Brotherly Love.

When I had Branden I was thrilled that all those who came after him would be given the gift of a big brother.....something I never had. You know, the big brother who watches over his siblings, takes his little sister by the hand for safe keeping and stands next to dad at the door when her first date comes calling. As Branden grew and we decided to add to our family, our first attempt was met with so much sadness as I miscarried in my 12th week of pregnancy. We knew we wanted more children so we tried again as soon as the doctor told me it was okay. Nine months later, I gave my boy a brother. Almost three years apart in age I was a little worried they may not be close in brotherly love because they might be too far apart in school, sports, friends etc. but it has been the best age span (3 yrs) in my family, all the kids are just about 3 yrs apart and my boys are best friends! They work together, play together and seem to find trouble together.

A brother is the one who will assist you in putting the bucket over your head in the pool in preparation for a for a cool experiment......

He'll be the one to push you under the water.....securing the bucket on your head while you try to breathe.....

And he'll give that bucket a tap-tap-tap......just so you can see how cool it sounds in there......

He'll take the spot on the end, right next to you during a sleepover.......

He'll give you a push into the pool....just because you needed one! Who could ask for anything more??

Actually, most days if I were to follow one of them around with my camera, I would have photographs of both of them because they are always together. I'm listening to them play a game of poker in the next room (they dont know how to play that well, they try). Cameron is losing I guess, he's starting to cry about something and I hear Branden say..."here, you can have this" and the crying stops and the game continues. He's really the best big brother a mom could ask for. Nope....he's not perfect by any stretch but he makes me proud.....he's the big brother I always dreamed of and I hope he continues to watch over his siblings.

So here we go, a three day work-week for some!!! I have plans to hang with my gal pals on Thursday and it looks as if the day will be sunny and warm so the pool will be our center focus...YEAH!!

THE CONTEST BEGINS!!!:
Im so excited!!!

You choose your favorite photograph. You can even enter a print that I have taken too...something you've seen here and you'd like a large print of it, just let me know (this way, even if I have not done your portraits, you can play for this freebie). There is no access to the photo sessions again (only previou blog posts) so you must either have the actual print or a good memory - you can just describe the photo to me, you dont need the actual number. You cannot enter for family members/friends, they must contact me directly.

As soon as I have my first ten, the contest will begin. I will decide at that point when the contest will end. I will put all ten photographs on my blog with a number on them. There will be a poll graph here (or you can email me your vote) and all readers will be asked to vote for their favorite photograph. Invite friends and family to come and vote too because the photograph with the most votes wins an 11x14!!

One vote per person, please.

I hope I have answered all the questions but if not, please email your questions to me at: ksrphoto(AT)roadrunner.com (replace (AT) with @ sign).

Good luck and good day!!!!!!

~kel~

My piggie calls me Maama

Well....it doesn't come out sounding like Maama....more like EEEK EEEK.


Oreo (guinea pig) recognizes me now and when I walk in the room. She starts squeeking and comes to the edge of the cage to greet me. I can make her squeal really loud if I wrinkle a plastic bag because she thinks she's getting a treat. Its really cute and the kids are jealous she only does it for me! So.....that said, do you see who is taking care of the pet that my children so desperately wanted....needed.....had to have and could NOT live without! We take her with us on the weekends to camp and Makenna carries her around the campground with her.....but I think she does it to make new friends and for the attention.


No photos with this blog entry....I'm using the pc at my mom's house - we're here bugging her again today!! Its a yucky overcast, cool day and I needed to do my gram's hair so I asked mom to watch the darlings for an hour or so....now they don't want to leave. I figured I'd come update the blog to give them a few more minutes of playtime. I may come back and update later with photos though - Jean left with a bunch of his buddies for a race. They are gone for the day - I took a photo of them as they were leaving this morning.

Guys are so different when they get together. They packed EVERYTHING but a kitchen sink for a day trip - enough food to feed an army, a stove to cook it on, treats and plenty of beer to get them through the day. I know when I'm heading off with my gal pals, I grab my purse, stocked with enough credit to get me the things I need that day and a sweater incase it gets cold! Im ready to leave WAY before its time to go and I'm chompin at the bit to be kidless for that 8 or 10 hours, whatever it may be. I will say this too though....I miss my family after just a few hours away from them. I dont know if its like that for most people but I just love our time together ... even if its not all peace and harmony.....we can be comfortable with each other and that's really what its all about. So....he's only been gone a few hours but I miss him. Its different from the weekdays - during the weekdays we are busy with our work lives and that's okay but weekends, we are usually together sharing time........and responsibility for the kids!

