A HUGE week over at I ♥ Faces, a chance to be published with other "I ♥ Faces" fans in an all "I ♥ Faces" book! I will be competing in the Professional Category with the following capture of a sweet little ceremony goer from my last Change of Command Ceremony here at Fort Hood, TX. Angelina Jolie has nothing on this little darling's pout! Though I had oodles of my own boys I wanted to enter this week, her eyes, her pout, the color and light in this image all won me over in the end. Head over to I ♥ Faces to join the contest yourself! All participants get a discount on the purchase of the book when it is published and there are probably other amazing deals in store over at Blurb.




I am submitting this photo into the www.iheartfaces.com Blurb book photo contest. If chosen, I grant I ♥ Faces permission to use my photo in a printed version of a book for commercial use and possibly advertising of a photo book on both the Blurb and I ♥ Faces web sites.

Are you hoping for senior portraits that are above and beyond "normal"? Are you used to being offered 5 or 6 poses that don't suit your style? Do you want to see what my clients are getting to share with family and friends?! Visit my website to see a sample of what your senior portrait session could reveal! I'm currently booking portrait sessions for the Class of 2010, beginning in August, in Sierra Vista, Bisbee, Tucson, and the surrounding areas. Spaces are limited, please email me for more information: photosbykaryn@gmail.com

Please visit www.photosbykaryn.com, click on "client proofing" and enter the password "seniors".

UPDATE: To See My Most Recent Hilarious Outtakes Post, CLICK HERE!LAUGHTER! Who can live without it?! I certainly can't, and in my line of work, motherhood, it's plentiful and always welcome. Two funnies got me giggling today: The Boy, sitting in his car seat on the way home from church, is studying his arm and announces "Mommy, I have some GLUE on my FUR!" Hmmm, well, that confirms my suspicion that I am raising wild animals... And the second, my senior moment, we were at my in-laws this evening enjoying a delicious Japanese meal prepared by my amazing, talented, mother-in-law, and a neighbor stopped over, sweet little 11 year old girl. She announced that she would be having a sleepover party and being a child of the 80's I asked her if they would play "MASH" (the game where you make a list of boys you want to marry, what sort of job you'll have and whether you will live in a Mansion, Apartment, on the Street, or House). She hadn't a clue so I sat the preteen down for a demo. We were in the middle of her fortune telling when she announced that she wanted to marry Joe, from The Good Charlotte Band, and I confessed that I had never heard of them, to which my DH says "oh I know them!" and I say "I guess I'm not up on my music", to which my little teeny-bopper chuckles and says "It's a young thing..."

Need a chuckle of your own? Check out these sweet family pics from my archive and then head on over to I Heart Faces to see who has the last laugh!
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NOTE: That is the same baby, sitting on Pop Pop's knee screaming, and one year later, almost to the date, cackling with laughter. It's amazing how much relationships can grow and change! It was such an enormous gift as a mother to witness the bonding between my sons and their Grandfather during the 15 months that my husband was deployed; it was so important that in their father's absence, they were still able to feel a "father's" love.

