post four: the cake

"You are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you"
Isaiah 43:4

Tim: excited to be helping carry in McKayla's birthday cakeTim: posing for the picture and trying to look coolTim: embarrased that it took two guys to carry in the cake. He assured me that he was strong enough to do it himself.So, the cake became kind of a big deal.Guests starting swarming, and ooh-ing and aah-ing. Here it is!I want cake!!!
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you...""Happy birthday dear McKayla, happy birthday to you!"
I love this picture so much.
Napkins, anybody?good stuff...

post three: mckayla's friends

Song choice of the day: Friends by Michael W. Smith (it is definitley a Michael W. Smith day - definitley)

"And a friends' a friend forever
If the Lord's the lord of them
And a friend will not say never
'Cause the welcome will not end
... a lifetime's not too long to live as friends"



COMING SOON: Tim and the cake unveiling

post one: the birthday girl

"How old are you McKayla?"

"One."
"I said I wanna touch the earth
I want to break in my hands
I wanna grow something wild and unruly""I wanna sleep on the hard ground
In the comfort of your arms"
"On a pillow of blue bonnets
In a blanket made of stars

"Oh it sounds good to me, I said

Cowboy take me away

Fly this girl as high as you can, into the wild blue" "Set me free, oh, I pray

Closer to heaven above and closer to you"

"I want to walk and not run

I wanna skip and not fall""I want to look at the horizon

Amd not see a building standing tall""I wanna be the only one

For miles and miles" "Except for maybe you

And your simple smile"

"Oh, it sounds good to me
Yes, it sounds so good to me"
cowboy, take me away - dixie chicks

A Berry Fun Night

I baby-sat the famous commenter, Ellie, and her four beautiful sisters on Saturday. We had a pretty rockin' photoshoot (in some pretty nasty light - but I think we got some alright pictures)


We also played a rousing game of Cranium Cadoo:


Then, the Little Miss had to go to bed :(
I had fun with you girlies!

a debtor to mercy alone

Every morning that breaks
There are mercies anew
Every breath that I take
Is your faithfulness provedAt the end of each day
When my labors are through
I will sing of your mercies anew
And when the storms swirl and rage
There are mercies anew
In affliction and pain
You will carry me through
And at the end of my days
When your throne fills my view
I will sing of Your mercies anew


This post has nothing to do with photography - at all. I've been reading the blogs of the parents of these two beautiful children - Alivia and Micah. Both are incredibly sick (one has leukemia and the other a brain tumor). I don't actually know them, but reading about the incredible trials these families are going through has really been heartbreaking - and also has made me extremely grateful. When I came home from school today, I cried when I read Alivia's moms' post.

Here is a part of it:

I'm tired. I want to go home.
I want to take a real shower that hasn't been used by strangers.
I want to cook for myself and my family.
I want to have a vacuum. I want to check my answering machine.
I want to go to the grocery store.
I want to stand in my closet and figure out what to wear.
I want to take Alivia outside and let her play and run and be normal.
I want my baby to be healthy.
I don't want to discuss if she needs another blood-transfusion or which anti-fungal medicine to put her on or how much morphine she needs to be comfortable.
I want to bake a cake and sing "Happy Birthday" and let her get icing from head-to-toe.
I want her hair back. I want this all to be over.

Almost every post she asks for prayer. So, please, pray pray pray for Alivia and Micah. I know what it is like to have someone you love be sick, but I cannot imagine what it must be like as a mother or father. Please pray.

Their blogs are:
(pictures are credited to each child's mom)

it's coming :)

...Godspell...
and it's going to be outstanding

Ooooh. So sad.Look at her face! Keep trying, Brett...
hmm. well, you do have an amazing voice ;D

 She's adorable!
 These two are pretty impressive dancers, not to mention their extraordinary voices.
 aw. that's not forced. Mrs. Mays was like "Smile! Everyone smile!"ps. Is that not really funny?


pps. Here you go, friend :D

"I'm always one step ahead of everybody else. I'm like... a carpenter.... building a staircase."

-- Andy (Assistant to the Assistant to the Regional Manager)

child-like faith

I've been thinking a lot about heaven recently.

When We All Get To Heaven - Eliza E. Hewitt

"Sing the wondrous love of Jesus
Sing His mercy and His grace":
"In the mansions bright and blessed
He'll prepare for us a place":"When we all get to heaven
What a day of rejoicing that will be!":"When we all see Jesus,

We'll sing and shout the victory":

"Let us then be true and faithful

Trusting, serving everyday":

"Just one glimpse of Him in glory

Will the toils of life repay":

"Onward to the prize before us

Soon His beauty we'll behold": "Soon the pearly gates will open

We shall tread the streets of gold":

"When we all get to heaven

What a day of rejoicing that will be!"

"baby, i need your lovin, got to have all your lovin!"

"Every now and then on my way home
I stop at a spot where the wildflowers grow
And I pick a few
Yes, I do"
montgomery gentry - she don't tell me to

Today was a wildflower, sunshine, smile big, sing your heart out, wish you could fly, and even try to day - also known as: Daylight Savings Time. It was beautiful.

