Lil Kickers - Toddler Soccer Classes

Last year, we signed Mia up for her first dance class. While she loves to dance, the class was getting a bit repetitive so we wanted her to try something new. Talk about effective, free marketing...all around the city I'd see kids wearing Lil Kickers soccer jerseys. Sure enough, the name stuck in my head, I looked it up and not long after, Mia was signed up for her first soccer class.

So excited for her first soccer class!

Lil Kickers has facilities all over the country. Before signing up, we observed either the 18-24 month or 2-3 year old classes and did not like what we saw. The toddlers were kicking the ball one on one with their parents, stacking cones and stomping on bubbles. I can do that at home for free! But the 2.5-3.5 year old class was more structured with soccer "drill" type activities disguised as stories by the enthusiastic coaches and parent participation was minimal.

Look at that focus and determination!

This activity was my favorite! They cleverly told the kids that using their hands, they have to keep their "hats" on while kicking the ball. What a smart way to get kids not to use their hands, without them knowing it!

Mia really enjoyed this activity where they "drove boats" and stopped when sharks came.

After 50 minutes of running around and attentively listening to the coach's instructions, these two sure broke a sweat!

Week 2...Starting the class with some stretches and I can hear her squealing with delight on the right!

Racing around the track the kids made with cones and scoring some goals!

It's pretty safe to say that she's one happy camper after running around with daddy for an hour. I'm sure by the end of the session, she won't need him by her side anymore.

If you couldn't tell, I highly recommend Lil Kickers for their facility, enthusiastic coaches, and creative exercises. I wish I were compensated for saying that, but I'm not! I just wanted to share.

How to Change the Shape of Bokeh

Did you all get your trees up this weekend? I showed you Mia's little pink tree the other day. And here it is all lit up, even with star shaped bokeh!  Without this little trick, the lights on the right would normally come out as circles.

Want to know how to change the shape of your bokeh/out of focus lights?

If you recall last year, my photog friends and I played around with black cardstock, white lights, and willing {for a few minutes at least} children.

So fun, right!? Now that your lights are up, start playing! Get more details on how to change the shape of bokeh here.

Helping Families in Need - Compass to Care

'Tis the season for giving! With a mention on ABC7's Windy City Live today, I too want to spotlight Compass to Care, a non-profit organization dedicated to scheduling and paying for the travel arrangements families require to seek the best cancer care for their children.

Compass to Care acts as a travel agent for families of children with cancer who need to make arrangements to see their child's specialists. Donations to this non-profit organization help cover families' travel costs, including airfare, hotels, meals, taxis, gas and more. How relieving would that be to not have to worry about getting to and from the specialist, where you are going to stay, and how will you find the money to pay for it? Compass to Care gives families one less thing to worry about so they can focus on their child and their treatment. The website has more simple facts, figures, problems and Compass to Care's solutions to show you how the organization assists children such as these.

With just $20, you can purchase a Dina doll to keep a child with cancer company as they spend the holidays in the hospital. By doing this, these children receive a special gift AND 100% of the donation goes back to helping these families. You could make a child's holiday, simply click here to find out more.

Thanks in advance for your consideration!

Countdown to Christmas Activity-Santa's Beard

So it's a few days late to start a countdown to Christmas, but it'd be perfectly fine to catch up on this one.  Rather than an Advent calendar stocked with sweets or an activity (that I'd have to think of and fit in) everyday, I came across this free DIY countdown to Christmas printable. Gluing a cotton ball to Santa's beard every day is simple enough for my almost 3 year old.

Get the free download here from Inviting Printables.

I'm a traditional red and green kinda girl around this time of year, so I printed out the file, cut out Santa's hat, face and 'stache and glued it onto green cardstock. Mia helped me write each of the numbers and I rewrote the little poem for her. Although looking at my handwriting is totally bugging me, I'll try to look past it. Santa hangs at the bottom of our decorated fireplace, right at Mia's level. How do you countdown to Christmas?

 

DIY Family Tree Art Project and a little Christmas tree

With the holidays upon us, this month at school Mia was assigned to make a family tree. No instructions were given so as not to limit creativity. And of course you know me - I love a creative art project!

Time: 1 hour (with help from a toddler)
Cost: $2 for pictures printed at Walgreens - Rather than finding individual pictures of each person like a traditional family tree, I thought it'd be simpler and show the groupings better with pictures of each family as a whole.
Materials: cardstock, pictures, ribbon, sticks, twine, container, styrofoam/soil/rocks, glue/tape

Mia and I went to the park and collected sticks to use for her {literal} family tree. While Doug and Mia traced circles and cut out the pictures and cardstock backing, I attached the sticks to one another by wrapping twine around them. After Mia glued the pictures to the cardstock, she punched holes in each picture and cut ribbon for me to tie on each one. I put styrofoam in the base and topped it with rocks to keep the tree sturdy in its container. And ta-da! Our little family tree is ready to be displayed, even after the class project is over.

