Ahhh!! I have TIME!

What is this all about? It's summer! Thank the Lord, it's summer! I'm done with another year of teaching, and although I enjoy lighting kids' brains on fire...I am so glad to be out. Teaching wouldn't be so bad if there weren't all this "turn in that" and "fill this out" and "email him" and "test, test, test!!!". If it were just teaching, it would be my second all-time favorite dream job. Ha! Anyway, I am finally being gifted slots of time where all I have to do is learn, create, learn some more. I think that is really my dream job. If I could just get paid to learn, create, learn some more, create better, learn...ahhh...it would be great. What fun! ...and yes, I am a nerd.

So with this time, I've updated my website a bit. You'll see the little man I thought was so cute at a recent session. I hope to switch out the background more often; we'll just have to see how the time spins. I've also added new music, isn't it great? Sweet, sweet baby is a great song--I've known it for awhile and it's pretty popular. It was on a site once that I visited before I started in photography and the inspiration it created in me has been unmatched. Thus, here it is, on my site. The second song is by my worship minister at church, Jonathan Ross. He wrote and recorded that song for his then-new wife, Jennifer. I have blogged about this incredible couple before when I did her maternity session for their newest addition. I promise I'll be taking pictures of their baby soon; she's adorable!! Now that I have time, I can show up at their door! Watch out, Jennifer, here I come! The song is so sweet! Great job, once again, Jonathan! If you want to hear Jonathan sing, make sure to visit our church! http://www.bammel.org/

Now no post is complete without a picture, so here's our baby boy! He is the most beautiful and happy baby boy in the whole world, although you can't tell the happy part from the picture. He looks totally serious. His sister was the exact same way. One day he'll smile from the camera, he'll just have to turn two first... :) He is doing things it doesn't seem like most 3 1/2 month olds do...he's holding his head up really well, he hates laying down in a bouncer. Every time we put him in one, he lifts his upper body to try and get out, then starts waving his arms around like, "pick me up!". He already likes to sit in the exersaucer, as long as he's turned around and he can rest his face on the headrest. Put a towel behind his back and he's perfectly happy for quite a while! He loves exercising his michelin man legs and standing up on my lap too. He's so chunky! 99th percentile or something like that; probably more now! Anyway, there's your baby update and here he is!

Playtime with an Angel

I had a great time recently with a wonderful family...I just love relaxed shoots! We had a great time at the park near the lake; and their little boy was sooo active!! Running around, jumping here and there, it was so much fun! Yes, to answer your question, it was challenging grabbing shots and chasing after this all-boy wonder, but I wouldn't be a child photographer if I wasn't up to the task! He kept me on my toes, even climbing and actively shooting from the ground at times! And his looks? To die for!! I mean, have you ever seen eyes like these? I love this picture; it was literally one of the first ten shots I took--before he realized the camera was chasing him...ha!! I can't decide which I like better, the color or the black sepia, perhaps you have an opinion? Well, we had such a great time, I can't wait to rifle through the rest of their session, but here's a sneak preview!

Watering the Grass

A recently updated picture of my new little man! Isn't he gorgeous?!

Since her new little potted plant, my daughter and her dad have begun to bond with gardening/lawn duties...here she is watering the fence the best way she can! Haha! ...and an update on how her flowers are doing! :)

Daddy Daughter Time

The Easter bunny was good to us this year--first time he did it all by himself! My daughter received a very cute purple garden set--some flowerpots of different sizes and a watering can. She absolutely loves it! The Easter bunny got it in hopes that he and she could spend time planting flowers together in the yard, and she was superexcited! Well, they broke them out this past week and had some great daddy/daughter time and I just melted with excitement watching them. Such a beautiful sight; I'm glad I got pictures for her to remember! These are not the best, but I was inside, shooting through the window screen while watching the baby--I just couldn't help myself!

Happy Easter

It has been an incredible Easter! I have felt it for about two weeks now...needing the reminder of the sacrifice my Savior made for me. I knew this Easter would be big for me and it has been...I've celebrated Jesus' victory over death and temptation more than I can remember ever having celebrated before this year. As I grow older, I realize how significant His daily life was. How He didn't just carry that cross one day...He carried His cross daily. All for worthless me.


My husband and I went to see Passion of the Christ at our church on Friday night, and I am always amazed and humbled by the dramatization of that painful day. More than ever, I thought about how tempting it must have been for Christ to deliver Himself from the pain. How did He endure it all? It seems so easy to say "Of course He sacrificed His life..He's God." But no, it wasn't that easy. I know I will never fully understand His sacrifice, it is too much! So this year, we spoke to our daughter about the meaning behind Easter and she had so many questions! Some things, she already knew. She spoke of how Christ died on the cross, and the mean people that made Him die. That was not nice. We had a short video play at church and during the part of Jesus' death, she was pointing and saying, "Daddy! Look! That's bad!" I whispered in her ear, "Yes, sweetie, it was bad, but it doesn't stay bad..."I gave her the good news that He came back to life, He lives today, and she said "Hooray! Hi five!" And we did.


Here she is with her new little baby brother and her best friend from church. Awesome couple we've gotten to know...incredible faith and testaments to Jesus. Gorgeous living beings!
Speaking of this couple, Dustin and Carly, Dustin has given us so many little pieces of wisdom and has shared this video with our connection group; I recommend you view it as well. It was a witnessing tool used in the Czech Republic, where they don't use the words "God" and "Jesus" because the people are turned off by them immediately. So, they have to come up with different ways to tell the best story ever told and relate it to the people. It is a very hard video, worth the investment, and if you do watch it, just know you'll never be asked to do the same!
http://www.christiancinema.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=794

Happy Easter! Jesus Lives!

Back to work!

It's time! My maternity leave is over and I return to my classroom tomorrow. I'm sure it's understandable that I don't want to return! I wish I had more time with my baby! I'm sure it's like that with almost all new mom's; it's such a hard thing to separate from your newborn. Nonetheless, the workplace summons me and I must go. But things will look up soon; not too far from summer and soon I'll have more time with the both of them!

I am really starting to get in the swing of things in my photo business too! I've had a lot of requests for summer weddings and family portraits. I am loving the weather outside and hope to get out more soon and take some pictures! I've had one opportunity so far to take my little girl out; I couldn't help it two weekends ago with the way the weather was perfect. Here is a picture of her now--she's getting so big!

I'm also trying to schedule in time to get the newborn portraits taken of my baby boy, but between his bowel movements and eating schedule, its been next to impossible! I've tried on a couple of occassions to put him down and take pictures of him "au natural", but it never fails--he gets cold and will wet the blanket! Tricky business, newborn photography! Ha!

Maternities, finally!

Yes, I promised you maternity photos, so I must deliver! I will honestly say I haven't had a chance to edit all of the ones I like, but here are a few. I also can't say why none of the ones I chose to edit are showing my face...hmm. I think I know why. Do you ever notice how critical you get when it comes to pictures of yourself? I'm that way too. Everyone else seems to photograph great--except me. Ha. Gotta get over it, huh? I'm a photographer, for goodness sakes!!

Here they are! Love my familia!