God's Masterpieces

I've been begging my kids  ... and begging them to let me take a picture of them out in our fields.  Not just any picture, but one of them praying and praising God.  I wanted their hands in the air and their hearts wide open to Jesus.  Finally, they let me.  Total cooperation.  I am so thankful for this image, and my heart if full ... until the next idea.  This will hang forever in our house as a reminder of just how blessed we are.

The Siekman Triplets - age 6

My Velveteen Boy

My velveteen boy betrayed me this evening.

It was so pretty outside today when I picked the kids up, we dressed them in their bib overalls and "orange, so that I can see you a mile away" sweatshirts and sent them out to dig up the yard! That is Sam and Jay's favorite pastime ... especially in the Spring when the ground is so soft. There is nothing like holes and piles of dirt everywhere. Our yard shrieks that "boys live here" and you have to be careful when where you walk so that you don't fall in a hole.

My littlest boy is now big enough to go outside and play with the big kids, and he wouldn't have it any other way. He runs and romps and keeps up with everyone just fine. He is now ruler, and when he runs his ears pin back and flap in the wind. His fur is soft and he feels like fat velvet ... but this evening he went missing, and we searched everywhere thinking the very worst.

Then as I was walking back from the pond ... I spotted him alone in the barn. He was having the time of his life as his short little legs jumped in the wet straw. He was burrowing as deep as he could in the muck and he only stopped long enough to glance at me as I yelled .... "Gus, get out of there!" He was on a mission ... and that was to make sure that every inch of his body was covered in the black slime.

My sweet little velveteen boy has betrayed me ... he has found life beyond me. The same world that my little boys live for ... a world of dirt and mud, and slime and cow poop!

Life ... Stop and Smell the Roses.

I know ... I've been MIA! I had to "stop and smell the roses." Otherwise, I had to catch up on life. My life.

I have so much to blog about that I can't even begin to put it all in one blog, but I've taken pictures, and wrote things down ... and now I'm ready to start uploading. Yes, I'll be backdating .. but this is my blog and so be it. So when you, that are on feeds, get posts dated from the past 6 weeks, it's just me playing catch up.

I've had Kelcie for the last 24 hours ... and mixed with my kiddo's, it was a wild twenty-four! When Juli came and picked her up this evening ... we did a little Mother/Daughter shoot, set up my Alien Bee's and a backdrop in the living room and got some great pictures!

What can I say .... I just love my girls!

My Muse

This morning .... I talked Meg into letting me take a few pictures of her.  She let me.  Totally against her will until I bribed her with HM (Hannah Montana) lip gloss in every color.  She is now smart enough to know that she is the only other female here besides me, and I desperately need her.  Not only does she tell me what she wants so that I can use and abuse her, she now tells me how many and what colors.  She has learned, and I don't like it.

We stood out in the middle of our road for that shot .... and she was totally degraded to be out there in broad daylight with only an undershirt on and a little pettiskirt.  I have to admit, I grit my teeth and smile and pretend that I like her when I'm taking her picture or else she's likely to stomp off in the house.  I think I see the writing on the wall ... my little muse is leaving me.  High and dry, and I'm so bummed.  I live one picture at a time with her .... Oh, the perils! 

Then I begged for more.  This one is going to cost me perfume ... and don't think for one minute that I can forget either.  The girl remembers and keeps a running list ... and she never forgets details.

I'll be visiting the Dollar Tree tomorrow for a bag of goodies that I can pull out when I need my muse fix.  I know that someday she'll look back on these and love them ... but for now, Hannah Montana has something more than I have. I don't have lip gloss with my picture on it in fifteen different flavors and colors ... 'sigh'.

Meg - A Princess Shoot

This evening we had an incident. Jay Pee'd on the Princess and it did not go over well. Actually, he Pee'd in a cup outside and threw it on her. Sam laughed to see such a sight and the dog ran away with the spoon .... not really, but it sounded good didn't it? The first part is true. Jay did throw Pee on her, and Sam did laugh, but not until she came crying into the house.

We do not like those stinking boys tonight. Words spoke straight from the heart we say!

So after a long hot bubble bath, we went up to Meg's room, dressed up in wedding clothes and had a little photo shoot, all by ourselves. We're practicing how to look beautiful, and how to be good for Joey and Mariah's wedding coming up in two weeks. We practiced smiling .... A LOT!

Here's an artsy fartsy vintage version. I think I love this one.

... and here's just Meg, while she relived the story telling of how she got Pee all over her, and how much she does not like those boys right now.

I don't blame her. I'm willing to trade them in for new models this evening ... but I'm the Mom, and I'm stuck with them!

Joey and Mariah {Engaged}

 

There's going to be weddin' bells soon!  These two people are so happy together!  What's even better is that they both totally live for God.  

  

 July 18th is their big day! 

  

It was hard to keep them serious for all the clowning around ... or maybe they were just "jumping for joy."

  

Isn't she beautiful?  Inside and Outside.  There is no Bridezilla going on here.  This girl is so genuine and humble, and is so much fun to be around.  We had a really great session and she was game for every shot.

  

 She talked him right into a few precious moments poses .... and like a good guy, he did whatever she wanted.

