I ♥ faces

"Hilarious Outtakes"

That's the theme for week 51 and I couldn't resist putting up this pic of my nephew that I took awhile ago as he is now 14!!!
He was playing with the puppet and as I went to get my camera to take a pic of him this is what I came back too!!

And of course trying to take a photo by remote for Daddy!!!

Oh and me a few years ago - so over Christmas !!!!

Check out all the other funny ones at http://iheartfaces.blogspot.com/

We are painting...well Greg is painting!

I have done lots too but I seem to get sick of it really quickly!!!

Christmas has been and gone...

and what an eventful day!
Started off with the usual...opening Santa's sack and loving on all the gifts we got!
Then pancakes for breakfast thanks to Greg!
Then off to brunch at Granddads and Nana Jan's house.
There was Grandad, nana Jan, Us, Uncle Ferg, Betty and George (Nana Jan's parents) and Scotty the dog.
We played golf and cricket all morning - even Betty who "is over 80" as she tells me. George sat on the deck and watched in the sun.
When we were getting to leave there was a terrible accident. George fell and took the force with his poor head onto the concrete. We know now that his glasses cut through and artery. So much blood. I rang an ambulance right away and Oliver waited on the road to meet them. He was so good - jumping up and down so they could see where to come.
So poor George, Betty and Grandad spent the rest of Christmas day at A&E.
We however moved on to Mum and dads where we got way too many presents and ate way to much pork and pudding!!
An eventful day that left us happy, full and tired as we climbed into bed around 9pm!


Oh how I hate the curtains in our lounge!!! Can't wait to start decorating the inside of our house but I want the kitchen done first so the lounge and ugly chookpoo brown curtains will have to wait!!

Todays photo shoot...

Hanging out in the stream with the Jackson Children!!

busy

Oh yes I have been busy...

• painting the house
• painting Mum and Dads house
• making my cute Nativity scene thanks to Etsy pattern
• finishing Amalie's Christmas presents - felt food, crowns and dolls
• oh and a photo shoot today!!!
  

I ♥ faces

i ♥ faces are doing a Sweet dreams photo comp so I just had to add this one of Amalie at 8 weeks old. So cute sleeping peacefully - at last

whoops and I see I have added myself twice!!!

Check them all out at http://www.iheartfaces.blogspot.com/

so having a little trial run

Jamine Star...Oh how I love you and your work

One of my all time favourite photographer is coming to little old New Zealand> So so excited but I can't go... :( BOO HOO!!!

$900 for the workshop plus would have to get to Christchurch and so travel and accommodation costs etc...gutted.

My bubble keeps getting popped!

So I was asked to photograph the Baptism of 5 teenage Maori boys from the Hato Paeroa college. I was really excited and order a diffuser for my pop up flash (still saving for my flash) and couldn't wait. That was until my flash didn't arrive...still waiting.
So I got to church feeling nervous already only be greeted by every person with a camera...well not everyone but heaps of cameras and I was pushed to the side while others stood rudely in the way and destroyed it all for everyone else! (Still feeling a little mad, can you tell!)
I need to grow some confidence I think.
I do however love the photos of the boys being baptised. I am quite proud of them actually! I managed to get a good spot, out of the way so I didn't end up in the pool!

This morning I did the first communion photos. Not so bad but boy do I need practise in Church lighting. I prayed for a sunny day as our church is covered with windows so normal the lights aren't on - just heaps of natural light but oh no it was the bleakist day ever!

Not to worry - practice makes perfect right???

I find the change from informal family/engagement shoots to something formal where I cant get them to stop and pose etc daunting but I will get there.

You cant walk uphill if your thinking downhill thoughts

Colour down there...black and white up here...

So...I'm a little bored

with everything really at the moment.

I have 3 photo shoot thingys this weekend, two of which I am petrified about! They are in church one at night one in the morning of Baptism and communion. My flash sucks and I have just ordered a diffuser thing that hopefully gets here in time.

the last one I am excited about. I am taking family photos of a family from our school. Have found the best spot so hopefully they will be great.

Deciding on a style that is "ME" for photos has been really tricky. You know when you see a photo and you know who the photographer is before you have been told! Thats what I would like to be but I am failing badly! So I have decided to stick with what I love - full colour! and the odd black and white!

The sun is shining...

and we are off to Amalie's eye specialist again...well a different one this time. Praying for a great result!

Our Adoption....

