One way ticket Texas/France

Just a little slideshow I made for our party.... | Photographe Vendée

2009-07-14T03:32:00.003-05:00

Sit back, grab a drink -- a bit long. Enjoy!!

Just a quick picture from yesterday | Photograhe vendée

2009-07-12T12:27:00.001-05:00

Party Party Party! | Photographe Vendée

2009-07-10T12:18:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow we are going to be celebrating our 10 year anniversary (it was 2 weeks ago) We invited our close friends and our family -- we will be around 75 people, I think. Our theme is the "Love Boat" since we went on our cruise for our honeymoon and we will be going on another to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. Everyone has to wear "Cruise Attire" -- I can't tell you what we are wearing since it is a surprise, but I'm sure I'll have some fun pictures to share in a couple days. I better get back to getting things ready.... Have a great weekend -- I know we will!

Cha- ching!!! | Photographe Vendée

2009-07-09T08:53:00.003-05:00

That is what I heard in my head when I walked past the diaper aisle in the grocery store. We are FINALLY a diaper-free houshold!! Leïla has been potty-trained during the day for just over a year now, but she didn't want to give up her naptime and bedtime diaper. So she is still being true to her nickname that I gave here when she was learning to walk -- "Little Miss Lazy Butt" -- and needed a little shove to go in the right direction. So last week I decided I wasn't going to buy anymore diapers. I told Leïla this, and we counted how many diapers were left. The last diaper was Sat night. Which was a pretty good thing since stores are closed here on Sunday and I couldn't buy anymore dipaers even if I wanted to. Naptime went off pretty well and she didn't have an accident. Monday morning she woke up around 10:30am and had an accident (I think that is what woke her up) and since then no more accidents! We have had a couple short diaper breaks over the last nine years, but is nice to know I don't need to spend anymore money on diapers!! Yeah Leïla!!!

Happy fourth of July! | Photographe Vendée

2009-07-06T09:45:00.003-05:00

I feel so bad about not updating my blog lately -- seems like I am getting nothing done lately. Well, I can't say that is totally true -- I did finish my friends' wedding album, I have had a couple photo shoots (you can see some on my biz blog), and the girls wrapped up their school year and had the end of the year show. Hubby and I also celebrated our 10 year anniversary. We had friends and family stop over but we will be having the real fiesta soon, but that will be in another post.

Of coarse we didn't really get to celebrate the 4th of July, but the girls received cute 4th of July shirts and flags, so we did get into the spirit a little bit. I ttok them out this morning for some quick pictures -- the weather was windy which cause some technical difficulties! I also noticed that my kids don't know how to wave a flag -- you would never see people waving little French flags. We will be celebrating the 4th on the 18th with my American friends -- they even do a baseball game which should be pretty humorous since I don't think I have played since I was in junior high and Teddy has never tried before.

I better get moving and do some more cleaning, busy life = dirty house and I can't stand it anymore so I am off to spring clean (see how behind with things I am!!!)

Another day at the beach.... | Photographe mariage Vendée

2009-06-24T04:20:00.002-05:00

But this time it was work related and without the kids! The bride and groom for June 6th wanted me to do their formal portraits and in a way "a trash the dress" on Monday. Perfect weather and we did a lot of fun poses and locations. I will be adding more to my biz blog over the next week or so -- so if you want to see some of my work you can check it out there http://jillbrochardphoto.blogspot.com/

Hit the Beach! | Photographe Vendée

2009-06-18T07:41:00.003-05:00

We are so enjoying the nice weather this week. Another one of my cousins is here and I am just happy that the weather is playing along. So yesterday we headed to the Vendeen coast and had a day at the beach. It was probably the best beach weather I have seen in a long time -- not a cloud in the sky, rather warm but not buring hot, and not too much wind. Alison was in the water in no time and though it wasn't warm enough for me, it was warmer that a couple weeks ago. Sami had fun playing on the beach and made instant friends. They were fishing jellyfish (ewwww!) and putting them in their pails. At one point Sami had about ten in hers. I thought they looked pretty funky, some were a dark brown color. I had never seen so many on the coast line here, but that didn't keep people out of the water. I brought my little video camera in a zip lock bag so I could snap a couple pictures.

