Autumn's Bridal Session

I was recently going through my archives and came across some shots I had taken of
Autumn as part of her bridal series that I had never posted.

Just thought I'd share...

How often did your wedding dress get worn or do you expect to wear it? Pretty much once, right? That is so not fair! It's something that you paid waaaay to much for, that fits you like a glove and makes you feel like a million dollars in it - and you wear it once.

Whether you are hiring/hired me or another photographer, make sure to ask them about a 'bridal' or the 'day after' session. It's a great time to get relaxed shots when you're feeling comfortable and not

crunched for time. Plus it's one more day to wear something that's amazing and

hold on to the feeling of 'Cinderella' a bit longer.

*sigh*

Cinderella...

hmmm...do you think my husband would find it strange to come home and find me doing the laundry in my wedding dress?

haha - that's if I can even get a leg into it stll ; )

Pay it Forward

Taaa - daaaaa!!

So, I finally had a free moment to work on a new blog design/navigation.

I'd love to hear what you think in the new comment box (yuup, bigger and better) below. 

'Blogger' has a limited number of templates available and sometimes it limits your creativity a bit. But I found a fabulous designer who was able to achieve the look of my marketing material into a blog template just for me. Yay! You can find Angie here. She can make anything you can envision come to life! What I love most about her is how very thorough she is. If there was a design aspect she wasn't familiar with, she found out how to implement it. I also loved how she kept me involved with the process the entire way, which (being the control freak I am) was right up my alley. 

A few other people who I have worked with that I wanted to give a quick mention to, just in case any of you are in the market for are below:

Brand identity was improved by Shorty Red Designs. She took my existing logo and refined and created the clean marketing material around it. Thanks 'S1' (her name is Stacy as well, hence the S1) for all of your hard work, long hours and great ideas.

'Introfy' who is putting a new look together for me on the Fanpage on Facebook. It will be going 'live' shortly, so keep on the look out for that. There will be a new area where you can leave reviews and be lead to short cuts to reach my blog and site. The finishing touches are in the works and I'm super excited to see the end result. Introfy was a pleasure to deal with and had a super quick turn around time.

I have been so fortunate to be surrounded by such a talented creative bunch of people. Each of you inspire me, and give my ideas life. I'm grateful to each of you.  I truly feel graphic design or social media work is such a hard field. Although it may look easy, there is so much that goes into  trying to get the look right to please the client. The rounds of revisions and the ability to come up with something new and fresh must be exhausting. So I'm indebted to each of you. 

One final 'thank- you' needs to go to all of my readers/visitors. I'm in awe when I hear from you that you take a moment out of your day to read this blog, stop by Facebook or visit my site. I love, love hearing your thoughts and feeling the support and encouragement it brings.  

I would love for you to 'follow' me via the blog or Facebook by clicking 'follow' in the menu bar (up at the top of the page) to keep current on what Show and Tell is up to!

Going forward, I'll be making 'Thank-You Thursdays' a weekly blog post.

Hope to see you again soon!

Brand Spankin' New...(Year)

What is it about a new year that is so refreshing? 
It comes in like new falling snow. A white, clean blanket of freshness, just waiting for our footprints. 
It's a time for reflection, organization, change, perhaps regret, and gratefulness. 
It's a time to see how far you've come or haven't at all. 


It's a time to re-think your strategy and make a plan of attack. 
Take inventory on what works in your life and what does not.  
Make change and be the change you want to see.

I read a quote once and I'm paraphrasing here 

'this time next year, you're going to wish you had.'

Hmmm...interesting. Thought provoking.

Procrastination.

Who hasn't been there?

The room you wanted to paint, the closet you meant to clean out, 
the vacation you wanted to take, the time you needed for yourself.

Goals, plans, schedules... and my favorite, organization.

