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Seriously Awesome | KMC Portrait Photographer

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:44:18 +0000

Yesterday was a super special day at my house.
There was no big party or crazy celebration. In fact, we got up as normal and the little man got ready for school and the big man left early for the gym and work. I meet the big man for lunch and coffee. Once we were all back home we did a bit of cleaning out and organizing to ready ourselves for the next move. We ate dinner and watched TV. Just like normal. It was pretty perfect.
The perfect kind of celebration that the big man likes. No fanfare. No crowds to mess with. Just us.
Occasionally we would look at each other and say, “19!” Then we would give each other a “high five” and move on.

I’ve made some seriously awesome memories with this guy over the years. We’ve also been on some seriously awesome adventures together.
I’ll say it again, We would make a seriously awesome reality show…or book.
Seriously, Seriously Awesome!

And KDP I know that you are reading this and I really think you are seriously awesome.

-S

Boudoir Marathon | KMC Portrait Photographer

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 11:28:48 +0000

Just had a spot open up for the Boudoir Marathon that will be held next week, March 29-30. The setting is a super swanky hotel in Downtown K-town with lots of modern touches.

If you have been thinking of a Boudoir session this is the perfect time! It’s the perfect chance to pamper yourself and I promise when you leave you will feel like a million bucks!

Contact me for more details!

The day my Mom shot me

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 09:30:35 +0000

First you need a little back story.
I have this crazy, irrational fear/phobia of getting shot. Shot with a gun and bullets, not a camera. It makes no sense, and I have no interesting story of where this came from or why I even have it. It’s just that loud gunshot type noises, cause me to “duck and cover.” Yes, I’m serious. For example, in the middle of the night a large framed photo fell off the wall and hit a pot plant making a very loud noise. Before my husband could even register that something had happened, I was up, out of bed, and face down on the floor. Example number two: We have a projector downstairs in our home theater room. When a bulb burns out in a projector, it usually explodes. Just so happens we were watching a movie when one of the bulbs exploded. Once again, when the lights come on, I am face down on the floor because I thought someone was shooting at me. These are just two of the examples that I’m willing to share. There are more.

A few months ago, I told my Mom that I wanted some new bedding in the master bedroom. I sent her a picture from a catalog, and asked her to make it. (She’s good like that! She can make anything!) For Valentines Day, I received my new awesome bedding, complete with pillows! Chenille pillows with little squares of chenille in the bedding! It’s totally fantastically amazing.

So yesterday I’m making up the bed and that little pillow in the middle had fallen to the floor. I picked it up and thought I would just “fluff” it really quick. So I grab the corner of the pillow, pop my knee out, raise the pillow up to my head, bring it down to my knee, and WHAM!
The most intense pain, seriously. So much so that it knocks me to the floor and I’m pretty sure I blacked out.
As I’m laying on the floor this is my thought, “Well, it finally happened. I’ve been SHOT in the knee!”
Really, why wouldn’t I think that. I mean WHAT ON EARTH could be in a PILLOW that wasn’t all nice and fluffy soft??!!
I laid on the floor for a good five minutes just trying to figure out what the HECK had just happened!
When I realized it was “safe” to move again, I felt the pillow and it dawned on me: THE ELF!

The story of the Elf.
Many moons ago, I was out shopping with my Mom. She is “Christmas Crazy” and it was the middle of summer, but we were in a Christmas store. I was looking at a cute little stocking, and when I touched it, the crazy little elf stocking holder came crashing to the floor. It broke into several pieces and those pieces scattered to every corner. It took a good ten minutes to crawl under all the displays to find them! And after all of that, the little sales lady made me buy the stinking, broken, ugly elf.
Once we were back home, my Mom lovingly glued him back together claiming that “he’s not that bad, almost kind of cute!” I was pretty much just sore about the whole deal, and never wanted to see that little thing again! I told her if she liked it so much then she should keep it! So I put “Twinkle Toes” in her kitchen window, and there it stayed the whole trip.
After I arrived to my own home, I was unpacking my suitcase and what do I see?!! That ugly stinking elf! Twinkle Toes had been put in my suitcase…I think another part of him had been broken off in trip. UGGG!!! So I wrapped him up with a little note, and mailed him back to my Mom.
So began the travels of Twinkle Toes. Back and forth with different packages. Back and forth on trips and in suitcases. Once I hid it in her house so well that she didn’t find it for almost two years! When I was home this past summer, I made the mistake of letting the little man in on the secret hiding place, and I think he told Mom. She tried to sneak it out in a “special box”, but I found it and left it with my Grandmother. This time my sneaky little Mom had sewn Twinkle Toes into the pillow. Touché, Mom, touché!
Over his travels he’s been broken again and again, and we just keep gluing him back together.

