Baby Benjamin - Baby Portraits 50 days old

Benjamin was such a little rebel during our shoot! You might remember his Sneak Peek where he looked so innocent - it was all a ruse. We'd start to take some napping photos and he'd wake up.  We'd start to take some happy awake shots, he'd fall asleep. He'd be hungry so we'd do some mom and bub shots, he decided he was done with his snack. He'd want his pacifier in, then pftooey out he'd spit it - and he can get some good distance on that thing! Repeat the routine. Good thing I always plan for baby sessions to run long and am prepared for anything that comes up!


Benjamin spent a lot of our time together planted face down. I can't imagine it was comfortable, but he seemed very happy that way!

I love baby feet

And when they're sleeping, it's just so awwwwww.



Sharon collects teddy bears and Benjamin was lovin' on one that was just the right size

I had a lovely time with him Mum Sharon and Little B was such a character!

Exmouth Novotel Ningaloo Wedding - Marika & Andrew

Forgive my long delay in getting some more photos from Marika & Andrew's elopement up for you.  I wanted to wait until they had returned home after their honeymoon as they enjoyed a honeymoon away from all things computer & I wanted them to have time to see their images first.

They didn't tell anyone about their plans to get married while visiting Exmouth except for the celebrant, the Novotel staff and me.  They did things exactly the way they wanted and their happiness and excitement on the day couldn't be contained.  They were the bubbliest, gigglingest couple ever - love them!

Marika looked gorgeous for their midday Novotel Ningaloo poolside ceremony overlooking Exmouth Gulf (Andrew cleans up pretty slick, too!)


Two of the Novotel staff acted as witnesses and the happy couple also directed them in using their phone cameras so they could send out announcements to all of their friends & family!

It was hot, clear and staggeringly bright and so after their very short - 3 minutes - ceremony, we headed off in search of any shade we could find! The palm trees lining the walkways of the Novotel Ningaloo Resort gave us a few inches of shelter


They were troopers and we all loaded up in my car and headed to the local oval where we used Exmouth's only real trees to provide some sort of relief from the harsh sun & rising temperatures.




It wouldn't be a wedding in Exmouth without heading to the beach so they braved the scorching hot sand for a few minutes, too.


I think they had a fabulous wedding day!

Congratulations, Marika & Andrew - I wish you many long, happy years together! Thank you for choosing me to be a part of your day!
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Definitely Mama's Girl

Exmouth is heading into summer finally and the days are heating up.  I love the heat.  Hate the cold and bitch & moan my way through winter - even here where a "cold" day is like 20C (about 68F).  Days like that will see me in my office with my heater on, the heating pad on & under my feet and my body fully wrapped up in sweatpants, socks & a big jumper.  It's not unheard of me also having a blanket.

I do not deal well with the cold.

Today is heavenly though.  About 35C (95F), sunny, no wind.  Loving it. 

They say dogs take after their owners and Dora, my older Rhodesian Ridgeback, does seem to share certain traits - this was her a few minutes ago in the living room, on the couch, curled into a tiny ball (hey, it's all relative) and snuggled deep into a blanket...I guess it's not quite summer enough yet!

Decision Kitty 2009

I'm begging your indulgence for one more totally personal post, complete with happy snaps from the baby cam. I want to thank you all so much for your comments, insights, support and opinions - this morning my inbox was overflowing (why don't more of you use the comments on the blog?  No biggie, just curious!  And I digress...)

Ever since Kitteh came into our lives we've been going along, introducing him (pretty sure it's a him) to the other Fur Kids but keeping Kitteh kind of separate, just in case we did decide to send him to a new forever home.


When we first brought him home, we (and when I say "we" I really mean "I" as Dave clearly had other ideas) had totally no plan to keep it.

Most of the animals did pretty well resigning themselves to the fact there was another member of the family - except Lobo who only this morning finally mellowed enough not to turn into a crazy, spitting, hissing, insane thing if he so much as caught a glimpse of the new-comer. Harry was completely mellow.

