Make sure to like my Facebook page…I will be announcing my holiday sessions there soon!  I already have a waiting list so they may go quickly.  I’m buying some major props for a fun idea I have for these, so I want to secure those before I make promises

Next, I have to ask you all to keep the Seedorf family in your prayers.  I was shocked tonight as I was working with the news on as background noise…I heard a name I recognized and started to pay attention.  There was an accident in Wood County, Shannon went off the road into the Portage river and later died.  I took pictures of Shannon and her boys this past spring, her boys will be turning 4 and 2 soon.  It breaks my heart to think of them without their mother…I’ve been crying all night and thinking about how we had talked during her session, how she wanted to do a session for herself for Mother’s day every year and that she wanted to wait until the next one, when she lost weigh/felt better about herself to get a good family picture.  I told her I was waiting for the same thing… we laughed about it and I am so grateful that I got a few candid shots of her interacting with the boys anyway.  Shannon was a wonderful person and motherand my thoughts are with her family.

Now, I apologize to the S family for putting these up after writing about something so sad…but this is what I was working on when I saw the news and I want to get it up.  Your beautiful little girl puts such a smile on my face!  We started out in the field and I am so glad we did because once we got in the house and I got closer with my big camera she was scared!  Poor little doll!  Check out this adorable family:

I love this mirror shot, it was at the end of the session, at this point I was trying to hide and stay far away

It was great to meet you all!  Hopefully A won’t be so scared of the camera in the future

I’m still working through November when I had the pleasure of meeting this wonderful family!  The session was supposed to be more of a newborn session, but little Miss M was really not a happy camper.  I ended up spending most of my time with her adorable big sister, then getting a few great ones of Miss. M in a very short time and ending with some family Christmas pictures which Miss M wasn’t too happy with either. Poor little sweetie!

I’ve been dying to share this one, it makes me smile big:

Sweet M in her 2 minutes of cooperation:

Love her laugh… and have you ever seen such a happy dog?  Can you be sad with a dog that smiles like this around?

It was wonderful to meet you all!!

I have been super busy again, so the blog hasn’t been a priority and won’t be for a little while.  But getting proof galleries out is and I’m making some good progress!

Check out these two and try to not smile:

They are the furry babies of one of my summer wedding couples…it was wonderful to see you both and the pugs again!  And Jayme gave me a great compliment…when we first met she told me Chris hated pictures and didn’t even want a photographer at their wedding… at the mini sessions she pointed out how far he had come since then and how comfortable he was in front of the camera. 

This next family is from the Cleveland area…they planned a trip to visit family here around my mini sessions, how flattering is that??  Check out their adorable baby girl:

Aren’t they the cutest family?  It was so nice to meet you all!

Finally, one of my favorite families from past years…these two boys are just so handsome:

It was so great to see you all again!!

OK, last set of mini sessions next…

OK, here is the whole gang:

The guys, and the girls:

The grandkids and the kids:

Mom and son and mom and daughters:

The grandkids, and how cool were they to be allowed in Grandpa’s car?

I joked this would be titled, “His Two Loves”

Love these family shots:

One more, a little glimpse to the chaos:

And finally the talented dog:

It was so nice to meet you all!  All the pictures will be ready soon!  Coming next: Newborn, wedding, 7 month old, one year old…have a great Sunday!

I had to share this… it was the first shot from my first attempt to get Christmas pictures for our card.  I was getting desperate for anything since it was getting close to Christmas and I knew they were cranky that night… luckily I got some better ones the following weekend and my cards will be getting to everyone today or right after Christmas.  Except for the few that I put in the slot too soon, I forgot that I needed to get a few more stamps when I was at the post office, so those last 10 cards will be coming back here first.

Just a few other notes:

The nominations and the family I choose for a photo session will remain anonymous.  I’ll put a general description of who won on my blog.  I have received many entries already and they are heartbreaking!  I keep telling everyone I have no idea how I will choose one.

We have a new puppy!  A 5-6 month old mixed breed puppy we adopted from 4 Paws Sake in Sylvania.  He was named Vincent because he was found wandering near St. V’s…but he hadn’t taken to that name and we weren’t crazy about it so he is now Max.  He is the calmest sweetest dog!  Now, I have been wondering what in the world we were thinking when I’ve been having to take him out every half hour or so because of his UTI in the bitter cold we’ve been having!!  But how could I resist these eyes (I wanted to wait a while before getting another dog, but Tim sent me puppy pictures know I can’t resist) This is from 4 Paws Sake:

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and Happy Hannakuh!   I will be taking a break from work, but will pick right back up Friday with a ton of sessions and other work going on.

When we talked about her session a while back, L wasn’t too sure about where we would do the session…what kind of backgrounds we would have.  I said if nothing else we could drive and find a barn.  She said she had a barn, but it was old…I told her that was the best kind, and look, I just love these!!!

The dogs liked to join in, I have some fun ones, but I love this one with his nose at the heart, and the swirl of the background in the black and white:

A favorite:

Thanks for being patient L and D!!!

Here are the older two, they weren’t good show-offs.  I love this one, and I got some good individuals to show off later:

Now this puppy, on the other hand, was quite the poser! 

Love this one of her faux-hawk and smile:

And I love this last one, she had escaped and was coming right at me!  She looks like trouble, doesn’t she?

 I was tagged today in a fun photographer blog game by the fabulous Jess

The rules:

1 – Post the rules on your blog

2 – Write 7 random things about yourself

3 – Tag 7 people at the end of your post

4 – Pass on the tag

So for my random facts:

1 – Friday was my birthday!

2 – I used to get books for my birthday from my husband and kids, but I have a pile from last year I haven’t had time to read, so I got shoes…converse all stars!

3 – I got a DVD too, Sex and the City, to add to my collection of the TV DVDs…love that show!

4 – Not talking politics…but Tina Fey is hilarious as Sarah Palin.  I am so glad SNL convinced her to come back for those bits.

5 – I have a friend on the current Survivor.  Randy the wedding videographer.  He is so sarcastically funny and they will edit him to be evil, but he is a good guy and will be fun to watch!

6 – Are you as excited as I am about the arrival of fall?  I just love the weather and the colors.  I try to ignore the shorter days…

7 – Finally, I had a rare open day so we are taking the kids to Hallow-weekend at Cedar Point!  I’m so excited to see how much fun they have!

OK, I will tag: Amanda, Ashley, Nicole, Heather, Ann, Jess, and Anita  I will come tag you all in a bit!

I have two sessions from Sunday to blog about yet, so stay tuned!  And I am slowly getting through my emails, book designs, and proofs!  Making progress