I have to admit, this was a good one Mom! I might not have ever found it, had you not tried to shot me. Lesson learned: Always be on the look out. You never know when “Twinkle Toes” might show up! (or someone could be shooting at you!)

Stay safe out there people…it’s a crazy world!

-S

From the Red Couch | KMC Family Photographer

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:13:09 +0000

Over the next couple of weeks I’ll be sharing some of my favorite shots from “the Red Couch” last fall.

I love this family! LOVE them. I think they know it too because I pretty much stalk them! I’ve been trying to give them some space over the last couple of months so that I don’t get arrested! (I actually have a funny story about getting arrested for stalking…wasn’t funny at the time, but it’s crazy hilarious now! But, seriously, I’m not a weird-o…really!)
This Momma and Daddy can throw a killer cocktail party! And I don’t want to brag or anything, but my hubby is in possession of their very famous “Cranberry Margarita” recipe! See, they love us too! We may or may not have it framed in our kitchen. That’s not stalker-ish at all, is it?

And if you have heard the rumors that I am leaving this summer…they are true. Sad faces all around. There is still time to get in one last Simply Taken Portraits session! Keep your eyes peeled for a special “last chance” family day coming out in the newsletter.

I know that you are reading this KDP and sitting here across from you while you are working on your classes is very inspiring.
XOXO

-S

Looking forward to…

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 09:10:13 +0000

I don’t think there is anyone or anything that can describe the feelings you have as a parent until you are one. “Love” doesn’t come anywhere close honestly. I could list additives here all day and fill pages and pages until I ran out, and still NOT describe to you that feeling.
Most of you have heard me say the following: “When my little man was 1 year old, I thought it was the best age ever and I just wanted to stop time! Then he turned 2 and I said I was wrong, because 2 is the best age ever! Then it was 3! And every year I think this is the best year ever! It just really gets better and better!”
I still mean every word of that. The challenges are different and sometimes being a parent breaks my heart for my little man. But there is still nothing in the world better than being his mom and knowing that I was given the gift of him!

Everyday, one of the things that I look forward to the most is seeing this kid-o jump off the bus and greet me with a “Hi Mom! How was your day?”

I know that you are reading this KDP and I want you to know that yesterday’s “living room battle” melted my heart and I will forever remember the laughter that rang through our home.

XOXO

-S

Levels | KMC Portrait Photographer

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 10:34:10 +0000

Sometimes it’s hard to describe love. I don’t think there are different types of love, maybe just different levels of love. I mean, I love a sunny day. I also love cake, but not on the same level as I love my family. Get it? Levels.
Three years ago, if you told me that I would love a dog on that same level as my family, I would have laughed in your face. But it happened. I guess it really is hard to explain to a “non” pet owner. It’s really is true though, they become members of your family. Sophie is like my second child. There was a time when she was crazy sick for two weeks and I couldn’t leave her side. So when I was contacted by this family, there was no question about it. We were gonna take some wonderful family pictures and Maggie would be the star.
A few weeks before the family found out some horrible news. Maggie was sick. Very sick. The Dr. didn’t give her much time, but they were trying some experimental therapies and things were looking okay but not great. Now was the perfect time to see her in action, because she still felt good enough to do some of her favorite things.
During the shoot we talked a lot about Maggie. I learned that she went to school and played with the kids quite a lot. Her favorite treat was hotdogs. She loved to walk the trails behind her house and chase butterflies in the open field. Maggie had a particular disdain for a “certain” neighbor dog, but we are all like that sometimes. She watched one special boy grow up and move off to collage. She slept in the “big bed” and had a special ramp so that she didn’t have to jump.
We took things slow and hit all of her favorite hangouts. She even got to swim in the fountain, where she found a stick that she carried around for the rest of the shoot.

