Cheerio Popsicle Recipe

My creative children often surprise me by leaving culinary (experiments) creations in the freezer. One day I was getting some homemade popsicles out for the kids and I came across a unique concoction of cheerios and ice carefully disguised as a popsicle. I questioned the kids as to how it got there, and my sweet A. quickly claimed it as her own and proceeded to eat it.

So proud of her cheerio pop- A's recipe: simply fill popsicle container 1/3 of the way with cheerios. Add water from the refrigerator dispenser and cheerios will float to the top. Insert handle and freeze until set. Enjoy. You may want to make more than one in case your family wants to sample one. I personally wouldn't take one bite~ though the frozen cheerios probably taste better than soggy cheerios! Perhaps you could try filling up the holder with milk instead of water and enjoy breakfast on a stick in the morning!!

Adventures With a Family of 6

This shoot was a blast-- when I saw the family pull up, I was truly giddy with excitement. They looked great and their darling daughters arrived ready for a fun family session with a side order of fashion photography. Their clothing choices were fun, spunky yet conservative and worked out great with our rustic location. I have to admit being hung up on this one--it was so hard to not post the whole bunch here-- so I'll just save some surprises for later!! Enjoy~

{my favorite wall in the entire planet! ;) }

{she makes my job easy-- natural beauty, I tell you!}

{blue eyes & beautiful smile . . . she's stunning!}

{she has an awesome laugh and the most darling dimples!!}

{baby sis was so sweet and fun I had to post an extra for her!}

{a little urban texture action here-- so FUN!}

{gorgeous mom with the most sparkly eyes ever!!}

{dad couldn't escape the fun--I really like the GQ look here juxtaposed to the old shed door.}

{the girls with my "aged pecan" processing in adobe lightroom. This could also be an advertisement for studiocharm steaks, but many of you know that I'm a vegetarian, so they'd likely be tofu steaks and not very tasty. SO no steaks as part of your photo session, sorry folks!}

{I literally got goosebumps on my arms when I snapped this family shot in front of the red wall--even before I had seen the results. Something just "clicked" and it felt like an authentic moment was captured and preserved for this family. This is the high that photographers get once in a while--WAHOO!!}

{Last shot of the shoot- COWABUNGA! We all got a good laugh looking at the facial expressions on my viewfinder}.

Thanks H fam for such an adventurous, non-stressful shoot!! I am so excited to present your images to you!!

Happy Pioneer Day

Here's a link to This is the Place Heritage Park

Tickled.

Yesterday we celebrated S.'s last day of school with a cozy book read in our big leather recliner. All three kiddos piled on the chair with me and we read the first three chapters of Charlotte's Web. Snuggly and perfect? Yes. Until M. was completely bothered at having to share Mom with his two big sisters, and A.'s foot was in his face and then he and A. were just squabbling and crabby toward each other. Typical? Pretty much.

Then, to my sheer astonishment and utter surprise, M. held A.'s foot and said, "tickle, tickle, tickle." Of course A. laughed and then we all laughed. We didn't know M. knew how to tickle--but we continued to enjoy the rest of that chapter from that point on. Cute kids.

{This little guy is full of antics lately, I tell ya!}

Today was a busy day- we got the family up early and made the trip to Scoffield, UT to meet up at the cabin of a client of mine. We've been in the planning stages for a big project Big, as in very large scale and high up--yet I can work on it from home. What could it be? More details and pictures to come. I am excited to get to work on it. It will be spectacular!

I also tried and failed at my wannabe attempt as a National Geographic photographer. I don't know how they do it--photographing wild, flighty animals with out being noticed. There were some lovely white pelicans on the Reservoir today. I thought surely they wouldn't notice me sneaking across the muddy flats towards them-- I only wanted to snap picture or two. But nooooo, they had to paddle away and then had the nerve to completely fly away to the other shore. C'mon, my lens is big . . . but am I really that threatening? Not so. The pelicans in my photos are so far away and tiny it is embarrassing, so I am not likely to post those pictures.

DH and I had a little better luck in shooting some pictures of the old, dilapidated buildings in the pseudo-ghost town that is Scoffield, Utah. (keyword: inanimate objects). It is a quaint little place with about 1/2 of a business open at one time. Don't go there to find anything hustling and bustling . . . but if you'd like feel cool while driving on Myrtle Street this is your place. I spotted so many awesome backdrops I'd love to try with seniors or families or kids . . . only they're a nearly two hour drive from here. Oh well.

Could It Be?

