places in america

i love this print and love the idea of pinning the locations we've lived and visited (places we've lived in one color and places we've visited in another).  but i'm not sure how i feel about putting pins into a $120 signed print, especially when we have to remove the pins and pack up the print every three years, with each move.

i've actually wanted a map in my house for a long time, but i want a cool, different, artsy map.  seeing this map at you and me the royal we, has me thinking about creating an america print ourselves.  together as a family, we could draw and paint a map.  and how special would it be to have the states written by the kids.

yes -- this might just be one of our summer projects once we are settled in tampa!

be yourself

wanted to wish all the moms out there a belated happy mother's day! i wasn't feeling well on mother's day, so i've been playing a little catch-up with things, including this post.  better late than never, right?! sharing this most awesome painting of me, which i received from kiele, for mother's day. i love how she incorporated the beads in my dreads, the special necklace the kids made me for my birthday and a be yourself t-shirt because she thought i would like that.  i more than like it, i love it!! and it will soon be framed as one of my most precious pieces of art, on a wall in my home. :-)

and this photo, taken on mother's day, of the little ones goofing around in my bed.

busy as a bee

yep, busy as a bee... i've been photographing and designing books for my little ones' classes (preschool and first grade) the past couple weeks.  along with paying taxes, book keeping, calling accountant, working on workshop, ordering and shipping prints, working on a new website, etc...i've been crazy busy.  i absolutely love giving this gift to the teachers and parents every year!!

this year for sky's class, i took photos at the beginning of first grade and then the end of the year. it was rather mind-blowing how much some of the kids changed in one year.

for their book, i used both sets of pictures and the kids drew and wrote what they wanted to be when they grow up. reading their writings was one of the cutest things ever. here's a few of my favorites...

I wont to be a farmer becuaes I wont to help peaple eat hulfee.

I wont to be a vet to help animals. And I wont to be a fotogerfer to take beautiful pickshers.

When I grow up I will be a Dr. and a hair stilitst because I'd help pepl and kids. I will be a hair stilitst because I cut hair and do dipheret hair stils.

I what to be a army man becus my Dad was in Irack. I think it is a good job to help the world.

Wen I grow up I want to be a vetcherereen becuse I want to help anamals.

I want to be a arme man becas it is cool. and I like camaflog. I like to get trained.

and this is the preschool book layout (they also drew what they wanted to be when they grow up and then i asked them some questions)...

and speaking of busy, gotta run...having a friend over for dinner and need to grocery shop and clean.  i'll have to make sure i buy something hulfee :-)

can we slow things down a bit...

...please?  because kiele is THIRTEEN! can you believe it? me neither. officially a teenager...and still as wonderful, sweet and good as ever.

i was looking at old photos of kiele and as i looked through the photos, memories and stories of kiele flooded my mind (that's what photos are supposed to do, right?!). in celebration of kiele's birthday, i thought i'd share a few photos and thoughts here...

sweet, sweet kiele --

you have this ability to touch people like no other. people meet you and always seem to fall in love with the person you are. i hear it time and time again...how incredibly special you are. there has been plenty of times, especially at your schools, where strangers will stop me in the hallway to tell me what a great kid you are. my heart beams and tears flood my eyes knowing you have this gift and it comes so naturally.  needless to say, i'm one proud momma and feel so very blessed!

and i can honestly say, this goodness about you started as a baby. momma carmen watched you from six weeks old until age four. while you started as simply one of the day care children, you quickly became part of their family. and well, you thought of them as family too -- calling them momma carmen and daddy jim. while many mommas might have worried about that, i didn't; i adored it.  thanks to you, we will forever be family with one another.

after your daddy and i got a divorce, i know things were tough for you. but you were always so strong. i adored how you slept with your daddy's photograph every night for years and years. eventually it came out of the frame and was laminated (easier to sleep with that way).  over the years, it had fallen apart and was taped together multiple times (by you). one day, i tried to scan it and replace it with a new one, but you wouldn't have anything to do with it and made me give you back the old one -- the one that was falling apart, perfect and not to be messed with.  that photograph is now back in a frame and graces your nightstand, right next to your bed.

here's the oh-so-loved-perfectly-taped-together picture of kiele's dad, scanned a couple years ago.

