Across the Miles Photography

A new blog (again!)

2009-01-03T19:41:00.004-06:00

Hello! I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas/New Year's! I am so excited with some changes for 2009...including the lauch of my new blog!

You can find my new pretty blog (that will let me have bigger pictures!) at www.acrossthemilesphotography.com/blog

I'll be updating it more over the next few days (as soon as I finish editing this wedding I'm working on!)

See you at the new blog! :)

Merry Christmas & a little business info!

2008-12-22T22:38:00.004-06:00

Merry Christmas from our family to yours! I'm still trying to figure out how it's already the end of December! Time has flown WAY too fast!! I'm hoping to slow things down a bit this week and just take some time to enjoy my sweet family.

I am so very grateful to each and everyone of you that has allowed me to photograph your families this year. I am so blessed to have been able to meet each and every one of you! You have made my first months of business so incredible and I look forward to working with you in 2009!

There will be a few changes for 2009...a few rate increases & some new products, too! You have 30 days after you receive your proofs to place an order at the current rate. But, if your 30 days have passed and you want to order anything at the 2008 pricing, you just need to call me or e-mail me by December 31st in order to get your prints at the current prices.

If there is anything that you'd like to see me offer next year, please let me know! I'm always looking for new ideas & would love to hear yours!

I'm definitely going to keep the a la carte pricing, but will most likely offer collections as well in order to give you some discounts for higher volume orders.

Again, I'd love to hear your thoughts on what you'd like to see next year! You can leave a comment here on the blog, or e-mail me at info@acrossthemilesphotography.com I hope each of you have a wonderful Christmas and new year!

Kellie Penn
Across the Miles Photography

Some people just amaze me!

2008-12-20T17:11:00.002-06:00

My friend Jaime made the cutest dollhouse & is giving it away on her blog. It is way too cute to not let you guys know about it! (Of course, if you don't enter, my chance of winning is higher! LOL! Just kidding!)

I'd show you the pictures on my blog, but I probably shouldn't copy the pictures from her site...so you'll just have to go to her blog and check it out for yourself!

(and Jaime...after knowing you, I suddenly have been shopping for houndstooth stuff! I am searching everywhere for a cute houndstooth coat & think of you every time I hit the mall! LOL!)

Here's the link to her blog:
Click Me!!

Good luck!

Michael and Natalie

2008-12-20T16:49:00.006-06:00

I had the pleasure of photographing Michael and Natalie's wedding last Saturday. It was so cold & windy (the joys of living in Illinois) but they braved the elements and we ran outside for a few pictures after the wedding was over...and I'm so glad we did! There's just nothing prettier than outdoor pictures! I am so grateful to have met this couple & enjoyed spending the day with them! Here's a little sneak peek for you!

Congratulations Michael & Natalie! You are such a beautiful couple!

Teran....this is for you!! :)

2008-12-14T22:45:00.002-06:00

The other night at our Sunday School class party, we got to talking about old TV shows/songs we loved & we got to talking about Perfect Strangers!

I had to do some digging around and I found these!

And...if you want to view lots of Perfect Strangers episodes, just click here & get ready to re-live the early 90's!

and how about a little If I Had No Loot for ya? :)

Good times!! :)

My new logo & other business info!

2008-12-11T17:28:00.004-06:00

So, you may have noticed that the watermark on my pictures has changed! I have a new logo for my business! :) (you can click on it to see it larger)

I was trying to come up with something that was pretty symbolic of "Across the Miles" and the reasoning behind the name of my business. I kept coming back to a dandelion. Little Miles' life was so short, but he did so much with his little life while he was here. He spread lots of good to those that met him and to those that heard his story. I think his little life has touched many people Across the Miles. So, that's the logic behind my new logo! I'm really happy with how it turned out! (Thanks Tiffany!)

A couple of little business announcements:
If you are wanting your order in before Christmas, I need to have your order no later than Tuesday (or you'll be subject to rush charges.) It's a busy time of the year for the lab, so we need to make sure to get those orders in! Can you believe how quickly Christmas is sneaking up on us?

Also...I am taking the rest of the month off to get caught up on editing & to spend some time with my family during the Christmas season! I look forward to photographing your families throughout 2009! I am so very grateful for each of you for trusting me with your families precious photos this year! I am so blessed to have met each and every one of you!!!

Reuben the toothless wonder!

2008-12-11T17:24:00.004-06:00

Reuben's mom and I thought it would be fun to get some pics of Reuben while he is missing some teeth! There's just something sooo cute about this stage in a kid's life! He was so cooperative and I had so much fun watching him pose for his studio shots!

Here's a sneak peek at my little buddy Reuben:

The Clark Family

2008-12-10T13:44:00.004-06:00

Last night, I met up with the Clark family at their home for some Christmas pictures. I've met Angie a few times at different craft shows...she and her friend Jodie sell the CUTEST hairbows (Lil' Bow Peeps)! And, with all of Millie's curly hair, we are always needing some fun, new hairbows! :)

This family is so sweet & I loved getting to spend a little time with them. (even if one of the boys wasn't so excited about getting his pictures taken! haha!)

Here's a little sneak peek from last night:

Waiting on baby...

2008-12-09T23:55:00.002-06:00

I was so excited when I received a phone call about taking Brande's maternity pictures. It was a Christmas gift for Brande and her husband and I think it was such a sweet idea for a Christmas present! I always wish I would've had maternity pictures done...but my kids never wanted to stay in my belly long enough to do something like this! Brande is such a beautiful mommy to be and I can't wait to meet the little boy when he arrives! He is gonna be one lucky little kid to have parents that already love and adore him as much as Brian and Brande do!

Here's a little sneak peek from our session:

exhausted.

2008-12-06T20:46:00.004-06:00

Whew! I am sitting here watching Rudolph and Frosty the Snowman and I'm trying all I can to keep my eyes open! I went to two craft fairs today & hit the mall while the kids were at the grandparent's house...and I am wiped. Christmas shopping is a lot of work! :) But, I can scratch a few more names off of my list and am pretty close to being finished! Yaay!!!

Before I head to bed, I want to share some recent studio sessions with you!

Have a great rest of the weekend!

Erin & Ally

2008-12-02T15:11:00.004-06:00

On our way home from spending Thanksgiving in Dexter, we met up with Erin and Ally in St. Charles, MO for pictures! They are ADORABLE & their mom dresses them so cute! When we arrived in St. Charles we were surprised to see it so busy...and then found out they were getting ready to have a parade. People were EVERYWHERE! We still found some fun spots out of the way of the crowds! :)

Here's a little sneak peek at their session! (Shouldn't they be models for The Gap?)

Santa & Mrs. Claus were sweet enough to pose with us for a photo!

I'm in love with this picture! Isn't it fun?!?

The Haws Family

2008-11-25T17:03:00.004-06:00

On Saturday, I headed over to the Haws' home to take their family photos. I took Kollin's senior pictures this summer and I was really excited to get to work with this family again! (Plus, I just did the headshots for their business, so they have seen a lot of me lately! :) ) I came home and showed Tyler the colors in their home and it has me itching to start doing some painting around here!

This family is so sweet & so photogenic! Here's a little sneak peek from Saturday:

Whew! 3 sneak peeks in one day! :) Tonight I am planning on getting caught up on e-mails, so if you don't hear from me in the next 24 hours, I probably didn't receive your e-mail & try e-mailing again. I am so grateful to each of you who have made the first few months of this business so wonderful!

Ashley & randomness

2008-11-25T14:51:00.003-06:00

Ashley attends Millikin here in Decatur and wanted to surprise her parents with some pics for Christmas (So, if you're Ashley's parents...quick, close this page! Don't peek! LOL!)

This was such a FUN, fast session! It was so cold that we were running from place to place downtown. We went to lots of random places & I think the word "random" sums up this session quite nicely! She posed with a snowman, we grabbed a barstool from a local restaurant and used it in the street, and lots of random people kept giving us funny looks. I don't know how many times we used the word random in the 45 minutes that we took pictures! My favorite random moment was when a firetruck pulled up in front of the bank for an emergency. We used it as a photo prop! :) Here's a little sneak peek from Ashley's "random" session! Thanks, Ashley, for letting me take your photos...I don't know when I've laughed so much!

Mr. & Mrs. Kraker

2008-11-25T11:13:00.013-06:00

Tim and I had the opportunity to photograph Rob & Michelle's wedding a week ago. I met up with Michelle & her girls in the morning at the Salon and enjoyed getting to hang out with them and photograph them getting ready. Then, I headed over to The Beach House Restaurant to take pictures of the reception site. Every detail was perfectly placed and the restaurant just looked amazing! After I left the restaurant, I headed to Maranatha and began the day of taking pictures at the church. It was sooooo cold that day (it was even flurrying outside that night!) Because it was so cold, we didn't get to take many pictures outdoors, but I am still so excited with the pictures we took. They were such a lovely couple with a fun wedding party and I loved getting to share in their special day with them! I loved getting to laugh with the girls...and they even came up with a new name for my canon camera with the lightsphere on top! It is now named the Canonnoosle because the lightsphere looks a bit Dr. Seussish on top of the flash! :)

Oh! Funny story from the day...I did have my first wardrobe malfunction picture! One thing I learned was that strapless dresses and jumping pictures don't always work! haha! Needless to say, you won't be seeing that picture! :)

Congrats Rob & Michelle! I am so excited that God placed you into each other's lives & I can't wait to see what all He has in store for the two of you. Thanks for letting me be part of your day! Here's your sneak peek:

I just love the pure joy in her face in this shot. There's something just so magical about climbing into your wedding dress on your wedding day. Pure bliss!

Isn't Michelle stunning? Such a gorgeous bride!

This is when they came out of the sanctuary after the ceremony...aren't they adorable?

This is by far the biggest group picture I've ever taken...Michelle & Rob invited everyone onto the stage after dismissing them row by row and they took a huge group photo of everyone that attended the wedding. I thought it was such a brilliant idea!

Michelle's uncle owns the Beach House and he had a surprise up his sleeve for everyone. He set off fireworks over the lake...amazing!!! It was the perfect touch for a perfect night!

Tim has some pictures up on his blog, too! You can view them here! Thanks again for letting us be a part of your magical day!

Chloe

2008-11-21T22:28:00.003-06:00

Chloe was my first newborn to photograph with my new studio equipment! What is it about little baby girls that just smell pink? I love the fresh baby scent and had so much fun with Chloe and her parents. Chloe arrived a little early, and preemies hold such a dear place in my heart! Chloe just turned three months old & is doing great! I am looking forward to capturing Chloe during her first year! Here's a little peek at her and all of her cuteness!

Emily

2008-11-21T20:23:00.005-06:00

I met up with Emily on Tuesday night to take her senior pictures. We met at Fairview park and then went and did some pics on Millikin's campus. Emily brought her adorable dogs along for her pictures...I love the long haired dachsund! The poor little puppy just shivered because it was soooooo cold outside! I was wearing gloves and my fingers were still cold! Emily was such a good sport and didn't act like the weather was bothering her. I am so glad I got to meet her and take her photos! Congrats on your senior year, Emily! Here's a little sneak peek!

(this is my favorite shot of the day!! The lighting was just gorgeous!)

Jay & Lori

2008-11-15T00:45:00.009-06:00

I had the honor of photographing Jay & Lori's wedding last Saturday. I had never met Jay & Lori before their wedding day, but by the end of the day I felt like I really got to know them well...and wish we lived closer! They are definitely a couple I'd like to get to know better. They come from such sweet families & I thoroughly enjoyed my day with them! Here's a little sneak peek from their day!

