Waiting for the sun to shine

My early bird. My happy girl. Charlotte is up with the sun, always cheerful and always hungry. 

This morning she opened our door and said she couldn't find Baby. So I stumbled around bleary-eyed, looking under her covers, under beds, in their closet... until I remembered that she had fallen asleep in my arms last night before our guests left. I had carried her to bed and covered her up, sweet girl, and pulled her mosquito net around her, without remembering to tuck Baby in with her. Luckily, I found Baby "playing hide and seek" behind a couch cushion, and we averted tears and a crisis. She even snuggled back in between Chris and me and we all dozed off for a few precious minutes. Hallelujah.

When Chris kissed us goodbye this morning, Charlotte was still snoozing. She woke up just a minute after he'd gone and immediately asked for him. I told her that Daddy had kissed her cheek before he left for work. Darling and literal as she is, she felt around for his kiss on her cheek but couldn't find it. :)

She saw light coming through the blinds and asked me to open them so she could watch the sunshine come up over our neighbor's house and the big oak tree out back. So we watched. And waited. In her beloved little orange polka dot dress (thank you, Laura) that she has worn for the past five days in a row. I choose my battles wisely, folks.

This girl is such a gift. Unexpected as can be, she is beautiful proof that God knows what He's doing, even when we do not. 

It is such a pleasure to have this bit of alone time with her this summer, while my older two sleep the morning away. I may not always be happy to be awaken before the sun rises, but this little gift of ours is just so darn sweet, that I can't help smiling at her every time she climbs into our bed. 

Have a wonderful weekend with the ones you love, my friends.

Meeting Noah

It was an absolute pleasure to meet this sweet new mama and daddy. We got to talk about parenting philosophies, infant sleep patterns (and techniques for getting them to sleep!), living close to the water, surfing and teaching, and everything in between. I have dearly loved not only photographing these new little bundles of joy for the past 7+ years, but also to be welcomed into their "first homes". To be able to get to know the wonderful people who have the privilege to guide their little hearts through their journeys in this life. 

xo,
Stacey

Cora's Crusaders: An Update

"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." -- William A Ward

Sweet friends, we are absolutely blown away by your kindness and generosity in just the past 24 hours. Our family, our friends and acquaintances, people who know and love Cora's family, even perfect strangers who have only heard their story... have donated over $3,000 to Señor G and his precious family. (Go here for yesterday's blog post about why we are raising money for them. Put yourselves in their place for one minute and I know that you'll be compelled to help them!)

Our goal is $5,000. Can you help us get there??

Please, give today in honor of that great teacher in your life who helped you see things in a new way. The one who inspired you to do better, to be greater, to reach further, to go higher. Señor G does this for our children every single day. 

Can I just tell you? Lila now understands Spanish beautifully, although we don't speak it at home. She can speak Spanish conversationally. I am taking online classes just to understand what she's saying! She comes home singing songs en Español, and I can only translate them because I know the English version. :) And she just began Spanish Immersion this year. It's amazing what our children learn when they have a teacher who truly cares about them.

And as you can see above, the kids love him right back. 

Bless you, and thank you from the bottom of my heart. #CorasCrusaders #WeHeartCora

Amazing Teachers and Cora's Crusaders

My mom is one of the greatest teachers I know. She put herself through college while my sisters and I were little, and obtained her graduate degree over the years with evening classes and summer school. I have so much respect for the sacrifice she still makes in order to teach her kids. The money she spends from her own pocket to get extra supplies for her classroom, because the district's budget just isn't enough. The years she spent tutoring kids after school. The weekends and evenings that she still spends grading papers at home. The weeks it takes her, before and after the school year, to get her room ready to greet the next class of children. Educators are a special, dedicated group of folks, aren't they?

Besides my mom, there have been so many teachers who have made an impact on my life. Mrs. Burton encouraged my love of reading; Mrs. Robinson was always incredibly kind to me and taught me how to write in cursive. Mrs. Storey still brags on me to my parents, to this day. Mrs. McDavid encouraged me to write more. Mrs. Williams showed me that algebra might actually be fun if you treat it like a puzzle to solve instead of work to do.  Mrs. Preston used to tell us funny stories about her dog, Stevie (as in Nicks). Mrs. Burchett taught me how to type, a skill that I'll forever be grateful for. She even took me to school several mornings my freshman year, since we were neighbors, and I'll always appreciate her for that. Mrs. Porter warned us girls that if we popped our knuckles in 5th grade, we wouldn't be able to wear our boyfriend's class ring in high school. ;) 

Our kids have been lucky to have had some pretty amazing teachers too. Lila is in the Spanish Immersion program at her school, and she speaks/hears/learns in only Español for half the day. It's pretty amazing what she's learned from Mr. G this year. But that's what happens when you have teachers who are invested in your child's education. Teachers who really care about your kids and truly want to help them love learning.

