Suzanne McGrath Photography

Family Pictures at Ermine Case Jr. Park, KCMO

OK.  So I actually had a few photo sessions last year and I failed to show any of them.  I thought it would be fun to post them in January since it's too cold to actually shoot outside now!  This family was tons of fun.  Lori and I run together but this was the first time I had met the rest of her fam.  They were great.  And her kids?  How cute are they?!  Take a peek for yourself...

 

 

And these last four.  I die.  If Ava were my daughter I'd totally do a series of these on canvas.  I'm thinking big, like 16x24.  Don't you think that would be awesome?!  

Seriously, I could have easily posted another 10 shots.  These guys were so fun to shoot!  It's hard to believe this was less than two months ago and tomorrow it's going to feel like -10*.  Crazy!

 

 

Six on Sunday...the First in December

We've started our Advent calendar which means we officially in the month of December.  Crazy!

1.  I purchased these last week:

Did you notice they are battery operated?  I'm going on a fun run this coming Thursday night where everyone wears lights.  I think it sounds like so much fun!  It was forwarded to me on Facebook and I don't know who organized or anything, but still...I'm going.  And I'm taking along a couple friends.  I'll report back next week.  

2.  We had a busy weekend.  What's new, right?  Friday night #2 had a Disco Party.  She and a good friend decided they should dress all crazy.  Here's what they came up with:

They had a blast.  It was so cute to watch them get so hyped up for this.  

3.  Meanwhile, we hosted a few families over for spaghetti.  We had so much fun just chatting with everyone and getting caught up.  And I realized I didn't have to go help with the kids even once!  Back in the day the little girls didn't want to let me out of their sight - even in their own house house.  So they would go play for a few minutes, realize I was gone, and come find me.  I'd end up spending half the night with the kids.  Not anymore!  They were thrilled to have all their friends over to their own house and they were busy the whole night.  Success!

Saturday and Sunday occupied #1 by means of a swim meet.  Two long afternoons of swimming!  I went to the meet yesterday and the hubby took her today.  She swam great.  She cut time in a few events but added time in a few others.  However, it was only her second swim meet so it was great experience for her.  Hands down her favorite stroke is the breast stroke, but she's pretty decent at the others as well!

4.  Despite our busy weekend, we did manage to visit the real Santa Claus Saturday morning:

Of course I forgot my big girl camera, so I only got a snap on my iPhone.  Oh well.  I'll just order a print online later.  But aren't they cute?  And I got away without buying a new dress for any of them!  I managed to get away with only buying 3 new pairs of shoes.  I consider that a huge WIN.

After Santa, we went across the street to Starbucks for hot chocolate with our friends.  Here's the little girls and their friend, Sydney.  Sweet, huh?

5.  I went in to wake up the little girls Friday morning and found them both in #3's bed.  They were so sweet I just had to snap a picture:

I love that they share a room.  They are truly becoming best buds.  They play together all the time.  #4 can hardly let #3 out of her sight.  And she parrots everything her big sister says.  It's just precious.  I remember this time when the older girls were this age and I have to say it's a favorite.  (I won't say that about #4's whining stage, though!)

6.  I had a photo shoot tonight.  This is my friend, Lori, and her family.  Aren't they super cute?  And that location?  We seriously served over to stop because it was so awesome!

And one last note...it's my mom's birthday today.  Happy Birthday, mom!  I hope you had a fabulous day - you deserve it!!

Sneak Peak...Three Months Later!

A thought dawned on me today...I haven't blogged all my sessions from last fall.  I started out on a roll and then BANG!  I hit a wall.  I was struggling just to keep up with editing and designing cards that blogging took a back seat.  I think I'll rectify that situation over the next few weeks.

First up - the McDowell Family.  These guys are repeat customers and Carmen is my great friend and running partner.  Although I have to admit I did a double take the day of the pictures.  I'm so used to seeing Carmen dark and early in the morning with no make-up and pony tail that I hardly recognized her!  She cleans up GOOD:)

I could go on and on about how adorable these boys are and how much fun I had with them but I'll let the pictures do the talking...

