THE PLANT A BILLION TREES CAMPAIGN

We started this on Earth Day and will leave this at the top of our blog until we reach our goal. 

The Nature Conservancy  is working to save the Atlantic Forest, which is now one of the world's most endangered tropical forests.  We need tropical forests to regulate the oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and stabilize the global climate, not to mention that it is a source of clean water, hydro power, and home to thousands of species of plants, birds, and primates. 

By donating just ONE DOLLAR you will plant a tree and contribute to the effort to restore 2.5 million acres of land and plant 1 billion trees.  This will remove 10 MILLION TONS of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere every year, the equivalent of taking 2 million cars off the road. 

If everyone who reads this blog just takes a minute out of their day to click the picture below and donate just ONE DOLLAR we will go above and beyond our goal!  It is less than the toll on the crosstown.  Less than a Starbuck's coffee.  Four quarters will buy you a TREE!!!  It couldn't be more affordable!

To everyone who has donated, thanks from the trees! 

IF YOU HAVEN'T GIVEN A DOLLAR YET, PLEASE DONATE!

Please click the picture below and follow the link to give just one dollar and help us reach our goal. 

*LINK REMOVED*

COMING SOON ON MAY'S BLOG

I have pictures of Jessica and Josh's new baby and Vanessa and Brad's wedding at the Don Cesar so those will start us off on May's blog!  Also, an announcement about our Plant a Billion Trees campaign!

April 30, 2008

KALYN AND DANIEL'S ENGAGEMENT SESSION

Sunday afternoon dad went to Ybor City to photograph Kalyn and Daniel's engagement session.  When he arrived, there was a police RV blocking parts of the road and streets were crowded.  There was a parade or something going on, but luckily it was ending.

As dad, Kalyn, and Daniel started walking around, an attendant at a parking lot started to yell out suggestions about where to take photos.  She told dad that the locations he was using were "ugly!"  But Kalyn and Daniel trusted dad's vision and had a fun session.  Here are some of their pictures:

Mom is jealous of Kalyn's gorgeous legs!

Kalyn and Daniel are having a beach wedding this October.  It will be a great time!

CAN YOU SPOT THE DIFFERENCE?

While dad spent today with Vanessa and Brad celebrating their wedding, I was having fun at home playing toys with mom and Everett.  After we had dumped out a few bins of toys, mom started thinking that she had let me get a little too carried away by the marketing that targets my age group.  Here's a little lesson for you in preschool marketing.

Let's start with an easy example.  I love the movie Toy Story 2.  Those of you who follow my blog know that I was Woody for Halloween.  I have my Buzz Lightyear phone, my Buzz lightyear spinning light up toy, my Toy Story and Toy Story 2 Viewfinder things, and so on.  And of course I have the figurines from the movie.  Woody and Buzz are my two favorite characters so I have lots of them.  Here is a picture of my Woody figurines that mom took today for this blog lesson.

The differences there are probably pretty easy to spot.  #1 is a mini stuffed Woody, #2 is a Woody car, #3 (yes there are 2 of them.  Every good mom has backups of the favorite toys to prevent meltdowns!) are the small figurines, #4 is the bigger figurine with guitar, and #5 is the actual talking Woody doll.  They are all laying on my Woody costume too.  Okay, that one wasn't hard at all.  So let's get to a more challenging one...

Lightning McQueen is all over our house.  I have Lightning McQueen sippy cups, plates, forks and spoons, luggage, books, a Lightning McQueen lunch box, back pack, shoes, clothes, magnets, spinning toy, Game Cube game, race track, the Cars Soundtrack CD...I could go on but you get the point, and I don't even have a tiny fraction of all the things that are available to buy!  Then I of course have lots and lots of the cars from the movie including many Lightning McQueens in all sizes.  Here is the picture mom took today when we were playing.  These are all of my diecast Lightning McQueens and some of my other McQueens as well.  Can you spot the differences?

How many looked the same to you?  We tried to position them to help you out.  In case you need more help, click here for a link to a list of most of the versions of the Lightning McQueen individual diecasts.  As I told my mom, it is very important to have them all because they are all different and are all from different parts during the movie.

To start you off, #6 is the easiest.  It is my big Lightning McQueen.  It isn't a diecast and when you pull it backwards it races forward.  #2 is easy as well.  It is called Cruisin' McQueen with the whitewall tires and the shiny paint.  #s 4 and 5 are smaller Lightning McQueens, but they are different from each other.  #4 is the shiny one and #5 is the original version.  #1 came as part of a set.  It is a bit bigger and is plastic instead of diecast.  Now it gets a bit harder.  Check out the bottom of #9.  The dirt gives it away.  This is Dirt Track McQueen from when he had to learn to turn left to go right.  For the rest, I tricked you a little!  Of #s 3, 7, and 8, two of them are the same!  #s 3 and 8 are the original Lightning McQueen.  Look at the mouth of #7.  The mouth makes it different.  This is Bug Mouth McQueen.  It is hard to see in that picture, so here is a close-up:

See the bugs on the teeth of the one on the left?  It is an important distinction and makes it necessary to have both versions of the car.

There are many more versions of the diecast McQueens that I am missing and as you can see the differences are so important so I will continue asking mom and dad for more of them.  And that is just one character from the movie Cars.  Don't forget Tow Mater, Sally, Doc Hudson...click this link and be amazed.

And that is preschool marketing at its finest!

April 29, 2008

COURTNEY AND ADAM

Dad has been looking forward to Courtney and Adam's wedding for a while and their day finally arrived on Saturday.  Their wedding was at the Italian Club in Tampa and it was the first time dad had been there.  He liked that it was right in the middle of downtown Tampa so he was able to go down the streets for some great urban pictures.