And it's an amazing thing when you have an opportunity to give back to them.

You see, Mr. G's baby girl, Cora, is in the hospital battling leukemia. She is only 7 months old. She's such a tiny thing to be fighting such a big monster. And while we know that we can't do anything to help Cora beat cancer by ourselves, there is still something we can do to love on her family...

"Love is never stationary. In the end, love doesn't just keep thinking about it or planning for it. Simply put: love does."  ~Bob Goff

These beautiful, compassionate kiddos from Mr. G's classroom (my sweet Lila is up there holding the C) absolutely adore their teacher. And we as parents have created a fundraising website to raise money for this family's medical expenses, their commutes to and from the hospital, groceries, help with Cora's 3 year old sister... just whatever they need to make this burden a little lighter to bear. 

Would you help them, sweet friends?

CLICK HERE to donate any dollar amount you feel led to give. Even if it's just five bucks from skipping your morning coffee run. Every dollar helps! Cora needs treatment more than we need those calories, am I right? (Make your coffee at home for a week and see how much it adds up!)

Or, make a donation in honor of that fantastic teacher in your life. You get to pay it back and pay it forward, and make a difference in the life of a child. I'm sure your teacher would be super proud of you.

Also, we'd love to spread the word via social media, blogs, email, the news, your office's break room bulletin board.... any way you know how, and wherever you have a voice. Please save the class photo above (just right click and save to your desktop). Copy this link: http://www.gofundme.com/nn8hsw?fb_action_ids=10153313885613069&fb_action_types=og.shares and share away, friends! Use the hashtag #WeHeartCora if you can! It's all about her, and getting her family the help they need to make it through day to day. 

I hope you're blessed tenfold in return for the kindness that you show today. Thank you so much for helping us lift this family up when they need it most.

All my love,
Stacey

Pressing reset

We have been in a season of sickness lately. For the past 4-5 months (just typing that out made me realize how insanely long it's been), someone in our family has been under the weather. On a constant rotation. Viruses, earaches, allergies, colds, achiness and stuffiness and weariness all around. And when one kiddo recovers, a few short days pass and we find that he/she has passed around those germs and now someone else is down for the count. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

My heart aches for a reset. A clean slate. 

It seems to be running through my subconscious lately. I am seeking solace in precious quiet time in my home, puttering and straightening and moving things around. I am ever more strongly drawn to finishing projects around the house, wrapping up all print orders, purging the excess, clearing out the unnecessary, and scrubbing the house from top to bottom. I'm going through my home office and paring down what fills my shelves to only what I truly need to keep to bring me joy. I'm filling our home with succulents and houseplants to provide a fresh breath of air. We are starting a mini-garden of berries and tomatoes alongside the house. Terra cotta pots filled with basil and rosemary and mint are sunning in the kitchen window. Fresh. New. Life. 

And speaking of fresh starts... Parker and my dad were baptized last week. Together, side by side, in the Gulf of Mexico. You can't get a cleaner slate than that one, can you? :) I have to tell you, I've choked up every single time I've looked at this photo. It's worth many more than a thousand words to me.

Have you had a fresh start yet this spring? What have you done to reset and recharge lately? I'd love to know what changes you've made to your routine, what books you've read that may have inspired you, and what things bring you a little joy this time of year. And if you are in a slump or if it feels like you and your babies have been sick nonstop like the Woodses ;) then what do you say... let's reset together! 

Maybe Tomorrow

The dishwasher is humming as I type. The yardwork is done for now, the house is being cleaned and disinfected due to little and big ones being sick at home this week. Charlotte is in daycare for the first day all week, the older two kids are at school, and the day ahead looks so productive for me! I have my coffee in hand, Pandora on, and my to-do list ready. 

//

I kid you not... I typed those words above and then my phone rang. "Charlotte is sick again." So off I went to get her, and now she's snuggled on the couch with an ice pop and her blankie and Baby Ariel.  

And I am snuggled beside her too, because now I'm not feeling well. Doesn't that just figure? It comes with the territory I suppose.  And here I was so relieved that I'd fought it off the whole week.

Maybe tomorrow will be better. Maybe tomorrow will be productive. Maybe tomorrow I'll get caught up. Maybe tomorrow she won't ask to take her nap "in yuh ahms, Mama," instead of in her little bed, and I'll miss it terribly. 

Ace and Charlotte

From this morning... 

I walked into the kitchen to find Charlotte stooped down over Ace, giving him another hug. My office is just off the kitchen, so I doubled back and grabbed my camera. He was perfectly happy to lie there and let his littlest girl love on him. 