I met up with Lori at the country club and we did some photos of her getting ready...she is such a stunning bride!:

After the makeup was done and the dress was on, it was time to go and see Jay! They decided to see each other before the wedding...and I'm so glad they did! Jay & I walked down to the place where they had their first kiss, and Lori & Tim (my 2nd shooter) came down in a golf cart. I swear I could hear Jay's heart pounding as he waited for Lori to come down the hill. I can't put into words just how sweet this moment was...but let's just say I cried more at their wedding than I have at any other wedding! They are so full of love for each other that it just made my heart smile! Here's the moment when they saw each other for the first time:

They had such a fun wedding party...and I can't believe how high some of these jumped! Lori, how did you jump so high with that dress? I'm amazed!

and here's a couple from at the church:

There are so many more moments from the day that I wish I had time to share! The dance floor was rockin', the toasts had everyone reaching for kleenex, and there were sweet moments when you'd turn around and see Lori & Jay praying with their fathers. I am so grateful that I was able to be a part of this wedding! Thanks Jay & Lori for letting Tim & I share in your day!

There are a few more photos up on Tim's blog here if you'd like to peek! :)
Click here!

Now offering photobooks!

2008-11-14T10:36:00.003-06:00

Did you know I offer photobooks of your sessions? These are perfect for families, couples, weddings, etc! They give you lots of pictures from your session in a hardback photobook that you'll love having around for years to come!

Here's a sample of the Defined album:

Click here to view this photo book.

Happiness is:

Click here to view this photo book.

Dreams are made of:

Click here to view this photo book.

If you're interested in one of these book designs for your session, let me know!

Craziness

2008-11-12T15:39:00.002-06:00

It has been so crazy around here lately! We went out of town last week for Tyler's annual hunting trip in Sesser with Johnny Hollis. Jessica and I hung out and edited photos while the guys were in the woods. The kids and I left on Friday and headed up to Granite City and spent the night with Grandma & Grandpa Mize. They had fun getting spoiled by the great grandparents! On Saturday, the kids went to play with Uncle Corey, Aunt Stephani, Lily, Libby & Lucy & I photographed a wedding (pics are coming soon!) We came home on Sunday and have been trying to recoop from our crazy week!

For the past couple of weeks, Millie has had a stomach bug. She has had diarrhea off and on & it just won't go away! We took her to the doctor yesterday & we're trying to figure out what is wrong with her belly. He sent us for xrays on her belly to check for blockages, etc and had us bring in a stool sample (um...yuck!) By yesterday evening, I felt like I was ready to just hit a wall. I'm so tired! I just about started crying when she woke up this morning to more yucky pullups. After changing her, she stood up, gave me a hug and said "thanks mommy!" Then, I really wanted to cry...she is so sweet & I'm so very lucky to be her mommy...yucky belly stuff and all! I'd love it if you'd say a little prayer for Millie that her belly will start feeling better soon!

I did hear from the doctor's office that her xrays of her bowels showed mild inflammation, which is to be expected with all of her diarrhea here lately. We still don't know why she's having the diarrhea, though!

Well, a cute little curly headed girl just woke up from her nap and wants to cuddle! Have a great day!

Michael & Natalie

2008-11-12T15:29:00.005-06:00

I took Michael & Natalie's engagemennt photos before I left town last week. I think the fall colors were at their peek during their session! I couldn't get over just how beautiful everything looked. (and, I am looking out my living room window right now and can't believe just how much things have changed in a week! Winter is definitely around the corner!) I loved how playful these two were with each other & I can't wait to photograph their wedding in December! Here's a little peek from their afternoon together:

Hayden

2008-11-06T16:16:00.004-06:00

I don't think little boys get much cuter than Hayden. He completely stole my heart! I loved getting to follow him around and watch him play. He definitely didn't want to sit and pose for pictures, so I just stepped back and let him enjoy the pretty day & snapped lots of pictures...and I love how they are turning out!

Also...Hayden's mommy holds a sweet place in my heart. She was my delivery nurse while I was in the hospital with Mason & Miles. She was so sweet and caring...and when she left her shift that day I was doing pretty good. About 2 hours after her shift ended, Mason & Miles made their appearance! We definitely weren't expecting them so soon...we knew it wouldn't be long, but we didn't think it would be that night! I get to keep up with Joni & her family through her grandparents that attend my church & I'm so excited that Hayden is going to be a big brother soon! :)

Here's a little sneak peek from our session...isn't he adorable?!?

Christmas Cards!

2008-11-02T23:56:00.008-06:00

I'm now offering Christmas Cards using images of your choice from your session! You can choose from the designs below & pick the pictures from your session that you'd like to use. I'm so excited about how these turned out!

5x7 card styles:

4x8 cards:

5x5 cards:

Card Information:
Cards come in either lustre or glossy finish and include white envelopes. A minimum of 25 cards is needed to place your card order.

5x7 cards: $1.50 each

4x8 cards: $1.50 each

5x5 cards: $2.00 each

Just give me a call or e-mail me if you're interested in ordering Christmas cards!

Jared & Teran

2008-11-01T23:13:00.006-06:00

I was so excited when Jared & Teran asked me to take their photos. A little background about this couple:

The first night Tyler & I moved to Decatur, Jared & Teran came over and hung out with us while we started unpacking our boxes. I remember feeling a sigh of relief that we would have friends here. Jared went to the same college with Tyler & I for a year, so I knew him before I moved here. I ended up working at Menards with Jared & Teran (fun times!) and watched the two of them fall deeper and deeper in love with each other. They have been married for 3 years now (Mason was so little at their wedding) and they have become such an important couple for our church. Jared has made Cub fans of my kids & my children just adore Jared & Teran. I am so grateful God has placed them into our lives! Thank you Jared & Teran for all you do & for being such sweet friends to us!

Here's a little sneak peek at their session!

(Isn't Wrigley cute? He's adorable...but I definitely think he's a dog with ADHD! I was cracking up at him!)

Teran wanted to do a picture in the pine forest...I just love how these pictures turn out!

Conversations with a three year old...

2008-10-31T09:48:00.003-06:00

Mason and I had the funniest conversation yesterday!

Mason: Mommy...I have a new house.
Me: You do? What color is it?
Mason: yellow.
Me: Where is your new house?
Mason: By the wake. (Lake)
Me: How many rooms are in your house?
Mason: Um...Free (three)
Me: What kind of rooms do you have?
Mason: John Deere rooms. And, I cook in the kitchen.
Me: Oh...do you have fields at your house?
Mason: yep...I have fields.
Me: How many acres do you have?
Mason: Free (three)
Me: Oh! Three acres...wow! How are your crops this year?
Mason: Well, my fields are too wet. So, I can't work in the fields right now.
Me: oh. Well, who lives at your house?
Mason: Me, Millie...and you.
Me: Where does Daddy live?
Mason: at church camp.

I just started cracking up! He's so funny!

Then...a couple hours later he walks up and said:

Mason: "Mommy, do you think Miles likes tractors?"
Me: "I'm sure he does buddy. I bet he'd love John Deere, too."
Mason: Yeah, I bet he likes tractors and combines.
Me: Yep, I bet he does!
Mason: Maybe he can come here and play with me.
Me: Well...he can't buddy. He has to play his tractors in Heaven. One day we'll get to play tractors with him in Heaven, but it won't be for a long time.
Mason: I miss my brudder.
Me: Me too buddy.

Then, he happily runs off to his room to play tractors. He's such a sweet kid. (who is currently hugging my neck right now while his sister is dancing around the living room to some song on Disney. I'm such a lucky mom!)

Another sneak peek!

2008-10-31T09:41:00.003-06:00

I met up with this family on Sunday afternoon...and it was crazy windy outside! There was a wind advisory & we were trying to find areas that wouldn't be quite so crazy windy. Luckily, I think we found a few places that worked out pretty well! This was such a sweet family...and I love how each family wore a different fall color. It photographed beautifully!

Here's a few pictures from their session:

I'll have the rest done soon!

Happy Halloween everyone! Mason (aka Buzz Lightyear) and Millie (aka JoJo the Clown) are really excited about going trick or treating! We're getting ready to head up to grandma's work...I hear "The Great Pumpkin" left them a treat there! The kids are so excited! I think a trip to the dentist may be needed after this halloween! :)

Megan & Whitney

2008-10-29T15:41:00.006-06:00

Megan & Whitney met up with me downtown on Saturday night to get their senior pics done. It was starting to get pretty chilly & there was lots of wind, but they weren't phased one bit! I loved getting to hang out with both of them & I think we got some fun shots! Thanks so much for letting me do your senior pics!

First up is Megan:

Then, Whitney:

and some fun pics of them together:

Shane & Abby's Wedding

2008-10-26T20:58:00.008-06:00

A week ago, I had the honor of photographing Shane & Abby's wedding. I knew that this was going to be a wonderful day after doing their engagement pictures. They were so completely in awe and wonder of each other on that day, that I knew their wedding day would be magical. Shane had the biggest grin on his face the entire day & he kept looking at Abby like his life was now absolutely perfect. I just loved sitting back and taking it all in...I love this couple! My friend, Jessica Hollis, tagged along with me this day to second shoot this wedding with me. I have learned a lot about photography from Jessica this year and felt so lucky to have her with me! My favorite part of the day was riding around the golf course in the golf carts...thanks for driving me around, Jessica! :)

Here's a little sneak peek from Shane & Abby's day:

Jessica also put some photos up on her blog that you can view by clicking here!

Thanks again for letting me spend your day with you!

The Stonecipher Family

2008-10-25T22:35:00.004-05:00

I met up with this family this morning at Rock Springs Park. It was so cold! They were troopers and braved the chilly air and kept on smiling! We all breathed a huge sigh of relief when the sun popped out halfway through! Each family brought their dogs and it was pretty comical to try to get good pictures with all of the dogs! Thanks so much for letting me do your photos...here's a quick peek at some of the photos from this morning! :) Also...come back tomorrow for a peek at Abby & Shane's wedding pictures from last Saturday!

The Slusarski Family

2008-10-25T21:40:00.003-05:00

I met this family on Tuesday night at the Forsyth Park. I loved how warm and caring this family is...you can just feel their love for each other and I am so grateful I got to spend a little while with them! And, Luke wants everyone to know that "Chicks dig him!" I must agree...he's adorable! Thanks again for the fun session...here's your sneak peek!

The Alger Family

2008-10-21T23:56:00.002-05:00

Before we left for revival, I met up with the Alger family on Saturday morning. Erika and her family were in town and wanted to do some pictures with the Algers and we went to Whitmore Park. There were a gazillion biting gnats and mosquitoes and it was really warm for an October morning. Even though the conditions were tough, everyone just smiled and happily slapped bugs between photos! LOL! Mason and Millie tagged along on this photo shoot and had a lot of fun with Dean and Mike on the playground. Poor Dean had to push Millie on the swing for quite awhile...the girl loves to swing! Here's a sneak peek from the session...I'll have the rest of them to you in the next day or two!

A couple of new seniors...

2008-10-21T23:28:00.005-05:00

I met up with Arika, Cody, and their moms on Monday night for their senior photos. We started out at Rock Springs Park and then headed downtown. Arika and Cody are such a cute couple and I really enjoyed getting to hang out with both of them and watching them interact. The weather was cloudy, but it ended up working out really well for the photos. Plus, Cody became quite good at aiming a reflector by the end of the night! Here's a sneak peek from the session:

Katie

2008-10-21T10:30:00.002-05:00

I took Katie's senior pictures a little over a week ago and wanted to share some on here! She is so very pretty & had such a sweet personality. I met up with her, her little sister, and her mom & grandma downtown and we walked all around and enjoyed the perfect weather! Right before I met them for their session, I passed a garage sale and found a fun, vintage chair that I bought to take along for her photos! Do you think Tyler will kill me when I fill up the garage with funky furniture? LOL! Here's a few pictures from Katie's session:

Alyssa

2008-10-10T23:10:00.005-05:00

I met up with Alyssa last night to do her senior pics. I actually met Alyssa a couple of months ago when I did her friend Morgan's pics, so it was so fun her again! Morgan came along too...they are so easy to hang out with & truly make me love my job! We walked all around downtown and went down some alleys I haven't been down yet. Before long, I'm going to know all of the alleys in Decatur! haha! The urban look is perfect for seniors...and I'm hoping to do a little kid in the urban setting soon. I may have to dress Mason and Millie up funky and take them downtown! After we left downtown, we headed out to a field of sunflowers...it was GORGEOUS!!!!! I loved, loved, loved it...except for all of the crazy bugs! They were everywhere! It was so worth it for the pics though!

