Lose weight!!
lol
I know this so random but I have to share this…
At the end of 2009 I put myself on a mission to lose weight. I have a personal trainer, Earnest…who is awesome. If you military wives need a personal trainer to keep your butt in gear go to the fitness center on base and ask for Earnest…HE’s FREE!!!
Anyway… I have a personal trainer, I go to the doctor monthly to get weight checks, blood work to make sure I am not losing any calcium because when you work out and lose weight you can lose bone calcium or something like that … anyway…
I started, in January, waking up every morning and drinking hot lemon water. It jump starts my day and I noticed it has helped shed pounds. I also googled it and it does help. IF I did this everyday, I would probably be shedding more quickly. Not only does it shed pounds it does wonder to give you a nice glow

I should be getting paid to advertise lemons….[and Earnest]

I was going through my photos deleting them and I came across this photo that I was so about to toss…but something about it made me want to keep it.
I dont know what it is about it but I love this photo or maybe its just my mommy goggles again… they get me the most sometimes :/

I had the opportunity to go to a studio that just so happened to be right in my own neighborhood and do a studio workshop.
I have studio lights here at my home “studio” but I use natural light as well as artificial when I set mine up.
I didn’t really like the way my shots came out of the baby in studio because we were so far back that I couldn’t even get a decent shot. It was a learning experience and I found out that me and the owner are neighbors. How cool is that?!? After doing the in studio session we went outdoors with the other owner, Jaime Smith and captured a baby on location in Green Cove Springs. He was such a doll face! It was really bright out that morning but I’ve learned to embrace harsh daylight and have stopped my love-hate relationship with it!

Thank you Melanie and Kara for organizing this group. And thank you Stacy and Jaime for taking the time to educate us on studio lighting and taking the time to answer our questions as well as give business advice. See you gals around the neighborhood

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I met makeup artist, Allison LaCour at a celebration of life party for her friend, Nicole. We talked for a little while at the party about getting together to do a shoot but with her living in Orlando it made it a little hard to get together so we both just pulled a random date and hoped it worked for the other and it did!

Allison and the 2 models, Lauren and Thrisha drove up to Jacksonville and we shot for 5 hours! YES…5 hours, lol! Well 4 technically since the 1st hour was makeup.
Allison’s brother owns a clothing line too Maison LaCour. Look him up!

I thoroughly enjoyed this shoot. I could actually see myself working closely with makeup artists and models. I would really love to finally say I JUST do [such and such] photography. As much as I would love to be one of those photographers who were all things to all people…I just feel like I’m pulling myself in too many directions at once. I do love my babies though and that is where my passion is. And that is where I want to focus my attention this year is working closely with newborns and families. I feel as though that is where I am being lead to do. Anyway…I got really off track there…
So here is the beautiful Lauren and Thrisha! Thank you again, Allison for driving to Jacksonville so we could get together. I am looking forward to our next photo shoot. It will definitely be tons of fun!!

This is one is my favorite

*this Photo I did nothing too excpet watermark…I kind of just liked it as is so I kept it that way. Its not even perfect technically but… I like it!

All of you Jacksonville people know we were freezing when we were in the 20-30 degree weather. I had to keep reminding myself I was in Florida.

I discussed with my k ids that I wanted to take a picture of them each week so they were more than willing to participate. Well… Trinity was all for it until we got outside and she had to go to bathroom, pick some weeds, watch the birds fly by, look at the dog barking next door. I get what I can get with that child.
So heres my week #2

I am joining a lot of other people and am going to try to keep this personal project. I would like to take a picture a week of my own children but I may just add everyday things that catch my eye.

so this is my first picture.
No real story behind it…my little girl was sleeping soundly beside me on the couch and her lashes caught my eye. That’s it…nothing more….so I just “snapped”

The best thing about being a photographer is when your friends have special events happen in their lives, you are always there to document it.
I have known Baby A’s mommy since I was 8 years old. I remember getting in trouble with her at West Normandy Baptist Church during GA’s because we were always giggling
And at youth camp in St. Simons Island… she was there to lend an ear and shoulder when I realized I had never been saved Her mommy was also one of my bridesmaids at my own wedding.

Amanda and Andrew tried so hard for a baby and they finally got their miracle baby 2 days before Christmas. Isn’t God good?
Congratulations Amanda and Andrew…Baby A is very beautiful and I cant wait to see her grow up to be an outspoken little blonde haired, blued eyed girl like her beautiful mommy.

We tried for 2 months to get together before they had to report to their next duty station. We would schedule and reschedule and it would rain EVERY. SINGLe. TIME! After a while, I started to say Lord do you want me to step out of my comfort zone and shoot in the rain? I know this couldnt possibly be it when this woman has 3 small children. When we finally got together we ended up having all of 10 minutes to spare before we had no light…lol and it was like 40 degrees with lots of wind. Everything we had visualized and discussed for their shoot was a no go. So… we have to reschedule a real shoot

I am definitely looking forward to their big day as Gerald gives Nita the wedding she has always wanted.
I love you guys…and I was just thinking…Nita we have known each other for what… 15 years? Man, that makes me feel old, lol!

My son celebrated his 5th birthday on December16th. We were gonna have big shindig at the house for him but after Trin’s party in November, we decided to pass. We thought to just let him have a few of his close friends come over and spend the night but…we decided against that too. When you have a child who has their birthday exactly a week before Christmas, I think people are all shopped out and tired of dealing. I don’t think Noah has a been able to truly celebrate his birthday with his friends because their parents seem to cancel…this year…I tried to make it special for him. He had a small party at Adventure Landing and his best bud, Zach came and his family was there. If you ask me I would say Christmas birthdays are not all they are cracked up to be but if you ask Noah…he would probably say he had a blast anyway. I guess as parents it hurts us the most when you plan and then things dont turn out the way it was planned. Only a mother knows that feeling.
He did end up coming home and my brothers brought over his girlfriends daughter. Noah, Zach, Ashlynn and Trin has 3000sq ft of home to run free in. We had pizza and snacks and then Zach spent the night. WE made cookies that evening and they ate popcorn, drank pop and watched movies. I believe they crashed about 11pm….lol

Party at school.. the day of his actual birthday. [he fell running to the playground and skinned his face...ouch!]

the gifts that matter…because clothes and shoes mean nothing to kids when they tons of toys to occupy them