Bathing beauty (though she won't even get close to the water)

Sami having fun "fishing"

Alison and Sami making a big sand castle

A little flashback..... | Photographe Vendée

2009-06-17T01:31:00.003-05:00

So now that we are back to kind of normal living after our two weeks of medical stuff I fifgure I will blog about last week and what happend before the horrible toe incident. My cousin and her family came for a quick visit while travelling in Europe. Their son is just a year older than Leïla and she loved having someone to play with. Though she could say his name correctly -- instead of say Max, she would say Mask. Max speak English but naturaly goes into German. So with Leïla who understands some English but naturally goes into French, it made for some interesting kid conversation. I tried to film them but they wouldn't really let me. It is really a shame that the three days they were here we had AWFUL weather -- wind and rain! They left for Paris on Thursday and Leïla asked for 2 days straight "where's Mask" and wasn't happy hearing that he was gone. :(

The 4 kids making yummy homemade pizza Mask -- I mean Max ;)
This week my other cousin has come to see us and it looks like we are going to have much nicer weather. Today is just beautiful so we are going to head to the beach, though it was be hard to keep Sami out of the water. Alison's stiches are out so she can go in the water but Sami's toes still bleeds some (especially after Leïla stepped on it). But in general Sami is doing pretty well and you can't tell she was in the hospital only 5 days ago.

ER trip and operation | Photographe Vendée

2009-06-13T05:39:00.002-05:00

(just before her operation) I was planning on blogging about the nice visit I had with my cousin and family, but that will have to come later. Thursday I got a call from the girls' school. Sami injured her toe nail during recess. Her teacher asked me if I could pick her up and bring her home. So since it didn't seem too serious I took my time and got there about 10 minutes after the call. All the kids were still in the school yard (strange) and 3 teachers were taking care of Sami and cleaning up the blood on the floor. There were a couple of kids that lifted a grid and one dropped it on Sami's toe. The nail was smashed and it was bloody -- one of the teachers told me to make an appointment with my dr. I could get an appointment until 8:15pm so I took Sami home and she blacked out from the pain and then come around and slept for 2 and a half hours. She was still in a lot of pain so around 6pm I took her straight to the dr's and sat in the waiting room and he took us. He looked at it for a minute or two and set up to the emrgency room. So ran home, got Alison and Leïla's stuff together and dropped them off at my in-laws. We got to the ER around 7:30pm. I had to carry her since she couldn't walk. We didn't have to wait that long and Sami was very calm about the whole thing. She got an x-ray done to make sure her toe wasn't broken, and we saw a surgen. He said he could help relieve her pain for the night but we would have to come back the next morning for an operation on the nail bedding. So they drilled two holes in her nail to get the underlaying blood out. She felt much better after that. We got home around midnight. The next morning we left at 7:30am. We got the paperwork done and went up the the Pedeatric floor. They were amazing. We had to wait until around 9:30 before they took us down to the OR. It was hard to let her go on her own but she seemed ok with it. The waiting was hard -- it was an hour long operation but she didn't get back to her room until noon. She was thirsty and hungry but she wasn't allowed to eat or drink yet. She wasn't in any pain which was good. We had to stay at the hospital until 5:30pm when she got a clean bill of health. We have to go back in 10 days and every 2-3 days a nurse will come to the house to change her bandages. This morning she couldn't walk and now is able to get around. She just has to be very careful not to bump her toe. So that was our excitement from the last 2 days.

(being silly -- she didn't seem scared, the only time she cried was when she had to get undressed, she didn't want to wear the hospital gown)

Playing in the hospital play room after her operation)

Behind again! | Photographe Vendée

2009-06-11T04:43:00.005-05:00

Last weekend was a very very busy weekend since we had our close friends' wedding. Teddy was cordinating and I was shooting the wedding. So here a just a couple of picture of us from Sat. I am still working my way through the hundreds of pictures I took. I'm trying to narrow it down to 150 and then edit them. I have a lot of work a head of me!

