cell phone picture of a print I found while packing. . . circa 2004

Today.

Today I’m grateful that this anniversary feels very different than all the rest. I finally feel closer to you rather than farther away. I’m four full years closer to seeing you again.  FOUR years. That’s a lot of time. That’s a lot of change. That’s a lot of learning. And that’s certainly a lot of growing. I miss you every day,  but I’m over the hump. I can now see WHY this had to be. I can see what it has given all of us. . . the kinds of people it has molded us in to. . . and I’m grateful. Sad and sorry it had to be this way? Of COURSE! But deeply grateful that God knows best. Grateful that He is willing to parent me in the very best way I need, even if it will cause me tremendous heart ache and excruciating pain. . . because He sees me not for who I am today, but for who I am meant to become, and He loves me enough to do whatever it takes to get me there.

I’m so grateful he’s willing to mold me. Kicking and screaming and fighting tooth and nail, He is still willing to mold me, because He loves me perfectly. I hope to become more like Him, Gavin. I hope to have the courage to parent your nephews in that same kind of way that our loving Heavenly Father parents me, because THAT is eternal love. THAT is love that sees beyond the here and now and into forever, together. I hope that I can follow His example, and with His merciful guidance, do whatever it takes.

Even if whatever it takes moves me away from my beautiful ocean . . .and to the middle of the desert. :)

I love you, Captain.

Sis


Finishing up the packing and about to head out. . .

As of yesterday morning, a new family owns our little white house on Wahinepe’e St.

My heart is heavy and light, all at the same time. I am profoundly happy for the family who bought it, they are remarkable, and so very, very deserving. It’s also a very meloncholy (or should I say melon choly)  feeling to say goodbye to a home that has cradled us as we’ve weathered so.many.storms. I remember my brother‘s room (before he moved out and set up camp on the beach… like a bona fide hobo). I remember where I was sitting (4 years ago tomorrow) when my Dad told me that had died. I remember where the baby‘s crib had been, and how joyous I felt as I assembled it. I remember how sorrowful I was as I broke it down and placed a dresser in it’s place… so I wouldn’t have to wake up every morning and stare at it sitting there, empty. I remember hours on end of laughter, plenty of yelling and madness, and so much friendship and love that I could burst at the seams just thinking about it.

But. . . I keep reminding myself, home is where we are, together. WE are what makes a house a home. Not friendly neighborhood kids in and out of the house all.day.long, not belly laughs, or tickle fests, not dance parties or trampoline wars, not more joyous memories than I can count… it’s us, and we’re sticking together.

Aloha ‘oe beautiful Laie. A hui ho!


I heart the Instagram app. Find me! Username: natalienorton

click here to open post Jun 08, 2011 | posted in giveaway | 297 comments

Contest closed!


Winner:

Kayleen T!

Contact me at aloha{at}natalienortonblog{dot}com to claim your prize! Prize must me claimed via email no later than Friday, June 17th or a new winner will be selected at random (because I’m outta here on Monday and have to get this bad boy shipped off tomorrow!!)!  ALOOOOOOOOOHA!

To enter:

1. Comment on the post.
2. Hug someone you love (or hate, but that might be awkward).

Additional entries:

1. If you follow me on twitter (or start following me on twitter), just comment to tell me so, an you just earned yourself another entry!
2. Click the little “like” button below and comment again to say you did, and BAM! Another entry is yours!

Enter by Monday, 6/13.

Winner will be selected at random using www.random.org and announced sometime around the 14th. . . because let’s just face it. My life is COMPLETE AND UTTER MADNESS AT THE MOMENT! There’s no way I can commit to any kind of blogging deadline. :)

Thanks Canon!

