Winter Shoot with the Norkoli Family

Dana and I had the privileged of babysitting Lily and Sam Aiduk again this past weekend. These girls man... They are super cute with their little voices and little hands... They have grown up so much in the short span since we babysat them last time. Both are talking SO much more. AND they weren't horribly afraid of Dana... which is awesome for me! Sam's still a little unsure what to make of such a big person, but she did pretty great. We survived the weekend, and had practice of what it'll be like to be parents someday. Once again, I'm content to wait to have kids and simply enjoy someone else's.

I believe in the spirit of Christmas. It does things to people. Many would say the season inspires extraordinary acts of kindness not seen during any other time of the year. I, personally, have been witness to one such act. My fairy-godmother Amy Hopkins called upon me with a special request. She wondered if I would consider doing a family shoot for a dear friend of hers, as a gift for Christmas. I was excited and thrilled  at the prospect of a family shoot. I love capturing moments with a family... those real laughs and grins... the stolen glances... the gleeful split second when a child's eyes light up with joy. It is my hope to catch those frozen moments of time so that they will last an eternity.

I met the Norkoli Family last Friday morning with perfect weather and lots of snow for a winter shoot. They were such a JOY to work with! All kinds of smiles and giggly moments. They had no trouble loving on each other and it warmed my heart to be privy to such family closeness. The kids were a blast and had the best time just playing in the snow! I hope they enjoy these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them. Here is a sneak peak at what I managed to capture. Enjoy!

I need to finish editing the photos from the cookie swap/pinterest party! I also need to finish wrapping presents and I JUST realized yesterday that we are ONE WEEK until Christmas. That's crazy... how on earth does that happen?  We also have the Blue Grass Christmas Jam on Friday and Paula's Christmas Bash on Saturday. Tis the season ya'll! Hope everyone is having a magnificent week! Lots of love!

Eye Surgery, Model Sophia & a Scottish Whiskey Tasting

D received PRK eye surgery yesterday. And before you ask, yes I was terrified... He on the other hand was so excited! I can only imagine what someone who cannot wear contacts and has been trapped in the world of glasses forever would feel like. So thus begins the healing process... slow and tedious. He should be doing better one week from today, but until then... it's eye drops, frozen peas ice packs, ibuprofen and hydrocodone. Luckily several of our friends here have had the surgery, so my worries (and his) are greatly lessened.


While my in-laws were here, we spent a great deal of time just walking around town. It was a really great way to get some exercise and spend some time out of the apartment if we didn't travel by car that day. As I mentioned in A HIKING WE WILL GO there are so many walking paths around our area. Of course I took an opportunity to show my family around. Sophia was such a bundle of energy!!! I wish I could have just a fraction of what she has. I've heard from many photography mom's in the area, that using your kids for models is a great way to practice your photography skills. You better believe I jumped at the chance to photograph my niece. Sophia cracks me up. This girl is definitely from Texas... she's got her poses down pat. I had to teach her that sometimes when someone is taking your picture they don't want you to pose so they can get your real smile. We had a ton of fun though. She is super cute and extremely photogenic, which makes me feel like I cheated. Nonetheless, here is our photo shoot of the day.

A couple of weekends back, my fairy-God-mother Amy invited D and I to a whiskey tasting at their house. A WHAT?!?!? That's right folks, a Scottish Whiskey Tasting!!!! It was incredible. There were six whiskeys to taste, all from Scotland. I've never been big on Scotch, but I know it's D's favorite. I was insanely curious to see if I could find one that I liked. The set up Amy had put together was beautiful! So of course I had to photograph....

At this point, the only person who knew which kind of whiskey was in each bottle was Amy. She did a grand unveiling at the end of the night. I was suprised by some, not so much by others. Oban, you will always taste like an ashtray.... blech.

We had such a wonderful time!!! I found that Glenmorangie is my favorite! Got me a high five from Amy.... It's the caramelly finish that I fancied so much. I hope they do something like this again. I never would have known the wide spectrum that is scotch-whiskey until I tasted them all side by side. Thanks for having us and bravo to an excellent soiree!!

This week is a mess. Hopefully a manageable one. With my partner in crime blind and on bed rest, I'm doing all the work for two. I don't mind of course, I just miss having his help. Plus it breaks my heart to have him in pain. Luckily I have great friends like Jess and Laura to help me get out of the house for a bit. Hope everyone didn't die over Black Friday shopping. I missed it so much. (crazy huh?) It's been a tradition in the family for years to head out at 6AM with the Aunties starting at Starbucks. Definitely felt like something was missing this year. Silly Germans. I hope to have my post on Thanksgiving with the Jess's up soon!! In the meantime, I hope everyone enjoys the last week of November!!! All my love...