On an adventure...I'll miss you Handsome...and babies...and Corvallis

I am off on an amazing adventure!  I can't wait to tell you all about it when I get back...but one word...EPIC!

I just wanted to leave you with the splendor and beauty that is Oregon...specifically Corvallis *sigh* I love it here!

The welcoming sunset through my dirty windshield

I saw this reflection and thought it was so awesome!

And the amazing hues...beautiful I tell ya

I'm going to miss my family soooooooooooo much!  This is the first time that I have ever spent this amount of time away from ANY of my children.  I'm going to miss my sweet honey as well...I will send you love notes, my dear...

He has planned lots of fun activities to do with the kids while I'm gone...not the least of which is this:

I'm already missing you guys and I'm not even gone yet!

I'm going to miss this...

And this...

And even this!  Payton, you're a funny, funny girl!

Oh Avonleigh...you certainly know how to have a good time!

I had just missed Avonleigh (with her muddy hands) touching Payton on the shoulder...she was NOT amused!

Oh my sweet Buppin' Dude!  I will so miss snuggling you before bed each night...don't forget your mama, baby boy!

And you, my Mr. Zahlmann...I will miss you most of all!  I will miss our evenings together after the kids have gone to bed.  I will miss talking to you while you're busy at work (after all, now I will be busy with work!).  And I will miss hearing you sleep peacefully for the next few nights...I love you so much!  Take good care of our rugrats (I know you will)!

♥ Me

The S Family ~ Eugene, Oregon Photography

I had the BEST time shooting this wonderful family!  They were so sweet and very willing to try anything.  But most of all, I feel so privileged to witness their absolute adoration of sweet baby E!  He was smiliest little guy!  Oh, I could have snuggled him all day!

Beautiful family

Look at those eyes!  They are so blue that they practically glow!  Just wait...you'll see...

Super smiley

I can not get over the expression on his face!  "Uh oh...look what mom and dad are doing!" HAHAHAHA

I want this framed!

See?  He's glowing!

Every shot in this series, his eyes were magnificent!  I did ZERO post-editing here!

Aw...this baby loves his mama

This was one of the last shots that we did.  Little E does NOT like the feel of grass!  As soon as his daddy picked him up, he was a happy boy again.

Look quick Duck fans...this may be the only time you will ever see UO apparel on this blog.  Unless it's on another cute kiddo, then I may reconsider.  Maybe.

Thank you so much for letting me meet and hang out with your family.  You are wonderful and I hope to see more of Little E! 

♥ Stephanie

Florence Flashback Part 2

Ahhhh...this summer is coming to a close far too quickly!  I feel like I'm grasping at straws to slow things down...but my attempts are futile.

And this little boy...oh if only I could keep him at 18 months forever!  He is so precious, so bright, so precocious and so, so BOY!  His favorite toy/object is a ball, ANY ball, but especially golf balls.  I think they're the perfect size for his little hand to grip.  His eyes used to be bright blue and now are going grey.  He has turned into quite the picky eater and would be happily sustained on scrambled eggs, hot dogs, juice and milk.  He loves his siblings (almost as much as his daddy), and has a unique relationship with each one.  He gives the best scowls, and has quite a little temper - but is quick to forgive.  He is so, SO loved.

My big guy!  He is going into 4th grade.  He loves sports (is getting ready to start soccer), riding his bike and playing Wii.  He has a heart of gold and wants to be the best at everything he does.  He is good to his sisters and adores his little brother.  I'm looking forward to his teenage years...I think he'll be a good one.  I love you, Buddy!

My little sand rat!  She had such a good time digging holes and building sand castles.  She would have been so happy to spend all day at the beach/lake/river!  She is going into Kindergarten.  She is my little fireball.  She is left-handed.  She is very passionate and very organized.  She strives to excel at everything she does.  Her favorite food is a tomato sandwich and her favorite color is pink.  She is very bright, but has to learn on her own terms.  She is stubborn.  She is beautiful...and I am not looking forward to her teenage years.

Yep, that's my Avonleigh

Buddy and his ball

Back to Choochie again

This little dude took quite a while before he would even touch the water.  He was in it for about 5 minutes and then wanted out.  Picky, I tell ya.

I snapped this picture of Avonleigh at the McDonald's Playland while we were having lunch.  I had just told her not to climb on the slide when I noticed the sign behind her...oh so appropriate!

I'm editing photos like crazy...finishing up a wedding and two family sessions (sneak peak coming up)!  I leave for Utah early Thursday morning for my Blue Lily workshop...CAN. NOT. WAIT!

"Beach Fun" iheartfaces photo challenge week #34

As I have just discovered iheartfaces.com, this is my first contest submission.  I just couldn't resist the theme!  Especially since we just got back from spending a glorious week at the beach!  This is my favorite shot of the kids in the surf.  Favorite.  As in, I want to frame it and hang it on my wall.  Love it.

 i heart my babies!

