Laura Saufley Photography

MOVED! MOVED! MOVED! I HAVE MOVED!

2008-08-04T19:50:00.002-04:00

My blog that is. You can now find me over on Wordpress. If I had time I'd make one of those fancy things that you can click on and it will take you there. But I don't have time for fancy. So just click below and you'll get there!

LAURA SAUFLEY PHOTOGRAPHY--The Blog

A Few More of Parker

2008-07-09T18:02:00.002-04:00

I have been incredibly busy with all kinds of stuff going on so I have been a little slow getting these portraits ready for my friend Margaret (sorry!!!!!). Here are a few more I wanted to share of her little man, Parker. Or as Madalyn calls him, "Baby Margaret". (And sometimes "Baby Marker"--a combination of his name and his dad's name, Mark).

Year of Photos

2008-07-09T00:35:00.008-04:00

I started getting really serious about photography a little over a year ago. I started doing sessions here and there for family and friends and the more I practiced the more I loved it and the more is all made sense to me!

I was looking over some old photos tonight and pulled out a few random photos from over the last year that I wanted to post. Some of them have been posted on here before. I wish I had more time to devote to this passion of mine! Hope you enjoy these photos! There's a bunch of them and they are in no particular order!

Skyline Drive in October. You won't find a prettier place to see the colors of Autumn than right here!

This is Taylor! Taylor's mom and I have been friends since we were eight years old. We reconnected through myspace back in December of 2006 and have been able to get together a few times since then. Taylor is her very feisty 6 year old! Ahhh . . . what a beautiful place! This was taken on one of our last night's of vacation last year on the Currituck Sound in the Outer Banks. This was a little pier right down from the cottage we stayed in. (Only 3 more days until we head back to the Outer Banks for vacation this year!)
Pretty Kayla. She's the niece of my friend, Wendy.
A college friend and fellow photographer, Kerri. These were taken around her one year anniversary as a gift for her hubby. This isn't the photo that she chose, but it was one of my favorites from the session. This was taken on my father-in-law's farm.
My adorable little bundle of energy, Madalyn. We were walking down to get sissy off the school bus. I had this photo enlarged to a huge 16x20! I love it!
My friend Wendy, her hubby and his brother and his family! This was taken on a fire access road that goes up onto Skyline Drive. It's a popular hiking spot and one of my favorite places to take Fall photos! I loved that really long bench--it was 'borrowed' from the church next to her mom and dad's house! Shhh . . . don't tell! : )
Another beautiful view. This was taken during a field trip with Annagrace's kindergarten class to a local apple orchard.

Baby Arleigh! What a cutie! She is the baby of a friend of Taylor's mom who I mentioned above!

My bro and his family! This is one of my all time favorite photos. I'm not so much into the posed look. I love the casualness of this one!
This beautiful yellow fellow was visiting my flower bed last week.
And this little fellow was hanging out on my father-in-law's farm. I'm not so much into bugs but I love this photo. He was such a great subject to pose for me and all!

My whole world, summed up in this one photo. That's my wonderful hubby of almost 10 years and my two precious daughters. Taken on vacation to the Outer Banks last year. This shot is becoming a tradition. I have one from 2004 of Annagrace and Aaron--in almost the same outfits. This year Madalyn was added. I think we'll probably keep this up every year to see how they grow!
Addison was one of my first non-family sessions! His mom is the sister of one of my friends from church. Addison was a hyper little thing but we had fun at the park and I managed to get some great shots of him!
This little lady is featured up in my header! This is Amber. You know Taylor that I mentioned above? This is her big sister. They are only a year apart in age. Amber is a very sweet girl!

And here's one of my big girl taken in downtown Harrisonburg outside the Artful Dodger.

Random New Photos

2008-06-22T18:47:00.006-04:00

This is the real Madalyn in all her crazy glory!

And that is my very adorable nephew, Brayden! What is it with the gaping mouths? Must be a 2 1/2 year old thing!

And that is my niece Taylor--the softball queen! She got a hit! Way to go girl!

Newborn Baby Parker

2008-05-23T19:41:00.002-04:00

Here a few photos of baby Parker! His mommy's belly was featured on my blog last month. I'm still working on his session but wanted to share a few so far. Little stinker refused to go to sleep the entire time but at least you get to see his beautiful eyes--they're not quite blue and not quite gray! Ain't he a cutie?!

Annagrace's Recital

2008-05-19T20:36:00.002-04:00

Just a quick pic from my baby's second recital! This year she took tap class. They were so cute and she really did a good job! I'll try to get some more from the actual recital up later this week! Oh--and I have some from my friend's baby's newborn session to that need to go up. Will try to get those up on Wednesday!

Welcome to the world, Parker!

2008-04-22T19:39:00.004-04:00

Here's some photos I took for a friend. Her little bundle of joy was born on April 18! Welcom to the world little Parker! I can't wait to meet you!

Madalyn

2008-04-03T23:21:00.004-04:00

Just a quick photo of Madalyn taken last week (before she got sick with yet another ear infection!). She looks so grown up in this photo!

I Shot My Sister-in-Law . . . but I did not shoot the Deputy

2008-03-07T22:50:00.005-05:00

After taking a 2 months break from photography (well, other than family photos here and there) I was excited to get back out and start shooting again! This is my sister-in-law Steph who is returning to the states after serving many years as a missionary in Venezuela. She needed some photos for her new job in Public Relations for Team Expansion. We had fun on my father-in-law's farm. The light in the barn was to die for! I want to go back and do some photos of the girls there sometime soon! Here are a few of my favorites so far . . .

We all live in a green submarine . . . that's all I could think about when I saw this old barrel!

My Poor Neglected Blog!

2008-02-20T16:28:00.002-05:00

I haven't been around much lately! I decided to take a break from my photography business until March. The holiday rush was crazy and I just needed an extended break!

I am gearing up to start shooting some sessions again next month-including my first maternity session! Can't wait for that!

Also, my website is officially in the works--I need to get my domain name and get my photos ready for the galleries. So hopefully by the end of March it will be ready! I am very excited about that!

One more thing--if anyone is interested, I have started another blog called Counting My Pennies that is all about budgeting, saving money, couponing, bargain hunting, etc. I am trying to be a better steward of what God has blessed me with. Stop on by and leave me a comment!

Terrible Two

2008-01-25T18:44:00.000-05:00

Madalyn has been a "terrible two" for awhile now. But it seems that here lately she's been more terrible than usual!

The other night I heard a scratching in my bedroom. I didn't catch on right away to what it was until I remembered that the last time I saw Madalyn she had a crayon in her hand. I opened the bedroom door and this is what I found . . .

It also wrapped around on the the wall next to it. At first I was very angry. Then I started laughing. And I laughed some more. And some more. My little artist! Thank God for magic erasers!

Finally some NEW PHOTOS!

2008-01-09T19:12:00.000-05:00

Annagrace and Madalyn were totally surprised when Papa and Grammy showed up the Saturday before Christmas! I hadn't told them they were coming. I took Annagrace out to run a few errands and when we were a block from home, I told her I had a surprise for her and I needed her to get on the floor of the van beside me and cover her eyes. When we got home and I got her out of the van, there stood Papa! She just squealed!

So then we told her we had another surprise for her--an early Christmas gift from Papa and Grammy was sitting in our backyard! She couldn't believe her eyes when she opened them and found a cute little purple clubhouse just for her and Madalyn! Papa even made it so we can hook up electricity! We put a little heater in it and her desk and benches. A few days later I found her a purple rug and some stick on decorative dots that we covered the inside walls with. She begged Papa to sleep out there with her that night--but he talked her out of it. However, her daddy has promised they can camp out there this Spring when it gets a little warmer. Heck, she may even convince me to stay out there with her!

Here are a few photos taken yesterday when it was in the almost 70's here! These photos make me laugh. On the left is our little bookworm. I had to beg her to look away from her book long enough to take a few photos! She had just gotten a new Junie B. Jones book at the library at school yesterday and was already on the sixth chapter by the time she got home!

Then on the right is our little wild child. The one who needed a pretty intense spit bath before this photo was taken. The one who INSISTED on wearing this silly helmet. And the one who refused to look at the camera for longer than a tenth of a second!

Pretty holly tree at my mom's house. I took this with my new 85mm 1.8 lens that I sort of bought myself for Christmas! It is an amazing lens!
And here is my nephew, the soon-to-be BIG BROTHER Brayden! Yep. My brother and his wife have a little bun in the oven! And their due date is on my anniversary! How cool! I can't imagine Brayden being a big brother!
And one last one of me and the girls with my 90 year old Granny!

