a very quick peek for this little guy’s mom.  this is little jack – he is just about 6 months old and this was our third session (newbie and 3 months).. as you can see from the older posts, he never was a tiny babe..  he is a chunk – an incredibly happy chunk.

thank you to emily and keith for working with my schedule and letting me get some more pictures of your kiddos..

here are a couple of jack.. just jack..

i mean.. is he not just the chunkiest, happiest, cutest thing!!!  and the gummy toothy smile!!!

now.. this one.. i love this.. it feels like i was talking to him and he found something I said quite witty.. i can’t wait to see if this is something he does as he gets bigger..

they are all almost this happy..  he’s just awesome

lThis weekend we all needed a break and a bit of relaxing.. We left Friday afternoon for Tom’s Aunt and Uncle’s place in SC – on the lake.. Two days of good Southern Food – kids laughing and swimming and skiing..  On Sunday afternoon, we headed for Augusta to see dear friends and sneak in a little bit of work for me – can’t go with sessions for too long!   the girls headed out to see S&TC2 while the boys watched the kiddos..  i have nothing nice to say about the movie, so I will move on..  well, the part where Charlotte was drunk was cute..  we took the kids out for ice cream, a stop at Hammond’s Ferry to run off some energy.. and i ran in to some old friends and their cute little babe!!!  and then bed for the tired travelers.. Monday we hung out a bit and then had lunch at one of my favorite spots – the Pizza Joint where we were hit with a horrible rainstorm – crazy amounts of rain – I’m talking the kids had to change clothes in the restaurant.. we waded back to our car.. it was insane!!!  on the way home, we stopped for dinner with Brandy (dear friend/sister/business partner) and family….  and get this.. we sat down and at the table next to us was my new Sister In Law and her family!!!  is that not weird!?

back to work.. expecting a bunch of orders in on Friday..  new jewelry has arrive – images to follow shortly.. have a ton to edit from this weekend.. peeks to come.. and a lot going on this coming weekend!  love summer.. love busy!

and our Abby turns 5 tomorrow!!!

a friend of mine said to me “just wait until they are in school and the madness of end of year activities hits.. “.. holy.. cow.. it is no joke.. i just have one in real school.. but gosh.. ballet recitals, piano stuff, field trips, picnics, birthday parties, and then mother’s day thrown in just for kicks.. i mean, May has been madness… January, February and March took forever with all the cold and snow and suddenly it is near JUNE!?!?  how???  we have 1/2 a garden planted – the other 1/2 was planted and decided not to grow – i had a lot of “help” with that part, so i’m not very surprised.

abby took her first year of ballet – i too took ballet as a youngster… if my dad could get on here and tell you about this he would, so i will do it for him.. When I started ballet, I was in 5th grade.. with my crazy balance and coordination skills, I was put in the 5/6 year old class.. yes, you read that right.. the FIVE YEAR olds.. and even in that group, i was just okay.. for the recital, i remember being very excited.. and got my gorgeous flowers from my dad.. not until years later, my parents were looking at the pictures and my dad and mom begin snickering – they handed me the picture, like GIANT among little people I towered in the middle of the line..  poor little me!  WELL, back to Abby… she did fabulous.. here are a couple pictures from before practice one day.. just in her leotard with her little hair bun.. (for me, this was a challenge – I didn’t even have hair spray, so this was my first attempt!!!)

so first.. here are some of abby.. please do note that we are having fun with ballet – i’m sure her outfit is not exactly right, nor her bun, nor her stance.. but right now i just want her to enjoy it..

she is soooo big!!!!  she will be FIVE years old in just a few days..

near the beginning of the school year last year my son’s school had a performance… out of all the children (including my own) this little guy was the star of the show… his personality jumped off the stage with his top hat and little moves.. my mother in law and i kept saying “look at him”..When his mom, Tammy, called and said – “you may remember him from the performance” – I immediately knew who the little guy was and I could not wait for our session.. I am telling you – i had such high hopes for this session.. i LOVE having conversations with kids.. i LOVE hearing their answers to my silly questions.. Brayden did NOT disappoint.. I had a wonderful afternoon chasing him around and chatting with him.. his little sister is due in just weeks – he will be a fantastic big brother even if he wants nothing to do with teaching the “princess stuff” to her.

a few from our session.. just a few..

this was the very first image.. don’t let him fool you – he is not still – nor quiet for long!

is he not – just the cutest thing?

okay.. now that i am posting these – he really is not as serious as these images will lead you to believe.. but he is very informative and concerned with conveying that information..

i just wanted to lie down in the grass and have some fruit snacks and let him tell me about Batman and the Green Goblin..

a cute family pic..

i swear i have lots of him with awesome smiles and great expressions.. but i’m saving those for your whole viewing.. there are soooo many.. hope you enjoyed the little peek!!!

yeup..

expanding our reach a bit.. we are now taking sessions in the Greenville/Spartanburg, SC area with no travel fee! we are crazy excited about this!!!!!

276.791.1725

info@nichollegoodnightphotography.com

last weekend we headed down to my parents for the night.. they live 2 1/2 hours away.. the trip took us FOUR hours.. one of the stops was a pretty spot so i grabbed my camera and snapped a few.. then when we got to my parents later that night – after the long ride, dinner out at a messy restaurant, we took some more pictures at my parents house.. and then a couple more the next day.. here is the result.. messy faces left unedited.. and I should note – Abby LOVES to dress herself!!!

if the video is taking a while to load, you may want to click the little HD button on the vimeo window.. although – i must say, it’s way more better in HD!

I have to say one of the best parts of my job is getting to see the awesome relationship and true interaction between mom and babe. I love it! Happy Mother’s Day to all my wonderful Moms!!

We are in SC visiting my family. My mom and Tom just took off with the kids for church. Dad and I are headed to Waffle House. Looking forward to some scatter smothered and covered well hashbrowns!

I took the kids to run in a field last night – gorgeous sunset. Happy kids. Can’t wait to see the images!!

i’ve had two people with fabulous taste tell me to check out this new interiors place in Abingdon.. Magnolia .. i am in serious need of some cool furniture for my home office/studio space.  until recently, I’ve always met my clients at their homes – or out for dinner to view their images from their galleries.. While I LOVE that part – the problem has become I have so many awesome products I can not possible carry all of them around.. and sizes and canvases, and jewelry AND remember your proofs (ugh.. sorry again peg!!!).. it’s been in the works for a while, but as of June 1st – proofing and viewing of your images will be here!!! at my office.. you will be able to see large prints, gallery wraps, frames, books, image boxes, jewelry, cards – and have a glass of wine or coffee with me whilst we chat and design…   New moms, I know it’s difficult to get out and about for that newborn proofing, so we still come to you for that.. Also, pre-session consults will be here too!  As always, I will deliver your purchases to your home (or meet you out for dinner – a girl has to have an excuse to get out still!)

okay.. back to my original thoughts here.. so.. i’ve been at a loss for functional yet cool furniture.. let me tell you – Magnolia has it.. it’s a cool blend – awesome textures, quality and colors.. no matchy matchy sets.. just amazing things at all price points.. think pottery barn meets restoration hardware.. but no shipping and guessing if you are really going to love it…. and they are oh soooo nice (and not annoyed at small two year olds who are throwing temper tantrums – love tolerant nice people!!)

i’ve made room for the orange table in one of the pictures.. now to figure out how to get it home!

check them out – they are in Abingdon – exit 19 area..

www.magnoliafurnishings.com

792 Baugh Lane, Abingdon

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?