Remember the post I did not to long ago about girlfriends? Well, this is just a confirmation about all that good stuff that comes along with great friendships. Courtney and I went to college together for a semester at Fresno State. We hit it off in an instant and hung out constantly until I injured my ankle and ended up back in Alaska. The last time we saw each other was at my wedding....10 YEARS AGO!!! Life just got in the way and we went different ways. Well, we never stopped thinking about each other and she tracked me down just a couple months ago (thanks Google!). She decided to make a spur of the moment decision to come see me. I can't even begin to tell you how full my heart is right now. Like most amazing friendships, we didn't skip a beat. So much has happened in our lives, but we went right back into that beautiful place in our hearts and we talked about our lives with eager ears and non-judgemental eyes. We laughed and squealed the night she came in as we caught each other up and remembered old times. We woke up the next day with laughing hangovers! I got to shoot her a little in the short while that she was here and we snagged these shots as I was testing the lights and getting her comfy in front of the camera. I miss you dearly Court, and there are so many words that come to mind when I think about our 3 short days together.....refreshing, hysterical, and just what the doctor ordered:) Your visit meant the world to me and my family and I am glad that my kids had a chance to meet one of my friends that had a hand in shaping me into the Mom, friend and wife that I am:) Thank you! K

Girlfriends

What is it about going out with girlfriends and laughing harder than any other time in your life. I mean I have had some good laughs over people slipping on ice (after I know their o.k. of course), and I laugh absolutely everyday with or at Jake:) But there is just something about going out with girlfriends that is so hysterical. I mean you don't even have to be laughing about anything really, it could be the slightest facial expression or something we see out the window. Going out with girlfriends gives you the right to be silly and there is no judgment. It's dang funny is what it is and speaking of fun....these are a couple photobooth shots of us out for Amy's birthday last weekend. I love these girls!

Small Gifts

A friend of mine came over today and it was her birthday. I didn't have anything to give her, but it didn't take me long to know exactly what to do when she brought her little niece with her. This little girl means the world to her family and she keeps them on their toes and full of life. She is so spicy and I love when I get to hear "Annika stories". Well, I met the legend today and she let me take a couple secret shots of her for her Auntie's b-day. I can just see it in her eyes that she is wise beyond her years and that she is very strong for a little 4 year old. Jamison and her were playing together and it was like he was playing with a teen:) Almieda and her Mom have touched my life in so many ways and I wanted to thank them from the bottom of my heart...straight to theirs, and I know the fastest way to theirs is through this little face:)
I will be using this t.v. in all my shoots just for fun and to see what my subjects and I can come up with...I've had a lot of fun with it so far:)

More AK

We got to see one of my favorite people in the world while we were in AK. Jacque asked me to take a few shots of her family and it was a delightful treat! It was the first time I got to meet her sweet twin brother that was in town for the summer. She warned me that her Dad might have a panic attack over my lovey-dovey style and would want to be posed. I have to say that I built up some anxiety about this one the night before and all for nothing. They were an absolute blast, lovey and her dad actually got the posing award of the day...he was solid! We shot the first one as a joke because they have one family photo from about 10 years ago and they are all standing next to each other, stiff as a board in the positions that the photographer placed them in. I then asked them to have a group hug and they were into it from that point on...laughing hugging, playing and all the things that make sweet memories.
I was able to capture so many laughing ones of the whole group and especially between these three. No matter what else goes on in life, hopefully these pictures will allow them to look back on and be able to say, "nothing else matters". They are a very blessed family to have the love for each other that is there and I am so happy that I got to designate a day for them to remember and embrace that.
This is what happens when you don't kiss in front of your kids enough....classic:)
How incredible to be a twin...really, I can't even imagine it. I took a few of just the two of them and they showed me the sweetest connection between them. And the love they have for their younger sister was unreal.
Thank you Jacque for letting me into the soul of your beautiful family. You will always be in our hearts.

Willow, Willow, Willowwww

This is a serious post about a serious girl from Tacoma. She has beautiful dark hair, a shy smile and she is very serious about life....Just look at the picture below....




THAT COULDN'T BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH! Here's some recent shots of my girl Willow up in T-Town. I have posted about her before and she is just a beautiful person with a zest for life that is contagious. She came to visit this weekend and we just chilled with Shannon and Kristy. I get so amped up when she visits. This time we came up with a challenge that we are going to take part in to use some of those creative juices we spark in each other. We brainstormed on all sorts of props that could inspire a shoot, and then closed our eyes and picked out three at a time. Stay tuned for more details and fun shots that we come up with. The first challenge in this month and it won't disappoint:)
I just took a couple shots of her in the studio because she was in love with her hair as usual and we wanted to capture the do before she goes in for her 1,000th change of color and cut. This is her famous cat pose that has a hiss with it that will scare a dog!
Whenever Shannon and I see her, we always sing her name three times like in the title. It's just fun and I wish I could record a tester to give you a taste. She is as crazy/fun and she looks and I hope the shots make you as happy as she makes me. Thanks for the invigorating day W!

New backdrop

I got a new backdrop the other day and I was dying to try it out....sooooo...I brought it out to the middle of the cul-de-sac! I had fun with the neighbor kids and I think the backdrop is going to work out just fine! I have ideas brewing already...now I just have to find the right models....hmmm?

The ONE

When Jake and I moved to Texas years ago, it was the first time that I even had to make an effort to find friends. Growing up in a fairly small town with a HUGE family, I always had people around and the friends I did make went to school with me for 12 years. Sometimes I would meet a new friend through sports from another school, but it wasn't because I was on the search for one. So Jake and I moved to Texas with no friends in sight and I had a 6 month old little boy to boot, my first experience with lonliness settled in. By the end of the day in our one room apartment, watching Elmo in Grouchland multiple times, I was ready to meet SOMEONE to talk to. Well, my first friend was a stripper that worked down the street from the complex, that wasn't a fulfilling realationship. I started craving a real friendship so I would go to parks in search of someone who wanted to join my circle of friendship. Everytime I would come home from the search outings Jake would ask, "did you find The One?" The One being someone that I clicked with right off the bat, someone that you go over to their house and you can lay on their couch, get your own drink and feel like you are at home.
I tell this story because I am writing about one of the people in my life that I consider "The One". This "one" is Shannon Sewell and she is a huge part of my life. Our sarcastic sense of humors keeps each other on our toes. We talk multiple times a day about everything under the sun. She inspires me to be a better photographer. We share family values, I can put my feet up on her couch, our kids love each other....we have even hung out so much that we have morphed our names into "Shathy"! Hears to Shannon and all the things she adds to my life, to finding "The One", and to many years together as partners (in crime, life, whatever else people will think)! Thanks for being you, Shamone! K
I'll have to go bring her coffee this morning because she is never going to be able to get out of her door with the enlarged head that this entry will cause. Ha!