Sarah Metz Photography

We Have Moved!

2011-03-01T03:24:00.000-08:00

Please view my new website at http://www.artsoulphoto.com and my new blog at http://www.artsoulphoto.com/blog! :) Since it's not fun to post without a picture, here's one of my favorites:

I look forward to making photo memories with you! :)

Passing on the savings...

2010-08-13T19:52:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite places to shop for baby gifts is http://www.diapers.com.
They have GREAT stuff and fabulous prices, AND free shipping when you spend $49, which isn't hard to do! Use the code 15OFF4YOU and save 15% off your first order. Love love love this store! They just added a sister store as well, http://www.soap.com, and it works just like Old Navy/Gap/Banana Republic where they share a shopping cart and checkout. You can get everything from paper towels to shampoo and makeup along with every kind of household cleaner you can imagine. The coupon code will apply to BOTH stores!

Get 15% off

your first order

use code 15OFF4YOU

shop for all your baby needs: body pillows, good start formula, swaddle pod

check out baby registry

Not valid for existing Diapers.com or Soap.com customers. Some resctrictions apply.

Sweet Nicole

2010-06-07T07:27:00.000-07:00

I love photographing babies over and over again throughout their first year. It is such a pleasure to see them grow! Here is Nicole at her second baby plan session:

Isn't she gorgeous!?!!

Baby A Is Growing Up! :)

2010-05-09T12:33:00.000-07:00

It was a pleasure to photograph sweet little Baby A again recently. She has grown so much! She is as beautiful as ever, as is her whole family. So much fun!

Here she is when she was brand new:

And here she is (and big brother and mom & dad) now!

Pug Tank Top Tee Shirt

2010-04-29T07:54:00.000-07:00

This is for my lovely sister in law. Isn't it adorable??! Smooches sis! ;)

Pug Tank Top Tee Shirt at Select2Gether

The Morabe Family - Session Sneak Peek

2009-10-25T17:44:00.000-07:00

Look at these handsome boys! They are all going to be heartbreakers when they are older, there is no doubt. They are just as sweet as they look, too! We had a fantastic time and it was a beautiful day for a photo shoot.

The Welch Family - Session Sneak Peek

2009-10-22T12:53:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of photographing this wonderful family over the weekend. Little Miss K and Mr. M are so fun and full of personality! I truly enjoyed getting to photograph them along with mom and dad. Here are a few peeks from our session:

Little Miss N - Newborn Session Sneak Peek

2009-10-12T06:41:00.000-07:00

It was so nice to snuggle another newborn - all 5 lbs. 12 oz. of her! Little Miss N is soooooo sweet and soooooo tiny. She was a natural in front of the camera though! Mom and dad are so proud of her, as they should be. :) Here are a few peeks from our session on Saturday:

Sweet Baby Girl is ONE!

2009-10-05T14:17:00.000-07:00

I completed the final session of this sweet little girl's baby plan yesterday. I can't believe a year has gone by already! Just look at how much she has changed since our first session ~

Here she is as a newborn:

And at our second session:

And now yesterday:

Isn't she gorgeous? I admit, I am SO jealous of those sweet curls!

Holiday Mini Sessions Have Begun!

2009-10-05T14:10:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again! Holiday mini sessions are in full swing. Don't worry, it isn't too late to book your session with me. ;) I have a few spaces left in later October and early November.

Here is the first family of the season - aren't they gorgeous!?!!?? They are just as lovely on the inside as they are out. We had a great time!

A Family Session Sneak Peek

2009-09-10T07:13:00.000-07:00

This family is so sweet and beautiful. The kids are the cutest and were so well behaved too. We had a great time AND as a special bonus, I got to shoot at a fun new location!

Look Who's Sitting Up!

2009-08-17T10:56:00.000-07:00

This handsome little man was brand new just 6 months ago. Time sure does fly! I didn't think it was possible, but he just keeps getting cuter. ;) Here's one from 6 months ago, and a few peeks from our session a few days ago.

(Click to enlarge the photos.)

6 months ago:

Now:

Welcoming Little Miss A to the World

2009-08-13T10:31:00.001-07:00

Miss A is a beautiful newborn! She is so precious and SO alert with a beautiful head of dark hair, just like her handsome big brother. Here are a few peeks from our session - we were lucky to get one with Grandma and Grandpa too, who happened to be visiting at the time of our session!

(Click to enlarge the photos)

3 Month Old Little Sweetie

2009-08-13T10:24:00.000-07:00

Little Miss M is just as sweet as can be! I had a great time photographing her and meeting her wonderful mama and daddy. Here are a few peeks from our session:

(Click to enlarge the photos)

Family

2009-06-01T12:48:00.000-07:00

I had the great pleasure of meeting and photographing this gorgeous (and super duper nice) family on Memorial Day. We had such a fun time, and the kids were absolutely fantastic! Here are a few peeks from the session:

Jordon can sit up!

