Jillian Bickle Photography |Cobourg and Northumberland Area Photographer | illustrating your life story

We have made it to Nova Scotia! If you want to see anything about our trip (I will be posting pictures etc) go to my personal blog.

Took Kaleb into the studio to get a couple shots of him at 3 months old. He slept for the first bit, then woke to give me some great smiles. I had a bit of a ‘funny’ happen while at the studio. I was wearing a shirt that can be strapless, or have straps. Well, I broke the one strap on my way into town, so just too the other one off. I was moving all over the place in the studio, trying to get the shots, and getting smiles and keeping kaleb happy, that i did not notice my shirt was slowly slipping. Then I walked to the front of the studio, in front of the big windows, and there was somebody walking by and they gave me a bit of a wierd look. I realized when I looked down that my shirt was down…luckily I was wearing a bra!!

More to come…

I can’t believe I did not think of this before. It makes me sad at all of the missed shots because I wasn’t thinking.  At night, before I go to sleep, I go in and check on my children. One of my favorite times of the day. They are so peaceful, there is no whining, complaining, fighting…just the quiet sounds of their breathing. My girls share a crib. You can not put one down to sleep without the other. They love to roll around and play before they fall asleep, and after they wake up. You can always hear them in there laughing and giggling with each other. We lay them on opposite sides of the crib, and when I go in to check on them, they are almost always pushed up against one corner, and tight to each other as possible. Sometimes if you stand there long enough, you will see Eve stroke Gracie’s arm, or Gracie pat Eve on the belly, all in their sleep. They used to suck each others thumb! Sometimes, they are actually laying on top of each other! So I thought, I need to capture these sleeping positions and share them with you, and maybe you will get as much enjoyment and laughter out of them as I do! This was from last night…

and this is them making faces…although Gracie didn’t really get the idea…

Just got a new lens and was testing it out (I love it, it makes the eyes really pop). So I took this photo, and thought that I would make a quick little contest for my subscribers (if you haven’t subscribed to my blog, you should now!). For those that keep tabs on my bickle bits, this will be easier for you, and well, it’s a 50/50 chance. Is this Gracie or Eve? The first subscriber to email me the correct answer, gets $25 to go towards their next photo session with me. Erica, you don’t count.

If you read my blog, you will know that my husband surprised me with tickets to Vegas to go watch the water Cirque du Soleil show last weekend to celebrate our 5 year anniversary. So off we went, a couple different outfits, flipflops, breast pump and casino money.  It was very fun, but exhausting! One travel tip, don’t do red eye flights both ways, it takes a lot out of you! Our hotel was wonderful, the food was great, and there was lots to see. The show was fantastic, we were front row and got a bit wet. I am hooked on Cirque, I would like to do one a year, we’ll see if that works out!

If you go to Vegas, pack good walking shoes. I did not, and the bottoms of my feet became blistered very quickly. Walking the strip is a lot of work, especially when the temperature is over 100, and the day before we walked the canyon.  Can you believe that I forgot my camera and I went to the Grand Canyon!? I was so busy trying to get myself and Nathan packed, and then everything for the kids packed (there is a lot to take to Grandmas for 4 days with 4 kids!) and organized, that I left without it. Luckily I had my G10, or there would have been no photos at all!

I missed my children before we even got on the plane. And continued to miss them more and more and more. I was ready to come home after 24 hours so I could cuddle them up. Although I think they are mad that I left, because they have turned into little monsters this week! And there plan has worked, I am not traveling without them, not worth dealing with the temper tantrums when I return!

I’m glad I can say I got to Vegas and saw the Grand Canyon. Although I think the only time I’ll go back to Vegas is for a WPPI convention. Here are a few pictures from the trip…

The Hoover Dam

This is called the Skywalk. It is a glass walkway that goes over the Canyon so you can see down to the bottom…Nathan jumped around on it, I held on to the railing for dear life. We toured the West Rim, I guess the South Rim has more accidents of people falling off because there are railings and people aren’t as cautious. Although last week, the tour guide said a guy went for a running jump to his death….

In front of our Hotel, there is a fountain show every half hour, it was neat to watch.

Nathan liked this one…

On a bit of a side note….finally, our plans are starting to fall into place. We have welcomed our nanny, Josel into the household this week, so I will be able to have regular hours again at the studio. As soon as she is settled and comfortable with the kids, I will be in there 3 days during the week, and sometimes saturdays or sundays (depending on the week).  There are SO many things I want to do and offer, so make sure that you are watching the blog, because I will be announcing everything this way, and like I said, there is a lot to come.  I will be having my Grand Opening soon (so there will be giveaways) and I think Dog Day will be the next thing on the list. Then Baby in a Bucket, and much much much more. I’m really excited for what’s to come this summer and fall.  With that said…If you are wanting to update family photos for your Christmas cards, we might have to do that a bit earlier this year (September and early October) because I am going to be having surgery on my heart, and reconstructive surgery on my stomach. Three pregnancies in three years, one being multiples, has done some damage. My muscles have been ‘ripped’ and pushed off to the side which has allowed my bowels to push out, thus making it look like I’m still pregnant…oh the joys! And of course, the only way to fix that is with surgery, which will most likely be in the fall as well. So I will be having a few weeks off in the fall. But that doesn’t mean we can’t still do Christmas photos. I will have packages available in September, but will have limited spots, so think about booking sooner then later!

