Remembering Dad......

Today makes 22 years since we lost my dad in the plane crash. This year is a little different....I'm the age he was when he died. Im struggling with the thoughts that come through my head as I think of my mom and how she felt being left alone with four kids - two of us in our teenage years - I remember being obnoxious and self-centered!!!! Its really strange how the anniversary of something big like this can be celebrated with different thoughts and feelings every year based on where you are in your own life. I'll always feel blessed for the lessons I learned those following months.

Just wrote my mom a note and sent it to her email inbox at work:
"Thinking of you today!!! I'll always be glad God chose you to leave with us. I know it hasn't been easy for you....you're amazing!!! xoxoxo, Kel"

As much as I miss my dad......can't imagine the days without my mom!!

RIP Dad.
~kel~

Happy New Year!!

Christmas at our house was "happy"!! The kids got along great, which makes mom happy!!

Here is our fireplace with stocking's all hung with care....

Today I watched my boy play his favorite game!! Its always a thrill to watch your child doing something they love. I got UGG boots from hubs for Christmas, LOVE THEM! As a hockey mom, I can't believe the years I have suffered with cold feet through games without them! I am not the outdoorsy type so never really owned a pair of boots I'd like to wear out often....Im sitting at the pc and wearing my UGG's! I feel a little naughty too....Im sockless in them! Swore I'd never be able to wear boots without socks but they kept sliding down while shopping the day after Christmas sales so I slid my socks off and slipped them into my purse....weeeeee, what a feeling!! My mom has had Uggs a few years and told me I'd eventually give in to the sockless feeling...told her I didn't think I could do it - on Christmas when we arrived at her house, she asked me from across the room...."Kelly, are you WITH or WITHOUT"....if you could have seen the looks I got from the rest of the room...they thought I was announcing another pregnancy!! AHHH, so fun!!

Saturday my girls rocked in the new year in my big tub (it has jets so its a pretty big deal around here). It gets them clean hassle free for me! I invited my niece Kaylee to come along with the girls....they were in past the prune stage and loved every minute of it!

I'm off to work - first day back after my mini vacation. I had to take a break. I felt like I was all work and no play and those last few days before Christmas I was feeling some stress about not having my shopping done. I did finish it, I enjoyed Christmas Eve with my in-laws and have been enjoying every minute of being away from the pc (for work).

I must return to work though. Still have a few things to finish up from 2010 and then Im working on getting myself organized and ready for 2011. I am determined to get my lifestyle into shape!

Enjoy!
~kel~

I'm being nostalgic.....you've been warned!!

I know not many check here much anymore...but going into 2011 I'd like to get back in the habit of regular blogging...lets see if that's a resolution I can keep. I made this video of my blessings...I havent had time in years to scrapbook so Im trying to make myself a small slideshow of each year to help me keep up. the photos get all distorted from upload....but you get the idea, I think!

Looking back over this year, I cannot believe the changes we have gone through...some challenges and some life-changing events. I moved home! What was I thinking? Well, actually, that's what I thought for the few weeks leading up to the move and I'll admit, as we transitioned over to our new/old town, I had many sleepless nights about this move! 1. Wondering if I'd like being "close" in proximity to my family - everyone knows that can go either way! 2. The people ARE different - only 15 minutes away but the mindset is different - just not sure if its me or them! 3. Did I truly make a choice that was in the BEST interest of my children?

I find myself talking to God more than ever lately and just hoping He helps me along. It sounds funny typing that...I haven't been to church in over a year! I don't believe you find God in church. He's in MY heart and that's the only place I need for him to be. I didn't start feeling that way a year ago....It started 21 years ago when my dad died. I mourned for months...nah, more like I hated God....for months! Seriously, we were five children (I was the oldest at 19) and my mom already worked so hard for our family...how could He burden her by taking my dad away too? It was so unfair...that's when I learned it really CAN happen to you....and life is what you make of it....each and every day! That is the most negative thing I will say about my dad's passing - I miss him very much - but I promised myself all those years ago that I would maintain a bettter outlook on all things that affected who I am today and I refuse to dwell.....

