uh-oh... I missed on an important event in my life..

...okay i feel really bad, but i forgot to mention that in July my entire family came down for a family reunion of sorts. So of course.. I had to take photos, but do you know how hard it is to be in a photo of 17 people AND take the picture as a photographer. Getting everyone to do the right thing at the right time and trying to notice everything that people are and aren't doing and then getting them to hold that position and then trying to get in the picture right before you take it well.. it's really hard. but i think it turned out pretty good and we all had a great time.

It is the first time in 20 years that we were all together and it will be many more before we are all together again. The only one missing is my big brother who died suddenly about 10 years ago at the age of 42. He was there in spirit though I am sure.

ALOHA

Okay well, I just got back from a trip to hawaii and of course I took an unbelievable amount of photos..most of which I haven't even looked at.

We had a great time.. but the one thing I really wanted to do was swim with the turtles. SOOOOO .... I wanted to share this one quick video clip with you...

So I was swimming with him.. and taking photos and this video and trying to keep up.. (which was very hard) and I was so intent on following him and taking photos (because sometimes I do crazy things for just the right shot) the next thing I knew I was in OPEN water! Can I just tell ya that it freaked me out just a bit. There was no bottom.. there was no left or right only beautiful blue PACIFIC OCEAN and the sky above. Luckily.. I popped my head up and headed back for the beach. But it was unnerving as I looked like a little dot out in a vast vast ocean. And of course I have to admit as much as I would LOVE to get photos face to face of a shark.. The JAWS theme did race through my mind for a slight instant. But it was incredible and as much as I would love to say that my photos will represent the beauty.. they won't. Hawaii, specifically Kauai, was breathtaking in every way imaginable. I even boogie boarded some monstrous waves and lived to tell about it although I did surrender after an hour of all out battling the surf and the sand. Drank a lot of ocean and was hurting the next day (or two) But I DID IT!!!

This is a photo I took of my hubby. Who was great about staying right with me all day as we snorkeled. We really had a blast. If you get the chance .. you have to go. You won't regret it.

preslie enters our world

here she is...


my sweet little granddaughter Preslie!

Everyone is doing well and her big brother Cayzen is all smiles.

catching up and catching my breath (part 3)

Although I have done others.. the last one i am going to talk about today is my own daughter ...




She is expecting my second grand child, first grand daughter, any time now..


You have to know that she hates to have her photo taken which as her mother .. a PHOTOGRAPHER.. it's a little frustrating for me... so when she asked what i wanted for Mother's Day.. my response was .. "i want to take your maternity photos." So how could she refuse... and although she wasn't too thrilled about it.. she did it and after a few moments.. she relaxed and had a good time.. and I want to say .. my daughter is a prime example of how once you get started and just let me do my work.. you will really really enjoy it..



So thank you daughter of mine for doing this..


and thanks my grandson for being such a good big brother to your little sister.. I am sure she loved the car.

catching up and catching my breath (part 2)

So as far as the photo shoots...

this next set is from a client I have done numerous times..

Her sister who lives in alaska was here in florida visiting with her new baby..

So while she was here we did a family portrait for them to give their mom for Mom's day!!!


So you will see sisters and brother horsing around.. Miss Macy who I have done a couple of times before. And finally her sister and the new baby mitchell.


I always have a good time with these guys. And I always love the results..

catching up.. and catching my breath...

Hi everyone.. i know it's been a while since i posted but I have been so busy.. which is a good thing..

But i am going to take this opportunity to catch up all at once.

Since I last posted two months ago (ouch - sorry) I have done a few photo shoots and a non-profit event.

Let me start with the non-profit event I did. On April 19th I did the black tie Gala for Directions for Mental Health located in Pinellas Cty.

It was a blast and everyone was so nice and a good time was had by all.

Here are a few of photos from that event.

thanks to everyone at Directions for letting me capture your event. And double thanks to everyone there for letting me take your photos..

a little of my personal life

my family and i recently went through a traumatic thing.

I normally wouldn't share this with the world but i feel compelled for some reason.

within 24 hours.. my daughter and her husband (and all of us) were

told my two year old grandson had luekemia and then told he did not..

you can only imagine the emotional trauma that we felt then the unmistakable elation - when we found out he didn't.

with that being said.. shortly after finding out he didn't.. it dawned on us that we were very very blessed as we were on the pediatric oncology floor and realized that many others were dealing with life and death everyday. So I want to say how much i admire those parents and their children for dealing with that on a daily basis and how scarey it must be for them. How i pray that they find small moments of peace in their lives as they are dealing with cancer.

and for everyone else.. cherish your moments with those that you love and try to be kind to one another.. even strangers as you never know what might be happening in their lives..

I have posted two photos..

the first one will be us (obviously I am taking the photo) waiting for the results of the bone marrow results.. to have it confirmed that it was luekemia and the second one is my grandson a few days after he was home.. ALL BETTER!!

thank you Lord.

ps also.. on top of all this.. my daughter is pregnant with their second child.. a little sister.