a little of this ... a little of that ... all in a frame.

I have quite a few walls that need something other than photographs (like up my stairs, for example). I like the idea of mixing in keepsakes, the kids' art, and pictures to make a big statement of "this is us!"

Claire has a red and white polka dot bikini I'd like to frame. Caeden's sweet baptism shirt. Their shoes (one of each from smallest to largest).

Above photo via creative mama.

For those of you with older children, I can't think of anything sweeter than putting a beloved toy that has been outgrown into a shadow box ...

Photo via poppytalk.

Above images from Martha Stewart.

Here's my only one, created 5 years ago ... taken with the trusty iPhone. :

It's got Caeden's picture, his footprints on acid free paper, his itty bitty hat, bracelet, etc. 

To make:

1. Cut foam core to the size of your frame (making sure the frame is deep enough to accomodate).

2. Adhere paper (or fabric or whatever you want) to the foam core for the background.

3. Using brads, string elastic in a zig zag to create the look of a pinboard.

4. Tuck in your keepsakes and carefully place into your frame.

Making a Change

Food has become quite an issue in the house. Junk is winning over fresh food and I've struggled (and am failing) to feed my son nutricious food that he enjoys. 

Packing his lunch has become a worry that starts with me the night before he goes to school.

1.  Will he eat an apple if I take the skins off (I resist doing this as the peel is rich in nutients, as we all know)?

2.  Does a wheat bagel with cream cheese make a worse choice than deli meat and cheese (sandwiches are another thing he won't eat)?

3.  There are never veggies packed. (He claims he is allergic to them all.)

Dinner at home is no different. Even when I make him go without dinner if he doesn't eat what's on his plate, he gladly starves (especially when we're talking about veggies).

He lives on Cheez-its (I allow them as a snack once a day).

I feed him vitamins and HOPE they are doing some good. 

But we all know vitamins can't make up for lack of good nutrition the majority of the time.

I was so relieved to be watching Jamie Oliver's new show on TV: Food Revolution.

He talks about what we all worry about as parents - our children. How their generation is the first in history to have a shorter life expectancy than us. That is so wrong on so many levels - it makes me sick and sad. 

So, this long winded entry today does get to my point:

I got reacquainted with two classmates from High School this weekend. Jessica and Kacie and I sat around talking about how to make our lives better - whether it is food, skincare, the importance of empowering each other, and the strength of community.

Jessica introduced me to Door to Door Organics.

It's an organic food service that delivers fresh produce to your door every week. (It's in Colorado, Kansas City, and other places.)

I could smell the oranges in her kitchen as soon as I walked into her front door. That should tell you something about the caliber of food they deliver. 

Wayne and I talked a lot tonight about what we need to do to change the food environment of our home. One of the first things we are doing is ordering from this company. The second is we will start juicing the produce that we don't know how to disguise (Caeden can sniff out vegetables a mile away but will drink the juice made from fresh veggies willingly - a bit of apple or some grapes mixed in makes a huge difference.)

Will it be horrible to plead and negotiate with him at first? Yes. But after awhile, I have to believe he will forget the crap he was eating and get used to healthy, fresh choices. (One of my biggest accomplishments in the food arena is that he chooses ice water over juice and has never had a soda.)

I'm tired of taking the easy way out and/or being manipulated by a 5 year old. He's such a good kid - this mess is not his fault. It's mine.

But I can change all of that. (I can get clever at the very least.) And I KNOW our family will be better for it.

Maternity Session | Kansas City Denver Rapid City Photographer | by Valerie Koop

A sneak peek at the maternity session I shot last weekend in Kansas City. 

To see more visit my photography blog: In the Moment Photography

Congratulations!

Frosting and other news ...

1. Kansas City was fantastic. Friends, laughing, shopping, eating ... always fun. And always hard to get over. I love how I feel when I am back there.

