Friday Friend...Meet Sarah

Photo by Sarah's Mother In Law, stolen by me from Sarah's blog

Meet Sarah...she is my hair stylist turned friend and everyone should have one. Who can say they went to birthing class with their hair stylist? I can! Sarah now cuts hair out of her bathroom on Wednesdays and she sits on her toilet (no...not going) and we catch up.

A friend of mine from high school was going to Calvin College and started going to a salon near there. My 3rd girl in a row at Design One had just left after having a baby and I was desperately looking for someone to cut my hair. I heard about Sarah and 7 years later here we are. Not only does she do a great job, but her prices are AmAzInG! I can never redo my hair the next day quite like she does after a cut, so don't hold that against her.

She is super funny and sarcastic and we have the same parenting philosophies. Her oldest is 7 weeks younger than Tyler and they would have been only 2 weeks apart if Tyler hadn't come so early. Sarah went on to add one more to her brood in January and keeps urging me to catch up. Our husbands are a lot alike too, which gave us some awesome Mother's Day stories to chat about...

From Sarah:
I am honored and embarrassed all the the same time....don't really think people would care about my boring life:)
oh well, here it goes:

*Favorite food:
if i HAD to pick one i would say pizza, but spicy mexican would be a very close 2nd place

*childhood memory:
our family vacation to west virginia. We couldn't really afford lavish vacations, but my mom believed it was important to do something as a family every year. SO, that year we packed a tent and put all our bikes on a trailer behind my dad's pickup and drove there. The funniest/crazy part is it had enough room for 3 up front, so my parents had the kids take turns sitting in the bed of the truck (with a cap on) in recliner lawn chairs! (definitly wouldn't fly with state police these days!

*funny thing that happened this week:
My son came up to me and said, "I want boogers for supper, mommy!"

*Sleep with your mouth open or closed?
I sleep with my mouth closed.

*What you love most about your hubby?
I love my husbands sense of humor, and how he can make most people laugh.

*What in your life has gone a different direction than you thought at 16?
EVERYTHING in my life has gone a different direction than when i was 16! THANK YOU LORD!!!!!!!! One of those times you are thankful you don't get everything you ask for!

*Official name of your bathroom salon?
THe salon has an unofficial name of "Sarah's Bathroom Salon Emporiom" Given by her husband:)

*Are your toes painted right now?
My toes are painted, but barely.....i keep saying that i am going to get a pedicure, but it just doesn't seem to happen.

*Easiest part about 2 kids? Hardest?
easiest part of having 2 kids: hmmm....loving them... that's pretty easy, and the fact that they are STARTING to entertain each other. Hardest part is getting out of the house.

*Cake or ice cream?
Cake or ice cream is a trick question for me because they are both sweets.....anything sweet is a yes for me.

*Favorite tv show?
everybody loves raymond is my favorite....can't watch an episode without laughing out loud.

*Last book you read?
*last book: Maggie by Charles Martin. (one of the few books i can read more than once)

*Last thing you did for yourself.....
hmmm........i went shopping for the day and out with my girlfriends that night about a month ago. I guess it's time to do that again!:)

Baby K

I had the opportunity to photograph baby K this weekend. Hope her Mommy likes...

Photos by Caitlin Terpstra Photography, collage templates by dawnm.com

Friday Friend

So...this is my 100th post! To kick of this super exciting accomplishment...my greatest so far, I am starting Friday Friend. I will pick the brains of my super interesting friends and post their funny, I mean deep, answers to my insightful interviews each Friday. Keep reading...there is a giveaway at the end of the post!

My first Friday Friend is Jamie. We met at Meijer where we both get to collect a check. She hales from a small town up north on the lake shore and was once engaged to a guy named Jesse James. That isn't a joke. Her mom raises miniature ponies. That isn't a joke either. ***EDIT by Jamie: while I wish my mom raised miniature ponies this is not fact. She actually raises the opposite of mini horses - she raises draft horses*** She is madly in love with her boyfriend (NK who also works at Meijer), kayaks, is mommy to Poppy the puppy, and always wears clothes that would only work on her. Her favorite accessory by far is an anchor and she shares my love for crafting.

My most favorite thing about Jamie is her ability to find or make cool things. She is always sending me emails at work full of inspirational ideas and it is the highlight of my day. You too, can enjoy inspiration from Jamie. Check out her new blog that debuted this week...Gads

I highly recommend a daily trip to see what she has unearthed on the world wide web. She also just finished her first event planning experience...our friend Dan's wedding. You can see photos of her work on her blog.

