Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Halloween part 1

The girls got invited to a kids Halloween party on Saturday at my friend Amanda's house and she hired me to come and do some photography there. She had this little area all set up and I did shots of each of the kids there. It was super cute! I am so glad she did that so I could get decent shots of the girls in their costumes!

Kyla wanted something really scary. Man this kid is just like her dad. We went into the Halloween store here and she ate it up, she even wanted to go into the back which is the scariest section. She originally wanted to be a dead cheerleader but the costumes were cheapy looking and not the best, then she wanted Monster High, then we found the Dead Prom Queen and that was really scary so she liked that one. She rocked it!

The twins on the other hand walked into the halloween store and started freaking out. Pretty sure they thought they were gonna die. I totally swore walking in because these stupid huge spiders jump out and you and scared the crap outta me. Anyways, it was a total gong show with Jayci and Presley, they were TERRIFIED. So we stuck them in the car while we quickly picked out the costumes we needed. They wanted to be Thing 1 and Thing 2, they picked it out when I was scrolling for ideas online and I thought, no that's ugly, so I re-vamped it a bit... ha.
I ordered the tutus because I like to be crafty but i'm not crazy, so ordering was WAY easier for me. Sometimes it's so much easier to have someone else make it and pay to save time and work. I also ordered their hair pieces from there too. I did make the shirts and the tights are from the Halloween store. I think they looked super cute and can't wait for all of them to dress up for school Tomorrow. Trick or treating on the other hand will be in parkas and we'll have to haul out our sleds with the dogs. Just kidding, you think I own dogs?? ha. Never. We have had SO much snow this last week, it's insane, depressing and I HATE it.

Laken's costume was easy. Britt was at costco and called me and told me how cute it was so I said, get it! And that's it. She looked comfy and warm and cute! There were 3 Zebra's at the party though! It was funny.
She wasn't feeling the pictures so I only got a couple of her. My fav is her fishy kiss face. I just want to grab it and kiss it!

 Here are the costumes! Kyla did all her posing on her own, all I did was say "act like your dead"... so she did!





My very own Thing 1 and Thing 2!
Don't they look way too grown up?? When did this happen?






And Peanut the Zebra.


 (see, the cute fishy kiss face!)

All four gals! Yup Laken is eating a caramel apple...


So tomorrow is both Halloween parties at the school and then we have Trick or Treating with The Andersons, should be a fun filled, busy day!
Then Thursday we go to Edmonton! Just Dustin, Jayci and I. It's time for Jayci's surgery... I'm freaking out inside about it but anxious for it too, then she can finally be healthy and i'm not worried everytime someone is sick so she doesn't catch it. Her surgery is Friday and she has to stay over night in the hospital one night and we will be back Saturday night hopefully. Jill is watching the other girls for us, thank goodness because it's going to be a lot to deal with so it's so nice they were able to take them for us.

Hope everyone has a Happy Halloween tomorrow and i'll post all about our day and the surgery when we get back! :)






Wednesday, October 17, 2012

We are doing good!

Ok, I guess it's time for a real post. My blog has been neglected long enough and now that I got that off my chest (refer to previous post) I feel much better. I also feel guilty if I blog because I should be editing someones photos.... oh well.

So what's the latest on us. Well, Dustin started school on the 1st of this month! Crazy right?? He's doing pretty good. He said he's had a hard time focusing with my health issues and finances. I told him the reason he is going to school is to "help" in the finance department so he needs to get over it! It's only like 8 weeks left! And we are fine, he just stresses way too much.
So far so good and then our life can completely change! Hallelujah!

I've been insanely busy with my photography. Like INSANELY. At the beginning of summer I started getting numerous emails about photo sessions! It was crazy. I hadn't even done any marketing or anything, I would just post the photos I was working on, on facebook. So I started booking them in. By the end of summer everyone wanted "fall" family photos done so I knew it would be a busy season, which was a good thing because it was more income for us while Dustin's in school. So I have had a session almost every single day and can barely keep up with editing but I know it'll die down as soon as fall is over, so I'll just enjoy doing my job and meeting so many new people which is honestly one of the best parts! I love meeting all these new people. It's crazy but majority of my sessions I don't even know who they are until the day of our session!
I desperately need a new camera and a new computer, like BAD. I'm just trying to make it through Dustin's school with what i've got and pray for the best! Obviously people like my work, even with a crappy camera... So I can't wait to see how much better my photos get with a new camera.
 I also joined a dance class with a bunch of my awesome mom friends and it is seriously SO much fun. We are in an adult hip hop class and we are AWESOME. We have a performance in January and one in the spring. It's just so much fun to get out and do something like that. I am so glad I joined. I've always wanted to join a dance class and it's wicked! 

Kyla has been a busy girl, she started and finished swimming lessons (i'm not doing that again until winter is over!) and she goes to dance once a week. She is loving hip hop though. They even did a performance at the Princess Pageant here in town last week, it was so dang cute. They did it to Justin Bieber "baby". She is getting so big and grown up, it blows my mind. She's reading books and spelling words like crazy. She is one smart little girl. She definitely takes after her mom...

