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    I'm Janica, a Houston-based portrait photographer, and this is the JBO PHOTO blog. Here, you can check out my recent work, get the scoop on jbo photo sessions, and find out more (probably a LOT more) than you ever wanted to know about the day-to-day adventures of my quirky family.

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02.25.10

Keri

What’s cookin’, good lookin’?

Oh wait, I know!  It’s my NIECE, Karli!!

Sweet Keri, motherhood looks goooood on you.

I cannot wait to meet this baby.  And I’m not the only one.:)

Aunt Janica.

I like it.

I can’t believe that in a few short months my baby brother Brandon will be a Daddy.  (and a GOOD one, too!)  Keri’s baby shower was last weekend and she drove allllll the way down from Lubbock.  After the pink wrapping paper was all shredded, the last sip of sherbet punch was slurped, and the final group of chattering ladies made their way out of the door, we were able to grab a few quick shots of her perfectly adorable belly bump.  Next time I see my dear sister-in-law, baby Karli will be hanging out in Keri’s ARMS!  I am giddy with anticipation.  Keri, Brandon, and little Karli, I love you to infinity and back!

P.S.  Will you just get a load of this cake from the shower??  My friend Angie is an absolute cake-making dynamo.  If you need a cake, and want it to be fabulous, send her an email: angielindquist@yahoo.com

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30 weeks « The Day’s BlogFebruary 25, 2010 - 4:24 pm

[...] while we in Houston last weekend, and well, let’s just say I have a talented family!!   http://janicabolesphotography.com/blog/keri/ Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)27 weeks!18 weeks22 [...]

ShannonFebruary 25, 2010 - 4:47 pm

I LOVE LOVE the one in black and white!! I cannot wait to see all of your beautiful pictures of your new niece when she gets here. My new favorite thing is being an aunt. Its crazy to think of our baby brother’s as Daddies….specially when they were both crazy as kids! XOXO

GranbobFebruary 25, 2010 - 5:12 pm

This baby has got to be gorgeous…look at those eyes and that perfect skin! Add that to BW’s gorgeous eyelashes and eyes and dimples…oooooohhhh, I can’t wait!!! (Yes, I can Karli…just anxious to hold you!) Great pictures, Janica and beautiful subject. Thanks for the picture of the cake too! I love you guys!

ChrystalFebruary 25, 2010 - 5:57 pm

Ooooh! I love the B&Ws too! I can’t wait to meet Karli. I am ready for you guys to be back in Houston. I hope you get big prints of some of these Keri! They are great pictures of you.

Aunt Colleen in IndianaFebruary 26, 2010 - 7:48 am

What wonderful pictures of you and baby Karli. Janica does a great job! You will be a perfect mom. Love to all.

Karli » janicabolesphotography.com/blogMay 18, 2010 - 7:36 am

[...] was a gorgeous mama-to-be…but she’s even more radiant as a [...]

02.24.10

Home is where the _______ is.

So it’s decision time.

I’ve been trying to push all of this to the back of my mind, telling myself that we still have MONTHS before we have to really deal with the concept of Matt moving to Los Angeles.  But the truth is, it’s now.

Matt is moving to L.A. in less than a month.  Matt is MOVING to LOS ANGELES in less than a MONTH!  This is no out-of-town trial that lasts a couple weeks.  This is no pack a carry-on and a toothbrush kind of trip.  This is no GAH I need a break from my kids thank goodness Matt will be home in a few days type of situation.  The man is moving out.  For a year.

The king bed will swallow me.  I will have to get my own glass of water before bed.  The kids will have to settle for Mom as a wrestling partner.  I will have to take out the trash.  No, wait.  Scratch that one.  I already do that anyway.

Point is, our home sweet home in Spring, Texas will be Matt-less for 12 months.  That fact was starting to make me very, very sad – until I realized that maybe our home wasn’t in Spring, Texas after all.  Certainly, we have our lovely house here, but how can it really be home if 1/4 of our family unit is 1,556 miles away?  (thank you, GoogleMaps)  Home, as you’ve heard, is where the heart is.  For Team Boles, the direct translation would be home is where the MATT is.

And so we’re going.

This summer, Parker, Bailey and I will give our cozy house in Spring, Texas a see you later high-five, and head into the waiting arms of our sweet Daddy Matt and a 2-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles, California.  I don’t know exactly how long we’ll stay.  At this point, there’s just no way to know what this adventure will be like.  I never dreamed that Parker would start kindergarten on the west coast!  There are so many questions left to answer and details to freak out over, but I am beginning to feel the sheer excitement of the situation creeeeep up inside of me.   I know one thing for sure…

We’re going to Disneyland!!

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robin cornettFebruary 24, 2010 - 4:29 pm

WOW!!! How exciting and terrifying all at once! And a grand adventure, to boot. Best of luck and most of all, HAVE FUN! The nice thing about being out there for that amount of time is that you can be a tourist when you want to be, but you don’t have to be in a big hurry to try to see everything. You will LOVE IT.

LeanahFebruary 24, 2010 - 4:40 pm

Wow! I know you are relieved to have made THE BIG DECISION! You already know that all of us will miss all of you tremendously, even though we’ll still be able to e-connect.