2009-05-22T09:54:00.000-07:00

Look at this little guy! Isn't he just the sweetest?!!? He was so fun - he went from serious to silly and back to serious in about 2 seconds. I love his hair, his eyes, and he was a little snuggle bug too! (Yes, I got to hold him while mom changed. It made my day.) ;) Here's a little sneak peek!

More From Pottery Barn Kids - Making Memories!

2009-05-22T09:31:00.000-07:00

I truly feel so lucky to have gotten to meet the families that I got to work with - the kids were fabulous and they all had the BEST parents! It was a really fun break from of my normal schedule. Here are a few more shots from my time there:

Pottery Barn Kids - Making Memories

2009-05-18T17:36:00.000-07:00

I spent two days last week photographing all kinds of adorable kiddos at the Pottery Barn Kids store at Stoneridge Mall in Pleasanton. It was SO much fun! Here are a few sneak peeks for now, more to come soon! Can you believe how absolutely CUTE these kids are??!? And they were all so sweet too! :)

Sad and Lonely ~

2009-05-18T17:20:00.000-07:00

Ahhh my poor little blog! I have not been here in months! I took some time off and I was uninspired to post. I'm sorry, and I promise I'll be a much better owner from now on. Pinky swear.

Love,
Sarah

Sneak Peek from last weekend's set of sessions! :)

2008-12-21T17:25:00.000-08:00

I got to meet three wonderful families last weekend. The kids were all beautiful and fun to work with, and we all had a great time! I know you all have been waiting for a little peek into your sessions, so here are a few for you! :)

A few more of Faith and Grace

2008-12-04T16:43:00.000-08:00

These are the two gorgeous daughters of my beautiful friend and fellow photographer.
I have been photographing Faith since she was 3, and Grace - from the moment she was born! (Even before, if you count the maternity! ;)) I just love photographing these girls - and I always have sooooooooo many favorites...so here are a few more! xoxo

Sneak Peek for Diana ~ :)

2008-11-29T21:31:00.000-08:00

It was so fun to go and visit Diana and her family at their home for a session.
Little Miss "D" and big brother, Mr. "T" were fantastic subjects and I loved working with them. We got some great shots of the siblings together, and one of the beauuuuuutiful mama all by herself! (LOL - captured while trying to convince little Miss D that she really did want to go sit back down on my chair! ;)) You can see that brother and sister really adore each other, and Miss D is just smitten with her family!

Sneak Peek for Annie! :)

2008-11-24T09:01:00.000-08:00

I had so much fun photographing Annie and all of her boys - big and little! ;)
They are such a sweet and fun family - they made my job so easy. I hope you enjoy the peek Annie, and your session gallery will be live later today!

And finally..Mini Session 8 : Cindy's Family

2008-11-19T21:24:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of meeting Cindy, her husband, and their two darling little girls last year, and this year they brought me another adorable little lady to photograph! Lots of beautiful blonde hair and jealousy-inducing natural curls (for those of us "blessed" with straight hair who have spent a lifetime longing for natural curl!) here! ;)

Mini Session 7 : Christine's Family

2008-11-19T21:09:00.000-08:00

Christine brought her husband and handsome son along for a fun mini session, and we had a terrific time! Little "D" is soooooooo sweet - his dark brown eyes will melt your heart in an instant! :)

Mini Session 6 : Angela's Family

2008-11-19T09:05:00.000-08:00

I was so honored when I heard this family was coming from a bit of a distance just for a mini session! It was so much fun meeting Angela and her family - her kiddos are so great! They are a beautiful family - brother and sister were so cute with each other. :)

Mini Session 5 : Michele's Family

2008-11-18T21:54:00.000-08:00

Isn't Michele's family beautiful?!?! What a lucky little girl Miss "A" is to have such handsome big brothers to look out for her! I'm working so hard to get all of the galleries done for all my fabulous mini session families! Look for an email with instructions for logging into your galleries soon. :) While you wait...here is another sneak peek!

Mini Session 4 : Karen's Family

2008-11-18T10:24:00.000-08:00

Karen's little guy has changed so much in just one year - not hard to do when you're only one year old! :) He was just a few weeks old when we met last year, and he is just as delightful as he was then. It was a pleasure photographing this gorgeous family again this year!

Mini Session 3 : Angela's Family

2008-11-18T09:13:00.000-08:00

It was fantastic to see Angela's family again this year! Her little guy has grown SO much and it was so fun to get to photograph him again. Sneak peek number three...click to enlarge!