 

 

The Anderson Family...{Kansas City Family Photographer}

These guys were great.  No, really.  They were.  I could gloss over my mistake and you'd never know I messed up.  But that wouldn't feel right.  It would feel like I was lying.  So here goes...

I had to shoot this wonderful family TWICE!  The first time we shot down at Loose Park and I used a rented lense.  Well, the lense did not behave as I expected.  In hindsight, I should have shot everything with my trusty 50mm 1.4 lense, too.  However, when I checked the back of my camera, everything looked awesome so I just continued on with the session.  The girls were great and we were getting some fun shots.  

But when I got home and downloaded the photos, I thought something looked off.  But I just scanned through them really, really fast and picked one to blog that night.  Yet when I sat down to officially edit them, I realized I was sunk.  There was MAJOR sun flare in about 90% of the images.  Unfortunately, the rented lense did not behave like my 50mm.  So, I had to fall on my sword and confess my mistake.  I felt AWFUL.  

But this family was so great about it.  We decided to shoot the second session much closer to home at Iron Woods Park and they rocked it out!  The second session was fabulous.  I am so thankful they gave me a second shot because I think it was totally worth it!  See for yourself...

Love this one!  The girls were having so much fun.

 

The youngest is full of spunk and sass.  Loved it!

 

The middle daughter was fun and a great model, too.

 

I adore this shot of all three girls.  They clearly love each other and get along really well!

 

And their oldest?  Your typical 5th grader who wants to model but is slightly shy.

 

I think this family shot is so fun - all bunched up together.

 

Lastly, this is a typical shot with kids.  They love to make silly faces!

 

 

Six on Sunday...Veteran's Day and a Birthday Weekend

Phew! I'm here but I'll admit I'd rather be in bed.  It was a crazy-busy weekend.

1.  Our weekend started off early with a Veteran's Day celebration at #1 and #2's school.  (I wrote about it here last year.)  This year we were super lucky - both grandpas made the trek down here.  The girls were so excited to be able to walk into the assembly with their grandpas.  The hot breakfast was great, the assembly was nice, and the small group discussions were informative and fun to watch.  Most of all, it was such an honor for us that both grandpas so willingly drove down here from Omaha, NE and Sioux Falls, SD.  Thanks Jerry and dad!

My father-in-law, Jerry, is on the left and my dad, Gary, is on the right.  #1 isn't in the picture because she was busy doing her Girl Scout duties.

2.  Guess who is turning FIVE on Tuesday?  Yep, #3.  We had her party Saturday afternoon.  When I asked her what kind of party she wanted this year, she insisted on a party at her house.  I was totally willing to oblige, but I knew I needed to call in reinforcements.  Therefore, I hired a balloon artist from Up, Up, and Away Balloons.  John was AWESOME!!!

The kids ran around like maniacs on a major sugar high.  Seriously.  It was a mad house!  But once John showed up and started making balloon hats and animals, the kids were pretty much mesmerized.  And I was mesmerized.  The things he could do with balloons - purely amazing.  Of course I didn't get a good shot of the birthday girl with her mermaid, but I did get a couple others I can post on here.  (I don't post the kid's friends without permission.)

Here is #2 with her octopus:

Here is my niece with Rapunzel:

Lastly, my nephew with his alien (this was by far the most popular selection):

After the balloons were done, we turned towards an ice cream cake.  It was delicious and the kids seemed to enjoy it.  Here is #3 blowing out her candles.  

Party favors were super easy because we really didn't have a theme.  I just picked up random bits here and there.  But I figured kids love balloons - so we just tied a balloon right to the container.

All in all, the kids seemed to have a blast and I know #3 was mad at me when everyone left.  She wanted them all to stay a lot longer!  But I'm glad we ended on a note of wanting more.  That is better than meltdown city. 

3.  While my parents were here this weekend my mom kept remarking about how much #4 is talking now.  As in, she doesn't STOP talking.  It's so funny to hear that because just a few short months ago we were having her tested because of her lack of talking.  She has a couple little quirks that crack me up.

When we ask her a question and the answer is affirmative, she stresses it.  Like, if we say, "Is that your purse over there?"  She'll say, "It IS."   It's just so cute because she's so expressive.

