old friends making new ones from all over the East Coast and even as far away as Nebraska!   These ladies are moms, wives, full time photographers, part time photographers, business owners, hobbyist, etc.   Not only did I come away with lots of exciting ideas for improvements to make to my business better, but with a reassurance that we are all doing awesome, that someone else feels the same struggles that small business owners do.

When I say it got real people, it really got REAL!!!  MANY Many Many tears were shed amongst many episodes of ugly crying.  Some of the talks by our mentors were about balancing the Motherhood/Wife/Small Business Owner Game!   Not only the Mentors but attendees, myself included, told of our fears of not being a good enough mother/wife, etc all the while getting our business off the ground and keeping clients happy.  Some of the attendee’s talked about serious situations in their personal life that they had never told anyone before.   We Talked, We Cried, We Learned, We Cried, We Ate, Learned and Cried More!  It was truly a wonderful weekend!

After returning home, I looked over my notes from the workshops and thought more about the improvements I want to make in business not only for myself, my family, but for my clients too!  Over the next month or so my blog posts will be a mix of client sessions & discussing those new business changes.  Feel Free to Email me at agreerphotography@yahoo.com any suggestions of chages you would like to see me make in my business.

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4 Important Men

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4 of The Most Important Men in My Life…

In honor of Father’s Day I thought I would dedicate a blog to some of the most important men in my life.   I may talk more about one than the other but all are important in different aspects of my life.

It takes a special man to accept and love someone else’s child unconditionally. That is what my Dad has done. While he may not be my birth father, he is and always will be my Daddy.   He has treated me as his own from the beginning of his relationship with my mom. He has taught me so many lessons about life. I know there is a right and wrong way to wash and dry a car, bet you didn’t’ know you could wash your car the wrong way did ya!? He taught me how to swim, he taught me to make sure regular car maintenance is done or it wont’ run, how to cook some stuff, take your time and go down each and every isle of the grocery store lol, be proud of where you came from, love and respect.   He is 99% of the time the first one I call when something is breaking.   Having him as a Daddy is wonderful, but my kids having him for a Poppy is amazing. The love he has for his grandbabies is adorable, especially Trey.   When we lived in Huntington Trey loved watching for water co backhoes to go down the road to see if they were his Poppy so we could stop and see him and dig some dirt together. “Poppy Dumper” as Trey would say anytime he saw any type of excavating equipment.   Alee loves her Poppy too but she hates facial hair, says it tickles, so lovins from her are rare.

 

Second would be my Grandfather, I truly could do a whole blog about my adoration for my Papaw. From birth until 2nd grade I lived right next door to him. I was going camping with he and my Mamaw from the time I was 18 months old.   My papaw was one of the hardest working men I know. He grew up having to work hard for everything he had. Papaw was only allowed to go to school until 8th grade and then had to go to work to support the family, but yet is one of the most intelligent men I know.   His knowledge of mechanics, machinery, construction, farming, and so much more is crazy.  My mother and I lived in an apartment over his de-tatched garage and in the summer I would yell out the window at him to come get me and in the winter time I would yell through the furnace vent when I would hear him down below. Papaw would save me two drinks of coffee in his thermos each day and bring it home from work. I stayed with my mamaw each day when my mom was at work. I can still hear the sound of his car backing down the driveway when he would come in from work. He put my first bicycle together, helped me learn to ride without training wheels, taught me to fish, to love the great outdoors, taught me to try and fix something that is broken, not to throw it away.   Scares and amazes me when he licks his fingers and touches a wire to see if it’s “hot.” I can still remember his smell of grease and the stains on his hands that never washed off from work.   One of the hardest things for me to accept and see is that he’s getting older and he is not as strong as he used to be, I am so overprotective of him.  He gets frustrated that he can’t do everything he used to. I wish so much that he could get some of his strength back.  He had a heart attack a few years ago and the fear of losing him was just indescribable. I was ready that night to put a for sale sign in my yard, pack up and move back home. He spoiled me with things money can’t buy, his time, love, & lessons about life.   Papaw is a wonderful Great Grandfather to my babies, especially Trey.  I think Trey is like the son he never really got to have.   He struggles with disappointment that he can’t take him out and teach him to fish and teach him how to fix things because of his health. Trey and Papaw can sit to together for hours in his chair.   They just love being together. Trey watches over him just like I do.  I am so glad they have each other.  Although it has always been hard for him to speak his love, he always showed it with tight hugs and saying “you’re a good’un kid”. I will never forget the first time he actually said “I Love You Too”