Mini Session 2 : Shari's Family

2008-11-16T17:59:00.000-08:00

Two more adorable little girls and another gorgeous family! It was a pleasure meeting Shari and her family and I really enjoyed photographing them! Enjoy the sneak peek! :)

Mini-Session 1 : Wendy's Family

2008-11-15T19:07:00.000-08:00

It was GREAT to see this family again this year for holiday portraits - and they have grown by one! Such sweet little girls with big personality! Here's your sneak peek - your gallery is coming soon! :)

Faith and Grace : Beautiful Sisters

2008-11-14T17:09:00.000-08:00

My two beautiful favorite models...I love them! (And their mommy!) I was so lucky to get to photograph them again. They just keep growing and growing and getting more and more beautiful! A baby bunny in a basket, a beautiful ballerina, and a Christmas card photo to die for - here they are! Love you girls!!

Meet Little Miss "N"

2008-10-30T18:06:00.000-07:00

This little one was sooooo FULL of personality - we had such a great time together. We had smiles and sunshine the whole time! Here is a sneak peek for mom and dad. It was wonderful to meet you and I enjoyed every moment of our session! Click to enlarge the images. :)

Welcome to the world, Jordan

2008-10-21T14:56:00.001-07:00

This little guy was as precious as he could be - so sweet and peaceful. He had such beautiful skin and hair!! Here are a few sneak peeks from our session yesterday. Just click to enlarge the photos. :)

Betty's 80th Birthday Party!

2008-10-20T16:38:00.001-07:00

We had a birthday party at our church for a very dear lady who turned 80. The guest list included people of all ages. I spent a lot of time with the little people playing in the nursery. A great time was had by all! ;)

More Recent Favorites!

2008-10-06T11:36:00.000-07:00

I usually only share a couple of images per session for sneak peeks, but I thought I would take a second today to share a few more from some recent shoots. Watch out, the post is loaded with images! :)

Jeff + Jeff = 2 Jeffs!

2008-09-29T09:34:00.000-07:00

I told my brother Jeff, who my son is named after, that he was NEXT to be featured on the blog. ;) Jeffrey absolutely, totally and completely ADORES his uncles, and it has been a goal of mine to get some cute photos of little Jeff with my brothers, Joel, and Jeff. Joel and Jeff were featured a few posts back. (My brothers are also named for their uncles, and if we're lucky, maybe someday little Jeff will have a little brother named Joel! ;)) So without further ado, here are the photos of Jeff and Jeff. :)

I've Been Tagged!

2008-09-25T09:07:00.000-07:00

I have been tagged by the fabulous Shannon of Shannon Velloza Photography - you can check her out at Shannon Velloza Photography Blog. Blog tagging is so much fun, and a great way to learn a little more about people!

Here are the RULES:
1. Link the person who tagged you
2. Mention the rules on your blog
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours
4. Tag 6 following bloggers by linking them ; leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they have been tagged.

6 things you may not know about me ….
1. I was born in Sioux Falls, SD, was raised in Tomah, WI, moved to Iowa Falls, IA for a quick spell, and now LOVE living in Martinez, CA.

2. I am so lucky to have traveled to Austria, Italy, The Czech Republic, and Germany. I would love to go back someday, and take my family with me. I also want to go to Ireland, England, and France.

4. Before I got married, and became a mom and photographer, my passion was music. I am a professionally trained vocalist who once had great aspirations of becoming an opera star. Once I met my husband, all I wanted to do was get married and be a mom...and I do love my life and the creative outlet that photography provides. I have no regrets! :)

5. Speaking of my husband, I bought him. For $75 at a bachelor auction. (A fundraiser at college for spring missions projects.) And ONLY because my friend MADE me. We went out on our first (BLIND) date and it was love at first sight. We just KNEW. 3 months to the day later, we were engaged, and 6 years later we are living happily ever after ;).

6. One of my fave munchy snacks is cheerios with butter and salt, just like you would do with popcorn. Melt a little butter, pour it over the cheerios, add a sprinkle of salt, and throw in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and crunch away! This is especially wonderful with m&m's mixed in.

Well there you go! Now you know a little more about me. ;)

I am now tagging the following photographers:
Georgia Cooper Photography
Heather Woodward Photography
Veralana Photography
Lisa Baker Photography

Welcome to the World Little Miss S! :)

2008-09-23T15:35:00.000-07:00

Little Miss "S" is such a snuggly little sweetheart - so good natured and peaceful. We had such a fun session! (I know I say that all the time, but since I love what I do, I think every session really IS fun!) Here are a couple of sneak peaks for Mom and Dad - click to enlarge the images. I can't wait for you to see the rest ~ :)

Meet Lou.

