Sunday, January 31, 2010

Sneak Peek of Baby Ty

Alright...I'm ready now to properly introduce the lovely baby Ty.  Ty was SO excited for his first photo shoot (outside the womb) that he didn't want to miss a minute of it!!  We managed to get a minute or two here and there of closed eyes but usually those moments were accompanied by a big green pacifier.  Couldn't they make those things cuter?   I think they could.   I don't think babies come any cuter than this little guy though.    Enjoy the sneak peek, Julie and Chad, and thanks for sharing your morning and your beautiful little bundle with me!

Ty's Dad is allergic to dogs so they bought him this dog to keep him company as he grows up.  His name is Bucky.  :-)



This 10 day old has more shoes than I do!!   NO KIDDING!
I'd planned to load another couple but am having technical difficulties for some reason.   Soon though...

Here's the one from my 365 yesterday.   Too cute to not include again.  :-)

Project 365 - Day 31. Party Time

I always hear that parenting just gets more difficult as your kids get older.  I believe that to a degree...I think it becomes difficult in a different way.  Today I had a taste of "the chauffeuring years" that are to come.  Three of the kids had two parties so I was dropping off and picking up most of the afternoon.  They had a great time!  I survived.   Clare had her first party on her own for one of the girls in her preschool class who was turning 3.  Very exciting.  She amazes me with her confidence.  She was pretty nervous at party #1 about all the bouncy stuff but after observing for a while, she decided she would brave it and the two of us crawled in the castle.  Before long she was loving it and didn't need me at all.  Big day for my little pretzel.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Project 365 - Day 30. Baby Blues.

My day today was all about baby boys.  I spent my morning with baby Ty.  I photographed his Mom and Dad several weeks ago and was really excited to meet this little guy.  He's just adorable and Mom and Dad are settling right into parenthood!  So fun to see.   I'm planning more of a sneak peek post for tomorrow but today is just one quick shot.


Why only one?   Well...I'm just feeling crappy tonight.   My head hurts and I'm really tired.  A result of too many tears shed this afternoon for my recent Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep angel, J.  I attended his memorial this afternoon.  I've been to funerals before but they were always for people over the age of 50.  Never for a baby.  It was the most heart-wrenching and beautiful ceremony. The father recorded songs that he'd sung and played guitar beautifully for, the mother and father both spoke of what they knew about baby J from the months they knew him inside his mothers womb and about what they would never get to know.   My heart aches for this amazing couple and the child they've lost.  I am so honored to have been a part of baby J's little existence and humbled by how grateful they are for the images I took of them all as a family.  They even asked that any monetary remembrances in honor of J be made to the Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep Foundation.   Wow!   That's all I can say....Wow.

So, tomorrow will be more of beautiful baby Ty but for now my heart is heavy thinking of little Angel J and his Mom and Dad.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Project 365 - Day 29. Bright Lights

Apparently tonight's moon is the largest and brightest it will be all year!   What could be better than that, you ask?   Well...it could be positioned directly out from my window so that I only have to stand NEXT to the cold and not actually IN it.  Sounds like a perfect Day 29 shot!  I did struggle to get the shot with my standard lens (50mm) on the new camera so had to use my old lens that goes to 200mm to get the detail.  Not perfect but I'm ok with it for my first moon shot.    The other bright light in my evening?   Miss Lilly.  She came home with her Kindergarten Progress Report tonight and she's doing FAN-tastic!   I'm so pleased....and so is she.   :-)

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Project 365 - Day 28. Worth The Wait

Most days there's a lot of excitement and anticipation around our house at 4:00pm.   The Little Girls get wound up, they peer out the window, they watch and watch until.....they see that big yellow bus turn up the hill and then they know.   Just another moment until they'll finally see The Big Kids again.   Definitely one of the highlights of their day.  Surpassed only by the arrival of Daddy which is marked with running and the loud screaming of "DADA!   DADA!"   Makes me smile every day.


