Sunday, November 9, 2008

Toki Family Pictures




























Saturday I had the opportunity to shoot one of my dearest friends (her) and cousins(him) family. Earlier in the month I scouted a spot for some potentially good shots and came up with a cute little produce farm near my childrens' school. I didn't realize how GREAT the spot was until I had this BEAUTIFUL family in front of the lens. We had a pretty good time trying to get different shots and angles. I'm also beginning to understand what I like in the process and what works and what doesn't. The kids were great sports trying to keep clean while also curious to explore the farm. After a few hundred pics Sarah graciously allowed me to showcase these select shots. It was GREAT fun! Love you guys!!!

Thanks so much for being my FIRST official FAMILY shoot!

'Ele Photography

After sitting on this thought for WAY TOO long, I've decided- after receiving ALOT of encouragement from my hubby and close friends and family- that I need to just DO IT and start taking photo's.

So to launch my new found PASSION and LOVE for photography I will be doing introductory shoots for the holiday season (or just because!). I'm still tweaking a few things but have come up with an EXCELLENT deal for all to get amazing images for a fraction of the cost of seasoned photographers.

Introductory price for a session: (drum roll please!) $ 75.00
This will include a CD/ DVD copy in high resolution of 15-20 of you BEST shots. The session will last 45 minutes to 1 hour and will take place at your destination of choice. If you are located further than 15 miles of A-town or if your desired shoot location is further, then traveling fees will be added.

It would be helpful to browse around and see what images you'd like to see in your session. I'm all for new ideas and thoughts. This is your session so the more feedback you give, the better. I am so excited to begin this journey to BEAUTIFUL pictures and memories. Thanks for being apart of it all!

If you would like to book, please leave a comment or email me at maele.photography@gmail.com. Thanks!

another 264 pages of TWILIGHT...




SO SAD... but Stephanie Meyer had part of her latest writes illegally distributed over the internet. Instead of fighting the situation she decided to give in and provided the lost pages on her site. So for those of you who have FINISHED the TWILIGHT series as published and THIRST for more EDWARD... enjoy a bit of MIDNIGHT SUN here!

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

NIGHT of FRIGHT!

We decided to jump start our Halloween by having the Toki's and the Missionaries over for a traditional Halloween/ Pumpkin Carving/ Caramel apple making FHE.



Growing up we ALWAYS had Chili dogs and cornbread OR homemade scones on Halloween night. I didn't even attempt to make Lani's YUMMY scones. Maybe next year! We all scarfed down the yummy food. The kids were SOOO EXCITED to get the carving and apple making under way.





We even got the Elders (Angus and Warburton) in on the FUN! They creatively carved a tie on their jack-o-lantern. I was crackin' up though (notice the different eyes). Hummm... reminds me of??? We LOVE all our Missionaries!!



The kids all gathered while Jared pulled out his guns (thank goodness for those POWER TOOLS!) to carve a mean pumpkin. LOL!



and Jeff was HIDING his pumpkin template/ design (lol!)... dang Sarah, didn't know Jeff skills were TOP SECRET! hehehe!



They all did a pretty good job! The kids had a BLAST and loved seeing their creations come to life.



We made some MAD caramel apples. I forgot until then why we were SUPPOSE to use TART apples like the Jongolds or Granny Smith's, 'cause these ones made for some SWEEEEEET candied apples. But hey, didn't stop us from eating them...





These yummy creations were G O N E by the end of the night.



"It's OK Elder, go ahead and DIG in... grubbin' allowed in this house!" Elder W was trying to be so polite and proper. Uhm, I don't think that's possible with an ooey gooey apple! I guess you could slice it like Rocky Mountain Choc Fac, but no one wanted to wait long enough for the caramel to set.



And my little Moe was SSOOO worn out by the day's events he zonked out before everyone left. Love catching these two in a moment like this.



and

just



FIVE!!!!

MINUTES!!!!



after

this

shot

was

taken....



two little ladies decided they needed a SCARY do for their costumes this year.

Well Miss Em.....MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!



HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!!!

BE SAFE!!!

VOTE YES ON 8!!!!

Monday, October 27, 2008

grey NO MORE!!!



