Save the Date Workshop

Just a warning, this will be a LONG post due to too many photos posted.

I am also so proud of myself, I finally took the time to learn how to make a storyboard with my logo on it! Woohoo! Makes uploading WAY easier!

(I apologize I am a stream of conscience writer - whatever I am thinking I write with very little thought to the fact that it NEVER FLOWS! Must be the A.D.D coming out. Please bear with me as I struggle to learn better writing habits)

So here is what I did Sat. besides the amazing shoot with Matt & Jill's Family. I did a workshop! First one ever. It wasn't the type where they teach you the whole time but rather had models and location. But we had a chance to learn new lighting techniques and poses. And I learned a very important lesson with my camera! YEAH! Should help me in my photography.

We had several models but for whatever reason I kept changing to different locations and getting the same 6-8 models. And these were my fave images so that's all you're gonna get to see :)

Some of these images are a bit different then I have done - but it was nice to have something to add to the portfolio that wasn't like all the rest. Hope you enjoy!

**click images to enlarge**

Matt & Jill Family

Its official - I need to do back exercises! Between shooting an AM session yesterday and then shooting from 2pm-dusk...my back kills! But it was definitely worth it!

Matt & Jill are friends of ours we met at our church when we joined a hometeam. We had only been to the church once (and only lived in TX one week) and hometeams (small group) were starting! Well, Aaron and I talked about it and said...we need to join b/c we dont have any friends, and connecting with the church will be a good start.

I went home, searched groups in our area roughly the same age as us with kids. God is nothing short of miraculous when we selected Matt & Jills group. Of the 7 families it consist of almost all little boys roughly the same age as ours. It has been such a blessing getting to know all of them as a group and individually. I can remember the first meeting alone with them...I felt so much like an outsider! Now 10 months later I can say that they are my closest friends and would call them for ANYTHING!

Well here are some photos of their ADORABLE family! Their oldest boy happens to be Cohen's best friend as well. We see him often...church, school, hometeam. :)

Enjoy!

New Location...

The search was on! I needed some new spots to shoot - because who wants the same location for all your shots. Not me!

So I packed up some basic gear...which included the kids! And we headed to the town south of us. Its that old late 1800 - early 1900 look. Totally love! Unfortunately some of the great spots are better for evening shoots instead of my morning one tomorrow. But no worries we still found some cool hidden places.

Well, the have a train museum there, so of course the boys insisted we start there.

We then headed down an ally or two....loved those spots! My fave photo is Cohen sitting on the wood looking down. So sweet. He really was just moping..."no more Mom!" "are we done yet?"

One more photo...ok one more. O, I need one more. Sorry this is the last one! Poor kids. They are not going to learn what one more means when I actually mean 20 more! Hmm, note to self. Get better at saying what you mean...kids might learn bad habits.





Yes this is my attitude baby. Well, I take that back they BOTH have more attitude then one should be allowed. I didnt know so much personality could be packed into such a little boys. And they are both mine! :)

God Blessed Texas...

God blessed Texas. I have now lived in Texas for 10 months. I now love it and can't imagine living anywhere else. Texans have a certain way about them. They are confident people whom don't really care what the rest of the world thinks. They are who they are, and they are proud of it. They dont need to tell you this in so many words to just know. You know.

I recently learned Texas has every right to secede from the US. They voluntarily joined, and they can unjoin themselves if they so desire. And they know this and love this. And I guess, now that I live here, I too love it! I'm growing a heart for Texas. I love their attitude, their weather, and its just so BIG! So how long must one live in Texas before they can consider themselves Texan? I'm afraid they will always call me a "damn Yankee." But I am working on changing that.

What is the difference between a Yankee and a damn Yankee you ask. Well, I was informed a Yankee visits...a damn Yankee stays. Hmmmm. So working on my Texan drawl to at least convince them is what I will do. If you're from Texas, you better believe I am listening to every word you say and how you say it.

This is what I have learned so far:

You do not say "you guys" it is "y'all" I have this one down pretty much.

You do not say "I'm going..." you say...yes I love this one..."I'm fixin to go"

"Ain't" usually replaces "Isn't"

"Who would have thought?" becomes "Who'da thought?"

and "Probably" becomes "Prolly"

Basically talk hill billy :)

And HEAVEN FORBID you ever say Pop! When at a restaurant you dont not ask what kind of pop they have. They will look at you with a blank stare of complete confusion. They dont even know the term! You may say a variation of this: Soda, Coke, or the exact beverage name.

Here was my mistake when first ordering at Wendy's:
Me: I would like a medium pop.
Order taker: Ugh......
Me: Oh, sorry I mean...soda? A Coke? I want a Root Beer Coke?
Order Taker: So you want a root beer or coke?

AGH! I still dont have this one....