Here's a little sneak peek from Alyssa's session! :)

Aren't her shoes rockin'?

Hailey

2008-10-07T08:57:00.004-05:00

I met up with Hailey at the Japanese Gardens by Scovill last night for her senior pictures. We walked around the park (which was so pretty right now!) and took some beautiful portraits of her. Then, we headed downtown for some urban style photos. It was such a fun shoot! Thanks, Hailey, for choosing me to do your senior photos! I have no idea how I'm going to narrow the photos down to edit, but here's a little sneak peek from last night's session:

Andrew

2008-10-03T16:43:00.002-05:00

I took Andrew's Senior pictures last night at Rock Springs Park. I've done several sessions at Rock Springs, but this was my first senior out there! It is quickly becoming one of my very favorite parks! Andrew was a lot of fun to hang out with...and you could just tell he's one very talented young man that I see God using in big ways! Thanks, Andrew, for letting me do your photos! Here's your sneak peek:

Kevin and Lauren

2008-10-01T15:20:00.006-05:00

I met up with Kevin, Lauren, their dogs, and her sister last night at Rock Springs Park. The weather could not have been more perfect! The dogs didn't exactly want to cooperate with getting their pictures taken...it was like doing family photos with Mason & Millie! But, I think we still got some sweet photos of them. After we were done with the dogs, we did some photos of just Kevin and Lauren. They have been married for a few years and were ready for some new photos...I think more couples should do sessions like these! While we were doing pictures in the grasses, I tried to get a few of the grasses out of my way...and when I did, one of them snapped back into my eye. My eye watered for about 15 minutes and I had no idea if I was actually getting their pictures in focus...nothing was in focus in my world at that moment! haha! When I got home, I uploaded the pictures and I'm thinking maybe I should do pictures with my eyes closed more often! They looked beautiful! I can't wait to sit down and edit the rest of these! Here's a sneak peek at last night's session:

The sun was hiding behing the clouds for awhile and when it finally popped out, we hurried over to the Pine Forest to get this shot. It truly looks magical in the Pine Forest when the sun is setting. I love this picture!

Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Parker!

2008-09-30T15:01:00.007-05:00

I was able to photograph Ryan and Megan's wedding on Saturday. The weather was beautiful, the bride was stunning, the groom was handsome, and the wedding party was so much fun...what more could I ask for? I've known Megan for a long time...I started going to school with her sister, Brianne, when I was in 4th grade & I remember Megan coming to visit. I think there's 6 years difference between Brianne and Megan. I remember spending the night at Brianne's and us wanting to get rid of the annyoing little sister! Who knew she would grow up to be so sweet and oh so beautiful? I'm so glad she found someone as kind as Ryan...you can tell he truly adores her. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your wedding day...I'm truly honored!

Here's a little sneak peek from the day!

My cousin, Tim, was my second shooter for this wedding, and let me tell you...he's a ROCKSTAR! I am beyond thrilled with the work he did for the wedding! While I was doing some photos of the girls getting ready, he took the guys outside & created some awesome pictures! I am so glad Tim was with me for this wedding and I look forward to working with him with more weddings in the future! Here's Tim and a few of the photos he took!

Look close and you can see the groomsmen in Ryan's glasses! So fun!

Thanks again, Ryan & Megan!

Pfeiffer Family Sneak Peek

2008-09-29T15:43:00.004-05:00

It has been the craziest weekend! I took these photos on Wednesday night at their home and haven't had a chance to touch any of them until today! Friday night we had my father in law's 60th birthday party, then I traveled to the St. Louis area for a wedding I photographed on Saturday, and on Sunday we celebrated my grandmother's 75th birthday. I'm wore out! LOL!

Here's a couple of pictures from Wednesday...I'll have the rest done soon!

Before I go and edit some more photos, I wanted to share a cute little Mason story (so I don't forget about it later!)

Last night, I was tucking Mason in and we were reading books and talking about our family before we said our nighttime prayers. We got to talking about Miles and how he lives in Heaven. He asked "Why does he live in Heaven? Can we go there?" I smiled and said "We'll go there someday, probably when we're a lot older. Miles went there because he died." He looked at me with wide eyes and said "Who beat him up?!?" Can you tell the kid has started watching superman/spiderman? haha! I giggled and said "No one beat him up. He got really, really sick and God didn't want him to have to be sick or hurt any more, so he took him up to Heaven after he died." Oh the mind of a 3 year old! :)

Have a great Monday!

Ryan and Megan

2008-09-22T10:44:00.003-05:00

I met up with Ryan and Megan on Saturday night to do their engagement pictures. We met at Gordon Moore park in Alton...and it was insanely busy! There was a wedding party already there, a wedding rehearsal happening in the park, and tons of soccer players everywhere. So, we decided to go to Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey...and I am so glad we did! It is such a beautiful college...so much prettier than when I was there my freshman year! I honestly couldn't believe just how much it had changed! Ryan and Megan are such a cute couple...and they just adore each other. I can't wait to shoot their wedding this coming Saturday! Here's some of the pictures from Saturday...and come back next Monday to see some sneak peeks from their wedding day!

Jacqueline...

2008-09-18T15:30:00.005-05:00

We started Jacqueline's senior pictures on Friday night...but couldn't finish them in one night because it was so nasty outside! So, we decided to go ahead and do the shots at the Pla-Mor Bowling Alley and we finished the rest last night. Jacqueline decided to do her pictures at Millikin University...and it was such a fun choice for a place to go! I hadn't done pictures there yet...and I haven't been on the campus since I graduated, so it was such a fun night! Millikin is such a great place for pictures (as long as the students stay out of the way! LOL!)

Here's a little sneak peek from last night (and Friday night, too!):

and this last picture just cracks me up...the dog is seriously smiling! LOL!!!

Brittani...

2008-09-16T23:32:00.004-05:00

I met up with Brittani to do her senior pictures tonight. We started out at the Japanese Gardens and then walked all around (and I mean all around...I drug her everywhere!) downtown. We went down alleys, Merchant street, and then we headed to the fountains...to find out that the fountains weren't working! ACK!!! So, we decided to head in a direction I've never taken seniors before and we found some great new areas! Here's a little sneak peek from Brittani's session (and her eyes are rockin! Seriously...she has some of the coolest eyes I've ever seen. They just sparkle!)

I started editing Brittani's photos and there are so many good ones from tonight. I have NO idea how I'm going to narrow them down!

After hanging out with her dog, Cheyenne, I told Tyler I wanted a long haired chihuahua...isn't she adorable?!?

I just thought the bubble gum pics were so fun...I had to do a little storyboard of them! :)

Keith and the Lincoln Theater...

2008-09-09T23:31:00.004-05:00

Keith wanted to have some pictures in front of the Lincoln Theater which I thought would be so much fun. After we snapped a few, the manager of the theater came out and asked what type of pictures we were taking. I told her they were his senior pictures and she invited us inside to do some pictures on the Lincoln Theater stage (which he performed on when he was in the cast of High School Musical this summer!) We jumped at the chance to get some pictures inside...that place is amazing! Fun, fun, fun! After we left the theater, we walked around downtown and found some cool spots. Thanks Keith for letting me do your pictures! Enjoy your sneak peek! :)

Yearbook fun...

2008-09-09T12:55:00.011-05:00

I've had so much fun taking pictures of seniors here lately. They all look so cute and stylish...and I shudder to think about my hair/clothes that I wore when I had mine done! I was reading Andrea Burns' blog today & she had a link to www.yearbookyourself.com with some pictures of her. I started cracking up and had to go and give it a try myself! So...here's what Tyler & I would've looked like in various yearbooks!

Tyler--
1952--

1954--

1964--

1970--

1976--

1994--

and me!
1952--

1962--

1966--

1980--

1994--

Funny stuff, huh? hahahahhaa!!!! You really need to go to www.yearbookyourself.com and try it with your pics!

***************************************************************

I was tagged by Michelle Filo yesterday! :) Michelle is one of the most talented, creative people I know! Her projects always leave my jaw on the floor. Amazing, amazing stuff!

Here are the rules:
1. If you’ve been tagged, you can put the logo on your blog.
2. Link the person from whom you received the award.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Put links to those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs you’ve nominated.

I never know who has been picked and who hasn't...but hopefully these 7 haven't been picked yet:
1) Jessica Hollis
2) Emily Bold
3) Olivia Phelan
4) Andrea Burns
5) Janet Phillips
6) Katie (our own private idaho)
7) Melissa Lewis

Whew! Go forth and nominate blogs you love! :) I'm off to edit photos!

Back to school...

2008-09-02T23:18:00.004-05:00

I had a fun "Back to School" photoshoot with Reuben tonight. Liz (Reuben's Mom) had such a fun idea to do his photos by a bus & then we went to the park to do some more. We had such a great time! I am so in love with this little guy's eyes!

Liz, thanks for letting me do your pictures again! I can't believe it was almost a year ago that we did your last set of pictures...time flies! It still seems so unreal that he's in Kindergarten! Ahhh!!!!

I'll have the rest of your pictures to you soon! :)

A couple of seniors...

2008-08-30T20:22:00.004-05:00

I had so much fun hanging out with Mike and Alma on Friday night. I've known Mike for a little over seven years...and can't believe he's a senior! CRAZY!! I was lucky enough to get to do his and his girlfriend's senior pictures. We had so much fun! I definitely think that doing a double session with seniors is tons of fun! We all had such a good time...and Mike kept cracking jokes left and right! We started out by Nelson Park and ended up our session by going down a fun alley we found downtown. I'm going to have to remember this new spot...it was super cool!

Mike & Alma...thanks again for choosing me to be your photographer for your senior pictures! Here's a little sneak preview for you...the rest will be ready soon!

Aren't Alma's eyes gorgeous?!? Wow!!

Abby & Shane

2008-08-25T23:13:00.004-05:00

Tonight I met Abby & Shane at Rock Springs park to do their engagement pictures. I absolutely loved walking around with them and just watching them interact. They are so very sweet & so much in love. I can't wait to photograph their wedding in October!

Abby & Shane, here are some of the pictures from tonight. I'll get you the rest soon! Thanks again for letting me spend the evening with the two of you!

Lincoln Balloon Festival

2008-08-23T23:29:00.004-05:00

Tonight we went to the Lincoln Balloon Festival. We kept hearing it might rain, but the doppler was showing everything to the north & it was sunny outside so we headed out. Once we arrived at the airport in Lincoln, it started to rain. My camera and I hid out in a booth until it stopped raining. I didn't want my camera to get wet! (I think my camera needs a name...any suggestions? LOL!) Because of the rain and storms in the area, they weren't able to release the hot air balloons like they normally do. Instead, they started the program an hour later and had the balloons fly from one end of the field to the other, then they did a glow show at dusk. It was so pretty getting to watch them light up & the kids loved watching them up in the sky. They were so fascinated by the fire part! :) We definitely want to go back next year and watch the balloons fly higher in the sky!

Brooke and Rachel

2008-08-19T23:20:00.004-05:00

I had the pleasure of taking Brooke and Rachel's pictures tonight. A little background before I show you the pictures...this is my second session with this family. I shot their group family photos almost a year ago...and it was what made me decide I wanted to pursue this as a business. Thank you for taking a chance on me and letting me do your photos last year & for hiring me again...I am so grateful!

Brooke and Rachel's mom dressed them in these beautiful dresses tonight and had them go barefoot for most of their pictures...they looked gorgeous! Kari, I'll get the rest of the proofs to you soon! Here's a little sneak peek from our session tonight! :)

I think one of these walking pictures would look beautiful printed on a canvas!