You’re getting an extra round of hugs from the McCombs family on April 9th!

LizardFebruary 24, 2010 - 5:28 pm

Jan, I have known you were going for some time now, but it breaks my heart to see it in writing nonetheless. My crew of two and I are going to miss you all so much. Even as I say these things, I know that I am so proud of you for making such hard decision. I think that it’s the right one. I know it would be for my family. I don’t know what Carson and I will do on Tuesday’s next year. I hope that you all have some amazing adventures, and come back to us tan and cultured. I love you BFF.

FaganFebruary 24, 2010 - 6:06 pm

I’m so glad you’re going, it has been really eating at my heart that you would be without each other for so long. Families belong together, perfect circumstances or not. Love to you all.

ChrystalFebruary 24, 2010 - 7:09 pm

Wow, what a hard decision! I completely understand where your coming from. Tor and I were talking last night that it doesn’t feel like home unless we are together. I could not be more excited for you guys and your adventure together. I’m sure you will love it!

Heather (heathergw)February 25, 2010 - 7:38 am

YAY, I know it was hard to make that decision but definitely what I was hoping and praying you guys would do. Have a great time! Well, I know you will since you’ll be together!

VonnieFebruary 25, 2010 - 2:29 pm

I know it’s a huge change, but you could *so* be a California girl! You never know, you guys may start to love West Coast living. It will definitely be fun to go & explore the city.

GranbobFebruary 25, 2010 - 5:20 pm

Don’t even know how to comment…hardest thing that I’ve ever said was “I think you should go and keep your family together…” But I did mean every word. I can’t even imagine saying goodbye, but I’m no longer #1 in your life…as it should be…a Mother should never interfere in a marriage. I know that all too well. I love you, I’ll miss you immeasurably, but I support your decision and love that your love for your husband is the first thing in your heart and your head. Can I go to Disneyland with you??? I’ve never been! Be sure to get a full bed on the bottom bunk so I’ll have a place to sleep with the kids!

02.15.10

Busted

If you’re a parent, you know the sound.  It is unfailingly prefaced by an unexpected crash and the anxious moment of silence that follows.  You instinctually cringe and mutter to yourself, “they’re OK, they’re OK, they’re OK…” but then it happens.  The stomach-twisting wail of legitimate pain – made infinitely unbearable because it is in the frantic voice of your own child.

I was emptying the dishwasher last night, admittedly grateful for the peaceful moment of solitude while Matt took the kids upstairs to get ready for baths.  There was the familiar thunder of playful steps above me…but then came the thud.  The silence.   And then THAT sound.  I flew upstairs to find Bailey huddled in Matt’s arms, her muffled sobs causing her little body to quake.  Matt quickly explained that she tripped in the bathroom and hit the wooden step stool.  My slight relief was quickly stripped away when she pulled her head from Matt’s chest and turned to reach for me.  Oh, the BLOOD.  It was more than a little bit gruesome and I’m pretty sure I saw Matt’s eyes bug out of their sockets, Large-Marge style, for the briefest of moments.  Miraculously, my inner stomach-of-steel Super Mom emerged from deep within, and I did my best to assess the situation and bark out an order or two.

In the end, it wasn’t much more than a significantly busted lip.  With the help of the “cold thing” (rag-wrapped piece of ice), and a long spell of singing songs in the rocking chair, we were able to pull through.  It was undoubtedly much more difficult for Matt and me than it was for my tough little lady.

It truly gives you pause.   The desperate feeling of helplessness that grips us when our children are experiencing pain or fear.  Knowing that we can only do so much to take the hurt away…  I am unspeakably thankful for the health and happiness of my children.  It is my greatest gift.

.

.

It’s been almost 24 hours.  Don’t be fooled by the mock-sadness.

It takes a lot to keep this girl down.

And it didn’t curb the appetite.  Not one bit.;)

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Rachael EarlFebruary 15, 2010 - 6:27 pm

Poor thing :( Hopefully she doesn’t take a paci-that’s a hard one to deal with!

LeanahFebruary 15, 2010 - 6:48 pm

She came through that little trial with flying colors!

I can’t get over the last picture. Her eyes are mesmerizing…. she’ll develop swirly eyes, like Jo Vonna, in no time!

Christina MontemurroFebruary 15, 2010 - 8:25 pm

Glad to hear she is okay. That brief silence is the worst!

She is beautiful and her hair is so brown!

GranbobFebruary 16, 2010 - 10:48 am

Oh my poor little one. There IS no worse sound…except possibly the sound of a cracking bone as with BW SEVERAL times! Oh, the very worst part of parenthood! Glad you were with her and not Granbob…I would have felt horrible!!!

LizardFebruary 24, 2010 - 5:33 pm

Carson thinks Bailey’s pics r so sad, but he keeps asking to see a pic of you Jan, over an over again…. How bout Janica? How bout Janica? How bout you push that button on that computer and get a picture of Janica?

ChrystalFebruary 24, 2010 - 7:23 pm

Oh my goodness! She is one tough cookie. That looks painful!

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