Maternity Session-Matt and Leena

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The wedding of Scot and Kim-Waioli Tea House

Trying something new here...

see www.keaosphotography.blogspot.com

Dancing in the halls

I just had a random thought that watching "So You Think You Can Dance" is a deadly combination when you mix in the fact that they pipe in music through all the rooms and hallways in my office building. Apparently, I now think I can dance...and I tend to do so down the hallways when I swept up by the music. I'm always in the middle of my "dance for you life" solo when some officer walks around the corner...ogh!!!

Although, I don't just think I can dance....I know I can!!!. Okay, maybe I'm losing my touch. Last month, I was hanging out with family and I decided to show my teen niece how you're really supposed to dance. My dad sweetly said "oh, keao, stop. You unfortunately inherited dance skills from me...which are zero to none." I was super indignant.

Me: "What? I can dance. Dad, I danced in high school. Don't you remember?

Dad (perplexed look)

Me: Remember? I was on the school's dance team. Ring a bell?

Dad (perplexed look not fazing)

Me: Hello. I was gone for a whole summer in high school because I was at grandma's ( on a totally different island than where we live) so I could go to the summer practices.

Dad: You did? When was this?

*sigh* Family. But anyways, just keep an eye out when doing turns down the hallway at work.

Family: Joe, Evelyn, and their extended family

A photography business has two main components. "Photography" (which I love) and "Business" (which I am still working on). This the third month I've overbooked myself...again. *sigh* Mentally scolding myself as we speak. I keep meaning to take a break, give my poor hubby some quality time without my laptop molded to my lap...relax on the beach with a good book. However, it's the first half of "Photography Business" that gets me in trouble. I love photography. I get so excited when something comes up. An opportunity presents itself and the photography addict in me starts bargaining "Go for it, Keao, you can make time. You'll make it work." I just can't resist. Good photographer, bad bad business-woman. Ha ha. Seriously, you get there and it's so worth it.

For example, last week I received a call from Evelyn, the sweetest woman in the world. She and her husband, Joe, are sweethearts who moved to these islands years ago from Guam. They have raised three amazing kids and they are such a tight family. They joined our church's boot camp exercise together. I'm offering an "Introduction to Digital Photography" seminar in August and they signed up....together. They even do yardwork together. How do I know? They used to be my landlords. Before I married Scott, some friends and I rented out the first level of their duplex. And I fell in love. They were amazing to live under. I can't count how many times I would hear a knock on our door and there was Joe or Evelyn with a steaming pan of deliciousness saying "Oh, we made extra, so please enjoy."

In our premarital counseling, Scott and I read a chapter on "leaving and cleaving your family." Since living in a dorm as a seventh grader at Kamehameha Schools, I have pretty much lived on my own. So I thought this would be an easy and done deal. But the Flores family had quickly become family to me and when I finally got married, there was some definite moments of sadness and wishful thinking. I often joked with Evelyn that I was working on Scott to leave the house he grew up just so we could move back in with the Flores family.

Joe's father was on island visiting so it was a rare moment to have the family together for pictures. Evelyn and I threw this together last minute so we were looking for someplace close by. So we chose Kaneohe District Park. I have a new favorite location. I can't believe I haven't used it before. It has a gorgeous backdrop with the Koolau mountains and these pretty shading trees. I was a little worried about the sheer number of people (with Joe's sister and brother and their respective families), so I recruited fellow photographer, Joy Pishcura.

(Grandpa and all the grand-kids)

(the whole family. Missing only Carl who was firing up dinner on the grill for their barbecue)

just some silly fun, Connie (far right) and her son ,Dural (middle), and nephew Joseph Jr. (left)



(Joe and Evelyn)



(Joe and Evelyn with their amazing kids, Joe Jr., Kardyn, and Jared)

(Dural, a good friend of ours. We usually see him 2 to 3 times a week. Totally worth it)

(Dural and his mom, Connie, who is also Joe's sister)


(Joe's brother Carl couldn't make it so we took tons of pictures of his foursome)

(just some goofing around in the park)

Sneak Peek: Scot and Kim Wedding

Here's a sneak peek from Scot and Kim. Kim and I had to come up with a system to distinguish our husbands (he's officially hers now) and our conversations were punctuated with my "my scott" versus her "my Scot." I chose this one because...well, it's horizontal and it's just a lot simpler to fit in the column...but also because I love how attentively Kim is listening to that handsome officiant. I was so nervous during my ceremony, I kind of just stared blankly at Pastor Ralph and I was caught a little off-guard when it turns out he was asking me for my vows. Not Kim, she's enjoying every second of her day. If there was a quiz at the end, I'm sure she would have aced it. Kim, don't spoil my Scott. Now he might expect the same set of listening skills from me.

Wedding of Nick and Lianne

What: The wedding of Nick and Lianne
Where: Ko Olina, Oahu
When: Sunset on a wednesday in June
All details/services provided by: Sands Of Time Weddings









(The setting light was just gorgeous)
(Little "J" who is about to be freed from his stroller)

(One of my favorites)













To see these images and the rest from this special day, please visit http://www.keaosphotography.instaproofs.com/ and click on "Nick and Lianne."

I'm sorry...you are ____?

I'm thirty. I think I'm losing my memory. At first it was a big joke...I was the one who could never remember people from high school. But today, it really started to bother me...I don't remember who people are.

I loved loved loved school...probably why I went into teaching and I wish I could go back and take more college classes. But I would agree that they left out the most important life skills in education. How to small talk. How to make connections. How to understand all those deductions on your paycheck. And I definitely missed the class on how to remember people's names and faces. Seriously, such a great skill that will do you great in life.