Adam and his 6 groomsmen before the ceremony:

Dad joined Courtney at the salon that morning where she was excited to run into the coach for the USF football team.  He was really nice and even signed a card for Adam who is a Bulls fan even after Courtney did the Gator's chomp in front of him .

Courtney got dressed at the Don Vincente and one of mom's favorite moments from the day was just after Courtney put her gown on and her mom began to cry.

Courtney's dad was so happy for his daughter as well.  He and Courtney twirled and spun and laughed their way through their dance.

What a wonderful way to honor a grandparent.  At the reception, the couple served cookies with a sign that said, "Please enjoy our Great Grandmother Garreffa's Italian cookies handmade by our family in honor of her."

Dad took a few pictures of the couple after the ceremony...

...but most of the bride and groom pictures were done after the wedding.  When Courtney talked to dad about going down the streets of Tampa for pictures after the reception ended, he was so excited!  So after the couple's departure into bubbles, complete with guests using bubble guns, Courtney, Adam, and dad headed downtown. 

Dad said he didn't realize how many interesting people were out at midnight on a Saturday night.  Interesting being a very key word, with another key word being alcohol.  But Courtney and Adam had fun with it and were open to all of dad's ideas.  At one point, dad had Adam sitting in a doorway.  Just minutes after he moved, some funky liquid came pouring out of the pipes above.  How lucky that he wasn't still sitting there!  That might have put a bit of a damper on the romance of their wedding night.

Courtney was a bridesmaid in Leigh and Mike's wedding last October and Leigh was now a bridesmaid in Courtney and Adam's wedding!  Dad would say it was great to see Leigh and Mike again but Mike bragged about snowboarding lots so now dad just says:

(Just joking of course...Leigh and Mike are awesome).

After a wedding at the Italian Club, there's no better honeymoon than a trip to Italy!  It is going to be an amazing trip.  Thanks so much to Courtney and Adam for having us at your wedding!

"FIRST BREATH" BIRTH SESSION

A wedding is an emotional event and it is really special to capture the love and happiness of the couple and their family and friends, as well as the planning and details that create the day. 

This weekend, dad was able to share in another life event.  Unlike a wedding, this day is not scheduled and planned, but the emotions involved can often be even more intense.  Dad was so moved to get the call to join Jessica and Josh as they welcomed their new baby into this world.  When the call came, mom got teary thinking of this powerful event and dad was really excited knowing he was about to join a family for a day that would forever be etched on their hearts. 

Dad headed to Labor of Love Birth Center in Tampa where Jessica had already been in labor for a few hours.  Her second baby had decided to arrive that day!  Dad said the birth center had a very comfortable environment to make women feel at home.  Jessica had the whole place to herself.  She did a great job walking and moving around to help her labor progress.  She was already at 8 cms and everyone expected the baby at any time.

Jessica had two doulas with her during labor.  Mom says she strongly recommends all moms have a doula; they are so wonderful as support for both moms and their birth partners throughout labor.

Jessica was amazing!  Dad said she seemed relaxed and focused. 

Josh offering Jessica support during a contraction:

Unfortunately the baby was too comfortable and dad had to leave for another event before the birth, but after over 14 hours of labor Jessica and Josh welcomed their new baby to this world!  They had waited until the moment of delivery to find out whether their daughter would have a new brother or sister and the new baby was a beautiful little ...

...stay tuned to find out when I blog about their newborn session that dad photographed this morning!  We are all so very excited for their growing family!

If anyone is interested in a First Breath session (for yourself or as a baby shower gift) be sure to contact dad for more details.  This is not a portrait session; it is a documentary of the details and intense emotion that define this day.  Photography of the actual birth may or may not be a part of the session depending on your preference.  Dad looks for the intimate moments and details: the strength of a mom in labor, the time ticking by on the clock, the love in a dad's eyes when he first sees his new baby, the baby's first breath, first cry...It is a day filled with powerful moments that you will never want to forget. 

April 28, 2008

TRACY AND JAMIE

Dad joined Tracy on Friday morning for her to have her makeup done at J. Con Salon in St. Pete.  Dad was surprised that such a big building was packed with people!  He wondered how crowded the salon was on Saturdays!  Then they headed over to the Grand Plaza.  The weather was wonderful for their beach ceremony with Tom Greene as the officiant.  Mom thought it was sweet that Tracy came down the aisle with a big smile and tears in her eyes.  During the ceremony, the flower girl entertained herself by singing into a flower (flowers by Kabloom Florist).  She was adorable!

The bright orange dresses for the bridesmaids were beautiful against the beach sky!

The reception was in the Imperial Ballroom of the Grand Plaza with Jeff Staples as the DJ.  Tracy and Jamie played a slide show with pictures of them as kids and then throughout their relationship.  The guest seem to enjoy it and people were laughing and crying as they watched.

Tracy looking mischievous with the cake...but they both behaved.

Dancing and having some fun!

Tracy and Jamie were a great couple and such nice people.  Have fun in Aruba!!

April 25, 2008

ARBOR DAY

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.

--"Trees" by Joyce Kilmer.

"I am the Lorax.  I speak for the trees.  I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues...

UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.  It's not."

--From "The Lorax" by Dr. Suess

Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky,

We fell them down and turn them into paper,

That we may record our emptiness.

--Kahlil Gibran

Today is National Arbor Day, and we hope everyone takes some time today to appreciate the beauty of the trees around us.  But they aren't just there to give us gorgeous landscapes; they provide us with clean air, drinking water, and they provide habitat for wildlife.

