Alexzander

Alex was very interested in his feet during our entire session. Wherever we put him, he ended up rolling over and grabbing those piggies. He was very interested in his mom and dad as well. Lots of love here between them all.
This first one is priceless to me. You gotta love the attitude.

Zoe

Lisa and I have been trying to get this session done since this past summer/fall. Finally it worked out with both of our schedules and I got to meet her beautiful daughter Zoe. I just followed her around the yard and the house for a while and this is how it turned out. I love how she is just doing all of the little things that toddlers do but that is what makes it special. All they need to do is be themselves. There is nothing better than that.

Ketchup

So I've missed most of April here but it's just been impossible to grab time to put things up in as fast as I'd like to. If you read the last post, you'll know that selling the house has become a third job for me. This week we 've had 7 showings in 8 days. We're just trying to appreciate the opportunities that will get us to the next phase and where we really want to be - HOME. I'm so looking forward to a bigger house with space for all of us and our stuff - did I mention SPACE? We are on top of each other here.

I have so many plans for when we move and I'm so excited to style our home in a really fun, personal, artistic and homey way. I've wanted to do that forever and I've finally decided that I'm going to do it my way and be creative and not let anyone else's rules get in the way. Doesn't that sound like fun?

I've been picking up pieces of furniture and accents here and there and actually have quite a bit in storage. They are calling me daily - my eyes want to see their shapes and colors and feel how they make me feel. It's such a rush to find a piece that just feels like you and you know that seeing it everyday will bring that little cheer and comfort. If you are a visual person and also a little bit of a home body, you know what I'm talking about. I'm terribily affected by the things around me.

So here goes a catch up quickie post. Three mini posts in one, if you will.

Patrick: What a face! Patrick has that full, round, yummy baby face and body that you just want to kiss and squish.

I love the TRAV-A-LITE sticker--------you don't need much more with you then this.

Sage:

Sage and I are getting to know each other pretty well. This was our 4th session and we have more to come. We've had two sessions at her home, one at Griggs Resevoir and this one at Innis Woods. Our next venture will be out a little east to the spot where Doug proposed to Tonya - Dawes Arboretum. Isn't that a great idea? Leave to Tonya though. She is as great as they come and puts atleast 110% into everything she does. Most of all her daughter.

Sage gave us many expressions including the "bulldog" pouty lip and many smiles.

This is my favorite from this session and favorite of Tonya and Sage together so far.

Alex:

Jen and Jason are friends of a client (Jamie) who is friends a client (Darci). Whenever I mention a client, my husband asks me "Now how did they find you?" - and I proceed to list the 6 degrees from which they were referred. It turns out that my husbnad knows them both from work as well.

It still is amazing to me that just by word of mouth I've managed to build this little business in the past 2 1/2 years - with no advertising, other than a one time silent aution gift card to a preschool for Stephanie, mom of Ava, and friend of Darci as well. Now Darci has referred me many times over and has created sub groups. My Worthington group and from there, my Victoria Secret's moms group (they all work there).
Darci is the sister of Dara. Dara is married to Chris. Chris went to school with my husband and we met before we all got married. Dara and Chris's session of their son Ty was one of the very first sessions I did. They passed me on to Darci and it went from there. See how all of that works!

So I truly appreciate all of you giving me your support and sending your family and friends my way. I hope I"ve shown that I will take good care of them.


Alex had some fun in the tub. I love how they put him on his belly. He did like it, although it doesn't look like it.

He wasn't completely sure about me being there.

FEET!

Isn't this how we feel about our children. No matter what, where, when, whom, they will be forever in our heart and ours.

So sweet.

It's really startin' to get to me

Our house is for sale and the constant showings are making our lives ridiculous right now. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for the opportunities we keep getting even with the way the market is right now, but I just feel run over by a truck at this point.
If we just had to tidy up and go to lunch while they are here, that wouldn't be a big deal, but the list of chores to be done to be competitive is massive;
Please humor me while I ramble, Drew is at school, Roman is sleeping, husband not answering phone.

make sure all laundry is done and put away
run dishwasher, empty
scrub shower, whole bathroom
clean all windows, mirrors
dust everything
clean up yard
empty all trash from rooms and garage trash can and in street
clean kitchen sink, counters, appliances
vacuum carpet, vacuum wood floors, swiffer
put out all new accessories, towels, pillows, soaps, rugs, etc.
wipe down both sets of wood stairs
buy fresh flowers for table (this is adding up quickly)
take all coats, jackets, hats, bags (for 4 people) off hooks and throw into car
take all extra food that does not fit into cupboards (for 4 people) and throw into car because we don't want to draw attention to fact that there is little cupboard space
throw toy bin into car
make all beds, straighten rooms, put away (hide) any personal items
straighten closets and cupboards
These things are difficult because we can't just organize and keep organize, there is no room here to do that - it's why we are moving! So we just start over each time.
open windows to air out - don't cook anything day of
put all business stuff away - again no room to stay organized so this is increasingly irritating when I have to come home and try to get a grip on scheduling, accounting, to do's, etc.

Most of the time I am here with my youngest and scrambling by myself to get it all done.

While we are doing this, we are still trying to make repairs to the house and increase potential. We thought we were done when we listed it, but know we still need to do some. I have two storage units that are full to make the home more spacious, we still need to replace the bathroom sink, fix the crack in the front window, and we're pretty sure we are going to finish the basement and add a 2nd bath.

