Putting the word out

In the past few weeks, I have been caught up in a bit of a personal career crisis.... My life as a photographer is ideal. I am right where so many professionals dream of being with a strong client base, a flexible schedule and income.

All of which is the product of lots of hard work, many nights up well past midnight, 1 a.m., 2 a.m, and up to rise early with my babes. Or getting four hours of work done during the baby's two hour nap. And even sitting down for 15 minutes during snack time, a moment when my little ones stop bouncing, buzzing, moving, to knock out a couple edits, blog a clients preview or put together a print order.

I love what I do!

So why change? I guess it has something to do with career progression, the dream, the goal. At the end of the day, besides wanting my children to grow into healthy, well-balanced, kind human beings, I still dream HUGE. I guess that's the hopeless artist in me shining though. Life is far too short to not be fired up about what I do on a daily basis.

What I'm saying is that even though I am totally in love and incredibly passionate about what I do right now, there's still so much more I want to achieve. So in order to keep up with my own demands, I am working on a few changes. First and foremost is my blog. I have two blogs right now and as many of you have noticed, the blog has taken a back seat, not as many posts, less photos, less writing when I do post. Juggling two blogs is more work than necessary, so I'll be combining my work and personal blogs and revamping the look and content a bit.

The other major thing I am focusing my energy on is commercial photography work. I have been working with a very talented artist, jewelry designer Laura Moore. Hope to share some of her work with you today. Laura has opened my eyes to how amazing it is to work with other small business owners. Seriously awesome stuff.

So as my readers, I'm reaching out to you, putting the word out, to see if you know of any small business owners, artists, musicians etc, who may be interested in my services. I am looking to photograph just about anything or anyone!

As for my my beloved clients, YES! I am still in business and getting busier with fall around the corner. So, I will be posting a few promotions within the next day or so for returning faces and for fresh, new faces. Keep your eyes out for that.

Will post a little more later. For now, snack time is over...

Stomping Beach

The kids and I took a break from all the summer fun here in Annapolis and headed north to where I grew up. Took the kids to the beach I played at ever summer. Both took to it as I had, loving ever moment from sand castles and flying kites so catching crabs and looking for shells.

Austin and I found an old fishing net someone had tossed, probably a clammer. The net has a small tear at the top and they probably figured it wasn't any good. That man's garbage become my little guy's treasure. He played with it as my brother and I used to with our nets, swooping up minnows and sifting through the sand hoping a baby crab my get caught in the fraying blue net.

Taylor loves the sun and the sand. Swimming with me and watching her brother buzz around. She did try to eat sand once, decided it was much more useful running it through her hair. She almost took a nap right there in the sand, but I scooped her up and put her in the car. The ride back to mom's is just a hop and a skip. Sweet little babe would be sound asleep before we'd even reach the house.

I wish I had more images to share. I was too busy getting wet and sandy with my little ones this time around. Enjoy for now. Have some wonderful photos from a beautiful shower coming soon.

Enjoy the remainder of your summer. Good luck to all our big kid friends heading into school tomorrow!

Hope you are all well. Would love to hear from each of you!

My Taylor's got Chucks

Aren't they just the cutest Chuck Taylors you've ever seen? And you should see them on this yummy little girl. My baby is officially a toddler, though she doesn't really toddle around the house, she's running. Here are a few things Taylor and her Chucks have been up to:

:: running into my arms now, smiling ear to ear... the best hugs ever.
:: rushing to the door to great daddy tonight when he arrived home from work.
:: Austin and she played tag, scurrying through the house.
:: shuffling through dirt and wood chips while in East Hampton, proving this pretty little princess is more a Tom-boy than anyone would have guessed.

We are here

Just a quick post with a few pictures to let you all know we are here. I've been keeping busy with my business and the little ones. We have had a lot of sick this summer, but I am confidant that we won't be dealing with any more of that for a while. A little sad myself because I lost a ton of pictures I had taken while we were in Maine. So many memories that we'll just have to keep in our noggins :) I hope you are all well and I look forward to posting more soon!