I have bad days like everyone else....but I sure do try to stop myself in those hard moments and think about the choices I have......life's too short to spend any time stressing about things I can't change!! Its a GIFT to feel that way - a gift God gave ME when he chose to take my dad too soon.

I'm moving on now - getting through the growing pains of the move. Cameron isn't settled yet. He still is in the misfit stage and I think it might be next year when he's in a bigger pool of kids for him to find he's home. Im not sure if I mentioned it before here or not.....but I love my new home!! Its cozy and feels just right for us. My heart is definately happy here!

G'night friends!

~kel~

A mommy post.......

I'm putting my heart on my sleeve with this post....

You see this face........what is a mom to do when this sweet, innocent face asks for a family meeting so that he can present his case as to why he hates his new school and the kids that attend there and how badly he wants to go back to his old school (a 15 minute drive from home).

He's made a few friends but mostly he keeps his distance from the rest. They offend him. They swear and fight and treat adults with disrespect. He cannot comprehend any of it. He's been in the school for three months....I know we've got to give it more time. I miss my friends too. The town I grew up in has changed. I keep thinking, I'm an outsider now and maybe becoming part of it again will take some time too. I feel selfish....I thought I was doing a good thing for them providing them with more room to roam but when his heart aches so much, it makes mine ache 100 times more.

I love the new house....but I love my son more. Im not sure what I'll do....for now I'll think.

I'll take all the encouraging words you'd like to share!

~kel~

My day has just begun.....

The clock says 10:30 PM. Strange to blog on this end of the day! I have so many sessions to get edited and uploaded for my clients to see...I'm having to work the latter part of the day as my family consumes a good part of the first half. I'm not complaining....not one bit!

I did this beautiful girl's senior photos and her mom called me for a family session. Since my schedule is pretty full, I had to put them in on a saturday morning at 11AM. Because of the bright sun, its the hardest time of the day to shoot, let alone a family of four. We chased the shade at Fort Williams State Park and got some really great shots.

Her beautiful sister.......

Robyn, thank you for calling on me again to capture your family! I had a great time working with you and hope you see a few you like!

Today we had our first parent/teacher conference at Branden's new school. He's doing well...very well! I'm so proud to be his mom and find it hard to hold back my emotions when they are talking about him. He's got a fantastic head on his shoulders and as much as I'd like to take credit for it, its all Jean's doing. When they talk about how he's social (but controlled) I know I can take credit for all that part of him! He sat between us, shoulder height with me, I saw the pride on his face and had to look away. When I'm in a moment like that, I remember straight back to the day I watched him playing action figures on the windowcill as a very content 3 year old. I remember imagining him older....I'm learning not to do it with the rest...it goes by too fast when you try to imagine....I just want to live it.

I'm off to get some work done.

Enjoy!

~kel~

Hump day....

Even the kids are starting to notice how quickly time flies. Makenna was commenting the other day that the weekends just aren't long enough.

Lately I've been in a million directions. Cameron's health has kept me on my toes. Last April he was diagnosed with Lyme disease...we noticed it when his knee blew up for no reason at all. It was warm to the touch and we just couldn't recall an injury that would make it look so bad. Walked into the docs office and she knew right away what was going on. At the same time, we were getting ready for our move into the new home, emotions were pretty high for all of us but mostly for Cam. The summer was great and pretty much event free. We enjoyed getting used to a new place and Cam admitted he was really happy here. I only hoped that starting a new school would be a good move for him too. He misses his pals....terribly! He chooses fantastic friends and we've done our best to keep them in touch. At the end of summer he started football and my nephew, Chase, was on his team. Soon a bit more than halfway through the season, his back started to bother him, after two weeks of heat and ice and no improvement, we opted for an orthopedic specialist. Funny how moms and dads just know....family physician wasn't looking at it as more than just a strained muscle but we knew there was more to his complaints. He had bumped his pelvis and twisted it causing the bones to rub against each other. We opted to try chiropractic treatment and it worked amazingly well for him. I still take him once a week to get an adjustment. Lately he's had a bothersome toothache and our dentist referred Cam to a pediatric dentist to have the tooth removed. I took him yesterday and it was funny to watch him giggle as a side effect of the diazepam they gave him to help him relax. The dog barked at him because he knew something was up. The anesthesia wearing off was not so fun. Needless to say....the kids been up against the odds for months now....I need a break from the worrying.

