Q.T. Pie!

I got to take pictures of this little guy when he was about 7 months old. Now he's two and still incredibly adorable! I love two year olds. We have so much fun together!

New Personal Blog

I've been wanting to post more about my house, projects, friends and family lately but I don't feel like this is a good place to do it. Soooooo... I've created a new blog where I can do that more freely. I'm hoping to post things like decorating, scrapbook, gardening, and maybe even cooking projects. You can laugh at me while I drudge through all my attempts. Now doesn't that sound fun?

None of these have anything to do with photography so if you're interested in that kind of stuff and me doing them then visit my new blog, Meadow Street Memoirs. I'm hoping to share and receive tips and suggestions with other bloggers. Join me in my journey, if you dare!

Remember your blessings!

Amber

The Spring Itch

Around this time of year I always get antsy. Redecorating is usually what happens. It's pretty bad right now. I hate to admit it, but I get kind of impulsive, especially with all the clearance sales going on. But, I did get a GREAT deal on this set which make me so happy! The round platter is HUGE! It's about 20" in diameter.

Ahhh... our guest bedroom. I LOVE white bedding. LOVE it! I also love white furniture. The problem is, I have two young boys and a mechanic for a husband. White and these three things don't really get along. BUT, I can put it in the guest bedroom. No one really spends much time in there. Oh, and see that painting? That's a new purchase. I HAD to have it! This picture doesn't do it justice.

I haven't done much with the livingroom except move things around. If you have any suggestions for me I would love that. Should I arrange it differently, should I get new throw pillows? I'm thinking something lighter, and maybe in a more burlappy texture.

My biggest problem is the devices on top of the mantel. I hate them! I really need ideas on hiding them or... something. Thoughts anyone?

I know you don't really care about this stuff, but if you made it this far I thank you and if you take the time to comment with suggestions... well, I probably owe you a coffee or something.

Thank you for putting up with me!

Sharing a Little Cutie

I've been neglecting my blog, I know. I just haven't felt like I have much interesting to blog about lately. I've cut way back on my business so I can have more time with my family and more time for the other hobbies that I love. There are always pictures I can share of the boys I suppose, but I'm afraid people will get tired of those two gremlins. So, sorry it's been sparse. I'll work on that.

In the meantime, here is a cutie I took pictures of a couple months ago. Isn't she just adorable?

Easter

We spent Easter weekend at my parents' house in Oregon. We had a blast just like we always do when we visit my parents. Here's a few pictures from the weekend.

Egg decorating always comes first.

For some reason, all of Levi's eggs came out green. Six colors and they still turned out green. Anyone have an explanation for this phenomenon? Even his fingers turned green. I am glad to report that after three days they returned to their chubby pink little selves.

After the boys got done with their eggs the big kids (meaning my mom, sister, and I) got to work on our cake pops. If you have never made cake pops or really have never even heard of them, check out Bakerella. She invented these sweet little morsels and they are SO FUN to make!

Easter morning, of course, was the big egg hunt. Do you remember being a kid? Waking up at the crack of dawn before everyone else and dressing yourself in a plaid shirt and plaid shorts that don't match? Not having a care in the world what your hair looks like? Just waiting for someone (someone meaning your parents) to wake up so you can go out and find your beautifully decorated eggs that the Easter Bunny has strategically hidden? Oh, the thrill of it all!
What I wouldn't give to go running around the yard just like this again. No one wants to see that though. Trust me. Especially with morning hair and a plaid shirt and plaid shorts that don't match. I cringe just imagining the horrid sight. Somehow though, it's adorable on my boy.
Dude, what's with the tongue?
Getting warmer. Oooo you're smokin' hot! Ha ha ha I hope you all had a wonderful Easter like we did.

Sneak Peak for Boss

I had a great time taking pictures for a friend of mine. His son is adorable and his girl is gorgeous! The best part though is that they are all very happy! What a wonderful family.

Sharing a Few 2009 Graduates

The senior portrait season is quickly approaching so I thought I would share some seniors I haven't shared yet from the past year. Seniors are probably one of my favorite subjects. They are so fun and willing to try new things. Each one offers their own unique personality. I love the challenge of always finding new ways to express and hilight each individual.

I offer several different senior packages as well as custom-designed collages, books, and photo announcements. Call today to take advantage of my early-booking discount!

Photoshop Action Download

Thought I would share the Photoshop action I use for sizing down my photos for my blog posts. I don't believe Photoshop Elements has the capability of using actions yet. Sorry.

http://www.memcatcher.com/Size4blog.atn

Why is it so quiet?

Usually the absense of noise when my kids are around is an alarming event. You parents know what I'm talking about! It usually means trouble is a brewin'! Rarely though, it means that Levi stopped moving for more than 30 seconds and found himself a little droopy-eyed. So, when we went to check on the suspicious silence yesterday evening and we found this instead of the catastrophe we were expecting, I took advantage of the opportunity for some new scrapbooking material.

Oh how I love sleeping children!

THREE!!!!

Levi turned three today. I can't believe it. We celebrated his birthday yesterday at the thrilling and very very crowded Chuck E. Cheese in Spokane yesterday. I have never seen so many crazy unsupervised children in my life. The boys had a blast though!

First it was the ball rolly thingymabobs. Levi had a hard time rolling them hard enough to make it to the circles. Occasionally he would get frustrated and crawl up the ramp and drop the ball into the hole. Gotta give the kid credit for getting the job done.
He had no problem figuring out how to put the "penny" into the slot. Check out the tickets people! Remember the tickets? It ONLY took 40 tickets to get a mini-sized package of pop-rocks. What a bargain!
The Lil' Hoops was, by far, Levi's favorite game to play. It was excruciating for him to have to wait in line. He "helped" one little boy move the line along by shoving him in the back when it was the little boy's turn. I guess he just wasn't moving fast enough. I've gotta teach my kid some manners!

