Kindergarten Photos

While spending some Mommy/Daughter time with my daughter yesterday I decided to squeeze in some photo time with her.  She really loves having her picture taken and has been in front of my camera since she was minutes old.  She loves the camera and is always asking when we can go do another "fun picture time" as she calls them. 

So while we were killing some time before an appointment yesterday we decided to walk around down town in some of our favorite side street alleys (never did find the one I was actually LOOKING for though)!

We got in a few fun photos, and it made me think.  My daughter is starting kindergarten in a matter of days.  Sooner than I care to think, she'll be graduating high school and we'll be setting about doing Senior pictures and all of that fun stuff.  So I figured why not do "Kindergarten" photos in a fun "senior" type way.  I thought it would be a fun way to remember her starting Kindergarten and the years ahead of us. Compare her "Kindergarten" pictures with her "Senior" pictures years down the road.  She is growing far too quickly that is for sure!
















We will also be doing her birthday photos as well, as she will be turning 6 next month! Monday will be exactly a month until my little girl turns 6. 

Here are a few shots of her fun Kindergarten pictures.

While we were doing some photos a kind gentleman flagged us down and asked us if we would like to check out the local small town museum, we decided sure why not we still had some time to kill.  Kams had a great time learning about the history of our town and trying on real uniforms of soldiers from the past. She went straight for the Air Force uniform. 



Kams also got to see some clothes that kids her age wore years ago, and she tried on many hats from years ago as well.  She thought all of those hats were pretty amazing.














Glad we got the opportunity to check out the local museum.  I definitely encourage people to check out your local history, you can really learn a lot about the area you live in. 

Mahala

Another Wonderful Family Session

Well the weather has certainly been very lovely lately! Perfect time for photos actually.  It's not too hot so no one is sweaty and cranky, and it's not too bright out so the lighting isn't too completely awful.  Just perfect for some great family photos.

I had the joy of photographing one of my favorite families the other day. Our session kept getting rescheduled due to life, and weather (it rained over the weekend). 

So once we finally got out there, it was a great time.

However, that particular day was apparently a very popular day for photographers to be out and about, we all apparently had the same thought. One particular location in town was very full of photographers! I loved watching them all work, they were all so uniquely different and so were their clients.  Being new to this, I'm still learning a lot.  Some times it is hard to keep my confidence up.  Especially since I do more pet photography than family or anything else.  I LOVE doing family, children, new born photography and thankfully I get lovely opportunities to do so and to continue to learn. I always enjoy learning and becoming better at something I really enjoy doing.

So here are some of my favorite photos of the family I photographed the other day.  Thank you to the Raymond family for coming back for another session! I look forward to taking more photos of your family in the months to come.




One of my favorites it catches the life of motherhood very well. I adore these kids never a dull moment when doing a session with them.




My how this little guy has grown since I first photographed him at almost 2 weeks old!




The closest we could get to a group shot of the four of them, ha! The kids did a great job though. It isn't always easy coordinating a group shot with young ones, but they gave it a great try!

Can't wait to finish this set!

Mahala

Breathe In....Exhale....

Good gracious.  I really really try to keep my cool 99% of the time when dealing with shelter dogs/rescue dogs/the random dog that needs my help/attention/services etc.  SOME DAYS it is SUPER SUPER HARD to keep my mouth shut. 

I kind of lost it on my neighbors tonight, and I do not feel bad about it.  This is NOT the first time I've helped them with a dog issue.  It is NOT the first time I've told them to STOP getting dogs. Obviously, I cannot force them to stop getting dogs, but heaven knows I wish I could.

I'm in the process of helping a SWEET one and a half year old male dog named Boogie.  He is a golden retriever/border collie mix.  He is the sweetest most loving boy.  He just melts my heart.

I discovered today (while photographing another dog that a friend is fostering).  That this sweet boy was running loose.  I knew the neighbors had gotten a new dog a few days ago when they went on a camping trip out of town.  They always come back with a new dog and then can't handle said dog and give it away to whoever will take it. 

I didn't know anything about the dog other than it was a sweet heart and had let me pet it several times.  I found out more tonight.

I saw the dog running loose and since we are near a pretty busy high way I was concerned the poor thing could get ran over, so after I finished photos for my friend of her new foster baby, I collected this other dog and took it back "home" to his family. 

I pounded on the door and finally got an answer.  I asked "Is this your dog?"  He looked at me, looked at the dog...and just stood there, he didn't know what to say I KNEW it was their dog I had seen it tied outside on their front porch with a rope for the past 2 days (well when they decide to LET the dogs outside anyway).  Anyhow...he looks at me and said "It's kind of our dog, my girl friend just threw it outside, and we don't want it". 

It was very hard to swallow and fight back the venom that I was ready to unleash on this guy.  (Long story on why this kind of scenario hits close to him for us! It involves the adoption of our little Princess Karmen Sue). 

Anyway, biting my tongue, I dared to ask "WHY"  Why did you throw him out?  (Wondering what gosh awful thing he did to deserve to be abandoned).  Apparently he chewed up some cords to a Nintendo Wii. 