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T21:33:00.000-05:00

Our Christmas Day started at 7:15 when I heard Annagrace whimpering upstairs. I went up to see what was wrong and she said through her tears, "Santa didn't come because you were up all night!". (She was concerned about this when we went to bed last night because her dad and I slept in the living room--my mom and dad slept in our bed). I said, "Annagrace, what are you talking about?" And she said ,"All night! You were up all night!". I told her that Santa HAD been to see us and her presents were downstairs waiting and she flew down the steps to check it out!

She was so excited! Santa brought her the Paws Off Pet Shop Electronic Journal that she had been begging for! She also got an American Girl Doll from Grammy and Papa--and it was the one she really wanted! Madalyn got an American Girl baby with a fabulous little box filled with accessories! They also got a little purple playhouse with a cute little front porch for the back yard. Mom made a wreath for the front door and Dad and I strung up colored lights on it on Saturday night. It is really cute and I know they will spend hours out there playing in the Spring and Summer! Madalyn got a Weebles Castle that she had played with all day long! They had a really good day. After opening Santa presents, Aaron's family came over to eat brunch with us and open more presents. It was a busy but fun day!

I have tried to implement some family traditions the past few years. Just little things that I hope the girls will remember when they are older. Last year we started the tradition of writing down quotes from out of a Christmas book and giving them out to each family member. When we read the story and we get to your 'quote' then you get to open a present. (So you have the same number of quotes as you do number of presents). Annagrace loves doing this and gets so excited waiting to hear her quote read.

This year's new tradition is going out to look at Christmas lights and taking a trip to Sonic for a slush or ice cream while we are out! Aaron and I practically lived at Sonic when we were in college so we were ecstatic to hear there was a new one about 20 minutes away! We went out this year on Sunday night and we found a house where the lights were set up to go off with music. It was really cool. We watched it about 3 or 4 times. The family does it every year so hopefully going to that house will become a tradition too!

I also have certain things that I cook at Christmas time. There are these Christmas Morning Rolls that everyone loves and I cook those every year. I also fix Rachael Ray's Bacon Swiss Dip every year as well. (I'll have to post those recipes!)

And the last 3 years we have traveled to NC for New Years and have spent it with my mom and dad and my brother and his family. I can't always make it down for Christmas because of work, but I am hoping we can keep up this tradition of heading down there for New Years. I can't wait for Friday night to head down home. There is NOTHING like being home for the holidays!

So I'll leave this post with a photo that sums of the afternoon around here. We've all been worn out--but Madalyn especially. She hasn't been feeling too good either so the long day really got to her this afternoon. Look at those rosy red cheeks!

Merry Christmas everyone! Wishing everyone a JOYOUS new year!

Cody and Jacob

2007-12-19T00:32:00.000-05:00

These are from a session from Sunday. Our third attempt to get some decent photos for their grandma! Thanks to Aaron and all his fart jokes, I was able to get a few 'real' smiles out of them this time!

My Cutie Pie

2007-12-16T22:31:00.000-05:00

I know I say it all the time, but isn't she just ADORABLE? Or as my little cousin used to say "ADORN-ABLE"?!

My Beautiful Baby

2007-12-15T22:00:00.000-05:00

I am totally smitten with this photo. Hard to believe that that is my BABY! I just love this precious little bundle of ENERGY!

Just For Fun

2007-12-06T23:00:00.000-05:00

Five Songs that I Know all the Words to (and am not ashamed to admit it):

1. Islands in the Stream . . . Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton
2. If Heaven Ain't a Lot Like Dixie . . . Hank Williams, Jr.
3. Drake and Josh Theme Song . . . Drake Bell
4. Baby Got Back . . . Sir Mix-a-Lot
5. Any and Every Song ever performed by New Kids on the Block

And this is totally copied from Nicole Barczak's blog that I read almost daily!

Christmas Decorating Survey

1. White lights or Color? White. Definitely. We will never, ever, ever have colored lights anywhere within a 100 foot radius of this house! I loathe colored lights!
2. Do you decorate the back of your tree? Not really. It is in the corner so I decorate what you can see.
3. Do you use ribbon or beaded garland or similar items? Sometimes. Didn't use any this year.
4. What is your tree topper? An angel made out of basket material--I don't know how else to describe it!
5. Do you put candy canes on your tree? No. Although my dad and daughter snuck some on there this year. I removed them about 2 days later because Madalyn kept getting them down and trying to eat them!
6. Do you have a themed tree (color, items etc)? Not really although we have green and burgundy balls everywhere (that match my home decor) and then the rest are ornaments that have a special meaning to me. I also buy a new ornament every year and put the date on the back.
7. If you do have a theme, does your wrapping paper match it? I love pretty wrapping paper and yes, it usually matches my decor.
8. Is your tree the only part of your house you decorate? No. I have greenery over the door frame from the kitchen to the living room. Greenery and lights on the stair banister. A small Christmas tree in the dining room. A small hang-on-the-wall tree in the hallway. Snowmen everywhere in the bathroom--including the curtain. Santas here and there throughout the house. I love Christmas decorations!
9. Do you put lights on your house? No. Just on two little trees I have outside. They are cute trees and I have one on each end of the house so I decorate both of them with lights.
10. Do you have yard decorations? Yes. Well, just one thing. We have a (deep breath) blow up Grinch. Yes--one of those very tall blow up things right out in the front yard. It was a gift from my dad to my daughters who both love the Grinch--so what the heck? If it makes them happy it is totally worth it!

And one quick story. We took the girls out shopping yesterday and ended up at the mall. Every time we go in the mall, Madalyn immediately starts screaming for the 'horse'--"I wanna ride the horse". I always give in and let her ride the little carousel one--sometimes two--times. She loves it so much! Well, Aaron--who is a much more 'thrifty' than me (okay, stingy is a better word) started complaining about me wasting a whole dollar for her to ride it. Now bear in mind that we only visit the mall about 5 times a year. So I may spend $10 a YEAR on the carousel. (I reminded him that he spends more than that on ONE cigar.) Well, she got on and when it started she just absolutely squealed with delight! Every trip around she flashed us a huge smile and just laughed and laughed!!!! It makes me smile every time she gets on that thing! I looked over at Aaron who was also smiling and I said, 'Isn't that totally worth one dollar?" And the old scrooge said, "It's worth 25 cents. I want my change back". Ya big dork. When we are old and gray some of my favorite memories of our children are going to be riding that carousel. Maybe when that day comes you won't be so stingy and our grandchildren will get to ride it 20 times in one trip!

Look Who Visited at Madalyn's Birthday Party

2007-12-01T22:55:00.001-05:00

Santa Claus! Okay--so really that's my father-in-law! He is growing out his beard so that he can dress up like Kris Kringle next Sunday at a Christmas Party our church is having at the homeless shelter. I plan on taking photos of the kids with him and will include my kids too! I am ecstatic that I can get some good photos of the girls with "Santa" this year! Madalyn wasn't scared of Paw Paw one bit!

Happy Birthday Madalyn!

2007-11-28T09:09:00.001-05:00

Two years ago today at 11:15 a.m. Madalyn came into this world. She was our little surprise and we were just absolutely overjoyed that another little girl was joining our family! It is hard to believe that it has been two years. That's 104 weeks. 730 days. 17,520 hours. Okay, you get the point. Just unbeliveable how fast she is growing up. I have noticed just within the last few days how she is slowly evolving from a toddler to a little girl.

She's running now. Talking in long sentences. Feeding herself. Trying to undress herself. Doing all kinds of new things!

She is obsessed with "blankies". She has to have at least 2 or 3 blankies every night at bedtime. And don't forget the thumb. Yummmm--gotta have that little right thumb in her mouth. It's red and raw from sucking on it but she doesn't mind it one bit.

She is terribly independent. She is very loud--she has been since birth. In fact, when she was born the pediatrician said she was the loudest baby he had ever heard! When Annagrace was a baby I was often stopped by strangers to be told how beautiful she was. With Madalyn, they all comment on how loud she is! She has a vicious squeal that really tries our patience!

She is constantly in motion. Has to be doing SOMETHING. And usually that something involves getting herself in trouble. Lately her fascination has been the automatic water dispenser on the fridge. She is just tall enough now to reach it and entertains herself by putting water in a glass and drinking it.

She loves animals--especially dogs. She just squeals in delight when she sees one.

She will eat anything. And I mean anything. Everytime we fix something to eat she says "Mama, try it?" Her latest favorite food? Broccoli. Yep. Broccoli. Annagrace won't even look at the stuff and Madalyn will steal it off my plate! The only thing I have ever seen her spit out is cole slaw.

