Amber Beery Photography

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T06:00:00.001-05:00

Engagement Session

2011-12-24T08:44:00.000-05:00

With tentative plans to begin my business again next fall, I have scheduled a couple of weddings for next summer. And with weddings, come engagement sessions!

Spending time with Emily and Tony was such a delight! We squeezed their session in before Thanksgiving, and it wasn't hard to tell they were thankful for each other. Such a cute couple! Can't wait for their wedding in the summer!

Friends

2011-12-16T21:13:00.000-05:00

This morning a friend stopped by. With her two adorable kids! And because she's soon moving far away and because her kids are CUTE, I had to pull out the camera for a couple of minutes!

I think this one may be my favorite! Such sweetness!

Little E was not incredibly impressed with me!

Austin ~ Senior Pictures

2011-11-20T09:19:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in Kellen's post, my photography business is on hold for this year. However, my camera-happy fingers were kept moving by a couple of senior photo sessions for kids in our youth group. Austin's photo session was awesome! Last year I took his sister's senior pictures, and while he probably wasn't as excited as his sister about the whole process, we had lots of fun!

Kellen Senior Pictures

2011-11-16T14:31:00.000-05:00

Kellen is one of my youth group girls, so while I'm officially done with my business for now, I still got to spend an afternoon with her and her mom capturing senior pictures! We had so much fun! Sometimes I think I need to schedule photo shoots with friends just for the sake of all the fun we have!

She even found her Prince Charming!

B Family

2011-11-16T14:04:00.002-05:00

Family portraits for this beautiful family were made perfect by the same barn setting as a wedding earlier in the summer. I love farms! Have I mentioned this?! The kids were adorable and perfectly behaved...I'm serious! This was one of the easiest shoots ever!

Details

2011-11-16T13:55:00.000-05:00

As promised, better late than never, here are the beautiful and creative details from Anna and Dan's wedding! She is so creative! The decorations went perfectly with an old-fashioned barn reception!

The old suitcase served as a basket for cards. It was perfect sitting right next to old family portraits!

The bride made this cute little cake. It fit the theme perfectly!

More From the Wedding

2011-07-13T10:02:00.001-04:00

Here are a few more favorites from Anna and Dan's wedding! You'll probably get one more post from their wedding because their reception details were amazing, and I have to share the bride's creativity with you!

{Kids and Weddings}

2011-06-24T14:27:00.000-04:00

I have been busy working on editing the pictures from Anna and Dan's wedding...you'll get an extended sneak peak soon!

But as I was going through their pictures, I found so many adorable kids popping up that I just had to show them to you. Kids bring so much sweetness (and laughter) to weddings!

I LOVE this picture! It makes me chuckle! This little princess was a busy little bee during the ceremony!

And this picture makes me miss my big brother. Little sister with big brother and a big red barn in the background. Doesn't get much better for my Kansas heart!

Look out! Someone is about to go for a drive!

When we arrived, the kids were watching Cinderella in the beautiful big farmhouse while the bride and bridesmaids got ready. There was something so exactly perfect in shooting beautiful dresses and a radiant bride with Cinderalla's ballroom music playing in the background!

Hmmm...someone found the goodies!

I was just taking a peak, I promise!

{ Beth+Chris }

2011-06-13T00:17:00.001-04:00

This was my wedding weekend! As I mentioned in my previous post, Friday night I photographed the wedding of Anna and Dan, and was joined by Jess, who served as my second photographer and is also my sister-in-law! Saturday I joined her as her second photographer to shoot the wedding of Beth and Chris. I was a youth group leader for Beth and Chris back in the day, so shooting this wedding was doubly sweet!

Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. Clingenpeel!

{ Anna+Dan }

2011-06-12T14:35:00.001-04:00

Friday evening was dreary and cold, but nothing could dampen the love felt at Anna and Dan's beautiful wedding! Anna was a beautiful bride, and I couldn't have been happier to capture the love between these two...a love built on their faith in Christ.

