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May 30, 2007 A message from mom: As you can imagine, this is a difficult time for our family. My grandma has a very aggressive cancer. All of her 10 children came into town, as well as some family friends. One of our very close family friends was in town to see grandma and had a serious accident today. He is now in the hospital in critical condition himself. Jason and I are still answering emails and phone calls, but we apologize if we are not as quick to respond as usual. I also apologize for not sharing pictures of our latest engagement sessions and weddings on the blog. We are spending time with our family and praying for both my grandma and our family friend. Thanks for understanding, and thank you so much to everyone who sent prayers and well-wishes to us and our family right now as they are definitely needed.
Last week, dad did an engagement session at the beach with Debbie and Bruce, who were awesome people and fun to hang out with. Sorry for the wait, but here are a few images:
May 26, 2007 Nonna on her wedding day. She is so beautiful!
My mom with Nonna on mom and dad's wedding day. Mom is crying as she presents Nonna with part of her break-away bouquet.
Image by Artists and Associates
Nonna, WE LOVE YOU and we are praying...
May 25, 2007 Thank you to everyone who sent well-wishes for Nonna. Please keep my great-grandma in your prayers. The doctors think she has a rapidly spreading cancer. Mom and dad may not be as quick to respond to emails or phone calls during this time. My wonderful Nonna, smiling as she plays with me:
May 24, 2007 My Nonna will be in the hospital at least until this weekend, and they think it may be more serious than they originally thought. Mom is going to go visit her today. We love you and we are praying for you, Nonna.
May 23, 2007 Mom and I found a neat idea for centerpieces for a beach themed wedding. We got a Mrs. Fields catalog in the mail and it had a section of "seaside inspired" treats. One of the items was a pail decorated with seashells and filled with tiny cookies, brownie bites, and other yummy things. With real seashells and starfish around the base (and maybe even some sand, like in the picture) it would be pretty and guests would love sharing all the great food inside.
Seashell Pail of Treats
Speaking of cookies, thank you Carly and Will for the yummy cookies you brought to me, mom, and dad when you came for your album meeting! They were all gone in just one day, and this time the cookie monster had nothing to do with it .
Have you heard of Project Peanut Butter? This organization helps severely malnourished children in Africa by providing a therapeutic food with vitamins, minerals, protein, and needed fats. It is similar to commercial peanut butter but can be produced locally and has much better results than the current treatment being used. Currently in Malawi, a small country in Africa, malnutrition affects 70% of all children and 13% of them die before the age of 5. Visit the website to learn more or better yet to donate to the cause!
We just found out that my Nonna (great-grandma) is being admitted to the hospital right now. When we visited her last night, she said she felt like she had a bad cold. It got worse today and the doctors are thinking it may be bronchitis or pneumonia. Mom, dad, and I want to let Nonna know that we are thinking of her and we love her very much! GET BETTER!!!
Tonight is the 2 hour season finale of Lost! That means I might get to stay up late because neither mom nor dad will want to miss any of it to bring me to bed.
Jennifer and Raymond were married last Saturday at the First Methodist Church in Dunedin, with a reception that followed at the Dunedin Country Club. The videographer was Cara from Hearts Video. Dad says Kara is great to work with! They also had DJ Ben from Grant Hemond and dad says Ben's hair has gotten much longer since the last time he saw him. As dad was photographing the bride's shoes, there were some kids skateboarding nearby. Dad borrowed one of the skateboards for a few of the pictures. A police officer then pulled up and dad thought the kids were going to get in trouble so he felt bad for them, but actually someone had called because they heard some other man harassing the kids and calling them names and they wanted to be sure the kids were okay.
A picture of the cross on top of the church:
After the ceremony and family pictures, dad took the couple to the reception site for the bride and groom images. As they were taking the pictures, sprinklers started to go off in the distance. Dad noticed and told them that he hoped the sprinklers near where they were standing didn't go off as well. Soon after, a set of sprinklers close to where dad was standing with the couple started spraying as well. Kara helped grab dad's equipment and they all headed away just before the sprinklers where they were standing soaked everything in water. Believe it or not, this is the second country club wedding dad has photographed where the sprinklers weren't turned off! Raymond had such a happy, loving smile during the whole first dance.