Good grief. 

Do you know how many time our little Miss MOLLY chewed up stuff when she was a puppy! She ate 11 pairs of shoes, destroyed numerous dirty diapers across the house, chewed through 3 cell phone cords, and 2 X Box 360 cords.  Whose fault do you REALLY think that was?  OUR OWN! Did we throw Molly out the door?  HECK NO! We knew we needed to A)  Play with her more and provide the appropriate toys for her  B)  Keep our stuff picked up better,  C)  Supply a KENNEL for her if we had to leave for an extended period of time so she didn't destroy the house out of frustration and boredom. 

Guess what?  Molly hasn't chewed anything up again in YEARS. 

This pup, Boogie, is only a YEAR and a half old.  He's still just a baby.  Not to mention he's a border collie/retriever mix.  Those aren't dogs you just ignore.  They NEED to exercise and "work".  They need to be kept busy. 

I explained this to the guy.

"oh we know...we just don't have time" (Blah blah blah at that point I tuned out his excuses because I've heard them all before). 

So since I still had my camera around my neck from photographing the friends foster dog I snapped some quick photos of Boogie.  It was after hours so I couldn't call the shelter about a dog running loose. 

I didn't want the dog running loose and getting ran over. 

I asked the guy to bring the dog back inside for the night so he didn't get ran over.  Or to at least put a collar on him and fasten him up outside for the night with food and water (I was willing to supply collar, food, and water for the dog) but he said 'aw nah we'll just bring him in'. 

I told the guy I would be working on finding someone to take the dog.  I ripped him a new one.  It's not the first time I've helped them with a dog they "wanted" and then didn't "want". 

Literally just minutes after me walking back to my home, his girl friend knocks on my door to visit (NOT the best time for her to visit...) I was riled up and ready to make heads roll. 

Again...I was a good girl and didn't lay into her like I wanted.

I DID however tell her to stop getting dogs she obviously can't handle and can't take care of.  I again, relayed the info about how you need to PLAY WITH and TRAIN and EXCERCISE your dog.  OR they develop behavioral issues.

I don't remember all of the excuses and stories she told me...again...I tune out stuff I've heard before. 

Then she said "I threw him out because I didn't know he was going to be THIS much of a hassle" 

I almost lost my shit folks. (Sorry for the naughty word).  Seriously though.

Now there is MORE than one reason this bothers me, but I won't go into that because that is personal info to my neighbors and not stuff I am going to divulge in, but info I am privy too.  But it all just hit a VERY raw nerve. 

A hassle.  Your dog is a hassle?  I'm sorry for that dog.  I'm sorry Boogie, YOU are not a hassle.  YOU are perfect. YOU are not flawed.  It is not YOUR fault dear Boogie. 

THEY are a hassle to YOU dear sweet loveable Boogie.  YOU did not ask for these people to bring you home, and not play with you, and then yell at you when you found a way to keep busy and smack you and throw you out the door.  YOU didn't ask for that.  YOU only asked to be LOVED. 

They are being a hassle to YOU by making your life uncertain and scary during a VERY vulnerable time in your life.  So much of what happens to you now Boogie can determine to what happens to you later on in life.  Things that are out of your control, because you are a dog and cannot stand up and speak for yourself.

I made sure they knew I was working on this dog finding a home.  Since they threw it out the door and don't want it.  I told them "Don't waste my time, don't waste other people's time.  When I tell you someone wants the dog, do not change your mind or say you are holding the dog for a 'friend' or whatever.  Give the dog to the rescue group that CONTACTS YOU.  THEY can help this dog WAY BETTER than these people can!"  

I try to have a lot of patience with people, I give the benefit of a doubt, and I don't get mad over most things.  Today was just the last straw.  It is not the FIRST TIME this has happened.  Had it been the first time...I would have had a different attitude, so please don't think I'm being a crass and cruel person.  I just keep watching the same thing over and over and being asked to help bail them out time and time again, with the SAME people (Just different dogs). 

Currently, they have 2 young males, both un-neutered in their small home.  WITH a terrier female that is....lo and behold...in HEAT, naturally.  They got THIS dog from a neighbor.  So now these two male dogs are going to do what male dogs do when a female is in heat...try to get to the small dog, and end up fighting with each other in the end.  They have a ticking time bomb! (I now feel bad having sent the dog back home, but no one bothered to tell me this info about a female dog in heat until AFTER the dog was already back in the home).  Go figure.  You NEVER  get the whole truth or whole situation about things.  Ever.

I'm just at a loss, and just find myself going "WHY?!" 

Hoping and praying that everything works out for Boogie tomorrow.  Looks like there is interest in him, but one of the things they have to do is surrender him to the animal shelter, and that takes money, and they aren't willing to do that.  So I'm beginning to feel like my hands are getting tied in beurocratic red tape. I will get this figured out and do what I can to help poor sweet innocent Boogie.

Mahala