Hi everyone.

FIRST – VACATION ANNOUNCEMENT | OUT OF OFFICE:

I will be out of the office and not able to answer calls or check emails from this Thursday afternoon, May 14th through Monday, May 18th. I will be in Cheseapeake, VA and the NOrfolk area for a family get together - a wedding to be exact. And yes, I’m the Photographer (no, I don’t do weddings outside of blessing friends and family with shooting their weddings. I’ve done THREE recently and this will make four. Then, I’ll be in Alaska – we HOPE – and no more weddings for me for a good three years.) But anyway, I will be out of town and many of my family will be there so I am beyond excited. My brother and uncle whom I love DEARLY will be there, and I haven’t seen them in so long. Well actually, I saw them last year this time when my Grandma (my uncle’s Mom) passed away, but that was VERY different. This will be good times to be had by all. It’s my uncle’s oldest son’s wedding. We raised him when my uncle was always out to see and before he remarried Sherry (hi Sherry) and had that stable environment for them again (without us). So this is a HUGE thing to see him do well in life and be getting married. It’s such a CASUAL wedding on the pier that it won’t even feel like work to me for a change. I’m so excited that I can’t hardly speak about it – or write – without getting goosebumps and giddy with anticipation inside.

Bubba – I can’t wait to see you!! And for you all, Bubba is my brother Mike, but my sister and I have never called him anything but Bubba since we were little girls. Perhaps it has to do with being raised in Texas, I’m not sure. I just know he’s NOT a redneck. ha ha

And last but not least….

Before heading out teh door to take my boys to school and then prep and load EVERYTHING up for my newborn session today (and those that have had newborn sessions with me know I take A LOT of things for those particular ones), I wanted to share two pictures of my boys and I taken on Mother’s Day. You can even see my wonderful husband in the door reflection (sorry I didn’t clean it first).

AND which should I print large for my home? I’m NEVER in pictures, and we weren’t “super posed”, so I want it! Black and White or Color? I love the color, but I print a lot in black and white because I favor it!

Oh I’m so happy to have this one. You all just don’t know how hard it is to get a fun, sweet picture of my boys with ME in it! I’m so happy – it’s the best Mother’s Day gift to me. We weren’t all dressed up or anything. We were just our usual selves.

Here it is in black and white. WHICH to print? Please comment and let me know your thoughts on the matter, please!

And this one cracks me up. It’s the first picture taken, and well, Seth has this thing (for awhile now, actually) where if you point a camera at him, he thinks he has to wave and say hi. ha ha. I love this one too (might print it small for my home just BECAUSE) because he is being SETH, and I love that. But sometimes, we have to tell him politely – he’s not wrong for waving – to just look at us and he does not have to wave. It’s still so cute all the same.

First, I have to inform you all that as of 3:00 pm today and in the time span of around 1 1/2 days, all my SAturdays are booked except for ONE in June. If you need a Saturday session and would like to book an appointment with me, PLEASE do so immediately. I can’t keep up with the bookings right now, but I feel extremely blessed and loved. Why you ask?

Well for those of you who don’t know, somehow didn’t receive my email notice two days ago, or are just viewers of my blog, my husband has received orders that he must move (that means US) to Alaska the first of August. OH yeah…the first of August, I have to say goodbye to the BEST friends, the BEST life, and the BEST job and clients I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and start over again in Anchorage, Alaska – Elmendorf Air Force Base to be exact. I really thought we’d retire here. I never planned on being uprooted again, but you can never plan anything while in the military. I’m thankful we’ll be together as a family, though. It will be a move that will hit me hard and heavy. We have so much to do, all the while I continue on meeting new clients and continuing on with work through the month of June. I will no longer be accepting sessions after the end of June. And, I’ve booked a lot of sessions in the last few days. I have received numerous emails with the sweetest messages attached to them. I have clients I’ve seen so many times and have grown very close too, and I cried reading some of their emails.

What business woman cries over their clients? ME! I can’t help it. I’m the sensitive kind, okay? LOL

I am happy to know that many of my favorite clients want to have me fly back next Spring and continue on with our business relationship and create those memories for them. I will love the break, the break to see my friends, and the break to photograph my “special people” again.

Thank you again to all that have had me as my Photographer. IT has been an honor to be a part of the Fayetteville business community.

I will be back in three years, and I haven’t left yet. Remember that.

First thing is first – it’s my 16 year anniversary, and I can’t be anymore happier and in love than I am right now with my husband. We have such an amazing friendship and relationship that I can only thank God for showing us each other.

And, we’ve never had a weekend away without our boys and WITH each other at the same time. Yes, can you imagine that after 16 years!? Of course, we have good reasons and things that have kept that from ever happening, but not today! We are picking up our boys early from school, taking them 2 hours to Granny’s house (my mother-in-law) and off we go to Asheville to a beautiful bed and breakfast. I am SO EXCITED!! What to pack for just two days? WE want to hike and walk the National Park there, etc.

So, I won’t be in the office today (as in 2 hours) through Sunday night. I’ll be back in the office Monday morning. Thank you. I will check emails and messages at that time.

And a sweet newborn I had recently. Is this not hilarious and funny and cute all at the same time. I love it. She’s a pretty baby with parents who adore her. Daddy was especially smitten by his little girl. Isn’t that how it always is with Dads and their “little girls” regardless of how much older they get.

The swirl of hair. Aahh……

Thanks for letting me share!

Well, since it’s still dark, and I’m still trying to wake up and get a move on, I thought I’d share my family with you for a bit. We had, what, six inches of snow and for Fayetteville, North Carolina, that is a lot! It was such a wonderful day! The boys were out of school, no sessions were scheduled so I took a day off (sort of had too), and then my husband had the day off (although he drove all the way to work to be sent home again – can’t complain too much about that, right?), and there was snow. Then, to top it all off, our friends and their children all came out, so it was like a block snow party. Oh, we had a blast. Daniel and the boys had more fun than me because they love the cold and snow. Me? Well, I loved it, loved being out in it, but a snowball fight wasn’t something I really wanted to be a part of. I would rather take pictures and laugh the entire time. I wish I had gotten video!

My life.

Got him! Yes!

This is so my son Seth (school nickname: Funny Bone).

Some of my favorite people. I believe you can click on the thumbnails to view larger.