sweet

I got the chance to shoot a friend's son and his girlfriend. They are expecting their baby girl in 3 weeks and the photo shoot was a Christmas present to them from his mom. It's a 2 parter, we'll get together after the baby is born too.

These are probably my favourite. I love K's face in both of them. These were taken outside on the far side of the garage where the lighting is awesome because it reflects off both houses.We did the indoor shoot in my living room, which isn't the best for lighting, today would have been better with all the snow outside reflecting the light into my living room, oh, well, we can't always have what we want.

K wanted the black and white with the bow in pink. This is a test of my photoshopping skills but Grandma says she loves them.

I hope everyone has a great New Year's! Stay safe!

Validation

I saw this on Cathy Z's site and thought it was great. It's just over 16 min. of your life that you won't get back, but I'm sure you won't mind. It's a great feel good clip.
You...You are AWESOME, thanks for letting me share the last year with you!

Shut UP!

I can't believe it! I just got an email confirming that I won a prize in the Yokohama Spirit of Performance photo contest. I won a fleece jacket. Here's the link to the picture, http://www.flickr.com/photos/spirit_of_performance/4029843773/
I didn't have my zoom lens at the time, I could have taken much better photos if I did, and then I would have won a set of Yokohama tires. Oh, well, next year!

2 more sleeps

He's had it, he's done with shopping, done with the housecleaning, the wrapping, the baking and the picture taking.

As I do every year, I try to get a couple of perfect shots of the kids in front of the tree. These two took longer than usual this year, Linus didn't want to sit next to Sally, he's scared to, he looks proud, and maybe a bit aloof but really he's scared poopless to be there.

These two complained about how long it took to get their picture taken, but then Kerry pointed out that if they just sat still and didn't touch each other, I'd be able to get that one good shot faster. I also had to compromise. Note the t-shirts. Karen Russell said something on her blog the other day that summed up my Christmas and pretty much every other event where I try to photograph the kids...'expectations reduce joy'. It's true.

I expect them to enjoy being photographed.

I expect them to dress in co-ordinating outfits, regardless of their age.

I expect them to make sure there are not feathers in their hair, food on their faces, or dog hair on their clothes.

I expect them to do what I say.

Give me dogs any day! At least they listen to me even if it is only when I have a carrot in my hand.

It's cold today, but sunny. I want snow. But I guess if I can't have snow, cold and sunny are better than dark and rainy.

Gifted

I was browsing the newsletter we get from the ES, Exceptional Students Program. Emily asked what it was, I told her it's the letter we get because she's gifted. She says no one told her that and I told her she was gifted, but it's not our fault she never opened that gift and used it. Good thing she has a sense of humour. We know she's exceptionally smart, she always has been, she could read when she was about 3 yrs. old. She can spell just about anything. But she's also a tad lazy.

It doesn't look like we will have a white Christmas this year. It never feels quite right when there isn't any snow on Christmas. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the forecast will change.

I've got a few last minute things to pick up, bake and wrap and then I'm done.

A week before Christmas

Kerry's Christmas party was last night. I have always had a problem with motion sickness. Nothing has helped, short of being doped up with Gravol. So when Kerry's boss told us that a limo would be picking us up to take us to and from the Christmas party, we were pretty excited, neither one of us thought about motion sickness. Turns out the 'limo' was a 32 foot long Ford Excursion that seats 14 people. I originally sat where Kim sat, she's the one with the champagne. Sorry about the crappy pictures but limos are not well lit. I had to get out at each stop we made and have a breather. After we picked up Ivan and Bev, they are the blurry people at the front, I was told I couldn't sit in front with the driver because there isn't a passenger seat up there. So I had to sit where the door was, which was one of only 4 seats facing forward, problem with that is that it's at least 20 feet from the front of the vehicle and I need to see where we are going in order to not regurgitate my meals.All in all, we had a good time, awesome meal at Summerhill Winery, here's a couple of pictures I borrowed off the internet of the winery.My dad was given a Snuggie for Christmas but he has his favourite blanket that he always uses so he gave the Snuggie to me. I would have given it to Emily but I think she might be getting one for Christmas. The tree was decorated by Kerry and the kids while I was at a photoshoot, getting paid to do something I like! I tried to pare down the ornaments but it's hard to decide which ones get to stay and which ones go.