It is no secret that photos are important to me. Perhaps my photography obsession in began the day I realized how few baby photos exist of me. I've got 3 from the day I was born, and about 2 or 3 more for the rest of my first year. There are more images of my older siblings . . . I think they must have used all of the Polaroid film up before my I was born. At about 8 years old I acquired my first camera and I've been making up for lost time ever since!

My Dad recently traveled to his home state of Texas. While there, he reunited with a brother he hasn't seen for . . . hmmmm, 20 years (or more?). I have only personally met two of his siblings, and this particular uncle is one I have yet to meet. He also met a distant relative who is a lifelong photo enthusiast and genealogist (he also happens to be 91 years old and still driving!) This relative gave my Dad a disc of family photos of many generations of anscestors. Priceless!! So upon returning home, my Dad received a surprise package in the mail sent by his brother Frank. It was a family album, put together by my Grandmother! (I only met her one time before she passed away, and never really had any relationship with her). I didn't know she even kept track of us, and yet here was the proof.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to look through this photo book with my Dad . . . there were so many images that were new to me (most of them before my time). I was floored to discover this little gem:

{Could this really be a baby photo of me? Yes! That is me at 6 weeks old with my cute 5 year-old sister Kim}

Along with many treasured photos, there were even a few homemade cards I had sent my grandma when I was a child. Wow. This photo makes me think: 1) My own babies were chubby like this at 6 weeks. 2) I always thought I was a bald baby and this photo would suggest otherwise. My babies were born with tons of hair . . . I never knew that was from my side of the family! 3) The serious-furrowed eyebrow look my kids give me can be traced back to me. 4) My Grandmother cared more about me than I thought she did. What a treasured photo!

Family is the essence of why I am a photographer. I feel such the sense of urgency to document and record life through my lens. Which images captured now will be treasured decades down the road? What stories will be remembered from the images I create? Hopefully plenty of them! Too many to count . . .

Mama Mia

Happy Mother's Day to all, and especially to my Mother.

She is young at heart. Beautiful.
She used to carry me on her hip.
I quickly grew to be five inches taller than her.
She is an only child.
I am her seventh child of nine.
She is a grandmother to twenty-two.
Great-grandmother to one.
She is an artist.
Mom allowed me to get messy with paints, pastel chalk and fabric.
She allowed me to find my way.
Encouraged me to pursue my dreams. Still does.
She managed to find patience with me and all of my sassiness.
We've grown closer since I've become a mother.
I'm beginning to come to an understanding.
I still wonder how she did it.
So glad she chose to be a mother.
Thanks Mom. I love you.

Get the Snorter

So my 5D was showing a bit of dust and I read up on how to clean the image sensor. It is a bit intimidating to attempt cleaning it, as my camera manual lists about 3-DO's and 10 DONT DO's for this procedure. I heard of people using those little snot-suction things (intended for infants' noses) to blow air on the image sensor as part of the cleaning. A $2 snorter sounded like a much better deal than a $25 kit. So, I bought a NEW snorter and proceeded to clean the image sensor inside my camera. The fam knows that THIS snorter is not to be used for noses--READ: FOR THE CAMERA ONLY.
A few minutes ago A. picked up the camera snorter and offered it to me kindly, saying, "Look . . . can you snort YOUR nose?" Aaacck! Do I need a snorter of my own? Hope not! Hope I never do! It just made for a good laugh.

{Silly girl.}

Tulip Festival at 19 Percent

So about the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point . . .

For the last few weeks I've been daydreaming of the arrival of the beautiful tulips, flittering butterflies and the sweet smell of lilacs on the breeze. Truth is, springtime around here has been a slow poke. One day it is 80 degrees, the next day 40 and snowing. Yikes! For good reason, the tulips have been delayed-- and I am no horticulturist, but I understand that it just isn't prime tulip season. We only have one tulip bulb in our yard and it just bloomed. It was a tulip left over from the previous owners about 4 years ago. (Go figure?) Lacking in tulips, we rely upon the Gardens at Thanksgiving Point to fill that need.

So we waited all of last week to allow a little more time for the tulips to wake up. Friday was gorgeous weather and we could wait no longer. The receptionist at the gardens said the tulips were at about 19 percent. I figured that 19% of 250,000 bulbs still adds up to quite a lot. So we went.

There weren't a whole lotta tulips YET. If you can imagine, there will be tulips by the bushel in a week or so. I did manage to get some fun shots nonetheless, and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. My mother was in town and helped to keep the kidlets in one place, allowing me to shoot away.

