Time for a change

I'm not a big Halloween fan... BUT... I did look forward to every year in PG because I'd get to decorate my van. Yup my van. Our PG church would hold a trunk or treat every Halloween night.  They'd have a few games, wagon ride, snacks and then all the kids and their parents would head out to the parking lot and go trick or treating from the backs of our vehicles.  It was a great way to get to know people in the neighborhood and gave the boys enough candy that we didn't have to hit the streets later.

But back to my van.... I am a theme girl and would theme out the back of the trunk.  Pirates, super heroes, cars.... lots of different ideas. And the best part?  I'd dress to match!  So last year was superhero themed so I went as.... Ginormica!!!!.... from Monsters vs. Aliens for those of you uninformed.  I think my boys loved the fact that I'd join them in the whole process of deciding what to be and then getting my costume together. 

This year?  I'm actually relieved to say that we didn't even have to buy costumes!  No party at school or church so we just grabbed stuff already in our tickle trunk.  So tonight Spiderman, a hockey player and a teenager (full on droopy pants, ipod and headphones, toque and cell phone at the ready) left my house to bring back some treats for me to eat! After all, I stayed home to race to the door everytime it rang....don't I get to eat some of the good stuff? 

There was no van to decorate today and I didn't get to match my trunk BUT... I am getting to meet some neighbors.  Change isn't always bad.

Dodging Cow Pies - The Holloway kids

Without fail, almost every Sunday afternoon consisted of us all piling into the back of old pickups and driving the short trip on the highway (Gasp! I know! In the back of a pickup... ON THE HIGHWAY!!).  With no real destination in mind we'd just head for the hills and see where our uncles or grandpa would take us.  The pasture was a big part of our childhood, clinging to the sides of the pickup as it made trip through a few fences that needed to be opened and continue on it's slow trek up a hill where we'd all pile out, run around, pick crocuses, run through the trees and dodge cow pies.

So when my sister Nikki mentioned a place that reminded her of the pasture I was excited to shoot some photos.  She decided that these would be her kids school photos and I think she made a great decision to use this spot.  We didn't jump into the back of a pickup BUT.. we did cram 8 of us into my Escape (comfortably seats 4) and did have to open a fence and climb down... to get to our spot.  Other than riding inside a vehicle not much was different, there were kids, there were hills and trees to explore in and yes... we were dodging cow pies. 

I know that someone in the shoeboxes of photos at my parents house there are photos similar to these of Nikki, Jen and I.  Someday I know Nik's kids will have a shoebox to look through too.


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Such a beautiful young girl! This girl is a dead ringer for her Mom!

Generous in spirit just like her Mom too!

Such a sweet smile.....and sweet girl. Here's some sugar for you!

One solid guy.... I'm excited to see what is in store for him. BIG things!

 "Where's funcity you guys? Something has to be happening somewhere!"

I must admit that I keep coming back to this photo.

There is something about the look in her eyes that is intriguing.



Holloway Family - Calgary Family Photographer

When we started telling people we were moving to Calgary only one person was really happy to hear the news.  You see... Nikki lives just outside of Calgary and knew that our family moving to Calgary meant we'd see each other a little more often.  And even though we don't see each other that much it's better than twice a year!  So amidst all the tears and sadness to be leaving good friends I anticipated being nearer to my sister.

It means we share birthday parties now instead of mailing presents and yelling/singing on the phone.  And hopefully we'll soon start a tradition of sleepover's with the cousins (always guaranteed fun!). Anyways, the time we spend together is treasured and I look forward to many more family times ahead.

So being closer also means that we can have more frequent photos shoots!

I already have another one to post/edit sometime soon! We quickly crammed in this session just before Grandma treated everyone to a popcorn and a movie at the theater.  The light was amazing as usual and this family is always gorgeous!  So it didn't seem like much work at all!

 See? Great light, Gorgeous Fam!

 Isn't she stunning?

The Bowen Family - Calgary Family Photographer

I spent some time with the Bowen family a few weeks ago in a park that is quickly becoming a favorite location to shoot.  This family is a lot of fun...dry humor punctuated with great laughter.  I felt at ease immediately and enjoyed myself quite a bit.

The afternoon was relaxing and even though I had to paparazzi it for a few shots (which involved climbing through thorny bushes and scrambling over logs immersed in water) it was fun.  It didn't take a lot to get this group to smile which made my job a lot easier!

I hope you enjoy the photos!

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A photo can make it all better

There are days when I just wonder if I've made the right decision to stay at home and try to make this photography thing work.  I can beat myself up very well... just ask Garth who has to hear the pummelling and play by play as I talk about how I suck or what I need to change or constantly ask...."what am I doing wrong?".  I think we all have days like that and hopefully we all have people like Garth in our lives who tell us to stop believing the lie and to trust that your decision is the right one for right now.

Because I love doing it, I'm not going to stop, it may just look different in the end, but photography will be a big part of my life likes it's been for the last 37 years. I believe the lie that I'm not good enough and then last night I find this while finishing up a wedding. I'd like to take some credit for it, but some does go to Kristin too!  This photo made it all better.. for now. :-)

The Clements Family - Calgary Family Photographer

I laugh a lot when I'm with this family... actually probably a lot of people laugh with this family... note I said with them not at them.  The Clements family have been part of our recent Calgary life since we basically got here. Garth had met them when we first got here and I'd heard about them briefly (I think he wanted my first impression to be my first impression). Well I got my first impression! After our first Sunday at Bethany I'd been visiting with one new friend and I suddenly hear, "Okay Kim you've had her for long enough... I want to monopolize her now." And that was my introduction to Jacqueline and her family. She called me just about every day that first week to check up on me making sure that I didn't follow the boy's bus on their first ride to school and to basically just make me feel welcome and to make me laugh (or at least that's what she did). This family definitely made the transition to Calgary a lot easier for our whole family.

