Love.

This is beautiful. This is why I believe and am who I am. Love, unity and peace.
http://www.jw-media.org/gbl/gbl03e.htm

A few more websites explaining our beliefs:

http://www.jw-media.org/
http://www.watchtower.org/

Babies

We saw this trailer when we went to see Where the Wild Things Are. Can't wait to see the full documentary!

Lack Of Blogging Means....

So yesterday morning I was unloading the dishwasher and putting the dishes away. I grabbed (what I thought was) a nice clean coffee mug from the counter of clean dishes and turned it over to put in the cabinet only to spill my half drinkan (is that a word) cup of coffee all over me, the cabinets, counter tops and floors.

Everyone in our house managed to step in dog poop last week (except Tristan b/c he was working). Did I mention I hate my dog right now?

I went on an emotional rampage about how everyone always needs things from me and always asks for things from me all the time and no one loves me and I don't even know why I'm here. Why? Because my granny asked me to stop and get her some thread. In my defense I did spend 2 hours at the fabric store with her days prior ;)

I feel like the worlds worse mom :( Just ask my kids.

Why is that parents act like complete morons in the car pool line at school. I mean how selfish can they be!

All I want right now is a big bowl of GLUTEN!!!

And chocolate and wine and everything else I can't have because of my stupid allergies.

Oh and did I mention I want to move to the mountains BY MYSELF!!!!!!

Aunty Ollie $100 Gift Card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Aunty Ollie $100 Gift Card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Dear Bella,

I woke up this morning and remembered why we decided to home school you in January. As the weeks of school go by I am missing you more and more. I love your school and I know how happy you are there. You came home yesterday bubbling over the gifted and talented program and your new teacher Ms. Hollis. Although we succeeded in schooling you from home, it was difficult. We made the right choice this year. I am so proud of the person you are. You have such a big heart...

Just last night daddy heard Jude crying in your room. He got out of bed and went to your room and saw you and Jude huddled over the night light. He had a hang nail and you were trying to help him. What a great big sister you are. We love you so much.

I know you love his song, so this is for you...

For Josh and Leecy

A little preview of your belly...ENJOY!

A Camping We Went....

've been wanting to take the kids camping for awhile, but it just never seemed to fall into place. If you know us, then you know things just have to fall into place. We are bad planners. So last Saturday I had an idea. I asked husband to set my old,very old, 14 year old tent up in our backyard. He tried, but it was obvious he didn't spend too many days camping as a child so I jumped in and showed him how it was done. We then filled the mighty fortress with furniture from the playroom, sleeping bags, pillows and necessities. Bella and Jude were so excited to camp and immediately began pleading to sleep in there new home. Instead I offered a feast to be had in there new abode and they agreed. Forsaking our gluten free, veganesque diets for the evening, I slaved over the stove and made some alphabet soup (Campbell's style) and saltine crackers with vanilla soymilk. Your licking your chops, right? Well, saltine crackers were just too tempting for me, ya know, the one allergic to EVERYTHING. I just had a few nibbles.





essert was to be had so I asked the royals what they would like and they promptly said "Smores!" Hmmm... I was quickly having a "Martha Moment" and ran to the kitchen. In the cupboard (notice I said cupboard...totally slipped out too. I was not even trying to sound clever!) was a package of marshmallows, a bag of chocolate chips (right next to the vegan choco chips) and some graham cracker sticks. The following concoction was made...



here were also letters to be delivered to the young tenants and then inside for a nice warm bath and a real bed. I walked outside to retrieve the missing playhouse items today and found everything completely soaked. YUCK. There was a nice stench in there too!

In other news, I took the kids to see Where the Wild Things Are. I'll keep my opinion to myself on that one. Soundtrack is awesome!s

his October I Have Been....

