Photos // The Ritzmann Family //

I loved doing this shoot.

I kid you not, this family is so much fun to be around.

Brad  and I know these amazing people through Elm Street Theater in Woodstock, back in our younger wilder days we were in a troupe of world renowned thespians together.

...Just kidding. We did a community theater production once a couple years ago, and although it wasn't half bad I'm confident in saying when it comes to serving the community I'm better suited to planting trees.

Anyway, this family couldn't have been more fun to photograph and frankly after doing one shoot with a set of twins, I'm hooked.

Just scroll, you'll see what I mean. 

And of course, ice cream. 

xo,

Rae 

April

Happy April. 

It's finally here.

 I feel like I've been waiting for April, for spring my whole life. 

My poor frozen little peach tree has debuted some simply fabulous blooms and they've pretty much given me the necessary boost to keep breathing. It means warmth is on the way, new life, sunshine, growth. It's all coming. 

I've also been hit with an insatiable appetite for cleaning, sprucing, purging and organizing. Spring cleaning has never been my forte, I tend to be a bit more laid back in my approach...as in, I wait for the magic closet cleaning fairy to appear which - to date, hasn't happened. I've given myself the task of removing a small laundry basket of items from every room in my house, the kitchen has surprisingly enough produced almost two. If you're looking for two useless cookbooks or a broken egg beater this girl can hook you up. So thanks to the budding blooms and the energy that results from happy sunny days the house is getting a reboot. 

Unfortunately my living room lost its appeal somewhere between November and holy-crap-it's-like-a-cave-in-here, so a fresh coat of paint is on the list. I want to rearrange a few rooms, paint a piano, and obviously the nursery needs attention and if that room is getting a fresh start shouldn't a few others...? If you give a mouse a cookie. Luckily Brad has the carrot on a stick tactic down to a science so I have a list of "Brad says this has to happen first" things and then I get to do the fun stuff i.e. transforming my living room from something resembling the belly of a mid-century fishing dinghy into something a bit less....dreary.  

So that's what I'm tackling, that's what is occupying space in my brain and hopefully one room at a time I'll be able to conquer the task at hand. Positive thoughts. One laundry basket of unnecessary junk after the other we shall reach organization, or at least something a bit less like complete chaos. 

It's Brad's birthday and take-out and Red Dawn are calling so I've got to wrap it up. Have a lovely evening and enjoy your spring cleaning, unless you're planning to wait on that cleaning fairy. If she shows, tell her I said hey and have a couple thousand things I'd like for her to do once she's finished at your place. 

xo,

Rae 

New

I'm sorry, truly - for how quiet things have been around here. Lots has been humming along and this blog has paid the price...

Babies have been born, more pregnancies announced (that will be 5 new babies in my husband's extended family - including ours, by the end of 2013, feel free to make any awkward jokes should you feel inclined. I'm still at a loss how the stars aligned and it all happened this year...)

Here are a few pictures of the newest additions to the family

Lorien June Adams - this little peanut is my niece, oh me. The cuteness abounds. Her teensy little fingers and toes just get to me...

Eden Brook Norton - this one belongs to Brad's cousin. She's positively precious, and has a head full of the most beautiful hair! If these two end up in a room together it might explode, too much little girl squishiness. 

*****

Cool thing,  I got a present. A very cool present, a present I have wanted for, hmm..lets think...years? 

A camera! Oh joy. I've been playing with it almost constantly since I got it and it came along just in time to take pictures of all these babies. 

*****

This > *** represents a brand new completely unrelated subject, a bizarre trajectory change, a complete and total about face. Welcome to my brain. 

*****

My grandfather died a few years ago, it's crazy to me - sometimes it feels like we just lost him yesterday. Yesterday was his birthday and in my opinion, even after they're gone, even after they're no longer present here with us it is a precious thing to celebrate a person's birth and life.

In honor of his birthday I met with my Grandmama at a tiny restaurant in Villa Rica called The Chat and Choo for breakfast. Happy birthday, Papa Jack. 

Grandmama still wears Papa Jack's wedding ring on her finger, she put it on right before he died and doesn't take it off. This is one of my favorite pictures in the whole world. 

*****

I'm getting off this computer and going to soak up some sunshine before it hides again tomorrow. 

              Happy Easter, 

                                    Rae 

  

- new things coming -

Be excited.

 I've been working steadily on some new plans and in the last month, some major obstacles have been removed, one at a time. 

It started with the decision to quit my current job. 

I'll be moving on to bigger and better things after April and although I wish I could say I was sad to go, I am not. I couldn't be happier. 

I'm a communications major but I hate being on the phone, go figure.  

I can't wait to move forward and tackle new things. 

More details coming soon! 

                             xo,         

                                      Rae 

coffee date

Grab a comfy chair, sit down with me and lets talk. Want coffee? I'm having a decaf dirty chai latte...it

sounds complicated, I feel like my seriously simplified version is kind of a disgrace but I like it. If you

were here I'd offer you one.

If you were here I'd ask you how you're doing...tired? Happy? Content? 

I'd ask what's really on your mind. I'd want you to think about it...sometimes it's good to search

yourself. Really, in the midst of doing and going and seeing and being, what's occupying your

thoughts? Is it good? 

How's your vibe? 

I'd tell you that mine is better than it has been in a few months. I'd maybe mention that I hate to

admit the fact that I am not perfect (it's true..) and that it has been humbling to find chinks in my

armor. 

Par for the course. 

My vibe is good. I'm content, I'm thankful. 

I'd tell you about how God has provided so greatly in the last few days, answering specific requests -

one after another and reminding me that He knows our needs better than we do. 

I'm thankful, my cup is full. 

I'd tell you that sometimes I struggle, I feel the need to qualify my gratitude with "You know..this is

good but God is still good when things aren't wonderful..." The truth is that yes, God is good always

but I am allowed to rejoice in today fully without hesitancy. 

I can rest and simply be thankful for now. 

So I am. 

I'm thankful for financial provision

I'm thankful for good food in our kitchen

I'm thankful for close family 

I'm thankful for the tiny life humming along with me everywhere I go 

I'm thankful for sunshine, I'm convinced it warms my soul 

What are you thankful for? 

xo,

Rachael   

Winter Photo Shoot

Here's the thing about the weather this year in Georgia... it has been psycho.

 I'm saying this while I defrost my extremities in the bizarrely warm sunshine that decided to show up today, way to stay scarce, dude.

It has been icy cold and raining since January with only a few brief days of relief, for anyone unfamiliar with Georgia weather, this isn't normal. We are delicate creatures designed for mild winters and toasty summers. This rainy cold is unacceptable.

It's unacceptable for several reasons, chiefly that I am not, in fact, a Cullen and therefore do not require rain in order to live a normal, happily disturbed life.

I am a tropical fish, people, not an arctic seal.

I have mental frostbite.

One perk, we had the incredible pleasure of doing a photo shoot with a local photographer friend and were able to play up the winter theme, since there wasn't another alternative. My lips turned blue about 10 minutes into the shoot, I'm telling you...warm water fish.

The photos made it all so worth it and I have to say if you're looking for a photographer, think about using Hailey...she made us feel so at ease in spite of the cold and we ended up laughing so much I'm surprised she got any half-decent photographs at all, contrary to common belief not everyone looks like a toothpaste model mid-laugh.

Bless you, Hailey for dealing with the cold and with our awkward jokes. You're the bomb.

The hat was kind of a joke, but honestly my head was 5,000 times warmer after I put it on. 

I learned a new appreciation for large fluffy noggin covers. 

- Hailey's Website - 

You can find her on Facebook as well! 

xo,

Rae 

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9