I think I'm addicted.

I am newly addicted to taking pictures. I can't stop. My mind is now constantly running through how I can improve in every aspect of camera settings, photo selection, composition, lighting, lightroom... It's getting crazy. Here are some more from today. Please let me know what you think! I'm open to any input... constructive criticism included!! Thanks friends!! Hope you're all enjoying your weekends. GO HAWKS!!

I adore these kids. Couldn't be more blessed. 

Fall is in the air...

Well friends... Summer is just about over, pumpkin everything is coming out (YESSSSS!!), the air is getting crisp, that golden sunlight and the pretty leaves... yes fall is on the horizon. I cant wait! The kids birthdays have all come and gone now, with our littlest Miss Macie having just turned one! I cannot believe it has been so long already. It's crazy. It was just yesterday when she made her dramatic entrance into the world, and now here she is about ready to walk. As of now, she's just about 18 pounds and 28 inches tall. Just a petite little lady.

I have to say... this fall is bringing a lot of change to the Brenning household. LOTS. Joey started kindergarten through an online academy affiliated with our local school district, Annie started gymnastics, and Macie... well she just keeps me on my toes! Not to mention I have my Bible study group, regular daily tasks, and we are also finishing up the house so we can hopefully get it sold by next spring. Busy busy busy.

I must add. I've taken up a pretty big new hobby/task/endeavor/learning opportunity... whatever. Something awesome. You ready? I bought a camera. A cool one. A DSLR. Yep. A Nikon D3200 and I am in LOVE with this piece of technology. I also purchased Lightroom 4. (And yes I'm aware that there are updated versions of both, but because of the fact that my macbook is now considered "vintage" those products are not supported by my computer). It's totally okay though. I'm happy with what I have, and I got it for a steal! So there.

This photography thing is a huge deal. I'm not really in it for much else other than to entertain myself and capture my kids gleefully living in their own environment. What a task it is learning the settings, reading the camera manual, getting pointers, reading books, doing research, learning about composition, framing, lighting... all of it is a lot to take in. But I'm LOVING this. I have a ton to learn, and I am excited to get at it. Here are the pics we took today. I'm excited about them, but please note that I've only had this camera and software at my disposal for 48 hours. I have zero experience, and I'm sure it will show through. Regardless... I'm excited about the pics I've created. So here they are. Let me know what you all think!

Praise the Lord above. I am so thankful to have such beautiful children!!! Oh I love them so. God bless you, friends. Thanks for looking!!

Oh I have been slacking...

Macie is now ten months old!!! I cannot even believe it. She claps when she's excited, she copies sounds, she recognizes special people in her life, she says da-da, she crawls and pulls herself up to stand against furniture, she eats a variety of foods, and she is still breast feeding!! I am so proud that we have made it so far... Even if it feels like I'm nursing a monkey right now. She is healthy, happy, and growing too fast. She's just a joy and we love her so much! However it would be nice if her two top teeth would cut through... They make her turn into oscar the grouch.

As far as my post-partum health is concerned, I'm doing pretty well. I'm actually very pleased with where my weight is at... I'm sitting right at 150lbs which is five pounds from my goal weight. I just need to tone up a bit and things will be great. I've found that even though I'm back to my pre-baby/high school weight, things look nothing like they used to which brings me to the realization that weight really is just a stupid number on a scale and means nothing if you're still unhappy with how you feel and look. Whatever though! I'm happy with where I'm at. It's a huge deal for me. I have not weighed less than 160lbs in almost six years. That's a long time! Those pants I saved from when I first married Jeff... Yeah they fit now! I can wear them comfortably. I saved those jeans not only because they cost a pretty penny and reminded me of how good I felt about my body when I wore them, but I saved them as a motivation tool. I am so happy to be back in my old jeans... They're like that old friend you haven't seen or heard from in years but continually thought about in their absence..  And when you reunite with said old pal, it's a magical thing. Warm fuzzies... You get my drift. It's freakin awesome and you want to tell everyone to look at your jeans and then they think you've lost your flipping mind. Whatevs. So there you have it. My body is far from perfect, but I'm at a healthy weight that I'm no longer embarrassed of, and clothes are starting to fit and unfit... Clothes I held onto forever are beginning to look good on me, but the ones that took their place for six years are beginning to fall off... Which is both a blessing and a problem. Only a problem because life is more expensive than it was when I could just go buy new things whenever I needed them. Again... Whatevs. My little clothes fit! I'll take a smaller wardrobe for the time being.

