Wednesday, December 5, 2012

No more FUSS....

Another Christmas post for you all!! 
 
This one I've been PATIENTLY waiting to post. 
This session was done back in October but had to wait till Christmas cards were mailed out as to not ruin the surprise! 
Mama Jordan had a great idea to make Christmas Pictures fun this year. 
We tried to shoot for the "Ugly Christmas Card" but they came out pretty darn CUTE!! 
Due to Mama being pregnant and chasing a one year old ...not to mention helping Dad out with his company and doing business of her own....
finding those "Ugly Christmas Sweaters" didn't quite happen.
The Boots and Hats worked great ...gave it more a Minnesota feel I think. 
I love that there was no fuss about this session! 
It was different then my normal sessions where we try and get great smiles, look for the different angles, be creative kinda stuff! 
We just had fun and went with the flow!! 
I love that they were laid back about the session and were themselves. 
(Such a good looking family it was pretty hard to get a bad picture) 
 
Enjoy the images and remember to relax this Season and not worry about all the FUSS!
 
(Their baby girl is coming soon....can't wait!!)
 
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Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Christmas Traditions 2012....

Happy December everyone! 
As many of you know I'm no longer in business and have been enjoying my time so far finishing up the last sessions of the season and keeping busy with my young'ns and doing things for myself!! 
 
I've attended a crafting party recently which was SO fun and such a change of pace for me! 
Here is a Facebook LINK for you to enjoy or if you're into crafting. 
 
I've been busy organizing my children's clothes, toys, and my office finally has a FLOOR!!! 
 
I'm in the middle of re-purposing several chairs...just painting them really! 
My good friend Katie Cottingham is the expert at re-upholstering!! 
Her chairs will soon be in a small boutique!! 
SOOO excited for her!! 
Once she gets a web-page up I'll be sure to share!!
 
I've also been busy working on my physical self...this is very helpful with mental sanity at times too!  LOL 
I've been enjoying 'bootcamp' classes at the YMCA! 
I'm not seeing many results in the scale number but I feel great and will keep it up and hopefully by Summer I'll be in amazing shape!
 
Enough about ME and what I've been up too....here are some images from our recent family outing!
 
Every year we go scouting for the perfect tree and cut it down ourselves!  We started this tradition when Ryan was born 5 years ago!  We love having a real tree as both of us grew up with fake trees and wanted something extra special for our kids to remember from their childhood!  This year we chose a tree farm closer to home...it ended up being twice the price that we normally pay but we made the most of it!  I brought the kids hats I recently made for them and we clicked away with pictures!  It was a foggy day and the wind was a tad chilly.  (Rob wished he had a hat like the kids....LOL!)  We ate Christmas Sausage, warmed up by the camp fire, drank hot coco, took a horse drawn wagon ride and hunted for that PERFECT tree!  All this fun of course comes with a tad bit of stress getting the kids to behave and smile for pictures, to "STAY with Mom and Dad", changing poopy diapers in the wagon, "NO you can't have those nick nacks" being sold in the store, lossing the saw and having to look all over for it, and "let's just go I'm cold!!" HA  It' wouldn't be Christmas without this tradition! 
 
So with out further ado....the Gaskins' Traditional Tree Cutting 2012
 
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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

The 'W' Family....

Sweet Sweet Faces!! 
I just love this family and everything they bring to the table each time I get to capture them! 
I love that Mom & Dad are both involved and truly love capturing these memories
with their children! 
Little Miss Addy was 3 this time around!
She kinnnndddaaa had her own agenda that day but we made it work!! 
Turned into one of my favorite images of the session! 
 Handsome Bennett was 6 months old and super easy to capture!! 
 I have a feeling he's ganna be keeping up with Big Sister the next time I see him!
 
ENJOY
 
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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Crosby QT....

OH little man how you have grown in just a few short months! 
 
This session is kind of a complete circle for me as this handsome couple was the last Wedding I captured back in 2009!  (See the blog post HERE)
They are now one of the last families I had the pleasure of capturing! 
 