We had some pizza and then pulled out the football cake. Obviously, Levi thought it was the coolest cake ever! Just check out that expression.

I don't know what we'll do tonight other than make his favorite dinner. I'll let you know what it is. I'm betting on some Dino Nuggets. Yummmmm...

My Crafty Husband

This was my valentine present on Saturday.
Yes, my husband made the card, and yes it's a first, and yes I LOVED it! He wrote things on all the hearts. Stuff like Be Mine, Kiss Me, Your Hot, Cloud Nine. I love that man!!!
No, you don't get to read what he wrote to me. =o)

What did you get for Valentine's Day? Hope it was great!

Photo Tag

I was tagged by my friend Wendy E., and if my son hates me for this I'm telling him it's all her fault and that she made me do it!

Here are the rules:
Once you are tagged, your task is to go to your Picture Folder on your computer or wherever you store your pictures. Go to the 6th Folder, and pick the 6th picture in that folder. Post that picture on your blog and the story that goes along with the picture.Tag 6 other people that you know to do the same thing and leave a comment on their blog or an e-mail letting them know you chose them.

Here is the story:
There's not really in interesting story with this picture, just a funny one. This was taken in June and judging from the shorts CJ was planning to go swimming. The boys were bored so they decided to entertain themselves by trying on my shoes. I came upstairs and there CJ was in a pair of my black pumps.

I had actually planned to save this shot for his high school graduation, but I'd hate to break the rules so here you go! Poor kid. He doesn't stand a chance with me as his mother! Ha ha ha!

Here's who I am tagging: Josi, Judy, Shawna, Wendy T., Michelle, Tami, and Jackie Eckles.

There's Always One...

There's always at least one goof-off in a large group picture, but it's a little embarrasing when that one is the photographer's husband. This was taken on the self timer so there's no way I could have seen him doing this. The other culprit is my brother. Next time I will be seperating those two!

I'll be posting more from our family photo session later. Just had to share this little peach. What am I going to do with that man?

The Importance of the Crop - A small tutorial

A lot of people ask me for photography tips. Just basically how they can make their pictures better. They seem to think it's the camera that makes such a big difference. While that is partly true, I think the single most important thing that makes a photo stand out is how it is cropped.

Nowdays we have the luxury of Photoshop and other photo editing software. It's taken ordinary, everyday photography to new heights. It makes it easy to take this picture.
And turn it into this moment.

Another click of a button (and some more adjusting if you are me) and you have this.

The biggest thing that transformed this picture is the new crop. Of course I've done a few other things to it in photoshop to make it "pop," but the crop is the most important. Don't limit yourself to the picture you see after you've snapped the shutter. Find the possibilities within the frame. They are there!

When cropping a photo keep in mind the rule of thirds. Take some old photographs and try it with them. Eventually, this exercise will help you take better pictures in-camera so you will have to do less cropping afterwards.

So now let's just look at the same photo cropped in different ways. I like to pick on people so I've chosen my brother-in-law for the next example. Don't worry, he can handle it! =o)

Here's the original, straight out of camera. Looks like he's having fun doesn't it?Let's take care of the obvious crops first. I crop my photos to 5x7 out of habit. Most people probably crop to 4x6. It all depends on preference.

This is just a closer crop using the rule of thirds. (Note: if I were to choose this crop I would clone out that annoying bit of rose on the left)You can do the same by cropping in a portrait dimension as well. Don't think that just because you took a horizontal picture that it has to be cropped horizontally.

Here's another option. I left a lot of room on the right. This is called negative space.

This is a 1:2 ratio crop (i.e., 4x8, 5x10, 10x20, etc.).
Try cropping off part of the face. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.And last, let's see what a close square crop can do for us. I am a fan of squares.

Let's all thank our model for putting up with me.

I hope I've helped you a little. Now go have fun cropping! Oh, and if you post a photo that you cropped because of this post I'd love to see it!

While My Back Was Turned

I was clearing off my memory cards yesterday and came across some pictures I didn't take. This phenomenon tends to happen when I ask family members to hold my camera for me. I usually love it, unless of course it's a picture of me. Then... not so much. These pictures, however, are not of me so I love them! Obviously, they've been edited. My camera doesn't take pictures in BW, and I'm obsessed with cropping photos. Hardly ever do I leave a photo uncropped and unedited, even if it's just a boost in the color and contrast. I just can't help myself. Maybe I should make that a New Year's Resolution. Nah!

The old guy is my dad. Just kidding Dad! You aren't old.

My camera cannot take credit for this picture. My mom sent it to me yesterday. I like the color.

Silly Saturday

I just thought I'd post a picture of my silly boys from Saturday evening. After their bath they wanted mohawks or "a hawk" as Levi puts it.

Enjoy!

My Boys are SO Spoiled!

This isn't even the half of it! They got soooo many presents.

We went to Casey's sister for Christmas this year. The boys had so much fun with their cousins, aunt and uncle, and grandparents.

They opened their present from PJ Elf on Christmas Eve. Yep, you guessed it. Jammies.

Yes, those are his pajama bottoms on his head. He can't help himself.

None of them can really. Don't worry, I got a less frightening one of them too.
He can't help it either.

The nice thing about Levi at this age is that you could wrap up a rock and he'd be excited to get it. If it was a present and it had wrapping paper, (whether yours, mine or the dog's) he was soooo excited about it.

