so often i hear “I WANT ALL THE IMAGES”.. that’s great and all, but I want you to hire me again, and if you buy everything and hang it all, you will have no wall space left!   so here are some new options.

first.. the upgrade to our coffee table book.. these books are beautiful.  thick pages.  still clean, simple.

water proof cover

look at the thick pages… sooo nice

each image has a super cute/cool border.. each book is completely custom.. the books lie flat and can be displayed on an easel..

now.. the images boxes.. i’d been searching for the perfect company to use – i knew there was a need for them, but I couldn’t get it quite right.. finally in October, I decided on a company and  they are fabulous..  I gave these to a few clients with their proofs as thank you gifts at the end of last year – to see if they would be well received.. kind of a trial of sorts.. well, each client loved and ordered an additional sets as a gifts.. so i am excited finally be offering the images boxes as part of my product line.

the images boxes come with 18-20 matted images from your session

they come in 5×7 and 8×10

see how the back of the mats do not have to be just white?!?  display a few.. keep a few in the box..

the inside..

simple coordinating border

the backs..

and closed.. with a title on the spine..

yeah.. pretty sweet!

gosh.. it’s been so strange here the past week – kids randomly sick..  and I mean random – very sick for just a few hours and then right back to normal.  This is very difficult for a mom!  About the time you get things all disinfected and settled down and you are ready for them to be doing the “recovery sleepy” thing – NOPE.. they have their color back in their cheeks and are ready to head outside to run in the grass..

i’ve been very busy editing when i can, but missing my “work” days because of the kiddos has foiled my plans this week.  luckily, I was able to fit in wonderful time with clients in the evenings this week (awesome husbands who understands even with sick kids, we still have a business to run!)  Had a great night with a crazy fun group in Abingdon on Thursday.. They ALL have gorgeous kids and two are getting ready to have new babes..  On Friday night, I met with the very cool chicks from Root of Envy Salon (downtown bristol, va – down from Blackbird Bakery – Across from Inari)..  i laughed so hard that night – i had no voice by the time I got home.  CAN NOT WAIT for the finished product!!!!  just wait.. love when i get to be creative – and they have the coolest space!  And then today.. hung out with some more of my favorite peeps at a Spa Day at the Martha for Lynn’s birthday (which is actually on Sunday).. relaxing and laughing…  ran in to a new client there that I get to photograph in a couple weeks – she has the most adorable son.. dying to see him in action..

The whole week was so wonderful .. got to spend great time with my family and got to enjoy the kids each separately this week…  and then my entire social life this week was because of truly wonderful people I’ve met through my photography business.. how cool is that?

many of the newborn sessions I do, the new parents have older “children” -  their pups that have been the center of their lives for years before they welcome a new babe.   in this case – molly, the pup below, was Katy’s first babe.. molly is getting a little bit old and is not doing very well health-wise.  Katy’s boys, Collin and Connor – whom I completely adore – were in perfect photo session form.  The main point of this session was  to get some good images of Molly with the boys… and of course get some images of those gorgeous little boys.  Dogs and little boys – well, I knew I would need Brandy’s help..

here she is .. miss molly

i wonder how much longer they will do this for me “put your arms around each other”.. ugh.. stop growing!!!

i love this one..  are they all just not soooo pretty?? (i know they are boys, but my gosh.. they are pretty)  sorry, Jason.. i promise not to call them pretty again!

this guy – is looking like such a big boy to me..

and connor.. i am pretty sure he is wishing brandy gone at this point – but it works!

and one final one.. just a pretty picture..

hope you love them katy!!

first.. i am loving my new “less is more” approach to my business – an effort to remain focused on the “boutique” service my clients get.  For me, being over booked and crazy busy – just to say I’m busy shooting sessions – well, it’s just not the way I want to live my life or run my business.   Keeping the number of sessions lower, I can really put 100% in each session -  from capturing the image to delivery.   You don’t have to wait a month to view your gallery, and I can keep my work/life balanced pretty well!  I love my job and the very best part is the relationships with my clients.  I don’t ever want that to suffer.  Tom (husband) and I are so excited about this year with photography – and our fresh approach to things.   He’s helping me out with the behind the scenes stuff and you may also find I have a shooting partner occasionally.  The business has exploded – and I can not thank my fantastic loyal clients enough!!!

