The Girls

Today was a good picture taking day.  The stinking boys went to the stinking farm with their Dad and Uncle Don, so it was it just us girls.

Kelcie and Megan neither one hesitate to seize the opportunity to have their picture taken.  It's a bit harder these days though because they have to pose, smile, fake it, swing it and hip it.  I have the hardest time catching any kind of natural smiles with them, and of course they're in it together! 

Then the "girliness" in them comes out.  Weeds!  You want me to walk through those weeds?!!!  Then the "itichiness" starts and we're pretty much done.  Once you itch ... it's over you know!

So these have to do.  It's my fix for the next couple of weeks until they're together again.

Joey and Mariah {The Wedding}

Joey and Mariah got married Saturday ... and it was a good day for a wedding.  Mariah was a beautiful Bride and of course my son Joey was just as beautiful.  The look on his face as she walked towards him was priceless.  I'm surprised, knowing Joey, that he didn't stop the wedding and do "this" before anything even got started.

A Mom can't take more than one wedding a year you know.  This makes three in a row for my older kiddo's and most likely, I pray, the end of weddings for about twenty years ... until the Littles start getting hitched.

He loves her.  She loves him.  It made my heart feel so good for these two to get married.

Yes, I took their pictures ... and yes, I had help.  It wouldn't have been so cool to have a big camera bracket and flash hanging around my neck as I was escourted in, now would it?  Thank you Dana Shroeder for lending your expertise.

More to follow ....   I promise!

Joey and Mariah {Engaged}

 

There's going to be weddin' bells soon!  These two people are so happy together!  What's even better is that they both totally live for God.  

  

 July 18th is their big day! 

  

It was hard to keep them serious for all the clowning around ... or maybe they were just "jumping for joy."

  

Isn't she beautiful?  Inside and Outside.  There is no Bridezilla going on here.  This girl is so genuine and humble, and is so much fun to be around.  We had a really great session and she was game for every shot.

  

 She talked him right into a few precious moments poses .... and like a good guy, he did whatever she wanted.

  

Joey looked down as we were walking along the path and picked up a nutshell that had a perfect little heart cut out on the inside!  Ahhh .... it's "meant to be" Love!

By the way ... for those of you that don't know, Joey is my kid.  How lucky am I?  

(click the pictures for a closer look) ... I'll come back and post a slideshow link here after I get their whole gallery up!

Welcome to the World Sweet Baby

 

A couple of weeks ago, T was born.  I have to say I think he's right up there as one of the most beautiful babies I've ever seen.  

As I've been editing his birth gallery this evening, it dawned on me that I didn't welcome this sweet sweet baby to the world, and since I know his Mama is now reading my blog .... here's your gorgeous little guy!  Hello handsome little Man!

I love love love being able to photograph these little ones as they come into the world!

Dancing in the Sun

Yesterday evening we had an exciting event here .... a semi delivered a large piece of equipment to our house. It was a "Sky Lifter" ... so I heard. It's a piece of equipment that I have no idea what it does ... but I suspect when I get home from work this evening, my entire yard surrounding my house will be torn up since we've had so much rain.

We live in a "antique" farmhouse and the roof is really steep, and today a crew of Amish men will be tearing off our old slate roof and putting a new metal roof on. They say once they get the metal on the steep part, they won't be able to walk on it and that's where the "Sky Lifter" comes into play!

Since the semi driver happened to be Von's brother Darrel ... the kids got lifted up on the bed of the big truck, and they danced and ran up and down the trailer like it was the best place to be in the entire world.

... and they danced.

Being me, of course I seized the opportunity to snatch a few pictures of my littles having the time of their life!

I'm framing the top image of my littles. Every once in a while I take a picture of them that I can't live without ... and this one tops my list right now!

Shooting into the sun made this picture look like it was taken at night ... but actually it was broad daylight about six-thirty yesterday evening. I love silhouette's. I've never gotten one of my kiddo's before and I think it's pretty darn cool, and I was really proud of myself!

Happy "Birth" day Trace

Isn't this a beautiful new family?! Little Trace Cooper P. was born right at noon today. What a lunch hour treat I got! I think I'm in love with this little guy and I even got a tiny little snuggle in when I sat my camera down for a bit.

Have I even told you all that I think I love birth photography better than anything on this earth. It's so nice to photograph fat full term little babies that get to room in with Mom and Dad and don't have a NICU stay. This is the way it's supposed to be!

Way to go Mom and Dad! You did good ... he's Beauty-Full!

The One

Had a few minutes this morning and had to get Joey and Mariah's little session edited ... so I'm sharing!

