I Heart Photos...

I love photos. I love that they make memories as real as the day they happened. I love that not only are events or time periods captured in one still moment, but that personalities are captured. I love that every photo of my daughters reminds me of how they encountered the world.

For example, I will always remember that in the photo above, Jacklyn's M&M that we used to bribe her to sit still never actually made it to her mouth, but was melted all over her hands...making for one of my favorite photos of the entire shoot.

Jacklyn is sooooo funny right now. She is almost three, and talks extremely well, and is very observant and quick-witted. She understands jokes and makes up funny stories. Not a day goes by that I don't laugh out loud at her unique way of phrasing things. She loves horses, loves to pretend-play rodeos, won't go anywhere without her over-sized stuffed chicken "Chicky-Baby," and loves to tromp up to the barn with her pants tucked into her boots. She is a snuggler, and earns her nickname "Monkey," by clinging to me at every available opportunity.

Elizabeth is my overachiever. She is incredibly smart, and likes everything just so. She loves schedules and has an amazing sense of time. While very, very stubborn (everything has to be her idea), she is eager to please and loves hugs and praises. She currently is obsessed with cleaning the bathroom counter because she knows that I will make a big deal about it.

She is doing extremely well in Kindergarten. She is definitely an out-spoken leader, and wants to read--and according to her, she's not being taught fast enough. Often very aware of her beauty and ability to persuade, she is likely to be an unstoppable force as a career woman. She wants to be a teacher, or a cowgirl, or both, when she grows up.

Rhian is amazingly resilient. She has been through so much, but yet continues become stronger. She is doing well in school--Her favorite subjects are science and grammar. While she usually says that she wants to be a teacher or audiologist, she is currently trying to find professions in which she does not have to attend college. I however, have informed her that she must attend college no matter what, and then she can start her singing career!

She started Bowring 4-H this year, and will show her Angus calf, "Otis," at the 4-H Spring Show in March. She has a fashion sense all of her own--I'm not sure how to describe it--but she would definitely consider my style, and clothing choices for her, too preppy. She is often messy, and her room is in a constant state of disarray...But she is a great helper around the house. She loves to help me cook and it is her responsibility to unload clean dishes from the dishwasher. She wants to learn to sew, and loves scrapbooking and card making.

One thing that I have learned from photos--Don't blink. I am constantly amazed at how quickly the girls grow and change. I just hope that I take advantage of every moment I have with them, because they will be grown before I know it.