The groom's cake:
Have a wonderful honeymoon Jennifer and Raymond!
May 16, 2007 Do you know the old wives' tale that says having lots of heartburn when pregnant means you'll have a baby with lots of hair? If that is true then judging by Terra and Jared's new baby girl, Terra must have lived on antacids! When Terra had her maternity session, her baby was moving all around and seemed to be reacting to the camera and the lights, so Terra said she was going to be a little diva (check out April's Blog for some of the maternity session pictures). Here she is at four weeks old already smiling for the camera .
Mom says that I have to get ready for this because my new baby brother will be doing it a lot!
But of course cuddles and kisses from moms, dads, and even big brothers help calm babies down again.
Two more pictures mom and I really liked:
Dad said he loved meeting Terra and Jared's new baby and seeing how great they are as parents. Thank you so much for having us over. You two are a wonderful couple and we are happy to be able to capture the moments as your family grows!!
Now speaking of babies, mom and I thought it would be fun to share some of the baby products we've recently found and liked. One company we came across and really loved is Speesees. They sell "fun, fair, organic" baby clothing, meaning that the clothes are cute, they follow fair labor and trade practices (the local community in India, where the clothes are made, benefits from the manufacturing), and they are made of certified organic cotton without harmful pesticides or toxic dyes. The baby clothes are so adorable and mom is definitely going to be ordering some!
The dandelion kimono, short-sleeved, in the color "grass"
Another site we found with really cute clothes is www.artebebe.com. Mom thinks that it has beautiful girl clothes, though not very much for boys (except for the samurai shirt). The blankets and toys are also classic. As you might guess from the posh sounding name Arte Bebe, it is expensive but just so adorable! Mom says that this site makes her glad she's not having a girl or she'd be too tempted.
Farm Yard Sweater and Cap (it also has a matching blanket!)
The way cute airplane toy I love
Mom saw these little girl baby shoes and instantly thought of one of her friends whose baby will be born not long after my little brother! Now, the site is in London so ordering might be difficult, but mom had to share a picture of these baby shoes. They are handmade, free of chemical dyes, and even biodegradable to be friendly to the environment (something we've been trying to keep in mind more and more lately).
"Tales of the Orient" baby shoes
And one last site with funny baby and toddler shirts, www.shirts4squirts.com. Mom thinks some are a bit inappropriate, but there are lots that made her laugh like the "Future Dylan McKay" shirt (for those of you who used to watch 90210), the "I did it all for the cookie" cookie monster shirt (like the Limp Bizkit "Nookie" song), and the "Elmo Groupie" shirt.
Oscar the Grouch Talking Trash Toddler T-Shirt
May 14, 2007 Anyone in the area knows that the air here has been very smoky lately. Wildfires in the northern part of the state and in Georgia has been making the air cloudy. People have even called 911 thinking that a neighbor's house must be on fire from how thick the smoke is all around. Shanna and Joe came down from Kansas City to be married on the beach. The morning of their wedding, it did not look like they would get the beach scenery they had been hoping for. The air was so hazy it was like a thick fog limiting visibility, and there was even an air advisory warning to avoid prolonged outdoor activities. Dad arrived expecting Shanna to be bummed about the smoke, but she was doing great and in good spirits. As the morning went on, it got windy enough that dad kept everyone inside for pictures. The wind was a great thing though because the smoke soon dispersed and the sun was even peeking out in time for the ceremony! By the time the couple did their pictures on the beach, it was a nice day.
Shanna and Joe had their rings engraved with their nicknames for each other, Joe-Joe and Blondie. That's so cute! Here is a picture of Blondie getting ready for the ceremony.
The couple will be having a second reception in Kansas City next Saturday, so this wedding was an intimate one with only about 20 guests. The guests seemed very relaxed and comfortable at the wedding, as the ring bearer shows in this ceremony picture!
Shanna and Joe on the beach after the smoke cleared...
Have fun at your Kansas City reception! We know it is going to be lots of fun.
The next day dad was at the Longboat Key Club Resort for Sara and Garth's wedding. The couple picked gorgeous bright shades of pink and green for their wedding colors. Mom loved the shades of the colors, though she said they made her hungry for Jolly Ranchers. Sara and Garth had their rings engraved as well, this time with their wedding date so neither of them can ever use the excuse that they forgot their anniversary . Here is Sara holding Garth's ring.
