A birthday teaser...

You may have noticed that I haven't posted Kaydence's birthday photos from March!  ::gasp::  I feel so bad that I haven't even touched them, but I've been busy with trying to catch up sessions I've done for other people that I haven't taken the time.  Well tonight, since I was having fun experimenting with black & white edits, I thought I would pull some up.  So here are a couple as a teaser for you.  She may be 3 before I get them all posted. lol

Her birthday theme was bumblebees because she loves the Laurie Berkner Bumblebee song.

Kaydence was given this dress last year for her birthday and she didn't get to wear it until now because it was too big (it's still a little big on her). For halloween, my sister made Kaydence a bumblebee candy bag. I knew we probably wouldn't use it again, so I cut out the bumblebee and asked my sister if she would sew it on Kaydence's dress. It turned out really cute.

Sick Days

Kaydence was pretty sick earlier this week.  She had a fever for 3 days and vomited one night too...poor baby.  But we have that behind us now and we are supposed to have a sunny 59 degree tomorrow.  The only thing that would make me more excited is if we lived someplace where it was sunny and warm year round...oh and I would take a 70+ degree day instead too. ;-)  Oh well, I'm grateful!  I'm so ready to be done with this cold and dreary weather...ugh.

Here is just one photo from one of our pajama days this week.  I had to use a high ISO since it was so dark and dreary out, so not the greatest sharpness, but there is something I'm really proud about with this one...ready for it???  This is my very first black & white conversion where I haven't used a single action!!!  One of my goals for this year was to do this and I feel so proud of myself.  I really love, love, love it (for now anyway...i'm sure i'll be tweaking it some) and feel so proud that I have it in me not to use an action.  Any action that I use is almost always tweaked to it's death, so I really need/want to figure out how to write my own the way I want them.  After I finished this edit tonight...in less than 10 minutes...I was feeling a renewed sense of worth and motivation.  I know that may sound funny, but I think those photographers out there know what I'm talking about, right?

Anyway, I just had to share with someone!  Thanks for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Part I: {Levi}

Remember last month when I told you I got to shoot a birth and a newborn sessions for some very dear friends of ours?!?!  Well, I'm finally getting around to editing these.  Its been a busy month and on top of it, I've been having some color issues with my computer (again), which has set me back a bit.  I'm editing the newborn session now and then I'll go back and edit the birth.  I just figured the new mommy and daddy would appreciate the newborn photos first.

I'm posting these in two parts because I have a lot of photos and I'm not completely finished editing all of them yet, but I really wanted to get some of these posted.  I hope to post Part II later this week.

All I have to say is that this little guy is the sweetest thing ever (as are his parents) and he and his parents have a very special place in my heart.  I feel so honored and blessed that my sweet friends asked me to take some photos for them!

I will share one photo from the day little Levi graced our world with his presence. What a beautiful little family!

And without further ado, here is your little man, Zach and Shannon!  Love you guys!

{blogging sisters}

I've been meaning to do a post like this for a few months now, but I always seem to think of it at odd times.

My baby sister, Josie, is just starting to enter the blogosphere and I thought that some of my readers may be interested in her little corner of the world.  She only has 3 followers right now and I'm pretty sure two of them are my mom and I.

She is pretty much all the things I am not, a talented organized list making homemaker who loves to cook, bake, and sew...and somehow still has time to spare for her full time job...oh wait, maybe it's the other way around.

Now, while I *can* do those things (well, besides being organized and a list maker -- lol), I certainly don't enjoy them the way she does, which is evident as you scroll through her blog.  She has been so diligent in keeping up with her blog posts and all the lovely meals her hubby is so blessed in eating (my poor husband -- lol), that it would be a shame if I didn't share it with you all.

So without further ado, my sister's blog, mae(de).for.you.  If you find her recipes tantilizing, I know she would feel honored and blessed if you click "follow." :-)

After scrolling through her blog again tonight, I was reminded that they don't have us over for meals nearly enough...hmmm...that needs to change ASAP. ;-)

And because it's always nice to place a face with something (and no post is as interesting without a photo), here is my beautiful sister taken just a few days before her wedding last August.

You know you want to...go follow her. :-)  xoxo

If you are on The Facebook...

Please, please, please consider voting for Kaydence in the 77Kids Photo Contest.  All you have to do is comment on the photo and your vote will be counted.  Thank you so, so much!  I realize this is one of those popularity contests that I have no hopes of winning, but we would love your vote just the same.

Thank you so much! <3

Here is the link and here is the photo I entered.

{Lily}

While I was visiting back home a couple weeks ago, my mother-in-law asked if I could come by to do an impromptu photo shoot with little Lily. Lily's mama, Brook, has been a long time family friend of their family and her husband is overseas right now in Iraq. Brook doesn't have a camera (other than the one on her cell phone), so I was happy to come and take a few photos for her so she could share them with her husband who is overseas.

Lily is the sweetest little thing...so compliant and sweet. I had the best time snuggling her and I even got to help babysit her one night while I was home.

This shoot was a little bit of a challenge for me since I have never done a shoot with a 2 month old before. It doesn't work very well to do the typical newborn poses with a baby this age, so it was a good learning experience for me. Thank you Brook and I hope you enjoy the photos!