Happy Halloween | Photographe Vendée

Yeah, I know it is a bit late (like a lot of the things I do lately) but I still wanted to share a couple pictures of the girls' Halloween.

Before leaving for daycareThis picture is very typical of Leïla right now! Here the costums aren't that great -- just scary stuff. Though I did have a ladybug costum I bought for Alison when she was 14 months old and that one of my girls has worn ever year up until now :( The Friday before Halloween all three girls went to the daycare center since there was a Halloween party and they went trick or treating all together. Sat they went treat or treating in our neighborhood with some friends, cousins and neighbors. They had fun running from house to house. After that we went to a friends house for dinner and the kids all played together and enjoyed their sugar high. Can you believe that Leïla finished ALL her candy in 4 days -- that girl is a candy machine. Then she hit up Alison for her candy (Alison isn't that big into candy) It isn't like Leïla really needs more energy!!!

Newspaper article | Photographe Vendée

Last week I was in the newspaper -- a journalist came an interviewed me for the regional newspaper a week or so beforehand. She told me to contact her when my studio opens in Jan. She was so sweet and wrote a really nice and positive article.

Ouest France : Nov 5th, 2009
Written by : Maggy Allard

Forget to share some news! | Photographe Vendée

I'm going to be an auntie this spring!!! . . . Actually an auntie X 2, since hubby's brother and his girlfriend are expecting twins for April 2010! I can't wait, and since they live less than a mile away we will be able to see them often -- think of all the precious newborn pictures . . *sigh*

My Sami Sue | Photographe Vendée

I have been very very busy for the last month and I haven't updated my blog because I wanted to do a special blog entry for my Sami Sue who turned 6 on Oct. 5th. I am late but I wanted to do it right. Sami is such a special person, she is spunky and 100% "what you see is what you get". She has a magnetic energy about her. People are often drawn to her and she doesn't even realize it. She can make a friend in seconds and has her heart on her sleeve. She would give to other before herself. She is bright beyond her years and has some amazing logic to the way she things. She is so far from a perfect angel and that is what I love about her. She is very messy and a bit clumsy. She always complains that no one pays attention to her, but it is just she doesn't realize that she is always the center of attention. She has a gift with animals, and they feel that. She is always going up to strays, "saving" insects and such. She is a tough cookie but can't be a whiney hiney at times too. I have no doubt that she will go far in life -- it just can't be any other way with her personality and whit. I won't be surprised if she became a dr. one day...... Oh my Sami Sue, though you have the middle child syndrome, you will always be our beloved baby, you make of laugh, you make us scream, you make our lives complete. We love you baby girl. Happy belated 6th birthday!

Just for teh record, her middle name isn't Sue, it has just been her nickname for as long as I can remember :) Her is a glimps of the last 6 or so years...

So happy to see a healthy baby on the screen at 18 weeks Sami at a day oldI love this picture from her 1st b-dayAt 18 month in TX

Such a Sami pose1st day of preschool (2 years old)Jan 2006 -- I used this picture to announce that Sami was going to be a big sisterIn Carcasson Aug 2006The day after Leïla was born -- another Sami poseHer 3 b-day, we asked for a Sami faceWhen she was 4.5 -- so photogenic but will only give me 30 secs to shootThis is so Sami -- with Libby in Tx 2008Sami 5 year old portraitRight before her operation in June 2009Happy b-day Sami!!! Age 6!

Some trip pictures | Photographe Vendée

This is just a quick selection of pictures from our trip -- I did some mini films so I will be sharing those soon too. It was an amazing trip -- it was great to just get away from our busy lives -- seemed like time just stood still. We visited Italy, Greece, Turkey and Croatia -- each country had their own special feeling to it. We sailed out of Venice but didn't get to visit it -- that will have to be another trip since it looked so beautiful. The ship sailed from Venice to Bari on the east coast of Italy where we wondered through the small ston streets. We visited a beautiful cathedrale -- but there was a huge catholic wedding taking place -- must be wierd to have tons of tourists wandering around while you getting married. That afternoon we sailed to Greece where we visited the historical site of Olympie -- so amazing that things from 600 or 700 B.C. were still standing. We learnt about the history of the olympic games and such -- really interesting. Then we had some shopping time in a little port town and we went to a small Greek café to try some local Greek refreshments. The boat then sailed off to Ismiz in Turkey. We went to see the Epheses, a very well known historical site (though I had never heard of it before going). Basically it was a city from 300 A.D. or so that as been discovered and restored -- it was buried under a mudslide and so it was very we conserved. This picture is of the city's library that was restored 10 or 15 years ago. It was huge and just amazing to see how much survived. This was Teddy's favorited visited. It was my second.

