And Baby Makes Three . . . Plus Pooch!

I know it's been a while. So busy. So busy. Who isn't, though? Lots of excitement, one of them being . . . . .

Drumroll . . . .



My dear friend, Johanna, IS PREGNANT!!!!

Okay, okay, so I've known about it for a while . . . she actually told me in secrecy in May and I didn't tell a soul. Not a soul. Her husband's family and my husband's family are inter-related and you know how things travel though the air :c) She just wanted to be definitely sure that things were okay with the baby. She knows what I went through and what her friend, Mika, has went through and how you just can't take a + sign on a pregnancy test for granted. And she hasn't. She's amazingly held in her excitment for a while now.

Jo and Jason . . .two people who are so deserving of a little precious miracle. I, for one, and ELATED for them. And you will be, too, when you read her new blog. She's been blogging since she found out and it's just the cutest little blog EVER. Once you read one entry, you will be hooked. She's so cute in her blog and this cuteness is so her. That is how she is, cute, sweet, funny . . . I'm so honored that she is one of my closest friends. She's a pretty amazing woman and will be one heck of a mother. :c)

Now wish her some congrats here or at her blog. She'll be tickled pink if you did (I think it's a girl!).

Saturday in Chicago (recap of the day)

As I proof zillions of pictures, I must take a break to share some of my favorites.

Saturday in Chicago, Johanna met me at the apartment at 8:30 a.m. We took a taxi to Millennium Park where we met our first family at 9:00. It went awesome despite the no clouds and very hard morning light. It's hard to complain about beautiful weather, but for perfect-o photos, you really need some overcast. Ah well, at least we had the sunny warm day. It all went perfectly regardless because that's where the sun filter came in that Jo got to hold. (After an incident, the "demon filter", as we ended up calling it.)

At 10:30 the 2nd family arrived. At 12:30 our 3rd family arrived with lunch for us. (Thank you again, Katie and David!) We sat and had a picnic with them and then I shot 'em at 1:00. At 3:00 was my final family. When Johanna and I were finished, my hubby and kids, along with Johanna's hubby, Jason, came out to meet us at Millennium Park. If you have never been to Millennium Park and you have a chance to go to Chicago, you must go there. It's just a really phenomenal place no matter what season.

After walking all over the shoreline of Chicago, Grant Park and Millennium Park for 8 hours, Johanna and I were pretty tuckered out. We thought playing in the fountains at the park would be a great ending to our day. (We both worked so very hard. She was the best assistant in the world and we had just a really wonderful time working together. Oh and we were red. Very red. We totally forgot that we'd be in harsh sun all day long, therefore, we forgot the sunscreen. Our bodies reaped our mistake!)

Jason, Neil and the kids arrived. The kids with their swimsuits on, and the big boys just looking their always cute selves. The kids (Noah and Maia) weren't hesitant at all to join in all the fun. They did and it was just the cutest thing for this mommy to see. Here's some pictures from our evening.

Thank you again, dear Johanna. Love you!

Here's the beautiful view we saw part of the day:

Our cutie boys:


Jason and Johanna still dry in this picture. You can see the whole series from dry to soggy wet at my flickr site. They're cute pictures that you must see :)


And after:




The kids try out the water, and as you can see on their faces, loved it.

We never have family pictures. Jo shot it, and I love it, despite the fact that I think Maia has to pee :c)


I love this one, too. Jo also shot it. Way to go, girlfriend!

This is also a favorite because of the kids' expressions and their reflections in the water. This one merits being printed! (Jo again!)


After playing in the water, we went with Jas and Jo to their house in Lincoln Square area (still the city of Chicago . . . just a "neighborhood" that is super cute and trendy). Then we walked to dinner at The Daily (in Lincoln Square)


and had the opp to shoot some cute pictures there and eat some rockin' food. I love my Jo:



Our feet which were dressed alike (unplanned). I don't even hesitate to take shots like this with Jo because we are identical in how we think so taking odd pictures like this one comes au naturale to us.


As does this one:

Yes, it's a tot to go along with my ketchup :c) Only you all would understand :c)

The kids were SO hungry because by the time we ate it was like 8:00 or something. Noah was so patient. SO patient. I love how (most of the time) this virtue sticks with him.
I love his freckle. His little signature birth mark :c)

And to end . . . Maia and a tomato. I think I've mentioned before that this is her favorite food. She'd eat it at every single meal if I had them on hand all of the time. Watch out if you have one on your plate because you'll have no choice but to give it to her.