My husband is an exceptional guy; a compassionate husband and father, a dedicated Soldier in the US Army, he is creative, energetic. The best word I can think of is "doting", but even that is an enormous understatement. He makes me feel like the Queen of our castle every single day. Today was a really really REALLY SPECIAL DAY! Let's back up though. A couple weeks ago he stopped coming to bed at night. He was working feverishly on a video for a Military Spouses Appreciation Contest here at Fort Hood. He was moping around the house grumbling about "the software" and "the technology" and "his lack of ideas" and then his "too many ideas".... I offered to help, I even suggested that we make a collaborative video, but in the end I let him work through the night and I went to bed, alone. Submission day came and went without much fanfare. In the midst of caring for our two sons and the slew of tasks we have to get ready for our move, I didn't even see the finished video. We drove down to Austin last night for some bedroom furniture shopping. On the way home we got a call on my cell phone, it was 10pm, and it was Sgt "X" calling to see if I would be attending the Military Spouses Event the following morning. "As it turned out your husband entered a video in your honor and it has been chosen as one of the top five videos." This is so typical My Army Life, finding out about events the night before or hours before, having no childcare, having no RSVP and therefore doing the "walk of shame" into the event: "oh hi, my name is Karyn, I have no RSVP but I'd love to eat your food and collect fabulous free goodies and by the way, can someone watch my kids so they don't ruin everything for the other 150 Mothers and Spouses in attendance today?" So this morning I wake up thinking that I will take the kids and pop over to the event to see what other people entered and snag some yummy chocolate and strawberries. I should have seen the red flag go up when they were able to get my children into the childcare room even though it was full, a huge apology to anyone who RSVP'd and had to BEG to get their child a spot in the facility! The folks at the Fort Hood MWR really went above and beyond to create a LOVELY event for all who attended. There was delicious food and coffee and a fountain of chocolate, yum! and handmade photo bracelets and other gifts and door prizes for everyone. Just to attend was a prize in itself, as is any two hour block where I get to sit and chat with adults and someone else watches my kiddos ;)
So, the big moment arrived, they were going to announce the winner of the "Exotic Dream Vacation"- and it was a little confusing because the microphone was not working well and I was sitting in the back of the room and they were supposed to show us the finalists videos, and the website wasn't working so they could not and they announced "The Winner IS:" and then it was someone else's name. People started talking and clapping for her and then I could hear the woman stumbling over my last name as a "second winner". So I'm wondering if I should stand and nod my head, "gee, thanks for second place, cool" or if I have to go up front. And then this second big check, like those Sweepstakes checks, appears, for a SECOND VACATION!! I quickly realized that I had won a trip to MEXICO! Amazing, I am still out of breath and shaking a little, I mean, holy smokes, this is a fantastic way to kick off your weekend! I am sure that with Mexico as my motivation, this next move is going to be a breeze! (To my Mother and Father: Swine Flu won't last forever, the trip is good for the next year, um, would you be so gracious as to fly out to Arizona to love upon my children for 4 days and 3 nights while I jet off to an all inclusive adult resort with my amazingly gifted and loving husband?!)

The Prize is a 4day/3night stay at Tucancun Beach, Mexico. CLICK HERE to see the resort!
To See The Video my husband submitted, click HERE:

To See His Competition, click HERE:

On Monday, May 4th, 4th Squadron, 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, looked on as LTC Kenneth Royar, Commander for 44 months, relinquished his command to LTC Dale Watson. The remarks were many, for which I was grateful, as it gave me the opportunity to circumnavigate the hangar containing the ceremony, capturing every angle I could imagine. From the presentation of the roses to climbing aboard an Apache helicopter, this special day was brimming with pride and admiration. I just love to watch an officer's wife glow when their husband stands at the front of a formation. Maybe it's me, but to know how many missed suppers and lonely nights are in your near future, because your Soldier is working and caring for his unit, and to still be bursting with pride as you watch him "take command", to actually be excited?! Now, that is GRACE. I can fully relate to these moments, I have witnessed first hand the importance of tradition, and it is with great joy that I accept the challenge of preserving this most special milestone for the families who will face the challenges ahead. Thank you for sharing your day, enjoy your sneak peek!

I'm back to I ♥ Faces, the website for photography that I love so much, for inspiration, for improving my skills and learning new tricks. Go check it out and enter their weekly contest with your favorite "hat portrait". I missed last week because, I am happy to say, I was working hard editing my portraits. And, I confess, my entries tonight are oldies, but goodies. We are gearing up for a big move out to Fort Huachuca, in Arizona, which means all my client work has to be complete and loose ends tied before June. My child entry is of course, The Boy, and this series of him, which I use in my header, just makes me smile. He is playing with a cowboy hat that we actually have photos of Daddy wearing as a four year old, priceless! And my adult photo is really just for fun, a photo of a photo actually. My husband gets credit for this one, taken at my college graduation! Yes, VINTAGE Karyn everybody! It didn't seem right to graduate from the College Of Fine Arts wearing a plain old cap and gown, so I wore a furry handmade number with a pair of DENTURES!!! (the artist, and dear friend, who made the hat is posing with me). Yes, those are honor cords too, proof that you can be smart AND "artsy fartsy".

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