We are so happy to be over 30% of the way toward our goal of planting 500 trees as part of the Nature Conservancy's Plant a Billion Trees campaign.  Thanks to all of you, 160 trees have been planted in just 3 days!!!  That is awesome!

Today we are asking all of you to gather the spare change under your couch cushions, in your car, on top of your dresser.  All you need is just ONE DOLLAR and you can plant a tree.  ONE DOLLAR FOR A TREE!!!  You won't be able to find anything better than that for a dollar.

In honor of Arbor Day, we will match all donations made today up to reaching our goal.  If you give a dollar, we'll give a dollar!  We are starting at $160 so let's see what we can do for Arbor Day!  Please click the link below...all you need is a minute or two and one dollar to plant one tree.  Thank you from the planet, thank you from the trees, and thank you from the children that will inherit this earth from you!

Click here to contribute to the Plant a Billion Trees campaign and help us reach our goal!

*Link Removed*

April 23, 2008

MEAG AND RYAN'S ENGAGEMENT SESSION

It is awesome when a couple really gets into a session.  It is true that the main reason for an engagement session is to get some great images of the two of you as a couple, but it is also about the experience of the session itself!  It is a time to have fun being together as a couple in love.  It is a way to celebrate the excitement of being engaged and looking forward to your wedding day.  Meag and Ryan really got that.  They made the session a great time and dad loved it! 

Dad says Meag and Ryan are the type of people everyone wants to be friends with.  They are genuine and fun and kind.  He is so happy that he is going to be there to see them get married!  Thanks for a great session!

April 22, 2008

EARTH DAY

Today is Earth Day, a day to learn about ways you can help protect our planet and then put what you learn into action!  If everyone decided today was the day to make just a few small changes, it would make a big difference.  I know we've shared this quote before but it is worth repeating.  A Native American proverb says, "We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."  Every environmentally harmful shortcut we take for the sake of convenience is something stolen from future generations, MY generation!  I hope everyone will think of that and decide the legacy they will pass on will be one of big changes and progress for our environment.

Need some ideas for easy things you can start doing today?  No problem!

*Turn off lights when you leave the room.  (I am getting very good at remembering to do this.  I tell mom that I am doing it for our planet.)

*Turn off the water as you brush your teeth.  (Even Barney sings about this!)

*Open your window instead of using your air conditioning.

*Support local growers.  Find a farmer's market near you using this link.

*Walk or ride your bike instead of driving places or use mass transportation.  (With gas prices so high, you'll save lots of money too!)

*Unplug your cell phone charger after your phone is charged.

*Many appliances still use electricity even when they are off.  Plug appliances (such as your TV, VCR, and DVD player) into a power strip that you can turn off.

*Screensavers do not save energy.  Use the power management function on your computer and switch off your computer when not in use.  (DAD!!!)

*Fix any leaky faucets and toilets.

*REDUCE, REUSE, and RECYCLE!

*And finally, buy green products whenever you can!  Amazon Green has green categories with everything from computers to groceries to cars!  Some of our very favorites are Tom's of Maine deodorant (the only kind dad will use), Method household cleaning products (they work well, smell great, and have funny things on the bottles), Stonyfield Farm organic milk and yogurt (when I was a baby YoBaby was my favorite food and now my brother loves it too!), and Speesees organic baby clothes (they are having free shipping on orders over $50 for Earth Day).

Today is the day to make a change and make a difference!  In honor of Earth Day, we are teaming up with the Nature Conservancy.  They work to preserve plants, animals, and natural communities by protecting lands and waters they need to survive.  Right now they have the Plant a Billion Trees campaign to bring the Atlantic Forest back from the brink by restoring 2.5 million acres of land and planting 1 billion trees over the next 7 years.  By doing this, 10 million tons of carbon dioxide will be removed from the atmosphere every year!!  That is the equivalent of taking 2 million cars off the road!  It is just a dollar a tree.  That couldn't be any more affordable!!  We want all of you to help us plant 500 trees.  Please click the image below and make a donation...one dollar plants one tree.  Let's do something good for our planet!

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OUR FREE WEDDING GIVE AWAY WINNERS!

There couldn't be a better day than Earth Day to tell you about Sam and Patrick's wedding on Saturday.  They were the winners of our Free Wedding Photography Give Away last April.  Here is the story they entered that won them free wedding day coverage, a web gallery of their images, and an album!

Patrick and I met in 2005 via Friendster, the lamer and tamer version of MySpace. Patrick had gone on Friendster to search for a girl, aged 25-30, within 100 miles of him, who also happened to be a fellow vegetarian. Only two matches came up and I apparently was the only one of the two who didn’t seem like a total crazy. So, Patrick sent off a message to me and it cracked me up. I was a bit hesitant to respond since he lived in Venice and I in Safety Harbor – a good hour and a half away. But I responded anyway and I’m so glad that I did. After a few messages back and forth and a few awkward phone calls we decided to meet up when he was going to be up in the area for the minor league baseball all-star game (yawn). And what better place for an initial meeting/first date than the Pie Factory, where their website proudly states that they are not a "coffee house" in the '60s sense of hippies, poets and guitarists.” We hit it off and had a great time and decided to meet up again and again and again. We dated long distance for about 9 months, and then I decided to take the plunge and move southward to Sarasota where I could pursue a new career and be closer to Patrick. And after living here for about 6 months, Patrick turned in his keys at his “oh so charming” apartment and moved in with me. Our relationship has been filled with so much fun and laughter. Hardly a day goes by that we don’t crack each other up and hardly a birthday goes by that we’re not swimming with some sort of aquatic creature (manatees for sam’s birthday and dolphins for patrick’s).