 

Important man #3 in my life, my Father in Law, Ron Greer.   I joke and tell him I am his “favorite daughter in law” lol, well, I’ll will always be the only daughter in law. He treats me like one of his own girls, is always there for us when we need him. I remember when I was in labor with Alee, he and my mother in law were sitting there waiting, I was having some pain and he told Reg “you need to do something, I can’t stand to see her hurting.” My son is his namesake, and he adores him to no end. He was so excited to hear we were having a boy. Trey was due in January and we always joked what would happen if it were snowing because, well, if you know my MIL at all you know she hates SNOW! He was going to come if he had to plow his way down. Crazy enough, it was 70 on the day Trey was born. Alee is the only granddaughter in that family and well, lets just say he is easier on her than the boys lol.   She doesn’t hug him either because of his mustache.   This past Tuesday he and my MIL made a 10-hour drive (5 down & 5 up) to come my Mamaw Johnson’s funeral. That gesture just showed his love more. Ron overcame obstacles in his life growing up that no child should have to. He has become a respected person in his town and is constantly giving back in so many ways from running the youth basketball league, the Santa at the community center, and helping residents with special needs gain some independence through the shelter workshop. He is an all around good man who wants to help out anyone when he can.

And I have learned that I think I have 0 photos of him lol

 

Important Man #4, I only saved him for last because I have dedicated a blog to my husband in the past.   He is such a great father, husband, son, brother, etc. He works so hard each week at work and at home making sure we have the best and don’t want for anything. He has a love of gadgets, anything Apple, & dreams of owning a Tesla someday. I can’t wait for him to open his father’s day gift. The kids and I made him a book of photos of them pictured at all of his favorite places and places that mean something to his history.   I couldn’t ask for a better man to have, not behind me or in front of me, but by my side in this crazy journey called life!

 

Please take the time today to tell the Dad’s & Papaw’s in your life how much you love them!

Life Advice…Date Your Spouse

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Greer111

So this blog is 95% not photography related and No, we weren’t at the beach this weekend but we had a wonderful weekend and I feel the need to blog about it. And give some unsolicited advice.

Like many married couples with busy schedules and with children with busy schedules you put your relationship on the back burner to get everything else done with your career’s and with your children. My husband has a very demanding profession and his job requires long hours both at the office and away from the office. He is working 90% of his waking hours no matter where he is, because he is dedicated and well, when you are the only physician in a small town practice you have to. His dedication to his patients and his profession amaze me! I am a “Mom-preneuer” my job is to chase my dreams into full time photography while keeping the kids and pets alive, the house clean, cook dinner, do laundry, run errands, and give as much time as I can to my children’s school. Many nights he is so exhausted that he goes to bed when the kids go to bed, I end up staying up to edit photos, return messages to clients and make sure backpacks are ready for the dash out the door to school the next morning. You get the idea… everything else tends to come before our marriage.

I was out with my sister in laws and daughter Black Friday Shopping in November and I was telling them how I just would love to have a night away with him. I missed him, yes I see him everyday but I just missed him, I missed us. Asking Reg, yes he likes time with me but he also misses our kids too, and I totally get that, however I am with them all of the time they are not in school and he isn’t. So he likes to go places as a family when given the chance. And that’s okay, we make wonderful family memories that we will all cherish forever. My sister in laws got us a couple nights at our favorite hotel and passes to COSI for Christmas so we could either turn into a night away with the kids or just us and take the kids a separate time.

