Danae, John, & Vivian

I took some photos of this lovely family for their Christmas card.   Love these guys!

What a beautiful family!

Yarbo

Everyone loves their pet.  We probably love ours a little too much.  But, I had a great time taking a few photos of him this fall, and these are a few of my favorites!

I took most of these pictures while Dave was working on the lawn.  Here, Yarbo is staring down the tube of the leaf blower!

Favorite. Nephew. Ever.

This August, Dave's parents, sister, brother-in-law, and new little nephew came to stay with us!  Dave's parents are from Canada, and his sister and her family are from Scotland, so it was really special to have them all with us!  We had a great time, and I took Cole's 4-month photos.  He's my favorite nephew I've ever had!

Cole at 4 months. Isn't he just the cutest little nephew ever?  I may be biased...

Cole was just starting to get really good at being on his tummy, so we made sure to get lots of pictures of it.

This one is my personal favorite.  So often, he just sits and studies the world in front of him, and this one just captures that expression.  This one's going to be a thinker!

Dear Cole,  I promise to spoil you rotten if you come back soon.  Love, Aunt Kelli.

Family Reunion 09

I love photography, and especially like being able take photos of those I love.  This summer, we had a family reunion, and here are a few of my favorite shots I was able to get as the "official" photographer.

I think this was a discussion on what do do....and what NOT to do...with the racquetball equipment.  The kids had fun with this all day!

Carefully observing the hooplah.

 

She's just adorable!

The whole group of us.  It was so much fun for everyone to be together!

One of the family pictures.

Precious.

Cousins having a great time!

 

What would a family gathering be without football?

Our part of the family: Back row: my brother-in-law, Stephen, his wife, Suzanne,  my nephew, Cole,  me, & Dave.  In the front, my Father-in-law, Dick, & his wife, Madeline.

Let's do this again next year!

A Special Homecoming

I was blessed to be able to photograph the homecoming of a little boy to America, and despite the terrible airport lighting,  it was one of my favorite things to photograph this year. A couple adopted a little boy from China, and friends and family were all there to greet the new addition to their family. 

Two little girls waiting to meet their new cousin!

Grandparents anticipating their new grandchild.

Several people made signs, as just one more way to show how much they cared.

It was hard to wait for them to get off the plane!  This little girl may have showed it plainly in her expression, but everyone was having a hard time being patient.

And here are Mom, Dad, and their new son!  It was so touching to hear everybody cheering and clapping so loudly.  All the friends and family were so excited for this couple and their new little boy!

Dad with his new son.  In the background are some of the people waiting to congratulate them.

Some of his first steps in America!  (at least, in Des Moines)

The bond already formed between the little boy and his new daddy was already so evident.

He was a happy little guy - for a little bit, he just sat and watched everyone!

The outpouring of love and the visual displays of enthusiasm for this little boy were incredible.  It was easy to see that this family has a whole community of people surrounding them, ready to love on them and their new son.  What a great group of family and friends!

Grandma and her new grandchild.  I could already tell that this kiddo was going to be getting LOTS of hugs and kisses.

Congratulations to the family!  I'm so happy for you.

Yarbo

This is our dog, Yarbo.  He's a Schnoodle (Schnauzer-Poodle mix), and he had just gotten in trouble.

pathetic....but we love him. :)

 

Yarbo with his best friend, Maddie.  She's my parents dog, and wishes she wasn't Yarbo's best friend, since he's a constantly playful 1 year old puppy, and she's a relaxed, 10 year old dog.

Sarah & Aiden

This summer, I took portraits of Sarah & Aiden.  We kept the whole shoot low-key and comfortable, and everything was done right at their home.  Here's a few of my favorites!

Sarah.

She's going to be just as beautiful as her mom when she grows up!

Aiden.  How can you not fall in love with this sweet little guy!

 

Sibling love. :)

More sibling love?

I just laugh every time I see this.  Those two are priceless!

Aiden, in his swing and being pushed by Daddy.

Sarah playing in the sandbox she got for her birthday.

Love those kids!

Sydney, Australia

After a lightening speed tour of the Outback, we headed to Sydney, Australia, to meet back up with Dave's parents and enjoy the city.  We spent abut 6 days there, and could have spent  month.  I loved Sydney!

Of course, you can't go to Sydney without visiting the Opera House.  We actually got to see a ballet at the Opera House, which was fantastic!  The acoustics in that place were everything that I've always dreamed of.

Australia's history involves a lot of criminals being sent over from England.  This is the barracks where some of them slept.  It was actually a sad story - some had been separated from their friends, family, and homes for something as small as stealing a loaf of bread for survival - as a child.

Wildlife in a the Royal Botannical Gardens!

 

The Sydney Harbour.  Beautiful colors in the water and sky.

An ape and her baby at the Taronga Zoo.  It is set in the city, built into the side of the hill, and accessible right from the harbour.

I especially loved the baby!

Ok, and this guy too.

A view of the city from Taronga Zoo.

Another side of the Harbour.

The Harbour Bridge at night.

A view from our 63rd story apartment in Sydney.  It had floor to ceiling windows - incredible!

Just after sunset.

I'd love to go back!