Rehearsal

2011-06-10T11:03:00.001-04:00

I'm shooting a wedding today on a beautiful farm! Can't wait! Last night I attended the rehearsal, and these were some of the goings-on that caught my eye.

This cute little guy kept grabbing the camera's attention! He was so cute...and played so sweetly while the grown-ups worked on the rehearsal!

The bride's brother sweetly cut down a branch for me because I was pretty sure it would be growing out of the couple's head in the cermony pictures!

These Texas longhorns cracked me up. They were quite fascinated by the musicians setting up!

And what could be better for little boys than a wedding rehearsal held on a farm with lots of good climbing trees!

More of the H Family

2011-06-08T14:31:00.001-04:00

It's hot outside! If you live around here, you've noticed! While I enjoy the heat (and my AC), I'm very happy that this weekend is going to be cooler because I'm shooting two weddings, and one of them is outside...on a farm! Can't get any better than that (as long as the rain stays away!)!

Last week I posted a first glimpse of the H family for you! Here are several more pics from this family's photo shoot!

THE Hill...where mom and dad got engaged!

{H Family - Sneak Peak}

2011-06-01T23:05:00.000-04:00

This morning I met up with four super sweet, super polite kids and their parents for a family photo shoot! I love spending time with families (especially when they are friends of ours!). This family loves each other (and loves the Tigers!)

Enjoy a sneak peak! More coming soon!

Big sister with the little brothers!

See how much fun they are!

In love!

The very hill where mom and dad got engaged! Sigh! So romantic!

Family

2011-05-31T20:00:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow I have family photo shoot! I am excited! My fingers have been itching for my camera today, and my head is swirling with ideas! Don't worry! You'll get a sneak peak soon!

I love capturing families together - the love, the laughter, the inside jokes! Here is one of my favorite pictures from my family in recent days!

Quiet

2011-05-18T09:04:00.002-04:00

Sorry things have been a bit quiet over here! There has been a lot of activity behind the scenes, but, well, you can't see that!

Lately my heart has been full of thoughts and prayers for little Mr K.

A couple of weeks ago I posted about him and the photo shoot I did for his parents. You might have noticed that I didn't post any of those pictures from that photo shoot ...mostly because I didn't know what to say. I took maternity pictures for his parents, and a couple of days later, I took pictures of the delivery of their sweet new baby who did not survive birth. This loss was devastating for them, and my heart broke for their little family. Yet their faith and trust in God has been inspiring as well.

That was about two months ago. And now, just a couple of weeks ago, they found out that little Mr K has leukemia. He has already started chemo treatments, and the doctors are optimistic about his recovery...but it will be a long three years of treatment.

I would love it if you would join me in praying for Mr. K and his family!

And I would love for you to watch the following video of his parents and baby brother. His mom chose the songs and verses, and I think it's an amazing testimony of their love for their boys and their faith in Christ alone. You can also find a larger version of the video on youtube.

Neighborhood House

2011-05-02T21:27:00.001-04:00

My husband and I recently spent time with our youth group at the Neighborhood House Community Center. We played lots of games with the cutest kids! They stole my heart!

Little K

2011-04-23T03:43:00.001-04:00

About a month ago, while I was in the midst of showing you favorites from 2010, I did a photo shoot for a family very dear to my heart. Mom and dad got the majority of camera time, but little Mr. K and his grandma stole the show as we were wrapping up! I love grandparents...probably because my kids' grandparents are amazing!

Enjoy the sweetness!

Favorites {December}

2011-04-15T08:29:00.004-04:00

Today is my last posting of favorites from 2010. I've had so much fun looking back at the families and inviduals my camera and I have met over the past year! Looking forward to photo shoots gearing up for this year! Weddings and seniors and families...here we come!

This is one of my favorite family pictures...taken when we were vacationing in Kansas. (Before the horrid stomach bug struck!) I love this picture! I feel so at home when I look at it! Strange, I know, since I'm not into hunting, but there's something about it that is so Kansas!