This was the present Santa left for him. Yes... super excited! Now we just have to wait for the snow to melt. Maybe he'll be able to try it out around August or so.

Don't mess with this kid!

CJ, on the other hand... well, he got excited about anything that was not clothes. Here he is opening his Spiderman two-wheel scooter from his grandma. He's outgrown his three wheel scooter and has been telling me about it since school started. Just like his brother, he'll have to wait a few months before trying it out somewhere other than the garage. The torture!!!

Ooooooo! The tongue is coming out. This one's gonna be good!

Awwwww... a monkey that comes with a bottle to feed it. This gift was a big hit and it really illustrates his caring and loving side.

This was THE present CJ had been waiting for. Santa delivered! A cricket rifle. Just what CJ had been wanting since he saw it in the store. Don't worry people. We are very responsible gun owners. It has a built-in safety that only dad has the key to, and it's locked away in our safe.

Here's CJ's happy dance after opening his present. What a goofball. I have no idea where he gets it.

So, there are a few of the hilights. Hope you all had a WONDERFUL Christmas! Be safe over the New Year holiday.

Oh Christmas Tree!

I realize this is a feeble attempt at a blog post, but I figure it's better than nothing.

Here's the 2008 Anderson Family Christmas Tree. Isn't it a beauty? Well, maybe a little sparse, but it's the one the boys picked out so it must be perfect! It is definitely the tallest tree we've ever had. The boys went out on Saturday and braved the snow storm while I was visiting my friend in Nebraska. We had to put the tree in a different spot than we usually put it so it would fit. It still nearly hits the ceiling.

The boys, as usual, found the "ho ho hats" and wanted to wear them during the tree decorating.

Happy Holidays!

It's Officially a Tradition

I realize it's been awhile since I blogged. My apologies to you faithful few. However, this time of year is the busiest for me so you'll have to bare with me. Things will get back on track after the holidays. I will also be making an announcement in the next few weeks about Memory Catcher Photography so stay tuned.

Enough with all this. On to the main event.
We've made lefse with my Grandma Nona for three years now. The first year it was just my youngest sister and me at my house so I'm not sure I can count that year or not. The last two years we've done it at my Grandma's house with all the girls. Well, almost all the girls since my other sister lives in Alaska and hasn't been able to make it yet. We girls always have so much fun! Oh, and I guess I shouldn't just say "we girls" anymore since we do have three little lefse makers who are of the male gender. I'm not sure at what age the cackling gets to be too much for the opposite sex, but I'll be sure and let you know.

On to the pictures!

Don't let this smile fool you. Yes she may seem like my harmless grandma, but this here is the lefse nazi! Boy oh boy does she keep us all straight with our lefse dos and don'ts. She's obviously not afraid to dive right in; see flour on nose and lefse dough on glasses.
Check this kid out. I think he's officially a lefse prodigy. He seriously knows what he's doing! I'm so proud.
Check out that oh-so-thin sheet of lefse. Careful! It's delicate.

Oh yeah baby! He made it all the way to the grill. Standing diligently ready to flip it at just the right moment. Why do I love the flour so much?

Here's my other little lefse-making giblet. Thank goodness for grandmas. That grill is 500°F. Caliente! (no, I don't know much spanish, but I love saying that word. Try it! Go ahead. Try it! See? Can you blame me?)

Oh sweet sweet lefse how I love thee! Let me count the ways.

Wanna try and count them all? Okay, I'll save you a couple hours and just tell you that we made a record 183 pieces of lefse! 183!!!! Can you believe that? Wow! Yes, I know. We are amazing. And I am soooo blessed!

A Glimpse

When's the last time you looked at old family photos? By old, I don't mean photos from when you were a kid and made a superhero outfit out of your grandma's undergarments. Who thought to take a picture of that anyway? No, I mean really old photos like from when your grandparents or great-grandparents were young. I'm talking young, like before their children started stealing away their youth type of young. You know what I'm talking about, right?

I had to take a break from work last night because I swiped my grandma's old photo albums for the week and promised her I'd return them this weekend. I wanted to get them scanned into the computer. I love technology!

My favorite photos were of my grandma when she was a teenager. All we ever know of our grandparents' life is when they are old so it's nice to be reminded that they actually lived a life without us once, and even a life without our parents once!

I can't wait to ask my grandma the stories that go along with some of these old photos. I'm just sharing a few of my favorites of her this time, but I have more... a lot more.

I wonder if Grandma hated her glasses, or did they call them spectacles back then? I'll have to ask her. I love these old hand-tinted photos.

Where was this taken and what was she thinking about? I think this one's my favorite.

What was she doing here? I'm glad I will be able to ask her this weekend so it doesn't keep me up at night.

Goofing off on the job I see! Or maybe just relaxing after the job was done. I do know from notes on the series of pictures this came from that she was helping her Grandpa harvest the field.

I love this picture. I want to know the story about this car. I saw it in another photo from one of her sister's weddings (or at least I think I did). I think this was taken on my grandma's wedding day. I can't wait to ask!

Sometimes It's Like an Aerobics Session

Sometimes I have sessions that are more exercise than I would get if I were in an aerobics class. Seriously! The toddlers are the worse. I say this with a smile because although they are a lot of work, they are so much fun. I really don't mind chasing them around for two hours attempting to get the perfect shot. Most of the time I am successful, thank goodness!

This little guy was a tough cookie. He was one of the most active toddlers I've photographed, but you can't help but forgive him. I mean look at him! He's adorable!

Sometimes the older kids can be difficult too, but all you have to do is threaten them and they shape up... most of the time. "Zippy's" older sister was a bit more cooperative.

In the end, it's moments like this that capture my heart.

