Family: The Tides of Change

The last time these siblings and cousins had a family portrait the youngest was just a few months old.  So a decade + on they decided it was time to update their family portrait as a gift for their Grandmother's birthday.

 

Their session also marked the tides of change, as now young adults each of them are venturing on to new beginnings - high school, university, new cities and new careers.

 

This family certainly knew how to laugh and it was so evident they had much fun when they got together and an abundance of shared good times.

 

 

 

 

Personal: Live and Barefoot

June is a busy month for birthdays in the McSkimming family, with 7 family members celebrating birthdays pretty much within a week of each other.  So this year my sister in-law decided that a wool shed party would be the perfect way to celebrate.

 

And so family and friends gathered on Saturday night at Barney's wool shed.  It may have been a chilling -5 degrees outside but it was far from that on the inside as everyone rugged up for a good time and relaxed to the very talented sounds of Monty Bevins, a good friend of my brother and sister in-law. 

 

Monty is about to start a national tour beginning in Invercargill and working his way up to Auckland and I recommend you check him out!  You can find out when and where he is playing on his facebook page here.

 

In the meantime here are some pics from the Live and Barefoot @ Barney's Wool Shed gig!

 

 

 

Personal: A Little Piece of my Real

 

In my last post, of the beautiful Aitken family, I made a comment in my Facebook link that our lives can become rather chaotic and we forget to take in the real moments of our lives. 

I can say without doubt that this weekend spent in the Catlins was truly a little piece of my real.  I was in a place of true beauty, surrounded by some of the amazing and beautiful people in my life and yes I took a moment and breathed.

You know those moments when you actually stop and think yeah this is what it is all about!

There was nothing fancy about it, nothing luxurious.  But there was sun, there were bush walks, there were flying foxes, climbing walls, the beach, fishing, relaxation, smiles, laughter and good old fashioned fun.

 

A weekend of moments.  A weekend of real.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Family: Aitken Family

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of hanging out with this gorgeous family and I loved every moment of it. I did have my work cut out for me as Mr H was not really into looking at me and the big black camera I had in front of my face, in fact, he did a really great job at pretending I was not there at all.

But what was evident was the obvious love that these two parents had for their little boy and the love that he gave them in return.

 

It really was wonderful to capture such beautiful love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Weddings: Shaun and Katie

5 years ago an English Rose decided to embark on an adventure of a lifetime and travelled to the other side of the world and arrived on New Zealand shores.  She had a love of wildlife and couldn’t wait to explore Dunedin’s beautiful coast on an organised wildlife tour.  Little did she know that she would meet a Southern Man, her tour guide, who also had a love of wildlife and would steal her heart.  From that chanced meeting love blossomed and the English Rose decided to stay and see where the romance would take her.  Before long the Southern Man proposed and the English Rose said yes knowing that this would lead to happily ever after.......

Ok, ok, writing is not my forte.  But 5 years ago Katie was on her OE and did arrive in Dunedin and did take a wildlife tour where she did meet Shaun and a romance begun.  And on the 16^th of February Shaun and Katie pledged their love to one another at the Orokonui Ecosanctuary, a fitting surrounding for two people who are passionate about wildlife.  The sun shone, the birds sung and everyone buzzed with happiness and it was without doubt that this was the beginning of their happily ever after.