Don't ask for a light load, ask for a strong back*

It's all in how you look at it

2009-05-19T20:16:00.004-05:00

A recent facebook status of mine was "It's all in how you look at it..." and a friend commented "its all about the lens you see through..." which is very true! Perspective is an interesting thing. A slight change in perspective can really change the whole picture. Figuratively and literally.

My Mother, My Friend

2009-05-10T16:54:00.002-05:00

"A Mother holds her child's hand for just a short time, but holds their hearts forever."

With each year that passes, I am more and more grateful for who my Mother is and how blessed I am to have her in my life.

I love you! Happy Mother's Day

Michaela

2009-05-06T18:46:00.003-05:00

This is one of my favorite photos of her... she is growing up so fast!

just a review

2009-05-03T09:12:00.008-05:00

It's bound to happen... I get so focused on photos and life and forget to blog- only this year I have 2 blogs to manage.

So, if you'd like to see what I have been up to from behind the lens, check out my business blog!

A friend, who I haven't talked to in awhile, texted me last night and said "aww i miss you too, things seem to be going well for you! i'm glad :)" They didn't know exactly why things are going well but I guess they can see the smile on my face through the phone.

Here are a few reasons why things seem to be going so well... (in no particular order)

*I have recently acquired much more time to focus on the business

*I have been able to see more of my friends on a regular basis. I missed that for 8 months and I really need community.

*God has brought some amazing people into my life in the past few months

*I have finished some things I had been procrastinating on BIG TIME!

*It's a small world ;)

*God has provided me with some great clients and I've had more networking opportunities than I could have ever imagined.

*Blessed to be a blessing

*I'm stoked for Wedding season 09!

*I have another 2nd shooter that will be covering a majority of the weddings this summer

*God has provisions I know not of, more than I can ask or imagine

*Its mind boggling that a year ago I was graduating college and I've been a business owner for ~15 months

*It's amazing what can happen in a year- I can't wait for the days ahead!

I guess I'll keep adding onto this list in the coming days--

Hillsong London

2009-04-21T21:48:00.003-05:00

Absolutely amazing worship experience tonight!

a sure sign of spring

2009-04-15T21:09:00.003-05:00

Our swan is back

Riverdance '09

2009-04-15T21:01:00.005-05:00

Long story short I went to Riverdance last night with only a couple hours of notice. It was an AMAZING show and ran into some friends while there- what a great evening!!

I snapped a few shots before the show began only to be greeted by an usher informing me that photography was prohibited.

come close, listen to the story

2009-04-12T12:12:00.002-05:00

Seth did an amazing job singing this Phil Wickham song for our Easter services! If you want to watch the entire service you can here

Come close listen to the story
about a love more faithful than the morning
The Father gave his only Son just to save us

The earth was shaking in the dark
All creation felt the Fathers broken heart
tears were filling heaven's eyes
The day that true love died, the day that true love died
When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn’t move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that true love died, The day that true love died

Search your heart you know you can’t deny it
Come on, lose your life just so you can find it
The Father gave his only son just to save us

The earth was shaking in the dark
All creation felt the Fathers broken heart
tears were filling heaven's eyes
The day that true love died, the day that true love died
When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn’t move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that true love died, The day that true love died

Now, Jesus is alive

Jesus is alive
Oh, He is alive
He rose again

When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn’t move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that true love died, The day that true love died

Come close listen to the story

Happy Easter!

Hillsong London @ GCC

2009-04-01T09:01:00.003-05:00

Coming to GCC April 21! I'm going... are you?!

Get your tickets here

I'm looking forward to it!

winter in spring?

2009-03-29T17:30:00.003-05:00

I looked outside this morning to find flurries!

What do you do when its winter in spring? This:

Then you play with your new camera and get some fun images ;)

This was not processed in photoshop its SOTC!

the first of the season

2009-03-28T22:08:00.005-05:00

Thanks for the prayers! I had my first wedding of the season last weekend and it went really well. They had some exciting elements during their ceremony as well as giving their guests board games to play while they could take their photos since the wedding and reception where at the same facility. I was tired by the end of the evening but after a full work week and another shoot on Sunday the thoughts and prayers were what got me through.

raccoon eyes

2009-03-24T17:52:00.000-05:00

So my eyes have been pretty scratchy lately as my seasonal allergies begin... last week I came home and just rubbed my eyes for a good 5 minutes (I know you aren't supposed to do that) and afterwards I looked like this! Scary. So I figured, why not document it so I can laugh about it later. Hope you laugh too!

Happy Spring

2009-03-23T19:20:00.003-05:00

Last week I bought some tulips but they didn't last too long... this week I received this bunch of beautiful flowers from my Madre. There's just something about fresh flowers that can make your day!

