Black Friday.

I am really quite jealous of all those folks who are out there shopping....not because I want to be shopping.....I want to be people watching! Maybe next year I'll go be a part of it all! I hope all the shoppers got some great deals and enjoyed watching the crowds!

We had a nice Thanksgiving dinner with my family....usual fixin's and good conversation. We are so lucky....we all love to get together and nobody is too far to get home for the holidays. The kids really love seeing each other and the adults enjoy the chatter. I held the baby a good part of the day....I think everyone was too scared to ask me to hand him over....but I personally think that babies belong resting on my shoulder.....they look at home there!


Every morning Marleigh and I stand in the window to wave at the kids as they get on the bus. As we waved to them Wednesday, the princess and I discussed my constant desire to "taste" her. I allow her to stand on the sill of the window as I stand behind her. I like to kiss her shoulders and arms and smell her baby hair. Occasionally, I pretend I'm going to take a bite of her delicious upper arm....its soft and smooth and sometimes I just cannot control myself.

You see what I mean?? "Just a nibble", I say.

She looked at me and said "Mumma, don't bite me". I gave her my saddest Winnie The Pooh face and said: "I was just gonna nibble a bit". She responded to the look on my face...."Oh, okay, you can bite me a little".

The day will come when she won't fit on my windowsill anymore and the desire to "nibble" her will be long gone......but I'll have these photos to treasure and the story I wrote to remember these moments. If I did not blog, I wouldn't be as inspired to capture the little things that make up the days of my life and I'm sure I'd forget them! I want to always remember and share them.

Enjoy!

~kel~

Happy Thanksgiving!!

We're giving thanks today..........for this little 8.8 lb bundle of lovin. A sweet little thing we can pass around the dinner table today. I visited them late last night as it was the earliest I could get there. Blake was exhausted so I took a few quick photos and kept my visit short.

Four generations......

New life: sometimes unplanned......sometimes a struggle to create.....always a beautiful thing.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Enjoy!
~kel~

New news & Thanksgiving

I'm a GREAT AUNT!!! My niece (you saw her maternity photos a few weeks ago) had her baby last night. A son...his name is Tyler Everett (a family name from my dad's side). I'm going to see him today so I'll put some photos here as soon as I can!!! My girls are tickled to have a little baby to see regularly and I'm excited for another baby model!

My family....well Jean's family but he invited me in with that proposal so they are mine too....don't even know they are on my blog (well, except Doreen who hosted this year's Turkey dinner...(Thanks Doreen for having a house big enough to hold us all...I spared readers that photo I took of you washing dishes) and maybe Robin who reads it when time permits). We had our Thanksgiving dinner together this past Sunday. It's so awesome we have it the weekend before the holiday so that we can take our time visiting....

The kids gathered around the computer watching You-Tube videos of Taylor Swift and hockey moves.....see Jenna there in the middle with Marleigh on her lap, she's Doreen's youngest and is the family hockey star! Marleigh adores her!

After dinner, the gambling begins....everyone digs deep for the quarters and a heavy game of dice ensues...Rob won this round!

Then we teach the children how to make a few extra bucks on the playground!

Hannah supervised the cleaning of the turkey carcass and occasionally got a treat.....

That sums up our evening with the Roys. The kids picked names for gift swapping for Christmas and we gather again on Christmas Eve for some more food and cheer. Then we all go into hybernation for a few months unless the guys decide to get together for some ice fishing. Winter is long and I'm already dreading it! (yes, let the whining begin).

One more photo before I go......see this bunny......if you've ever read "The Velveteen Rabbit" (if not, contact me for a copy cause you're missing out on a classic!) this bunny feels and looks just like the bunny in the story. I know bunnies are soft..but this one is amazing. When I visit her and the other bunnies, I go to the side of her cage and she comes to the edge so I can pat her between her eyes.....Lisa thinks she loves me....I think I'm a rabbit whisperer! (photo courtesy of Lisa).

