Friday, June 27, 2008

2/52

So in being faced with the second photo to take in this year long project, I had tons of ideas. Some simple, some really complex, all of them involving a tripod and remote, setting up the shot and going back and forth to the lcd screen to make sure I got "the shot". This week's photo didn't involve any of that!

It was time for Lily's 4 month well baby checkup (4 months already! wow!). After getting all the kids together, loading up the car, driving there (quick drive, thank goodness!) getting out of the car, entertaining them for hours with crayons and paper (which could not be used on the chairs thank you very much Miss Receptionist!) and me also taking care of the other 8 children in the waiting room with crayons and paper (since I was the only parent there to think to bring items for my kids to play with, here's a quick tip, when going to any type of "office" with your kids, bring crayons and paper!! or at least some board books!) I then asked if the big flat screen tv was working in the corner, usually there is a good Disney flick playing, but Miss Receptionist says no, its broken and I walk away wondering when Lily will be seen since our appointment was encroaching on 1.5 hours ago. Finally we're called, Lily is weighed and measured (13lbs 8oz and 26in long! Translated....long and skinny!) We're left in the little room to wait for the pediatrician. After breaking up a few fights between the older two kids over who gets to sit in the only chair in the room and why they can't turn off all the lights while we're waiting, I find this as perfect opportunity for "the shot". I grabbed my camera, widest lens already on it, pull all the kids on the examining table and tell them to "find the monkey in the camera!" I take the shot (actually, quite a few since I always keep my camera on "burst mode" with 3 little ones!) and I am pretty happy with how it turned out. Its us...tired, hungry (since there was no eating snacks in the waiting room), and waiting for Lily to be given her horrible immunizations.

So here's my tip for the week (besides what to do with your chillins' at the dr. office!) take your camera everywhere! Just throw your widest lens on, or pack your point & shoot and make sure you always have it in the car or in your purse. You never know when the time will be right to take these year long pictures. And "monkey arms" is ok for these photos! Just hold that camera out and take the shot! My photo this week may not be the most technically perfect, but it tells a story that I now will never be able to forget. My kids aren't going to be little forever, years down the road crayons and paper isn't going to entertain them anymore and our biggest dilemma won't be how to get the huge bandaids off of Lily's legs without causing more pain than the shots did that put the bandaids there in the first place. So treasure all the moments, even the frustrating day to day humdrum dr. appointment moments.....where the big flat screen tv is working just fine as soon as our appointment is over :) :)

2/52

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Monday, June 23, 2008

Finally :)

I was sworn to secrecy after this photo session...these were to be a special gift for her husband on Father's Day! I'm delighted to be able to share them now. This lovely expectant mama is just amazingly beautiful. She glowed, inside and out! I love her heart as well. I walked into her home and immediately wanted to hire her to decorate my house! I fell in love with her daughters room, it was truly fit for a garden princess. Her daughter joined us for the session, little Miss A was truly in love with her Mommy! They were two peas in a pod, right down to the curly hair! This new little baby will be so blessed to have these two ladies in his life :)

I have way to many favorites to show you...and most of my favs are the more "revealing" ones (which of course I do not blog!!) So this is just a glimpse into our time together.

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Friday, June 20, 2008

A new project...52 weeks of photos...

I've been inspired. As a mom, and I'm sure all you moms out there can relate, we are never in front of the camera. We're busy behind the camera, snapping away. Birthday parties, vacations, day to day life, there are a ton of pictures of our kids, our husbands with our kids, our kids with our kids...but where are WE? I've gone through whole outings, special days and months where there is no evidence that I ever was a part of my kids' lives! I've tried to blame my husband (haha), but its really not his fault. He doesn't have the passion for photography that I do. I hog the camera, and I don't ask him to take photos of me. He does a great job every now and then grabbing the camera and trying to get me in a few pics, but its not the same.

So...I'm embarking on a huge challenge. One photo a week, for 52 weeks. One year of portraits with my children. The photo will include me, a part of me, all of me, whatever...and one of my kids, two, all three, it doesn't matter. The point is for me to be a part of the photo in any way. I would encourage you moms to do this with me! Maybe its not every week, maybe once a month. You don't need photoshop to do this! My goal isn't to have a spectacular photo every time, the goal is to just take the photo.

Is anyone inspired like I am? Want to join me in this project? I know of some Moms who are already doing it! Leave me a little comment here, or email me at amy@amyschuffphotography.com. Or you can just come back every Friday to see the latest picture! (Put your email in the little box on the right to subscribe to my blog!)

And pray for me! I really hope I can stick with this! :) :)

So here we go, this will be fun! My first self portrait of the next 52 weeks with the littlest munchkin in my life...Liliana.

1/52
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Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Their Daddy...

Father's day just passed, we didn't do anything spectacular this year. I'm not sure why...maybe it was because of time or maybe circumstance or just plain maybe cause the Dads get the shaft and its really about Mother's Day (hmmmm.) But what I can do is swoon a little bit about my kids' father. He wears a lot of hats, goes by a lot of names, but I know without a doubt the one that is the most important to him is...Daddy. He's just an amazing guy, my husband. He's a wonderful Father...and I mean...wonderful. I could not have asked for a better Dad for my kids. If any woman wishes her husband helped out around the house more, or paid interest in the kids more, or just plain was "present" at home...my husband can give some lessons. I know I am very, very blessed to have him. He is a gift to me that I do not take for granted. He's so cute, he didn't know I was going to gush about him on my blog. He thinks I'm inside the house reading while he's out doing a "project" in the garage (oh the projects!! How I love that about him!)

He loves the Lord, he loves his kids, he loves his wife (me!!) and we all love him back.

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Thursday, June 12, 2008

Lily's first tat...

Compliments of Daddy ;)

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Friday, June 6, 2008

Hey! Friends & Fam.....!!!

(...and anyone else who might stumble onto my blog of course!...) Go check out the photos Jeanette took of Lily! They're soooooo good!! (click her name to go to her blog, its the June 6th post.) Jeanette also photographed Lily's birth. If anyone needs a labor & birth photographer in Chico, CA (she's a portrait photographer as well)...Jeanette is the one to call! Thank you Jeanette! You're absolutely the coolest :)

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Lily Feet...

Blogging two days in a row??? Wow! What has gotten into me??! Well I couldn't resist sharing this new one of Lily. I just love those feet. They're just....so....stinkin'....cute! She's learning to play on her tummy quite well, she even rolled over for the first time the other day! (By how excited I was when it happened, you would think I was a first time mom or something!!)

Oh, and never mind her precious little hair...we call her "mullet girl" for short, poor thing! :) :)

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Wednesday, June 4, 2008

oh to be a kid again...

...mud pies were definitely on the dinner menu last night :)

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Sunday, June 1, 2008

A good day...

...'cause its my BIRTHDAY! :) As a young girl passing notes to my then-friend (future husband!) I would picture myself in my late 20's and wonder where I would be. Now that I'm here .....

27 ROCKS :) :)

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