{Saguaro/Colossal Cave National Park | Mothers Day 2012}
God is so good. It's taken a pretty incredible 4 years to get to this point of celebrating Mommy Day 2012. I won't hash out the heart struggles today. I just wanted to share something personal today--my joy in my family. These are my 2 children. I'm pregnant with #3. (sadly we failed to get any baby bump pictures...you can whine at me later - i just look mostly fluffy anyways.)
Lawson suggested we find a place to go hike with the kids. So weird how he reads my mind sometimes. Ive been wanting to check out Saguaro National Park the past few weeks (confession: yes there was an alternative motive that was work-oriented. I've been craving to find some crazy awesome Tucson backdrops for portraits...and yes also, I confess I tend to pronounce it SAG WAR OH. laugh and call me gringo. do it. I dare you)
Lawson snagged some great accent shots of desert stuff. 
the kids haven't been hiking since last summer. I've said it before and i'll say it a thousand times henceforth--the older they get the more fun it is to do stuff like this! Jordyn was so thrilled with the freedom of treking on her own two feet. :D Judah was a little obsessed with stepping on snakes. Dad, in all his mighty warning wisdom, told the kids to be 'careful of snakes'...Judah freaked a little and we had to coax him a little to be brave and trudge forward...carefully.
they pretended to hunt for tigers in these tall sticks...
as you can clearly see, Judah was a very committed tiger hunter.
by the end of our trek in the desert, you could tell we had run our little munchkins ragged
while resting back in the picnic area Lawson went to go destroy a dead tree with Judah. While ripping off the bark Jordyn was about to thrust herself upon the trunk and try to scale the darn thing. I heard this very fatherly yell, whipped around to find Lawson swopping the kids up and backing up about 10 feet from the tree. Apparently he found a spider cluster. I think he attempted to protect his manhood by insisting it might have been a brown recluse nest. What a hero.
we also had a grand time catching this lil lizard and helping the kids get friendly with it. Judah was pretty sure he was going to lose a limb but still giggled hysterically when he got to feel the poor thing's racing heartbeat. 
all in all, it was my most favorite mother's day thus far. definitely beat's last year's lonely experience and watching these spawn of mine grow and change rocked my face off. So to sign off...this is them, my offspring, yelling 'happy mommy day' at the top of their lungs. :D Peace. | lkm
Rapunzel/Darth Vadar Kisses Spider Man | Huge Identity Crisis | personal
{Judah & Jordyn | Tucson, AZ | March 2012}
I'm not sure if i need to explain much. Kids found cool Darth Vadar mask that was the result of a recent successful garage sale outing, Jordyn insisted on putting on her Rapunzel outfit from another garage sale find a year ago, Judah put on his 2 year old spiderman hand-me-down costume and then they insisted on giving each other a kiss. Of course I might have made the initial suggestion, but regardless.... mothering is pretty darn hard, but little snippets like these make life make more sense. :D | lkm
Peter + Vanessa | Southern California Engagement Session | Citrus State Historical Park | Pt.2
{Peter + Vanessa | being cute in the middle of Dufferin St. in Riverside, Ca | January 2012}
...there love story continues. :) If you didn't catch P + V's part one, go Here. And take note that after you trudge through all the gooey tenderness, at the bottom of the post you'll get to read the first-hand account of their proposal back in December. Beware though. He sets the bar UBER high. It's kinda ridiculous actually. | lkm
I really would like a huge glowing canvas of that bee in the branches (image below left)
Such a pretty little thing :)
and oh my gosh, can they get their goof on!
I don't get it either. African flossing? 
My heart just swells at the idea of God blessing Peter with Vanessa as his bride...a woman whom he loves, tends to, cares for, who loves Jesus and others. The innocence and sheer delight and new experiences and amazing sense of 'team-mate' ahead of them--yup, there's the grapefruit in my throat again. 
