I finally took my own advice and hired a photographer for our family…and I’m so glad we finally did! (the self portraits of the 3 of us at arms length weren’t exactly display worthy!) I wanted to find someone with a similar style as my own, as well as someone who also had lil ones at home and could relate well to Charlotte.  I was fortunate to get in with Jenny Lein for our family session, and she posted a sneak peek on her blog for us here.  I gasped out loud when I saw the first one of Charlotte.  As a photographapher’s child, Charlotte just does not give me those smiles anymore!  She sees the camera and instantly all she gives me is a serious face…which makes for those nice moody portraits that I love…but not 99% of the time!  :)  So I was thrilled to see a giant grin on her face!  and the ones of her with Matt & I…sigh.  Total tearjerkers.  Guess I’ll need to get the kleenex ready for when the full gallery is unveiled!  Now to go hide the pocketbook…

Enjoy a lil glimpse into our family - from behind someone else’s camera for a change!

Somebody got bangs. 

Yesterday went smoothly, and aside from a really sore neck, I feel like myself.  Thanks again for the well-wishes!  I am just starting to dig back into the pile of work that accumulated while I was “away”.  I appreciate the patience from the G & C family as I know it’s hard to wait for your gallery

These snapshots are from a few weeks ago.  She’s had her bangs cut since then.  Oh my goodness, you would not believe how adorable she looks with bangs, but of course, I have no picture of it to prove it.  Bad photographer-mom, I know :)  I’m working  on it - hopefully in the next week or so I hope to get some new shots of her taken.  I have a million ideas - I just need the time to execute them

A nightly ritual - bed jumping!

Oh yah - and she’s potty learning!  She’s doing amazing!  Yay! 

That’s all for today!

xo

I will be “out of the office” on Monday, August 25th.  Any messages received during that time will be addressed when I return on Tuesday, August 26th.

Thank you all for your encouragement, prayers, visits, emails, and tokens of love.  I am humbled by the outpouring of love I’ve received, most of it being from clients - wow.   I know I’ve said it a million times, but you guys rock.  I couldn’t ask for better people to spend my time with when I’m away from my daughter.  You all make my job so very much more than a “job”.  Thank you, from the bottom of my heart ♥

first, a PSA:  THANK YOU, thank you, thank you for all of your amazing comments!  I seriously am at a loss for words…well, that’s not really true ;)  I am overwhelmed by your kindness, and really feel quite undeserving of such affection :)  I have the best clients, hands down!  EVER!  XO!

Now onto what you’ve all been waiting for :)….

(drumroll please)

the winner and new proud owner of a fabulous peas&carrots zippy is…..

 i just love being dramatic….

ok i guess i should tell you now…

LISA P!!!!

Congrats!!  You will love it!  Make sure to take your checkbook with you when you pick up your zippy because you will want to buy EVERYthing!  :)  Just contact Jessica to choose your zippy.  ENJOY!  :) 

and because I haven’t posted any images in a few days (and it’s been killing me not to share these!), here ya go:

so adorable, right?

to his momma - you’ll be hearing from me very soon

enjoy the weekend, everyone!  i’ll be back monday!

today is driving me crazy.  it started off with a rained-out session with katie, which had me so bummed as i’ve been looking forward to this session for weeks!  (altho i finally got to meet katie, and loved chatting with her - thx for the coffee, girly!).  then my girl’s day at the lake got rained out, so no 3 hrs out on the boat while sipping mimosas for me…so we rescheduled to a tea room and had brunch instead, only to have my car die on me in the parking lot!  so i borrowed a car from a friend, but then left my house keys with her! ahhh!  it’s 6 pm and i am finally back in my house for a few min to catch up on emails.  on top of it all, i am missing hubby something fierce. 

sorry for the lil vent there, but i feel better now :)  here’s a quick image from a session last week.  i know the fam is waiting patiently…so just wanted to show proof that i am diligently working on their images

i’m off to dinner with my parents  - my mom is cooking for me :)  don’t mommies just make everything all better? 

that’s how i felt after a weekend of no very little working :)  i told myself i wouldn’t work at all this weekend, and i somewhat kept my word.  aside from a few hours of editing during a naptime and some quick phone calls,  i pretty  much took the weekend off from anything work-related, and very much enjoyed some q-time with the fam.  now i’m just patiently waiting counting down the days until my wknd getaway with the hubby this thur-sat!  altho i will most assuredly be editing all the way to chicago & back, not to worry

a couple snapshots from my bday wknd…nothing fancy - had to throw these up here quick & its late.  warning - there’s quite a few…

how we started the wknd:

oh- and honey, just because you beat me this time, doesn’t mean i won’t come back & kick your butt next time!  you know i am the queen of wii bowling!

one of the few shots of me from this wknd (i really need to get out from behind the camera!).  let me just preface this by saying that we did not put ANY thought into what we were wearing this night (obviously) and to please,  do what i say, no as i do! because we apparently could not have picked worse shirts to wear for a picture together!  LOL!

then somebody decided to go skinny dipping in Ma-ma’s pool…guess we’ll remember her suit next time

saturday we took C to SF park to swim and had so much fun.  sunday we celebrated with more family…

as you can see, i was really excited to get my bissell vacuum.  wow, i must be getting old.  seriously tho, i was super excited.  thanks, mom

last but not least…some super cute shots of C & her bestest friend (who happens to be her cousin & my bestest friend’s son)

i realize it looks like he’s biting her, but rest assured, there was no biting going on - only hugging…well, and…………….

don’t you just love it?  i love how her eyes are closed, and his little hand is touching hers.  so stinkin sweet!

i think that’s enough snapshots from my bday wknd :)  the next few days are a little crazy, but i hope to be back to my regular blog posting of every couple days now.  thanks for all the bday wishes! 

xo

No sneak peek to share until tomorrow…and I have a pretty good headache right now, so this will have to do for a post today.  Just a couple shots of my doll baby…who is going to be 2 in just a few weeks (snif).

More sleeping shots (she has been so good to me lately).  Everytime I do this I wonder if it’s the last time she’ll let me.

 It took all I had in me to not curl up behind her.  If only I could stop time…

this one i just had to do huge…

Ironically, she is just waking up from her nap.  Off I go!

Sneak peek tomorrow!

Today’s post is a personal one…will have sneak peeks up in day or so.

This was taken yesterday, on my sister’s birthday.  She would have been 32.  I can’t believe it’s been 4 years since I hugged my best friend.  I can still remember the feel of her hair on my face and the warmth of her shoulder as i lay with her in her hospital bed.  Our last hug.  A part of me will always be missing until i see her again. 

Charlotte is wearing a jacket and hat that used to be hers.  I will never tease my mom about keeping our old baby clothes again.  I had to put this on her beore she outgrew it, and yesterday happened to be the perfect day.

Happy birthday, sweet Heidi.   Charlotte will grow up knowing you. 

i know not everyone has a husband that is also an amazing father.

i know not everyone has a dad they can call, or hug today.

i know not everyone has someone to wish a “happy father’s day” to.

i know i am blessed. 

because of that, i do not take today for granted.