Thanks for letting me take your pictures again! :)

A sweet family session...

2008-08-18T15:01:00.005-05:00

I loved hanging out with Carrie, Madison & PJ on Friday night. The kids were so fun and so well behaved (and were really trying to be good so they could get snow cones afterwards! It worked!)

Carrie, here are a few images from your session. I'll have the rest to you soon! Thanks so much for letting me spend the evening with you guys...you hold such a dear place in my heart! xoxo

James and Jenna

2008-08-17T00:10:00.006-05:00

James and Jenna came in town for me to do their engagement pictures today! We had so much fun hanging out with them (My kids just adore Uncle James and *almost* Aunt Jenna!) and we scarfed down some Monicals before we went for pictures (and Krekel's ice cream after pictures!) So...I may have gained 5 pounds today, but it was so worth it!

One of my favorite things about photo shoots is just going on an adventure...taking new paths and finding new places I've never seen before. I am super excited with how their pictures are looking so far (I hope you guys like them too! I'll have the rest of your proofs ready soon!)

This photo just makes me laugh! Jenna is so much shorter than "James the Giant" that we ended up finding a log to help make her taller. Aren't they cute? :)

I had so much fun taking pictures with you two...hopefully we can get together again soon!!!

xoxo

Meet Morgan...

2008-08-14T23:46:00.006-05:00

I had the pleasure of taking Morgan's senior pictures tonight. She is oh so beautiful & was so much fun! Morgan...here's a little sneak peek for you! I'll get the rest to you soon!

Thanks so much for letting me spend the evening with you tonight...and for letting me drag you all around Decatur! :)

Some new layouts...

2008-08-02T09:11:00.004-05:00

Sure, I should be finishing up laundry & packing for church camp...but I just keep putting it off! I think I'm in denial that we're leaving tomorrow!

Oh yeah! Want to see something fun? Go to www.digishoptalk.com and in their download section is the August newsletter. I'm featured in there because I made the digishoptalk's creative team. Basically, we are each going to make a layout with the featured kit of the month & it will be in that newsletter monthly to give people different ideas on how to use the same kit. I'm looking forward to seeing which kit we are going to use first! :)

Here's some layouts to share with you guys before I go! :)
This layout is featured today at www.gallerystandouts.com I'm so excited!

Ok...I can't neglect the laundry any longer! Church camp here we come!

Sick of Toy Story yet?

2008-07-31T21:08:00.002-05:00

Mason wanted to watch some Buzz Lightyear, so we went on You Tube and found some funny stuff. These videos are compliments of Mason...enjoy! LOL! (the first two are really funny!)

and Mason thought you guys needed to hear this song (which he sings all of the time!):

(and this one is here just so we can find it again!)

Meet the alien...

2008-07-31T20:16:00.004-05:00

You met Buzz...now meet the crazy alien! Millie walked in wearing three headbands and she found a pacifier that she used when she was a baby. This kid is NUTS!

Meet Buzz Lightyear...

2008-07-31T19:34:00.000-05:00

Well, I can't pass up a good bargain!!

2008-07-31T17:47:00.006-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, Disneyshopping.com had a 40% off coupon off of their already discounted items. So, I went ahead and got the kids some pj's, tshirts, lounge chairs, toys, costumes, and some Christmas stuff...for a little over $70. It was crazy how much stuff I was able to get!

Our favorite purchase from that day was...

Mason has already worn it quite a bit...and cries when it's time to take it off for bed! I'll be surprised if it lasts until Halloween! It's funny to hear him say "to inbembidy and beyond!" (To infinity and beyond!) There are some other Buzz lightyear toys I'm eyeing, but I'm waiting for them to go on sale cheaper. We did find a Buzz lightyear figure at a garage sale the other day for a $1.00. It still looked pretty new & it worked. Mason likes to sleep with him (even though he's plastic) and he'll roll over on him at night and you can hear Buzz talking through the house.

This morning I checked my e-mail and there was an e-mail from Disneyshopping.com about costumes being on sale. Well...I had to check again....I mean, I really can't pass up a good bargain, right? I had a $25 gift card to the disney store...so this all ended up costing $5 plus ship/tax.

So...today I ordered Millie (and the plan is to save these for Christmas to give to her as dress up clothes)...

Tinkerbell (it was only $10)

And this Belle outfit is reversible. It was $60...on sale for $10. These are way cheaper that the dress up clothes at Wal-Mart!

I can't wait to see Millie dressed up as Belle! (Ok...truth be told, I bet I can't wait until Christmas. I'm already envisioning a photo shoot with her in it!)

Oh, and Mason saw this online and went nuts over it. So, Santa has already been told and it's on its way! :) It feels so good to already have some Christmas shopping done...and it's just the end of July!

Pretty cute stuff, huh?

And...if the kids are getting something, Mommy needs something too...

On Sunday I ordered myself...

I know you're thinking...didn't she just order a new camera not that long ago? Well, I did...and I bought it knowing I was going to save up for this one. I kept saving my money & was finally able to get this one! The battery is charged up and I'm ready to go and play! My old (well...old as in 4 months old) camera will be my back up for weddings/photography sessions.

Ok...enough about my shopping spree! This week has been pretty crummy for me. I came back from the nationals with a sore throat that just wouldn't go away. I didn't feel like running since I couldn't even swallow...so I haven't ran all week. (and I'm feeling so guilty about it!) It got so bad I just started crying in the kitchen yesterday when trying to drink my juice. I called the doctor and went to get checked yesterday...and I have strep throat! I swear I haven't had strep since I was like 10! So, I got some antibiotics and am starting to feel a little better today.

Well, my new camera is calling my name! The kids are out on the boat with Tyler, his parents, and some people from church...so I have some quiet time to play! (I figured they all didn't want strep throat so I stayed home!)

Put your hands together...

2008-07-28T10:10:00.002-05:00

I saw this video on the catscrap CT forum the other day and it cracked me up...I think Tyler & I need to learn these moves! We'd be the hit of wedding receptions! Haha!

Have a great Monday!

A Senior Sneak Peek...

2008-07-17T18:40:00.003-05:00

I had so much fun hanging out with Kollin and his parents on Monday. They are such a fun family! We did some pics at the ball diamond where he plays baseball, the park, and then we went downtown to take pics at a fun building! Here's a couple from the night:

Once I get home from our trip next week, I'll get the rest of them edited and get you your proofs. Thanks for allowing me to take your senior photos! Go Trojans!

It's been 6 weeks...

2008-07-11T15:35:00.004-05:00

and I've kept up with the running schedule! WOOHOO! Today was a big milestone for me...I ran for 20 minutes with no walking breaks. 20 minutes really felt like such a long time, and I don't think I've ever sweated so much in my entire life! It didn't help that it was so hot and humid this morning, either. But...I did it! After I was done, I was doing a little cool down walk and the garbage truck drove by. I already wasn't feeling well after my run & then the smell of the garbage truck sure wasn't helping matters. I saw my neighbor was outside...so I did everything within my powers not to throw up right there in his yard. I went home, grabbed some water & then cooled and calmed down. I am pretty stinkin' proud of myself, though!

I don't have a ton of time right now, but I wanted to share a few scrapbook layouts with you! :)

I LOVE this picture of Abbie. I'm impressed with her jumping skills...I can get like 6 inches off of the floor! LOL!

Here's my niece Libby...isn't she beautiful?

This is a layout I've been putting off doing...it feels so good to get it done!

We constantly have dirty feet after playing outside around here!

This is one of those pictures that will make my kids gag when they get older:

Millie, Maddie Kate, and Ava being silly:

My crazy kiddos:

My John Deere obsessed little one:

Mason & his buddy, Reuben.

A Family Reunion

2008-07-08T13:10:00.002-05:00

I was able to photograph the sweetest family this past weekend! They wanted a large family photo done and also some individual family pictures. They were all such good sports about having their pictures taken...and I learned that Aiden can be bribed with the promise of ice cream! (I need to use that trick with my Mason!)

Here's a couple of pictures from their session:

I'll have the rest of them ready for you, soon! Thanks for allowing me to spend the evening with your family!

Olivia Grace

2008-07-05T23:25:00.004-05:00

On Thursday night, I had the honor of photographing little Miss Olivia Grace. Olivia's mommy, Jessica, and I have been friends since the sixth grade. (Which really doesn't seem all that long ago!) Jessica has been friends with me through all of my highs and lows & I truly treasure her friendship...and I like to think I had a hand in getting Darren and Jessica together. :) You'll have to ask her for details on that story...but, let's just say I have some sweet dance moves! haha!

Darren and Jessica, thank you for allowing me to photograph Olivia! She is so beautiful and I loved watching you guys love on her...she is truly lucky to have such wonderful parents! (and, how fun that she got Jessica's dimples!)

Here's a few pictures from our night (and one of Gordy! I swear, that dog loved to pose!) I'll get the rest of them to you soon!

Introducing Olivia Grace:

Doesn't this one of Olivia in her daddy's hands just melt your heart?

Olivia's sweet feet:

and Gordy...

I went home and told Tyler how much I loved this dog...I think I *need* an Italian Greyhound! I couldn't get over how sweet he was! (of course, I left wanting a baby too...but I don't see that happening any time in the near future!)

Thanks again, Miss Olivia, for being so willing to be my little newborn model! I love you bunches! xoxo

Introducing...Gallery Wrap Canvases!

2008-07-02T22:39:00.004-05:00

I am now offering gallery wrap canvases. I am in love with how these can turn your picture into a beautiful piece of artwork for your home! Mine arrived in the mail a few days ago and I am so pleased with how it turned out...I want canvases in every room now! (hmm...I think I need to go and visit a farm and do some cool tractor ones for Mason's room!) These would make wonderful gifts for grandparents for Christmas!

When you order a gallery wrap canvas, your image is placed onto a canvas and then wrapped around a 1.5 inch thick frame. The image wraps onto the sides for clean modern look, finished and ready-to-hang. Most images would be wrapped along the sides as well...mine actually has a black border instead of the picture because my picture was so tightly cropped.

**When you place your order for a wrap, you can get additional wraps of the same image in the same size for 1/2 off to give as gifts!

8x10--$125
11x14--$150
16x20--$180
20x24--$225
24x36--$280

Custom sizes are available!

5 generations

2008-07-02T00:11:00.005-05:00

I had the honor of photographing a 5 generation photo tonight. I have a 5 generation photo of my grandmother when she was young and I treasure it...I love it that Billy will have one of him with his family, too! I'm pretty sure Granny Vest is 96 years old and will be having a birthday before too long. It seems we went to her 90th birthday party not long after we moved to Decatur and that was almost 7 years ago...I could be wrong, but I believe she's 96. Doesn't she look wonderful? She is such a sweet, sweet lady!

Thank you all so much for allowing me to spend time with you tonight and capture your sweet family. Billy is ADORABLE!!!

Here's a little sneak peek from our session tonight:

I love the varying ages of hands in this photo...so beautiful!

Don't his eyes just sparkle?

This is one proud grandma!! (with every right to be...he's so cute!)

Billy with Mom & Dad

getting some kisses...not sure he's loving it! :)

and this photo *almost* makes me want another baby. Can't you just feel how much this mommy loves her little guy? It melts my heart!

Thanks again for letting me hang out with you all tonight! I can't wait to sit and edit the rest of these...Billy was a great little model!

A few pages to share!

2008-06-25T22:50:00.005-05:00

I finally scrapbooked a little bit yesterday and today! We went out of town last week & I've been busy editing photos since I've been home...that I decided I needed to take a little break this afternoon & play!

Wanna see??

All 3 of those pages use designs by Paislee Press at www.oscraps.com (actually...the top 2 layouts use a collab by her and Emily Powers available at www.wearestorytellers.com) I am still pinching myself that I get to be a guest for her. I am really finding myself drawn to the clean, simple scrapbooking layouts here lately...they really let the photos shine! Paislee Press' designs really have changed how I'm thinking about doing my layouts...I'm always so inspired and want to create right away when she sends me links for new goodies! Thanks Liz!!