While we are talking about Texans...they call this great state the Lone Star State. Do they like stars you ask? YES! How dare you live in Texas and not have a star! Almost every overpass (well the newer ones) in Houston has a star on every pillar. And have you ever noticed their sports teams? This just makes me just laugh. If your a team playing for TX you will probably have some sort of star on your logo.


Hows that for educational? Probably not very - but what can I say...my life is boring right now! And this is all I have to talk about :)

But I assure you...this weekend is gonna be packed with great photos!

Y'all have a great day! I'm fixin to go head out for a bit!

25 Things About Me

I didnt know what to do for a blog today. So this is what I did today...25 random things about me. Probably a real Zzzzz for most of you but hey..its a post!

1. I love living in a warm state! Michigan was too cold!
2. I love garage sales. I could furnish my whole house on garage sale stuff..redone of course!
3. I want to road trip with no destination in mind..just drive.
4. I love showers, I could stay in a shower for 30 min or more.
5. I dream of traveling with world.
6. I can bend my fingers back on a 90 degree angel..without force..grosses ppl out.
7. I lived in Costa Rica for majority of 2008.
8. I always thought I would grow out of my "messy" stage..nope. My house looks like a teenage pad.
9. I love the sounds of my kids laughing.
10. I hate cooking...I recently went 48 hours without eating a meal cuz I didnt want to cook (dont worry I did feed my kids)
11. I lose everything. Even when buying a movie ticket I can lose it before we get to the entrance.
12. I love sleeping, but I never take naps or go to bed on time...hmmm.
13. I secretly am a Brittany Spears fan..shhh dont tell!
14. I love to dance...all the time. Yet you wont catch me doing it usually.
15. I got married at 19.
16. I had my first kid a couple months after turning 21.
17. I have lived in 6 homes in less the 4 years.
18. I love to stay up late and sleep in late. I would rather work at night. Which is an issue with kids. So now I stay up late and get up early. Bad combo.
19. I dream of being a singer...even tho I dont think I can sing well at all.
20. I absolutely LOVE living in Texas!
21. Please dont ever ride with me. I'm embarrassed how messy it is!
22. I am obsessed with music...ALL music...yes sad to say, I even like some rap.
23. I love laughing. Certain people can make me laugh so hard it hurts. ie. my brother and uncles.
24. I use to want 5 kids...HAHAHAHAHA
25. I love Mountain Dew...but it makes me really jittery..for hours. I'm talking like 8 hours. lol

Twitter

I know I said I added twitter to my side bar...but it keeps malfunctioning..so I am working on it. in time I will figure this out! :)

If you want to follow though its KariWieringa yes boring I know :)

3 Day Marathon

I know I said I was gonna post more - but this week kinda ran away from me and I have been crawling and pulling my battered body to keep up with it...fail.

My brother made an unexpected trip to our house last weekend. Which was fabulous - but definitely threw out the window my plans of catching up. But never would I choose catching up on housework over catching up with family and friends.

We joke that our house is the next Holiday Inn.. maybe I'll call it Hotelinga. :) Since we have moved to Houston, family and friends have been here non stop. There were some months were we didn't have one weekend to ourselves. It was really crazy. And I am not a very good house keeper nor do I enjoy cooking. Well I have had to do my best to pretend to be domestic, look that is. But if you do come, I promise to have clean sheets, towels, and something to eat. My house may not look like Martha Stewart...but y'all are always welcome here! And if you come in the summer months, which seems to be April - Oct. the pool is always a nice feature!

My crazy week consisted of working my kids Halloween party at school on Thursday, followed by lunch with a fellow photog who gave me great advice! Then ended with a meeting downtown with more amazing photogs and an Album co. that I cant WAIT to print with.

{Here is Cohen and his best friend Luke :)}

Then I finished processing two sessions the next day, followed by a pumpkin carving event at our friends. The boys didnt get to bed until 10:30! Yikes!{Aaron LOVES when I take his picture...good thing his wife is a photographer! Haha.}

{Aaron's first deer of the season,unfortunately his only one..}

{Here are all the pumpkins made!}

Then Saturday I had 2 sessions, and then a Halloween party at our friends where the kiddos watch Monsters Inc on a large screen outside. So much fun. Landen did his stealth move and found the Oreos...and yes...ate several. How many, not really sure. All I know is Sunday morning he didn't feel so well and I had laundry to do...yuck.

{Landen watching Monsters Inc in the driveway on the LARGE blowup screen}

Here is my first session with the fabulous family of Jonathan & Jana. Their boys are so stinking adorable, and SO sweet. But of course they had energy, they are boys after all :)







Second sesh was with the fabulous family of Scott & Lindsay. They have a one year old girl who was on the move! And she has the prettiest little face you ever saw! Saw Precious! I had fun exploring some new locations with them..I had them up and moving the whole time..but we got some great shots! Here are a few!





Hope y'all have a great week! And if you ever want to see more images I put more on facebook. You can friend me if you'd like :)