Thank You Hatch Family!

Have you ever had in your mind the exact way you wanted a certain situation to go? Has it EVER actually worked that way? Well, for the first time I can say, "working with the Hatch family is just THAT way!" They were the easiest and most comfortable clients I have worked with. I would start to tell them how I wanted them and mid sentence I would look up and they were in perfect formation with perfect smiles! When does that ever happen? I was so happy that the Heavens opened up and we found the most gorgeous couple of hours this weekend to shoot. Thank you Hatch family for a great morning and enjoy your preview!

Pregnancy, Website & Road Trip to Canada...

What do these three things have in common? Well, NOTHING, other than the three best excuses I can come up with for not blogging in ages! I am happy to say that all is well with my pregnancy and the baby is developing well. I wish I could say, I feel awesome, but that would be lying. Though, I am blessed to feel as well as I do and still love having projects to keep me occupied.
I am also excited to say that my official website is almost complete and I will make the big announcement when we make the launch (I wish there were some way we could all gather and break a bottle of champagne over my computer and watch my site drift into cyberspace!)
I recently returned from a road trip to my motherland of Canada, with my sister, for a good friend's wedding. We had so much fun traveling down memory lane and catching up with old friends. We even got to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving while there (and for those of you who are wondering, YES, it is just like Thanksgiving in the States, turkey and all).
I snapped a few photos while at the wedding and here is my favorite.

More of the 'D' Family

Just Some Family...

Okay, so they are not JUST some family. This is my sister and her adorable family! Though, I have to admit I am not sure who I get more nervous shooting for, my family or "just some family." I obsess equally over the photo shoots and the end result. I think the only difference between shooting for family and for others, is that when shooting my family I can use phrases like, "Stop making that ridiculous face," "I have no idea if this is going to work" and make all the inappropriate noises I want :)

Guess What?!

A Little Piece of Home.

I returned this weekend from the most beautiful place on Earth, "My Happy Place," Echo Lake, MT. The place that holds more memories and emotions for me than any other place in the world. When I was a kid, in the summer we would retreat from the Canadian weather and live at the cabin on the lake. To this day, talking weather temperature is still a little confusing for me. I only comprehend Centigrade when describing cold winter temperatures and Fahrenheit for hot summer weather. Odd, I know.
As a child, I would sleep in my swimsuit, wake to the smell of hot cakes and bacon, eat only because I HAD to and was out the door and into the water. I would swim and float until my mom would drag me out, blue lipped and chattering.
In my teens, the lake was still a place of solace and adventure. Instead of spending my days swimming, it was cruising in the boat looking for cute boys and floating on the water lathered in baby oil for the perfect tan. It was also a haven during the difficult summer before starting high school. An American school with the same number of students as my home town's whole population!
Now, that I am an adult, I get just as much satisfaction watching my daughters take on my "fish-like" attributes. I still strive for the best tan possible and instead of searching for the cutest boy, I bring him with me. This last trip I found myself not being able to take in deep enough breaths to take in all that the air there holds for me. The beauty, the tranquility, the memories and the love. When I am forced back into the "real world" and things get difficult, I close my eyes, I smell the hot cakes, feel the cool of the lake and go to my "Happy Place," I go HOME.

PS...

I will be out of town for the next two weeks, so things will be quiet here until I get back. I will resume appointments starting August 17th. Don't have too much fun without me! :)

Happy Birthday Bennett!

After several attempts and many sick kids later, we FINALLY got to celebrate my nephew's 1st birthday! It was good food, fun and company. As you can see, my sister took the birthday party to a "ho nuvah levah!"
HAPPY BIRTHDAY B-BOP!

Birthday Bash II

I've been wanting to show more photos from this session, but a lack of time has made it difficult. Maybe I will post a few more another time. This little guy was such a Romeo, and I have so many gorgeous ones of he and his family.
I loved this one, his grandmother made him his very own Indiana Jones outfit and he jumped right into character the second he got it on.

Withdrawals

I'm not gonna lie, things are a little slow right now. I am finishing up editing the birthday party mentioned before and I am itching for more projects! I started thumbing through images I took a little while back and thought I'd share this one from a family picnic we went on a few weeks ago. For those of you who know my youngest, this is actually pretty clean ;)

Birthday Bash!

There is only ONE way to get a photo like this...

Needless to say, I got the hose right in the face! Lesson learned, don't stand next to the kid holding the hose when shooting a birthday party :)

Welcome Baby Olivia!

Here are more of the 'H' Family as promised, plus some of new baby sister Olivia.