Many more posts to come about Chicago (as I get through proofing all the sessions) along with my wedding over the weekend. Which, thankfully ended up GREAT! The weather was perfect and I haven't had such a great time at a reception in a LONG time.

Oh, and I have some exciting news to share tomorrow. Stay tuned! :c)

Proofing done! Chicago here I come!

This time of year is so busy for me. Wedding after wedding, shoot after shoot. It's never-ending. I love actually going out and photographing and I love coming home and post-processing on my computer, but I really don't like the time it takes me to post-process. Man oh man oh man. So while I have been down one computer and online a ton less, I'm still attached to my other computer as I proof away. I pushed myself incredibly hard this week finishing up 2 weddings. One I proofed over 1,000 photos (yes, that many), and the other, being just a reception, I proofed about 500. I figured I spent about 50 hours thus far this week post-processing. I've learned this week that I am not charging enough for the time I put in to my work. ((sigh)) At least I enjoy it. Now if I could only figure out how to balance that time between home/kids and work. (As I work I always am thinking "how do those other women do it?". I wish they would tell me.)

The good news is that tomorrow morning we're packing the kids in the car and heading to Chicago for a long weekend. Saturday, my beloved Johanna, is assisting me in photographing 6 shoots. All downtown Chicago!! How incredible it that?! I'm very much looking forward to this experience. It's something I have always wanted to do, and now unbelievably I am! The day is suppose to be gorgeously perfect and I think (no, I know) Jo and I are going to have an amazing time.

The rest of the time I am spending it solely with my family. Neil and the kids will be with me. We have no plans. We like to go places without plans and do everything spur-of-the-moment. That's a true vacation, when there is no thought processing involved!, for us. We've talked about the Chicago Children' Museum, Lincoln Park Zoo again, we don't know. But it's Chicago, and where we stay each time we're up there, we're within walking distance to everything. So we have the Windy City right at our fingers :c)

So with that said, I'll see you all Tuesday! We are coming home late Monday. Hope you have a great weekend. Think of me Saturday and send me energized thoughts as I have a feeling come lunch I will be exhausted. I'm shooting till 7:00. Yeah, I'll be tired.This is where I'm shooting. And maybe here where Buckingham Fountain resides. (Katie, yes we would LOVE lunch!! Thank you for the offer -- incredibly thoughtful.)

Here's a peak into the last two weddings. More, as always, can be seen at my other blog or flickr.








p.s. I haven't received my new laptop yet. I'm thinking if I don't, it's actually probably a good thing. It means I won't have a computer to take with me and I can't work on anything photo-wise no matter what. What will I do with my time after the kids go to bed? Talk to hubby? Read a book? Watch Joel on The Soup? Watch the Ferris Wheel turn with it's beautiful lights at Navy Pier from the balcony? All sounds heavenly. ((happy sigh))

And I forgot I had this one. Myself in action doing that photo up there. (Wanting to draw an arrow right now to that picture.) Heather shot it. She's so funny. It's kinda fun, though, to see what I look like. One thing I learned by seeing this picture is that I won't be wearing that dress again. It looks like a Moo Moo. Ha :c)

Walk through a photography shot with me

Wow, two posts in one day. That hasn't happened in a looooong time!

I thought this would be fun to post. I rarely have this happen where someone takes a photo of me setting up a shot, then taking the shot and then getting to SEE it all with my own eyes, but Johanna did do just that!

At my last wedding one month ago today, on a day where we thought we were going to have the ice storm of 2006 revisited, Johanna snapped the pics. Actually, she snapped quite a few of me. What a sweet friend she is because I find it quite flattering that she even feels the need to take pictures of ME at all.

And who is this Jo person that I talk about so often? Here she and I are together.


She is the sweetest most caring person around. We're so alike in so many ways, not that I'm saying I'm either of those, because I'm not, but I love her so much because we have like a gizillion things in common and we're always saying or thinking the same thing. She's one of my dearest friends. Isn't she cute?! Her dress really rocked big time. :c)

So she took this here picture of me . . .



. . . while I had the bride posing for me here (she also shot this one) . . .



. . . and this is the final outcome here (in color and in black and white) that I shot!




Fun, eh?!

Mish Mash

Where are my commenters? I know, I have nothing exciting to say. Sorry. My life really isn't all that boring right now. I swear. It's pretty un-boring, actually. Today Noah, Maia and I began making a gingerbread house. I forgot how long it takes because if you don't follow the instructions and let the icing/glue dry, well, it will fall apart. Lesson learned. So we'll finish decorating it later.

