Five on Friday

1. With the rain setting in, I can already tell it is going to be a LONGGG time until summer.  That thought took me back to this post. 

2.  Looking back at that post, it floors me how quickly these little guys can change!

3.  It also makes me happy to see that there is some improvement in my photography.  Even though lately it seems as if I am hitting a wall and want to throw my camera against that wall, as well. 

4.  Most parts of everyday life have become more challenging with 3 kids, but with a few things have stayed nicely the same.  Like bath-time.  Now that Kaden can join G&C in the tub, bath-time is a perfect time-filler and perfect entertainment for ALL of us! 

5.  The above photo is not an example of my improvement in photography.  HA.  I took it with my speedlite, which now in looking at the photo, I don’t think it even fired.  Oh well.  It is one of those images that I suppose I like despite its imperfection (I seem to be saying that a lot lately, which isn’t probably the best thing considering I am going to try to make a go at doing this professionally.)

This isn’t the most chipper post… I’m sorry.  :(  All will be on the UP and UP Monday!  Have a wonderful weekend!

We Met A Skunk Yesterday… and Other Outtakes…

Oiy.  On my mom’s last day here, I took advantage of her help and the nice weather to do a shoot with my boys.  It started out innocent enough, but ended up being quite the adventure.  We began with the inevitable bribery to lure them into cooperation… 

But our venture came to a screeching halt (pretty literally, as I SCREECHED at the sight of this), when we got to the end of our driveway and found this little beauty blocking our path.  Yes, that is a skunk.  They are SUPPOSED to be nocturnal but this one was a little looney (and very unlucky thanks to Grandpa). 

We managed to keep my dog, Bosley, away from it and eventually, got to my destination for the photos.  Starting with a pretty cute one… 

And on to some outtakes (I get kind of tired of always striving for great photos.  I fall short WAY too often, so I thought it’d be fun to embrace my shortcomings…)

Okay, this one is pretty cute, too…

Here, he’s falling.  Or, is he being pushed?? Either way, timber. 

And then Bosley was really upset that we didn’t let him get completely smelly by tangling with the skunk, so he had to do us one better and find a deer carcass to roll in.  And to share with us.  Evidently he took it all the way back up to our house, but I still have yet to find it.

This boy wasn’t havin’ it.  This is his DRAMATIC face.

And TRYING to get a shot of Grammie and the boys…

Do they look like they were done with photos?  Don’t worry, this was only half way through our ‘shoot’.  And I’d post more, but my computer keeps freezing up, despite the fact that I just transferred 100+MB off of my hard drive onto an external one. I’m having technical difficulties all over the place.  Mostly with my brain, so, I’d better sign off before I toss it out the window along with my computer and camera (which keeps freezing up, too.) 

And, thanks for the fun visit, Grammie.  It went by too fast and we’re already counting the days until you come back.  :)   

Speechless…

I was trying to figure out what to post today, and because I’ve been occupying all my spare time processing photos from recent sessions, I’ve neglected even taking photos of my own kids.  So, I dug through my ‘saved for blog’ pics and came across this one.  I couldn’t believe I hadn’t shared it yet, then I remembered why… 

It just kind of leaves me speechless! 

The Things They Say…

I took these photos awhile ago of Cooper and don’t really have anything that goes along with them, so I just thought I’d put this out there… am I a bad Mama for letting my boys repeatedly mispronounce things? 

Let me explain… for a very long time, Gage said “chepit” for “ketchup”.  Matt and I loved the sound of it, so we started calling it “chepit”, too and still do to this day. 

Now, the boys say ‘a-cuz’ instead of ‘because’, ‘instruction’ instead of ‘construction’, ‘pampakes’ instead of ‘pancakes’, ‘gank-you’ instead of ‘thank you’ and ‘pea-hawks’ instead of ‘peacocks’… just to state a few.  And its not because they can’t pronounce the word… this is just what they think the word is.

Being a homeschool-mama… well, just a MAMA, actually, I know I should always be instructing, teaching, and inspiring my kids.  I shouldn’t let the incorrect use of these words go on.  

But, the more and more I hear them say things like “Oh, dear!” and “Wow, that’s fascinating” and “Actually, Cooper, I have a hypothesis about that…” I realize they are growing up so fast.  I suppose I just embrace the little things they say that exemplify their innocence and youth.

A-cuz it seems like that this stage of their life doesn’t last very long.  

Daphne… part II {Clackamas, Oregon Newborn Photographer}

Ah… huge sigh… to finally be able to share these images.  If you didn’t see my first post of Daphne, my first ‘newborn’ client, you can check it out here.  I see these photos of her at just 5 days old and that was 2 weeks ago.  Now, I’m sure she is a totally different baby.  Still a newborn, but surely awake more, and no doubt a bit bigger.  Time goes by so fast at this stage and I feel so blessed to have been given the opportunity to freeze time, just a little, for Daphne’s parents and capture her precious newness. 
Like I said in my other post, Daphne was the perfect model.  Each pose I put her into she just went with.  Her mama even warned me that she didn’t like to be on her tummy, but she ended up spending 50% of her time in that position, never complaining.  She has set a high standard for my future newborns.
And of that, I pray there will be more.  More newborns to photograph.  I LOVED every second of this session and feel very sure that this is where my focus in photography should be.  Next time I hope to use a wider variety of blankets, plus hats, baskets, bowls, cocoons, pods and chairs.  I have to hold myself back from running out and purchasing a plethora of props because my dream of filling my calendar with newborn shoots is still just that: a dream.  But you better believe it that as soon as I schedule another one, I’ll be adding some to my wish list!  But Daphne was just sweet enough without anything else… so, take a look at her in her preciousness… (and if you have any lullaby music, you may want to play it now… :) )


The following is a pose that proved to me what an amazing model this little gem was… most photographers will try it with their newborns, but often times have to resort to having mama use a finger to support up the baby’s head.  Then, the photographer will remove mama’s finger in post processing.  I propped Daphne up in place, balanced her and she stuck for about 20 frames!  Such a trooper!
And oh, be-still-my-ovaries… this image makes me want to have another baby…
  And our final image from the session… … just as she started to wake up.  Which was right in time for when she needed to eat. 
She was just pure perfection and I sincerely hope that her parents enjoy these images as much as I have. 
And thank you for looking! And if you know of anyone who is expecting a baby, please send them my way… :) 

A Post Worth 15,000 Words…

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and since time seems short lately, I’ll spare you the words (well, most of the words) and just share the photos from our recent trip to the Oregon Gardens, with our wonderful friends…

Maybe this one will go on their wedding announcement…

Kaden was fascinated by the leaf chipper that was running nearby…

 And maybe someday this will go on THEIR wedding announcement…

Can you tell we had a perfect PERFECT time?  Totally.

Have a wonderful weekend!