*Side Note* I completed the Seattle Rock-n-Roll 1/2 marathon and couldn't be more excited! It was an incredible event and I can't get over how much fun I had doing it! AND I actually lived to tell about it ;)

'H' Family

AAAH! I think I am in over my head! I haven't posted on my blog for ages as I am getting ready for company to come into town and then running the Seattle Rock-n-Roll 1/2 marathon this weekend! PLEASE send all your positive energies my way and wish me luck. I would be lying if I said I wasn't REALLY excited too! Now onto some fun pics.
These kids were a BLAST to photograph, we had so much fun! These are two out of my many favorites, I will post more soon.

Opportunity to Help.

The Blog: Here
To Donate: You may donate on-line at PayPal (click on "PayPal" to go to the donation page) or by or by sending a check to:
Vectra Bank
Quebec Square Location
C/O Brett Purdom
3600 Quebec St
Denver CO 80207

The FULL Story: (This is the email we received from our friend Mac Pinski)
To my friends,

Most of you that know me, know that I like to spend my summers in Montana at our family cabin. My mother's side of the family had engraved this ritual into our brains at an early age.


My mother, her sister Bizzy, and her brother Mickey, hauled their families to Montana each summer for an extended stay at the family cabin. As kids, we spent upwards of six weeks each summer swimming, fishing, playing, and anything else that kids can imagine. This time spent together created strong relationships with my first cousins, aunts and uncles, etc... to the extent that they are as much of a part of my immediate family as my mother, father, brothers and sister.


In 2009, we have experienced a number of tragedies that have rocked this family to its core:

* In late March, my Uncle Wayne (Biz's husband) passed away from a battle with prostate cancer. Although his passing was hard on the family, we had prepared ourselves for this event.

* Two weeks later, my Aunt Jackie, (Mick's wife) passed away from a battle with small cell carcinoma, another form of cancer. This too, although tragic, was known and expected.

* Two weeks later, while attending the reception of Jackie's funeral, we received word that Biz passed away from stroke. She had been in the hospital recovering from surgery when the stroke occurred. This news was devastating to my cousin's Wayne and Brett. They had just lost their father a month ago and now their mother had passed away.

* A month later, Brett and Wayne spent Memorial day weekend cleaning out their folks house preparing it for an estate sale. Brett wanted to take a few items home with him to Denver and rented a U-Haul trailer for the trek home. On his way back to Denver, the trailer dislodged from the truck and began swaying back and forth. The momentum flipped his truck while traveling on the highway. Fortunately, his wife Kelly and their kids, Cole (age 3) and Caroline (age 5) were uninjured. Brett, however, suffered a C5/ C6 fracture. He was airlifted to the nearest hospital and surgery was done immediately to realign his spinal cord. At this time he is paralyzed from the chest down.

I spent the past week at or near the hospital, spending each night with him so his wife could get some rest. Tomorrow he is being transferred to Denver and has been admitted to Craig Hospital. He is very fortunate to have been admitted to this hospital as they do not accept every applicant.


Brett is a well known and respected physical therapist in Denver area. He is well connected with the doctors and aids at this hospital as well as the surrounding community and they are anxiously awaiting his arrival tomorrow. Although his recovery has gone well, this family has a long road to travel and the endpoint is still unknown. I was able to view images of the damage to his spinal cord. The doctor compared it to when someone kinks a hose to stop the water from flowing. This injury was very severe.


I returned home over the weekend and have been struggling with how I can assist them while living in Seattle. The only thing I can come up with to share his story with others in hope that all of us together can help this family during this time. Kelly, Brett's wife, is going to be challenged with running their family. She is going to be caring for her husband, working, raising two kids, as well as worrying about all the things that most of us take for granted when running a household.


I realize that most of us are experiencing tough times financially, but I need to ask that if you are in a position to help out the Purdom family, your gift would be greatly appreciated.


Please know that I struggled with sending this email out to each of you. I am not one to turn to others for help, but, I am not sure were else to turn. My hope is that I am able to use the relationships that I have developed over my lifetime to help out a family that is truly in need of some assistance.


I do hope this email finds all of you and your families in good health. Please make sure to take a moment to spend time with them and cherish each moment. Life is very short and should not be taken for granted.


I thank you all for taking the time to listen to my story. Please know that I am upbeat and confident that my cousin is going improve from his current position. He is a strong person and has a fighting spirit.



Donations:

Many of you have asked how to assist financially. While the extent of the need is unknown at this time we appreciate all of your kind thoughts and generosity. If you would like to contribute you may do so 1 of 2 ways.

You may donate on-line at PayPal (click on "PayPal" to go to the donation page) or by or by sending a check to:

Vectra Bank
Quebec Square Location
C/O Brett Purdom
3600 Quebec St
Denver CO 80207

Thank you for all of your thoughts, well wishes and prayers. Your support is greatly appreciated and we are extremely grateful to have such a wonderful and generous circle of family and friends

Thanks!

Mac Pinski

Ballerina Girl