Im heading back to camp now - will see if I can get the internet working there - AND - the photos loaded.

Keep ya posted!

~kel~

A late night.......

I forgot my camera yesterday!! I had so much running around to do I just never thought to bring it. This is a photo from the day of the wedding....I saw this rainbow on my way home.

We got in late last night after watching the fireworks at the Lakermesse (French) festival in Biddeford. We came home with an extra body too - my nephew Chase wanted to spend the night with the boys so we brought him along with us.

It was a funny day - how my mom tolerates me, I'll never know - oh yah, she's been doing it for 40 years now - its old hat to her!!! I called her about 3:30 yesterday afternoon - she had all four of my kids for Meemie Day. I called her because, it's sad to admit but I do not know how to make fish chowder. I asked her if she could walk me through it because I had some haddock that needed to be used up and since the weekend is approaching, I just didn't know when I'd have time to do it. She was explaining what I should do and I'm sure she sensed the frustration in my voice as I was driving while getting the instructions. She offered for me to bring her the ingredients and she would "throw it together" for me. I didn't hesitate a bit and told her I'd be there asap.....isn't that the BEST thing about moms....still willing to help after all these years! It took me over an hour to finish what I was doing, grab the groceries I needed and get my act over there. It was late to be starting a chowder but she did it anyway. I don't even eat it - I wanted to do it for Jean and Branden because they love it, plus I thought my brothers would enjoy it too and the fish was just going to spoil if it stayed in my fridge. She's so good to my family!!!! It was like a restaurant there last night - everyone wanted something different and she accommodated them...she's the greatest! As soon as the chowder was ready, Jean and Branden had a bowl and we were off to the fireworks.

The kids were really excited to be out....with all the food vendors and those people who sell the cheap toys for a mint you couldn't help but be excited! We got a brown bag of popcorn for $2 from the boyscounts and some waters and gatoraids we had the in the trunk and the kids were pleased as punch with that. We sat with Jean's brother and his kids like we do every year and its special for the kids because we dont see them much throughout the year.

I got to hold Marleigh when the fireworks started. She shook like a leaf! I had to keep saying things like "Oh my gosh, that's my favorite" and "I love the purple one - Marleigh isn't purple your favorite color" to draw her into the excitement. When she heard my nieces behind me getting excited about them, she started to tell me she wasn't scared anymore. She was still glued to me with her blanket up to her nose! They went on for about 20 minutes and by the end, she was ready to go to the car....the grand finale just about put her over the edge. She was a trooper though - no tears!

We were happy to escape the crowd in a fairly quick timeframe. Jean and I boasted to each other about how great it was that we got right on the main road before lots of folks got to their cars and how we'd be home the earliest we ever have! We hopped on the turnpike and 25 minutes later, we were almost at the driveway....when I remembered we had left Jean's truck at the turnpike Park & Ride twenty minutes back! OH....that's hard....when your mind is planning on how you are going to get all these kids into the house, jammies on and settled in when you now have to turn back and start the ride all over. Luckily Jean and I were still on our high about getting out of the crowd early that we laughed about it and commented about how nice it was to have a chance to visit and catch up with the weeks events.

CONTEST TIME AGAIN!

I'm gearing up for a summer contest and will be giving away another large print!!! I will only take ten entrants (first ten to respond at time of announcement) so be thinking about a print you'd like to enter from a session you had with me. The photo you choose will be the one entered into the contest and again you will ask your friends/family/coworkers to vote and the one with the most votes wins.

The contest will start next week - I will ask for entries and will only take the first ten so be ready to contact me when you see the request. Im giving you the weekend to figure out your favorite.

Stay tuned!!

Happy Friday!

~kel~

Boys will be boys

A quick entry for the blog today as I have scheduled many things for my free time today.

I mentioned how the boys are spending some time being creative this summer. I photographed them with their homemade bows and arrows. I'm trying to let them explore more and they have some pretty good ideas. Branden does have a real bow that he takes out when Jean is using his so he knows how to use one....I just think its really neat when they do things like this.

As you can see, Cam really likes to wear his jammies. If I didn't tell him to get dressed, I think he'd wear them all day.