And I've said it before, but she says "otay" instead of "okay" and I can't get enough of it.  Just adorable.

4.  Today we went to our first ever indoor soccer game.  And we all loved it!  I swear, I wanted to get out there and play.  #1 decided to play it this year and therefore we asked #2 if she wanted to try it out, too.  And sure enough, she did.  Since we couldn't find a team for #2 to join, #1's coach is letting her play with his team for the first session.  (Second session is full.)  She did great.  She was a little timid during her first rotation out on the field, but that didn't last long.  She got right in on the action.

And #1 got a lot of touches, too.  That's nice because she prefers to play defense so she doesn't always get a lot of touches.  And not only that, it was really fun to watch them play together.  I saw #1 give #2 a pat on the back while they were rotating out.  It was really sweet.

5.  The new fad in third grade seems to be animal hats.  The first I heard about it was Friday morning.  It only took two days of pleading for #2 to talk me into taking her to JC Penney to buy a hat.  I have to admit, they are adorable.  She chose a monkey with a flower in the monkey's hair.  It looks so cute on her!  When she went over to her friend's house to play later today they both wore their hats all afternoon - in the 70 degree weather!

6.  I made it to #6.  WooHoo!  I figure I should provide a photo update.

I have two galleries to post and one to finalize which will happen tomorrow night.  It's been a really busy fall!

Once the galleries are all finished, I need to start on Christmas cards.  I have finalized one family's card and have a few others to create.  They're so fun to make that I can't wait to get started!

I had my last session of the season this afternoon.  It was such beautiful weather and they were really great!  I run with Carmen so it was fun to see her all made up.  Carmen - you clean up nicely!!  And I loved how they coordinated together.  Since I have all girls it's really fun to see how boys dress and act.  (They climb on EVERYTHING!)  Here is just one sneak peek:

That's all folks.  Time for me to hit the hay.  Have a great week!

The Lancaster Family...{Kansas City Family Photographer}

I have actually had these images ready for a little awhile but just didn't have a chance to blog them.  I've been busy 'round these parts!  I introduced Kristen and her family a couple weeks ago during Six on Sunday.  So it was really fun to get to shoot them!  I had a hard time narrowing it down, so there's quite a few images on here.  Enjoy!

I present to you - the Lancaster Family - as shot at Lenexa Lake:

I absolutely loved how Kristen styled the whole family for this shoot!  I wish I was that good.

 

This is their #1.  He is either 364 or 366 days younger than my #1.  Crazy, huh?

Here is their #2...

And lastly, their #3.  She is very close in age to our #3.  It's really fun to watch all their kids + our kids play together.

Don't you love the hat?

 

 

 

Six on Sunday

Howdy!  I'm here tonight but I'm not sure I'll be here next Sunday.  We're headed to Lincoln for the game next weekend and I'm not sure I'll be able to stay awake past 8:30pm next Sunday.  

1.  We have a major problem here in our household.  #2 pierced her ears back when she was 5 years old.  Once she started rotating earrings, her ears got infected and she let them grow shut.  This past summer she got them re-pierced.  I had vowed not to take her again, but I did it.  Fast forward to now...

Her ears keep getting infected.  Ugh.  At first we thought she just couldn't wear those cheap earrings from Claire's.  So we only bought her sterling silver earrings.  However, that didn't help at all.  They are still getting infected and we are cleaning them religiously.  I did a little internet research and now I'm wondering if she can only wear gold earrings?  I went out yesterday and bought her 14k gold earrings.  Do you think it'll help?  Does anyone have any experience with this?  We're dying here...she is my DRAMATIC daughter and I get mad at her when she flinches before I even tough her ears.  It's not good.  Not good at all.  If you have any recommendations I'd love to hear them!!

2.  #1 and I made Apple Pie Cookies last weekend.  They were delectable.  Seriously.  If you have two hours to spare (not really much of an exaggeration), you should make them.  With Honeycrisp apples.  Only double the recipe.  Here is our finished product.  They do not look nearly as good as they tasted!

