Part 2/3 of Torturing the children.

What a fun holiday season so far! We've had some great kids come in for some festive photos to celebrate fall and the upcoming holidays! Meet this weeks little models: Amanda, Brian, Kara, Payton, and Morgan.

The beauty queen

Yesterday was Igor's cousin's wedding day. More on that in a later post... As I lay out some clothes options and try different shoes in front of the full length mirror in our room I turn to see our little beauty queen Ella slipping on my shoes on her tiny toes and I almost melted as she scuffed through the room with them on. Does life get any better than this? I think that would be nearly impossible.

Kim and Justin ~ Congratulations!

A true piece of art! Every last detail planned to a T with the theme of combining the male and female essence. The wedding took place on the cleared land of Justin's parent's home and it was adorned with a Love swing, vibrant colors, and even firecrackers that set ablaze as the couple shared their first kiss. Wow! The couple said their "I do's" on top of the wedding dress themed float that Justin created complete with a waterfountain in the center of it. The couple's dog was wheeled down the aisle by the two "king" ring bearers to reveal the rings. The boys all wore chile pepper boutonnieres and the bride wore a beautiful red necklace from India. The multicultural integration really made the wedding unique and very interesting to photograph. The evenning was complete with a choreographed medly of latino dances that the couple performed complete with full attire and even fireworks. Thank you Kim and Justin for sharing this amazing experience with us. We will never forget it!

The votes are in.

With record breaking numbers of people forming lines around buildings across America, it's no doubt that America had something to say and they said it loud and clear. "We want change" It was a tight and interesting campaign that had everyone on the edge of their seats for months watching and listening very carefully to what these candidates, both Barack Obama and John McCain, saw as their vision for the future of America. Both candidates amazingly showed such similarity and such difference all at once. As far as similarity, they were both well qualified and driven individuals with families, a plan for the future and a true love for their nation. As far as differences; their way of getting there. Really, no one can see into the future and know what the best way is to tackle the problems we are facing as a nation today. All we have are our gutt instincts and our sense of humanity which we so easily tend to lose touch of sometimes. In a book I'm reading, there is a very interesting quote that I try to keep in mind whenever I am disgusted with the actions or thoughts of someone else. That quote is this, "If you were that person, you would feel and act exactly the same as they do." Isn't this true? If you really were that person, having been in the same position, with the same upbringing, if you were actually that person, of course you would feel the same way and act the same way. You ARE that person. With that thought in mind, as much as people may disagree with the past 8 years of our country's history and the leadership we were under, as the outside person, of course we can see that things could have been done differently. However, good and bad is all relative. Everything is relative to something else or else how would we know good or bad? You cannot know good unless you know what bad is. That said, without having experienced the sorrow of the past 8 years, we may not have known that change was needed and that we need to do something to initiate it. Every president is appointed into office because of their great promises to their country's people. The question is not who makes the best promises, the question is who will make those promises become a reality. I truly hope, from the bottom of my heart, that over the next 4 years and beyond, our wonderful country reclaims its dignity and thrives in prosperity as a result of the humanity, compassion, understanding and leadership it shows. The generations of "I don't agree with you so I'm not going to talk to you" and the "You are wrong so let's fight" are hopefully over. We, as a human race, are in much need of some evolution in that regard and I think we are getting there. Respect is the key in any relationship and it's no different when dealing with big countries. As an individual, of course we disagree on things. If we didn't, we would all be the same person and there would never be an angle or a purpose for thinking! The point is that despite our differences, whether it be as individuals or as countries, we need to start with respect and proceed from there. I believe that this election has gained the repect of many countries around the world in that America does want to reclaim their dignity and respect for people other than themselves. It is an extraordinary day too to see a half African-American man elected as the president of a nation that just a century and a half ago, enslaved such people. It is an honor to be alive at this time and witness our country moving past our history and moving forward to better ourselves as a union; as one with a single purpose. Recognizing that simple yet profound reality (we are One) is really the cornerstone to any and all success. Together, we can accomplish anything imaginable. There are no limits unless we put them there. Congratulations to Barack and to all who worked tirelessly to get him where he is. I hope that this is the begining of something wonderful. Time will tell!

Torturing the kids once again :)

I'm finding that as kids get older they just don't want their picture taken. They are really becoming little adults and are well on their way to the "I hate having my picture taken" phrase that most of us are so guilty of saying. My kids are no different. Even through the years of having more than the average number of photos taken of them, they still act crazy once the camera comes out! This season is no different of course; they still act crazy and pretend they have never seen a camera before and I am pulling my hair out trying to find ways to coax them into acting like humans and not animals! Too funny! We always see our own kids with a bit of a more critical eye. This weekend kicked off our series of weekends dedicated to holiday portraits and we had 4 really fun shoots! One was even a 3 week old! Here is a shot from each one :)