2008-09-09T21:58:00.000-07:00

Lou is Jeff's new best stuffed buddy. He designed him all by himself, and since the moment he arrived, he has not left Jeff's side - except for school hours of course. ;) I VERY highly recommend CURLY Q CUTIES! You can choose colors, eyes, shapes, bellies, etc. and create your very own monster buddy. We could not be more pleased with the new addition to our family! SO cute and so well done!

Sneak Peek for Sarah! ;)

2008-09-09T15:26:00.000-07:00

It was SO fun meeting Sarah and her beautiful little family the other day! Baby girl "R" was absolutely delightful! Here are a few sneak peeks for you, as promised. I look forward to showing you the rest! :)

Catching Up...Sharing Some Summer Fun!

2008-09-02T09:59:00.000-07:00

We had such a busy summer, I hardly had time to update the blog...sorry! ;)
We visited the Oakland Zoo one sunny August day. Jeff LOVED LOVED LOVED it - the sites, sounds, and most of all - the rides!
He had a blast on his first roller coaster ride - he went on it 3 times, and even got Grandma to go with! Woohoo!

When Uncle Joel Comes to Town...

2008-08-28T11:52:00.000-07:00

Uncle Joel (my brother) was in town this last week and Jeffrey was just beside himself with excitement. Of course, it didn't hurt a bit that Uncle Joel came armed with an awesome Lego set and a football!

The Jeffer ADORES both of his uncles, but since Joel lives on the other side of the country and we only get to see him twice a year, these visits are pretty special. It had been awhile since I had gotten any "nice" pictures of Jeffrey with his uncles, so I took the opportunity the other night before Joel left for the airport to get some new pics. (Usually they are rolling around rough-housing or something!) Watch out Uncle Jeff...you're next! :D

Oh...and the last one...Jeffrey said he would "let" me take some pictures if I promised to take a picture of his feet when we were done. I obliged. ;)

P.S. Jung, Jeffrey misses you and says that Uncle better bring you next time because it is "even more better" with you around. ;)

The First Day of KINDERGARTEN!

2008-08-26T10:07:00.000-07:00

So Jeff is in Kindergarten now...ahhh I can't believe it! It does go SO fast...
I am so proud of him, though. He LOVES his teacher, the school, and there are some very special friends from preschool that are in his class. How could he NOT love it??! I did GREAT...until...I watched him file into the classroom, walking away from me not only physically, but walking a little bit further from little kid to big kid, less needful of mom with every step. GULP. Tears. He didn't see me though, and it was only a bit, just a little sad for me and a lot happy for my bestest bud.

Beautiful Expectant Mama!

2008-08-24T13:17:00.000-07:00

This session was SO FUN - we were laughing nearly the whole time! Isn't she gorgeous?? She looks so in love with her little bun in the oven! (And I can't wait to do the newborn photos!)

Spunky Sisters - Sneak Peek

2008-08-24T13:08:00.000-07:00

It was so much fun meeting these two - they were SO fun to work with!
Here are a couple I grabbed - and finished in a vintage look.
I can't wait for mom and dad to see the rest!

Pink Sunglasses

2008-08-16T21:44:00.000-07:00

So I can't resist posting one more of the little sweetie from today...she L.O.V.E.D!!! her pink sunglasses. I love this one because it is so cute - sugar and spice - she looks sweet as pie in her little dress but with the shades on she looks ready to rock 'n roll!

Sweet Session Today

2008-08-16T21:29:00.000-07:00

A little preview...

This little girl was soooooooooooo vivacious and sweet! Her mommy and daddy were just wonderful to work with and I had such a good time with them. :)

New Contact Information

2008-07-30T11:17:00.000-07:00

The Metz Family is in the midst of moving! We are still going to be in the area. The new temporary contact number for Sarah Metz Photography is 925-228-2636. Email is probably the easiest way to get in touch right now, so feel free to contact me at sarah@sarahmetzphotography.com OR sarahmetzphotography@gmail.com. I look forward to talking with you!

Thanks .... and now I'm back to work! ;)

Sisters - Sneak Peek! :)

2008-07-11T07:20:00.001-07:00

I had so much fun photographing these beautiful sisters! They were just delightful. :)
I promise to show you more soon, but here is one for now...

Sneak Peek - Today's Session :)

2008-06-30T20:43:00.000-07:00

I got to photograph these beautiful girls again today...I love these girls! :)
Here are a couple sneak peeks for their sweet Mommy and my sweet friend. ;)
Hope you like!!
XOXO

Happy Birthday Jeffrey!

2008-06-29T06:46:00.000-07:00

So today, my "baby" turns 5. I cannot believe how fast the time has gone. He was actually born on a Sunday morning, so this year I'm feeling even more sentimental. The combination of his birthday falling on the day of the week that he was born and also being a major milestone birthday is making me reminisce in a major way...

