Behind the Lens

Matt, Lindsay, Safia and new baby Elliot!

2011-12-31T19:58:00.000-08:00

I had the honour of photographing my cousin Matt and his family once again. It's been so much fun documenting the milestones in his life- first his marriage to the lovely Lindsay, then their pregnancy, first baby and NOW... their second beautiful baby!

Could Elliot be any cuter??!

Safia loved to give loooooong kisses on her brother's cheek. Looks like Elliot was enjoying it here:)

Safia is such a petite little thing... her newborn brother is going to catch up to her size pretty quick, I think!

Loved Safia's big cheesy smile, haha!

I love all the expressions that newborn babies have...

Little Safia loves to twirl her hair around her finger- so cute!

Carlos, Nicole and family

2011-12-31T19:42:00.000-08:00

I snapped a few photos of my beautiful nieces at our family Christmas gathering. Can't believe how grown up they looked in the gowns they bought for their youth group Christmas dinner.

Tim, Amber, Reed and Jack:)

2011-12-31T18:56:00.000-08:00

I met with Tim, Amber and their adorable boys in December. The weather has been mild, usually I'm not able to do any "jacket-less" sessions this time of year, it's always too cold!

Little Jack and Reed were so cute and did so well while I took their pictures.

Little Reed kept a smile on his face the whole time! Even when he was shivering... cutest boy ever!

They brought the boys hockey jerseys since they spend so much of their time playing hockey.

Sam, Katrina and little Andre....

2011-12-31T18:42:00.000-08:00

This sweet little family is expecting their second baby and wanted some photos to capture their expectant family:)

I loved how Andre sucked on his two fingers- so cute!

Cheryl, Jerry and boys:)

2011-11-24T19:36:00.001-08:00

Cheryl and Jerry are a lovely couple that I've known for quite awhile. Jerry adores his beautiful wife- it didn't take any coaching for him to hug, cuddle and kiss his wife! They are a busy couple, running after four boys (with the three youngest being age 3 and under!). But they take it all in stride and just laugh and have fun with their family. Here's a few photos from our session last Saturday.

Bootsma Family

2011-11-07T23:46:00.001-08:00

The Bootsma family recently sold their house and asked me to photograph their family at their home where they've had so many fond memories. It was fun getting to know their family a little bit- they are a lovely family. The grandchildren are so beautiful and very entertaining:)

We finished off the photo session with a few photos inside their lovely home...

Shropshall and Sutor families:)

2011-11-07T14:37:00.000-08:00

I had a great time meeting up with Shropshall family again. Melanie and I took pictures of their family a few years ago and it was no nice to see them again. I met up with their good friends, the Sutors, at the same time and was very entertained by all three little kids and two family dogs!

Jason and Michelle are so sweet...

And they have a spunky, gorgeous, BEAUTIFUL little girl named Grace...

And here are Rob and Julia...

And they have two of the sweetest boys ever!! Blaine and Jake...

Cafazzo family

2011-11-07T14:15:00.000-08:00

Ronny and I took our kids to Marineland a few years ago. We went as a part of a huge homeschool group. As we stood lined up at the entrance with a hundred other people, a friendly couple turned around and started chatting with us. That's how we met the Cafazzo family:) Since then, we've attended many other gatherings with Mark, Joanne and their adorable kids and we've quickly grown to love and respect this sweet family!

DeJonge family

2011-11-07T14:09:00.001-08:00

The DeJonge's are the kind of family you fall in love with the moment you meet them. Mary and Jerry are such genuine people. Mary always seems to be calm, cool and collected- and Jerry usually has a smile spread across his face. He's got a great sense of humour- and I know remember him always singing when I was a kid. He introduced me to the song, "There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza". Their daughter, Barb, has been my friend for many years. I have many fond memories of Barb- she was so much fun to play with as a kid because she had a creative imagination. That has carried over into her adult life and she seems to always be creating something. You must check out her Etsy shop called Spirocreations where she sells incredible hand made leather boots and more!

van der Steege family

2011-11-07T14:03:00.000-08:00

In keeping with my theme of Dutch photo sessions, I'd like to introduce you to the van der Steege family.
The van der Steege family recently had a family reunion. Anna's parent's flew over from Holland and they decided they wanted to document this special visit. They asked me to come to their beautiful farm and capture some photos of their family.

Nothing like getting poked by sharp little kitten claws!

Ramona and TJ

2011-09-12T19:45:00.000-07:00

TJ and Ramona are a super sweet couple. They both are hard working farmers! Ramona grew up on a big chicken farm and TJ on a dairy farm. These two know the true meaning of WORK. They decided to leave the overalls and rubber boots for a part of the day (just for a part of the day as TJ milked cows after the reception) to dress up in their finest and get MARRIED!

Congratulations TJ and Ramona!!

Lisa, Will and their beautiful girls!