Its officially summer....the ice cream man has been making his rounds in the neighborhood! Yesterday you could barely hear the music (I always wondered if the people who drive those trucks get a little insane by the end of summer after hearing that music over and over). I heard Makenna start yelling "Mom, throw down some money...the ice cream man is coming!" Anyone familiar with Eddie Murphy's (rank, I know) comedy skit about the ice cream man will recognize that line she was yelling. We were driving (our best conversations happen in the car) and I was telling the kids about the skit and how everytime I hear the words "the ice cream man" I immediately think of him pretending to be a kid yelling to his mom for money. Shamelessly, I found it on You Tube and once past all the swearing, I allowed them to watch the part where he was playing the role of the kid - of course, they laughed and thought it was so funny but now they think they are funnier yelling it to me when they hear him coming!

Im off to start the day.

Have a great day!

~kel~

Holy Hail!

Yesterday afternoon I was gathering the kids up to get Cameron to his hockey game when the skies darkened and the thunder started clapping so loud. I was upstairs...probably screaming about the mess....when I heard the pinging sound of hail on the roof. I ran downstairs because it seemed much louder than I'd heard before and when I looked outside I was blown away with how hard it was coming down. Of course I grabbed the camera and then stuck my hand outside to catch one.

I know its not huge in comparison to what some have seen but for my kids, it was AMAZING! Marleigh ran through the house signing "Its snowing, its snowing".....I'm soooo not ready to go there again!!!!

I dont know if you can see in this photo but the hail is still coming down! It beheaded most of my pansies! When we came home last night around 9:00, it was still on the ground behind the house.....and when I looked there this morning its still there! This last photo was taken of the end of my yard. The hail doesn't show in the long grass but you can see it accumulating near my flower beds. It was a scary storm and the lightening was just amazing. Marleigh has decided its really scary to hear the thunder and now clings to me. I dont mind though - I eat it up actually!

Yesterday Branden's temporary fix to his tooth fell out....I dont know if he was embarrassed about how he looked or if it was frustration but I watched him get emotional for the first time......that broke my heart. He didn't want me to take his photo but I had to so we could document it. He will not have anything permanent done until he's 18 years old. His mouth has still got lots of growing and changing to do in these next few years. Just before it fell out again, the dentist's office called to give him an appointment for something a bit more permanent than just the bonded one he had, but they couldnt get him in until next Monday. So when Branden came to me looking choked up, I immediately called the office back and explained. She told me that they were completely booked but she would put Bran first on the waiting list for cancellations. I told her that would be great and explained it to Branden. A few minutes later, the phone rang again and they told me to be there in an hour....does that place ROCK or what? They rebonded the tooth again (a bit better this time) and made him a clear guard so if it happened again before they could get to him Monday, he could just hold it in with the guard. You can see in the photo how part of the tooth still shows (not his real smile, just showing the missing link).

He's such a good kid...one of my favorites...so I dont like that this has happened to him. I tell him though that he's a hockey player and this is a look they typically go for so he should embrace it! The gals at the dentist office commented that I am so calm and this doesn't seem to bother me.....I replied with "its a tooth, not a limb...plus I know Dr. T will fix him up". I try to keep things in perspective. It doesn't help anything if I overreact....in fact, I think my calm demeanor has helped so much more in this situation....they welcome us to their office because I don't go in there screaming with anxiety.

Three times while writing the blog this morning, Burgah has come in to cuddle with me. She tugs at my shirt sleeve, says "Up Mumma" and when I pick her up, she throws her arms around my neck and lets out a big sigh. I rub her back and she just sits with me for a minute or two and is off and running again. I love those moments....

The kids are in the next room (boys room) packing up stuff in their backpacks....they are going on an adventure in the back yard. The boys made homemade bows and carved the tips off some sticks to make arrows. (Yeah, we might have an interesting story sometime later in the week about those sticks but for now, they are being typical boys so I let them be for now). I hear a plunk sound followed by "Yeah, bullseye" and as long as their is no screaming after, we're good!!!!!

Well, SHE'S BACK!!!....wanting another backrub so I'll close out now!

