The Voices Within Me

If you are looking to add some fun to your photos or even just looking to shorten your time spent in editing, be sure to visit Andie Smith Designs. She has a TON of PSD actions, LR presets, templates, storyboards, and more. If you want to read a quick blog post and see a fun picture of Addie, be sure to look at her newest blog post *here*

to post pictures of baby Anderson so...

presenting the newest addition to the Kandel family...






I am sure they will have a ton more to post when they get the chance and some of the entire family but hopefully these will hold you over until then :)

another week or craziness. Four more senior sessions done and I think we are finally nearing the end of senior craziness. While I enjoyed it beyond belief... I will be glad to be back to normal again. I hope to schedule at least one if not two more Christmas sessions and then allow things to quiet down to enjoy the holiday season.
I had a beautiful drive down to Cambrige today... I absolutely LOVE fall and even love a beautiful drive through the colorful splendor even more. (and PB and G, I thought of you as I drove by New Philly and Dover on 77)

I made it home in time to be there for the majority of babysitting at our church tonite for the "Couples Nite Out" that our Sunday School Class sponsored. There weren't many in attendance and only two children besides our own since other people have other options... so it was a quiet nite of rolling balls around the gym and "trick or treating" for animal crackers. I guess those that went out to eat had fun... It is too bad things didn't work out how we envisioned them (being an outreach, more than just our class, etc...) but I guess I should just know by now that it probably won't ever happen.

Anyways... after arriving home I am SO ready to crash. We have trick-or-treating tomorrow and a very anxious Tinkerbell and Superman ready to go. I can't wait to get pictures of them...even if they don't "match" one another- they are who they are- right? It is supposed to be pretty cold tomorrow so I don't forsee us being out long- not that they need much candy anyways... and I know that I definitely don't need the candy temptation.

I should probably be editing as usual... but I figured I should update at least once this week to apease the few readers I have left. I promise another update tomorrow but don't get used to those happening all that often ;)

Until then...

I am finally home... another wedding in the books for Expressions Photography. :)
Tomorrow I am off to an engagement shoot- which I am totally excited about- seriously- I really think this will be a ton of fun... we are shooting in the "bride's" backyard and her dad has done amazing landscape- so I am really looking forward to something new and with such meaning behind it. After that... I have a break in the actual taking of pictures until Thursday when I have another senior. I am going to be glued to my chair and computer until then though with all of these proofs- seriously... I am getting behind in the whole process. After this coming week I have four more seniors booked and then I believe senior season will just about be finished. Of course that means I have to look ahead to next year- which I already have one ready to book and a rep in place. I guess the cycle just continues on...

In other news... Addie is pretty much potty trained- yipppeeee!! She was dry for two days (until today at my parent's house- BUT- that was a new place for her and she was actually dry the whole way up there and then was dry the whole way home again (sleeping both ways). I am not ready to try a public test yet (I remember Walmart trips with Micah- we were in the bathroom more than actual shopping) BUT- I think I have bought my last case of diapers until #3 comes along :) (and of course...I just bought a new HUGE pack- but we will use those up at nite time and then move on to pullups afterwards so it works out it is just ironic)

Micah is still loving school. His teachers seem great this year and he really seems to connect. I guess he didn't have "listening ears" on one day this week and had to sit at the other table but other than that- I think it is going well. The funny thing is- he tells on himself - we would have never known if he wouldn't have said anything.

I think I am falling asleep here typing this so I guess that is a sign to move along to bed. Until next time...

Seriously...
I have NO weekends free until December due to photo shoots, I am filling up some weeknites already, I already do Wed. nite Bible study with the girl's in the youth group and now we are starting a 6wk. discipleship/ dinner program at our house on Mondays... aye aye aye!! LOL. I guess it is a good crazy though- right? :)
Oh... I have also been asked to lead a small group at the Mom's group I am attending...
Add all of those things to normal daily things like school and working out- I am beat by the end of the nite!!

Ok ok... I have probably said all of that before, but after scheduling yet another session today, I realized how soon Christmas will be upon us and how crazy my life will be until then. It never ends does it? :)

I had all of these "kid funnies" earlier and now, I can't think of even one. Hmm...
Oh- this isn't a big one but... if the kids are hungry these days they tell me they are going to run out of energy if they aren't fed. It is really funny to hear Addie say it b/c she really doesn't understand it in it's entirety... so she uses it in strange ways- like last nite when she got out of bed and told me she couldn't sleep b/c she ran out of energy. Umm... doesn't sleep restore your energy? LOL

Micah is still doing well with school- hard to believe but I think he likes it even more than last year! LOL. He is quite excited to go every day and then has TONS of stories to tell us each nite. I know he adores his teachers which makes me even more comfortable taking him there. He is such a big boy now...

