{update} Christmas-Glam | Christmas for Casa | oregon lifestyle photographer, kellie trenkle

november 30th:

scroll down to preview a sneaky peek of one of the elements of our christmas set!

*********

thanksgiving is in 2 days. WHOAH.
christmas day is nearly here!
that means it is now:

THE
SEASON
FOR
THE
REASON

yep, you read that right! it's time to celebrate Life & Hope, Joy & Love.
the One who is the Life,
who is our Hope,
whose Joy is our strength,
the One who IS Love.

the Christmas season reminds us all how dear family is -- whether we are enjoying it all thru our children's eyes or remembering lost loved ones in our hearts, this is a season that celebrates family. as we spend these next few weeks, we need to take time to slow down and remember that our loved ones are our greatest treasure! hold them close!

to celebrate the joy of family & to provide you with a keepsake portrait of your gorgeous children this Christmas, i'm excited to announce a Christmas BENEFIT for Roseburg's Casa de Belen!

captivating is partnering with Celebration Street Christian School of the Performing Arts to provide special Christmas sessions on December 5th! it's Christmas-Glam in 10-minute photo-goodness!

and here's the deal: $30.00
includes TWO complimentary sheets of your choice:
8x10 :: 2-5x7 :: 4-4x5 :: 8-wallets

12.05.09
9:30am - 3:30pm (see schedule below)
sessions available by appointment & for your walk-in convenience!
Celebration Street Studio
831 Cass Street, downtown Roseburg

50% of the proceeds benefit Casa de Belen!

Casa de Belen provides homeless families with adolescents and homeless teens with a safe place to create and implement a vision for a positive future, that includes independent living, self-sustainability, and constructive involvement in the community.

Casa de Belen provides security, opportunities, and support for the homeless while they establish their route to independence. Casa de Belen is an outcome-based program focused on resident self-sufficiency by nurturing the growth of the 40 developmental assets. Casa de Belen instills in its residents the skills for independent living and constructive involvement with the community.

Casa de Belen is a volunteer, non-profit organization with over 22,000 square feet dedicated to serving the homeless.

you can bet your stocking that we'll have the coolest Christmasy set, the glamourous-est backdrop & the yummiest & refreshingest confections, so that December 5th is just another way your family can enjoy a really cool yule.

here's a preview of our backdrop! yumm!
our set will be black, charcoal gray, white with accents of deep christmas red.

the best thing about the Christmas-Glam session is: it's only 10-Minutes and you get to select your images right then! these captivating portraits would make a sweet gift & benefit a great cause.

if you'd like to guarantee your time slot, leave a comment here or email your request to: kellie_trenkle @ yahoo.com

9:30
9:45
10:00
10:15
10:30
10:45
11:00
11:15
11:30
11:45
12:00
12:15
12:30
12:45
1:00
1:15
1:30
1:45
2:00
2:15
2:30
2:45
3:00
3:15
3:30

AND... to sweeten the deal for you -- post my blog address to facebook or email your friends and for every referral who books & mentions your name, you'll receive a $10 gift certificate to use toward a captivating session in 2010!

spread the word!
together
we
can
bring
a
little
bit
of
cheer
to
Casa
this
Christmas!

november 30th:

scroll down to preview a sneaky peek of one of the elements of our christmas set!

*********

thanksgiving is in 2 days. WHOAH.
christmas day is nearly here!
that means it is now:

THE
SEASON
FOR
THE
REASON

yep, you read that right! it's time to celebrate Life & Hope, Joy & Love.
the One who is the Life,
who is our Hope,
whose Joy is our strength,
the One who IS Love.

the Christmas season reminds us all how dear family is -- whether we are enjoying it all thru our children's eyes or remembering lost loved ones in our hearts, this is a season that celebrates family. as we spend these next few weeks, we need to take time to slow down and remember that our loved ones are our greatest treasure! hold them close!

to celebrate the joy of family & to provide you with a keepsake portrait of your gorgeous children this Christmas, i'm excited to announce a Christmas BENEFIT for Roseburg's Casa de Belen!

captivating is partnering with Celebration Street Christian School of the Performing Arts to provide special Christmas sessions on December 5th! it's Christmas-Glam in 10-minute photo-goodness!

and here's the deal: $30.00
includes TWO complimentary sheets of your choice:
8x10 :: 2-5x7 :: 4-4x5 :: 8-wallets

12.05.09
9:30am - 3:30pm (see schedule below)
sessions available by appointment & for your walk-in convenience!
Celebration Street Studio
831 Cass Street, downtown Roseburg

50% of the proceeds benefit Casa de Belen!

Casa de Belen provides homeless families with adolescents and homeless teens with a safe place to create and implement a vision for a positive future, that includes independent living, self-sustainability, and constructive involvement in the community.

Casa de Belen provides security, opportunities, and support for the homeless while they establish their route to independence. Casa de Belen is an outcome-based program focused on resident self-sufficiency by nurturing the growth of the 40 developmental assets. Casa de Belen instills in its residents the skills for independent living and constructive involvement with the community.

Casa de Belen is a volunteer, non-profit organization with over 22,000 square feet dedicated to serving the homeless.

you can bet your stocking that we'll have the coolest Christmasy set, the glamourous-est backdrop & the yummiest & refreshingest confections, so that December 5th is just another way your family can enjoy a really cool yule.

here's a preview of our backdrop! yumm!
our set will be black, charcoal gray, white with accents of deep christmas red.

the best thing about the Christmas-Glam session is: it's only 10-Minutes and you get to select your images right then! these captivating portraits would make a sweet gift & benefit a great cause.

if you'd like to guarantee your time slot, leave a comment here or email your request to: kellie_trenkle @ yahoo.com

9:30
9:45
10:00
10:15
10:30
10:45
11:00
11:15
11:30
11:45
12:00
12:15
12:30
12:45
1:00
1:15
1:30
1:45
2:00
2:15
2:30
2:45
3:00
3:15
3:30

AND... to sweeten the deal for you -- post my blog address to facebook or email your friends and for every referral who books & mentions your name, you'll receive a $10 gift certificate to use toward a captivating session in 2010!

spread the word!
together
we
can
bring
a
little
bit
of
cheer
to
Casa
this
Christmas!

christmas pics! | oregon lifestyle photographer, kellie trenkle

this just in...
i will be offering CHRISTMAS pictures on december 5!
i'm finalizing the details, but i'll be taking appointments and walk-ins.
so, start putting your kids' christmas outfits together and watch the blog for more info, coming soon!

this just in...
i will be offering CHRISTMAS pictures on december 5!
i'm finalizing the details, but i'll be taking appointments and walk-ins.
so, start putting your kids' christmas outfits together and watch the blog for more info, coming soon!

a recent interview | press | oregon lifestyle photographer, kellie trenkle

LAB: Info about the company: location, number of employees, focus/specialty, website, contact info.
KT: I’m Kellie Trenkle, of captivating photography & design
co., located in southern Oregon. I’m the girl with the camera and the vision. I have no paid employees, but I do have a team of encouragers – my volunteer V.P.’s that for the past decade have encouraged me to step-up and embrace my creative vision and passion for photography.

