They knew it was meant to be.......

....when they found out they both drink Tropicana High Pulp OJ. Of course, that HAD to be included in some way during our session together, so here it is!



Two people could not be more happy at this moment than Andy and Katie. I had the awesome opportunity to do their engagement photos, and look forward to capturing their wedding day in the fall.



Love you guys!!! I truly pray that God continues to bless this awesome relationship- so very, very awesome that you found each other!

Ben and Erica are getting MARRIED!!

Erica and I were "suitemates" in college (she was in the neighboring room, and we had a shared bathroom)- and we have kept in contact since college. Her Fiancee, Ben, was in Choir with me at WLC, and now plays piano and trumpet in the productions I sing in with Mike Westendorf. It was really a great time had by all when we got to just hang out, and take pictures at the same time.
We had intended on going to the Mitchell Park Domes, which I have done shoots there SEVERAL times before, but this time the lady at the front wouldn't let us in unless we paid the additional $65 fee....so we left.
And instead went to the same spot where Ben asked Erica to marry him. Much more romantic in my book, but also much, MUCH colder. Since it was 15 degrees, with a good chill coming up off of Lake Michigan. How cold was it? The lake was actually quite frozen. That's how cold it was.
But, they managed to snuggle up close, keep warm, and I got some great shots of the two!

27 0f 365

~Em

Photo Challenge

I had this GREAT idea for this particular photograph for this week's challenge- and I was actually able to execute the photograph!!!
We were supposed to take a picture of our subject through something- anything, really, and I thought how cute would it be to have this couple framed in the photograph.
I had the ultimate pleasure of taking engagement photos for an artist friend (who happens to also be named Emily) She and Rick really interacted well and truly had a great time with each other while I took their pictures.
Thanks for going along with this idea, guys!!!





To see the other entries and to check out the rules, click here


~Em

Just been a little busy....

Have I ever told you how much I like pictures? Don't get me wrong, I love to read, but man, I could just look at a photo book for hours and hours- and come back to it again a couple days later. That's why I have worn out my "From Conception to Birth" book...full of super-cool photographs of all the stages of pregnancy, and have a coffee table book of the BEST of national Geographic photos (thanks, Little sis!)- and why I still have some of my childhood books- because the illustrations are just TOO AWESOME.
Anyway, I have read too many blogs that apologize for being picture-laden. I have NO APOLOGIES. this is what I love- and I will be more likely to read...er...LOOK at your blog if there are pictures. I am more excited about my own blog if I have some decent pictures of my own to post. So, that being said, here is my uber-busy blog for the day:

this week marks the end of my first year of teaching!!!!
whoa!
now, it was a crazy year- marked in the middle by the birth of my little J man, teaching art to around 200 children from grades 1-8, organizing the transportation of projects from the school to my kiln, back to school, then many of them to the art fair.... a little disorganized, but what can you expect from my first year of teaching? All I can say is that I have been asked back to teach next year. yay! what plans I have for next year...mwa haha...I mean..YAY.

The photo season has kicked off to a great start, with baby photos, family pics, engagements, and maternity photos. And I am now taking my camera EVERYWHERE I GO. why? because it has happened too often that I don't have a camera when I really, REALLY need it!
So here are some highlights from this past week:

family

Baby 6-month pictures

Engagement Photos

(ok...so the Dogs aren't getting the engagement pics...they just came along for the ride ;)

I also made it to J hubby's softball game this week.....unfortunately, I was too busy hanging out with J man and my friend's pup (yes, the same one from the engagement photos) to really take notice of the game, but they did win ;)


J man has been hyper-hilarious, too. He turned 5 months on Tuesday, and this is my favorite pic of him that day... I haven't done my "official" 5 month pics of him yet...they will be coming. Soon. Ish.

(yes, he is laughing)

I also began digging my garden. Well, J hubby dug up the sod, tilled the earth, and did all the HARD work, but I designed it, got the paths dug, piled the dirt into the respective spots (one garden comprised of three raised beds). It looks beautiful. In my head, mind you, it is stunning. Right now it's just 3 piles of dirt. But, as dirt goes, I think it's beautiful.
Of course, more pictures will be coming as it progresses.
AS for me, I am BEAT. J man has been sleeping for almost 2 hours now, and I should really let my head sink into my pillow for some crazy-dream time.
Have a fantastic night, everyone!