This is why I love, love, love Emily Potts!

I love to have professional photos taken of my daughters. And every year, I try to have them taken at least twice (and according to David, I spend way too much doing it!). But you know, I may not have a rug or curtains in my living room...but I have gorgeous photos of my girls that hopefully, will be handed down for generations.

And because I attempted to be a photographer in college (scarily enough, I even did several weddings--see photos at bottom of post for the scary part...), I am somewhat picky about the quality of the photos. And while Walmart may take fine photos, I have found a photographer whose work I am absolutely in love with.

This is the third time that Emily Potts has taken the girls' pictures. And every time, without fail, she takes the most incredible pictures of my girls...

(I wish that I had digital files of the photos she took fall 2007, but I only have prints.) This photo is from Spring 2008. This is my all time favorite picture of my girls.

So this fall, first we took these pictures...this one of the three girls is wonderful.

And Elizabeth, photogenic as always, posed for these photos.

But Jacklyn would not smile for her individual pictures, and Rhian kept smiling goofy, and her hair was funky, and her shirt did not look quite right. So, I called the ever-gracious Emily, and asked if we could redo the pictures. And of course, she said yes, because she is just that wonderful.

This is the result of the second attempt. We decided that the girls' skin tone might look pretty on Emily's brown background and look how gorgeous they are!!

Jacklyn still did not want to smile, but Emily snapped a half-happy shot of her, and I think it captures her perfectly.

Because, as we all know, she has a more serious personality than her older, smiley sister...case in point...Can't you just see the orneriness oozing out of her?

Then, there is always one perfect shot in every bunch. And here it is. Is this not the most perfect picture of Rhian? She looks way, way too grown up and just really, really beautiful.

Everyone always asks, "You're a great photographer Kathryn, why don't you just take their Christmas pictures yourself?" Even David asked me that this year. Well, for one thing, I do not have the right equipment. Two, I cannot get the color right on any indoor picture that I take. Third, my children will not, will not, will not, behave for me. They walk into Emily's studio and they become perfectly behaved models...but for me, well, just check out my attempt...


They just don't have that same polished look, do they?

And remember those perfectly behaved models from the photos above...yeah, well...

But remember what I said about one great picture in every bunch? This is it. Thank you, Jacklyn, for renewing your mother's faith in her creative ability.

So, if you are like me, and cannot muster a decent picture of your children, check out Emily's fantastic website, http://www.emilypotts.com/. Emily is by far one of the best portait photographers I have ever met.

She has several pictures of my girls on her website (including the pink picture above), which of course, means that I have gorgeous daughters, which of course, I already knew...

(All of Emily Potts' photos are copyrighted, so please do not duplicate them for any purpose...She is kind enough to release digitial copies to me, and we don't want that priviledge revoked, now do we? Thank you for respecting her rights as an artist!)

(Now, my pictures are not worth protecting, so you know what, print all of those ugly things you like!!!)

Merry Christmas!! May God bless you all in the coming year!

A Christmas Story

I am a sucker for Christmas stories...the sappier the better. Usually I avoid movies that will make me cry, but something about the holidays makes me a little more sentimental, a little more willing to let others' stories touch my heart.


Have I got a story for you...


I promised that I would share with you the project that I have been working on for a friend...I helped to build a website and set up a blog for my friends, the Paytons.

This beautiful family is the Payton family. Jacky and Marie with their five kids, two biological, three adopted. (Do you hear the music yet?)



Also pictured with them is this handsome boy, Losha. Kinda fits in with the rest, doesn't he?

Losha is an orphan from Russia. (How about now, can you feel the foreshadowing?) The Payton family agreed to host him for two weeks through an organization called The Russian Orphan Lighthouse Project. Immediately upon meeting him, the entire family knew that God had always meant for him to be a part of their family. He cried the night before he left for Russia...saying, "Papa will come for me, Papa will come for me." (If you are not feeling the tug yet, you have a heart of stone...)

The Paytons tearfully put him on the plane back to Russia after promising to return for him, and enthusiastically set about raising the funds to adopt him (all in all, it will probably cost about $60,000). Jacky is a robotics teacher, and Marie homeschools their five (fantastic) children, so this is no small feat for them to raise the money.