and baby marston, who was named that from the very beginning. you loved him so much (yes, he was a him). it breaks my heart that he's now packed away in the back of your closet. i took this series of fictional photographs when you were eight. now this day is a reality and i sit here with a lump in my throat, wishing i could stop time for a bit or at least slow it down. (larger version here)

you are the best big sister ever.  even though there is a six-year spread between you and sky, you've always played with the little ones often and so well.  you've now started to really enjoy your private space and time, yet you still let the little ones in to share with you (most of the time).  they adore you beyond words. and you have set and continue to set such an amazing example for them.

i found the three of you like this in the backyard, so many times. each time, i would look in awe...cherishing how well you played together.

i will never forget the day your cochlear implant was turned on and you could hear...i mean really hear, for the first time!  you were so brave during the surgery and the recovery.  the moment you heard water run in the bathroom for the first time and you came running to tell me was magical.  you have never used your disability as a crutch and my guess is that you never will. i love how you don't hide your cochlear implant and how you are proud of who you are and what you've overcome and accomplished.

being a military family, i always worry about you when we move every couple years -- a new school, making new friends, etc. but i shouldn't, as you seem to do amazingly well each and every time. you seem to always find a very special friend wherever we go.  and after we move, even at a young age, you worked hard to keep that friendship going despite the many miles between the two of you. you haven't been with nat since 2006 and your friendship is still a strong and cherished one.

i truly cannot believe you are thirteen and i thank you for thirteen incredible years. you have taught me more than anyone and your goodness is inspirational to all. you have a special something and i truly believe you're going to make your mark in this world (and it will be one great mark, for sure). you see the world so wonderful; i often joke that you see the world as nothing but rainbows and roses (and maybe some horses). when i describe you to others, i usually start with, she's rather angelic. and i really mean that!!

you are obsessed with horses and want to be a large animal veterinarian when you grow up. you even have $800 already saved up to buy your first horse after college. you dream to one day live on a ranch and own lots of horses. hmmm...maybe you'll even be the next big horse whisperer. that wouldn't surprise me one bit!

i wish you the happiest 13th birthday and hope that all your wishes come true -- this and every year. i love you sweet kiele. more than you'll probably ever realize!

thank you for being you...and for being so absolutely amazing! photo above, of kiele and i, taken by untamed heart photography

and while this post is already really long (deservingly so), i close with a poem that kiele wrote the other day:

my own secret forest is filled with dreams.  everyday, after school, it calls my name.  the wind whispers kind words and the flowers wave hello.  the clear bubbling brook, with silver fish, is inviting.  the birds chirp cheery songs, with glee.  i follow the stepping stones down to the brook.  then i jump onto the fallen tree...and walk across.  the long green grass, with colorful wild flowers, tickle my feet.  along the brook's sand bank, i skip some stones.  then is see some deer and follow them, deeper inside the forest.  trees with blooming flowers float in the breeze.  i pull some weeds out and feed them to the deer.  i hear the squirrels chatter and watch the butterflies flutter.  the sunset comes beaming through the forest, with it's beautiful colors.  lightning bugs begin to show themselves with their bright lights.  i catch a few and dance around.  the moon arrives and glances at the brook.  i know it's time.  i let the lightning bugs fly away and say my good-byes.  my time has come to leave.  but my smile remains, for i know i will be back soon -- very soon, to play in my secret forest once again.

family photos

this past weekend, we had the awesome opportunity to have our family's photos taken by untamed heart photography at the city museum in st louis.  and oh...my heart is so darn happy, i can barely stand it.  i cannot even begin to express how much i appreciate this gift michelle has given us. friday afternoon, we drove to st louis, to visit michelle and her family.  ryder lost his tooth on the drive and we hoped that the tooth fairy would be able to find us.  she did.  :-) our families had such a great time -- sharing, laughing, playing together!!  saturday afternoon was the photo session.  and on sunday, we visited grant's farm and then ventured home.

i truly and deeply treasure each and every image michelle has shared with me.  needless to say, she's wicked talented. here's a few that she has emailed over the past couple days...

thank you michelle, for the magical photos.  for opening your home and your hearts to our family.  for the special memories that will forever be a part of us.  thank you...for everything!!!

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and in case you were wondering, this is what the four-hour drive home had in store...

p.s. if you're a photographer, please don't forget to take the time to have your own (family's) photos taken!

life goals

sky brought this home from school on friday. and my heart melted.  seriously melted.

and i began thinking about what i would write if i was asked to share three life goals. it's not easy to write just three.  hmmm...

