Whew! What a year. I realize that I have been completely absent from here….  yet another new years resolution to add to the list:-)! So much happened in 2011 and ALL good!!! Here’s a brief synopsis of 2011 in review- in words and images ( minus my own family images as I haven’t had time to edit them lol)

* Lola started kindergarten * Cody went into second grade * we moved to a new studio space * * Andy and I got in engaged* * took a trip to Lake George* * took a trip to Napa* shot a commercial shoot for Faber Castell in Cleveland* *trip to Vegas for WPPI*  * Lola started gymnastics* * Cody took up horse back riding* *lots of boating on Canandaigua Lake* * Andy earned a trip to Portugal (and we went)* *traveled to Oregon to see Jen Thompson and have face time with Brandy Anderson* * started wedding planning* * had an incredible holiday season with family*

The list goes on and on but for sake of brevity I’ll end there and show you the rest in images!! 2011 in review!

Thank you to all my wonderful clients who continue to come see me year after year- I am so lucky!!!

Here’s to an incredible 2011 and even better 2012!

This past weekend I had the pleasure of photographing an awesome family down in Lake George, which gave us a chance to take Lola and Cody on a little family trip:-)…. a family camping trip no less… I’m fairly certain we were the only family in the campground with a fan set up in our tent but it was about 95 degrees out last weekend…. And I think sleeping in a tent even with a fan still qualifies as “roughing it” right? For those of you who know me I’m sure you would have loved to see me driving to my session in my dad’s gigantic truck (which we took because there was no way we were going to get all the camping supplies (aka FAN) in my vehicle. Oh, and Dad specifically told me not to “back up or park it near any other car” given my less than stellar driving record (such as nailing the front of my vehicle while backing OUT of the garage.. so smooth). Needless to say I was having some anxiety about getting to the session lol…  and then I got lost… yep… again… so smooth.

BUT I made it to the session and it was such a gorgeous spot with such a beautiful family that it was MORE than worth the nerves! I’ll post some images soon:-). After the session we decided to take Cody and Lola to The Great Escape, which is hindsight may have not been the wisest choice since it was again 95 degrees and a Saturday. Note to self- go to amusement parks on a weekday. Of course the kids thought it was the coolest thing ever so that’s all that matters:-). Roughly 8 rides and 5 hours later we were ready to head back for a campfire, some GIGANTIC marshmallows (have you seen those huge ones at the store?) and WINE (for us not the kids:-).

Sunday morning we woke up, packed up the homestead, and headed to Million Dollar Beach (and explained to Cody that we didn’t actually have to pay a million dollars to play on this beach lol). Sandcastles and swimming…. a perfect way to finish up a weekend of family memories:-).

Holy cow – there’s a lot going on right now! Between getting ready for the move, sessions everywhere from Syracuse to Ellicotville, editing, kiddos, social events, and day-to-day life it’s been nuts. So, I have been bad about blog posting- but you get it right? I know you do:-).

I’m so excited for this move- I really am- but I’m so over moving and can’t wait to just be settled in, get my signage out, decorate, and start working there! My Memorial Day will be spent moving all our big furniture and getting the TV hooked up (hopefully I can plan it so we are NOT part of the parade through the village lol). Thankfully Andy and my family are on board with helping, though I’m sure they would prefer to be relaxing at a picnic rather than carting gigantic TVs and furniture down and then UP 2 flights of stairs. How lucky am I that I have such an awesome family?

Other BIG news…. we will be featured in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle HER magazine in an upcoming issue! I’m so honored to be nominated and will give the details once I know more. On a more personal note- Andy just came home from his national sales meeting in Dallas and found out that he is one of the top 15 reps in the nation- and in Presidents Club, which means we get to go to Lisbon, Portugal in the fall!!! I’m so SO happy for him- (and just a LITTLE excited that I get to go with him)- he is such a hard worker and I’m so glad that he is being recognized. It’s a huge honor and there is NO one more deserving of it than him. I’m so lucky:-).

I’ve had some awesome sessions lately too- like the kind that renew my creativity and leave me feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. I love when I feel like I can capture the energy of a family- their connection together. The images below were from one of those sessions- such a great family full of love, patience, and kindness. I’m so honored to be able to document such incredible families! ( I am just overflowing with gratititude today if you haven’t noticed!!) Enjoy!

Sorry for the delay with blog posts! I was doing well for a while and then had another sick little guy at home and lots of running around it seemed! But everyone’s healthy (knock on wood) and spring is slowly but surely making it’s way here so I’m back baby! I am very excited for the upcoming shooting season and have lots of ideas brewing around in my head- so much so that it’s been keeping me up at night and making me feel like it may be time for some ADD meds….just kidding….kind of….. I’ll keep everyone posted once all the details are locked in but my plan is to offer some really fun services to incorporate into your portrait sessions.  We’ve been working with some incredible people lately and I have a feeling that big things are ahead! I hope that doesn’t sound cryptic and I promise I’m not trying to be, but I need to get my thoughts all aligned before I share them! So stay tuned! Oh, and if you are interested in spring sessions, please call as soon as possible as our weekends are filling up really fast:-)

On to the images…. I am so lucky to know this family. I started photographing them when their daughter was a newborn and Erin has been a loyal client ever since! And to top it off they live in Canada and still manage to squeeze in sessions when they visit family. We’re doing our fall family session in their hometown so I am excited to be able to travel to them this time. We are working on a wall gallery for their stairway and have incorporated photos from their previous sessions with plans for how to do so with future images as well. I’m including the pic so you can get an idea for how we can do this with our clients. It’s really fun:-).

And of course, images of the adorable Brennon…. I can’t believe he is already one. Erin had to wake him up from his nap to get him in the car and he was just perfect!!! Love his eyes, and the interaction between the two of them is so beautiful. I’m honored to be their photographer. Love you Erin- you’re the best!

So… I’ve been really fortunate over the years to meet an incredible group of talented photographers, many of whom have become my best friends. Many of these friends have been with me through some of the hardest years of  my life, and I’m so thankful for them. I’m also grateful for the creative challenges that they offer me, such as participating in the photographers carousal.  Here’s a quick breakdown of the project…each month we decide on a theme and take a photograph that reflects our own interpretation of it. It’s so interesting to see everyone’s different take on the same issue (so much like life right?!!)

This month’s theme is reflection… and it took me a bit to figure out what I wanted to do with it. Then, one morning I caught this shot of Lola and it was just perfect for what I feel “reflection” means. For me, to reflect is to look into oneself.. and see what comes up:-).

Make sure to check out St. Louis Children’s Photographer, Lauri Baker at Lauri Baker Photography to see her awesome interpretation of reflection as well!

Seriously… did it really snow again today? I understand that we live in Rochester NY and all… but come on… Lola actually asked me why God was keeping it so cold here and I gotta admit I’m asking myself the same question!!! BUT I will try to stay positive and hope that warm weather is right around the corner….

In the meantime here’s a little ray of sunshine that came into the studio all the way from Ithaca NY. I love, love, LOVE, to photograph this age- sitting up, chubby, and full of smiles. And to top it off his parents rock! Mom brought me chocolate chip cookies- HOMEMADE- enough said right? They are graphic artists and have a boutique studio in Ithaca and Denver (super talented)…Take a look at their site here: http://www.artandanthropology.com

I’m so glad to have meet you all and can’t wait to see you again at the opening!!