{My little photographer's assistant: capturing her own piece of the tulip mania}

{Each one facing a different direction. Counting me, we've got the north-south-east-west covered! This is what I call "lack of posing" or "not willing to hold still."}

{Thanks Mom for this shot of my handsome little guy and my wind-swept hair. I love M's expression here!}

{My cutie pies at the fountain inside the secret garden. A. made a wish and plopped a coin into the water. S. did too- though her coin toss was too fast for me to capture! She asked me today with a tone of dissappointment, "Why didn't my wish come true?" I urged her to be patient, as some wishes take a long time.}

{Welcome to the secret garden . . . I can't show you everything inside, as it wouldn't be a secret! I can say that I dream of having one of my own some day!}

{Mmmmm. Springtime.}

{M. crawling down the steep grassy hillside. Most kids rolled sideways, he just met it head on. Atta boy!}

{Grandma won M. over on this trip . . . he's known for being quite the Mama's boy, so it was a nice break for me!}

{Sweet girl- love this one!}

Sand Bags

Today we're getting the rest of the sand out of our bags- home from a week long trip to sunny San Diego. It is good to be home, and 'twas good to be gone. Being together as a family for seven days straight: wonderful. Having DH gone at work today reminds me how much I just love being with him. I already miss him.

I've got buckets of photos from our adventure that I am just thrilled about . . . and I photographed a wedding yesterday that I can't wait to share too! I came home to a full voicemail box, about a million emails to respond to, and I and I am working on getting back to everyone. Boy, do I feel loved! ;)

{M's first glimpse, touch, and feel of the ocean. He was mesmerized! I was too--can you tell?}

I promise, there'll be plenty more to come. I just need to get back to "work" for the moment.

Time Well Spent

Meet C & A- a beautiful, wonderful couple, expecting their first child in a couple of months. This shoot took place outside the Logan Temple in northern Utah. The weather cooperated perfectly, and it was great to be part of their special day. Aren't they adorable?

{The LDS Temple in Logan, Utah-- it is so amazing and historical!}

{This shot was by special request. I think she makes a great little pixie. :) }

To C&A, it was such a memorable day-- thanks for inviting me to be a part of it!

Just stuff . . .

I just got back from Logan--I really enjoyed a fun family shoot there today . . . those pictures will have to come later. My family came along for the roadtrip . . . while I was at my shoot, my little ones went with the daddy-o to the local grocery store to buy rolls to feed the ducks at an icy pond all the while ignoring the slight snow/rain coming down. They were in heaven!

It has been a busy, busy week, and I am trying to play catch up. I am one of those crazy-busy people, and I do like it that way. The opportunity cost is that I have to work really hard to keep the balance in life. This is something I am not always great at, but it keeps me striving for something. I am thankful for a sweet family who has patience for me when I am ultra-focussed on work: photography/ art endeavors. I am thankful for clients who have patience for me when I have to take a moment to focus on family. I am thankful for good health, as we have had an abundance of sickness in our home for a month and we are all currently healthy* (*knock on wood). Just thankful.

{Valentine's Roses . . . too many gorgeous colors to pick just one favorite}

Long overdue- a brief mention of a recent holiday. One of my husband's shining moments was Valentine's Eve when during a major blizzard (seriously, the craziest, windiest storm in the past decade around here) we dared go out and buy some candy for S's class Valentines. DH went into one store for *something* while we stayed in the car. He thought we'd be there when he came back out. I thought I had communicated that we'd quickly go to the other store to buy the candy and come back. So off we went. Minutes later he exited the store to discover his family was MIA. My cell phone didn't work inside the candy store, because apparently there were so many people stuck in the snow that the phone lines were overloaded. Just as we pulled out, I could see a figure walking across the parklot towards us. He was frosty, covered in snow and holding a beautiful boquet of roses. Wow! I am so glad he still gave me the roses after all of that trouble. ;) He's so good to me.

Finding Color in Winter

I am constantly on the lookout for great photo spots. During this winter season we've been blanketed in the color of white (which I do find beautiful) . . . but as the snow melts our whitescape becomes more muddy, gritty, grungy, brownish. Not so beautiful. So in search of some color, I recently noticed a couple of spots in the area that were calling to be photographed. I convinced my "middle model" to join me on an adventure, with the promise of picking out a treat at the end. {Please tell me most parents resort to bribing their children from time to time?}

{This darling crochet brown hat is from chloereese . . . I just ordered a couple of hats last week and I was anxious to get them. As I was ready to leave for this shoot, they magically appeared in the mailbox and I was delighted. I highly recommend this website for children's hair accessories!!}

{A wonderful friend let me borrow her canon 70-200L f/4 lens for this shoot. I did enjoy it . . . and am even more hopeful that some day I may acquire the 70-200L f/2.8 IS lens. I did "try on" the f/2.8 recently and it was "beauty and the beast" all in one. The f/4 does have an appeal in being slightly less monstrous!}