For those who have asked, Ace is a labradane. I didn't even know there was such a mix, but he has the friendliness and coat of a labrador, and the size and temperament of a great dane. We rescued him back in December from the Pinellas County Animal Shelter, and he had just turned four years old the week prior. I don't know his history, but I can't imagine why his previous owners would have given him up. He's a gentle, amazing friend to the kids and makes us laugh all day long. He doesn't really love to fetch; instead he'd much rather run down the street to chase squirrels. We have to watch the screened porch door (the kids are forever leaving it open!) because he slips out behind them and sprints down the street at lightning speed. (Have you ever tried to chase a 140-pound dog on a squirrel mission? Forget it.) His sheer size absolutely terrifies the small dogs in our neighborhood, and they all go to pieces yapping when they see him coming... but in all reality, he's the gentlest giant you could imagine and he only wants to sniff them. Not eat them. :)

If you want to keep up with our adventures with Ace, I'd love it if you followed me on Instagram. You can also click on the hashtag #rescuingAce to read our rescue story from the beginning! (Also, don't you cringe a bit when others hijack your hashtags? Bah.)

The Del Bassos: A Family Session on the Beach

This beautiful family was an absolute dream. If I could photograph them every day, I would. Adoring, brilliant parents. Crazy-smart kids. Fantastic senses of humor We met one recent evening at the Hyatt Regency on Clearwater Beach, but of course it's Spring Break here and we didn't want to fight the crowds (read: shoot around a hundred people in bathing suits). So we hopped on over to one of my favorite quiet beaches just south of CWB. Sand Key Park is one of my best little back-pocket beaches, and I love sharing it with my families. I can get so many different looks from one beautiful place. Things like that make a photographer immensely happy.

You know I adore documenting the connections between the people in my portraits. So one way I get families to think more about each other (and less about having a big camera in their faces) is to ask them questions while I shoot. Often when shooting pairs (mom with her son, dad with his daughter, etc.) I will ask the kids to tell me one thing their mom or dad does for them that makes them feel special. Or tell me one thing they love about their mom or dad. And it's a great way to find out their love languages too! See for yourself...

So I gathered that one of Mom's love languages is Physical Touch. I'll bet you noticed too? Her contented smile when she reached out for her children (and her husband) melts my heart every time I look at these. You can see that her son shares her language because when she reached out to tousle his hair, he closed his eyes and just enjoyed it. He also said that he feels loved when his dad encourages him to do his best at everything. (Words of Affirmation for the win!) And love that Dad put his hand on his son's neck too, as they were walking. The littlest one was really snuggly with her mama this evening... made my heart nearly burst. As did the sweet way daddy and his middle daughter laughed together as he was tickling her and throwing her into the air. She was delighted to be center of attention and have her turn in front of the camera, and I'd be very willing to guess that one of her love languages is Quality Time. :)

Truly, what a gem of a family. I am so very blessed to have spent this evening being inspired by them and getting to know their hearts.

XOXO,
Stacey 

Love Languages: A New Blog Series

I'm starting a new series on the blog, entitled Love Languages. I've always been intrigued with how people give and receive love, and it is one of my favorite things to witness when I'm photographing people: how they show love to one another. 

I've you've never read the book, The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts, then I highly suggest you click over right this minute and grab a copy. It's not just for couples; there is a wonderful version for children that is so insightful. I think about love languages every time I'm with my own kids, when I'm planning sessions with clients, and when I'm actively shooting and talking to them from behind my camera. 

The five love languages are: 
Quality Time
Physical Touch
Words of Affirmation
Receiving Gifts
Acts of Service

According to the author, we all have one primary love language that we cannot do without. In addition, we may have secondary love languages that we enjoy as well.

My own three kids each have different love languages, and it's a joy to be keyed in on their individual brands of heart-speak and to be able to love them how they each need to be loved. When I'm loving them in their love language, that's when they feel it most... why would I want to love them in any other way?! So during this forever-ongoing blog series, I'm going to show you what love looks like between myself and my own sweet babies, for me as a mama/wife/sister/daughter/woman, and for my clients and their families. I hope you'll join me... I cannot wait to share this insight with you!

To start us out, I thought I'd share one of the love languages of my daughter: quality time. She's an amazing little girl with a heart of pure gold, and it is my pleasure and great honor to love on her! Lila sweetly says that she wants to stay home with me every single day, even though she loves school. To make her feel loved, all I have to do is simply spend one-on-one time with her. Doesn't matter what we do, as long as it's together. We braid hair, we take a walk, we bake gluten-free goodies together, we ride bikes, skip down the sidewalk, read together, snuggle in bed, I have lunch with her at school, we hold hands or play games or go shopping together. Just the two of us.