Watching :: The Proposal with granny while laughing hysterically and New Moon trailers.
Reading :: Withering Heights (waiting for it).
Making :: A Newspaper Leaf Garland with my kids
Eating :: Vegan, gluten free and a little taco bell here and there ;)
Feeling :: Like curling up in a cozy blanket by a fire for a good book and a nap.
Thinking :: It would be nice if it would snow.
Hoping :: We embrace the winter months and spend that time gathering with our peeps.
Wondering :: If I will ever get that quilt started for Jude.
Hearing :: Peace and quiet...everyone is sleeping.
Liking :: The chill in the air.
Wanting :: A weekend away with the Mr. to the Terrace.
Playing :: Scrabble on my iPhone.
Wishing :: People would be more considerate when parking at B's school.
Enjoying :: Bedtime.
Coveting :: A pumpkin spice latte.

Surprise for you Amanda...

Amanda and I have been friends since we had our first babies. Bella and Kenzie did everything together. We were neighbors and friends. We spent many spring and fall evenings talking in their front yard, taking he girls for walks with strollers and bananas in tow. We saw the zoo together too many times to count. This girl got me through motherhood early on. She listened to me talk about sleepless nights with Jude and I talked her through antibiotic worries with Boog's. We swapped recipes and advice. I have watched her babies grow into beautiful little girls. It's been great, but has gone by too fast. Our babies aren't babies anymore. We don't live on the same street anymore. Not even the same part of town. But despite our busy lives we keep each other updated and I enjoy moments like these when I get to photograph them. They are the silliest bunch of people I know and I love them for it!

(The slideshow quality is not the best for some reason...the photos ARE sharp & clear!)

The Weiss Family from Aja Vaught on Vimeo.

Guess who went to work with his daddy today?

For Syd...

My friend Sydney recently had her second child. She brought her oldest, Irie, over to play with Jude so I snapped some shots of the baby. He would NOT sleep and was pretty squirmy. It's hard to get good newborn shots when they are past the two week old mark (he was 3 weeks old). We did get these though :)

For Lacy...

We kept Barker for some friends of ours a few weeks back. I took photos of him. He's a good dog. Enough said.

Weekends are for having fun...

This weekend kept us busy and left us exhausted. I think we officially started the rush Wednesday night when we got home from meeting at 10:30pm. Thursday we went to the fair with dad, Charlie and Audrey. I have to admit it was the best year yet. Dad put us all on the media list so we got in for free, had free corn dogs and other fair foods and then free rides.

Just a side note, I found out on Tuesday that I have some severe food allergies which was disheartening at first. I had my days of crying and "it's not fairs", but soon realized that life had to go on and decided to convince myself that food is fuel and nothing more. Needless to say I ate 2 corn dogs at the fair which isn't a great combo when you're allergic to wheat and corn! It was delicious and well worth it though. I avoided the cinnamon rolls and funnel cake.

On Friday I let Bella play hookie from school and we stayed home to clean for the company we would have throughout the weekend. Saturday morning we got up and went to the Utica Square Art Show to see my sister in laws art. She always does such an amazing job with presentation not to mention her artistic talents. The weather was perfect and I had mt first official chai tea latte which marks the beginning of fall for me ;) The Mr, the kids and I did a little shopping and then headed home to make lunch for Marcus (T's bro), his girlfriend (from Honduras, who he met in Germany a few months back), their friends, Donna (their sister) and a slew of cousins. My sister Sarah stopped by for a visit and we were so happy to see her.

After lunch, everyone left and then about an hour later a brother from our congregation showed up to mow. If you need your lawn mowed, let me know. He's saving up for a trip to Thailand in January! Then one of my best friends came in from out town for a girls night out. We had a blast. Then yesterday we all met at McNellies for some beers and lunch. I LOVE having a houseful of family and friends! It was a great weekend, but we are all zonked! Jude and I are hunkered down in the house for the day baking wheat free vegan pumpkin muffins and gingerbread. Hope you have a great Monday!

32.

Today Brian would be 32. We're thinking of him, his family and baby Tristyn. It still doesn't seem real. Just when you think you have grieved and accepted, it rears it's ugly head again. We miss him and love him. Cherish your friends and your family. Always let them know how much they are loved...

peace and love,
aja

Bright Start...