On Groundhog’s day, and over a year a half into our relationship, Patrick recreated on of our dates and popped the question…and I said yes!

We’ve only been engaged for a little over two months now, and are already in full wedding planning mode. As we’ve been searching through books, magazines, websites, and just tossing around ideas, one “trend” has been consistently coming up: eco-friendly and green weddings. And since animal rights, the environment, and shying away from excess are important to us, it only makes sense for us to create a green wedding that will really showcase who we are while also ‘educating’ our guests about what’s really important to us … and at the same time, being an elegant, classy, and fun affair. One of the main reasons that brought us together and that we love each other so much is that we are both vegetarians for compassionate reasons. So, despite the possibility of a few grumbly guests, we will be having a full vegetarian wedding, with vegan options for our vegan friends. We want our guests, most of whom are not vegetarians, to taste how delicious and filling vegetarian food can be, while also educating them a little bit on what they’re eating and why. We’ll be doing a plated dinner, rather than buffet, since buffets create more excess and wasted food. We will feature vegan and organic wines (yes, most wine is not vegan since its filtering process requires crushed animal bone) and organic beers. Our flowers, for the most part, will be organic and we will use soy candles instead of regular, petroleum based candles. Our registry has been linked to the I Do Foundation where 5% of any purchases will be donated to the Big Cat Rescue in Tampa – a sanctuary and rest home for retired, abandoned, and injured exotic cats….All little steps towards creating a wedding that’s not only fun and inventive, but that also gives back to the natural world around us.

We realize we may not be the most heroic couple out there, but we’re doing our best to do our part for the world around us, and staying true to who we are. And we know that we may not be able to create the ‘greenest’ wedding possible, but we hope that the eco-friendly steps we do take will make some sort of change for the better.

Thanks for considering us!

Sam was also kind enough to be a guest blogger for me with her "Diary of an Eco-Bride."  Be sure to read her entries on September 6, 2007 and October 4, 2007.

After reading Sam's ideas when she entered our contest a year ago, dad had been really looking forward to see it all come together.  The wedding was held at the Sarasota Garden Club and it lived up to everything the couple promised.  Dad had fun looking for everything that made the wedding green, and there was a lot!  The save the date cards, invitations, and programs were printed on recycled paper, the favors were reusable grocery bags, the candles were soy based, there was vegan wine, the food served was not only organic but also locally grown...Sam and Patrick did a terrific job in putting together a beautiful wedding that incorporated their eco-friendly values.

Sam starting out green by using natural toothpaste:

Organic snacks:

Mom absolutely loved the guest favors which said, "I went to Sam & Patrick's wedding...and all I got was this awesome reusable shopping bag!"

Sam's dress under the gorgeous blue sky:

Organic wines:

The ceremony:

One of the servers brought hor d'oeuvres outside for Sam, Patrick, and the wedding party during pictures.

Tables were marked with the name of a place important in Sam and Patrick's relationship and the story that went along with that place.

Dad never met Sam until dad photographed the couple's engagement session, but as they talked they found out that Sam graduated from GMU the same year as mom and dad.  Sam and mom even were in high school together without ever meeting!  Mom still hasn't pulled out her year book to look you up, Sam, but she says when she gets some time to brave the garage and find it she is going to.

Dad thought the food was yummy!

After dinner Sam and Patrick's had their first dance:

Dad thought it was awesome to see the vision Sam and Patrick had for their wedding become a reality.  Congratulations to the newlyweds!!!

When we first blogged about our Free Wedding Give Away, we told people that we wanted to share our blessings and give freely of our time and talent.  We were inspired by others and wanted this contest to be done with a giving spirit so that generosity could further spread (Dad's favorite quote was said by Mahatma Gandhi, "Be the change you want to see in the world.")  This is why the winners not only received their coverage, web gallery, and album for free, but also the profit from any other add-on products that Sam, Patrick, and their family and friends may order will be donated to Food for the Poor to help provide food, housing, health care, and assistance to the very poor.  So any of Sam's guests or other friends and family who are reading this, be sure you order lots of prints when the gallery is uploaded and help support a great cause!

April 21, 2008

JESSICA AND KRIS

On Friday Jessica and Kris were married at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay.  It was dad's first time there and he thought I would have loved to see the fish pond. 

Jessica wore her hair down in loose curls, which mom thought looked romantic. 

Before the ceremony, Jessica and Kris had their first sight.  Kris waited with his back turned as Jessica approached behind him.  The look in her eyes as she looked into his shows you that whether you see each other before or during the ceremony it doesn't matter; the emotion of the day is always there.

The bride and groom:

The reception was in the Oystercatchers pool on the patio overlooking the beach.  The guests enjoyed the view as the sun set.  The couple had live music performed by Paradise, which was Jessica's uncle's band.  Dad got to see Jason and Jenn again, whose wedding he photographed last year.  (Jenn, mom thinks your new hair cut looks amazing!)

A few reception pictures:

Sitting poolside near the beach as the band plays, catching up with family and good friends...what a great Florida wedding!  Congratulations Jessica and Kris!