Addie is really into "using her manners" these days. She thanks you for everything... giving her a toy or food, doing her hair, getting her dressed, or even if I just tell her that I love her. She responds with, "tanks you mommy" It is quite precious if I say so myself! :)

I guess I should go get the kids down for a nap... it is about that time and I have some work things to catch up on. I can't wait to receive back my most recent order, I love getting to see the pictures printed almost as much as the clients do... but these are special b/c they are of my best friend from high school and her family. If I do say so myself, they came out amazing!! :) Maybe I will share some of them on here someday... her family is gorgeous!!

sorted and such... here are a few Addie pictures from before vacation that I don't believe I have posted here...

I can't believe it has been a week already- where did the time go? Seriously- where did it go?
This past week brought sickness (addie), new swim class (micah), trip to my parent's house (friday), another ohio state win (saturday), trip home (saturday), church (sunday), another steeler loss (sunday) and various other events. I guess we were busy- but it still feels as though the last week was a blur.

I really just wanted to share two new pictures of Addie tonite- I was going through and trying to organize photos on my computer and came across these which I haven't gotten to sit and edit yet- so pulled two out and thought I would share.
Oh- and in exciting news in the photography arena... I have been chosen to join My Digital Muse, a new photography site owned by Holly McCaig. I am pretty excited about it as you can assume : ) Holly is quite talented, not only in photography but also is very well known for her digital desigins and graphic art creations- so this is quite a big deal. I will let you all know more as I learn more- tomorrow is our first meeting to discuss what all this position entails.
With that, I will share my pics and head off to dreamland. Little J is coming over in the morning and then we are off to run some errands and head to Tim's parent's house for dinner and to set up their new computer system. Shall be fun ;)

and there are still TONS to come ;) I think I will put the rest in a slide thing but I shared these with some friends tonite so since I have them uploaded already- I will just post them as seperate images here. Enjoy the last taste of fall (at least in Ohio- it was snowing quite a bit today- BRRR!)

Addie eating dirt


Micah throwing leaves


gorgeous tree


another tree


and more leaves


closeup of leaves


the kids playing


and the final walking pic I went with (Tim likes it b/c he think it looks like Micah is sort of dragging Addie along- sort of an emotional relationship thing...)

Humor?
Why? B/C I ate it ;) (I actually didn't eat any applesauce- but my kids did today- well Addie did and Micah was forced to take a bite (long story)...anyway...that was another fun quote from my alligator friend and my sad attempt to add humor to my otherwise dull life).

Ohio
So this week has been grey and dreary- which puts a damper on life in general. I hate the transitions of seasons here in Ohio. Fall has been stolen away already- so much for fun fall colors. I have little hope left. Instead, we are already getting a taste of winter- with snow flurries a few days last week and more forecast for next week. Sigh...why do I live in Ohio again?

Micah
Micah had another great week at preschool. Their theme this week was pumpkins and apples. On Monday he finger painted a pumpkin- making orange by mixing red and yellow. He is quite proud to tell you that if you ask. The best part though...he came home singing a song "I" remember from preschool..."Five Little Pumpkins". He sang it all for me- with the clap (When the lites go out- which btw- they did at school and had little pumpkins around the room glowing) and the rolling out of site. It is so fun to hear him sing all of his songs, prayers, and such. Today he told us about his friend's birthday and how he brought cookies to celebrate. He is getting so big!! Sigh...where did my little "burrito baby" go?

Addie
Thankfully, Ms. Addie has kept us from any scares thus far this week- though of course it hasn't officially ended yet. That girl is into EVERYTHING!! I swear that Micah was never this "investigative". Today she got her fingers shut in a door "courtesy of herself. She is starting to listen a bit when I say, "No". She will stop and listen, sometimes actually ceasing her orneriness and sometimes continuing on. Thankfully this week I think there have been more times where she stopped than her being defiant.

Photography
I had a photo shoot Monday which went relatively well. It was actually an "add on" shoot- a senior decided she had some more shots in mind and rescheduled another shoot : ) I had all of the pictures ready tonite and she placed another order and kept telling me how much people are liking her pictures. (that is always a great thing to hear!). While that was occurring, one of my seniors for next year made sure to let me know again how she definitely wants to be my rep and is ready to get some shots for publicity done. WOOO HOOO! I am going to have SO much fun with her. I love that she is already on the ball and ready to go with things- I am sure she will be a "go get em" rep for me.
I have another shoot tomorrow, a new family that I haven't previously photographed. I will mainly be taking pictures of their 7 month old daughter and their 2 year old son. Ekk!! I know thier daughter will be easy- but I know how fun it is to get an active toddler boy to sit still for pictures- never mind, not give a cheesy smile. It shall be fun ; ) (No really, it will be- I am very excited about this shoot- but I just need good vibes for smiles from the little boy!)

In closing
I was getting ready to go up to bed and Tim intercommed me and told me I had to turn tv on to channel 3- Sarah McLachlan is singing Christmas songs!! :) Now, I love me some good Christmas music and I must say, I LOVE her voice. It is about the time to get out my collection- isn't it? (is it bad if I confess I may have already listened to a few Christmas songs this past week? )
So my post comes full circle. If I must deal with this cold, grey weather, what better way to deal with it than with the hopes and dreams of Christmas? I think that is what will drown my sorrows- yep- I am pretty sure of it. ; )