Well.....off to the studio for an appointment and then to see the new baby!

Enjoy!

~kel~

Don't worry...

I'm doing great....just lots going on....

My cousin brought her son by the studio for his one year portraits yesterday....he's so good natured and easy going, we had fun together. I took oodles of photos...otta be fun trying to find a favorite!

He was so funny...kept looking at me like I was crazy....see this face..."Lady, you're NUTS!"

Oh....we snuck in a few ideas for the Christmas card too! The birthdaysuit ones are pricesless!

Thanks for coming in Mel....I'll see you again soon!

On Monday's the boys do a class at the animal shelter to learn more about the animals there and others around the world...endangered, etc. They have come to appreciate how special it is when a dog or a cat gets adopted. They see the same animals week after week and become familiar with them. Yesterday as we drove into the parking lot, two of the dogs who have been there a while were being walked by families...and it looked promising that they might be going to new homes. Cameron said...."Oh look, their getting adopted...that's so great...it always makes me sad to see them in cages." Last night they didn't come home asking for a pet....first time in weeks. They are lovin' up the animals while we are there (the girls and I always visit the cats before we leave) and I dare say, they get their fill. Oreo gets lots of love when they return.

Yesterday I was asked to photograph the kids with some of the kittens....Makenna and Marleigh were delighted!! They were joined by another little boy who is just as smitten with kittens as the girls are..... this little one was only 5 weeks old.....just Marleigh's size!

Makenna enjoyed one last visit with this very hairy hare....(you can't even tell is a rabbit...its so fluffy) its been adopted and she wanted to pet it one last time.

I think Timmy needs a kitty mom........look at his face!!!

Lots of cats and kittens at the shelter need homes. The dogs are finding homes rapidly with the local press they have gotten with many saved dogs from the southern states coming in but the cats are still waiting. When the girls enter the room, they sit on the floor and all the cats come to greet them, stretching out from their naps and just rubbing up against them for some love and attention. I think you need to check them all out at: Animal Welfare Society.....Oh....and its a go...Im going to be there taking portraits with pets and SANTA on 12/7 from 9-1!! (These will be quality portraits with choices...much like I run my specials....These are not polaroids you take on the fly).

Well, I'm working at home all day today until our scheduled parent teacher conferences for Kenna and Cam tonight. Im happy to be cozy in my home...its nasty outside!!

Enjoy!
~kel~

Family Portraits.....

So, you know my friend Lisa works for the Animal Welfare Society now....and I'm sure you've guessed that I'm more involved with them than I ever thought I would be....considering the only pet we have is Miss Oreo...Queen of the guinea pigs and the best "little ole girl" (Makenna's name for her). Lisa and I are trying to put our heads together to get local families portraits of their pets to adorn the walls of their homesteads....with a small donation to the AWS of course! Will have to be by appointment only because crowds stress me out (ha, if you know me....I hide my stress pretty well). We're working on the dates and the details and if we can get the "board" to approve this as a fund raiser, I'll post the details here. It will be before Christmas so if there are some who LOVE their portraits enough to give them to family, we'll have time to fill orders. (other photographers reading this are saying "She's NUTS"!) yes....I am....but remember.....Im fairly new to this business and I still love it and don't know any better about the month of December! Oh....and on that note....I'm currently hiring Elves to help me with my Christmas shopping..any takers?

Yesterday I had another big family in my studio for portaits. Here are a few I pulled from their files. Its SO hard to do large groups. The lighting the posing, everything is a challenge. I thank them all so much for being so patient and generous with their smiles.

Hey, Maureen....I hope you like this "cozy" photo of you guys! Thanks much for contacting me!

There's nothing like the look of a soulful adolescent! Poor Cody was my target..so cute and sweet...I kept asking him not to give me a Spongebob Squarepants smile...because I was always looking for this...you see why, right?