Onto the giveaway. Leave a comment on this post about any or all of the following:

What you enjoyed most about Jamie
What event you would love to have someone plan for you...1st birthday, baby shower, etc...
What you are doing for the holiday weekend
Your favorite color

3 commenters (randomly chosen) will win a photo editing package. You send me 10 photos that you want to see beautified and I will make them pop and send them back to you. One Grand Prize winner will get to have an 8 x 10 and a 5 x 7 of their choice professionaly printed and mailed to them.

Contest closes end of day Sunday, with winners posted Monday. Good luck and I can't wait to make your photos pop!

Meet Jamie

Does your mom know about your tattoos?
Come on now - that one's not a fair question! No, 8 years later I still wear long sleeves when I go home. Even during the dog days of summer. It's such a silly thing!

Favorite color
I don't think I can pick a favorite. I really like them all. all at the same time.

Favorite TV show as a child
I really loved Dharma and Greg. Her style and spunk truly inspired who I am today

Trapped on an island, what do you have to have with you?
My NK, my kayak, good tunes, a LOT of magazines, and a Mexican restaurant

You won $50 million take home in the lotto, how do you spend the money?
That's a lot of yurts! Hmm... that's a lot of dough. I'd certainly buy quality and hopefully some extra time on this Earth & comfort for all the people I love!

Describe a yurt and do you still want to live in one?
A yurt is a traditional Mongolian dwelling that is built on a deck-like platform, circular in shape, has a lattice frame and is covered with a thick tent-like material. Built in a weekend, a yurt was originally meant to be easily dismantled and transported via yak or camel. NK and I are still smitten with the idea of simplifying our life down to the essentials and having the time and resources available to focus on the things we love: travel, hand craft, and friends.

Favorite activities
Kayaking, cycling, listening to music, blog stalking, creating, designing, quality time with friends

Best joke ever
Inappropriate for this medium

Cake or ice cream?
Ice cream but in two forms in particular: Chocolate malt or vanilla soft serve mixed with lemon-lime slush

Favorite animal
Poppy Esperanza Kirby!

Biggest fear?
Loss. Losing people I love unexpectedly. I've learned to try and live every moment to the fullest. I don't always accomplish this but I try!

source+

Believe in love at first sight?
ABSOLUTELY! The first time I saw NK I knew. It was my birthday and I was at work, taking break from my Seven Habits of Highly Effective People class. I spotted him and as I returned to class I declared to my coworkers: I just found my birthday present. And the rest is history.

Favorite Poppy story
Poppy is a fabulous little mongrel. She makes me smile every day. My current favorite thing is that she adores grass clumps after people mow their yard. She'll "sneak up on one" and run away with it in her mouth, happy as can be. So gross.

Describe yourself in 5 words or less
Happy, sassy, sweet, sarcastic, short

Eggs...scrambled, sunny side up, or hard over?

Over medium, please. With plenty of Frank's Red Hot

Describe a perfect day
I'm happy to say that I have been lucky enough to have a few of these... Here's one: wake up at a bed & breakfast on the shore of Loch Ness. Breakfast prepared by the lovely hostess, Pauline. A hike up Foyers Falls. A sunshine-ridden drive along Loch Ness and lunch on the shore. A winding drive throughout the countryside to the breathtaking Isle of Skye. Storming the castle of Eileen Donan. And sunset at the most beautiful place I have ever been - Neist Point. All with the man of my dreams at my side.

Do you take your shoes off at work?
At my desk I do occasionally... but lately I haven't even had time for that!

Favorite place to be
Wherever there is adventure, laughter, and love all at the same time.

Favorites

When questioned "Tyler, who is the best?"
The best: Papa
2nd best: Bake (Blake)
3rd best: Bake
4th best: Papa
5th best: Papa
6th best: Bake
7th best: Papa
8th best: Daddy

He loves me and Nana, Bent (brent), and I-ley (Riley) are his buddies.
Good thing he is fickle or feelings would be hurt. :)

More baby W

More done...more to go

Baby W

I had my first newborn session today! It was fun even though baby W didn't want to curl up anymore. He peed on his mom twice and on me once...such a boy! I only had time to edit a few of the photos, so here is a sneak peak.