Fast forward a month or so after the gift, my husband decides to sign up for a local CME conference 35 min from our home so he can still go, get his CME hours but commute each day and be home with us in the evenings. I get the idea to ask my Sister In Law to come down and watch the kids the last day of the conference and I will get a hotel room, and go surprise him for the evening. Take him to dinner, walk around downtown, just be together.

So this past weekend was it. My fear was he would leave early since it was a Saturday and I would pass him heading North on the highway while I was Southbound, so through the week I kept saying “well the kids and I will come meet you when you are done and we can all go do something after. That worked. Saturday morning came and I had booked myself full of photo sessions for the morning so in between shooting some precious babies, I was packing and making sure everything was ready to go. Finished my sessions and my sister & brother in law arrived about 15 min later. The kids were so surprised. They had no idea anything was going on either because you know they are kids, and kids tell almost everything they know.

To say my kids love their aunt and uncle is an understatement, the sun rises and sets with them in my kids eyes. My Sister in Law never hesitates to get down in the floor and roll around with them, let Alee paint her nails crazy colors, create fake food out of play dough for hours, etc. She is just the best and loves her niece and nephew unconditionally. My Brother in Law will talk with, well really just listen, if you have ever talked with Trey you know it’s hard to get a word in sometimes, about anything and everything Star Wars. The majority of their time this weekend was spent playing, watching or talking about Star Wars. Trey just thinks his Uncle Chris is the coolest. We couldn’t be more blessed to have them as our kids aunt and uncle!

I edited a few quick sneak peeks for my clients, ate 1/2 a salad super fast and then attempted the fun job of packing my husband for overnight. Remember, he doesn’t know. Those of you that really know him, know he is a particular guy. We played the game of “what of Reg’s am I forgetting?” before I left.

The weather the past few days has just been gorgeous! Sunny and Hot, not normal April weather, so the drive to Charleston was beautiful. I pulled into the hotel to check in and Reg had texted me about 5 min prior to see what we were all doing so I responded asking him if he was on a break and he was so I asked him to meet me in the lobby and told him what all was going on. He seemed happy. He went back to the meeting and I checked in, took my stuff upstairs, parked my car, then went and found his and moved it to the right lot.

After his conference was over we walked across the street to the mall and ate at one of the seafood restaurants there. It was just so nice to sit and have a drink and chat about things going on and not have to worry about making sure the kids were happy and content. The food was okay, not sure what type of review I would give that place. Then we walked around the mall and bought some goodies for the kids and back down the street to the hotel. Asleep by 9:15 and not having to worry about waking up at 6am! A dream! Although, as any mom can tell you, it’s hard to sleep at night because you are always waiting for a kid to wake up needing you.

Sunday morning we packed up and went to a little breakfast place, First Watch, a few streets over from the hotel. We got there at just the right time because as we left the line was out the door. The coffee was great and breakfast was delicious! We will most definitely go back. After that we went to the “Gucci Kroger” on Cor G to grab some groceries that our location does not carry and then home.

While I was sad to see our 20 hours together come to and end, I was really happy to see my kids and hear about their day. They had a wonderful time, both shed a few tears at bedtime last night because they missed their aunt and uncle. My sister in law and I decided that we are going to start doing this every other month. It is just good for all of us.

Reg is not only my husband but is truly my best friend! He has seen me at my worst, at my best, never hesitates to tell me his opinion when he knows I am in the wrong or the right, he works his ass off for us, and he encourages and enables me to follow my dreams! He is never in front of me, he is always right by my side! We needed this past weekend to slow down and reconnect, thank you Larae and Chris for keeping our kiddos so we could have that time.

PSA; Date Your Spouse!!!

 

Photo Credit to Tabi Donohew from our Beach Vaca a couple years ago. Greer113

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