Mission 'Binky Removal' almost complete....

Well I would like to apologize to any who have heard the distant sound of someone torturing a small child, it is probably coming from our house.... Hailey is giving up her binky this week. By force of course. We boxed up the binkies and sent them away to little tiny babies that still need binkies. After all Hailey is a 'big girl' now and doesn't need them anymore. So, in the spirit of Christmas we boxed them up and gave them away. She was hesitant at first, but she does love to take care of her babies... (that's how I conned her into it..) so she picked out a couple of bows for the box and wrote on it and then we put it on the front porch for the mailman to take and deliver. Later when she was really tired and thinking she needed a binky for comfort, she wasn't so sure it was such a good idea and wanted me to go buy some more. She wasn't so concerned about those little babies needing binkies because she needed it even more. Then came the screaming... so needless to say it has been an interesting couple of days. She has had her moments of complete meltdown, but surprisingly enough bedtime has been pretty easy. So, we are on day four now and she hasn't asked for it all day... I think I can see the light at the end of this tunnel. I am ready for the mission of 'binky removal' to be complete. I was just sure she was going to start college with a binky in her mouth. After the trouble Hailey has had growing out of hers, I am very glad Hayden is not a binky baby... weaning him from the breast might be just as hard though... sigh..... :~(

Love and Blessings,
Teresa

Just be still a minute, and let me take your picture!!

Well, it was Tyler's turn to model for me. I had to test out some new equipment and he said he would sit there and look pretty for me.. most of the time he was on the phone to his girlfriend... but I didn't post any of those.

~Teresa

They just don't make 'em like that anymore....

I don't have any pictures for you today... Sad I know. :( But I want to paint a picture for you real quick of my dear husband. He is a worker. Through and through, that man has a work ethic unmatched by any other person I know. It was something that drew me to him and was definelty a plus when we talked of marriage, is that I knew that he would work hard to support his family and that he would never be a deadbeat, and I would never have to work extra hard to bring up his slack. He is a very honorable, loyal, dedicated man. The reason I even bring this up is that he left for work yesterday at about 6:30 am like he always does... and returned home at 1:00am the next morning...after having to turn around and go back to work after he had already started home that evening. He put in a 17 hour day. And do you know that he did not complain a bit. He didn't gripe about the company, didn't bash his bosses... And I tell you this because I just want to give him some praise and recognition for how hard he works for our family. His normal schedule is two weeks on then two days off... so he gets four days off a month and lately he has been working some of those days also. I am so thankful for this husband God has given me. I find this quality in him so valuable and I treasure him for it. I work from home part time doing marketing/webdesign and have recently started up a photography business, doing what I can to bring in more income as I also continue to stay home and raise our children. With those things and 'mommy' 'mommy' 'mommy' 24hour days there are times that I NEED his help when he gets home. And there are times that I complain that he doesn't help enough, doesn't do this or do that or take care of things without me asking or telling him to.... but I am taking a step back tonight and sending up a prayer of thanks for this hard working man, who loves his family and will always give his all to provide for the family we have built together and the dreams we dream together. I hope that he would say that I am as dedicated to my work here at home, and our children and to our family....

Love and Blessings,
Mrs. Zachary Wright :)

Stan the Man

I got to hang out with Stanley today and take some 6 month pictures. Isn't he just so handsome? This is my third baby boy (fourth counting Hayden) to take pictures of... I need a little baby girl now!!.... calling all mommiess... I need some sweet baby girls to photograph for my portfolio... it's starting to get a little overrun with all these baby boys!

~Teresa

Friday's sneek peak-

I got to take pictures for Korenne and Nick and their family tonight- what I believe would be their first family pictures since their family's joined together when they married this summer. I hope I did them justice- this one is my favorite, there are plenty more of the whole family... but I like this one the best.

~Teresa

Jacob

Would you look at this sweet little baby boy... don't you just want to eat him up?! This is Kelci's little man Jacob and they were over the other day for some quick shots... we are going to finish up at a later date when we have some more time to play, but I just wanted to share his preciousness with you all.

Teresa

My Christmas Joys...

Well, I have to say...those are some sweet lil angel babies are they not? Their momma must be so proud! :) I had a cancellation of a photo session due to the weather, and so we just substituted Hailey and Hayden in their Christmas outfits. Just scrumptious!! I also have matching Christmas pajama's for them to wear Christmas morning... I will surely be posting pictures of them in those also....who could resist?!