Enjoy the hump day!
~kel~

Sessions revisited

FIRST THINGS FIRST: HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my baby sister!!!! I'm not sure if she reads my blog but I wanted to send her birthday wishes. I had to quickly dig up an old photo of her and all I could find was this one of the three of us having a Bday party for our dog. (now I see why my kids are so into parties - I was too at their ages!) Also attaching one I took of her at Christmas time. Hope you have a great day Ker!!!!!!!

I was proofing a few sessions last night and had to share these. I come home from every session with favorites and much as I would love to have a photo of my children (together or alone) standing on the edge of the ocean like this there is no way I can duplicate it. There is something about that single little boy standing on the edge of the big Atlantic. I'm thankful that each of my clients gets something unique from their session! I do have a few things that I do with every session and most of the time even though I take the same shots, the outcome is very different with each subject. (like jumping shots...I do those for the kids..they love it).

This is my style: A serious face in a natural child-like pose.

Here is one I could never duplicate - its so innocent! I did not ask her to hold her skirt above the water....at the end of a session, if its okay with mom, I just asked them to go play in the water and then I sit back and watch.

Okay...so jumping is not JUST for the LITTLE kids! Jason thought this was a cool idea...it was the end of the day and they were getting ready to leave. What a beautiful day!!!!!

I believe these are the types of photos that will mean more to people in years to come than the posed ones where everyone has their perfect smiles. I hope that the mom in photo #1 will be brought right back to that day in Maine when she watched her handsome son run around the beach making friends with strangers and letting me grab a few snaps of him at play.

I know the mom of the three kids above loves that shot of her daughter and we will both look at it and remember how cute she was not wanting to get her dress wet even though she had permission to do so. I like to think that maybe one day when she is grown and has daughter of her own, maybe she will admire the photo enough too and attempt to duplicate the shot for her wall. Its so innocent...

I think Jason and Heather will laugh when they look at the jumping photo. Maybe a photo like that on the wall will remind them of the way they felt that day more than any of the others. Marriage is a leap into a whole new world where you have to go hand and hand through ALL your days together - good and bad.

Have a great day everyone!!!!

~kel~

A boo-boo, A bride and A message from God!

I'm back!!! I don't intend to leave the blog hanging on the weekends but it just works out that way. I either forget my camera to take photos for the blog....or I forget the cord to upload them to the laptop - which I HATE to type on because its half the size of the one I use at home and I spend way more time hitting the backspace key to correct my errors than I do updating! Frustrates me.

I'm here now....and its actually 12:30 AM Monday!! Im updating early - would love to know who finds this post first :) An old friend of ours found my profile on Myspace and called here tonight so I'm wide awake from talking to him. Jean was sleeping so I blessed him with some good humour and a few laughs just to make him feel bad he hasn't stayed in touch with us! Nothing like reaching out to someone only to have them razz the daylights out of you because you didn't stay in touch. So, here I go....a little punchy because of the hour but anxious to share stories from the weekend and photos from a wedding!!

First things first - no photos to go with this story because I was too busy being a mom to think about being a photographer. Let me back up to Friday: Branden got invited to a pool party for his class. He never told me about it until Friday AM when his pal called asking if he was going.....because he didn't mention of it before the call from the friend told me how important the party was to him.....but he persisted in asking me if he could go. Another friend called to ask if he was going and he really put the pressure on me! I didn't want him to go because I was trying to pack up to get to camp, put Marleigh for a nap and get all my gear together for the wedding the next day. I just had too much on my plate already to be running him around for a party. In his crafty preteen way, he secured a ride with a friend to remove all my excuses from the table and I finally caved...like I always do....and let him go.

About an hour after he left, the mom in charge of the party called me.....

She sounded nervous and informed me that Bran (she called him Brenden but Im not holding that against her) had "knocked his front tooth out"....It took me a second to collect my thoughts and realized that Branden has his permanent front teeth now and that's really not a good thing if he knocked one out. I told her I would be there ASAP. On the way, I called Jean and told him to call the dentist...and also called my mom to see if she thought calling the dentist was the first right step....also, because I needed the security of my mom and someone to worry with me! Jean returned a call to me that the dentist wasnt in the office today but he left him a message ;-) (all the moms get the winky face)

At that point, I was with Branden and noticed he didn't knock the tooth out, he broke it off right at the gum line. I called my mom back again and asked where can I take him - ER isn't gonna help....dont have another dentist that might see us in an emergency...I just didnt know. She had the hospital directory with our dentists cell phone number and called it right away. We have the BEST dentist and he called me back within minutes. After explaining everything, he informed me that most of the dentists in our area were 2 hours away with him at a convention! GREAT....now what?? He told me to call an endodonist and see how far I could get with them but to call him back with updates no matter what.