April 19, 2008

BACK TO THE BEACH

Last year dad photographed a session for a family from New York and dad was happy to see them again on Thursday during their visit to Florida this year.  When dad did their session last year my brother hadn't been born yet.  Dad kept thinking of what things would be like when my brother arrived because their boys were spaced out about the same as my brother and I were going to be and their youngest was only about 8 months old.  Now a year later, my brother is almost 8 months old!  Their boys have grown so much too and dad was excited to capture that for them.  Here are some of their family pictures:

Earlier in the week, the family had gone to a Rays game and the older brother got a baseball cap and bat.  He has such a cute look of concentration, tongue out and all, as he swings the bat.  I would have had lots of fun playing with him!

The younger brother looking precious resting on his daddy's shoulder.  He was worn out by the end of the evening.

It was awesome seeing you again, and meeting your wonderful niece!  We hope you make it to Florida again next year! 

April 18, 2008

PUT YOUR RIGHT FOOT FORWARD, PUT YOUR LEFT FOOT OUT...

...Do the bunny hop.  Hop, hop, hop.  If that song isn't played at Lindsey and Blake's wedding next April dad is going to be disappointed .

Lindsey and Blake are getting married the day before Easter next year and that inspired their idea for their engagement session.  They told dad that they wanted a very unique and fun engagement session.  Mom was a little nervous when at some point dad started talking about Mike's Hard Lemonade commercials as an inspiration (do a search on YouTube for some of the commercials and you'll see why) but when she saw the pictures she just could not stop laughing!

Lindsey and Blake had the awesome idea of renting an Easter bunny costume for their session since their wedding will be on Easter weekend! 

The session was on Wednesday, when the weather was absolutely gorgeous.  It was supposed to be at a park but when they arrived there were so many kids that the bunny would have been mobbed so dad had them head over to the University of Tampa.

The magazine is actually called Campus Tales...how fitting for a bunny session at UT!

Mom loved this one of the bunny bored with all the cuddling and kissing.

Even without the bunny this session would have been awesome.  Lindsey and Blake are so playful and funny and laughed the entire time.  Dad had such fun with them!  They are a terrific couple.

We can't wait to see if the bunny makes an appearance during your wedding!  Either way, we know your wedding will be a blast!

Right Now (6pm on the 17th)

Dad is on his way to a family session, Aunt Lora took my brother to the park, and mom and I are sitting at her desk CRACKING UP at the pictures dad took at Lindsey and Blake's engagement session yesterday.  We'll have some pictures late tonight so be sure everyone comes back tomorrow to check it out.  It was definitely one of the most fun sessions ever! 

April 17, 2008

CRYSTAL AND TYLER

Sunday evening Crystal and Tyler met dad at the University of Tampa for their engagement session.  They are getting married in November and when dad asked them about the planning, Crystal said she was really excited about her gown.  Now mom can't wait to see what it looks like!  They were great about walking around to wherever dad wanted to take them so they were in the park, on the docks, and then out on the city streets!  Here are some of their images:

One of mom's favorites:

Dad loves Crystal's style and together Crystal and Tyler are a great couple  Their wedding is going to be fabulous!

April 16, 2008

BLOG SPECIAL

Today only (April 16th) all gallery wraps sized 16x20 and larger are 30% off!!!  Custom sizes are available to fit in any area of your home.  Email or call dad now to place your order! 

ALLISON AND JONATHON'S ENGAGEMENT SESSION

Dad showed up at the University of Tampa on Sunday for Allison and Jonathon's engagement session and was nervous.  It was not only raining, but they were setting up for a big event and told dad that about 500 people would be arriving very soon.  The Museum Store Association (yes, there is such a thing) was having some sort of dinner or convention.  Luckily it didn't affect the session and the museum store people were really nice.

Allison and Jonathon are getting married next month!  They are very sweet together and their wedding is going to be wonderful.  Here are a few pictures from their session:

A Lexus commercial was being filmed right near here and a car with a camera rigged to the top would go down the street followed by two more that would screech around the corner.

You are almost at the 1 month countdown!  It is going to go by so quickly and dad is looking forward to seeing you two again very soon.

April 15, 2008

TAX DAY

In honor of tax day, we wanted to share this What the Duck comic strip:

Taxes on the self-employed are rough!  The amount of profits that go right to taxes is crazy, especially for full time professional photographers.  Click here to read a post by John Harrington on his blog about the business side of photography that describes how much of a photographer's profits go to taxes...it can be up to 50%!

AMBER AND WILLIAM AT THE CROSLEY

On Saturday dad joined Amber, Billy, and their friends and family for their wedding at the Powel Crosley Estate in Sarasota.  It was gorgeous day out, with blue skies and a cool breeze.  Amber had her hair and makeup done at Hotel Indigo and dad thought it was cool that they had Haikus around, like this one:

Don't forget the lights

Conserve the environment

Off when not in use

Amber headed over to the Crosley to get dressed.  Apparently the statue at the Crosley is a 'Noles fan as well and borrowed her garter.

Mom loved Amber's dress!  It had beautiful detailing on the front and on the buttons, and the colored banding that wrapped around made it look so elegant.

Amber looking out into the Sarasota Bay.

The guys:

The girls:

The happy smiles on the new Mr. and Mrs.:

The reception had a travel theme and each of the tables had a post card from different places the couple had visited.  Guests' place cards were on luggage tags in little suitcases.  The food was great too, with herb roasted chateaubriand and potato pancakes from Germany, a pasta bar, and little fruit and chocolate pastries for dessert.

Congratulations to Amber and Billy on all your exciting news!  We are so happy for you!

April 13, 2008

KRISTIN AND ALBERT'S WEDDING

On Friday Kristin and Albe were married at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd with their reception at the Treasure Island Tennis and Yacht Club.  They have been together for many years and looking forward to this day.  Even as she was waiting to walk down the aisle, there was no nervousness in Kristin's smile. 

