When I grow up....

I have decided what I really, really want to be.... yes, I know I am all grown up and I should know by now... and yes, it has everything to do with photography :) I took photos of a cute little baby the other day and I had so much fun during the session. The photos turned out better then I thought they would :) Anyway... I really want to be a newborn photographer. I've been wanting to try it out for some time now, and I finally had the opportunity to try and I love it!! Take a look at the photos and let me know what you think! And if you have a baby or if you are having one in the near future I would love to take photos for you :)

Something new and exciting....

This has been a long time coming... and now it's time!! I am excited to announce my new photo blog... Jessica Bateman Photography. I am finally getting the ball rolling with my photo business and I am so very excited! Be sure to stop by the new blog and take a look around. Also be sure to scroll down to the bottom and become a follower. I am so excited for my latest post... you don't want to miss this one, so be sure to take a look! I took photos for three adorable girls, it's a must see.

If you know anyone in the West Lafayette/Lafayette, IN area who is looking for a photographer be sure to tell them about Jessica Bateman Photography :)

My friend Kim Davis designed my logo and I love it! Didn't she do a great job? Thanks Kim for all your help!

Just what I wanted...

Okay, I gave in... here is the picture that I was going to wait to show off  :) Obviously I couldn't wait. I decided to do some blog changes and I wanted to use this photo, so I had to show you. It isn't the best photo ever.... but to me it is. I love these two so much and I have wanted this shot for soooooooo long. And here it is :) Seriously, it was the third photo I took after we got to the park last night. After that they were done posing and off exploring. Thankfully that was all I needed!

Oh, I love it!

 I think I might have to blow it up.... BIG and put it in their room :)

This one is going in my living room with the rest of my B&W's

My kids are the cutest. Enough said :)

Perfect night.

We started our night having dinner outside :) The kids loved it.... I love spring!

We went to Happy Hollow Park and it was just perfect. I loved every minute....

The light was perfect.

My kids love to explore... I think (no, I know) Evan lives in a Dora/Diego world.

And sometimes it's a blues clues world....

"Which path should we take?" ..... "Which path has the green frog?"..... "We're going down the quiet mountain..." ..... "Blue scadoo, we can too!".... "Look Mom! A clue!"

Just some of the things Evan has been jabbering about lately.

Kiah also likes Diego, she can say it too. She has a Diego water bottle that she calls "iego" or something like that.

I love these kids. They make life so interesting, and worthwhile.  

The best part of the night? I got my first photo of the kids together.... smiling :) I LOVE IT :) But I can't share it quite yet... but I want to.... I think I'll wait till Mothers Day. We'll see.....

Breakfast

There was something special about Thursday morning breakfast this week. Maybe it was the shades.... or the bed head.... or maybe it was the fact that my kids rock :)

I really wish I could get the focus right when I take snap shots like this. The bowl and spoon are in focus.... oh well.

Don't forget to stop by my photo blog to see Zane... he is a cutie!

I have some blog excitement coming soon :) I really cannot wait to show everyone! I know you are all just dying to find out.... Stay tuned...

A couple bumps in the road...

What. A. Week. I must say that I am glad that it is over! Not like that will clear up everything that has happened, but a least my head feels like it is finally on straight. We found out late Monday night that Dallas needs to retake his exiting exam. Which means graduation is not happening in May. No worries, it took a few days, but I think we are both over it. Dallas is a great student and he has done really well in school and he wants to end on a good note. He didn't feel good about the exam and now he has a chance to make up for that and take it again. Now what?? Well, since he doesn't have any course work left we can technically leave *if* we get a job.

That leads to the next thing. We didn't get the job with American Girl. That just topped of our week..... oh well. I think I am just ready to pack up my house and move back to Utah.... if only. So we are on the hunt for a job. Thankfully we have been really blessed on top of all this craziness. Dallas has a temporary job here in Indiana. He will be able to work and gain some experience while we continue to look for work. This has been a real comfort to us. If it wasn't for this job I think I would have just fallen apart this week. I think the hardest thing for me is realizing that we might be here for awhile. All this time I've been expecting to pack up and move come May and now all my plans are just the opposite. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE it here and I wouldn't trade the past two years we spent here. I was just expecting something different and now I have more waiting to do. Waiting. That really is the hardest thing. Not knowing, just waiting.