2011-08-15T21:43:00.000-07:00

The last time I saw Lisa and Will, their second baby was just brand new. Now she's having her first birthday and we met to do some more photos. What a sweet family...

Leanne and Dave's Wedding

2011-08-15T09:55:00.000-07:00

I had to force myself to stay calm when Mel and I pulled up to the wedding location for Leanne and Dave's wedding. A photographers dream!! The sun was shining brightly, blue sky with big white clouds... a tent set up on the lake. Who could ask for more....

The full moon over shone brightly in the sky and the moon's reflection in the water was breathtaking.

Congratulations Leanne and Dave!

Leanne and Dave

2011-08-13T21:19:00.000-07:00

A beautiful couple + a sunny picturesque landscape
Here's a sneak peek from today's wedding:)

Claudia and Richard

2011-08-06T09:14:00.000-07:00

I met up with Claudia and Richard at a farm in Shelburne. It's Richard's brother's farm and it's where Richard grew up. I loved that they brought an ultrasound photo... here they are snuggling up to their baby's very first picture:)

Richard and Claudia are both Dutch... in fact, Claudia was born in Holland. The little wooden shoes are so fitting for this little Dutch baby...

Alex and Ryan

2011-08-06T06:52:00.000-07:00

Alex got ready at her parent's home- the dogs wanted to join in on the fun:)

Isn't she breathtaking??

Alex and Ryan are an absolutely gorgeous couple!!

Vandermolen family

2011-08-06T05:14:00.000-07:00

The Vandermolen family has a beautiful farm and it was the perfect place to meet for a photo session!

Ray and Brenda look too young to have 4 grown up (and one married!) kids:)

Dennis and Linda are celebrating their first anniversary. They are so sweet...

Ruud, Melissa and boys!

2011-07-11T16:56:00.000-07:00

I LOVE taking photos of this family... they actually feel like family since I've been capturing images of them for so many years now. I'm so honoured that they keep asking me back (from engagement, wedding baby number one AND baby number TWO to now!). Melissa and Ruud's sweet little boys TOTALLY melted my heart....

Baby number three for my sister Bethany!!

2011-07-01T07:30:00.000-07:00

My sister and her husband Mark make the world's CUTEST babies... so I was thrilled when they announced the third baby on the way! We grabbed some photos the other night during sundown... my favourite time to take pictures:)

Marissa and Kaleb

2011-06-12T14:13:00.001-07:00

My baby cousin was married a couple of weeks ago. Marissa is such a sweet girl. We all say she's the full package... she's gorgeous, super sweet, athletic AND smart!! She grew up with Kaleb (also an amazing guy!)... and now they are officially married!

It started out a little wet on the wedding day...

Marissa's dad couldn't stop crying during her speech.. finally he had to put a napkin over his face:)

The chocolate dipped strawberries were divine!

Congratulations Marissa and Kaleb!!

Amanda and Rob

2011-03-30T18:56:00.000-07:00

It was a delight to meet Amanda and Rob on Saturday and to witness their vows. They had a small informal wedding with their loving family surrounding them.

Congratulations to you guys!

Alex and Ryan- Engagement

2010-10-17T12:10:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of finally meeting Alex and Ryan yesterday. We had a perfect day for pictures and they were so relaxed and natural in front of the camera. Can't wait for their wedding next year!!

Nathaniel and Jessie- Wedding

2010-10-17T12:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Jessie and Nathaniel were married on a GORGEOUS Fall day! They were so in love, and so sweet. They savoured every moment of their day... it was a joy to be a part of!

When I first pulled up to Nathaniel's parent's home to photograph the guys, I met this charming little guy:

We loved the lighting during the formal session... so warm... just like them:)

And Buddy the dog even dressed up in a tux for the occasion!

Congratulations guys!

Murray family

2010-10-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

A week ago I met this great family- the Murrays. We did their session in Cambridge at the retirement home where their mother (and grandmother) lives.

Check out these cuties!

Maria and Devin

2010-10-10T18:07:00.000-07:00

Maria and Devin were married this October. They are a stunning couple and were so excited to be getting married. Maria was so bubbly and ecstatic about her big day!

I love Fall weddings...

Congratulations Maria and Devin!

Rob, Karen and their three adorable boys:)

2010-10-10T18:00:00.000-07:00

Karen is a good friend of mine. She's a fellow homeschool mom and she's also a photographer. She does amazing newborn and baby photography. Her business is called Pure Joy Photography.

Here are Rob and Karen's three adorable boys! Asher, Nathan and Judah... They melted my heart during the session!

Loved how the three boys went for a hike in the background while I did Karen and Rob's photos. They even hiked in order of age... so cute!

Baby of the Year!

