hocus outta focus : the hocus focus blog

WHEW!

WHEW!  I have seen the light at the end of this incredibly long tunnel.  Thank you to all of my amazing clients for another fabulous (although insanely busy) year. 

In order to re-charge my batteries and re-connect with my family I'll be taking some much needed time off for the holidays and what I like to call my winter hibernation/vacation. 

The office will be closed through February 28.   We will be scheduling sessions beginning in March.   To have your name added to the list for 2009 sessions please email us with your contact information, the type of shoot you desire (senior, maternity, newborn, etc.) and the month in which you would like to shoot.  You will be contacted in February to secure your date.

Stay tuned to the blog.  I've got lots of posts set to go up over the next couple of months.  So many sessions from this year to blog and I'll be blogging some personal stuff during my hibernation/vacation as well.   

I look forward to working with all of you in 2009 and wish you and yours the happiest of holidays!

Much love,
H

My Fever Is Back

Don't worry.  I'm not sick.  It's just baby fever.  Thanks, George and Mel.  I knew I could count on the two of you.  Meet Hank, the latest addition to their family.

These next two are my faves.

And really, how can you not love a baby with such a killer faux-hawk? 

Such a sweet, little guy!  It's a shame he was too big to fit in my camera bag.  :o)

Cleaning Up The Coffee

You'll have to excuse me while I wipe my grande non-fat caramel latte from my computer screen.  You'd think I'd know by now.  After reading her blog for so long I should see it coming. 

If you've ever had a conversation with me about blogs you've heard me talk about Heather Armstrong (aka Dooce).  She's got to be one of the funniest people EVER!  And not only is she funny...she's wife, she's a mom, and just like all of us (don't lie, everyone has them) she's got issues.  But she's not afraid to talk about them.  In a hilariously funny spit-your-coffee-on-the-screen kind of way.

I just found out Dooce is working on a new project that I find incredibly entertaining and also quite informative.  Here's one clip from the project called momversation.

For all the moms who read my blog you MUST and I mean MUST (said with at least 14 syllables like they taught me in Texas) leave this blog now and go visit momversation.com.

Then come back here and tell me how freaking funny it is and that you're just as addicted to it as me.  In other words come back here and make me feel better about my issues. 

Happy Saturday!
H

Right When I Needed It

With Chris being a firefighter we spend a few holidays each year at his second home with our second family.  This Thanksgiving we had a wonderful dinner at the firestation and got to spend some time learning some very important lessons. 

Alex is one of the guys on the crew.  He is a self taught musician who sings, plays piano, guitar and drums.  BY EAR.  And he's GOOD - REALLY GOOD.  He speaks three or four languages (too many for me to keep up with) and he's just insanely intelligent.  After Thanksgiving dinner we spent some quality time with Alex during which he taught Rilee a very important, life changing lesson. 

Thanks, Alex. Thanks a lot.

Rilee didn't actually do this that night. In fact, she didn't even try it. We had no idea she even knew how. It came a few days later when we were playing a game of "I'LL MAKE A FUNNY FACE AND YOU TRY NOT TO LAUGH" (a favorite at the Morrow house). Chris and I pulled out the amateur funny faces, but not The Ruler - she was about to BRING IT!  And OMG, did we laugh!  We laughed so hard we cried.  And with all the chaos and the stress of the holiday rush it was just the laugh I needed and it came right when I needed it the most.  Kids have a way of putting it all into perspective for us, don't they?

Until next time,
H