We are counting down the days until school is done...anyone else excited? No more rushing around in the morning. Enjoying breakfast with my children and making plans for the day. That's the summer I wish for.

When you are in the middle of raising small children days blur into weeks and they blur into years. I've been a mom now for almost 10 years. There used to be parties without children. Now each time there is a party or get together you can see how fast time flies by looking at your friend's children. Some of them are teenagers now and some are graduating high school. For a little while you think you have time, lots of time.

People tell you how fast children grow up and to hold onto those years. Sometimes you can't wait to get out of the baby or toddler stage. I thought is was epic when my children were out of diapers and could buckle themselves in the car. I have to say I don't miss the baby stage. I love that I can have a conversation with my children and we can laugh about random stuff together. I love that they get my sense of humor!

I've been trying to balance motherhood with my business for so long and it's been really hard. I don't know how mothers with more children do it. I've had my hands full with two. Linus is always one of the last kids to be dropped of at school - how many e-mails can I reply to or can I maybe work on one more picture? Malina's short preK hours were a struggle. I felt I was barely back home and I already had to pick her up. So much driving back and forth. Everything I try to do gets interrupted numerous times. It's been hard to do it all. Many, many times I work until morning hours (it's 2 a.m. while I am finishing this blog post) just to be a zombie that day after getting 3-4 hours of sleep. But uninterrupted hours are hard to come by, so I work when everyone is sleeping.

Now everything is about to change. Malina is starting Kindergarten after the summer and both my kids will be at the same school for a couple years and have same drop off and pick up times. I will actually have real working hours during the day! I am looking forward to that but it's bittersweet. I've been getting sentimental lately about how my children are now so grown up. Linus will be 10 in September and Malina 6. How can this be?

A few months ago I bought Malina this amazing dress from Dollcake. I usually buy her ten or twenty dollar dresses but to celebrate her childhood (and the last days of being with mommy all the time), I bought this one. It's actually called 'She loves Butterflies' which couldn't be more fitting. My husband calls me Schmetterling, the german word for butterfly, because of my love for butterflies. Now this love for butterflies is definitely rubbing off on my children.

Dollcake's clothing is of high quality, and affordable for how elaborate and full of detail they are. I am so happy I found that company. I also bought a really cute romper on sale for a steal that I can't wait to put Malina in some day soon. I found this cute headdress on etsy from a seller called Fireflywingstudios. A super sweet seller who promoted me on instagram right away after checking out my website.

The weather in NW Indiana has been so all over the place that it's been hard to do any photo sessions for clients or with my kids where we aren't blown away by wind or freezing cold.

Yesterday was so beautiful out and I couldn't wait any longer to put Malina in that dress. You will see this dress many more times since I bought a size 8! Malina is growing like a weed and it's not even that big on her. Unfortunately there is never something equally whimsical yet cool for boys. So Linus usually just wears jeans or shorts and a simple shirt. I had this gold face paint and tried that out on Malina. Not perfect but I love how it turned out. Can't wait to do it better next time!

We found a flower field and it was magical with the sun hitting it just right. It was one of those 10-15 minute photo shoots I do with my children every couple of months. It's one of the things we do together and make me happy! And since I pay in ice cream they are happy too! Maybe one day when they are older, my children will appreciate the memories and pictures and all that went into it. I know I will treasure them always.

Nothing makes me happier than seeing my children interact together, looking at each other and giggling! It makes me laugh that we forgot to take the tag off Linus' shorts! It's about being spontaneous and not perfection - my life's motto!

Turns out time really does fly by and you better make the most of it.