Because I said I would | Photographe Vendée

2009-06-05T10:38:00.005-05:00

The new do -- we cut off over 6 inches of hair. I love it and so does Alison. This is just a quick snap taken after school. She just shakes her head and her hair falls into place.

Update : about 5 mins after posting this Alison came in crying -- she ripped her white pants and was so upset. When she took them off we saw that she also "ripped" her inner tigh. After calling my neighbors over to get their opinion, I decided to take her to the pharmacy for butterfly strips. When we got there they said it would need more than that..... off to the dr's. After scare induced shakes and lots of tears, Alison walked out with 7 stiches. We have to go back in 10 days to get them taken out. Such fun!

Short and Sweet | Photographe Vendée

2009-06-04T08:07:00.005-05:00

Last crazy week -- I hope! Monday was another national holiday, so we took the girls to the beach since the weather was nice. Going to the beach is actually starting to be a relaxing experience since the girls are growing up. Leïla can got without a nap pretty well, all three of them played on the beach and Alison and Sami actually went in the water (waaaaaay too cold for my Texas blood!) No pictures since I didn't want to bother lugging the camera with me and I didn't want to damage it the week before the wedding I am shooting. Tuesday was Leïla's class's end of the year outing. They went to a working farm -- they showed the kids how they milked the cows, the kids helped make cheese and fed chickens, geese, turkeys and other feathered friends. We had a nice picnic outside and once again the weather was perfect and it got hot in the afternoon!
A week old calf

Leïla and her friend (I hope they stay friends -- this little girl is so sweet -- especially since I saw some real monsters in her class! )

Leïla vs the rooster (she was shaking in her sneakers)

Wed was the first day that my pictures are up in the library, I stopped in quickly but didn't bring my camera to snap a picture -- maybe next week.

Today was the last day of swim lessons at school. Samantha's class had 12 lessons and Alison's class had 10. I go with them when the teachers need extra parents to help out. So it is now over for the year and it will be nice to have a little break. This afternoon Alison is getting her hair cut -- really needs it, but she so wants it very very long but she just doesn't have the hair for it. So my hairdresser frined is coming over and has convinced Alison to get a styling cut -- pictures to come, for sure.

Just a photography side note -- a couple from a session I did a couple weeks ago -- it was a surprise for their parents, so I wasn't allowed to show them until now. There are others, including a fun session I did for my friend's aunt on my business blog -- http://jillbrochardphoto.blogspot.com/ You can leave comments over there too even if it is in English ;)

Must go since I realized that I signed up for Samantha's class's field trip but I totally forgot that Leïla doesn't have school in the afternoon and I won't be here to pick her up -- any babysitters free for tomorrow???????

She's my champion! | Photographe Vendée

2009-05-31T05:11:00.004-05:00

Alison did really well during her gymnastics competition. She didn't make the podium, but did did very well on a personal level. Also this week she has learnt how to do a backbend/backflip. She is still a little scared but it is coming a long. I juged all day yesterday, so it was quiet long for both of us. Luckily it is yet another long weekend since Monday is another national holiday. We are going to try to go to the beach tomorrow so the girls can play in the sand and maybe even get in the water some. We will see!

Big Stuff | Photographe Vendée

2009-05-26T08:45:00.003-05:00

Real big stuff -- like the kind of stuff that makes you loose sleep at night, the kind that make you feel like you just jumped off a cliff and there is no turning back, the stuff that makes you feel like you swallowed a load of stones..... Or maybe it isn't that big, I just tend to be a worry wart and a tad mellow dramatic. Anyways, here is what is going on. First of all received my business cards!! I love them, they each have one of my pictures on them, there are 24 different ones. I can't wait to start handing them out, that also makes me nervous.... Silly, I know!Next big thing is for the month of June -- which is next week!! At our local library, each month has a theme, and for the month of June it is "photography". So I have been asked to display some of my work for the whole month of June. They will also run an article in the newspaper which will give me free advertising! So I have been working hard trying to choose 25 pictures to use (I ended up picking 27), ordering them and mounting them. So as soon as I finish this up I will be dropping them off at the library. Again -- for me this is VERY nerve racking.... the stones in my stomach are starting to feel heavier and heavier....