I made the phone call to that endodontist, they would see him. I dropped the three kids (Cam and Kenna had been crying from worry after the original phone call from the nervous mom and Marleigh was groggy from being snatched from her cozy noontime nap) with Jean on our way to their office which was 40 minutes from home. I got him there and they determined emergency root canal was the only option....poor kid!! They glued the broken tooth back on after the root canal and then glued it to the teeth next to it. It was purely for asthetic reasons as I had mentioned the wedding on Saturday. That dentist was awesome - I can't say enough good about how well we were treated in that situation - you becha Im writing them a note!!!! Anyways, his mouth is a little sore but he's pretty much the same ole Bran. He didnt milk the surgery at all! He bounced right back. Funny to listen to him tell people he cant have certain foods because he can't bite them off but he'll get used to it.

The wedding....well...because its getting late, I think I will just post some photos! You can determine how I did! I had a great time....I took a lot of photos because I enjoyed it so much. There are a few things I will do differently for the next wedding but this was a great stepping stone for me.Im pleased with them and think the bride/groom will like them too! Had to do one in b/w/chocolate....she's holding the wedding application....finally got him!

Lastly, before I wrap this up......I saw this on the way home and it looked so pretty. Its one of those sights that when I see it, it makes me think a little deeper.

Have a great day!!

~kel~

I met this cutie at the beach last night. He's a great kid with an awesome personality (in case you can't tell by this first photo). He was patient and cooperative...I've been lucky with some really great kids who don't seem to mind working with me.....I can be scary to some!

Look how amazing his eyes are with this green shirt on!!!

When mom first contacted me, she mentioned close-up black and whites so I wanted to put this one up. LOVE IT!!!!!

It looks like tomorrow might be a beautiful day for a wedding.....my fingers are crossed!!! Im so anxious to see how this goes! Im definately ready, willing and able. I really hoping to like doing weddings....Im getting inquiries about them and it would be nice to have my mind made up. I dont think anyone should be a wedding photographer just because someone asks...I think you owe it to the couple to be confident in your work enough to give them amazing photos. I'll keep you posted on how I make out!

My efforts to organize my house have fallen to the wayside. I cannot get motivated...plus I have a lot of other things going on. Im not sure I could tackle the painting projects with Marleigh at this age....my gosh is she into things the other kids (even Makenna) never dreamed of doing. The other day I heard a pppsssssttt sound coming from the bathroom. I was in the next room, "Marleigh, what are you doing?" her reply "watchin kids" She claimed she was watching the kids in the pool out the bathroom window - she has to stand on the potty to see out that window. I snuck around the corner to investigate the ppppssssttt sound...there she is, spraying my air freshener....sees me, shoves it back into the cupboard (up high because we put it where she supposedly cant reach it). I didn't even say anything, just stood there looking at her...she shrugs her shoulders and says "I didn't do something (sumpin is how she says it)...just watchin kids". She hopped down and ran past my legs......stinker!!!!

As I type this, there is a concert going on in my kitchen this morning. The girls are taking turns singing made up songs... Makenna: "Ladies and Gentleman, Boys and Girls, I'm going to be your singer today".......the boys are going crazy asking them to STOP PLEASE! With the end of every song, they curtsey and say "Thank you, thank you very much". They are taking turns introducing each other with stage names...I wish I could tell you what they are but I can't really understand them cause Makenna is making them up (wait...sounds like Reggette Tortette is Marleigh's name). OMG....I'm dying at how comical these kids sound. Cameron: "Makenna.....PLEASE STOP" Makenna: "I like to sing and I'm having a good time...Mom, can I sing a song". Me: "Of course you can sing!! (until I want you to stop)"!

Marleigh is on her third outfit this morning (thank you Laurie, we love the clothes!) I get the feeling its gonna be a lllllooooonnnnnggggggg day!!!

Smiles!!!!

~kel~

These are the longest days!!