Do you ever feel like you were born in the wrong era? I was. I know I was. Sometimes I look around at the world we live in and my heart breaks. I long to live in a world of simplicity, community and strong family ties. A time when Mr. Vaught will leave poems expressing his love for me on my pillow in the morning. I would love to live in a cozy cottage surrounded by wild flowers and my children playing hide and seek in them. I truly believe one day I will. For now, I can be thankful that we have movies and I can watch this and dream....(i could watch this over and over)

xoxo,
aja

Oh, the temptation!

Oh, The Temptation from Steve V on Vimeo.

B...

On Monday we received heartbreaking news. It was a phone call from an old friend. One of our closest friends passed away. He was 31. He was like a brother to Tristan and although they were on different life paths, they stayed in touch, hugged when they saw each other, called when they had exciting news to share. He always said "Love you guys" when we parted and we said it back. He introduced Tristan and I. He would look at us and see the love we shared and say "You're welcome". He was the kind of person who could make you laugh even if he didn't feel like laughing. He left behind a mountain of friends and family who loved him dearly and a baby girl due in December whom he named after one of his best friends. Her name, "Tristyn Marie O'Day Cremin". Our kids called him Uncle B...he read stories to them. He just bought his fist house and was "settling down". Our paths were starting to cross again. Our lives were becoming similar in a way. I cannot express the pain we feel. It's devastating. But watching Tristan suffer so bad from losing a brother...a friend is painstaking. My heart goes out to Brians family and all those who loved him as much as we did and still do. We'll miss you B...until we meet again.

Sir Paul

So, I got a phone call from my dad Monday. He had 2 extra tickets to see Paul McCartney that night so of course we frantically found someone (thanks Eric) to watch the kids and went. All I can say is AMAZING! Our seats were awesome and Paul was even better. That's all I'm gonna say about that :) Thanks dad!

Here he is in Tulsa playing Blackbird.


Of course my faves were "Hey Jude" and "A Day In the Life" and "Give Peace a Chance".
During Hey Jude, he had the men only sing the "na na na" and then the women. It's in the bottom video (it's pretty shaky, I got it from you tube). Pretty cool! Jude watched it just now and said "Momma, do they know me?"



This is "A Day in the Life" taken from the Fenway Park concert, but he did the same at our show :) The Tulsa show was the only arena venue (the smallest) which is really cool!

I was watching him play and...

I adore him :)









It's not often he gets the toys all to himself. Tristan took his little honey to breakfast this morning at BBD and to work with him. It's their annual tradition. I taught her to say "there are child labor laws you know ;)"

Our weekend project

We or shall I say Tristan, completed our mini project this weekend and so Miss Flossy got wood floors in her room. I painted the walls before we left for vacation (they were brown). I have another project for her room that I'll post later, but it will require some sewing on my part so it may be awhile ;) Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! I think we are in a post vacation slump b/c we woke up this morning with not even an ounce of energy. Exhaustion set in today, but hopefully an early bedtime can fix that :)

A rather vain post...

Ok, so I'm a little reluctant to post these awful photos of me, but right before vacation I was playing with my camera doing a little self portraiting. I'm never in front of the camera. I prefer it that way. II do look back though and see that mommy is no where to be found in ANY photos. So, when my kiddos look back and read this fancy little blog book, they will see me :) I did however buy the mister a fancy little camera so maybe I will be in a few more ;) Look what the mister bought me (grinning ear to ear). A "highly" collectible Rolleicord that I didn't even know I was obsessed with until I saw it!!!! I love you T :)

A Freebie

I love some of the illustrations on this site that artists have given permission to download, print and frame. I've picked mine out, how about you?







Have a happy Friday! We have a house project in store for this weekend...hopefully I'll have pictures to post Monday!

Over and out!

Finally the last vacation post...

Most of these are snapshots taken with the new camera I surprised Tristan with before we left for vacation.











The following photos my amazing husband took. I'm so proud of these images :) He did an amazing job. I did edit one with a pink tone, but other than that, they are straight off the camera (what photog's call SOC).