We have a nanny!

Yes, it's true.  I've been working way too hard.  I just can't do it all on my own anymore.  We had to get a nanny.  Kinda like the nanny in Peter Pan.  Or should I say Manny.  At first we named her Princess Lulu, but then Chris said she was a boy.  So we named him Runny.  Because we spent 45 minutes the first day running after him.  But other then that... he keeps the kids very entertained.  
He's darling, isn't he.  When I first came in with him Olivia was so happy.  She almost shed tears of joy.  I have never seen her so filled with joy.  It was very sweet indeed.

Hello Summer!

We're glad you're here!

language

Olivia:  Mom, where is the pink?

Me:  Pink what?

Olivia:  Pink paper

Me:  I don't know.

Olivia:  Rats!

Bentley:  What does that mean?

Olivia:  It means, Awww, man!

I love observing kids learn what things mean.  This cracked me up!  Maybe you had to be there.

Happy Mother's Day to me!

Look how exhausted I looked!  Being a first time mom sure was a shock to the system!  Now I have these two gorgeous kids and I'm able to be a mom and have some artistic fun on the side.  I never would have believed that was possible 6 years ago.    
Chris took this sweet picture.  He's got a great eye.  I need to teach him to use my camera and then maybe there will be a few more pictures of me around.  I don't have many of my mom from when we were little.  

I have had the best day!  The kids brought me the greatest cards and coupons.  I redeemed the one for breakfast.  Olivia brought me a tray with the potted flower she made for me at school, an empty glass, a bowl with a little cereal and a whole lotta milk.  It was spilled all over the place.  Best breakfast I've ever had!  She had to go back for a spoon, napkin, and drink.  Meanwhile I redeemed my coupon for a foot rub from Bentley.  It was a little painful.  He scratched at my toes, tried to pull them off, and tried twisting my legs!  I was laughing so hard.  Chris was nice enough to finish it off.  They totally pampered me today and I feel very loved and appreciated.  

I'm so grateful for the moms in my life.  I get to see my mom later this week!  I'm so excited.  And I will get to see my grammy in June!  

shhh.

GUESS WHAT!!!  Todd and Lindsay put together an awesome new SECRET page on the website.
If it's secret, then why am I telling you?
Because my friends, it's the friends and family discount.  :)
FINALLY, you say!  Knowing Andrea is definitely going to start paying off!  (I know, right.)
So go check it out!!! 
I'm usually here in Nashville.
But in June I'll be in Knoxville and in Utah.  :)  If you want to talk dates email me @andrea@lindsayjanephotography.com.
Today I'm thankful for kids.  Especially mine.  None of whom are pictured above, but you've seen them before.  You know they're cute.

O W the S go M

Chickie has a new favorite song.  And even though you can't hear her singing it full volume around the house, I'll bet you can still guess what it is.  

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:  He said it was relaxing.  And he's asleep on the couch right now with the stickers still on his face.  It makes me laugh.

Edit:  It's 6 pm and the stickers are still there.  It's a good thing he doesn't expect us to take him seriously.

I.N.D.E.C.I.S.I.V.E.

Andrea Indecisive Larsen.  Yes, it should be my middle name.  It has a nice ring to it, no?  So I have maybe too many Martha Stewarts.  But a few years ago (ok, 8 or 10),  I had the Martha Stewart Wedding issue with the instructions for making paper flowers and I threw it away.  I cannot count the times after that I had wished for that issue.  Dang.  Anyway...we live in a tiny space.  I want to bring Olivia's art stuff from way up in her closet (too high for her to reach) down where she can reach it but someplace not too easily accessed by Bentley.  So that means they must take the place of my Martha's.  And where should they go...in her closet?  In storage?  In the recycle bin?  I love magazines.  But I love blogs more.  So I don't look at magazines as much anymore.  Maybe I should take to them with scissors and only save what I love?  

When we lived on Goddard (as we like to say) we had the perfect built in bookshelves on the second floor landing.  There was beautiful light coming in through the windows.  I would plop down on the cool wood floor and pull out issue after issue.  Heaven.  But that was before or just after Mandee introduced me to the blogging world.  

Change.  Change.  Change.  The one thing I have learned is that there are no perfect options in life.  It's all about measuring the tradeoffs.  Took me a while to figure that out.

So what should I do?  

Choices, choices, choices...

Or a black and white polka dot one.

I can't decide.  But I know I need one because it's been raining for the past 4 days and the forecast says 2 more to come.  I don't mind though.  I like the rain.  And I like any excuse to stay home.  We're organizing stuff today.  And by we I mean me.