After the 1st wedding of the season its time to EDIT EDIT EDIT. Props goes to the first person who can find my "assistant" in the picture to the left. The coffee is not considered an assistant

Kick off

2009-03-18T08:39:00.004-05:00

Saturday is the kick off to my .09 wedding season! I'm ready! I have new equipment and some fun ideas- we'll see if I can implement them this weekend.
Please pray for me as I have had a busy work week as well as photo deadlines this week. I also have a long work day on Friday- I'm trying to get rest when I can so I'll be at my best for Saturday.
Happy ::almost:: Spring!!!

Art

2009-03-04T18:04:00.003-05:00

This is the art from a 15 month old- we've been working on coloring only on the paper and he is doing well.

I'm sure he'll begin drawing stick people much better than myself by summer ;)

I love making art with kids... always have, always will.

divine in 09

2009-02-28T21:01:00.004-05:00

As I was on my way to meet my bride and groom for an e.session today I walked past this- I can relate. I've noticed how much the impact of the economy has affected so many around me. Even though times are tough I still want to have a smile on my face and feel blessed for each day I have to live and spend my time pursuing my dream. Praying for the permanent instead of the pressing today.

transitions

2009-02-20T14:05:00.007-05:00

Lately I've been running on close to "E", not just in my gas tank but in the busyness of life. I've had to step back and assess if this is how I want to spend my days. Blessings have come and I want to be honestly grateful for them but in reality I'm piling them up on a shelf waiting for the day I have "time" to focus on it and be 100% grateful.
The day has come to simplify my schedule and put some boundaries in place. The workload has been too much to keep up with and my days, nights and weekends are filled with work. That's not how I want to spend my days especially while I am "young" The conclusion is I will no longer be a FT nanny as of April... I will take the time to focus on my business and take advantage of the opportunities and partnerships that are falling in my lap.. and teach kids as a secondary career choice. This decision was thought out and I spent a lot of time in prayer and I have been assured this is the right choice for now. I'll leave you with a cliche forward I'm sure pretty much everyone has had in their inbox at one time or another. A few lines stand out to me especially the part in the end "When you run so fast to get somewhere, you miss half the fun of getting there."
(All images are SOOC using my new 5D mkii)
SLOW DANCE unknown

Have you ever watched kids

On a merry-go-round?

Or listened to the rain

Slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?

Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You better slow down.

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

Do you run through each day

On the fly?

When you ask, "How are you?"

Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done

Do you lie in your bed

With the next hundred chores

Running through your head?

You'd better slow down

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

Ever told your child,

We'll do it tomorrow?

And in your haste,

Not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch,

Let a good friendship die

Cause you never had time

To call and say "Hi"?

You'd better slow down.

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere

You miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through your day,

It is like an unopened gift.... Thrown away.

Life is not a race.

Do take it slower

Hear the music

Before the song is over.

Camellia

2009-02-15T00:46:00.006-05:00

So you know my first couple experiences were great with Camellia Cosmetics... this past visit I was the photog for a before/after photo shoot.
We had ten amazing models and had one wonderful evening.

I'm not going to post many photos- if you'd like the password to the album let me know. I'll share a couple of my favs and a b&a of a wonderful woman many of you recognize.

Wow!

2009-02-09T10:56:00.003-05:00

So I had one of the better weeks/weekends in a long time! It was exciting and exhausting for sure! I rented some sweet equipment to test out and have planned as many shoots as possible in between my normal work schedule. check out my biz blog for some previews

I'll have a change in my schedule coming up in the next couple months (more on that later)

The weather was great, the people were great, it was just one of those weekends I really felt in my element. Yes, it was all about photos so I won't bore you with the details but it just feels like things are coming together nicely.
Hope you enjoyed the beautiful weather and that your weekend was great

New workspace

2009-02-02T14:01:00.004-05:00

I've been looking for a nice desk for awhile now... I finally found one! Its from the Delano collection at none other than Target. I like the antiqued red detail and best of all its wood so it should last for years to come.

Instead of purchasing the matching bookshelf which was $50 more than the desk alone I decided to be "frugal" and purchase a $30 bookshelf and I don't think it looks bad with the desk. I'm transitioning into darker furniture that would look good in a future office? ;) I have a few more things to do before its complete but its getting there!

What do you do to make sure your workspace is efficient?

R. Zachary

2009-01-20T16:02:00.004-05:00

For those of you who didn't see Zach's 16 year shoot they are here... and should be the last session posted to that site.
Tear? I don't think so... I'm excited for what is to come with proofing being on brittanirenee.com.

Enjoy

The freeze

2009-01-17T18:52:00.004-05:00

So a few nights out of the week I make smoothies with bananas and chocolate...once the below zero temps arrived I traded a smoothie for hot chocolate.

What did you do to stay warm this week?

at 27 mo

2009-01-14T13:52:00.003-05:00

"Brittani-Aunty do you see the clouds out there in the blue sky and the sun coming out?" Yes, this was said by a 2 year old. And it came 5 minutes after my Grandpa sent me an amazing picture message.