Favorites {December}

2011-04-13T20:27:00.000-04:00

We have made it to the December favorites in our 2010 favorites count down! You may have noticed that I'm a little behind these days in posting on here. It's because we've had some fabulously warm days here in Michigan, with colder weather threatening, so we've had important business to tend to outside. Like learning to ride bikes and going for walks and soaking up sunshine. Very important business!

Back to December...I loved taking pictures for this family! So much sweetness in three little boys! For more pics, go here.

Favorites {November}

2011-04-08T06:05:00.001-04:00

This is an all-time family favorite from 2010!

Princess and Little Brother together! How she loves him!

Favorites {November}

2011-04-05T21:05:00.003-04:00

As I gear up for upcoming photo shoots (after all warm weather can't be far behind the arrival of spring!), we have two weeks left of favorites from 2010. This week is November's turn to shine!

Grandparents with happy grandkids! That has to melt your heart!

Favorites {October}

2011-04-01T06:47:00.001-04:00

Here is a family October 2010 favorite! Ok, it's three favorites! But Big Brother's smile is so heart-melting! And I love Princess in her "matching" attire. And Little Brother's hair makes me wish I had never given him a hair-cut, so you get a three-in-one today!

Favorites {October}

2011-03-30T06:42:00.000-04:00

Yes, I have decided to devote two weeks to October 2010 favorites. Sorry if you're partial to November. You'll get that next week! I promise!

For more pics from this photo shoot, go here and here.

Favorites {October}

2011-03-29T10:36:00.000-04:00

I hope you don't mind if I post another favorite from October last year instead of moving on to November! I just returned from a vacation in Florida, and this snow here is kinda dragging me down from my sun-induced euphoria, so maybe a few more fall pics rather than winter will lift my spirits! For more pics from this lovely photo shoot, go here and here.

Favorites {October}

Favorites {June}

2011-02-25T05:31:00.000-05:00

When friends ask me to take their family's pictures, I feel so honored! So I was thrilled to spend a morning last summer with these great kiddos and get this set of June 2010 favorites! For more pictures from their photo shoot, go here.

Favorites {June}

2011-02-24T05:00:00.001-05:00

The ingredients for this set of favorites from a June 2010 photo shoot called for:

running
lots of laughing
more running
the most mischievous smiles
friends
oh, and more running!!

To see more portraits from this session, go here.

Favorites {June}

2011-02-22T05:00:00.002-05:00

This June 2010 favorite is extra special because it's taken at my most favorite location ever for photo shoots...Kansas!! If you would like to fly me to Kansas, I would love to schedule a photo shoot for you there! And of course since this was a mini-session with my brother, his wife and their two boys...well, it can't get any better than that! For more pictures from their session, go here.

Favorites {June}

2011-02-21T05:08:00.002-05:00

I love June! Nothing against the other months, but June in Michigan finally means winter is gone and SUNSHINE is here (usually!). (And I suppose the fact that my birthday and wedding anniversary are also in June may make me biased towards this month!)

Here is a June 2010 favorite! What a fun photo shoot with Miss A! She is all smiles and energy and sweetness rolled into an adorable little girl! For a few more pictures from her photo shoot, go here.

Favorites {May}

2011-02-18T05:00:00.002-05:00

Final favorite from May 2010! My little baby is adored by his aunts!! Look at all that love!

(June 2010 favorites coming next week!)

Favorites {May}

2011-02-17T05:00:00.001-05:00

Ahhh, I had to choose this sweetness in the rain for a May 2010 favorite!

So peaceful. So calm. So reflective!

(Just so you know, this moment didn't last long!)

Favorites {May}

2011-02-15T05:31:00.000-05:00

Time for another May 2010 favorite!
I loved shooting this couple's wedding! They were so sweet and in love...and creative when it came to photo shoot locations! To see a few more pictures from their special day, click here.

Favorites {May}

2011-02-14T05:24:00.001-05:00

Hope you had a marvelous weekend! We enjoyed lots of sprinkles and cookies and frosting...prepping for Valentine's Day!