2010-10-10T17:54:00.000-07:00

I couldn't have been happier to photograph one of my favourite families. I was trying to pinpoint why I love these guys so much. They are so charming and sweet. What I can't help but notice is how kindly and respectfully they talk to each other. It's a joy to be around them. Especially now that they have an ADORABLE baby boy! Baby Luke just turned one and I don't think babies can come any cuter!

Luke's daddy loves hunting. Here's Luke with some of the decoys. I don't think it'll be long before he loves hunting just like his daddy!

Marissa and Kaleb... Engaged!

2010-10-10T17:43:00.000-07:00

Marissa was the first newborn baby that I ever got to babysit. I have LOVED babies for as long as I can remember. I can't describe how THRILLED I was when my Aunt Lori called and asked me to babysit Chantal and newborn Marissa. Later came their cute little brother Brody and I spent many nights at their house, playing with the kids and then raiding their freezer for chocolate:) Marissa never failed to call me up to her room and would always ask what I'd just been eating...
Marissa read her Bible every night and she always told me she loved me before she fell asleep. Let me tell you, I loved her too (and still do!).

I also babysat Kaleb and his siblings when he was little. His little sister tore all the wallpaper off her bedroom wall when I was babysitting so they never did ask me to watch them again, oops! They were an adorable bunch of kids!

Anyhow, these guys grew up together and now they're getting married!

And Ruby the dog makes three!

Ruby had to show off for the camera...

Ashley and Dennis

2010-10-10T13:52:00.000-07:00

Ashley and Dennis were married in the Muskokas this fall. BEAUTIFUL!! And though it rained the whole time, they were upbeat and so very happy:)
Loved Ash's shoes!

ALL her shoes! She had to have a fancy pair, a comfy pair and of course some Dutch klompen. She married into a great big Dutch family!

Their first glance at each other that day...

And they had to jump on the honeymoon bed... they were pretty excited to be married that day! ;o)

And even though it rained all day, they had a few moments outside on the balcony in the muskoka chairs.

Cutest ringbearers and flowergirls EVER! (I'm a little biased... the two on the left are my niece and nephew:)

So happy for you guys! We've been so excited for our little Ash's wedding for years now:)

All because two people fell in love...

2010-10-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

It's amazing to think what can happen when two people fall in love....

Look at all the gorgeous grandchildren! The Nie's are such a lovely family.

And the whole family sitting on the same wagon that has provided many fun hay rides for them over the years.

Courtney and Josh

2010-10-10T13:24:00.000-07:00

Courtney and Josh had a lovely wedding this summer. It's always a joy to see a couple so in love... it's especially sweet watching a groom trying his hardest not to cry. Way too sweet.
Here are the boys...

And the gorgeous girls...

Congratulations Josh and Courtney!

Baby Carrie Lee!

2010-10-10T13:15:00.001-07:00

It's been amazing to watch Jessie, whom Mel used to babysit, blossom into a young lady... then a married young lady... and now a mommy of two beautiful girls! Here are Jessie, DW and sweet Christy May just shortly before the new pink bundle arrived...

Welcome to the world Carrie Lee!

Jen and Steve

2010-10-10T12:59:00.001-07:00

Jen and Steve had a gorgeous outdoor wedding this summer. Jen has amazing taste and we loved all the details of their wedding. I loved how they pulled up in a horse drawn carriage and the light hit her veil as she walked down the aisle...

Coolest shoes ever!

Congratulations Jen and Steve!

Lindsay and Ryan's wedding

2010-10-09T22:32:00.001-07:00

Lindsay and Ryan are a wonderful couple that we got to know this summer. I don't know how we luck out with getting so many sweet couples to photograph. We've been fortunate to photograph so many brides that are so relaxed and easygoing.... but Lindsay would have to top them all. She was running late by an hour on the morning of the wedding and it didn't bother her a bit! She grabbed her dress and decided that it needed ironing (she'd forgotten to take it out of the bag when she brought it home) and the bridesmaids started ironing away. She was so laid back and just glowed all day. Here she is getting her makeup done:

I went off to the guys house and grabbed some shot of Ryan and the boys...

Congratulations Lindsay and Ryan!

Megan and Tyler

2010-06-14T12:22:00.000-07:00

Megan and Tyler were married at the Ancaster Old Mill. I met them the first time on their wedding day. It's always fun learning lots about a couple, especially during a reception. These two excel at whatever they put their hands to. They both give their all and have amazing work ethics. Megan is a school teacher and has an amazing reputation for caring deeply for each of her students. The only thing the kids are disappointed in her for is the fact that she's changing her last name. Apparently they think her maiden name is alot cooler:)

Even if Megan's new name isn't as "cool", you have to admit she's a pretty cool girl! Love her shoes!

Congratulations Megan and Tyler! It was great getting to know you!

Lindsay and Ryan

2010-06-14T12:16:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm getting behind on my blogging here! These two lovebirds are officially married!! We did their engagement session and they were married three weeks later. We did the session at Lindsay's farm- significant since they both grew up on farms.

