Home for Christmas...

Ahhh, the holidays - a time for families to get together, both near and far. I have been so fortunate to have my mom over from Canada and the kids are lovin' having her here too! Apart from a tummy bug raging through our house it has been a wonderful Christmas. I have no doubt the same festive celebrations are taking place at the McClelland and co. households - family over from America and a chance for the cousins to spend time together and have some good ol' family fun!
Here is a sneak peek of your photoshoot...


Love the hand-holding!

How I miss the sun, the heat and home...

Well it's written in the wind
For the story to begin
I will go back to my kin across the sea
And the bird that's on the wing and is flying free
He can hear the song of home endlessly
-Van Morrison
Well the cold weather has certainly hit Belfast. Blustery winds, rain and that chill to the bone feeling that makes you want to crawl into your jammies and sit by the fire. And though Canada is never far from my mind, when the chill hits after the summer I think back to the fab summer I just had and wish I could transport myself back there. Back to the sun, the heat and of course my loved ones. Instead, I'll look forward to cozy sweaters, long evenings, Christmas with mom here and fun with the kids and know that the warmer days will be back again. But, let's just have one last look...
Kids in the cornfields

naked babes and cheeky grins

sun-kissed cuddles

gorgeous lakes and cottage life

grandparents' love

Miss you Canada - until we meet again in 2012!

How much fun are the Stevensons...let me count the ways...

The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together. ~Erma Bombeck

Another favourite family of mine and friends to myself and my own family are the gorgeous, halarious and soooo much fun.....Stevensons!!! Pauline and I met at university oh so many years ago and have shared MANY things together over the years - particularly our fun-filled summers spent together in Barrie. It is so wonderful to have Pauline and her gang so close by and to share the fun with our husbands and children. By far the best hosts, we always look forward to visiting them (great food, the funniest stories, lovely cocktails, a pool and a hot tub and happy children playing together - seriously...is this heaven or what?) But what I want to know is when are you coming back to Ireland to let us repay your generous hospitality and have a bit of Irish craic?
This is one fabulous family and we Heatheringtons miss them loads and are already looking forward to Pool Party 2012!

Big time cutie-patootie Brenna with the most amazing eyes - look close - one is brown and one is green - how awesome!

Mr. Hockey himself - Liam the coolest goalie in town

Two sun-kissed blondies...

It is always fun with Paul, Pauline, Brenna and Liam!

Ohhhh baby you are sweet!

A baby girl...
one of the most beautiful miracles in life,
one of the greatest joys we can ever know,
and one of the reasons why
there is a little extra sunshine, laughter and happiness
in your world today ~ Author unknown

And how much sunshine, laughter and happiness must gorgeous little Chloe be bringing into her mommy and daddy's life. A first child changes so much about your life; your priorities change and a baby shows you that your heart CAN burst with such love. Ok, there are also the sleepless nights, the spit up which seems to spread to all of your clothes and let's not even get into the changes the mommies go through...but it is all well worth it when your newborn baby looks into your eyes with such love, adoration and need. No, I'm not broody, just happy to see someone else's newborn baby. Enjoy it!

Two little girls with curls

The knowingness of little girls hidden underneath their curls. ~ Phyllis Mcginley
And third time is a charm...This was the third consecutive summer to have the looooovely Prokupek girls as my models! Back in Cookstown, back playing in the fields (this year it was corn...) and back having loads of fun with Lil and her two gals Autumn and Georgia. And without fail with this gang - the photos rocked! They just know how to put on the right expression, be themselves and have a bit of fun. Which always makes a session great for me. Plus, doesn't it give me a great opportunity to meet up with one of my funnest, funniest and sexiest gal-pals! Lil - there is a room here in Belfast with your name on it and a few local drinks waiting for you to taste them! Don't keep me hanging!

Autumn, seriously you are one fabulous girl...

And Georgia - toooo cute for words!





I just LOVE the sisterly bond between these two. Magical...

I love this family toooo much!

"See you and me have a better time than most can dream of, better than the best, so we can pull on through, whatever tears at us, whatever holds us down, and if nothing can be done, we'll make the best of what's around."
-Dave Matthews Band
I read this and immediately thought of the Sproules. Jeannine, Daryl, Ella and Lucas. Such a positive family unit. Jeannine - my best buddy - we've been through the best of times together, had many a laugh and shared so many amazing life experiences together (university, roomies, travelling, families and everything in between - many unmentionable here!) We were "attached at the hip" and the only thing that could seperate us was my move to Ireland but although the hips may be temporarily severed, they reattach easily every summer - as do our daughters' Emma and Ella and our sons', Jack and Lucas. It is so incredible to see our little ones sharing the fun we do and developing a bond that is still so special to us. Jeannine and Daryl just celebrated their 10 year anniversary (in style in Peru!) and what a solid couple they are - I remember when they met in university and everyone knew they were a match made in heaven (or was it the John...) Now their family is complete with Ella and Lucas and the four of them are just the best! It was an absolute pleasure to take these photos and capture the fun and love they all have for one another. It did help that the lighting was perfect and their backyard location idyllic. I'm already looking forward to seeing them again next summer. "I've learned that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance."