1. try to do and be my best in all i do. 2. remember to give. 3. cherish each and every day.

if you could list only three life goals, what would they be??

p.s. this is my 777th post and yesterday, while watching blind side, 777 kept coming up on the closed captioning throughout the movie.  is someone trying to tell me something?

be grateful

let us be grateful to people who make us happy;they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. - marcel proust

a couple days ago, i asked sky if she would do some pictures with me,

just for a little bit...please.

sure, she said. just for a little bit.

we went out, behind our house, for about 15 minutes -- that's all we had until sunset.  but i was grateful for any amount of time, especially since i hadn't shot in a while.

when i photograph sky, she always (almost always) goes with the flow of my ideas.  i don't really have to give her much direction.  she just does.  i just shoot.  we get each other that way.

and when done, i never forget to thank sky and tell her how great she did.  i don't ever want to take that special time she gives me for granted.

when tucking her that night, i asked her if she knew what a great model she is.

i know, she said, with her sweet, sly sky grin.

good, i replied, with a smile on my face.  you should!

and i was so very grateful... for everything.

go do

came across these lyrics today.love...

go sing too loud make your voice break - sing it out go scream do shout make an earthquake...

you wish fire would die and turn colder you wish your love could see you grow older we should always know that we can do anything

go drum do go out make your hands ache - play it out go march through crowds make your day break...

you wish silence released noise in tremors you wish i know it surrender to summer we should always know that we can do everything

go do you´ll know how to just let yourself fall into landslide

go do you´ll know how to just let yourself give into low tide

go do!

tie strings to clouds make your own lake - let it flow throw seeds to sprout make your own break - let them grow

let them grow let them grow

you will survive we´ll never stop wonders you and sunrise will never fall under

you will survive we´ll never stop wonders you and sunrise will never fall under we should always know that we can do anything

go do!

- lyrics from jonsi's go do

yesterday, i did.

these two chairs

i think i've mentioned it on my blog a time or two before, but...we dream of owning an eichler someday.  so our house, whatever house we're living in at the time, is mostly furnished in a mid-century modern style.  we still  have a ways to go but piece by piece, our house becomes a bit more mid-century modern-ish. while in san diego, we picked up these two beat-up mid-century modern chairs from craigslist.  steve said that the core was good and i trusted him (he's almost always right).  but the cracked brown leather chairs sat in our garage for well over a year, waiting to be reupholstered.  shortly after we arrived to kansas, we located an awesome couple (lawyers turned upholsterers), who reupholster out of their house. and viola -- we had a set of kick-ass green frabric mid-century modern chairs.

we love our chairs. our kids love our chairs. charley loves our chairs.

i think more activity happens on these chairs than anywhere else in our house. it's really quite funny. and i've only captured a tiny fraction (over the past couple months) of what takes place in this one little space -- on these two chairs.

p.s. yes, that's sky filing her toenails, while sitting | balancing on the armrests of the chairs.

p.s.s. leah and i actually met, after i saw photos of her eichler on flickr.  i inquired about her house...a couple months and quite a few conversations later, we were invited over to her house for dinner.  and that's how our friendship began!

happy birthday

happy 149th kansas!  yep, today is kansas day.  i'm not sure what's happening for kansas day in our small town of of 10,000.  crazy to think that san diego has a population of 1.28 million and tampa, 341,000  seriously? san diego...almost 1.3 million? okay, back to kansas...

it's been fun living in a small city.  it's been a great change and experience for my kids.  change of seasons.  snow.  farms, horses, cows.  new friends.

don't get me wrong...i have missed a couple things, especially lately.  like warm weather and a variety of nearby restaurants.  i dream about spring and warm weather.  it doesn't even have to be that warm.  a consistent 50 degrees would be awesome.  the cold and snow were fun at first, but i'm officially over it now.  over it, with months still to go.  and restaurants.  we have a few but in all honesty, we really only enjoy one--tampico (mexican restaurant).  i know, i know...perfect opportunity to work on my cooking skills.  yea.  ummm.  i'm working on that.

in celebration of kansas day, i'm going to search for sunflowers (state flower) to brighten my kitchen.  i'm sure whole foods has them.  too bad whole foods is a 45 minute drive.

here's some of my favorite photos taken here in kansas.

oh...