So we were in a magazine a few months ago about our adoption so I thought I would post the story here too...

As a young couple 24/25yrs, we didn't think there would be a problem having children but after months of trying we discovered that we were unable to have children and so chose to go down the adoption path. We did not want to do IVF - and that was our choice - not the same for everyone.
We did our course, who knew I had to learn about this stuff! And we researched heaps on what adoption would be like.
We sat back and waited. And waited. 13 months past. Oh I know, why dont I enroll in a course, great idea!!! Then.....

The phone call that changed our lives forever came on the 12 November 2002. Greg was on his way to a school camp and I was in the middle of a maths lesson with 5 year olds and I heard the words you always wanted to hear "There's a baby for us!"
Holy Crap!!! Is this a good idea!

Oliver was due the 10th December 2002. We met both his birthparents and his birth Grandmother a month before hand. It was all very over whelming and we had decided to keep it as a secret - not telling our families until the day we bought him home. Of course Oliver was over due but on the 17th December he was delivered my cesarean straight into my arms. Something that I am so thankful for - to be at his birth was amazing.

The days that followed were filled with lots of secret visits to the maternity ward to see our darling baby and then on the 30th December we could bring him home. It was all way to emotional as we thanked and hugged his birth parents. There are no words to describe our gratitude to them. We drove all the way back to my parents house to surprise them - WOW were they surprised. The months that followed were great. We had frequent visits with Oliver's birth family and he just fitted into our lives like he had always been there.

When Oliver turned 3 we decided to have another go and put our names back in the pool. We were not expecting a response so soon and had booked a holiday for 3 to Rarotonga. Could we be taking a 4th member of our family away too?
Amalie May was born on the 28th August 2006. We met her when she was 4 days old and just longed to take her there and then!! On the 8th August we made the 2 and half hour drive to collect her. It was amazing. Again we hadn't told our families so the whole way home we were on the phone ringing them and sharing our good news.

We have contact with Amalie's birth mother via emails which is wonderful. We send her photos and updates of Amalie's milestones. Unfortunately due to NZ laws (damn you NZ courts) we were unable to take her to Rarotonga so we change our tickets and all 4 of us went when she was 4 months old!! An had an amazing time together as a family.

We will be forever thankful to our children's birth families. If it wasn't for them we would be childless an never know how much love we still had to give. They will always hold a very special place in our hearts.

My Montage 10/20/09

The eye dr.....

Well we had her appointment with her orthoptist on Monday and hooray no more patching!!! Amalie has worn an eye patch over her right eye for two hours everyday since she was around 3 months old. I am so excited for her not to be patched but in saying that the reason why we are stopping it is that there has been no improvement since the last visit. The dr is pleased that the eyes are working together and that her left eye that has the capillary haemangioma is only slightly below her right eye (in vision testing) Who knows what the future will hold but seems good at the moment.
Here are a few pics of our journey with Amalie's eye.....

Oh yes we have a kindy girl in the house!!

Amalie started kindy on Monday and she was so super excited. We are thankful it was a beautiful day as she loves to play outside and she was so excited to be at the kindy playground. I stayed for a bit then asked if I could go do my jobs. She said yes and that I could pick her up tomorrow!!
I had to collect her early as she had an eye appointment with her specialist which leads me to my next post....

So I have been busy

I have been making these little felt food for Amalie for Christmas. I hope to find her a little wooden shopping trolley to put them in! Oliver is getting a basketball hoop so he is easy!
We have just finished school holidays although they went so quick and with Greg away for the whole last week I feel more stuffed then normal. Would love a weekend away somewhere. Oh to have sleep ins!!! and to spend some time with my husband! Just feel like a Mum at the moment so need ot get out and do some things so I feel more like me again!
I cant believe it is nearly the end of October and soon it will be Christmas! This year has gone so fast. We have been here nearly one year. hard to believe. i miss Whitianga...well my darling friends really.

Happy birthday to me!!!

I need a flash right this minute!!

The school has asked me to take photos of the school production tonight! Last night its on. 114 5-12 year olds on stage at one time. Help me lord now please!!! I do not have the right gear for this sort of thing!
So to take my mind of that daunting task I decided to add some pics here...so here goes...and they are all just random!

Oh me oh my.....

tried out a Canon 50mm f/1.8 last night. I am so in love with it. Here is Oliver standing in the camera shop!!

Happy Amalie Day!

