I'm Not Perfect

Today I'm going to share a little bit about myself here.....I mostly write about Elliott, because she's what I LOVE to write about! That's okay, but sometimes it's nice to talk about me, too ;)

Thanks to The Paper Mama for hosting a link-up and prompting women (myself included) to step in front of the camera. To shake off the insecurities, and to love on ourselves a little bit! It feels good!

So, here are a few fun prompts that Chelsey laid out for us to answer:

Obsessing over…Elliott's Valentine's. I cannot wait to give them out to all of my her friends!

Working on…Photos, selling my crap on eBay, keeping my house clean

Thinking about…Bills. Bleh.

Anticipating...The weekend! I'm going to go see The Vow with girlfriends, relax, and hopefully sleep in! 

Listening to…The Big Bang Theory is on in the living room. I can hear it from here, and it's calling my name ;)

Eating…Nothing (for once!) Just sipping some ice water

Wishing…I would win the lottery. 

And, here's what I've been thinking about myself lately:

I hate to exercise

I talk way too much sometimes

 

 I can be selfish

I can be a stick-in-the-mud

 I'm a perfectionist

I expect a LOT from others

I can be impatient
I am sometimes an aggressive driver

 I can't cook
I hate to clean

 I am motivated
I am confident (most days)
I am proud of myself and my accomplishments
I love deeply
I take pride in making others around me happy
I am talented at many things
I might not be good at being perfect, but there are lots of other things that I am good at.

Countdown....

I feel like this entire last week has been a countdown.....My sweet sweet baby turns two in just two days!! Perhaps being snowed in had something to do with all of the time I had to sit and think, and if so, I'm thankful for that. Sometimes it's good to slow down, reminisce, think about the past and dream about the future.

My life has changed SO much since Ellie arrived two years ago. I think that I was always meant to be a mom, and even on days where motherhood doesn't look quite like I thought it would, I wouldn't want things to be any other way. I have everything I could have ever wanted because I'm a mom! 

Elliott has brought a whole new meaning to my life, and that's why we will spend this weekend celebrating. I cannot wait to share Ellie and celebrate her two years of life so far with all of our closest family and friends on Saturday. And on Sunday, we get her (mostly) to ourselves to celebrate some more. 

Birthdays have a whole new meaning when you're a mom.....I mean, thinking back to where I was and what my life was like two years ago? It's a lot to think about. 

I'm so grateful that God chose me to be Elliott's momma! 

So here's to a weekend of celebrating! Ellie's official two-year post will be up later....but I will be spending most of my time this weekend counting my blessings with my little family!

Top 11 of '11

I'm not usually one to make New Year's Resolutions. Although, I do take the week between Christmas and New Year's and think about the direction I want my life to be going in the coming year. The first few days of each new year I try to spend reflecting, and then setting loose goals and standards, if that makes sense. There's no "I will lose 20 pounds by the end of 2012" (although that would be a good one.....lol!)
Instead, I try and determine what is really important to me, and find ways that I can make those things the center of my attention, time, and devotion. As with almost every year, family is my top priority. My husband and my daughter mean everything to me, and they deserve my very best. I often give and give to others, and my devoted husband and loving daughter get what's left over. Obviously this is my top "goal" for this year......to give my very best of me to my family! Next, I'd like to focus on photography. This one is two-fold (okay may three- or four-fold, even): 1) My dad and I started a photography business this year, and I need to hold up my end of the bargain in learning the skills and putting them into practice2) I want to learn how to take inspiring photos of my family so that I have beautiful, priceless pieces to look back on. I took a beginner SLR class this last year, and I loved every minute of it! So, I know that this hobby also brings me joy.
To really get me in the spirit of family, photography, and combining all of the things that I love, I chose to participate in the Top 11 Photos of '11.......it's simple. Choose your favorite 11 pictures of your child(ren) from 2011 and post 'em! Then link up your post over at Naptimemomtog.com and check out other people's posts. I think of it as a way to reflect on the past year, and also a way to inspire me to spend more quality time with my family and brush up on my photography skills in the coming year.
Here's my top 11 of '11:

I can't wait to see what memories 2012 will bring!