Hello

Hello Friends. I have neglected my blog for way too long. Sorry! I figured since everyone is on facebook that everyone knows what I have been up to. But I just wanted to put up some new links to some fun pics that I have been taking.

Many of you followed my blog last January as I would post the events and progress of my friend Natalie. She was in a terrible accident and spent some time in the hospital and in recovery at a rehabilitation center. She was not in either place very long. It seemed long to her, but her quick recovery in less than 3 months time was a miracle to the rest of us. Shows she is a fighter. Several of you don't even know her, but you were concerned and would post well wishes for her and her family. I wanted to update you one year later. Click on the link below and you can see how great she is doing. I have done a total of four senior shoots with her in the last 8 months. We have had a great time. She always makes me laugh! Natty if you read this, I love you and I am so grateful for our friendship. Thank you for being a great senior model.

Click HERE to see more pics. These are just a few of her images! She has a full private gallery of over 100 images....and still growing. The biggest gallery ever! I need to make her a book.

Passing Of Previous Post

A month ago I posted about a photographer that used to take my family's photos. He just passed last week. Here is an article about him and there is a link to view more about his life. He was so talented. A great inspiration.

One Year Later

Here they are in 2009 and here they are in 2008
On our way to Sophie's house today to meet her new little brother I was talking to Delana. She is talking so much! She said something very smart so I told her "Delana, you are very smart." and she replied "EEEE (that is what she calls Sophie) is VERY SMART!" I think it is funny that she said that. Because Sophie is very smart. We met Sophie when she was about 18 months and she was talking at the level that Delana at 3 is now talking. When I watched her last year, at age two, she knew her colors, numbers and so much more. I wonder if for the last year Delana has been watching Sophies every move thinking "how does she do that? How does she get her words out?"

I am proud to say too that Delana's vocab has tripled in the last two weeks since I stopped watching Ben. She has stopped trying to act like a baby and we have more time to spend one on one and everything is about DELANA. She loves it!

Why Do Friends Leave?

I recently had some great neighbors move. It has only been a week, but I miss them already.

Our daughters were such good friends. So Sad!!! But we are both military families and that is what we have to get used to. Moving and leaving good friends and making new ones. We went out for a photo shoot before they left and this is one of my favorite pics I have ever taken.

Anyone Who Hates The Rain, Has Never Danced In It

Or Has Never Had A Photo Session In It!!!

My friend Charisse wanted a photo session for her birthday. So her and her husband and very cute little man drove up from Richmond for their session. Rain had been predicted to start at 8pm that Saturday. I was excited because that meant GREAT overcast at our 4 o'clock session. But at about noon I saw the dark clouds rolling in. I got scared, so I called her and said lets go NOW! She hurried her family up and we tried to beat the rain, but no luck! It started raining on our drive to our location. They looked so great, and she had worked hard to make that great orange skirt she is wearing. I wanted to take something. So we found a porch that they could hide under. It was very hard to focus in the rain, but we got a few gems and plan to shoot again. Next time I am going down to them. They are such a great family.

We got more than just a photo shoot out of the weekend though. We got in two late nights playing our favorite game, Agricola. Don't know if I am more excited for our next session or our next game of Agricola. I love both!!!! Good friends make the world so much better!

Living Out Loud

I am trying to live my life out loud these days. I am tired of feeling like there are certain things I can't do in life, or shouldn't do because of what other people think. (Don't worry.....I am talking about simple things in life, I will still be a moral upstanding citizen!). I am trying to live a life full of art and creativity. This is how I am living out loud these days:

1. Quit my daycare

2. Opened Photography Business

3. Committed to Designing and Consulting for Heritage Makers (www.storybookingbyyou.com)

4. Living a Healthy Life

5. Buying clothes and shoes that I thought I was too old or too fat to buy....nothing revealing or trashy, just fun colors and styles.

6. Over accessorizing....big necklaces, bracelets, rings, big bows, big headbands, big flowers!

7. I CUT my hair off!!!



Pink was my inspiration for my hair cut....actually, Delana was my inspiration. She cut her hair yesterday and I started thinking of the funky things we would have to do to her hair to fix it. I came up with some clever haircuts that would look good on her, and thought "hey I want a haircut like that"



I wanted my hair much much much blonder but the hairdresser would not do it. So I asked her if next time I come in if we can go lighter, she said yes. Can't wait to go blonder!!! I love my hair! I can play with it in so many ways. Look for more pics of it. I can even make a rad mohawk with it. And how Pink has it styled above, I can do that exact thing!!! So many ways to play around with it! So happy and so free.

Delana got her haircut too. Her inspiration was Kate Gosselin.

Living My Dream

Two years ago this month I stood in front of a group of 11 other wonderful dreamers and a fearless leader named Doug. I stated my dreams out loud. My dream was to be able to get out of the daycare business. Today is the first day of living my dream. I am officially out of the daycare business as of today. I am living the life I want, a creative and colorful life. (grandma Cathy, if you are reading this, don't worry, I still have your girls. They are family, not daycare.) I have loved all the children I have watched over the years. I really mean ALL of them! Delana and I are missing Benjaroo, she keeps asking where is Roo. And she did not want to go to the bus stop this morning without ROO. I am grateful that I was able to run a daycare in the home and be able to stay home with my children. But it was never a career choice for me. Heritage Makers and Photography is my choice. I have a passion for pictures and most importantly the stories behind them. Thank you to everyone who supports me in my passion. Most importantly my husband, my mother, my clients, and my dream team #10.


This is my baby ben I used to watch. I sure like taking and editing pictures of him much more than changing his diapers. I love him and am looking forward to hugging on him at church and hanging out with his family and loving him. We are missing him, but like I said, I don't miss the diapers. I was starting to regret my decision of quitting last week until I went to change his messy diaper and it was every where!! It was a blow out and while changing that diaper he peed on me. So like I said, much funer to edit in pictures then to change! love and miss you ben, but sure am loving my life today!!!!