Here's his sister.....again, she carried that cute, sweet gene that made it hard to decide which photo of her to show here. But I loved her furry vest and pink boots!

This little beauty just had a birthday so mom brought a few outfits so we could get something to make her custom thank-you notes to return to her guests. She wasn't really in a picture-taking mood....but you'd never know it here! I could take photos of little girls in pettiskirts all day long and never get bored! I told her to call me anytime she gets a new dress!
Well, another large family session today....and then a Thanksgiving celebration with Jean's family after.

Enjoy!

~kel~

Hello again....hello!

I feel like the pc and I are becoming one lately. I've been busy, but truthfully....its the best way to be...for me! Its the time of year when I really get to know my clients...we are working on their likes and dislikes for the once-a-year holiday cards they send to their family and friends and I consider it an honor to be part of the process!

Yesterday my brother's little girlfriend came by the studio with her baby brother. They are good kids and the baby was such a happy guy! Their dad grew up close friends with my younger brother...I can't believe my brother's friends are having babies now!
Don't we just love baby toes!!!

Happy Friday!!

~kel~

Hi!

I'm happily busy getting cards and prints ready for clients to have for the upcoming holiday.

I love it when I'm gone from the computer for a bit and come back to several emails to answer! Sorta makes me feel like I have a real job!

Really quick entry today - I'm off to the studio for an appointment first thing this morning.

My kids are copy paper hounds! I buy a reem of paper and its not around here long with all the artistic people we have in this house. Watercolors, crayons and pencils everywhere....its an art festival every day.....wanna come see my fridge?

Yesterday Marleigh came to me with this paper.....explaining carefully who each person was. This is a milestone...its the first recognizable thing she's drawn!!! I will never forget the first time this happened with Branden. We were driving home from Jean's family reunion in Canada and he had one of those little magnetic tablets, you write on it and then slide the bar to erase it. We had been practicing dot-dot-line to make happy faces and as we were coming back somewhere right near where we could get a good look at Mt. Katadin I heard Bran shriek with excitement...."I did it!" in his little man voice. I looked back, and there he was...so happy he'd finally made his own happy face. I took his photo with the face - its still in his baby book! That moment is as clear to me today as it was that day. Isn't it silly the things your mind won't let you forget. When Marleigh came to me excited and happy she'd made a whole page of happy faces....it brought me right back and my eyes watered for meeting this milestone with her. She proudly explained the names as I labeled them for her and then I wrote her name and the date on the top of the paper so that I could save it for her book. When Branden was in preschool the teacher explained to us the steps of self portrait in a child's eyes. She said they make the faces, add arms and legs off the face but the bodies don't come until they are in grade school. I found that interesting and never forgot it. Having four of them to follow around, its fun to watch for these things!

She's standing here next to me and sees her picture on the screen....she's thinks its so great that its on the compuer....her words: "awwwe, it's sooo cute". She's running to get Cam and Kenna to see it...she's so proud!

Enjoy!
~kel~

Let's try this again.

If you're checking back....you really didn't miss much.....I was making an entry to update with what's going on at home.

Cameron has been nursing a broken clavicle. A hockey injury from Thursday night's practice. He's doing fine but the "no hockey for six weeks" news broke him more than the bone. Initially the doctor told him two weeks because he hadn't had xrays yet and no confirmation of a break. As the doctor told Cam he would be out for two weeks, Cam slowly turned towards me, a few silent tears fell down his cheeks...wiped his eyes and turned back towards the doc to hear the rest......if broken, six weeks! We didn't even get the results until Saturday because of how the system works....doc sends us to the hospital for xrays, its Friday so no reading until Saturday..but no doc on duty so we have to call in and get on-call doc who has to call the hospital for the report...the report reads the xray is not clear and if patient is still in pain, must have another scan done and fracture is most probable. He's tough as nails that kid of mine.....with a heart as big as the world.