The wedding color was purple, with splashes of bright orchids.  Mom liked the pew decorations.

Dad liked the stone behind the alter at the church.

Albe is in the Navy and many of his guests were as well.  Thank you all for your service to our country!  Dad said he met one guest who had been in the navy forever!  He also met a guest that used to work for Kodak back when they led the photography industry.  He said he remembered when the technology for digital cameras was first emerging but people in the company didn't think it would go any where.  I wonder if those people still have their jobs.

Dad likes working with Doug Decker from Grant Hemond and the reception was a great party.  Albe was having fun from the time he walked in the door!

Orchids cascaded down the cake:

One of mom's favorite pictures:

Kristin and Albe are headed to the Cayman Islands for their honeymoon.  Have a great time!

April 12, 2008

FAMILY SESSION

On Thursday dad met up with Kara and her family.  Her grandparents live nearby and dad headed over there for their portrait session.  Both mom and dad thought it was awesome that Kara wanted a session that included generations of their family.

This was mom's favorite!

After pictures with their great-grandparents, the kids took some with grandma:

Since I just had a birthday, mom got a little sentimental when she saw the picture of Kara and her son, who is just about two years older than me.  Look how big he looks sitting on his mommy's lap.  My mom can't believe I'll be that big too one day soon...too soon.

Kara and Aric:

Hope you enjoyed your trip to Florida!  Dad said it was wonderful meeting you (and seeing you again, Kara!) and you have a terrific family.

April 10, 2008

JUSTINE AND ADAM'S WEDDING

On Monday Justine and Adam were married at the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort.  Dad was impressed by the coordinator there.  She was organized and called dad about a week before the wedding to remind him about spring break traffic and the extra travel time that would be needed to get to there.

Justine's dad gave her a beautiful wedding present.  It was a strand of Mikimoto pearls that he had bought and saved for her wedding day.

The couple had their first sight before the wedding so they could do their family pictures before the ceremony and join their guests at cocktail hour.  Adam waited on the deck and Justine joined him for a tender moment.

The ceremony was on the beach and after the rain the day before the weather was great!

Justine and Adam had one of the most fun groups of bridesmaids and groomsmen.  I mean handstands on the beach, break dancing at the reception, Mighty Mighty Bosstones moshing FUN!

Oh, and did we forget to mention...

Music was done by Felix the DJ and it was dad's first time working with him.  Dad said he did a good job as a DJ, mixing songs and blending them together, and playing really good music that fit the crowd well.  Both the bride and the groom were on the dance floor all night!  Everyone had a fun night.

Congratulations Justine and Adam!

AN EMAIL FORWARD:  "WISDOM"

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.

He said, 'My son, the battle is between two wolves' inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.'

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: Which wolf wins?'

The old Cherokee simply replied, 'The one you feed.'

April 9, 2008

SPOSA BAGNATA, SPOSA FORTUNATA

The Italian proverb about rain on the wedding day means, "A wet bride is a lucky bride."  It was pouring out most of the day for Bonnie and Joe's wedding at the Rusty Pelican on Sunday so they are sure to have a life filled with good luck!

Michele Renee came to do Bonnie's hair and makeup and dad was happy to see her again.  She did mom's makeup just a couple weeks ago and mom loved her!!

Having pearls inside the stephanotis in the bouquet is a beautiful touch!

The ceremony and pictures were moved inside because of the rain, but Bonnie and Joe both just went with it and enjoyed their day.  They were a great couple.

At the reception Rob Sword was the DJ and was great!   The Italian music got people onto the dance floor.  The guests were all treated to Godiva chocolate and chocolate covered strawberries as favors!  It was an intimate and fun event.

Congratulations Bonnie and Joe!  Per cent'anni! 

ALMOST DONE WITH THE INBOX CLEANING

Here are two more of those email forwards to share:

Raising Kids

1.  You spend the first two years of their life teaching them to walk and talk.  Then you spend the next sixteen telling them to sit down and shut up.

2.  Grandchildren are God's reward for not disowning your own children.

3.  Mothers of teens now know why some animals eat their young.

4.  Children seldom misquote you.  In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said.

5.  The main purpose of holding children's parties is to remind yourself that there are children more awful than your own.

Words to Grow On

If I want my dreams to come true, I mustn't oversleep.

Of all the things I wear, my expression is the most important.

The best vitamin for making friends:  B-1

The quality of my life depends on the quality of my thoughts.

The heaviest thing I can carry is a grudge.

I should keep my words soft and sweet in case I have to eat them.

One thing I can give and still keep:  my word.

I lie the loudest when I lie to myself.

Ideas won't work unless I work at them.

My mind is a parachute...it functions only when open.

The 10 commandments are not multiple choice.

It is never too late to become all that God can help me be.

April 8, 2008

TWO WORLDS, ONE FAMILY

What a beautiful quote Mandy and Warren chose to represent their wedding.  It really speaks to what a wedding is all about; two lives with their own separate histories joining together, and not just those two individuals but their families as well.  Mom liked how Mandy and Warren illustrated this by decorating the reception room.  Picture frames had a picture of Mandy on the left and Warren on the right from a certain year, which was labeled in the middle.  The bottom of the picture had the quote, "Two Worlds, One Family."

The wedding was held at the Powel Crosley Estate, a beautiful location on the Sarasota bay.  This image had to be bigger than my normal blog pictures to show it off.

Mandy looks sooooo pretty!  And the tulip bouquet is great for a spring wedding.