She loves her sister. Now, they do fight on occasion and Madalyn has been known to bite when she gets upset but she still looks out for Annagrace. I joke that she is going to be the protective little sister one day. I think she will do more looking out for Annagrace than vice versa! Just the other day we got in the van (yes, for those that don't know--I am now an "official" mom with a new minivan!) and Annagrace decided to sit in the back. Madalyn couldn't see her and when we started to pull out she started crying, "Mama--Annagace! Annagace!" She was so upset that we were 'forgetting' her! Annagrace said, "I'm right here Madalyn" and then she was okay! So sweet.

So today in 2 hours, my baby will officially be two. Ahhh, the terrible twos. I remember them well. Something tells me they are going to be even more terrible this time around! But I am thankful for my fiercely independent daughter. She keeps us on our toes. Keeps us very busy. Drives us up the wall sometimes. But we know life wouldn't be the same without her! I love this girl!

Here are a few photos I dug up. The last two were taken this morning while she was watching the Grinch and she just didn't think too much of me interrupting her!

A Few More

2007-11-14T08:37:00.001-05:00

Here are a few more from Sunday's session! I don't normally post my favorites but I loved some of these so much I just HAD to share!

This is one of my absolute favorite photos. Not everyone is a fan of the 'not looking at the camera' pose but I love it!

And another of my all time favorites! Do you think he loves his grandpaw?!

See Wendy? I told you I had some good ones with Ben and Sonny! : )
This is the most photogenic family ever! These girls are just gorgeous and so natural in front of the camera!
Just beautiful.

A Really Quick Sneak Peek for Wendy

2007-11-11T17:49:00.001-05:00

Ok Wendy--I know you are really anxious to see these photos. So here are two that I have finished. I haven't got them all uploaded yet but the ones I have seen so far have been great!

Sisters

2007-11-07T21:07:00.000-05:00

Here's a new storyboard featuring some very precious girls. This is Amber and Taylor whose mom I have been friends with since I was 8 years old! I have only met these little girls once but I love 'em! Hope you like this Jenny!!!

Fall Family Photos

2007-11-03T23:22:00.000-04:00

I love the Fall. It is my absolutely favorite season. I am a little sad that October passed by us so quickly this year! It seemed to just fly right by, didn't it? I wanted to get some family photos before all the leaves fell of the trees. So I grabbed my camera and tripod and my trusty "assistant" (my sis-in-law Steph) and we took off to the woods. It was tough because Madalyn would not cooperate!

Steph you did a great job!!!!!

One that I took of Annagrace. She was getting tired of smiling thus the funny look on her face!

One of my favorites!

One of two that I was able to get of Madalyn. She is tough!!!

Tyler

2007-10-21T20:01:00.000-04:00

Here's some sneak peeks from today's session! Meet Tyler. He is one of Annagrace's bestest friends and he just turned the big number "5"! He is Adorable--with a capital A. (Although I have to admit, he was tough to 'shoot'!)

And Eleanor, I promise not ALL the photos are 'cheesy grins'--but I just really liked this first one!

Look who got a haircut!

2007-10-18T21:34:00.000-04:00

Here are a few snapshots of my baby's first haircut! This is the before and after. Just simple snapshots--I haven't 'photoshopped' any of them yet. I hope to get a little slideshow on here of the whole experience soon. Madalyn was a B-R-A-T all day except when she got her haircut. She just sat there and thought really hard about what was going on.

Isn't she just adorable? My little baby is growing up!
Before:

After:

I Couldn't Help It

2007-10-17T23:59:00.001-04:00

I just have to post a few more! Now like always I am not posting the BEST ones (you'll have to wait on those!) but these are some that I am very fond of at the moment!

Girls, Girls, Girls!

2007-10-17T19:22:00.000-04:00

Here's a few from my session on Saturday. It was sort of a 'double session' because it was my good friend (since we were 8 years old!) Jenny and her girls and then Jenny's cousin and her 3 month old! It was a lot of fun!

So Jenny and Heather--here are a few previews for you! I'll be working on the rest of them over the next couple weeks and will let you know ASAP when they are ready for viewing!

Thanks for letting me hang out with you guys! It was a blast and the girls were just awesome!

Apple Orchard

2007-10-12T19:49:00.000-04:00

I was able to go with Annagrace on her apple orchard field trip! I have to admit--I took more photos of the scenery than I did of her and her friends! (I did get a few with her and one of her classmates but I didn't feel comfortable posting those photos without their parents permission.)

I just LOVE Fall. It is the best season. And now the weather is finally cooling off which makes it even better! I don't drink coffee, but I love stopping at 7-11 on cool, crisp mornings for a flavored cappaccino! I love pumpkins, apples, scarecrows, Halloween, gourds, pies, fall festivals--basically ANYTHING that has to do with Fall. So I enjoyed visiting the apple orchard and seeing how they process the apples. Stupid me--I never thought that they actually have to go and pick the apples by hand! So I learned a lot too!.

These first two are in the barn. After being washed and sorted out the apples are placed in crates and are prepared for delivery.

And this is taken at the top of a hill at the back of the orchard. The Shenandoah Valley really is a beautiful place. I should take the time to enjoy it more often!

Just a Few More . . .

2007-10-11T18:07:00.000-04:00

Here's a couple more from my last session. I'm pretty excited about this weekend. I have a 'double' session on Saturday--a friend and her girls and my friend's cousin and her 3 month old! I'm really excited about it!

Three Boys

2007-09-16T20:03:00.001-04:00

Here's a few from my session today with three very handsome boys! Thanks Kathy and Laurie for letting me spend some time with your little future heartbreakers! These aren't my FAVORITE shots--I'll let those be a surprise--but they are still pretty cute in my opinion! Can't wait for y'all to see the rest!

Cody and Jacob

Corey

(I hope Corey doesn't get in trouble for saying that 'secret word'! You can totally blame me if he does!!!!)

Sample Prints and New Canvas Wall Art

2007-09-15T15:44:00.000-04:00

I have been meaning to post this and am just getting around to it! I had an inquiry recently about my mounted prints. I offer print sizes from wallets up to 20x24. Everything 8x10 and up is mounted on artboard and ALL prints are sprayed with a lustre coating. The mounting adds stability to the larger prints. It will hold up better and last longer. The lustre coating adds an extra bit of protection from dust, fingerprints and UV rays. I offer my prints this way because it provides customers with a fine product that will stand the test of time! One thing I really like about mounted prints is that they do not require a frame. You can frame them however either with or without glass.

So here are a few examples to show you the difference in a mounted and unmounted print.

And something that I am REALLY excited about-----Canvas Wall Art! I am obsessed with canvases. I have ordered 2 so far and I just love them. I am very excited about offering them along with my regular prints. They make such a bold statement in any size. This one is a 16x20. I plan to offer them in 11x14, 16x20 and 20x24 sizes. The cool thing is that they don't require a frame! You can just hang them right up! I hope in the next couple of months to also offer framed canvas prints.

Just Playing

2007-09-12T19:56:00.000-04:00

I made Aaron come outside with me to try and get some new photos of Madalyn. She is such a wild little thing that she just won't stay still for more than 2 seconds! Out of about 50 shots, I managed to get about 4 that were worth saving! This is one of the ones I liked. I just love her eyes in this one.

I Just Can't Help It

2007-09-08T17:06:00.001-04:00

Here is one more from our little Pirate Princess session!

I've been trying to take more macro photos lately and for some reason I keep finding bugs. How do ya like this portrait of a cricket?! It looks amazing when enlarged--I can actually count the little 'scales' on his back and if I knew more about crickets I could probably tell you his sex and how old he is by looking at this photo!

My Pirate Princess

2007-09-05T22:51:00.000-04:00

This was so much fun! Annagrace actually agreed to go on a little mini-shoot with me and we put together this crazy outfit! I just love how these shots turned out. Here are two that I just finished working on. The second one is a little different but I love how it turned out! And by the way--that tutu is a Laura Saufley original! I love how it turned out--so big and fluffy!

America's Next Top Model

2007-09-04T19:26:00.000-04:00

So I subjected the family to almost a full season of America's Next Top Model on Saturday. VH1 showed the entire 6th season on Saturday. I confess. I watched it all day. Literally. ALL. DAY. (Well, I was cleaning the house too so the day wasn't completely wasted!) I love that show. Later in the afternoon I decided to hang my black backdrop up and take some photos of Annagrace. I bribed her by telling her she could wear whatever she wanted.

So she sits down and turns her head to the light and says she's posing. I said, "well why aren't you looking at the camera?" And she said, "do you remember that show where the girls were in the phone booth? This is how she posed."

She's so funny. Here are two of the better ones. I love taking photos of my girls!

And one more of a sneaky little girl who was so excited about bathtime that she jumped in fully clothed. Little rascal!