My joy in my brother is unabashed. The blessing in having him include me in these plans and attempts to woo his lady is beyond me. The phone calls and questions and opinions on 'how should i do this?' made my heart swim with glee :)
So....here's the proposal story I've been gushing about. (as told by Peter)...note: at the end of Vanessa's semester abroad in Africa, Peter joined her parents to spend Christmas on safari and traveling about the country. I know. Sick huh?
Sent via facebook to all their close friends shortly after they got engaged...
She said yes! Here's how it happened:
On December 25th, I gave Vanessa her first clue: a small silver treasure chest. The next day I gave her a silver key with the verse 1 Peter 1:22-23. The third clue was the movie Muppet Treasure Island (in which Gonzo says the line, “to Zanzibar, to see the Zanzi-barbarians!”). Fourth clue was a hand towel and fifth clue, conveniently placed on her bedside table by her dad this morning, was a photo album showing the timeline of our relationship so far.
Last night, we arrived on Zanzibar island off the coast of Tanzania (in eastern Africa). I immediately began to scope the area for the big question, since I was planning on burying the ring in a cherry wood treasure chest I had a guy make for her. I approached “Gharib”, a local African at the receptionist desk and in a conspiratorial tone said, “I am planning on asking my girlfriend to marry me tomorrow but I need your help.” His eyes lit up. He was in. He found me a shovel and a place on the beach that was on the edge of the Breezes Beach Club property. Mr. Johnson talked to Sarah, another helpful worker to get a glass bottle for the treasure map. The closest she could find was a wine carafe—it would have to do. I then had Vanessa’s brother Aaron set up a camera behind a tree as I buried the treasure chest next to a palm tree. I made the appropriate pirate markings on the piece of synthetic leather I had burned and dirtied (for authenticity of course), and then went to pick up Vanessa.
She had all the clues ready with the additional zebra striped bowl we picked up in South Africa. I then gave her the wine carafe with the treasure map which she untied and gazed with artistic appreciation for a few moments before looking to me for direction. “Well, follow the map, I said.” So we did. I purposely made the dotted pirate route wind through the club grounds before looping back along the beach to the chosen palm tree. She noticed the camera first and laughed. Then she noticed Aaron sulking in the shadows of the tree and laughed some more. Aaron turned on the camera and discreetly took off down the path. “Oh look, a shovel!” she said. “Well, what do you think you should do?” I asked. “Maybe I should dig in this soft dirt over here…” she jested (so maybe I’m a pirate in training and didn’t cover my burial site so well). She dug up the treasure chest, unlocked it with the key I had given her as a clue, and opened up the chest to find a journal and a small box. The journal had some words about love and stuff and then after reading John 13 I had her sit on the treasure chest while I washed her feet in the zebra bowl. I dried them with the red hand towel (4th clue) and had her open the small box. Inside was a smaller box containing a black ring box and inside the ring box was…the ring. I told her some more stuff about love and running the race alongside each other and more mushy stuff and then said, “Vanessa Nicole Johnson, will you marry me?” She said yes. We hugged for a few moments then realized how humid it was so we headed in to breakfast with Vanessa’s family.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Hope to see you soon.