I also find that when I love her the way she needs it most, I fill her little love tank to its brim. And with that, she is more open with me in return, more patient, more well-behaved, more helpful and cooperative. (And in our house, friends, we high-five and call that a win-win.)

Interestingly enough, Lila's love language to me is often acts of service or giving me gifts. She writes me letters (check out the hashtag #lilawrites on Instagram), leaves me little notes, she does extra chores to help me out, even tells me I'm beautiful when I don't wear any makeup... she is just a delight. She is so kind to her brother and sister, and loves her daddy like no other.

So tell me, dear friends... how do you find yourself giving love? What does your spouse do that makes you feel adored, noticed, beautiful, appreciated, loved? What do your children do for you that makes your heart light on fire? Let's find your love language. Then find that of your significant other and your children. Spend this next week consciously showing love in the ways that your family receives love best, and see what it does for their hearts... and yours!

Love to you,
Stacey

Let Them Help: Breakfast Cookies

One thing I love about my mom is that she always made us, umm I mean let us, help her when we were growing up. No matter what she was doing, there was always a way for us to give her a hand. Oh I despised having to wash dishes back then, especially during the time when we didn't have a dishwasher. But cooking? Well that was so much fun we never fussed about it. And to this day, my mom always lets her grandkids help her in the kitchen. She just scoots over and makes a little space for them, and gives them some of the easier and more fun jobs, like dumping the ingredients into the bowl, stirring the batter, or spreading butter on the rolls.

I don't know about you, dear mama friends, but my girls can't stay out of the kitchen if I'm in it. Lila used to ask, "Can I help make?" and now Charlotte just drags over her chair and informs me: "I wanna hay-ulp." And I usually let them. Even though it takes me eleventy-billion times longer.

But let's be honest. Baking with kids is crazy photogenic and such a fun memory to document. 

So you know those tried-and-true recipes that are your saving graces? The ones that never fail you in a pinch, the ones that please the masses (read: the picky kids) every single time? A recipe that's simple enough for the kids to help without making a huge mess. One that is nourishing and healthy, and makes you feel like you are all of a sudden back in contention for Mother of the Year?

This is one of those recipes, friends.

There is no flour. No butter. No sugar. No eggs. So it easily satisfies the gluten-free, the dairy-free, the vegan, the sugar-shy and the nut-allergic. And it's especially satisfying to the kid who wants to eat chocolate for breakfast... he thinks he just pulled a fast one on his mama, who also thinks she's pulling a fast one on her kid by getting him to eat oats and bananas with a smile. It's a win-win.

We made Breakfast Cookies this weekend and enjoyed a brief, lazy morning before a soccer tournament finished up in perfect Florida weather. And I felt great knowing that my kid had healthy fruit and grains in his tummy instead of those oh-so-healthy Cocoa Pebbles he pours for himself before school during the week. Ha. 

In case you didn't know this about us: we give plenty of grace in the Woods house and we don't judge tired parents for the Cocoa Pebbles. ;)

Anyway, I wanted to come share these with you because I know that you're all busy mamas like I am, and maybe these cookies can come to your rescue on a frenzied morning. 

Breakfast Cookies

from Shauna Niequist's beloved, wine-splashed, coconut-oil-stained book Bread and Wine,
adapted from Nikki's Healthy Cookies at 101 Cookbooks

3 large ripe bananas
1/4 cup coconut oil, warmed just a little so it isn't solid
(not a problem in Florida summers)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup almond meal (or all purpose gf flour if you're out of almond meal)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup crumbled, unsweetened coconut chips
1/2 to 3/4 cup chocolate chips or 6-7 ounces chopped dark chocolate
(or, if you're me, just a great big double-handful)

In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork (Charlotte is great at this part), then add in coconut oil and vanilla. 
Add the oats, almond meal, salt and baking powder, and stir until combined. Add the coconut and chocolate chips and stir again.
Drop heaping tablespoons of the mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for about 14-16 minutes. They will be ever-so-slightly golden brown on the very edges and very moist and soft inside. 

Makes about 12-16 beautifully guilt-free cookies.

Shauna adds 1/2 cup chopped walnuts to hers, but my kids don't like nuts so I never add them.
The original recipe calls for cinnamon, so I add a sprinkle or two if I think about it.
You could also substitute dried berries and almonds and a drizzle of maple syrup if you wanted.

So now let's talk... do you let your kids help you in the kitchen? What are your favorite ways to let them contribute? Have any go-to recipes to share? Want to book an at-home session so you can cook with your little ones and have it documented beautifully for you? (wink, wink) 
I'd love to continue the conversation in the comments!