Gay-ce Dn Pa-ya!

Hello Hello! What have we been up to you ask? Well in the last 24 hours: I made two turkeys, spent 6+ hours editing photo session, Gracie made 2 Thanksgiving crafts, Courtney managed to smear poop and then glue all over herself but also managed to use the potty 2 times without help (!), Steve has cleaned the garage (again) and finished 5 loads of laundry. Oh yeah- last Friday I decided to rip out the old kitchen floor while Steve was at work and with Tara's help, replace it! Why two turkeys you ask? For my church's outreach tomorrow! Why the wedding photo? I thought you might like it .

In other breaking news: My new photography site is almost up and running!!! Gracie can read small words, and Courtney is talking in full sentences, although a bit hard to understand! Yesterday she walked around the house saying "My name is Gracie Dawn Pera." Which sounded like this: "Mew nam its Gay-ce Dn Pa-ya!" Too cute. Last night over our meal of lamb Gracie asked: "Mummy, did some shooter man use a gun and dead this lamb?" My answer? "Yep." It's a cruel cruel world out there people...

Halloween!!

Photos!!!

Here we are!

OK- so I've totally slacked on the blog lately... but with reason! We bought a house!! Can you believe it??? I still can't.

It's been so much fun watching the girls play in the new back yard that we call 'Pera Park.' All of their friends come over to play. We are planning on a swing set soon, in time for Gracie's 4th birthday.

So other big news.... I turned the big 2-5. Yep. 25. It was a hard for me. But I can't begin to tell you how wonderful my friends are here in Jackson. They threw me a surprise party and I totally fell for it!! My mom got me so good. I had no idea. Tara, Martha, Elizabeth, and Annie I love you. AND the most wonderful surprise of the night, was seeing Courtney and Ashley from Santa Rosa! They drove the whole way just for my party. You better believe I cried. I have never felt so loved and spoiled. I would post photos but I don't have any yet.

Also Taylor and Shannon tied the knot. We were all in the wedding and that is another blog in and of it's self! She was the most beautiful bride and Taylor was so very romantic. Buy the DVD when it comes out. You'll love it. OK... there is a lot more but I'll just post photos for now and add more later. Also there should be new photos on the photography blog. Love Ya!

Here's Tate and Shannon
One of Court I did yesterday

And a few my mom took while ahe was here.

New Hair

Courtney's hair is getting longer! She has her first pigtails this morning...

Here is a picture of Gracie's first pigtails too!

New House!!

We're HomeOwners!! We actually did it. After everything tha could have gone wrong did, our God has proved faithfull and we own a home. Or will own a home in 2037. But hey who's counting???

Many long days and nights ahad of us. Happy ones though! More photos to come.

July 4th Fun!

We have had such a fun couple of days! And exciting too! Firstly we had our church picnic last Sunday. Steve almost won the sack race, Gracie won the ball toss game with her Daddy and I won the watermelon eating contest! Yes- all 120lbs. of me beat out all the other men! It was a great moment for short girls everywhere!

In other exciting news.... we are buying a house!!! I never thought this day would come but here it is! It's here in Jackson, and next store to one of my best friends. Steve and I are very excited/nervous/happy and everything in between. We will keep you updated! Have a happy fourth!

Back from the SoCal (please note that I never called it SoCal till I moved to NorCal)

The girls and I just got home from a quick trip for Shannon's bridal shower. It was so much fun. She received the nicest gifts and the party went really well. I am so excited because I was able to shoot Tate and Shannon's engagement photos! They both camera happy- they don't take bad pictures. I also got some fun ones of the girls too. Head over to the photo blog to see some of the engagement photos please! Tomorrow I promise to post all about Court and what she's been up to, which is a lot!

All about me

I think I’ve got this thing down! I haven’t decided what to do about theperas.com yet but I am leaning toward closing it down. Or maybe changing it to my photography site. Right now I am blogging my photography business but I would much rather have a living breathing site to work from. We shall see. You can see such blog here: http://cierraperaphotography.blogspot.com/ So now to slowly catch everyone up with what’s happening in our lives! I will start with me I think.

This is the most recent photo I have of myself- I just take the pictures! Life has been so full of joy with my two girls and Steve. It’s been fun to watch each of them grow and change everyday. I think that I have done some changing too. I grew tired of what I like to call “the art of being busy.” Think about it: you see someone you know and ask them how they’ve been and what is the reply? Nine times out of ten they say “Oh- so busy!” Like that is something to be proud of? Maybe if we were all busy doing God’s work, but most of the time we are not. Most of the time it’s simply gymnastics and laundry, Bible studys and church, TV and work, silly problems and the internet! Man does the internet suck time or what??
That being said… I kind of made it my new year’s resolution or something like that, to not be busy! And I am trying to accomplish this. It takes time and I have let a lot of friendships and some dishes slide, but hey, my husband and kids are happier because of it. We are not over committed. Yet at the same time, I am trying to sacrifice all that I can for Christ. Because lets face it: What do you really sacrifice for the LORD? Time? Money? Your life? I am at the point were if it is hard or inconvenient for me to do something then I make the point to do it and do it with a happy heart. It’s not called sacrifice for nothing! My children are not an excuse for me to not participate in ministry. What ministry you say? Well I decided not to charge people for their photography sessions. That’s right folks- I am free. And not just because I like you. I just can’t look at a mom and say “Sorry you need to pay me $100 for an hour of my time that I clearly enjoy, and then choose only 3 pictures to print at small sizes because you can’t afford something better.” It just doesn’t work for me. And what an awesome way to show Christ’s love to others than to give something so great- beautiful memories!
God has been so gracious to Steve and I over the last 5 years. (Yes we’ve been married almost 5 years!!) We have done NOTHING to deserve such generosity. I just wanted a way to honor Him and like always He laid it in my lap and made it so easy to say, “YES!” So other than that things are the same. I am cooking a lot these days and making up my own stuff. I have been teaching Steve to cook for the fire house too. That has been fun. My fav show ”The Closer” is about to start again!! I’ve had the same coffee pot for almost 5 years now and that makes me happy. I have given up Pepsi (most of the time) and lost 10lbs. because of it! Well I guess that’s it for now… more updates and pictures to come!