i do have one request from our city of lansing.  please invest in garbage cans and those automatic trash trucks.  breaks my heart to see guys walking from house to house, picking up trash bags one by one and throwing them into the back of the truck.  seriously...i thought all cities would have had the automatic thing going on by now.  maybe two requests.  i really wish you had free recycling so that more people would recycle.  i mean it's not really that expensive, but expensive enough that i don't see that many people doing it.

for the love of...

film. i've been talking about it for years now--shooting film; however, that's all i've been doing. talking about it. for some reason, i feel like i need someone to hold my hand. not sure why. what am i scared of? what is holding me back? nothing more than myself. and that frustrates me.

i have two film cameras (a canon and a bronica) sitting on the shelf right above my computer...collecting dust. i seriously look at them all day. every day. cheryl jacobs tried to help me get my bronica to work, when we visited her in colorado, but something seemed to be wrong with the back. so yesterday, i ordered a new back and i'm determined to use it. as for the canon, it's fine. i've just had a bunch of lame excuses and haven't had the courage to pick it up.

damn it! this is the year--i am picking up those cameras and shooting film. i am! no more excuses. no one needs to hold my hand.

speaking of film and polaroid, here's some of my favorite polaroids from over the years.

snow day

the conversation yesterday morning went kind of like this... her: i think one of the things we should discuss at the workshop is the importance of shooting often; you just need to get out there and shoot. every day, if you can. i don't do this but i should. i want to. me: yea. but you have to remember that some of us live in the snow and it's freezing right now. her: well you can still shoot. me, making excuses: like i really want to shoot, when we've been cooped up in the house for days. and like the kids really want me to shoot, when they're constantly bickering with each other. and me. her: i think it's part of improving, growing and getting out of a funk. you just have to shoot. me: well it's not going to be happening anytime soon here. her, i'm guessing: *rolling eyes*

after i picked up ryder from preschool, the snow started falling.  i was grateful for our first big snow storm and it's accompanying beauty.  well, it wasn't really the first storm, but it was the first to happen during the day.  and we were loving it. so on the drive home, ryder and i stopped in an open field and i took my iphone grateful | 365 shot for the day.

later, as i watched the snow fall from the comfort of my warm living room, leah's words rang in my ears. i thought...

it really is so beautiful. maybe i can convince one of the kids to come out front with me for just a couple minutes. for just a few shots. nothing big.  just something in the snow. we're in kansas...for only one year. and we might not get another good snow like this again. it's been so long...i need to shoot.

i asked sky first because she is typically the most willing of the three.  and she agreed. we went out in front of the house, for just a couple minutes.  till sky wiped out. her hands covered in snow and freezing, that was it and we went inside. i immediately plugged in the card and was so excited to edit a few of them. it's like a part of me was alive again. having not shot in what seemed like forever (except with my iphone), it felt so good. you see...when i don't shoot for a long time, this door opens (the wrong door) and self-doubt always seems to sneak in.

what happens if i've lost it? what happens if i go out and shoot and they all suck? i'm in a funk.

after getting a taste of it, i wanted more and begged sky to go with me, on the walking path behind our house...for just a few more minutes. just a few more shots. and she agreed again. :-)

excitedly (me more than her), we walked down the completely snow covered walking path. the snow was still falling and it was so, so beautiful, quiet and pure. just she and i. magical! sky played along with my excitement and let me shoot away. gloveless, i continued my hands couldn't take it anymore.

i share this because i really do believe you have to shoot often. every day if you can. it's funny how we can convince ourselves at times that we're in a funk. that we just can't shoot. that we suck. whatever. it's during those times, those times where self-doubt somehow snuck in, that it's most important to just pick up our cameras and shoot. something. somewhere.

thank you leah. for being that little voice that reminds me and pushes me. and doesn't accept or believe all my excuses.

here's some of my favorites.

getting my shit together

in my efforts to begin organizing myself for the year ahead and yes, getting my shit together, i just wanted to share a bunch of...stuff.

first, i want to share a bit about facebook (FB)--an online community full of networking opportunities and a wealth of information.  if  you've never been there, i highly recommend it.  it's amazing the help i've received from folks on FB...and the friends i've found or who have found me.  here's my personal page and business page.

since not everyone, who reads my blog, is on FB, i decided to share a few things here that i recently discovered and|or shared on FB just today.