Saturday is the longest day of the year and then they grow shorter again :( I always get sad because it makes the summer season feel shorter. With that in mind, what a great way to end our first day of summer vacation....Branden got invited to go to the Sea Dogs game with a friend and came home with a trophy bat from the game. Our friends Pete & Robyn called us, very last minute, to see if we wanted to go to the beach for a slice of pizza. You have to know.....pizza and pier fries at the beach on a warm summer night is fun.....but because it was not a planned thing made it spectacular!!! Marleigh's got a little crush....on all teenage boys....but she's really sweet on this one. (is it obvious?)The pizza was perfect....the fries were perfectly crispy on the outside.....add some vinegar and salt and they were TDF (to die for)! I could have done without the dump ducks (seaguls) trying to steal my baby's food right out of her hand but we adults stood guard and shooed them away. Makenna fed them one fry before we could warn her how much of a pain they can be if you do tempt them so we just had to stand guard until all the food was gone.

When the pizza was gone, we got an ice cream treat and walked the pier. Most of the shops were still closed but a few bars and those fun junky jewelry places were open...you know the ones where you can pretend to be a tourist and purchase a shell necklace or get a temporary tattoo to shock your friends with. I got a few photos from the pier as the skies were getting really dark.

Bran and Cam had pals over during the day yesterday and they had fun together. I took their photos because I want to keep track of how many guests they get over this summer vacation! Should make for a fun scrapbook for them!

It's Meemie Day and she's up for all four kids today (she always is) so Im going to take her up on it and get some things done!

Have a great day!

~kel~

If you're happy and you know it......

Approximately 125 water balloons. I took me about 45 minutes to get them all filled. The girls were my helpers....I passed the completed balloons to Marleigh who passed it to Makenna who put them in the basket that was right at my feet :) Everyone wants to be a helper when it means you get to touch those cold, wet, wiggly balloons! Jean was supposed to be out of town for work but his appointment got cancelled so he came home for an hour or so to participate in the welcome to summer party. It made it so much easier for me to be able to take photos this year. Usually I participate in the toss but always scream "you don't bomb your mother!" I know...Im a wuss. I do spend the morning soaked though - filling them is not the easiest process! We lucked out that the sun came out for a bit just before the boys got off the bus....water balloons in the chilly air is not as much fun. The kids were really cute - I heard them get off the bus down the street and just start screaming and running in the direction of our yard. They saw the basket at the end of the driveway and knew the game was on! The bus driver slowed down a bit in front of the yard so the other kids on the bus could see what was going on - I guess Bran and Cam told them about our tradition.

Jean is so funny - he laughs like one of the boys when he's involved in this battle. The girls decided they would be on his "team" and they all tossed bombs at the boys. It was so cute watching Marleigh....I think she held onto one balloon and dodged the rest.

When the bombing was over, Branden's friend Shawn took a photo of us all. I have to mention that this is a bitter sweet photo for me.....its the first time Marleigh stood like a big kid for a photo without one of us having to hold her so she doesn't run away! Im really proud of her and I will treasure this photo for that reason. Plus.....the fact that my husband's hair is almost as light as mine :) I love his gray hair!! My gosh, my family is growing so fast!

More flowers blooming in my garden!!! I love summer!!!! I need to come up with a better way of uploading photos - they look terrible on here. They are crisp and clear and a bit brighter than they appear here - but I guess you get the idea.

So today is the first day of summer vacation.....I'm so lucky...its 7:20 AM and I get to hear Guitar Hero already!! Wish that sun would come out and warm the air more....I know Kenna will spend most of her days in the pool.......I hope Kenna will spend most of her days in the pool....I will insist that Kenna spend most of her days in the pool. (It's best if Kenna spends most of her days in the pool...its a happy place for her and she tends to leave the boys and their friends alone).

Well, Im off to clean the house!

Have a great day!
~kel~

Happy Anniversary Love Birds!!!!

My brother Bud and his wife Tina celebrate 14 years today! They stopped by while I was making my H20 balloon ammo and I took a photo of the happy couple! Congrats guys!!

Last day of school!!!