As promised, here is my first set of favorite pictures from May 2010! This photo shoot was one of the easiest of the year! The little guy is the sweetest ever!

Favorites {April}

2011-02-10T23:17:00.000-05:00

And here is a final family favorite from April 2010. Stay tuned for May favorites next week!

This picture gives me hope that winter will not last forever! Spring is coming!

Favorites {April}

2011-02-10T05:21:00.003-05:00

2011-01-29T09:18:00.000-05:00

I am ending the 2010 February favorite postings with one of my boys!! (March's favorites are coming next week!)

I love that these brothers love each other!

February {Favorites}

2011-01-28T09:23:00.000-05:00

This family favorite from 2010 melts my heart!

Princess is all dressed up and waiting for Prince Charming (aka Daddy) to take her on a date!!

Princess has a lazy eye, so she has to patch for an hour a day. Not her favorite thing to do, but she's a trooper. I got her patch from http://www.framehuggers.com/. We love it! So much more comfortable and cute than the adhesive patch...plus we could choose the color and embellishment. (Obviously, pink was the chosen color, and the embellishment on the front is Cinderella!)

February {Favorites}

2011-01-26T03:47:00.001-05:00

Ready for a family favorite from February last year?

Here is Little Brother with Grandma! I love how his eyes are soaking up Grandma's face! Wonder what he's thinking!

February {Favorites}

2011-01-24T15:44:00.003-05:00

This is week two of favorites from 2010!

I could not stop smiling when I opened up these pictures from another rare winter photo shoot! This little guy was one of my first clients way back when he was a newborn! He has the greatest smile!

Favorites {January}

2011-01-22T06:00:00.003-05:00

Here is my final posting of favorites from January 2010. But don't worry! February's favorites are coming next week!

I love the colors! I love the aprons! I love their cute little faces! (Yes, the balloons are attached to my ceiling fan. And, yes, the children are standing on the kitchen table!)

Favorites {January}

2011-01-20T18:06:00.000-05:00

More favorites from January 2010!

These two pictures go together because there is nothing I like better than seeing Big Brother and Princess playing sweetly together...

...and on a cold winter's day, there is almost nothing I like to eat better than fresh, warm, homemade bread! I'm drooling already!

Favorites {January}

2011-01-19T06:01:00.003-05:00

As promised, here is another January favorite from 2010!

Sometimes a little solitude is needed! Any way you can get it!

Favorites {January}

2011-01-17T10:57:00.001-05:00

As I've mentioned before, these winter months are my time off from photo shoots...when I overindulge in reading books about cats in hats and create beautiful architecture (ok, really it's just blankets and tables and chairs turned into forts!).

So I thought for the next few week, I would post some favorite pictures from 2010 - a smattering of family pictures and photo shoots! Hope you enjoy them as much as I have enjoyed browsing through the past!

To start out with, here are two adorable cousins from a rare winter photo shoot!! They are just oozing with cuteness!

A Few More of Ashton

2011-01-10T21:28:00.000-05:00

I am technically on break for a couple months - until Michigan can dig itself out from winter's grip! I know...I should love the snow since I live here. I'm working on that!

Right before Christmas, I took a few more formal pictures of Ashton for her yearbook portrait. I'll take pictures of this girl any time! I so enjoy spending time with her and her mom!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T06:44:00.004-05:00

L Family

2010-12-15T14:46:00.000-05:00

Tuesday brought sparkly snow, icy roads and an impromptu family photo shoot for friends of ours who live overseas! We were in a bit of a time crunch, but I still got some adorable pictures of this sweet family!

Oh Christmas Tree!

2010-12-13T15:17:00.000-05:00

Several weeks ago we put up our Christmas tree!

Thanks to the hard work of our supervisor/babysitter...

...and electrician...

...and decorator...

our home looks ready for Christmas!

More of Mel

2010-12-07T12:49:00.000-05:00

Today I completed my orders for the 2010 season! I'm ready to sip hot chocolate, listen to Christmas music and curl up next to the Christmas tree. Or at least dream about doing those things! More than likely I'll be chasing down last minute presents, cleaning up baking messes and singing Christmas carols in a very off-key fashion with my munchkins!