My Little Man

2007-09-02T14:36:00.000-04:00

I'll bet you didn't know that I have a little man in my house. He is my 'first born'. He has black hair, four legs and an affinity for all things that squeak. He enjoys drinking fresh water from the toilet. His best friends are a little rubber duck and Madalyn. He is sometimes needy and does not like to be left alone. He prefers to be inside (although he has worn a nice little path all around the backyard while doing his laps). He has a black spot on his tongue, does not like to have his nails clipped and loves to eat anything but dog food. He is sensitive. He hides when he hears someone yell. He pretends he's a cat by sitting on the back of the couch. He loves getting attention. For technical purposes he is a cocker spaniel. He's just my little Buddy and I love him!

Darn Computer

2007-08-31T23:48:00.000-04:00

So our computer--the NEW one--is dying a slow painful death. The Dell people say that we have a bad motherboard--Aaron said it is something about a memory card, yada yada, can't use photoshop for the next week, yada yada. WHAT? No photoshop or photo editing of any kind for a week? Are you crazy? Thank goodness the internet is still up or I would be one upset girl.

So I am going to go way off topic and not blog about photography tonight--well not much anyway. I'm going to mention a few things of interest, throw in some links here and there. Let's see what I can come up with.

For those who don't know I had 2 miscarriages in 2004. It was a rough time in my life to say the least. I don't know how in the world I would have gotten through it without the ladies at Silent Grief. It is an amazing site that supports people who have lost children whether it's through miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, during the birth process or even as adults. If you or anyone you know is going through any of the above PLEASE send them to this website. It was refreshing to chat with people who knew exactly what I was going through at a time when I thought no one understood. I am going to try to add some new links on my page and this will definitely be one of them.

Along those same lines, check out Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. What an awesome organization! They are a network of professional photographers who offer their services to families who are preparing for or are experiencing the death of an infant. They offer services to anyone who is/has lost a baby after 25 weeks gestation. Although I admit, it's not for everyone it is a pretty amazing idea. The images are very heart wrenching at times but I know that the parents of these little angels will forever cherish the only photos they will ever have of their children. This is something that I hope to get involved in in the future.

On a lighter note, here's a quote I found about photography: A photograph does not speak, it does not smell, it makes no sound, it does not move, it is just a two dimensional piece of paper, but a good photograph can do at least one if not all of the above! -Eryk Fitkau You said it dude.

And here's my plug for Netflix. If you haven't signed up for this and are still giving your right arm and a pint of blood to rent a movie (and not to mention the late fees) at your local video store, then you need to do it like NOW. Aaron signed us up for the unlimited one at a time deal and we are getting a new movie about every 3-4 days. The turnaround is amazingly quick. I think he has over 100 movies in his 'queue'. Basically you make a list of movies and they just send them to you one at a time. It is seriously rocking my world right now. Goodbye Movie Gallery and Backstage. I have a feeling in a few years--okay maybe like 20 years--video stores go the way of the dodo.

In case you care--Britney Spears' new song is horrid. Terrible. Gag me with a spoon bad. Not that I ever liked her music to begin with but what was she thinking when she recorded that mess of a song? Aaron and I heard it apart from each other and we both said the same thing--she thinks she's Madonna. It's bad. Reaaaalllly bad.

And to end on a lighter note--You CAN NOT watch this video and not laugh. Oh my goodness--this is the happiest baby I have every seen!

My Funky Kitchen

2007-08-29T20:22:00.000-04:00

This was taken in my kitchen and YES that really is the color of my kitchen walls! Pretty funky, huh? Aaron and I love lots of color in our home and all our rooms (except the girls room) are painted in warm, earthy tones. I wanted a Mexican themed/inspired kitchen and this sort of terra cotta color was perfect. I love it. Anyway, this is Madalyn at 21 months. I can't get her to sit still for very long so this is a one-in-a-million shot!

And here's another one of my kitchen--looking towards the front of the house into the living room. This one is pretty 'true to life' as far as the color goes.

And in other news----Buddy and I both got haircuts today. He looks sooooo much better! Aaron tells me that I do too. I got about 6 inches chopped off my hair. Kind of on a whim. It's been driving me crazy for months and I had thought that I would keep growing it out so that I could donate it to Locks of Love. But I had about another 2 inches to go and I just couldn't stand it anymore!

I always thought those people on "What Not to Wear" were crazy for crying over their hair, but I swear I didn't take a single breath the entire time the girl was hacking my hair off. I haven't had it cut more than a trim since 2004! So here's the new do. Aaron isn't the best photographer in the world but you can at least get the idea!

Awesome Photos Tip #2

2007-08-24T19:48:00.000-04:00

This week we'll continue talking about composition (which by definition is the plan, placement or arrangement of the elements of art in a work). Ever heard of the "Rule of Thirds"? This basically means that you divide your photo into 9 equal sections through the use of 2 vertical lines and 2 horizontal lines like this:

Your photos will look more interesting and pleasing to the eye if you place your subject where these lines meet (in the red circle). For horizon photos, place your horizon on one of the horizontal lines (horizon--horizontal, pretty easy to remember).

This is a photo of my daughter walking along a path at a local arboretum. In the first photo she is dead center. Cute? Yes. But it really isn't very interesting.

In this photo, I purposefully framed it so that she would be to the left of the photo. This photo is pretty much straight out of my camera--meaning, I did not resize or crop it in anyway. When I plugged in my little box up above, she was lined up almost perfectly with the red dots. I'm telling you--with a little practice this stuff starts to come naturally!

Here it is with my little guide box:

Here's a snapshot of Madalyn on the slide.

And here it is with my guide box added:

Now, once you have learned that rule then you can break it occasionally! You will find sometimes that your subject looks better centered. Here is an example. In this photo, the pier forms a strong leading line (we'll talk about leading lines next time!). So for this photo, it seemed right to frame it with Annagrace in the middle.

Try looking through your viewfinder and imagining those little lines! Soon it will come naturally to you!

How To Take Awesome Photos--Tip 1

2007-08-18T23:15:00.000-04:00

Ansel Adams once said that you don't take a great photo, you make it. There are so many small, simple things that you can do to improve your photos. A lot of people think that if you have a nice camera, you can take a nice photo. But honestly, I have seen some really bad photos taken with really nice cameras. On the other hand, I have seen some amazing photos come from disposable cameras. It's all up to the person behind the camera!

I have always loved photography and really got interested in it when my first daughter was born in 2002. I bought a film SLR camera when she was about a year old, but up until a little over a year ago I had no idea how to use it properly! Last Spring I started studying photography. I read every book I could get my hands on. I joined online forums. I started investing time into practicing with my camera. And pretty soon, things started to 'click' (no pun intended!).

So over the next few weeks here on my blog I will share with you some simple secrets that will improve your photos drastically. I encourage you to practice with your camera. It's just like riding a bike. The more you do it, the easier it gets.

The first 'secret' is . . .

1. Move In Closer!

So you've got your shot all set up and are ready to take your photo. I want you to take a step towards your subject. Now take another. Now take one more. (Of course this is easy if you have a zoom--just use it!)

The biggest mistake that people make when taking photos is standing too far away! Their poor little subject ends up overwhelmed by a lot of background clutter. When you look through your viewfinder, it should be filled with your subject.

Look at these examples. In the first photo there is too much visual clutter--both surrounding my daughter and in the background. When looking at the photo, my eyes are naturally led to the busy--and distracting--background.

So I recomposed the photo, filling my viewfinder with my subject resulting in this:

Not only is the second photo more pleasing to the eye but it is filled with more 'emotion'. I can tell that she is concentrating hard on that egg--trying to get it just the right shade of pink!

You may feel sometimes that you are too close, but usually when you feel too close you are just right!

Visit again next week for another easy tip!

A Bee and some Flowers

2007-08-18T23:13:00.000-04:00

This was taken at the Wildwood Park in Bridgewater during my session with Addison. I had almost forgotten about this photo!

And these purty yellow flowers are in my mom's yard. She has a green thumb. (Mine on the other hand is black!)

A Few More

2007-08-16T22:31:00.000-04:00

Here's a few more just 'cause they are so darn cute!

Reber and Heather

2007-08-15T00:54:00.000-04:00

Here's a few photos from last evenings session downtown! Y'all rock! I won't post any of the 'man slave' photos (as Aaron refers to them). Heather--look for one in your e-mail though!

Coming Soon . . .

2007-08-13T23:02:00.000-04:00

lots of cool stuff!

--A new website (but I'll keep on blogging. It's too much fun!)

--A "Cutest Kid" contest.

--Weekly photo tips.