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i'm finally feeling better today (after suffering from a terrible stomach flu on new year's day.  what a way to bring in the new year, huh?!).  i was actually recovered from the puking yesterday, but the dehydration was still hugely kicking my ass.  so now that i'm better, it's about getting organized.  and that begins with grocery shopping, since i have nothing in the house.  not having a clue what i wanted to cook for the week, i posted on FB, inquiring if anyone had any great recipes they could share.  and i learned about these great recipe sharing sites:

smitten kitchen orangette allrecipes (actually an old fav)

i've printed out some super yummy recipes and will head to the grocery store in a bit (after the construction guys are done working on the walls in our 5th bedroom). my plan is to buy a clipboard and put it on the kitchen wall with the week's recipes clipped. kind of like this (love her series of inspirational clipboards).

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our KS house is already rented and we're looking at real estate in tampa. this whole thing is rather surreal. we've been here six months and are moving in six months. oh. my. gosh!!

steve is dreaming of building in tampa, although i'm not sure it's going to be possible in the area we want to live.  our location options are based on the communities middle and high school (kiele's school is our priority).  and for the moment, we're house hunting in the 33629 zip code of tampa (palma ceia area).

but, if we magically happened upon cheap land, here's a couple homes that steve and i would love to build.  maybe after our sailing adventures. sure can't hurt to dream! the spirit of palo alto the Xhouse 2

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i'm planning my spring trip back to san diego for client shoots, sometime in april or early may (leaning towards late april). if anyone is interested in a client shoot during that timeframe, please email me. i also plan to do client shoots in san diego and NY in the fall. it's so exciting to have clients across the nation. i guess that's one of the perks of being a military-family photographer. needless to say, i'm blessed and grateful.

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speaking of grateful. my plans were to start my grateful | 365 project on jan 1st; however, my stomach flu trumped that idea. and so i begin today.  you might remember me blogging about hailey's inspirational 365 grateful project in the past.  my plan is to do simple iphone photos for this project and will print them (probably in a 5x5 book) at the end.

today (01 | 365), i am grateful that my kids play so awesome together. sometimes it amazes me. don't get me wrong, they do have their fair share of typical sibling bickering, but most of the time, they play like this. and it melts my heart.

thank you 2009

2010? that's crazy. i remember 2000 like yesterday, although not really because i have a terrible, terrible memory. but seriously, i can't believe it's 2010 tomorrow. as every year comes to a close, i think about how seriously blessed i am.  and this year is no exception.  it's been absolutely amazing!  my life is so full. and fricken awesome.  i'm so thankful--both personally and professionally.

on the brink of 2010, i was thinking of my goals for next year (just a start and in no particular order)-- be more present for my family (i.e. get off the computer). challenge myself professionally. shoot my kids' everyday lives more. get back to regularly working out (and feeling good again or as mary would say, not feeling fluffy). live each and every day to the fullest. give more. begin to journal.

i can't wait to see where 2010 takes my family and i. the one thing we know for sure...it will be elsewhere. and that, in itself, is pretty darn exciting.

thank you to everyone, who has supported deb schwedhelm photography and | or my family. i appreciate it more than i could ever express in words.  i don't think my family would be together right now, if it wasn't for some of the blog comments i received during that time of indecision.

here's to 2010--a fabulous year full of love, peace, health and happiness!

and in celebration of an incredible 2009, i share a some of my favorite personal and client photographs from the year.

from coast to coast...

and somewhere in between.  our next assignment is...tampa, florida!!

so here's the deal -- steve is penciled in for a three year tour at macdill AFB in tampa, FL. however, pencils do have erasers and that's the reality of military assignments. nothing is ever a 100% sure thing, but we are pretty darn sure.  take that for what you will.  that's basically what i do. when steve told me, i was like

are you sure? so does that mean we're actually going? your name is officially attached to that job? it's kind of, sort of a sure thing? you're really sure?!

his reply, right.

one issue is that steve and the other guy's (the one steve is replacing) timing doesn't coincide, so we're not exactly sure when we're moving. best guess is sometime between june and september; however, the kids and i will for sure be there prior to 2010 school starting. the detailer said that he should be able to cut orders for steve (hard copy versus penciled in) the end of january. that will be that much firmer. our plan is to go to tampa during spring break to look for (and hopefully) buy a house.

actually now that i'm typing this...not moving in june would complicate things a bit because we really need to rent our KS house out in june (when the next class arrives). so it would probably be best that the kids and i left in june, even if steve can't.  he would probably just rent an apartment or something until he could assume the job in tampa. aye!

