Friday, August 23, 2013

Fall & Halloween Mini Sessions!

My favorite time of year is almost upon us! FALL!

I've had a few inquiries and can officially say I'm ready to start booking for fall/Halloween shoots. Please take a look at something new I'm offering this year .. mini sessions! 

The fall sessions are open starting September where as the Halloween sessions start in October.

For FALL sessions I can do anywhere up to 6 people maximum. 

Once you schedule your appointment I will disclose the location and times. Payment is due at the time of service. If Mother Nature decides to grace us with showers I will contact you immediately to reschedule. 

Slots are limited and are on a first come first serve basis! To schedule please fill out the form to the right! ----- >

PS - Halloween sessions are not just for children but for furbabies as well! :)





 






























Tuesday, August 20, 2013

New Blog & Puppy!

Hello friends!

So I've decided to embark on this whole "blogging" thing! I will continue to use my Facebook page for sneak peeks (which you can find under "Follow Me!" to your right) but will use this as an outlet to write about my life as a Mom, wife, newbie photographer and anything else that strikes my fancy!

I'm looking forward to sharing pictures from my shoots and telling you my story behind them! There will be plenty to come I promise! :)

Now onto personal matters ...

THE NEW ADDITION!

Gunner is 9 weeks old and the sweet new addition to our family. We've had him for only a week now but it feels like forever (I mean that in a good way).

For those of you who know me personally you know that our dog Cole passed away in February by a hit and run. Cole was 11 years old and was not only the best hunting dog to my husband, the best friend to my step-son Michael (who is 11 as well) but the best dog you could ever ask for. It was one of if not THE worst experience of my life. It took the whole family awhile to grieve and start moving on and even talking about it now I'm getting choked up. I miss him so much it hurts. We have another dog Gracie Lou (who is 9) and while I love her equally as much as Cole everyone who knows her can agree she is a very independent dog. She likes to have her belly rubbed for a couple minutes but goes right back to doing what she wants the next. Cole was my cuddler, my happy greeter, my sweetheart and he will always hold a special place in my heart.


Cole Daddy












It was in April when my husband Jason suggested getting a puppy. It was only two months after Cole had passed and I wasn't even ready to begin thinking about that. I was a little upset at him for just making the suggestion. How could he move on so fast? We needed more time! But then I realized that he was looking for something to fill that void and it was not just for him but for all of us including Gracie.

And so the search for a breeder begun! To say Jason is big into waterfowl hunting would be an understatement. Come September 1st I lose him and my step-son every Saturday to a field or pond filled with decoys that are just begging ducks and geese to come in. As I stated earlier Cole was Jason's hunting buddy and loyal companion. Jason could always count on him to hold steady and retrieve whatever had fallen. This go around he was determined to find a reputable breeder that would provide him with a quality lab.

After nights of researching he came across Pine Ridge Kennels in Shade Gap PA. We met with owner Jim Houppert and his partner Tracey Cox. We liked Jim and Tracey immediately! They took their time going over their program and answered any questions we had. They gave us a tour of the facility and then brought out Othello & Chara to meet and observe their retrieving skills. We were so pleased and knew this is where we wanted to get our next dog from.

This experience was new to both of us. The time passed and Jim was wonderful at keeping in touch with updates on Chara's pregnancy. Once the pups were born we received pictures on a weekly basis and even made trips to Shade Gap where we always felt welcomed. The pups stayed with Tracey where she monitored them closely and treated them like her own furbabies! I think it's safe to say we not only formed a business relationship with Jim and Tracey but a friendship as well.

The time came to pick up Gunner and bring him home. I was nervous because I didn't know how Gracie and my toddler Madison would be with the new pup. I am happy to announce that Grace is now "tolerating" Gunner and Madison adores him! House breaking is going relatively easy and soon Jason will start training him which he is eagerly looking forward to.

He's only been with us a little over a week but is getting quite comfortable in his surroundings. His personality is really starting to shine through. What amazes me the most is that he has some of the same characteristics we loved so much about Cole. That alone makes me smile. While the ache of missing him is still there the void our family once had is now filled!

For those of you in search of a great trainer, breeder or kennel I highly recommend Pine Ridge Kennels! Take a look at their website: http://www.prkennel.com/home.html

I'm ending my first post with this quote from Josh Grogan (writer of Marley and Me) ...

"I was aware that maybe he held the secret for a good life. Never slow down, never look back, live each day with adolescent verve and spunk and curiosity and playfulness. If you think you’re still a young pup, then maybe you are, no matter what the calendar says ... Not a bad philosophy for life, though I’d take a pass on the part that involved vandalizing couches and laundry rooms.”


Gunner