--Lots of fun sessions with some really awesome people. Come and be one of them! Contact me at my new e-mail address, LSphotos@verizon.net !

Downtown Harrisonburg

2007-08-12T22:30:00.000-04:00

Here's a few new ones from this evening. Trying out my new lens and a new location!

Love this one! Taken outside of the Artful Dodger.

Madalyn loved playing in the fountain!

I couldn't believe she laid down in the grass! She normally doesn't like grass!

I am lovin' this shot of Court Square.

Pudding and Haircuts

2007-08-10T22:49:00.000-04:00

Anyone want some pudding? Madalyn had a blast 'painting' with her pudding. I just let her have at it. She was having so much fun I couldn't bring myself to take her away from it!

And here's my big girl getting all ready for kindergarten. She got a new sassy haircut on Wednesday. Just don't tell her she's cute--she says she's fabulous!

When is my next vacation?

2007-07-31T21:22:00.001-04:00

We just returned Sunday from a very fun and relaxing week at the Outer Banks!

I was so happy that my kids took to the water and the ocean right away! I grew up swimming, fishing and crabbing in the ocean and the sound and I just hate that we are so far away now! We had a great week! The weather was incredible. The sunsets were beautiful. The ocean was so calm the last 2 days--Aaron even went swimming for the first time in years! (And I think he even had fun!). So here are a few photos from the week. I took well over 500 pictures, so this is just a small sample of some of my favorites so far!

Annagrace and her cousin Taylor

My big brother and my adorable nephew

My entire world--right here in this one photo

Madalyn enjoying a lemon. She really does like them!

This is what happens when your mom takes 200 photos of you in one day.

One of the beautiful sunsets I was able to enjoy.

My adorable nephew, Brayden

Taylor, Misty, Brayden and Brooks. I love, love, love this photo!

Just My (Very Adorable) Kid

2007-07-15T23:28:00.000-04:00

My little Madalyn is just growing way too fast! She is talking constantly now and is hard to keep up with! I tried my best to get a shot of her smiling today and this is as close as I got! Look at those beautiful eyes!

Can you stand some more?

2007-07-13T17:57:00.001-04:00

Here's a couple new ones of the beautiful Mrs. Kerri!

Trash that Dress!

2007-07-09T22:47:00.000-04:00

This is my friend and fellow photographer, Kerri. She asked me to take some portraits for her as a 2 year anniversary gift for her hubby. We had fun getting in the river and in the hayfield for these shots! Trash the Dress is a new trend that gives brides (or prom goers) a chance to do something fun with their dress after the ceremony. No worries about a little dirt, water or mud! Check out Trash the Dress for more info and some neat photos and be sure to contact me if you are interested in trashing your dress. I'd love to try out some new locations!

Gorgeous Eyes

2007-07-02T22:11:00.000-04:00

Boys, boys, boys! This first little one almost wore me out! But it was worth it--just look at those gorgeous eyes! Megan and Shelby--I had a lot of fun and can't wait to proof the rest of these photos!

Here's Your Annagrace and Madalyn Fix

2007-06-30T23:06:00.001-04:00

The girls and I went to Richmond today to see a old friend of mine! Erin and I have been friends since we were 4 years old and I had only seen her one time in the last 15 years! It was nice to see each other again! We lunched at Bottom's Up Pizza in Shockoe Bottom, where we also met up with my sis-in-law (Steph) and one of our friends from college. Here's a few photos from today!

Here's my little reluctant model. She was so tired of walking but I just HAD to get a photo in front of this killer wall.

This is one at Maymont Park.

All the kids got piggyback rides from Steph today!

And one last one of my big-blue-eyed girl!

Loving This New Rocking Chair

2007-06-28T00:04:00.000-04:00

Found this little child's rocking chair at a yard sale on Saturday. My dad bought it for my girls and of course I was thinking, "that would look cool in pictures".

Here's one from today of Annagrace.

Father's Day

2007-06-20T17:34:00.000-04:00

Here's Aaron's Father's Day present! I had it printed and mounted then framed it for him. He was so excited!

My New Favorite Photo of Madalyn

2007-06-07T21:34:00.000-04:00

This was outside just playing on the slide. I'm so obsessed with black and white photos right now! Look at those beautiful eyes!

Lollipop....yummo

2007-06-02T17:51:00.000-04:00

I got the girls these huge lollipops at Kings Dominion just for the purpose of taking their pictures eating them! I got some good ones of Annagrace but as usual, Madalyn wouldn't stand still long enough to get a decent shot! I loved this one of Annagrace though. This is pretty much straight out of the camera with very little editing. Aren't the colors awesome?!

Memorial Day on the River

2007-05-28T21:02:00.000-04:00

I had a busy busy day seeing patients. I had 6 to see (a typical very full day) and 4 of them had labwork. The local lab was closed (where I usually drop off my labwork) so I had to drive it back into the hospital ED--which is 30 minutes out of my way. I worked from 6:30 am until 4:00 pm today and logged in 91 miles!

Anyway, I got home and finished my paperwork. Changed my clothes and got the girls ready and we went to a friend's house on the river to eat supper and hang out. Annagrace got to go horseback riding (good thing she brought her new cowgirl hat!) and my friend Margaret and the girls and I actually waded out in the river in our clothes. Good times!

Here are a few photos from this evening. I'll put up more as I finish editing them!

Annagrace Graduated!

2007-05-27T22:05:00.000-04:00

My Madre

2007-05-21T20:51:00.000-04:00

My mom was a great model! I didn't have to chase her or beg her to smile! This is a 'head shot' that will be on display at a conference she is attending in August. She was nominated for the USDA Farm Service Agency Most Valuable Employee and she won the national award! We're so proud of her!

Lawn Party Time

2007-05-14T19:31:00.000-04:00

I never knew about lawn parties until I moved to the Shenandoah Valley. Lawn Parties here are as big as our county fair down home. And the county fair here is as big as our State Fair in NC! It's crazy. These people up here LOVE a lawn party. This is a photo of Annagrace at the first one of the season--and it was just a few blocks down the road from us! We have another one coming up in 2 weeks, then at least 2 more that we'll probably go to this summer. The best part? The funnel cake. Definitely. Yum-Oh!

Finally! Some new photos

2007-05-11T16:26:00.000-04:00

"A flower for you Mama!"
Thanks Margaret for the new cowgirl hat!
What is she up to?

No my laptop has not been fixed. Sadly, it has departed this life and will be buried in the laptop graveyard (aka my husband's office closet) in the near future. Good news is my dear hubby is getting a new desktop with Photoshop on it. (I lost my Photoshop CS2 when the computer died). And I will probably inherit the cleaned up old desktop for now.

So here are some new photos. Keep in mind that I have very minimal photo editing software at the present time so I did very little to these photos!

Laptop Crisis

2007-05-06T19:14:00.000-04:00

Wow. I haven't posted in a month. Basically, my laptop stopped working. I'm not sure yet what is wrong with it but it will not turn on. So I lost a ton of photos (I still had them all on my flashcard but I don't have any of the edited ones) and haven't had photoshop in almost a month. SUCKS big time. I'm hoping to get it checked out this week or next.

Hoping I can get some new photos posted soon. I'm going through photoshop withdraw!

I have to brag just a little bit . . .

2007-04-08T18:28:00.000-04:00

Annagrace's first dance recital was Saturday night. She did SO GOOD! I was so nervous, and then so proud! She smiled the whole time she was up there! Here is her teacher presenting each student with a flower. She's the 4th from the left.

And here's me and my baby afterwards. I got her a dozen pink roses (her favorite color)!

And here she is taking a curtsy! Way to go Annagrace!

Little Cutie Patootie

2007-04-03T16:13:00.000-04:00

Here's a few more of baby M. I just love those little rolls in the last one!

Baby M

2007-03-31T22:25:00.000-04:00

I love love love this photo! This is from a skills/portfolio building session from today. This is a friend's 6 month old little boy. He has the most amazing blue eyes. Such a cutie!

Trying out some Black and Whites

2007-03-31T00:38:00.000-04:00

Sisters . . . best buddies

Mom! I just woke up!

Baby in a Teacup

2007-03-29T14:43:00.000-04:00

This teacup has become quite popular on one of the photography forums I like to read. I just couldn't resist! Madalyn's almost too big for it but she loved it and screamed bloody murder when we took her out!

I'm on a roll . . .

2007-03-28T22:08:00.000-04:00

Here's another new photo! We went on a picnic on Sunday afternoon at Lake Shenandoah. It was a lot of fun! Annagrace is such a model. She looks so grown up in this photo!

Madalyn

2007-03-28T14:54:00.000-04:00

Here's some new ones of Madalyn from today at the park. I can not believe I FINALLY got one of her looking up. She is growing up so fast!