Its here!!! My boys are so excited!!! I know its the few months off school that have them so excited but we have a tradition here on the last day of school that makes it even better! While they are finishing their last few hours this morning, I am working hard to get a few hundred water balloons filled to max capacity, perfectly plump so when you toss them, they burst on impact. See, I am an expert at this now - if you underfill, they bounce around the yard and the enemy can retrieve them and use them for their own ammo so they must be stretched to the max and gently placed in a laundry basket. I set up a few buckets full of balloons at the end of my yard...I keep a bucket for myself (and Jean is here sometimes too if work permits him to take an hour or so off). We stand to the side of the yard, behind the tree and when the kids get off the bus, we take aim and fire away! They know to drop the backpacks and run to a bucket. In the past, they have brought home extra kids (we have one today)....I always include them too....just buy more balloons!!! Its fun and memorable for them....and just like Santa and the Tooth Fairy, they dont talk about it, they just wait for the magic to happen. :)

Closeup photos are just my style....incase you can't tell from my previous posts, I enjoy taking close-ups and converting them to black and white. Well, I must admit that it has been some time since I posted a true black and white here, I prefer to add a bit of color to my b/w and call it chocolate. I did this engagement session (E-session in photographyland) last night at the beach for some friends of mine. They are getting married in July and I am photographing their wedding too. A good lookin' couple, huh, lucky me!!! I try to stay away from traditional poses and go for a sense of connection in my photos. I know that the guys are not comfortable having this kind of photo done so I try to keep it short and sweet. We really only need a few good photos and it only took me about 45 minutes with them to get about 30 good photos.

Im photographing a wedding this weekend (not this couple) so I'd like to ask that everyone put on their favorite grass skirts and do a rain dance for us. Its outside in the backyard at my grandmother's house. I think its an ideal spot for a wedding since the groom is my cousin and they love to camp near the creek behind her house. I remember when she (the bride) and I were talking about where they could get married and nothing seemed to fit them. She wanted to be outside...but the beach was not really their kind of place...they love to camp and most of the summer they leave their tent set up behind my grandmothers (we call her Minnie). I knew that Minnie wouldn't mind...she's great about stuff like that! Her home is old and has been in the family for generations and the stories that she tells are even better because you can place the people in the actual home where the stories took place. Anyway, Im excited to see them get married, thankful they chose me as their photographer and look forward to seeing how everything plays out.

Im off to get my water balloons and stock up on food now that all the kids will be here during the day!

Have a great day!
~kel~

Forty & Fabulous!

The weekend was really fun! I regret not making up silly games for us to play...and I regret not taking my camera out more but we had fun and the memories are forever. I didn't take lots of photos because we were busy visiting and in the evening hours I just wasnt comfortable taking my camera out of the bag. Somewhere in the last week, I misplaced my external flash and now I have to replace that so taking the camera out in the dark was impossible. I took a few with Jean's point and shoot but because it was dark, I know they are poor quality - I'll get those uploaded and see if there's anything suitable for sharing here. I know there are a few that are not blog quality and I warned people that I had certain standards for my blog so they might not get posted here. It was fun to hear how many were reading about what's going on with my life.

The first night my friends Tracy, Lisa and Diane were brave enough to sleep in a tent....I know they did that for me and I really appreciate them being there!!! They left their significant others home and braved the evening alone. Jean helped them set up the tent and I hoped they would drink enough that the solid ground felt like a feather bed.....no such luck. They were troopers and I really appreciate that they were there! I think its a good thing they didn't attempt that second night because the rain came down REALLY hard and the other tents took on water. I missed hanging with them Sat. night but I understand why they didnt stay.

My mom even came up to visit....she grew up with us too! Everyone welcomed her and here's a photo of her with Diane. There's a smokey cast from the fire .... Jean took this photo.

Sunday morning I met Steven and Andrea as they were leaving....completely drenched. I was driving into the wooded area where they were camping to check on all the tenters to see if anyone needed help or just wanted to get out of the rain and we met on the road. Their kids were packed in the back with rain coats on and luckily they didn't have to drive too far to get home to get warm and dry. I enjoyed hanging out with them because I'm just starting to get to know them better...a really nice family!! Their daughter was so cute watching Marleigh. She and her friend took her to the playground a few times and that was so great for both Marleigh and me!

Steve was the bartender to the group Friday night.....passing out jello shots that my friend Wendy made to everyone in the group....he was kind enough to make sure that everyone had as many as they wished.....and then some! I know he was trying to help me with some great photo opportunities but I failed to tell him my good camera was resting for the evening.

Good Times with Good Friends......it doesn't get any better than that!

Have a great day!

Happy Father's Day!!!

I'm back from my fun weekend at camp and though I don't have time for photos, wanted to send out Happy Father's Day wishes to all Dads!! I especially want to mention my awesome hubby who is a super dad!