Sidenote: Recently the longest sentence was 11 words- I was pretty happy when I heard that come out of the blue as he walked past the window. :)

Camellia Cosmetics

2009-01-09T10:30:00.004-05:00

When we went to get the scarves we made an appointment for a makeover at Camellia

It was the Saturday after Christmas when I had those 5 whole days off [including the weekend ;) ] we had a lot of fun chatting it up with the girls. I did some networking and by the end had some great samples, this "guide" to do what they did, as well as some new goods to make the eyes sparkle- so they say. Shop local!

then and now

2009-01-07T00:06:00.005-05:00

9.3.08

1.3.09
she still loves the damask flowerpot but has grown quite a bit!

ugg

2008-12-27T23:41:00.000-05:00

These boots were my Christmas gift from my Mom... mmmm they are sooo comfy and keep my feet so warm. I'm hoping to have them for many winters! Thank you Madre*

no more sloppy 2nds

2008-12-26T23:25:00.000-05:00

So here is the story:
I have been through a few Dell laptops and it seems like they only work well for about 2 years- kind of like a car huh?
Well my wonderful Mother has purchased more than her fair share of computers for me and once one begins to fail she uses it until it crashes and she has given me the new one to use. Back in September I purchased an ipod touch and as they reassured me it was the 2nd generation (with speakers) I took it out of the package and sure enough it wasn't. What was my Mom's first response? "Well maybe I can buy it from you and you can order a 2nd generation from Apple's website." I thanked her for the offer, but I told her I would take it back. So I ordered it through apple.com to be used mostly for my clients and the more Mom played with it the more she liked it. She just had that smirk. I knew I had to get her one for Christmas. They don't have product(red) for the touch so I decided to get it engraved with Inspi(red) and in the end- I think she loved it! And what made me so happy is she was getting something brand new- no more sloppy second, hand-me-down whatever you'd like to call it. Merry Christmas Madre!

Family Christmas in Pictures

2008-12-25T23:47:00.000-05:00

Krasivaya Couture

2008-12-24T11:56:00.007-05:00

I went last night to get 2 Krasivaya Couture scarves... well its not just a scarf, its helping an orphanage in Russia to have a Christmas. This is just a small part that I can play to help bring Anya home.

Adoption is very dear to my heart ever since my Aunt and Uncle went through the adoption process over 5 years ago. I couldn't imagine the journey taking 4.5 years. Praying that the waiting will soon come to an end!

If you are interested in purchasing one you can go to a few different local stores but Kathy leaves this weekend for Russia so she will be picking up the remaining scarves sometime Friday.

Thankful Stars

2008-12-15T13:09:00.004-05:00

I was watching one of my students from ECDC- I'm at their house about once a month which has been such a blessing over the past year.

This weekend I saw their Christmas tree and these little paper stars caught my attention. I said "Aww did you make these MK?" She said "Yes, my family and I made these, they are thankful stars. We wrote what we were thankful for. " I thought this was such a great idea and what made my heart smile even more is that this was not just a "kid activity" there were stars from the parents, grandparents etc. Sooo sweet! They made sure they put the year on the back. As I look at our tree and see the homemade ornaments my Mom has kept since 87 (yep I was only 2) it makes me think of traditions I'd like to have with my own family in the future.

What are your favorite family traditions?

rainshield

2008-12-03T08:57:00.003-05:00

I was house/dog sitting this past week and with all the back and forth driving I did, I finally found the time to spray some rain shield on the windows when it started to snow.
You can find this stuff here and its amazing! I didn't have to use my wipers nearly as much as the drivers behind me- it repels the water from the windows of your car (I even put it on the side windows)
So there you have it: my product review for the week ;)

bottled up energy

2008-12-03T08:44:00.002-05:00

This little missy was fixed and declawed almost 2 weeks ago and I feel like she has a month of bottled up energy inside of her.
The pink ring you see around her head is a cone she has to wear 24/7 to keep from chewing the staples and the glue on her feet- well even with that, she figured out how to chew the glue on a number of occasions. Ugh this stinker- I'm just hoping she doesn't use her teeth as revenge once she is able to have the cone off.

Of course she looks so innocent in the picture ;)

Wegner Family

2008-11-25T21:34:00.003-05:00

We have some amazing leaders at GCC and Rob is one of them! I had the pleasure of doing their family shoot yesterday had so much fun! We went to MC3 the Monroe Circle Community Center and the location was a meaningful part of the shoot not including the fact that they haven't had a family picture since '03.
This is the preview photo I sent to them last night and Michelle (Rob's wife) told me she has had great feedback already only 24 hours later.

Simple things like taking a family photo to "capture life, as it happens" is something that fills me with so much joy.

Capturing what?