3.  I went for a long run today - 8 miles.  I haven't done an official long run (past 6 miles) in awhile.  It was hard.  And I am sore!  Thankfully I went with my friend, Carmen.  She ran the Chicago marathon three weeks ago and has taken time off since then.  So she was slow and I was slow - a happy occurrence.  And there is no way I would have gotten my bum out of bed if she hadn't been waiting for me at 7am!  But all in all, it was a beautiful morning and a GREAT way to start my day.  Loved it!

4.  #1 had a going-away sleepover party for one of her really good friends.  Her friend, Ashley, is moving across the country.  Ashley's a doll and her family is awesome so it's quite sad.  However, I was able to do a mini-shoot with the five party girls for a few minutes last week.  This is what I was able to capture.  (Getting five 10 year olds to listen is HARD.  They giggle.  A lot!)

5.  Last night our family headed over to my sister's house to carve pumpkins.  My parents were in town, too.  It was great!  My mom cooked dinner and we messed up my sister's house with pumpkin guts.  The girls had a blast carving pumpkins.  Except that by the time #2 got the pattern marked on her pumpkin, she was done.  Enter my dad.  He finished it up in no time.  I'll have to get a picture of them tomorrow night.  They're great!  Here are the in-progress scenes:

Since #4 is a little too young to do much, she made her own fun.

6.  It was a busy weekend for me.  I had three photoshoots.  Here's a sneak peek from each one!

That's it.  That's all I've got tonight.  Have a great week!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Family Portrait Session at Unity Village

Sisters.  My sister informed me I was shooting her and the kids this fall.  But of course I obliged.  The way I figure, I owe her free photo sessions from here to the moon given all the babysitting/helping out she has provided us in the last 10 years!  And I love her kids like my own.

HOWEVER, shooting her kids is just as hard - if not harder - than shooting my own kids!  They know all my tricks.  And, they were promised dinner with their cousins after the shoot so they were ready to be done before we even started!  That said, I think we still got some great images.  There are definite keepers in here.  

The best part about this session?  I got to try out a new location.  I "found" this location by accident, actually.  #1 had a swim party at Unity Village this past summer.  I never even knew it existed before the party.  It is FULL of great little niches in which to shoot.  In fact, I could probably shoot there all day - awesome!  But enough of my rambling...I'll let the pictures do the talking.

Usually 4 year old boys are HARD.  But Grant actually gave me some great shots.  Total personality.

My niece is going to ask Santa for her two front teeth for Christmas.

I wanted to steal her boots and take them home with me.  But then I remembered she is only six and they wouldn't fit me.  Bummer.

This one is my favorite.  I can see it as a BIG gallery-wrapped canvas.  The colors - oh my!

 

 

 

Family Portrait Session at the Plaza

I showed one picture - in black and white and in color - a little over a week ago.  These guys were a ton of fun and I really liked shooting down at the Plaza.  I loved their wardrobe choices, too.  Clothes really do have the ability to make or break a photo session.  These clothes did the trick!  My favorite?  The Converse!

This pose was all her idea!

And last but not least...I really wish the hubby and I had a picture of us looking this cool!

 

 

Six on Sunday - Except it's actually Seven on Monday

Howdy!  Sorry for missing my Sunday post.  But I have to tell you...I was T-I-R-E-D last night.  Like, I went to bed at 9pm and slept for 9 hours!  Yeah, I haven't done that in I-don't-know-how-long.  So let's dive right in, shall we?

1.  Why was I so tired?  Well, let's see...there were the FIVE soccer games we had (I made it to four).  There was the volleyball game (the hubby made it to that one).  There was the grocery store run, the Target run (two, actually), and the Costco run.  There was an hour or more standing in the kitchen cutting up fruits and vegetables for the week - no exaggeration, I promise.  There was a Photoshoot out at Lake Lenexa.  There was a chili cook-off.  (I didn't enter - I am plain Jane, remember?)  There were two swim practices (we drove to one), there was a 6 mile run, and there was a family playdate with #3's friends.  And that, my friends, pretty much sums up our weekend!  Hence, the 9pm bedtime.

