colors.

oh how i love the colors in michigan in the fall. we are welcomed around every turn at nearly every streets end that winter is coming...with each leave turned and then fallen...i am reminded that the bitter cold is fast approaching and then i...feel really, really lucky we live in florida!

yes, i miss the cooler weather and the need for a constant cup of hot chocolate, but oh-my-goodness it is dreadfully cold there and so after i return from our beloved michigan-daily visits to the orchard-crunchy leaves-hot mulled apple cider-family-family-and more family, i am happy to be home. i write this looking for the negative of michigan so as not to fall into a puddle of missin'-my-home-depression...and guess what its working!!!!! it helps that i was welcomed home on saturday with cooler weather, less humidity, and the promise of a naples sunset beach visit.

i am so looking forward to spending christmas here this year...the first time in my WHOLE life, i/we will not be traveling to michigan for the holidays. money is tight and the tickets are about our whole christmas budget, but more than that...we want to be home. we have been traveling a lot this year and we long to make a happy, santa loving oasis of calm and fun. i almost can't wait for thanksgiving to be over so we can focus on my favorite holiday of the year!!!

i'll slow my roll...thanksgiving is pretty great as well:)

it feels good to be home, sitting at my computer, kids are singing together (peyton has made her own version of the mocking bird song), blogging, making plans to go outside for a walk, and then i'll make dinner. i'm a bit in the weeds with photo shoots that need some lovin'. many families are anxiously awaiting their photos and i am diligently working to get them out in the time i alotted myself. more importantly, i'm having fun and being home feels peaceful.

i hear beckham laughing with his sister. he adores her. mimics what she says, does what she does. he looks after her. he even gets upset with me when i punish her-hate the word punish.

he is the sweetest, most loving little boy. we look at him on a daily basis and say to each other what a good boy he is. his 50 "i love you, mama!" melt my heart and make we wonder how we ever didn't have him in our lives. was life any good before these little ones making us love more, laugh harder?!

peyton is just as sweet and FIVE. she never lets an oppurtunity pass that she doesn't remind us that she is a big girl now bc she is five. "i can drink pop now." "i can do whatever i want now bc i'm five." (this is daily with her brother, but stopped saying it to me after i told her i didn't care how old she was, i'll always be her mother and that for right now, i am the boss!) so sounding like my own mother...hate that. "mommy, since i'm five now, i'm going to kindergarten!" yes, we hear lots and lots of "i'm five, so i can ______ now!" turning five really did go straight to her head:)

my little poser! she is so funny.

i tried very hard and very long to put these into a collage...i miss doing my collages, but photoshop and i are having an

realtionship issues right now. i can't figure it out and i'm ready to break up with the big guy and go back to my

handy dandy microsoft digital image suite. i miss you mdis!!!

and as sweet as pie photo shoots go...baby girl savannah is turning 1!!!!! her mama wanted to have her photos taken to

mark the event and we had such a good time. even though it was cold and raining outside, baby s was a sport and we

captured her and the turning leaves with all of their beautiful colors!!! enjoy and happy birthday savannah!

xoxo