2008-11-24T21:47:00.000-05:00

My dear Mother never ceases to amaze me... last weekend I was designing my new business cards I told her I need to come up with a little slogan of some sort. I had "Capturing memories one photo at a time" but I wasn't sold. Without hesitation she replied with "What about: Capturing Life as it Happens" I said YESSS thats great!!!

I wish it came to me that easily.

So here is a preview of my new business cards, at least the front side.

three and one

2008-11-19T21:59:00.005-05:00

both have birthdays today- I've spent some time with each of them over the year(s)... and both warm my heart with their smiles. Happy birthday Zach & Teddy much love!

Peyton 4m

2008-11-12T19:57:00.004-05:00

This lil one is already 4 months and growing fast! The rest of the photos are here

the news...

2008-11-08T17:25:00.002-05:00

This is an email I'm sending out this evening... I still have some updating to do and LOTS of photos to add but at least its up!
Thanks for all who have prayed for me and this venture and those who have pushed me to actually follow my dream.
Love to you all
{BrittaniRenee}

exciting news coming

2008-11-06T17:28:00.002-05:00

stay tuned...

here is a pic from a recent shoot :)

A way to make my favorite scent

2008-11-05T14:02:00.002-05:00

last longer!
Instead of waiting 8 hours for an entire 22oz jar of wax to warm up we now have a warmer lamp so it melts the wax and you begin to smell the candle within minutes. Its amazing and I'm hoping my gingerbread scent will last through the new year! Beach walk and Gingerbread are probably my favorite scents from Yankee... Do you have a favorite?

Children who leave fingerprints...

2008-10-30T19:03:00.004-05:00

Being in "childcare" for so many years, I have cared for more children then I'd ever think of having in my own home. Some people call it babysitting but I've always felt that I've wanted to be more than a "babysitter." The experience over the years has been great even though I don't have a child of my own- I've learned so much.
There are so many children that I feel have such a special place in my heart- most of which I've watched grow up over the years. As I've been thinking of the fingerprints placed on my heart from such sweet little ones it makes me wonder how they currently are in life. Some are only 4 and some are closer to 14! I hope they remember how much I still care for them even if I don't see them on a regular basis.

Amanda's bridal shoot

2008-10-26T20:28:00.008-05:00

So I was able to shoot Rich and Amanda's engagement session but unfortunately couldn't make it to their wedding in SC in Sept. so instead the day Amanda picked up her dress (August) we hit downtown running. This funshoot was amazing and its very hard to chose a favorite! Since the wedding was still a month away I had the responsibility to keep the dress clean- We did it! The rest are here -enjoy-

we have a...

2008-10-26T19:29:00.003-05:00

...fountain! Although its just in time for winter, I'll enjoy it while it lasts- just wish it was nice enough weather to have the windows open, the sound is pretty wonderful.

teddy

2008-10-26T19:15:00.003-05:00

Well, this boy who has had my heart for the past 7 months is growing up quick. Standing, talking a bit, laughing a lot- it makes each week a good time working and observing the milestones. I've been watching him since he was about 4 months old and he will be a year next month! We played around with the camera last week and had a great time- here is one picture I captured as he was standing against this big rock.

Zachary

2008-10-21T13:00:00.003-05:00

I've been watching this little one off and on since he was a baby- he is now almost 3 and soooo sweet with an amazing vocabulary to match his great personality! I just did their family shoot on Sunday so I sent this picture to his Mom as a sneak preview.

Is this peace I feel?

2008-10-14T23:05:00.002-05:00

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you will recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me- watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you will learn to live freely and lightly.

-Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)

There is such hope in this verse! If you have been around me or heard what my schedule has been like in the past month you will understand how important this verse is to me. Lately I've been working 50-60 hour weeks and have been working 7 days/wk for a couple weeks- not including any photog stuff. I'm about half way through right now and I have to say when I've had nothing else to give, God shows up every time and gives me the energy I need. Somehow, I've finished 2 weddings and a couple other shoots in the past week when I feel like I've had no time at all and have been exhausted. Thats God at work! I can't take the credit at all. I've also had some days of second-guessing myself and wondering if this is really what I should be doing. Once again- at just the right times God shines through and offers me hope and understanding. Whether its a new client or some kind words from a friend or family member all the encouragement has helped me through. So thank you to those who have been praying, encouraging, and helping me whenever necessary. I'm holding onto the promise of a lifetime. ~love to you all

{b}

Double? Are you kidding me?

2008-10-14T21:05:00.004-05:00

This little one has a double hernia- we will know what is the next step at the end of the week.

Be praying for him and his family if you get the chance. This little guy has been through a lot in his 3.5 months of life. He is one tough cookie

{b}

pretty baby

2008-10-12T20:48:00.003-05:00

I did a family shoot a couple weeks ago and I fell in love with the baby- she had the most amazing eyes (so did her madre)

have a great week everyone!

last weekend fun

2008-10-09T08:56:00.010-05:00

Surprised face- when he figured out what M-A-Z-E- spells

peeking through corn

Oops- tried to take a self picture with the wrong lens :) still fun.

pretty sisters!

