Finally Friday!!

I don't know why I get so worked up about Fridays when my work is usually on Saturdays! Hmmmm, maybe force of habit! I am working tomorrow photographing Megan & Tyler's wedding! I don't know them well so I am not quite sure what to expect but I am pretty good at rolling with the flow so I don't think it will be a problem. LOL!

Today's photos are of the Diva and they are for Tammy at Personalized Creations. If you remember, the Diva is a hair bow model for her and in exchange for my photography we get hair pretties! Don't forget that today is the last day to enter to win a monogrammed bow from Personalized Creations! You can enter HERE! The winner will be announced tomorrow!!

Since yesterday was kind of dreary I set up a small space in the dining room to do these photos and got to use one of my new backgrounds!! It is material that I picked up at Hobby Lobby while in Champaign earlier in the week! I love the texture and the Diva loved how soft it was! Of course, her tutu was perfect for the bows and I broke out my new prop that I got at a studio that was going out of business! The little stool was only $5!!!

This is my favorite of the shoot and it was planned posed a total fluke! She was between squirms! LOL! By the way, do you know what happens when you put a 2 year old in a tutu first thing in the morning? She never wants to take it off! Ha! She wore it all day to the grocery store, the Chinese buffet and to return books at the college!!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Moments to Treasure

We all have those moments in life that we want to remember forever and we choose to remember them in a variety of ways but none better than a photograph! With just a glance you can remember who, what, when and where and it is almost as if you are transported back to that moment!

I am doing my best to capture moments with Papa so that the Diva will have them to remember him by! It is hard when kids are so little, I know we are afraid they will not know or remember us but let me tell you from someone who only has photographs and stories of her Father that it can be done! My Father passed away when I was still in gestation, my Mom was 4 1/2 months pregnant with me at the time! So, you see, I never knew my father but there were plenty of photographs and stories from my Mom, sisters, aunts and uncles to trick my memory into "remembering" him!

I consider it my duty to pass to the Diva, stories and photographs of the important people that she will never have the opportunity to meet, like my Mom, Dad, Stepdad and Sister and her Papa, who her young brain may or may not remember except for the pictures and stories! Take it from me, pictures of the everyday are important! I really think that is why it is now my career!

Happy picture taking and memory making!!

Wordless Wednesday- Dori & the Diva

Photos by Diana because I was way too busy flapping my gums to take any! LOL! I did do a little editing as evident by the photo at the top, "Pretty in Pink"!

The Old and The New & A Blog Hop Too!

Yesterday was a fun day for all! The moody teen, the diva and I piled into the car to head north to Champaign to meet up with some ZTA sorority sisters and blogger buddy Diana! I was so excited!!

Diana and her cuties were the first ones there and we talked blogs and bloggers while eating lunch! The kids got along great! It was so much fun to finally meet Diana, who does awesome blog makeovers like mine!!!

Next Carrie and Kristina (and crew) arrived and we talked college and family! I talked to Kristina's hubby for a while about cameras and lenses and gear because he is a photographer also! The day just flew by and before we knew it, Kristina and crew needed to hit the road to travel the rest of the way home! Carrie and Kristina are both bloggers so check them out!

Today's Blog hop with MckLinky is favorite kids photo! I am not sure if these are my favs but they are new and one is funny!! This first photo is for the sake of playing with some new props and a new background! The diva was not in a photo taking mood!


And this photo is from yesterday! That is Diana and I with a "surprise" added in when Kristina's youngest decided to jump into the picture with us! Great capture by the moody teen! Now start hoppin and check out all the other great photos!

I know, I know......

I have been really lax on the new posts but to honest the photographer side of me has been SUPER busy with weddings, senior photos, etc and there is no end in sight at this point so please forgive my lack of blogging and hopping but clients come first! Don't get me wrong I love all of my readers but when I working for my clients they expect (and deserve) my full attention!!

Amanda and Chet got back from their Vegas honeymoon and LOVED the photos from the wedding!! I met Amanda and her parents at Starbuck's (the only meeting spot) to give them their photos and album and they were so happy with what they saw! So, Amanda and I have mapped out how their life will go, in photographs at least! LOL!

I have some new stuff to share with you soon and also some great tips on back drops for taking your photos that don't break the bank but look uber cool!! Hint: most you can get at your local Walmart!! For now I will leave you with one of Amanda's favorite photos from her wedding day!! Click on the photo to make it larger, you will not be sorry!!

Calling ALL Prayer Warriors!!

This little baby is in serious trouble!! He needs our prayers NOW! His name is Stellan and his heart is in SVT (beating dangerously fast) and the docs are not sure how to calm it!

His Mama just twittered:
Stellan is no longer urinating, his Potassium is up, he is still in SVT, very swollen & at midnight he began incessant vomiting.

Please pray and if you want more info just click on his picture above this post and it will take you to his Mama's page that she updates as often as possible and her Twitter feed is on the left hand side which is updated more frequently!

Praying for Stellan

Yup, little Stellan is in SVT again and it is not good for the little guy. You can read more here! Please keep this little one in your prayers!!

Tales from Our Daycation - A Post of Epic Proportions!

It really is possible to take a very small vacation, close to home without spending a ton of cash! Sometimes all we need to do is look in our own backyards! That is exactly what I did when planning our adventure in Amish country! Now, this was all old hat for the moody teen and I but we had fun because we viewed everything through the diva's eyes since it was all brand new to her! We started at the Raggedy Ann and Andy Museum and gift shop where the diva was not sure about the the 2 huge dolls positioned out front.