On a another note .... Joey and I were talking about Christmas and giving and presents and such, and for Christmas this year Joey and Mariah are giving me a very special gift ... they are giving me some time ... and with that time I ask them to give my very special friend a free evening.

So this coming Monday evening, these two wonderful kids of mine will be having a play date with The Wright Five! How exciting ... I'm almost jealous myself. I have a feeling they'll have so much fun they'll be going back for some more "Quintastic Fun" while they're home on Christmas break.

It's funny how good things happen to good people isn't it? I think it's really a God thing!

Don't tell Emily, but I'm going to have Mariah take a bunch of funny pictures and we'll make a poster of fun with Mariah, Joey and the kids! (just ignore this part Emily!)

Say Cheese!

When all the kids were here Sunday ... we played Photographer and did family shots for Juli and a few for Joey and Mariah.  Josh and his family had already left and Jared and Elissa opted out since I do a full blown shoot every time I get my hands on them.  So we set up a backdrop in my living room and pulled out my hot pink and lime green "alien bees" strobe lights and said CHEESE!  It almost looked like a Disco!

Here's Juli and Derek in the "love pose."  We kicked the kids out of the way and snatched a few of just these two.  Did I ever tell you all that Derek is over a foot taller than Juli  ... and she is tiptoeing on a stool since he's so tall.

Love bird city here.  Mariah has Joey caught!  These two love having their pictures taken ... and I love taking them.  I catch them every chance I get too!  They're my practice targets!

This one was Mariah's idea.  I love it!  Wonder what she'll say when I tell her to do this at their wedding this coming July when I take their pictures! ????

This one was my idea.  I love this picture of them ... and for all of you that heard the ring story ...  here it is!

I'll try to post the gallery link to all of when I get them edited!

Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving

It couldn't have been more perfect!  Today we celebrated Thanksgiving at our house and all my 'littles' made it home.  This is the first real family picture of all of us together with our families.  I don't have a remote to my new camera, so I hit the timer and ran each time to get in the picture!  It was so funny ... and so much fun.  I only snapped six shots and prayed that one of them would have all of us looking at the camera ... and we did ... just once!  It's not entirely in focus ... but I love it and have already uploaded it to print a 10 x 20!

My entire mission for today was this picture.  Posed exactly like this in individual little groups, but yet all together.  I already had it planned out where everyone would be.  It was a little nippy and we all ran out in the field behind the house with my son-in-law Derek carrying the chair from upstairs.  He's that big dude in the middle!

From left to right, Josh is with his family, Amy, Carter and Luke.  Standing is Jared and Elissa ... then Joey and Mariah.  Juli is with Derek, Kelcie and Landen in the front on the ground ... and of course, Me ... Von and our little littles!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  I hope yours will be as wonderful as mine was with my family today!

Tanya

The Girls

A photo op. That's what I always have when Kelcie and Meg get together. They love the white fur and they love love love the camera.

I ask Meg who Juli was and of course she said that she was her sister ... but I ask again who Kelcie was and as always, "she's my best friend." Stinkpots they are, with a wild case of the giggles!

It's just very cool that Meg's best friend is her niece. Meg kept telling me that I'm Kelcie's Grandma but I'm her Mommy .... but then she kept calling me "Grandma Tannie" and Kelcie was calling me "Mommy." Funny funny girlies!

Welcome to the World Babies

This little foot belongs to Mia ... and her Mama and Dady are Angie and Todd, and they just started a blog for their little "Miracles Unfolding." Ther link is on my sidebar and you all can follow along through their journey in NICU and what all is to follow.

Yes, it's another Mrs. A., and since they've started a blog ... I thought I'd share these awesome pictures with my friends and readers. These are the triplets that I photographed their birth five weeks ago. They are amazing and are growing and doing so well.

This little hand belongs to Silas, and he was so perfectly created by God.

... and this third little hand below belongs to Jagger. They amaze me and it brings back so many memories of when my Littles were this small. Even though these guys are still not yet four pounds, they're mighty, and they're growing stronger every day. Mainly, they have God's hand on them to ensure that.

You can click each picture and read the scriptures that are written on them. Their parents set forth a scripture from the bible for each of these kids to stand firm on all of their life. Isn't that a great idea?

So if you have a chance, go visit these three little miracles and welcome them to the world of blogging, and you can keep up on these special little babies that I have the pleasure to watch grow through my lens.

First Breaths Birth Photography

"For where your heart is, there your treasure shall be also."