Such a sweet "Mommy and Me" moment

.:Pumpkin Picking Time:.

the Mums were beautiful*

In the middle

2008-09-25T20:17:00.002-05:00

I've not posted with anything more than a picture or two in some time now... It feels like so much has happened while in the same moment so many things have stayed the same. Work is going well- weddings on the weekends, shoots during the week with possible editing time snuck in after working with children for at least 10 hrs each day. I've noticed I'm pretty exhausted by Friday evening and then lately I've had weddings all day Saturday or more working on the weekends when the parents are on call.

I'm gearing up for one of my favorite seasons and honestly looking forward to stopping and taking a breath of the crisp fresh air. I'm ready to start getting family shoots together for Christmas cards so that the design process doesn't stress me out in December. I've put another big project on the back burner while editing 6 weddings so I'm hoping to get started on that as well. Oh the to do list is growing as I type...

In the mean time I want to give a shout-out to my Mom who has been a tremendous help to me during this very busy season of my life.

Thank you to all who have prayed for me especially during the hard times and times of sickness (PTL I didn't get sick this last time around- 4 people being sick couldn't pass their "germies" to me:] )

Today was refreshing, my friend/assistant and I went on a themed fun shoot... doors and texture being the theme. We went around town finding some great things to take pictures of- I'll share one for now...

Have a great week!

much love

{b}

Full of Joy*

2008-09-19T08:54:00.003-05:00

This child is very sick and is still this happy! It amazes me! What a sweetie... I hope both kids get better soon and that I don't catch it- AGAIN!

where's kayli

2008-09-15T15:14:00.001-05:00

this is the assumed position while I work... can you see her? she blends in so very well wink wink.

spoiled kitty.

iLooked iPlayed iBought

2008-09-14T10:07:00.002-05:00

I have made the switch! I'm a new owner of an iMac

I did some homework and was very unsure about having to run parallel with windows etc but after talking to a pro I was good to go. My workflow is going to be so much easier and faster!

beautiful bride

2008-09-02T21:12:00.002-05:00

I'm a bit partial due to her being a great friend of mine... but- regardless- she was a gorgeous bride!

talent

2008-08-31T12:21:00.005-05:00

I've had the opportunity to hear two of my friends (Seth & Jeff) play a couple shows about a week ago. There is some amazing talent present when they play. I was shooting both shows so I was trying to enjoy the music and "work" at the same time.
The first show was at Ugly Mugs DTSB and then there was an acoustic show at Starbucks that Fri night which had an amazing turnout.
You may be hearing some of Seth's personal work sometime soon- but that will be a surprise for another post ;)
Good work guys!

kayli

2008-08-29T13:36:00.004-05:00

"hi"

lil stinker- but she has my heart.

I traded up...

2008-08-27T20:25:00.006-05:00

I am a proud new owner of a 6wk old kitten (she's real!)
Her name is Kayli and she is beautiful... she was abandoned by her mom and was taken to a high-kill shelter. A local agency took her in and has given her love until they gave her to me today.
She can be a lil stinker at times and is so little that she can easily get into trouble but she is a real sweetheart especially when her eyes are closed.
I put her in a carrier to bring her home and 2 minutes into the drive she was crying so I decided to drive the 30 min with her on my lap. :)

Thank you

2008-08-25T21:08:00.003-05:00

Thanks to all who text'd, called, emailed, facebook'd to wish me a happy birthday!
I received some amazing flowers from my Mom AND from the family I work for! A pleasant surprise to say the least...

Recent days

2008-08-20T09:47:00.005-05:00

Mom's flowers from her birthday- they really brightened up the apt! And now I have tiger lilies in a beautiful bouquet I received from my new family yesterday! So pretty

Teddy is growing up sooo quickly!

And yesterday my new family and I watched as it rained in the evening

These kids have my heart but I will admit I'm tired!
Just counting 2 days I'll have worked 23-24 hours.

Have a great rest of the week friends!

Soccer Camp

2008-08-16T20:00:00.003-05:00

My friend Josiah (Sonnyvilla) had a soccer camp for the kids in his local neighborhood- I was able to shoot opening night- the kids were great!
More photos are here

Madre

2008-08-12T20:55:00.002-05:00

“You're thought about more often than you probably can guess, and thoughts of you just naturally bring smiles of happiness. Now, that it's your birthday, may each and every warm thought, bring a wish for all the best in life, and all your favorite things.”

I love you! Hope you have a very special day!

2 in 24

2008-08-10T09:43:00.000-05:00

I've had the busiest weekend my whole wedding season... one wedding in New Buffalo, MI on 8.8.08 and another in Goshen, IN 8.9.08 and a corporate shoot on 8.10

Exhausting? yes!