My husband is my business manager. He’s got some serious smarts about the business side of things (with nearly 2 decades of upper management on his resume), and my four babes (ages 6 & under) are my inspiration, my models, and my cheerleaders.

I’ve always loved & treasured photos, but when my husband and I bought a Minolta film SLR camera for our 2001 wedding, I was hooked on being behind the lens and creating that short & sweet depth of field in my shots.

Fast-forward to 7 years and four busy kiddos later, I was browsing CraigsList one night at 2:00a.m. looking for something additional I could do to help supplement our income. “Just making it” can be challenging at times.

I’ve been freelancing as a graphic designer & marketing consultant since 2003. It was pretty casual, about one design job per month, which was the perfect workload with my babes being so young, while we were simultaneously serving full-time as youth leaders for EPIC, our high school youth group, and homeschooling our oldest. We were already a busy family and I always wanted being a wife and mom to come first for me.

So, like a crazy woman, I sat at the computer contemplating creating Google ads, filling out online surveys for $2.50 for every 500,000 questions, or telemarketing. I even got lured into looking at a surrogacy website from one of the job listings (hey, $20,000 to carry a baby? I KNOW I’m good at that!).

[Ridiculous! Don’t try making any career decisions in the middle of the night – you’ll end up with lots of spam.]

Anyway, the next morning, my husband looked at me earnestly and said, “Babe, you don’t have time for a “job.” (True.) “But I know what you’re passionate about. God’s put some desires in your heart and if you’re wanting to bring in income, do what you’re passionate about – that’s where His will is.” And off to work he went. I got a call literally later that same day from a friend who wanted to know if I’d ever considered getting into sports team photography. “Funny you should ask…”

That week, I applied for a business license. I voraciously read several technical photography books, including Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson, devoured everything written by Scott Kelby, bought a 50mm, joined some online forums, subscribed to kelbytrainingonline.com and would later take a class at the Umpqua Valley Arts Center. Late last October, I took the leap of faith going from freelancing to giving my dream a name – captivating photography & design co.

This month I’m celebrating one fabulously-fruitful-beyond-my-most-hopeful-expectations first year of business! Wow!

My focus? Well, primarily my focus is to glorify the Lord through my eyes, heart and lens. That’s just the truth of it. That’s why my business is called captivating. For me, this work that I do captures the life and spirit of the One who inspires me! I serve a loving, generous, creative God who’s full of mercy, grace and wonder! He’s captivating. That word for me is so indescribably descriptive. I want to bring that essence into all my images: color, joy, grace, love and life.

My focus practically? That’s a tough one. I’m still developing my portfolio, so I can’t say that I have a specialty quite yet, but I love lifestyle portrait photography. I love those serendipitous moments. But, I also love setting up a shot and letting “life” unfold in its own style. And I always feel so privileged to be part of documenting a wedding -- it’s so sacred – a day full of meaningful yet fleeting moments and gorgeous details. It’s like the photographer’s ideal shoot. You get stills, you get action, you get portraiture, you get lifestyle, and you capture a covenant being made. Dude, that’s a big deal.


LAB: The latest trends/techniques in professional photography.
KT: I still consider myself a newbie to the pro industry, so I can’t really answer on an expert level what the latest trends are, but I’ll tell you what I am watching, and that’s Off Camera Flash. That’s one of many things I am soooo going to learn & play with this next year. The other trend I see unfolding on the non-technical side of things, is this spirit of sharing among the professional photographer community. I have learned so much from Becker (thebecker.com), the [b]school.com and Matt of matthewsaville.com. It baffles me to think that the industry hasn’t always been like this. I feel really blessed to come into the professional photography community at this time and to be encouraged and mentored without any strings or dollar signs or egos attached!


LAB: What sets you apart from other photographers?
KT: I don’t know! My sparkling personality? I’m half joking and I’m half serious. I have a background in marketing and PR and a background in retail, so I know how important it is to develop relationships. Whether it’s working with my favorite salesperson at the LAB or the coach for a 3-year-old soccer team at our local YMCA or a first time mom who just got back into her “skinny” jeans and has asked for (and is a teeny bit nervous about) boudoir photography as a gift for her husband. I want them to be able to trust me! I love doing what I do and I want that spirit to be infectiously contagious. I don’t want to just "take pictures.” I want to capture life and to capture it vividly.


LAB: Favorite subject/event to photograph and why?
KT: I’ll tell you what: I’d be lying if I said that my children are NOT my absolute favorite subjects for my photography. They are such a source of creative inspiration for me.

Besides, following my children around like their own personal paparazzi, I love being asked to do family portraits. Not only will those images become art for their home, it’s way cool to capture a glimpse into this particular season of their life, their history. The experience leaves me skipping to my lou – my photography becomes an element of their little family legacy. Maybe that’s melodramatic, but it’s true. I’ll grab my husband when I’m working on a session and say, “come look at these!!! I want to be IN these!” The images give me such a rush.

And because I already couldn’t just give you one simple answer, I’ll tell you that I also love to shoot senior photos. It’s fun to capture their persona, their image -- it’s edgy and exciting and beautiful all at once.

I adore maternity/newborn and baby photography. I have a special stylized session for babies called BebeGlam. And really, is there anything cuter than babies glammed-out in vibrant hues, tutus and bling? I’m probably just biased, but for me it’s fun and hip and different!


LAB: What camera(s) do you use? What’s in your camera bag?
KT: I am a Nikon user. I upgraded from a D70s to the D700 last spring. Oh
yeah, I digg it. It’s a full-frame, virtually noiseless, little gift from heaven, I am not even joking. There are days that I miss the DX reach factor, but man, this camera is a keeper. I’ve only purchased two lenses within this first year of business: a 50mm f/1.8, and a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. I love them both, but now I’m having a hard time deciding which lens to purchase next. I’d love the 85mm 1.4, but I would also adore having the 70-200 f/2.8… any thoughts? (By the way, tax-deductible contributions may be sent to…)


LAB: What lens is your favorite to shoot with?
KT: I use my 24-70mm ALOT, wide open. My favorite lens is my prime… it is so fun to shoot wide open and it challenges me to be more artistic with my composition -- me and my camera,we dance. And it usually resembles The Worm, as I often shoot on my tummy. We cool like that.

