Monday, November 30, 2009

Oh Christmas tree

We are all about traditions in our family and one is attending the annual lighting of the Christmas tree downtown. This year the weather was amazing and we took advantage of the time to visit friends and drink some hot chocolate.

Nothing says Christmas more than Fat Cat under the tree.

Ellie did not move from this position for two hours!
One of Fat Cat's Elves.

Some wise men and a wise lady.
Yummy hot chocolate.
Hugs from Mrs. Clause.
The lean on the stroller....Classic.
Awwww. As you can see Levi was way to cool for this scene.
Treat bag.
This wasn't our first rodeo. We have the system down. You show up and mingle. Drink hot chocolate and while you visit the line for Santa goes from a full block one hour wait to a walk right up if you wait the line out! See you there next year!

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Our Canada!

The November/December Issue of "Our Canada" Magazine just came out and I am excited to have written and article and my photography is also featured from a Photo Essay I did at Herbert minor hockey day. I even have a bio in the front of the magazine. I put a picture in from a couple of years and a few pounds ago! I also put in there that I was a motivational speaker so maybe I will be getting calls to take the "Circus House"on the road!
This magazine publishes reader submissions so those of you who do amazing Canadian Photography why not send something in to be published it is a great feeling. (you know who you are Devona and Catherine.....anyone who has a beautiful image should send it in)

Contribute to Our Canada

Slideshow


Here is the story I wrote for the magazine!


was raised in small town Davidson, Saskatchewan where the heart of the community was the local arena. That was the place where everyone came together not only to cheer for the local team but also to celebrate the birth of a baby, an engagement, a good year in the field, and catch up on the latest local news. The rink was a place for spending some quality time with your mom or dad at those early morning practices. Dreams of becoming a player in the NHL or Canada’s next figure skating star were all a possibility. The game being played on the ice was important for sure, but so many of the memories I have from the rink have nothing to do with hockey or figure skating at all.
When I stepped into the building in Herbert Saskatchewan on Minor hockey day to photograph the team pictures my eyes had to adjust from the bright sun in the parking lot to the dim florescent lights of the lobby.When everything came into focus, I felt as if I had been transported back in time to when I was a young girl coming along to my brothers’ games. The first thing I noticed was the smell of burgers cooking on the grill. I made my way over to the booth and saw the little kids perched atop a wooden stool excitedly picking out their five cent candy. There were home baked goodies, pies and soup. The game is much more enjoyable on a full stomach.
There were fantastic parent volunteers taking money at the door, selling 50/50 tickets, coaching the teams, running the penalty box and score clock. It takes an entire community to run a small town rink and everyone had come out to support the local teams. Some of the older kids were involved by reffing and helping move nets during intermission. There were moms pushing babies in their strollers and visiting over a hot cup of coffee. The kids were playing mini sticks in the lobby with a big ball of hockey tape. Older siblings and parents were hauling over sized bags of equipment and sticks in through the lobby making their way to the dressing rooms to warm up the cold gear.
The highlight for me was during the intermission when the old tractor and Zamboni, came out and cleaned the ice for the next period sporting a bright orange toque as the hood ornament. I am not sure if it was merely for decoration to match the orange tank of the Zamboni. Much like the rink itself the Zamboni was not new and slick but it still got the job done and held many memories. If that old tractor could talk I am sure it would have some tales to tell about the sights, sounds and goings on at the local arena.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

This week my mom and I travelled to Humboldt Sask to attend the PPOC ( Professional Photographers of Canada) Saskatchewan Branch Annual Awards Banquet. I have been a member for just over 13 years and in that time I have managed to win three Print Show awards and was nominated once for Photographer of the Year. Well this year I doubled my awards by winning three in one night! Here are the winners. Thanks again to my fabulous models.


This image "Don't Yank My Chain" Won Best in Fashion Class The model is my awesome next door neighbor who I just found out was signed by a major modelling agency!

This image "Human Nature" Won Best in Editorial Class My sweetheart Olivia who was such a willing model to roll in the mud.

This image "Kids Fly Free" Won Best Child Portrait The two girls are actually one girl. My niece.


This image "Lucky # 7" was not lucky after all and did not hang in the show. Can't win em all I guess!


Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Kelsey- You the Man!

Kelsey was drawn to be the Swift Current Bronco's 7th Man. He was lucky enough to get to share the honor with his friend and fellow team mate. The boys got dressed in their Bronco gear and headed out on the ice before the game. The lights were off in the rink, the fans cheering and the music blaring. They skated into the middle of the huddle at the net for a pregame cheer. Then the boys joined the starting lineup for O Canada. The Broncos remove their helmets and shift from side to side to keep warm during the anthem so just like the players they look up to so did the boys. Kelsey got a little help to get his helmet on and off and he shifted from side to side rolling his neck and shaking his hands to "keep warm" It was priceless!

Dad was in charge of getting Kelsey dressed so he had to look his best. The coach even stopped and told Kelsey he was the best dressed guy to ever be the 7th man! Possibly a future Don Cherry.

The big Broncos. Gotta love "Movember"
The little Broncos.



The huddle. The boys may have learned some new words.