{This one makes my heart flutter. She's just gorgeous! Minutes after this she asked, "Can we go home yet?" Doesn't she know this is as good as it gets?!?}

{Childhood. Imagination. Surreal. Great location, eh?}

More February Fun

Here are some more photos from the past few days that I'm pleased to share:

{this one melts my heart!}

{just a doll!}

{M. knows I have a tendancy to lose my lenscap. He's just making sure I keep it on!}

{She's sure growing up! She has really been into styling her own hair this past week. She told me she wanted "bangs" the other day, so I clipped a few really subtle ones. This morning at breakfast she said, "I really like bangs." She is such a little carbon copy of me at this age, I can't believe it. Stubbornness and sweetness mixed into one!}

{We recently moved M. from his high chair to a booster seat at the table. Here he is letting us know that he's done with dinner, even though we had just begun eating. He reminds me of a little cowboy here.}

{sassy lass!}

{these eyelashes were handed down from his maternal grandfather- my Dad.}

{My photography assistant! She is really loving her camera- and was so cute yesterday setting up a tripod and requesting that I be in a "photo shoot."}

{Sweethearts! This was a very spontaneous shot, as you can see I am holding the camera at arm's length. Please forgive the wide angle distortion! Photos of the two of us are lesser in number, so I have to insist on a few now and then. }

{my little snow people . . . we've had more snow than ever this winter and the kids know the routine of getting geared up to play outside. We currently have at least 18" in the front yard!!}

Where Oh Where Has My Baby Gone?

Who is this toddler and what have you done with my baby boy?!? M's hair was growing long and kind of fuzzy in the back and he was looking a bit shaggy. I knew I'd have to cut it at some point, but knowing that when this happened his baby look would be immediately erased. Friday I finally had the nerve to go ahead and give him his first haircut.

{before the haircut}

{rocker baby hairdo- before the cut. Notice the lollipop distraction? This really did help!}

{almost there}

{fresh out of the bath- a clean-cut, sticky lollipop-free boy!}

{Ta da! I can't believe how old he looks now!}

In church yesterday several people commented that M looks so grown up "these days." Well, that just happened the day before when I clipped off his baby locks. Of course I saved a couple of locks of his hair. So long babyhood . . . well mostly.

S. asked me yesterday, "What are we doing to do with that hair? Make a wig?" (referring to the little clipped locks I set aside.

I told her it would only be enough for a Barbie wig!

DH said he was glad that I am now the official family barber- which is fine by me. I told him if we ever have another son, that he'll have to be in charge of the boys' haircuts. While growing up, DH's father was the one who cut all of his boys' hair. They'd avoid being the last one at the clippers, since the metal blades would get mighty hot by the end of the haircutting session! (He grew up in a family of 6 boys and 2 girls!) His dad even owned a barber chair and is still willing to give the grandsons a haircut now and then.

~Amy

Where We Get Our Kix

Ahhhhh, the sound of light fluffy balls of golden corn delicately bouncing on the wooden floor. I hear the rustle as hundreds of them are shaked from an upside down box onto the floor. I hear the crackle, as tiny toes pulverize them to cereal dust. This is where we get our kix. Got milk?

So the babe was responsible for the shaking and dumping, but it was big sister who left the pantry door ajar.

Here's the discussion we all had while cleaning up the cereal mess:

A: "He's a mean little guy."

Me: "No he's not. He just did what babies like to do, that is get into stuff. You left the pantry door open and that is how he got the cereal."

A: "Oh."

Me: "S. did this same thing with cheerios when she was a baby."

A: "Was I the big sister then?"

Me:"No, you weren't born yet."

S chimes in: "They were still working on making your body."

Me: "You were in Heaven waiting to come down."

S: "This is going to take like an hour to clean up!"

Me (holding a large bowl filled with kix cereal): Who wants to eat this BIG bowl of cereal with a BIG spoon?

A: "I do!"

(I didn't give it to her, by the way. She had eaten plenty by the time we had it all picked up.)

"I'm the baby and I endorse this message."

{Brought to you by Kids In Xcess . . . KIX. I'm a bit disgruntled because they cleaned up all of my cereal. All that work!!}

Blahhhhh

I have been sick the past few days- hence, the lack of accomplishing a whole lot. I finally went in to the dr. today and it turns out I have strep throat. Not a surprise to me. I opted for the shot of antibotics rather than the pill form (here's the surprise, since I am really an anti-needle person). I am already feeling a little better. I will be posting more photos as soon as I have a chance and energy. :)

Canvas Delight

A lovely treat was delivered today despite the snow storm that pounded us last night. Right on cue, these two canvases were delivered. One is for one of my wedding couples- I'll be delivering it to them tomorrow . . . and the other is for me. They turned out absolutely perfect, and I will definitely be ordering through simply canvas again. In fact, I'll am expecting about 25 of them next week, and I will post more canvas images as they arrive.