Amalie came to our family 3 years ago today!
We love you baby girl! You have changed our lives so much. There is not a day go by when we are not thankful that you are part of our family...forever!!

I won the photo competition!

So I joined a group on Facebook..

It consist s of Photographers and Amateur photographers who are set a challenge and then go shoot it!! This month was the Song "Blowin in the Wind" By Bob Dylan and here is my shot.

Sunflare...

Ok...sunflare...my first real go at it (opposed to the pretend goes!!!) Not too bad - have most definitely seen better!!

13 years ago...

We got engaged 13 years ago today!! How crazy - how on earth did I know what i wanted at just 21 years of age!
We have a week of birthdays this week. MIL's today, SIL's tomorrow, Amalie's on Friday and the FIL"s on Saturday...phew...birthdays and presents galore! Oh and cakes! Although I did a Cat cake for Amalie's party I think I might do one for her for her Birthday oh and Sept. 8th is Happy Amalie Day (the day she joined our family) so I will do a cake for that too!!!


In the first shot you can see me in the reflection of my wedding band!

Scotty....

Meet Scotty...my in laws dog who once belonged to my Husband. He is old and injured at the moment so I took these cute photos of him as a reminder of just how sweet he really is.

Our new church is finally finished!

Yay!! After all this time its finally done and looks amazing. We had the official opening today and drew a crowd of at least 500!! Crazy!! I was really excited as I though "yay I can get some practice with lightening etc in the new church" Hmmmm little did I know that I would be way down the back on the floor!! Had a little play though and here are some pics

My baby girl...Amalie May

So I have been totally obsessed with another persons blog (sorry Kristin!!) I am amazed how different and intense the adoption process is for inter-country adoptions. Its not something we looked into but Greg's cousin is adopted from Russia so we new a little bit. Unfortunately New Zealand has now been declined anymore adoptions from Russia. Crazy.

So with Amalie's 3rd birthday coming up (OH MY GOODNESS SHE IS GOING TO BE 3) I have really been thinking about how our darling came into our lives.

!8th August 2006 we got rung by our Adoption worker (note I am in the staffroom for morning tea) She says there is a baby due for us but there were conditions EEEEEKKK.
Our new baby was due in 10 days and she had been exposed to "P".
I cant think what I did next apart from tell Greg and run home to ring our family Doctor " Tell me all you know about "P babies" Thankfully he had just done a paper on it and knew enough to calm my fears as Amalie's BM had only taken P once during her pregnancy in the first few weeks.

the next few days are a blur and on the 30th August our Adoption worker rung again to say she had been born on the 28th and was super healthy!!!

Ok so long story short of meeting her on the 4th September (terrible fuzzy photos posted) and then waiting not very patiently on the 8th September to bring her home.

I have just re read through her little "diary" written by her caregiver. So cute saying she was up watching the All Blacks play South Africa!!!!

She amazes me everyday - and I am excited to be planning her 3rd birthday which has a Pussy cat theme!!!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Light....I suck at it!!!

Go to take a lovely pic of Amalie and Oliver at the Cove and tada!!!!! Pure White faces!!!!

BOOKS, BLOGS AND COFFEE!!

Thats my new way of learning from now on! I have some new photography books and I am slowly getting through them. Learning so much already. I have organised a guy to come look at my computer so I can finally install my Photoshop that has been sitting on my desk for weeks now.

Just a day at home today. School went back after two weeks break and Oliver was really excited. He is a worry to me that darling boy! He is so bright yet at times lacks commen sense! Is that just a 6 year old boy thing?? Please say it is....

Amalie and I plan to do some baking today and a walk to the loacal second hand shop in search of buttons.

And a few pics as that is what I am making myself do - pics on blog! Although I have no idea how to write inbetween them!

Back from holiday with hundreds of photos...

I cant believe how many I photos I took this past week. More than normal!!! We had a lovely trip away. Caught up with close friends and took the children to Cathedral Cove. Oliver had been before - well before he knew it as "Narnia". He loved it! Amalie did well walking most of the way and carried on Gregs shoulders the rest. Its a hard walk for me let alone a nearly 3 year old. I cant believe that she is nearly 3!! Thats another post - maybe tomorrow about our darling girl! So here are a few pics. Still playing with editing and finding it hard to decide when I have added enough..who knows

forgot to add this one

Having a laugh at the family photo below...you can see me holding the remote and Ihave that funny look of "hope this works" on my face