Mel was my last senior photo shoot this year, and since her order is the one I just completed, I thought I'd post several more pictures of this lovely young lady!

Announcing!

2010-11-30T20:37:00.000-05:00

Sorry! I'm a bit behind in announcing the contest winner! What can I say! The munchkins have been sick!

So, without further ado...the winner of the card contest is SARA!

CONGRATULATIONS!

{V Family - Extended}

2010-11-24T15:17:00.001-05:00

(Remember to check out the giveaway contest!)

Last Saturday I spent an hour with this family! I love them! The kids are adorable...and they are family friends, so I was thrilled to try to capture an extended family portrait and the very special grandparents-with-grandchildren picture!

The siblings and parents!

Thank you, guys, for an entertaining morning! Happy Thanksgiving!

Gift Cards

2010-11-21T15:00:00.000-05:00

Gift cards are available!

Christmas is coming!

Remember to check out this week's giveaway contest for a special giveaway from nationwares.com.

Giveaway

2010-11-20T08:06:00.000-05:00

November's Giveaway is Here!

With Christmas just a little over a month away, what better time than to give away this cute set of 12 Christmas cards? These are not just any Christmas cards!

"The pictures on the cards were drawn by children and youth with physical and developmental disabilities. The art has been created with purity, sincerity and love." www.nationwares.com

I am so excited to partner with the U.S. representative for Nationwares to bring you this giveaway. Nationwares is a non-profit organization that works with people with disabilities in developing countries to help them start and sustain small businesses. In many countries, people with disabilities have little hope for a promising future.

The goal of Nationswares is to stop the world from "THINKING OF THE POOR AND THE DISABLED AS A BURDEN. WE WANT TO SHOW THE WORLD THAT THEY ARE CREATIVE ARTISTS AND ENTREPRENEURS THAT NEED AN OPPORTUNITY AND OUTLET TO SHOWCASE THEIR SKILLS."

So how do you enter?

Entrants will be accepted through Sunday, November 28th, at 11:59 pm.

To Enter:
1. Go to my photography website.
2. Click on the Contact tab.
3. Send me a message telling me that you would like to enter the Christmas card contest!
One winner will be picked at random on Monday, Nov. 29th!! One entry per person please! Good luck!

More of Kristen

2010-11-15T14:29:00.001-05:00

(Just so you know, another contest will be posted this week!!!!)

I am impatient! It's a fault, I know! Whenever I finish a photo shoot, I want to rush home, get the pictures on the computer and browse through them - looking for the ones with the perfect smiles, perfect lighting, special expressions, etc.

Doesn't usually happen! Typically I get the pictures on the computer right away to make sure they are backed up - don't want to lose them in an electronic wasteland! And while I don't usually have time to browse at that moment to my heart's content, I always have to edit a few just to see the finished product. (And so I can post sneak peaks for anxious clients to see!) But later, when it's editing time (a.k.a. nap time for the munchkins), I always find more pictures to post!

So today, here are more pictures of Kristen's senior photo shoot!

More of Ashton

2010-11-09T20:48:00.001-05:00

I can't resist posting a few more pictures from Ashton's senior photo shoot! I had so many favorites! And she was such a good sport braving the cold wind and wet leaves to get the shots we wanted!

Beautiful!

2010-11-04T16:05:00.000-04:00

Just processed this picture of Mel, and I had to post it! Her eyes are AMAZING!

Announcing...

2010-11-02T06:04:00.000-04:00

I am happy to announce that

KARA

is the winner of the apron from

Little Apron Strings!

She has a special little someone in mind who would love such an apron!

And I must remind you that these aprons are great Christmas gifts! And Christmas is NEXT month!

{Mel - Sneak Peak}

2010-11-01T16:15:00.001-04:00

{ Reminder! }

You have a few hours left to enter the giveaway contest!

