Christmas 2010

I think it will be fun to look back someday and remember what you were totally 'into' when you were 5. Or 3. So fun! So here's what we are 'into' this Christmas.


The Bug: Bionicles, Ironman, AstroBoy, trains, remote control monster trucks (although his real love would be a car or a train, the color blue, coloring and drawing awesome pictures, his anatomy book (how does all that stuff work?), Zhu Zhus, fleecy pants, eating mandarin oranges like crazy, and playing with anything his sister has. Whether she wants him to or not.

The Bee: Bionicles (he wants a collection and has tried to get his siblings to contribute), Spiderman, cutting and taping endless decorations and projects, the color orange, his dinosaur book, Zhu Zhus, AstroBoy, hot chocolate, candy canes, and constantly bugging his little sister.

The Babe: Making Barbie cupcakes, her new gold shoes, makeup, wearing dresses, PAJAMAS (loves, loves, loves them, especially one piece sleepers or fleece - she used her own Christmas money to buy more pj's rather than a toy), pink, ponies, Zhu Zhus, being sassy and bossing everyone around.

Daddy: Playing hockey on the neighborhood rink, eating cheese, building snow forts, cross country skiing, playing remote control trucks and cars with the kids. The Babe is the pit crew. He cooked the turkey in the bbq (no vegan meal this time). Sorry Mr. Turkey, but you were mighty tasty.

Me: drinking tea from my reindeer mug, listening to Swifty (surprisingly enjoyable), and Glee (not surprisingly enjoyable), eating leftovers instead of cooking real meals, thinking about home decor, reading Eating Alive, thinking about photo shoots I'd like to do, and avoiding laundry.

Together we have been trying to learn to skate. Daddy is the only real pro so far but we're working on it. Spending time with ShiShi. Visits with Nana and Papa and Grandma and Grandpa. Watching The Grinch, Prep and Landing and Despicable Me. Staying up too late and sleeping in. Eating lots of treats. Generally not doing too much at all and loving it!
Hope you had a great holiday too!

Christmas Eve 2010

Go Daddy Go!
Christmas Eve in the backyard.
Later ShiShi came over and we had hot chocolate and super nachos and played games with the kids before bed. I think Christmas Eve might be my favorite. I love the anticipation and the preparation for the surprises to come. And the calm before the excitement!

Merry Merry

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

The Westhavers

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For The Believers

Bug: Christmas isn't about Jesus, it's about having fun. Church wants us to think it's about Jesus.

Babe: Yeah.
...pause...
Jesus is a fairy.

Bug: No. Jesus isn't a girl.

Christmas Countdown

Aaaaahhhh it's that time of year again. The time when I try to get all 3 of my kids to cooperate and look nice together. I had a fleeting notion of getting the family in a shot, but that was short lived.
Wish me luck!

Does anyone else feel way behind even though it's only Dec 6th? Yikers...!!!

Edgar Family

LOVE these people! Loved this shoot.

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p.s. playing with text overlays from vol25

Hudson Family

It's true. I have often suffered from Photographers Weather Envy. I look at sites where the sun is always shining and everyone is running on the beach looking gloriously sun-kissed. And I look out the window at the cold grey landscape, and sigh...

However, I am determined to work with what we have. Right here in front of us.
Which leads me to this shoot. It was somewhere near -30 with the windchill. We only had one little window of opportunity to get this entire family together. And so we just did it!
(I think of it as gorilla photography sometimes, just facing challenges of the landscape and making it work. No fluffy clouds or sunny beaches for us! Feeling in your extremities? That's for pansies!)

The Hudson's were great sports. And look, they are often even smiling through their frostbite!
And I love love love the whirling snow. And the mittens and parkas. And this is life. Where we live. And this is a great family. And I'm a tiny bit less afraid of having teenagers if they all look this good!
And I'm starting to get feeling back in my trigger finger...awesome!
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Oh My Deers

We've spent most of the week at home. Snow snow and more snow. Of course cabin fever starts setting in after a few days, but it wasn't all bad. Maybe because it's the first big snow. And towards the end of the week I totally gave in to it all and we pulled out the decorations, the Christmas music and I made gingerbread cake (which no one seems to like nearly as much as I do...I must make that one again!).

I like to think of the deer in our yard as our pets. Pets that feed themselves and look after themselves and never come in the house. We're always happy to see them. There is a doe with twins that I'm especially fond of. It's fun to see them now all in their winter woolies!

Bokeh Bokeh Bokeh!

The kids and I were playing with lights outside the other day. There is something quite addicting and gratifying about those colorful little dots. I don't know if this qualifies as an actual 'project' but it was for sure an activity we all enjoyed. I love it when that happens!