In honor of the Spring-like atmosphere, Bear, Stinkerbell and I "spring-cleaned" their room. They go run and hide in the closet and I find them and then we sing and clean together. Pretty much awesome fun.


"I've got sunshine on a cloudy day
When it's cold outside, I've got the month of May"
"I guess you'd say
'What can make me feel this way?' "
"My Girls (my girls, my girls)"
"Talkin' bout my girls" "I've got so much Honey
The bees envy me"

"I've got a sweeter song

Than the birds in the trees"

"I guess, you'd say

'What can make me feel this way?' "

"My girls (my girls my girls)

Talkin' 'bout my girls"

The Temptations - My Girl

Shoes! The ladies LOVE shoes.

As much as they love shoes, they especially love their baby-dolls. The baby-doll clothes collection moved from a bag to an actual dresser drawer in the ladies' room.

"Let your eyes look directly forward

And your gaze be straight before you"

Proverbs 4:25

I took this through my glasses. I'm going to keep trying to make it better - the idea has potential. I was just pretty excited about it and wanted to post it.

ooohhh dear.

I'm not sure what happened with the comments on the last post :(
It was a whirlwind. I was editing the profile and there was an error and I could contact "Blogger" if I so desired, which I don't, and all the comments were gone.
Sorry!

the first pictures...

...with my new lens!

Brad Paisley - She's Everything

"She's a yellow pair of running shoes" "A holey pair of jeans" "She looks great in cheap sunglasses"
"She looks great in anything"
(yep, not one dab of make-up. nothing. yep.)
"She's 'I want a piece of chocolate. Take me to a movie."
"She's 'I can't find a thing to wear.'
Now and then she's moody"
"She's a Saturn with a sunroof
With her brown hair blowing"
"She's a warm conversation
I wouldn't miss for nothing"
"She's a fighter when she's mad"
"And a lover when she's loving"


A few more from around the house:

All of these were taken on after the sun had gone down (well, this first one it was going down) and it was on ISO 200, White Balance Auto. Yay! The new lens is fast.

baby-sitting

I've never had an actual job - like, one where you go in and apply and have a boss and get a paycheck on a regular basis. However, I have done some serious babysitting. Tuesday afternoon I was able to have a grand time with some great little boys.

Theme song for the post:
Mr. Mom by Lonestar
(this was the very first country song I ever learned. so, it has a special place in my heart. I know I'm not a dad, but I defintley feel the same way about mothers as this dad does by the end!)

Lost my job, came home made
Got a hug and a kiss and a "That's too bad!"
She said "I can got to work
Until you find another job"

I thought "I like the sound of that!

Watch TV and take long naps"

"Go from a hard-working dad
To being Mr. Mom!"Well, Pampers melt in a Maytag dryer...... crayons go up one drawer higher......rewind Barney for the 16th time......breakfast at six..
... naps at nine!There's bubble-gum in the baby's hairSweet potatoes in my lazy chairIt's been crazy all day long
And it's only Monday, Mr. Mom Football, soccer and ballet
Squeeze in Scouts and PTAAnd there's that shopping list
That's seven pages longHow much smoke can one stove make?The kids won't eat my charcoal cakeIt's more than any maid can take,
Being Mr. Mom

Before I fall in bed tonight
If the dog didn't eat the classifieds
I'm gonna look just one more time!Balancing checkbooks, juggling bills
Thought there was nothing to itBaby, now I know how you feel
What I don't know is how you do it
"Honey, you're my hero"
...
This is their beautiful and heroic mother!
"The greatest among you shall be your servant... whoever humbles himself will be exalted"
Matthew 23: 11-12
I look forward to seeing all those mothers from around the world being exalted by their King for their humble service on earth. Praise the Lord for mothers!

hmm.

i like how i haven't updated in a long time.

the post is coming. i'm trying to be responsible and diligent and steward my time wisely (heh. heh)
Ms. Bingley character paper...here I come. Basketball and little boy pictures... here I come afterwards!

So, instead of pictures, I'll post the words to the song that has been stuck in my head for the last three days, after I was "sweetly broken" and forced "gently to my knees" (for explanation, see lydia's latest post: http://lydiajanephotography.blogspot.com/2007/02/my-champions.html )
"At the cross You beckon me
You draw me gently to my knees
And I am
Lost for words, so lost in love
I'm sweetly broken, wholly surrendered."
jeremy riddle - sweetly broken

my clownliest-clown

The other day Lauren came running downstairs in this outfit: and said "Kristen, take a picture of me!" So, I did. Here's what I got.
She started getting a little cold. Poor baby.
I love her.


If anyone finds these shoes in my size, let me know.

Here's two "Gilmore Girls" quotes to kick off the weekend:

Lorelai: We're almost there and nowhere near it! All that matters is we're going!

Rory: We're practically gone already.

Lorelai: Look out world.

.....

Lorelai: Can I ask you a dumb question?

Luke: There is no such thing as a dumb question.

Lorelai: How does ink come out of pens?