There were two flower girls in the wedding party, but one of them got very tired and needed a nap. She didn't wake up in time to be in the ceremony, but she woke up for the reception and had a great time dancing. Both of the flower girls were adorable.
The couple had an interesting twist to their sand ceremony. They had a container of pink sand and another of green sand to symbolize each of them. Then in the middle container, which symbolizes their life together, they had some white beach sand at the bottom. This was to symbolize sand from the earth as their base. Then they poured in some of of the sand from each of their containers, showing them coming together. They left sand in their individual containers as a reminder that you do not lose yourself completely when you get married and you are still you. The final part was to have more white beach sand on the top to seal it off and bind them together. After the ceremony, all the guests gathered around the bride and groom for a big group picture.
In the picture above you can see the shade of green used in the bridesmaid's dress. Mom loved the bride's dress as well. It had sheer sleeves that barely rested on the bride's shoulders (mom thinks they might be called cap sleeves). What a great alternative to a strapless gown!
Sara and Garth were a beautiful couple and had a beautiful wedding day. Congratulations on your marriage!
Just a few more congratulations on recent news from some of our families and couples as well: --Erin and Matt recently moved into their new house...and are also expecting a baby!!! We are so excited for you two! --Terra and Jared's baby girl was born. Dad is going to meet her and photograph her today! --Melissa and Nelson closed on a new house! --Bronwyn and Laura both started new jobs recently. Good luck! --Happy Birthday to Rachel!
May 12, 2007 Mom just realized she hasn't been keeping up with the picture updates on our web site for our latest newlyweds! We have lots of wonderful newlyweds to feature, so we'll be changing the picture every other day or so until we catch up.
Summer is approaching and in FL that means people are flocking to the beaches! On Wednesday, dad met Kara and Nathan for an engagement session on the beach. Even on a Wednesday there were lots of people there, but they were still able to find good spots for pictures and people watching made the session fun. Dad said there was a guy trying to sell roses he made out of leaves and insisting they were needed for the photos. Another guy was riding his bike with a big boom box, like he was from the 80's! He kept randomly getting off his bike to dance. You would never know that so much was happening around them because in the pictures Kara and Nathan look lost in each other.
Mom thinks that Kara looks like a younger version of Kim Cattrall in this picture. Isn't she gorgeous!
Another cute one of them together...
The water was finally warm enough to go in, and when dad brought the idea up Kara and Nathan were totally on board. Mom says this picture is "sexy" but I'm too young to know what that means.
Dad said it was an awesome session and their wedding is going to be a blast!
May 9, 2007 Mom says she was so sad to hear the Violent Femmes song "Blister in the Sun" on a Wendy's commercial. Sigh.
Today marks one month since my grandma had a cigarette. She has smoked since she was a teenager so we are all SO SO SO PROUD OF HER for quitting!!!! We know it was so hard, and the process isn't over yet, but we are all so excited that she is going to be healthier and live longer and smell better . We love you grandma and we are incredibly happy that you made this important, life-altering change. My mom used to smoke for many years as well, but she quit before she married daddy because she said she wanted to start her new family life off in a healthy and positive way. And because dad bugged her for years to get her to quit (and she is now grateful to him for doing so.) There are so many reasons to quit and for anyone who wants to quit, YOU CAN DO IT! There are tons of places for you to get help and support including support lines such as 1-800-QUIT-NOW and tons of web sites. Here are a few links: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_13X_Guide_for_Quitting_Smoking.asp http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=33567