~TeReSa

Hailey's Surgery Update:

Well, I think a couple of months ago or so I promised updates of when Hailey's surgery was going to be... well after an MRI, a followup appointment and a doctors office nurse that doesn't know how to return a phone call (or make one for that matter).... we do finally have a date. She will be having her muscle transfer surgery on April 20th, 2009. We will be in Kansas City as Childrens Mercy Hospital at the downtown location. She will be there for two days and Hayden is going to stay home with someone and miss out on all the excitment. She will come home in a brace/cast that she will wear for 6 weeks. She has an appointment on March 26th to get fitted for the contraption and we will bring it home with us then and take it back on surgery day- she will wake up with it on and we will only take it off for cleaning of her arm after a couple of weeks. The surgery has a high success rate, and we are praying for maybe another thirty degrees range of motion (or more!) up above her shoulder and out to the side of her body. She is completely potty trained now :~) and will be completely off the binky by then... so that is two worries off my mind- I was afraid we were going to be in the middle of those two very stressful times when the surgery happened. Please pray for courage for her, and us through it all. I am most concerned about her level of pain, and level of fear. After the Holidays are over I am going to start preparing her and talking to her about what is going to happen and how we will stay at the hospital and such... I might leave the scalpel part out of the it though...

Love and Blessings,
Teresa

A proud mommy moment..

HAYDEN IS CRAWLING!! Yay, I have a crawler! Yeah, yeah I know this means that he is going to be into everything... but that's okay, I am still so excited because Hailey wasn't ever able to crawl as a baby and just walked due to her arm... we worked at it very hard in physical therapy, but she just couldn't put enough weight on it to crawl... So, I am very excited to see Hayden crawling!!

Blessings,
Teresa

Wyatt Grayson Michael

Here is a peek at the precious baby boy I got to spend my afternoon with yesterday! he was pretty tricky and smiled mostly after I put the camera down, but we still go some great pictures! Enjoy Jess and Grandma!!

~Teresa

Sneak Peek for Crystal...

... Look at those handsome boys! Those are my nephews...check out the website soon for the rest of their quickie session... we had a good time!

~ TeReSa

Here's a peek at my weekend's work...

It was a great weekend full of turkey, travel and pictures! It was nice to go up to Missouri and see the family! It was even better to get to take some pictures of them :) Hailey came down with a bad flu bug on Sunday though and we had to head home early... but she is better now and things are back to normal... and I am back to proofing! Hope your THANKSgiving was awsome! ... Psst.... by the way.... Only three more weekends until Christmas...

Yay!!...

It's finally done! It only took three purchases, one download, two calls to customer service and countless hours of work and frustration... but it is finally up!! So, please take a minute to head on over to www.teresawrightphotography.com There are many things that I am wanting to change and tweak, but it is at least up and going so that people can view their proofs. Whoooh.... am glad that's done!

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We sure did!

Blessings,
Teresa

Almost there....

Ok... so I am working on the website, but it's a whole lot harder than I ever anticipated! It shouldn't be too much longer though... I am getting closer, just have to get the ftp uploader thing figured out and the info from my template uploaded to my webhosting/domain account.... complicated :~) But here is a sneak peak of some of the creations I did for the Royer's and Scott's kiddos for Christmas pictures for Gma. Enjoy!!

~TeReSa

Just a peek...

Here is a pic from my Sunday session. Mikael, Tyrae and Zach. They brought their Boston terrier Emma along too, but she isn't in this shot.

~TeReSa

The Burnett's

This is the Burnett family-- very close friends of our family. I got to do their first family pictures this week. Here is a sneak peak of a couple of my creations I did for them.

~TeReSa

Picture(s) of the day...

Well, I finally got all my studio equipment in and set up and the kiddos have been been helping me practice to try to get it right. Such great helpers they are!!

Carpenter Family

Here is a sneak peek for the Carpenter family. I had the opportunity to shoot them on Sunday... She's just dying to see them... so here is a peek. Hope you like them- I sure do!

~Teresa

Finally..... :~)

Here you go Holly!! Hope it was worth the wait!

Rewind....