Yesterday Makenna asked for curls in her hair. I obliged and spent several minutes over the bathroom sink fixin' her locks. She's got this friend from school who always has her hair just so too and its now become the thing that bonds them. I attempted a photo:

Me: "Kenna, come over here in the corner by the closet so I can get a clear photo".

Kenna (grouchy): "Why do I gotta come over there?"

Me: "Because other people will be seeing this picture and I don't want them to think we live like pigs."

Kenna (still grouchy and snarling now): "I'm not smiling".

Me: SNAP! (the shutter). "That's fine..if you really want people to see that side of you... I don't mind a forever picture of you in a grouchy mood" (she waits while I adjust the camera settings again)....SNAP..........

A bit later, she was talking with Cameron and I called her name.....results.....sweet!

I anticipated after the morning blog mishap that the day would go awry but it didn't. I ran my errands with Princess Marleigh (hair in a bun with a headband "like Cinderella wears" and a prediction that "people's are gonna tink I'm sooooo beeeautiful"). First store we stopped in and the clerk commented on her hair and Burgah looked at me with that I told you so look on her face....that she soon after buried into my leg. As much as she loves the attention, she can be incredibly shy when she gets it.

Tonight Bran had a presentation on Egypt and his topic was mummification......boys are gross and into gross things....but I have to admit I was slightly interested. Did you know that the Egyptians painted masks and put them on the dead (you've seen the famous mask of King Tut) so that the souls of the dead could find their bodies in the after life. I also learned that when someone died, in the final procession, the family and friends of the deceased walked through the town on their way to the burial place....mourners were paid to cry so that the gods of the other world could see that the person was well loved. The more people who cried, the more he was loved and the better chance he had of going to the after world. I want that!!

Well, I've completed the task of rewriting this thing - its not the same as what I had this morning but its here and something to kill time. Those that usually have it with their morning coffee can enjoy my company with their evening glass of wine....or can of beer....or whatever else you drink on a Tuesday evening.

It feels good to blog.....

Enjoy!

~kel~

Oh man......

I should have started this post last night. So many photos to share I'm going to keep the chatter to a minimum so you can just scroll through the images. I have such a hard time choosing which ones to post here! Lisa used to use the same photographer I did when the kids were little...but they went out of business and forced me to learn the art I'd been admiring...it was a good thing for me but I miss their signature style...now Lisa is taking a chance with me...I really hope she likes these!

Disclaimer: Blogger is doing strange things to my photos...they are darker, slightly distorted and not as crisp as they should be....please know its only the upload to the web causing this.

Cute or what? These two are twins....

Thank you for choosing me, Lisa...your family is lovely!


Melody was referred by another client of mine.....remember the girls in the field of flowers!! Thank you Angie for sending Melody and Paul my way!! I hope you like these and are a little shocked at how many good ones I got!!

I love this one.....its boys being boys and I have a similar one of mine that hangs on the wall. It makes me smile every time I look at it.

My first group in a while....my pal Donna has been a great support for my photography ventures since the beginning when she let me use her son (middle) as a guinea pig for his baby portraits. Donna, thanks for subjecting your family to my company for these photos...you guys were awesome!

Enjoy!

~kel~

Cuteness Warning.....

Yesterday was a full day....The morning started with a shower for my niece with gifts for her new baby who is due in just a few weeks. It was a sweet shower.

I had a few sessions yesterday and promised a sneak peek here. I will keep this entry short and sweet because I have another full day today.





When I am hired, my goal is to get a few keepers that meet my style and hopefully are something the client likes as much. This is truly one that I consider my style...a close crop of a sweet face.

Siblings hugging.....makes you wanna join them!

Three beauties....thank you for calling me Julie!!

Lindsey called me to photograph her blondies....but we kept getting rained out for an outside session so we decided to give in-studio a try. I think it works!

He's like a little Gap model!

She's a living doll!!

Thank you so much for choosing me!!

Enjoy!

~kel~