They have had several fundraisers, and plan more for after the holidays. Visit http://www.paytonshope.org/ to hear more of their story (I will warn you though, have a tissue ready...), or follow the fundraising efforts on the family's blog at http://loshashope.blogspot.com/.

A wonderful, loving, Christian family working to adopt an orphan from Russia; to give him a real home and a family. What more could you want in the way of a beautiful Christmas story?

Two newspapers have picked up their story already (Tulsa World, Bigheart Times), but we are counting on word of mouth to raise the funds. If you would like to contribute, all you must do is use the ChipIn below. It works just like PayPal.

By Christmas next year, let's hope that Losha is home...home with the family God intended for him...home to stay...

Tag, You're It!

So Courtney played along with photo tag, and tagged anyone who reads her blog...so here is the 4th picture in the 4th folder of my photo files...

Can you tell I live in the middle of an ranch? LOL. These little beauties were our fillies that were born this spring...my babies. I spent weeks washing, brushing and feeding these girls in preparation for a big sale up in Wyoming. A couple of them are now in Colorado, a couple in Georgia. David just brought this year's stud colts (which we kept for him to train, rather than selling) back to the house, and if it weren't 30 below outside (okay--exaggeration, but its really cold!), then I would be out there scrubbing and brushing them too!

Okay, so if I broke the rules like Courtney did, this would be the next picture...

Elizabeth was an Indian in the Pre-K/Kindergarten Thanksgiving play at ACS.

Which is funny, because, she really is Delaware. But, like her Daddy, she is one of the whitest Delawares you will ever meet. And just like her Daddy was adamant that he was a cowboy when he was a little boy, if you tell her she is a real indian she will say, "No, I'm a cowgirl..."

She took her part in the play very seriously...so funny! I think she is very well the cutest little indian I have ever seen!

So, Tag, You're It! The object of the picture tag is to:

1) Choose the 4th folder where you store your pictures on your computer

2) Select the 4th picture in the folder

3) Explain the picture

4) Tag 4 people to do the same

NO CHEATING! (cropping, editing, etc!)

Seven Random Things...(More than you ever wanted to know!)

Okay, I know that I promised to blog more often, but you know, I just get really, really busy...And I have been working on a project for a friend. (Which I will soon reveal and share her story with you.)

But my great friends Courtney and Melissa tagged me to tell 7 Random Things About Me...so apparently its confession time...(No Judging!!)

1. I have a really beautiful office plant named Aretha that I love. (long story...) And my friend Heather has one named Franklin. :) (cracks me up every time!)

2. I really, really love old buildings and houses. Such thought and love went into their design. They have such potential for restoration and reuse. I wish I had millions so I could buy them all up and redo them!

3. I am really proud of my cooking skills. And I really love it that my husband is proud of it too--all of my husbands' friends are envious that their wives do not cook as well or as often. (I know, I know, pride before the fall.) And I love to have people over to cook for them... (Hey everyone...please come over more often--its okay to ask to come over! I would love to cook for you!)

4. My trailblazer is the dirtiest thing I own--truly disgusting. My brothers would have a canary if they saw its condition. I am ashamed of how dirty it is, but really, I have other more pressing things to worry about...so if they wanna come detail it for me, have at it!

5. I had reconstructive surgery on my nose when I was in fifth grade because I broke it so badly...when I tell people that, they usually respond, "Oh, well, you can't even tell..." Which I know is secret code for, "Why didn't they make it shorter?" Oh, if they had only made it less of a ski-slope, I could be the next Cindy Crawford (Yes, I realize that I would have to grow 9 inches, a couple of cup sizes, and lose about 15 pounds, but hey, do-able, right?).

6. I think that I am prettier now than I was when I was in high school, when I got married, or when I was in college. I spent a very, very long time in an awkward stage. Maybe I am just more confident, but I suspect that others think the same.

7. Even though I am cold-natured, I love fall and winter. I love bon-fires and my fireplace, and cider, and layering clothing (I hate worrying about tans, cellulite, and how my bathing suit looks), and snow days, and long evenings after dark, and seeing sunrises at a reasonable hour, and pumpkin pie, and the sleepy-effect of Turkey, and little girls' Christmas dresses, Christmas cards, and Christmas trees, and stockings, and, and, and, and...