A few weeks later I got the e-mail that said Maggie hadn’t made it. My heart broke. Maggie was loved on a different level. A high, deep, reserved for family level.
I’m sure she is chasing butterflies and eating all the hot dogs she wants now. Here though, she is more than missed.

A little Light | KMC Portrait Photographer

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 11:40:29 +0000

When I meet them, they had only been a family of four about a week. The smallest of them had just joined the family. She was a little shy and clung to her Momma’s legs. Just being an observer, you would have never known just how new this adventure really was.
I just recently heard the story of how this little one came to join the family. I wouldn’t say that it was without its “hiccups,” but it’s pretty wonderful and I think the reason that things looked so effortless that day is because they were just meant to be. Meant to be THIS family.

As I watched and spoke with them, and even since as I have watched them on Facebook and the web, this quote kept making it’s way to the front of my heart.

“Sometimes someone else comes along with so much light in her that you can’t help but see your own light, and when you’re together that light glows even brighter.”

She has that way about her. So small but touching all those that she meets, without even knowing it. One to watch, my friends. Greatness in the making.

The Story

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:53:52 +0000

A couple of days ago, I posted a picture to my personal Facebook account. I’ve gotten a few questions about it, so I thought I would share the story here.

Several years ago, my little family took a trip to Rome. As we were touring the streets, we came across a fence lined with locks and on these locks were names and dates. I was totally intrigued so asked our tour guide what the deal was. He said that people get married at the church around the corner and then come and put a lock with the date on the fence just outside the church. He waived his hand as if to dismiss the whole idea as a little childish, but I was thrilled! HOW NEAT!

Over the years, I’ve been on a search for more of these “locks” and I’ve seen a few scattered at various places. Mostly just a couple here and there and even some being cut off of a famous tower in Florence. We were going to search out the “lock bridge” while in Prague, but never got around to it.

Earlier this month, my family took a little trip to Cologne to visit the Christmas Market. As we are getting ready to leave the next day, my hubby says that he wanted to stop by the “lock bridge” on the way out.

WHAT?!! There is a lock bridge?! Oh, how awesome!

Off we go, and find parking pretty easily. This my friends, is the ULTIMATE lock bridge. And by Ultimate, I mean most awesome, fantastic, biggest, longest, billions of locks, I’ve EVER seen. It seriously took my breath.

So I’m going a little “snap happy” taking tons of shots of the different locks that I think are pretty neat. Old ones, new ones, fancy ones, plain ones.

My hubby taps me on the shoulder and says, “Hey Staci, look at this one.” I turn and in his hands is a lock with two keys.
I can tell you for a fact that right at that moment, my heart melted and rolled right out onto that bridge.

So not only did I get to see the best “lock bridge” in the world, but my love is locked on there as well.
He is the most amazing man, and totally “gets” me. I have been blessed.
And if you decide to visit the bridge in Cologne, please don’t step in my heart. I was so happy, I didn’t even reach down and scoop it up.

Evan + Aley | KMC Portrait Photographer

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:24:17 +0000

Tomorrow is Wedding day! Just had to get a few things out of the way first…
more to come!

Please “leaf” your mark | KMC Portrait Photographer

Sun, 02 Oct 2011 10:26:18 +0000

Just want to share a fun and creative “guestbook” from a wedding I had the privilege to shoot this summer.

Instead of the traditional “sign in” type, the Bride had a friend paint a tree with lots of bare branches. Then as the guests arrived they could choose a color of ink (in shades of green) and stamp their thumbprint as the leaves. I thought it was great how some people made their “leaf” appear as if it was falling from the tree or even made little “leaf” piles on the ground.

So fun and creative!

-more to come from this North Dakota adventure soon!

-XOXO, Staci