I witnessed a true miracle this evening. The birth of this beautiful foot, along with five others just like it ...

I photographed the birth of a beautiful set of triplets and witnessed them taking their first breath. I caught the most glorious images that you can ever imagine. I heard their first cries, and I saw their life begin.

As a photographer, I feel so honored to be a part of this. As a Nurse, I am so humbled with each birth that I witness, and as a Mother, I am in such awe and still yet, it brings me to tears at the miracle that God performs. I have learned to never take a moment of my children's lives for granted, and I know I am so blessed.

God has been watching over these babies for a long time, and finally it was time for them to be born. ... and that they did. Healthy and perfect in every way. ... and yes, this was Mrs. A's babies. The second Mrs. A. I photographed the first Mrs. A's triplets three weeks ago, and they too are perfect beings of God.

Not only were these triplets born this evening .... but I'm launching my website this weekend for my birth photography business. My website and birth photog blog will be up and running late Sunday night, and after I have the chance to tweak the bugs, I'll post the links for you to check them out!

This is very exciting for me as I've been working on this for quite some time and finally I'm ready! I will only be accepting three births a month due to the extensive involvement that it entails, plus I want to have time to be a Mom to my own little Trio! With three little ones of my own, it's sometimes hard to run out the door with a 30 minute notice for emergency c-sections .... yikes!

Of course I will be continuing my FarmHouse Kids Photography with business as usual!

So what do you think of that perfect little foot? I want to know. Don't you just want to kiss that little tootsie? Pictures are deceiving ... because it really is a little bitty thing with the cutest little toes attached!

Just a Cute Kid

He's a poser ... and a smiler and I just wanted to post this picture of Jay because I think he's cute. Not that I don't think all my kids are cute ... but Jay jumped up on this big rock we have in our backyard and wanted me to snap about two thousand shots of him. Then he wanted to look at all of them and then he decided he wanted it on the computer.

Makes me wonder if I'm doing way too much photo editing these days ... eh??? I think he was trying to tell me something, and I think I heard him loud and clear.

So I don't think I'll be taking on any extra photoshoots during the month of September since I have a very busy schedule already.

"I love you Jay! Thanks for the heads up."

A Storybook Wedding

Once upon a time there was a fair maiden named Juli Beth and she was beautiful and so happy. She gathered her closest friends and dressed them in the finest Chocolate and Lime garments that she could find .... and they set off for a wedding on a warm August day.



Together, they marched down the aisle towards the tall man that she had chosen to marry, and they prayed, and they gave their blessings to the man as he stood at the altar holding his small son.

The Bride walked towards him holding the hand of her small daughter, who was dressed like her Mother, in a beautiful white "mermaid" dress. Together they had dreamed of this day for so long, and they knew that he would make them happy, and their families would become one.

As the Groom kissed the Bride, everyone in the Kingdom rang their bells and wished the couple a joyous and bliss filled life.

Then suddenly, as they were pronounced man and wife, the church came to life and music filled the air. The Bride and the Groom broke out in a dance, ... and they danced and they twirled ... and together they skipped down the aisle to the tune of "Walking on Sunshine." ... and the crowd cheered, and laughter broke out, and God beamed down at the couple that he had blessed ... and he gave a nod that all would be well in their life.

The Mother of the Bride (that would be "Me") who stood at the arm of the Groom, winked up at the Heavens and said a small prayer to her God, "that he had answered her prayers and sent a man to make her Daughter happy, and that the wedding was over and they both had survived, and her Daughter would be allowed to live, and she wouldn't have to kill her or pull her hair out or do her bodily harm."

... and she heard her God chuckle and he whispered so that only she could hear .... "it's time to start over and do this again, because Joey and Mariah are getting married next July 18th!" ... and the Mother of the Bride fanned herself and slowly fainted away! (God has a great sense of humor doesn't he?)

The End.

(by the way, I was blessed to be the Mother of the Bride and the portrait photographer at my daughter's wedding .... so let's hear some cheers for these gorgeous pictures!!! My daughter in law and my daughter in law to be filled in for me when I had to be in a picture .... I loved it!)

Hi Honey ... I'm Home!

Hi Everyone! Wow ... I haven't posted in a week and still almost "three thousand" people came to visit me, and for all the countless emails in the last couple of days of all of you checking on me to see if I'm okay ... I am. I'm back.

I didn't go anywhere, but I've been very busy. So busy that my head is still spinning in circles and I want to stop and get off. I'm nearing the end of the month at work and that is busy. I got called out two nights ago late in the night to start an IV and again last night, and that is busy.

