we left early this morning for Michigan!  It has been about 8 years since I’ve really visited.  Tom and I came up when we were first dating – he survived, so I married him.  the town i am from, Remus, is small.. the town my grandma and Aunt live in, Six Lakes, is smaller – not sure of the actual size, but I’m talking one stop light – maybe two.  I can not wait to get there.  The last time tom and I visited – a storm slammed us.. tom had a blast – we got so much snow.. I’m really hoping for 75 degree weather this time.. not a chance, but a girl can hope. 

stopping at the vet school in Columbus, OH to see tom’s sister Michelle.. maybe she will pay for dinner?  kidding.. kidding..

Love having the laptop..! and internet whilst driving.. makes the trip much faster!

ps.. thanks for watching the house for us j&r

i spent three wonderful hours with this beauty.. and her adoring parents and aunt (AUNT – it’s her first niece – Aunt is a new title for her!)  And of course, the family pups.. Brewsky and Chloe – ever excited to have their sister home..

i do lots of newborn sessions – this little girl – I swear – was posing!  she was the calmest WIDE AWAKE babe I’ve ever seen at this age!  after a couple of hours – she finally snoozed for me – maybe i helped flipped her day/night for you peg and alex?!  i love seeing parents so completely in love with their kids and each other.. and they certainly are.

introducing our newest babe to tot member…

six.day.old… mazie

i so enjoyed this little girl

ohhhh… i had to add this one!!!

what a wonderful few days we had.. on Wednesday we drove down to SC to see my family.. mom, dad, bro, nephew, sister and my grandma and grandpa.. so nice to have everyone together – but dang.. my kids are LOUD!!  we also stopped in and saw tom’s sister and family – they just remodeled their kitchen – i have kitchen envy..  anyway.. had a wonderful visit – then back home on Thursday afternoon to get things ready for Christmas.. I took NO pictures – so proud of myself.. i really enjoyed the moments – emily on my grandpa’s lap.. my grandma pouring taller glasses of wine as the kids got louder.. dad playing music with the girls.. cooper and Ayden (my newphew) playing legos and boy stuff.. when we got home, Santa brought a wii – and a wii fit .. o.. m..g.. i have NO coordination.. it is so much fun – tom and i had to send the kids upstairs so we could play!  i haven’t laughed at myself so hard in years..  and i really needed that!  tom laughs at me often – but it’s not often I can get in on the joke..

abby got a pink and purple sparkly scooter and has been riding in the house all day.. no interest in venturing outside..  she was such a great patient girl this whole weekend.. cooper on the other hand – wow.. not so much..

i am most excited about my snuggie – how lame is that?  when i’m editing i get freezing cold.. i’m soooo excited to have something I can still use my hands while i edit!!!

back to work this weekend !  got a new babe to tot arrival that is ready for her pictures!  a mini break from vacation (the kids are wearing me out! will be nice to escape for a while and admire a lil babe)

hope everyone is enjoying

1.  i COULD NOT homeschool..

2.  my 4 year old will wear what she wants to wear – even if it means layering the clothes i lay out on top of her clothes

3.  a stubborn two year old will sit on the potty for the entire nap time

4.  my husband is a mean man who took the “popper” toy out of the attic and placed it in the two year old’s room- the kids found it and have been running for an hour.. loudest toy in the WORLD.

a few last packages to mail this morning – the kids and i rushed out of the garage to make it to the post office before the line was to the door and noticed some super cool snow forts Tom made last night while we were all snoozing.. complete with snow piles for ammunition..he is like the.best.dad.

to get abby to partake in the festivities – i had to think of a way to get her outside.. a cool snow fort was just not going to cut it.. “pink” snow.. yep.. that did it.. they each got a cup full of Kool-Aid and sprinkled it on the snow.. Abby loved it!

tasty

cooper with the sneak attack on his dinosaurs and orange men – now.. doesn’t the koolaid look a bit like – well, blood?

cooper wins v the mcdonalds happy meal creapy creature that binks when i walk… glad it’s dead..

I’ve just started this group last month and I have not had time to play with it, but hey -  let’s get to just 50 group members (in facebook just search nicholle goodnight photography)  become a member of the group and when we hit 50 i will have a *sale* for all of you when we start back in Jan.. something for current customers and something to get those of you who want to try me out and don’t want to jump in – maybe this will get you going..  if my friend Val would join, I would fly to Olathe and do a session for her…(when the weather is warmer of course)

also.. some really cool things I’m working on for January/February – maybe get some new faces..

AND – I organized and cleaned my office today!!!!!  it’s a big deal – the holiday and Christmas rush was insane.. so happy to have had the insane amount of business – my clients are so awesome.. like my little extended family!

even i will admit the snow we got yesterday is gorgeous!  i started to go out with my big camera – well, tom said, “you shouldn’t take that outside in the snow – you are not really steady on your feet”.. yes, it’s true – i’m a clutz.. falling face first in to snow 12″ deep is not what my camera or lens needs.. so i got out ye ole point and shoot (which by the way – i love – $99 Nikon coolpix from Target last year)..

Cooper and I got all bundled and headed out first thing this morning.. abby – ever the inside child – stayed cozy and played with her dolls for the morning..  Tom got emily bundled too and we walked down to the duckpond – she did great..

i couldn’t make it up the drive last night – so i parked 1/2 down our hill – which left tom to park almost in the street.. the tree at the top of our drive is currently lying down on our newly pavered walk.. hoping it’s just tired from holding up all the snow.. i love that pretty tree..

coop out in it.. the bottom stair is completely under snow..

loving it!

tree on the corner of our road..  it too looks tired

and this is our duck pond.. this poor little ducks saw me and thought – hey, there is a nice lady who has come to feed us..

and they flew up the hill to me.. poor little hungry guys.. i was breadless.. if they hadn’t made a complete mess of my driveway last year, i would feel for them…

busy day today getting all these last minute orders/Gift Certificates delivered.. but I got it done before the snow hit!!!   we have at least 6 inches of snow outside our house right now..

Starting tomorrow – I am on Vacation!!!!   until January 6th – and then I start right back up with sessions on the 8th.

Do be on the look out for at least one newborn who will debut during this vacation – can’t wait to meet her – but other than that, I will be spending some much needed family time.  A couple of trips to see family… lots of great visiting, food and just togetherness.. can’t wait!

there will be snow pictures to share, random Christmasness and new products to share too while I’m on vacation.. so do check the blog to see..

belinda, beth, liz, stephanie, tiffany, vanessa, and debbie – your orders will be in the first of next week and I will get those to you as soon as i unpack, and then package!

i needed a few minutes break from Christmas cards and ordering – my eyes were beginning to cross.. take a look at some of the new cards for next year…

babe to tot newbies coming soon!!!  here are a few

and some Senior 2010 designs!!!!

are they not AWESOME!!!

okay.. just a few more days and i am on vacation!!!

i hope beth does not mind me sharing.. i just love this..