2.  Are you wondering why we had FIVE soccer games?  Well, #2 had her first soccer tournament.  And it was a great experience.  Her team actually went undeafeated through their first three games - although the third game ended in a zero-zero tie.  Then, they played that same team in the final game.  Another zero-zero tie.  They ended in a shoot-out.  And #3's team won!  She was so excited.  She even scored a goal during the shoot-out!  I was sad I missed the final game, but I was watching #1 during her soccer game. 

Unfortunately, #1's soccer game did not have the same ending.  They lost.  However, they played really well all things considered.  For example, several of her team members had just come off another game and they were tired.  Plus, #1 had just come off a 3-hour swim practice so she was tired.  Tired girls make for a difficult soccer game.

3.  I don't have any photos to share, but I do have a "recipe" of sorts.  Let me preface this recipe by saying I have been eating the same breakfast since after #2 was born.  For those not skilled in math, that's 8 and a half YEARS!!!  Back then I was trying to shed the pregnancy pounds so the hubby and I adopted a somewhat lower-carb diet.  The only low-carb breakfast I really liked was two scrambled eggs, two slices of turkey bacon, and a glass of vegetable juice.  Well, I am somewhat sick of that breakfast - as in totally sick of it!

We tried something new last week and I really liked it.  Here's how we did it:

Last Sunday I made a double batch of steel-cut oats.  (You can find them in the organic section of Hy-Vee.)  They are super easy to make; just add water and simmer.  They store easily in the fridge for about 4 or 5 days.  Then, each morning we each took a 3/4 cup scoop of the oats and added our little gourmet touch.  I added 2 Tbls. of canned pumpkin (the hubby omitted this step but I couldn't even taste the pumpkin), a handful of walnuts for crunch, lots of cinnamon (apparently it's really good for you!), and some honey.  Then we just warmed up our bowl in the microwave for about 45 seconds.  Ta-da!  Yummy.  Go on, try it.  I double dog dare you!   

4.  I took a noon spin class today.  Actually, I try to take it every Monday.  I love how it starts my week off on the right pedal.  Ha ha - get it?!  I actually sweated so much today I had it dripping off my eyelashes.  Who knew that was even possible?  Well, I'm here to tell you it is.  Gross, huh?  Sorry for that visual...moving on...

5.  Remember up in #1 when I listed all the things we did this weekend?  Did you hear me list off laundry?  Nope.  You sure didn't.  That's because it's all done and I didn't do it!  You heard that right.  The hubby didn't do it, either.  My sister did my laundry.  All of it.  She stayed with us this weekend and while she was working on her computer, she'd throw in a load here and there.  It seriously felt like my fairy godmother visited us!  I loved it.  Thanks, Aimee!

6.  I have been writing this blog for nearly two years now.  (Can you believe that?!)  I can't always remember what I've posted vs. what I've thought about posting.  I tell you, my brain is a jumbled up mess these days.  So, I thought I'd give an update on our dog, Chloe.  If I have recently posted this, sorry! 

Anyway, she is great!  She has beat her death sentence - for which we are overjoyed.  Back on Father's Day weekend, the vets gave her 4 - 8 weeks to live.  It has been four MONTHS!  Of course she sleeps a ton - she's 14 and a half!  But she still lives for her walks and gets excited and barks when she sees her leash.  She also licks uncontrollably and steals as much food from #4 as she can manage.  What I'm getting at is that she drives us batty but we still love her.

7.  I promised a sneak peek last night but couldn't keep my eyes open long enough to actually post.  So here it is.  Although first I have to preface this post and introduce you to the Lancasters.

Kristen and I have known each other for nearly 20 years.  We met our freshmen year of college back when we pledged Pi Beta Phi.  It makes me chuckle to write about being in a sorority - but I met some of my favorite people back then.  We're all have very different personalities but love each other the same.  I remember when Kristen started dating Brian and then I remember their wedding!  Our kids are all close in age and thankfully we live in KC together.  We don't see each other as often as we'd like, but with 7 kids between us, is that any surprise? 

Without further adieu...here you go Kristen.  I hope you like it!

Come back tomorrow.  I should have another sneak peek coming.  Have a great week!