I've been spending so much time on work, like every waking hour it seems, that this week I'm trying my hardest every day to make quality special time with my kiddos. Just me and them. And it's been such fun. I love my babies. (Even though yesterday, on the way home from school, Noah informed me again that he's not my "baby" but my "big kid". *sob*)

Yesterday, Maia and I made a quick trip to D-town to buy a giftie for one of my blogging pals and new shoes for the wedding I'm shooting Saturday. Maia was such a good girl. She got so many compliments on how well-behaved she was. What can I say, she is never imperfect. (Hahahahaaaaa!!)

So yes, I have my last wedding of the year on Saturday, and so I finally get to wear THE dress. (I'm not so sure how sexy I feel right now after still feeling bloated and slightly frumpy from Thanksgiving and all the leftovers.) And, I did find some kick-booty shoes to go with the dress, so I think the outfit is finally complete. Nothing like waiting last minute. That's how I work if you forgot. ;c)

I think the shoes are very simple, yet hot :c) And they are quite comfortable. A must when you're on your feet for 10 hours. They're by Joan & David if anyone cares.

I'm quite excited for this wedding Saturday because I get to see my love, Johanna. I can't wait to hang out (during any possible "down" time) with her. But I'm hoping (and praying) that Saturday is a nice day weather-wise . . . at least no snow or rain . . . please?!! . . . so I can stay busy with my cool photo ideas. Brandon and Holly (my couple) are the cutest, prettiest couple. I can't wait to catch them radiating on film (I mean, compact flash).

This coming week, drumroll . . . Alexis is coming "home". So it's not really "home" to her anymore since she's been in NC for over a year now, but to Jamie and I, we say "home" because we hope it'll always be a "home" for her. I might not see her much till Wednesday, but that's okay. She's going to the Christmas walk with mom, Heather and I, downtown. And then Thursday I get to take her to the airport. We're leaving early and mom's watching the kids so that we can do what we do best . . . talk, shop and drink coffee. I'm really excited for our time, even though it'll be short and sweet, it's absolutely better than not seeing her at all. What a great Christmas gift I'm getting.

Sad news. We aren't going to Oklahoma for Christmas. :( After tossing and turning over what we should do, Neil and I decided together that we couldn't go. We still have not sold our lot. It sits there, sadly. I wish we could keep it, but having to be making (in a way) two mortgages, is hard. Very hard for us. We are barely scraping by. (Thank GOD for my business lately!) We just can't afford the trip this time. We hope by the time baby A.C. is born in Feb, that we can go to OK to meet her. So, now we're staying home for Christmas, but that's exciting for me because it's our first Christmas here in our new home with the kids. It should be a really fun Christmas. Neil and I decided that we aren't doing anything at all that day but having a family day, just the 4 of us, in our jammies. And I can't wait. We're going to really miss doing this with our bro, sis, Ella & O'ma, but thankfully they understand 110%.

So, the next few days I won't be posting much as I finish up on some major orders, deliver 2 wedding albums, shoot a wedding and proof a wedding. Monday I think we're going to take a family day and finally put out our Christmas decorations and go get our tree. So I end with this . . . from keri @ flickr . . . I love her stuff.

Never forget that there is no day but today.

Off to decorate the gingerbread house!

With love, in the Spirit of Christmas,

~ me, Val ~

P.S. Neil's cousin just found out she is having a baby boy in April. Congrats, Kara and Josh!

Thursday's Thoughts

I'm feeling better about NILMDTS. I've been pretty overwhelmed by the thought that my first time could really be at any time. I'm not sure how I will react when I do my first one, nor do I probably really know what to expect. Sure, I've seen some really graphic pictures, ones you could never ever even fathom imagining, but I still know it's nothing like being there in person with the parents who are in such immense grief. The emotions for all will be unbearable. But I'm ready. And that is partly due because of you guys with your overwhelming support. I've received a lot of emails and it's been so heart-warming. (Thank you.)

I think I've been prepared in a lot of ways for this. One, I know a little bit of what the grief and sorrow is like knowing that you lost your child who you will never get to share moments with ever. I lost three babies in utero, and no, it's not anything like having lost a child who you once held in your arms, but I've been through many of the emotions and all (or most of) the same questions, and so I hope just because of that, I can use what I've experienced as a way of helping the parents cope and as a way to do a better job at doing what I came for.