What a RUDE AWAKENING!

I didn't realized until this past week how much of an IMPACT Proposition 8 was having on mainstream media. I am a self-confessed TV junkie. I've always enjoyed curling up to a good show after all the kiddos are in bed and the house is CLEAN! But after watching a few excerpts of shows on LOCAL CHANNELS this past week I can't begin to describe the FILTH I felt... Even a USED-TO-BE favorite show of mine, GREY'S (can't even finish the name I am so DISGUSTED)uphauled me most. Did anyone watch that one??? What the FREAK?! That's it! , I thought. I'm cutting this and about half the other shows OUT!!! . I wanted to shower and SCRUB the filth that I felt in my mind.

If this proposition does not pass our children will face MANY consequences. One being the FACT that they will not be able to watch DAYTIME TV including CHILDREN'S shows without the issue being highlighted or addressed. WE MUST PASS THIS PROPOSITION! I don't want what I saw last week SHOVED down my children's throats. TV or not!

Marriage is SACRED and ordained of God to be between a MAN and a WOMAN. If you haven't taken a stand on this issue, NOW'S THE TIME!!! (And as I say this I REPENT from my futile efforts.)

LET'S ALL PROTECT MARRIAGE!!!.

Vote YES on Prop 8!!!

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

An AWFUL winter cough... and Dad.



When I was a LITTLE girl I would wake up in the dead of winter to a HORRIBLE, gut-hacking, body rattling COUGH. Even the best prescribed cough syrups wouldn't cure. Often times I would just deal with it and feed myself another drop and try to go back to sleep. However on SPECIAL nights when my sweet dad was home from his frequent business trips he'd hear me COUGHING away in my room. He must've felt really bad for me because it didn't matter HOW LATE it was, I'd hear him get up and go to the kitchen. Soon after he'd come to my room and wake me with a warm cup of his homemade concoction to soothe my dry, aching throat.

Dad would sit and talk to me while I sipped this warm honey sweetened drink. We'd talk about school, my friends, my thoughts and ideas. I LOVED this time alone with him. He'd assure me that my coughing would subside and tuck me back into bed. I don't know if it was the concoction or the TIME and LOVE he spent tending to me but whatever it was, IT WORKED! The coughing stopped.

How I cherish those nights.



So when I heard my Missy Lu coughing last night I called up Dad (in the middle of the night, of course) to ask him for the recipe to that drink he'd make. Of course he didn't have one. Just a little bit of this and that. But He stayed up with me on the phone while I taste tested it until it was JUST RIGHT. I took it to my Jocey who was happy to have something warm to soothe her sore throat. Once she finished and was back in bed and asleep I thought, How WONDERFUL it is to have a Dad, who will stay up with me in the middle of the night to make SURE all my daughters soreness and OWEeeees go away!

THANKS DAD!!! LOVE YOU TO FRISKO AND BACK (A MILLION X's)!!!!

Make a bit of LOVE in a cup for your little (or BIG) one suffering with a NASTY cough:



Cut half a lemon and squeeze into a cup.



Peel and grate a little fresh ginger. (optional)



Sprinkle a little cayenne pepper (to taste) and a pinch of freshly grated ginger.



Add a tsp. of honey (or more- to taste)



Fill with boiling water. Stir and ENJOY!!!

Saturday, October 18, 2008

The last of WARM WEATHER fun...



Almost EVERYDAY when the sprinklers turn on Moe excitedly BEGS me to let him run through it. Sometimes the begging works... however this day he was waaaaay too excited and swiftly escaped past me and ran into the water squealing with delight. He was so HAPPY so I just let him enjoy his last sprinkler run in our STILL WARM weather.



He ran around LOVING the cool water against his warm skin. This is such a treat for him since his eczema + water haven't always been friends. My poor baby!



Man, this diaper's slowin' me down (Moe's thoughts I'm sure)...probably added another two pounds fully absorbed. Nothing like a diaper + water. I was waiting for it to EXPLODE!



Hey... who knew we had a bidet ???? LOL!

It was FUN watching my baby enjoy this last bit of warm fall weather because I know it won't last very long.

FAREWELL SUMMER of '08!!!