And to get the stress level up a notch -- I am shooting a close friend's wedding in lass than 2 weeks....... Welcome to the world of stress induced insomnia!!

Tidbits | Photographe Vendée

2009-05-21T08:50:00.002-05:00

Just a little post of tidbits -- I think my brain has been overloaded and I can't think straight so nothing too deep. So see this box of cookies -- not exciting huh?? UNLESS -- you live in boonie France and have never seen Oreos in the grocery stores! I was surprised to see them in the regular cookie aisle, so I had to buy a box (it won't be a weekely think because that wouldn't be good for my waistline or my wallet!) I still haven't opened them -- saving for that special moment :) Just wanted to share my happy moment of the week ;) Yesterday was a national holiday so the girls didn't have school. And the weather finally got a little warmer so Alison went through some of her summer clothes from last summer. That is when she found this little cheerleader outfit. Last year she really didn't know what a cheerleader was but now she has one year of Hannah Montana education under her belt she now understands the idea of it. So we watched soon cheerleading videos on you tube and she started to practice - hahaha! So here is a short video

Some of you asked me why the girls don't have school on Wed. Well..... just because :) The girls have alwasy had a 4-day scool week, but that was only in our region, others had 4.5 and 5 day school weeks (and more school vacation). But a year ago it became a national thing. Since I am at home it is nice for the girls, they sleep a little longer, and do things on Weds. When Alison goes to junior high in a year, she won't have school on Weds in 6th and 7th grade and then 8th grade on up most schools only have class on Wed mornings. I don't even think about it anymore. Just how things work here ! :)

Come on life --- slow down! | Photographe Vendée

2009-05-18T11:36:00.010-05:00

I'm sure it would seem like life is so hectic if I planned things better and learnt to say no sometimes. But we never want to miss out on something so we are always on the go!

Anyways, yet again a busy but fun weekend. Friday was our ABC meeting -- American Book Club -- mexican dinner with REAL margaritas! I say really since one of the gals brought margarita mix back in her suitcase. We also had "smuggled" in refried beans, and amazing homemade burrittos! Yummy!! We read "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by the same author as "The Kite Runner" personally I liked the Kite Runner much more, but it is still worth the read. I didn't get home until 1am and I think we probably could have talked the night away. Our next meeting with be a family BBQ for the 4th of July -- can't wait!

Sat. hubby was playing in a doubles tennis tournement so the girls and I did some running around that morning and we stopped to see how they were getting along. At noon they weren't that happy with their game. (but they ended up 3rd, which isn't too shabby!) We dashed home for a quick lunch then Sami and Leïla went to Mamie's for the afternoon since Alison had a gymnastics competition. I was also judging for the first time. When we got their I felt there was something that wasn't just right. I didn't see any of the people I trained with to be judge. The girls went to change and when I finally found the people who runs the whole judge thing, he told me they were expecting me at 1pm and by then it was 3:15pm. I never got the judge papers and they time I received was for the gymnists :( I was so dissappointed -- at least they let me practice judge for the rest of the afternoon. The thing that I don't like about judging is that I don't get to watch Alison, though I did see her take a fall from the balance beam. We stayed until the very end to get the team results -- Alison's team is 3rd in Vendée and won 1st place in the category! Way to go girls!!!! We got home around 9:30pm -- and long day and the next day wasn't going to be any easier.

