Presli, Baylie and Serendipity!

Serendipity… It’s one of my favorite movies about how things are meant to be. Well, it was definitely serendipity that brought Presli’s  parents and I together. You see, one night I was watching the news (and I don’t watch the news very often) and a report came in about a little girl that Tim Tebow was taking to the Kid’s choice awards. The report said that Presli had NF. What!!? Nobody knows about NF. But, here is this adorable little girl that has NF and telling the world about it with Tim Tebow…. AND she is from my town! Lots of Facebook messages, a lunch with her mom, and a Denver NF walk later, we all finally found the time to do what I’ve been wanting to do for a while and get some great pictures of Presli and her sister Baylie. These girls have the most AWESOME eyes!  So blue and no photoshop on them either!  Be sure and like Presli's facebook page , Ryan's facebook page, and visit The Children's Tumor Foundation for more information on NF and to lend support, prayers, and awareness for all the children and adults affected by NF.  Serendipity, and perhaps a higher force, has brought Presli’s Family and our family together for a lifelong friendship. That makes me so happy!

Lots and lots of Visitors!

It all started in May, when our foreign exchange students family came to visit from Italy for a few weeks. Goodness, we had fun showing them Colorado! What a wonderful family and the time just flew. Especially, with Carmelo’s great cooking and meeting a soul sister in Daniela.  Then, the day they left, my sister arrived with her kids. I got to meet my new nephew Sam for the first time! What an absolute joy this child is! And, my niece has grown so much! And, of course it was wonderful catching up with my real life soul sister, Teri. Then, as they were out the door, my parents decided to spend some time with us to escape the heat in their non-air conditioned home in Lakewood. They left, and Elia came back from her whirlwind tour of the Western US, just giving us enough time to show her a few more Colorado sights, and events, before she was packing up and flying back to Sicily. Goodness, how we will miss that girl. My daughter from another mother, our ray of sunshine, that added so much joy and happiness to our household, for the 6 months she lived with us. And now, we are back to the five us. So glad that Steph and Chase are back from school or it would be WAY too quiet around here after all those visitors! But…..now you know why it has been so quiet on the blog and why you haven’t seen many seniors. However, now it is time to catch up and you will be seeing LOTS and LOTS of blog posts and lots and lots of the Class of 2013. Bring it 2013!!! We are ready and fully booked!

Mommy and Me

Little Miss Molly and her mom were here for a session on Saturday. Molly LOVES Princesses and her beautiful princess dress. She is the first to let you know that Snow White is her favorite…..Because she has black hair, like me! she says. You can tell how much fun she had by that last image. Me too!

More Colorado School of Dance Winners

Here are the other two winners, in their age groups, for Colorado School of Dance Student of the Year. I loved photographing these two beauties. Dancers always have such a natural way in front of the camera. All that posing on stage I think! CSD will be performing their Ballet Recital of Sleeping Beauty very soon. It’s a not to be missed event, and I hear tickets are almost sold out. Visit the CSD website for tickets. http://www.coloradoschoolofdance.com/

Blessed with "Just Rights" and "Firsts"

Miss Anna and her mom came in for her First Communion Portraits.
It was a a first for me too, having never done First Communion Photos. However, I think Anna and I both want to do it all again!

Anna was a dream. Sweet, fun, beautiful...with just the right dress, just the right hairstyle, and just the right accessories. Even the weather was "just right" for us.

What wasn't a first, or just right, was the trouble I had picking the ones I wanted for the blog. Sooooooo many I liked! Doesn't she just look like an angel on the porch with all that backlighting? So pretty and peaceful. Just like a painting. Then, we had some playful ones of her spinning ones on the porch, and some more in the studio with her bible...and....see why it was so hard to decide?

So, I hope Anna and her mom had a great a time as I did. I am so blessed with great clients and friends!

My Friend Linette....

I'm so proud of my friend Linette. She is a first grade teacher in the Douglas County School District. Every year the district asks for nominations for the Apple Award for each school. Out of 3,400 teachers each school selects a recipient. Then, the district narrows if down to the top 75, then the top 19, until there is one top winner. Not only did Linette win the Apple Award for her school, but she made it to the top 75. What an accomplishment!

Linette and I taught Art together years ago. Then, she went on to teach 1st grade and I moved on to a photography business. We had a great time, reminiscing about how I was taking photos of all the kids at the school, for the roots of my business. A lot of those kids came back to me this summer for their senior portraits!

It was so fun to see Linette and laugh and talk. Congratulations Girl, you so deserve your award!

Can't Believe I Missed Little Miss Gianna!

Isn't she just too cute?! We did her 3 month photos, a few weeks back, and I was going to blog but was having Internet issues. Thought I'd go to bed and give it another try in the morning. Well, morning came, along with all the new things that seems to crop up overnight, and I missed blogging Gianna! Now, that is tragic. Because Gianna is such a doll!

I did her mom and dad's engagement portraits, their wedding portraits, their maternity portraits, and couldn't wait to meet Gianna to continue the tradition! She was such a sweet hart and I didn't want her mom to take her home. She made me want another baby. (Don't worry, husband, it's not going to happen....I think I'm a little old-ha ha).

But one thing I know for sure....I can not wait to do Baby Gianna's 9 month and one year portraits! Welcome to the world Gianna!

A New Year and a Newborn

You know those adorable sleepy newborn photos you always see? Well, for my first newborn photo shoot, it wasn't meant to be. Well, at least the sleepy part. (We got the adorable part for sure.) But, you know what? That was totally okay. And you know what else? I really, really, like photographing babies! Especially if they are all as wonderful as Aurelia (don't you love her name?). Isn't she just beautiful? I think she was about 10 days old, and I so enjoyed being around a baby again after so many years. Thank you so much Ashley and Cyrus for allowing me into your home, and letting me get to know little Aurelia. She is truly a gift and a beautiful addition to your family!

Northern Light

Isn't it fitting when we are all thinking about Santa and the North Pole that I have found the MOST FABULOUS Northern Light at the studio! These were all taken with Natural Light just inside a big North facing picture window that I have. All the recent snow that we have gotten, only helped to serve as more of a reflector outside, and I got some BEAUTIFUL shots.

I guess it doesn't hurt that the models were beautiful as well! Look at those eyes! Now.....to those of you that read this regularly and are saying, "But wait, I thought she was only going to shoot seniors, for a while!" Well, these two are an exception. They are my nieces.

We had the best day playing in the studio, then dragging everybody to Party On.

http://www.partyonparker.com/

And you know how they say that photographers kids are the most neglected when it comes to taking posed studio shots? Well, I think that not only goes for the phtographers kids, but maybe the whole extended family as well. These girls are now four and this is the first shoot they have had at the studio.

In my defiense, they do live a bit away, so except for holidays, it is sometimes hard to get together when both families lead busy lives. However, I am definitely going to try and get together for pictures more often!

Now, I'm off to start...yes, you read that right....just start, my Christmas shopping!

Catching Up....

Catching up from a few recents shoots. And more to come later this afternoon!