So, with the holidays past us and the cold weather to slow us down a bit - 
I have begun the new year with zest. Great word right?
 Okay, it wasn't as 'zesty' as I would have liked, but I'm working on it. 


office organized - check
new blog design - check
facebook make over - in the works
new computer to speed up editing - check
simplify - in the works
frames I want to fill - in the works
diet - check, well...in the works ; )
exercise - ummm where is that zest when you need it?


Those are a few of the things I want/wanted to accomplish this year.
 It's amazing when you write out your goals and think about them,
   you're much more likely to get them done.
 The things I mentioned above, have been on my mind for sometime - 
but in the last three weeks I have finished half of them. 
I think that's a pretty great start!


Now...where did I hide that box of cookies? 
I digress... ; ) 

Snuggling...

We were snuggling watching Rudolph when my five year old said, 

'I think I liked it better when it was just you, me and Dad.' 

It caught me by surprise. I'm not gonna lie.

A million things go through your head.
First...that I thought the same thing when I was around her age.
Poor thing, is not getting enough attention.
How do I make her understand that having siblings is the best thing ever?
Will she need therapy?
Note to self - to make extra time for her.
How to answer?!


Hmmm, I decided to take the road of devil's advocate. 

'Oh Adryanna, when I was little I wasn't crazy about having a brother and a sister either. 

I know it's hard to share, but I promise it will get much better when you get a little bit older. 

If you want, we can find a new home for Vienna and Anderson.
What do you think?' I said.

With a new found excitement, she sat straight up and said, 

'that's a GRRREAT idea - can we visit them for Christmas Eve?'

niiiiice 

'Leap' of faith - Kings Park Bluff

The first two minutes of meeting...

"Hi, I'm Stacey...would you mind jumping 10 feet off of the bottom of those steps so we can take a picture over there"? 
Ummm, yeah...kinda awkward.

Okay, I kid, it wasn't 10 feet, but it wasn't a few inches either. I cringed a little asking - especially since it was within the first five minutes of meeting. Without batting an eye they obliged. I swear I have the best clients ever. They took a 'leap' of faith for me - and I had yet to give them a reason to yet.
They trusted me.

Mom had wanted one thing for Christmas...a family portrait. 
So with her grown children home for the holidays, she had persuaded them (I'm sure money was involved ; ) to spend an afternoon with me.

During the session they were polite and well mannered and not just to me but to each other. 
Which is not always the case. 
They were kind. Really.
Compassionate - each of them. 


So at one point they were all gathered together and I mentioned just that. 

'You guys are a pretty loving family, its so nice to see'. 

Without skipping a beat, James (their son) said, 'you should have seen us an hour ago'.

Mom quickly buried her head in Dad's chest, and Dad and his sister threw their heads back in laughter. 

Their secret was out.

We all laughed, but truth be told - who hasn't been there? 

Mom confided and said no one wanted to wear the shirts.  
She told me she told them they didn't have a choice and they could throw them out after the shoot...but they were wearing them. Love her! 
Where is that darn 'leap of faith, when you need it'?!
Coordinating outfits is tricky but especially when the subjects are old enough to talk back. ; ) 
It should go without saying...Mom won. 

Don't they always?!  : ) 

So, in life there are a certain number of people who 'get it'. 
If you're lucky enough to bond with your siblings - they are one of 'those' people. 
They share the same childhood, environment, memories, and stories - have seen you at your best and your worst and love you just the same. I love seeing a common thread shared between two people...

now, see...they actually made coordinating outfits look cool

a total 'out-take' 

but it's just evidence that grown kids really do think their parents are funny -

even though they might not show it sometimes...

Big brother and little sis...

Ms. Annnnna - gorgeous dahhhling!

Mom had it right, 'gorgeous inside and out'. 

James looking 

f.i.n.e

and I do have to say he's a totally charmer...

and last but not least...meet the whole fam...

Hope. Faith. Trust.

They are words we hear all to often and yet we are usually to cynical to take them for full face value. 

Not this family.