And I have to say THANK YOU to a fellow photographer friend, Jessica for the editing help! She played with the second photo, told me exactly what she did to it, then I was able to go and do it myself. Thanks Jess!!!

Butterflies

2007-03-27T21:42:00.000-04:00

These are photos for a fellow member of ProPhoto Learning Center. Don't cringe--they are sooc (straight out of the camera)!

Can ya stand some more photos?

2007-03-16T15:41:00.000-04:00

These girls love their Barbie Jeep! I can't believe it was this nice outside just TWO DAYS AGO!!! Now as I look out the window, I see snow, sleet, rain and just general mushiness. Yuck. Come on Spring!!!

This little man loves his t.v.! And aren't those curls to DIE FOR?!

Annagrace bought this ET with her own money last weekend at a flea market. She loves this thing! It has been her constant companion for the last week!

Oh the funny things she says . . .

2007-03-15T21:36:00.000-04:00

Aaron woke Annagrace up for school yesterday. She is a bear in the mornings. Very hard to wake up. He said, "Come on Annagrace. Get up!". To which she replied, "My brain says yes but my body says no." Ha ha ha ha ! Too funny. She's such a little comedian.

Shots suck

2007-03-14T14:57:00.000-04:00

Here's a new photo of Madalyn. For those who don't know, I just got a digital SLR about 3 weeks ago. The post processing is kicking my butt. It's going to be a long learning process for me! I bought a new book today that has cleared some stuff up for me!

Anyway, Mad Mad had her 15 month appt today. She had to have her finger pricked for a lead level and she cried and cried and cried. THEN she had to get 2 shots. Poor baby. I felt so sorry for her. On a positive note, she is a very tall, healthy girl! And the doc told me not to worry too much about her thumbsucking!

My Little Girls

2007-03-11T20:36:00.000-04:00

Annagrace looks so grown up in this picture! I told her to act like she was a model and this is the pose I got!
And guess who can wear pigtails now?! My sweet little Madalyn! She looked so cute! Of course, they fell out 5 minutes later and this is the only decent shot I could get of her. She is sooooo quick! She's saying all kinds of new words this week. Duck, shoe and jump are the newest ones. I love these little girls!!!!

A Few New Photos

2007-03-10T23:55:00.000-05:00

Two silly little girls! My cousin, Madison who just turned 9 and my little girl, Annagrace who just turned 5! This photo was totally Annagrace's idea ("let's stick our tongues out Madison!").

Here's my little cutie, Madalyn at 15 months. She is such a sweetheart!

Ain't he cute? That's my one and only nephew, Brayden!

This photo was taken the night of the lunar eclipse. I missed the eclipse because it was so cloudy but I got some really cool pictures as the sun was setting.

Ain't he precious?

2007-02-20T23:57:00.000-05:00

This is a completely impromptu shot that was taken after church under dreadful flourescent lighting! However, with a little work I think it turned into a cute capture! Specs: ISO 400, f4.5, unsure of shutter speed.

100 Things About Me

2007-02-09T23:41:00.000-05:00

Here's more than you ever wanted to know about me:

1. I got married when I was 21 years old.
2. I had my first child when I was 24 years old.
3. I have two beautiful daughters.
4. I am a Home Health RN and I like my job.
5. But I wish I could work part time.
6. I hate, hate, hate snakes.
7. I hate them so much that I can't even look at pictures of them, or see them on tv.
8. I almost fainted one time when I saw a snake.
9. A snake got into my house when I was 10 years old and I was home alone.
10. That's really enough about snakes.
11. I have one older brother.
12. Although I couldn't stand him when I was little, he has grown on me over the years and now I love him.
13. I always wanted four children.
14. That was before I actually had children . . . now I am happy with two.
15. My mom is my best friend.
16. I grew up in North Carolina.
17. I wish I still lived there.
18. I love the Carolina Tarheels.
19. I hate the Duke Blue Devils.
20. I became a Christian when I was 15.
21. My hubby is a preacher.
22. Our church absolutely rocks and I love it.
23. I love the Fall.
24. I hate the Summer.
25. My favorite color is green.
26. My eyes are hazel.
27. So are my Dad's, my brother's and my oldest daughter's.
28. I grew up on a farm and I named one of our cows Vicky.
29. We later ate Vicky.
30. I used to go frog gigging with my dad and brother.
31. I would sometimes take fried frog legs to school for lunch.
32. The thought of eating a frog now makes me want to vomit.
33. I love Chinese food.
34. I have traveled to India, Singapore and Indonesia.
35. I want to visit India again before I die.
36. I believe that Lombok, Indonesia is the most beautiful place in the world.
37. I love roller coasters.
38. I love anything artsy.
39. I am obsessed with photography.
40. I took piano lessons for 13 years.
41. I still love to play but rarely have time.
42. I attended two colleges and have two different degrees.
43. I don't like sports but I usually watch the Super Bowl.
44. I have an obsession with celebrities.
45. I dream of going to Hollywood one day to look for stars.
46. I love the beach.
47. My great grandma lived to be 100 years old.
48. My husband's grandma is presently 101 years old.
49. I love scrapbooking.
50. Like piano, I rarely have time for that either.
51. I love Target and Old Navy.
52. I have worn glasses or contacts since I was 9 years old.
53. I stopped wearing contacts 4 years ago because of my astigmatism.
54. I have to work this weekend and I really should be in bed right now.
55. I sucked my thumb until I was 9 years old.
56. The orthodontist had to put an appliance in my mouth to stop me from sucking it.
57. My youngest daughter sucks her thumb at nap and nighttime.
58. I recently found my best friend from junior high on myspace.
59. I can't wait to see her again.
60. I had braces when I was 13.
61. I still have my retainer but I haven't worn it in over 8 years.
62. I want to lose weight.
63. I need a hair color and cut.
64. My hairdresser of 3 years moved and I miss her!
65. I love hard rock music.
66. I also love country, rap and R&B.
67. My first concert was New Kids on the Block. Jealous?
68. The best concerts I ever went to were Creed w/Sevendust and Korn.
69. I have also seen Aerosmith, Collective Soul, Hole, Beck, Sonic Youth, Redman, Reba McEntire, Travis Tritt, Point of Grace, Michael W. Smith, Audio Adrenaline, Pillar, Third Day (front row!), Jars of Clay, Staind, Powerman 5000, Cypress Hill, and several others that I can not think of at the moment!
70. If you can't tell, I love going to concerts.
71. I love to play video games.
72. I love to go shopping.
73. I want a new SUV.
74. I hate my kitchen flooring.
75. I used to be an oncology nurse and I had to administer chemo.
76. I hated having to give chemo.
77. Both my babies were in breech position.
78. I had to have c-sections with both of them.
79. I almost died after my second daughter was born.
80. I love daisies more than roses.
81. I got a daisy tattoo on my ankle the week I turned 18.
82. I miss my friends from college.
83. We have 3 tvs in our home.
84. We refuse to let our daughter have one in her room.
85. I tithe regularly.
86. I love a good bargain.
87. I spend way too much time on this laptop.
88. I talk to my mother almost every day.
89. My husband likes my hair long.
90. I hate having to blow dry it everyday but I like it long too.
91. I am very sad about the death of Anna Nicole Smith.
92. I don't know why I am so sad about it.
93. I can't wait for Jesus to return.
94. I secretly like Hannah Montana.
95. I am generally a happy person.
96. But I get stressed out too easily.
97. I normally drive 70-100 miles a day for my job.
98. Luckily, I get paid mileage of almost 50 cents per mile.
99. I am glad I am almost done with this.
100. I am on call tomorrow starting at 7 am so I am going to bed right now!

My Little Valentines

2007-02-09T23:36:00.000-05:00

Here's a new photo of my little munchkins. Had a hard time getting both of them to sit still. This isn't the greatest photo. It was a little out of focus. Madalyn's face is a little "blown out". However, I love how Madalyn is looking at Annagrace. I just smile everytime I look at it! I just love these little girls!

2007-02-02T20:40:00.000-05:00

Here's a new photo of Annagrace. Natural light from my dining room door, ISO 200, f2.8, SS 90. I should've used a reflector on the right side of her face, but I kinda like the 'contrasty' look!

And this is one I dug out from November. This is my sis-in-law, Steph with Annagrace.