Watching Them Grow

One thing I love about what I do is that I get to watch kids grow up. I have quite a few clients that return every year and I am always surprised by how much their children have grown. I take great pleasure in this.

These two are girls that I've had the opportunity to photograph several times. They are always such a pleasure!

Finally!

Behold! There it is folks. Ta-da! CJ's first naturally-lost tooth. He's been missing his top tooth for over two years now due to an unfortunate accident, but now he's officially arrived at the tooth-losing phase of his young life. He worked for about two hours on wiggling that tooth free from his gummy home. He was not going to sleep until it was out. So, congratulations CJ! You are growing up way too fast.

Chasing Flags

I love watching the younger kids' sports. Last night was my son's first flag football game. I get pretty shutter happy during these types of events. I really can't help myself! A 45 minute game can produce hundreds of photos. Yes, I know. Why do I do this to myself? My only explanation is, "Hello, *small wave* my name is Amber, and I'm a shutteraholic." So now that you know my deep dark secret, let's move on to the business of enabling. =o)

Here are some shots from last night's game. I must premise that my husband was roped into being an assistant. Truth be told, I was so happy he decided to do it. He loved coaching CJ's team last night, the boys really responded to him, and I loved watching him.
The first half of the game was spent figuring out what they were supposed to do now that they were playing against another team. They'd only had two practices before last night. So, there wasn't much progress until the 2nd half.

Since this is my blog and since my son is on the team and most of my 11,932 pictures are of him, I'm going to share the first run that actually resulted in a first down. What a proud moment. This is how it went.

The oh-so-hot-and-sexy assistant coach that I've been trading steamy glances with all evening calls the boys into the huddle and says, "CJ, which way are you going to run?" Through the wad of vinyl flag in his mouth CJ responds, with the utmost of confidence, "Uh... that way?" They approach the line, not wanting to reveal any indication of the play they are about to execute. As CJ steps into the receiving position the other team is thrown off because who would have ever guessed!? It's so... unexpected. At this point I could tell the other team was very worried.
After waiting anxiously and nervously for what seems like 10 minutes, they hike the ball! Yes! A successful hand-off.
He's off! His teammates are there to block and protect their one great hope.
He sees an opening! He's going to run around all of them! The plan is playing out in perfect execution.

See that kid on the left? If he doesn't block everyone on the other team, I'm blaming it all on him. LOL Oh come on! You know I'm kidding. That's right kid. You better block that guy.

Check out the smile on my son's face! Could he be any happier? We may need to work on a more intimidating expression. Would you be scared of that?
Maybe next year.Oh no! Watch out CJ, he's coming for you! He dives, arms outstretched, reaching for the elusive red flags. DENIED! Ha! CJ is too quick for you, you camo shorts and blue sneaker-wearing kid!

This is where my heart starts pumping faster and I start jumping up and down screaming "Go CJ!!! Keep running! Go! GO!! GOOOOO!!!" Which is also why my shots get a little blurry.
OH MY GOSH! It's a mob! They are all running after my son with torches and pitchforks! The little monsters! RUN CJ!! (notice, he's still got that smile on his face) Keep running! You are almost there.
YESSSS! First down!
Moments after this, that kid you see there on the left of the picture viciously pulled off CJ's flags. I'm sure somehow he cheated. Really! There's got to be some kind of rule against... too forceful of flag-pulling. Ref?

A few plays after this successful run the team scored a touchdown. Yay! It would be the only one, but at least they got to taste it. Some of them literally, since the grass was so wet and slick. Case and point:
CJ's there to save the day! He reaches with outstretched arms, grabbing for the flapping yellow flags. But...
Smooth-soled shoes and wet grass aren't a very good combination.

Unfortunately, the camo shorts and blue sneaker-wearing kid scored a touchdown. I'm certain he cheated. There's got to be a rule against swerving when faced by a kid in smooth-soled shoes and wet grass. Ref?!

Then there's the snap. Wish I were flexible enough to bend myself in half.I have so many more pictures. Believe it or not, I took it easy on you. I'll leave you with one more picture of the oh-so-hot-and-sexy assistant coach. Cuz it's his birthday, and well, it's my blog!

A New Senior Sneak Peek

I have been trying to get some of my senior girls to bring one of their formal dresses for their portrait session. Finally, this gal brought one. It's was an adorable and fun dress too! Perfect for the type of senior portraits I was trying to get.

We had a ton of fun running around downtown Moscow. I love trying out some new spots and executing ideas I have had. Thanks so much C! I hope you like your sneak peek.

Holiday Cards

Every year I try and offer new card designs for my customers. They are fun and unique. Friends and relatives love receiving these two-sided custom portrait cards. They come in three different sizes and include the envelopes. The sizes offered are 4x5.5, 5x7, and 5x5 (remember that square cards require additional postage). I've got a lot to choose from this year. Here is a very small sampling.
My fall sessions are limited and filling up very quickly so if you are needing family portraits before Christmas call now!

Four Jobs I Could Never Do

There are a few jobs that I just could never do. Most of them can be found at the fair.

1 - I could never sell cotton candy and candy apples from a tiny hot booth. For one, I'd weigh 500 pounds and two, I couldn't deal with that many people. I just couldn't. Besides that, I would feel like I needed to hand out toothbrushes with every order. 2 - I could never run a carnival ride. I would HATE loading and unloading kids all day long. Not to mention, when they are on that ride their little lives would be in my control. What if I hadn't checked every seat to make sure they were all strapped in? Or the equipment? Or maybe they were spinning too much. Or maybe they hated the ride, then hated me? Or, or, or. Of course my kids loved all the rides!