Of course there will be pictures, but first let me tell you about my kiddo. I think he's amazing. He is so smart, so funny, so sweet - tenderhearted and sensitive. He gets squirrelly when he is tired...or just because. He is strong. He loves his family and his transformers equally.

He does have a VERY special relationship with his Grandma...he takes after his Mommy that way. His favorite place to hang out with Grandpa is the "rocket ship" more commonly known as Grandpa's closet. He also loves to spend time with Grandpa is his office, and says he will be a preacher someday too. He thinks Grandpa should preach about how great bananas are.

He thinks his Daddy is the biggest and strongest man in the world. We'll let him think that, because one day not long from now, he will be the stronger one I am sure. He looks up to his Uncle Joel and his Uncle Jeff, he loves to call them and tell them he misses them. ;) He will tell you that Uncle Jeff teases him, and Uncle Joel visits in the summer and at Christmas, and they are BOTH his favorite uncle.

I know without a doubt that he loves his Mommy - he tells me out of the blue at least a couple times a day. I cherish that, because as fast as the first five years have gone, I know the next five will go even faster. He won't always stop to say "I love you Mommy" just because he wants to. He won't even want to call me "Mommy" for much longer, I am sure! He's the best, he's my little buddy, and I can't imagine life without him. I am so blessed to have him as a son. I think I'm the luckiest mom in the whole world. :)

Happy Birthday Jeffrey James Metz! I love you!

Ok, now for the pics...please note that not all of these were taken by me, and some are snapshots, and some are scans...so no critiquing these, ok?! ;)

Happy Birthday Jeffer! I'm so proud of you!

One Fish, Two Fish ...

2008-06-14T07:51:00.000-07:00

three fish, four fish! ;)

Back at Sue's Swim School - some very cool friends had their last lesson of the summer, and we will definitely miss them! Here are a few more pics of our little fishies...

Session Sneak Peek - Handsome Little "T"

2008-06-08T07:35:00.000-07:00

This little guy was SO expressive! So sweet and happy, just delightful to photograph! His Mom and Dad were absolutely wonderful and the session time was over too quickly. :) Here are a couple of "sneak peeks" - enjoy!!

How High Can You Fly???

2008-06-05T09:52:00.000-07:00

Jeff can fly pretty high with his Daddy's help, especially in the pool! :)

Sue's Swim School

2008-06-04T09:35:00.000-07:00

This summer, Jeff and his bestest girl, Faith, are learning to be safe in the pool. They are both taking private lessons at Sue's Swim School. It is a no-nonsense environment where they learn quickly how to be safe in a pool. Jeff and Faith really love it there, and they are BOTH doing so well! "The Moms" (as they call us) are so proud of them! Here are a couple quick pics taken through the fence...but you get the idea!

And here is one of Jeff after we got home from swim school yesterday...I love this part!;)

Hangar Man

2008-06-04T09:31:00.000-07:00

Meet Hangar Man:

Hangar Man has the special power of being able to remove every object of clean clothing from his closet and dress like any character he wants to be. Sometimes, though, he just wants to be "Hangar Man"...

There are so many things...

2008-06-04T09:30:00.000-07:00

That I have been meaning to share, but haven't taken the time to post! SO - today you are going to be bombarded...lol! :)

Sweet Little Maya

2008-06-04T09:22:00.000-07:00

Little Maya is a dollbaby! She is beautiful and full of personality. :) Here is a quick sneak peek for her mommy. ;) I promise to get another peek up soon!

Oh Snap!

2008-06-04T07:35:00.001-07:00

It has been wayyyyyyyyy too long since I last posted!
I promise, I will get on it today!! :D

Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. B!

2008-05-20T19:54:00.000-07:00

I was privileged to photograph a beauuuuuuuuuuuuutiful wedding this weekend - the flowers were in bloom, it was a gorgeous day!

Sneaky Peeky! ;)

2008-05-10T21:44:00.001-07:00

I love these girls, and you can see why! Have you ever seen such sweet sisters??
We had a session tonight with these two and their mommy and daddy to update the family
portrait since the arrival of baby G. Here are a couple of quick ones for now, will post a few more soon! :)

Gorgeous Flower Girl Dress and More

2008-05-06T09:36:00.000-07:00

on eBay! :) Yep, listing more and more and more!!
Here is a link to check it out, and some pics
below of the gorgeous items currently listed and
a few things that are coming soon! :)

CLICK HERE TO SEE my listings!

Big J Little J

2008-05-06T09:16:00.000-07:00

The two Jeffreys -
Little Jeff just loves and I mean LOVES his uncles.
He is counting down the days until Uncle Joel comes
home for his summer visit (and he'd better bring Jung!)
He even cried when he thought Uncle Jeff had come
home and he didn't get to see him! Well, he didn't
get to see him that day, but he saw him the next, and
here's proof!! :)

Does It Get Better Than This???

