Lucky Me

You know that feeling you get every once in awhile - that feeling that you're the luckiest person alive?  I've had that feeling lately, when I look at my children, my nieces and my nephews.  I know there are a lot of people in the world who would give an arm and a leg to have what my family has, healthy, happy kids.  Each of them is special in their own way and making a space for themselves in the world - and for that I'm so thankful!  I snapped a few photos this last weekend of the kids, just being themselves, as the family gathered to celebrate Christmas.  We had a fun, chaotic, hectic weekend!  Started off with a sleigh ride - ended with full bellies and lots of great memories.  Here's Cate, Jackson, Maverick and Eli... 

Oconomowoc Christmas Parade

When it comes to the Christmas Parade, my family is really lucky.  Every year the parade stages on the street right in front of our house... which means we can stay warm and enjoy the sights - all at the same time.  We like to drag our firepit to the front yard and get it going... it draws in lots of folks who are trying not to freeze before stepping off to entertain the rest of Oconomowoc. People seem to enjoy it and we know we do... the chance to meet someone new and perhaps bring a smile to their face.  This year we were joined by friends, whose two daughters are the cutest things out there.  They climbed up onto the snowbank with my kids and it made for a really priceless picture.  Enjoy the view from our front yard - and Happy Holidays!

Thanksgiving weekend has come and gone - what's left?  A pumpkin pie hangover and lots of great memories, I guess.  I spent the long weekend with family, lots of little ones all around again this year... all aged 8 and younger... so it was a lot of work but a lot of fun too.  We made Christmas ornaments and cooked together, but for the first time this year the kids really entertained themselves.  Nice.  We capped off the weekend with a trip to the Christmas Tree farm and picked ourselves out a doozie.  Actually, it's pretty small, but fits nicely in the corner of my tiny living room.  We decorated it on Saturday night... also a chore with it's highlights.  I think my son Jackson dropped every ornament before finally securing it on a branch.  He also insisted on wearing a bright orange camo hat that my dad gave him.  Thanks Dad.  Add that to his camo vest and his camo pants and his camo backpack and his camo blanket and you've got quite a theme going.  Anyway, he loves the hat so it's not going anywhere.  Caitlin was great as usual - reveling in all the traditions we've come to enjoy.  She's not one to forget just exactly how we did things last year.  Enjoy a few photos from this latest holiday weekend... 

Christmas Kids

Art for Africa

I had the rare honor of photographing a really great event last week... a silent auction to benefit children in Africa.  We're talking about kids who get enough food to eat maybe once a week and have few people to love and watch after them.  So - a Wisconsin woman is working to change that.  She's raising money to start a meal program in their tiny village.  It's proof that one person can really make a difference.  For more information, go to www.pctz.org.

Celia Celebrates!

Happy First Birthday Celia!

This beautiful baby girl, you may have seen her featured on my site, marked a major milestone over the weekend... she turned one!

Celia tottered around in her tights amid the Grandparents, aunts, uncles and close friends who'd all gathered to help celebrate this pixie and all she's accomplished!  Taking just a few steps in a row now, but watch out mom and dad, she's just a piggie toe away from really walking!   Can't wait to see what the future holds in store for this miniature marvel!

Love you Celia, Auntie Carol

Delafield Delight

I had the honor of photographing a lovely wedding last friday at St. John's Military Academy in Delafield.  The bright red front doors of the Victory Memorial Chapel were striking!  I had a difficult time wanting to take photos anywhere but in front of them.  I pulled myself away, finally, and realized the beauty didn't stop at the chapel's front doors.  The Academy grounds are gorgeous in fall - and can you believe these kids?  Perfect angels all four of them!

Thanks Lisa and Chad for the invitation to document your day - your photo DVD will be arriving soon!

Family

I come from a pretty big family.  My dad has 9 brothers and sisters... so I have lots of cousins and now my cousins have kids... when we get together it's more than chaotic.  Here are my daughter, and my two nieces at a big family gathering this summer.  I love this photo because the girls aren't dressed in their best outfits, they're just together and that makes them happy.  Even with wet hair from swimming all you see is their smiles and how much they love each other.  That's what makes  almost all of my favorite pictures, my favorite pictures.

These are a few of my favorite things...

My kids!  I took these photos of my eight and five year olds last weekend at a local park.  I love tight shots of kids faces - especially in black and white.  It's so timeless and classic!  Neither of my children are camera shy, which is a very good thing.  I'm definately not a mom who has fewer photos of my second than my first.  Lucky for them I've discovered the art of photography and am taking full advantage of my home-grown subjects.

Love ya kids!

 

Kristen and Bill

Here's a couple I wish would get married about four times a year!  They are so much fun to work with - and are always up for creating a dramatic photo.  I met them in May when I did their engagement session and knew right away they'd be the kind of  couple who would try anything once.  Kristen and Bill were surrounded by lots of family and friends as they celebrated their marriage... I wish them nothing but the best!

Three Cuties!

Welcome to the Smile Out Loud Photography blog.  This is the place where I'll be posting sneak peeks of my latest sessions... letting you know about any current 'specials' and letting you get to know me just a little bit.

This is obviously my first entry - and I'm excited to share with you some of the images from a shoot I did with a really great family.  I was struck by how much they seemed to really enjoy each other's company, dad playing catch with his son... big sister clearly doting on little sister.  It was a fun way to spend some time on an unusually warm October day here in Wisconsin.