The Art of Life

I know I have been MIA for a while…it has been a nice break, as I have been able to get some house projects completed and others planned, I got all my bookkeeping done & have just been enjoying the days at home with the kids. As you may know, we are a homeschooling family, and as my oldest daughter nears the end of 1st grade, my responsibilities as her teacher (& mother!) have increased. So, this is why my sessions will be more limited in 2009. However, I have added some new options (like digital offerings, super easy build your own collections for maximum value as well as spending bonuses!) so there is really something for everyone this year…as well as incredible value!

I am back in action now, scheduling sessions for the rest of winter & the spring so call soon to get on the schedule as it will fill up FAST. If you did not get my newsletter, I will let you in on on my newsletter deal (but if you sign up for the newsletter you will get the scoop next time!)

Any session booked by March 1 (for a session scheduled before November 1st) 2009 will receive a complimentary 5×7 print AND be entered into a drawing for a set of 25 2-sided Christmas cards!

Also, for all newborn sessions booked and held in 2009 will receive a complimentary set of 25 2-sided birth announcements (session must be held in the first 7 days after babe’s arrival).

I am looking forward to a great year & meeting new friends as well as revisiting old friends! God Bless!

I just want to wish everyone a wonderfully blessed & safe Thanksgiving! There is so much to be thankful for…and as an American I am overwhelmed with thanks and appreciation for what our forefathers went through and the sacrifices that have been made to provide us the freedoms we have today…freedoms that we need to protect & respect. I just love America…and I am thankful it is my home.

God Bless America & Happy Thanksgiving!

With all the stuff that’s been going on lately around here, I have gotten a bit behind in blogging & I have lots of sessions I have completely fallen in love with & want to share…but that will have until after the rush to get everything ordered and delivered before Christmas.

In the meantime, here is a song to share…one of my new favorite Christmas songs…the message is so perfect…

click here and then click on “Eternal Gifts”

For my sweet mother-in-law. She is undergoing a semi-emergency heart bypass and mitral valve replacement as I type. She has been sick for a few months and it turned out she had a blood infection & endocarditis, which has deteriorated her mitral valve and the replacement was set to be in 3-4 weeks to have enough time for the infection to be killed completely, but it became urgent to do the surgery immediately. She has been in the hospital for 3 weeks now, and was in the ICU for about a week, she is very weak and really needs prayers for strength right now…and a full recovery.

Given this, I may be hard to get a hold of over the next few days.

On another, similar note, due to family circumstances and other personal obligations, I am no longer able to accept any OPERATION:LOVE-REUNITED sessions at this time and until further notice. It seems as though I am the only photographer participating in the area and I am getting more calls than I can return at this time and I just cannot maintain my personal obligations and honor all these sessions. My sincerest aplologies…I wish there were more hours in the day! GOD BLESS everyone who serves this country…including their families…your sacrifice is truly appreciated here.

Thank you to all who have served, are serving & will serve. It is an honor to live in a country that is free, and that freedom is owed to all the brave men & women who have served this country, as well as the families that supported them. I am overwhelmed by the sacrifice made by those in our military service…and to say thank you is just not enough…I am indebted to you & your service. And to both of my grandfathers who served this country overseas in WWII (and of course all the other men & women in uniform serving in all wars), although you have left this world, thank you for helping make it a better place.

God bless & have a wonderful Veteran’s Day.

This fall has been unbelievably busy, but also so fun! I have had the pleasure to work with so many great families and the weather was amazing (up until the last few days)! So, please bear with me as I get through all the work to get all the sessions edited & up for viewing! November not only happens to the craziest month for business, the month that I start preparing to host the family Thanksgiving, the month that the reality of Christmas (& the preparation panic) sets in, the month that we seem to have a million field trips & school projects going on…but it is also the month of a gazillion family birthdays! So…well…I don’t sleep much this month! But…I promise, even if you don’t hear from me or think I forgot about you…I most definitely didn’t! I am working away at all my sessions & I will get them all done as soon as I physically can! I promise I work well under pressure!

In the meantime, enjoy some faves from some recent sessions…what a treat to work with these great families…and their very very handsome boys! And as a side note…in this first session (could they all be any more handsome (and beautiful!) by the way???) we ventured over to my friend’s family farm and I just absolutely love it there! So…this location is always an option for future sessions!

(click on images to view bigger)

I try not to get political where my professional reputation is involved, but this is just too important…and so I will risk it. This election will decide the fate of this country…we will either be ignoring the history of America (& all the sacrifices that have been made to get us here) and eroding our democracy, freedom and independence…or we will continue to grow and prosper in the last truly free nation on Earth. If you are yet undecided or know someone who is, please watch & forward these videos…it is just too important…and this election isn’t over yet. Get out there & vote!

God Bless!

This one is long…but the facts speak for themselves

For those interested in more info…Vicki McKenna has some great links on her site.

This fall has been full of families…and boys!  I am a wee bit behind with the proofing, but doing my best to catch up!  This was a fun session with a fun family!  Lots of faves to post here!  This session was done at the studio property as well and you just cannot beat the fall feel around here!  One of my favorite parts was the two boys playing chess…they were so fun!  Their little girl has some of the most beautiful blue eyes ever!  She was so chilly through the whole session but was such a good sport…and so spunky & cute!

S family…I will have your gallery up by the weekend…for now, I hope you enjoy the sneak peek!