2. Photoshoot went amazing. Location, subject (s), lighting ... all perfection. Will be sharing soon.

3. Came home to an inbox full of portrait requests (both here in Denver and also in Rapid). 

I do have room for anyone thinking of booking the mini-Easter sessions, but not many. Please contact me for a time slot as you don't want to be left out. It will be THAT good.

Spent last night talking with a dear childhood friend and then took her to the airport (we left the house at 4:30 am) so she could go home. Miss her already.
 

4. 70 degrees today. Played outside almost the entire day, wore flip flops, dressed Claire in a sundress, and ate fruit pizza for dinner. Yum.

5. Taking the rest of the week off to work and catch up. See you Monday.

Kansas City for the Weekend

This is a Thomas Kincade painting that we have in our house. It's of the Kansas City Plaza during Christmas time. Whenever I stop to really look at it, I choke up. Is it weird that after being gone for three years I still have issues? I am still horribly homesick.

Today I am jumping on a flight to go back to Kansas City. One of my dearest friends is expecting her first baby, and so I am on my way to coo over her properly. I'm looking forward to her photo shoot and to giving her all sorts of unsolicited advice.

Tonight, though, is for catching up with Bridget and Raphael and their sweet boys. We will talk and laugh and reminisce about all our summer nights on their porch - drinking wine and talking about politics, religion, friendships, parenting ... 

There are places I need to go: Paper Source (for Lindsay's wedding stuff), Houston's (for spinach dip), Curious Sofa (best shopping on earth - plus I miss Deb), and somewhere to get some new Jay Hawk apparel (proud KU alumni), drive by my old house and look to see how big our trees have gotten, see how my old neighbors are doing, and wish that my friends were not all out of town (what are the chances?! - but they are). I will probably cry when I see my house.

The kids and Wayne are staying home (he's been gone all week - actually, now that I think about it, he has been gone for 4 or 5 weeks from home. I think he is ready to see the kids and sleep in his own bed!)

Have a great weekend.

Too Fast.

When she was thinking about it, the big girl move of walking down the step instead of scooting, I was there to cheer her on. To watch in anticipation as she thought about it, moved away, came closer to the edge, and then backed away again.

I might have said, "Sweetie, you can do it...!"

But not until she did it, did I realize how, really, I didn't mean it at all.

It's going too fast.

Questions & Answers to Mini Easter Sessions

I just wanted to address questions that have come up about the Easter Sessions that you might have been wondering, too.

1. No dressing up required. If you would rather be casual and not make it about Easter - that is great, too!

2. My promo includes families, too. Or a combo of some family some children. Or pets. Anything is possible! :)

3. I do not do a lot of posing. My style is candid, but what I do to get the shots (that you will love) is:

1. Present a handful of flowers to a sweet girl and capture her reaction.

2. Let your children chase and hold daffodil colored balloons.

3. Lay your children on a quilt and ask them for their most silly faces.

4. Get those sweet baby chicks, ducks, and goats snuggling and chirping with your family. I guarantee super sweetness.

5. Make a fool of myself to get great smiles ... Don't judge me.

However, if you DO want a certain look or pose, please let me know, as I am here to make you happy and will do whatever that takes (Usually. I say usually because I have had some crazy requests. :)

Email me at valerie@beinthemoment.net to reserve your time slot.

Fun places to get clothes and accessories:

Funky ties and bow ties: The Silly Wagon 

Crocheted Hats (thanks for the link Diane!) Etsy.

Rain boots: Target, Janie and Jack, Nordstrom (for Mom)

And ... if you need help picking something out, bring some clothing options to the shoot and I will help you put it together.

Mini Easter Portrait Sessions | Rapid City Photographer | In the Moment Photography

For questions or to reserve your time slot 

email valerie@beinthemoment.net

How we roll.

On a cold day, a sense of humor goes a long, long way.

Happy Birthday Mom | Grandma | Donna Koop!