And from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Within 20 minutes after you smoke that last cigarette, your body begins a series of changes that continue for years.20 Minutes After Quitting 12 hours After Quitting 2 Weeks to 3 Months After Quitting 1 to 9 Months After Quitting 1 Year After Quitting 5 Years After Quitting 10 Years After Quitting 15 Years After Quitting Compared to smokers, your…Stroke risk is reduced to that of a person who never smoked after 5 to 15 years of not smoking Cancers of the mouth, throat, and esophagus risks are halved 5 years after quitting Cancer of the larynx risk is reduced after quitting Coronary heart disease risk is cut by half 1 year after quitting and is nearly the same as someone who never smoked 15 years after quitting Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease risk of death is reduced after you quit Lung cancer risk drops by as much as half 10 years after quitting Ulcer risk drops after quitting Bladder cancer risk is halved a few years after quitting Peripheral artery disease goes down after quitting Cervical cancer risk is reduced a few years after quitting Low birth weight baby risk drops to normal if you quit before pregnancy or during your first trimester the benefits of quitting
According to a recent Reader's Digest, officials in Bangor, Maine made it illegal to smoke in a car when children are present. That is such good news since we all know the dangers of secondhand smoke. It is another reason why I am so happy that my grandma quit! The American Cancer Society gives statistics on how secondhand smoke affects children, including up to 300,000 respiratory tract infections (pneumonia, bronchitis, etc) every year in babies under 18 months, increased incidence of middle ear infections, an increase in number and severity of asthma attacks in 1 million asthmatic children, an increased risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) in children exposed to secondhand smoke, , slower lung growth in children who live with smokers, and the risk of low birth weight in pregnant women exposed to secondhand smoke. They point out that there is no risk-free level of exposure, so any exposure at all is not good! Here is a link to the secondhand smoke fact sheet by the American Lung Association and one from the National Cancer Institute. Now there is new research coming out about thirdhand smoke! The particles and gases that are given off by cigarettes cling to clothes, furniture, walls, and hair. These chemicals (the same that leave the gross stale smoke smell) can be swallowed, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin of non-smokers. This is especially true for babies and children because they breathe faster and take in more air. Crawling babies also can absorb more through contact with their skin. Even just by hugging a smoker, you can absorb these chemicals. See grandma, now that you quit I can hug you all I want!!! Thank you for quitting, and again WE ARE SO VERY INCREDIBLY PROUD OF YOU!!!
**Update: After grandma read my blog, she sent me the links to these commercials she liked:
May 8, 2007 May is one of the busiest wedding months of the year here in Florida, and we started off the first weekend of the month with two weddings.
Kari and Curt came from Colorado to enjoy spring here in Florida. Dad and mom were of course both jealous of the couple living in Colorado. They say I'll understand why when they take me to visit the mountains out west one day. Kari and Curt's closest friends and family joined them as they were married at the Sirata Beach Resort in St. Petersburg. During the ceremony, there were a few tears from some of the guests. They were all so happy to be sharing in the couple's wedding day.
After the ceremony friends and family came up to Kari and Curt to congratulate them. Mom thinks this picture is so sweet, showing how Curt kept his arm around kari wanting to be close to his new bride.
A kiss on the hammock...
The couple's seashell cake was surrounded by mini pastries. At least at the beginning of the reception!
Dad wants to thank Kari and Curt for being so kind and making him like he was one of your guests. Have a wonderful time on your cruise!
The next morning dad had to leave early to drive to a wedding in Fort Myers. The celebration that night didn't end until midnight so dad didn't get home until the next morning! It rained and even hailed for parts of Mackenzie and Treavor's wedding day, but it didn't seem to phase the bride at all.
Luckily, the rain stayed away for the ceremony, but Mackenzie was prepared just in case. She had an umbrella with the initial of her new last name. I don't think it would have kept her very dry if she used it when it was raining, but mom said that's because it wasn't an umbrella for rain, it was an umbrella for the sun (a parasol).
Another of Mackenzie's beautiful smiles...
The bouquet was so pretty, with bright pinks, greens, and oranges.
Dad said that at the reception, there was a picture of the family trees of Mackenzie and Treavor, now joined together through their marriage. That was a wonderful way to symbolize the true meaning of the day.
May 7, 2007 The weather today is BEAUTIFUL! Go outside, or at least open your windows and enjoy the breeze!