Hudson family, thank you for 'hoping' that I could create a family portrait for you - for having 'faith' in taking the 'leap' ; ) and for 'trusting' me. I can't tell you how much it helps to bring the vision full circle. 

Thank you for spending the afternoon with me and for your gracious company.

Help this family reach 20 comments for them to receive a complimentary gift!

Santa baby...

He needs no further introduction. 

If you have been following along, you have come to know this little man. 

Without further ado...introducing Marc Robert...

Have yourself a very merry little Christmas...

Smile. Big.

We went to catch it, but it was too late, the bus was already pulling away. 

Grrrrr. 

Now, late for school, it was a mad rush to get everyone ready and out the door within ummm five minutes. My little man is screaming his head off and "V" just found a way to open her 

bottle and pour it all over my shoes. 

*breath* 

Sadly though, there isn't even time to do that. 

Now back upstairs for like the tenth time this morning.

You would think that my ass would notice, but for some reason the cookies out weigh the work out. 

Change my clothes, get the kids packed, and in the car seats and someone went to the bathroom.

 'God, help me'.

We make it into the car, the radio is blaring and the kids are talking a mile a minute and it sounds like there are 15 kids in the car instead of just three. 

I adjust the rear view mirror and wonder who the tired chick is looking back at me. 

No time to think about it now. 

I throw on some gloss and catch the eye of my oldest waving at my reflection. 

We smile. 

Big.

A little moment among the chaos that makes my heart happy.

Fast forward ten minutes later and I have gotten gas for the car, went to the post office, the bank and dropped off two kids at the sitters.

Kinda makes me feel like super woman for a teeny tiny minute.

We arrive finally at the school, and I grab "A''s hand as I scoot her quickly out of the car and into the lobby. The 'hall monitor' signs us in and as Im off to walk her to the classroom, I'm stopped with a,  

'No parents beyond this point". 

'But, but...' 

My daughter looks at me quick and says "Ma, I can handle it". 

I wanted to yell' "but you're only five and I'm almost 35, and I can't even handle it".

Before I could though, it was a quick kiss and an 'I love you' and she was off. 

Sensing my frustration, the monitor takes pity and says I can watch her walk to her class room,

which was at the end of the longest hallway I had ever seen.

I leaned against the cold ceramic tiles and watched my daughters little feet walk her confidently to her class and for the first time in weeks, well months - I was still. I felt my heart slowing, and my body relaxing. 

I heard the sounds of laughter coming from the cafeteria.
Above that I heard little voices singing Jingle Bells.

I got a lump in my throat.

The music was better then anything I had ever heard.

It was not the words so much, or the sound, it was their spirit. 

Their enthusiasm. It was tangible. 

Even though you couldn't see them, you can hear them smiling while singing. 

For the first time this season, I felt Christmas.

No tree, no presents, and no cards sent out - I was feeling as if the Christmas feeling just might not come this year. It had been a hectic year to say the least and truthfully I was sad because I was wishing it away. 

My favorite time of year and I couldn't wait for it to be over!? Ugh.

What happened?

 Life happens. 

Priorities shift and you lose focus of what matters. 

When "A" made it down to the end of the hallway, I prayed that she would turn around and wave goodbye. She didn't.

 She opened the door gingerly and went inside to start her busy day at kindergarten. 

Do priorities shift even for kindergarteners? 

Is there just so much going on that we can't just be still even for a second?

I stood in disbelief  - staring down the empty corridor to the door at the end. 

I failed. 

Failed at not teaching her that the small moments count and if we don't hang on to them for dear life, 
we'll miss them. 

Just as I was about to turn away, I saw the top of her head and just her eyes come back into view
within the small window pane of the big wooden door.

Our eyes met and I didn't need to see her mouth to know that she was smiling at me. 

We were smiling. 

Big.



Thanks "A" for reminding me, it's all about the little moments...love you!

Just a little somethin', somethin' to spread some holiday cheer...