Fix-it Friday #67 * iheartfaces

This is the first iheartfaces.com Fix-it Friday that I've participated in.  It's such a fun idea and I love to see all of the submissions!  Creativity rocks!
This photo was taken by Dana Suggs and edit by me.  Thank you Dana!

SOOC (straight out of camera)

My edits using Adobe Photoshop CS5:

Boosted the Hue/Saturation

Tweaked her eyes (everyone has their own version of how to make the eyes "pop")

ran Curves to warm it up

ran Green with Envy action from TRA

ran Crush action from TRA

ran Boutwell Magic Glasses action @ 80% from TRA

Head over to iheartfaces.com to view the other submissions and look around!  It's a great website!

Flashback Friday

Happy Friday!  I've been having such a good time looking through my picture files and seeing so many that I've never posted on here.  I think for a little while (ie until I get bored of doing it), I'll be posting a "Flashback Friday" photo and share a little about when it was taken.  Enjoy!

I'm on a bit of a sister kick, no?  While I was browsing through older photo folders I ran across this one taken last summer.  What you can't see on that leaf is a PILE of slugs that Laethym helped Payton to collect.  Payton has changed so much since then (but she still loves slugs, darn)!  She looks a lot like my mom as a child (really, it's uncanny...hey mom, send me a picture of you so I can scan it)!

I spent the evening taking pictures of a wonderful family in Eugene.  They had the sweetest 6 month old baby boy...and oh the blue eyes on that child!  He was so smiley and just pure cuteness!  I'll be proofing/editing photos all day tomorrow and get some new sessions up soon!

Have a great weekend!

Sisters

"In thee my soul shall own combined the sister and the friend."

 ~Catherine Killigrew

Florence Flashback Part 1

I'll be doing a few little flashbacks to our Florence vacation.  These are some random shots from the first couple of days there:

Deciding to go to the beach one evening = 5 very excited kids who can't find their shoes

Finally getting to the beach and finding a place to park = having to PAY for a place to park (REALLY?)

Having a frantic mother/photographer who wants to catch the sunset before it's gone = 5 rushed kids who are certain that coats/scarves/shoes aren't really necessary

Hitting the beach just as the sun kisses the ocean = priceless

i heart sister shots

Zeke falling asleep in Grandma's arms at Sutton Outlet

Grandma love!

Payton playing in the tube at McDonald's Playland while we had lunch with Lyn

Laethym was so excited by this Scrub Jay feather!

My mother is breathtakingly beautiful!  She is a wonderful grandma and such a light for our children to follow.  She is and always has been my rock.  For those who know her (or have seen previous pictures that I've posted), she has lost a lot of weight (I think it's about 80lbs now)!  I'm so proud of her!  Thanks for being my inspiration, mom!

I just had to post this one.  I have NO idea what was up with her hair!  The funny curl on the side...what the heck?  I'm conflicted as to what to do with the child's hair.  It's borderline mullet.  Her bangs are getting to the point that they either need to be cut again, or her hair needs to be pulled up into a high ponytail on top of her head (or cut it all short).  Life is full of tough decisions, huh?  Maybe tomorrow I'll post some pictures of her with long and short hair and you can give me some input on what I should do.  SOMETHING has got to be done!  She's still so stinkin' cute though!

Grandma and Zeke.  He's a funny little guy.  Very shy and standoffish (with EVERYONE).  So it took him a couple days before he'd let grandma hold him (which broke her heart - really mom, it's HIM not YOU!).  This was the first time he hung out with her and let me leave to walk down to the water and be with the older kids.  Unfortunately, it came a bit too late.  After packing him on my hip (with my camera in the other hand) and hiking dunes, etc, I threw my back out that night.  No good.  It pretty much put the kibosh on most of our plans that week.  That and Payton kept spiking a high fever and vomiting.  Awesomeness was all around us.

Love, love, love this shot.  I can't wait for next year when Zeke will be joining them in the surf...

Lovely Little Lady Laethym

(I've always been a fan of alliteration)

Laethym and I went on a little photoshoot adventure together, just the two of us!  I had such a great time enjoying the company of my sweet little "Peanut".  She's growing up so fast, much too fast.  I'm so grateful for the kindred spirit that she is.  She is easily my biggest helper - always willing to jump in and help with her younger siblings, or comfort someone in need, or make a meal (or five)!  I love this little girl to pieces!

Still a little girl with dirty knees

She was so excited to find this little lady bug!

It is uncanny how much she looks like her daddy!

She's going to look so different when those permanent front teeth come in...

Beautiful girl

Thank you for spending time with me, my special girl!