Merry Merry Christmas to You!!

Last year, Meela was my Christmas gift under the tree.  This year, she gets her very own presents to unwrap.  And, she agrees, this really is the most wonderful time of the year!  We hope you are able to spend it with the ones you love!  Merry Merry Christmas to You!

All Wrapped Up in Phloof

Just in time for Christmas is a present wrapped in phloof!  Have you ever been so taken aback by the delicacy and sweetness of a little?  I mean, when you just can't stop smiling and cooing over a great big bundle of cuteness in a tiny baby body?  This happened to me with little miss Aurelia.  Everything about this little love was magical as she discovered and celebrated life in front of my lens...and tasted anything she could get her mouth around.  If I have a little girl, I want to buy her a ball of phloof and let her wear it whenever she wants.  Maybe I'll buy one to match...

May you experience all the joys and wonders of the season.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Oh, there's a Camera in my Car!

A few of my favorite things...My niece and nephew. Hanging out with them.  Laughing with them.  Feeling like my heart is going to explode because I love them so much.  Finding a camera (and a random chair) in my car when my nephew is being so stinkin' cute.

That's exactly how this impromptu shoot happened.  I mean, just LOOK at those overalls!  And those tiny teeth!  How can you not fall so completely in love?  I will never know the answer to that question.

The funny thing about not having teeth, or getting new ones, is that it's pretty hard to keep from drooling.  Cue the collective, "awwwwwww."

Lick or Treat!

I grew up in a home where our pets were part of the family.  Teddy was my first dog - a protective and beautifully golden cocker spaniel.  And then, there was Kadie, Mollie, and Charlie.  The Three Musketeers.  The Three Caballeros.  Maybe more appropriately at times, the Three Stooges.  Each of them had a unique personality and I adored them with my whole being.  They understood me when others didn't.  They loved me without pretense or question.  I didn't have to beg for their attention or perform for their approval.  They gave me a glimpse of unconditional love.


And, now as an adult, I have a little pup of my own.  She is part of my family.  I love her with a love that many don't understand.  I truly believe that God has and continues to use her to bring healing and hope in my life.  She is a bundle of energy and oh so much fun!  I tried the resist the urge to become one of "those" dog owners - you know, the kind that dress them up in silly clothes and let them sleep on the bed - but, I caved.  She's just TOO cute not to!


Happy Dog-oween!  And, if you have an extra chewy bone lying around, make sure you save it for the cutest scarecrow on the block!

(Just a side note...as a result of her epic cuteness and the votes of the masses, Meela is the winner of the 2010 Coast 101.3 Halloween Pet Photo Contest!  Thanks to everyone who voted for my cute little scarecrow!)

Leave Me

There's no such thing as "taking too many pictures." This is worth watching, more than once.

Leave Me from Daros Films on Vimeo.

There Ain't No Party Like a Shannon Party

I think everyone should have at least 1 person in their life who teaches you to smile and laugh and have a good time no matter the circumstance, no matter the occasion, no matter what.  Fortunately for me, I have one of those people in my family!  My mom and Aunt Debbie go waaaaaay back - friends through high school, college, early motherhood and, now, sisters-in-law.  Needless to say, I've known her my entire life and am all the more blessed because of it.  Whenever I'm around her, she reaffirms that, "there ain't no party like a Shannon party, cuz a Shannon party don't stop!"  And, who doesn't like a good party?!

Once a teacher, always a teacher.  Thanks, Julie, for giving us all a little instruction in the "Art of Finding Good Wine."  Bet she never taught THAT to her junior highers!

Looking for a great local band for your next party?  Check out these guys - Funk 30.  There aren't 30 of 'em, but they are funky (in an awesome way)!  They're so good, they can get you movin' like this...

Swept Away in Seattle

In April, I packed my bags and allowed some time to be swept away in Seattle.  What I found was another beautiful Pacific NW city to photograph, both for its sites and for its people.  And, as expected, I was never too far from my drug of choice - the brown elixir commonly known as coffee.  Mmmmmm...

Holly + Aaron = Portland Love in June

Have you ever been to a wedding where it felt like you could literally reach out and touch love in the air?  Well, when my dear friend Holly married Aaron, it was like love came down and wrapped us all up in a cozy blanket while we roasted marshmallows by the fire.  The intimacy and thoughtfulness of their wedding weekend was unforgettable...which is why I'm deciding to post these pictures now.  Even though I wasn't the official photographer, I just couldn't help myself.  I wanted to remember this forever.  Holly and Aaron, may your love continue to blossom into something more beautiful than the day you said "I Do."

 

What would a wedding be without your friends there to support and pray over you?  Holly, you are SO loved!