2008-05-06T09:08:00.000-07:00

I don't see how it can...
My sweet son left me a sweet note just inside the gate.
This is one of the things I *LOVE* about being a mom!! ;)

Sweet Baby Boy ;)

2008-04-30T15:53:00.001-07:00

This little guy came in with his mom and dad and was an absolute angel the whole time! I just love his big eyes. Here is a little preview for his AWESOME parents! :)

Sneak Peek!! :)

2008-04-28T17:21:00.001-07:00

I LOVE this family! The session was so fun, and the kids were fantastic AND adorable!! Hope you enjoy the sneak peek. ;)

New/Old Location...

2008-04-25T15:03:00.001-07:00

I had a SUPER fun session with a fabulous family yesterday morning, bright and early. It was soooo exciting for a couple of reasons - one, the family was just WONDERFUL, and two, they had selected a park in Alamo that I hadn't been to since March of 2002. I loved this park, as it just happens to be the park where Noah and I had our engagement photos taken! Anyway, here is a photo taken before the session, as I always arrive early to a location I am not completely familiar with, just to check it out so we don't waste time during the session trying to find the *right* spot. :)

Mim-Pi, Tea Collection, Kaiya Eve, and more!

2008-04-25T10:19:00.002-07:00

Yep, more listings! I'm a MACHINE!! LOL!
CLICK HERE TO SEE THEM!!

More super duper cute listings! :)

2008-04-22T13:36:00.000-07:00

More cute stuff - when eBay has a listing sale, ya gotta go with it! ;)

CLICK HERE to view my listings on eBay!

Icky Baby Paisley Garden

I just love this one...

2008-04-19T12:13:00.000-07:00

My bestest little girl model - this photo was just asking to be converted to black and white, so here she is! :)

Watching the world go by...

2008-04-18T15:09:00.000-07:00

Just a quick one of Jeff today, looking out the window and just enjoying the beautiful day. :)

Red Raiders

2008-04-17T09:55:00.000-07:00

I was cleaning out some boxes this morning, and I came across an old photo that made me all sentimental and nostalgic...so now you have to hear the story...

August 2001 - I transfered to Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa after a 2 year hiatus from college. I had previously attended Viterbo University in LaCrosse, WI. My little brother was at Northwestern, and convinced me that I would LOVE it there too. I went there to visit him for his birthday in April, and had applied before I left that week. Yes, he did graduate before me even though he is two years younger...but he's still going to school, and I've been done for 5 years! (Love you Joel! I'm so proud of you.)
Anyway, back to August 2001...Joel had a friend, we'll call her "Abby" because that's her name...and we became pretty darn good friends. She had said from the time she met me that she knew a Guy that would be perfect for me. I REFUSED to go out with ANYONE because now I was serious about just. getting. through. school. NO nonsense.

Well, Abby heard that one of The Guy's dorms was holding a bachelor auction to raise money for the school's Spring Service Projects. Abby and a mutual friend (Bob) decided that she and I would buy Bob and his roommate...who just happened to be The Guy she had wanted to send me off on a date with since the beginning. We would go out on a double date. Casual - just go see a movie and have dinner together.

FINE. So now I'm being ganged up on, and I have NO choice but to spend my hard earned (sent from mom) money bidding on some guy. GREAT. Well ok, so even though I'd never seen the guy up close...he was a football player, and I had seen his little grayscale picture in the program. I had gone to every single game because the girls I lived with dated football players. He was kinda cute, from what I could tell. My brother said he was a nice guy. Nothing to lose, I guess, and it might even be kinda fun.

Auction night - I was a bundle of nerves. I told Abby I would GO but I was NOT bidding out loud. She could do all the talking. I hid behind a post, hoping The Guy wouldn't see me. Well that is the night I found out I am competitive. Apparently some other chick wanted to go on a date with him, she kept trying to outbid me. Well SHOOT, I had homework to do and a big paper to write...I had to get out of there, so instead of going up by $2 increments, I whispered to Abby ...$15...$25...$35...fine $75!!! I won The Guy for a grand total of $75. UGH. But at least I won! :D

Date night - It was a pretty big deal on campus. Small school, everyone who knew us was excited for our date. EVERYONE thought we would be *perfect* together. I was sooooooooooo sooo nervous! I lived in a house with 13 other girls. It was such an exciting night. I was a disaster, so thank goodness for all those girls who helped me get ready. I was so nervous, I almost brushed my teeth with my curling iron. Whew. I was driving because I had the biggest car (1997 Ford Taurus). Tinted windows. Um bad idea. I should not have been driving with the case of nerves I had. The four of us piled into the car and I backed up right into another car (no damage) and The Guy now knew I was NUTS. We did make it to Sioux City in record time though!