i've already researched schools (the first thing i always do when PCSing) and south tampa has some really great ones, which is a huge relief. i'm not so worried about kiele anymore, since her transcription services are now so well established on her IEP (beyond california).  it will happen. and if by some chance the school chose to challenge kiele's IEP, i'll be in court until kiele receives transcription (without a doubt, we would win!! i really am that confident about it at this point.).

it's crazy that i've lived in: detroit, MI washington DC biloxi, MS tucson, AZ ft walton beach, FL (where i met steve) whidbey island, WA san diego, CA lansing, KS and soon...tampa, FL.

we're super excited, as we've heard nothing but fantastic things about south tampa. normally i would say that i'm dreading the humidity because of my curly hair that i straighten every day, which turns yucky-frizzy-curly in the humidity but...my dreads have pretty much remedied that issue.

in celebration of getting back to the warm and the beach, i share some of my fav beach photos from 2009.

peace!

happy birthday!

happy 5th birthday ryder! oh my gosh...my baby is five.  how did that happen?

ryder, i love you with all i have to love. and seriously cannot believe that my baby is now five and a big boy. thank you for being a good, kind, caring big boy. i love that you have manners and respect adults. i love that teachers share,

he's such a sweet boy.

you engross yourself in make-believe play just as well as your sisters, but with legos, super heroes, cars and playmobil. i could sit here and listen to you play like that for hours.

i can't wait to see where gymnastics takes you. you are strong and powerful and in a class with boys 2-3 years older than you. last monday, i knew you weren't feeling well, when you walked instead of ran your laps. when i asked you if you were okay, you shook your head yes and no, but said that you wanted to continue doing gymnastics. i let you. the minute you came up after the lesson, white as a sheet, i knew something was wrong. and within 30 seconds, you puked everywhere. only to puke again in about 10 feet away and slip and fall in it. while i was mortified that you puked so much, twice, at gymnastics; i was proud that you love gymnastics so much, you wanted to continue on, even when you weren't feeling the best. (although we did have a big long talk that you really shouldn't do gymnastics when you're not feeling so good). :-)

you learned how to ride a bike at 4 1/2 with barely any help. now, you long for a skateboard. and try soccer and football. and we can't wait to watch you do both.

you are an artist just like your sisters and can draw for hours. you write your letters well and are trying to put letters together, to make words. you're ready for kindergarten.

while we transitioned you into your own bed, with our move to KS, you discovered that if you sneak into mom and dad's bed in the middle of the night, mom will move over most of the time. (aye!).

you didn't transition well to the cold weather kansas brought us.  i had to force you to wear long sleeves and pants.  and then for the longest time, you rolled your pants to your knees.  you don't wear socks...ever, which drives me crazy because you have the stinkiest tennies.  most of the time (even in 20 degrees), your coat consists of a hoodie.

your daddy says i spoil you. and i probably do, although i'll never completely admit it.

i am proud of you. i can't wait to see where the next few years take you.

happy, happy birthday big boy!!

p.s. thank you for letting me take five-year-old photos of you.  and thank you for wearing your daddy's shirt from when he was a little boy, for the pictures.  you melt my heart.

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on a completely different note...

steve did not make XO.  i know those letters mean nothing to most non-military, but let's just say XO is kind of like the next step for one day becoming a commander.  what does that mean?  it means that steve will not be an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) commander and instead will follow a different track; it kind of opens the doors to other paths in the navy.  many believe that this is a great thing--more options, less deployments, less time away from the family.

we're hoping to find out more about steve's assignment options next week.  some places that steve has mentioned are staying here another year, san diego and tampa.  BUT, we could very, very, very well end up going to somewhere completely different.  i think after steve talks to the detailer (the assignment man) next week, he should have some specific choices.

this phase of not knowing is tough. i really just want to know.

wishing you...

wishing you all a wonderful holiday season and really fabulous 2010!

the above image was the front of our christmas card, with our family's photo on the back.  and this year is officially the last year that i am mailing paper christmas cards.  next year, i plan to email and post on my blog only!  all the money that i would have spent on printing the cards, paper for our family's christmas newsletter and stamps will go to charity (having sent over 150 cards this year, that will be a pretty good amount of money to charity).

i also decided that every year, i'm going to include our christmas card and newsletter in our family's annual book.  i'm not sure why it took till the fourth book for me to think about this, but better late than never.

