daniellebryson.com

I’ve been inspired by Pintrest for a Valentine shoot and found the cutest shirts for the boys at Cotton Laundry .  We went back to Atlanta for the weekend to pack up some more stuff so I quickly pulled my props together because my wall, my favorite wall, is now 2.5 hours away but I knew it would be perfect.  A little windy with two-grumpy boys who were bribed for pictures with a Batman toy but I’m happy with the outcome.  So happy early Valentine’s Day from our family to yours.

At the beginning of the year I take time off just to be a Mom.  To do all those crafty things I always crave but never have the time.  So Wednesday while the boys were in school I spent the morning at the fabric store to “get my craft on.”  I’ve always loved the Pottery Barn Kids Valentine bags that go on the back of your children’s chairs.  But they are 1) really expensive and 2) always a little girly for my two boys.  So I wanted to make one for us that matched their ruff and tumble little boy personalities.  For their bag I used dark brown burlap for the bag, belt ribbon for the handles and boot shoe strings for the heart and letters.  I also don’t know how to sew so I used about a bottle of fabric glue.  All in all it cost me about 1-hour and $10.  Not too shabby.

But the bag is not the important piece here.  It is just a vehicle.  With all the videos on youtube and facebook from young children and teens being bullies, many being boys, what as a parent can I do to help them know they are loved.  To give them as much of a firm foundation as I can to have them stand strong and believe in themselves when others tear them down.  And I know I have to start now.  At 4-years old the mean-spirited comments are already happening.  I tell my boys how much I love them and how wonderful they are….but do they need more?  And I saw how much they loved the Elf on the Shelf for Christmas…waking up every morning for something new.   So I have called Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Grandparents, Teachers and some of the boys’ friends and asked them to write them a letter and say why they love Ridge and Colton.  How they are special to them.  And each morning in February until Valentine’s Day we will pull one letter out of the bag in the morning and read it.  Words of affirmation to build them up for a world that builds them down.

So share this story…pin it, forward it and post it on Facebook because I would love for this to be a tradition for all children, not for the bag but for the gift of positive encouragement for your child(ren). Bullying takes two…the child so hurt that they bully others and the child pushed down.  What if we can make a difference now in our young children’s lives to stop bullying before it begins?

“If we triumph in the little things of our common hours, we are sure to triumph in our lives.” – Unkown

Like many child and family portrait artists January is a time for calm, time for family and time to think creatively out of the box (and procrastinate about taxes reconciliation…or maybe that is just me).

It’s been so mild and rainy this Winter so far but my boys love to play outside.  Yesterday we grabbed our rain slickers and boots and headed to the church parking lot for a splashing session.  Hope you are enjoying your time together this month.

I’ve got a few fun and creative photoshoots up my sleeves for the boys.  Crossing my fingers and have purchased bribes for participation. Stay tuned for pictures.

A few long time Clients have been asking how we are (awww….thanks!) and I realize on a personal level I’ve fallen behind on blog posts.  So in a nut-shell.  We are good…doing better now that we have decided to list our house in Atlanta for rent (just did it today!).  I started getting really down about the house at the end of the year and went into a little bit of a sad-funk since we’ve been in limbo 6-months now. I thought the Christmas spirit would pull me out of it, but it didn’t.  The real estate market is in the toilet for Atlanta and so now we have a plan of action to move forward on our path to moving to Greenville.  So exciting and I’m happy again!

The boys are doing well.  They love their new school, are learning so much and are growing up too fast.  Ridge tells me he is too big for kisses and cuddles now.  Sniff (he’s only 4 1/2).  And is picking out his own clothes (I can’t take anymore Star Wars shirts) and starting to read. Colton is talking up a storm and still loves to play Jedis and anything with a gun or sword.  And with both boys, I’m usually the target…depending on the day I’m a dragon, monster, bad guy or shark.

We decided to come back to Atlanta for NYE and visit friends and make a trip to Medieval Times.  If you have boys 3 and above…do it.  Both Ridge and Colton were in heaven (Colton was a wee-bit young but still had a blast).  I thought I would share our experiences and give you a few tips.

Also, I’m going to start making my schedule on coming to Atlanta for Spring (in March, April and May at least 2 to 3 times per month) so if you have a date you would like, let me know and I’ll try and work around you.  I will also be holding one or two mini-session days in the Spring in Atlanta.  I just don’t know when yet.  And I will also be returning in the summer and fall…I’m just not that organized.

1) Get to Medieval Times early so you can get the best seats.  We didn’t pay for an upgrade but were there early and the boys were dressed up so they gave us second row center…..sweet!

2) Bring cash and lots of it.  They have the Disney model going…trap you inside full of goodies with your kids.  (Plus you need to tip your waitress after and they only take cash).

3) If you go to the bar and they ask you if you would like a kid sized slushy in a knight hat realize it is $13.  Yikes!  And if you do it, get it right before the show starts.  We got the boys one and hour before the show. Colton went on a total sugar high and crashed mid-way through the show.

4) Sneak in snacks.  The show is great.  Better than we expected.  And the actors are really into it…I mean, you can tell they roll play on their off time for fun…..but the food is bad.  The boys only ate bread and I didn’t have anything else to give them.  Oops.

5) Go! And make a day/evening out of it.  The price on their faces was worth every penny.

6) Most important,  Google coupon codes.  Don’t pay full price.  They have lots of specials going on all the time.

Enjoy my Mommy snaps.