Here’s some info on the Canon Pixma iP90 from the website:

Rugged, powerful and portable, the Canon Pixma iP90 Photo Printer delivers exceptional performance at home or on the road. This compact printer can produce up to 16 ppm in black and up to 12 ppm in color, while achieving a resolution of up to 4800 x 1200 color dpi. Canon Full-photolithography Inkjet Nozzle Engineering (FINE) uses a high-performance 1, 088-nozzle print head that ejects precise and consistent droplets as small as 2 picoliters with remarkable accuracy. Your results: impressive resolution and dramatic detail on graphics and photos, wherever you’re printing from. In a hotel room or a home office, the iP90 printer goes practically anywhere, yielding superb output on all your projects. Reports and memos will look clean and professional with bold, crisp text. Using the included Canon Easy-WebPrint software, Web pages are automatically formatted, so they’ll print properly with full color and without trimming off the right-hand margin. You can also produce 4 x 6, 5 x 7 and 8.5 x 11 in. borderless prints, with stunning edge-to-edge quality and razor-sharp detail. In only about 51 seconds you can print a 4″ x 6″ photo with the look and feel of a traditional photograph. And for convenience, you can connect any PictBridge compatible digital camera or DV camcorder directly to the iP90 printer and print photos – no PC required! If you’re on-the-go and low on ink the iP90 printer’s “Ink Usage Control” setting enables you to produce approximately 1.5 times more pages without lowering print quality. Plus, if you run out of black ink, just choose the “Use Composite Black” option and the iP90 printer continues to print black using a composite of color inks in the “Ink Usage Control” setting. These features are a convenient safety net when you don’t have extra ink on hand.

click here to open post Jun 02, 2011 | posted in on the agenda | 7 comments

sold out sold out sold out sold out

I’m still here in Hawaii for the next 2.5 weeks, then it’s a big fat aloha ‘oe to the land that I love. As a parting gift to my friends and followers here in Hawaii, I’m offering a pretty little discount on all portrait sessions booked within the next TWO WEEKS ONLY. My schedule is surprisingly less crunched than I anticipated it would be during crunch time (go me!), so I’m opening a few dates for discounted portrait sittings before I leave! If you are interested, please email me at aloha{at}natalienortonblog{dot}com for detailed pricing and session information.

Book your session as soon as possible. This already limited number of openings will fill very fast! Limited time slots available through June 17th.

Just so we’re clear, it is highly unlikely that an opportunity like this will be available ever again.  I don’t have any plans of hosting anything similar to this in the foreseeable future. So if you are interested, definitely jump fast!

DON’T STRESS (aka FAQ):

We don’t have anything to wear!?

Don’t sweat it! I have a genetic aversion to matchy matchers anyway. I can help you select something that will be just perfect from the wardrobe y’all already have in y’all’s closets. Scouts honor.

I’ve been putting pictures off because I want to lose this last 20lbs!

Give me a break! You are beautiful! AND guess what?! Your family is changing every.single.day you spend waiting. You can’t keep putting this off in anticipation of the allusive “perfect time.” The exactly perfect time simply isn’t coming. Relax. I’ll make you look absolutely radiant (as you already do, I am certain).

What do you require to save our date?!

A 50% (non refundable) retainer is required to reserve your date. The remaining balance is due at the beginning of your session.

What will be included on the disk?

The disk will include all the color corrected proofs from your session in full resolution + a copyright release to print them at the lab of your choice + a very short list of local lab recommendations.

When will we get the pictures?

Well, I’m glad you asked. Since I am in fact in the process of moving, and my sweet assistant Janie is visiting family on the mainland throughout the month of June, you will receive your images between the first and second weeks of July. That’s just about standard turn around time for most photographers, just fyi. Though we normally boast appx 5-7 day turn around. Bam! Circumstances are such that we appreciate your patience while we get these images processed and off to you.

Other questions?

Email aloha{at}natalienortonblog{dot}com and we will get back to you just as fast as you can say “aloha ‘oe.”

I love you! I cannot wait  to photograph your pretty little selves!

xx!

N

click here to open post Jun 01, 2011 | posted in on the agenda | 2 comments

Art for Education from trisha Zemp on Vimeo.

I LOVE THIS!

Take the 1 minute and 9 seconds required to watch this video. I think what this organization is doing is so unbelievably refreshing and oh so fun! I can hardly contain myself! We donated alllllll of our (wonderful and treasured) art supplies (from our wonderful Aunt Jenny) to a local homeless shelter last weekend in preparation for our move, but I’m seriously so excited about this, that I’m geniunely considering going out and buying new ones, simply so we can be involved in such a great project! What a COOL way for your kids to a) have the opportunity to actively contribute to a GREAT cause and  b) realize the incredible importance of education.

xx! N