LAB: What’s your favorite Photoshop tool/filter?
KT: Okay, so I love Totally Rad, they are as their name implies, TOTALLY Rad.


LAB: What is on your equipment wish list?
KT: I’m still researching which lenses to add to my arsenal, but like I mentioned before, I’d love to own both the 85mm 1.4 and the 70-200mm 2.8 someday. It would probably behoove me to purchase a wide-angle lens at some point. Also on the list, some Alienbee strobes so I can dabble in artificial lighting! It rains a lot in Oregon in the winter, it’d be fun to have an indoor haven of a studio with the right lighting, some plush velvet softness and backdrops in something a little unexpected. I’d love to launch a whole new dimension of offerings to my photography. Does a velvet fainting couch count as equipment? It does, it so does.

LAB: What is your MUST have in photography equipment?
KT: A shootsac from http://www.shootsac.com, a gazillion 4GB Extreme III SanDisk cards, my Gary Fong Lightspheres for my SB600, my battery grip, and my Nicole Miller lip gloss because my lips need to stay glossed when I’m shooting.

LAB: Any tips or advice for your fellow photographers out there?
KT: For the love -- Encourage Others! There are so many seasoned pros and lots of us up-and-comers, we should rejoice in our collective passion and pay-it-forward. Give kudos when you dig another’s work, be the leader in your community. Oh, and you should totally join the [b]school.

AP: Remember to add anything that you want…this is your article?
KT: I’m addicted to Lay’s kettle chips, sharp cheddar flavor.
Other secret things you might like to know:

• I love writing.
• I love to write, express, feel, describe, meditate upon and play with words.
• I’m a perpetual procrastinator with fabulous intentions, those count, they really do!
• I’m a pastor’s wife.
• I totally think Boise State should get a BCS bid.
• I love to use all lowercase when typing.
• I can’t stop eating Sonic ice. I have 2 bags in my freezer at all times.
• I have a huge feeling of accomplishment when I vacuum the baseboards in my hallway and clean the lint out of the dryer.
• I adore chasing my four gorgeous kids (with and without my camera).
• I love their kisses, stories, 59 clothing changes a day, and their unabashed love for me.
• All of that brings me such joy.
• And I love that my husband cherishes me and he still chases me sometimes too.
• I have the best family and most supportive, encouraging friends in the world.
• And I love and serve a gracious and faithful God, Christ Jesus.
• He’s stolen my heart. He is loving, intriguing, and well, He is captivating!
• And it’s because of him that I get to do what I do.
• For. The. Love.
• And thank you for asking!

http://www.kellietrenkle.com/
p: (541) 580-3612


Photos ©2009 Captivating Photography & Design Co.

LAB: Info about the company: location, number of employees, focus/specialty, website, contact info.
KT: I’m Kellie Trenkle, of captivating photography & design
co., located in southern Oregon. I’m the girl with the camera and the vision. I have no paid employees, but I do have a team of encouragers – my volunteer V.P.’s that for the past decade have encouraged me to step-up and embrace my creative vision and passion for photography.

My husband is my business manager. He’s got some serious smarts about the business side of things (with nearly 2 decades of upper management on his resume), and my four babes (ages 6 & under) are my inspiration, my models, and my cheerleaders.

I’ve always loved & treasured photos, but when my husband and I bought a Minolta film SLR camera for our 2001 wedding, I was hooked on being behind the lens and creating that short & sweet depth of field in my shots.

Fast-forward to 7 years and four busy kiddos later, I was browsing CraigsList one night at 2:00a.m. looking for something additional I could do to help supplement our income. “Just making it” can be challenging at times.

I’ve been freelancing as a graphic designer & marketing consultant since 2003. It was pretty casual, about one design job per month, which was the perfect workload with my babes being so young, while we were simultaneously serving full-time as youth leaders for EPIC, our high school youth group, and homeschooling our oldest. We were already a busy family and I always wanted being a wife and mom to come first for me.

So, like a crazy woman, I sat at the computer contemplating creating Google ads, filling out online surveys for $2.50 for every 500,000 questions, or telemarketing. I even got lured into looking at a surrogacy website from one of the job listings (hey, $20,000 to carry a baby? I KNOW I’m good at that!).

[Ridiculous! Don’t try making any career decisions in the middle of the night – you’ll end up with lots of spam.]

Anyway, the next morning, my husband looked at me earnestly and said, “Babe, you don’t have time for a “job.” (True.) “But I know what you’re passionate about. God’s put some desires in your heart and if you’re wanting to bring in income, do what you’re passionate about – that’s where His will is.” And off to work he went. I got a call literally later that same day from a friend who wanted to know if I’d ever considered getting into sports team photography. “Funny you should ask…”

That week, I applied for a business license. I voraciously read several technical photography books, including Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson, devoured everything written by Scott Kelby, bought a 50mm, joined some online forums, subscribed to kelbytrainingonline.com and would later take a class at the Umpqua Valley Arts Center. Late last October, I took the leap of faith going from freelancing to giving my dream a name – captivating photography & design co.

This month I’m celebrating one fabulously-fruitful-beyond-my-most-hopeful-expectations first year of business! Wow!

My focus? Well, primarily my focus is to glorify the Lord through my eyes, heart and lens. That’s just the truth of it. That’s why my business is called captivating. For me, this work that I do captures the life and spirit of the One who inspires me! I serve a loving, generous, creative God who’s full of mercy, grace and wonder! He’s captivating. That word for me is so indescribably descriptive. I want to bring that essence into all my images: color, joy, grace, love and life.

My focus practically? That’s a tough one. I’m still developing my portfolio, so I can’t say that I have a specialty quite yet, but I love lifestyle portrait photography. I love those serendipitous moments. But, I also love setting up a shot and letting “life” unfold in its own style. And I always feel so privileged to be part of documenting a wedding -- it’s so sacred – a day full of meaningful yet fleeting moments and gorgeous details. It’s like the photographer’s ideal shoot. You get stills, you get action, you get portraiture, you get lifestyle, and you capture a covenant being made. Dude, that’s a big deal.


