My puppy dogs {Lawrence, KS pet photographer}

Although it is just Thursday it is the start of the weekend for us around here. Kids are out of school today and tomorrow (parent teacher conferences), a nice little break. Just wish it was warm outside so we could be out and enjoy our time at home instead of being trapped inside. Although we won't really be trapped inside, it is a busy weekend. PTC, a night in Kansas City, gymnastics meet among other things to keep us on the go!

So as we jump into the weekend I wanted to post a few pics of the other "children" in our home. You have met Piper HERE. Well, she is a new pup this week! She got her dreadful pins removed from her leg on Monday! YIPEE!!! This was only after 6 weeks and the vet had prepared me for 12. Being a pup still made for a quick healer and we are happy with that! She also got spade and a hernia fixed. CHA CHING! Oh add to the bill the fact that she ate a hole in my Uggs last week. Not happy!!!! Guess I will have to get new ones, might have to watch for end of season sales. She is a little slow but healing.

Now let me introduce you to Petey. Oh Petey. Neither Derek or I had ever been the owner of a small dog until Mr. Pete. Hate to admit but he was a totally spontaneous purchase too. We went out one morning for new dog collars (for our two big dogs who are sadly not with us anymore) and came home with collars and a dachshund. Makes sense doesn't it? Perfect sense. At the time Josie was 4, Emme was 12 weeks old and we had two other dogs, why not add some more craziness! Let me start by saying dachshund's aren't easy to potty train! He can't stand to be cold, wet, hot or much else unless it is in your warm comfy lap. A wimp, but a lovable one! He takes abuse from the girls and now they fight over who gets to sleep with him at night. Rough life buddy.

I snapped these pictures of them both just yesterday. Petey isn't very photogenic and I have to say these are the my favorite pictures I have ever gotten of him. Dogs can be difficult. Piper is especially hard because the minute you get down on her level to get a good shot she is on top of you. Just another fun challenge!

Have a good weekend!

This picture cracks me up, one-eyed puppy Piper

Chewing our ball up instead of fetching...and me letting her so I can get some pictures.

We will work on that soon, she of course is a natural.

I ♥ faces - hands on

Another post for I ♥ faces...this week is "hands on". Get it? It is amazing how difficult it was for me to choose just one picture. I don't think I even realized how many hand photos I have and sooo many I love! I might have to make a post sometime just to honor them.

I came up with this one of my little Harper girl. Who doesn't love the genuine smile and laughter that a simple game of peek-a-boo can create. Never mind the polished fingers. Such a fun treat for a two year old.

I did peek at a few pictures that have been entered this week, some great ones!

Click below and you can check 'em out too! I will be stalking more. Happy week!

Alor family - {Lawrence, KS family photographer}

I spent a short time on Super Bowl Sunday with this family. -Yes, I know a little behind on blogging.- This experience was truly a lesson in love being a universal language. I had not met the family, the session was a gift given to them. They also speak Spanish as a first language and let's just say "no hablo espanol" on my part. Actually the girls are fluent in English and the parents do darn good too but there still was a little bit of a language barrier. But let's just say the smiles and the love that was so incredibly evident among them didn't need any translation.

This first image is actually a little grainy (very low light indoor) but I still love it. It was at the start of our session and dad was being very stiff and expressionless. We began teasing him a little to get him to loosen up. Here, he broke. The girls all laughing at him, just cute!

I of course made them run outside for some pics too! Never mind the sleet falling!

These images truly make my heart pitter-patter. So, so sweet.

Cute sisters looking so much alike!

Thanks Alor's for hanging with me and for helping loosen dad up! Quinn thanks for your fabulous assistance, we make quite the team! Hopefully we were able to provide them with a gift they are able to enjoy for years to come!

Trucello Valentine mini-session {Lawrence, KS family photographer}

I just had the pleasure of meeting Keri and her cute kids in December, remember them here. So, I was of course excited when she wanted to do a quick Valentine mini-session this past weekend. We were dealing with some falling snow, well sorta snow, sorta rain, sorta sleet, great. Tate wasn't happy and waving in the front seat this time. Little more of "why are we out in this cold doing what?" Well, not really but I don't think it was high on the list of places to be on this cold Sunday. But, everyone was a trooper and we got some cute snow shots!

Thanks Keri, can't wait to do it again! Maybe when it's warm. *sigh*

PS: Keri is the fab hair-dresser who saved Emme's hair from her own styling nightmare!

Sweet Hesston fell asleep on the drive out there.

Did you see he was just asleep, he woke up so happy!

Another video with a more detailed peek. Don't forget to turn off blog music!