 I could give you loads of examples of how they poured love onto our family but will just give you one - Tys celebrated his 8th birthday 12 days after we moved here...so you can imagine that it was rather low key as we didn't know anyone to invite over.  So we did our usual family birthday dinner (birthday person chooses where) and came home for some birthday brownies and a game.  We'd just gotten to the brownies when the doorbell rang and the Clements were on the doorstep with presents for both Tys and Ry!  They stayed for some brownies and we laughed.

We consider ourselves blessed to have Bill, Jacqueline, Bryce and Brent in our lives.  And even though Bill doesn't really like chocolate I think I'll be able to spend more time with them.  And despite Jacqueline's attempts at me drinking coffee I've still been able to hold her off.... unless a latte is considered coffee!  I sometimes feel sorry for Garth and Bill as us girls can get a little loud with our laughter, but I guess they've had a few years to work through it alone, maybe they'll bond over the volume.  I am certain that you will see and hear more about this family on this blog as we anticipate spending more time with them.

I got to spend a little time with their family a couple weeks ago before all the gorgeous fall colors disappeared and the snow fell.  I could have a whole posting of Jacqueline outtakes.  This girl is a hoot!  The poses she was throwing at me had me laughing out loud more often than not.  Thanks for making this photo shoot so much fun you guys. I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I had taking them!

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Okay.... aren't they gorgeous!  I think this is my favorite family photo.  I could go on and on about it, but I won't b/c I don't want to clog up this blog!

Okay so maybe it wasn't just Jacqueline saying and doing things for a laugh...

I may have participated too!

I had asked them to change up their positioning a little bit and Brent decided that doing the Macarena was the best bet for change. ;-)

Thankful for my itchy trigger finger

When I cull through my photos from a shoot I find myself very thankful for my itchy trigger finger.  I can find myself having to go through waaaaaaay too many photos, and nothing was different with the Holloway family.  This time my itchy trigger finger captured Nikki's laugh at something Cam said.... and did.  And I think that some of their kids knew what happened too.  Thus the smiles all around, sadly Carsen never made it into this shot, but I had to post this sneak peek.

Thankful for Popi.

We came home last night from our annual Koop family gathering in Regina.  Regina? Yup, it's halfway between Calgary and Winnipeg. We've been doing it for oh I guess the last 14 years?  A weekend full of family, laughter, bingo (with chocolate being the prize!), watersliding, football in the park and lasertag. Throw in a pile of meals and you get a great time, minus the turkey and stuffing, but still... a GREAT time!

So it was rather deflating when I got home and had some disappointing photography news. I'm sure I'll get over it, but it sure sucked the wind out of my billowing Thanksgiving sails!  BUT... thankfully I took the time today to cull through some photos from the weekend.  These totally brought a smile to my face and I'm sure they will to yours too.

Tys and Ry spent as much time as I would allow at the waterslides. You see... I had to sit and watch them all weekend long! Thankfully Popi Koop volunteered to spend some slide time with them!

38 years ago they said "I do"

On October 7, 1972 the bride wore a dress of her own creation, a white A-line floor length gown trimmed with purple and yellow daisies around the waist.  The groom wore a suit.  I'm really lacking anymore details because the photographer they asked managed to buy slide film for his camera instead of print film which resulted in not too many great photos to look at. Slide film?  Come on! Oh... only if I'd been around for that day... they'd have oodles of photos! But I was not there... you see I was a twinkle in their eyes at that time.  Yup.  My Mom and Dad are celebrating 38 years today.

38 years.... and they've packed a LOT in those 38 years.   My childhood was special and mostly in part to these two.  They made sacrifices so our family could have some aMAzing experiences.  Every summer we travelled somewhere in western Canada and the western U.S. in our car and sleeping in our tent. They got us involved in a great church that was an extended family for us.  I heard "I love you Carly" every single day and it's one of my most precious memories and one of the many things that Garth and I make certain to carry on in our home.

My Mom was and is a chocolate nut! I come by it naturally/genetically and I do think that her gift of cookie making was passed down to me.  My Mom had an open door policy with my friends, it was a very odd day when one or two extra girls didn't tromp into the kitchen looking for fresh chocolate chocolate chips cookies or even better.. the dough!  My parents provided a safe place for my friends to come and hang out and talk.  I could guarantee that several of my high school friends are my mom's friends on facebook because of those visits she had... and the cookies!  Dad was often busy with work or sermon prep but he always made time for us.  He coached my fastball team for several years and ran alongside me as I trained for track and helped me with biology more times than I can count!  I know that my parents spent a lot of time on their knees in prayer for us girls and that too is something I hope to carry on.  I carry close the memory of still being awake the night before my wedding listening to my dad pray over me. I know that it wasn't the first time he'd done that and Garth and I now find ourselves praying over our boys at night. 

My parents have lasted 38 years and I'm so proud of the model they have provided for us and countless other couples.  No marriage is bump free, but they've come through those bumpy times stronger and more in love than ever.  Garth and I are so blessed to call them Mom and Dad and look forward to being around to celebrate 50 years with you on a beach on Hawaii!

I had the pleasure of spending a few days in Houston with Mom and Dad in September and made sure we got some photo time in!  Like me, my Dad is often behind the camera instead of infront and these photos of him are the first ones I can actually remember seeing in a long long time.  They were well behaved and were compliant most of the time and I hope they had as much fun as I did!

 For those of you who know my Mom... this shot was a two snorter!  And a typical scene for these two.  Mom laughing at something and Dad laughing at her laugh!

 This one is a keeper... not too many shots of him around!

 This photo is Mom in a nutshell.... more often than not she's laughing!