LAB: The latest trends/techniques in professional photography.
KT: I still consider myself a newbie to the pro industry, so I can’t really answer on an expert level what the latest trends are, but I’ll tell you what I am watching, and that’s Off Camera Flash. That’s one of many things I am soooo going to learn & play with this next year. The other trend I see unfolding on the non-technical side of things, is this spirit of sharing among the professional photographer community. I have learned so much from Becker (thebecker.com), the [b]school.com and Matt of matthewsaville.com. It baffles me to think that the industry hasn’t always been like this. I feel really blessed to come into the professional photography community at this time and to be encouraged and mentored without any strings or dollar signs or egos attached!


LAB: What sets you apart from other photographers?
KT: I don’t know! My sparkling personality? I’m half joking and I’m half serious. I have a background in marketing and PR and a background in retail, so I know how important it is to develop relationships. Whether it’s working with my favorite salesperson at the LAB or the coach for a 3-year-old soccer team at our local YMCA or a first time mom who just got back into her “skinny” jeans and has asked for (and is a teeny bit nervous about) boudoir photography as a gift for her husband. I want them to be able to trust me! I love doing what I do and I want that spirit to be infectiously contagious. I don’t want to just "take pictures.” I want to capture life and to capture it vividly.


LAB: Favorite subject/event to photograph and why?
KT: I’ll tell you what: I’d be lying if I said that my children are NOT my absolute favorite subjects for my photography. They are such a source of creative inspiration for me.

Besides, following my children around like their own personal paparazzi, I love being asked to do family portraits. Not only will those images become art for their home, it’s way cool to capture a glimpse into this particular season of their life, their history. The experience leaves me skipping to my lou – my photography becomes an element of their little family legacy. Maybe that’s melodramatic, but it’s true. I’ll grab my husband when I’m working on a session and say, “come look at these!!! I want to be IN these!” The images give me such a rush.

And because I already couldn’t just give you one simple answer, I’ll tell you that I also love to shoot senior photos. It’s fun to capture their persona, their image -- it’s edgy and exciting and beautiful all at once.

I adore maternity/newborn and baby photography. I have a special stylized session for babies called BebeGlam. And really, is there anything cuter than babies glammed-out in vibrant hues, tutus and bling? I’m probably just biased, but for me it’s fun and hip and different!


LAB: What camera(s) do you use? What’s in your camera bag?
KT: I am a Nikon user. I upgraded from a D70s to the D700 last spring. Oh
yeah, I digg it. It’s a full-frame, virtually noiseless, little gift from heaven, I am not even joking. There are days that I miss the DX reach factor, but man, this camera is a keeper. I’ve only purchased two lenses within this first year of business: a 50mm f/1.8, and a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. I love them both, but now I’m having a hard time deciding which lens to purchase next. I’d love the 85mm 1.4, but I would also adore having the 70-200 f/2.8… any thoughts? (By the way, tax-deductible contributions may be sent to…)


LAB: What lens is your favorite to shoot with?
KT: I use my 24-70mm ALOT, wide open. My favorite lens is my prime… it is so fun to shoot wide open and it challenges me to be more artistic with my composition -- me and my camera,we dance. And it usually resembles The Worm, as I often shoot on my tummy. We cool like that.

LAB: What’s your favorite Photoshop tool/filter?
KT: Okay, so I love Totally Rad, they are as their name implies, TOTALLY Rad.


LAB: What is on your equipment wish list?
KT: I’m still researching which lenses to add to my arsenal, but like I mentioned before, I’d love to own both the 85mm 1.4 and the 70-200mm 2.8 someday. It would probably behoove me to purchase a wide-angle lens at some point. Also on the list, some Alienbee strobes so I can dabble in artificial lighting! It rains a lot in Oregon in the winter, it’d be fun to have an indoor haven of a studio with the right lighting, some plush velvet softness and backdrops in something a little unexpected. I’d love to launch a whole new dimension of offerings to my photography. Does a velvet fainting couch count as equipment? It does, it so does.

LAB: What is your MUST have in photography equipment?
KT: A shootsac from http://www.shootsac.com, a gazillion 4GB Extreme III SanDisk cards, my Gary Fong Lightspheres for my SB600, my battery grip, and my Nicole Miller lip gloss because my lips need to stay glossed when I’m shooting.

LAB: Any tips or advice for your fellow photographers out there?
KT: For the love -- Encourage Others! There are so many seasoned pros and lots of us up-and-comers, we should rejoice in our collective passion and pay-it-forward. Give kudos when you dig another’s work, be the leader in your community. Oh, and you should totally join the [b]school.

AP: Remember to add anything that you want…this is your article?
KT: I’m addicted to Lay’s kettle chips, sharp cheddar flavor.
Other secret things you might like to know:

• I love writing.
• I love to write, express, feel, describe, meditate upon and play with words.
• I’m a perpetual procrastinator with fabulous intentions, those count, they really do!
• I’m a pastor’s wife.
• I totally think Boise State should get a BCS bid.
• I love to use all lowercase when typing.
• I can’t stop eating Sonic ice. I have 2 bags in my freezer at all times.
• I have a huge feeling of accomplishment when I vacuum the baseboards in my hallway and clean the lint out of the dryer.
• I adore chasing my four gorgeous kids (with and without my camera).
• I love their kisses, stories, 59 clothing changes a day, and their unabashed love for me.
• All of that brings me such joy.
• And I love that my husband cherishes me and he still chases me sometimes too.
• I have the best family and most supportive, encouraging friends in the world.
• And I love and serve a gracious and faithful God, Christ Jesus.
• He’s stolen my heart. He is loving, intriguing, and well, He is captivating!
• And it’s because of him that I get to do what I do.
• For. The. Love.
• And thank you for asking!

http://www.kellietrenkle.com/
p: (541) 580-3612


Photos ©2009 Captivating Photography & Design Co.

your photos | oregon lifestyle photographer, kellie trenkle

hello, to my captivating peeps.

i am working hard to finish editing your sessions!

if you have been waiting for your image collection, know that i am processing them as quickly as i can and if you're waiting for a sneak peek, some photo-love-goodness is sure to come!

hello, to my captivating peeps.

i am working hard to finish editing your sessions!

if you have been waiting for your image collection, know that i am processing them as quickly as i can and if you're waiting for a sneak peek, some photo-love-goodness is sure to come!

mmmm, tasty! | iPhone pic | oregon lifestyle photographer, kellie trenkle

it is thanksgiving season, people!

