My Forecast for 2013

I thought creation of a "someecard" would be the best way to solidify my goals for the upcoming year.

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The Pintrest Era - A Cork Board Inspired Life

Lately, looking at my Pintrest boards has been making me feel guilty.  I don’t do most of these things.  And what I do attempt never comes out like the pictures.  I need to step up my game!  I don’t buy all organic foods.  I failed at eating gluten-free.  I don’t freeze a month’s worth of dinners.  My messy hair bun just looks like a mess.  I try to make my own cleaning supplies but my house just ends up smelling like vinegar.  My baby girl is two months old and I forgot to start taking pictures of her with onesies with the little numbers on the front for monthly pictures.  My cake pops never want to stay on the sticks.  I only know how to tie a scarf a couple of ways.  My Elf on a Shelf this year moved around but didn't do any super fun activities worthy of posting on Facebook.  I remembered to take pictures for personalized Christmas cards but I forgot to send the dang things.  I don’t plan on rolling out my own fondant for my son’s upcoming birthday cake.  

This is the “Pintrest Era” and we've convinced ourselves we MUST do these things in order to be a good mother/wife/girlfriend/decent human being….not an extraordinary one, just a good one.  And who is telling us this?  We are telling ourselves this, that’s who.  So to all my ladies out there, know that no one can do YOU better than you can.  Nobody loves you any more because you do “projects”.  They just love you for YOU.  The Pintrest stuff is cute and fun, but it should just be the icing in your life..not the 12 color rainbow cake of it.  Don’t stress about keeping up with what everyone else is doing.  You are wonderful in even the smallest things you do for your friends and family.  You shouldn't care what anyone else thinks of what you do or don't do; if it's homemade or store bought.  

Now you’ll have to excuse me, I have to go make my own wrapping paper from 100% recycled goods for a party I have coming up and cut the sleeves off an old sweater to make leg warmers to wear with my new camel colored boots.

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Wrapping Up 2012

This year our little Lee family spent Christmas in Raleigh, NC.  That would be due to the fact that we live here...again.  Mike took a transfer/promotion and off we went. Thankfully some of our family were able to travel here before Christmas to celebrate the holidays with us.  Other big news aside from our move, Mason started preschool and our daughter Emerson was born.  Needless to say we ended 2012 with a bang.  Here's to hoping 2013 holds more sunshine than rain for our little Lee Family!  God Bless!

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Our 2012 Christmas Card (I Forgot to Send Out)

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Our New Bundle of Joy

Emerson Nicole Lee arrived at 11:35 am October 18th weighing in at 8 pounds and 3 ounces.  She is now a little over two months old and weighs about 14 pounds.  She's my adorable lil' chunkers!  She is such a sweet little girl who coos and smiles the biggest smiles.  Never fussy without reason.  Sleeping almost through the night.  Mason is just loving being her big brother....a little too much at times.  She is her Daddy's lil princess and we are so blessed to be her parents.

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The Growing Emerson Nicole Lee

            

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Gender Reveal Party for Baby Lee #2

In case you were wondering...What is a gender-reveal party? A party during which expectant parents share the moment they discover their baby’s sex, unveiling results of the ultrasound test among loved ones. Parents typically arrange for the ultrasound technician to withhold the gender finding from them. The technician places the information Oscars-style in an envelope, which the couple might then deliver to a baker, who whips up a pink or blue cake, covering the telltale color with frosting. The couple discover the gender when they cut the cake amid shrieking in-laws, friends and fluttering confetti.
My husband and I knew we wanted to celebrate the new baby but didn't really want to have a big shower since this will be our second.  A friend of mine mentioned having a Gender Reveal Party and after I Goggled it I was totally on board. 
 
We themed our party in a sports theme...PINK Vs. BLUE.  Our invites were fashioned to look like a ticket to a football game.  We asked our guests to wear either Pink or Blue to show what team they were rooting for.

     We tried to carry the PINK Vs. BLUE theme into everything from the dessert table to the favors.      We had a gift table were guest brought a pack of diapers.  We also had PINK and BLUE beads for those who forgot to dress for their team, along with an official "score board" where guests placed either an "it's a boy" or "it's a girl" sticker on the board to cast their vote.    Finally, The time had come to cut the cake and reveal the gender of our new family member.           And the winner is....GIRL!  We are so very excited!  Mason can't wait to meet his new little sister!    

Shout out to Yum Yum Bakery Boutique of Florence, KY for making us the best cake for our Gender Reveal Party. Also, to Alicia Eads Photography for capturing all the special moments that will be remembered forever and in our little GIRL, Emerson's, baby book. Thank you!