3 - I could also never be a game-runner (or whatever they are called). I would feel guilty. Most of the games are rigged and then people would spend $5-$10 and what would they get in return? Some $0.25 toy. I just couldn't handle it.

4 - Lastly, if you ever think you are having a bad day, or your kid(s) are acting up and you think you are going to have to be committed, imagine being a SOW!

A sow with SEVEN sucklings constantly jabbing and squealing, and sucking. Never being rid of seven little leaches. EVER!
Oh sure, they are cute, but don't you think that even the cutest little bundle would get tiring when it was following you around sucking you dry every five minutes.
Nope... I could never be a momma pig!

Life on the Farm

Wheat fields, an old barn, an old abandoned house, tractor equipment, cute kids, and a wonderfully beautiful close-knit family. What else could a photographer ask for. There is one thing... nice weather. This day though, it wasn't going to happen.

If you've ever been to a farm you know how unpredictable the weather can be. This particular day it was just that. Most of the day it had been sunny, warm, and lovely. Around 4:30, just before I was to head out to the beautiful rolling wheat hills of the palouse the wind started blowing, the sky started getting dark, and menacing clouds started to form. Despite it all, I did my best to get some decent lifestyle photography shots before the wind and dust carried everyone away.

Summertime Images

I love the beauty of summertime. The colors, the warmth, the animals, the celebrations. They all happen in the summertime. Now that's not saying I don't like the other seasons as well. All seasons have their beaty. Today though, I'm talking about summertime.

Here are a few images I caught off the side of the road near Tensed, Idaho. The first one we were actually driving down the road. The 2nd I pulled over on my way home.

Here's a shot I took the other day walking home from picking CJ up at school. It cracks me up how the turtles are layered on top of eachother. I'd hate to be on the bottom of the pile.

These shots were from the fireworks show in St. Maries over the weekend. They celebrate Paul Bunyan Days and their fireworks show is the BEST in our area. It always astounds me how a small town in Idaho can put on something so spectacular! Paul Bunyan Days is always held on Labor Day weekend so if you missed it this year put it on your calendar for next year. You won't be sorry!

1st Day of School

Well, today was the day! Yes, children of all ages in the Palouse area had their brand new school outfits laid out on their dressers, special care was taken making sure every hair was properly combed and placed on their little heads, and bags were packed with shiny new school supplies. Just like my son here, kids were humoring their parents while they posed for the dreaded first-day-of-school photos.

Here's my little guy with his "oh so cool" spikey hair, cause he wanted it "just like his friend." Oh, and that other kid in desperate need of a haircut? The poor younger brother who doesn't know yet that today is just another regular, mundane, boring day for him. Nothing new. Nothing exciting. Later, when he realizes this, we have a small tantrum to deal with. Some more posing. Believe it or not, he actually enjoys it. I promise!
He's too cool for a goofy smile now.
Okay, enough of this posing nonsense! Time to go Mom!
I don't know what he was saying here. I just thought it was a cute picture. His little face is filled with all kinds of anticipation, dontcha think?
We're almost there! I can SMELL the entrance. Check out the backpack. It's twice the size as he is and needs a lot of adjusting. The coolest part is the lunchbag. It snaps onto the backpack. I have high hopes that he won't leave it at school. I know. It may be naive of me.
All together now... Awwwwwwwwww...
Get used to it kid. I plan on taking this picture for five more years at this school! =o)
FINALLY! We've entered the classroom. I'm sure he thought he would never escape the camera torment.
Is the name right? Well, good enough for the first day anyway.
Okay kid. One last shot, then I'll be done. I promise! C'mon, humor your mother!

There's my boy! Settled in and ready to fill that little head of his with new facts and ideas and creativity. The promise of a new school year with immeasurable adventures ahead; his little brain ready for the learning to commence.
The thing you DON'T get to see is me after I walk out of the classroom and tears well up... because I'm sappy that way. I mean, how often does your little boy start 1st grade? I'm sure it'll be better next year. Maybe.

My M&Ms Birthday

Yesterday I turned 32. I'm not scared to admit either. Nowdays they all run together. For my birthday present I asked Casey to send me to the Paper Pals scrapbooking retreat, so I was up at the Palouse Lodge again for that. It was so nice to scrapbook all weekend without interruptions. Not to mention, my friends and all the other nice ladies that were there. I treasure my scrapbooking time. Especially since I don't get much of it anymore.

When I got home there was a birthday cake sitting on the counter that my husband and sons had made for me. It was the best cake I've ever had on my birthday. I LOVED it! Casey said he had tried to get the boys to spell "Happy Birthday" on the top with M&Ms, but obviously, with a 2 1/2 year old and a six year old that's nearly impossible. So, he gave up. Isn't this the best cake EVER?!

Also, CJ, being the thoughtful boy he is caught me a live butterfly and a grasshopper for my birthday. What would I do without my boys? I love them so much! The joy they bring to my life is immeasurable. I am one LUCKY gal!

Who gets the credit?

I really enjoy hearing about senior graduates' plans for their futures. I like to learn about their different activities and their families. I find out a lot of interesting information. For instance, "B" here is fortunate enough to have grown up with the guidance of two older sisters.

I am an oldest sister to three younger sisters and I'm sure they would say the same thing (you don't need to ask them, just trust me here). If they hadn't had me who knows where they'd be? Everyone should have an older sister! Right sisters? Oh wait... don't ask them. They are much too busy to answer. ;0)

Regardless of who is to be credited for the way this young man is turning out (I'll let the sisters fight over that one), he was a lot of fun to shoot. Here's a few shots while you ponder .

Maybe we'll just give all the credit to the dog!