i am finally admitting it's fall and i'm resigned to believe that we aren't even going to get an "indian summer."

i'm thankful that so far my children have been healthy since we got home from our family trip to idaho. (it may in part be due to the fact that i've been keeping my kids out of public places as part of my CampaignAgainstTheGerm and it may be because that flu-bug in august was our flu for the year.)

i'm thankful that i get to be home with my kiddos, it's a joy to work while they do school right next to me. yes, some days are more hectic than others, but i know i won't regret keeping them close to me.

i'm thankful that the Lord provided for us to get our pickup fixed.

i'm thankful for our friends who have served our country to give us such remarkable freedom.

i'm thankful for the cheese grater the knudson family gave me. it's been almost 2 years since i've had properly shredded cheese. (and it's a red one, a twin of the one she uses in her home. 2 words: KitchenAid. mmmm-mmm.)

i'm thankful that my husband is so awesome. in this busy season we're in -- with four kids 6 & under, a youth ministry, homeschooling, and a photography biz -- he is: one. hero. of. mine. he's a superstar in the kitchen (he could put emeril to shame) and he's a ROCKSTAR as far as i'm concerned in the laundry department. i'm so thankful for his covering and his blessing and his wisdom as we walk (okay, RUN) thru life together. i'd not be... whole... without him.

(he even knows that since i'm sugar-free right now, that since i won't eat candy, i can at least have eye-candy and was thoughtful enough to send me the little candy-oreo-whopper-pbcup-iced-turkey-by-my-sweet-friend-dawn-nelson from his iPhone. and we're both excited to make those little guys a thanksgiving craft & tradition with our babes.)

i'm thankful.

i'm just really thankful.

it is thanksgiving season, people!

i am finally admitting it's fall and i'm resigned to believe that we aren't even going to get an "indian summer."

i'm thankful that so far my children have been healthy since we got home from our family trip to idaho. (it may in part be due to the fact that i've been keeping my kids out of public places as part of my CampaignAgainstTheGerm and it may be because that flu-bug in august was our flu for the year.)

i'm thankful that i get to be home with my kiddos, it's a joy to work while they do school right next to me. yes, some days are more hectic than others, but i know i won't regret keeping them close to me.

i'm thankful that the Lord provided for us to get our pickup fixed.

i'm thankful for our friends who have served our country to give us such remarkable freedom.

i'm thankful for the cheese grater the knudson family gave me. it's been almost 2 years since i've had properly shredded cheese. (and it's a red one, a twin of the one she uses in her home. 2 words: KitchenAid. mmmm-mmm.)

i'm thankful that my husband is so awesome. in this busy season we're in -- with four kids 6 & under, a youth ministry, homeschooling, and a photography biz -- he is: one. hero. of. mine. he's a superstar in the kitchen (he could put emeril to shame) and he's a ROCKSTAR as far as i'm concerned in the laundry department. i'm so thankful for his covering and his blessing and his wisdom as we walk (okay, RUN) thru life together. i'd not be... whole... without him.

(he even knows that since i'm sugar-free right now, that since i won't eat candy, i can at least have eye-candy and was thoughtful enough to send me the little candy-oreo-whopper-pbcup-iced-turkey-by-my-sweet-friend-dawn-nelson from his iPhone. and we're both excited to make those little guys a thanksgiving craft & tradition with our babes.)

i'm thankful.

i'm just really thankful.

another contest | photography workshop | oregon lifestyle photographer, kellie trenkle

so.

i entered a contest.

for a seat at a photography workshop in january.

looked fun.

i'm one of 80 that entered.

kelly moore photography is a photographer whose blog i follow.

she's got some rad lighting going on in her style.

so, i thought, "eh -- whyyyy not."

it's just a contest.

all i had to do was send a self-portrait & my name.

easy.

you can vote once from 1 computer.

easy still.

and that's it!

CLICK HERE to vote!

so.

i entered a contest.

for a seat at a photography workshop in january.

looked fun.

i'm one of 80 that entered.

kelly moore photography is a photographer whose blog i follow.

she's got some rad lighting going on in her style.

so, i thought, "eh -- whyyyy not."

it's just a contest.

all i had to do was send a self-portrait & my name.

easy.

you can vote once from 1 computer.

easy still.

and that's it!

CLICK HERE to vote!

good timing | the *TWINKLING* sessions | oregon lifestyle photographer, kellie trenkle

so... saturday was like WAY AWESOME!
i left my house that was sitting below blue skies & rainbows and drove TOWARD the DARKNESS for my mini-sessions saturday. i was keeping an open mind.

rainy to the top of the hill, 35 minutes from my house.
amy & christy & i started to set up our hot, cinnamony cider & cookies. and the rain fell to a sprinkle. my first peeps arrived & i didn't blink an eye. it didn't start raining again until it was time to load up & go home.

thank you to all who booked these special sessions! i know iiiiiiiii had fun. hopefully you enjoyed being with your family as much as i did -- all playing & smooching up there overlooking the vistas & rolling golden hills at celebration ranch. mmmmm-mmmmmm. good. ness.

so... saturday was like WAY AWESOME!
i left my house that was sitting below blue skies & rainbows and drove TOWARD the DARKNESS for my mini-sessions saturday. i was keeping an open mind.

rainy to the top of the hill, 35 minutes from my house.
amy & christy & i started to set up our hot, cinnamony cider & cookies. and the rain fell to a sprinkle. my first peeps arrived & i didn't blink an eye. it didn't start raining again until it was time to load up & go home.

thank you to all who booked these special sessions! i know iiiiiiiii had fun. hopefully you enjoyed being with your family as much as i did -- all playing & smooching up there overlooking the vistas & rolling golden hills at celebration ranch. mmmmm-mmmmmm. good. ness.

and the *TWINKLING* winner is...... | the *TWINKLING* sessions | oregon lifestyle photographer, kellie trenkle

i was super scientific in the way i performed this random drawing. every nomination was given a number 1-11. there were 12 comments and 11 nominees.

my 3-year-old green-eyed boy got to play the game of ripping up paper & putting the mess in the neighbor boy's hat, shaking it up & picking out one lone piece of paper. even as he fingered all the shreds, my heart skipped a beat. how exciting. and how hard! all of the nominees sounded so deserving! so it's good that i just leave it in the hands of my sweet boy.


Bethany Schricker's nomination was pulled out of the hat today, comment #1!

I am going to nominate my family, although I don't live with them anymore. (Got married and moved out.)

