{What ______looks like} Fall Break Mexico Vacation

I have to start by saying that I love being a part of this group.  I think this group of women are talented, creative, and supportive of one another.  And this pushes me to post more.  I need to blog more and this is one push that I need.

So this is what my October looked/looks like.  During the kids fall break we headed to Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico for some sun, sand and time with my Mom and Dad.  It was great seeing my parents and my kids always get so excited to spend time with their 'Seattle Grandparents'.  

We enjoyed being lazy and venturing to the small town of Bucerius and visiting the restaurant and seeing the local kids we see each year who sell homemade goods on the beach.  

Ahhh…normal faces…a rare thing for us.

Brielle always annoys Tyler with kisses.  And she was really mad at him here and he was trying to push her buttons further so he gave her kisses knowing she'd be mad about it.  She squealed and then finally said…'okay, kiss me'.  So funny!  #siblings

Chillaxin' at the pool with Grandma.

Endless chips and guacamole.

Pool time during happy hour.

Activity time poolside.  BINGO!

Thanks for taking a peek, the next photographer in the circle is the talented, Ashley Jennett from the The Stork & the Beanstalk.  

{Halloween Birthday Party} my boy is growing up.

Yep, it's true.  My little boy is not so little anymore.  My first born…the little man who made me a momma is turning 12!  And to celebrate, he wanted to invite some school friends for a Halloween themed birthday party.   We made plans just before heading to Mexico for fall break and did brain storming there in preps for his fun day the day after we got home from our trip.  Once we got home, we started decorating and getting the games and food ready.  It was fun and strange making jello brains with worms coming out with our brain mold (I didn't get a picture of it - boo.), concocting fun drinks, and getting dry ice to make a witches brew.  That turned into a pretty cool science experiment with the kids seeing how warmer water makes the dry ice sizzle and erupt with gasses and cool water calmed the ice.  We had a bunch of games planned too.  I was relieved that the kids were enthusiastic about the games since these are all tweens and the party had to have a 'cool' factor.  Ha!  I loved watching them have fun and was relieved to see smiles on excitement on their faces. ;)  

Craziness begins. 

 Silly girls ;-) Brielle was a little shy.  She just met these sweet girls and instantly they all got along and hung out together.

The food and beverages were fun to plan.  I didn't photograph everything and we ordered pizza and breadsticks to make it easy - I totally cheated.  We had these fun apple mouth sides (pictured below), a festive drink of Sprite Zero with green food coloring and fun straws that we added peeps and a floating eyeball, brain jello (not pictured)  and lots of bowls of random halloween snacks (not pictured - there's a lot not pictured).  

Prepping  the drinks…Tyler always on the move.  

Apple Mouths

Festive drinks - peeps, fun straws, floating eyeball, food coloring and a clear drink of your choice.  

The first game we played was the 'Marble Toe Game'.  Each player was timed for 30 seconds and had to get as many marbles into a bowl from an icy cold pool of water with only their toes.  The player who collected the most marbles won.  Since we didn't have a kiddy pool, we used a metal bin and timed two players at a time and kept track of their scores.  At the end, there was  tie between Tyler and Greer so we had a tie breaking one minute challenge.  The kids were such good sports with this game.  

Grace and Tyler getting timed during the marble game. 

Lots of great competitors in this game!

Another favorite was just the good old fashion 'Mummy' game.  They did it twice and and the results were pretty entertaining for Jeff and I.  Oh and the amount of TP lint floating in the air and landing was unreal.  My vacuum was full this morning with just lint after vacuuming the house. #youvebeenwarned #itsworthit

Mid-first round.  The kids are finding their way and by round two they were much quicker and more creative.  

Post game mess.  We were covered in toilet paper lint.  Kids were tired and needed a breather before the next game.  