Saturday was a fun day for me! Mel, her mom and I got together for her senior pictures! She looked beautiful, had adorable clothes and as an added bonus she and her family are wonderful friends of ours, so this was a great photo shoot with which to end my fall season!

Once again I have not looked through all of the pictures yet, but, Mel, I know you're wanting a few sneak peaks, so here you go! You are so beautiful in your appearance and in your heart!

{M Family - Preview}

2010-10-28T11:45:00.000-04:00

Giveaway contest is still in progress. Be sure to enter!

Remember this family from several weeks ago? Every time I look at their pictures, I smile! So I thought I'd share the smiles with you!

We laughed a lot during their session!

And they even broke out the air guitars!

Giveaway Is Here

2010-10-25T12:59:00.000-04:00

Announcing...October's Giveaway!

Due to a very busy weekend, I'm a day or two behind in posting this giveaway.

But hopefully you'll agree with me that it's worth the wait!

The giveaway is one of my favorite things!

This month's giveaway is a child's apron from Little Apron Strings!

You will get to choose the type of fabric, monogram, size, etc! And might I remind you that an apron from Little Apron Strings would make a FABULOUS Christmas gift!

I love these aprons! They are so colorful and fun! Not to mention well-made! My kids are not gentle on clothing, and these aprons have withstood anything Big Brother and Sister have thrown at them! They have made numerous cycles through the washing machine, and the colors are still bright and vibrant!

I suppose I should mention that one of my wonderful sisters-in-law is the creator of these works of art! So I can vouch for her quality, honesty and creativity first-hand!

As I just mentioned, these aprons are great gift ideas! If you order your own, you can even choose to have matching mother/daughter aprons! Remember! Christmas is coming! If you check out the link above, you will be able to see other styles of aprons that she has sold in the past. And she takes custom orders, too, so you can contact her directly with a special order!

Now...how to enter!

Entrants will be accepted through Monday, November 1st, at 11:59 pm.
To Enter:

1. Go to my photography website.
2. Click on the Contact tab.
3. Send me a message telling me why you love the season of fall. Or just say, "I want to enter the apron contest!"
One winner will be picked at random next Tuesday, November 2nd!! One entry per person please! Good luck!

{Kristen - Sneak Peak}

2010-10-24T23:15:00.002-04:00

I spent Saturday morning with the "magically musical" Kristen and her entourage, which consisted of her boyfriend, sister and mom! We scoped out the last bits of color around the river in Chesaning (such a cute little town!). Kristen is good friends with one of my sisters-in-law, so it was fun to share in the fun of senior pictures with a family friend! Enjoy, Kristen! More coming soon!

I love this picture of the sisters together! I missed out on the fun of sisterhood growing up, so I love seeing sisters who love each other! (And I must mention that I will be forever grateful to her sister for finding my wedding ring after it fell off into a bunch of leaves during the photo shoot. The cold weather is shrinking my fingers!! Good eyes, Jessie!)

{Ashton - Sneak Peak}

2010-10-21T22:04:00.002-04:00

Rain and sun. Rain and sun. The weather couldn't make up its mind today! Fortunately for me and my friend Ashton, the sun won out just as we were ready to begin her senior photo shoot. I had a super fun two hours with Ashton and her mom. This senior is gorgeous, and she has an inner beauty to match her beautiful smile. I have not even looked at all of the pictures yet, but here are a few that have already caught my eye!

Giveaway

2010-10-20T15:43:00.001-04:00

GET EXCITED!!

I hope to have a giveaway contest posted by the end of this week!

So keep checking back!

You won't want to miss it!

I promise!

(And, no, I am not giving away Little Brother! His picture is here for excitement purposes only!)

{G Family - Extended Preview}

2010-10-19T23:29:00.002-04:00

Here are some more portraits from this lovely family's photo shoot! I'm having such a hard time narrowing down the selection! I wish all fall days were just like this one!

{M Family - Sneak Peak}

2010-10-18T23:01:00.001-04:00

Saturday was another beautiful fall day, made even more perfect by this adorable, fun-loving family!

