2012 Pampurred Pet Christmas Photo Session

Every Holiday during the year you will find us at Pampurred Pets in Post Falls, ID taking photographs of your little ones. Here is a slideshow of our first day of shooting this year for Christmas photos.

Childs First Experiences - Shaun Schlager

A child experiencing something for the first time is always a pleasure for any parent or grandparent. Halloween is always one of the greatest times to watch a child experience this holiday. 

You have the different costumes, decorations, chaos and of course the experience of knocking on a door and saying trick or treat.

While my family and I were out trick or treating we were following a group with a young child. The child was so fun to watch as he experienced his first Halloween.

The boy must have been around three years old and was trying to figure out the process to get candy. He would walk up to the door and stand there. He was more interested in the decorations than knocking on the door. The parents would say knock on the door Hunter. Hunter would listen and knock and knock and knock until the person opened the door. The dad saying, “Once is good, Hunter stop” and then finally giving up and letting his little boy just have fun. 

While following the family, we started to come up on a house that was completely decked out in decorations. The house next to it was also decked out, but had a kid walking around the grave stone yard acting like he was a zombie. I knew this was going to be fun to watch. 

Their boy was so excited and curious about ever little decoration at the one house. There was a trail to the back of the house which also had decorations and things being cooked up in barbeques. The child was really scared to go into the witch’s house and was looking back and forth the whole time.

After they finished in the backyard finally came the moment I was waiting for. The little boy started walking by the house with the zombie. The little boy was not aware of the “zombie” walking towards him. When the boy noticed the Zombie, he yelled and took off running down the street screaming, “He eat me!!! He eat me!!!” He didn't stop till he got to his dad who was smiling from ear to ear and giggling.

It is just an amazing thing watching a child experience something for the first time.  

Let There Be Lights - by Shaun Schlager

Every year the day after Thanksgiving, Coeur D'Alene, ID celebrates the winter season with a fireworks show and lighting ceremony.

With more than 1.5 million lights and an expected 30,000 plus people to attend, this is a family tradition and a vacation stop to see.

The night starts off every year with a parade filled with dozens of floats and persons putting on a show for all the spectators.

I am not sure if they have been at the festival in the past, but this year Coeur D'Alene had christmas carolers singing all throughout the parade and up till the fireworks display.

This year the fireworks seemed shorter than usual but that could be because of the hard times our country is going through and the funding may not be there. With that being said, the fireworks show was still very good and fast paced without many pauses between fireworks. This always makes for a good show.

Once the fireworks are over, they flip the switch and the city and lake light up with hundreds of Christmas lighting displays. 



An Interview with April Terry - Shaun Schlager

Banner Bank - Shuan Schlager

Downtown Spokane had an exciting afternoon on the 800^th block and Riverside today. There was an attempted bank robbery and bomb threat by the would be bank robber.

Banner Bank was held up by Shawn P. Hoffman and arrested by plains clothes detective, Paul Lebsock.

Because the robber said he planted a bomb, streets from Riverside to Lincoln and Wall Streets were blocked off while police searched for the bomb.

The bomb squad assisted by their canine unit did not find anything while searching for the bomb.

The would be robber was later booked into the Spokane County Jail on 1^st degree robbery charges.  

Hansen's Florist - Shaun Schlager

Hansen’s Florist & Gifts is a premier flower shop in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho located on Northwest Boulevard.

Danielle Hansen, with 20 years’ experience in the industry, opened her own store in 2006. Over the past 5 years, her success has grown.

This is one of the nicest flower shops I have ever been to. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful. The décor and atmosphere is hands down the best in the area.

Consistency is key for me. Every floral arrangement I’ve seen from Hansen’s Florist & Gifts is the quality I would expect from any business. Previously, other flower shops I’ve used in the area did not consistently provide a quality product.

Danielle’s staff of professional floral designers takes pride in their work. They ensure every flower and every arrangement sent out of the shop is the highest quality.

When you visit the shop, you experience a comforting ambience lending to a French country scene.

If you are in need of an arrangement, give the beautiful ladies at Hansen’s Florist & Gifts a call. Danielle, Katrina, Wendy, and Lil are ready to take your order whether you’re planning a special event or you want to make a cherished love one smile.

Garden Street Yoga - Shaun Schlager

On the corner of 6^th and Garden in downtown Coeur d’Alene, there’s a brick building that use to be one of the first schools in the area.  Now it’s a two story building with 8 studios rented out to small businesses. One of them being Garden Street Yoga.

Garden Street Yoga is a dedicated Anusara Yoga studio opened in 20001 by Karen Sprute-Francovich.

Anusara Yoga is a style of Hatha Yoga created by John Friend and integrates the art of internal energetic movement with precise principles of alignment, a high degree of mindfulness and spiritual intention and a joyful expression of the spirit.

You can enjoy workshops, retreats, teacher training, immersion programs and studio classes at Garden Street Yoga.

I had the pleasure of photographing and interviewing Terri Simmons. She has been an instructor at Garden Street Yoga since 2006 and has also taught yoga at North Idaho College since 2007.

I asked Terri how she got started doing yoga. Terri told me her counselor said Terri needed something in her life that would nurture her and take care of her. Terri told her counselor she always wanted to try yoga. The next day Karen came to the building Terri worked at as a preschool teacher. Karen was looking for a place to have her yoga studio. Karen has been Terri’s mentor for 11 years now.

When I asked why she loved yoga so much, Terri responded, “What I love most about yoga is that it gets me into alignment with my own inner strength and radiance! I feel stronger and more confident. I feel less pain in my body. I feel more open with people and with difficult circumstances that happen in my life. I feel more like my true self. Yoga rocks!”

Being a wholehearted student of Anusara Yoga, Terri is currently in the process of working towards becoming an Anusara Certified Teacher.

Nightlife In Coeur D' Alene

Thursday night and nothing in site. Just a lone cars tailights driving off in the distance.

Nothing going on at the new Parkside Buildings

Yep nothing going on.

Maybe there is something happening on Sherman Ave? Darn still nothing.

There has to be something going on at Seasons the new restraunt and bar in Coeur D'Alene. Interesting still no one to be found.

Maybe there is something going on at church? Lights out! Nothing here.

Not even god. Guess I will go home....

and sit in my underwear.

On a more serious note, downtown Coeur D' Alene, really has nothing going on during the week. Well, stay tuned to see if something happens on Friday or Saturday night.



Chatteroy Creamery – by Shaun Schlager

Chatteroy Goat Creamery in Chatteroy, Wa is a fun little place to spend the day. Our class had a location shoot here.

Christine and I were the first to shoot. Our shoot was about how they get the goats milk.

After our shoot, we spent most of the day taking photographs of the animals on the farm. I noticed that most of the students were by passing the sheep. Growing up on farms and ranches, I knew that sheep are skittish and you have to approach them slowly.

From the moment I opened the gate and started to walk out to the sheep, a certain tup, or better known as a ram was keeping a close eye on me. I was a good 50 to 60 yards away, but they made sure to keep their distance. I slowly inched my way closer. When I was around 20 yards away, I lay down in the grass and kept shooting.

I get bored easy due to my ADHD, so I started to stray from shooting normal photographs. People that really know me know that I am a goof and do odd things. So this is part of my boredom. 

Elizabeth, DeAndra and Lark were working on the last shoot of the day.

While they were setting up, April , better known now as Momma, was keeping her kids happy.

 The last shoot was of the owners of the creamery, Becky and Lon.  We never saw the finished product but I am sure it turned out well.