Peter (& Vanessa)
Raising Kids | personal
{Judah & Daddy | The plethora of faces we have trained our kids to crank out on the spot | Downtown Tucson, AZ | November 2011}
We've had an interesting schedule the past couple months. While Lawson waits to have more hours added to his plate at Starbucks, he's provided me with a generous amount of 'work days' to continue working on photography and developing relationships with fellow photographers and vendors in Arizona. While I love being able to get my productive 'working girl' fix throughout the week, I count the enormous blessing of having this man be my kid's father. He is goofy. He is bizarre. He is passionately in love with his family and dedicated to spending time and providing as darn best he can....And he's raising his kids to love each other. It really is a pretty beautiful thing. | lkm
my gosh. these kids are awesome :)
Playin' Dirty | Tucson Mom | personal
{My kids | Tucson, AZ | January 2012}
Activities are a hard thing for me. Creating new things for the kids can sometimes give me stomach aches. I'm not sure why. I'm not sure what the big deal is inside of me head. Am I really so competitive or obsessive that I feel the pressure of making sure each day is impressively packed with the most amazing mommy activities so i get to brag about them to my husband at the end of the day? Seriously. I sometimes think that. 'Oh fantastic mother you--how wonderful you were to endure an hour of play-doh. your husband with smother you with lavish gifts and acolades for being such a giver.' How lame Laura. Really. What if i could just GET the fact that Judah and Jordyn just wanna let loose a little and have fun? Doesn't need a name, a structure, rules or even pictures to prove we did it. What if a mere mound of dirt would be the highlight of their day? I don't know why this toddler stage stresses me out so much. Its a conundrum. But this particular day i stifled the anxiety about an extra load of laundry, shoes full of sand and an uncomfortable dirt-filled bathtub later and tried to get down n' dirty WITH them. (after i put the camera away). ta da. | lkm
How to Greet a Grandma | personal
{Picking Up Moo Moo from work | Tucson, AZ | November 2011}
I snagged a few shots of the kids running to get moo moo after a long week at work. "Happy Friday Moo Moo," they yelled. I've decided that they modeled possibly the top best way to greet somebody: shreak and run into their arms. Hands down best way to say 'i love you.' Even adults should implement that into their greetings from time to time. I don't know about you, but that'd probably rock my face off. With that said, Monday just ended. It's the beginning of the week. Try planning a sweet way to bound, with great abandonment, into the arms of somebody you care about--not just because it'll make you feel awesome, but because you want to make them feel adored. Do it. And then maybe post on my FB wall that it rocked your face off as well. | lkm
Halloween in Vogt Springs of Dunnellon, Florida | Holiday Memories Pt.1
{My 2 Black Eyed Pees in a Pod | Dunnellon, Florida | Halloween Memories 2011}
I just choked on my gum when i realized that i had never posted pictures from Halloween this year. In fact, i haven't posted anything really personal in a while. So instead of putting it off and just letting them sit in my 'cool pictures the dummy never posted,' I thought I'd spill a few inside scoops of the Moore Clan's holiday experiences. And we're going to start with my FAVORITE holiday of all: Halloween. (insert sarcasm) The best part, hands down, however, was the costumes. Judah & Jordyn were 2 Black Eyed Pees in a Pod...
My cousin-in-law, Rikki the Creative Genius (her official name I've decided) made her kid's own costumes. Check these out...
Grace was a peacock. SO cool...
Ryland was a dragon...isn't that SO stinkin' creative?! I mean, she used a flippin' swimming NOODLE for the dragon spine. high five mom, high five.
Kayden was a stellar mummy...
No. Halloween is NOT my favorite holiday nor is Trick-or-Treating the best activity i've ever thought to do with my kids. I was quite confident that i'd turn around while wandering around Vogt Springs and have to peel Judah from underneath the belly-side of the wagon he was riding in. I mean, toddlers are just barely beginning to imagine and create stories and characters in their head when all of sudden you toss 'em into a good community neighborhood event that involves zombies slobbering over 'welcome' signs and horrific screams coming from half-closed tombs in spider-web infested, smoke-spewing front yards. I'd pee my pants too. 
But regardless of this highly-opinionated mom's perspective of the festivities, the Richardson Twins stole a bazillion double-takes as they confidently strolled down the street side by side...
The kids ate it up! All of it. Literally--completely taken with the idea of shoving their faces full of candy. The one night a year, i'm sure, that all mom's throw concerns of teeth, bedtime and a 2 foot tall human being's ability to contain a pound of sugar to the wind. 'Sure kid! Eat Up! You and your pillow-padded tummy and smeared black eye-liner are too cute to say no to. I'll clean up your vomit later."