My favourite picture... beautiful couple!

Marcy and Sam- married!!

2010-05-06T15:37:00.000-07:00

Marcy and Sam were married this past Saturday. This was our first Greek wedding. The ceremony was super cool- and so symbolic! After the ceremony, we met at the Lighthouse Theatre in Port Dover for part of the photo session, and then moved on to the beach front. It was a lovely day for a lovely couple!

Congratulations Marcy and Sam!

A Big Dutch Family!

2010-05-06T15:24:00.000-07:00

Can you imagine what the family get togethers are like at this house? What a big, happy family! It actually reminded me lots of my own family. This family had six kids and my family had five. When you have that many siblings, you're simply never bored growing up!

Melanie and I did this session together, each taking different family groups separately. Here's a few of the images I got...

Cousins!

2010-05-06T15:16:00.000-07:00

These pictures were taken as a birthday gift for a lovely, young grandma. The kids were so cute and just delighted to be playing with each other. There's nothing like cousins!

Baby Violet

2010-05-06T14:50:00.000-07:00

I LOVE her name. Maybe it's because I'm so into classical literature lately. Violet... so classic and pretty. And I LOVE how her mommy and daddy dressed her in purple for the photo session. So appropriate.

I took these photos a few months ago. Due to uploading problems at my house, I've neglected this blog! It takes me hours to upload only one or two pictures! Soooo frustrating! I've been spending some time visiting my parents so I decided to try to update my blog while I'm here! Yay!

Brad and Cait!

2010-05-06T14:10:00.001-07:00

It was pretty cool for me to be a part of my friend, Brad's wedding a couple of months ago. He and I grew up together.
It was also pretty cool for me to be a part of my friend, Cait's wedding! She is a dear little niece to me:) Well, not technically my niece...but I witnessed her growing up and I was always "Aunt Tracy" to her!

Can you say STUNNING??!

I just love these guys! Congratulations Brad and Cait!

Marcy and Sam

2010-02-23T07:36:00.000-08:00

Marcy and Sam decided to brave the cold and have a winter engagement photo session. This fun loving pair even took off their coats for a large portion of the session... brrr!

Marcy and Sam- looking forward to your big day!!

We're moving....

2009-11-21T16:17:00.001-08:00

...we're moving, we're MOVING! Ronny and I have been living on the family farm in Nanticoke for four years now. We're going from country folk to city folk! We're moving to the ever-growing city of Kitchener! And speaking of Kitchener, have I mentioned how much I love Cambridge? It's right beside Kitchener. It's such a pretty city with lots of old buildings. So much character.
Today Mel and I met this lovely couple in Cambridge to do some engagement pics.

Once again, blogger is not feeling generous. I'm only allowed to upload one photo for now. I've uploaded some more HERE.

Hilton Family 10th Anniversary!

2009-11-20T12:04:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the Hilton Family for your 10th Anniversary of music!
Here's a recent photo of the band.

You can celebrate with the Hilton Family with an amazing night of music on Saturday - November 21, 2009 at Calvary Gospel Church - 7:00 PM
For More Information: 519-587-4717

Check out their website by clicking HERE.

Lombardo's

2009-11-20T11:03:00.000-08:00

There's something special about daddy's little girls. My husband Ronny wanted a daughter from the beginning. In fact, we both dreamed of a sweet baby girl. And when our baby girl arrived, her bond with daddy was instant. She was the true definition of a daddy's girl. I had to try not to feel offended when I tried to brush her hair and she'd only let daddy do it. Or push the shopping cart and she'd peel my fingers off and demand that daddy pushes her in the cart. I did enjoy the benefits of that too though... he was the only one allowed to change her dirty diapers too!
I couldn't blame her for loving him so much, I love him too! And now that she's a little older, she's become quite a mommy's girl too. But I love watching her face when daddy gives her special attention. It's a lot like the way this sweet little girl looked like when her daddy snuggled in close. Loving the attention but pretending not to:

It was fun taking photos of the Lombardo's this Fall. I can only seem to upload one picture for now, but that's okay. It's a good one.

Dennis and Linda

2009-08-21T08:28:00.000-07:00

This week I met with Dennis and his lovely American fiancee, Linda! They met at college in the States and became engaged this summer. They wanted to have a few engagement photos done. The session was all taken in Port Dover, I love it there! We just walked the Main street and found some cool places along the way...

Perch Gallery

2009-08-19T19:04:00.000-07:00

If you ever visit Port Dover, make sure you drop in at the Perch Gallery! What a great art gallery, so many unique pieces of work! If you drop in, you'll meet the lovely Mac:

I dropped by the Perch Gallery this evening during an engagement photo session. Mac pointed out this perfect antique piece, a funky recycled necklace by Mary Dell.... it says ENGAGED! How awesome is that?!