Tilly also had her moments - from the first day bolting under her hiding plant to the second day thinking it was EXCELLENT fun to bounce around to yesterday when she again seemed totally freaked out by it. I think her lightbulb is on, but it flickers...



Kitteh spent a lot of time in my office since I could keep a good eye on him and make sure he got lots of cuddle time. He very much likes sleeping right on my desk by the keyboard

When I had time or once Dave got home, we let him have the run of the house pretty much as between the two of us we can keep an eye on Tilly to make sure she doesn't get too excited about her new toy...erm...brother. Kitteh is very curious & loves to play and explore


So how could we consider giving him to a new home? Every person I talked to said "awww, you've gotta keep it" and "it definitely chose you guys, you have to keep it" I thought and thought. I backflipped from being sure I was going to give him away to being almost sure that I would keep him.

It was a horribly tough decision. I know Dave really wanted to keep him. I know that I was the one that was taking most of the responsibility. I know that I wasn't really sure I wanted a new kitten even though I already loved this little fluffbum. And I know that there was a very good home waiting for him and that a little girl would be exceptionally happy to have her first kitten. And I know that this little kitten would be the perfect first kitten for a small child because his nature is just lovely.

It was the not being totally sure I wanted to have a new kitten in our lives that tipped the scales. I feel in my heart that if this would have been OUR kitten then I would have known it, felt it, something. But I didn't feel that strong bond. I hope that doesn't make me sound like a cruel, cold, heartless bitch but without that bond, I felt the best thing to do was to let Kitteh live with someone who WOULD have that special bond.

So I delivered Kitteh to his new home and his new humans this afternoon. They seem a very sweet family and the older girl, Mia is just a joy. Kitteh is to be her cat if she can pry it away from Little Sister, and I think Mia will be just exactly the right human for Little Blue Eyes.

I'm sad that we don't have the little bundle of fluffybuttedness frolicking around the house any more. But I'm very happy with my decision and know that as hard as it was, it was the right choice.

Please don't be too hard on me :(
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To keep the kitty or not to keep the kitty

This is the question that is plaguing me today.  Dave really thinks we should keep the little darling.  I am not so sure.  And it's causing me a great deal of angst.

Yesterday I was determined that we find a new forever home for the fluffball and so I made new signs, stopped people on the street and in the stores to tell them how wonderful this kitten is and to ask them to please pass the word that it needs a new loving home.

Today, I woke up not knowing if I really truly wanted to give him/her up or not.  I think I do.  But what if I don't but I do hand him/her over to a new mom?

We have a lovely family lined up and waiting eagerly for us to make up our minds.  They could give Kitteh a loving, fun, happy, safe home.  I know Kitteh would be happy there.

Dave thinks that the kitten came to us - more specifically, to me.  He, and several of my friends, believe that pets choose their humans and clearly this kitten came to me for a reason.  I believe this, too, in fact.

I'm just not sure that the reason was for ME to be its forever human.  Perhaps it came to me to keep it safe, snuggled and loved until we could find its real forever home. Maybe you don't believe any of that hoo-ha about cats, and think I'm just a little crazy. That's OK, I believe that, too.

There's no denying this PurrMonster is cute, friendly, enganging, playful and just generally exactly what one would want in a cat. There's definitely a bond.

We have a good home, we have the resources & stability to care for it, the other animals have more or less accepted that there may be a new family member with varying degrees of grace.

But should we? Or should we fondly remember the few days we had with this special kitten and pass him/her on to a family who doesn't have any pets yet but has two little girls so they could grow up together and form that special bond you do with your first pet?

How do we decide?

What say you, Internet? Don't be shy - use the comments or drop me a line.

Say CHEESE - underwater on the Ningaloo Reef

I was going through some older photos the other day as I prepared a blog post for my Ningaloo Reef diving company Exmouth Diving Centre and thought I'd share some more underwater images here as I haven't been in the water in ages to give you any new stuff! I hope you don't think this is too slack of me - I actually quite enjoy going back and reliving my dives!