Today was especially fun to have Corey come home.  This was the 90th day of school and the first grade celebrated "Half-Way Day".   We recognized this momentous occasion by cutting half of his hair last night and attempting a two-tone shirt.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Project 365 - Day 27. What Caught My Eye

I wish I had a great story to go with this photo but I don't.  We were just out driving and it caught my eye.  Sure, I pass hundreds of American flags all the time so why did this one catch my eye??  I have absolutely no idea.   Maybe it was just the colors against the dull sky.   No explanation...just my photo for the day.  Be glad, because it was either this or a picture of my ACTUAL eye which Emma "caught" with her hand yesterday leaving me with a very large scratch on the eyeball and hence a big, red glob that my own son admitted makes him not want to look at me at all.  :-(    So...be glad.


Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Project 365 - Day 26. Road To The Future

Photography is not my first career.  Not even my second, depending on how you're counting.  I have degrees for my previous endeavors and I'm very proud of them.  Most of my photography training to date has been reading, workshops & practice.  I am enrolled in a program at the New York Institute of Photography but haven't managed to devote too much time to it thus far.  I've had an assignment 80% ready to mail for several months now.  When I was swamped in the fall I had a good excuse for not mailing it in but now is time for catch up.  Of course I now have new equipment so preferred to do my photo assignments with the new gear.   Todays photo is not my normal type but it fulfills the assignment...use the smallest lens opening on your camera and capture a feeling of distance.   And best of all I didn't even have to get dressed or go out in the cold.  Yippee.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Project 365 - Day 25. A Few of My Favorite Things...Another Series.

Corey and Lilly had the day off from school today and it was a busy day of dropping off and picking up at a birthday party and Clare's preschool, etc.  I had 10 minutes to kill before I had to drop off Clare so we had a quick drive into St. John's Military Academy which is just down the road from her school.  I've been going there for years to play golf or attend an annual art festival but I have a whole new appreciation for it now as a fabulous place to take photos.  I did a couples shoot there in the fall and I'll definitely be back when the weather warms up.  It's a small little campus but it always reminds me of being in Europe and I just love that someplace that I pass all the time can take me thousands of miles away.  Definitely one of my favorite places in the area and this church is a highlight...gorgeous inside and out!


Sunday, January 24, 2010

Project 365 - Day 24. You know what they say about "Desperate Times..."

I realized after the first week or so that the key to my success with Project 365 is deciding fairly early on in the day what my topic will be.  Not the photo itself, but the activity or idea that will lead to the photo.  Today's topic...our most recent favorite restaurant.  We went there for dinner.  Sadly, as we parked the car I realized that I'd left my trusty camera at home.   GRRRRRR.   So then home, kids to bed, catch up on some work stuff and now it's 11pm and no ideas for a shoot.  I decide to just go for it.  I state confidently to my hubby, "the first step in taking the photo is holding the camera" and I reach for the camera.  I walk the entire house...well the parts that don't include sleeping children...and search for inspiration.  Nada.  Nothin'.  I set my camera down and state pathetically "it took 24 days but I think I have to cheat today and use a photo from another day."   His reply:  "Lame."   Knowing he's right, I grab my camera and point it directly at him.  That'll teach him to be right.



Saturday, January 23, 2010

Project 365 - Day 23. Winter JanBoree

Today is the Winter JanBoree festival in Waukesha, WI.   It is only about 15 minutes from us and I've lived here for over 10 years but today is really the first day I "discovered" Downtown Waukesha.   I've had to go through it before and basically only associated the area with very confusing streets.  I'd do most anything to avoid driving there!   Today was the first day that I parked and walked the streets of Waukesha and I was very surprised.  It's full of artsy galleries, fun restaurants and bars, and unique shops.  I'd definitely like to go back without little hands in tow one warm day.   Today we mostly stayed outside though.  I think we missed most of the actual JanBoree activities but the one we did catch was the Ice Sculpting.  There were about 20 of them lining the streets and it was fun to see what the artists created...snowflakes, diamond rings, a boy on a toboggan...but our favorite was created by this lady.  She was making Glenda the nice witch from The Wizard of Oz.   Very talented.