Stay tuned for the rest of the engagement session!

Miriam and Joe's Wedding!

2009-08-18T22:04:00.000-07:00

Melanie and I were ecstatic to be asked to photograph another Zurbuchen wedding! The Zurbuchen's are a beautiful Christian family that we've been getting to know. We photographed Deborah's wedding a couple of years ago and now we had the pleasure of photographing her sister, Miriam's wedding.

I loved Joe's BIG smile when he saw his bride walk down the aisle!

Just like at Deborah and Matt's wedding, Miriam and Joseph wanted God to be glorified on their wedding day. It was evident through their entire ceremony that they served Jesus with their whole lives and wanted to shine His light! During the ceremony they gave their personal testimonies of when and how they made their decisions to follow Jesus. Miriam braided three cords together to symbolize God being in their marriage. I wrote this Bible verse in my last wedding post and here it is again: Ecclesiastes 4:12: "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

Miriam... beautiful bride!

Congratulations Miriam and Joe! What a delight it was to photograph your big day!

Courtney and Jonny's Wedding!!

2009-08-18T21:02:00.000-07:00

Ronny and I were so excited our friends from KWCF asked us to photograph their wedding in Kitchener. Ronny has photographed lots of weddings and needless to say, so have I. But this is the first wedding that we photographed together:)

I went to Courtney's parent's home to get some detail shots before the ceremony...

And Ronny grabbed these shots of Jonny...

As you know, Christian weddings are close to my heart. I love how Jonny and Courtney used the symbol of the three colours of sand to represent their faith. Not only are two joining and becoming one, there are three in this marriage as they both want God to be their first priority in their lives. As the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 4:12:
"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

I love how the bride and groom were able to sit down and worship God through beautiful songs! And then Courtney's step mom sang with Jonny's brother in law... one of my favourite songs!! It's from the Fireproof movie and the lyrics are so true and meaningful.

They had their formal pictures taken at Doon Heritage Crossroads in Kitchener. So pretty there!

Love the shot Ronny got of the cake:

Congratulations Courtney and Jonny!

Brandi's pregnancy and baby Hayden!!

2009-08-18T20:42:00.000-07:00

It's so exciting to stay connected with our clients and watch their families grow! We met Matt and Brandi a couple of years ago when they were engaged. After doing their engagement and wedding photos, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to do her pregnancy and baby photos!!
Brandi is one hot mama! She was just a few weeks away from her due date here:

And here's the GORGEOUS baby Hayden! Much to Matt's dismay, Brandi and I has SO MUCH FUN finding new places throughout their house to put baby Hayden!
Like on this shelf...

I love the warmth of this picture:

We put the poor baby in a bowl too. What a happy little guy though, he didn't complain at all!

Congratulations Matt and Brandi, it's been a pleasure witnessing all these milestones in your lives!

Baby Safia

2009-08-18T20:19:00.000-07:00

You might remember Matt and Lindsay from when I took their pictures back in May. They have since welcomed a beautiful baby girl into their family! Safia was wide-eyed and ready to party for the whole session! Thanks to the idea from baby Owen's mommy, we ran my hair dryer to keep Safia happy when we'd lay her down!

Matt and Lindsay are such fabulous parents! Safia is a blessed little girl:)

They requested a photo of their feet and set this pose up themselves. I love how it turned out!

Isn't she absolutely beautiful! Sometimes it's hard to distinguish a newborn baby's gender... not with Safia... she looks so feminine and pretty, don't you think?

Sherry and Adam

2009-05-31T18:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the big wedding day for Adam and Sherry. They were married in Cayuga and we did the formal pictures at the beautiful Ruthven Mansion. Another beautiful sunny day... and what a gorgeous couple they make!

Justine and Raymond

2009-05-31T17:57:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday we enjoyed a good old DUTCH wedding... you know how the saying goes.... if ya ain't Dutch, ya ain't much! And to top it all off... Justine married a DeVries... what a smart girl!

What a gorgeous day... it was so hot out for May! These shots were taken at my parent's farm.

Congratulations Raymond and Justine!

Jeremy and Carrie Ann

2009-05-31T17:40:00.000-07:00

Jeremy and Carrie Anne shared their wedding vows at the Scottish Rite in Hamilton early in May. We grew up with Jeremy and it was so great to see him so smitten with the love of his life, Carrie Anne! They have four amazing kids who were all involved in the wedding day. Carrie Anne's son walked her down the aisle!

Congratulations Jeremy and Carrie Anne!

Miriam and Joe

2009-05-29T08:44:00.000-07:00

Miriam and Joe are an awesome couple that are getting married in August. We were able to photograph Miriam's sister's wedding a couple of years ago and we fell in love with their sweet family. We're looking so forward to this wedding... what a joy to witness the vows of a couple that gives Jesus number one priority in their lives.