A little update on me and my running...I am on week 4 of my couch to 5K training! I haven't given up yet...aren't you proud of me? I honestly can't believe it myself! Jessica's doing it too, so it's fun to give her a call after I run and see how her run went that morning. I'm already seeing a change in my arms and legs from working out & I am really proud that I'm actually doing something good for myself!

I have some pics from last week that I'm hoping to get posted here in the next day or two (you've all heard that one before, right? I know, I know...I'm trying!!)

I'm off to pick up a few things around here and then head to bed! Night!!

Ella Ella Bo Bella...

2008-06-25T00:04:00.003-05:00

It's so hard to believe you're getting ready to turn 3!! Thanks for letting me go on an adventure with you the other day! Here's a few pics from our day...I'll get the rest to you tonight!

Happy Early Birthday! xoxo

A little sneak peek!

2008-06-24T22:56:00.006-05:00

I was lucky enough to photograph the kids I babysit for & their parents the other night! I'm not babysitting this summer, so it was a fun treat to get to spend the evening with them! Rock Springs park really is a beautiful place to go and do pictures!

Kristen & Mat...I hope you like what you see so far! These are just a few that I got edited...there's much more to come! :) Thanks for letting me spend the evening with you guys!

Is this the face of a four year old, or what? LOL!

Is there anything sweeter than little kids' toes?

These just make me happy! You two look so great together!

This is one of my favorite pics so far...I love how the boys are holding hands on top! So sweet!

What a sweet family!

I hope you like what you see so far! :)

It only took 8 years...

2008-06-24T22:41:00.003-05:00

for me to FINALLY do something with my wedding photos! haha! I was going through these pictures and really wish we would've gotten married after digital photography really got going...my pictures are kinda boring! LOL! I obviously didn't include all of my photos...just a few of the main photos from the day. I took my pictures (which I bought the copyright to them when we paid for our package) to walmart today and scanned them in. The scanner was messed up and they turned out horribly! But, I had a free 8x8 photobook from shutterfly that was going to expire today so I had to go with it! I tried to edit them up...and I'm just crossing my fingers that they will look ok printed!

I used an album by Paislee Press & Taylormade Designs (at www.oscraps.com) & it made this sooo easy!

So, if you want to peek, click here & it'll take you to my book! :) I started laughing when looking at the pictures today, because we look so young! It's hard to believe it's already been almost 8 years!

29?!?

2008-06-03T22:45:00.004-05:00

How in the crazies am I getting ready to turn 29 here in a couple of hours? Seriously? 29? I still feel so much like a teenager at times...didn't I just graduate high school? Oh wait...that was 11 years ago! haha!

So...let's see...29 random facts about me.

1. I'm addicted to Diet Coke. I think I just need an IV of DC hooked up to me at all times.

2. My favorite TV show is Lost.

3. My nickname in Junior High was Smiley. Mr. Clarkson dubbed me that name when I was the office helper...he was one great teacher!

4. My first job was working at Tropical Sno. Yep, I was the snowcone girl.

5. Every wall in my home is painted a color (well, except for the hallway). I am not a fan of boring, white walls.

6. I'm insanely addicted to digital scrapbooking (which I'm sure you all already knew!)

7. I kind of panic when there's a really bad thunderstorm or tornado warning. I didn't used to be this bad...I think being a mommy has made me a wimp!

8. Half of my wardrobe is black. I love black shirts, dresses, etc...It's slimming!

9. I hate ironing...and rarely do it!

10. The only jewelry I really wear is my necklaces by Lisa Leonard. (and I think everyone should own one...www.lisaleonard.blogspot.com)

11. I became a pastor's wife at the age of 22...so we've been at this church for right at 7 years! We really were such kids!

12. I'm allergic to pine trees...blue spruce trees are my enemy. They make me break out like crazy (but it always got me out of mowing the lawn growing up!)

13. The past 6 months I've really developed a love for my morning coffee...with tons of cream and Splenda.

14. I am constantly photographing the little things around me. My kids grow up and change so much I don't want to miss a moment.

15. I own a video camera and rarely use it...and I constantly am getting mad at myself for not using it more. I'm missing so many little moments!

16. I'm trying the couch to 5K program...and am not hating it so far! (just don't run after you eat Culvers...not a good combo)

17. I am trying to learn how to fix little girl hair. They really should come with training manuals.

18. I love reading blogs...and wish I were better about keeping up with mine!

19. I despise the winter...I really think I'd be happy living somewhere like Florida. Give me sun!

20. I have a real love for garage sales...I'm a bargain hunter just like my mom was!

21. I'm really diggin' folk/indie type music right now. I know, don't laugh.

22. I am currently on a health food kick...I still eat my share of junk, but it's all much more balanced now!

23. My favorite color is pink.

24. Spiders and other little bugs just creep me out.

25. I've only been camping a couple of times...(mostly due to fact #24.)

26. I hate to sweat (which makes the couch to 5K program kind of difficult!)

27. I have 82 gigabytes of scrapbooking supplies on my external harddrive (can you say hoarder?)

28. A lot of my friends live on my computer. (I just love my digi scrapping friends!)

29. I am the luckiest wife and mommy in the world. Seriously...have you seen just how cute my family is? God is good!

I don't think we are going to do anything too special tomorrow. Tyler has to work & I'm getting ready to have a garage sale with my friend Kristina Thursday/Friday. Plus, we have church tomorrow night. I think we are going to go out on Friday night. I told Tyler I want ice cream cake, though!

I do have some scrapbooking news to share! I'm a guest for Catscrap (www.catscrap.com) & Paislee Press Designs (www.oscraps.com)! I keep pinching myself to make sure it's true! It was definitely a great birthday present!

I won't leave without sharing some new layouts...I've been a scrapping machine lately! (Just don't look at my pile of laundry or dishes, ok?)

Night everyone!!!

He scrapped! :)

2008-05-25T20:20:00.003-05:00

Tyler must have been crazy bored on Friday because he came up to me that afternoon and said "ok, how do you scrap a page?" I looked at him and said "are you serious?" He said he was and I walked him through the basics. He picked out a template, the photo, and the papers and elements he wanted to use on them. He even changed the colors of the doodles...I was seriously impressed! :) My first page was terrible...his looks good!

So...without further ado, I present to you Tyler's first scrapbook page:

Aren't you impressed? I just hope he doesn't think he's going to get to take away my computer time so he can scrap! haha!

croup.

2008-05-25T09:46:00.005-05:00

cough, sneeze, wheeze, run a temp, sneeze, cough, wipe noses, watch lots of movies, cough, sneeze, whine, cough, sneeze...lots of snuggles. That has pretty much been our day since Thursday morning. Both of my kids have croup. They sound like barking seals and have had some trouble breathing. Their high temps have made them pretty lethargic and we just snuggle & watch movies. We have family coming in town for Memorial Day, but I have a feeling we're not going to be able to hang out with everyone since Mason still has a temp this morning. Millie still looks terrible, too. Croup is so not fun!

I decided to get out of the house for a bit yesterday since Tyler was home and the sun was shining. I threw my hair up in a ponytail, threw on my running shoes and (don't laugh) ran. I ran for almost a mile and then walked a couple more. It felt so good to be outside & getting some exercise. There are lots of hills around here...and I am feeling it this morning! My rear and legs are sooooo sore! I think I'll opt for Pilates this morning & hopefully attempt the mile again tomorrow! My sister in law, Stephani, is an avid runner and every time I see her I can't get over how great she looks. I really need to get my rear in gear and do something! My elliptical machine is used more as a clothes hanger than an exercise machine...it's ridiculous!

I've been on a healthy eating kick...and we've lost some weight around here! I've lost 14 pounds & I know Tyler has lost some, too! My magic secret...don't eat everything in sight & portion control! We've also switched to whole grains--breads, cereals, pastas--and have been using ground turkey instead of hamburger meat for a lot of our meals. (of course, I say this as I'm drinking a dr. pepper & just ate a cinnamon roll...there are exceptions! :) )

Millie's birthday party was a lot of fun last Saturday. We had a Dora Fiesta! We ate taco salad, taquito's, chips and cheese dip/salsa, and fried ice cream. It was yummy! The weather was perfect & I'm so thankful for all of the friends and family that came. I know gas isn't cheap right now & it really means alot that so many travelled up here! Our house is really getting "girlified" with all of the new baby dolls & girly toys! (Mason loves the stroller! LOL!)

This is my last week of babysitting this week. We have tomorrow off for Memorial Day & hopefully my kids will be feeling better for them to come on Tuesday. It's going to be so weird not to have Carter and Bennett around here everyday...I know Mason is really going to miss having his buddy around. We'll definitely have to get together this summer! I'm doing their family pics on Saturday and am really looking forward to doing a new session!

Want to see some new pages?

and here's some layouts from vacation...I'm obviously terrible at trying to do a vacation recap, so enjoy the pics instead! Haha!

Enjoy your memorial day weekend...I'm sure we'll be coughing and wiping noses! :)

I'm so sad...

2008-05-22T11:03:00.002-05:00

for the Steven Curtis Chapman family and the loss of their little daughter, Maria. I walked in the bedroom to tell Tyler about it this morning and I just started crying. They have done so much good for those trying to adopt and I know I have a soft spot in my heart for adoption. They are such a loving, amazing family & I hate that they have to bear this pain. I am so grateful for the hope we have in Christ that we will be reunited with our children again someday...but that wait can be so long and so hard.

If you haven't read the story, the news link is here: http://www.comcast.net/articles/music/20080522/Chapman.Daughter/

They have a blog set up for remembering Maria here:
http://chapmanchannel.typepad.com/inmemoryofmaria/2008/05/index.html

Lots of prayers are heading their way!

New layouts & scrapbooking news...

2008-05-12T23:58:00.004-05:00

Here's a few layouts I've made recently:

and for some fun scrapbooking news...
I got an e-mail that one of my layouts will be published by digital artist magazine for the month of June! Woohoo!!

Also, I am a guest for Mira Designs at The Digi Chick for May & June and am having a lot of fun using her products! It has been right at 2 years since I started digi scrapping and I have been going full steam ahead ever since! I am as addicted as ever! :)

A little session with Abbie...

2008-05-12T23:51:00.004-05:00

One of the joys of being sisters with a photographer is that she just might drag you out and make you get pictures taken! :) I wanted some more pics of teens for my site, so I told Abbie that we were going to go out for pics before her piano lessons. We didn't have tons of time, but we got some great pics! Here's a few that I have edited:

and, Abbie is really not a Hillary Clinton supporter...we just thought this spot was funny! :)

I'll get some more posted in the next day or two for you, Abbie! :) Thanks for being my pretend senior model!

We were in Dexter this weekend for James' graduation from SEMO. It's hard to believe it's been 4 years since he graduated from high school. Time really is flying! We had a great visit with the family...and Mason loved getting to talk to James' farmer grandpa! Congrats again, James! My kids are going to love having a rich uncle!

Vacation Day #2

2008-05-12T23:43:00.002-05:00

At this rate, I'm never going to get done with our vacation recap! haha!

We woke up, packed the van and headed up to Moline, IL to visit the home of John Deere. We went to the John Deere Pavilion & the collector's museum. Mason LOVED climbing in and out of tractors & just seeing everything up close. We had saved some birthday money for him and he got to go shopping in the John Deere store. He bought a John Deere Crawler Track Tractor, a tshirt, and a hat. We had lunch at the Riverwalk steakhouse & then headed out for the rest of the drive up to the Wisconsin Dells.

Once we arrived at the hotel and got checked in, we did a little exploring. We went to check out where the waterparks were. We opened the door and were up on a balcony that overlooked the indoor waterpark. We were all standing there looking at how cool this place was...and Tyler and I turned around to find Mason who was now completely without clothes. He must've taken his clothes off in 2 seconds flat! He thought the pool was like our tub, I guess! :) We had to quickly get him dressed and explain to him that we wear swimming trunks to the pool!