And, Glenda:




Friday, January 22, 2010

Project 365 - Day 22. Crazy Hair Day

Corey is in first grade and Lilly is in Kindergarten so I am still learning all the great and fun things they do every day at school.  I don't remember my elementary school being nearly as cool as theirs but maybe I'm just too old to recall.  Their school definitely does a lot of cool stuff!   Today is the monthly Popcorn Spirit Day.  They get to buy a bag of popcorn for a quarter AND they always have some sort of theme.  Today...Crazy Hair Day.  Tough with short hair but we did our best and they were excited...."spirited" even...so I guess the day was a success!


Thursday, January 21, 2010

Project 365 - Day 21. Introducing Swimmy

Today was a rough day with a sick kiddo and a lot of emotional editing from my recent bereavement session so I never even thought about todays shot till I was doing the dishes 10 minutes ago.  Feeling completely at a loss, I laid down a pan to dry and spotted....Swimmy.   Swimmy was a gift for my son's 5th birthday.   Corey was into Buzz Lightyear at the time...hence the space themed fish tank.  Basically Swimmy gets ignored most of the time.  Corey remembers to feed him about half the time and I get around to cleaning his tank far less than I really should.  But he's our only family pet and we like him.

I had Emma's routine 15 month check up on Tuesday and they asked the same questions they always ask to understand better my daughter 's health...."well or city water?"   "Well."   "Any smokers in the house?"  "No."   "Any pets?"   (pause and then feeling guilty)  "No."   I used to answer "Just a fish" but they kinda didn't appreciate it so now I just go with "No."   Sorry Swimmy.  It's not that we don't have a pet...we just have an easier, healthier version of a pet.  Did I mention that we like him?

He's camera-shy so this was the best I could do in my allotted time frame.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Project 365 - Day 20. Wiggling Through Our Day

All of my kids have been fans of The Wiggles.  Alright, I admit it....I like them too.   I was extremely disappointed when Greg (Yellow Wiggle) had to resign because of health issues and was replaced by Sam (the new Yellow Wiggle).  We had a lull in our Wiggle World about that time as Lilly grew out of them and Clare wasn't quite ready but we're fully integrated back into them now and as it turns out...Sam ROCKS!   There are a couple songs that I just can't help but dance to!  Seriously....their version of You Make Me Feel Like Dancing with guest singer Leo Sayer is my absolute best "Get Up And Go Song" in the morning.  My kids would even tell you that I've been known to crazy dance around the kitchen to this song but that's just a rumor.  Don't believe the hype.

Today as we headed to pick up Clare from preschool, I handed Emma a Wiggles book.  OMG...so cute!  She held that book up in front of her face and I considered taking her photo while I was driving for fear that I would miss the moment but ya know what?  She read....well, held it up in front of her face (she is only 15 months afterall) the entire 15 minute ride and even long enough for me to take her picture after we parked!   I tell ya....there's just something about those guys!

If you don't believe me, check 'em out on You Tube....you'll feel like dancing soon too!


Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Project 365 - Day 19. Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

My oldest daughter decided to cut her hair into a chin length bob over Christmas break.  It looks very cute and really suits her.  Clare has never really had haircuts...I've trimmed her bangs but for the last year or so it's always been accompanied by a lot of tears and squirming so her hair has gotten quite long.  It's very thin and pretty scraggly but very blond and it's always suited her.  Well...this week she decided at the ripe 'ol age of 2 that it was time for her to cut it short too.  So, without tears or trauma, she walked right up to that pink Jeep haircutting chair, looked down at the poodles on her drape as requested and, darn it, she got that short hair.  And to top it all off...they did a Princess Up-Do.  Sigh.....  my little girl is growing up.    Good thing I still have Emma and her hair is still too short to worry about.


Monday, January 18, 2010

Project 365 - Day 18. Splish Splash

We had a lot of running around today and by the end of the day, not unlike a lot of others days, I was feeling worn out and ready for kids to be in bed and Mom to be productive.

I admit...the hours between 5 and 7 are my least favorite of the day.  The kids go to bed early and it's not easy to get all 4 kids fed, cleaned, changed, brushed, read, and in bed while also hopefully eating myself, cleaning up the dishes, picking up the toys from the day, sorting through backpacks and whatever else needs to be done within that small window of time.  More times than not it ends up being a stressful part of the day.