Once we got inside and she saw all the dolls, she was right at home! She was very excited running from one exhibit to the next! We had to slow her down a bit! Ha!


Lately, the diva has been fascinated with tea parties so when we came across the exhibit of what Marcella's room would have looked like, she wanted to join the tea party!

What little girl does not remember her first Raggedy Ann doll? I know I remember mine (I wish I still had her).

I know the diva will never forget her first Raggedy Ann! She is diva sized and signed by the creator's (Johnny Gruelle) granddaughter Joni Gruelle and even has the diva's name on it! Here she is dancing with her new friend!

Our next stop was for lunch at the Dutch Kitchen then a visit to the Primitive Goose and then off to Rockome Gardens in the heart of Amish land! One of the big attractions is the big rocking chair!

Then the diva and the moody teen made the trek to the top of the old barn to look out point! You can see the diva in the small window at the top!

And, of course, no vacation is complete without taking your photo in a cutout! LOL!

But, the true highlight for the diva was getting to pet and ride on her very first pony! She was so excited and said "Look mama, I'm doing it all by myself!" even though she had a guide to lead Molly, the pony and her brother walked right beside her the entire time! LOL!

She also like the old school house and sat in one of the desks to take a small break! We were close to the end of the day and she was getting tired!

Next, we headed to the bakery for the best homemade soft pretzels you have ever tasted and headed off to our final destination, the buggy ride!

As you can see, she was worn out and so was I! After petting, Holly, the horse and thanking her for the buggy ride, we headed for the car and the short drive home!

I WON!

I love winning, especially when it is something the diva can use! This time I won a pair of See Kai Run shoes! They are SUPER cute and I am so excited for the diva to add them to her wardrobe!! A Big thanks to the gals at Cute Like Me Giveaways and Reviews!

Today is full of all the household chores that I have neglected due to working on tons of photos and putting together Amanda and Chet's wedding album to ship it to the printer! If you missed the photos click here!

So here is an unedited photo or two from our daycation that we took yesterday! I promise to edit and post more tomorrow and fill you in on the adventures! For now, I will just give you enough to peek your curiosity!

Was there ever any doubt that feet would be involved? LOL!!

I Am Busy Today by the Diva!

Just wanted to tell you that I am taking a break today!! Mommy and bubby and I are going on a daycation to Arcola to the Raggedy Ann & Andy Museum and Rockome Gardens. I am sure there will be lots of pictures and stories to share!

See you later! Wish you were here to go with me!!

Love,
The Diva

Wedding Photos - Chet & Amanda

Recipe Hop with MckLinky!

I am not really a cook of any sorts! OH, my family does not starve but I make simple things, most of which, do not require a recipe! There is one great recipe that I have for a decadent banana bread so here goes! Enjoy and don't forget to do some hoppin!

3 bananas
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp each baking powder, salt, vanilla, cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda in 1 tbl spoon water
Handful of chocolate chips
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil

Mash bananas and add sugar. Let it sit for 15 minutes while you put all dry ingredients together.

Beat eggs with a fork in a separate bowl. Dissolve soda in water.

Add a little of you flour mixture to the bananas. Next add oil, the rest of the flour mix, baking soda in the water, eggs & vanilla.

Fold in chips and bake in greased loaf pan at 325 degrees (preheated) until done (when your knife comes out clean). It takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes in my oven! I usually set my timer for 60 min and check and go from there!

I ♥ Faces Week 28 - Feet!!

I LOVE FEET! Oh, did I say that out loud? OK, so it is so true that I love feet! I love feet so much that I had trouble choosing a photo for I ♥ Faces Week 28 - Feet! Yup, I have lots of photos of feet: baby feet, ugly feet, feet in boots, feet with painted toes! Let's just say I have more pictures of feet than any one person should have but the photographer in me just has to capture them during mostly all
all of my sessions! Ha!

Since I had so much trouble picking today's photo (too many favs), the knight took over the job for me and all I had to do was post and write! Ha again! Out of my hundreds of feet photos, this is the winner (as chosen by the knight), it was taken a few weeks ago when I did the tutu shoot with the diva! I just love little baby toes!!

Did you happen to notice my new girlie, scrollie (is that a word?) name? I am so proud of my self for knowing enough to do it myself! I almost emailed Diana from Custom Blog Design but I figured it out!! Yeah, me!

Now head on over to I ♥ Faces to check out all the other great faces
feet! LOL!

Silent Sunday

Beautiful blooms from one of my friend Ruth's flower beds!

Cute Hats, Weddings & Weather! Oh My!

OK, so you all know that I am busy today with a huge wedding but I have been holding on to these for a while and finally had the time to process them and share them with you! Now you all know how much I love to dress the diva in really cute stuff and I pounced on these beanies and flower when I won a gift certificate to Cute Like Me from I ♥ Faces! By the way Cute Like Me has a Give Away Blog and they are giving away a pair of See Kai Run shoes! You can enter here!

Are these just the cutest and does the diva not look too cute in them? What a little model she is turning out to be (when she will let me take her picture that is)!

Have a great weekend and enjoy the weather (at least here high of 68 today)! Is is really July?

Give Me Your Best Shot

This is one of my favorite shots so far! The diva was so into fishing with daddy at the lake! I find it funny that she is all dressed up but willing to get dirty to learn to fish!!

Head on over to Loli's place Better in Bulk to see the other great shots and to enter a great giveaway!!