So how is that for confession time? You guys still love me? Courtney and Melissa, after reading yours, I have come to this conclusion...Courtney, you are way too normal...Melissa, may need help for those obsessive-complusive tendencies!!! I always knew it, but it is now confirmed! (I love you, even in your quirkiness...)

So I tag Mom (because I know yours will look much like mine), Sheryl (because, like Melissa, you may just make me look normal!), and Caroline (simply because, Caroline you are far too proper to have any wierd quirks, aren't you?). Thanks Ladies!

David's 32nd Birthday

I am feeling old today. I am not sure why, other than my kids often make me feel old. Just the fact that Rhian is in the third grade and can read words like appearance, realm, and simile (she was reading King Arthur last night) makes me feel old. And she is learning Latin. Latin!

Or maybe it is the fact that the weekend is here, and instead of it being a time of relaxation, I have about 30 million things to accomplish before Monday morning...

But I think it has more to do with the fact that the other day I realized that on my next birthday, I will be only 3 years away from 30. I realize that 27 is not old--in any way, shape or form. But I am now on the upside of my 20s (or the downside, however you want to look at it), and it is really freaking me out! Not to mention, the other day, I pulled my first gray hair (Mom--absolutely no laughing! It is a fluke! A fluke!)

One thing that brings me comfort--David will always be older than me! He turned 32 on Sept 3rd. These are the pictures from his "birthday party" (it was really just a dinner with his family).

(Note: I converted these pictures to black and white because every picture that I take in my house turns out very orange and unsightly...thus, I either have to spend hour upon hour tinkering with color balance in photoshop, or simply convert them to B&W. Plus, I really like the way candles look in B&W...)

Rhian delivering his cake...


Jacklyn inspecting the cake to decide where to first stick her finger...

And you know what? He may be old, and a little heavier, and a little more wrinkled, but that smile...oh, that smile, it gets me every time. I am still convinced that he is the most adorable man on earth. Note the cake in this photo. I let the girls decorate the cake themselves this year. And you could tell...Not to mention that they decorated the cake the day before, and the icing slid off the sides sometime during the night (no, the cake was not still warm!). Therefore, the really cute horse that I helped Rhian draw with icing had "run" off the side of the cake...oh well. The beautiful thing about cake is that no matter what the icing looks like, it still eats the same!
Mission accomplished! Jacklyn got Daddy's blessing to stick her finger in the icing. And lick, and lick, and lick she did. Thankfully, only family members were there and they don't mind a little baby saliva.

Seriously, how many Chambers can you fit on one couch? Left to right: Gary (David's dad-"Papa"), Dana (Gary Jon's girlfriend), Rhian, Gary Jon (David's brother), Elizabeth, and Kate (David's cousin).

Gary Jon loves our girls. And our girls love him. But he seriously needs an entire housefull of girls for himself, because then he will understand why you don't rough-house with a bunch of little girls in the middle of a birthday party...Obviously, Rhian is listening to me saying, "Girls, be nice to Uncle Gary Jon." Obviously, Elizabeth is not.

He really, really needs his own daughters. Although, if he had his own, he and Dana would not spoil them with the mass of really cool, well-thought-out gifts at Christmas and on birthdays. (Although--Gary Jon, if ever get Elizabeth another set of drums, I will be forced to kill you...or maybe she and the drum set can come to live with you!)

Papa and Jacklyn, I think she got her serious attitude and furrowed brows from him...

Apparently, he said something "Miss Liz" did not like...

I think in this picture his patience was running out...you started it, Gary...

Finally, I got Elizabeth to stop torturing Gary Jon, and she returned to being her usual sweet self. Kate is Elizabeth's hero. She is the ultimate cowgirl/accountant. She is really cool. Elizabeth loves her.

Ah, family...

My Yearbook Photos...Very Scary

Okay, so I just could not resist. I saw the link to this site on http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/, and the photos that one of her readers had created of Ree. So, so funny. I just had to do some of myself.

And they are so funny, they bring tears to my eyes. For someone who was born in the 80s, 1950, even 1970, is ancient history.

This is me in 1950. What is sad about this, is that I knew a girl in high school who had the exact same hair style...
This is me in 1952...apparently I let my hair grow a little...I actually like this picture. I would have made a cute 1952 woman--although I am unsure of what mud puddle I fell into to get my chin this dirty. This photo also reminds me of one of my favorite movies of all time--High Road to China (yes, mom, the one with (swoon) Tom Selleck). In this picture, I would have fit into the cast quite nicely--although I am pretty sure the time frame of the movies was 1910's.