We finished up walking around and then we headed out for dinner at Uno's pizza. I won a gift card from a Jen Wilson contest online, so we had free dinner that night (see...scrapping does pay off!) It was so yummy!!! I think I could've eaten Uno's every night!

We drove around for a little bit and then went back to the room to crash. It was such a busy day!

Here's a 2 page layout of our day at Moline:

My grandparents were on David Letterman!

2008-05-05T21:41:00.003-05:00

My Uncle Sean is amazing...he has a zillion photos on Istock and they are showing up everywhere! My Grandma and Grandpa's pic was on the David Letterman show on the 21st of April. Click on this link and forward it to the 8:20 mark where it talks about longevity. My grandparents are the second couple pictured...cool, huh?

And, if you click on this link for ABC news, they are on there, too.

Gotta love my famous Grandparents!! Congrats Sean...I'm constantly amazed by your work!

(vacation interruption)

2008-05-02T15:55:00.003-05:00

I interrupt this vacation recap to show off some layouts I've made lately! :)

And...Mason and Millie are feeling much better today! Finally!

and that, my friends, is what happens when you forget to blog regularly! :)

Vacation--Day 1

2008-05-02T15:40:00.003-05:00

I know I said I'd update last night, but I forgot Lost was on! :) Whoa...it was one crazy episode! Did you know that you can watch all of the seasons (1-4) on abc.com? I HIGHLY recommend them!

Ok...back to vacation recap. I'm going to try to do it day by day. This will hopefully help me remember details when I scrapbook!

On Sunday, we went to church with our friends Kevin and Valerie, and then we went to Valerie's dad's farm. They grilled yummy porkchops and lunch was soooo good! Then, Mason & Millie rode around on the Gator, the tractor (with the planter attached) and on a horse. Mason loved every minute of it. It really makes me wish we lived out in the country. It was so nice to not be in town and just let the kids run around. The weather was gorgeous & we all had such a wonderful time together. Valerie's dad, Kevin, was so sweet with Mason. Mason adored him and followed him around. Mason made sure he wore his overalls and John Deere boots to the farm, too. It's unbelievable at just how much this kid is fascinated by farming! We stayed until late afternoon when the kids started getting tired.

Here's some pictures from our day:

After we got home, we ate dinner and then went to visit Miles' grave. Mason took Miles a John Deere tractor and Millie took flowers. We showed Mason Miles' book and he kept saying "I want to see Miles" "Where's Miles?" "Miles is my brother? I want to see him!" But we just kept saying that Miles is in Heaven with Jesus, and he would say "But why?" and you know what...I don't know how to answer it. I don't know why.

We went home and spent the rest of the night packing to get ready to head to Moline! (aka Home of John Deere)

Sick day 3.5

2008-05-01T16:21:00.002-05:00

Poor Mason has been sick for 3 and a half days now. He crawled into our bed Monday night/Tuesday morning with a fever and he has kept the fever since then! Once he takes his Motrin, the fever hangs out at 99.8-100.5, but once the Motrin wears off, he's back up at 101-103. Ugh! Today has been a little better...the highest it has been is 100.9, so we're hopefully getting there! He's been extra tired and crabby...espcially once the Motrin wears off. We haven't been to the doctor since it appears to be a virus since he doesn't have any other symptoms. Millie was at 101 last night, but seems to be better today. For some reason, it just doesn't want to leave poor Mason! He was so lethargic the other day that he had me carry him to the bathroom and anywhere he wanted to go...he was too weak to walk. I'm just really hoping he gets over it soon. It's hard watching your babies be sick!

I've been wanting to get on here and recap our vacation. We had a wonderful time! Thank you to everyone that participated in Smiles for Miles...it truly takes a sad day and makes it a much sweeter day! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I got caught up on picture orders and I'm in the process of editing a wedding for our friend Valerie...but I'm going to try to take a break and start posting pics and stories of our vacation tonight!

Smiles for Miles

2008-04-22T16:39:00.002-05:00

Today is 3 years since my son Miles passed away. On his Heaven day, we try to do something good for others since Miles was so good to us. We try to celebrate his little life by bringing some happiness into the lives of others (Smiles for Miles) which in turn makes our day much brighter, too!

One year, we bought fish at a pet store for a little boy buying his first fish since Miles loved his fisher price aquarium. Last year we bought new little preemie clothes for needy families at our local NICU. Many of Miles' nurses have donated Fisher Price Aquariums to our local NICU that say "In memory of Miles" on the back so that other babies can enjoy the toy that brought my little guy so much comfort. Some of our friends and family have spent time at nursing homes visiting with people who don't get visited often, cooking dinners for someone, paying for the food for the person behind them in the drive thru, and the list goes on and on. It always does my heart so much good to hear how Miles' life was honored on that day!

If you'd like, I would love for you to take part in Smiles for Miles...just do something to brighten the day for someone around you this week! I'd love it if you would either email me or leave a little note here so I can hear what you did. I have a place where I keep all of these...it's always so nice to see the different ways people spread love on his Heaven day!

I am so thankful that I got to be his mommy...he was one special kid!

We are currently on vacation in the Wisconsin Dells and I've been trying to figure out how we are going to make someone smile today. As I was sitting here typing this in the hotel lobby, a little 3 year old boy went into the gift shop with his mom and I thought "ok, here we go." I went in and offered to buy the toy for her son in memory of Miles. It was good sharing his story with another mom and I managed to keep my composure until after they went back to their room (and now I'm pretty teary!)

I had planned to post some pictures of us during our vacation this week, but there's no place for my CF card on this laptop and I forgot the connection at home...so you'll have to wait until we get back!

Mason LOVED doing the John Deere stuff in Moline yesterday and now owns a bigger "crawler track tractor" that he doesn't want to let out of his sight!

Mason was really brave at the waterpark today...Millie, not so much! :) She and I spent the majority of the day in the lazy river! I'll post lots of pics when I get home!

Thank you all for all of the love and support you all have given our family! It makes days like today so much easier. We love you all dearly!

Thank you!!!!

2008-04-14T14:57:00.003-05:00

I want to thank everyone for all of the e-mails and phone calls about the new website! There have been several people express interest in shoots and are trying to figure out the best dates for their families...it's so exciting! If you want to be one of the first 5, you'll need to hurry up and nail down a date...they are filling up quickly! I can't wait to hang out with you and your families and capture your day together!

I've spent this afternoon (while the kids are napping...I love naps!) ordering some new goodies! I ordered my business cards, note cards, some letterhead, postcards, and even a t-shirt (it was free, so I figured why not!) It'll be a few weeks before they get here, but it was fun creating everything!

I'm insane and am going to have a garage sale on Saturday before we leave next week for vacation. I figured it would be nice to have some extra spending money while we are away...especially since gas is so expensive! I have PILES of clothes and toys to go through and tag. Anyone want to come over and do it for me? LOL!

I need to run and edit some pics from my friend's wedding before the kids wake up, but I wanted to make sure I popped in and said thanks! :)

New site special!

2008-04-09T14:41:00.002-05:00

In honor of my new photography site, I'm running a little special!

The first five people to book a session will get their session fee credited to them in their print order, making their session free!! I'm excited about building my portfolio and getting to spend time getting to know your families! Give me a call or e-mail me to book your session soon!

It's official!

2008-04-09T14:35:00.003-05:00

Well, it's official! I have launched my photography website and would love for you to check it out!

www.acrossthemilesphotography.com

I couldn't believe when I uploaded it yesterday and saw it officially on the internet. It was a total mix of "I'm so excited, and I'm going to throw up" all at the same time! LOL! I'd love to know what you think about it, so leave me a comment here or on my contact form on the site! :)

Thanks for taking the time to look! Now I need to go and catch up on some neglected laundry!

So Busy!

2008-04-01T12:16:00.001-06:00

I don't want you all to think I've neglected you! I'm currently working on building my photography website & it's a lot of work! I'll try to get some Easter pics and new scrapbook pages uploaded soon! (maybe the kids will go to bed early tonight!)

Oh what a night!

2008-03-14T08:42:00.010-06:00

(I know...you're now singing that song, right?)

Tyler was out of town last night and I started smelling a gassy type odor in the hallway, in Mason's room, and in Millie's room. It didn't smell like "rotten eggs" so I wasn't too worried at first...and then I started thinking about an extreme makeover home edition episode where the house blew up...and then my mind went a zillion different ways. I called Kay, then I called the fire department, and they said to call 911. Well, I didn't want to be the laughing stock of the neighborhood with rescue crews at my house over nothing, so I called Kay back and Lee came over. Everything checked out fine (we think it's something with the water heater...but it's really not a big deal). So...yes, I over reacted! LOL!! But, better safe than sorry, right? (and you are all laughing at me right now, aren't you?)

Well, I missed the first half of Lost because of the crazy smell...but I did see the second half and I cried at how it ended. This show just loves to torture me! I've spent some of my morning looking up different things I've missed on the show and different people's theories on what's really happening. It's all so interesting and just makes my head hurt! I love, love, love this show! (If you haven't watched it yet, go buy the seasons or get them from Netflix!! You'll love them!)

I'm finally watching the last season of Gilmore Girls...another great show that you really need to watch all of the seasons...it's so witty!

I gave up on watching survivor this season...It just didn't thrill me this season! What are you all thinking about American Idol right now? I think the right people keep going home. My favorite girl is still Brooke White & my favorite guy is David Cook. I think it will be a really good season!

I went shopping and got the kids their Easter clothes!

Millie got this dress from Gymboree:

She twirled and just walked like she was a princess in it...and she cried when I made her take it off. She looks soooooo sweet!

I'm hoping to get her some new "Wee Squeak" shoes. She LOVES her pair she has now, but has outgrown them. It's funny to see people smile and laugh when she squeaks past them! We love our squeaky shoes! We currently have a brown pair, but I'm debating maybe getting a white pair for the spring/summer. I don't know...maybe I need both!

Mason's going to wear a cute outfit we got from The Children's place. Tyler picked it out...which I thought was good since I'm so over the top when it comes to Millie's stuff! :)

I kind of giggled at the green pants, but they look cute on! Poor Millie is probably going to freeze since Easter is so early this year!

Speaking of purchases...Travis sent me an awesome deal for the Canon XTI on Sunday and I ordered me a new camera from Dell! I've been saving money for so long and was able to get the camera with the 18-55mm kit lens, the 580EX flash, and a 50mm lens! The delivery guy delivers it piece by piece each day...so far I have my flash and the 50mm lens...I want my camera! :) I can't wait to see how different it is from my Minolta!

So, now that I have a better camera, I'm feeling more confident about launching my photography website. I need to sit down and figure out how to develop the site and get it loaded. All of the technical kind of scares me so I keep putting it off! :)

Ok...I've rambled on enough for one day! Here's some new layouts! But first, Lauren Reid made a John Deere kit for Mason! :) You can pick it up in Lauren's store at www.littledreamerdesigns.com right here!

Thanks Lauren!!!! You're the best! Here's a layout I made with it:

and here's some other layouts I've made here lately:

Have a great weekend, everyone!

14 years ago today....

2008-03-05T13:25:00.004-06:00

14 years ago today, my mom passed away. It's so hard to believe that I've almost lived as much of my life without her than with her. I can imagine that my mom would've been an amazing grandma to Mason & Millie (and I know she's an amazing one to Miles!) They would've had fun making the zillion types of Christmas cookies that she made with her! I'm sure they would've had fun going to garage sale after garage sale (even if she wouldn't let them buy yucky stuffed animals!) They would've loved getting warm hugs and sweet kisses from her, too! (I know those are just a few of the things I loved about her!)

