First, and definately the silliest.  My honey’s aunt (center pic)  had a significant birthday [she turned 1578 - (2 x 759)].  So my cousin and i decided we needed to set up a photobooth at her rockin’ party  (my cousin is the top left pic – Hi SARA!).  And holy wow was it ridiculously fun, and i think all these shots are ones people wouldn’t mind my sharing.  Cause i KNOW there are some that people would NOT want on the internet, lol…

Oh.  And its summer.  Which means beach visits are MANDATORY.  And we got to go with cousins this time!  Going again in a few weeks.  Cannot.Wait.

And we were with The Grandparents for the 4th!  And i know, the center picture is well, less than in focus.  And i just don’t seem to mind.    And these pics were taken a few hours before i broke my foot.  By falling in front of a few hundred people.  Uh, yeah.  I did.   And yes, they cheered.

and a peek at a few portraits i have taken of  some of my favorite people over the last month…   and my oh-so-goofy 8 month old dog.

Ok.  I suspect you are on lara overload.  I am.  I’ll be back, next time with client images.  Because, we’ll, i’m WAY behind on blogging clients pictures!

{lara}

But, it needs to go away now so the world can start spinning again (translation, so my kids can go back to school!).  Anyway, i took a few portraits of my sweet girls over the weekend that i thought i’d share… gah, i love them.

oh, i love how her eyes are all squinty… like her face is a happy little line drawing in this shot!!!!

hope you all are enjoying the snow too, and now i’ve got to get editing one of the most beautiful little one year olds EVAH!  A peek coming soon…..

{lara}

But spring will come and we’ll get everyone booked!  I’m not scheduling 2010 sessions yet, but rather starting  a ‘contact for 2010 scheduling’ list — so if you are interested in getting on that list, please do let me know!

And i cannot blog without a picture!  I took this about a month ago and the file sat on my computer — i’m not sure if i even looked at it.  I stumbled across it a couple of days ago, and boy did it make me smile.  Its my Sweet Miss S in her own little world.  Oh, how i love her…

{ lara }

And i’ve been dreading this day horridly.  I knew it would be hard.  I sent my baby to kindergarten today.

And i warned you about my belly aching that was coming.

Well, i am a soild box of tissues down, crying hard, and laughing at myself all at the same time.  Anyone who knows me knows i am NOT a crier.  You honestly have to work hard to get me to cry.  Well, there is this one song that whenever it comes on i cry.  But you’d be hard pressed to get me to tell you what song.

But on the car ride to school this morning i lost it.  I heard C in the back quietly tell me “i love you mommy” while Miss S sang and was her silly little oblivious self.  Billy sweetly got me a tissue and i tried HARD to figure out how to collect myself before i parked the car.  This morning was about her, not me.  And i was NOT going to scare her with my tears.

I held it together.

Kinda.   Until i walked away.

And i pulled myself back together.  Well, till my dad called me about an hour ago.  gah.

So i’ve spent my morning looking at images of her.  Here she is from this morning just before i we got in the car (and yes, outfit by Miss S herself  lol…).

And from our summer vacation — The girls got their face painted and they thought it was THE best thing ever.  And Miss S’s was wicked cool……

and one of my favorite pics of her ever…   taken my the fabulous Kristi of Kristi Hedberg Photography in Asheville, NC

And yes, my gorgeous big girl also went to Second Grade today.  Well, that was just a *little* easier to drop her off than dropping my kindergartner off.    But oooohhh did i also  cry when i crossed the kindergarten bridge with Miss C two years ago.    And Miss C is SO much harder to take pictures of than Miss S…  She has perfected the “cheezy chipmunk” face.  But i managed to get a couple without it.  but JUST a couple.

and finally a few more from our 2009 summer vacation tour of the southeastern USA!

So, belly aching done.  Back to work now!!!!  See you soon….

{ lara }

I dropped off the first set of prints, and pulled into the driveway for my morning session.  Made sure my teeth were sparkly.  Made sure  my pants weren’t creased (if any of you know me, stop laughing.  and no, i don’t iron ANYTHING).  Ready to impress my new clients.

*knock knock knock*

The door opens.

The mom of a girl who attends the same preschool with my youngest opened the door  (D’OH!!!  No impressing her — she already knows me…   she’s seen me a BILLION times as i rushed late into preschool, looking… umm… LESS than professional, lol…) .  The mom of a girl whom my daughter thinks is a goddess.  Seriously — my Miss S has ‘tagged’ 2 kids on the periphery of her life and elevated them to superstar status.  And there was her mom,  standing elegantly in the doorway, and it was a FABULOUS surprise.  Because, on a personal level, I got to photograph a superstar to my daughter.  and thats COOL.  i love this little small town we call home.

