Winter? Nah, summer!
I just opened my front door and saw my 2011 Photo A Day book and was so grateful. We, as a family, ooohed and ahhhed as we turned page by page, enjoying the journey through our memories. I committed to continuing photographing our growth, our changes, our lives, our home and our dailies as best as I could. Now, if I could get a book delivery every day, I can imagine that there would be no problem with motivation!
With that said, I am also involved in a 52 week challenge. This week’s challenge theme is Winter/Summer. I knew EXACTLY what I wanted to photograph for this theme. My son completes this image for me just about every day. Do you see what I mean? We are bundling up in snow pants, jackets, and layers while he grabs his flip flops. He always has a pair of flips at our front door. Always! When the snow was dumping last week, he ventured outside in shorts, a t-shirt, and flip flops. I was watching him from the kitchen window as he squatted in the snow to play with a birdhouse. I begged Tim to come with his iPhone to quickly grab a picture before he walked away.
I love to see his contribution at the door…
My new life, full of color
It’s cold. I never knew Cold before. Now, I know Cold. I don’t know it as well as others, but I know it better.
I have always loved colors and textures but now since I know Cold, I have a great problem on my hands-an expensive problem. I need to get dressed up to greet Cold. I need to be bundled in several layers to be comfortable around Cold. I get to invest in things that never had much meaning to me… words like wool, and down and such. Those words have changed my life and have introduced me to warmth when I am around Cold. I’m grateful for the things I learn each day, each new chapter in my life. This, my new growing friendship with Cold, I am grateful for and I am grateful for warmth-that I can find it when I need it.
Jack of all trades, master of none
Today was a sad day for me… I sold the three kayaks I own.
I bought one and convinced my other half that I needed more so I could bring friends along on my adventures and maybe even someday him. I got good use in Arizona-the driest of all places. Several of us, including others with kayak ownership or borrowship, would casually experience different parts of the Salt River. I was determined to bring them up here, to Washington, the wettest of all places. I just knew I could use those kayaks-and again, I would bring others along my journey.
Eighteen months have passed and they sit… cobwebs and all. They have never visited the waters here in Washington and Guilt started to set. It was a moment when he could say, “I told you so, ” since he did try and convince me to sell them before our big move. It was time to say good-bye. I am one who does not hold on to stuff! If it isn’t being used, out with it!
I love to try different things, learn new things. I often think this will be the THING that lasts forever. But, then I realize that it isn’t. and I sell it and move on to the next new thing.
What are you doing for 2012? | Kirkland Family Photographer
So, its 2012… what are your ambitions, goals and desires? Mine you ask? To recover from our sunny two weeks in AZ. Here is a visual as to what I may be dealing with! I don’t think I have ever had this much hanging laundry at one time. None of us want a single gozillion-th of an inch lost, due to drying. We ate ourselves into an oblivion and need to not only clean our clothes but still wear them at our new (more round) state of being. I’ll consider this an attempt to save energy and money… That sounds much better!
AZ was wonderful, sunny, loud and chaotic at most times, and a perfect place to be when rain and cold could not be escaped. I love my family, my nieces and nephews, my friends and that beautiful shiny thing in the sky… sunshine. It is always great to be back in our own home. Now I am ready…
So, here goes 2012…. Happy New Year
Merry Christmas from our family | Kirkland Family Photographer
It is probably time to publicly apologize to my friend and photographer, Melissa Hancock! She had no idea what she was in for and I can say, neither did I (I never know what is going to happen during MY OWN family photos). Her family photo results were The Whirlwind Session and her kids are beautiful. I’m sure my kids, MY KIDS (ahem) were lovely too, just not when she was ready to photograph them. : ) After the two boys had to leave (who does that during a family session?) then Zoe and I had a chance to get some mother daughter photos. Aren’t they endearing? I honestly love these pictures because it truly is us-a little goofy, a little unprepared and definitely full of color (both literally and figuratively). We stuck these in our holiday cards and we had phone calls right away exclaiming that Tim looks good with a mustache and Zane can do the crazy eye thing pretty darn well. Melissa, thank you for capturing these moments in our lives. Thank you for these pictures that I love!