Some other little things about my mom...
~She made the yummiest lasagna...I'll grab that recipe and share it here in just a second.
~She kept our home spotless...Why didn't I inherit that trait from her?
~She could cook anything...and it was always so yummy. Well, except for her goulash. Macaroni noodles and tomato paste are just so gross together!
~She had the curliest hair, but we didn't know it was curly until going swimming on a family vacation in the Lake of the Ozarks. I just couldn't believe how beautiful it was. (Maybe that's where Millie gets it?) She used to roll it up in huge rollers are night and sit under a hair dryer to straigten it out. She would sleep with it pinned up and under a handkerchief like Aunt Jemima...super sexy! haha! Abbie inherited mom's hair color and texture!
~She was the fastest typist I had ever seen...she would do the church bulletins on Saturday nights and I was always amazed at how quickly the keys would click!
~She had such a sweet, tender heart. Money wasn't always abundant growing up, but she always made sure we had everything we needed...I didn't know differently! I remember wanting an IOU sweatshirt from The Merry Go Round store when I was in Junior High (It was THE sweatshirt to have.) They were really expensive, but my mom surprised me with two of them that she bought for me to take on a Youth Group trip to Oakland City College. I remember thinking I had the coolest mom ever.
~She used to pack my lunches when I was in elementary school (usually Carl Budding Beef with mustard...the thought of it still makes me gag today). I remember occasionally finding little notes from her or fun treats in my lunch box. There was one special toy (it was a little pillow person, again...they were cool then!) I found one day & I remember the feeling of just sheer joy when I found it!
~She was a bargain hunter. She loved garage sales and good clearance racks! I 100% inherited that trait from her! I remember if we found a close parking spot (the first spot that wasn't handicapped by the store) then she'd say "Must mean there's good deals inside!"
~She would say "Brrr, shiver, shiver, shake, shake" when we got out of the tub when we were little. My kids say that now, too!
~She never gave up hope during her cancer battle...she fully believed she would win the battle. Even though she was fighting with all she had, she still thought of ways to make sure certain things would happen if she did pass away. I remember her sitting down with me and asking me which pattern I liked of silverware. I was thinking "cool, we're getting new forks and spoons." But, I had no idea I was picking out silverware for me when I got married! Who knew forks and spoons could hold such a high value in my house?
~She was pretty quiet. Again, not a trait that I inherited. Even though she was quiet, she had an opinion on things. I can't remember mom and dad ever having a fight. They never argued in front of us. I can't thank them enough for that. I loved growing up in a home where I felt so secure! I never fought with my mom, either. I truly hope that my kids will be able to say the same about their upbringing!
~She clung to the verse "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." We definitely didn't understand why we were going through all we were going through as a family, but we trusted.
~She had a beautiful voice...I wish I could hear her talk again. I kind of forget how it sounds.
~She had a strong genetic code...Abbie & I look so much like her!
~She wore the perfume called "Design." I still have her bottle of perfume in my bathroom medicine cabinet & will open it to take me back to her scent.
~She seemed so brave when she found out she had breast cancer and then had to have her labor induced so she could begin chemotherapy. She seemed so strong when Abbie had to go to the NICU. She seemed to have the patience of Job as she endured treatment after treatment and month long stays in the hospital. She seemed so secure as we shopped for new swimsuits and bras after her masectomy. She never wanted us to see her without her wig or turban on, though! :) She seemed invincible after she was cancer-free. A year later when it returned, she still seemed so brave.
~She loved to have her feet rubbed. I used to get kind of grossed out by her cracky feet! I remember sitting on the couch in the living room and her asking me to rub her feet. She was so sick and didn't get off of the couch much and I would sit and rub...cracky feet and all. I remember in the hospital after she passed away touching her feet and crying that I wouldn't be able to rub them any more. I inherited her cracky feet.
~She cried when she had to put her dream home up for sale & move into a little parsonage. She made that little house a wonderful home to grow up in.
~She was a wonderful pastor's wife. The congregation really loved her...and she loved them, too!
~She had beautiful handwriting.
~She had really dry skin...I inherited that, too!
~She had a smile that would light up a room...I like to think that I inherited that, too!
~She was beautiful. She struggled with the weight she put on during her treatments...but I always thought she was so pretty.
~She was my mom, my friend, and my hero.

Man, I'm really missing my mommy today!

Here's my mom's lasagna recipe...it's world-famous, just ask the people at Bethel General Baptist!
1 lb hamburger
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp basil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 can tomatoes
2 (6oz) cans tomato paste
10 oz lasagna noodles
large container of small curd cottage cheese
1/2 c Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbsp parsley flakes
2 eggs
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 lb Mozzarella cheese

Brown hamburger slowly. Add next 5 ingredients. Simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Cook noodles. Combine remaining ingredients together, except mozarella cheese. Place 1/2 noodles in 13x9 inch pan. Spread 1/2 cottage cheese filling, 1/2 Mozzarella cheese and 1/2 meat sauce. Repeat. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

I'm wishing I had everything at home to make this for dinner tonight!

I know I've shared this layout before...

Mom...I love you so much & thanks for helping make me who I am today. Give little Miles hugs and kisses from me...thanks for watching over him. You are so very missed!

103.7

2008-03-04T13:14:00.002-06:00

Poor Millie's still sick! Her temp was 103.7 last night. The poor kid was still playing and acting good, so I had no idea! We did the Motrin/Tylenol & she slept from 8:30 last night until 8:30 this morning. She's been running right around 100 so far today. I'm hoping she's almost over it! It's so weird...she had just one bad diaper yesterday, but nothing else seems to be going on. I have no idea what's really wrong with her! We've just been taking it easy around here...watching Cinderella, Barney, and Tarzan. (well, those are the movies that are on while the kids just run around the house! :) ) Mason & Millie are sound asleep right now...I hope they take good naps!

This morning, I put batteries in Miles' fish aquarium so that Millie could play with it in her bed (her bird one broke.) As soon as the music started playing, it just took me right back to Miles' bedside in the NICU. There are just so many memories around that fish aquarium. Tyler tucked her into bed and she wanted it on...and he said the same thing. "Man, that really takes you back!" Millie loves watching the fish, just like Mason & Miles always did!

It's a winter wonderland around here today. We're supposed to get 4-6 inches & it's really coming down right now. Mason's ready to go and play outside! I'm just trying to pretend like I'm happy that it's snowing...I'd much rather it be 70 degrees! Instead, I'm just sitting inside, snacking! I can't seem to stay away from the Girl Scouts Thin Mint cookies today! Those things are soooo addicting! (you'd think with the word "thin" in their title that they wouldn't be so bad for you...I'm going to pretend like they are figure friendly!)

Here's some more layouts...it's crazy just how much much they have grown!

What a week!

2008-03-03T15:54:00.005-06:00

Last week was quite an eventful, emotional week!

Abbie's team lost their game on Wednesday & they were pretty heartbroken over it. But, there's a FABULOUS picture of Abbie that you really must check out! Click here! *wink* Love you, Abb!

Our friends, Brian & Melissa, adopted a sweet little girl from Korea last week! (The link to their blog is located on the right hand side of my blog--Melissa Lewis) I have cried so many happy tears for them...their videos are amazing! SaRang is so lucky to be placed into such a loving home! Congrats Brian, Melissa & Camden! I can't wait to meet SaRang...I need to find some time to sneak down to Nashville!

On Wednesday, we found out that Christina Taylor passed away in a car wreck. My heart was breaking for Joy & Amy because I know how hard it is to lose a mom. There are still so many days I just wish I could pick up the phone and say "Hey mom, how did you make those cookies? Or, Mom, I'm having a hard day & just need you." So many of those feelings came back in full force Saturday night at the visitation. Joy, Amy, and Ernie I love you all & am praying for lots of comfort for your family.

Wednesday evening I was loading the kids into the van and realized someone stole the DVD players out of the van, some DVD's and some CD's. Tyler noticed that they took his binoculars out of his truck. But, in the grand scheme of things, it really wasn't a big deal. We filed a police report (Mason was in awe of having Police inside of his house!) and we just need to turn it into insurance.

Millie decided to spike a fever before church on Sunday night and has been plagued by a stomach bug yet again! We went to the doctor today to get Mason & Millie's ears rechecked after their infections last month & they look good! He wasn't worried about Millie's temp & bug...he thought it was just a mild case & she should feel better soon!

Yesterday was in the mid 60's and I have officially been bitten by the Spring Fever bug. It was so nice to just play outside & my spirits were so lifted yesterday. It is now FREEZING cold and tonight we are supposed to get 4-6 inches tomorrow. I'm not one bit happy about it! GRRRRR!!!! I am so OVER winter!

I've done quite a bit of scrapping here lately! The designers I create for have been pumping out a ton of products!

My two woke up and need some mommy time! :)

District Champs!!

2008-02-26T12:45:00.010-06:00

We went to Abbie's basketball game on Saturday for the district championship & they won! Woohoo!! They play on Wednesday, and if then win they will play on Saturday. If they win on Saturday they will go to state! I'm so excited! Here's some pics from the day:

Jeremiah says "Go Bobbie!"

Here's Great Grandma, Great Aunt Naomi, and a sick Millie (she was wearing the cutest dress on Saturday until she got sick...poor kid!)

James, Jenna, (our online settler's buddies!) and Maddilyn:

Mason and Great Grandpa:

Check out these crazy warm-ups they are wearing!

I thought this was way too cute! So Abbie, who is this guy? Hmmm...??

Group Huddle:

and the question of the day is...where did those arm muscles come from? I think I need Abbie to be my personal trainer!

Go Team!

I didn't get any pics of Abbie actually playing (and she played quite a bit of the game) because Millie had no desire to just sit. She and I spent most of the game walking the track that ran around the gym! My dad took tons more pictures...and he has the group shot of those of us that were there! She had quite the crowd! I'm so proud of Abbie...and for playing Varsity as a Sophomore! You rock, girlie! Can't wait to hear how you guys do on Wednesday!

It's Thursday...

2008-02-21T15:21:00.003-06:00

so that means it's a great TV night!! AI will reveal who got kicked off, Lost looks super exciting tonight...I always love the Kate episodes, & I've been watching Eli Stone.

So, who do you think is going home tonight on AI? For the guys, my bottom 3 are Garrett, Jason Yeager, & Danny. The girls...Amy Davis, & the first 2 that sang. I think I liked the guys better than the girls this week. Who do you think are going home?

I had plans of having a much needed "mommy night" tonight, but I think I'll wait for a night that isn't such a good TV night! :) Plus, it's freezing & it's supposed to snow & sleet tonight...sounds like a good night to stay in my pj's, drink coffee, and watch TV!

Here are some layouts I haven't posted on here yet.

Well, Mason just walked in and he's soaking wet from his nap! Gotta run!

This is so true...

2008-02-20T14:25:00.002-06:00

Have you ever seen this video?

I think Tyler should start doing his counseling like this! :)

There are times I need to tell myself "Stop it!"

I won!

2008-02-19T08:56:00.005-06:00

Remember the pink layout about Millie from a couple of days ago? Well, I won the Pink Week Template Challenge! :) I won a Wacom Bamboo Tablet and it should be arriving at my house in a couple of days!

Pretty cool, huh? Thanks Miriam and team!! :) Also...Miriam and I are talking about having me do some photography challenges with her site. I'm excited to work along side of her! I need to keep pushing myself to learn more with my photography & this seems like a great opportunity!

Speaking of photography...wanna see what I'm drooling over?

It's the Canon XSI...it has 12 megapixels & it seems like a great camera. It isn't released until April, but I'm reading everything I can on it. I have been wanting the 40d, but it is still out of my price range (not that this is much better!) I'll also need a speedlite flash, a 50mm lens, and I'd like a 70-300mm lens, but I'll just have to get it all piece by piece. Hopefully I'll get to do some photo sessions this spring so I can save for some new fun stuff! After I get my camera setup, I'm going to save for some lights so I can do some studio stuff. Woohoo! (It's all still a big dream, but a girl's gotta dream, right? I just keep waiting for a few grand to fall from the sky!)

