Happy Mother's Day!

It's not so much how busy you are, but why you are busy. The bee is praised. The mosquito is swatted.

~Mary OConnor

To all of my mommy friends and loved ones...

It's no secret that I love bees. I love their cute little yellow and black striped bodies and transparent wings, but even more, I love them for what they do for us...particularly because they enable us to have flowers and honey. It seems fitting to tie the above quote into the busiest (and hardest) but most rewarding job ever: motherhood. All of you mommies our there, I love you for all the beauty and sweetness you inspire. I know you often feel like the mosquito, but you are all bees in my book.

Happy Mother's Day to you all with lots and lots of love.

Holy cow! It has been a long time since I have posted! I have been very busy with my kiddos, but also with some exciting things photography-related. First, I am in process of building my new, official, professional website. FINALLY. Second, I am happy to announce that I have been chosen as one of the official photographers for the Dell Children's 2010 Miracle Book! I have already conducted my first session for this important fund raiser...once we narrow it down I will be sure to post some shots of the beautiful kids from that day.

The most recent excitement for the Sarantakes family was our spring break in Steamboat. We had both boys skiing down everything except black runs...for those of you who know Steamboat, you know that it is a huge mountain with tons of different terrain, much of it quite challenging for those of us who only ski one week each year. Especially this year when half the mountain was icy in the morning and then slushy in the afternoon. The weather was gorgeous though, and we had a blast. These are some shots of us having fun while we were there.

Gotta go...off to ride my bike before I get the boys from school!

Love to all of you reading this, and special birthday wishes to my friend Melissa in Laguna Beach!

After-Christmas wishes

And when Aaron came to the entrance of the stable, he could hardly believe what he saw. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.

Aaron: Oh, your majesty, you must…

African King: Shh… Oh, the player boy.

Aaron: My lamb has been injured! You must save him!

King: He is near death. Oh, lad, there is nothing I can do.

Aaron: But…but you are a king!

King: A mortal king only. But there is a King among Kings who would save your little friend.

Aaron: The babe? But, I do not understand!

King: It is not necessary that you understand. Go to Him.

Aaron: But…I…I have no gift to bring!

King: Go. Look upon the newborn King.

And as Aaron looked at the babe, he thought it was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.

Aaron: And yet, there is something more about Him. So much more.

King: Your gift, little drummer boy, given out the simple desperation of a pure love is the one favored above all. See?

~from the 1968 Rankin-Bass animated film, The Little Drummer Boy

If you have not watched this short (23-minute) film, you are missing a beautiful story that transcends race, culture, creed and religion. I watch it every year with my kids, and every year I cry. The little drummer boy does not have a tangible gift for the newborn Jesus, but he plays his drum for him in order to save his injured lamb. The final words of the narrator say it all: Aaron’s heart was filled with joy and love, and he knew at last that the hate he had carried there was wrong, as all hatred will ever be wrong. For more powerful, more beautiful by far than all the eons of sadness and cruelty and desolation which had come before, was that one tiny crystalline second of laughter. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God! I hope every one of you who reads this had a wonderful, peaceful, inspiring Christmas, regardless of what or how you celebrate during the winter break. May you find love and beauty in abundance, and may grief and despair be fleeting.

Big, Brown Eyes, plus a Really Happy Mutt

Howdy!

I was in the right place at the right time with my boys for these shots. The room had these floor to ceiling, frosted glass windows and this cool, heavily textured grey wallpaper. Happily, I had my camera with me, and M & Z were willing to cooperate. Snap!

Later that day, I got a lucky shot of my dog, Gypsy. This image really captures her energy and sweet spirit. She smiles like that all the time.

Enjoy!

K

P.S. I am a lover of quotes so you will see them sprinkled here and there...I'll close with this one, which is one of my favorites:

Hours fly. Flowers die. New days, New ways, Pass by.

Love stays.

(don't know who wrote that but I wish it were me!)

Some work from earlier this year...

Greetings!

I don't plan to be a daily blogger but I felt compelled not to have just one lonely post. Also, I am excited to use this space to show some of my recent work! I just delivered some canvases to a client (who is seriously the best client I could ask for in terms of being excited about the work I've done for her), and they turned out fabulously. Beautiful kids + beautiful morning = successful shoot. These are a couple of the images from that session.

May the beauty around you never cease to inspire you...

K

Welcome to my blog!

Okay, so I finally decided to create a blog.

I'm holding off on Facebook for now, but I have been needing a blog for my photography business.

So...welcome!

I hope you enjoy my work. I sure do enjoy creating it. I thank God every day for giving me this gift -- capturing little slivers of time for folks to enjoy.

Please contact me via e-mail with any inquiries: sarantakesk@yahoo.com.

Thanks for visiting, and may you see the beauty in ordinary things...