This next picture really, really cracks me up, because I am pretty sure that there is a picture of my mother-in-law (sorry, DeeDee), with nearly the exact same hairstyle and shirt. Although I will emphasize that the picture was not taken in 1958, more like the 70s. She would die if you thought she was an adult in the 50s!This one is even better--this is how I imagine the traditional students on campus see me--school marm Kathryn. Although I am quite sure that even in their view of me, I do not have two left ears...
This next one depresses me. And while I think that my mother-in-law (once again, sorry) also has a picture with this hairstyle...it is not the hair that depresses me. It is the fact that I am pretty sure that while I am pregnant this is how fat and distorted my face looks. :( (I have mentioned that we are not having any more babies right?) Another scarily-realistic school marm picture...I must have had face-lipo since the last picture...

Seriously, if I could ever get this much volume out of my hair, I would wear it like this next picture everyday. I mean it, everyday. But as it stands, I my hair would need some serious ratting and about 20 gallons of hairspray to look like this. Okay, maybe 30 gallons--on my wedding day, I think there was 20 gallons of hairspray on my hair, and it still did not have this much volume.
Okay, so this next one, although it is supposed to be in the 70s, I had this hairstyle just a couple of years ago...what goes around comes around.

Okay--now I am going to pick on my Grandma Billie for a minute (I love you grandma--I really do--but everyone gets picked on!)--she had hair like this and apparently a serious fascination with Cher because many of the pictures of her from when she was young looked as if she was a Cher impersonator!

Now back to picking on mom. She not only had a hairstyle like grandma and the picture above, but also much like the next picture--although longer, and much more Farrah Fawcett. In fact, my Aunt Diana told me just the other day that my mom had the most perfect 70s hair and that everyone wanted to look like her...
I really have no words for the next one, other than, what were those women thinking? This is supposedly from the year I was born...thank God I was too young to remember...
Ha, ha, hee, hee. I know a woman who looked just like the picture below. Although I will not name her because I do not know her that well, and the way blogs go...you just never know who might stumble upon this...(I only harrass people I know and love!)


Okay, so I had hair like this, or at least made a fourth-grade attempt at hair like this. I remember tying my long t-shirt in a side knot, and then using a brush to hold the sides of my hair out, spraying, spraying, spraying with hairspray to create, as we called them, "Bat wings."
This next one--is my cousin Heather. Really--her senior picture looked just like this!!!
The next one, 1998--I had this hairstyle. Gigantic forehead and all. I think I could probably dig up a picture of me that looks just like this. Trust me, I have since repented and thrown out all of my curling irons--actually, I used hot velcro rollers and curling irons...
And I had this hairstyle too...my bangs weren't quite so fluffy...once again, my hair does not have enough volume, but they probably would have looked like this!

I did dig up a picture of this hairstyle. I mean, check it out, bangs and all!
Here is the picture that I used for all of the pictures above...even this style is somewhat regrettable...thus my newly-cut bangs. (Not full-forehead, just straight-ironed side bangs...you know, stylish!) But really, how long do you think it will be before all of these layered, straight-ironed looks are made fun of? Well, I'll just have to destroy the pictures before my kids see them!

Time slips away...

So, realizing that I had not posted most of this month, I searched through my millions of picture files to find good stories to share. And I found that I have neglected to share so many good September stories. Therefore, the next few posts will be September catch-up.


Starting with these random, yet wonderful pictures of the girls. Moments when I just happened to catch a great smile or giggle...



Or an introspective stare...
Or...remember those quiet moments I once mentioned--the kind that make my blood run cold because I realize that they have to be into some kind of mischief...yeah, those moments...

This was one of them... And no, Elizabeth was not being held against her will...

Yes, she actually enjoyed being this dirty. And yes, we did have to brush her teeth and wash her hair twice to get all of the dirt out.


Once again, why my kids are my reason for living! They make things fun--well, at least interesting! This is why time flies, why they grow so fast, and why I don't have time to blog! Cut me a break, I was washing dirt out of a rotten little girl's hair!