Here's a few new layouts for you guys!

Today is shaping up to be a busy day...Tyler has a missions board meeting, and then a church board meeting tonight. So, that means I have no breaks until he gets home. I feel a Starbucks night coming on soon! :) I'm looking forward to American Idol, though!

exhausted.

2008-02-15T13:37:00.005-06:00

We had a good evening last night! Tyler gave me a sweet card & a starbucks gift card. I am ready for a good "kid free" night to just sit, read People magazine, and drink coffee. ahhh...sounds really good right about now!

I had my hair cut & colored...I had several inches cut off & it feels good! After I got home, we took the kids to Monicals for the heart shaped pizza. The kids really had fun...but the pizza really didn't look much like a heart! We enjoyed our blob shaped pizza, though!

After we got home, we ran in the door to watch Lost. Is anyone else scratching their head and saying "Whoa! Didn't see that one coming?!?" I guessed right on who the next person is on the Oceanic Six, but I sure didn't expect the person at the end! I won't say anything else if you guys haven't watched it yet. And...I highly recommend renting the DVD series and watching seasons 1-3 and get caught up. Such an amazing show! My head is still trying to make sense of everything from last night...which I'm sure won't really happen until 2010 when the show ends! I missed Survivor last night...any updates on what happened? I'm still not 100% sure that I'm going to be a diehard survivor fan this season. It still remains to be seen!

Speaking of fans...I LOVE American Idol and I'm really happy with the top 24! I am loving Brooke White. She's my fave right now...I think. I'll probably have a new fave next week! :) I was just so glad that whiney Josiah didn't make it to the top 24. And, while we're talking reality shows...anyone else a project runway fan? I'm really excited to see their collections! I'm sure Christian's will be "fierce!" His clothes are amazing! And, I'd love for Jillian to be my personal seamstress! I promise I'm not a TV Junkie! :)

Ok, I totally got off track with my tv shows...I meant to tell you about the rest of the night! About 1am, Mason crawls into our bed. Then, around 2, Millie starts sobbing and Tyler tries to snuggle with her in the papasan chair and she wasn't having it. She wanted Mommy! So, he brings her to our bed...Tyler, Millie, me, and then Mason. Lucky me is sandwiched between 2 kids that can't lay still when they are trying to sleep. They are kicking me, Millie is climbing on me, Mason starts giggling and finally at 2:45 & I had it. I told Tyler that he needs to take Mason back to his bed...and Mason FLIPPED out! He and Tyler went to lay down in his bed & I finally got Millie where she was almost asleep. Tyler walked into our room, which woke her up and she started sobbing again. He said that Mason wouldn't sleep with him, so he's just letting him try to calm down & fall asleep on his own. It's like 3:30 at this point. I am ready to just jump in our van and drive far, far away. I finally got Millie to fall asleep & we all finally crashed a little after 4 this morning. Mason comes in our room at 6:20 saying "Mommy, I'm wet!" and my day began. I seriously feel like I've been hit by a Mack truck! It's the feeling you have after working at a lock-in. I'm just hoping everyone takes long naps around here...and I may help myself to another cup of coffee! We are all going to bed early tonight (and don't tell Tyler, but I'm thinking it's his morning to get up with the kids tomorrow & I'm going to catch a few extra minutes of sleep!)

I was going through my photos the other night & I don't think I've ever shared this one on here. Brooklyn is stunningly beautiful...and this picture just feels so whimsical! I love how it turned out! Pretty cool playground pic, huh?

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! (and aren't you proud of all of my blogging? I'm having a lot of fun doing it again!)

Dear Tyler...

2008-02-14T14:37:00.003-06:00

Thanks for being such an amazing husband and daddy to the kids. We are truly blessed to have you in our lives! I'm so thankful for you!

Love,
Kellie

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-14T14:23:00.006-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! We're taking it pretty easy around here today. After I get done babysitting, I'm going to get my hair cut and highlighted (which I told Tyler that can just be my gift...haircolor is expensive!) After I get home, we're taking the kids and going to Monical's Pizza. Since we've had kids, we don't go out anywhere fancy on Valentine's Day...we try to go somewhere fun as a family. The past couple of years we've done Monicals. They make the pizza in the shape of a heart for Vday, and yes, I know it sounds corny, but it's kind of fun! After we get home, we'll watch Lost & then I may attempt to make a heart shaped cookie pizza. But, we may just save that for a weekend activity with the kiddos! :)

I made the kids CD Albums for Valentine's day. Unfortunately, I didn't realize how long it was going to take for Wal-Mart to do my prints, so they will get them this weekend instead of today. But, I'll show you guys how they are looking so far! Here's Mason's:

I used a CD template album by Janet Phillips & Gina Miller's I Wub You kit!

and here's Millie's:

Once they are printed, I'll cut them out and then modge podge them onto CD's. Then, I'll drill holes through the CD, add a binder ring, add some ribbons, and hopefully it will turn out cute! I'll post final pics once I get them done! I'm really happy with how they look so far! I think the kids will like looking at them (and in reality, the are probably more fun for me!) Poor Tyler is going to have to settle for some fun Illini pajama pants for Valentine's day! :) I bought them a couple of weeks ago & I've had sick kids the past few days, so I haven't been able to go anywhere!

Miriam Lima's Creative team has put on such an amazing week of challenges. I entered the template challenge today...we had to use the template & then 70% pink on our layout. I think I may have went pink overboard, but I'm really happy with how it turned out!

I hope all of you have a great Valentine's day!

xoxo

Not so Cinderella...

2008-02-13T13:35:00.004-06:00

After my "little Cinderella" climbed off of my lap earlier, I heard the faint sound of splashing. Ugh...the kid is a magnet to the toilet! Definitely not a Cinderella moment!

and...I couldn't blog today without sharing a pic...so here's my little Cinderella.

Cinderella...

2008-02-13T11:31:00.002-06:00

This song is soooo sweet! I think I'm going to have to have Millie and Tyler do a dancing photo shoot this spring so I can make a book using this song. It melts my heart!

My little Cinderella just crawled up in my lap with her tiara on. Ahhh...the sweet moments of motherhood!

Ninety Nine Balloons...

2008-02-12T09:26:00.000-06:00

I've been wanting to share this link & project with you all for awhile now! :) I worked really hard and finished up volume one of Miles' scrapbook. I say volume one because I still have lots of pics that need scrapped...and I didn't want to be "done." I'm not ready to close that door yet. I had some help from some of my online friends (thank you Lauren Reid's team...I owe you guys so much!) They offered to help scrap some pages for me so I didn't have to do them all by myself. I'm thrilled with how it all came together! It's fun seeing my pages & theirs together...it just makes this book even more special! When the book arrived in the mail, I sat down and just took it all in. It felt like it was proof that he was here...there are times when it all feels so surreal. But, this book is proof that my baby was here...and he was an incredible inspiration for me & so many others!

Warning...tissues may be needed today.

If you'd like to view the book, click here! When you open the link, click "view photo book" at the bottom of the page. You don't have to register to view it.

Stephanie on Lauren Reid's team, posted a link to a video called "Ninety Nine Balloons." I watched it and it just spoke volumes to me...and I could relate on so many levels to this family. I just wanted to share their amazing story with you, too. You can watch it here. It's 6 minutes...but so worth viewing!! I imagine that little Eliot & little Miles are good buddies in Heaven!

It's so hard to believe that Mason & Miles are already 3 years old! On their birthday, we took Mason to Miles' grave & we let go three balloons for Miles since they turned three. When Mason got out of the van, he walked up to Miles' grave and said "This is Miles?" We told him that this is a place we go to remember Miles...but that Miles lives up in heaven with Jesus, and that we were going to send him some balloons for his birthday. When Mason let go of a balloon, he would say "Happy Birthday Miles!" Before he let go his last balloon, the 3 of us sang happy birthday to Mason and Miles & then we watched the last balloon float away. It was such a sweet, tender moment between the 3 of us. (then we booked it back to the van because it was like 10 degrees & so bitterly cold!)

Thank you for all of your love and support...our family is so grateful!

Would the sickies please go away?

2008-02-11T08:31:00.000-06:00

I am SO ready for spring!! I am tired of the colds & the yuckies! Mason had diarrhea Saturday night/Sunday morning so we stayed home from church. He never ran a fever, so I don't know if it was just something he ate or just some weird belly bug...but I'm glad he's over it! (He had diarrhea last weekend, too...I don't want to make this a weekly thing!) Tyler has a yucky cold...which last night turned into fever/chills. He's snuggled up in bed this morning. Millie & I are good so far! :) Did I mention I'm ready for spring? I keep telling Tyler "Let's move to Florida!" I am longing for open windows, playing outside, and not having to dress like we live in the arctic! Shorts & Sundresses are way more fun!

We had a fun day (before the diarrhea) on Saturday. We met up with Travis & Wendy & the kids for lunch at Taco Bell (Maybe Taco Bell's what caused Mason's issues?) It was so good to see them...even if just for an hour! Mason adores "Bwookwyn Isaiah." After lunch, we headed to visit baby Cohen Hollis. He's so cute! I always forget just how little newborns are...and Mason & Miles were like 1/3 his weight! (and can you believe I forgot to take pics while I was there?!?) I loved getting to snuggle with him!

I'm going to post a few layouts before my morning gets really crazy around here!

Have a happy Monday! I'm going to disinfect my house! :)

Lost...

2008-02-08T09:56:00.000-06:00

Anyone else watch Lost last night? Tyler decided to watch the Illini game last night instead of Lost, so I have no one to discuss it with! AHH!! I'm making him watch it online today (and I'm going to have to watch it again...it's making my head spin!) I LOVE this show! It always keeps me guessing & just when you think you have something figured out...whammo!...they change it up! Polar bears in the desert? Ghostbuster? What's up with Ben? AHHH!! Thursday can't come soon enough!

I watched Survivor last night...not sure if it will be that great of a season, but it could be interesting. What was up with Johnny Fairplay last night? He definitely threw everyone for a loop at tribal council!

Ok, enough TV talk! Guess what we're doing tomorrow? We're going to visit Johnny & Jessica & I get to hold their sweet baby boy!!! Welcome to the world little Cohen! We can't wait to meet you!

Michelle...the link for the Settlers game online is www.games.AsoBrain.com It's called Xplorers on there, but it's the same! You'll love it...and it's FREE!

Here's a few more new layouts:

Have a great weekend everyone!

Boo!!

2008-02-07T10:04:00.001-06:00

I thought I might catch some people off guard and blog today! :) I've honestly thought about just giving it up...it's so hard to keep up with when I'm trying to babysit & keep some order to my home. But, it really takes less than 5 minutes, so I need to quit whining and give it a try! So, please e-mail me when it's been awhile and tell me to get busy blogging! I can't promise anything...but I'm shooting for at least once a week!

Life has been NUTS in the Penn house. We've been sick (ear infections, sinus infections, respiratory infections...fun, stuff!) but everyone is finally feeling better! Mason is now 3 years old & is still a John Deere fanatic!

Millie is doing great...she's sassy & full of attitude & is really starting to talk alot! (and she's screaming at me right now saying "Drink, drink!")

Tyler & I are addicted to playing Settlers of Catan. James got us hooked on it over Christmas & we LOVE it! We've been playing online at night...we're such dorks! :)

I have tons of layouts to share (and only a few minutes before the baby I watch wakes up) so I'll get busy posting them:

These first few are proof that Mason is nuts:

He's full of personality!

Here's some new layouts of the little princess! :) Not necessarily new pictures, but some pictures that I finally scrapped!

and a few more (just because it's been so stinkin' long since I shared anything!)

I still have tons of layouts I haven't shared yet, so I'll try to be better & share more often!

I've gotta say, it feels good to finally post to this blog! (even though I've filled 2 sippies, wiped a rear, settled a few arguments during this post! :) Man, my day is so busy!)