Okay, as I just posted my fourth post for the week, that was again, all pictures... I had a thought occur to me that maybe not everyone knew why in the world I am posting these 'proofs' and talking about 'shoots'.... well I am officially in the start up stages of Wright Photography. I am jumping in head first without a net and am having a blast doing it! I am very excited to get this opportunity to chase my dream of one day having my own studio and be a 'professional' photographer. (don't really know what qualifies as professional :~)
Keep an eye out for my official web site coming soon to a computer near you... It should be up and running within the next two days. I have put together some very reasonable (okay, down right cheap) Christmas packages for the holidays so give me a call if you are in the market for some pictures of the kids, the family, the dog... whatever, I am wanting to get as many people in front of my camera as possible... you need the pictures and I need the practice!! So that's why I will be bombarding the blog world with pictures from now on... it's the sneak peeks and teasers.... Call now!.. the available days are going fast... and Christmas is coming even faster!

Blessings,
T.Ruth Wright

Sneak Peek

Here is a sneak peek of a sesion I did over the weekend... hope this will hold you over until I'm done proofing the others! Holly, thanks so much for giving me the opportunity to to photograph your beautiful family!

~T.Ruth Wright

Mc Vey Family Session

Wyatt, Conner and Emma's pictures

Rah-Rah-Rah and a roar...

Our three tricker-or-treaters. Hailey was a Chiefs cheerleader, Hayden was a lion, and Tyler was the Joker from Batman.

Todays picture

These four feet are my sisters and I. Each one of us different as you can see by the shoes and toes represented...yet each one a very important part of our family's wholeness. I am posting this as the picture of the day today because I miss them... All three of them. None of them read this blog so they won't know I am sending out these images and these wishes for us to be together again soon. Lisa, Crystal and Chelsie... I love you girls :~)

Picture of the day...

What can I say? I am soooo in love with this little baby boy!!!


Life affords no greater responsibility, no greater privilege, than the raising of the next generation.
-C. Everett Koop

Way beyond WHY...

Alright so I know that two year olds and even three year olds go through the WHY stage where they ask WHY about everything. We have been there for a while now. I must admit it started before I expected it to, but I did my best most of the time to answer her why's.. thinking it my job as her mother to answer all her questions about life and the world around her....(give me a break- she's my first child and I have a tendency to be a bit idealistic) :~) But then there comes a point when you just have to resign to saying 'Because'... or 'I don't know why' or somedays it's "Just because!! I don't know why it just is!!" So then she starts asking WHY CAUSE? as if to start out ahead the game and asking in two year old language 'Because why?' so that I cannot even say 'Because' anymore as an answer.... so anyway on to my point... it has morphed into even more than that.... she has started with 'What you doing?' and I answer... and then 'What you doing?' again, or WHY? or the other new favorite W word- WHAT? You give her an answer to one of her other questions and she will ask you WHAT? as if she didn't hear you or didn't understand and wants you to repeat yourself, but I know it is just to give her time to come up with her next W question while keeping you engaged in the conversation until she comes up with her next one... Yeah I am about to have a meltdown and pull out the duct tape... it is constant... all day - WHY?, WHY CAUSE?, WHAT YOU DOING?, WHAT? WHY? Oh yeah... mommy needs a time out!! And in between the W questions is the favorite W of all.....WHINNING..... oh my, oh my, oh my please pray for me to have the strength to continue to be a loving mommy who does not pull out duct tape or put her in the corner for asking questions!! :~) Gotta love the two's!!!

Picture of the day...

This is Hailey at the park this week where we met her physical therapist for her therapy session. Look at that static hair!

What's new around here...

Well, first of all Hayden is talking in full sentences, eating steak and out running his big sister....okay, maybe he's not doing all that quite yet, but he's getting closer. In the last week he has learned (finally) to roll back over onto his back from rolling to his stomach- for the last two months he would roll to his stomach and then start looking around for me to come bail him out, then start screaming for me to come save him from his 'turtle on its back' position. So, yay for Hayden! He is also working on getting up on his knees and pulling up so any day now he is going to get the crawling thing figured out and be on the move. Check back regularly for funny stories when that happens... life has been pretty good with only one of them being mobile! The next thing is that he is saying Momma! Yep, that's right, most babies start out with DaDa... but not this breast fed momma's boy!! And that one single tooth is pushing up bigger everyday, still the only one, but it's pretty, and it's sharp!