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Lil' Lee aka Baby #2

13 Weeks - Baby Bump & Ultrasound...

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Expecting Baby #2

We found out a few weeks ago while at the ER for something unrelated that I am pregnant.  Totally shocked and unexpected; however we weren't trying to prevent getting pregnant either.  So we are talking it one step at a time.  The idea of having another little one is still hard to believe, but the horrible morning sickness is undeniable.  LOL  I am around 9 weeks. So it is still very early.  I'll keep you posted.

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Isabelle Grace Jewelry Celeb Giveaway

I have been an admirer of these necklaces for quite sometime.  Such an adorable way to show your little ones some love.  I have jealously seen so many celebs snag them up.  Most recent celeb spotting is Tori Spelling.  I am excited they are doing a give away.  How awesome would it be to actually win one!  You should check them out, but be careful cuz you're gonna want one too! 

Here is a link to the Facebook event for the Give Away:  https://twitter.com/#!/sarahkaylee/status/183262182744670208

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Love-Lee Photography to Shoot the "Big Night of Comedy" MS Event

Love-Lee Photography (that's me) has been asked to volunteer photography services for the fundraising event "Big Night of Comedy".  The event is being put on by The Schmidt That Matters (TSTM) a nonprofit organization that promotes fundraising for good causes in the community of NKY and Cincinnati.  The "Big Night of Comedy" event will benefit Multiple Sclerosis. I hope to capture your face at the event!  It is sure to be a great time!  Here is a link to the Facebook page that has been created for the event: http://www.facebook.com/events/104300209694330/

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Pure Photoshop Actions Give Away

My friend posted about this give away of a ridiculously cute photography bag from Jo Totes and a really nice lens on her Facebook page. So now I'm always spreading the love. 
Here's the link:  Pure Photoshop Actions - Give away

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An Old Writing Of Mine I Found on My Computer...

Just wanted to share a writing of mine I found on my computer. Feelings about growing up with Hereditary Copro Porphyria and how my husband's positive outlook helped me to find my inner fight to live my life to the fullest.
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a scared girl sits in darkness. she's never seen the light of day. don't feel bad for her.  it's sad but she doesn't know what she's missing.  she doesn't know that other girls walk in the fresh air with the sun painting roses on their cheeks.  she thinks pale white feeble skin is the normal look of every girl.  she grows ill.  the darkness grows damp as well.  the chill settles into her bones.  accustom to the ache, it too is now normal. other girls must go through the same pain she can only assume. at night she's allowed to open the window, just a crack and take in the sight of the moon.  she thinks the moon is beautiful as it glows. but sadness comes when it's time for the moon to slip away and her parents once again close the shutters.  it's not that they dislike the sun, her parents that is, they just don't have time to show it to her.  they have their own things to deal with. 

one night a healthy and very social boy was running home to make curfew when he saw the face of an angel peeking out a small upstairs window of the house across the street.  her round white face seemed to sparkle in the moonlight.  he was mesmerized.  and then as soon as she came...she was gone.  the next morning he stood at the bus stop wondering why the girl didn't go to high school with the rest of the neighborhood.  she was now his puzzle to figure out.  she was in his head and he didn't know why.

that night he waited in the bushes of old man hickbee's yard to catch another glimpse of the moonlit mystery.  his eyes were heavy and he was about it pack up and call it night when he heard the creaking of the old wooden shutters opening.  there she was. he was just going to look at her but his curiosity grabbed him and before he knew it he was calling up to her from driveway.  they talked all night until the moon began to fade and the wooden shutters sealed her back into the darkness.  he made this a nightly routine.  time passed and the boy wanted more. he told her stories of the day.  he spoke of the sun and how it shined brighter than the moon every could.  she knew his sun-talk was just foolish tall tales but the idea was pretty grand.  she spent her time in the dark dreaming of what the sun would look like, feel like. 

One day determined to show his night angel his world in the sun, he climbed up the gutter on her house up to her small little window and he began to rip off the wooden planks of the shutter with the claw end of a hammer.  she heard him call to her and she ran to the window.  just as she reached the windows ledge the hammer pierced thru the shutter allowing the light of the sun to flood into her room.  the sun stung her pale white skin; it was burning.  it was painful.  he ripped the planks away one by one until ever last one was torn down.  he climbed into her room and held her as she cried.  the light and the truth hurt her and she was scared.  she wasn't sure what was more painful the burning of her skin and stinging of her eyes from the blazing light or realizing that she wasn't normal and that she had missed out on so many wonderful things.  she was hurt and angry that her parents had kept her in that cold, damp, dark place all that time. they didn't even notice it was making her sick. 

the boy was her saving grace.  together they ran through the house tearing open every window.  she took his hand and walked out her front door into the bright new world for the first time.  in the new light of the sun the world looked better than she had ever seen it before.  light no longer hurt her but rejuvenated her.  from that first step out of the darkness of her past and  into the light of the future she never once looked back at that old dark house.  she was finally free to live in the sun, dream in the moonlight, and build a new home full of light and truth. 

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