I ♥ faces

**UPDATE- this photo was selected as a Angie and Amy (founders of I ♥ faces) favorite this week. Over 600 entries so needless to say, thanks for making my weekend!

I ♥ kisses....

that is the theme on I ♥ faces this week.

Brace yourself as this is not exactly the kind of kiss most of us hope

for as we are nearing Valentine's day.

But a kiss of love no doubt.

This picture is of our friends little boy Clayton and his beloved calf.

Clayton stood there and let his calf kiss him over and over.

SLURP!

A country boy at his finest.

{This isn't the "best" photo I have ever taken but thought it was a cute entry with the

big tongue kiss!}

ewww

Now head on over to I heart faces and see many more sweet kisses!

Johnson kids {Lawrence, KS children's photographer}

I was so excited last week to get a call from my friend Ann asking if I could take pictures of her three cute kids! Twist my arm. Ok, fine I will do it. Ann and I were roommates in college and even had a short stint together in Dallas. Fun, fun times for sure. As is way to typical we get busy in our lives and don't see each other near as often as we should. So even if it was just a short time it was great to see her and the kids.

I remember getting a phone call from Ann 7 years ago telling me she had just gotten the shell shock news that she was expecting triplets! I can't imagine! Talk about rocking your world, here you go! Now they are already 1st graders and cute as can be. I absolutely love how totally different they each look. Bright blue eyes, dark brown eyes and bright green eyes. Love it! If you know Ann and Dan you know that they have a mini Dan, a mini Ann and an extra one from ??

Thanks Ann for rushing over on your busy Saturday afternoon to let me spend some time with the kids. Hopefully it won't be the last!

A further peek in the video below. Don't forget to scroll all the way down to the bottom of my blog to turn off the music so you can enjoy the music on the video!

Some Harper time {Lawrence, Kansas child photographer}

Harper is my 2 year old. The fun, fun two year old (note any sarcasm?) No really, she is fun! I know I need to enjoy ALL of the moments now, somedays I have to remind myself though.

This past week while her big sisters were at school we went out on a little adventure.

Getting ready for Valentine's Day we decided to create a little chalk "graffiti". It was pretty chilly so she wasn't enjoying being outside, can't say that I blame her! Her facial expressions are the result of the conditions...

Off to the start of a busy weekend! Have a good one!

Enough of the cold we ventured downtown to our awesome toy store!

We could stay for hours...

Finally a smile!

If you look close you will see that this smile is the result of putting our boots

under the water draining.

*smile*

groundhog day

**First of all a little warning, these pictures were taken almost 5 years ago with my little point and shoot camera. Purely snapshots from time...nothing fancy, but our memories!

Hear Ye Hear Ye Hear Ye

On Gobbler's Knob on this glorious Groundhog Day, February 2nd, 2010, Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators awoke to the call of President Bill Deeley and greeted his handlers, John Griffiths and Ben Hughes.

After casting a joyful eye towards thousands of his faithful followers, Phil proclaimed, "If you want to know next, you must read my text. As the sky shines bright above me, my shadow I see beside me. So six more weeks of winter it will be."

February 2nd is a day that is and always will mean groundhog day to me. You see, my grandparents live in THE Punxsutawney, PA, home of Phil, THE groundhog. Punxsutawney is not a very big town and they have so much pride over this tradition. I mean LOTS of pride. We grew up sharing some of that pride back in Kansas. I can remember as a child having Punxsutawney on spelling tests thanks to me. We have been in our local paper sporting our groundhog shirts and now even our children have graced the pages of the paper. So, I wanted to honor Phil, {even if he tells us we are going to have six more weeks of winter, BOO} with a post just for him.

Here is an article on Fox news on how the tradition got started, go ahead, educate yourself.

For the record, my papa can't stand groundhogs. A rodent. We have a picture of us as kids standing with him holding a dead one that he had just shot... it was eating his garden. Boy, times have changed.

This is a real groundhog in the "wild" or ok, on the golf course. This picture has a super funny story that goes with it, I will spare you but can guarantee my sister is laughing hard just looking at it.

The cousins in front of gobbler's knob, where the festivities take place.

Sadly, we haven't ever been on groundhog day.

Phil and a few friends live at the local library during the year...aka groundhog zoo.

Josie and Addi give us a peek inside Phil's burrow.

The kids posing on some of the groundhog statues around town.

My dad (who grew up in Punxsy) with the grandkids posing for the camera, this was in the Hutchinson News, February 2006.

Wow, the kids have grown and we have added a couple more!

So...happy groundhog day!

On another note, really did neglect my blog this past month. But got my website almost totally done (will announce soon) and that was my main goal of the month. Did get a few things done around the house too. So, hopefully February will be a bit more exciting and there might be more action on here again!