I remember when we discussed children in our dating years and how we would have two...I agreed two was good only because that's what he wanted - hey, we were courting and like the flowers he used to send me "just because", there are things about courting that you just "gotta" do!! I have to say that living that dream is better than I could ever have imagined. We are so blessed with four great kids! I'm incredibly lucky to have him.

I can't let this day go without mention of my dad. I miss him very much. Last night while sitting around the campfire, my brother was telling a funny story and his mannerisms reminded my mom and I so much of my dad....it was so great to laugh in his memory. Dad never met any of his grandchildren, he passed a few months before the first one was born (he has ten now).....he would have been a fabulous grandfather and the kids would have loved him so. They call him Gump and every time we visit my mom, we drive by the cemetary where he is buried and without fail, my kids all say "Hi Gump, I love you" (on holidays they send their wishes)

Tim Russerts death was shocking and the tributes to him over the past few days have reminded me of what is important to me. My boys watched me get emotional as they showed a clip of Mr. Russert talking about his father and his son. I used my tears and the program to talk to the boys about how important it is to live a respectful life so that people will think kindly of them.....I want them to know that, to me it is important to be a good person. I know for some this will sound strange but its how I get through days when I miss my dad and my heart is heavy....I think to myself.....if God asked me to give my life so that my children could live as blessed and happy as mine is today, I would certainly not hesitate to answer that and I believe my dad would have done the same. I believe that everything happens for a reason. I honor my dad's death by living a good life and doing my best to be a good person.....I do it for me and my children because we are his legacy. He (and my mom of course) gave us a good foundation on how to do those two things.

Found this on a web board that I frequently visit and wanted to share it here:

Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Live simply, love generously, care deeply and speak kindly.

Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass….it’s about learning to dance in the rain.

Happy Father's Day!!!!!

~kel~

Its good to be back!!!

Business first: I had my first beach shoot of the season last night - feels good to be back!!! I have to tell you how great these kids are! They listened so well and got along great and I completely enjoyed my time with them! I think you can tell by the photos!!! I believe mom will be checking here for a sneak preview and I wanted to say Thank You, Karen, for calling me...your children are wonderful people!!

My beautiful, wonderful, simple life: Jean left for work really early this morning and Ms. Marleigh crawled in my bed as she does most mornings. I love this time with her - and sometimes Makenna joins us too and its a big love fest with tons of kisses, hugs and giggles. Yesterday was a busy one for them with Meemie. They played in the pool and being there is so much fun for them they are exahusted when they get home (thanks for wearing them down for me Mom!) Marleigh was feeling a little sluggish this morning....she toted four dolls and her blanket into my bed and once we got them all situated, she cozied into me and held her blanket to her lips. She calls this "smelling" her blanket -Branden and Makenna smelled their blankets too but Cam never did..probably because he was always itching is eczematous skin - poor kid. The girls and I laid there for a bit, just drifting in and out of sleep. At one point I asked Marleigh if she was ready to get up and she softly shook her head no like she was completely content wrapped in my comforter. We had the fan in the window so the air was cool but we were so cozy.....none of us wanted to get up! Only two days left of school and we will be able to stay in bed until we are done being lazy.

Yesterday while driving the girls to my moms, Makenna was singing a "happy" song. I dont remember the words or even what the song sounded like because it was made up, but it was about love and it was cute! She sang sweetly and when she was done I looked back to tell her she did a great job and her smile was so big and her entire face was lit up. I could tell she was proud of that song and I commended her on a job well done. When I turned back around I got emotional because she looked so happy at that moment - I dont want to forget that big smile or how it made me feel to see it. It was a 2 second moment.....a smile just for me. When I think of the emotions I felt after seeing her smile, it reminds me of the first time we took Branden to see Disney on Ice (maybe lame to some but this was our first big adventure as parents). He was my first born, about 3 years old, and when I saw the look of wonder on his face when Mickey Mouse first came out I cried....it was a look you dont get to see all the time...I remember it clearly today and hope I never ever forget it. Simple happiness I guess.

Well, I should go. First a few shout-outs....Cheryl F., thanks for your referral - a free 8x10 at your next session is coming your way.....and Laurie S. who offered me sundresses in 3T - YES! YES! PLEASE!! I LOVE MY BLOG!!!!!

Have a great weekend everyone!!

~kel~