So here are a couple of shots from their session i wanted to share.  And i’m silly excited to share them.  i LOVE this session.  Without further ado… my i present a superstar in my home and her big sister (who plays a cool sport with her dad!):

Have a happy Tuesday… and see you soon!

{ lara }

because time keeps passing.  my baby girl turns 5 today.  and birthdays make me cry.  its the passing of another year of childhood.  i know i know i know i know  its a new adventure.  and new age.  but 4 is magic.  pure and simple, the age of 4 is like not other.  capable.  pure.  loving. nonjudgmental.  uninhibited.  its filled with fairies and Easter bunnies.  giggles and honest questions.

but there is good news.  5 is my next favorite age

so happy birthday blue.  i adore every inch of you.. every second i’m with you… every time i get to breathe you in.

from your fingernails that grow faster than the dandelions outside to the spun gold hair that falls on your shoulders… from the way you tell daddie that “doctors are sewious” to the way you tap my nose in our super secret bedtime handshake.

i love you.

and i PROMISE more images to come soon from my trip last week.  I had the opportunity to shoot with an amazing photographer in Asheville, NC… and i’ll tell you guys all about it in the next day or two!

{ lara }

But WOW did we have fun yesterday!  We played in the snow and went sledding for a better part of the day.  And i had to get my camera out for a few minutes, although its probably mad at me now.  I think it was about 18 degrees when i took it outside yesterday.  And it wasn’t even wearing a jacket.

So i wanted to share a couple of pictures of my girls…. just because i can.  And because they make me smile.  And it TOTALLY cracks me up that Miss C still looks like a Jack-o-lantern in the middle of winter.

and HA mom — i think Miss C creamed you……

Anyway — i hope everyone is staying warm AND sane.  We are trying!  And i’ll have a couple of images to share from a last week’s session in a couple of days.  And a funny story to share about what happened after i left her house… embarrassing, but funny.

{lara}

Oh — and the kids get to select the name of their team.  and their team color is Maroon.  so… guess what name they selected?  wait for it……… wait for it…………    (its at the bottom of this post, so i am gonna make you wait for it)

So i hope all of you are enjoying your fall as we are!  and GOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOKIES!!!!!!!

{lara}

its my last year with S before she goes to school.  and with C being 2 years older, i have an understanding of what that means… so many changes come with starting school.  so i’m trying hard to drink up my time with S home.  But last monday, i worked a bit on the only weekday that S has off of school.  She decided that she’d play with chalk on our side patio while i worked.  When i saw what she created, it almost made me cry.  reminded me to ‘step away from the computer’ and go have a drink of her .  So i asked if i could take a picture of her creation.   Here it is….

after i snapped a couple of her with the patio, i asked her to take a couple of face shots.  she said no.  i bribed her with Pirate Booty.  asked if i could take 3 shots.  and this shot was one of them….. gaaaahhhh i love her.

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

Later last week, i had the pleasure of working with the G family!  We played hard and got silly, and our session really reflects that!  But in the spirit of the title of this post {appreciate} i wanted to share a couple of ‘moments’ from their session.  those everyday moments, that carry so much beauty.  first is of their son simply walking on a path… buy you can almost hear him talking to himself.. making plans as to what he, and his stick will conquer next…

and then of his little sister.  simply eating a banana sitting on the kitchen table.  but she is so beautiful in this moment, i just had to share.  banana and all

{ lara }

I do leave room in my calendar for newborn sessions, but planning ahead is always good!  When a newborn session is scheduled, i put your due date on my calendar, and once the baby is born — we shoot the session 7-10 days from the birth!  So if anyone is considering booking a newborn session for the fall months, please contact me as soon as possible!

Also, i will begin booking for next winter and spring sometime this fall.  I will need to update my 2009 information about products offered, pricing, business policies, etc… before i begin to schedule for next year.  I’ll post a blog when i open up 2009 dates.

and now a   ::sigh::

C started first grade this morning.  she was sooo nervous and excited.  i was super excited for her, until she opened up the door to her classroom, waved goodbye to me, and i heard her teacher say “Good Morning, C!” as the door closed.  at which point, tears rolled down my face while i clung to S’s hand walking back to my car.  i have such a hard time at these milestones!  she’ll do fabulous in first grade.  but thats one step closer to second grade.  and her drivers license.  and college. and her engagement.  well, you get the idea.

here is a picture from before she got in the car to go to school! you’ll notice the mini-c just behind her in the picture.  ohhh how i love them.  and hummm… i wonder what they are doing in first grade at the moment………..

have a wonderful day.  and if you need me today, i’m going out right now to wait for the bus to drop C off.  and yes, its a little after 10am.

{ lara }