So Sunday morning I got up pretty early since it was Alison's communion and we all had to be out of the house by 10:40am. I still had a lot of cleaning to do, and luckily we had the lunch catered by a friend who specializes in intenational cooking. Alison and Sami didn't get up until around 9:30 and got ready. My firned came at 10am to do Alison's hair. It was a mad rush but we got out the door on time. The communion went well -- Alison read some script and she took her first communion. Unfortunately we didn't see much since there were some many people in the church -- there were 17 kids and then all their families!! It was packed and on top of it Leïla was being restless. Oh and to add to it all it was POURING rain!! We weren't allowed to take any pictures during the service so I don't have much to show -- I did take a couple but there were so many people that I gave up after awhile. We got back home a relaxed with a nice Mojito! and then enjoyed our yummy meal. Since the weather cleared up we all had a go on the trampoline -- check out the grandparents -- hahaha!! Since we didn't have enough going on this weekend we also had Leïla's class mascot "Cesar the duck" to look after. Leïla hates the thing and wouldn't let it near her bed and kept on throwing it. I had to get some pictures of the duck to glue in the duck's notebook and explain what he did over the weekend -- didn't want to write that he was bruised and abused!!

So I was halfway asleep at 10:30pm when we heard someone coming downstairs -- Samantha. "I lost a tooth!!" Yeah, put it under your pillow and go back to bed....... 10:45pm someone coming downstairs -- Alison "I lost a tooth!!" Yeah, put it under your pillow and go back to bed. Don't know what was in the are and at that point, too exhausted to care ;)

Opposites attract! | Photographe Vendée

2009-05-14T12:01:00.003-05:00

Yesterday the girls didn't have school since it was Wed (no school on Weds here). So like many Weds the house was rooming with kids. Luckily the rain held off and they were able to play outside. Earlier that morning Alison talked about her friends and all the girl "stuff" (or crap -- but since she is little I will say stuff). I'm friends with so & so and not with so & so. And So & so hurt my feelings.... blah blah blah. Alison is a talker, she has to talk about her feelings and I know a lot about what goes on in school and with her group of friends. I always listen because I so want her to keep talking to me in a couple years from now (junior high is only a year away!!) Sami on the hand, is much more secrective. Likes to hide things (mostly because she knows she is getting herself into trouble) and tries to solve things on her own. She has tons of friends and is often the center of attention without even trying. She is 100% "what you see is what you get"! So yesterday when all the kids were playing over here (I think I counted 12 at one point) I listened to the girls talking to their friends. Alison's conversations where more on the line of "what would you like to do, whatever you want will be fine, and a lot of chitchat" Sami on the other hand was more like "This is what we are going to do, if your not happy you don't have to play with me, and almost down right bossy!" I wonder how they can be sisters and have similar upbrings but are so totally different. But what is wonderful with their differences is they get a long so well -- I know that might not last, but so far, so good!

Busy weekend -- but fun too!

2009-05-12T08:25:00.004-05:00

Friday May 8th was another national holiday so we planned to take the girls to the Puy de Fou, which is a big tourist attraction about 20 mins from our house. We haven't been there in over 12 years! But since the girls are old enough to enjoy it we planned the outing along with some of our friends. We weren't sure if we were going to bring Leïla along since it would be a long day and no nap, but since Mamie wasn't able to babysit we decided to bring her along. And I am so glad we did because she love it all. The whole place is based on history, mostly midevil times. So we saw gladiators ( no Russell Crowe -- though one of my friend saw Jude Law at the Puy de Fou a couple years ago), Vikings, and various birds that flew over our heads. The weather was suppose to be beautiful but we ended up having a bit of drizzle in the morning and it was pretty chilly! Here are some pictures to give you an idea of the place.Then on Saturday, hubby and I headed to the coast and the girls went to spend the night at Mamie's house. My brother and sister in law met us there around 9pm (my sister in law works late on Sat's) and we all headed out for dinner. It was warmer than the day before so we strolled along the beach looking for a restaurant. Seafood it was --- yum yum yum!! I love my brother and sister in law -- they are really really really laid back people and we can always count on them, and it is really handed that they only live about a mile away from our house. Sunday Mamie and Papy were meeting us along with the girls at there beach appartment for lunch. Mother's Day is June 7th here but since we won't be able to celebrate and neither will my brother in law, we had a mother's day lunch all together. The meal didn't last too long since hubby and his brother were finally going to use their birthday presents! A JETSKI trip! My brother in law couldn't wait, but hubby wasn't so sure about the whole thing -- see, he can't really swim and is a little scared of water. But I knew he would love the experience and pushed him into it. And man did he love it!! They both had the gooffiest smiles on their face when they got in to port! He a some of the pictures I snapped as we tried to follow them along the coast (most of the time they looked like little spots in the ocean!)