We saw Charlie's Angels and ate at Chilis. Went back to OC, and Bob and Abby went home. The Guy and I decided to go back to my house and hang out for a little while. We spent the rest of the night into the early morning just talking. Had so much fun. Love at first sight. I called my mom and told her about the whole ordeal, and she jokingly asked if I was going to marry him. HA - the joke was on her when I said YES I was. :)

We got engaged on Spring Break in California, exactly 3 months to the day from our very first date. We have now been happily married for almost 6 years and have a totally amazing son. ;) Love you babe!

Sooooo here's a picture of The Guy as he was way back in 2001.

Listings Coming SOON...

2008-04-16T13:51:00.000-07:00

I will be adding more things shortly, Tea Collection, Mim Pi, more Binky Couture, and some Baby Nay will be soon to follow. Keep watching!!
Click HERE to see my listings!!

Listing, Listing, in this pool of clothes...

2008-04-16T13:41:00.000-07:00

I have been at it again, this time with CUTE CUTE Submarine bathing suits and more!
Here is a preview:

Click HERE to see my listings!!

Just a Little Funny ....

2008-04-15T10:52:00.000-07:00

This has NEVER happened, and I doubt it ever will, the kids I photograph are all so wonderful...BUT it was too funny not to share!! (And as you all know, we don't say "cheese" in my studio anyway! ;))

Sneak Peek!

2008-04-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

Had a super fun session on Saturday with these two gorgeous kiddos - just wanted to share a sneak peek with their mom!

My Lovebug

2008-04-12T09:05:00.000-07:00

So we went in for a haircut the other day...and I'm sitting in the waiting area, but I can hear him chatting with the stylist...

Jeff: Yeah, my mom is really silly.
Stylist: Oh yes, mommies can be pretty funny sometimes!
Jeff: Wanna know the best part about my mom?
Stylist: What is it?
Jeff: She L-O-V-Es me!

I love my kid. :)

A Little Squirrelly

2008-04-11T07:48:00.000-07:00

This little guy frequents our front yard, several times a day. It is so fun to watch him (? I'm just guessing, could be a her for all I know!) scurry around with his nose to the ground looking for some goodies. Yesterday I decided to photograph him quietly through the front window...maybe not the greatest plan, in hindsight, as the pics aren't super clear (I guess I need to clean the window??) but they are still kind of fun.

I thought this post was appropriate for today, since I woke up feeling a bit "squirrelly" myself. I dished up a bowl of chocolate ice cream and grabbed a Mt. Dew from the fridge for breakfast...not a normal meal for me by any means, but today it just sounded "right". ***Please note, my mom read this today and wants everyone to know that she did NOT teach me to eat like that for breakfast. It is something I learned entirely on my own. ;)

My dad had little nicknames for us as kids, and they all started with "S". You guessed it, mine was "Squirrelly"! The later it got at night, the sillier, the nuttier, the gigglier, the zanier I got, hence the nickname. My brother Joel is a fair freckle skinned red head - (the kind of red most of us would pay good money to get, as he has gotten older it is a beautiful deep auburn-y red.) As a member of the fair-skinned sun sensitive variety, he would squish up his eyes until they were nothing but teeeeeeeny tiny slits when we were outside playing. Every summer outdoor picture, you can barely see any eye. His nickname was..."Squint". My youngest brother Jeff was just a little baby when these nicknames were bequeathed. I remember him sleeping in a bassinet in the living room and we would hear these cute little noises while he slept. He sounded like a little dog toy. His nickname - "Squeak."
Such silly names, but yet innately *us*.

Well, since today is unique in my mood and outlook, I bet I will get something creative done. Off to see what I can find to get my hands into! :)

Sup Sup Suppertime!

2008-04-10T20:47:00.000-07:00

Jeff lovesssssssss to "help" me in the kitchen. After watching the Garfield movie, he insisted that he wanted to eat lasagna...sooooo "we" made some the other night, and lo and behold, he liked it, he really liked it! This is a HUGE deal for us, the parents of the child who picks what he wants to eat by color. "Mom, I want to eat orange today." Not AN orange...orange as in only foods that are orange. Cheese, carrots, goldfish.
I'm going to have to let him watch more movies about food! :)

Just DUCKY!

2008-04-07T11:17:00.000-07:00

So I look out the window of our bedroom, which overlooks our neighborhood pool...and what do I see??

Looks like a nice day for a swim...

The water is great!

Time to go...

Bye Bye Birdie!

Beautiful Birth Announcements

2008-04-06T19:24:00.001-07:00

I just loved how this turned out and had to share it with all of you.
Baby G is soooo sweet! This was designed as a 5x7 folded card and I had it printed on heavy weight linen paper. The end result was just gorgeous - even my lab called just to tell me how pretty they were while they were in production. :)

Welcome to the world baby Emma!