Matt and Lindsay

2009-05-29T08:08:00.000-07:00

Matt is my cousin. He was my absolute BEST friend when we were growing up. He lived in the city, and I lived in the country so we looked forward to visiting each other in places that were so foreign to what we were used to. When I'd visit him, I loved riding my bike on the smooth city sidewalks and I couldn't believe that we could WALK to the candy store from his house!

Here's Matt and me... we were flower girl and ring bearer for my wonderful Aunt Wendy's wedding. She married a hunk named Karl... or "Karlo" (as I thought that was his name for a few years).

And I think I believed that someday I'd marry Matt.

But instead, he married Lindsay.... what an awesome girl she is! Her personality is as fun and vibrant as her cool orange scarf is:)

So happy for you Matt and Lindsay... congratulations on the birth of your daughter Safia... I'm dying to meet her!!

Baby Liam!

2009-05-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

Some of you might remember Melissa and Ruud from when we did their wedding a couple of years ago. It's always fun to be a part of watching families grow and documenting their growth through photographs!
Melissa and Ruud welcomed their gorgeous little boy Liam into their family... and what a sweet baby he is!

And here's Auntie Mandie loving on her baby nephew.

Isabella aka Miss Personality!!

2009-05-29T07:31:00.000-07:00

I was excited to be able to photography my friend Nancy's sweet baby girl for her first birthday! Isabella had so many fun expressions and loved having her picture taken!

These next two pictures are two of my favourite pictures I've ever taken (I can say that, right??:)

Like mama, like daughter!!

Baby Owen

2009-05-29T06:50:00.000-07:00

I got to meet this charming family a couple of weeks ago. I figured they must have known that they were having a boy beforehand, seeing as how baby Owen's room was perfectly decorated in chocolate brown and blue... complete with block letters of his name on the wall. But no, they did all of this in in the last several days since he'd been born! Talk about motivation!

What a gorgeous mom Jackie is!

It was great meeting your family guys... God bless your lovely family!

Bethany's Baby Labour and Delivery! PART THREE!

2009-03-05T12:04:00.000-08:00

Before getting to the pictures, I thought I'd mention that baby delivery pictures are becoming quite popular. I think all the reality shows on television are a such a sign of the day and age we live in. People want to see the real stuff... unedited! This is whole reality concept is spilling into the photography industry too. Wedding photography is not about formal pictures anymore, it's about the candid stuff stuff that happens during the day. And family photo sessions are about the interaction that happens between family members and not so much of "Everyone say cheese!!". The idea of having a photographer present to capture images of the birth of a baby is such a new concept to some people. Bethany explained her reasoning for wanting professional pictures of her delivery quite nicely, "I figured this day is pretty much as important as your wedding day and you hire a professional photographer for that so why not for this (only I didn't have to hire her because she's my sis)."

Anyhow, on to the best part... the baby finally arrived... and it's a BOY!!!!

Welcome to the world baby Lincoln!

And Mark was thrilled to see that he had a SON!

What a blessing it was to witness the birth of my baby nephew!

Bethany's Baby Labour and Delivery! PART TWO

2009-03-04T18:19:00.000-08:00

So now the induction was starting and the contractions finally really picked up.

Teri, Beth's doula gave her a foot massage to help relax her. Mark faithfully timed all her contractions, letting her know when the peak was starting and when it was over. She kept her cool the entire time and didn't once ask for any pain medications! What a trooper!

Pretty much at the end, the time was ALMOST here for Beth and Mark to meet their baby.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post to find out whether it was a BOY or GIRL.... and to see the joyous moments of the new baby entering into the world!!

Bethany's Baby Labour and Delivery! PART ONE

2009-03-04T17:47:00.000-08:00

Well, I have LOTS of pictures to upload so I'll have to do this in parts. I was so EXCITED to hear my sister Bethany say that she wanted pictures of her delivery!! To make it easy for her to decide who to choose to take the pictures (Melanie or me), I helped her out. I didn't give her a choice. Mel had a turn (taking pictures of me a year ago when I delivered baby Eden) so now it was my turn! Sorry Mel:)

Beth and Mark have a little girl named Reese. She's two years old and ready to be a big sister!
They decided that they wanted the gender of this baby to be a surprise. We were all so eager to see if Reese would have a baby brother or sister!!
The baby hats were laid out... what will it be, pink or blue????

Mark kept all their friends up to date on facebook.... tons of people were checking in constantly! He kept giving Beth the responses people gave to his updates, so much fun!

Beth's water had broken the night before so she had to walk the halls at the hospital quite a few times to help the contractions to pick up.

And she spent lots of time on the birthing ball....