This photo session was a birthday surprise from dad to mom! So sweet! We had great fun exploring Roethke Park, playing in the leaves, climbing on the train and playing air guitars on stage! Fun, fun morning! Thank you, M family! More pictures coming soon!

{G Family - Sneak Peak}

2010-10-17T23:15:00.002-04:00

What a beautiful weekend! The weather was gorgeous, and the G family, whom I worked with on Friday, was so fun! We had a great time exploring Wickes Park! After rescheduling their photo shoot once because of the weather, we were thrilled to have warm sunshine and vibrant colors to enhance the day! Thank you for a lovely afternoon! More previews coming soon!

I love seeing siblings together! Miss V is an amazing big sister! The younger kids adore her!

Gotta love cuddle time with mommy! Sadly a bee found little Miss S right after this picture! Not fun! Hopefully she will not associate bees with photo shoots!

This little man has amazing eyes!

Beautiful Fall

2010-10-15T14:05:00.000-04:00

"Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile."

William Cullen Bryant

Happy Moms

2010-10-13T11:46:00.003-04:00

I was away this weekend. For a retreat!

I love time with friends! I'm feeling refreshed! And happy! So, since other people smiling always makes me smile, here are a few more happy moms from our MOPS meeting!

Which got me thinking! What makes a mom happy?

A house that stays clean longer than five minutes!
Finding socks that match!
Listening to the munchkins playing NICELY together!
Watching the princess dance in the rain!
Baby coos and giggles!
Time away!
And coming home!

And for me, I'm really happy that I have two family photo sessions this weekend! Families are so fun! Please, weather, cooperate this time!

Big Brother

2010-10-06T14:26:00.001-04:00

These days it seems like most of the at-home pictures I take are of the youngest munchkins.

Probably because Big Brother is at school, and by the time he arrives home, the camera has been put away to make way for a wild dash around the kitchen, also known as supper prep!

So the other day I determined to keep the camera out and snap a few pictures of my oldest. Mostly because he recently brought home his school pictures, and they were actually really cute, but I have a hard time spending money on pictures of the kids when my hard drives are packed full of little-kid cuteness.

So of course I decided to cover up my guilt for not buying my boy's first ever school pictures by taking more pictures of him!

He was not thrilled...at first!

But in the end, that mischievous, melt-my-heart, twinkle-eyed smile prevailed!

Remember These

2010-10-04T14:01:00.000-04:00

I had a family photo shoot scheduled for Saturday. I was so excited!! But then it rained. And rained some more. And sadly we had to reschedule, but this made me happy!

Remember these bracelets from the giveaway several weeks ago?

Well, I am happy to report that they are now available online at etsy.com. So if you were not the lucky winner of the giveaway but would love to be an owner of one of these bracelets (remember, Christmas is coming!), then click HERE to visit the site for the Gems of the Forest bracelets!

And in case you're wondering, I have a couple super exciting giveaways in the works! Stay tuned!

A Few More

2010-09-30T16:00:00.001-04:00

I've spent some of my time lately working on a special project...but it's an anniversary gift, so I can't post pictures! Don't want to ruin the surprise! I love helping couples celebrate marriage! Probably because I love being married myself!

So instead of posting pictures of the surprise, here are a few more from my photo shoot with Jerad last Saturday.

{Senior: Jerad}

2010-09-28T14:22:00.001-04:00

What a weekend! I returned late last night/early this morning from a quick trip to Chicago with some of our youth group members, and while I should be doing laundry and getting this house whipped back into shape, I just had to share a little sneak peak with you from Jerad's senior photo shoot this last Saturday!

His whole family joined in on the fun! Seeing families together makes me happy!

And of course I had to get some pictures of his super cute and picture-loving sister!

He's One!

2010-09-24T16:53:00.003-04:00

Little Brother had a birthday yesterday! My little professor is one!

Birthdays bring...

Lots of hugs...

Lots of smiles...

Presents...

Lots of grandparent time...