They are just the bomb, and make my life sparkle. My babies just light up when their aunt and uncles come over, and my son flies across the room with his arms as wide as he can get them to claim his hugs. Cracks me up to watch my big tall brothers hunker down on the floor with the kids and squirm around, making faces to get the babies to laugh. My dad can make them scream with laughter or calm down from a bad mood. My mom snuggles them and loves on them and gives me such awesome support as I fuddle my way through motherhood.

I don't think they've had a family picture taken since... well, about 8 years ago. My dad is the family "photographer," so he's rarely in front of the lens, and it's hard to get the whole gang together at once.

They all have such awesome personality. It would be sweet to get some pics of them.

bethany, please contact me thru facebook & we'll make arrangements for your parents' *TWINKLING* session this saturday. if, in the event your family is unable to participate on the 7th, we'll conduct another random drawing! this giveaway is for saturday only at celebration ranch!

thank you ALL for taking the time to nominate -- i do still have one open timeslot available if any of you are interested!

i was super scientific in the way i performed this random drawing. every nomination was given a number 1-11. there were 12 comments and 11 nominees.

my 3-year-old green-eyed boy got to play the game of ripping up paper & putting the mess in the neighbor boy's hat, shaking it up & picking out one lone piece of paper. even as he fingered all the shreds, my heart skipped a beat. how exciting. and how hard! all of the nominees sounded so deserving! so it's good that i just leave it in the hands of my sweet boy.


Bethany Schricker's nomination was pulled out of the hat today, comment #1!

I am going to nominate my family, although I don't live with them anymore. (Got married and moved out.)

They are just the bomb, and make my life sparkle. My babies just light up when their aunt and uncles come over, and my son flies across the room with his arms as wide as he can get them to claim his hugs. Cracks me up to watch my big tall brothers hunker down on the floor with the kids and squirm around, making faces to get the babies to laugh. My dad can make them scream with laughter or calm down from a bad mood. My mom snuggles them and loves on them and gives me such awesome support as I fuddle my way through motherhood.

I don't think they've had a family picture taken since... well, about 8 years ago. My dad is the family "photographer," so he's rarely in front of the lens, and it's hard to get the whole gang together at once.

They all have such awesome personality. It would be sweet to get some pics of them.

bethany, please contact me thru facebook & we'll make arrangements for your parents' *TWINKLING* session this saturday. if, in the event your family is unable to participate on the 7th, we'll conduct another random drawing! this giveaway is for saturday only at celebration ranch!

thank you ALL for taking the time to nominate -- i do still have one open timeslot available if any of you are interested!

celebration ranch | the *TWINKLING* sessions, the mini | oregon lifestyle photographer, kellie trenkle

i want you to close your eyes and picture this... (okay, well, first open your eyes, read the next paragraph and then close your eyes and imagine...)

200 acres of fall color and evergreens.
golden grasses.
a gorgeous tree-lined country road.
two glass lakes/ponds with docks (upper property & lower property).
a canoe.
a cabin.
a swing hanging from an old walnut tree.
amazing vistas.
the mist still clinging to the top of the trees this morning when i was there.

i'll tell you what, i seriously cannot wait to treat my lenses to such creative opportunities up there! it really, really, really will be a captivating celebration of family & nature at celebration ranch, in every sense. amy holst from limelight images will also be there putting her families into the "limelight" with some family-photo-goodness for the sessions she's booking. she'll be there with bells on. (but don't tell her i said that.) i totally swear she told me that. well, i don't like to swear, but i can nearly guarantee she said it.

many have asked, "WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?"
well i have a looooong answer!

the purpose for this special, limited edition, november -7th-only promotion is to capture that annual family photo because many families love to send out an image in their christmas cards. included with the *TWINKLING* session are 25-cards (christmas/new year/or other custom text of your choice). you'll also be receiving a deluxe professional print as my gift to you, so you will have one 8x10 wall portrait from this saturday's session. so, it's up to you! you can dress as casually or as dressy as you'd like. be comfortable & dress warm-ish.

here are some of my suggestions for wardrobe:
layers, layers, layers & texture, texture, texture.
choose a main color & an accent color. do coordinate, but you don't necessarily have to worry about being matchy-matchy. mix it up, be creative, have fun putting your outfits together.

with the many different backdrops we'll have the option of selecting for your custom photography session, you WON'T want to blend into the background or wash out. you'll want to COMPLIMENT the amazingly, awe-some, beautifully unbelievable, gorgeousness of creation at celebration ranch or rather, let it compliment you & your angel children.

for example:

1. select a neutral color/color family. then, add an accent color that POPS against the neutrals -- this color harmony 'n melody is super fun to photograph. think about choosing different shades of brown & then adding an accent color of say, turquoise or purple or red.
2. more examples: navy and a deep autmnal orange or maizey yellow. or black with red or maroon. or deep plum/wine with tan & black. charcoal gray with shades of green. i would LOVE to see a family in chocolate brown & deep plum, mmmmmm-mmmmmm. beautiful in the golden grass.
3. avoid light colors, especially white. white/light colors will be okay photographically if they are small portions of the outfit.
4. avoid busy patterns & small prints in big doses
5. avoid sponge bob t-shirts (no offense)
6. just so you know, i looooooove photographing scarves and knitted hats on my peeps.
7. texture just photographs soooooo well.
8. depending on the weather it could get pretty soggy -- i would love seeing golashes on kiddos (and they have lots of cute patterns in FredMeyer right now! even the standard black farming golashes or wellingtons are sooo cute for photos -- for adults AND kids!)
9. i have several knit hats for kiddos & i have a basket of scarves that can be borrowed for your portraits, too!

think for the guys (big or little):

• a sweater layered over a collared button up or a long sleeve shirt underneath a short-sleeved shirt. and don't stop there, add...
  
• a manly sports coat or tailored/structured jacket, they photograph really well and give your hubby & boys that irresistible hunka-hunka-burnin' love vibe
  
• layers can either be dressed up (with docker style pants in any color khaki/brown/black) or dressed down (with jeans)
  
• even vests & ties are in stores right now and would be fun!

• boots or golashes or thick soled shoes

for all the ladies out there:

• layers are great for girls & moms, too, of course!
  
• jeans/sweaters/jackets or tights/skirts/legwarmers/tall boots, layered tops
  
• what's fun is for the ladies to wear more of the accent color, especially MOM because she's pretty special in my book -- hey, she works hard at keeping the family going, it's fun to put her on a pedestal for pics!
  