Teri Murphy was Bethany's doula, and she's AMAZING at what she does!! A doula is a birthing coach/support that stays by your side through the entire process... helping provide physical and emotional comfort. Teri assisted me with my deliveries and I HIGHLY recommend that expectant mother's hire a doula. And if you are in the Haldimand-Norfolk area, get Teri... she's the best of the best!!

Mark found a chart that shows the stages of cervix dilation and was happy to have found Beth's current stage!

Well, it was a long day and things weren't progressing as quickly as they needed too considering that she needed to deliver within 24 hours of the water breaking. Now we were talking about starting an induction. Beth was a bit disappointed, she really wanted an all-natural delivery but she was of course willing to do whatever was necessary to have the baby arrive safely.

A day in the life!

2009-02-24T16:25:00.000-08:00

Eden is quite crazy about the hamster! She can't leave him alone when he's in his hamster ball, poor little Timmy! She squeals whenever she sees any kind of animal. And then she does this weird cry/laugh thing. She's a funny little girl.

She caught the hamster again! Don't worry though... Evie usually won't let the baby anywhere close to her darling little hamster. I just happened to notice the baby and hamster were left unattended in the same room:)

Anyone else have this happen?? The kids find EVERY SINGLE CHAIR we have and line them up across the house. Drives me crazy! That and the couch pillow problem. Ronny and I were just recalling that before we had kids, we decided that we would make a family rule that our couch pillows would ALWAYS stay on the couch. Funny how having your own kids changes everything.

And some bath time pictures. We went to my parent's place last week and the kids enjoyed their great big tub!

The new pet...

2009-02-03T18:53:00.000-08:00

Well, Evie finally got a hamster! She's been begging for awhile now, we finally gave in. I must admit, he's very cute! Evie came up with the name, "Timmy" and she adores him. We picked him up at Petsmart and they were super helpful there... what a great place.

On a different note, little Miss Eden is officially a year old. Here's some funny faces that she's been doing against the glass lately. I must admit, I laughed so hard I cried when I first looked back at these pictures:)

Mark, Beth and Reese... and baby number two!!

2009-02-01T15:30:00.001-08:00

I took some pictures of my beautiful little sister Beth and her family yesterday. She's just four weeks away from her due date now. I'm jealous at how AMAZING she looks for being so close to the end of her pregnancy.

Reese is such a little poser for the camera!

We decided to make some Valentine's cookies with Reese... seeing as how February has arrived already!

Pink or blue?? They decided to not to find out the gender!

Reese chose a BLUE cookie for baby... we'll see if she's right!

What a gorgeous girl Reese is... and so smart too! She just turned two and talks so clearly! She likes to exclaim in her sing-song voice, "I'm gonna be a big sister!"

I'm so excited to be an auntie again!
I'll be posting baby pictures in a few weeks... can't wait!!

Gabriel

2009-01-08T19:10:00.000-08:00

Today I went to visit our friends, the Murphy's. They recently welcomed a beautiful, black-haired boy into their family! Big brother Jonah is a proud big brother now! Meet baby Gabriel...

I love how he puckered his lips for his mama's kiss!

Congratulations Mike and Gail! Welcome to the world Gabriel!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-23T10:49:00.000-08:00

Christmas is my favourite of all the holidays. I love the anticipation, the twinkling lights, the timeless carols, turkey dinners and visits from family... all of it. The best part of it all though is teaching my kids the true reason for our celebration. The birth of a small baby that would change the world forever. "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord". Luke 2:11

My sister found a great sale at Walmart last week... Pampers diapers were half price! She bought some for herself but wanted to share this news of the sale with all the other moms she knew. She made it her status on facebook, allowing the rest of us to benefit from this knowledge. Just like any good news, people want to share it! Knowing Jesus has changed my life. I want to share the news!

I realized my need for a Saviour as a child. "I couldn't understand myself, for I wanted to do what was right, but I didn’t do it. Instead, I did what I hated." (Romans 7:14- New Living Translation). I was at a music event when the speaker gave a message about Jesus that touched my heart and I had the answer that I was looking for. I gave my heart to Jesus that day and have never turned from Him since. Life has had it's ups and it's downs but I now have a solid rock on which I can stand. Can't imagine going through life without HIM!

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends".
John 15:13

Wishing everyone a very, Merry Christmas!

11 months!

2008-12-21T16:59:00.000-08:00

My little girl is already 11 months old... her first birthday is just around the corner! When you've got a big brother, you find yourself in situations like this:

It's funny, he pushes her around in the truck and then he forgets about her, leaving her stuck like this. The funny part is that she likes it, I find her quite often like this:)

More cousins... more babies!!

2008-12-21T15:55:00.001-08:00

My little cousin Chantal and her hubby Josh just had their first baby! I was thrilled to photograph the new baby boy: Cashton... what a cool name, eh? What a gorgeous boy...

Congrats Chantal and Josh!