Another Fun Senior

I always look forward to senior sessions. Seniors usually have lots of spunk, attitude, and are not afraid to try new things. This gal was such a pleasure to work with. She was fun and easy-going. Plus, she has a great smile, amazing eyes, and gorgeous auburn hair.

Here are a few from her session.

I Dare You Not To Smile

If these two don't make you smile, then there is no hope. The little guy was a bit somber, but still cute as a button. Check out those cheeks for heaven's sake! The whole time I just wanted to zerbert them. If you don't know what a zerbert is, google it. ;) The kid was definitely zerbert-worthy. Trust me on this.

Big sister had enough personality and expressions going on to last me the rest of the year. She's four. It's one of my favorite ages. Oh, and those eyes. To-die-for eyes!

Okay, I'll stop talking about them and share the pictures so you'll know the feeling of wanting to zerbert the little guy too.See what I mean? The cheeks! And the expressions!Oh, and did I mention those eyes? Amazing eyes!

The Market, Seafood, and Baseball

I'll give you one guess where we spent our weekend. The clues are:
1-The Market
2-Seafood
3-Baseball
I know, it's not very hard to figure out is it? That's right! We visited the Emerald City a.k.a., Seattle. A friend of ours offered us baseball tickets on short notice and since we didn't have anything planned we decided 'what the heck!' What fun we had. Let me tell you all about it.

First we went to Pike Place Market. I'd never been there before. All the stairs up to it just about killed me! Mental note to self: must exercise more. It was crazy busy with people! I held on tight to my boys. I'm surprised they didn't end up with bruises on their hands. I was so scared I'd lose them. Surprisingly though, I didn't get irritated like I usually do in large crowds of people.

It was a very fragrant place! The scents took their turns from fishy to floral, fishy, floral. Occasionally I'd get a whiff of berries, and of course with so many people your bound to be subjected to a little B.O. as well. I'd rather smell fish.

CJ just wanted to see the big fish on ice, I wanted to look at and smell all the flowers, and Casey just wanted to get out of there. I can't say I blame him.

I did end up treating myself to a nice big bouquet. How could I not? They were a steal! Soooooo pretty and I got to smell lilies all the way home on Sunday.
Here's my bouquet. Isn't it purty? My arm is still sore from carrying the 10-pound beast. Okay, not really, but it was heavy.
We had a late lunch at The Crab Pot. I'd been told about it before, but had never eaten there. LOVED IT! Their specialty is the Seafests. You order it for as many people as you need, they cook it all together and then dump it out on the table in front of you. Then it's a free-for-all. A little messy, but oh so fun and VERY tasty! I will definitely be going there again next time we visit Seattle.
Here's Levi mastering the artful technique of crab smashing. It's a very delicate procedure you know. Go Levi!!!
After lunch we went to check into our hotel in Bellevue (check out the funny story at the bottom), then we headed back out to Safeco field. We got there early so we could check out the team store, the stadium, and get our refreshments. This was Levi's first trip and CJ's second, but CJ went when he was just one year old so this one was more memorable for him. Here are the boys waiting for the game to start. Our seats were low and along the 3rd baseline so we took our mitts. You know... just in case.
When we arrived to the stadium it was raining pretty good, but stopped about 30 minutes before the game started so they were able to open the roof. About an hour into the game we were greeted by a beautiful double rainbow!
Unfortunately, the Mariners lost in the 11th inning, but we still had a great time!

... Funny Story Time ...

After we checked in at the hotel we all piled into the elevator to go up to our 7th floor room. This was Levi's first experience in an elevator, believe it or not. As soon as the doors closed and the elevator began to move Levi dropped to the floor. It reminded me of when you see people drop to the floor after hearing a gunshot. Here's what it looked like. We couldn't stop laughing. He did this every time we got in the elevator. It still makes me chuckle.

Wedding Follow-Up Shoot

On their wedding day it rained all day. The wedding was scheduled to be outside, but was moved into their airplane hangar because of the weather. Because of the weather we were unable to get any formal shots of them together. So, J scheduled her hairdresser and I went back out to their farm and we had a great time shooting some formal shots of them together.
These two were actually from the wedding day. You can see how wet it was.

CJ's Birthday Saturday

As I posted previously, we told CJ he could choose one friend to take with him to TriplePlay in Hayden. What a fun place! They have a lot to do! He chose his friend T. They had a blast! We started with the rock climbing wall, then moved on to lazer tag, go carts, bumper boats, and Raptor Reef (the water park).
On the way home I asked them what their favorite part was and couldn't get anything more specific than "All of it!" So, they obviously had a great time. Levi, Casey, and I did too. Here's a small collage of the fun the two boys had.
They had a photo booth there that I wanted the boys to go into. Well, it was out of order so I just hopped in with them and had them do what they would have done anyway. In their own words of affection to eachother, what crazy little "knuckleheads!"

Six... Already?

Has it really been six years already since I gave birth for the first time? I can't exactly say it feels like yesterday since so much in our lives has changed since August 1st, 2002. I can say though that I'm in disbelief that my first-born is already six years old. How does a child change soooooooo much in just six years? I was going through my pictures and looking at some of CJ's baby and toddler pictures. The changes are so drastic, aren't they?
Ya know, it's good to have the baby pictures around though; the sweet smiles and angelic sleepy expressions. On days when he's being a bit more challenging than other days I can look back at them and remind myself of the days when peace still existed. Now there's two of them and constant policing occurring between them.

So, I leave you with some of my more peaceful memories...

And now... dirt and all (most-likely after hunting for wabbits, shhhh...).

Check out the socks! How do they get this way even when they wear their shoes all day?