(picture taken fall of 2009)

What we love about the birthday girl:

Caeden says:

1. I like her mixer.

2. I like that she makes me jello.

3. I like playing with Grandma's stove.

4. She gives good hugs.

5. I love her .

6. She plays games with me.

Val says:

6. She is patient and loving.

7. Always up for anything.

8. Has the energy of someone in their 20's.

9. Can find the humor in most anything.

10. She creates amazing quilts that are complete works of art.

11. She makes me a better Mom by the example she sets.

12. Her desserts.

13. Master of recycling. The original "green" movement could have easily started with her.

14. Cracks me up with her special (gambling) purse.

15. Genuine. What you see is what you get.

16. Her sense of adventure.

17. Gives advice only when asked (which is something I am trying very hard to emulate!)

18. Her newsy emails make me feel like we don't live 7 hours apart.

19. She is a wonderful friend to all who know her. For those of you who are lucky enough to call her a friend, you know this to be true.

20. She has the most beautiful skin. If only we could all age as gracefully and beautifully as she does.

21. Knows just what to say to the kids to make them feel like they are the center of her world.

22. Incredible work ethic.

23. Letting a big huge dog that sheds everywhere into her house. Loves Lucy without making us feel guilty that she really didn't want a pet in the house. (It doesn't go unnoticed, Mom).

24. Sneaks blueberries into our freezer to keep us well stocked when we have run out of our own.

25. Keeps the cleanest car around.

26. Tolerates Dave (kidding Dad! Sort of ...) :)

27. Cries when we say good bye (it's sweet and endearing)

28. She is the best mother in law I could have ever asked for.

Claire says:

29. She feeds me pancakes.

30. She reads to me.

31. She loves me and takes such good care of me when I visit.

Wayne says:

32. Her silent strength
33. Her ability to put everyone at ease
34. Her ability to sit at a penny slot machine for hours

We love you so very much!

Happy Birthday!

P.S. This would have been so much cleverer if we could have gotten to 61.

P.P.S. Caeden wanted to add: Thank you for taking such good care of me when I visit.

claire bear @ 21 months

She has a blanket she calls "tiny." It's satiny and pink and is always with her.

She licks it when she gets tired. She's done this since she was a newborn (but she licked me and Wayne back then).

 

She's a lover of books and reads (or is read to) all day long.

She's really into animal sounds so this book is a favorite right now. She wanders the house saying, "Meow" and "Baaaa" and "woof woof."

 

 
 

She's always busy trying to keep with her brother. 

I believe her hair is turning red.

She has a problem with not getting her way.

She loves to be held.

She loves Caeden and will sit in "time out" with him -- even when he is there for something like pusing, hitting, or being mean to her.

She hits him back.

Some days it is like a war zone and I retreat to my happy place in Turks.

 

She's working on her 5th tooth and bites everything in sight.

 

I sing the song, "Skiddly Rinky Dink - ee- Dink, Skiddly Rinky Doo"  to Claire before her nap and she sings along with me. And licks her blanket.

 

Here's Caeden's reaction to the music... Safe to say, not a fan.

When Inspiration Strikes

Boring dining room needed some love. We had beadboard installed when we had our basement finished (months and months ago) and that poor beadboard was still unpainted. Unfinished. Unloved.

Poor beadboard.

I finally loaded up the kids and took them to the paint store for samples. Caeden picked out a dark, navy blue and was devastated when it didn't make the cut. However, here are the 4 colors that did.

I lived with them for a couple days before picking #4 (both walls each have the same 4 colors painted on them).

Here was my inspiration:

This was my Mom's bowl back in the day. I have always loved it - loved the color, loved the weight of it, and loved it's size. So did/does Mom. But she loves me more and handed it over to make me happy.

So, anyway, for four days I painted. I painted the trim. The beadboard. The grooves in the beadboard. I touched up. Touched up some more. I wondered why no one warned me just how awful painting beadboard can be?!

 

Here's the finished result. The table needs some fresh flowers in the pitcher and I need a rug of some sort, but you get the idea. I love the color. 

Thanks Mom!