Oh!!!!! I almost forgot. HUGE news. Taylor is WALKING!!! Like crazy! Has been for a few weeks now, but ahem... we've been chasing one another around! Will post video quite soon.

With love, Liz

Austin turns 4!

It's been well over a month since my last post and I must say I do have much to catch you all up on. Austin turned four and celebrated with four! separate parties... wowwy-zow! Chris thinks that's a lot of celebrating for one little guy, but I'm all about the parties, friends and family. Here are a few images from his second party. We invited all his closest friends over for a wet and wild time in our backyard. The weather was perfect, the birthday boy was thrilled and all had a great time. Taylor even slept through the entire event for me :) He received so many incredible gifts, lots of Transformers, legos and art projects. Thank you to all his friends for coming and being so thoughtful.

We just returned from a two and a half week trip to northern Maine. We had an amazing time as usual and yes I do have some images to share with you all. For now though, enjoy these. Hope you are all well.

With love, Liz

Friends that are family

Once in a while you stumble upon friends who just get you.  They understand you as you understand them.  You balance one another and more often times are not exactly like one another, which is okay because you admire everything about them.  They're your speed and on any given night you'd enjoy having dinner with them, even every given night.  And as we grew, got married, lost parents and grandparents, started a family, we always had Dave and Heather (and Wilson too) there, just a short drive away.  I know we're not loosing them forever, but we are loosing them to Nebraska.  

I'd like to go on about how much they mean to us, how many memories we have together, spending more holidays with Dave than most of our family while in Wyoming, but then it would almost be as if I was closing a chapter on a friendship which will never happen.... I'll just really miss the comfort of knowing they're just a hop and a skip away, but know they'll be back, hopefully sooner than later.

Here are a few photos from the farewell party Pam and Walt threw for them yesterday.  The Jones always make us feel like family while we're there and we look forward to our next visit up the G-burg.

H & D we're so happy for you guys and so incredibly grateful for you both.  We hope to visit you at your beautiful new home soon.  

Enjoy the photos, here are a few of little Miss T. too.  She's really growing so fast and is so incredibly beautiful (don't mind me boasting :) the best baby a mama could ask for.  

With love, Liz

Last Day of School

Celebrating Summer Birthdays!

Buddy Colin and Austin in their Birthday crowns

The girls in Austin's class just love Austin

Austin w/ Miss Alison on the last day of school

Ms. Barb and Austin

August 2008 - 1st day of school.

Words cannot sum up how far Austin came this school year at St. Margaret's Day School.  We have had our ups and downs with things, but all in all there are two things for certain 1. we love his teachers Ms. Barb and Ms. Allison and  2. his tiny class of twelve little cuties have all become like family to us.  We will miss St Margaret's and all that it has given Austin.  I remember writing at the beginning of the school year 

              

           "I love his enthusiasm for school and hope he never looses that... I know it will come, the day when I have to kick him out the door to make the bus in time but for now we shall bask in the lovely, happy little student that he is."

He is still just as enthusiastic as he was the first day of school and was very, very sad to leave the last day of school.  I am so incredibly proud of our little man.  This year he not only learned all the colors in Spanish, how to count to 30 en Espagnol, he also learned how to spell his name, read his name and write his name.  He can write out all of the alphabet (a little work is needed with w and m) and numbers 1-20, he knows his right from his left and he loves keeping an art journal or diary (must draw, color, paint, create every day, this I am in love with and especially proud of :)  Our Austin is the shining example of how a big brother should be and surprises us everyday with his character, love and compassion.  

We're looking forward to a summer filled with activities:  visits to the pool, beach, museums, farms, Maine, more pool and maybe even a week in East Hampton :)  Next year will bring us a new school, new teachers and friends and most exciting of all a whole new adventure.  

Sorry for the lack of blog posts, our adventures do keep me busy.  Hope you hear how you all are doing soon.  Enjoy the story.

With love, Liz