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Mike & Mary + 4: Operation: LoveReUnited

Posted on March 8, 2009

Today we ventured down to El Paso, to gorgeous Memorial Park for another Operation: Love ReUnited session! We’d never been to this particular park before, but we’d heard good things about it, and seen a few photos online. Wow! It’s awesome! It has to be one of the few fairly green spots in the area, and it’s full of rolling hills and beautiful trees. Even better, it’s not far from Ft. Bliss, making it easy for our OpLove families to meet us there for their sessions.

We met Michael and Mary, and their four children there, and oh my goodness they couldn’t have been a cuter family! Jacquline, Charlotte, and Matthew are 2 year old triplets, and Mele who’s 4, is their big sister. We had a ton of fun running all over the park, and getting photos with their dad, who’s deploying soon. We’re so excited to be able to do this for this lovely family, they were truly a blast to be around! Ok, so it was a little bit like herding cats, but cute ones!

Mary and Michael, it was an honor to meet and photograph your beautiful family! Now, here’s a few of our favorites from the session!

Roz

The DeVine Family Portraits!

Posted on February 8, 2009

Today we got to photograph the DeVine kids – Tanner, Tatum, Taylor, and Tristan! They were super cute of course! We thought we’d break out the pettiskirt for Tatum, but she really wasn’t that into it – I guess with three brothers, she’s a little bit of a tomboy! We still got some cute stuff of them, and a few of the boys together as well. It was a wild and crazy session, but we sure did have fun! Their mom, Jennifer, is a hair stylist at “A Cut Above” here in Las Cruces, and she’s looking forward to having some cute portraits of her kids to put on the walls of her salon! We’re planning on ordering her some standouts or gallery wraps to go in a certain space on her wall, so if you need a haircut, stop in and I bet you’ll see her adorable family up there!

Here’s a few from the session!

Mandy’s Christmas Photos

Posted on December 7, 2008

We had Mandy, Emma, and Carrie over for a Christmas session this afternoon. Mandy was as cute as ever; it seems like every time we photograph her, the shots turn out even better then the last time! She’s standing up on her own, but not walking yet, and she’s just starting to talk – she says “Emm” for her big sister, and “Baa” for ball. We heard that one a lot; it may be a big ornament to us, but it was a ball to her! We did a few in studio – we’re perfecting a new technique for shooting on white – and then we headed down to Mesilla. By the time we got there Mandy was photo’d out, but we still got a few great shots of Emma!

Out in the desert with the Tellez Family!

Posted on November 30, 2008

What a great family! This afternoon we got to go out and hang out with the Tellez family, for their family photos. They really wanted the Organ Mountains in the background, so we headed out to one of our favorite spots in the desert. We stomped around until we found just the right spot.

Since we needed a good classic family photo for Christmas, we took that first. The kids did so great, and really cooperated with all the hullaballoo about smiling and turning this way and that. Poor Kristen, their youngest daughter, was having a hard time with all the pricklies out there, so she went up on Dad’s shoulders for awhile.

Debbie and Gilbert wanted some photos of the kids as a group, and by themselves, and since they were so awesome, we did a lot of really fun stuff. I brought out “the red chair” and let the kids do some fun poses with it – Dominik did his best karate jump for me, and Lauren showed me her best “Top Model” poses. Kristen is just cute all by herself, she doesn’t even have to try!

Here’s a few more shots from our session! It was a really great time you guys, I had a lot of fun! Thanks for coming!

Roz

Kids at the Wedding

Posted on November 24, 2008

Children at, or in, your wedding can make the party – as long as they’re happily entertained during all the “boring” adult parts of the day. However you include the younger generation, Let the parents on your list know what you’ve got planned so they’ll feel comfortable about bringing the little ones along – and so they can get the kids excited about coming.

Kids as Participants

No doubt about it, including a few children in your wedding party can make for some of the cutest moments of the day. Children of any age can be included; from old enough to walk up to about 8, children are adorable as ring bearers and flower girls, and older kids will be proud to be junior bridesmaids or groomsmen.

Getting Ready There’s a lot of waiting during the preparations for a wedding, and one universal truth is that kids (especially younger kids) don’t wait well. Keep the kids busy elsewhere until it’s time for them to get dressed; having them dress in the same room as everyone else makes for some adorable photos. Once they’re dressed, we’ll want to take some pictures; having a small toy or snack on hand helps keep them busy between shots.

Down Time If there’s any down time between photos and the ceremony, younger kids might want to try to nap, or at least play quietly. This may be the only chance they’ll have all day for a rest. Kids who are used to napping tend to be cranky if they don’t get some down time, but don’t be surprised if they’re too keyed up by all the unusual activity and excitement to sleep.

The Long Walk When the time comes to walk down the aisle, putting Grandma (or another trusted adult) in the front pew with a handful of Cheerios or another favorite snack can really focus the attention of small children. If you have 2 or 3 children, having the older ones help with the younger can also ease the long walk to the alter, as can having Mom and/or Dad in the wedding party, since they’ll already be at the alter when Junior starts the trip.

Meltdowns In the event of an emotional meltdown or temper tantrum, be sure to have a trusted adult who can be spared from the ceremony ready to swoop in and carry the little one to safety, and out of earshot, so that your ceremony doesn’t come to a screeching halt.

Kids as Guests

At the Ceremony If you’re planning a long ceremony (more than about 20 minutes), a sitter-attended room for the under-10 set is a great idea; your church may be willing to set aside one of its Sunday school rooms for the purpose. Stock the area with crayons, paper, and pencils – forgo the markers; many younger children are still unaware of the difference between the paper, and their hands or clothing. The playground, if your venue has one, is also a very good option – let the kids burn off that energy running instead of fidgeting!

At the Reception To help Mom and Dad relax and enjoy themselves, have a separate area for the youngsters near or in the main reception area, with one or more dedicated babysitters to keep an eye on things. Replace the reception-hall chairs with kid-size furniture; you can get cheap plastic chairs from Wal-Mart and either cover them to match your reception colors, or leave them bright to capture the interest of your younger guests. Set the tables with a variety of kid-themed favors; stuffed animals, toy cars, miniature slinkys (remember those?), action figures (call one of the moms on your guest list and ask her what’s popular with her boys and girls; it changes daily), and other easy-to-play-with items will keep them busy all night long. A carnival supply company is a great source for cheap toys; just be sure to avoid anything that bounces, runs away on its own, or makes loud noises.

Have you ever eaten at a restaurant where the tables are covered in butcher paper, and the waiter/waitress writes on the table? That’s another great way to engage younger guests. Have an apron for each; stuff the pockets with pencils or crayons. The aprons will encourage activity and interaction, and they’ll also help protect party dresses and fancy suits from the ravages of dinner.

Dinnertime! Serve the children first; they don’t wait well. You can serve smaller portions from the adult menu, or you can customize a menu for your younger guests. Miniature hamburgers, chicken strips, popcorn shrimp, and french fries always go over well. (Children under 2 years or so may be better off sitting with Mom and Dad during dinner, or they may require special seating, like high chairs.) Switch out the standard cups for clear plastic with secure lids and curly straws, containing brightly-colored kid-friendly beverages.

With just a little planning, you can be sure that your young guests (and the youngest members ofyour bridal party) will have a blast at your wedding, and that Mom and Dad can relax and enjoy themselves too.

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