One thing I am super excited about is Brandy, who is – well, she is AWESOME..  she shoots with me from time to time – and we are working together more – and working on what the future will bring… can’t wait to see how this all comes together – very exciting!  and she has a bit of a different eye than I do which is really cool.. and it pushes me.  So, if you’re lucky, maybe you’ll get both of us at one of your sessions!  Especially the big family sessions.. and occasionally newborns..

stepping away from business stuff for a minute.. check out what tom did whilst the kiddies and i were in Florida for Spring Break… Our house really didn’t have much of a yard – mostly a big hill great for slip and slidding and rolling down – that’s about it!  well, tom decided it was time to make a yard for the kids – in the front and back.. he dug about 10 feet into the hill in the back yard – and put all that dirt in the front and leveled it out for a flat space in the front.  it is going to be amazing.. kind of hoping it doesn’t sell now!  if he could just add a bedroom!

it would be better with before and after.. but i can’t find my before pics!

now if we can just get some grass to GROW!!!  then a wall for the back.. still.. huge improvement.  We spend so much time outside!

tom has to get to work on my garden spot.. already got these guys going!

nothing better than fresh veggies .. kids love picking them and seem to complain less about the veggies if they pick them

planted a bunch of flowers when we got home – my poor planters and flower beds were screaming for attention.. Home Depot had poppies!  hope i don’t kill them.. i love them..

girls just woke from their nap.. supposed to stay off work stuff on tuesdays and thursdays – but it’s sooo difficult!

yumminess in the crock pot.. house smells crazy good..

outside to watch my grass grow

for the senior info.. FRIDAY.. i promise.. first “to-do” on my list!!!

working on some awesome stuff for my rising Seniors!!!  Check back tomorrow for all the details on the website..

www.nichollegoodnightphotography.com

i often work during our “vacations”.. but this time – i didn’t!!!  and I sooo enjoyed it.  Cooper, Emily, Abby and I went to Florida for Spring Break – Tom stayed home and made a backyard – and front yard for us.. more on that later!.. tom’s parents live in Florida – and they mentioned they wouldn’t mind some company, so South we headed!  They live on a lake have a heated pool.. so most of the time was spent playing and relaxing and just enjoying the Floria sun.  They also have a bat house – yes, a bat house.. BATS.. seriously, bats.. so.. at dusk, the kids and grandparents headed out to bat-watch.. they took a blanket and took a spot on the ground near the bat house and waited for the bats to wake!  you could hear them waking.. creeeeepy.. i tried to not be creeped out, but i really was – so i grabbed my camera (i can handle anything if behind the camera)..

here’s the kids with grams and grandpa.. (it’s really about dusk here, but i exposed it so you can see)

and then all of the sudden.. the bats started coming out!  like.. lots of bats

i’ve decided to just call them birds – birds that wake late in the day.

we also colored eggs while there.. what a mess.. again – happy to hide behind my camera and avoid reality!

the Easter Bunny brought the kids all kinds of fun stuff… the bubble wand was Emily’s favorite – she was determined to get bubbles like her brother and sister..

then… on the way home we stopped at the Biltmore – because, well, I just LOVE that place.. the new Antler Hill part is open.. We visited the farm part, played games and then ate a fabulous lunch at the new pub.. it was sooooo windy and cold!  the kids were so good..

cooper playing with a stick and hoop game..

abby proved to be a pro at the hula hoooooping..

we had a really great vacation.. and are so happy to be home… back to work and school tomorrow!!!

had the best week of vacation – even though tom didn’t get to go with us..  I’ll share with you what he did whilst we were gone later.. amazingly, even with out tom, I actually got a chance to relax – for like DAYS.. it was awesome.. enjoyed the kids and the Florida sunshine.  much to share – after I get unpacked.. only took my camera out three times – so proud that i was actually soaking in the time and not hiding behind my camera!!