The wedding party:

The newlyweds:

Yesterday I promised you a picture of one of the prettiest wedding cakes ever, so here it is!  Mom absolutely loved the look of this cake.  It had a beautiful shade of blue with white wrapping around from the back, and the swirl decorations were done well and are really "in" right now.

Dad told mom that the bride brought a picture to Publix and they told her that they could do it.  Then a couple days before, they said they wouldn't be able to make a cake like that.  Mandy was of course upset so Publix brought down someone from corporate who was able to make the cake.  Now they are training all their stores and this will be one of the cakes they now offer!  Mandy's great cake changed what all of the Publix stores will have available!

Mom also liked the mashed potato martini bar at the reception.  Guests filled martini glasses with mashed potatoes and topped it with bacon, broccoli, mushrooms, scallions, sour cream, etc.  It looked yummy.

Congratulations to Mandy and Warren on a beautiful wedding and what is sure to be a beautiful marriage! 

MY BIRTHDAY PARTY:  SNOWMEN IN THE SPRING

I made myself a snowman just as perfect as can be.

I thought I'd keep it at my home so he can live with me.

I gave him some pajamas and a pillow for his head.

Soon enough he ran away, but first he wet my bed!

(Adapted from Snowball by Shel Silverstein)

That was the opening to my birthday party invitation.  I LOVE Frosty the Snowman so when mom asked me what I wanted my party to be all about I told her I wanted a Frosty party!  Well, I think I first told her I wanted a Cars party but I had that last year and her and dad are very Cars-ed out, and then I told her I wanted a bowling party but she knew that I only said that because we just went bowling for her birthday.  So when mom asked again and told me to pick something I really loved I picked Frosty and so Snowmen in the Spring became the theme for my third birthday party!

Mom made me a special birthday shirt to wear to the party:

Outside the house we had a light-up Frosty and two really tall inflatable snowman poles.  Did I mention that I really love Frosty?

While mom and dad set up inside, grandma took me to the toy store for one of my presents from her...a bike! 

Inside the house, mom and dad covered the walls of one of the rooms in snowflakes and snowmen.  The other room had hanging paper lantern snowmen and a snowman bean bag toss game.  In the other room, we had a bunch of snowman stuff (crayons, a bean bag toss game, beach balls, lollypops, etc all with snowman) and green stuff.  I had asked mom to make corn so she served that with the rest of the food, most of which I picked out.  It was fun to have a day just for me!

I'm too cute.

My cake sort of matched my shirt.  It was a snowman (complete with a top hat made of cookie crumbles) holding balloons with the number 3 on the bottom.  Unfortunately, just as a real snowman in the spring, my cake snowman didn't last very long.  In fact, it didn't even make it in the door before we lost the head.  By the time I had to blow out my candles, it looked just like a melted snowman!  Oh well, as Matt said it fit our theme.  And I still thought it tasted good!

After cake and ice cream it was present time! 

Mom and dad got me a puppet theater with puppets so I could put on shows for them!

Mom and dad really want to thank everyone who came to make my party special.  We are so grateful for the friends we have made.  THANK YOU ALL!!!!!

Yesterday before dad left for a wedding he played Hungry Hippos with me and played with my new Little People Preschool.  Then mom and I played Monopoly Town and Colorforms in the morning and with my fruit modeling clay and my Play-Doh set in the afternoon.  What a fun day playing with my presents!  Thanks to everyone for all the great toys, books, and games!

There's lots more for me to blog about so check back again tomorrow!

April 7, 2008

BIRTHDAY TRIP TO DISNEY

Mom and dad surprised me on Thursday with a trip to Disney World!  They didn't tell me where we were going so I was really excited when we got there.

For anyone who hasn't been following my blog for very long, the pictures from the trip were all taken with our point and shoot camera so they have a different border to distinguish them.

Aunt Kellie came with us for the day.  Here she is hanging on to Dumbo as tight as she can as the ride starts and she goes up in the air.  I rode with mom in the green Dumbo and it was one of my favorite rides.

My brother got his first set of Mickey ears at the end of the night.

For those of you who asked if it was crowded, the answer is a big YES!  Some of the rides had 1 hour wait times and it was hard to find a seat in the restaurants.  Usually the park starts to empty out toward the end of the night, but at closing there was a fireworks show and Main Street was jam packed with people.

Mom told me that the green fireworks were just for me because it was my birthday.  I felt so special!

ANOTHER EMAIL FORWARD

The Silent Treatment

A man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving each other the silent treatment.  Suddenly the man realized that the next day he would need his wife to wake him at 5am for an early morning business flight.  Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (and LOSE), he wrote on a piece of paper, "Please wake me at 5am."  He left it where he knew she would find it.

The next morning, the man woke up only to discover it was 9am and he had missed his flight.  Furious, he was about to go see why his wife hadn't wakened him when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed.  The paper said, "It is 5am.  Wake up."

Men are not equipped for these kinds of contests.

BE ON TV AND WIN MONEY!

Mom watched the finale of the ABC show "Here Come the Newlyweds" tonight (she was glad the Moutras won!) and they are now casting for the next season of the show!  For all of you who are going to be married soon or are already married and have been for under 2 years, go to ABC's website and fill out the application.  It looks like a lot of fun!

There's a stomach bug going around and I caught it so I better go rest now, but I'll blog again tomorrow with pictures from a wedding at the Crosley (with one of the prettiest wedding cakes ever!) and maybe some pictures of my birthday party too.

April 5, 2008

I'M THREE YEARS OLD!!!!

More about my birthday to come, but thanks to everyone who celebrated with me.