Tired tired tired -- but it has paid off... | Photographe Vendée

2009-05-06T10:25:00.006-05:00

Spring is in the air and I have been busy with a lot of photo sessions. Sunday I had yearly session with the firefighters for the 2010 calander. It was a lot of fun, especially I have gotten to know aquiet a few of them over the last year. Monday morning was a super fun session -- the type I don't get to do often -- Maternity! For some odd reason people don't get maternity pictures done much around here -- even my close friend whom I offered totally free sessions turned me down. What made this session even more exciting was that it was the first time I was shooting a total total stranger -- I took pictures of one of her co-workers' newborn over a year ago and she loved them and took my name and number down and keep it. She called me back in Feb to make sure to have a spot (yeah like I was overbooked already !) So we did quiet a few outdoory shot and some studio shots. I had a lot of fun and I was pretty sure she did too! I put up a sneak peak of her session (the same pictures as the ones here). Then this afternoon I got a call for the lady -- she was almost in tears (which freaked me out -- I thought something serious happned to her or her baby). She just wanted to call to say she loved the pictures and never in a million year imagined to have such beautiful pictures of herself and her daughter! I loved getting a call like that -- especially in a time of self-doubt. I know my pictures aren't always technically perfect, but if the people I shoot are moved, that is all I am aiming for! At the end of the phone call I told her I would be dropping the CD off at her house tomorrow (I told her it would take ten days but I just could hold back on editting them) She was so excited -- can't wait to give them to her and even more anious to do their newborn session this summer! Last night I also had another session -- but it is a surprise for their parents so just in case for some odd reason their parents stumble upon my blog I will have to get it a secret. Tomorrow and have yet another session -- so the next couple of days will be full of editting -- oh and a dentist appointment to fix a cracked molar -- ouch!

May Day, May Day .... | Photographe Vendée

2009-05-02T10:31:00.005-05:00

No that isn't a cry for help! I love the month of May -- we have so many national holidays in May that there are barely any full weeks. The first holiday being May 1st, May Day and our Labor Day. And this year it is a Friday which makes for a nice long weekend. So earlier this week we told the girls we were going to have a surprise day trip. The not-knowing part drove them crazy -- especially Sami. Sami was sure the surprise was that we were going to have a picnic -- she loves picnic and since it is so easy and it makes her so happy we tend to do that a lot when the weather is nice enough. She was partially right -- we headed about an hour south and had a nice picnic lunch down by a canal -- it was so nice to be able to be outside and the girl had a blast running around -- and I had fun playing with my 135mm -- I haven't been able to use it that much since it is an outdoor lens

After we were done eating and playing we went to the "surprise". We planned on a 2 hour row boat trip along the "Venise Verte" -- the green Venise (it is a canal system then is covered in a little green moss in the spring). Unfortunately, but with hind sight, fortunately, the lady told us that the 1 hour trip would be plenty with a toddler. Out 1 hour trip ended up being 1.5 hours since we let the girls row and we took our time. I didn't get too many pictures since I stupidly left my 28mm on my 40D, so I tried to take some shots with my 50mm while in the boat but I kept on rocking the boat when I was scootingg back. Anyways, at least I have a few ...

The Abby

The hard working rower

1st and 2nd mates!

Luckily it wasn't until the end that we saw a nice little snake swimming along the side of the boat -- I didn't care that he was tiny and harmless -- snakes + me = Aaaaccckkkk!!!
Sarah -- remember going to this place 10 years ago???