In regard to how I lost that last ten pounds... 1) breast feeding exclusively (I think has helped anyway)
2) my dr thinks I have Ménière's disease... Google it. I'm now on a low salt, no caffeine, boring diet that helps my symptoms immensely. 3) I'm taking water pills for said disease in order to help combat water retention in my middle ears which cause the bulk of these very unfortunate symptoms.
Sooo yeah. Out of an unfortunate discovery came the fortunate result that I love to call,"this crappy situation got me back in my sexy pants!" Now hopefully my sexy pants can help me continue feeling sexy with the sexy new hearing aids I'm saving for. :-/ whatev.

Anyhow, that's all that's new here...just living the dream, praising my father in heaven for His many blessings, and doing my best to be the best wife and mom I can be. Just enjoying every moment I have while my babies are small. Sooo dear friends, I hope you're all enjoying this fabulous start to summer. I know we are! Going to pack it full of outdoor time and hopefully a camping trip or two. Joey is all enrolled in his home school program, so I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of my teaching materials so I can get a head start with this. I'll update on our home school journey too.

Anyway. Thanks for reading friends! God bless you!!

7 months... oh my goodness!

This is just crazy. Time is flying by so incredibly fast. I know I say that every time, but seriously. I feel like I blink and there went my whole day.

Macie is 7 months old today! She weighs 15 lbs 6 oz and she's 25.5 inches long. Growing steadily! She is still breastfeeding exclusively, and I just offered her some mashed banana this afternoon. It wasn't really a hit. I know she'll accept solids when she's ready. For now, a little bit at a time. I'm totally okay with that. The last thing I want is for my milk supply to dry up if we dive right into solids and regular meals. We've come so far. Further than I've ever gone with breastfeeding. This girl has not had a drop of formula, and probably never will! I am so proud of that. (Not that formula is a bad thing... It's a very valuable option for women who struggle with supply issues or cannot nurse their babies for whatever reason).

As far as development goes, she's scooting herself all around. She's not all-out crawling yet, but she's very mobile. She goes right to Joey's train tracks. Apparently the wooden tracks make great teethers. She loves to chew on them, much to Joey's frustration. He is very patient with her though. A lot more patient with her than with Annabelle. Most of the time he moves his tracks and she keeps following until he gives up and moves on to something else. Silly girl! Macie loves her siblings, just not when she first wakes up. She's not a morning person at all. Just like her parents!

That's about all I can think of right now... Macie is just a joy to have in our family. I cannot imagine life without her sweet face. She's the perfect addition, and the perfect third child. We love her so dearly! Everyone who has had the chance to love on her is just smitten with her. Precious baby girl!

 Her very favorite place to be. She loves when I put her in the moby wrap. Why I never had one with Joey and Annie, I don't know. 

Precious smile, and those adorable dimples!

As far as the big kids are concerned, they are growing at a rapid pace too. Joey is almost officially enrolled in kindergarten. *tear* He is also very excited to possibly play football this fall. How freaking cute that will be!! Annabelle is turning into such a sweet little lady. She is fully potty trained, including naps and almost every morning she wakes up with a dry pull-up. It is so awesome! Very weird to have two independent children. They both dress themselves if I leave outfits out for them to put on. It's really nice! Only one child to diaper, and dress. They still very clearly need help with some things, but it's nice to not have to spoon feed them... they're even able to help me around the house a little bit! Pretty soon it will be time to assign chores!! Sweeeeeeet!!! 

 Sooooooo close!!

 Beautiful little girl!!

My handsome little boy. He's turning into a wonderful little man!