5 years ago today, Nathan and I got married. Actually, the weather was pretty much the same then as it was today, maybe a bit hotter then. I honestly can’t believe that 5 years has already gone by (well, 10 really, since I started dating him when I was 16), and we have four beautiful children to show for it!  Tonight we went out for dinner, and when we got there, there were roses at the table, bonus for Nathan. Then I was surprised with my gift. Next weekend, we are going to VEGAS!!! Yep, that’s right, Vegas! He knows how much I like Cirqe du Soleil, and after he enjoyed the show we went to last fall, he decided to surprise me with what is supposed to be the best one ever. I am so excited! We will also be going to the Grand Canyon and the Hoover Damn. I have to say, he scored a lot of brownie points with this one. I can’t believe in less then a week, I’m going to be in Vegas, watching the water Cirque du Soleil show in the hotel we are staying, the Bellagio!! I will for sure have photos to show!

a quick snap before we left for supper…

It’s been a crazy few weeks in the Bickle household, not much sleep or quiet time! During the day I’m Mommy, during the evenings and weekends I’m Photographer. I average about 5 hours maybe 6 hours of sleep at night, never in one stretch. And somehow the word ‘mommy’ has been turned into the whiny stretched out word…”moooommmmmyyyy”. But I love it (as long as I can phone my sister and complain every now and then ). Yesterday the kids went to Grandma’s to play while Nathan and I did a wedding. They always have so much fun with Grandma…I’m not sure who has more energy, the kids or Grandma.  Because we knew Chris and Rachel, we stayed for the dinner and some of the dance, so did not get back to Grandma’s house until 10pm. We loaded the car up with the four of them and took them home to bed. When we got in the driveway and looked in the back, I grabbed my camera and took a photo (not the best one since I didn’t use flash, just a grab shot for the photo album) of my four sleeping children. And no, Kaleb did not ride in the car like that, Nathan put him like that so he would be seen in the photo.

I think children are one of the most rewarding things in life. And I think that’s why I enjoy photographing them so much.  Last week as I pushed the three in the stroller, strapped Kaleb on my front and dragged Daisy (my dog) behind me to the park, I got a lot of stares, and some people stopped to tell me I have my hands full. (I used to hear “are those twins?” all the time, now it’s “you’ve got your hands full” like I didn’t already know that). Well, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I feel blessed both in my home life and work life.

Well, maybe not, but I think I would if every photoshoot was like my childrens! Ask any photographer, and most will say they dread photographing their own children. I don’t know what it is, but they turn in to these little terrors when the camera comes out for studio photos. Or any photos that aren’t just candid fun ones.  I thought I would torture the family this weekend and bring them into the studio for a few shots. I had already taken this photo when Kaleb was a week old, but wanted to try once more, since I’m blowing it up on a canvas. Last time, it was Eve that didn’t co-operate, this time it was Gracie, which is a surprise. She normally loves her photo taken. The last two photos on this post were taken moments before the laying down one…she was loving it then, I don’t know what happened when I layed her down…maybe she was mad that she was not the star of the photo.

My duck didn’t work, my bird didn’t work, my rooster didn’t work, and my tickle stick did not work. I tried threats too, but that didn’t really work. So with some yelling and a lot of moving and chasing, we got a photo that I’m happy to canvas and put on the wall.  I thought I would include a couple bloopers….trust me, there were A LOT!

I didn’t think I would be in the studio in May, but plans don’t always go the way I think they will! I’ve been in here a few times now trying to get work done, and I tell you, I don’t know where the time is going, because I feel like I’ve got nothing accomplished these past few weeks. I’m working on some summer specials (so stay tuned or you’ll miss out) but it seems like I’m so far behind already!

I’ve been asked how I’m doing it, well thought I’d show you a view I have when I’m in the office. The first photo is of Kaleb laying across my boppy pillow on my lap, where he spends most of the time while in the office. He is still in that sleepy stage, and thinks that if he is awake, he is supposed to be eating. But I have found I can feed him while still working on the computer (thanks to that wonderful pillow!). And every now and then he lets me put him on the couch so I can use both hands while at the computer (he’s sleeping there right now as I write this!).

And you know, even though I am averaging about 4 hours of sleep a night, I am the happiest I have ever been. I have four healthy and beautiful children. What more could I ask for?

I came in to do some work today, and since Nathan was in town doing a course, he stopped in so I could do some photos with him and Kaleb. I think we got some cute ones, and I’m even posting one of myself (although I didn’t plan on taking any with me, so have no make up on…but bear with me!) however, I’m hoping my friend Tina will be coming up to take some more photos of me and Kaleb and maybe the family. Just thought I’d share…