Bath time is the highlight of that time for the little girls.  They love to splish and splash, dump water on each other, wash their little dollies hair, count fish.  Whatever.  They just love to be in the bath.  Generally their laughter is enough to break my stress and make me enjoy the moment....at least until it's time to get out and the next battle begins.


Sunday, January 17, 2010

Project 365 - Day 17. Thrill Seeking

There aren't a lot of things that I hope my kids inherit from me but by far the quality I most hope they have is my love of adventure.  This has translated into some fantastic travels and some unlikely thrill seeking moments that I definitely wish on everyone I know!   The kids are still too young for me to determine just how much of my adventure gene has carried on but now that Corey is 7, I am getting to see some tastes of it.  We are the two that can't wait to get in line for the roller coasters that he's just tall enough to ride, we chose the local water park for our special one-on-one time together and we're both looking forward to a big trip we're planning for next year.

Sledding has been a fun way for me to watch them gain confidence in their risk taking this winter.  We take them to a local park that has a great hill and Corey just can't get enough of it.  I am so proud of the look on his face every time he heads off down that slope.  It looks like there's hope of some genetic rub-off after all!


Saturday, January 16, 2010

Project 365 - Day 16. Movie Time

There are some things with 4 young kids that just don't happen as much as I would like.   One of those things is a trip to the movie theater.  There's always at least one, recently two, who is really just too young to take to the theater so family trips aren't an option.   Not to mention that the hubby is TOTALLY not into movies.   You should see the tension that sets into his face if I even mention the word in passing.  Just not his idea of fun to sit still for 2 hours...especially without a beer in his hand!  Hey...nobody's perfect and I've learned to accept him for all his flaws.   But I digress....    

I'd been promising the "big kids" (ages 7, 5, and 2) a trip to the movies to see The Princess & The Frog since before Christmas break and today we finally made it.   Truthfully, it's not my top choice of movies out right now but I was still kinda looking forward to it.  As it turned out, I actually quite enjoyed it and after being up all night at the hospital, it was a perfect solution....easy parenting of 3 kids for an hour and a half.   Overall, a win-win.




Regarding the hospital visit...I am a volunteer photographer for Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep and the early morning hours of today were spent at the hospital photographing one of heaven's newest angels. I was honored to be a part of his little existence.  Please say a prayer for the very handsome baby J and his truly wonderful parents.    You can learn more about this great organization at www.nilmdts.org

Friday, January 15, 2010

Project 365 - Day 15. A Bright Spot In My Day

Overall, I consider today a gray day.  I woke feeling quite tired after my late night with friends.  Then I learned early today that I man I was supposed to photograph with his family this week had passed away early this morning.  I hadn't met them yet but I'd spoken to his wife a couple of times and I deeply regret that we didn't get the session scheduled earlier.   Then, a couple of hours after that I had a request for a photographer from Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep.   I'm on call now for that session and I've spend the day thinking of this poor woman as she awaits delivery of a child she will never get to know.  So sad.  A gray day for sure.

The real highlight for me today?   Tomatoes.   I'm not much of a healthy eater, I admit.  I bought a big package of tomatoes for the party last night and had loads left over so I took them out at lunch time to feed to Emma.  Well...if they weren't the best tomatoes.  It was totally unexpected to have such plump, juicy, tasty tomatoes in January and it completely caught me off guard.  I've been eating them non-stop ever since and they are simply delicious.  The bright spot in my gray day for sure.


 

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Project 365 - Day 14 Purse Party

Ok...it's 10 minutes till midnight so I'll be quick!   I intentionally waited to post my picture bc I spent the whole day cleaning (not interesting or photo worthy) in preparation for a home-party I was hosting tonight. The rep had Lia Sophia jewelry and Miche bag purses so I thought there would great photo ops but I was so caught up in visiting that I never even pulled my camera out.  Only managed a couple quick snaps before the first guest arrived.   So...there you go...my photo for the day.   Purses.   BTW, if you're not familiar with Miche bags, they're very cool.  You buy the basic purse and then just change the cover or shell so you never have to move all your crap.  Such a novel idea...I love it!  Suits lazy people like me just perfectly!!!



Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Introducing...Valentine's Mini-Sessions!

Want to WOW the Mom's and kids at your school?  Feeling badly about not sending out a Christmas card this year?  Just want to update some photos of your kids around the house?   Well...then this Mini-Session is for you!

Join me on Saturday, January 23rd to check out my home studio AND get some great shots of your kids!

For just $50, you'll get a 15 minute session for up to 3 children and your choice of 1 5X7 OR 25 custom mini-Valentine's.  

Contact me to find out more or schedule your session.  
262.436.9417
kelly@illustrationsphotos.com


Project 365 - Day 13. The Color of Love

It's still morning but already it's been "a big day."   Today is the day that....(drumroll, please)....Emma actually COLORED with a crayon instead of trying to eat it!  Yippee!   She took the whole experience very seriously and Clare seemed proud to be able to share with Emma the correct use of the cherished Crayola Crayon.

Alright...Emma did try to sneak in one little taste.  But who can blame her?   It WAS "apricot."  Maybe Crayola needs to just stop making such tasty colors.  

Nah.









Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Project 365 - Day 12. Hey...I remember what that is!

Generally speaking, I don't actually mind winter that much.  It's not that I like the cold because I really don't.  And it's not that I like winter sports because I don't do any.  I do, however, love to see snow in the trees.   Still, not enough to enjoy winter but enough to tolerate it.  Why?  Because I LOVE the other 3 seasons.  Having spent 11 years of my life in San Diego, I know what it feels like to not have seasons and I REALLY didn't like that!

Even as a high schooler I felt that time went too quickly without really being marked by an obvious change around me.  I can't imagine how quickly time would go now with my whirlwind family of six!   So...I tolerate winter and generally feel that it goes pretty quickly.  Just when I am getting fed up with it, spring is in the air, birds are singing, and life begins again.

 One of the best parts of winter is Wisconsin is that we still get a lot of sunny days.   Usually, that is.  I honestly can't remember the last time I saw the sun.  How sad!   But then today I was in my living room playing with my kids when the oddest thing happened....the SUN got in my eyes!!  Well, I was so darned happy.  There must be something to that lack of sun disorder because my spirits soared after that sun hit my face and I spotted that blue sky.   I could have sat there all day.  Except that 20 minutes later, the sun set and my joy was over.  Boo Hoo.  At least I got a quick picture of it before it was gone.  Here's hoping for more blue skies tomorrow....



Monday, January 11, 2010

Project 365 - Day 11. My End of Day Lesson

I mentioned before that the kids frequently end their day with books.  Corey, in particular, loves to dig through his reference books before going to sleep.  Lately his favorite has been his Star Wars Encyclopedia.  He's only in first grade but his reading level is quite high and he's becoming quite the expert.  So, when I come in to say "Good Night" each night and I find Corey engrossed in his research, I feel badly telling him it's time for lights out.  And so we sit.  Well, I sit and he lays peering over his book and giving me a nightly lesson about this character or that light saber.  I listen.  I'm quite sure I've seen all of the Star Wars movies but I only recall bits and pieces of the original ones and nothing of Star Wars I, II, or III.  That doesn't matter.  I love that Corey's little brain is able to process so much information.  Ok...so Star Wars isn't my top choice of research material, but he's a smart cookie and a little intergalactic eye candy can't be too bad for him, right?

So, there's a lot wrong with this photo...the light was horrible and I'm pretty anti-flash and the focus isn't really where I wanted it, but the memory to me is important.  One I hope I never forget.


Oh, and it did give me a chance to play with some new Photoshop actions that I've been trying out.  I used one that uses Dust and Scratches to reduce the noise (bc of the incredibly high ISO I used...not only is his room dim but he's on a bottom bunk so really very dark!) and then a black and white conversion I like by Lemondrops.  I think it's a keeper.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Project 365 - Day 10. My Reminder

Today was a hectic day of cleaning, cooking, homework, girl scout cookie sales, hanging pictures, tending to kids, football, putting away Xmas decorations...   Lots of stuff that had nothing to do with photography.  A couple of times during the day I realized that I hadn't taken a picture yet and I got nervous that I could actually forget!  Imagine that...from dreaming about it to forgetting about it in about 4 days!

