Announcing Holiday Mini-Sessions!

At long last.  We're set.  This year I'm happily offering my Annual Mini-Sessions on the beach, and I'm thrilled to be able to offer you six five four TWO spots in the evening.  Our goal is to get the perfect photo for your holiday cards, Christmas gifts, and little treasures to last all year.  I expect these mini-sessions to go quickly, so email or call me as soon as you can to choose your most convenient time.  I look forward to hearing from you soon, and seeing your beautiful families and how the kids have grown since last time.  If you've never had a session with me, these can be a great way to get a quick session in, and get a feel for how I work with your family  Lots of my mini-session clients do turn into "regular session" clients during the course of the next year!

The above design is just a taste of the gorgeous cards I'm offering this season.  ;)

Edited to add:  There are only TWO mini-sessions left at this time.  If you're contemplating booking a mini-session this season, I'd encourage you to either email or call me quickly to reserve your spot!  This is the only time during the year that I offer mini-sessions and this year they're booking fast.  Thanks so much!!  :) All the spaces are filled!!  Can't wait to photograph your families this season!

If you're interested in a regular session instead of the Mini Session (generally we spend at least 1 hour to 90 minutes at the location of your choice), I do have two (just two) regular weekend sessions available in October that I just opened up (one is morning, one is evening).  Weekdays are filled next, but those are almost full as well.  I'm grateful that so many of my clients have taken the early-bird route this year and have gotten their sessions scheduled ahead of time!  Can't wait to see you.

on being grateful

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."  ~Marcel Proust Lately I've been thinking a lot about gratefulness.  The importance of teaching my children to have a grateful heart and to be humble and kind to others.  It's so easy, in this convenient world we live in, to take our blessings for granted.  In our great country, we are blessed with so much but seem to never find the time to appreciate it, to stop and truly be thankful for it.

Enter the 365/Grateful Project.

I have begun my own gratefulness journey by using just my iPhone and some favorite photo apps, and I'm sharing them on Facebook each day.  Each month, I'll compile them and come share them here on the blog.  I would love it if you would join me and share your blessings with the world as well!

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In this moment, I'm grateful for the opportunity to raise our children near the sea.  And for a bit of one-on-one time with Daddy.

To learn more about the original 365/Grateful Project, head on over to The Creative Mama today.  You can read my full article there.  I'd love for you to join me, and so many photographers all over the world, so that we can teach our children to appreciate their blessings as well.  They watch us every day, you know.  As always, if you do decide to come along, leave your link here in the comments so we can share with each other.  I hope to meet many of you and am looking forward to spreading a little gratitude together!

Gratefully yours,

Stacey

the one that makes my heart BURST.

As soon as I clicked the shutter, I swear I felt my heart flutter just a bit.  You see, this sweet boy has been begging me for SURFING LESSONS.  He wears a surfboard charm around his neck and he's worn Reefs since before he could even walk.  His hair is long, blond, and I'm more than a little jealous of his natural highlights.  He is slim and has the perfect build to be a surfer.  And here he is on his little skimboard, trying so hard to "hang ten" in the Gulf of Mexico, where, sadly and happily, we are not quite known for our rip-worthy waves. But none of that matters when you're five.  It's just you and your board against that little ripple coming at you.

God, how I love this child.  So very much.  I'm going to enlarge this as big as the sun, and hang it on his wall.  On canvas.  To show him how important he is.  How important his hobbies and loves and interests are.  How proud I am that he's himself, all the time.  My sweet lil' surfer dude.  :)

Umm, anyone know where I can get surfing lessons in the Gulf of Mexico?  ;)  I promised.