• there's lots of fun jewelry that is budget-friendly & clearance-priced at walmart & kmart that can add a bit of dimension and a little more of that accent color in fun baubley bling (other people make up their own words, so i can, too -- baubley turns bauble into an adjective for me)
  

the shopping: if family portraits give you a fun reason to add a few seasonal pieces to your wardrobe, here are some things i've seen around roseburg (yes, roseburg) for your kids since we're only a few days away:

• MACY's clearance is crazy good right now, so is SEARS
  
• i've seen vest/tie combos @ SEARS & MACY's
  
• fun hats & scarves in the accessories department @ KMART
  
• golashes/rain boots @ FRED MEYER
  
• black farm-style basic rubber boots @ WALMART
  
• suede & leather boots for kids @ KMART
  
• girls' tights in fun patterns @ WALMART
  
• leg warmers for girls @ FRED MEYER
  
• solid long-sleeved boys' shirts @ WALMART
  
• skirts with patterned sash-belts @ WALMART
  
• and i've seen christmas dresses & 2 or 3-piece outfits for the little guys @ every store mentioned, if the traditional red & green fits your fancy
  

and for the mamas & the papas:

• sweater dresses for mom @ KMART
  
• vinyl-pleather MileyCyrus black leggings @ WALMART (oh, come on, i'm JUST KIDDING!!!!!)
  
• cute boots @ ROSS & FRED MEYER
  
• clearance button-downs @ MACY's for Dad
  
• i haven't made it into ROSS recently myself, but there's always some fashionable treats in there if you have the time to search the racks
  
• lots of sweater goooooooodness @ MAURICE'S, cardigans to crew necks, mmmm-mmm.
  
• dads: new collection just for the hip guy @ the newly improved clothing store FETISH in the roseburg valley mall, probably some trendy stuff hanging on their racks in there, haven't run my fingers along their hangers myself, but from a distance (as i was on a mission last weekend in the sears clearance) i saw some cool long-sleeved things
  

now, i'm a bargain shopper, so i have a hard time looking thru the full-price apparel, but i know there's some good stuff out there right now, so enjoy the treasure hunt! i won't even mention the goodness at oldnavy, garnet hill, gap or mini-boden. those looks are luxe. but we are on a time crunch & hey, i want to bless your economy, not hinder it -- you might have bills to pay or gifts to shop for in the next several weeks. but honestly, i do love checking out their sites for ideas & then go thrifting or bargain shopping to score on some luxe-inspired-looks.

here are some recent photos from sessions where the family pulled off the textured/layered/colorPOP looks that my lens & i just absolutely digg...

amy dressed her family in chocolate & turquoise.
the girls wore a bit of bling & splashes of pink.
spunky. fun. layers.

krystal & will chose chocolate brown & a vivid, autumn wineberry color.
notice krystal's dress has a larger pattern that is pleasing to the eye.
(and makes you want to ask me for her email
so you can beg her to let you borrow it. i know, right?)

and meet mr. & mrs. otis.
they took my neutral + color pop theory
and can now write a "been-there-done-that" essay on it.
very. successfully fashionable. ensemble.


see how junior's hat adds even more irresistible-ness
to his creamy features?
here's a closer look...
mmmmmmm.
i already tried taking him home with me.
mom & dad? stingy. fun people, but they're babyboy hogs.
be forewarned. you can't have mr.E either.
i do, however, own this cap.
it's yours to borrow for your sessions, if you so choose.

and the image below is mrs. otis showing off that accent color so well.


the otis family was my most recent family session,
to view more from their sneaky peek, visit my facebook album!

the darlings in these last 2 images are my trenkletoes.

i chose browns & turquoise.
mixed up the patterns & shades.
layers & hats.
these are
THE MOST
(i'm-not-even-ashamed-to-say-it-all-time)
FAVORITE
pumpkin patch pics of my kids.
ever.
(shameless mommy says: there's a slideshow in a previous post)

and FYI: for those of you who have booked sessions already, i will be emailing you driving directions to celebration ranch this week. and thursday is the big drawing by my 3-year-old for the *TWINKLING* giveaway!

i have been really blessed by the peeps who have nominated and shared a story as to why or shared your gratitude for 2009 -- each nominee is so deserving! i'm touched & honored that you took the time to share. and hey -- there's still time to nominate! every person who leaves a comment (nominating their family or another's) in the original *TWINKLING* promo post is put into the drawing and they'll receive a special thank you from captivating for taking the time to "count their blessings!"

i still have 2 time slots remaining, you can BOOK or you can WIN -- don't miss out!
i can't wait for the weekend!

i want you to close your eyes and picture this... (okay, well, first open your eyes, read the next paragraph and then close your eyes and imagine...)

200 acres of fall color and evergreens.
golden grasses.
a gorgeous tree-lined country road.
two glass lakes/ponds with docks (upper property & lower property).
a canoe.
a cabin.
a swing hanging from an old walnut tree.
amazing vistas.
the mist still clinging to the top of the trees this morning when i was there.

i'll tell you what, i seriously cannot wait to treat my lenses to such creative opportunities up there! it really, really, really will be a captivating celebration of family & nature at celebration ranch, in every sense. amy holst from limelight images will also be there putting her families into the "limelight" with some family-photo-goodness for the sessions she's booking. she'll be there with bells on. (but don't tell her i said that.) i totally swear she told me that. well, i don't like to swear, but i can nearly guarantee she said it.

many have asked, "WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?"
well i have a looooong answer!

the purpose for this special, limited edition, november -7th-only promotion is to capture that annual family photo because many families love to send out an image in their christmas cards. included with the *TWINKLING* session are 25-cards (christmas/new year/or other custom text of your choice). you'll also be receiving a deluxe professional print as my gift to you, so you will have one 8x10 wall portrait from this saturday's session. so, it's up to you! you can dress as casually or as dressy as you'd like. be comfortable & dress warm-ish.

here are some of my suggestions for wardrobe:
layers, layers, layers & texture, texture, texture.
choose a main color & an accent color. do coordinate, but you don't necessarily have to worry about being matchy-matchy. mix it up, be creative, have fun putting your outfits together.

with the many different backdrops we'll have the option of selecting for your custom photography session, you WON'T want to blend into the background or wash out. you'll want to COMPLIMENT the amazingly, awe-some, beautifully unbelievable, gorgeousness of creation at celebration ranch or rather, let it compliment you & your angel children.

for example:

1. select a neutral color/color family. then, add an accent color that POPS against the neutrals -- this color harmony 'n melody is super fun to photograph. think about choosing different shades of brown & then adding an accent color of say, turquoise or purple or red.
2. more examples: navy and a deep autmnal orange or maizey yellow. or black with red or maroon. or deep plum/wine with tan & black. charcoal gray with shades of green. i would LOVE to see a family in chocolate brown & deep plum, mmmmmm-mmmmmm. beautiful in the golden grass.
3. avoid light colors, especially white. white/light colors will be okay photographically if they are small portions of the outfit.
4. avoid busy patterns & small prints in big doses
5. avoid sponge bob t-shirts (no offense)
6. just so you know, i looooooove photographing scarves and knitted hats on my peeps.
7. texture just photographs soooooo well.
8. depending on the weather it could get pretty soggy -- i would love seeing golashes on kiddos (and they have lots of cute patterns in FredMeyer right now! even the standard black farming golashes or wellingtons are sooo cute for photos -- for adults AND kids!)
9. i have several knit hats for kiddos & i have a basket of scarves that can be borrowed for your portraits, too!

think for the guys (big or little):

• a sweater layered over a collared button up or a long sleeve shirt underneath a short-sleeved shirt. and don't stop there, add...
  
• a manly sports coat or tailored/structured jacket, they photograph really well and give your hubby & boys that irresistible hunka-hunka-burnin' love vibe
  
• layers can either be dressed up (with docker style pants in any color khaki/brown/black) or dressed down (with jeans)
  
• even vests & ties are in stores right now and would be fun!

• boots or golashes or thick soled shoes

for all the ladies out there:

• layers are great for girls & moms, too, of course!
  
• jeans/sweaters/jackets or tights/skirts/legwarmers/tall boots, layered tops
  
• what's fun is for the ladies to wear more of the accent color, especially MOM because she's pretty special in my book -- hey, she works hard at keeping the family going, it's fun to put her on a pedestal for pics!
  
• there's lots of fun jewelry that is budget-friendly & clearance-priced at walmart & kmart that can add a bit of dimension and a little more of that accent color in fun baubley bling (other people make up their own words, so i can, too -- baubley turns bauble into an adjective for me)
  

the shopping: if family portraits give you a fun reason to add a few seasonal pieces to your wardrobe, here are some things i've seen around roseburg (yes, roseburg) for your kids since we're only a few days away:

• MACY's clearance is crazy good right now, so is SEARS
  
• i've seen vest/tie combos @ SEARS & MACY's
  
• fun hats & scarves in the accessories department @ KMART
  
• golashes/rain boots @ FRED MEYER
  
• black farm-style basic rubber boots @ WALMART
  
• suede & leather boots for kids @ KMART
  
• girls' tights in fun patterns @ WALMART
  
• leg warmers for girls @ FRED MEYER
  
• solid long-sleeved boys' shirts @ WALMART
  
• skirts with patterned sash-belts @ WALMART
  
• and i've seen christmas dresses & 2 or 3-piece outfits for the little guys @ every store mentioned, if the traditional red & green fits your fancy
  

and for the mamas & the papas:

• sweater dresses for mom @ KMART
  
• vinyl-pleather MileyCyrus black leggings @ WALMART (oh, come on, i'm JUST KIDDING!!!!!)
  
• cute boots @ ROSS & FRED MEYER
  
• clearance button-downs @ MACY's for Dad
  
• i haven't made it into ROSS recently myself, but there's always some fashionable treats in there if you have the time to search the racks
  
• lots of sweater goooooooodness @ MAURICE'S, cardigans to crew necks, mmmm-mmm.
  
• dads: new collection just for the hip guy @ the newly improved clothing store FETISH in the roseburg valley mall, probably some trendy stuff hanging on their racks in there, haven't run my fingers along their hangers myself, but from a distance (as i was on a mission last weekend in the sears clearance) i saw some cool long-sleeved things
  

now, i'm a bargain shopper, so i have a hard time looking thru the full-price apparel, but i know there's some good stuff out there right now, so enjoy the treasure hunt! i won't even mention the goodness at oldnavy, garnet hill, gap or mini-boden. those looks are luxe. but we are on a time crunch & hey, i want to bless your economy, not hinder it -- you might have bills to pay or gifts to shop for in the next several weeks. but honestly, i do love checking out their sites for ideas & then go thrifting or bargain shopping to score on some luxe-inspired-looks.

here are some recent photos from sessions where the family pulled off the textured/layered/colorPOP looks that my lens & i just absolutely digg...

amy dressed her family in chocolate & turquoise.
the girls wore a bit of bling & splashes of pink.
spunky. fun. layers.

krystal & will chose chocolate brown & a vivid, autumn wineberry color.
notice krystal's dress has a larger pattern that is pleasing to the eye.
(and makes you want to ask me for her email
so you can beg her to let you borrow it. i know, right?)

and meet mr. & mrs. otis.
they took my neutral + color pop theory
and can now write a "been-there-done-that" essay on it.
very. successfully fashionable. ensemble.


see how junior's hat adds even more irresistible-ness
to his creamy features?
here's a closer look...
mmmmmmm.
i already tried taking him home with me.
mom & dad? stingy. fun people, but they're babyboy hogs.
be forewarned. you can't have mr.E either.
i do, however, own this cap.
it's yours to borrow for your sessions, if you so choose.

and the image below is mrs. otis showing off that accent color so well.


the otis family was my most recent family session,
to view more from their sneaky peek, visit my facebook album!

the darlings in these last 2 images are my trenkletoes.

i chose browns & turquoise.
mixed up the patterns & shades.
layers & hats.
these are
THE MOST
(i'm-not-even-ashamed-to-say-it-all-time)
FAVORITE
pumpkin patch pics of my kids.
ever.
(shameless mommy says: there's a slideshow in a previous post)

and FYI: for those of you who have booked sessions already, i will be emailing you driving directions to celebration ranch this week. and thursday is the big drawing by my 3-year-old for the *TWINKLING* giveaway!

i have been really blessed by the peeps who have nominated and shared a story as to why or shared your gratitude for 2009 -- each nominee is so deserving! i'm touched & honored that you took the time to share. and hey -- there's still time to nominate! every person who leaves a comment (nominating their family or another's) in the original *TWINKLING* promo post is put into the drawing and they'll receive a special thank you from captivating for taking the time to "count their blessings!"

i still have 2 time slots remaining, you can BOOK or you can WIN -- don't miss out!
i can't wait for the weekend!