Las Vegas Children & Family Photographer ::Lauren {1 year}

A year. So much can happen in a year. So why do they always seem to go by so fast? Why is it that when you think back to last Christmas it seems like you were just sitting on the floor wrapping presents (and rapping Christmas carols)? But yet when you look forward Christmas is closer to us than it is behind us? And yes, I do gauge my years by how far Christmas is away. There's nothing wrong with that. Right?. Right.

So, in a year, I have taken several photos. A year ago, yesterday, I took Lauren's newborn photos. Of course, it seems like we were just oohing and ahhing over her cuteness. Her tinyness. Examining her every wrinkle, crinkle, and dimple. And now here we are... a year later... still oohing and ahhing over her cuteness.

Here are a few of my favorites from the day... as you can tell... I had a hard time picking just ONE favorite!!

Nolah :: Smashcake in Style

Almost four years ago we planned a trip to Mexico. The four of us. Brad & Niki, Fraser & I... we went to Mexico. We planned to stay at an all inclusive resort which proved to be very beneficial to our bank accounts. We planned excursion trips to zip through the trees, but didn't plan to have a monkey do #2 on my head. We planned dinners out, and rock climbing on the beach. We planned to boogie board on the waves, and we even planned a golf/massage morning.

It was all planned. Perfectly planned.

Fast forward four years... and now we find ourselves planning our children's photo shoots. This time it was Nolah's 1 year photos. Through several text messages, phone calls, cell phone photos, and e-mails... we planned her shoot. It was perfectly planned.

Someday we will get back to the point in our lives where we are planning vacations while our children are off at college, but for now, we are both ecstatically content in planning their photo shoots.

Here are a few from Nolah's most recent modeling gig.

Before....

Happy Birthday Nolah Bear!! :o)

I.M. Caravaggio :: Private Screening

Fraser's a cuddle-up-at-home kind of guy. I wanna go to the theatre. Get a $12 small drink, and an $8 box of peanut M&M's. Either way that they are viewed... we love movies. Who doesn't? Right? Right.

So, I got to do something really fun last weekend. Really fun!! I got to shoot the red carpet for a private viewing of a fantastic indie film titled I.M. Caravaggio. What?? private screening... I'm cool enough to be invited to invited to a private screening?? YEP!! Whoot whoot.

Anyway, it was a great experience, and I got to see a fantastic movie by the uber talented Derek Stonebarger of Vegaswood Studios. I.M. Caravaggio is a modern day take on the true life story of 17th century Italian painter Caravaggio. The flick is currently being submitted to independent film festivals!! Awesome.

Here are few photos from the two day event.

Shawn Kellogg did the still photography for the film, and here are a couple of my favorites!!

Check out the slideshow of all the red carpet photos here.

The Cracked Egg Mystery Man

My dad was always that guy. The guy who pulled over on the side of the road anytime that he saw somebody stranded. He always offered to help, no matter if he knew the person or not. Perfect strangers get to feel like they are family to him. My mom is the same way. She is the woman who can never say no to a heart felt request. She will stay up to all hours of the night making your wedding cake looks just right... and if it doesn't... she'll start over. At 2am. My parents would give you the shirt off their back, the shoes off their feet, and the money in their wallet. They have spent their lives giving back to people, and they in turn receive many blessings of their own.

I was reminded of home today. I was reminded of home by a friendly man who felt no shame in offering to hold Hudson while I handled another task, a man who played "give me five" far longer than most. A man whose smile and wink made you feel like he was your grandpa. A man who offered to buy mine and Hudson's breakfast because I left my wallet at home.

I was dumbfounded when I looked in my purse for my wallet to pay for breakfast and it wasn't there. I told the waiter that I would leave my cell phone behind as collateral and that I would run home to get my wallet. But before I could make it to my car the sweet man who played "give me five" while I searched for my wallet came running out behind me. He said, "ma'am, ma'am" -- and as I turned around he said, "Don't worry about it... I'll cover this one." Of course I told him it was okay, and that I just lived up the street, but his mind was already made up. I quickly thanked him (and secretly wanted to give him a huge grandpa hug). I got into my car, and I missed home. I missed home so much that I choked back tears. I couldn't help but feel gratitude for the small town people who will do something nice, just because. Thank you mystery man at The Cracked Egg. My breakfast with Hudson was a nice morning outing, but you made it unforgettable.

Because blogs are no fun without pictures... here are a few that I took of Hudson yesterday when practicing with my new camera. Enjoy your weekend!!

UPS Christmas

What's the best thing about childhood? For me... without a doubt, Christmas morning. There is something about being able to bound out of your bed at four o'clock in the morning without an alarm. To be so excited about something that you just. can. not. sleep. The ability to run through the house with reckless abandon, without a care in the world, is only something that can come with the innocence of childhood. Not to mention the freedom to ask for gifts... to really ask for what your heart desires, and to not have a twinge of guilt for doing so -- that is Christmas morning as it should be.

What is the equivalent to Christmas morning as an adult? The UPS truck.

3 Announcements :: Super Size That Please...

This whole photography thing has thrown me for a bit of a loop. I read so many stories of people who began photography careers because it just sorta fell in their laps... or they wanted to document their kids life... or it was just a hobby and then it turned into something more...

For me, yes it did just sorta fall in my lap, yes I did want to document my kids' lives, but no... it was never a hobby before it turned into something more.

I was the kid in high school who decorated her room with the Abercrombie bags because I thought that the photos were so gorgeous... of course, so were the men on those bags, but I even liked the photos of the women. I would cut photos up of my friends and double stick tape them to my closet door along with other snips of interesting things. I never scrapbooked... I scrap-walled. Sorry Mom.

I have always been the person that wanted to take a sappy photo to give as a gift to someone, hence the Mother's Day gift to my Mom a few years back when I MADE my brothers and sisters pose in the exact same way as we had when we were kids, and then I had a photographer that I knew (I wasn't into the photography thing yet at this time) Photoshop our outfits to look the same and the background to be the same color. These are the types of projects that keep my mind spinning late at night when I should be sleeping.

So, when I convinced the Hubs to buy me a camera, my intention was to start a business. To take this obsession with Abercrombie bags, scrap-walls, and sappy photos and turn it into something more.

I have taken small steps towards this business in the past, but now I'm ready to make big steps. Leaps. Jumps.

Announcement #1

I am stoked to announce the I will be attending a Jasmine Star workshop this May!!! Jasmine Star is.... I like Jasmine Star because.... I want to be as good as Jasmine so that.... I have no words. No words to describe Jasmine or her success. I just know that I am so nervous to meet her that I will maybe cry. Because that's what I do when I'm nervous. This is a huge opportunity. A chance to learn from the best. A chance to make a huge leap into my business.

Oh yeah... and she's gorgeous. I wish I knew who took this photo so that I could give them some props, but I just stole it off of Jasmine's blog... sorry for the thievery.

Announcement #2

This blog has been okay. It has allowed me to jot down some nice words about my clients, and it has allowed me to share some photos with you guys; however, it is just that. Okay.

I have hired the incredibly talented Sean Hellwig to design a new blog for j.anne. I'm beyond stoked. I can't wait to see what the two of us can come up with... stay tuned.

Announcement #3

I'm officially upgraded. I just purchased a Canon 5D Mark II camera body!! I'm super stoked about the upgrade. I have several shoots booked for April and May, so I hope that it gets here quick and me and my new friend can become acquainted in time for him to see some action!!

That's all for now. What you guys expected me to say April Fools about one of these announcements, or all three??? Nope!!!