A NEW ARRIVAL

Lauren and Kevin brought their beautiful new arrival over for a newborn session on Wednesday.  Dad has been waiting to meet their daughter since the couple's maternity session in January.  Just by looking at the baby's nursery it is obvious that she has talented and creative parents and they really are wonderful.  They fit right into their new roles and dad said it was great to see them cuddling her and comforting her.

Dad said that she liked to play tricks by pretending she was sleeping and then waking up mad.  I play that game sometimes too!  In fact, just tonight I was sleeping on the couch but a few minutes after dad carried me to my room I was yelling for mom and wouldn't let her leave my room until I was sleeping again.  So sorry Lauren and Kevin but you have a couple years left of fun sleeping games .

Tiny fingers...

...tiny toes.

Congratulations on your new arrival, and we are excited to see how she grows!  But we hope it isn't too quickly.

April 2, 2008

TAMI AND DAVID'S WEDDING AT THE WESTIN HARBOUR ISLAND

Sunday was Tami and David's wedding in Tampa.  They had a traditional Jewish wedding and dad thought it was wonderful seeing the Chatan and the Kallah go through the customs of marriage that so many people have gone through for so long.

For a traditional Jewish wedding, the bride and groom see each other before the ceremony for the Badecken, or Veiling of the Bride.  The groom brings the bride's veil down over her face just as in the Bible when Rebeccah covered her face with her veil when seeing Issac before their marriage.  It symbolizes the virtues of a Jewish woman, including modesty and dignity.

The ceremony then takes place outside under the Chupah, a canopy symbolizing the couple's new home.  It is open on all sides showing that the couple welcomes their friends and family.  One part of the ceremony is the reading of the Ketubah (marriage contract).  Mom thought it was interesting to read that traditionally if this document is lost, the couple may not live together until a new contract is made.

Here are some pictures of the beautiful ceremony:

It was a morning wedding so the reception was a brunch complete with an omelette bar, french toast, bagels, fresh fruits, and other yummy foods.  Dad said the omelettes were so good!

And of course everyone had a great time dancing the Hora.  Mom thinks it is hilarious that there are actually instructions on how to dance the Hora on ehow.com!  Of course, there are also instructions on how to find a Jewish spouse if you haven't made it as far as the wedding yet .

Congratulations Tami and David!  Mazal Tov!

MISUZU AND WILLIAM'S VOW RENEWAL AT THE DON CESAR

On Monday dad was in St. Pete to meet Misuzu and Bill for their vow renewal.

Misuzu incorporated Japanese customs into her wedding day.  Japanese brides wear their hair up in a traditional style, and rather than a wedding gown they wear a wedding kimono dress.  Misuzu wore her Okinawan kimono and dad thought the bright color was awesome!

She changed into a wedding gown before the vow renewal ceremony which was held on the South Terrace.  The couple were originally married overseas in a civil ceremony so sharing their vow renewal with family and friends was wonderful.

Delair Entertainment was the DJ for the reception and dad said he is a nice guy.  He had the guests singing karaoke for each other after dinner and it was fun to hear what songs people chose.  Karaoke as entertainment started in Japan and comes from the Japanese words Karappo, meaning empty, and Okesutura, meaning orchestra...so empty orchestra.

For dinner there was so much seafood!  Mahi Mahi, oysters, crab legs, shrimp, even lobster tails!

Bill is a pilot and Misuzu is a flight attendant, which is how they met.  The airplane cake by Chocolate Pi (813-831-2195) had them hanging out of the windows of the plane with the logos from all the airlines they had worked for decorating the cake.  I would have loved to see that cake!  Better yet, I would love to fly the cake plane all around taking bites out of it!

Misuzu's sister doing a Japanese dance during the reception:

Misuzu and Bill are genuinely kind people and it was wonderful to see them renew the promises they made to one another and honor their marriage.  Their family and friends were really great as well.  Dad loved watching this one father (a super nice guy) there dancing and play fighting with his two boys.  It made him miss me and Everett since he had been gone at weddings for 4 days.

It was a wonderful day and dad thanks Misuzu and Bill for having him there.

THE GARBAGE TRUCK RULE

Mom's friend Kristy sent her this forward a while ago and it was one of the few that really made an impact on the way mom saw things.  Both her and dad try to keep this in mind when they start letting the moods and actions of other people affect them.  We hope it gives all of you something to think about as well! 

The Garbage Truck Rule

How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day? Unless you're the Terminator, for an instant you're probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly she/he can get back her/his focus on what's important.

Five years ago I learned this lesson. I learned it in the back of a taxi cab in Indianapolis. Here's what happened:

I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Indianapolis Airport. We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car's back end by just inches!

The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly.

So, I said, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!" And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, "The Law of the Garbage Truck."

Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally. You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy you did.

So this was it: The "Law of the Garbage Truck." I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, on the streets? It was that day I said, "I'm not going to do it anymore."

I began to see garbage trucks. Like in the movie "The Sixth Sense," the little boy said, "I see Dead People." Well, now "I see Garbage Trucks." I see the load they're carrying. I see them coming to drop it off. And like my Taxi Driver, I don't make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.

Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting. Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses. Leaders and parents know that they have to be fully present, and at their best for the people they care about.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their day. What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by?

You'll be happier. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so... Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't.

Believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, TAKE IT! If it changes your life, LET IT! Nobody said it would be easy...They just promised it would be worth it!

Find happiness - Find contentment - Find peace - Find God.  Happy moments, praise God.  Difficult moments, seek God.  Quiet moments, worship God.  Painful moments, trust God.  Every moment, thank God.