My favorite was the next day when we arrived in Istambul. My cousin told me what we should see and how to get around the city so we did it on our own. We went to the Blue Mosque first -- though it is odd to see everyone barefoot inside, it is just one of the most awsome places inside and out. The pictures I took of the inside don't do it justice -- I filmed the inside just to show the grander of it. We then went to The Saint Sophia (sorry it these are the exact terms -- I am going from French to English). It was/is a Christian church/catherdrale and has been changed into a mosque, but the Christian part was not distroyed. It was enlighting to see the two religions side by side like that. We then went to visit the Sunken Cistern, which is a 6th century acquaduct remnant. I am still amzed how a lot of thing withstand the time and development of such a huge city. We then walked over to the spice marlet -- I really like that place, though there were a ton of people. I tried to take some pictures but the salesman didn't want me to so I have just one quick fuzzy shot :(We sat outside on a bench and did some people watching -- there was this Turkish couple that were feeding the city cats -- I put my camera on my knee and discretly took some pictures of them. We did some more shopping and walking and slowly worked our way back to the ship. The next day was spent totally at sea, so just lounging around and sipping cocktails. A little hot tubbing and some swimming -- such a hard life huh? That evening the water was a little rough and it rained a little that evening, but the rest of the time we had perfect weather -- 75°F and sunny The next morning we arrived on the Croatian coast near the city of Dubrovnik. To go ashore we have to take a little boat, which was quiet a process since there were 4000 people wanting to get off. It is cute little town, though it has become very touristy. We went to the little local market and walked through the city and by the walls and climbed a lot of stairs. The water was such a deep blue. We went to a little café that was perched on cliff. So relaxing. I took a picture of our ship from the café. Once aboad we sailed back to Venice and hence the end of our cruise. Sunday was a long day of flights and waiting. We got home around 10:30pm where our girls were waiting from us! A cruise is great but being home with the girls is even better (though a bit noisier and busier)!

Whoa!! Almost a month has gone by! | Photographe Vendée

I guess that is what happens when you go back to work! I know I must sound like a broken record, but it is true -- I am so busy. The girls started back to school on the thrid, my mom was in town for ten days, and I offically started my business on Sept 1st. I have done two wedding and a baptism, a couple photo sessions and this week I am doing school portraits and class pictures. I have been spending so much time on my compture editting that I don't spend much time doing much else on the computer (besides my facebook adiction). And it is finally offical -- I will be opening my own studio in town on Jan 1st, 2010. So I will have a lot of work to do to get everything set up, but I am ready to take on this challenge! It is scary and exciting all at the same time.

Quick update on the girls -- Alison and Sami have started gymnastics again -- they each go twice a week, Alison has 2 hour training sessions, and Sami has 1.5 hour training sessions. Leïla is now going to school morning and afternoon. It took her awhile to get used to naptime at school but things are going better know. Yesterday Sami and Leïla went to daycare for the first time and they both really liked it and didn't want to come home when I picked them up. Samantha lost yet another tooth. All three of them have gotten into the swing of school. On Sunday the three of them will be spend a week at my inlaws, which will be a first! Usually they go for a day or two, but this will be the first time that we will be gone for so long. We will leave on Sunday for our 10 year anniversary present to ourselves -- a cruise in the mediteerean. We will go to Italy, Greece, Turkey and Croatia. It will be a much needed break from everything. Sipping cocktails while looking over the sea sounds so nice right now. So if I don't get back on before we leave, be sure to check back when we get back since I will be sure to post some pictures! I'm sorry this update is so short and outdated -- I added a couple pictures of the girls that I took at the end of Aug and that I finally go around to doing a quick edit on this morning *blush*

My poor neglected child | Photographe Vendée

(pictures of Leïla opening presents from our online friends Carolyn and Matthew -- thanks for thinking of my girl!!)

I am dedicating this post to my neglected child Leïla -- I don't know if it is because she is a third child, or because he b-day is in the middle of summer (and French people are often on vacation in Aug) but I totally feel like she has gotten the short end of the stick. The only thing that makes me feel better is that she probably won't remeber, but I beetr get my act together because next year she probably will remeber! I feel like her b-day got skipped over. She was in the hospital on her b-day, we did celebrate a little bit the next day, though I totally forgot to pick up some ballons and candy to celebrate with (though I remebered to pack a candle) We gave her a small gift since we were on vacation in Spain on her birthday. When we got home we had family party but it was for Leïla and Alison and it was on Alison's b-day, so it wasn't really her day, kwim? So I am making a promise to my baby girl, who I love so much even when she drives me nuts!, that she will get a Big B-day Bash next year and it will just be for her and to celebrate the happy, fun and very determined girl she has because. We love you Miss Leïla Lou

When I see this picture of her with her Rice Krispies Treat b-day cake, I can tell she doesn't hold it against me ;)