Stay in touch you guys....I want to see more beautiful babies from you two as well!!  ;)
 
ENJOY
 
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Monday, October 22, 2012

Friendships....

This blog is a bit personal and allows you to take a look into who I am and how I treat friendships.  I'm not a writer so bare with me as I attempt to get my feelings and emotions out in Black and White.
 
First off I have many friends from all over the country and I appreciate all of them. 
However I only hold a few people near and dear to me. 
I have a good handful of women that I would truly call "FRIENDS" 
I LOVE these ladies with all my heart and would do anything to be there for them! 
 
My love language is "acts of service"....if you know me this totally makes sense.  I'm not one for gifts or time or physical touch (although they all have their place and are welcome) but any act of service done for me or to help me is when I seem to perk up and realize that this is a good friend!
I'm not one for being shallow or having superficial friendships with those closest to me.   
When I meet someone and have a connection with them I immediately want to invest in them.
 Meaning I put my heart on the table and want to dig deep into a meaningful friendship. 
I think this is a strength of mine as I give it my all BUT it can also be a weakness as I have been burned and hurt by many because of this!
Some friendships stick and some fall to the wayside.  
Some have hurtful endings and others it's just not meant to be that 'type' of friendship. 
 
I hope I'm making sense here??!! 
 
Anyway.....friendships are easy to me if the other side is 'all in' like me ....if not then it can get tricky.....(even among family members.)
 
I've been through some MAJOR ups and downs this past year. 
Enough to swing me into a depression. 
Yes I said it allowed....I have been the happiest in my life this year and I've been my saddest.
I've been through the birth of my son, the lose of my grandfather, painful stabs from family both in-law and paternal. I've been through the most amazing summer yet the most difficult summer.  I've gained some friends and lost some friends. I've been through being a Mom and letting my daughter go a tiny bit into the real world. 
That's all just grazing the surface. 
It's been quite a year and I've stretched, grown and became (hopefully) wiser on the other side
 
Many of you know I've announced I'm taking some ME time and closing down shop for awhile. 
One thing I want to do for me is....I want to capture more personal portraits!
 
I recently had the opportunity to capture a good friend in a journey of her own. 
She is one of 10 contestants for the Steele Fitness Challenge
She is working her butt off and doing an amazing job joggling, her husband, 2 kids, work, church, and herself!!
(VOTE now if you are reading this ...go BERT) 
 
When I look at these images I see MY journey, right in front of me, in black and white...the struggles, the pain, the laughs, the sweat, the joy of the outcome from hard work!!
I have chosen to surround myself with those kinda like this personal trainer of Bert's. 
Friends (and Family) are suppose to make you a better person, to push you to go farther, do better, to dig deeper, to laugh with you, to cry with you, etc. 
These are the people I choose to surround myself with. 
 
Thank you to those friends that let me cry on their shoulder (or over the phone)
Thank you to those friends that offered to watch my kids so I don't get overwhelmed with work.  Thank you to those friends that made me laugh.
Thank you to those friends that just called to say hi.
Thank you to those friends that even from a distance I feel close with. 
Thank you to those friends that understand me. 
Thank you to those friends that are truly my friend!
 
ENJOY
 
 
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Monday, October 15, 2012

Baby Greyson....

Oh Baby Greyson!!! 
You are oh so cute and oh so sweet! 
I most say I LOVE when wedding clients of mine come back to show off their new additions!! 
This wonderful couple deserves such a sweet boy! 
Congrats you guys!!
 
ENJOY!
 
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Senior Smiles....

Another Senior Session and it couldn't have been any easier AGAIN! 
This handsome young man met me in Anoka and I promised him that I didn't bite! 
At the end he said it wasn't that bad and I even got some small talk and a few good smiles!! 
 
ENJOY!!
 
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Monday, October 8, 2012

Easy Peasy....

What an easy peasy session this was! 
This senior is a member at the Minikahda Club and what a PERFECT place for his images.
Classic and Clean.
He came prepared with ease and great smiles! 
Thanks Sam....Congrats to you and a bright future ahead!
ENJOY
 
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