Luke: Okay. There is.

my little black, plastic and glass sunshine

"There were bells...on the hill

But I never heard them ringing

No, I never heard them at all"




"Till there was you"



I am the proud new owner of this magnificent 50 mm f/1.4 Nikon lens!

Low light, beware.

I also bought a speedlight and a filter for the new lens:




On a side note, I was reading about this nature photographer and here is a picture of his old, left over lenses. You know, the ones he doesn't use anymore. The ones he doesn't need. The one's that are left on the shelf because he has upgraded. Oh. My. Gosh. I am slightly jealous over here, Mister Nature, sir.

post seven (i did it!)

:: The Magic Kingdom ::
so, this is love, hm. hmmemmmm. and i can fly...
the best song from "cinderella"

"Don't you remember a fizz in a pepper?
Sitting 'round the table
Don't happen much anymore":
"We got too complicated
It's all way over rated
I like the old and out-dated way of life":"Back when a hoe was a hoe
Coke was a coke...
I miss back when..."
When I was little I listened to the same cassette tape every night before bed. The first song was called "Tomorrow We'll Go to the Fair" and when I'm in Disneyland, that song is like my mental soundtrack for the day.

"The sooner you sleep, the sooner you'll wake":"The night will go faster, as quick as a blink":
"Morning will break, soon we'll be there":"Tomorrow we'll go to the fair":
"We'll ride painted horses":
"With wind in our hair":
"We'll always remember the laughter we shared":
"The merry-go-round will go up and down":"We'll raise our voices and sing merrily":"We'll laugh at the clowns":"We won't have a care":"Tomorrow we'll go to the fair":
As excellently fun as this day was, I discovered something very sad the next day. I called Lydia to ask about soccer try-outs (it was funny - I was tanning on a lounge chair next to my aunt's swimming pool with a glass of lemonade and a book, while Lydia and the rest of my team were getting ready for the second day of try-outs). So, we talk about soccer then Lydia goes "Kristen!!! Becker was at Disneyland!!! Did you see him? He did engagement pictures in Disneyland!!!" I ran inside, got on the computer and looked at his blog. I wanted to cry. Let me explain why.

There are a whole group of wedding photographers who are just unbelievable and I check their blogs, draw inspiration, drool, etc. Some of these include Sarah Barlow (sarahannephotography.com), Jessica Claire (jcsphoto.com), David Jay (davidjay.com), The Boutwell's (boutwellstudio.com) and Becker (the becker.com).

The Boutwell's are huge Disney fans and had recently been there. While I was in Disney I specifically rememeber thinking "I wonder if any of them will be here."

Okay, later on that day, while I was saving seats for the parade, I see this very attractive, very nicely dressed couple walking down Main Street and I thought (I am not making this up) "They look like people Becker would photograph." Well, lo and behold. They were. Becker was there the same day as me and I missed him. I even saw the people he was doing, but I missed him. I went on the very same rides, the very same day, but I missed him!
(pictures taken by Chris Becker of thebecker.com - i'm making sure i'm not being illegal)That's why I wanted to cry.

post six

::CA Adventure Theme Park::
a California themed theme park, in Disneyland, in California. doesn't get much better than that.


I love this picture. Poor Lauren was so tired, and yet so excited. Aaaw.We were in line for the first ride and she was already in trouble. We'll keep readin' those Bible stories...
;D I'm so glad we got lots of pictures of my mom - she usually doesn't get to ride anything and doesn't get in any pictures. She was totally one of the little kids going from ride to ride.
Hey, that's better, Shannon.
If you are ever in a Disney park, buying a $7 churro is absolutely necessary to getting the full Disney experience. Those little desserts are unbelievable.


Imagine when this one turns 15-and-nine-months. Good luck with that, mom.He could hardly see a thing!

After hitting the litte-kid "Bugs Life" land, we went to ride the Hollywood Tower Hotel (a pretty intense-Twilight-Zone-themed-ride).

Mike and I(ke. haha) really wanted to go on it and we convinced Shannon to come with us. Mike was all "Come on Shannon, are you scared?" It ended up that Dude wouldn't even look at the ride again, he was so scared, while Shannon went again -- five more times :D that's my girlThe hotel was in this little old Hollywood backlot mock-up. It was so pretty. I felt like Audrey Hepburn would walk around the corner any moment.I could have totally lived back then.

The Magic Kingdom - tomorrow!

post four

::A Job::

Wintertime is always a little slow for photographers, but I had an incredibly fun job for a real-estate company! I got to spend 5ish hours with Lauren (her engagement, rehearsal and wedding pics are all in the archives). She is the biggest ditz. I am not even kidding. I laughed so hard I almost choked.
Look - here she is pushing a Safeway cart down a neighborhood road:
Basically, my job was to photograph the area of Fallsgrove and this is what I came up with: Isn't this funny? I might have it framed and hung in my home. I love it! It totally caught me off-guard and Lauren and I spent a good few moments enjoying the absurdity of it (Like, why do you need a sign? Would the person walking not figure it out? Can you walk on the part of the sidewalk that isn't closed, or is the whole thing actually closed?)
And, this is solely for Lydia, because I couldn't describe it to her over the phone. If this doesn't sum us up in the morning, nothing does.