The suckers were the best part of it all. Judah and Jordyn had 10. i'm sure. And half of them ended up half-eaten and oozing at the bottom of their pumpkin pails. It was awesome. The next morning we picked apart the 'un-oozed' candy from the 'oozed and destroyed' wads of cavities-cough-i mean, treats.
Ok. Aside from the left-hook sassy remarks about Halloween, I actually had a good time watching the kids experience the whole thing. It was a treat to spend time with cousins and do Halloween in 'Vogt Springs' style. Small town neighborhood events like these are special--everybody knows everybody else. I like being able to walk down a street and wave and talk to everybody i see. Of course i try to do that wherever i go, but apparently Tucson has yet to warm up to that over-zealous friendliness. :)
Anyways, thank you RICHARDSONS for the treat of an experience AND the treats that are rotting in my kids faces. (not really) I'm gonna treasure these pictures forever. :D | lkm
And if you so feel like getting in on the memory fun, post a link to your Halloween Memories post below!...
5 years ago today... | personal
{My Hubby & I | Kimberly Crest Park, Redlands, CA | July 14, 2007}
5 years ago today Lawson Moore proposed to me on the shores of Puerto Galera, a small island an hour's boat ride off of Manila Bay, Philippines. It was pretty picture perfect. We even had a double rainbow show up minutes before he got down on one-knee and everything. It was the first time we kissed. It was the most awkward ALL-TEETH kinda kiss because I was smiling so big. I'd tell the whole story, but it really is way better if I act it out for you. So I guess we'll just have to meet. And then I'll give you the blow-by-blow with all antics, hand-motions and sound effects included. :) ...p.s. Dear Husband, you rock my face off. | lkm
mmmm. love sure does ripen over the years. i look at this picture moments before he popped the question and think to myself, 'oh the things you will learn and grow to love evermore..."
Okongo Girls | Tucson Family Photographer
{Okongo Girls | Agua Caliente, Tucson, AZ | December 2011}
Mmmm. A mother's love--ripe, ready and intensely real. I've only had a couple months to get to know Shauna, hear her story and watch her be a mom. She's probably one of the most honest, "take-it-or-leave-it" ladies I've ever met. While carpooling to her birthday party/girl's-night-out the other night, I don't think I've laughed that hard in weeks...(pause to think about it) yup, my side still hurts. I can't quite describe how bummed (but stoked) I am about her upcoming move to Texas. She's starting a new stage of life. We're happy for her....but there will be a gaping hole left in our 2M community group after tonight. I love you new friend. And your girls. Your family has blessed my own in the short time we've gotten to laugh, listen and learn with you. Forward Ho sister. I'm glad I could send you off with this collection of memories :) | lkm
Hay Day Reprieve | personal...and a public exortation
{Hay Day with Kids | Dunnellon, FL | October 2011}
I'll be scattering a few highlights of my Florida visit sporadically throughout the next month. It'll be a good breather from the myriad of family portraits that i hope to spotlight otherwise! Frankly, i can't get enough of these munchkins anyways. It sure pays to be a mommy photographer. No--that is NOT meant to rub anything into any mommy's face. It is surely a push and shove for you mommy's to get the nerve up and start snapping away. Start with remembering your camera when you go on a walk to the park of reading time at the library. stuff the camera in your baby bag and promise yourself you'll take at least 10 pictures that will document the day's activity well enough. It'll rock your world when you realize you remember the little moments so much better when there are images to remind you. I love it! I would remember only a fraction of my kids early childhood if it weren't for the pictures I've obsessively taken of different excursions and milestones. (I confess it was largely a coping/survival mechanism, but nevertheless...) Praise the Lord for the blessing of photography!...and I'm overjoyed to be able to share some of the fun and memories with you! | lkm
it's stinkin cute when you ask Judah & Jordyn to 'hug' or 'show some love'--they really get into it--shamelessly; unabashed :) oh innocence how i love thee.
thank you aunt beth for taking one of the few mommy&me pics i snagged while in florida :)