And lots of cake!

Happy Day

2010-09-22T15:00:00.001-04:00

This little lady makes me happy!

She is a little mama...

And a little photographer! Guess she watches me a lot!

I love her!

{Jeremy: Senior}

2010-09-20T10:44:00.000-04:00

Saturday dawned cloudy, rainy, dreary...and did I mention rainy!? A perfect day for reading, naps and movies.

Except I'm a mom, and those things rarely appear on my radar. Plus I had a senior photo shoot scheduled for that morning!

So with one eye on the computer-generated weather updates and the other on my munchkins, I prepared my equipment for the photo shoot and hoped for the best!

And amazingly enough, we squeezed in the pictures during the one hour that the clouds were not sharing rain, drizzle or other forms of moisture! Of course it helped that this photo shoot was with a guy, so we didn't have to take a lot of extra time for makeup and hair checks!

Thanks for a great morning, Jeremy! Enjoy your sneak peak. More coming soon!

Announcing!

2010-09-18T07:18:00.003-04:00

The winner of the giveaway contest and two of these two fabulous bracelets is...

NORA!

Congratulations! I will be in touch with you soon!

Thanks to all who entered! (In case you're wondering, fall was the most-loved season in this informal poll!) Keep watching for the next contest where I will give away one of my FAVORITE things! You won't want to miss it!

Now I'm off to check the cameras. Gotta fun senior shoot scheduled for today! I'm sure there will be a sneak peak coming soon!

MOPS

2010-09-15T15:45:00.006-04:00

First off, the GIVEAWAY CONTEST is still up and running. Don't forget to enter! The deadline is Friday!

I am happy to report that MOPS started this week! In case you've never heard of MOPS, this is not a group for lovers of mops or recovering clean-aholics!

MOPS stands for Mothers of Preschoolers, and it is a group devoted to encouraging moms with young children. I love MOPS! At times I have credited it with saving my sanity!

We meet twice a month, and without fail we always indulge in yummy, possibly very unhealthy, breakfast foods, laugh tons and cry together if needed. We get a few hours free of diapers. We dive into uninterrupted adult conversation! We eat our food without cutting it into little pieces! I think every mom needs a group of friends like this!

The last couple of years I have served as the photographer for our picture directory. These are 20-second, try-to-get-the-kids-to-smile portrait sessions! Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I don't! But I am always entertained!

Here are a few of my lovely friends! Some I have known for several years! Some I met this week. We all share the bond of motherhood!

Giveway Contest!

2010-09-13T15:20:00.001-04:00

I think it's time for another contest!

I recently gave these lovely bracelets a mini photo shoot! They didn't try to run away or stick out their tongues or give me awkward smiles! Sometimes inanimate objects are nice to photograph for a change!

The creator of these bracelets is a professional woodworker and very talented at what he does. He will soon be selling them on etsy.com. They would make cute stocking stuffers for Christmas...just thinking ahead for you!

But for one lucky winner, two bracelets will be yours for free before they even go on the market! Just a little way to say thank you to all my wonderful clients and blog readers!

Entrants will be accepted through Friday, September 17th, at 11:59 pm.

To Enter:
1. Go to my photography website.
2. Click on the Contact tab.
3. Send me a message telling me what your favorite season is. Or just say, "I want to enter the bracelet contest!"

One winner will be picked at random next Saturday, September 18th!! One entry per person please! Good luck!

Simplicity

2010-09-10T15:23:00.000-04:00

There is a lot to be said for simplicity.

Sometimes the best pictures are of the little, simple things in life!

Hide and Seek

Hugs

Peek-a-Boo

Running...because you can!

Lost thoughts

Back to Work

2010-09-08T21:15:00.001-04:00

Today it was back to work!

The kindergartner enthusiastically headed off for school again this morning!

Sister and Little Brother both napped at the same time.

And I was the pro mom who could send her baby off to school without worrying (mostly) and get some photo editing accomplished during nap time! Fun day!

Here are a few more favorites from Aubree's photo shoot!