more Chicago Fun!!

Chicago Style Fun

For Kevin's 30th birthday I surprised him with a trip to Chicago, and tickets to the Cubs game. He said it was a dream come true!! We had such an amazing time. Then a couple of years later he surprised me with a trip there and he purposed to me on top of the John Hancock building. We had a short engagement, and no engagement pictures. So we recently went back to Chicago went to another Cubs game, the one where they "clinched" it, (I am new to baseball terms) any way a big deal to Cubs fans. While we were there I hired a photographer for an engagment session. But there were some stipulations, it must be at sunset, and it must have the John Hancock building in the back ground at some point of the session, and last but not least, I want to buy all of the copyrights to the session. Yeah!!! So I started saving and planning, and saved some more!! I am right there with you guys, good photography isn't cheap!!!!! Hhahha. Any way we had the time of our life! It was like we were dating again, it was so fun, So I wanted to share some of the images with you. If anyone needs a chicago photographer, let me know, I loved him! We are actually planning to re-new our vows and I already have him semi-booked! That is if we have the wedding in Chicago!! Any how, this is what it looks like when I have fun, and when I am on the other side of the lens!! But don't get me wrong, I was still directing, but from the other side!!!! Enjoy...

Millie

How cute is that name, just about as cute as this precious little girl. I am so touched to be photographing for this family. I photographed their wedding, and now little Amelia is almost 1 and I am able to capture their family together for her first family session. I haven't went through all the images, but I did happen to pop these ones in just to encourage you moms. The image of little Amelia pulling at her mom's mouth, I think too many times we are in such a hurry, or it will mess up our lipstick, (for those fortunate souls who get to wear lipstick!) and we just don't let them investigate. Thank you Kelly for sharing this moment with your daughter. This is one of the many moments you will be able to remember that you did take the time to just let her look into your eyes, study your face, and have that special moment with you. It reminds me of when we watch our children sleep, such a peaceful time but you have to remind your self to just let them. They are taking it all in, so you should too.!!! Mike you were a trooper as well, thank you for your help, your fake sneezes, and your encouraging in site on all the new products I should be getting!! I love talking shop talk to anyone who can!!! OH by the way guys, and girls, Mike gave Kelly this session in a gift certificate, what an awesome gift, let me know if you need one for the holidays!!!

My Phin Man

I can not believe that my little Phin man is almost one year old already. I feel like I still haven't caught up from my maternity leave!!! What an amazing day God gave us today, a little windy but we had so much fun as a family. Most importantly we got Phin's 11 month images taken, looked at and decided on and the kids are both sound asleep and it is a little after 7pm, that is what I call a blessed day!! Next on the agenda, continue planning the kid's birthday party, Phin's is going to be Miami Dolphin's themed party, and Mariana's is going to be a Bridal party, cause she wants to have a dance and fancy dresses!! So pictures need to be taken, birthday trees are almost up and decorated. We make them a birthday tree, kind like a Christmas tree, but with fun bright blue for Phin, and bright pink for Mariana lights and decorations. Then I put up 12 wallets from that year along with little un-Christmas like ornaments. Then most importantly their birthday presents go under it with birthday paper, not Christmas paper!!! I have to do this because Mariana's birthday is December 22nd. So I feel like I have to go way out to make sure she has a separate day special for her. And now that Phin is having his first birthday we decided to do the same with him. It's all in a days work for a mom huh. I am off, now that the kids are in bed, Kev and I get to watch our DVR'ed Amazing Race! Hope you all have a wonderful rest of the weekend. opps, BTW the picture of Phin with his mouth open and facing to the left, he is blowing a bubble with his spit, he will sit there and master the bubble blowing for like 5 minutes at a time. My mom is convinced that he is a genius, I tell her it is probably an autistic sign and I don't know about it yet. Let's pray not!!!

my other little Finley

Guess what, I have another little Finley in my life, this beautiful little girl. I had so much fun today, I was able to play dress up and have fun. Can I just tell you this moms, pictures do not have to be stressful, come when baby has slept, eaten, and come to have fun. If you don't come with a zillion expectations, I really think you will be pleasantly surprised!! Thank you Sara for sharing your beautiful daughter with me.

These other fun little diddies, are a new label I designed, yeah, I took the pictures and they will be on the label of clothing, more info to come when available!!!!


Off to Woman of Faith, I will come back a better mom, wife, and person.....I hope!!!!!!!

My Man...well, one of them

Boy I guess I should specify when I say that. Have you ever meet someone and when you do, your heart says that they will be there for a while, that you have just become a better person because they came into your life, that their life has officially touched yours. That is Brayden to me. My heart melted the first time we meet, he was only two weeks old, and now I just celebrated his 1st birthday with him. It has been an amazing year.

My advice to you, if you have meet that person, make sure they know, if you haven't meet that person, maybe you have and you have not taken the time to acknowledge the feelings, or you may not have meet that person and you will, just remember, every person you come in contact with has the potential to change your life forever....did you change someones?, you might have and just don't know it, you never know how powerful a smile, kind word or nice gesture can be to someone.

I feel so blessed to be able to have this amazing relationship with so many of my clients, I need to come up with a better word than client, because you are all so much more, you are my friends, you make me want to be a better person and a better photographer. Thank you Dana for sharing your little boy with me, I will always remember him being shy and putting his head in your arms, and his little wave, it is defiantly a famous wave, get ready for a big future!!!

Love you all......

Seniors!!

Just really quick, I wanted to put up some of the pictures I took of Tate from Dell Rapids, thanks Tate for being a willing participant of my crazy imagination. I just don't remember any of my friends looking like this in high school, I used to have to get a shopping bag to get this look!!! Well I guess I am learning as I go!! I think Kev and I are registering Mariana for an all girl nun school as we speak!!!!! Jusk Kidding, Thanks Tate