Enjoy some big moray eel smiles on me!

Sneak Peek - Baby B

Cute-ee...what else can I say?

More coming soon...

Kitten cuteness - help me find a home!

Today this total cutie-pie scrambled into the dive centre and into my heart!

I am trying to find its owner as it is too snuggly, sweet and loving to be a stray or feral kitten.

Please pass this link on to everyone you know in Exmouth and let me know if you are its human!

Did I mention how totally adorable bubba is?

Although I am having fun with my new baby camera, Bubba here wasn't nearly as impressed!

If this kitten is yours or you think you know the proper human, please ring me 0438 433 356!

Sneak Peek - Marika & Andrew Elope at Exmouth!

Marika & Andrew eloped last Thursday!  They didn't tell any friends or family what they were doing while they were away on holidays - how fun is that?!  They got married at high noon (OK, 1pm, but close enough!) poolside at Novotel Ningaloo and we headed to the local oval for some photos after their ceremony.

More coming soon...

Gadget goodness - my new baby camera

Yipppeee!!  My newest camera arrived today and I'm eagerly awaiting a full charge to take it out for some playtime.  I picked up an itsy bitsy Canon SD 1200 IS (also known as the IXUS 95 IS) because I needed a new ultra compact camera to just take everywhere. 

As you can see from the comparison next to my business card (yes, it hides the whole thing!) & lens cap (85 1.8), getting the smallest size possible was a huge priority. This little munchkin of a camera came in as the smallest, lightest and with the best reviews so all I had to do was choose a funky colour. It was a tough battle between orange and green, but ultimately the photos I saw on the web of the orange weren't as striking as the green. I'm very happy with the cute factor so far.

Stay tuned for the first photos and my first impressions on how it actually performs!

Silly husband NOM!

The other evening my darling hubby Dave was making a scrumptious pork roast with tons of veggies.  When I saw him preparing the corn on the cob I thought "wow, that looks so pretty, we need a photo of this" (it's an addiction, I tell you!) so I made him go out in the backyard for a few shots.

As I was carefully focusing on the corn and the leaves (is that what they are called?) he jumped into my frame like the loon he is.

I love that he makes me laugh til my sides hurt so often!

Worldwide Moment - 9 September 2009

This has been a crazily busy couple of weeks for me and I do apologise for not posting anything new for so long - the time has just flown by!  I will have lots of new posts coming soon.

Where were you on 09.09.09?

I participated in Worldwide Moment at 0809 Wednesday 9th September 2009 Western Australia time. Why 0809 and not 0909? Worldwide Moment works on GMT + the year. So this year was +9 GMT and that made the local time 0809 Wednesday morning. In the U.S. the moment happened Tuesday night. Cool, right? Maybe a little confusing, but they have a great list of times on the site so no math was needed!

This is a very cool global photo project for peace that anyone and everyone can join. It happens each year when all the numbers line up - you can check out the gallery from 08.08.08 here.

Where was I? I took the first chance in months to decadently refuse to get out of bed at a decent hour and slept late! At least I tried to sleep late. MatildaLily couldn't seem to get comfortable so jumped up and down, on and off the bed the whole time. So it wasn't as relaxing for some of us as it could have been. Dora is used to her younger sister being a dingbat and was able to klonk right off to dreamland next to me. This is my Worldwide Moment photo taken on my little Canon A720 in the dark while Dora's 47+kgs trapped me on one side and Tilly's 40+kgs held me burrito style on the other!

No, they aren't really meant to be on the bed, but sometimes it's nice to break the rules (insert laughter here, you know they ignore the rules most of the time) and have the furkids all cuddled up with you.

Keep checking back on the Worldwide Moment website as they'll have 09.09.09's gallery up soon and it's pretty interesting to see a snippet of time from such a wide variety of people and locations. Oh, and mark your calendar for 10.10.10!