it's a...

GIRL!!!!

It came as quite a shock to me! Going into the appointment I was 99% convinced it was going to be a boy. Neither one of us really cared what we have, in all honesty, but I just had that gut feeling this was a boy. We asked the Ultrasound Tech to write the gender on a piece of paper and put it in a sealed envelope so we could open it during lunch. While she was doing her thing she panned across the "zone" and I swore I saw a definitive sign, if you know what I mean. I didn't want to ruin the surprise for Brooke so I kept my mouth shut. Now I was 100% sure it is a boy. Then the U/S tech pointed out the umbilical cord. Was that what I saw? Couldn't be. I know it is a boy. So we finish our appointment, the tech puts the photographic proof in the envelope and we head off to a few meetings and then lunch, The Cheesecake Factory. We ordered our food and then tore open the envelope. "Don't forget to look surprised when it says boy," I thought. It's a... it's a... GIRL?! Wait, what?! Check again. Even with the proof in front of me I don't believe it. My jaw drops to the floor and all of a sudden it hits me. It's a girl! That means, two tea party schedules, two boyfriend related set of issues, two weddings! Do you have any idea what weddings cost these days! But it also means two daddy's little girls, two little sweethearts, two beautiful little ladies, two little souls I am madly in love with, and a million other great things girls bring that I'm too shocked right now to think of!

I am slowly getting used to the idea of being completely outnumbered in my home. Anyone who has multiple daughters please email the meeting info for your support group. I'm going to need some help!

matt and jenny say i do

Where do I start? This post could be so long but I'll try and keep it somewhat brief! Jenny and Matt---they are awesome. Jenny was one of our brides that worked our bridal show for us in January while we were away at a conference. We asked her to do it because she is so professional and so sweet...and in getting to know her better, we also learned how creative and inspiring she is to all who know her! And Matt. He is about 7' of 100% genuine, likable, warm, and funny! And together....they are perfect!!!! Jenny put so much thought and so much creativity into every detail of the day. The place cards were hung with cute ribbon, the table numbers corresponded to things that related to Jenny and Matt (like their combined height in inches (151), they year they started dating, (2003)), there was a hand-painted "Jenny and Matt" college scene with places for people to put their heads and take photos, "The Jenny" and "The Matt", which were drinks you could order at the bar, and so many more details that made their day so special and thoughtful! Most important, when it came to the day, it was all about love, laughter, friendships, family, and celebrating together. It was special. Matt and Jenny, thank you so much for inviting us to share in your day. We felt so honored to spend the day with you and we really had an awesome time celebrating with you!!! We've put together a little slideshow for you with just a few of our favorites! Enjoy!


Matt and Jenny knew of our photography because a few of Jenny's friends have used us over the last couple of years, and three of those couples were at the wedding. We had SO MUCH fun seeing all of them!!! We couldn't resist doing a photo with all of us!!! In order below are: Matt and Jackie (Jackie also worked our bridal show for us & we are glad they live in town to keep in touch!), us, Jenny and Matt, Bridget and Andy (who just had miracle twin boys in February and we are thrilled for them!), and Kelli and Jason (who we've seen several times since their wedding & love them!) :)

jackson is three months old

Remember baby Jackson? He is three months old, 17 pounds, full of smiles, and the cutest kid ever!!! His parents, Kristen and Justin, brought Jackson to our studio today for his three-month photos. He has such distinct features for a three-month old, and he is so cute. He was such a good baby and we enjoyed the session. Kristen and Justin, thank you for fitting us into your busy schedules and coming in to hang out with us!

Here are a few images from the session...

rafting through the grand canyon

What did you do last week? Oh me, I just went on the trip of a lifetime! 28 men from my family and some close friends took a 3 day 100 mile rafting trip on the Colorado river through the Grand Canyon. We rafted and hiked through the day and slept under the stars at night. It was the most unbelievable experience I think you could ever have. Every turn was more beautiful than the last.

We started out in Vegas and took a chartered flight to a gravel runway in the Grand Canyon. From there we took a helicopter to our starting point where we met our 4 guides and two rafts. The river was the same color as the one in Willy Wonka's factory but didn't taste nearly as good, especially if you thought about the "liquid hits liquid" restroom requirement. Gross. Every single rapid was a blast and provided quite a few splashes to keep us from melting in the hot sun. The breeze felt like a hair dryer so the wetness didn't last long.

We had to hunt rabbits and rattlesnakes for lunch and dinner and had rock soup for breakfast. OK, that's not entirely true. We did have breakfast, lunch and dinner, but the food was more like eggs, bacon, sausage, coffee, spaghetti, shrimp cocktail, steak, salmon, cheesecake, poppyseed cake, blueberry cake, birthday cake (happy birthday Tim!) and all the lemonade and water you could ever want. The last night the captain announced that the dinner was black tie. The two male guides then proceeded to put on a tuxedo shirt and bow tie. The two women guides put on black formal dresses. I wore a dirty swimsuit and t-shirt and my formal Colts hat. That night ended with a fire twirling extravaganza by Kelly, one of our female guides. Both nights we were treated to a great meteor shower.

The trip ended at Lake Mead and from there we took a bus back to Vegas. In total, no broken bones, one bug bite (sorry James), 2000 images for me to edit, and probably a combined total of 100 pounds gained. We sure were roughing it!

Here are a few shots from the trip...

brad and ryan

My sister, Jenny, came down from Ft Wayne to visit the zoo. Before checking out the elephants, they stopped by for a quick photo shoot. Brad is 4 and Ryan is 15 months and they get unbelievably bigger every time I see them. I'm going to start working with them soon on how to protect Samantha from boys. They are going to be her little bodyguards.

Thanks for spending some time with your uncle Dan. Hope the elephants were awesome!

studio update

Here are a few photos of some of the recent work that has been done at the studio! It's amazing how different it looks every time I go out to the site.

This is our "North Light" wall. Can you guess which way it faces? It will be floor to ceiling glass. North light is a non-directional light that gives a great soft light from sun up to sun down. This is one of my favorite parts of the entire building! We will base most of our future shoots around this area.

This is our north wall. You can see the North Light window, the front opening is a patio that comes off of the waiting room. Eventually there will be a courtyard outside for outdoor options.

This is the front of the building. The wood part of the building houses our offices and changing rooms. It will be brick on the south side and wood on the east (front). The narrow slit in the big concrete wall looks into the Viewing Room. That's where we will have all of our meetings and Viewing Sessions.

This is inside the "office" section of the building. There will be windows in all of the cutouts on the walls.

This photo is looking into the waiting room and studio.

josh and sarah are engaged

"Sarah B", as we called her growing up because there were so many Sarahs in our class, is one of my oldest friends! We met in second grade and have been close through all of the years. She and Josh are absolutely perfect together and we are so excited to attend their wedding next June to celebrate their new life together! They drove in from their new home in Dayton yesterday to visit with us and have their engagement photos taken. We had an awesome day with them taking pictures today and just hanging out too! I'm sad they're leaving tomorrow... Josh and Sarah, thank you for visiting and for giving us the opportunity to take your engagement photos! We love you! Congratulations!