friday sweetness

As I was doing my morning blog-reading, I came across this. I think it's the sweetest exchange I have read in a long time. Read it. It will make you want to fall in love. :)

happy doggy thursday!

since my life didn't drastically change yesterday, I now have to hit the pavement running!...proofing, laundry, groceries, and more laundry. ready, set, GO!

boobie update....

today, there was a miracle.

I had my mamogram and ultrasound, and the radiologist didn't find anything...not even the original lump!

thank you to everyone out there who was praying (...I never once had an eye twitch)...I appreciate you all so much. (((big sigh))) :)

Baby On Board

Here's the sneak peek from today's maternity shoot...okay, I never realized how un-sexy "maternity" sounds! From here on out, I am never using that word again. Okay blog readers...give me some ideas that I can call pregnancy shoots. We need to update this ultra cool thang us girls get to do. :)

Today's senior session...

so beautiful and smart and sweet!...thanks for hanging out with me this morning! Here's your sneak peek from today. :)

“Look back at your work and it tells you how it is when you hold back or when you embrace. When you are lazy, your art is lazy; when you hold back, it holds back; when you hesitate, it stands there staring, hands in its pockets. But when you commit, it comes on like blazes.”

This quote is from Art and Fear, a book I haven't read, but saw the quote on Jessica Sprague's website (she is a brilliant digital and paper scrapbooker!). It's one of those quotes that resonates with me, with what I want to do at each and every photo shoot. Do I ever hold back? absolutely. But it's my goal to come back from every session, filled with inspiration, because I was OPEN to the possibilities.

"Watch out for the broken glass..."

You know you have great clients when you say that, and they don't even flinch! They are going to be married in a month and I was so excited to do their shoot...they were up for anything, so I got to play. :) Random walls, alleys, stairwells...all the stuff that makes my heart go pitter-pat....plus you add the love of this family together and it just makes the time fly. Thanks guys and enjoy your sneak peek.



Even the dogs posed for me!




oh this face! He's much happier than he lets on, cuz his little curly tail wags constantly!

Yes, that's HAIL! We collected it in our front yard and now it resides in our freezer to be a reminder of the freakish weather we have here. I've never seen anything like it. I was standing in a wine shop, watching my car and praying that my windshield wouldn't crack. :) It made it. Good Minivan.

Happy Friday everyone!

Today's shoot and a shoe miracle...

Today I had the first shoot in a LONG time that I have not slipped, fallen, or tripped...OR gotten ONE SINGLE BLISTER!!!! I'm sorry for all the exaggerated capitols...but I am just plain excited...and I think it's all cuz of these cute Nikes that I broke down and bought. Yay for comfortable shoes! (They are a freak of design cuz they weigh practically nothing.)

And here is the sneak peek to today's shoot. ENJOY!!! :)





and a baseball still life...

"Let's schedual a mamogram"...

I started to protest, cuz I'm not 40 yet (the age I think of when I think of this procedure)...and then it occurred to me that my doctor had felt something.

Now, I definitely have a tendency to be a hypochondriac (I know that one headache could've been a brain tumor!), and I deal daily with a funky anxiety...and I so wish I could be one of those people that are like, "ya, no big deal"...or better yet, who tells no one, because obviously, it will all be fine.

I'm not that person. So if you see a slight twitch going on around my right eye, this is the reason. And I'd appreciate your prayers. :)

Now, I'm off to starbucks for my newest obsession...Passionfruit iced tea, with 2 splendas...yum.

A senior session and a special thanks...

what a great session today! I had so much fun...and such a beautiful subject!...thanks for hanging out with me! Here's your sneak peek...







And a very special thanks goes out to the Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts...located in the historic Kaiser-Frazer building. They are so gracious in letting me use their amazing building for photoshoot backgrounds. Thank you! You are wonderful! Find out more information about this amazing center here.

Seriously, I think I could do senior sessions everyday and not get sick of it...I love hearing every one's stories. And today was no different. I think this guy is one of the most positive people I have ever met. Usually I direct people to do a few serious poses, and while I have no doubt that this guy gets serious about things, I'm pretty sure he does everything with a smile. Gotta love that!...you can't help but smile too! Thanks for being completely contagious!...and enjoy your sneak peek!

Rule of thirds...

So, I was doing a shoot this morning, shooting and explaining to the high school senior and his mom that I never center anything and that I have a tendency to do angles, and basically talking photo-gibberish, when all of a sudden, the guy says, "ya, the rule of thirds."

I almost jumped out of my shoes, I was so excited!...a client that knows about the rule of thirds! Wow! Totally impressed! :) (for those that don't know the rules of thirds, it is a basic design principle that explains balance and why things are aesthetically pleasing...I can do a little diagram if anyone wants me to. :)...just leave a comment for a more in depth explanation and I'll do it.)

Anyway, I digress! Needless to say, I loved doing today's shoot, and here are some pictures for the sneak peek. :) Enjoy!

I'm dreaming of a calm Christmas...

Hello to all my clients out there! I have been hearing a lot from people that they would like to book with me this fall. :) At the risk of sounding totally pushy...the time is now. I book quickly and have a limited number of weekend spots available. Also, (and this is new this year), I will only be guaranteeing print orders for Christmas if placed by mid November.

I have a lot of new Christmas cards displayed on my website, so check it out. :) Here is one of the new ones...

Heart of stone...

today is the first day of school for the kiddos, and I didn't cry...not one tear. This is the first year that has been the case, and instead of feeling proud of myself, I feel guilty! like, what kind of mother am I if I don't cry on the first day of school?...

Mommy guilt...it's hard to get away from it, all the expectations I put on myself. :)

So, today, I'm gonna try to let it go. I'm drinking the best Iced Nonfat (with whip!) Raspberry Mocha ever and I have our little dog at my feet, listening to Jack Johnson, and loving the quiet(or absence of chatter) while I get some work done.

Happy Monday everyone. :)

just stopping by...

to say hi to everyone. I will be busy today filling a request of our kiddos...to make today "the best day ever". :) Tall order, but they seem to think a trip to Chuck-e-cheese's will fit the bill.

(big sigh)...I LOVE being a mom. It's days like these (and the fact that we actually found shoes yesterday during out shopping trip that everyone will wear) that makes me so thankful to be part of our family.

Side note...my new blog banner...found that flower yesterday on a photo shoot growing out of a crack next to a building...isn't that weird and wonderful?!

Sneak Peek Time!

This morning's senior session was so much fun...started off with an Iced Latte and ended with bottles of ice water that the mom brought for all of us...how cool is that! Enjoy your sneak peek!






I love this one!

the end of summer.

the kids go back to school next week, and every summer is the same...a slight panic starts to grow in me and I start to think about all the stuff we didn't do, should've done, could've done. I start to think about how much I will miss them. I start to prep myself for what inevitably turns out to be a cry-fest on that fateful day.

My house will be cleaner, my work will get done faster, we will have nightly planned dinners (well, that might be pushing it a bit), ...but the house will be too quiet while I let go and let my babies grow up.

2 postings in one day?!

Our phones are down (I'm guessing from the lightning yesterday) and I am feeling totally disconnected from the world. Yes, I have a cell phone, but it just isn't the same. :) so, I'm sending out some love tonight...

and I just can't post without a pic, so here is one of an enormous grasshopper from today's morning shoot...these puppies were all over the place. you know how it is when you see a bug, and then from there on out, you're totally itchy?...ya, that's what it was like.

Atleast it wasn't a huge spider.