Bowl of Yum

For my birthday Mr. Mittens and I went to a wonderful veggie restaurant called Nourish. It came highly recommended by friends and we loved it. They have an outstanding nachos platter that comes with a varied combination of toppings ranging from beans to strawberries and everything you can think of in between. We also had the shepherds pie which was another unusual but delicious combination. And it's all yummy together. I highly recommend eating there too. YUM.

So, I still have difficulty at times (often) finding a tasty vegan meal that everyone will eat. Without bribes or threats. So I decided to 'channel' my experience at Nourish and make my own combinations. And I love it.
Basically you take quinoa, or brown rice or whatever and add as many fun 'toppings' as you like and add a fun sauce and there you have it!

Here's my 'taco salad'.
quinoa
avocado
chopped apple
corn
lettuce or spinach
pinapple tidbits
red pepper
black olives
walnuts
peach salsa
raw cashew cream
taco chips crunched on top or on the side

Sounds kinda weird, but the fruit and vegetable flavors just taste light and slightly sweet.We like the sweet salsa too, but any kind will do. The kids love to pick their own toppings and individualize. The Bug said he felt like a chef. The Bee raved about how good his dinner was. Score one for mom!

The key for me is the cashew cream. I've read several recipes which all are a variation of putting raw cashews in a blender with a few other ingredients.
I use about a cup of cashews, a cup of almond milk, whiz it up and then change it up to suit my taste. Like lime juice and cilantro. Or taco seasoning. We're not huge garlic fans but a little garlic, basil and oregano and drizzle on a pizza (again I've been letting the kids pick toppings on a flat naan or pita bread). The creamy texture is very satisfying and you can heat it in the oven (I LOVE real sour cream, but it does not love me back).

I also love asian rice bowls.
brown rice
apples
edemame beans
crunched nori sheets or dulse (I'm trying to love sea vegetables)
cucumber
chopped or shredded carrots
sesame seeds
lettuce
wasabi sauce drizzled on top (equal amounts water, braggs, maple syrup with a squeeze of wasabi paste, to taste)

I just thought I'd share, since it's not often I get such an enthusiastic response (that doesn't involve cheeseburgers or chicken nuggets).

Sweet Alexandra

Have I ever mentioned how I love babies this age?! Pure sunshine!

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Hey Ho Halloween's Here

The kids and I had so much fun with Halloween this year, and now I'm glad it's done! This weekend we went to a couple of parties, including our first Trunk or Treat, we got to have great fun with friends, and then a bit of ol' fashioned Trick or Treating in our new neighborhood. We missed our friends in our old neighborhood, but the real treat for me was watching a certain little panda tail wiggle and wag as she ran after her brothers. A great fun weekend but now I need a break before we start on Christmas! And yes, the Candy Man has come and gone, trading treats for new toothbrushes and other non-edibles. Whew!

Special Project - Eva

Oh she is scrumptious!!

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Powell Family

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Haunted House

Ok, I don't think it's really haunted, but it's definitely scary at times!

I don't have a mantle to decorate anymore (tv on top of the fireplace) so I took over the table near our entryway. And we have a great big bay window in the kitchen that we've filled with window clings and things (like sticky fingerprints). And this cool chandelier from the dollar store. It's only paper, but I like it! The fabric garland is from last year.

I also made a garland out of skeletons and fabric scraps and clothes pins and photos. I love taking little bits and pieces of things I have already and making them into something fun.

I think our most favorite thing (so far) is our 'art project'. I've had a few treats and toys lately to provide incentive (bribe) the kids to be more helpful/cooperative. We did the 'art project' in a few steps over a couple of days. It kept their interest and I was able to stretch it out a bit.

I asked Mr. Mittens to cut up some wood. Then the kids each sanded, put on a base coat, painted and picked out pictures to mod podge onto their blocks. Awesome! And again, pretty cheap (I had most of the supplies and got the cute paper cuts on sale at Michaels).
We all had fun! (and yes, my walls are a weird 'dusty plum' color. that's another post)

Newborn Nori

It's wonderful to see your friends become new parents!
(and I totally mean that in a nice way and not a 'welcome to your life with no sleep, haHA' kind of way)
Welcome sweet Baby Nori!
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Fall Photo Special

Photos For Christmas?

$150 per session (payable at your session)
Outdoor natural lighting (don't be afraid of the weather!)
15-20 edited images on a dvd to print as you like
Calgary/Bragg Creek area

email: sosmittenphoto (at) gmail.com

Feel free to email me or leave a comment if you have questions!

Lara

Spooktacular!

I love taking photos with a Halloween theme! Last year I was feeling very Tim Burtonesque, but this year I just grabbed some things we already had in the house and headed out to the backyard. I found a really sweet spot in the trees and that was it. If only getting the kids to cooperate was so simple. Luckily a pouty face often works just fine!


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