And on to other trees...during dinner one night in early November, Mia said "Mom, I wish I could have a pink princess Christmas tree." This caught me off guard since we hadn't been talking about Christmas yet. After Thanksgiving, I snagged this pink pre-lit tabletop tree at Kohl's for $10 and silver ornaments for $5. The ornaments didn't come with hooks, so I used paperclips. You can't even tell, right?!

Complete with fluffy tree skirt {fabric I often use in my newborn sessions}, I think we have a happy little camper. It looks purple during the day, but when lit up at night, it's pink!

Here's my exif (camera settings) so you too can take pictures of your pretty tree at night: 

ISO 200 | f/5.6 | 1.6 ss | 50mm {on a tripod} 

Family Holiday Portraits

A few weeks ago, while Saturday luckily turned out to be a success, we were also so very fortunate with Sunday's weather. It was so so warm and sunny for November! Similar to Christine, I've known Andrea since preschool! I took her holiday card photos in 2010, 2011 and I could not pass up capturing another year with her growing girls.

Do you recognize them? I've photographed Jenelle as a newborn, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months old and Maya at 2 years old.

The extended family portrait session earlier that day was with my niece, her five cousins and all her uncles and aunts.

Rather than a playground where kids (especially five kids between the ages of 9 and 1!) would prefer to run around and play than focus on a photographer, I selected the family's church as a backdrop.  This way, the extended family holiday portrait would be set amongst beautiful neutral bricks, stairs and pillars with minimal distractions.

**Don't see too many posed family photos? I don't want to spoil their Christmas cards!**

Enjoy your weekend and get started on those holiday cards!

 

Fall Family Portraits - Chicago's Museum Campus

**Don't forget to enter my giveaway to win customized art for a child's room!**

If you've lived in Chicago, you know that one day you can comfortably enjoy being outside with a light jacket and the very next day you have to be bundled up with a hat, scarf and boots.  The unpredictability of our Midwest weather is why holiday family portrait sessions in Chicago need to occur in September and early October. I know that sounds super early for Christmas cards. But in addition to quickly dropping temperatures, by November, the trees lose all their gorgeous red and orange leaves baring naked brown branches - which is definitely not as beautiful as fall foliage at its peak in September and October.

Due to scheduling and re-scheduling conflicts, I fit two families and an extended family of 14 in mid November (not according to my advice above!!). I was very nervous about the weather not holding up, but we really could not have gotten any luckier!

Saturday's forecast called for a comfortable 65 degrees with no rain. Much to our disappointment, it down poured all morning and afternoon! After analyzing the doppler radar, I went with my gut and said let's just go for the session at our scheduled time. While scoping out the scene around Chicago's Museum Campus, skies were still dark with a drizzle, but a break in the clouds was approaching. After hopefully waiting for 30 minutes, the sky was clear and blue for this beautiful family...

This was one of my first shots of the session! Those first few minutes of a session are so critical when photographing children who can lose interest and genuine smiles quickly! And love how Christine coordinated the family outfits.

Do you recognize this brown eyed cheeky smiley boy on the left? It's Noah, who I've photographed at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months old! He is such a big boy now at 20 months old. Big Brother Elijah {on the right} is almost 4 years old.

Still love Noah's big cheeky smile! Same time last year comparison!

The energy level of two young boys is extremely different than having one little girl.

But there are still sweet moments to be found amongst the craziness excitement.

Christine {who I've known since kindergarten} writes over at Grateful for a Coffee Break and wanted a few new head shots.

Momma treated herself to a brand new pair of heels! Not to mention, probably the first new pair of heels since having her boys! Oh man, you deserve it!

Parents are always surprised when I end the session with just the two of them. {The boys were safely and happily snacking in the stroller next to me.}

After having kids, life as a couple is so so easily forgotten. I mean really, how often do you, as a parent, get to be IN the pictures?! Let alone with your spouse?! With a professional photographer present!? Take advantage people! YOU, your spouse and the love you cultivate lay the foundation for your family - which is just as important as your kids' pretty faces.

Thank goodness the clouds parted, rain cleared and the sun came out so we didn't have to use umbrellas. But just for fun...

Whew! This post got a little lengthy, but stay tuned for more families tomorrow!