{Wow! This is going to be a stunning piece in their home- I love the modern look of the wrapped edges. We chose to wrap this in black.}

{Big baby face canvas = perfect for anywhere, especially the nursery! M. was happy to pose for me, as I wanted to illustrate the large scale of this 20x20 canvas.}

{Oooh, baby!}

{"Now who is that guy? He's got some killer good looks, I tell ya!} -- nothing wrong with a little self-adoration when you're one year old.}

{detail shot of the gallery wrap- no need for a frame, ready-to-hang with hardware on back.}

Expression in the Details

I am all about capturing true expression. I don't ask my kids to smile in all the photos . . . I never "say cheese." It just isn't my style. I am thrilled when I look through images of my family and see the many unique and authentic expressions that my children offer. This week, M. started scrunching his nose, just like A. did when she was about one or two. He also recently adopted a dramatic howling expression, meant to make Mom feel much empathy for him and it often works. I picked up the camera for 10 minutes yesterday afternoon and just interacted with the kiddos. This variety came from our impromtu shoot, and these expressions are ones I dont want to forget.

{She just noticed her first "replacement" tooth growing in, and you can see she is checking it out with her tongue. Right now baby brother has just enough teeth to fill S's missing spaces. That will never happen again.}

{I can hear her soft, contagious laughter when I see this image.}

{M. often hums, sings and tests out his voice these days. He seems to be carrying on a conversation in his own language. This is his inquisitive look.}

{This is S. when she is lost in thought . . . saving words for a flood of conversation.}

{Deep concentration, yet relaxed and very absorbed in her dry erase marker drawing.}

and finally . . .

The debut image from 5 year old assistant photographer with her kodak easyshare camera, taken from her booster seat on the way to S. Utah. This tells the story of mom & dad on their anniversary. I LOVE this photo. :) I love that my girl took it, and it was her idea.

Don't be afraid to get out the camera and shoot pictures of life "as is." Even if your house is messy, your kids have crusty faces and messy hair. These are the photos that tell the story of real life . . . isn't it magical?

In Search of Red Berries

My sister Lara is an amazing artist. She was the one who really introduced me to mural art while I was in college, and I am in awe of both her creativity and ability. She has that artist's eye, always scoping out neat textures, patterns, techniques, etc. Her ability to then take what she has seen and translate it into amazing artwork is incredible.

While visiting S. Utah during the holidays I had planned to do a photo session for Lara & her family. Before I arrived, she found this location for the shoot- she saw all of the beautiful red berries, and mentioned it to me. I knew this would be the perfect spot (even before seeing it in person) as I trust her artistic judgement. So- a portrait of an artist family- (her DH is also an artist) and the coveted red berries (I wish I had my own berry backdrop in snowy N. Utah right now!) . . .

{don't you just love baby bro's smiling eyes?}

{Daddy's girl.}

{a little vintage-texture-fun here}

{we braved the harsh sunlight for a shot on the bridge. No berries, but plenty of nice grasses and cute kids!}

Moral of the story- it never hurts to scope out your own location for a photo shoot . . . just keep your eyes open and you'll find something that "speaks" to you! PS- and let me know if you find any huge red berry bushes in Utah County!

Blurred Background in Schnauzer Grey

A couple of weeks ago I promised a post about something GREY. Well, I had intended to post a few photos from this puppy session with some wiggly, cuddly mini-schnauzer puppies belonging to one of my friends. I must say it was more difficult than the newborn session that followed. Just the idea of 5 babies, with four legs each, and lots of sharp teeth. Anyhow, here are a couple of puppy photos:

CAMERA SETTINGS: SOOC (sharpened for web) f/4 at 1/100, ISO 400

So to answer "seepotscrap's" question regarding camera settings to create a blurred background. I create this so-called "bokeh" be doing the following:

1. I use the largest aperture (f/stop) that my lens allows- this lens is f/4.

2. I use a lens with a zoom or a longer focal length (this lens is a canon 24-105 f/4 L). I am free to crop in tightly, but I stand further away from the subject and zoom in to compress the background.