Baby Brennan

2008-12-21T15:12:00.000-08:00

My cousin Dan and his wife Mel recently welcomed their first child into their family. Brennan is such a cute baby! I just love newborns. I wish they'd stay that way for a whole year before they start getting bigger! I love everything about them... quiet little cries, floppy bodies, cross-eyed faces, sleeping the day away... so cute.

Congratulations guys... he's a beautiful little miracle!

Fess Family

2008-12-21T15:06:00.000-08:00

It's been so much fun doing some portraits outdoors this winter! Not too many people want to brave the cold weather but the results are so pretty when they do! I just loved these little sisters in their cute hats... so sweet!

Maeve is ONE!!!

2008-12-08T14:09:00.000-08:00

Got to meet these A.DOR.A.BLE girlies yesterday! The baby recently had her first birthday and I was asked to take pictures of her at this adorable stage in her life! The session took place in the Perch Gallery in Port Dover... a very cool place with lots of amazing art for sale.

Let it SNOW!

2008-11-20T20:23:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again... the kids are so excited! Our first snow (that actually stayed on the ground) was yesterday. I LOVE winter... (until around February, then I get sick of it and start daydreaming about summer, camping, swimming and on and on). But from now until then, it's so much fun decorating for Christmas, sledding, sipping hot cocoa and making gingerbread cookies every other day. We still need to get our tree up, we bought our first artificial one last year. We're going to decorate the home school room for Christmas too, the kids can't wait!

Here's baby Eden, she just turned 10 months. She likes it outside despite the cold and loves her sled. Just along as we don't stop moving:)

Building the first snowman of the season.

Jessica and Cory's Wedding Day

2008-11-09T21:28:00.000-08:00

This Fall, Melanie and I met Jessica and Cory for the first time. They are such a warm, genuine couple. We had such a blast doing their engagement photos... they brought their dog Angus and we hung out for a few hours on a gorgeous fall day! Even though we hadn't known them before, it felt like we'd been friends forever, they are just so easy to be around. We've been looking so forward to their wedding. They had some fun ideas and we were excited to be a part of their day!

Cory and the boys wanted a gangster type look to their pictures...

Angus looking sharp for the big day...

Jessica just shortly before she walked down the aisle... she looked absolutely stunning.

All the girls looking GORGEOUS!

Angus was the ring bearer.... he did an amazing job I might add:) But was anyone actually surprised that he did it so well? We all knew he would... he's such a great dog!

Congratulations Jessica and Cory, what a fabulous day!

Dawn and Bob = Married!

2008-11-05T19:51:00.001-08:00

Here's a few more of my favourites from Dawn and Bob's wedding in October. I LOVE fall weddings... especially when the weather cooperates! It was such a blast doing their photos. Bob was so laid back and easy going. Dawn was up for anything... every pose idea we had made her so excited:) What a great couple!
I love this first image:

Congratulations Dawn and Bob!!

McDonald Family and friends!! :)

2008-10-24T21:31:00.001-07:00

On Sunday, Ronny and I met up with our good friends, the McDonald's. Every Fall, the whole family meets up and visits an Apple orchard. This year, they chose to visit Frootogo in Hamilton.

Here's the whole McDonald family. Gary and Diane had two sons: Scott and Ken. Here they are with their wives and kids...

Tristan and his mom, Andrea are good friends with the McDonald's... I love Tristan's eyelashes. What a handsome little guy! The camera loved him:)

Ronny and I are very close friends with Ken and Julie, here they are with their kids:

And here's Scott, Tennille and their beautiful girls!

This is my favourite capture of the day! I have to give credit to Ronny for it. It really shows the warmth of this family... they are a very snuggly group:)

Thanks McDonald's for inviting us along on your apple/pear- picking adventure!
Looking forward to hanging out with ya again soon.

Jeremy, Carrie-Ann and Family

2008-10-19T19:39:00.000-07:00

Today I met up with Jeremy, Carrie-Ann and their four gorgeous kids at Lindley's Farm in Ancaster. I followed their family on a hay wagon ride, thru a corn maze and into a pumpkin patch. Here's a few pics of our morning...

Dawn and Bob's wedding!!

2008-10-18T18:36:00.000-07:00

Dawn and Bob were married today- what a beautiful fall day! What a dream couple for us to photograph... they were so adventurous and enthusiastic:) I love it when a bride doesn't bat an eyelash when you suggest that she lays on the ground! We loved the yellow leaves. Here are just a couple of pictures from the day... there will be more to come!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2008-10-13T06:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Just thought I'd do a quick blog entry to say what I'm thankful for!
I'm so thankful for the loving family that I grew up in, and for my husband and his amazing family. I'm am SOOOOO thankful for 3 beautiful children; I prayed and believed for many years for them, what answered prayer!

And most of all, I'm thankful for a Saviour who gave His life, His all, His everything so that I can spend eternity with Him.