someone please remind me next year – that August is INSANE!  I normally limit the number of sessions I take each month so that I can keep a level of sanity… well, this month I didn’t – AND I forgot that the kids didn’t start back to school until September… AND I had two mini trips this month.. .. finally getting caught up – whew..  it feels good – i think i designed 8 Christmas Cards this weekend.. and they look pretty dang fabulous..   now i’m thinking – wait – I need a Christmas card too!  and that means i have to try to get pictures of my kids.. not fun.. or maybe i should approach it with a light-hearted approach this time..

also getting ready for school – getting the clothes out of the attic… school supplies.. orientations.. anyone else just need a break?

Cooper starts Kindergarten next week.. i really can’t believe it – i kept getting teary eyed in the new parent orientation the other day!  i just can’t believe he is going to school.. i really can’t believe it.. he’s been in preschool, but this is everyday – no more “ya know, we are just going to stay home today and enjoy the weather”.. i think it will be as big and adjustment for me as it will be for Cooper.. Tom has taken the morning off so that he can be there – to drive since I will be a wreck!

I will be sure to post First Day pictures next week.. and maybe even some baby Cooper pictures..

today tom thinks emily is ready for potty training.. basically it has turned in to emily training tom to give her m&m’s for sitting on the potty.. that third kid – they have too much knowledge passed down from their older siblings and get ahead too quickly.

OOOOOH.. and putting the finishing touches on a mini studio here at the house..  without the studio flashy lights.. although I have those too – but I have a great space that is the perfect “light pit” that is wonderful and shall be used this winter much!  keep that in mind if you don’t want outdoor shots and have no place at home to do them and don’t want studio lights.. got all that??

just needed a break from editing.. but.. i must get back to editing.. i know abbey is waiting patiently for her gallery!!!

senior sessions are much fun.. especially with the seniors i’ve had this year!   met with abbey at this awesome little bed and breakfast in abingdon on Park St..  A Tailors Lodging – soooo perfect for this session with Abbey.. we stayed there for a while and then took a quick walk around the block.. and – i can’t even tell you how many awesome shots we got.. here are a few to peek

LOVE Abbey’s dark hair -  and her eyes – gosh – so easy to photograph!

abbey was so cool about this session – i kept saying “okay, sit there“  or “walk down there and don’t look at me”..

this one is awesome in color, but i love the black and white

see – her eyes.. depending on the picture – green or brown.. always bright

love.. love.. this..

yeah.. and this too..

so many more awesome ones Abbey.. even a really cool one of your mom watching in the background – can’t wait to show you the rest.. back to work!!!

i rode (thanks for driving katy) to Grundy, VA for this session.. awesome drive – especially with someone who could tell the history of the town.. i met Ali a few months ago and knew the session would be full of wardrobe changes and her personality would be shining through.. 4 or 5 outfits.. a bunch of running around – and i do mean running quite literally – not me of course.. let’s see a little peek..

the eyelashes on the girl!  an immense love of all things david bowie.. a fondness of the greatful dead.. an accessory queen…

and – even though we are VT fans, i thought i’d post her in this shirt …nearly broke my lens, Ali!

and a final!…

omg.. her dad has an awesome, super gorgeous, nearly perfect jaguar… i hate to guess at the year because i just can’t remember exactly.. but.. oh my.. it was soooo perfect..

thank you so much for having me – the food was scrumptious Faith!

hope you love the peek!

tom, my dear husband, annoyed me to no end to enter the 2009 Virginia Highlands Photography Contest.. i ignored him for months until finally he called my bluff and said if i didn’t take the photos in, he would.. okay.. okay… so.. i did – i entered his favorite image from the past few months, a little gal named Caroline – taken in Abingdon near the library..  i do my best not to enter anything – because I can’t lose that way!  but this i had to do.. i have never won anything – well except a few math competitions – which i did win and got to go to the state competition in Jeckyll Island, GA representing Hephzibah High School.. wow.. a nerd – i know.. so that was – 15 years ago.. ouch – 15 years ago.. wha?  when did this getting older thing happen?

well, the image placed second in the proficient category.. i was sooo excited!! the images of all the winners on the highlands website don’t show how awesome they all were – they must be scanned in – the actual prints were sooo great – especially the best in show – just perfect..  see the winners here – scroll down a bit  (www.vahighlandsfestival.org/art_photography.html)

four years old is one of my favorite ages to photograph.. they take a bit of direction – are a little timid – but when they warm up, their personalities are so awesome..  this little guy Ty, was just great..he was sweet and cautious and dang cute.. at the same time, he is such a boy.. every stick was a sword – every tree was something to hide behind to attack me with said stick..  i just loved the bumps and scrapes on his knees!  we played around at the park for a while and then i learned that Ty’s dad works with the fire department and so did his Pops before he retired.. we just so happened to be across from the station that Pops worked in – so we walked on over there and got some very cool images of Ty with random firetrucks.. thanks soooo much to those guys who put up with us!!!

rhonda, was so chill and let me just hang out with Ty and be silly – he’s cute.. just cute.. see for yourself..

and one in the firestation..

when it was his decision to get in the truck, it was cool.. before that, it was just a silly idea..

and a super cute one of him NOT saying CHEESE!!!

still working on the rest!  thanks sooo much for letting me run around with Ty!

i am in love with this babe.. he was so laid back and bendy and sweet..  a happy little guy.. had the best little expressions.. and was crazy strong for a newborn!  i swear he tried to sit up when i was moving him around – maybe he was trying to escape.. mary and dallas were so awesome and up for whatever i wanted to do with grayson…  and he was so funny to watch as he’d decide he didn’t really like where i’d placed his arm/leg/hand.. i so enjoyed this session..

sooo.. introducing.. Grayson James at 9 days old

look and the little scowl – it’s a family trait i’m told!

a wee lil’ smile

and big sister laura!!!  making sure he did indeed have 10 toes.

back to work i go.. hope you love!  thanks sooooo much for letting me invade/rearrange your home with a newborn.. i had a wonderful time!

little daniel was awesome – it’s amazing to me how fearless and fast this age is.  Daniel turns two this month, and has a deep love of airplanes.. i met daniel and his mom, holly, at a park outside near Chantilly, VA.. such a great place – i soooo wish I could do more sessions there.. little did i know the park was even more perfect for this session because of the close proximity to the airport – jets went by every few minutes.. and daniel was mesmerized.  a sweet boy – with gorgeous blue eyes and fast – super fast little feet that never seemed to trip…

lots of wonderful images!  can’t wait for you to see the whole gallery..

an airplane goes by… and the session pauses.. he loooooves them.

intrigued by the leaves we’d dropped.. cautious and full of life he is..

love this.. daniel takes a lot of energy to keep up with – and holly keeps up with him step for step!

happy boy he is…

(edited to add.. i do not mean to talk like Yoda on my blog posts!  thanks for the heads up though!