Emily, Kerry and I played with sparklers earlier this week, which means I had to learn how to use my flash. It took a few tries, the hardest part was getting the timing right on the lighting of the sparklers and the pushing of the shutter button, and making a heart wasn't exactly easy either. It looks more like an apple.

Long time no blog!

Kerry's been on holidays all week, hence the minimal computer time. We've been shopping. Every.
Single.
Day.
I hate it. I'm okay if it's in and out and it's to buy me something, like a lens, a book, or a treat. But when I don't have a decent list, or idea of what I am getting, I get a bit grumpy, although I have to admit, I haven't been that grumpy. But I did get a big zit on my chin for the Christmas party tonight. Which by the way, we are going to in style, in a limo.
I've taken pictures mostly for my slow, and sad, Daily December album, but I'm too tire to get my camera and upload the pictures. I have an engagement shoot next week, and a maternity shoot the week after, with some new born shoots to follow. Very exciting!

The house is clean, won't be for long, decorated, all the shopping is done, I hope, the baking is pretty much done, if we don't eat it all between now and Christmas. Now I just need to stock up on my rest!

It's a small world.

I never really thought much about who Linus's dad was. We met his mom, and some of his siblings. We know that his mom died from food poisoning about a year ago. We know that one of his brothers lays exactly like he does when he does the frog or the Superman. But today, Emily says one of her classmates owns Linus's dad. It's not hard to figure out he really is Linus's dad, seeing as how no other Golden Retrievers have been born tailless, ever it seems according to the internet, and he was named Rowan at birth, which isn't something we had told Emily, but this classmate knew this. So like an episode of Find My Family, we have located them, but doubt we will be meeting under the Family Tree for a reunion.

Linus turns 3 in January. This is a magic number, everyone says Goldens get better with age. Apparently you start to notice around 3. I have noticed in the last month that he isn't tormenting me as much. Although he has developed a liking for the bathroom garbage can. I think Sally might agree with me, Linus doesn't seem to bug her as much either.

Brrrr....It's Cold!

It has warmed up a bit, it's only -11. But it's so bright and sunny that a person could be deceived into not dressing appropriately and then heading outside and then freezing her butt off. But not me! I don't plan on leaving the house.

I had my first maternity photo shoot on Sunday. The couple was super nice and their dog was such a sweetie. I think it went alright consider it was my first indoor shoot. I've got to get the hang of using my flash though. I have other people lined up for indoor shoots and am going to need to use it.

This is one of my favourites.

The house is decorated, the tree is up, and I'm not any closer to being finished my shopping.

Dec. 4

Panic has set it. I realized the second Emily said "Where's my advent calendar?" that I had forgotten to get/make the kids their calendars. I had grand plans, not to be mistaken with grand illusions. I was going to make the calendars using the little watch maker tins my aunt gave me for Christmas last year and I was going to fill them with different things, chocolate, knick knacks, candy, and money, when I ran out of ideas. And then December came rushing in!

So a trip to the Superstore netted me 2 Kindersurprise calendars and 1 Marvel Superheroes calendar. Kerry doesn't need the Kinder toys, but does need daily chocolate, even if it is made mostly of wax.

We were discussing where to put the tree this year. Kerry said 'over there', meaning anywhere not infront of the tree. I said "Let's move the tv and put the tree in the corner."

To which Kerry replied very seriously "No body puts TREE in the CORNER!"

Which is one of the very few lines any of us can remember from any movie. Why does it have to be Dirty Dancing? No body puts Baby in the corner!

As I try to do every year, I will try again this year to get that perfect family photo by the tree. I have given up on my dream photo of the kids and dogs sitting in front of the glowing tree, wearing co-ordinating clothing, and smiling at me. Instead I will settle for the tree standing up right, kids in clothes and not pjs, and no dogs eating ornaments. I mean really, can anything top this...

Dec.1

Holy smokes! It's coming faster than I thought!
I just remembered my Daily December album. What to do? It's only the first day and already I'm stressing about it. I've got an idea, the sun is shining and I'm taking a break from prepping tonight's class.
I may not take pictures and blog the album every day to show you, I might do every once in awhile and then the whole shebang at the end. Or maybe not, we'll see how it goes.