XOXO

Val

Back to Reality

At home with Caeden:

1. Mom, I don't like this (getting ready for school). I'd like to go live with Grandpa and Grandma. You can come visit and see me, though.

2. I miss Aunt Nikki. She doesn't tell me 'no.'

3. Why aren't you playing with me (as I am cleaning up Claire's spagetti that she launched across the kitchen)??!

4. Mom, I love you. You are a good girl. Now, explain to me where farts come from.

Turks and Caicos (Point Grace Resort) 2010

Here's the cottage we stayed in. Of all the the things we did, having coffee every morning on the veranda was my favorite part of the vacation.

Our cottage was amazing. The interior was exquisite. Dark wood floors, a huge canopy bed, a cast iron soaking tub, gourmet kitchen, and the two doorways that you see are open to the veranda. We had windows on every wall, so when we opened them all, the breeze was amazing. And all that sunlight ... sigh. It was crazy how much we loved it.

This was our view from the veranda. We would look out at the ocean, listen to the palm trees sway, and talk about what we were going to do that day. Pure bliss.

Then, after we would have breakfast (the best oatmeal ever and fresh fruit), we'd walk across this sweet little bridge and take a stroll up and down the island.

The sand is as soft and fine as sugar. And almost as white. I'd read about places that have sand like this, and having been to many beaches, thought it was a bit of an exaggeration. It turns out this place isn't an exaggeration. At all.

These are the umbrella huts we used every day. They were perfect for Wayne, whose fair skin doesn't tolerate the sun for long. I couldn't help but think they would be perfect for babies to sleep and play under, too.

We did a lot of this.

And quite a few self portraits because we were shy to ask others to take our picture for us.

I did ask a lady to take a picture of us, and this is what we got. No Wayne and half of me. Plus, she didn't say when she was going to take it, so I was sort of waiting for a cue. Nice smirk I was sporting in the mean time, eh?

Here we are having drinks with a cute couple we met who were on their honeymoon. They live in Kansas City, so we had no problem making conversation over mojitos and beer (I didn't ask their permission to post their names and photos - so I'm not). They wanted me to take some pictures of them, so I did, and another bride and groom (sit wearing their wedding attire) walked up and asked me to do the same for them as they said, "It looks like you know what you are doing." That made me laugh but also feel so good. It was the only time on the trip I regretted not bringing my big camera. (I brought my point and shoot because I was afraid of salt water and sand. Turns out, I was right.)

Of the week we were there, we had 2 good days of weather. We had a lot of wind, clouds, and rain that just wouldn't leave (all of you who said not to worry about the forecast were big fat liars). BUT, on one of the good days, I went on Wayne's scuba diving boat to get out on the water. It was awesome to see how many different colors the water could turn. Stunning.

Wayne dove 3 days (for a total of 6 dives). He saw sharks, lobster, fish galore, turtles (my personal favorite), rays, eels, etc.

Here he is coming up from dive #6. He rocked it!

While Wayne was busy diving, I was busy doing nothing. I literally layed on the chaise all the days (except for 2 when the rain was non-stop). Even when it was cold and windy, I'd lay there with towels drapping over my body. I was determined to soak up the outdoors. I read 3 books, listened to a lot of music, walked the beach, and drank a lot of Corona.

I didn't take a lot of pictures, as you can see, but there really wasn't much to show because I am being honest when I say I didn't do anything. But hopefully you get the idea.

Doing nothing is everything in a place like this!

XOXO

Val

We're Back!

1. One of only a few pictures that include the both of us.

2. Turks was amazing and I will tell you all the juicy details soon.

3. Kids' flight was cancelled due to weather, so tonight I am cleaning like crazy and painting the dining room before they get home tomorrow.

4. Going to snuggle and play and kiss those kids silly when they get here.

5. When they grow tired of my smothering, I will be back to blogging all about the vacation.

We're home ...

Good News!!

Wayne just called - the cancer has not spread.