After a bunch of games and a break to eat, it was time for the cake.  We ordered the cake - it was supposed to be a Minecraft Creeper face cake but the bakery messed up a bit so we added a lot of edible bloody fingers.  So it transformed into a Creeper zombie cake - yay!  Who knew that everyone wanted a piece that contained a bloody finger? We know how to please. :)  I didn't get a photo of the cake close up - it wasn't very pretty so I figured it was best left to be eaten.  

We ended with 'Murder In The Dark' which was accompanied by the sound of thunder outside. The kids asked wide-eyed, if the thunder was real.  I told them I ordered it in…lol.  Mother nature was working with me on that one, but that meant foregoing the piñata we had.  The wind, thunder and lightening were a sign for us to stay in the rest of the party.  Plus it was dark and it made the final game pretty fun.  

The kids seemed to have a great time.  If they didn't, they faked it well #butithinktheyhadfun  ;)  I had to send them off with a goody bag.  Ty and I put some Halloween things that I know they're a little old for but we still thought they were fun.  And the gummy body parts were a hit.  The older they get, the creeper they like things. :)  Thanks to those of you who were able to join us in celebrating Ty's birthday.  You made it a very memorable and wonderful birthday celebration.    

{little bit of this & a little bit of that}

5 years ago this month, I joined an organization that was newly formed.  Their mission grabbed me and I knew that I needed to be a part of it.  It's for both seasoned and new photographers. NAPCP also connects parents searching for child photographers with its members by providing a comprehensive directory and informative articles on what to expect from their professional photography experience.  
It's a valuable resource for both those seeking photographic services as well as photographer wanting to learn more about the Children's Photography Industry.   Their approach is warm, welcoming yet they will challenge your skills while supporting you.  If you're a photographer specializing in Children, this is an organization I would strongly urge you to be a part of.  

Now that it's NAPCP's 5th birthday, they've selected 5 of their charter members to feature.  I'm flattered to one of those 5 members.  You can see the article at http://www.napcp.com/blog.php/2014/09/23/featured-charter-member-kara-may/

{Organization} Surviving Back to School

Week 1 of school is complete!  It can be crazy getting back into the routine of getting up early and maintaining the responsibilities demanded by a new school year.  Each year, with more and more demands, I have to step-up my game and really make an effort to have my kids pitch in, be held accountable and have ownership of their responsibilities.  Thankfully, they are great with lists.  When things are written in a clear and consistent form, they know exactly what to do.  

So this year, I have a few new lists so I don't have to nag them about every little to-do they need to complete each morning, afternoon and evening.  Here's an example of our morning and afternoon lists.  I put it next to them each morning at breakfast, and they have to check each one off with a pen.  I'm thinking about putting them in a frame and using a dry erase pen so we can wipe it off each day and I'd save on paper and printer ink.  #savetrees  But they're really into checking things off and I don't have to nag about each item on the list.  It's there, they see it, and they know they have to do it.  #allofthem

Lunches are another area where preplanning is important.  Last year the kids took lunch to school every day and never bought school lunches, that means a lot of extra work for me, but it's so worth it!!  Living in the Arizona heat means that by the time it's time to eat, their lunch is warm and their ice packs are wet and warm (gross!!).  This year I found these lunch boxes at PaperSource and they really keep things cold for an extended period of time…up to 10 hours.  Yes, 10!  And they REALLY work!!  This has helped eliminated the need for cold packs that sweat and remembering to include one each day in their lunch boxes.  

Have stuff ready:  I have precut some vegetables (yellow, red and orange peppers; carrots; celery; cucumbers; etc) so I can easily pop them into their lunch box each day.   I bought little containers to include in their lunches for any sauces they may need also.  All of it fits into a nice little container that keeps the food separated nicely and prevents anything from getting crushed.   Little preparations done the night before or a couple of days before, really help expedite the daunting school lunch making process.  