By doing these two things, you will be able to create a more shallow depth-of-field, thus blurring the background. I have a lens that is 85mm f/1.8. This lens does an awesome job of "blurring the background" because of the large aperture. Sometimes it can be too shallow. Photoshop can be used to blur elements of the image that you would like to minimize (and I use this feature occasionally), but to get the true effect you must create it in-camera. If you are shooting with a point-and-shoot camera, your Av setting, or Portrait setting will basically create the settings I mentioned above for you. Test it out and get to know your camera so you can predict what will be in focus and what will be blurred.

{...and if you're in the market for salt & pepper mini-schnauzer puppies, my friend just may have a couple left for sale. :) }

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

In case you aren't in Utah, (perhaps you are enjoying summer in Australia!) . . . it is ffffrrrreeeeeezing right now! Well, I am snuggly warm in my office. But outside. Man, it is cold! We moved Andy the bunny into the garage for some added warmth, as it is expected to dip down to the single digits tonight. We're so blessed with a warm home--and a night like tonight makes us appreciate it all the more.

So, along the lines of photos that represent freezing cold, here are some from a spontaneous sledding adventure from late Saturday afternoon, a snowman photo shoot, and some warm inside shots as well:

{I love how M's reaction mirrors his daddy's expression!}

{Mom can sled too? I must admit, it has been awhile since I've dared hit the slopes- or bunny hills in this case!}

{In Utah, some snowflakes look like chubby babies falling from the sky.}

We used every last minute of daylight on our sledding outing. We decided to go on the "spur of the moment" and got to the park just about 30 minutes before sundown. Anything to earn a mug of hot cocoa, right?

On a separate occasion, the girls took it upon themselves to create a snowman entirely on their own, and I must say it was just about the coolest snowman EVER!

Now, for a few warm photos taken inside our sunny kitchen:

{Our dear A., stricken with a severe case of sticker pox. Yes, you may note a pattern here that this girl likes to decorate herself with markers, stickers, polish, etc.}

{catch that baby!! M. is continually on the go, despite the fact that he apparently has a double ear infection (again). We just went to the dr. today. Perhaps a little too much fun outside? Ooops.}

So It Begins . . .

DH and I are parents to 2 beautiful little girls and a handsome boy. We know that we've already got our hands full, but I have often reassured myself that I have about a decade to prepare for all of the "teen issues" that we'll encounter. I felt like today we got our feet wet . . . a glimpse of the future, if you will.

S. had her very definite opinion that there was only ONE shirt that was the perfect shirt for today's outfit. 30 minutes later she emerged from her room wearing the shirt of her choice that was the shirt she had previously despised.

A. was practicing her selective hearing skills as I called out for her many times. She was in the bathroom testing out my nail polish. This was a first for her- and I have to say although she dripped it all over the bathroom counter and her pajama pants, her nails looked lovely. She had chosen the lightest, most shimmery color of my collection. (Thankfully!)

S. and her battles to get out of doing homework. Enough said.

and the one that really threw me for a loop . . .

s: Mom, today I kissed a boy.
me: What?!?
s: Well, he kissed me.
me: Where did he kiss you?
s: On the playground.
m: You shouldn't kiss boys or let them kiss you. You're way too young. You need to be a grown up like mom and dad.
s: why?

{I'm not ready to be a mom of teenagers!! Yikes! I am just trying to get the potty training thing down!}

So that was today- and I don't have any photos to back it up. We were just trying to stay afloat today, so the new 5D didn't make it out to play. :)

Room for More . . .

. . . sisters, that is. My parents have 7 daughters and 2 sons. This is my sister Kim. She is the sister just older than me. Though we were scrappy as kids we get along great as adults. She also loves photography and is an amazing artist. She is one of the most gracious hostesses and is always willing to host big family gatherings (and any gathering with our family ends up being a big production!). Somehow she even talked me into singing karaoke on New Year's Eve (not sure how, considering singing is not one of my things). I must admit, I had a fun time. Her DH Jeff also introduced us to Wii Bowling. Here are some picts from an impromptu shoot on New Year's Eve in southern Utah (hence the lack of snow!)

{Pushing the limits (ie. 3200 ISO), using every last minute of daylight . . . and then some. This one has such a runway feel to it, and I added a touch of texture to top it off}

Kim- you make this modeling thing look easy with your dangerous good looks. Love you~ Amy

Sister Love

Some great shots I am excited to post . . . this is another one of my beautiful sisters. Cindy is a screen writer living in Los Angeles, yet is she no stranger to this cold Utah weather. Much of my childhood and youth is filled with memories of entertainment in the form of story-telling, home movies, paper dolls, costumes galore . . . and Cindy always seemed to be the creative force behind it all. She keeps it going, channeling her talents into the amazing screenplays she creates. She has the ability to translate an idea into a cohesive story. Personally, I have a problem coming up with a decent ending for silly stories I make up for my kids at bedtime! So- here she is . . .

