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Archive for February, 2011

Flashback: Worst Date Ever | Dallas Fort Worth Child and Family Photographer

February 28, 2011

I still blame it on my cousin.

I was a junior (?) in high school, she was a big shot in college. She came home for the holidays, but being away from her boyfriend for that long was just too much to bare. He didn’t live too far away, so Brittney had the great idea of putting together a double date. So she got to see her beau, and I got to go on a blind date. Woohoo for me. With a college guy. Double woohoo for me. But before meeting up on our date we thought an afternoon shopping trip was in order. And before our shopping trip, we grabbed a quick bite to eat. Taco Bell. (Seriously, my fave.) But that proved to be my downfall.

Towards the end of our shopping, I started not feeling so hot. We went by a gas station where I picked up some medicine, but it didn’t do much. I couldn’t call off the date, though. Brittney was so looking forward to this. So I just sucked it up. We went to dinner at a deliciously greasy hamburger place. Let’s just say I was not the best first date. I could hardly talk because I was feeling so sick. Halfway through my corn dog I quickly excused myself from the table. I briskly walked to the front of the restaurant looking for the bathroom. But my body couldn’t wait. Right in front of the registers I threw up. I caught as much as I could in my hands as I ran into the bathroom. (I told you this was bad.) Sitting over the public restroom toilet I felt horrible. And after a few minutes of that I went back to my date. Like NOTHING HAPPENED.

We were going to go to some comedy club after dinner, but it didn’t start for a while, so we decided to stop by the mall to walk around. Oh, but fresh snow had just fallen. And the parking lot was empty. So Brittney’s completely unsuspecting boyfriend started doing donuts. Over. And over. And over. By the time we walked into the mall, that was empty and about to close, I was beside myself sick. We were walking by the food court, floor freshly mopped, chairs all put up, when I made a mad dash for the bathroom without saying a word. But I wasn’t fast enough. I started throwing up again. Right in front of everybody–including my date. My hands instinctively went up to my mouth, but there was no containing it. All down the front (and down the sleeves) of my white sweater, and a trail going into the bathroom. After sitting on the floor of yet another public restroom for about 15 minutes, the contents of my stomach was officially emptied. And I felt SO MUCH BETTER! Until I looked in the mirror. I tried to wash my sweater in the sink, and dry it under the hand dryer, but it wasn’t happening. A nice employee at the local Wienerschnitzel brought me a plastic bag, some mints, and some strong smelling lotion. My sweater went into the bag, and the shirt I had underneath went on backwards. (The front was still covered in you-know-what.) And I took a deep breath, held my head high, and walked out to my date. (What else was I supposed to do?) I saw the janitors re-mopping the floor. I felt terrible, and was SO mortified.

But honestly, once it was all out I felt great. Unfortunately, my date had a really queezy stomach, and couldn’t stand being near me. Once we got in the car he sat at one side with his head pressed up to the window, and I sat on the other, having great conversation with my cousin and her date in the front seat. We didn’t end up going to the comedy club after that. And, unfortunately, there was no second date.

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Mmmm. . . V | Dallas Fort Worth Child and Family Photographer

February 25, 2011

So about a year ago there was a special tv thing on Fox. Gordon Ramsay hosted a cook-along. You could go on-line beforehand and print off the ingredient list, as well as what to have prepped before the show started. Well, Nate was SUPER stoked to do it. So I went out and bought the ingredients. And then went out with the girls while he cooked this gourmet meal with Gordon Ramsay. When I got home he whipped some up for me (so it would be fresh) and it was DROP-TO-THE-FLOOR delish.

Steak Diane.

Mmmm…

Nate makes it from memory without measurements (because, hello, Gordon does.) But I went on-line and found the recipe for you all. Seriously, this could impress the peeps.

Gordon Ramsay’s Steak Diane (recipe came from here)

Ingredients:
4 x small sirloin steaks, approx 7 oz.
3 shallots, peeled
4 ounces crimini mushrooms, cleaned (if crimini unavailable use button mushrooms instead)
1 tablespoon salted butter
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 -2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, to taste
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup brandy or cognac
1 cup heavy cream
Small handful of flat-leaf parsley

Preparation
Using a rolling pin, roll out the steaks to flatten and cut off any excess fat. Season the steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a little olive oil in a skillet pan large enough to accommodate the 4 steaks in one layer. Quickly sauté the steaks for up to a minute on each side then remove from the pan and set aside to rest.

To make the sauce for the steaks, heat some olive oil in a separate pan. Slice the shallots and add to the pan, allow to soften briefly before slicing and adding the mushrooms with a tablespoon of butter. Crush in the garlic using a garlic press.

Add the Worcestershire sauce, then the mustard and heat through for a minute. Turn up the heat and tilt the pan away from you. Pour the brandy into the far end and allow it to ignite – be careful that the flame that flares up doesn’t singe your eyebrows! Once the alcohol has burnt off, swirl the juices around the pan. Add the cream and allow the sauce to thicken before turning down the heat. Introduce the steaks back into the pan and cook a little further depending on how well done you would like them.