Annagrace

2007-01-10T23:15:00.000-05:00

Here is my "baby". Almost FIVE years old. I am amazed at how quickly the last five years have passed by. My baby is now a little girl who loves to sing songs off of Kidz Bop, loves the Cheetah Girls and Hannah Montana and uses phrases like, "That's hot", and "You rock". She is growing up way too fast. I can't believe I will have a child in kindergarten next year. (Wow. That makes me feel so incredibly old!) Here are some facts about Annagrace right now.
1) She loves her Aunt Steph and has taken to calling her "Tia" (that's "aunt" in Spanish).
2) One of her favorite songs is "We Are The Champions" by Queen.
3) She gets very frustrated with her sissy when she gets into her toys. But, she loves her to death and loves to play with her!
4) The other night while playing "house" with me and Aaron, Annagrace told Aaron that he was the husband. When Aaron asked, "Well, what am I suppose to do?" Annagrace said, "Just sit on the couch with the remote and act like your drinking a beer." When Aaron asked her where she heard that at, she said, "Ethan (a friend from school) told me."
5) She is way beyond the other kids in her class with her reading and math skills. I spoke with my aunt, who is a teacher, about what we should do if she feels 'bored' in school next year. She suggested talking to the teacher about Annagrace going with the first graders for the subjects she excels at. I am definitely going to look into that because she has been doing first grade math for about 6 months now! And she has started reading within the last few months.
6) She has gotten much better about eating new things and likes turkey and ham now!

She is my sensitive, stubborn, strong-willed, silly, but sweet little girl!

One (short) Year

2006-12-31T00:24:00.000-05:00

That's how long I've been blogging. In January, it will be one year. It's fun to look back and see of the previous posts. I hope to update this more often this year. In honor of New Year's, here are some of my goals. NOT resolutions. I do not make resolutions because no one ever keeps them anyway.

This is the year that I will . . .

1) Drink more water on a daily basis. Limit my soda (well, Pepsi) consumption. And use less sugar in my tea.

2) Eat more fruit.

3) Spend more time outside with the girls this Spring and Summer.

4) Practice, practice, practice my photography skills. Take a photo a day of something or someone. Enroll in photography and Photoshop classes at the community college. Practice even more. Get "good enough" to have actual paying clients!

5) Tithe from every single paycheck.

6) Set up a retirement fund at work (that one's for you Aaron).

7) Pray daily.

8) Count my blessings everyday.

9) Draw Aaron's labwork every single month, on time. (And will not take for granted his good health over the last 10 years).

10) Stop wasting money on senseless magazines which are usually very impulsive purchases. (Honestly, who goes to the grocery store just to buy a Star magazine?)
I will subscribe to 2 magazines and that is it!

11) Take care of myself in all aspects. Physically, emotionally, spiritually. Put myself first once in awhile. Take time to smell the roses. Get a pedicure. Treat myself to a facial. Go shopping, alone, for something just for me for a change. Stop being so d*** critical of my body, my hair, my you-name-it.

Wow. I've got a lot of 'goals'! Help me stick to it. I had an A-Ha moment the other day while reading this months Real Simple magazine (one mag that I will subscribe to in the new year). I'll have to try to find the article online. It was all about being happy with yourself. Good stuff.

Happy New Year to anyone who takes the time to read this blog. Blessings to everyone in the new year!

Christmas Photos

2006-12-27T20:43:00.000-05:00

Here are some new photos from the Christmas weekend! Love the new family photo taken by my lovely sister-in-law, Steph. Hope to get some more "Christmasy" photos this weekend when we celebrate Christmas in NC with my family!

Here's the latest

2006-12-21T22:28:00.000-05:00

I haven't been posting much on here lately about what's going on in my life. So here's the 411--

Annagrace is having serious poop issues. She'd be totally embarrassed to know that I was putting that on here--good thing she can't read yet! I took her to the doctor yesterday because it has been about 2 weeks since she has had a 'good' bowel movement. If you're a nurse, you know what I mean by a 'good' bowel movement! Anyway, he put her back on miralax which she was on from the age of about 14 months to 3 years. She has taken 4 doses and gotten 2 suppositories and nothing. We had to resort to diapers for the night. Poor thing. I know she must be miserable.

Madalyn still isn't walking!!!! She won't even stand up if we try to get her to. She will still pull up and push her 'walker' but she refuses to even try to walk. She is so different than Annagrace who was walking at 9 1/2 months! She is saying a few more words ("book", "bye-bye" which sounds like "dah-dah", and "sis"). At her last appointment, she was over the 100% mark for her height percentage and slightly over 50% for her weight. She's my little sweetness. Love that girl!

My mom is doing well. She's up with a cane during her therapy sessions now. She still has to use a walker around the house and is in her wheelchair most of the time, but hopefully she will be up with a cane on her own soon. It's been a long 6 months. But, God is good and faithful and has been her strength.

Work is work. Been busy lately. Lots of wound care patients. Lots of emotionally draining patients. Some really crazy ones too. But I've got some really sweet ones too. I still love this job though!

I am sitting here wondering where the heck 2006 went. It really is true that time goes by faster the older you get. And the more kids you have apparently. This first year with Madalyn has just flown by! I hope 2007 slows down a bit. I feel like I am missing so much of her growing up!

My Little Ballerinas

2006-12-20T22:45:00.000-05:00

A Few more favorites

2006-12-18T21:13:00.000-05:00

Favorite Photos of 2006

2006-12-18T21:06:00.000-05:00

Here are just a few of my favorites. Looking forward to 2007. Got lots of goals for myself. Looking forward to what the new year will bring!

Spendin' too much money on film . . .

2006-12-07T21:11:00.000-05:00

Got some more photos developed today. I've been weighing the pros and cons of getting a digital SLR camera. I think it may be worth it with what I'm spending in film and developing!

One more Photo

2006-12-03T22:00:00.000-05:00

Here's one more that I touched up a little. Which version do you like better?

New Photos

2006-12-03T21:12:00.000-05:00

New photos taken at the Arobretum at James Madison University. These girls are naturals when it comes to taking pictures!

We love Santa

2006-11-28T21:18:00.000-05:00

Somebody got a haircut!

2006-11-18T10:44:00.000-05:00

Halloween

2006-11-14T19:35:00.000-05:00

Halloween was fun this year! We didn't do a whole lot of trick-or-treating, just enough to satisfy Annagrace. We had fun dressing the girls up though. Madalyn wasn't sure what to think of it, but had fun eating a lollipop! Here are a few photos . . .

I'm a sucky blogger

2006-10-26T23:40:00.000-04:00

Haven't been so good about this lately! Here are some random thoughts.

--Madalyn is almost 11 months old. She is standing and can walk with her 'walker'. She is not quite ready to walk alone yet. I'm kinda surprised since Annagrace walked so early (9 1/2 months). Oh well, I want MadMad to be a baby as long as possible! She is sooooo incredibly loud. She can scream so loud. It literally leaves my ears ringing! She is such a happy girl. She goes to bed on her own as long as she has her blankey and her thumb.

--Next week, if all goes as planned, Aaron and I will spend the night away from home alone--together--with no kids! We have never been away alone together since Annagrace was born. That was almost 5 years ago!!!! It's actually a work trip. I have a Heart Failure conference in Richmond so I thought it would be nice to have Aaron go with me. He's planning to play golf with a friend on Saturday while I'm at the conference. His parents and sister--who will be just home from Venezuela--are gonna keep the girls. I hope they are okay. I think Annagrace will be fine with Aunt Steph. Don't know how Madalyn will be. She's pretty clingy lately!

--I am feeling much better this week. I think I must've had a virus last week because I felt awful. My joints were so sore. The bump on the back of my head is getting smaller, I think. So it must be a swollen lymph node. Anyway, if it hasn't gone away by next week this time I am going to the doctor.

--One last thing. I am so obsessed with My So Called Life. Yes, that show from the 90's. It was because of that show that I dyed my hair red and wore flannel just about every day my senior year. I have begged for the DVD set for Christmas, but it's a long shot. It's about $200. I just love Jared Leto! His new band, 30 Seconds to Mars, rocks. Love them. Can't wait to get their CD. Gotta get my car CD player fixed.

Lots of new photos . . .

2006-10-24T23:23:00.000-04:00

at www.myspace.com/daisyta2 !!! Here's one:

My pretty girls

2006-10-21T09:57:00.000-04:00

Been a long time . .

2006-09-24T22:25:00.000-04:00

since I have posted anything. So here are a few random thought going through my head tonight.

1. I forgot to call my brother this weekend to tell him happy birthday. I just said a little while ago that I should call, but it is now 10:30 and they are probably busy getting the kids to bed. I'm a terrible sister.

2. I have a sore throat. Annagrace has had one all week and her tonsils are swollen again. I am probably getting the same thing. She and I are so alike. We catch every little 'bug' that comes into this house.