My daughter Juli is getting married next Saturday ... and let me tell you, that is BUSY! Busy and exciting. My tonight and this weekend we are finishing wedding plans and making sure we didn't miss any details.

I'm also on stand-by and ready for two triplet Mom's that are in the hospital that are "hanging by the hair of a thread" that could possibly deliver. But we're praying that they can hold off for another two weeks at least. Both are very early, 28 weeks, but their babies are very healthy ... just need to bake in their cozy little ovens a bit longer. For those of you that don't know ... I'm photographing their births. I would appreciate everyone that reads here to say a quick prayer that A & A continue to hang on and keep those babies put! (Sorry A#1, I'm hoping you buy at least another week or two ... and I'll duck next time I come visit you in case you throw a shoe at me) Just kidding ... she's been a great sport for having been there for two months! A#2 just moved into the hotel(hospital) today for the duration ... and she's still a happy camper!!! I can joke about this, because I've been in their shoes, and the ceiling in a hospital room isn't really all that pretty. But just look at the little treasures that they'll get in the end. Baby A, B & C times TWO! Woo-Hoo!!!!

Which brings me to another reason why I've been so busy. My Birth Photography business. I'm working steadily in the evenings on my website. Hopefully it will debut in about a week along with my photography website that is changing as well.

And ... finally, the cutest reason I've been so busy is this peek of these little cuties below. Besides this beautiful set of triplets, I've done five other photo shoots recently.

This Super-Mom just pooped out for the last week ... but I'm back and will get back to blogging pronto!

Enjoy the pictures below ... they're gorgeous!

Fingerprints of God

Just thought I'd show you what I just uploaded to print in a 12 x 12 to frame for my living room wall. You can click the picture to read the words.

Yes, it's the song playing ... well in bits and pieces that is. The words say everything to me and I wanted to be able to see it in print.

What do you think? You want one too? If you're local (within 30 miles)you can earn a free 12 x 12 high resolution printable image to frame, and I will personally meet you in a park of your choice to photograph your kiddo .... and if you're not local, you can email me a large resolution image of your choice, and after some crafty editing and printing, I will drop ship the print to you. ... or you too can meet me in a park within 30 miles of my home. That might be a long drive for some of you, eh?

All you have to do is leave me a comment telling me why you come here ... and this Sunday morning at 8:00 I will randomly choose a winner!

Be Blessed Everyone.

The "Heart" of Livia

Don't you just love these big eyes? Yes, they're really almost that bright blue. I got a new lens and it does this to eyes ... with a little help from Photo shop of course.

Liv and the kids were in the pool this evening and I shot a few pictures of them playing in the water, and this picture just screamed, "make me artsy." .... So I did! Liv is our niece and she's a cutie. She's just starting to try to talk and is a little doll and I love her bunches!~

Now I'm going to go make Sam, Jay and Meg artsy too!

You're My Best Friend

Tonight we went down the road to the neighbor's house to a jewelry party. Just for girls. The neighbor's daughter is Meg's best friend and best playmate, and she was the hostess.

Wanna play Tootsie best friend??? My little girl loves her best friend very much. Her best friend has been very involved since Meg was born. In fact, she was there when Meg was born, and will be here for many years to come.
About a week ago we realized that Meg's new dress was almost just like her best friend's dress, and of course we love to play dress up.

So this evening, Meg's bestest friend changed her clothes and out the door they went to have a little photo session with Amanda. Amanda played photographer and I played editor after I swiped her SD card :), and we ended up with some pretty amazing images to print for the girls.

This best friend is getting married next year and Meg will get to be in her wedding. We're practicing already! We're going to miss you out here on the farm Laura! Make sure you come back often so we can play some more. It's a girl thing you know, and we are the girls!
Thanks Laura for being Meg's best friend and cousin, and for giving her someone wonderful to look up to for the rest of her life! Mainly, thanks for taking the time to always play!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Flowers for Mommy ~

For more Wordless Wednesday's, go here.

Hot Summer Days

Just a few pictures of my kiddo's on a hot summer day. A couple weeks ago or so, we went walking down the road again with my camera. Maybe someday I'll actually get to photograph the front of them without them separating and running! Someday .....

This little road leads up to one of our barns where some cows live. It's our favorite spot to play, and the barn is so intriquing and full of neat stuff for little kids. I just haven't figured out what yet ... but they love it, and always come back out really dirty, and really happy. Isn't that just a kid thing?
Hope you enjoyed your country walk with The FarmHouse Kids!

(the pictures look glorious in a larger size ... just click them)

Be Blessed Everyone.