Chop the parsley and add half to the pan.

To serve, divide some sautéed potatoes between plates with a spoonful of peas. Arrange the steaks alongside, spoon the sauce on top and sprinkle with the remaining parsley.

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WPPI: Looking Back | Dallas Fort Worth Child and Family Photography

February 23, 2011

So I’m here in Vegas. Sitting in my pajamas lounge wear in my hotel room. Thinking about WHAT to write for today’s blog post. I’m here in Las Vegas at an international convention. Like, 16,000 attendees, crazy jam-packed, superstar photographers all over the place, type of convention. It’s my second year. This year I brought my husband so I could get more information from more classes–and so I could have my trusty companion at my side. I’ve done this before, I’ve been in the business for a few years. I’ve studied A LOT since then, made a LOT of progress, and learned a LOT of things. I’m “seasoned”. Right? So I went back and found last year’s blog post. I was so excited to see that I had kind of documented the beginning. The beginning that started after this convention last year. The beginning of me and my business as we now know it. But I was also amazed at how much I still need to work on the SAME things, and how the insights I had last year are the insights I had this year–some things never change. So seeing that it’s 5am here in Vegas, Nate is about to go to the airport, and I am going to walk these last two days alone, (without my trusty laptop, because it’s heavy and I don’t want to carry it all the way back to Texas on my own), I thought I would share with you my thoughts from last year. And when I get back, I can update you.

“Turning a Corner”
Original Post: April 1, 2010

My first class at WPPI was by Jesh de Rox. And all I can say is “Woah.” He has realized a whole new way to photograph. And I was blessed enough to hear it.

He looks at photography as an EXPERIENCE. A good experience. A great experience. A LIFE CHANGING experience. (Even for the poor, unsuspecting man.) It’s not a series of posing and mimicking. His photography sessions are seen as a way to increase love, to protect love, and to cherish love. Even a form of therapy! (I know I sound crazy. But please trust me. I’m not.) I left there off balance when I went in thinking I was balanced. He said that for clients to share their most precious moments with us, as the photographer, we must first share with them. Not lies. Not fake smiles. But the truth.

And that’s when I realized. What I am currently sharing with my clients is at arm’s length. Full of small little lies and fake smiles. If you were to read my blog you would see a person who is pretty much perfect. Always happy, always organized, and on top of everything. Very professional, sure. But I am not in any regular business. Photography isn’t a series of signed contracts and 8 X10’s. It is people’s lives. It is memories. That I am lucky enough to capture. And what I really want to capture is THEM. YOU! And how do I expect you, a stranger to me, to open up your soul and show me what is most precious to you? The love you have for your family? It’s not when I show you my best, cheesy smile, and then a quick glance at my watch to see what time it is. (Not that I ever do that.) I want to be real with you, so in turn, you can be real with me. I understand that I may have to take the first step.

So here is my first step.

WPPI was an adventure. I thought it would be, but I didn’t realize what an impact it would have on me. My world has been turned upside down. Not just my photography world, or my business world, but my WORLD.

I traveled there alone. Nate was in Florida on business, the kids were at my mom’s house. I figured out the airports by myself. (Not like I’ve never been to them before, but I still got turned around.) And if anyone has been to Vegas, it is VERY easy to get disoriented. These casinos are HUGE. And go in every direction. And every direction looks strikingly similar. I woke up at 3:30 Monday morning. I didn’t need to wake up until 4:00, but I was too excited to leave, and I was too distracted by staring at my beautiful daughter who was sharing a bed with me. My flight got in at 7:00am, and my first class started at 8:00am. I grabbed my bags, found a taxi, and told him where I needed to go. I wasn’t going to be able to check in until after my first class, so I had to drag my bags around for a couple hours. Oh, by the way, the MGM Grand is huge, and I was dropped off at the wrong end. I was speed walking in the direction of the conference center. And after walking for about a mile (I wouldn’t doubt it), I got registered and was off to find my class. I asked someone for directions, he quickly gave them to me, I had no idea what he said, and I was off on my way. I followed a huge crowd. And after going up three stories, I found out it was the wrong crowd. So I turned around, and went back down. I had the idea that I wanted to call my husband. Have him tell me where to go. But it wasn’t an option. How the heck would he know? I found someone else that was headed in the direction that I was going in, so we stuck together. (“We“, really meaning I desperately tagged along.) After my class with Jesh, I was off to check in to my hotel. Up an escalator, down an escalator. *Walk, walk, walk.* Up an escalator, down an escalator. *Walk, walk, walk.* Up an escalator, down an escalator. (Not kidding.) *Walk, walk, walk.* I was starving. I was tired. And I was in some serious pain from lugging around all my junk. I was TRYING to follow the signs to registration, but still seemed to get lost. I so desperately wanted my husband. I lean on him. Maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe that’s a bad thing. Probably both. Normally I just hold his hand and we go. I like that. But today I was on my own. Forced independence.