Check out how he strikes his own Vogue poses. I have nothing to do with it. He gets nutty anytime my studio equipment is set up and a photo op presents itself.

Oh, and before you go, leave him a birthday message! You know you want to. C'mon! I promise I will show them to him.

Although, I doubt it will hurt his self-confidence if you don't.

See what I mean by a little nutty? Wonder if he knew I would be putting this up on the web for everyone to see?

Ha ha ha... just kidding! I love photoshop!

!!! Happy Birthday Big Boy !!!

Thought I would add a few more pictures from tonight. I had forgotten to take pictures of the cupcakes I made for CJ to take to daycare with him today. Of course the birthday boy's special scorpion one was gone, but since there were a few leftover cupcakes brought home I thought I would share a picture before I eat them all. =o)

We got him a skateboard for his birthday present. He already thinks he's Tony Hawk or something. Slow it down a little would ya kid?
Look Mom! I can do tricks already.
Hey Mom! I did it! Look... see?

I'll let you know when the first broken bone happens.

On a side note, tomorrow is his fun day. We are taking him and a friend to Tripleplay. Should be a ton of fun.

A Sad Day

Yesterday my grandfather passed away. He was 84 years old. He and my grandma celebrated their 65th anniversary this past November. They had nine children together which has so far resulted in 26 grandchildren, 34 great grandchildren, and four great great grandchildren. He also served his country during WWII as a gunman specialist. He was the first one in and the last one out in Okinawa.

He will be forever remembered as a man of honor, integrity, and kindness. He went peacefully surrounded by his family and with his wife at his side.

Rest in peace Grandpa. We will miss you tremendously!

We Survived The Wilderness

We have returned and we are all in one piece... refreshed and ready to go on with our daily lives. It was sure hard to leave the mountains though. The one thing that really drew me back was the thought of a nice, long, warm, heavenly shower. Ahhhhh...

Here's the camp. Seven people and four tents. The nights weren't to cold which was a blessing. Poor Penny. Levi evidentally thought she would make a nice fish.
Here's my Aunt lounging by the campfire. I can tell she's thinking about chopping wood.
We went 4-wheeling a lot. Here's one of the fun trails we were on. Can you believe there were still patches of snow? Don't worry, I will spare you the fearful sight. I really don't want to scare anyone off... you know who you are Judy!
One of the BEST things about camping is the camp food. YUMMMMMMY! My mom made us this oh so yummy meal on our last morning there. OMG it was d-lish!

Here's one of our fearless protectors. He made sure those squirrels kept their distance and didn't attack us!

And camping would not be camping without roasted marshmallows. We had strawberry marshmallows. Have you had them? YUM-O!

Are you sure that's roasted enough? I like mine brown all over.
I guess it's done!
Gooey sticky messiness. Perfect!
Levi never really got around to ever putting his in the fire. I guess whatever works for ya kid.
On Saturday we went to Dismall Lake. It was gorgeous!
Before I could even get my camera out of my case Levi had decided to fall into the water. So, while his clothes were set out to dry he traded them in for this very stylish Sears flannel. I think he liked it more than his regular clothes. We put some pop-tabs on the end of his line so he could practice fishing. If you've ever tried to fish with a 2 1/2 year old you can understand why we went with this method. He loved it!
Here's Casey and CJ fishing off of a log. Nothing was caught. The fish just weren't interested in eating. Personally, I think the stench from seven people camping 4 days in a row probably drove them all away. The stench didn't bother the frogs. CJ caught a couple of them. Aren't they cute?
After the lack of luck at the lake we took a ride up a very steep mountain road to the top where we could see everything around us. It was AMAZING! Here's my husband drooling over the Mallard Larkins. He wants to take a week and hike in there. Can you see the snow?
When we go camping we give each of the boys a special whistle so we know where they're at. We play games with Levi saying "Where's Levi?" and he blows his whistle. When going camping with children this is a MUST!

Look how dirty he is? I tried to wash him up the first couple days but it's useless.
And I'll end this post with a couple other scenery photos. Just in case you didn't get enough. =o) It was a fun trip, but I'm glad to be home. Can't wait to do it again though!

A Campin' We Will Go!

I'm so so so excited! You wanna know why I'm excited? Well, I'm gonna tell you anyway. My family and I are going camping for 5 days! We are leaving early tomorrow morning. And when I tell you early, I mean early. My husband has dictated that we leave at 6:00am! He should know by now that we will NOT be leaving that early when we have to get me up and the boys up and moving. We'll see though.

We have never been on a camping trip this long before. Believe it or not, I'm looking forward to the dirt in my toes, the frizzy hair (okay... maybe not this), the camp food, and the smoke from the campfire in my face while we're roasting marshmallows for smore's. I LOVE the crackle of a campfire. Shhh... can you hear it?
We will also be going 4-wheeling which is always fun and hiking. We will be visiting some glacier lakes which always offer up some gorgeous photography opportunities. Maybe we'll even see some great wildlife.
We camp in tents, but we have some very comfy cots and a solar shower. There's just something about waking early with the brisk morning air tickling my nose and the noises of squirrels chattering and birds chirping. It is all music for my soul.

Most of all though, it's the memories we'll be creating. Having the boys makes it all so much better for us. Everything is new to them. Send up a prayer that they mind for us will ya!

I will post pictures when I return. Until then, enjoy the ones I've posted here.

June Newborns!!!

Evidentally, June was a good month to have a baby because two of my customers had theirs. Lucky lucky me! I love everything about newborns. The way they coo, smell, curl, even when they cry it's cute. Of course I can say that because I don't have to hear it at 2:00am every night. It's easy to forget how tiring that can be after you have kids that rarely do that anymore.