Well, enough complaining :) The week actually ended very nice. On Friday I took the kids to the Clegg Botanical Gardens for a play group and it was beautiful. Spring just popped out of nowhere this week and all the trees just look so beautiful... and the flowers. Finally a little color after such a drab winter. There were a few different trails in the gardens and all the kids hiked a long ways. Evan did awesome, without being carried at all. He only asked once but I knew he'd be just fine. I took photos of flowers while we were there... check some of them out here. I definitely need to go back. After seeing the neighborhoods close to the garden I told Dallas that I wouldn't mind staying... if we could live over there. The houses were so cute with nice big yards. Nice and secluded from the city :) I loved it!

On the move...

This was a fun little "cave" on the side of the trail. The kids loved it...
(Ehre, Elsie, Benjamin, and Evan)

(Kensie, Zane and Kiah)

On Saturday morning I had a photo shoot and I had so much fun! The pictures turned out cute and Beth and her family were so easy going, it was fun to take their photos.  I have two more shoots this week, and I am so excited. I've been taking as many photos as I can, trying to get a portfolio together. I am getting ready to start up a photo business, just something small to start out with. I am hoping to have it all up and running within the next month or so. It is so nice to have things to look forward to :)

Just posted.....

Check out the photo blog!! This little guy is just too cute, I had a blast taking these photos... as always!

Wish me luck......

....because I am starting this potty business AGAIN with Evan. It was getting out of hand and Evan and I could hardly stand it anymore. We went on a break for awhile and now I think I am ready to go at it again. He has already earned 3 stickers and tomorrow we are going to start doing underwear while we are at home. Other then that it's pull ups and I am okay with that. I've decided that I can' rush Evan. He will figure this all out on his own. Here is his chart :) He gets an ice cream cone for going #1 10 times and a new yellow truck if he goes #2 5 times (that one might take him awhile, but he sure wants that truck!)

Evan helped me decorate it... he loves to cut and glue... I need to get him some kid scissors...

Last week he had a Blues Clues movie from the library. He loved one of the episodes that was "All About Me." In that episode they made a "Big Book About Us," Evan quickly decided that he needed to make a big book about us. I ignored it the first time (I know, I am so boring) but the second time he watched it he jumped up and said "I want to make a big book about us!" He didn't even finish the movie because we were too busy making these collages :)

I know, they aren't the neatest things in the world... but Evan is sure proud of them :)

One more thing about Evan... Last year at about this time he started to pray on his own. It was so cute and he insisted on praying all the time. Then by the end of the summer he randomly stopped praying. He would fold his arms but he wouldn't say the prayer. He sure has a strong will, once he decides something there isn't anything that will change his mind (which is why we stopped with the whole potty thing). We eventually ignored it and finally, just this past month, he has started to pray on his own again! We usually cannot ask him to pray, it has to be his own idea. I think if we do the same thing with the potty and not push him then eventually he will decide that it is something he wants to do :) I guess this is something I will have to remember, especially during those teenage years... the boy sure has a strong will!

Easter happenings.....

We had a fun weekend.... Baskets, new clothes :), egg dying, candy, bubbles and egg hunts.... the kids loved it!

Oh Kiah and your fun expressions! She loved the eggs....

I have a series of shots just like this one.... trying to get a good photo of the kids together. They are so funny! This is the best one that we got. Dallas was trying to get them to pose and they were copying him :)

Yeay for bubbles! Easter isn't the same without them!

We were able to enjoy General Conference this weekend. It was a nice way to spend Easter weekend. I am excited to read the talks that were given, there is so much to remember. We also had a lunch with friends yesterday and we enjoyed being home as a family today. It sure is different being out here in Indiana, I always miss home during holidays like this. So many great memories and traditions to think about. We miss everyone back home and we hope you enjoyed your Easter weekend.

This week we are looking forward to see how Dallas did on his exiting exam for the masters program. We are hoping all went well, if so then we can't wait for graduation next month! We are also expecting a call from the American Doll Company, hopefully they would like Dallas to come work for them.... we'll see what happens. Hopefully I will have a lot of good news to come....

Puddle Jumpin'

They couldn't be happier....

It rained all day and this is what it looked like after dinner :) So sunny and the light was beautiful! The kids couldn't resist the puddle and I couldn't keep them away....