{Beautiful smile! Love ya, sis!}

Ice Beauty

New camera. Family visiting from out of town. Great excuse for a photo shoot. Nevermind the 20 degree weather. I think the results are quite phenomenal . . . and I can't take much credit either. Meet my baby sis from Los Angeles, with a singing voice as stunning as those baby blues:

{A little texture action going here. She was a trooper minus the furry coat! Brrrr!}

{right out of a magazine, right here, baby!}

{Aunt Jessica smooches M., modeling a santa red fleece snowsuit by Old Navy}

{Stunning Beauty. Don't make me choose my favorite shot!}

On a personal note. I have to say that this shoot was a bonding experience for Jessica and I. I admit we weren't exactly the best of friends while growing up. She lives the single life in LA and I live the married, mom of 3, life in Utah. Yet, when it comes to photography, we have very similar tastes . . . and just the other day I think we realized this.

She's got a killer voice- if you want to check out her music go here: Jessica Dimond . Love ya, Jess!

Happy New Year!

Just back from holiday travels and wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year! 2008, can you believe it? I have a TON of photos to go through . . . 12 GB of them to be exact. I've got some really fun photos I am so anxious to share and will be doing that in the next little bit.

The photos I will be posting have particular interest for me, as they have been shot with my new baby . . . I am now the pr0oud owner of a CANON 5D!! This is THE camera, and we are instant friends. {Happy Christmas/ Anniversary/ New Year to me!}. Thanks to my DH for being supportive of my photography passion, as he endured a "vacation" spent working the new camera. He actually took the 5D out for an early morning stroll one day and came back with some great treasures. I love having a husband that shares my love for photography! I feel so excited about this year and the direction studiocharm is headed. I look forward to some great fun!

Christmas Day

My oldest DD is 5, and was just thrilled to wake up Christmas morning. She woke up at 7:30 a.m. (Santa & Mrs. C went to sleep just three hours before) and for the first year ever, I was one of those mean old parents who in a groggy, sleep-deprived state of being, asked her if she could go back to bed for a while to let us have a chance to wake up. She was patient for about 15 minutes, but soon little sis. and "the buddy" awoke . . and eventually Mom & Dad just had to get it together and join in the fun.

{Santa was here, and left a little webkinz friend.}

{white Christmas}

{the beginnings of a great photographer...}

{catchin' up on some zzzzzzz's . . . I wish I could get in a good nap!}

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

Snow. Blowing Sideways. Cold outside. Cozy inside. Dinner. Family. Peppermint Pig. Singing songs. Guitar playing. Fondue. Games. The Santa Clause. Santa baiting. Gift wrapping. Gift Assembling. Stocking stuffing. Not much sleeping. Lots of Anticipation.

Christmas Nativity & the Card

We hope you all had a wonderful holiday! Here's our Christmas card that didn't make it out on time, but is forthcoming (we encountered some unexpected printing delays).

{Shortly after a frustrating phone conversation with my printing company, I received another call from a marketing rep from this same company requesting permission to use this card as a sample at their tradeshows- 20+ shows this year alone. I was quite flattered that they noticed my card out of the thousands they print . . . and they did correct the printing mishap, so my new cards are on their way.}

We had a wonderful holiday- we kept things pretty low key and I like it that way. This morning I am experiencing day two of my Christmsas recovery. The process includes catching up a little on some zzzzzz's, wading through new toys scattered about as I head to the kitchen to polish off the remaining morsels of homemade goodies, trying to forget how much $$ left our bank accounts in such a short time, and now repeatedly reviewing fun photos that will soon be the main source of our holiday memories.

First I will take to you the first day of Christmas: (dinner, a cousins' gift exchange and a nativity acted out by the cousins). Here's a glimpse:

{Beautiful.}

T'is the Season

. . . and we are not quite ready for Christmas, but that's okay. This has been our busiest season yet as far as photos and cards go. We're officially done taking orders for Christmas cards (and our family cards are finally off to print!) I am now taking a few moments to enjoy the beauty of the season too. You may notice the new blog header (with snow-t-rex and snow-baby . . . we had a blast playing in the snow last week!)