I'll enjoy the couple hours I get to spend with others' newborn nuggets making them look angelic and oh so sweet.

Without further ado, here are two little newborn nibbles for you.

Introducing our first little cutie. Mr. "I" was fun and really kept gave me a run for my money. He wanted to do everything on his terms. He couldn't hold out forever though and I got some nice shots of him. I love working with his parents. They are such sweet people and I just know they are going to be amazing parents. Little "I" is a lucky guy. Not to mention, those very cute "kissy" lips he's got going. I love when they do that! SO cute! I did his mom's maternity pictures a few months ago. She also signed up for my Little Miracle, First Year Plan so I'll be seeing more of him in the next year. I can't wait!

Next up is this cute little angel. "P" was a perfect subject. She was awake for awhile and then fell asleep. She was a pretty good curler too. So so so sweet! I was very impressed with dad's swaddling skills! Not everyone knows how to do that well! She's another lucky little baby with parents that absolutely adore her! Thanks Mom and Dad for a wonderful session. I hope to have the opportunity to take her portraits again when she gets bigger.

What's a BBQ Without the Redneck Slip n' Slide?

I went to visit the parents this weekend. They were having a BBQ for my sister and two cousins to celebrate the completion of the 1st two years of pharmacy school, a masterd degree, and a birthday. Congrats everyone!
As you may know, it was HOT this weekend. The first really hot weekend we've had this summer. The food was great and the company is always wonderful when the family gets together. Not to mention the abundance of adult-style beverages. Even some old friends made it. Did I mention it was HOT?

Well, the kids... okay, just mine... started bugging Grandpa about putting out the slip n' slide and he wasn't talking about the little kiddie one either. This slip n' slide is the mongo supreme burritos of slip n' slides. There's no weight limit patch, in other words. It's a 10ft x 100ft sheet of clear plastic sheeting with a spray hose running alongside of it. My parents' yard is perfect for this thing with its gentle sloping hillside. The plastic doesn't reach quite to the end so when you get to the bottom you hit a nice green collection of water on top of grass mixed with mud. There is even a stone wall obstacle if you make it past that! Now doesn't that sound fun? Don't worry, the stone wall has yet to cause any injuries, though people have tried.

Onto the pictures. Many races have been won and lost here. Don't ask me to remember who won this one.

Here are the three men in my life. Half of Levi's 101 trips down this thing were with his eyes closed! CJ's face was stuck like this on just about every 501 trips HE took.

Someone must have told him about the brick wall at the end. Fear not, he was never really in any danger. He weighs 30 pounds. We had to push him to make it to the end of the plastic.

This is what happens when you are beating your big brother in redneck slip n' slide races!
Aside from the slip n' slide, tell me you don't chuckle when you see this cute little face. This is my nephew. He is sooooo sweet!

His mom makes this face alot. Right now she's thinking 'I do?' Yes... you do! I think this kid was a party crasher there for the beer, but we let him stay because his cheeks jiggled when he walked.

Dresses, Flowers, and Girl Power!

Everyone knows that my house is full of testosterone. It's three boys and me so you can imagine how happy I was to have a little help of the female origin this past weekend. I was blessed with the company of an adorable 21-month-old girlie companion. My cousin dropped off her little girl for me to babysit overnight. What a sweet sweet cutie she is! So smiley and fun. I was lovin it! She wouldn't let me put any barrettes or ponytails in her hair, but I didn't really care because just having a little toddler that actually wears dresses and pretty sandals and a flower in her hair was enough for me! It sure made my ovaries stir, but alas, hubby and I are done having children. I'll just keep borrowing my relatives' little girls. I'd hate to find out what damage could be caused if I get too desperate. It would most-likely involve my boys, a dress, and some bows. Shhh... don't tell the boys I said that!
Now can't you just see this cute face surrounded by frills, flowers, and bows? Yeah... me either.

Wooly Bears

Over Memorial Day weekend we visited the in-laws in Emida, Idaho. It was a lot of fun and the boys LOVED it! They spent a couple hours collecting a TON of wooly bear caterpillers. I couldn't believe how many they had. We made CJ leave most of them there and he took a few to school. We kept one at home to experience the transformation into a butterfly. It's amazing what God's creatures can do! Right now our little fuzzy guy is in the process of turning into a cocoon.

This picture is my nephew sharing his catch. This was kind of early on in the mission.

Memorial Weekend Sunset

On our way home from 4-wheeling on Sunday the sky was gorgeous with some beautiful colors. My husband was sweet enough to pull over so I could capture the moments as I saw them. I'm always amazed at how quickly the sky changes as the sun sets.

Daddy's "Helpers"

I can't believe what a gorgeous weekend we had! Sunny and hot... finally! The boys LOVED it! Casey washed the trucks which was a wonderful opportunity for the boys to get soapy and wet. 2-year-olds can be so helpful. ;o)

Mother's Day Photo Fieldtrip

For Mother's Day we all went down to the hoppin' town of Lewiston to do some shopping and have lunch at IHOP. Yummy! I picked up a new rug at Home Depot, which I love, and we visited a few other stores. The boys were pretty good and the weather wasn't too bad.

On our way back to Moscow I asked my husband to drive some of the back roads so I could take some pictures so we cut off at Genessee and took to the gravel. That was so nice of my husband.

Here are a couple shots I got.

New Pictures of the Boys

My new camera was delivered today so I had to test it out. I didn't have much time so I just took a few. Here's some of the fun ones. I see a promising future between my new friend and I!

A Newborn Teaser

I had the pleasure of a portrait session with this little angel today. Isn't she beautiful?! She is almost two weeks old. Session like these are one of my favorite things to do. Can you blame me?