Now on to Hailey... she if FINALLY feeling better and it is so good to have my baby girl back! She has been sick for the past coulple of weeks and I thought for sure the whinning was going to just kill me, the poor little thing just felt awful and nothing I could do made her feel any better, she even started saying "Mommy, I don't know what me do" meaning she just didn't even know what to do with herself... But one day early in the week, she woke up one morning wanting Pizza for breakfast and was back to being sweet as she ever was- Praise God! I missed her so much... she is helpful, nice to Hayden, sweet, polite and we are back on the potty training agenda! She melted me down to mommy puddles when she told me about half a dozen times the other day "Me mommy's girl..." Lets see what else? ... oh yeah, she turned two and half on Sunday, and I just can't believe it! She will be three before I know it, and off to school right after that... time sure flies when your having the time of your life! And, also in the news for Hailey, is that on Tuesday I trimmed her hair- she now has bangs! She was getting pretty scraggly on top and I finally decided it was time to trim them out of her face and give her some shape, which makes her look more grown up to me, I tried to get a good picture of her last night to post, but she wasn't cooperating so I will try to post one later, maybe I can get a good pic of Haydens tooth for you too!

And now for Tyler news... he is ungrounded today and couldn't be happier. He brought us home a printout of his grades and they are all back up above passing. He is pretty proud of himself, and we are proud of him too! He is trying so hard to get rid of old bad habits and replace them with new ones, it's tough, but he's really putting forth allot of effort. He is also loving youth group and his special counseling sessions with DJ- he is learning more about his spiritual gifts and just loves it that the youth pastor compared him to Paul tonight- made him feel special. He also has got to drive the car to youth (in Chanute) these last two weeks. He does pretty good getting there, but both times he got lost coming home. He figured it out on his own last week, but had to call and ask us where he was tonight... he says 'I'm at this intersection, and I thought I knew where I was, but I don't, and how do I get home from here? ' silly boy- he just turned too soon and was only about five miles or so from where he should have been, we got him pointed in the right direction and I told him that next time he wants to get adventurous and try to figure out if he can get there on the back roads, make sure he attempts it in the daylight... it all looks much different in the dark! He is such a blessing to our family- I am proud to have him consider himself one of my kids...

So, that is all I can think of to update you on the kids for now... not really much going on with Zack and I, Zack goes to work everyday, has been working in the evenings on the fence for Jesse, and is really looking forward to having this weekend off and hoping to have some time to relax. I am getting ready for a photography class on Saturday that Bridget is treating me to as my birthday present! I can't wait to put into practice all that I am hoping to learn! Also, I have been very blessed lately by my bible study "Hearing from God" and blessed by the great women I have had the opportunity to meet and fellowship with! I treasure their friendships, treasure that time together studying Gods word, and seeing God work in our lives, it's powerful, it's awsome and it just makes me want more- I hunger for more of his word, his presence and his love in my life!

Love and Blessings,
Teresa

Todays Pic...

Sunday was a good day, Zack had the day off and actually got to spend the whole day at home with us from the time we got up until the time we went to bed (very rare). In the evening after churchtime, lunchtime, naptime and Cheifs football time- we decided to go for a walk... and I just had to post this picture of him... with a baby on his chest and a toddler in the push truck- and that means my hands were free!!! My poor back needs a break from carrying that big ball of love around!

Blessings,
TeReSa

Progress!

Hailey finally let me clip her toenails!!! I can imagine what some of you might be thinking, but let me tell you this little girl HATES to have her toes touched or clipped. The last time I got a good trimming done I had to have my mom hold her down whille she thrashed and screamed and I did the best I could to trim the jagged toenails that were flying past my head. Well, the other night she decided that she wanted her toenails painted like mommies... and I told her she had to let me trim them first. Would you belive she sat there and let me trim her toenails, and fingernails and then paint them both!!! Yay! Oh, and by the way I have to give Zack credit for this quirky little toe thing because he too cannot stand for someone to mess with or trim his toenails... it's a Wright thing I guess. So, here is a picture of her pretty toes! She was so excited... and so was I! I don't have to give her a tranquilizer or take her to the dog groomer to get her claws cut!!!

Picture of the day...

Today I went back to finish up taking some family pictures for Bridget while Jay was off work. It was fun, got alot of good shots. I couldn't pick just one favorite, and so here are two to check out... none of Stan-the-Man though.. but don't you remember? these pictures are Christmas gifts for the grandparents. But it won't hurt to sneak in a shot or two of his mommy and daddy!