Posted on December 29, 2009
This picture was taken right in the middle of a nice, wintery snowfall…well, okay it was faux snow but it was almost as much fun! We actually got in on several snowfalls during this holiday season. There are many marketplaces and plazas around the valley that brought in snow-maker machines for a taste of a white christmas in the middle of the sunshine. I guess it’s the big thing for creating the best festive atmosphere in sunny locations this time of year. My husband and I just laugh when we come upon scenes with faux snow (we both grew up in Minnesota and know all about the real stuff)…but the kids love it so it’s totally fun anyway. The best part about it is you can walk right out of the snow and get back in the sunshine.
Posted on December 25, 2009
It’s the night of Christmas and I finally found time to make our family holiday card. Better late than never! I thought this would have been a Valentine’s card for sure but decided to stick with Christmas (even though it is late). I had some festive and fun pictures from our recent trip to CA so I decided to go with a Cali Christmas card. I have been busy with card orders all month so our own family card was delayed (common practice with photogs…many send New Years cards instead). I’ve attached the front of the card here so you can see it here now (the printed version will be sent next week).
Posted on December 25, 2009
I always loved that story as a child! It really is the best Christmas program ever when you are a parent and your oldest child plays a role. M’s job was to hold the star and she did it well. This pic was taken prior to the program – practice run.
Posted on December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas! Here’s a few pics from our Christmas morning. Santa had a few surprises for us this year. He filled our stockings with very useful things. He gave my husband some night cream (so now he doesn’t have to steal mine) and he also left our remote control that has been missing for several mos. That was the greatest hit for us adults. For the kids…he left Mickey Santa hats (there’s a story there and I will get to that). He also left some other Disney goodies and a new doll for each of the girls. It was such an exciting morning. The girls are the perfect age for this tradition. They loved tearing the wrapping paper and reacted with great surprise and delight with every gift opening (even those that contained socks).
So back to the Mickey Santa hat. On our recent trip to Disneyland, we saw Mickey dressed up as Santa and the girls LOVED him. Ever since their ‘celebrity’ encounter they have been very particular about what Santa should look like. M told me that she didn’t like the Santa in the mall because he did not have ears like Mickey mouse. Whenever she sees images of Santa she asks why he doesn’t have Mickey ears. Every Christmas book causes her to initiate this same questioning. Every page turn, it’s’Mama! Where are Santa’s Mickey ears? I don’t like that Santa because he doesn’t have Mickey ears’. Only 4 but she really knows what she likes! Anyway, it was perfectly fitting that Santa brought a hat with ears this year.
Posted on December 21, 2009
M&M decorating gingerbread cookies…festive and fun!
These pics were taken a few weeks ago at the start of the holiday season and I am just now getting around to posting them. December has been so busy! A very good thing….I love the season and all that goes with it.
A little collage…
Posted on December 20, 2009
We went to disneyland for M’s 4th birthday so I decided to make her thank you cards all about Minnie.
I left the backside blank so she could color a picture and write her name. My favorite is the one she made for GGma (she drew a picture of herself with Minnie ears).
Posted on December 19, 2009
This precious pic was a snapshot of J with Nellie (her dog ‘cousin’) taken on Christmas day last year. It is easy to see the kind and gentle nature of this awesome dog. Sadly, Nel passed away this last summer and is greatly missed by her family and all of us. My mother-in-law called her a human in a dog suit — and she really was. I have never known a dog so gentle as Nel. It was easy to understand the great love for the family dog with Nellie around.
Posted on December 18, 2009
The sun is shining bright and the weather is so warm in AZ this winter. So hard to believe it’s Christmas season right now! I took a few pics of the girls playing in the backyard tonight. Yes, they are wearing stocking hats (why? no reason other than they like the novelty of these cozy accessories…I’m pretty sure this all started after several viewings of Frosty the Snowman).
When we unpacked the holiday decorations, out came the winterwear at the same time (same boxes). We decided to keep the hats and mittens at the ready for evening outings (Faux snowfalls at Tempe marketplace, Zoolights, Santa’s train, etc). The girls love to dress up in winterwear! M insists on wearing a hat and mittens everytime she leaves the house and J mimics her every move, of course…always following the actions of her big sis.
Posted on December 12, 2009
Sorry to keep you waiting! I have not posted on the blog for awhile so I’ll try to share a bit of what I’ve been working on lately. The last few weeks have been super busy with holiday card orders (less photography and more design). I am excited to get back behind the camera and look forward to family sessions that are booked for the later part of the month.
I love photographing children + families! There is nothing better. Spending time with awesome people and having the opportunity to provide a result in the end that they’ll forever cherish is a dream come true.
This family here is a perfect example of why I love what I do. I met them on the site of the photo shoot and fell in love with them - all of them – in minutes. Before we met up, ‘mom’ (S) mentioned to me that that they had a family slogan: ‘R FAM ROX’. When I met the 6 of them I totally understood what she was talking about. What she promised was true…they DO totally ROCK! They can even get away with having that slogan on their license plate…that’s how fun they really are. The kids are amazing: a little sweet & a little sassy (just enough to make adorable pics). Every one of them was 100% respectful and kind…and also creative! They had no hesitation to try my ideas and also came up with a few of their own (come to think of it, we did not get to all of them..there was talk of a pyramid and that did not happen…guess we’ll have to do that next time). Mom & Dad (J&S), you should be proud…you have a wonderful bunch of kiddos!
So, on to the pictures! This is the 1st sneak peek. There will be more soon.
First, the 2 that started it all (sweethearts since high school)…
and the 4 adorable kids:
This family shot may be my favorite…
How cute! If this were my family I would make that one (above) into a HUGE wall canvas and hang it in a focal point of the home (I’m just saying…)
I soooooooo love this ampersand picture: the girls & the guys. Perfect.
Many more from this session to show later. For now, it’s time to get back to holiday cards!
Have a great weekend all!
Posted on December 5, 2009
A few weeks ago my daughter was playing at the park with a little girl named Noel. The girl explained to us that her birthday was on Christmas and that Noel also meant Christmas…”look it up – it’s in the really really big book“, she said, stretching out her arms. The dictionary – got it. When we got home I looked it up and showed Madelyn the name of her new friend in the big book.
Later in the week, we found this cute Noel ornament and M insisted on buying it for her friend. We’re hoping to run into her at the park again soon (and I’m sure we will). In the meantime, M has learned about the letters N-O-E-L and knows that Noel means Christmas.
Such a perfect little teaching opportunity! I love it when these things happen.
Noel (or noël, sometimes written as nowell in English) is an alternate word for Christmas. The word comes from the French word Noël meaning “Christmas” which derives from the Old French word noël, a variant of nael. The Latin origin is the word natalis (“birth“).