May 3, 2007 We are so excited to officially announce our new site for maternity, children, families and seniors: www.jasonangelinipeople.com. Some of you may have already noticed the return link at the top of my blog, but we wanted to wait until after our April Giveaway to officially introduce the new site. Before weddings, dad worked for a company doing portrait photography but mostly for business professionals. It seemed like such a natural progression from weddings to family life as our own family grows, and as more and more of our past wedding clients are starting families themselves. Photography is the connection between moments and memories, and moments pass by all too quickly. From an engagement to a wedding day to expecting a baby, then welcoming that new baby into your lives and watching them as they start to crawl, then walk, then wave goodbye on their first day of school, then wave goodbye on their way to college, "time is a sort of river of passing events, and strong is its current" (Marcus Aurelius Antonius). To celebrate Jason Angelini People, dad is giving 25% off the session fee for anyone who books and schedules a session this month. Just give him a call (813-240-6611) or send him an email and be sure to mention my blog in order to get the discount.
It is only fitting that we follow up the announcement of our new site with pictures from a newborn session dad photographed recently. Dad photographed Riley and Frank's engagement session (check out November's blog in the archives) and maternity session (February's blog), and their wedding is coming up later this year. We were all so excited when their baby boy was born, and the day was even more special because he was born on my own birthday! Mom wasn't able to go meet the baby, so she couldn't wait to see the pictures. She said that the first thing she noticed was that the baby looked so much like Frank and the second thing she noticed was the full head of hair! Be sure to clip a small lock for your memory book!
This picture is one of mom's favorites.
Riley and Frank are in for some trouble! At only three weeks old, their baby is already sticking out his tongue at them!
He looks so small in the chair! He was just under 7 lbs when he was born.
We are so happy for you, Riley and Frank. You are such great people and we are grateful for being able to share in your joy!
From newborns to seniors...Dad met Colin for a session on the beach yesterday. Colin will be graduating high school in just a few weeks! The summer before college is such an awesome time. Enjoy it!
A true Florida guy, barefoot even on sticks and twigs!
Mom says this
picture makes her think Colin is staring down the distance of the beach,
contemplating what the future holds for him as he graduates and starts the
next stage of his life. In reality, it probably wasn't anything that
deep though
Happy graduation Colin, and good luck in college!
This past Saturday, Nancy and Mark were married at the Rusty Pelican. The ceremony was decorated with beautiful sunflower arrangements and garlands by florist Dana Dineen (727-467-9089). All the bright flowers and butterfly accents in the decorations made the wedding feel cheery and summery.
Nancy looks so happy as she says her vows. That is what the day is all about!
A wedding ring is a circle as a symbol of eternity and unity. Some say that the tradition of wearing a wedding ring on the third finger of the left hand began because Romans believed a vein ran directly from this finger to the heart.
Nancy and Mark had great family and friends sharing the day with them. There were lots of kids at the wedding and dad said he had fun watching them enjoy themselves. Congratulations Nancy and Mark, and have a wonderful time on your honeymoon!
Sunday dad was in Clearwater for a Hawaii inspired wedding. Alondra and Stan knew dad from when he photographed the wedding of their friend last October. Dad was happy to see Jed and Becky again, as well as some repeat bridesmaids with their AWESOME dance moves! Hints of Hawaii were all over the wedding, including a framed sign instructing guests on how to pronounce their name in Hawaiian, Hawaiian candy as favors, and a Hawaiian Luau couple as a cake topper. The tables were named after beaches in Hawaii and the place cards (with each guest's Hawaiian name) were hung on a clothes line along with colorful bathing suits. What a unique idea for displaying place cards!
The ceremony took place under a bamboo altar with sheer fabric that looked gorgeous blowing in the breeze.
The reception centerpieces were sand castles, perfect for a beachy wedding. Mom thinks that it would be neat for a couple to have their wedding cake look like a sand castle!
The first kiss...
Dad said the reception was a big party and everyone had a blast. Congratulations Alondra and Stan!
If you remember our Valentine's Day contest, the winner of the Most Romantic Proposal got a free engagement session with on-line hosting and an 8x10 portrait statuette. Last month Danielle and Matt (the winners!) had their engagement session (see the April blog) and I said that when the statuette came in I'd post a picture of it on my blog. So here it is!
We hope you like it Danielle and Matt!
Tuesday I went to go see a show! There was singing and dancing and it was so much fun! The show was "Go West" and it was at my Aunt Kellie's school. Here is Aunt Kellie on stage (she's the one in the middle):
We were all so proud of Aunt Kellie when she said her lines. Even though the microphone was having issues, she still did a fabulous job. She's a star!
And then just one of me outside of the show being cute:
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