Jayci and Presley are LOVING school, and are both seriously so much smarter than I thought! ha. It's true though, they can both write their names, they know every letter in the alphabet (like which is which) and can count to 23. They can spell our whole family's names and are very artistic. Man can they draw. Kyla too actually. Give them all and pen and paper and they'll be busy forever!
They also did swimming lessons and that didn't go over too well. Presley did pretty good (as in no death screams) but poor Jayci thought she was going to die when her teacher put her in a life jacket and wanted to see if she could float on her own. Every single person was staring at my kid who thought she was drowning. They were referred to "private sea otter" lessons for next time. ha. Oh well...
They are also in gymnastics and absolutely LOVE it. They ask every day, "how many more days until we can go to gymnastics again?" So i'm glad they love it. It's a huge gong show though, the volunteering is retarded and the place is crammed wall to wall when we have to drop them off or pick them up. It's a mad house. Oh well, at least they love it.

Laken. Oh Laken....this kid is hilarious. She has so much personality, you could sit and watch her all day and be entertained. She is a super happy little girl (other than her 3 molars that I just realized came in, I thought my child had turned into the devil) Between her face expressions to her little tiny voice and no fear of the world, she's perfection. She jumps into every photo taken and pulls this huge "cheese" grin. It's hilarious. She climbs on EVERYTHING and isn't afraid to fall no matter where it is. She has gibberish talk she does, can't understand her one bit, but she understands you and she is dang smart. She is hauled from one place to the next for all the other girls or me and Dust and is happy as a clam! We love our peanut and can't believe she is 18 months!! What the...

Well there is a mini update on us! We've been crazy busy from one thing to the next. Driving to and from school and kids activities, then Dust comes home from school, I go do a session then come home and either go to dance or edit, and sometimes (only sometimes yay) Dustin does a side job for some extra cash. Our life is CRAZY. I wonder if it'll ever slow down. Probably not because I don't know how to...

Here are a bunch of unorganized pics of our latest! They are mostly on instagram, if you want to follow me my name is "mindust". I'm way better at that now than blogging.


My two sassy ladies before swimming. (they picked the pose) and I think I blogged this photo before, but whatever, I love it.

We've been practicing our gymnastics moves.

The twins have had many random naps together. Literally "together"

(weird eh?)

The twins ready for school.

Took Laken out for some pics with her little witch outfit I bought her forever ago. No it's not her real costume... But so dang cute!!

At school with Tobin, getting their shoes on

My bday evening with my favorite people. Jill made my awesome cake and Dustin bought me a new purse! The girls made me some super cute cards too. I'm sure lucky!

my adorable purse. (It's been about 3 years or more since i've gotten a new one, I always just used the diaper bag!)

Raining with winter coats on...

Kyla ready for school one day. Had to snap a pic, she made her outfit. Ps: Why is it world war 3 when it comes to picking her outfits?! Or doing her hair! Man alive.

Me and my Honeys at our hip hop class. First day yo.

Dustin's first day of school! (He doesn't look tired AT ALL)


Kyla at her swimming lessons!

The first day we had to dress in our winter gear. So depressing.


Me and my gangstas out on a girls night! Love these people.


One of my ultimate favorite photos that was taken by accident. Seriously. Tear...


Dustin taking off the tattoos that the girls put on their faces the night before I wanted to take photos in the leaves. Dust said he had no idea, Kyla called him out and said "ya you did!" ha. So I made him take them all off. Fag.

Laken's first pigtails that totally count! I never do them thought because they are a pain in the butt. But cute!!


And we teach our children about hygiene young. 
Actually she asked what it was for so I showed her and she wanted some. So now she smells lovely.

So that's about all for now! All these are from my phone because I suck at taking my camera out when it comes to my actual family... not good. Oh well, that's why I love my phone!



Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Staying positive!

Hey ya'll.
It's been a while. I know. I've been super busy with a ton of things, but today's post is to fill you in what's been going on with good ol' ME.
First of all today is my BIRTHDAY! Those who know me, know I LOVE my birthday. It's my day, all about me, how awesome I am, how perfect I am, and how beautiful I am. ha just kidding....kind of...

Anyways, a lot of people have been wondering why i'm so "sick" and what's been going on and here is the gist of it.
I haven't been actually sick (other than this dang cold thing that has been hanging on for EVER) but I do have some health issues on my plate.
The doctors have found two tumors in my right breast and i'm getting them biopsied for Cancer.
So NO I don't have cancer and i'm staying positive that I DON'T have it. The doctors are pretty sure that I can say i'm in the clear but they said nothing is 100%. So i've been to a ton of doctors appointments, had ultrasounds, consultations and now waiting on my biopsy appointment.
I am so big on not worrying until I have to, so i'm staying positive that i'm A-OK!

It is a lot on my plate and yes the worry is still in the back of my mind a bit, after all i'm so young and have too many good things going on in my life that I don't need this. Dustin has been a huge support in all of this and has been at all my appointments and is so patient with me when i'm stressed out about the smallest things. I think it's affected me a little more than I think. I don't actually "stress" about it, but it's just another thing I have to deal with, and of course it's not a fun thing...

Anyways, so that's it. I guess i've been avoiding my blog because I am such an open and real person and I haven't felt like I can be myself lately with all this going on.

So today is my birthday and guess where I spent it. In the hospital for my biopsy consultation....

And this is what I think of that....


I'm grateful for this man right here. I LOVE this picture of us. 
Love him.



And I love these little girls!



Here's to staying positive!! :)

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