3. I exercised tonight. Did my Biggest Loser DVD workout. It was hard at times. I have realized lately just how out of shape I am. I don't feel like myself anymore. I feel really uncomfortable. A friend of mine has lost alot on The South Beach Diet. I'm thinking of trying it but haven't committed just yet. I am looking into buying a jogging stroller so I can start taking Madalyn for walks. I've got to do something. Gotta get back on track. Weight Watchers is great, but for whatever reason I just can't stick with it. I don't know why but I've tried it 3 times now.

4. I am planning to sign up for a photography class at the local community college. Looking forward to that. It is only for four weeks, so it isn't a long committment. I hope to learn a lot more about my camera and how to use it!

5. I am really excited that I have reconnected with a friend from elementary school. We found each other on myspace and have been IM'ing each other. We haven't seen each other in 11 years! A lot has happened since then! We are hopefully going to meet for supper in October and I'm sure we'll have a great time meeting each other's families and catching up.

6. Annagrace started dance class last Wednesday. She was so cute. She did really well and learned the first 4 foot positions.

Well, that's it for now. I need to get off this computer and get to bed.

New pictures of the girls

2006-09-14T21:27:00.000-04:00

Here are some new photos of the girls. They are growing way too fast! Annagrace is enjoying preschool. She gets to go everyday this year. This week they learned about the letter "A". Madalyn is pulling up onto everything and let go today for the first time. Of course, she quickly feel down onto her butt, but it was a first! She'll be walking before we know it and then we will really have our hands full!

Bloggin . . . on a Sunday afternoon

2006-08-13T19:18:00.000-04:00

Does anyone get the Interstate Love Song reference in my title? Okay, probably not. Anyway, here is a little this and that.

Madalyn has learned to 'roll' her tongue. Like when you say a word in Spanish and roll your "R's". (Aunt Steph, you'd be so proud!) It sounds so cute and she does it all the time! She sounds like a little bird cooing. Very cute. She is crawling and is in to everything now. She is trying really hard to stand up. She gets on all fours, then pushes up on her feet with her butt way up in the air. So adorable. I just love that girl.

Annagrace is getting ready to start Pre-K in a few weeks. She was diagnosed with vitiligo at our appt at UVA. They have started her on two creams that we have to use everyday. I was shocked when we got the script filled--$75 for a month's worth! Ridiculous. I hope that we can make a tube last longer then one month. She is getting somewhat excited about school. I am kinda dreading having to get her out of the bed every morning! She is a BEAR in the morning. Very cranky. I am trying to convince her to let me take her for a haircut. I want to bob her hair so it will be easier to fix in the mornings. She's really funny about her hair though so we'll see.

We leave for vacation this Friday! I am so ready for a break from work. Hopefully, Lord willing, my mom will be coming home from rehab on Friday. She has been away from home since July 4! She is so ready to get home. We are not going to the beach as we had originally planned, but we are hoping to go just for one day that week. We may also take Annagrace to Busch Gardens one day. Other than that, we'll just chill out with my moms. My aunt has a pool, so we may spend some time there too.

I found an easy peanut butter cookie recipe on another person's blog. Think I'll go try it out. I'll let ya know if it is any good!

Eight Very Awesome Years

2006-08-01T20:32:00.000-04:00

Aaron and I were married 8 years ago today in Terra Ceia, North Carolina at 5:00 in the evening. Wow . . . 8 years. So in honor of our anniversary, here are 8 facts you may or may not know about our last 8 years together.

1. We lived in our first apartment for just 6 weeks when we decided to move to a smaller, cheaper place. We have moved a total of 4 times since marrying.

2. One of our favorite things to do together when we were newlyweds was go to concerts. One of our favorites was Lunatic Luau '99 at the Virginia Beach Ampitheatre. Kid Rock was the main 'event' and we left before he came on because the crowd all went crazy and started throwing mud.

3. We used to go grocery shopping every Monday night at about 9:00 and we always spent $60 a week.

4. We both worked part-time for Health Services Personnel of Elizabeth City. We were 'Habilitation Technicians' and we helped our very special friend, Ben, with various tasks of daily living. We spent lots of time playing hide and seek, watching movies and going to the library with him!

5. Aaron ministered at a small country church for the first 2 years of our marriage.
And I played the piano--you know, like all good preacher's wives should : ).

6. Aaron and I decided to start working on having a family on February 10, 2001 and my first due date for Annagrace was exactly one year later on February 10, 2002.

7. The farthest place we have been together is Pennsylvania. We took our first family vacation there when Annagrace was 4 months old.

8. We have two beautiful daughters and two babies that are now in Heaven. We are pretty sure that we are done having children. However, when asked we both usually say, "We think so." Hmmm . . .

Eight years from now, I will be 37 years old. My babies will be 12 and 8 years old. I will have been a nurse for 14 years. My dad will be approaching 70 years old. My grandma will be 96 and Aaron's will be 108 : ). We may be here in this house, we may be in a larger home. We may live in Virginia, or we may live in North Carolina. I may be a Home Health nurse, or I may be a stay at home mom. (Or I may be a photographer!) We may drive a minivan, or we may drive a huge SUV. My girls may be crazy about each other, or they may fight like cats and dogs. Buddy may still be around at the old (dog) age of 14, or we may have a new family pet. I know that I will still love the Lord and will still strive to serve Him in all that I say and do. I know that I will still be a scrapbooker. I will still take tons of photos. I will still love to take care of others. I will still love to drink Pepsi and snack on chocolate. I will still be as crazy about my hubby as the day I married him, and I will still love him with every bit of my being. Love you baby!

RA Sucks. Vitiligo sucks. But still, life is good.

2006-07-23T15:40:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted lately because my mom has been sick. She developed a staph infection in both her knees and her elbows and has been in the hospital since July 4th. The RA (rhemautoid arthritis) has complicated things. She has been unable to use her hands much and can not walk at this time. She had to have surgery on her knees and elbows to clean the infection out and she has not been able to put weight on her knees since around June 29th or so. She remains in the hospital and PT is working on getting her mobile again. It's gonna be a long recovery. I went down to NC to visit the last 2 weekends. I hated not going this weekend, but going down and back in a couple days time is really tiring. I hope that the next time I go down there she will be home. Needless to say, things have been crazy in my life. I have gone off my Weight Watchers mainly because of all the stress. I plan to restart it tomorrow. It's amazing how easy it is to slip back into old habits!

In addition to the stress over Mom, we also found out about 2 weeks ago that Annagrace has vitiligo. I am trying not to worry myself to death about it. She has an appt at UVA with a pediatric dermatologist next week. I pray that this doctor will be supportive and understanding and knowledgable of the disease. I hope that we have caught it early enough to get her on some creams or other treatment and prevent it from spreading anymore. For those that don't know, vitiligo is an immune disorder where your body destroys it's own melanocytes--the cells that give color to your skin. As a result, people with the disorder have white patches on their skin. Annagrace's started in her groin, then we noticed it on her knees and a spot under her arm. More recently (within the last 3 months) we noticed that under her eyes looks whiter than normal. Her pediatrician wasn't sure what it was. We took her to a skin specialist and he diagnosed her and referred us to the doctor we are seeing next week. I have been doing a lot of research on the internet. It can be depressing. I have looked at lots of photos of people with it. Vitiligo can be very disfiguring. I know how mean kids can be and I would do anything to have this disease myself instead of my precious little girl. Please keep us in your prayers!

And still, God is good . . . all the time. I know that these things are a test of my faith. To be honest, my relationship with God has been strained for a while. I hadn't been putting Christ first in my life for a long time. Over the last 2 years, I had grown very disillusioned with the church. I didn't want to serve. I didn't really care about being involved with anything or anyone there for awhile. A lot of negative things were going on. I had been burned many times by so-called Christians in my humble attempts at service and had gotten to the point where I just wanted to sit back and be served for awhile. I felt that no one really cared if I was there or not. It seemed to me that a lot of our members had lost their focus--forgotten the whole reason that we had started this church 6 years ago. I would often remember the good old days as well--when Mike was still alive, when ministering to the unchurched was still so new to us. When we were innocent and didn't realize how non-Christlike Christians can be. I don't know what happened, but a few weeks ago, I really started re-evaluating my life and have finally gotten back on track. Chatting with other Christians who understood where I was coming from really helped. Thing were really starting to look up when my Mom was admitted to the hospital. So I know that these are just tests. Even with all that is going on, I am still at peace. I know that whatever the outcome, God has it all in his hands. I am so small and so unable to handle these things myself. I have let them all go. Given all my burdens to Him. How in the world do people ever make it through this journey called life without Jesus?

On an awesome high note . . . Aaron has baptized two people into Christ over the weekend. And again, all the time . . . God is good.