First Session w/ my 40D | Photographe Vendée

2009-04-30T11:51:00.003-05:00

This little 18 month old is probably one of my favorite models -- I did her mom's maternity pictures, newborn pictures and 3 month old pictures. Her mom was Alison and Samantha's gymnastics coach a couple years ago and she is also a hairdresser. So I did her daughter's pictures and she is going to style Alison's hair for her Communion in a couple weeks!

She loved my new wooden bike prop that I picked up at a garage sale!

Week 7 -- I think ;) | Photographe vendée

2009-04-29T09:55:00.008-05:00

Last Sat the guys got a lot more work done than planned, which is really nice! They continued to lay bricks and get the walkways ready even when it started to rain a little. They passed the wires for the lighting in each flower bed and cut the base of the walkway. Then the shovelled out tons of pebbles to fill the walk way and then used some type of pounding machine the flatten it out and to get it level. By the time they finished that evening they were all wiped! But at least all the hard physical work is done. Newt step will be getting the ground ready to replant the grass and then we need to pick out what plants we will be planting.... Still a lot of choices to be made but it is starting to look more and more like a construction instead of a destruction!

Looking out the front doorLooking from the drivewayfrom the other side of the houseAnd view of the new wider walkway in front of the sliding door

Last session with my Canon Rebel...

2009-04-27T07:17:00.005-05:00

Thursday was a beautiful day and I had a session with an adorable 3 month old. Her parents are getting married in Sept and I will be shooting their wedding. So to get to know them better I offered an extra little session. We got quiet a few cute shots and my now new personal favorite picture if from this session, though I can't show it here since it is probably too "risqué" for the American public :) (nude little baby invovled) I can't wait to do their wedding -- the future bride showed me her dress and let just say "WOW!" I have never seen a dress like it in my life -- not all white or ivory, but I won't say more since the future groom doesn't know what it looks like.

When I got back from our session the delivery guy showed up at the door -- my new camera!! Woohoo! I have been saving up all my photography money to upgrade my camera before the wedding I'll be shoot in June and I finally took the plunge and ordered it -- the Canon 40D. This will be my main work camera and my Rebel will be my backup and my personal camera, though I am sure it will be hard to leave it behind when we go on outings. But since I have to get use to the new buttons and settings and all I had to take it for a little practice run with Leïla -- here are a couple of my first pictures with it!

P.S. Concerning my scenery photo question -- I think I am going am going to send 3 in and let them choose -- #1, #3 & #6 Thanks for you help!

Rowan Grace Maisey

2009-04-24T08:52:00.002-05:00

This morning I woke upt and read some very sad news

This is what was on Rowan's website http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/rowangrace

When Rowan was about three years old she told us about her Angel Mother who took care of her before she came to be with us. Rowan is back with her Angel Mother now.Rowan Grace MaiseyBeautiful, courageous, and light-filled spirit. Tuesday's child is full of Grace.

I know my good friend Mel is grieving her neice, and it saddens me to imagine someone loosing their little girl. In a very selfish way, stories like this remind us how precious life is and that our world could take a totally different turn. I'm sure her family weren't imagining something like this when Rowan was a carefree 2.5 year old like Leïla, or a sassy 5 year old like Sami. And only imagining that at Alison's age she had already faught and temporary won the battle over Leukemia. Rowan's strength has deeply marked our family and our hearts ache for her grieving family.

Help me chose --- please!

2009-04-23T02:39:00.004-05:00

A couple of weeks ago someone from the local photo club asked if I would be willing to submit 2 pictures for their upcoming photo expo. Of coarse I quickly said YES!! The only problem -- the theme -- and very vague "scenery". I love shooting people and scenery just really isn't my thing, and it is so vague that scenery can really mean anything. So I did a couple tries and I don't love any of them, but I have to choose 2. So just take a second and vote of 2 -- it would be a great help to have someone else choose!

Number 1

Number 2 Number 3 Number 4 Number 5 Number 6
Hope my family that checks in here and don't comment often will vote here --- PLEASE!!