This weekend I took photos for my annual Holiday Special. Hands down, I have the CUTEST clients!! I will post some of them later as proof! I wasnt able to get my email off to my regular clients this year as the list has been lost somehow :( I am using facebook more than ever now to keep my clients updated and to post my recent sessions as its easier to upload and I don't have to write anything. I do miss blogging! I decided this year I would only have one day of specials instead of two. Its exhausting and a lot of work and since I already have so many sessions that still await edit and upload, I'll be busy enough. I posted a simple "save the date" comment on my facebook page one evening at 10PM and though I wasn't really ready for booking, I had so many people email me asking for a spot, it booked up in an hour! I'm so happy that people like my work.....just feel so bad for those who missed it. I will be having another for Valentines or Easter so I hope to have my email list regenerated by then.

This sweet face is my cousin Lorri's first grandbaby.....her name is Ryleigh.. Is she sweet or what? She was all smiles and gave me the best of both worlds with a nice little slumber at the end of the session. Usually I like them before ten days old but with a good sleeper like Ryleigh, ten weeks works too!

Do you love this? I was so happy to get this pose!! Thank you for making the time to come visit me on your visit home new mom, Melody! I loved squishing your sweet baby girl!!!

I'm off to fulfill my momma duties and get the kiddos off to school! I changed Marleigh to a school with a morning program and its worked so well for my schedule! Today I will dance through the raindrops to get my errands done but my new lawn and its buds of green grass welcome the rain!

Enjoy!
~kel~

Amy & Andy & My family!

It's 6:30 AM and the house is quiet. Kids are playing legos on the living room floor, not Branden, he sits with a handheld device that's making all kinds of strange noises....he's a teenager now! I'm struggling with it! I hear "but I'm 14 now" and find myself replying "yah, 14, not 18". I'm doing my best to keep a tight reign allowing a little slack so he can feel his new found "oats". They say the teenage years are hardest, I know God planned it that way so that mom's could let go a little...they become people that...well, sometimes you just don't like!! Its funny how I think back to when I was a teen - and in the very next thought I think, this is my chance to do a better job than I thought my parents did (I remember swearing I was going to be a cool mom)! Then my thoughts go to how much things have changed for kids today....I'll do my best to get them to adulthood safely, that's really all I can do!

I grabbed these images from one of the two weddings I shot a few weekends ago...Amy & Andy. It was Amy's mom who called me a year ago and said "Save the date, Amy's getting married and we want you to photograph it". I'd never met Amy and thought how brave her mom was to make that decision for her...I met Amy about six weeks before her wedding and we clicked right away! She was sweet and when I asked if she was comfortable with her moms (who was also her maid-of-honor) decision to hire me, she assured me she'd done her homework and seen some of my work! The wedding was lovely! The church was amazing! I had my friend Melissa (we share studio space) second shoot with me and we had a great time capturing images for them!

On the home front, my big girl turned 8 since my last post. She's awesome! She helps me more than anyone else in the house. Her room is generally neat and she's self motivated to keep it that way! Admittedly, as much as there are times I can't stand her attitude, I see myself in her so much! There, I admitted it! Happy belated Birthday to my Kenna girl....I love you so much!

Thanks to my friend Peg, she's always looking out for me....she found this amazing place for photos. I took some of her son, Carlos there! It's got all my business colors - brown and green - so I had my friend Deb Harmon take my family photos there - I'll share them all here after my Christmas cards are out...but there were enough to show you one or two... Here's super cute Carlos with his dog Lola...........a winning pair!! Thanks for sharing this cool spot with me Peg!!! :)
Im off to deliver the children to their schools! Time flies when you're having fun and its taken me 1.5 hours to create this post!! (well, in between hair, makeup and the usual chaos of a family of 6).

Enjoy!
~kel~