After my two hour class with Jesh de Rox, I was in tears, as were many others. But before I left, I thought, “I want to be like him.” I wanted to be quiet, confident, pensive. I wanted to have a dry sense of humor like he had.

My last class of the day was with Jasmine Star. She was spunky. A definite California girl. The daughter of a preacher, and she acted like it! Before the class was over, she had everyone shouting out “Amen”, “Word”, and “Truff” (for “truth”). And I thought, “Maybe I should be like that.” Loud, outgoing, hilarious, and confident.

And then I realized. I need to have confidence. In myself. Not confidence in Jesh or Jasmine, or even my husband Nate. I don’t have to be quiet and pensive like Jesh. Or loud and spunky like Jasmine. I CAN‘T. I need–NEED–to be me. But…what does that mean?

So one thing that I have learned from CRAZY WPPI is that I need to find out who I am. More than just holding a hand, walking around blindly. For my BUSINESS. For my ART. For ME. I need to figure out Kalli.

So there you have it. The truth. I don’t always have it all together. I don’t have it all figured out. I don’t even get dressed some days. (Pajamas are soo comfortable, though!) The truth is so stunning! The truth, Jesh said, was not that he has discovered beauty through his photographs, but that he is able to capture what is already there. So my goal is to be more real with myself, and more real with you. And in the process, I dare to say, I think we will get some pretty awesome pictures. Because when I can be me, you can be you. And what a blessing, and an art, that will be to capture.

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I’ve Needed You | Dallas Fort Worth Child and Family Photographer

February 21, 2011

Mackay was sitting on the couch. Alone. With her lip gloss. And the story I heard after I found lip gloss drawn on the cushion was that she was trying to see if she could glue her hand to the couch. With lip gloss. I went into one of those crazy mom moments. Especially after I couldn’t get it out. So I was saying things like, “No more tv for the WHOLE day!” And then a few seconds later it was like, “And no computer games!” And pretty much, “I’m not going to be nice to you ever again!” I even made her call Nate at work. She explained the situation–how she accidentally got a little lip gloss on the couch. And how she was really sad. And then she handed the phone to me because Nate didn’t care. And once I got the phone and ACCURATELY described the situation, he still didn’t care. I hung up on him because I was still having a crazy mom moment and he didn’t support me in my craziness. He’s got some nerve.

Zack was sitting at the kitchen table in Mackay’s booster seat eating a peanut butter and jam sandwich. I was also sitting at the table, working on my laptop when I had the thought, “My life is so great right now. I love my perfect life.” And no sooner did those words go through my mind that the booster seat Zack was sitting in fell off the chair, and Zack and his PB&J went flying. “Oh no!” When I ran around to the other side of the table I saw Zack lying on his stomach, the sandwich no longer in his hands. But somehow the two pieces of bread separated in the chaos and jam was SMEARED for at least 12 inches all over the light colored carpet. I lifted Zack up to find jam also covering his little face, all the way from his forehead to covering one eye.

THIS was my week last week. It was a crazy, help-get-me-out-of-here, type of week. Luckily Nate and I had a little trip to Las Vegas planned for THIS week. But I really think it was BECAUSE of the Las Vegas trip that I didn’t feel like I could handle my kids anymore. Isn’t it funny how that happens? Together with the lip gloss incident, the jam incident, and the fat lip incident (oh, by the way, Zack got a fat lip), I wanted to scream. More than once.

But all is forgotten, because I’m in VEGAS, BABY!

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Just So You Know…XV | Dallas Fort Worth Child and Family Photographer

February 18, 2011

“Zack, what are you eating? . . . Is that what I threw in the garbage 5 minutes ago? . . . It was still on top, right?” That was me. I said that. It was the end of my day.

Mackay was saying a prayer on the food last night at dinner. And at the end of her prayer she said, “And please bless that dad doesn’t yell at me during dinner.” We burst out laughing. So reverent.

I really love the feel of new socks on my feet. I’ll know I’ve made the big time when I never wear a pair of socks more than twice. (Because once would just be ridiculous.)

The way you say things can really change the way you think about things. (Glass half-full vs. glass half-empty, you know?) So I am changing the way I say something: I no longer wear my pajamas whenever I’m in the house, I wear lounge clothes in the house. And I LOVE my lounge wear. And there’s nothing wrong with that. (And I now feel liberated.)

If you are a fan on Facebook, you know we’ve been having issues with Nate’s car. (Just get a new one or put all or money into the junker?) Well, he picked it up from the mechanic’s where they found NOTHING wrong with it. And you can’t fix what you can’t find. That’d be fine, but the problem? The car randomly and uncontrollably ACCELERATES. Hmm. . .

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