9 days and counting ...

... until the new addition is here!

california sunset

can she really almost be four??

five on friday

1. yesterday was my birthday! whoo hoo!! i made a heartfelt post about it here. Guess who hasn't read it? Katheryn (well, when you're 3 it's not that easy to read just yet), my sweetie, mom and dad. Go figure!

2. Katheryn and i are going to the Los Gatos high school football game tonight! this will be her second ever football game. I already know she'll like the cheerleaders and band. Here's hoping she makes it to half time since it starts around her bed time.

3. as one of my birthday presents i got a beach cruiser bike. similar to this. same color and all. we even got the kid's tandem attachment. similar to this. unfortunately i have to wait two weeks until the bike comes in (insert sad face!). however, that will give us time to clean out the garage!!

4. i have one more spot open for the october 20 fall mini-session. see here for details.

5. random photo of the day:

we had a roller coaster ride in our driveway a couple of days ago!

happy 38 to me!

i can't believe i just reviled my age to everybody, but it's out there now so i'm going with it! and honestly, i've loved my 30s! i feel like i've accomplished alot. i started dating the sweetie, got married, started my graphic design business, had a child, moved half way across country and started my photography business. So yeah, the 30s have been good to me!! AND i still have two more years left!!

in honor of turning 38 i'm making a list of 38 things i want my parents, daughter, and sweetie to know.

1. to katheryn: beauty is a state of mind, not a state of body

2. to sweetie: i still remember our first second date!

3. to mom: the more i grow, the more i realize what an awesome mom i have

4. to dad: thank you for letting me cry just to cry

5. to katheryn: there will always be mean girls, just don't be one of them (and stand up for yourself when they are mean to you.)

6. to sweetie: i love it when you rub my head

7. to mom: i still think about you looking beautiful in your teal dress at our wedding

8. to dad: thank you for taking me camping

9. to katheryn: your name holds a special meaning for us.

10. to sweetie: thank you for your unconditional support, even when i get a crazy idea

11. to mom: i love it when you scratch my back

12. to dad: i love it when you rub my back

13. to katheryn: find a good hair stylist. it will be worth it

14. to sweetie: i find your bald head sexy

15 to mom: i still remember your 30th birthday and wondered why you were crying

16. to dad: thank you for taking scuba diving lessons with me

17. to katheryn: find and keep good friends. you'll need them and they'll need you.

18. to sweetie: i love your blue eyes

19. to mom: i love your blue eyes

20. to dad: i love your blue eyes

21. to katheryn: you were bound to have blue eyes

22. to sweetie: it's nice to know that alot of times you know what i need before i know what i need.

23. to mom: i still love your strawberry shortcake the best

24. to dad: thank you for persuading me i needed to go off to a four year college instead of settling and going to a junior college at home. 

25. to katheryn: you will go to college (and not live at home)

26. to sweetie: i'm always on your side, especially on the days it doesn't feel like it

27. to mom: i still like your hair darker better but you're always beautiful, even if you end up losing all your hair

28. to dad: thank you for showing me how a gentlemen should treat a lady

29. to katheryn: i love that you are a girly girl

30. to sweetie: i love that we both like going to hawaii

31. to katheryn: throughout life, don't depend on a guy to make you happy or complete. make yourself happy first. a nice guy will just be the icing on the cake.

32. to mom: thank you for teaching me how to cook

33. to dad: thank you for building a balance beam in our backyard so i could practice on

34. to katheryn: i will be your best friend. but i will be your mother more

35. to sweetie: a good cry is great therapy... sometimes you gotta deal with it

36. to mom: you're the mom i hope i can be to katheryn

37. to dad: i love that you still call me punkin

38. to my 38 self: be stronger,  more confident, and wiser than you were the past 38 years. you have some terrific people in your corner.

baby c

sneak peak for a special family dear to my heart. welcome to a wonderful family baby c!

five on friday

1. My birthday is coming up next week and I've been somewhat reflecting over this past year. Here are two things I feel particularly proud of accomplishing over the past 12 months: 1) opened my photography business!! and 2) started practicing yoga (thanks to our good friend and neighbor, Kevyn, who happens to be a great yoga instructor!). Wonder what the next 12 months have in store! Can't wait to find out!

2. While I was in Lubbock, Texas, a couple of weeks ago I ran into an old student of mine. (Yes, I used to teach junior and high school back in the day). He was in my first ever class and was an eighth grader. He was the perfect student, inquisitive, polite, hard worker, I could go on. He did have one nagging trait though, he was a die-hard Aggie fan. I also remember him being "tall" (5'6") and lanky for his age. Well, fast forward several several years to a couple of weeks ago. This tall (6'1ish") guy with a beard comes up to me and asks if I was Ms. Bagley and he introduced himself as Jerod Foster. I had to look at him for a few minutes and I  finally realized he was a former student. I couldn't believe it! He was all grown up (and man did I start feeling old!) We chit-chatted a few minutes and he told me he is now a professor at, none other than, Texas Tech and also had a photography business. He's also married with a little girl (yep, feeling reeeeeallly old by this point.) I went home and looked him up. His photographs are spectacular. You NEED to check out his Web site here. I love supporting other photographers and especially ones I may have had a little part in helping out! Can't wait to see what good things come his way!

3. While I'm typing this I'm snacking on Snackwell's Caramel Popcorn and I realize I'm addicted to that too. I may or may not have had two bags of it. (Hey, it's ONLY 130 calories a bag.)

4.  There are only a few days left to submit entries to the Deserving Family contest. September 30 is the deadline. See here for details.

5. Random photo of the week: 

taken at Texas Tech University, my alma mater, a couple of weeks ago. So far they're 3-0 this season! Go Raiders

five on friday

1. last week we went apple picking and brought home 19 pounds of apples. My first recipe I attempted from all the apples was apple butter. i found this recipe from, where else, Pinterest! Ummmmm... my first attempt was a big fat fail. Can you say charred stuck-on pieces of apple and waking up to a burning smell. Things I learned: 1) don't cut the recipe in half  2) don't leave it overnight like it said to in the directions 3) use a crockpot liner or parchment paper 4) vinegar and baking soda over a several day period will clean off charred stuck-on pieces of burnt apple from the crockpot.

2. round two of apple butter making was a success!! mmmmmmm

3. this week we've had apple salad, homemade apple sauce, grilled apples, apples dipped in caramel sauce, apple juice and of course, apple butter!

4. i have a few spots open for fall mini-sessions but they're going fast! See all the details here.

5. random five on friday photo:

from our 4th of july trip to tahoe. Yeah, she's all mine ;)