2008-04-06T18:42:00.001-07:00

Beautiful Emma and her family visited me for some newborn photos this past week. Here's a sneak peek of a few of my favorites!

A Super Hero and His Princess ;)

2008-03-20T17:02:00.000-07:00

These two always have such fun...true buddies. They're so funny, and wonderful. :)

Happy One Month Birthday Baby Grace! :)

2008-03-18T20:37:00.000-07:00

Update on "A Plea for Help"

2008-03-16T19:56:00.001-07:00

Thanks to those of you who contributed, and I know some did. The grand total that has been raised thus far to help Lillie and her family is a whopping $3,283.07 USD!! This is amazing, thank you!!!!!!!! :)

Bad BAD Blogger!

2008-03-16T15:31:00.001-07:00

I have been very lax in my posts lately...I promise to try and do better!!

A Plea For Help

2008-03-06T07:34:00.000-08:00

Imagine having a beautiful child.
Imagine finding out your beautiful child won’t survive past two years old.
Imagine having ONE wish for your child.
Imagine everyone banding together to make the wish a reality.

This is the story of Lilie’s family, and this is me (and hopefully all of you), committing myself to find a way to make this happen! Lilie is terminally ill. She has been diagnosed with GM1 Gangliosidosis. It is a rare, incurable lysosomal storage disease (enzyme deficiency) that will ultimately take her life by what research shows. . . by the age of two. She will continue to degenerate, go blind, have seizures, and eventually lose all ability to move and succumb to this disease. She is all but blind and her mom (Jen) is spending her last days enjoying what life is left in her daughter.

All Jen wants to do is take her daughter to the Ocean before she dies and Make a Wish will not grant them the wish because she is under two and they believe that Lilie will not get any benefit from it that it would only benefit the FAMILY… Jen is devastated.

Visit their Caring Bridge page here: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/lilieclark

This family is a dear friend of a good friend of mine. I’m asking for your help. Myself (along with a couple photographer friends of mine) would love to be able to get them to Florida. If we can get them to Florida (there are 6 in their family), they can stay with family…but with tons of medical expenses, right now it just isn’t possible.

So I’m asking for your guys’ help….anything that you could donate to this fabulous cause….$5, $20, $500…I get approximately 500 visits to my blog daily, if each person donated just $10, we could have $5000 in just one day…that would be A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!! Put yourself in their shoes, imagine having one last wish for your child.

Another photographer has set up a Paypal account for the donations. If you are willing to help out, please go to Paypal and send funds to the following address sulrich@neb.rr.com. Please also feel free to pass this on to as many others as you'd like.

Heart Happy

2008-03-01T07:03:00.000-08:00

Me: Good Morning J! I love you!
J: I love you too mommy!!
Me: (With a wink and a smile) I love you more!!
J: I love you even more mommy!
Me: Well I love you the MOST!
J: Oh mommy, I just love you very very tooooooooo much!!!!!

What a GREAT way to wake up on a Saturday. :)
Heart happy and all is right in my world.

Yawn...:)

2008-02-28T17:50:00.001-08:00

I'd love to curl up with baby Grace and take a nap...isn't she precious??

Just having some fun

2008-02-27T14:38:00.000-08:00

I love to "play" in photoshop, it helps me learn new things and is a fun little break from time to time as I process images from sessions. Here is a play with texture...isn't she a GORGEOUS little angel???

And we can't forget her darling brand new little sister....sooooooo snuggly in her first pettiskirt! :)

Testing...

2008-02-27T09:38:00.001-08:00

The newest member of my lens collection - a 200mm f/2.8L - so far, I LOVE it!! :)

Awesome stunt - impressive!!

2008-02-26T10:27:00.000-08:00

Sweet Sophia

2008-02-25T10:52:00.001-08:00

Isn't she beautiful?? We had such a fun session yesterday!

So tiny...

2008-02-24T07:10:00.001-08:00

Currently Listed

2008-02-23T12:48:00.000-08:00

On behalf of In Bloom Boutique...:)

Pluie Pluie Rain Gear in several styles, SO CUTE!

Click HERE to see all my listings!

Just Jeff

2008-02-23T07:31:00.001-08:00

Yum Yum

2008-02-23T06:20:00.001-08:00

Friday afternoon FUN!! :) Jeff and I had a GREAT time making cookies yesterday, he had a blast and I just love doing this kind of stuff with him.

Lunar Eclipse

2008-02-21T08:56:00.001-08:00

Try explaining that one to a 4 year old with lots of questions...we finally settled on "when you can see the earth's shadow on the moon."

SO I hear...

2008-02-19T07:33:00.000-08:00

you want to see more??!? ;) Well ok, ONE more...

Alright...TWO more! ;)