From the Haugen Heart

“Sometimes when you pick up your child you can feel the map of your own bones beneath your hands, or smell the scent of your skin in the nape of his neck. This is the most extraordinary thing about motherhood - finding a piece of yourself separate and apart that all the same you could not live without.”  -Jodi Picoult, Perfect Match Mothering.......What do you think of when you hear this word? The aroma of hot chocolate on a cold winter day, a band-aid and a kiss to a skinned knee, or the creak of a rocking chair as a sick child is comforted in loving arms? It is this and much more. Being a mother is the most important job in the world. Period. A mother provides love, structure, consistency......security. A mother is a teacher, an authority figure, a mentor, and a nurturer. The job of a mother is to push, prod, cheer and love unconditionally as she guides a tiny miracle of creation to honorable man or womanhood. This is a life long process. It is ...

A tie? That's right, we had two winners for the Children's Contest this year. The donations were rolling in for Operation Backpack right up until the final cutoff at 5:00 pm on May 18. But, we had a problem. There were two contestants that were neck in neck. The difference in the amount raised was very small and we wanted to reward both families in their efforts to raise money for school supplies for needy school children. So, the decision was made to have two winners. Both famlies will receive a 24" wall portrait valued at over $700. The blond bombshell is Riley. She is 17 months old and full of spice and personality. Her favorite activities involve "reading" books and sucking her fingers. This is her at just a few days old: Lindzee is a familiar face to Haugen's followers because she has been a part of the contest every year since she was a baby. Now, at age 7, she is turning into a young lady. Her favorite activities are ballet and playing with h...

"There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face."     ~Ben Williams Dogs bring so much joy to our lives.  They are our children,  They are the warm heartbeat at our feet.  They tolerate so much from us because they love us more than life.  They bring joy without judgement.  They weave their way into our hearts and become a part of us. Dogs are miracles with paws.  

I never really thought about an alarm clock being an essential school supply until I went to a meeting of the Salem Keizer Assistance League Auxiliary the other day. I was there to talk about the children's contest which supports one of the Auxillary's favorite charitable projects: Operation Backpack. I knew that they provided school supplies to children who need them so these kids can be successful in class and with their homework. What I didn't know is that they get requests from some of the schools for alarm clocks.  After I thought about it, it made complete sense. The kids being served are probably not being driven to school by their parents. They probably don't have a cell phone or even a $5 alarm clock from Walmart. So how are they going to wake up on time to get themselves to school? An alarm clock is an essential for these kids. The members of the Salem Keizer Assistance League Auxiliary collect funds throughout the year to support their program and then, in t...

I love this time of year. There is a hint of spring in the air, I am photographing lots of children, and I get to support Operation Backpack and make lives better for children whose lives are a bit tough. The Children's Contest Our normal session fee of $125 is just $35 for the participants in the Children's Contest and ALL of that goes to Operation Backpack. In addition to the $35, we are donating 10% of all our sales to the cause of providing school supplies for needy school children. Last year over $1,000 was raised. That's something like 40 backpacks filled with supplies!   How does the Contest work? In a nutshell, we do a portrait session of your child or children (any child under the age of 13 is eligible). You choose any portraits you would like for yourself and one to go in the contest. The public gets to vote for their favorite by making donations to Operation Backpack. The contestant with the most donations made in their name wins the prize 24" wall po...

The fundamental job of a toddler is to rule the universe.                                                                                                                            ~Lawrence Kutner Parents are always in such a rush to encourage their children to start walking. What they don't realize is that walking is a very short  interlude between crawling and running 100 mi...

I just created a short little video for you to enjoy. Have fun!