  

Joey looked down as we were walking along the path and picked up a nutshell that had a perfect little heart cut out on the inside!  Ahhh .... it's "meant to be" Love!

By the way ... for those of you that don't know, Joey is my kid.  How lucky am I?  

(click the pictures for a closer look) ... I'll come back and post a slideshow link here after I get their whole gallery up!

Dancing in the Sun

Yesterday evening we had an exciting event here .... a semi delivered a large piece of equipment to our house. It was a "Sky Lifter" ... so I heard. It's a piece of equipment that I have no idea what it does ... but I suspect when I get home from work this evening, my entire yard surrounding my house will be torn up since we've had so much rain.

We live in a "antique" farmhouse and the roof is really steep, and today a crew of Amish men will be tearing off our old slate roof and putting a new metal roof on. They say once they get the metal on the steep part, they won't be able to walk on it and that's where the "Sky Lifter" comes into play!

Since the semi driver happened to be Von's brother Darrel ... the kids got lifted up on the bed of the big truck, and they danced and ran up and down the trailer like it was the best place to be in the entire world.

... and they danced.

Being me, of course I seized the opportunity to snatch a few pictures of my littles having the time of their life!

I'm framing the top image of my littles. Every once in a while I take a picture of them that I can't live without ... and this one tops my list right now!

Shooting into the sun made this picture look like it was taken at night ... but actually it was broad daylight about six-thirty yesterday evening. I love silhouette's. I've never gotten one of my kiddo's before and I think it's pretty darn cool, and I was really proud of myself!

Girl Time

This afternoon Meg finally decided to venture outside with the boys ... all decked out for a winter snow storm.  Actually this coat is an old one from my Brother's little girlies.  After seeing this picture I snapped I think I like it ... for pictures that is!

It's cold outside baby!  The boys bundled up and braved the chill and helped their Dad blow leaves and pick up sticks.  They had a big old fire going down by the barn!

Meg, on the other hand, wouldn't stick her precious little nose out the door until I mentioned pictures and modeling and twirling and such ... then she jumped into hyper-mode and out the door we went.  For two minutes!  Two!

Like the snow in the picture?   It's not real .... just photoshop!  But it's coming, and it will be way too soon for me!  I don't like the cold ....  brrrr!

Tonight I'll post a few pictures of the boys outside today!

The Girls

A photo op. That's what I always have when Kelcie and Meg get together. They love the white fur and they love love love the camera.

I ask Meg who Juli was and of course she said that she was her sister ... but I ask again who Kelcie was and as always, "she's my best friend." Stinkpots they are, with a wild case of the giggles!

It's just very cool that Meg's best friend is her niece. Meg kept telling me that I'm Kelcie's Grandma but I'm her Mommy .... but then she kept calling me "Grandma Tannie" and Kelcie was calling me "Mommy." Funny funny girlies!

First Breaths Birth Photography

"For where your heart is, there your treasure shall be also."

I witnessed a true miracle this evening. The birth of this beautiful foot, along with five others just like it ...

I photographed the birth of a beautiful set of triplets and witnessed them taking their first breath. I caught the most glorious images that you can ever imagine. I heard their first cries, and I saw their life begin.

As a photographer, I feel so honored to be a part of this. As a Nurse, I am so humbled with each birth that I witness, and as a Mother, I am in such awe and still yet, it brings me to tears at the miracle that God performs. I have learned to never take a moment of my children's lives for granted, and I know I am so blessed.

God has been watching over these babies for a long time, and finally it was time for them to be born. ... and that they did. Healthy and perfect in every way. ... and yes, this was Mrs. A's babies. The second Mrs. A. I photographed the first Mrs. A's triplets three weeks ago, and they too are perfect beings of God.

Not only were these triplets born this evening .... but I'm launching my website this weekend for my birth photography business. My website and birth photog blog will be up and running late Sunday night, and after I have the chance to tweak the bugs, I'll post the links for you to check them out!

This is very exciting for me as I've been working on this for quite some time and finally I'm ready! I will only be accepting three births a month due to the extensive involvement that it entails, plus I want to have time to be a Mom to my own little Trio! With three little ones of my own, it's sometimes hard to run out the door with a 30 minute notice for emergency c-sections .... yikes!

Of course I will be continuing my FarmHouse Kids Photography with business as usual!

So what do you think of that perfect little foot? I want to know. Don't you just want to kiss that little tootsie? Pictures are deceiving ... because it really is a little bitty thing with the cutest little toes attached!

Farm Kids!

More kids in the wheat. This time it is another set of triplets. These little kiddo's are 17 months old and cute as buttons. Miss Ali was very much in charge of driving the other two around. I do believe that she is the boss of this little trio. Little Miss Emma and Mr. Nate were happy campers for the most part. This was at the end of our session and they were getting to pooped to pop. They all did so good for their first trip to the farm! Even with the combine chopping the wheat around us! Talk about cutting it close!

The wheat is now all gone ... even my little patch in the corner, but it will be back next year ,and hopefully I'll get to have more fun with my camera and all these little triplets, quadruplets and quintuplets that have been out here over the past couple of weeks.