I've also been prepared through Alexis. And she talked to me last night about this in an extensive amount. She has been there. And as I told her, I know this is one of the reasons why God is having me do this. Because I personally know someone, one of my best friends, who has lost a child and who wishes she had had those pictures taken of sweet Allison. Because I have seen what she has gone through in preparing for Allison's problems before she was even born, to what she experienced in her short few months of life. Also because I held Allison in my arms once and I was there at the funeral, to see her one last time and tell her goodbye. (I know that Allison knows she has changed many peoples lives, like my own.) I didn't want to do that and it was hard doing it, but sometimes you just have to suck it up and go above and beyond for others. Wouldn't you hope they'd do it for you?

So Alexis, she will be my guidepost during this time. She's definitely going to get a call when I'm on the way to the hospital. (Thank you, already.)

To turn this into a Life is Good, I'm So Happy post, I have two cool things to also share.

One is this. I have a good friend down in Florida who makes really awesome handmade jewelry. Check this out, it's so beautiful and made entirely with love. (These are some of my favorites.)


And guess what?! Chel is giving it away!!! Go to A Gracious Home and sign up and you could win a really beautiful piece which is featured on the site. (I signed up!)

She also has a store called "Created by Chel", which I hope you will check out. She really does has some amazing pieces. She is so talented. One day I hope we can exchange services! (hint, hint!)

My other bit of excitement, well it is for me, anyways, is that I accepted one more wedding for 2008. I couldn't help it. I made an oathe to myself that I would not accept anymore for 2008, but, but, but, well, I guess I'm weak. I gave in. Only because this wedding is a dream wedding for me, oh, and because the bride begged (how can you turn down that kind of ego-booster?!).

Most dream weddings for me take place either in a great big city or on the ocean. I've had the chance to do both of them. One of my favorite dream weddings out of my 5 years shooting was Kristin and Chris's wedding down at Ft. Myers Beach, Florida. Everything about it was perfect. A gorgeous October day, only close family and friends (I was honored to have been included in the "close friends" category!), beautiful subjects, not to mention down-to-earth fun subjects (!), and so my imagination just went wild!

My second dream wedding was in Chicago, Johanna and Jason's. It was a dream wedding for me because, again, I had gorgeous subjects with great personalities with the desire to have fun and do un-traditional poses! It was also a dream wedding for me because the reception took place in a 1700-acre amazing arboretum. They had a trolley for the wedding party and we went all over the arboretum taking pictures. Then the reception itself was one out of Martha Stewart Weddings. No joke. It was fabulous. I want to shoot it again! ;)

So, that said, I think I may get my third dream wedding. After the pleaing (haha), she told me where it was, and I didn't hesitate. Forget the oathe!

The wedding is in St. Louis at the St. Nicholaus Greek Orthodox Church! It's a beautiful church! And I've shot a Greek Orthodox wedding before and the ceremonies are just amazing. Long, but absolutely worth it! Here's a picture. Can you say to-die-for?!

And then the reception is at the St. Louis Renaissance Grand Hotel Crystal Ballroom! Check this place out!

The bride agreed to have all the pictures taken before the wedding which also means, we have complete freedom to do some outdoor pictures . . . downtown! You know how old and beautiful downtown St. Louis is?! (Corie does!) I am just so so excited! Helps give me the fuel power to get the 4 wedding albums that I need to have done before Christmas.

So you made it to the bottom of my Thursday's Thoughts! Yay, you! Yay, me! Yay, everyone! Time to do more of what I'm doing in the Wordless Wednesday post below. Thank goodness for coffee . . . and you all . . . to keep me going! Thanks for reading ;c)

I dedicate my Foto Friday . . . to Johanna

I am so proud of Johanna. So proud! Molly, too!!! She and Molly walked the 3-Day Breast Cancer walk in Chicago last weekend in the 100-degree heat for THREE DAYS all for Breast Cancer Awareness and those souls we've lost due to breast cancer. She was walking for my grandma Libby and thousands more. I couldn't be more proud of this chica! She has inspired me to want to do the walk next summer. Michelle said she might join me. If these pictures don't inspire you to walk or at least CHECK THOSE BOOBIES, I'm not sure what will!

This is Jo and Molly - you go girls!!
Jo's dad, mom and hubby, Jason, who is also one of my hubby's dearest friends/cousins! (Hey Jas, see ya soon, hopefully!)





Jason and their baby, Norah, cheering on Jo and Molly at the day 2 stop/cheering area (am I right, Jo?)






Great job, Jo & Molly! I wish we had been there at your celebration party! But know that I was thinking of you guys all weekend long! I so hope I can do it with you next year! You are an inspiration!!!! Love you, girl, and THANK YOU!