Help a brother out would you?

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Bloggalicious

My blog has been a little neglected since I have been distracted by moving into my new space, but just recently I have had "blog news" . First of all I signed up for Google Ads in July. After watching Mommy Bloggers on Oprah talk about making a gagillion dollars from home. Well I don't think I am going to retire but I did get my very first check from "Google Adsense" The check for $122.00 came in a plain white envelope that much resembled junk mail so for a week I carried it back and forth from my studio with notes on it until I was going to throw it in the garbage and thought maybe I should see what was inside before I threw it out and lo and behold there was my first payment for being a blogger. With just over one hundred blog entries I guess that works out to $1 a post. I think a paper route would be more financially rewarding and I would get a little exercise but I have to admit this is more fun! So thanks to all of those of you who have been reading the blog and visiting the sponsors links on the site! Maybe the seven of us will make it to Disney afterall.

In other late breaking news I just found out that my entry into this summer's "Today's Parent" magazine blogger contest was chosen and starting in December I will be the newest blogger for www.todaysparent.com ! I will be letting the whole country in on the chaos at the circus house!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Fridge Reading

A palm reader can tell you about your past, your future, and even your destiny. There are people who can read your tea leaves, your aura, and possibly your mind. My new talent is the ability to read your fridge. Send me a picture of your fridge and I will tell you things about yourself you didn't even realize and unfold the many mysteries which lay in front of you. I will start with my very own fridge.



The first thing would be the color. Simple white. What this tells me is that this fridge was not taken from your parents basement because then it would be harvest gold or potentially even green. You are independent and have purchased this fridge on your own. This fridge has only one door so there is no freezer compartment meaning you must have a need for a large deep freeze to store gigantic amounts of food so I will guess between that and the amount of artwork adorning the fridge that there are children in the home.


The artwork means that someone loves you. Someone took the time to sit down with scissors, glue, markers, glitter and tissue paper and make something to let you know that you are their "Sweet heart". The best gift anyone could ever receive you should cherish that piece of paper for at least a week until they bring you home a new one covered with chocolate pudding or shaving cream (Carson's very creative playschool).


There are schedules and newsletters which would indicate you are a very organized person with a lot of places to be and keep track of! Good for you for placing those reminders in the place you visit frequently. There is a to do list with nothing but scribbled pen so again congratulations your work must all be done. Very efficient Mom you are.

There are pictures on your fridge which means you love to look at your kids all the time. They are just so cute. You even have a ultrasound photo on your fridge so you must be a hard core mom ( the truth is when I was pregnant they told me I was going to lose her so that was the only thing I was going to have of Ellie. I took it off the fridge and put it in my china cabinet so I would have a way to remember her but look now it is proudly displayed beside a beautiful picture of her in daisies! I am so lucky!)


I can see by the fact that everything on the fridge is crowded into the top quadrant of the fridge that there must be a little person in the house that acts as a human paper shredder/wrecking ball for anything hung under three feet off the ground. That baby may come in handy in case of an audit. "The baby ate my receipts!" Sounds believable doesn't it?


In conclusion, many good things are in store for you. Your children will love and cherish you and do all that you ask of them with a smile on their face, your husband adores you and lives to make your life easier.

Wow all that from a fridge. Feel free to capture a candid image of your own fridge and email it to me at corla_rokochy@hotmail.com and I will give you a free "fridge reading". Just promise you won't rearrange anything it has to be "as is".



Next week, What does your kitchen table and chairs say about you.

Monday, November 16, 2009

MMMMMurder!

One of the many things in my life that I look forward to is dates with my girlfriends! I am part of a Splurge group where my fellow moms and I leave our mops and pails, husbands and children behind and for at least 2 hours a month we visit with real grown people! Each month one person hosts an event and is in charge of all the festivities. We take a break for December so I actually am excited to be in charge of the next get together in January which gives me plenty of time to plan. Here are some fun photos from one of our last nights of fun.


We were invited to attend a murder mystery party where we each played a character. The theme was murder at the beauty pageant and my role was the reigning "Miss America" I loved the role even though I felt it was "typcasting" ! Everyone got very into their parts and the costumes were hilarious. I think we all need to explore our creative side more often. Thanks girls for all the laughs.


Here is the link to program for the evening. A mystery for an all ladies cast.
Killing for the Crown

This beautiful lady can still wear her grad dress after two kids! Not fair.

We are all there for the food and drinks and visiting.


And the laughs.

And Giggles

A lot of work by the hostess.

Oh so pretty.

A bridesmaid's dress brought back to life.



She looks scared of me. Olivia made my crown!

Now we're friends.


Miss Photogenic

Miss Congeniality


Miss Mobster. Don't mess with Nina

The investigation


I think she knows something.

Now for the talent competition....The worm.



and the dance off.

And what would a beauty pageant be without a novelty act.

I can just hear Diego now, "Watch out Hawk you are standing too close to that cougar."









This was one judge who couldn't be bribed! Look in the window and you can see me taking the picture (good thing I shaved my pits)

Laughing at the victim's performance





Me on the other side of the camera for a change!


The gang.