These little things have helped the whole process of getting back into a routine so much easier.   Hope those of you with school age kids have a smooth transition back into the rigors of school. :)

Oh the changes…

As you may have noticed there's something different about my blog.  And if you've clicked any of the menu items you'll see that that my whole site has changed.  I finally built a new site after many, many years.  It's long over-due and I'm ridiculously giddy about it!!  And….my branding.  MY BRANDING has changed!  Yes, finally I have something that's fresh, new and ME!  And as nerdy as this sounds, I love the inner workings of my site.  Everything is streamlined for ease, effectiveness and efficiencies.  I had more of a paper system before and now it's all electronic.   Why am I so excited about that?  It makes it easier and more informative for me AND my clients. yay!!   Also, I have a place designed to posting the mentoring that I offer as well as upcoming workshops.  This page will be updated frequently, so be sure to check it out.  Also, I have some collaborations coming up that I'm excited to announce so stay tuned!   

Also…school started yesterday.  Completely bitter-sweet.  I was so excited and nervous for Ty and Brielle - it's emotionally exhausting.  Tyler started 6th grade and feels pretty excited to have a locker this year. And it's right next to his best friend's locker. Yay! The girl who's smitten with him wanted him to bring a picture of himself so she could hang it in her locker so she can see him everyday (wow, that's deep lol). And Brielle started the 4th grade at her new school. She was feeling the nervous but held it together. We drove to school excited and talkative about how they thought the first day would be. When we approached Brielle's school she asked if I could walk her in…but we were in car line and before I knew it, a sweet lady took Brielle by the hand and told her she'd make sure she was comfortable on her first day. Other parents were walking their kids in, so I parked and ran up to the school. The administrative staff welcomed me and all said that Brielle looked happy. How did they know Brielle was mine? I didn't care, I loved it and was reassured. I ran to the playground and looked around nervously…then I spotted my little girl. She was standing with 2 other girls and another mom. All of the girls were new and in the 4th grade. They must've all looked a little lost, so they grouped together…so glad they did. She hugged me and thanked me for coming to see her.  
When I picked up Brielle, she gave me two thumbs up and said the day was wonderful.  She started her homework in the car.  One of the questions that came up in her homework was, 'which subject are you most looking forward to?' She instantly started writing.  I asked what subject, she said 'Spanich because I can speak the language when we go to Mexico each year.'  So stinking you.  Mind you, she's NEVER taken Spanish and only knows a handful of words from her days of watching 'Dora'.  I love her.  Tyler asked me if he could stay at school for an hour and a half to hang out with his friends.  To me, that's a great day!  Hope the rest of the year is amazing for them.  And for all of you with kids going back to school.  I know as a parent it's not easy sending your kids back (well sometimes you're ready for summer to end and routines to start again).  It's a huge milestone.     

You can see Brielle's nerves in the photo below. I'm so proud of both of them!

{Bedhead, FaceTime & a Donut Tower} what more could a girl want?

It's true.  My baby turned 9 this past weekend?  I don't know why each birthday I'm just an emotional mess.  I think it's the actual changing of a digit that makes it seem so real.  I can't just deny it when that number changes.  She seems to be growing overnight.  Even her teach said the same.  And…we share the same size shoe!?  What?  Yes.  Granted, I have pretty small feet…but still.  I'm very proud of my sweet little girl.  She's becoming confident and her humor makes me laugh till my sides hurt.  I love who she was, is and who she's becoming.  
She doesn't ask for much so when I asked her what she wanted for her birthday she thought about it and said, 'Um, peach Greek yogurt, a toy for August and a birthday card from Target since they have so many cute ones.'  Yep, I'm going to remember these simply, easy list of wants since I think the the list is going to be changing a bit during her teen years. ;)  She did say that she really wanted to go ice skating as a family on her birthday.  So we did just that!  She had butterflies on the way there…adorable. 

As you'll see, she's enjoying her donuts and talking on FaceTime with Grandma & Grandpa who live in Seattle.  What more could a girl want on her birthday?  ha.  