now off to clean the house and begin making the kids' forts.  this morning they asked me when i'm going to start and shared that it was the one gift that they really, really want.  well...how can i say no to that. this is my inspiration, from the movie the holiday (such a cute movie).  tried to find the video clip to share, but all i could find was this screen capture i did from the you tube clip, a while back.

forever treasure

i've briefly mentioned my family's annual book on my blog before, but wanted to share more, as it's one of my most treasured items.  prints on the wall come and go.  digital files usually stay wherever they stay.  but my books...i love them so!! i look at my books often. and i share my books often. some pages make me laugh out loud.  some pages bring tears to my eyes.  as i look, read and remember.

for my book, i include my most favorite photographs from throughout the year.  i also always include notes about each kid.  for example, this year, sky's says: loves, loves, loves to draw. gifted. great student. called "so memorable" by her teacher. witty and funny. snugly. and oh so cute! is a great friend to everyone. learned to read on her own. reading at a third grade level. doesn't mind messy. loves her animal figures and stuffed animals. and has a ton of them. strong. loves gymnastics and is doing awesome. great listener. loves to make people happy. misses her san diego friends--amaya and catie. enjoying her lansing friends--kimberly and aubrey. loves to sing. shy. learned to blow bubbles with bubble gum (and was so excited about it). became a confident bike rider. started out the year only wanting to wear dresses. ended the year only wanting to wear shirts and pants.

and then the rest of the book varies from year to year--quotes, stories, drawings, etc. whatever my heart feels is needed to complete the book for that year. last year was quotes. this year was personal stories, drawings and such.

we, of course, have a copy of each book, since i started in 2006. and then we give a book every year, as a christmas gift, to our parents and a couple other very special people in our lives.

i order the book from blurb. it's not quite the quality of my client books; however, it's much, much cheaper. and when there's 90 pages and i'm purchasing five of the books, i need cheaper. anyone can use blurb.  the interface takes a bit of getting used to, but once you get it, it's really pretty easy.

so i encourage you. to make something to document your family's year. it doesn't have to be professional. it doesn't have to be digital; you could scrapbook it. just something.  because they grow to fast.  and while we try so hard to remember, we forget many of the stories.  and whatever that something is, make it yours. i promise...it's time worth spending!! and something you will forever treasure!!

and click here to see a larger | better version

gratitude

we tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing what we do have.- frederick koenig

yes, it's thanksgiving and i'm thankful.  so thankful, i can barely stand it. i try really, really hard to be grateful each and every day...but on this day, a day that highlights being thankful and appreciative, the emotions overwhelm me.  i find myself teary throughout the day, as thoughts of gratefulness consume me. i was going to list some of my gratitude biggies but decided not to, as i don't want to forget anyone or anything.  but you know who you are and i am so, so grateful for you!!  truly and deeply.

on this day, i also go back to last year, when steve was not with us (for seven months), on thanksgiving...and i think about what we have today--together!!  this has been a really, really special assignment for us, where steve is home early almost every day and is an active part of each and every bit of our family.  we get to spend so much time together--time that i absolutely cherish and never want to forget.  next year will most likely involve another deployment and even if it doesn't, it will involve long work hours and time away from the family...which brings me back to being so grateful and cherishing every morsel of today.

i'd also like to say a special thank you to those who are not able to be with their loved ones today.  thank you for your strength through this holiday time and your days apart!!

i am so very blessed! i am extremely thankful!

happy thanksgiving everyone!!

getting started

i've made a family book every year, since starting photography, in 2006.  and today, i began designing our annual family book and wanted to include a couple of the kids' drawings this year. when kiele saw what i was doing, she asked if she could write a poem about our family, for the book. of course!

she said it like it is.  i love that.  and it so cracks me up...

blue eyes, blonde hair, sweet little giggles and pink dresses...that's our sky. acts tough + goofy + funny smiles + dirty blonde hair + deep blue eyes is the math equation for ryder. horse rider, light blonde hair, deaf, blue eyes and a good friend is a child named kiele. both step and father, brown hair, tri-colored eyes, an engineer and in the military...a wonderful guy named steve. mother to three, rings everywhere, changing temperment, blonde hair, thinking blue eyes is a photographer named deb. cheerful barks, a wagging stumpy tail, sly and black all over is the furry charley bear! kiele, age 12

and here's a snapshot of the layout of the book. it will greatly evolve over the next few weeks, but at least i'm now off to a good start.  i'll share the book layout once it's done.