At about 5:00, I dug into the kids backpacks to look through their "Friday Folders" full of info to give to Mom and Dad only to find a reminder sheet that tomorrow begins Lilly's Star of the Week week.   OOPS!   Totally missed that somehow.  Day 1 is the day that Lilly needed to bring in photos of her and her family.  Should be easy for a photographer, right?  Well...not so much.  I take a lot but I print very little.  And those that are printed are not organized anywhere that I can easily find them.  So...I ran around the house digging through old storage boxes until I had a good representation of Lilly's little 5 1/2 years of life. After she went to bed, I gathered the photos to put them in order.  I looked at those shots of Lilly from when she was a baby and I was reminded of how fast that time has passed and how much she'd changed.  I was reminded of how much my photography has improved.  And, I was reminded of how much that little girl has been melting my heart for almost 6 years.   Sometimes I need little reminders.


Saturday, January 9, 2010

A Sneak Peek of Baby Jack....& 365 Project - Day 9.

I got to spend my morning with little 10 day old Jack and his Mom and Grandma.  I photographed Mom, Dad and big sister Ava in the fall (see earlier post) and have been anxiously awaiting this little guys arrival ever since.  He's just perfect and Mom is a pro laborer...she actually described the birth as, get this, "fun!"   Now, I have been very lucky with all four of my labors.  They're quick and really not too traumatic for the most part.  Magical.  Incredible.   Life-changing.   All of that but definitely not fun.   You're a much better woman than I am, Kim!  :-)   Thanks for sharing Jack with me and for the great chat!


Look at the amazing head of hair!





Not sure what's going on with my logo coloring tonight but whatever.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Friday, January 8, 2010

Project 365 - Day 8. Valentine's Prep

On today's To Do List, among other things, was testing out my new pink background.   I got it for the party that I co-hosted over the weekend but it arrived late so it's new purpose is Valentine's Day.  I was a bit intimidated by it...sure that it would give horrible pink glows to the faces in front of it.  I'd forgotten.  I now have two lights!!  One to light my beautiful subject and another to reduce the shadows and highlight that lovely pink background.   I only had the little girls down in the studio (as I'm officially calling it now) for about 5 minutes and I got a bunch of shots that I like.  Yey.  I'm ready for Valentine's Day shooting now!  




Thursday, January 7, 2010

Project 365 - Day 7. Bunco Babes

Ok...I don't know if Bunco is a cross-cultural thing or just a Wisconsin thing.?  I know for sure that I first heard of it just a few years ago but I don't know if that's because I wasn't an adult when I lived in other cities or just because I wasn't a Mom in a family-oriented subdivision before or what.  Regardless, my subdivision has a really great Bunco group and tonight was our night for great food and wine, lovely women, and a little bit of dice.   Love it!

Our hostess was a woman I think very highly of.  There's just something about her that I liked from the first moment I met her.  She describes herself as having a strong personality but that's not at all how I would describe her.   Her home, like her, is beautiful, welcoming and wonderful.   Thanks for everything, Pam.
























And, Happy Birthday, Patti!

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Project 365 - Day 6 Footprints, A Series


Ok...I've been giving this whole initiative WAY too much thought. I'm even dreaming about what to take pictures of. Weird, eh?

Anyway, todays shot is the first in what is going to be a series. Not a consecutive series but one I'll come back to through the year. Footprints. When I was in my mid 20's and working a corporate job, I was sent to a leadership training that I loved. It wasn't about how to manage but really about understanding what motivated me and understanding our own selves and styles. Very touchy feely and very cool.

I remember as one of the exercises I was asked to make a piece of art/collage that represented me, my life, my aspirations. I struggled with it a lot as I flipped through the magazines. Other people got right into theirs, knowing exactly what to do since their lives were already settled. I felt I was just at a stepping point in my life. I was still single and was completely dedicated to my company but knew that one day I wanted to be a happily married SAHM. I felt conflicted.