I'm still trying to meet my goal of 100 posts before the end of the year. I thought I would add some photos from the past week of interesting textures, colors and elves. :)

{Have you ever seen such darling elves? S. did a great job in her program . . . she didn't have a problem finding me in the audience . . . I was the mom with the huge lens in front of her face.}

{Mr. Snow Rex survived the night despite severe cracking at the base of his tail. He actually lasted nearly a week before he toppled over!}

{"Mom! Come see the train!"}

{Innocent baby brother}

{"Don't ruin my train!!" ~ A. attempts to thwart M's efforts to displace her toy arrangement.}

One quick story: A couple of days ago we decided to pick up some fast food for dinner at Burger King. Usually DH drives and I distribute food to the family from the passenger seat. For some reason, I was in the driver's seat this night. I snacked on french fries while K. proceeded to pass food to the kids and to eat his Whopper and such. He complained several times that his burger didnt' didn't taste right, like it had some weird sauce on it . . . or something. Perhaps it tasted weird because he had a cold? He finished it off and then looked through the paper sack again. To his surprise, he found an extra burger. I said, "No, that one is my garden burger." (I am a vegetarian and have been since I was about 3 years old). Then at the same time we both burst out in laughter, as we realized he had eaten my veggie burger (all the while thinking it was a whopper-gone-bad.). So I ate his whopper (minus the meat patty) and he thinks we're even now. (If you count eating a veggie burger as punishment enough for eating someone else's dinner!) :)

What a Feeling!!

My baby (well, younger) brother graduated from college yesterday. We attended his graduation and of course my camera was there to capture the action. This was definitely the most exciting moment of the day:

{You can just see how the weight lifted off his shoulders has affected him!}

{Here's M. and his lovely wife D. If you are wondering about the hard-hat, well that was the grand prize for graduates in construction management. She might need it to protect her head if flying, pointy-edged caps happen to rain down.}

These two are moving back east in a couple of weeks. We are surely going to miss having them within an hour distance . . . they are the type of people you just never get enough of. We stayed at their house yesterday for a few hours- Uncle M. built a fort-tunnel out of couch cushions for the girls (and their dog Merlin) to sneak through.

There was much laughter and squealing on the part of baby M. any time Merlin the dog would come running ready to lavish on his friendly dog-kisses. This was M's first real hands-on (whisker pulling out) encounter with a dog. He was enamored!

Three Little Ladies in Red Peacoats

I've been so anxious to post these photos from a session this week! I've had the privelege of photographing these little girls on many occasions . . . the first time was when the twins (now toddlers) were itty bitty newborns. It has been amazing to see how they have grown up in such a short time, and big sister has really grown into her role too.

So here they are again- in their dazzling Christmas dresses and red peacoats. Enjoy!!

{mesmerizing beauty}

{Just turned . . . one, two . . . three.}

{curiosity mixed with serenity}

{The girls were fascinated with the salt on the steps- placed there to melt the ice or as supplemental minerals for children. :) }

{Sweet smooches.}

{Snatching Mom's jewelry and trying it on in front of the mirror . . .what a little lady!}

{Lovely family photo next to the cozy fireplace. This was actually one of the first shots of the session, and the girls knew just what to do.}

{I love being a photographer when I feel I blend into the scene and just observe as a fly on the wall. I LOVE to see how families interact and the bonds they share and create. This photo does that for me.}

{Nearly zonked. Toward the end of the session this little one fell asleep in her daddy's arms}

{Alone time? What is alone time when you've got three little kids at home?}

To the D Fam: thanks for a fun session and for trusting my artistic judgement. I am so flattered to see the growing gallery of photography in your home that you have allowed me to be a part of. One of my favorite parts of the whole session was when sweet J. wanted me to hold her. That was great! Your cards will be here Monday . . . I can hardly wait! I am as excited to see them as if they were my own family's cards. They are going to be gorgeous!!

Look Who's Walking!!

M. having recently celebrated his first birthday has taken the next step . . . literally! Here's his video debut:

We hope you enjoyed the feature presentation. M. loves watching this clip over and over again!

~Amy

Newborn Love

Saturday morning we awoke to a nice, fluffy blanket of snow outside. This made for a very snuggly, cozy 8 am photo shoot inside the home of this beautiful family. It was so fun to see how the girls had grown since I photographed them a year and a half ago, and baby brother was just as gorgeous and sweet. At two weeks old and with bushels of hair, this little guy has captured the hearts of three big sisters and his mom and dad.

{This little babe is just perfect. I love how soft and cuddly he looks in this one!}

{Don't ya just love baby feet?}

{These girls sure love each other!}

{One of my favorites from the session! I love how Dad's arms completely encircle his son, and it shows the scale of tiny newborn and protective father.}

{Here's a moment of "crowded happiness" for this family.}

{Beautifully . . .}

{Breathtakingly . . .}

{Gorgeous . . .}

{. . . Family. I love sessions li