Photo Shoot #2

I think I took somewhere between 60 and 70 pictures! Is that excessive? It's just so easy to do when the camera shoots 5 or 6 every two seconds! Anyway, I just wanted to share the pictures I took of the girls. They were such good sports! In fact, Brittnee didn't even want to do it, but indulged me anyway. Let's see, what was it I bribed her with? Oh yes, that's right. Food, clothing, and shelter. Yep, the girl knows what's good for her. Doug's probably wondering what possessed him to give me such a thoughtful gift. Doesn't he know not to do that? Doesn't he know I'll spend EVERY WAKING MINUTE on my newest hobby? I suppose he does, but he did it anyway. See, that's the kind of guy I married. He knows he's going to get shafted, but he does it anyway. Because he knows how happy it'll make me. How sweet is that!! So thanks again, babe, for an incredible gift. I only hope I'll be able to use it to its full potential.

So on to the pictures. These are my favorites. I hope you'll be able to see what I wanted to capture in my girls. Listen to me...I talk like I know what I'm doing. I hope to be getting there at least. But I do really like how these pictures turned out!

This one is Teaghan's sweetheart face. This one tells of her big heart, her innocence, her reliability; her wariness, her wanting to be center of attention but being too shy to put herself out there. Her angel-ness.



I was going to take this one out so you couldn't see it, but then I decided to leave it in so you'd see what happens when an edit job goes bad. It looks like she's been hit with a dose of sunless tanner.


Do you see the mischief behind this smile? She's thinking of something very funny, and it usually has to do with me! I'm seeing this face more and more these days. (sigh)






I think I'm going to frame one of these, either the one above, or the one below. When I look at these two pictures I realize that she's not little anymore. The inevitable has come. She's maturing, changing, and getting prettier everyday. These pictures are MY reality changing. One day she's going to realize that her parents aren't perfect. One day she's going to start driving. One day she's going to start dating. The latter scares me more than the former. One day she's going to realize that we need her more than she needs us. One day...
She's turning into a lovely young woman right in front of our eyes. It makes me weepy just thinking about it.


One day this smile is going to be for somebody else and not me.

This one (below) is sooo Teaghan! Easygoing, silly, wanting to be grown up, yet still a child.



This picture (below) I didn't even think I'd like. She was just messing around while I kept shooting. I almost deleted it, but then when I went in to edit, I realized that it was quite a cute picture. Just goes to show that the pictures you catch on the sly are usually the best ones. I think this is why I haven't gone to a 'studio' to have my kids' pictures done for 4 years now, because I prefer the more candid moments.
This is the face she gives me when she's about to say something flippant, something that makes me laugh, something she hopes is going to shock me. At which point she giggles like only an innocent pre-teen can. this is the face that I've come to expect means trouble for me. And then we both laugh together.



These two (below) I shot after I told her I was done. I love these of Teaghan! See what I mean by catching candid moments? I don't know, maybe it's just me.




This picture came about when Teaghan said, "here mom, take this one." This one is her MODEL pose. Doesn't it just scream, 'high fashion?'




On to Brittnee. Oh the things I could say about her could fill volumes.

This is the first shot I took of Britt. From her expression you can tell she's still not happy to be having her picture taken. But she ended up having a good time. I only wish I'd been able to shoot more candid moments of Britt, the funny, spunky, spirited ones. But there's always next time!! (My kids are going to start running whenever they catch a glimpse of me and my camera!)




I don't know why I love this one. (above) I just do!! I think it's one of the rare times Britt is serious. As she gets older, I'm realizing that she's more serious than I think. Brittnee is a deep thinker. She picks up on things at an earlier age than Teaghan did. Very perceptive.



The one above is Britt's vulnerable face. Her openess, her shyness, wanting to be accepted.






When she saw this picture she said, "Mom, I'm hugging a tree." Then she looks at me like I'm crazy for liking this photo.





Anybody who knows Brittnee will look at this picture (below) and say, "yep, that's Brittnee!" Our fun-loving, spirited, heart ten sizes too big, sweet little girl. She just has so much love that at times it just explodes out of her. This is Britt.

Photo Shoot with the Boys

I desperately need to update photos of the kids. The beautiful ones that Nikki took are a year and a half old, and the kids have changed so much. Especially Zak. I was going to have Nikki take them again because she does such a great job, but I decided to try to do it myself, since I just got a new camera. I have to say that it was very difficult to try to pose the boys. I think cause it's "Mom" doing it, they thought "whatever!", so I gave up and just shot them however and whenever I could. I'm really happy with what I managed to get and it's been SO MUCH fun to see what I captured in a picture. However, I'm not familiar enough to know how to change dimensions. The camera picture has way more background to it than when you use edit software. It might be because I'm using the freebie Picassa stuff, but I really don't know. Anyway, if anyone knows how to keep the dimensions the same as they are from the camera, let me know!!! I hate when the picture is fine in the camera but when you go to print it's not. Why is that I ask!!!???!!

I can't decide which ones I truly like, and these small pictures don't really do them justice. I'll have to figure out how to post them really large. Anybody know how? Let me know, pleeeezze!

All in all, I'm really happy with how they turned out. The girls will be next!










I love how these turned out, but I'm really not liking the basketball stand in the background. I guess I need to be more aware of the background, but when you're trying to catch a candid moment, you have to be quick! This is why you should probably pay someone to take the photos. Ah well...









This particular picture of Andon reminds me sooo much of my brother Aaron. They have the same hair too! The kind that just sticks up and grows forward.





This is my sweet little nephew who is Andon's age. It couldn't have been planned any better. He spent time with us this past weekend without his parents and we were so privileged to have had him. His mom said that when he was saying the prayer at dinner that he mentioned how much he loves Andon and Doug and Kristin. Seriously melted my heart!! Both Doug and I are very touched by that. Thanks Treven!!!

Dance Recital

The girls' had their annual dance recital this last Saturday. Thanks so much to all our family who came and supported the girls! It's so much fun to see all the hard work that they've put in this year. I personally just love to see them look so cute!! We had a great time watching and cheering for them!

This is Brittnee doing Tap to 'Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog.' The boy in the middle was the bullfrog and all the girls were frogs. Hence, the green costumes. It was so dang cute!!







This is Teaghan doing her Jazz routine to 'Conga.' We were a little afraid the flowers might fall out. But they didn't, much to everyone's relief.