Friend

2008-08-08T09:34:00.000-05:00

you're turning 23 today... I hope this year is a good one for you!
love ya

2008-08-06T22:12:00.004-05:00

its amazing what a dozen roses and a sweet card can do to brighten my seemingly endless week!

hope you have an unexpected surprise during this week!
its the little things!

Peyton

2008-07-26T10:27:00.003-05:00

I have some photos on my site of Peyton from the Thursday he was born till 2 weeks old when we did a mini-shoot after a few hours at the pool.

Enjoy!

The wait is over...

2008-07-23T20:55:00.005-05:00

For about 2 years I have not had a consistent job... because of school, mono, summer classes etc it has prevented me from working even over 25 hours a week which is killer on the checking account...so I've been grabbing as many side jobs hence me beginning the photog business. I am now submerged in photos, which I love and could do full time (considering the amount of time thats spent post-editing) but I still needed some consistency in my life... so where to go from here...
Well, I have been watching Teddy pt and have loved it- seeing him grow into a little boy over the last 3-4 months has been amazing! I didn't want to leave him quite yet and I knew his Mom still had work to do. I had a possible position open up that would be 40 hrs a week that a friend was doing over the summer but I'd have to leave Teddy sooner than I wanted. I thought about it and for some reason, yes, I'll admit I am a procrastinator... I never sent her my resume for about 2 weeks.
I will not bore you with the further details, all I'll say is refer to last weeks blog post where it kinda sounded like I was close to a breakdown. I didn't know what "normal" was anymore and it was wearing me out! Don't even think about opening the door to my room- its horrible! ;)
So to make it brief here is the timeline:
Friday afternoon- call from my Aunt
Monday morning- call about a nanny position
Monday- watch Teddy
Monday evening- interview for nanny position (1.5 hrs)
Tuesday- finish the interview over the phone (~45 min)
Wednesday- Meet husband and children
h.i.r.e.d. within 5 minutes of being with the children.
Its a whirlwind but such a blessing! The children already have my heart and I feel so comfortable with the entire family. I'll be working 3 10-12 hour days as well as any other time they need me since they are physicians and best of all I have 2 week days available to either do photos all day long or watch Teddy! God has His way of working things out. There are more crazy stories to add to the mix but I'll leave that for another post or if I talk to you in person you can ask me about it.

I kept pretty quiet about this until I knew for sure... so don't feel bad if you had no idea that I've been "looking" for a full time job since May- cause I obviously haven't been pounding the pavement by any means and this landed in my lap.

Let me just say life is all about networking

Thanks for all of you who have prayed for me- besides taking a bunch of b-complex I've been trying to manage my time a bit better and its helped. I just know my time is even more limited now but I think that will be good for me.

Love to you all

How I feel

2008-07-20T22:34:00.006-05:00

When I was talking about my schedule this is kinda how I felt... :/

This is actually Peyton- what a big yawn for such a lil guy
There is hope and vitamin b-complex ;)

Ciji & Jared

2008-07-19T22:18:00.000-05:00

My great friend is a MRS!! Ciji and I met at Bethel a few years ago and I've been by her side ever since. Through the good and the bad times that life brings she has always been a great friend. We have had many late nights and early mornings studying for Micro exams and working on business projects but I can't say I'd rather study with anyone else.

Ever since she met Jared last spring I knew there was something special about him. Sure enough... only a few months later we are celebrating their next chapter of life together. I couldn't be happier for them- they are amazing together.

They are heading to Jamaica and I'm sure will have a great honeymoon. I had the honor of shooting the wedding :)

Time

2008-07-17T09:09:00.004-05:00

has been slipping away quicker than I'd like...

-Peyton is 2 weeks old
-Wedding season is in full swing along with scheduling many photo shoots- not including all my post editing time
-Speaking of weddings- I'm contracting this week with 2 people for Aug 8 & 9 both of their photogs backed out last minute
-I'm house-sitting like its a career
-Teddy is growing so much and is VERY active these days
-Daylight is fading more quickly which means fall is on its way
-Lots of contracts to work on and send out along with MANY other business "to do's"

Although I'm thankful for all of these opportunities and such, I feel like a puppy chasing my own tail. Things are a bit too hecktic right now and I'm trying to push on the brakes and reevaluate my "to do list" that is ever growing and re prioritize some things. Hopefully this change will be reflected in a less scatterbrained individual- or at least I feel that way.

Jeny

2008-07-15T09:00:00.002-05:00

today we celebrate you
*like a sister
*mother of 3
*friend of many
*"cha-bella"
Happy birthday hope its a great one!

Ryan & Tara

2008-07-11T18:28:00.001-05:00

Their e.session is here

News

2008-07-11T10:40:00.004-05:00

-Stay tuned in the next month or so for some excited business news...