What is really annoying is the feedback that we are getting is about the fact that the basement isn't finished and there is only one bathroom - well it states that online and in the print outs! Why are we all wasting our time?
I'm really burned out and just want to get my work done, take care of my family, myself, and my clients. But for now, it looks like it will continue. We had one showing on Monday, two on Wed. and now another tomorrow and one Sat.
We have to move; I need an office, we need a playroom, we need another bathroom.

There is a lot more going on here as well, but I'll get into that later. ;)

Thanks ahead of time for your understanding and patience with me returning calls, emails, and getting galleries up.
Also, thank you so much for your support and desire to work with me. I know this sounds kind of cuckoo, but my calender for the year is almost completely full! I have a couple of spots in Aug., Sept is open, and a couple of spots in Oct. That is it.

I was hoping to be able to get to another project that I am excited about this summer, but it looks like it will have to wait until after Christmas time.

Once I moved to Columbus, I started my business over in Video, shooting weddings. I loved many aspects of that; the motion of the image, the support of the music to tell the story. Family-movies are what I would love to get up and running along with what I am currently doing. I hope to be able to offer different packages of either just family movies, or movies along with still images, so you get the best of both worlds.

Alas, it will have to wait. I am excited though.

Let me know your thoughts about any of the above bits and pieces. I can hear you now.........."Just hang in there" "This too shall pass" "It's all for the best" "You are doing it for your family" "You are Wonder Woman!"


Thanks guys, I feel better already. :)

Dalen

We met up on Saint Patrick's Day for our third session and Grandma drove in from out of town to join us. I love this three generation image above. There is so much more meaning when there is interaction and not just smiling faces looking at the camera. Look at the love in Grandmas eyes looking down at her Grandaughter. You would'nt see/feel that if she were looking at the camera.

We started in the backyard and then headed to a couple of different locations. One was just down the road and was a property that was for sale with several old barns and buildings on it. I could have stayed there forever looking in all of the nooks and crannies and broken doors and bicycle parts and boats. It would be a great spot for a senior or engagement shoot. Unfortunately, there was a no trespassing sign. Oops!

My youngest son Roman's eyes are one of my favorite things about him. They are just an unusual shape and very dark, like little sparkly almonds. So much of his smile is in his eyes. Dalen's eyes remind me of his in how special they are. The little ends scoop down and out like they are smiling too.

Beth ---- Senior Session

Ok, this is a bit of a departure from my norm, but I have to tell you, I do really enjoy this type of shoot as well. It a place where we can be a little more funky and really use our surroundings.

Beth, her mom, and brother drove over from the town I grew up in and we made our way around this one and this is a little of what we came up with along the way.

This next one makes me so happy. I love everything about it.

Beth rocked this alley .........literally. She started playing and singing and it was really sweet to see her and her brother interact. You can tell how much they mean to each other and how much he looks up to her.

Little Lynndsey

No, we didn't start off this way, but I just love the real honesty of this image of Lynndsey. We do see all sides of them daily. Lots of smiles, some tears, silliness, laughter, thoughtfulness, etc.

What's not to love about baby eyelashes and the outline of their face looking down at them - they way we always see them.

Princess?................I think so!

I love this one

Beckett

One of my youngest newborns at only seven days old. He has a fabulous name as well.

The in between moments are some of the best. Kim and Andrew were just trying to calm Beckett before moving their hands away for the shot. I just asked them to stay right there -and isn't this lovely? I like it because when you try to set up some shots, they do look very similar to what we have seen before and their hands wouldn't look so natural here because they really are soothing him.

Kim looked so put together for the mother of a seven day old and her baby instincts were right on -- soothing him - getting him back to sleep. Of course, he was most happy when mom or dad were holding him.

This is for Dad - a huge U2 fan.
Hmmmmmmmmmm..........................................do you think he peed on it?

Of course he did! We wouldn't expect any less. Made that glass shine.

This also was Dad just getting ready to rest Beckett's head on the coffee table, but it looked so sweet just like this.

The End

The unexpected

I didn't mind the drive up north to the little town where this guy lives. I had over an hour to myself, my music, and my thoughts - not time for that much lately.

When I came to the town, it reminded me a lot of where I grew up in Coshocton. The Main St. and courtsquare have that old time charm and coziness.
Laura mentioned that I would be looking for a door to the second floor of a commercial building, but what she did not mention was that a little white door in an alley opens to a wide, steep stairway - that leads to a huge 3 level brickwalled, wood floored, beautifully decorated, open loft home that overlooks that courtsquare.
It is a beautiful home and even with the first level heat going out the night before, we still had plenty of room to work with.

I really have a good time meeting new clients and working in different environments. Gustin is a handsome fellow and we have more sessions planned too.



















Quincey has such a sweet nature and she seemed to want to be in every shot, or atleast close by. I have a lot of images that include her nose-tail-head-back.




I of course, on this day chose to wear the wrong shoes and ended up tip-toeing through the snow and ice that lay on the alley waiting for some sunshine. I'm tired of wearing the comfortable shoes, but winter is not over.

Abigail

Mom and dad have been waiting patiently for a little peak at Abigail's session so I have to get this up before heading off to bed. She's a beauty like her mama and our second session together was most fun. I love my package clients and it's like visiting friends instead of work. Don't get me wrong - we work it, but we still have a good time.

Peekaboo..........