The gorgeous Ella - where she got her white-blonde hair and blue eyes is a mystery to me - but wow, what a stunner! And her and Emma are to cute to watch...

Lucas whose cheeks I could seriously squish all day. Amazingly big brown eyes I could sink into and the best little mop of curly hair - he and Jack are a hoot together.

Sibling fun - they're lucky to have eachother, buddies for life.

TOOOOOOO adorable you are!

A future heartbreaker...

Miss you and love you always and if I think too much about it, I'll start to cry - so that's me finished here! Enjoy!

Freddy cuties!

The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together. ~Erma Bombeck
Ahhh, to be back in Canada for the summer, see amazing friends, meet the newest members of their families and photograph in gorgeous locations...what an honour! I have known Julia since we went to Sparrow Lake Camp together as teens and then spent an amazing, life changing experience travelling Australia and New Zealand together. Life brought her to live in Quebec and me in Ireland, so we always try to coordinate our visits back to Ontario together so we can meet up and I cherish these get togethers so much. Here is her gorgeous clan....

and the newset little man in her life...

Beach lovin' kiddos

and of course the lovely Carolyn and her two cuties.

Fab, as always, to see you all this summer!

You don't raise heroes, you raise sons. And if you treat them like sons, they'll turn out to be heroes, even if it's just in your own eyes. ~Walter M. Schirra, Sr.

In Irish, the name Senan means hero of the people. And this little guy is the hero of the McMahon house. He just gets cuter and cuter everytime I see him! I took some gorgeous photos of Senan when he was just a few weeks old - and he was a perfect angel. But just look at him now...With those pinchable McLoughlin cheeks, beautiful big blue eyes and the cheekiest little grin. And at 8 months he's already pulling himself to his feet - wow, Senan McMahon, you sure will keep your busy parents even busier!

The boys having some fun together

Mum and babe

A gorgeous family - how fabulous!

Fitzgerald Fun...

To have a loving relationship with a sister is not simply to have a buddy or a confident, it is to have a soulmate for life. ~Victoria Secunda

Two fun, gorgeous and lovely girls - what a treat they were - and are! The Fitzgerald sisters are well known in our house. Simone is Jack's "girlfriend" in Rascals and Robyn is Ben's little chum in the baby room. I have no doubt these two keep their house a happy one full of many giggles (and mum and dad busy!) Just look at the fun they have together...

Jack brings Simone's photo to bed with him and still can pinch out a tear becasue she has left Rascals! But it is nursery time and Simone will love beginning her new chapter in September.

I will miss seeing this little cheeky grin when I collect Ben - Robyn really is a laugh!

The two dancing princesses

Sue and Conor, you have a gorgeous family! Have a fab - well deseved summer.

the boys...

Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a superhero. ~Marc Brown

Ahhh, brotherly love - the fun, the trouble, the chaos. the laughs and the bond that is a brother. Two boys that will have a lifetime of this amazing bond. The Lundy boys...





It was a pleasure to meet you, have some fun with you and capture your great little personalities!

My crazy bunch

“Whatever they grow up to be, they are still our children, and the one most important of all the things we can give to them is unconditional love. Not a love that depends on anything at all except that they are our children.”
~Rosaleen Dickson

Finally - 13 months later and I've managed to get a family photo. Ok, so there have been a few before - but Ben was basically thrown in as an afterthought - still in jammies or half asleep. Now that he has developed into himself, has his own little personality and is making himself heard amongst the Heatherington trio - I figured it was time to get in front of the camera with my gang. This is us...never a dull moment, always chasing our tails, peace and quiet a thing of the past and I wouldn't have it any other way! I look at my 3 and think "wow, I MADE you - now I have to raise you into clever, kind and happy children - who also like to have a laugh, be silly and most importantly love each other. I am so proud of each of them - Emma for her strong willed spirit and determination. Riding her bike with no stabilizers, getting her 10 metre swim badge and finishing P1 - she is growing up...and Jack, the sweetest, funniest little rascal who loves to dance, smile, cuddle and wreck things. And finally my baby boy Ben - who is showing his stubborn streak already but it mischievious (climbing into the dishwasher, throwing things into the toilet and jumping into the paddling pool after drying off from it and getting dressed...) He makes me smile to no end. This is my family.


...ooh, and of course we can't forget Jesse - sure, she wouldn't let us anyway!