and were off to first grade {insert *tears*}!  our baby is growing up faster than we can keep up!   its all so bittersweet, as all you parents can attest too!  i am continuing the tradition of taking raney out to do “back to school” images as i started last year for kindergarten, here.  we set out just last weekend, two days before school started and it was extremely HOT and my little guy wasn’t too much in the mood for picture taking so i consider these images “better than nothing” as he appeased me for a short time-frame.  we had found these glasses and thought they’d make for some fun images along with a #1 balloon to signify going into first grade.  i thought it would also be fun to play around with some different processing than i normally do……..

its been only two days since raney started back to school and i’m already feeling lost without my sidekick right next to me!  summer vacations just aren’t long enough anymore, but i will forever cherish this past summer’s memories!  i love you sweetie and i know its gonna get a little getting use to, going from kindergarten to first grade with a new teacher, new schedules and new friends, but i only hope that along the way you will love everything about this new year as you grew to love everything about last year!  i can’t wait to see you explore and learn even more!

xoxo ~ mommy

xoxo

by far my favorite theme to date….family.  this theme couldn’t have come at a better time.  my guys and i just got back from our week long mexico vacation, in which we had the most amazing time, just us, soaking up the rays and spending the most precious gift given….quality.time.together!  even though we have never been able to add to our clan, i wouldn’t trade what we have and the kind of connection we share, for anything in the world!  i absolutely adore our family of three.

next up is the super talented crystal keith, san diego photographer, lets see what she has posted about family, i absolutely love her work!

happy friday! xoxo

you’ll be on your way!

you’ll be seeing great sights!

you”ll join the high fliers

who soar to high heights.

you won’t lage behind, because you’ll have the speed.

you’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.

wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best.

wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

- oh the place you’ll go, “dr.seuss”

thanks to the absolute AMAZING workshop instructed by the oh so talented brenda and kristy of the bloom forum, i was able to get my photography creative juices flowing and i loved every minute of it!  if you haven’t checked them out yet and you are a photographer (even if you aren’t a photographer), what are you waiting for?!?!  Go check them out right here!!!!!!!!!

xoxo

wow!  it’s happening again!  my baby is turning another year older and it seems to come faster and faster every year!!!

you, my sweet boy, are such an incredible smart and witty young man with a heart soooooooo loving!!!  you truly amaze me!!!

…and OH are you silly….ohhhhhh…..so, so silly……..you are constantly just cracking us up!

i fell deeply in love with you the moment i laid eyes on you when you were born and have continued to fall head over heels in love with you over and over again, you make it just so darn easy!

you are my absolute favorite subject to shoot, even though you can get a little bored and want so badly to just be off with your lightsabers as you undertake the role of  general grievous to take down the one and only obi-wan kenobi (you always want to be the BAD guy)!!!

but as i continue to plead for just “one” more……you never disappoint.

i will NEVER get tired of your random, out of the blue kisses, hugs and “i love you’s”.  you really are the sweetest child who has forever stolen my heart!

happy 6th birthday raney kade hofleit

we love you beyond words!

xoxo ~ mommy & daddy

~ and can you not get over how super adorable that crown is from sweet violet jane!!!  they are all reversible and the fabric on each one is so soft and as you can see here as Raney models one of the boy’s crowns they are amazingly cool for your little guy.  and to see all her creations along with the gorgeous girls ones too, make sure you check her esty store out!!!!!!