Please be praying
-My Aunt (who just had Peyton) as she has to have her gallbladder removed this week **Update- surgery is on the 29th**
-I'll be caring for Kyle and Peyton while she is in surgery
-I have some decisions to make in the next week or so

Thanks! Have a good weekend!

Can I just say...

2008-07-07T11:47:00.002-05:00

my cousin is beautiful!

Family

2008-07-06T22:35:00.004-05:00

"Other things may change but we begin and end with family..."

Enjoy your photos John & Christine

The rest of the album will be up by Wednesday
Edit: the rest of the photos are up!!

Nikki

2008-07-06T11:31:00.009-05:00

I had a great shoot yesterday and although I'd love to dive into her photos right now, I can only share one because I have many other projects on my plate. This girl was amazing though!!

Peyton Ryan

2008-07-04T20:42:00.006-05:00

i heart him so!

sneak peek!

2008-07-03T19:27:00.002-05:00

Peyton Ryan born 7:06pm weighing 7lb 1oz
Mom and baby are doing well... Kyle is stoked to be a big brother!

Excitement

2008-07-03T18:38:00.000-05:00

A VERY excited Kyle anxiously awaiting the call that his brother Peyton is here... this photo was taken at 9:30am and the excitement lasted another 12 hours!

11 in 4

2008-07-02T22:27:00.003-05:00

11 Meetings in 4 days... and house/dog-sitting.

Pray for strength- I'll be taking some extra b-complex.
I'm not complaining by any means- I just know I'll need some prayers.

Noah

2008-06-30T08:58:00.003-05:00

Be looking on my website later this afternoon for some photos of Noah... it was hard to narrow the choices down to so "few"

blue eyed girl

2008-06-29T22:52:00.003-05:00

As I was finishing up Noah's shoot we were walking back towards Jeny's house as I caught this shot- lil miss Annabelle was bugged by the small straps that were on her super cute tank but you wouldn't know it by the sweet look she is giving.

An eye thats important to me...

2008-06-27T16:38:00.005-05:00

Don't mind this terrible photo considering it was taken after 1am this morning... but I took my contact out and this is what I saw. Very bloodshot eyes (no alcohol consumed) and a bright red ring around my eye. As I tried to fall asleep, knowing I would have to go to the dr first thing this morning I realized it was my shooting eye. Something was wrong. At first I thought it was pink eye and I woke my Mom up to see if she agreed but she said "no, that is not right" So I had a few hours of sleep and then went right into the dr. He said I had a reaction to something... not sure exactly what that something is... but I can see- I just have to wear my glasses until Tuesday. That was an unexpected $40 but at least I can still see. My friend joked in a text that its my "money makin eye and that I better be careful" Thats a true statement ;)
There is never a dull moment...

Little Liliana

2008-06-24T13:46:00.002-05:00

What a little sweetie... just 7 days old! More photos here

The Last

2008-06-21T09:04:00.005-05:00

The last photo taken of Cricket

The last week of her life
The last animal we had
The last walk along the pond
The last kiss on my nose
The last look in my eyes with such an innocent face
The last ride in the car... wish it was to a more wonderful place

RIP Miss Cricket- no suffering any longer... you've been through a lot over the years but we've given you the best home you could have had- so glad we found you running!

Bug

2008-06-20T14:40:00.002-05:00

Today I was able to spend the afternoon with Andrea and Katelyn. It was a nice time of catching up and watching bug play in her lil pool and eat her yogurt on her own- which was messy but so much fun. Its what summer is all about! :)
I love those 2 girls... see you soon.

dcb

2008-06-20T09:01:00.002-05:00

I went with some friends to see David Crowder last night... it was an amazing performance. Basically a great night of worship. Loved it. I have one picture from my phone because I knew if I would have taken my camera it would have been a distraction for me.
I leave you with one song... there are many that were favorites of mine but sometimes a song just hits me a little differently when hearing it live. Some of the lyrics are below

Here we are
Here we are
Bandaged and bruised
Awaiting a cure
Here we are

Here You are
Here You are
Our beautiful King
Bringing relief
Here You are with us

So we lift up our voices
And open our hands
Let go of the things
That have kept us from Him

He is the one
Who has saved us
He is the one
Who forgave us
He is the one who has come
And is coming again
He’s the remedy

shoot and re-shoot

2008-06-18T18:15:00.004-05:00

Sometimes sunlight is amazing and other times it can be a photographers worst enemy. The shoot I first had with the twins went well but they weren't very into pictures (they were more into providing the silly photo ideas) and with the harsh sun I had some hard shadows.... so I snuck a quick 2nd shoot in within a week and it was a VERY cloudy day so the colors were amazing and the photos I got were straight out of the camera- so much better! So you can check their album and see the difference in their pictures. I'm happy I snuck in the "reshoot."
I'll work on mastering the art of shooting in sunlight... someday. For now I'll keep reshooting till I get it right- its a learning process right?

