We're moving!

Well...I guess technically I'M moving...my blog anyway!

Haha!

I love lots of things about Google...but their blogging space isn't one of them.

Most likely it actually boils down to my inability to use it correctly, but whatever the reason, I'm ready for a change!

This blog will remain here for as long as Google lets it I guess - you can access it anytime to be reminded of the enthralling adventures of our past lives!

I think I'll try and find a way to preserve it on a hard drive, or a blah blah blah (that's about how much I know about what I'm talking about) so that it will be around "forever".

In the meantime here's where you can find me...

baumbachlife.wordpress.com

As soon as I'm set up and can figure out what I'm doing over at Wordpress, I'll set up a way for you to subscribe so that you can be notified when my brilliant thoughts have been put to paper so to speak.
Ha!

See you soon!!

Portrait Photography

So, I had a friend ask me to take her son's senior pictures last May.
I said "Yes!" before I could talk myself out of it.
I do mostly "thing and place" photography, but people assume that if you can take pictures of something, you can take pictures of anything.
And I believed that I could...but I was scared.
So - I got Jenelle and Colin to do some "modeling" for me so I could get some practice.
They were awesome!
Jenelle's requirement was to try and act like a teenager...she called it acting "fierce".

Colin brought his skateboard along and we got some great shots!

On a quick trip to Ellensburg with Ivan and Jenelle, I got some shots of Ivan at an old skate park.

So finally it was time for my actual JOB.
Eli, his sister Bella (a friend of Hannah's) and his mom also came along.
I was able to get pictures of them all during the night.
Jenelle was my "assistant" for $5.00 and helped carry my lenses and camera bag.
We had fun and I they were really happy with the end results...and I got PAID!
Here are a few...

And isn't it a small world...?
They are moving to McKinney, Texas later this week.

SO!
If you're tired of looking at people you don't know - time to leave.
I have two more sets of photos I'm going to post.

My neighbor across the street was thinking about how to surprise her daughter for Mother's Day.
She watches her grandson twice a week and I told her that I'd take pictures of him so she could create a photo album.
Shooting a toddler is a whole new ball game!
They don't care at ALL about what you are trying to do.

It took two different days and some Grandma and Grandpa distractions to get shots that worked.
But that face!!

And last, but definitely not least, was my friend and her two boys.
She's been a friend from our earliest days in Yakima and known Hannah since birth.
She and her husband adopted two adorable boys over the years - one from South Korea and the other from China.
Here are some pictures that I hope they cherish for a long time!!

And for now - that's it!
I'm scheduled to do our friend Jack Sentz's senior pics in October.
I expect that will be fun!

I'm having another local (and amazing!!) photographer do Hannah's in the spring.
I think it will be easier for her to relax and enjoy the moment if it's not Mom telling her what to do.

I hope to get the chance to take more pictures of people as time goes on, but for now I just like to think that some of my photos are hanging in peoples home and making them smile.

Back to School 2016

Wow!  It's been a long time!
Lots of cool things have been happening and lots of pictures have been taken, but I just haven't made time record it all here in this space.

There's just no way that I can go back and blog about all that has gone on since...wow...April, but I will get some back to school photos on and then try to figure out how to share the past 4 months of our lives without it being too much!!

So!
Everyone started back to school this week...but in increments instead of all at once.
Those days of three kids smiling for the camera all together on the first day are over.
In fact, between the three of them, there are three different schools being attended.

Jenelle goes first!
She started her 8th grade year at St. Joe's on Tuesday...8TH GRADE PEOPLE!!
Its our last year with this most amazing and special school.
I'm not going to miss the volunteer hours and time (or maybe I will just a little), but I will miss this place that makes me remember their sweet young start in school.
I will miss the teachers and principal and all those who made it a safe and loving place.

This girl was so ready to go back!
We had a fantastic summer, but she loves activity 24/7 and likes the routine of the morning and her school day.
Mom just can't provide that kind of entertainment all day every day!

Next is Ivan...
Ike started on Wednesday and Ivan left for his Sophomore year in the morning - stopping long enough to appease his mom for some pictures.

And finally Hannah!
Our SENIOR!!
She's entering her 2nd year of Running Start classes (classes taken at the local community college that count for college credit as well as high school credits).
This year her college classes are in the morning...and don't start until 19 September...so she doesn't have to be at Ike until close to noon.
Instead of sleeping in, she's up and going to the gym before class...using the extra morning hours to her advantage.

And so that's it...
Endings that lead to beginnings.
It makes me think a lot lately about who I am...what I have been for the past 17 years.
So many things, but mostly a mom...a wife...
Of course I don't know what the future holds as my children grow up and start to make their own way, but I know one thing for certain...
I have never once...not one single time...regretted spending my days with them and for them.
I would do it all over again and again.

Springtime

We are into April and the colors in Yakima are A-MAZ-ING!!
It's apple blossom and dogwood time around here.
A few more weeks and the petals will be gone making way for the fruits that we love...and that is good...but spring colors just don't last long enough!!

Speaking of dogwoods...
On Mother's Day 2012 I picked out a white dogwood tree and the next year it produced TWO blooms.
The next two years there might have been a handful more, but I was worried we'd gotten a dud.

This year though, it came to its senses and put on quite a show!

I'm going to love to watch this tree grow each year!

Spring also brought Easter and its usual egg dyers, nest makers and morning hunters

Hannah was sleeping in, having worked until nearly midnight the previous evening.  

But her special eggs were still hunted!

This year was the end of innocence when it comes to the Easter Bunny (and therefore Santa and the Tooth Fairy as well).  

Jenelle has been suspicious but her doubts were confirmed this year.  

It was time. 

But!  I'm still going to hide eggs and pay for teeth and put presents under the tree from Santa.

Why should the fun end here?

Springtime also means getting out of the house for walks and wildflowers!

Jenelle and I checked out a place we'd never been before called Snowmountain Ranch.

And spring is also time for tulips!

If they aren't growing in your yard, buy them!

Tulips make everything better!!