Brielle is singing along with us 'Happy Birthday'. (below)

Some people buy fancy cakes for birthdays. We always make a homemade cake.  She requested vanilla cake with pink frosting.  It's not pretty but it's made with love and it was delicious (according to my kids).  Thankfully, they love these homemade traditions.  

{What ________ looks like} iPhone pictures of life and travels

So this past month has been crazy with travel.  It's been amazing to see several big cities and soak them up.  I opted against carrying my heavy, big camera and decided my iPhone would provide me with some of the memories I needed to keep. Those of you who follow me on Instagram have seen some of these.  If you're on Instagram, I post a lot more pics - my name is @karaphotogirl.  I don't have many photos San Francisco  :(  so I'll start with our trip to NYC with the kids.  This was the kids first time to New York and they were so beyond excited to explore and see how big and fun this city really is.

When we got home, the first thing I did (after unpacking) was to get back to baking.  I love baking and my kids missed home baked bread.  And life was back to normal for a bit until Jeff and I headed out to Chicago…just the two of us.

Below capture some of the things we did and saw in Chicago.

So cold, but sunny… so I was happy to have my jacket with thumbholes and wrap over mittens type dealeos.

Above…the last picture I took in a suburb of Chicago.  Isn't that house so cozy looking?  I had to snap a photo of it.

We got home at midnight and the first thing Brielle showed me was how she learned to sew.  Love her enthusiasm for learning.

Life resumes at home…until our next trip. 

Thanks for looking at my iPhone photos during this months addition of What ___ looks like.  Please continue onto the circle by clicking through the links.  Next is up is Suzanne Gipson Photography.

{What________ looks like} peach picking!

This weekend we braved the heat (yes, it's sizzling here already!) and headed to the farm for some peach picking.  U-Pick fruit is one of my favorite things to do with the kids.  Thankfully they think of it as a treat so they really look forward to it.  We got to the farm at 9:30 so the sun was pretty harsh for these photos by the time we got on the hayride to head to the orchard to pick peaches.  After we filled two bags of peaches we were ready to head to some rides.  It was hot but the kids went on the roller coaster, the giant swing ride, the slides, the big air bounce pad…. again and again and again.  When they finally got tired, we headed home to plan out what to do with our peaches.

Be sure to check out the rest of this talented groups post!  Next up is Kelsey Gerhard Photography, I know her's will be a treat!

{What_______looks like} Easter Egg Dying!

This weekend was the weekend  the kids have been waiting for.  Ever since we put up some Spring decorations, the kids have been asking when they can dye Easter Eggs.  This is one of the first times we've done Easter Egg dying this early (I know, it's not that early but for us this is a major success).  The kids woke up early and while Jeff golfed on this gorgeous sunny day, we got started on s0me fun!  Brielle takes her time and spent hours thinking and decorating her bowl of eggs.  So when Ty was done decorating his eggs, the silly antics began.  Here's a peak.

Be sure to click through the rest of the photographers and complete the circle.  The next photographer is my dear friend, Sarah Cornish with My Four Hens Photography…her work is truly breath-taking.

{What________ Looks Like} Commercial Photoshoot 'Outtakes'

Yep, we're back with a great group of talented photographers in 2014's 'What_____ Looks Like!  I loved doing this last year.  And although we got super busy and skipped a few months, it's something l look forward to.  It's a project with no rules and no boundaries and I love that!!   I'm thankful to be a part of such a supportive and fun group of fellow photographers.

So this month….I'm a little bummed.  I've been sick and my families been sick this past week.  So rather than posting photos from this week, I decided to dig into my files and find some unusual and silly outtakes from some of my commercial shoots.  I have more outtakes than I know what to do with but I grabbed just a few to share here.  In every shoot, there are outtakes.  Brielle is always excited for our shoots but she yawns, has a silly moment or has a bug fly into her eye.  I love her goofy personality.  She's so full of life and I love seeing every aspect of her personalty  during our shoots.

Complete the circle by clicking through to the next photographer, DeAnna McCasland.  Her photos are worth your time.  Stunning!!  Thanks :)