{TEN} on Tuesday

{1} Barrett likes crunchy Cheetos. The other day he dumped every.last. Cheeto out of the bag and into (and all around) this cup....which was in the middle of the family room floor. My new vacuum is getting a lot of use. Nice.

{2} One of our favorite afternoon activities lately: Watching the squirrels in our front yard.
I took these pics through the front window last week.

{3} Barrett isn't a fan of wearing clothes much these day. I was just trying to learn more about my external flash, so he was my test subject.

{4} For the last three or four years (since before I left the Arts Center), I've taught a "Detective in Training" class with my best friend, Megan.  The kids are so much fun, and I always get a kick out of the picture we take of them on the first day. We make them put on their disguises, so they can use the pictures on their official secret agent badges for the week.

We make briefcases, periscopes and decoder wheels, and use invisible ink. On the last day of class, we always have a big outdoor scavenger hunt. My nieces, Kylie and Emily (Emily is above left) must really like our class...they've been in it for the last three years, I think :)


{5} We invited Barrett's friends, Norah Kate, Caroline and Lyida (and their mommies) to swim with us at Gigi and Papa's pool last week. It was a cloudy morning, but the kids still had a great time.

After swimming, we headed inside for lunch and some 4th of July crafting!
{Pictures of our 4th of July craft to come in my 4th of July post}

Barrett loves baby Caroline!!

{6} Motivation in my Inbox!!

Got an email from Blurb (my blog book making company) last week! It was just the motivation I needed to get my 2009 blog book finished and printed! It's "July is digital liberation month" for 20% off, and free shipping! I have until the end of the month. I can do it. I can do it.

Not sure if this code is good for anyone. I can't find anything about it on the website...but here is what I got, if anyone else out there is waiting for a great excuse to get their blog book done and printed!!

Greetings,

It’s official! We’re declaring July “Digital Photo Liberation” month at Blurb. Help us celebrate by liberating all those holiday/wedding/baby/you-name it photos locked away in your camera and on your computer.

Set them free – get them out of the digital world and into the physical world – in a book made by you. We’ll help. Order your book by July 31 and we’ll kick in with a 20% savings off your product total.*

Simply type in the appropriate promo code at checkout, and you’re set.

• USD $ coupon code: LIBERATION
  

Doesn't look like a generic code, so have at it!! Feel free to send extra motivation my way!!

{7} I came home from our pool playdate on Friday to find TONS of huge boxes on the front porch. There were so many, I couldn't even get the door open. Anyone who drove by that morning probably though I had some sort of online shopping addiction!

I don't have an online shopping addiction. They were full of BIG float wraps for my upcoming exhibit at the library (July and August)! It was almost better than Christmas opening these boxes! I couldn't wait to see how all of the images came out, and now I can't wait to get them hung at the library. I am still waiting on two more...but hope to get them all up this week!

You'll have to go to the Winfield Public Library if you want to see anymore :)

{8} We're taking a family vacation this month with my parents, and my little brother and his wife. We'll be visiting Grand Lake, Colorado for the first time! I am excited for a vacation, excited to take my hubby to Colorado for the first time ever, and very excited about the photography I'll get in there! Everything I read online says "there is a potential photograph in almost every moment." Awesome. I really hope to see some of the wildlife too...elk, moose, big horn sheep, deer, black bear.

{9} WOW! I didn't think I could love this band (NeedToBreathe) anymore. "Something Beautiful" is still one of my favorite songs. Lovin' this one too. "The Outsiders"... rockin' the banjo and harmonica. Totally my style :) I would love to see them live. Can somebody please buy me this album?!?!?

{10} My favorite thing to get in the mail came on Friday....

The July mailing from the Walnut Valley Festival! It's our first glimpse at the stage lineup for September's festival!  AND reminds us just how close it's getting! On this day (when the little brochure comes in the mail), The first thing I do is make sure MY Wilders are on the list. Whew, they are! Then I look for their first show. I am proud to announce that at 3:45pm on Thursday, September 16th, I will be on the hill at Stage II singin' along with my Wilders. 

After verifying that the Wilders are on the lineup, I usually whip out the highlighter and color-code my stage schedule!! Pink for "must see" shows and Yellow for "would like to see" shows! I'm a dork like that, but it makes me happy...so I do it! Then I tear out the schedule, fold it up, and put it in a safe spot until September!

I'm happy that the Greencards will be there this year. Also lots of new groups I'm anxious to hear. The Farewell Drifters, MilkDrive and The Hillbenders. You can check 'em all out on YouTube.

Fourth of July:Flashback Friday

Okay, so it's officially 12:58 a.m. on Saturday...but it's still "Friday" to me!

Plus, Flashback Saturday just doesn't have the same ring to it!

{July 4, 1981} I was 20 months old.

We were celebrating the holiday at my Aunt Deb and Uncle Rick's place in Manhattan, Kansas

Isn't my mama beautiful!
She brought over one of our family albums the other day, with pictures of me around the same age as Barrett is now.
I see lots of similarities in us.

Every year around this time, I start to really miss this place....