So, from our family to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Excitement | Queen Creek Family Photographer
I honestly find myself smiling and laughing as if I am here all over again. I’m not sure who was more excited about this shoot, the girls or me. : ) I think they have reached the age when they actually look forward to having an updated picture?! Don’t they look happy and giggly? I should have paid them to be with me. Her poor husband is definitely outnumbered and he said a smile that shows teeth was too much work. : ) When I was reviewing the results I saw teeth! Does that mean his family actually had him laughing? : )
Cherries in winter
I have been preparing for 2012 and that means clearing out, backing up and deleting (the old of course). I came across a picture I took over the summer at Pike Market in Seattle and it sent me to a dreamy place. I miss the fresh fruit, the hustle and bustle, the sun and the temperatures of the summer. Can I get fresh cherries in winter? Ummmm, no, I don’t think so? Our summer lasted aproximately 2.3 weeks, which clearly isn’t long enough for a desert rat! So, I will continue to glance at my market pictures and my dreamy place with anticipation of next summer, which by the way starts in about August here. I have a long road ahead of me… but wait until you see what I bought to survive the winters! It’s good!
Oh… today is my birthday and I’m flying to AZ. Happy Birthday to me. A girl’s got to do what a girl’s go to do!
Get what you can | Queen Creek Family Photographer
Meet my sister and her two kids. (I sure miss them.) Since I am quite familiar to them it wasn’t exactly a “professional” situation. : ) ( As a matter of fact, she is my first client who has requested a reshoot!) I know, can you believe it? But let’s be honest… how “professional” am I really? I always try to create a casual and comfortable situations to avoid being the next laugh on Awkward Family Photos. Please tell me you know exactly what I am talking about? That site is ALWAYS a good laugh. Anyhow, my time with them is always fun whether I am chasing and begging them to come at least 15 feet in my proximity, and each other, or hugging and kissing on them so they know how much I love them! You can check back after the holidays for the reshoot! : (
Half a dozen or so | Queen Creek Family Photographer
If you are a photographer and looking to get ideas for ANY type of portraits, go park yourself at the Downtown Mesa Arts Center! You are sure to get some tips, ideas and maybe see a friend or two. I should never be surprised when I run into somebody I know in Mesa (even if it is just a familiar face and I realize I don’t know their name so I save myself from embarrassment and look the other way). I even went to the grocery store with my mom and found somebody I know. It rarely, RARELY, happens here in Washington but now I know why my parents always told me, “You never know who you’ll see,” in their efforts to not let me get out the door in my lounge wear (aka pajamas). So, back to Mesa Arts Center… have you ever been to Downtown Mesa Arts Center in November? There, you will find just about every photographer from the area. At any given time (I hung out there quite a bit over the weekend) you could count a half a dozen photographers or so. There was an old brick building that seemed to be popular that I noticed later but I was really liking this old concrete wall. : ) Actually its not old at all. I liked its simplicity, the diagonal lines AND that anything goes with the color “concrete.” I’m so grateful for this fun, energetic family who also had half a dozen or so (kiddos).
Staying ahead and other important things to do | Kirkland Family Photographer
It’s the Christmas season… some would say that it doesn’t begin until after Thanksgiving ends. For me, that typically rings true but this year is a little different! We ordered our holiday cards, sealed, addressed, stamped and then looked at the calendar and it read, “November 17.” Not cool. I couldn’t possibly send the cards out BEFORE Thanksgiving. It is bad enough that Costco starts stocking their Christmas gifts right after Halloween and sometimes before. I didn’t want to add to the push and pressure so I held them in the car, in a box, and waited. AND WAITED. I considered putting them in the drop box at the post office on Thanksgiving morning just to get those dang things out of my car but I waited. The morning of Friday, November 25th, you can only imagine where we headed?! Phew, to get those things away from me. Staying ahead of the to do list actually added more to-do’s…. keep them until it is appropriate to send them. Both are now checked off and I feel much better!
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