Marineland

2008-06-15T01:44:00.001-05:00

back to vacation... we did 1 touristic thing which happened to be visiting the dolphins. Here is one up close and personal!

Hopefully I'll upload more vacay pictures in the near future- right now I have to stay on my work projects

Waiting patiently

2008-06-14T21:59:00.003-05:00

My wonderful cousin Jeny, has been waiting for Bronwen's photos for over a week- I've been trying to sneak them in between other projects but it just hasn't happened. Since I know a lot of my family reads this you can check my site within the next few days for more photos uploaded to Bronwen's album. What a cutie! We had SOOO many to chose from it was hard narrowing it down. She was such a great sport!

the knot dot com

2008-06-14T10:46:00.002-05:00

My FL bride came up with this idea of a "Name Tree" and it worked out well. She wants to now submit it to the knots pic of the week. Each name had a corresponding number and color which matched the table number/color that they were sitting at. Great idea Ashley!

Congratulations

2008-06-14T01:05:00.002-05:00

Our neighbor, Rich asked Amanda to be his bride this week... He left Thursday for 66 days only to come back for a couple weeks in August and then will be deployed to Iraq in September.

What a whirlwind of a week!

boys

2008-06-11T08:06:00.004-05:00

the rest are here

Off to Ohio

2008-06-06T11:22:00.002-05:00

I'm shooting their wedding this weekend in Ohio... packing up for the 4+ hour drive!
Enjoy your weekend everyone

photos photos photos!

2008-06-04T09:18:00.007-05:00

Recker wedding

Brazell weddingBusiness card design for Cassi

Jaden

Megan Prenatal

I've been busy finishing up photos sessions, editing photos, placing orders, charging batteries, designing cards, uploading to site etc.
You can find all of these sessions on my site and I'm hoping to begin on wedding photos next week for the Recker wedding. Enjoy
Let me know what you think...

sisters or close friends

2008-05-30T19:41:00.002-05:00

This whole week we were asked numerous times if we were sisters. It was nice to know we look so much alike. We better since we are related and all ;)

Where has all her curl gone?

2008-05-29T09:49:00.006-05:00

To set the tone:
Mom decides to be the 1st to get ready on the first full day of her vacation after we were out by the pool and ocean for awhile. I had told her I had brought most of our necessities such as shampoo and conditioner etc.
So picture this...she is getting ready and I had showed her a couple photos from the weekend. As I do, she puts some moose in her hair and I saw the bottle out of the corner of my eye but it didn't register. Just before I jumped in the shower she said- I don't know where all my curl went, maybe its because I've straightened it so much lately. I agreed, blamed it on the humidity and started getting ready. All the sudden Mom came in and said "I don't know what your moose did but it ruined my hair" at that point it clicked- she did not use moose for hair she used the new Olay body moose that I picked up just before FL. It was lotion!! I couldn't say any words all that came out was intense laughter. Rather than her asking what it was she hunted down the bottle to see for herself that she had put lotion in her hair. Needless to say she rewashed her hair in the sink and restyled it with real hair care products before we left.
It was priceless!

bride & groom

2008-05-27T19:01:00.001-05:00

Now that the bride and groom saw this photo, I can share it with you...

St Augustine

2008-05-26T20:26:00.003-05:00

So I've been here since Friday and I'm getting VERY used to the sight and sound of the ocean. I've been very blessed through this trip, there are lots of stories, new friends and many good memories so far. My best friend (Madre) picked me up today from the house I was staying at and we just came back to the hotel after taking a walk along the ocean. The wedding was beautiful yesterday and of course I took a TON of photos that I can't wait to upload... it was a very long day but an amazing experience. I miss you all back home but I can't say I miss Indiana. :) Hope you had an amazing weekend and now that I have wireless there may be a few photos to come love to you all

leavin

2008-05-22T01:59:00.000-05:00

I'm headed for the ocean!

Hopefully I'll have wireless of some sort while I'm away... thank you in advance for your prayers! Love to you all!

a beautiful friend

2008-05-20T05:06:00.003-05:00

is having a birthday today! Tara is the friend who will be there for me no matter how long its been since we've talked. We were able to get together last Friday night and had a great time chatting about pretty much everything! We are frequent texters so it doesn't feel as long when we are busy and can't get together- texting does the job. She is also planning a wedding while working and preparing to move to Dallas with Ryan who will be her husband in August! I can't wait to share in their special day. Tara, I hope you have a blessed day! Love you

another favorite

2008-05-18T20:58:00.004-05:00

it becomes difficult when choosing favorites for any shoot let alone a wedding shoot... but for some reason this photo has been added to the recent list! I love the way the flowers are in the shape of a heart... what do you think? The rest of the photos are being uploaded here- I'm hoping to have them all up before I leave for St Augustine this Thursday.