Happy Monday!!! Did you miss me this weekend?

So....I'm hoping that I've roped in some loyal readers and you all missed my posts this weekend. Please feel free to post comments or email me - I'd love to hear from you! It was crazy busy and I just didn't have time to write. I did take some pics of the kids enjoying the ice rink in the back yard but because I just posted some the other day, I figured I'd spare you more. My awesome hubby has been working all winter to get that rink going. Its such wonky weather it was making it impossible. Finally a few days of cold and he could get it smoothed out and ready for some serious play time. The kids had such a great weekend and best part about it - they really dont have a problem resting their weary heads when night falls because they are so wiped out from breathing the cold air.

I had my Valentine's Day special at the studio yesterday in that messy snow storm (where did that come from????) It was warm and cozy at the studio and I got to photograph some super cuties!! I want to thank EVERYONE who came in yesterday! Look at this bunch - I will be making cards for some and collages for others. There are some missing from this collage so if I can find some time to break away from my regular job, I will make another collage to show them all off! We had such a great time seeing everyone!! Thanks so much Tina for helping me out!

I hope you all have a great Monday - if time permits, I'll update again today with more!

Oh, what about Easter? Any interest in having some creative Easter photos done? Im debating on a special for that holiday too....feedback would be great!

Toodles....

Amazing men...

Last night I met Kim Peek and his dad Fran. They are amazing men and actually a comical team. Fran (dad) was so incredible, at 80 years old his memory is surely not failing him. He's sharp and has so many details of Kim's health that information alone was awesome to listen to. They travel around to help raise awareness for autism and other disabilities. The Dow Foundation http://dowfoundation.tk/ brings together the resources for the individuals with these disabilities. If you know somone who might need assistance beyond what their doctor's have for them, contact the Dow Foundation as they have many resources to help!

Kim and Fran brought the Emmy from the Rain Man movie. See it there on the floor to Fran's side.They passed it through the crowd last night and you can tell its been well appreciated in the years since Kim received it. I got so much more than I expected from attending this event! Kim came up to me and asked "What's your name lady?" When I responded with my name, he asked if I was related to Travis Roy and then proceeded to give me all the information on Travis - a young man who was in a hockey accident and injured his spinal cord. (More details here: http://www.travisroyfoundation.org/) I found out later that he met Travis the night before. Because we are a hockey family, I knew immediately who he was talking about and was not at all surprised he made that connection when he heard my last name.

Thanks to Joanne for helping me out with this....and a huge thanks to Maureen Dow for asking me to come along.

That's all for now.....more later!
Stay warm and HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!

A nephew that loves me this much!!!!

He agreed to pose for this card. Not something he wants to trade with his friends but he was so good to do this for me....Thanks Scott, I know this is not your idea of a cool card but thanks for helping me with it!

Here is an idea I had for Chase's card!

Im gonna meet "Rain Man" Kim Peek!!!

My friend Maureen Dow has created a foundation in her parents name "Mary and Willard Dow Foundation". The foundation is designed to help families with autism and other disabilities. More information on Maureen and her foundation here: http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080110/NEWS/801100384&emailAFriend=1

She has arranged to have Kim Peek the original "Rain Man" (more information in this You Tube link): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2T45r5G3kA and his father Fran come and speak several times this week. I was asked to photograph a few of the events and am so honored to help! Kim is AMAZING!!!! You have to watch this link and just see for yourself. I am completely amazed at his dad and Im just as excited to meet him - he's 80 years old and is his son's personal caretaker.

My friend and fellow photographer Joanne Lee (my studio roommate) is going to help me with the shooting and I wanted to send a big thanks to her for generously giving us her time and talents to help out with this. She didn't bat an eye, never hesitated a second when I asked for her assistance. I know Joanne has a special connection with children with autism and works closely with a school that works with children with disabilities. Im sure this event will be special to her too. (So happy to share it with you, Jo).

I'll post pics!!!

Have a super day!!!!!!!! :)

Did you know I take pet portraits?

CAN YOU STAND IT? Is this the cutest? How about a pet portrait for Valentines day!! I still have a few spots available for the special on Sunday and your pets are welcome at my studio!!!

Have a great day!!

Its the little things.....

I want to encourage you to take more pics. Just do it! Most of my friends know that the loss of my dad (he was only 42) impacted my life very much. I try hard to see everything in a positive light. People say to me "I don't know how you do it" (four kids and two businesses is what I think they mean) and I honestly dont know how you can't! I love doing it all. If I dont enjoy it, I try hard NOT to do it. I haven't seen the movie "The Bucket List" but it sure sounds like how I feel about life. Its too short to wait. You need to find what makes you happy and just do it! I LOVE being with my kids and even just hanging out in our jammies on a chilly winter day is our idea of a good time. I love to see them run outside to enjoy the little chunk of ice we have in the yard to play hockey on. (Branden combined the jammies and hockey today - and Makenna is sporting the latest in girl's hockey attire - that's my idea of childhood). Then they come in and have hot cocoa. Ahhh the memories they are creating! They are only little for a very short time and we forget the little everyday things. So I want to encourage you to get out your camera, get on your knees (taking photos at a kids level will give an excellent perspective) and take photos of who they are - today!! This is what Marleigh does when she's watching TV. She smells her favorite blanket. I snuck up on the girls playing Ring Around the Rosie.

If you're not a big scrapbooker, then I recommend making a folder on your desktop and save your favorite photos to it. (copy them from the original upload folder). Log on to Snapfish or Shutterfly and spend an evening just putting them into one of their photo books. You wont regret it!!!! Even your guests will enjoy looking through your coffee table style books. You dont need to put them in order, its almost more fun to look at an array of photos with winter and summer mixed throughout the book. Try to choose just your favorite one or two from each little session.

So I challenge you all to follow your family for a day and just take the pics of the things you would not typically photograph. The ones where they arent even looking at you are going to be the ones that you love the most.

Have a great day!!! Stay warm!

This one will make you smile.

Im trying to get organized and I came across these summer pics. I love this one of the boys. If Cameron's face doesnt make you smile I dont know what will! Its freezing here today so I figured we needed a little taste of summer and what better way to do it than two cute boys that just came out of the sprinkler!! LOL