Sunday, August 7, 2016

He's Flying the Coop! Sending a Kid Off To College

Y'all I'm a mess right now! My sweet son, whom I usually refer to as "the big guy" has grown up. He is going off to college in a few short weeks. Granted he's not going THAT far, but still. 
And I know that many of you moms out there have sent your precious children off to the military, missions and so forth so this may not seem like a big deal, but it is.
My son is in the autistic spectrum. We have raised him to be a self sufficient, responsible and respectful young man. So far so good. 
I still do worry about him living away from us on campus. 
We can visit him any time as he's only a half hour away! (I know, I know!)

We want him to live on his own so he can be fully ready to spread his wings when he finishes his undergrad.

I don't know how a mother prepares for this. You just can't. 
He was just a four year old boy yesterday playing with dinosaurs and memorizing every single detail of their existence and extinction. 

Then he turned 18. 
I decided to home school him the last two years of high school and boy am I glad I did. 

Since I do photography, I took his senior pics myself. 


 As I was editing these I burst into tears. 
Then in the shower, as most of us do when we want to put on a brave face to our family, I sobbed! I wept and wailed. 

I don't want this to happen! I want to be young again, bringing babies home from the hospital! I want to look at my back seat and see three little kids grinning back at me or sleeping on our way to vacation. 
I want to plan fun birthday parties and drive them to softball practice. I want to groan and moan because we have to drive an hour away to my daughter's track meet. 
I want super fun Christmases where I can't wait to see them open presents and play with all their new toys for a second and then continue to play with the empty boxes. 
Am I right?

I love looking through our family photo albums and scrapbooks (does anybody still make those?) and remembering all those years ago. Remembering when I was young and vibrant, full of life and so, so happy to kiss on all my little people. 




I still like to kiss on them. And hey, I've got one 13 year old left. I'm going to photograph my heart out. 

And with that, I leave you with some advice: Print out those  photos! Blow them up big, print wallets, make a photo book, gather the family and make a scrapbook of prints. Anything to preserve your memories. You'll never regret doing this. 
I love to have my very special photos and those of every day life printed. As a professional photographer, I choose only the best pro labs for my clients. Occasionally they like to print those themselves. I often give them recommendations for the best labs available to the public.  They can order prints or canvas or metal or anything really! 

The point is to print those photos.


I'd love to share with you a special gift. 
I will be holding a giveaway sponsored by canvasfactory.com
The winner will receive a free canvas postage paid! 
You simply upload your photo and after a few clicks you are done!
What I love about canvasfactory.com is how affordable they are. Being a professional photographer myself 
I know quality. 
Here's a gorgeous canvas in a 16X20 size that I had made of me and my boys. I love this pic so much since my hubby took it a couple of years ago. I can't help but notice the sheer joy in all our faces and how much they have changed. The canvas has vivid, beautiful colors and comes with a hanger in the back ready to hang. I also like that it has this felt like material so it won't scratch your walls. (ignore the staples and random paper pieces. I tore into the package and couldn't wait to share)

Here it is in my entry way:












So here's how the giveaway works:

Earn one entry for every one of the things below:
1. Comment on this post stating where you would hang your new canvas from canvasfactory.com

2. Earn a second entry when you follow my page on facebook by clicking on the facebook icon over there>>>>
Then come back and comment here stating you follow on facebook.
3. Follow me on Instagram @simple.beautiful.life 
or click on the link >>>> 
4. Follow me on my photography facebook page at 

Remember-every time you do one of these come back and make a NEW and separate comment so you get more entries to win. 
Winner must reside within the continental U.S. 
Winner must check back on this blog to find out who won and contact me at salmar70atgmaildotcom
to claim the prize. 
If winner does not claim prize within 10 days, another winner will be selected. 
Winner will be selected by using random.org. 
Giveaway ends on August 30th, 2016 at 10 p.m. CST.


xoxo 
Patty


Canvasfactory.com
has provided me with a free canvas for myself and one for the winner. All opinions are my own. 
No other form of compensation has been received. 






Would you like to comment?

  1. I just painted my bedroom, and chalk painted my bedroom furniture. I'd use my new canvas to complete the decor in the bedroom!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for the tip about Canvas Factory! I would love to get one and hang it above our mantle!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I would hang it above my mantel.

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  4. Thanks for the tip about Canvas Factory! I definitely need to take your advice and get some printed. I would love to win one and hang it above our mantle!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I would hang the canvas above the mantel.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I follow your photography page

    ReplyDelete
  7. I would hang it up in our front entry way

    ReplyDelete
  8. Liked your how sweet it is facebook page.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Just did a wood wall around my fireplace so I would hang a canvas in the middle as my center piece!

    ReplyDelete

I love your comments and read all of them! I respond to each one of them too!

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