They have identified an area that looks to be trying to break out (grow), so his break will be 2 months (instead of 3) so they can keep an eye on him. But his Doctor said it was nothing to worry about - if it was, he would not be continuing his break. SO...

Two more months of feeling great and no chemo!!

Vacation with good news is the only way to go. We are so thankful and happy - I don't have words.

I asked Wayne how he felt, and he said, "Well, I wish they had said it was all gone!" LOL. We knew that wasn't going to the case, but when he starts to crack jokes, I know he is doing OK.

Just wanted to let you all know.

XOXO

Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, Which you do not know.

Isaiah: 46 

Always be joyful. Always keep on praying. No matter what happens always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ.
 

Ephesians: 3:17

No News Yet.

I have been getting a ton of email and calls about Wayne's test results. I just wanted to let you know we won't know anything until this afternoon. His meeting with Dr. Patel is at 2:00 (Houston time). I will be sure to post as soon as I can.

Dear Dad,

Mom is letting Claire run around naked except for the new shoes Claire won't take off.

 

I've been playing Costco (See my receipt with the face? The other side has a line, too.) and eating Cheezits. I tried talking Mom into Krispy Kreme Donuts this morning but she wouldn't budge. Someone tell her Cheezits are just as bad, please.

While we have been waiting for you to call, we've been busy getting the guest bedroom ready for Grandpa. Mom keeps freaking out that we are messing up the bed, but we just figure she'll make it again. And again. Plus, she got the camera out, so we know she won't do anything to upset us while she's trying to get a picture. She's so predictable.

Look at me here! She kept saying something about the lighting being great and to PLEASE stop moving for one second. That's when I went in for the kill. She never saw the pillow coming.

Please come home soon. She has FOUR different colors painted on the bead board in the dining room and is driving me and Claire crazy with her talk about the vacation she can't wait to go on. Doesn't she realize going to Rapid will be WAY better?

I bet Grandpa and Grandma will feed me donuts...

Call us soon. We love you!!

Caeden

Seriously?

Turks and Caicos weather.

All These Things ...

1. Wayne flies out to Houston today. He will be with his Dad (love you Dave!) and they will get through the tests, scans, and blood work by joking (and Dad being quietly supportive).

2. They will eat at our favorite restaurant in the world, Houston's. We went every single Saturday afternoon when we lived in Kansas City. And sometimes Sunday, too. We celebrated everything there. We sat together in a booth and opened the baby card (I created a baby card with a pocket for the gender of our baby to be revealed). We didn't want to know in the tech room, we waited until we were settled and had ordered lunch, then holding hands we opened the card to reveal Caeden was a boy. We cried. Thank you, Mom, for being so great and surprising Wayne with that gift card.

3. I will attempt to keep myself busy and try not to worry too much about how Wayne is doing because I know he is doing FINE and he feels fantastic. But I can't help it.

4.Which means I will probably paint or shop or work out a lot.

5. Caeden cried last night. Big huge tears because he didn't want to be left behind when we go to Turks on Friday. Wayne and I promised to take him to see the ocean in California next month when his aunt Nikki runs the Disney Marathon (she is a bad ass like that).

6. Started to think taking the kids with us (to Turks) would be a lot of fun.

7. Except for when Claire would eat sand. Over and over and over.

8. Took a spinning class this morning (my first ever). It was 60 minutes of wonderfulness - I really liked it except my bike wasn't adjusted the way it should have been, because I couldn't extend my legs when I stood up on the bike (will know for next time).

9. Looked over at my friend who talked me into it (and who rocked it - she is training for a triathlon), and I said, "I am going to KILL YOU," because I thought my thighs were going to turn to rock and fall off. And then (on the movie screen) footage of Lance Armstrong flashed across the room, and as corny as this may sound, I felt like he was encouraging me to keep going for Wayne. For Wayne. For Wayne. So I did.

10. Can't wait for the next class because I think if I stick with it, the boy short bikini will be no problem.

11. Please put Wayne in your prayers tonight.

XOXO