Mamo & Bapo's place on Grand Lake {Bapo and Brandon fishing off the dock}

I miss the peaceful moments fishing on the dock, the wild and crazy moments of 14+ in one house, the golf cart parade and watermelon feed, the sunburns, fish frying, and boat rides. But most of all, I just miss spending the whole weekend with all of my family together.

{July 4, 2009} Barrett was 17 months old.

Hope you all have a safe Fourth of July weekend!!

Who doesn't love a wedding?

I've been a little busy with my business in the last couple weeks, so instead of taking hundreds of pictures of my own son/family and our summer activities, I've been taking thousands of pictures of other people's children and families! Business is great, and I'm not complaining...just sleepy!

I am really enjoying my job! I'm meeting new clients all the time. Thanks to referrals from current clients and the wonderful world of Facebook! It's so much fun to meet new people, and have the honor of capturing their family memories. I'm also loving all the friendships and collaborations I'm making with other photographers in my business.  

Amber-Dawn, a friend from high school, is the photographer behind Making Smiles Photography. She took my maternity pictures back in 2007, and now we're working together! Over the last year, we've emailed back and forth, sharing information and support for each other. Now, I am so grateful to help her shoot some summer weddings!! I've always thought I would love weddings...the designer and detail person I am!  BUT it would have been crazy to try and start shooting on my own.  A wedding is a one-time thing! I don't think it's wise for any photographer to try and shoot a wedding with no experience as a 2nd shooter/assistant.  So, it was sweet of Amber-Dawn to take me under her wing and let me learn from her! Weddings are intense and exhausting, but so much fun when we're doing them together.

We've shot weddings together the past two weekends. I haven't blogged any images over on my photoblog yet, but I have {peeked} a few on my Facebook Fan Page. If you're not on Facebook, here are a few of my favorites...

{06.19.2010 Wedding::McConnell Airforce Base}

{06.26.2010 Wedding::Tanganyika Wildlife Park}

This couple was so much fun!! We loved their retro style, and Jennifer really knew how to work the camera angles :) Kendall, the groom, is a graphic design student, so he'd put his touch on so much of the wedding. Creative programs, place cards, custom Jones Soda labels, and so much more!  And, of course being at Tanganyika was great too! We had a lot of fun on Lemur Island, and with the other animals. I've only just started going through all of my images from their wedding, so I can't wait to get to more. Keep an eye on the photoblog for more with this couple in the next few weeks!!

And...I guess I'll admit this...

I was very close to crying at this wedding! Oh my gosh, I have issues!! I'd only known the couple for a couple hours when the ceremony started, but it was so obvious how IN LOVE they were. At the beginning of the ceremony, I shot from the front of the isle...capturing the groom's "first look" at his bride. He was so emotional, and it totally got me! I'm a sap.
See, who doesn't love a wedding?

I'm so grateful for my collaboration with Amber-Dawn, and I've met so many other awesome photographers. We all chat through Facebook, and email each other resources, feedback and encouragement. It's unfortunate that there are photographers out there that just want to compete over everything, and try to tear you down. It's sad, but true. Even though there is plenty of business to go around. I don't get it. That's why I think so much of the great photog friends I have. They're the complete opposite of that. We build each other up.

I would be happy to refer clients to any of these photographers. We all have our own styles, so if I'm not the photographer for you, that is completely okay :) I actually have clients that use me AND one of these other photographers. Sure, I have my loyal clients that call me "their photographer," and use only me. Of course I love that. But I also love my clients that like to try others.

I've met a super sweet lady from Winfield that used me for Prom pictures of her son. She's also used Amber-Dawn for pictures of her daughter, and will use me later this month for Senior pictures with her son. Amber-Dawn and I  think it's great.  This lady is also getting into photography herself, and I know could produce some amazing pictures herself, but she's supporting our businesses! My friend Tonya is going to use both Amy and I to do Senior picture for her daughter. Amy is doing some this summer in an urban location, and I'll do some in the Fall with a more natural setting. So fun!!

Some of my other friends:

Amy, of Amy Shepherd Photography. We got connected through a friend of a friend. She's great about forwarding me resources she finds. Amy does a little of everything, like me. She is awesome with seniors, weddings and trash the dress sessions.

Bethany, of Hissyfits Photography. My dear friend since high school! She just welcomed baby #3, so she's on a bit of a break from photography for awhile. She currently lives in Arizona, and her work focuses on children and families. This girl has always got my back when it comes to photography! I can't even tell you how much wisdom she's shared with me!

Skyler, of Skyler Livingston Photography. We've only known each other for a couple months, and he's already become a great friend. I was checking out the exhibit space at the library, when he overheard me talking with one of the staff members. I'm so glad he just came up and introduced himself. Only a week later, he let me borrow one of his cameras! Yeah, he's that awesome. He knows a lot about gear, and I'm trying to teach him a little about photoshop and post-processing. He loves shooting weddings, and we hope to work together on some in the future.

Check 'em all out. They rock! Skyler and I are hoping to get a group of photographers together once a month to talk about our passion, and bounce ideas off each other. Any other photographers out there interested in joining us? Get in touch with me!

To end, enjoy this video from the Tanganyika wedding!!
After the ceremony, the bride put on her RED converse shoes and they danced down the isle!!



{one of my images from that dance}