Thanks Stacey and Donnie for bringing the kiddo's out. Your babies are beautiful and so much fun to play with!

Oh Stacey, sorry about all the chiggers you picked up out here! ... but wasn't it worth it???

Tanya

Country Babies

Breathtakingly cute huh? Sunday evening I met our niece Amanda in the wheat field to have a little photo session with Livia. Liv hammed it up and had a great ole time until almost dark.

Not only have I been shooting my very own FarmHouse Kids in the wheat, I've been busy shooting a few others in the wheat field as well. Friday evening I photographed a little set of quadruplet boys. They were the cutest little boogers. The cutest picture of all was when all four boys stuck their fingers in their nose and had a good ole time laughing. It sure loosened them up and got them in the mood for picture taking. I'll make sure to ask their Mother to post a few pictures on her blog. You'll be able to see them right here when she gets them up. YagerQuads.

... and talk about multiples, tomorrow evening there will be five little heads popping up in the wheat. You can see them right here in a couple of days. I'm sure their Mother will be posting a few sneak peeks right away, just as soon as I get them edited and emailed to her. The Wright Quintuplets. Right Emily???

Wednesday morning the wheat will be long gone! It's time to cut it, bale it and make way for planting beans. Marlboro Man said my time is up!

Be Blessed Everyone.

The Babe is Home

He is home. I spent the entire afternoon, evening and into the night visiting this little guy. I fed him, bathed him, changed him and photographed him. I love this picture the best.

My daughter Juli met me at Amy and Josh's, to gift Amy, with a total cleaning and reorganization of her entire house. Room by room we cleaned, organized and revamped. She was ecstatic. It was a fun day, and as tired as I was by the time I came home ... I just felt so good.

The highlight of all this was putting the finishing touches on Carter's room. His room is "classic pooh" and painted in Khaki and Sage. We decorated the walls and went through all the tiny little preemie clothes and baby things. We "toted" up by size, and arranged everything for her, so that all she has to do is take down one tote a time. Completely organized ... in a very pretty nursery for a very precious baby named Carter Joe.

I had saved everything from my babies in case another Grandchild came along .... and Carter happened to be the winner! As Juli said, "Wow Mom! Carter scored!"

Luke, who is three, was loving his baby brother being home. As was Buddy ... the dog. He "slept" on guard at the feet of whoever held Carter.

Then, during his 7:00PM feeding ... Juli was holding him and giving him his bottle, and he suddenly stopped breathing. I noticed the odd look on Juli's face from across the room as she was watching him. She calmly said, "Mom, is he okay?" I ran over there and took him from her. He was completely apneic. Not breathing. It's funny, it doesn't matter how long you've been a Nurse, or how much experience you have ... when something like this happens, and especially to your own child, you forget everything you know for a split second. I never thought I'd have to resuscitate my own grandchild. Just as I was about to start giving him breaths, he sputtered and started breathing again.

Of course, I called the Neonatologist in the NICU he had just come from. He felt sure that it was an isolated event due to gulping too much too fast and gave instructions to watch him for a couple more feedings, and keep him upright for about thirty minutes after each feeding. Or if he did it again, he would put him back in the hospital for a bit longer. We watched him, and he's perfectly okay. Let's just pray that he doesn't do it again. My heart can't take it.

Whew! Carter is okay. It was very scary ... and I got home in the wee hours of the morning. So today, I'm Mommy again, until the next visit with this little man that I love so much ... and his big brother Luke.

Be Blessed Everyone.

FarmHouse Kids Photography by Tanya Siekman

I am officially open for business. I'm really excited about this newest venture in my life, and am very happy that I have the support of Mr. Dairy Wife. Well, most of his support anyway. Some of his support is still skeptical on how I'm going to swing it all ..... and I still don't have my little "schoolhouse" studio yet. We're still working on the ends and outs of that. (he takes a long time to think when it's not something he wants or it's not his idea .... sigh!) Men!

I'm only going to be taking pictures part-time, since I'm busy with the kiddo's and have a full time job. I'll be doing photo sessions in the evenings starting this late Spring, then Summer and Fall on our farm, and weekends now, on location. I'm looking forward to lots of Senior Pictures, babies, kids and families out here when the weather turns. For now though, I'm available on location weekends only.

Now how am I going to work this around three year old triplets? ..... I haven't figured that one out yet. I thought about making them full partners, but they declined, so instead my daughter Juli is going to help me out when I'm in a crunch.

Sooo, take a peek at my new photography website and let me know what you think. It's not 100% complete yet. I am still tweaking it, and the gallery isn't finished at all. I threw those pictures up there to make it work. Changes will be coming over the next few nights. ... That's my late night mission these days, and I'm slowly getting there. I'll also be adding another portal to house my "photo jewelry" and "FarmHouse Kids bling" on the same site down the road when I get this perfected. Hopefully soon!

Here you go! Turn your sound UP and get into it! www.tanyasiekman.com Make sure you come back and let me know if you like it, or any ideas or suggestions you may have. I'm open for changes! Just don't tell me it's ugly .... I might cry.

Be Blessed Everyone.