Then I realized...it was a stepping stone. Where I was at that time was exactly where I wanted to be then but not where I wanted to be or would be down that path of life. So, my theme became "footprints". I cut out pics of hiking books on top of a mountain, heels, etc. Then, on top of those things, I laid pictures of feet at a wedding, baby feet, etc. I felt really comfortable with the whole thing. It even, to me, tied in my religion since I've always loved the poem "Footprints in the Sand" (see below).

So, as I was donning my Moon Boot slippers this morning and thinking about what my picture would be, my two at-home kids kept demanding my attention and it clicked....those little footprints. What I'd always wanted is here...demanding my attention.

There's that saying about people wearing different "masks" in their life. I've always believed that I don't do that...I am the same person no matter who I'm with or what I'm doing. I just don't know how to wear masks. I do, however, know how to wear different shoes. Today those shoes are Moon Boot Slippers and they're making sure I look after four of the most gorgeous little footprints all day.


Footprints

One night I had a dream--
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord
and across the sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints,
one belonged to me and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that many times along the path of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest
and saddest times in my life.
This really bothered me and I questioned the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you would walk with me all the way,
but I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life
there is only one set of footprints.
"I don't understand why in times when I needed you most,
you should leave me."
The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child,
I love you and I would never, never leave you
during your times of trial and suffering.
"When you saw only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you."

Mary Stevenson

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

365 - Day 5 The Upgrade


Like all photographers, my equipment "needs" list is a continually growing thing. Because I'm doing more indoor shoots now that the weather isn't too conducive for outdoor ones, I felt a new light set was in order. My previous set was a beginners kit and worked fine for adults who didn't move too far away from where I put them but not ideal for kids. Problem solved. Today I unpacked my new Alien Bee 800 and 5 ft. softbox and I'm very happy. :-) I know that doesn't mean much to most so I thought a visual of before and after might help. Of course the shot is poorly lit because my lights were otherwise occupied but you get the idea. Happy me.

And a few pics of my first model with the new light....my little Clare Bear.

Monday, January 4, 2010

365- Day 4. Ratatouille

I'm already feeling the pressure of this project. I hope I get into a good rhythm soon.?

Today's picture....a new recipe that came into my inbox today - Sausage Ratatouille. I don't mind cooking but find it tough to do anything outside my standard menu with 4 little kiddos so it's unusual for me to a) get ambitious enough to try a new recipe or b) get lucky enough to have all the ingredients in house to actually make it. Well, luckily I was grocery store bound today so picked up the fresh veggies that I could remember from the recipe. I didn't have everything it called for in the end but I went for it anyway and it was actually pretty good. All the kids ate it in a separated sort of way so that's a success. So, yey.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

365 - Day 3 Project Runway's New Winter Line


I co-hosted a birthday party today for a 7 year old girl (not my own child...it was a charity auction offering). It was a Project Runway theme and very fun. One of the main activities was this cool little mannequin kit that the girls were able to decorate with fabric to come up with their own outfits. They were really into it and came up with some fun designs. This is the outcome...

Saturday, January 2, 2010

My New Years Resolution & HUGE Commitment...365 Project


Years ago when I became interested in photography, I learned about an initiative that I thought was very cool called the 365 Project. The idea is to encourage people to take a photo every day. I thought that was a really cool idea and I followed several people's blogs as they posted their photos every day. Several portrait photographers even offered a FREE session to the first person who caught them missing a day! Well, here I am. A portrait photographer with a business and I'm ready to do the same thing. TERRIFIED but ready! It's a lot of pressure, I must say. I have to a) find something photo worthy b) take the photo and then c) post it too! But, I'm going for it. So, please keep an eye on me! Afterall, I'm starting on the 2nd so there's a good chance someone will be getting a free session soon! :-)

So...here are my first posts:


365 Project - Day 1, January 1, 2010
Polar Plunge on Upper Nemahbin. BRRRRRR!!!!

365 Project - Day 2, January 2, 2010
Book Time. I LOVE that Corey can read bedtime stories to Lilly now and even more than that, I LOVE that they love it! It's such a beautiful thing to watch and always makes me smile.