This is my little O. who I photograph every 6 months or so. She is such a funny girl~always bouncing around & trying to make me take silly face pictures of her. We play a game where she refuses to smile & I have to work my butt off to make her laugh…we know each other well & although she would never say so, I know she loves me. (And O., if you are reading this, I love you too! XOXO)

adj. lat·er, lat·est
1. Coming, occurring, or remaining after the correct, usual, or expected time; delayed: The bus is late. See Synonyms at tardy.

Adj. 1. chaotic - lacking a visible order or organization

Being late & disorganized are the themes of my life. My whole entire being is filled with good intention, it really is. With every fiber of my being I want to be like my friend Nancy who is always perfectly groomed, always knows the ballet rehearsal schedule in detail, never forgets her daughters lunch or has to speed like a demon to get her to class on time. In my dreams I am a less irritating version of Martha Stewart…closets ordered with matching hangers & labels, my pantry items posted on a list where every item gets checked off as it is consumed. My girls Girl Scout dues would be paid well in advance. My laundry would be folded & put away well within 7 weeks of it being worn. My kids would never need to eat peanut butter & jelly on hamburger rolls because once again I forgot to buy bread…

You would think that by 38 I would be able to accept that I am not gonna be any version of Martha Stewart. I have a talk with myself from time to time trying to convince myself to LET IT GO already, let the dream die but still there is the lingering & the longing for peace & lack of clutter.

And while I cannot claim to be able to make anything other than cute kids & photograhs, both bring my cluttered & tardy heart great & neverending joy. And to the G. family, sorry I’m late in posting these…

I had the privelage of photographing my friend Kim’s family today. They live in Massachusetts but stopped by on their home from an Outer Banks vacation & I am so glad they did! They have 3 amazing girls~all different of course but all filled with the same exciting & funny spirit that keeps you both on your toes & laughing all at the same time. I could not resist posting a few so they could peek after their long drive home.

You guys made my whole weekend!

XOXO

Last week I got to go back to my hometown to visit my family & to work a little. It’s a looooooong drive out there & made even longer by the musical stylings of my 4 children asking over & over, “are we there yet?”.

It’s nice though. So good to see everyone & to drive down streets that are EXACTLY the same as when you were 10. Nothing much has changed there over the years & I love that~I really do. Nothing in this world can compare to Jerry’s Pizza (Oh God I love that pizza!) or doughnuts from the New System Bakery which really is an old system since I think it opened in the 1920’s & my Mimi used to work there many moons ago. I am pretty sure everything in there must be made with lard because they are OLD SCHOOL & so darn good but I tell my vegetarian self lies & eat then anyway….I digress…

One of the highlights of my time there was getting to meet the J. family & photograph them. We met at their grandma’s house & it was magnificent! I must have walked past this huge brick mansion about 3 million times as a child & getting to be inside there & wander around was a treat for this history buff. Mrs. J asked me about my family & I told her who my people are & of course she knew them all & spent many evenings in fact playing cards with my own grandma at the local pub. Her son, my client had just had lunch with my uncle & my aunt shops in her store! It made me remember again why I loved growing up there. All of that familiarity & comfort just cannot be beat.

If you happen to live in Chillicothe, could you send me some Jerry’s pizza or maple frosted tipperaries from New System? I wish I had never brought them up because much like an old friend or lover, once you bring them up you can’t get them off your mind!

I digress again….

The J. Kids. Oh my. They ooze cuteness, no? Just a sneak peek for mum & dad:) I loved spending the evening with you!

Seriosuly. Look at this face.

And this one. Yum!

Who needs doughnuts when you have this to look at?

OK. I do. But still…..how gorgeous is Miss H?

Hey Friends.
I am just back from Ohio where I got to visit & love my far away family a little bit. I also worked a little too but I have not even uploaded the images so those I will share later. I like these work & play trips & may need to make more of them:)

A couple of things.
I left my voicemail pick up most of my calls while I was away & am going to be working hard to play catch up over today & tomorrow. I have not forgotten you & have made a list!

Also, I am putting the finishing touches (OK…not exactly “finishing” touches but close enough to count) on my new site & also am going to be posting this years Holiday card offerings which will inspire some to call & book for fall. There are a few slots in Sept & October & one or two in early November. Before we know it we will all be going to the Pumpkin Patch!

Love to all!
~Stacey

Today I got to photograph 2 little friends of mine. They used to live right next door but they moved all the way across the street in July & now I feel like I never see them….kidding of course. I have known Ham since he was a few months old & Cheese since she was 3.

Aren’t they so darn cute?

HA! I couldn’t resist this one~it makes me laugh cause I know them well & this was the end of a long shoot & they were really trying to be troopers.

I did get some others though~some that I hope their mom M. will love. I think photographing people you know is more difficult sometimes because you know their genuine personalities~their smiles & their laughs. You insist on that & will wait for it because you know anything else just wouldn’t do them justice.

So here is a Ham & Cheese rewind, from the beginning. Thanks guys for hanging in there.

XOXO

Been to the park lately?

This week I have taken the kids several times & am always reminded of how much great free fun can be had there. We are lucky to live in a town with lots of parks~some big, some small but nice & clean & nearby.

A new one was opened not so long ago right up the road & of course, this one is the “best park ever!” but in truth, whatever park we happen to be at is the best ever because the kids can run wild & move & breathe & laugh & play like old school kids that stayed outside all summer long & only came home when the street lights were on. (Can we believe our mums & dads let us do that back in the day?)

Yesterday I loaded up my car with my 4 children & 4 extras from the neighnorhood & off er went to visit the new park one last time before the weekend passed us by. The youngest was 3 & the oldest was 12 & I would have to say that they all seemed equally excited about being there.

In keeping with my personal vow to photograph my people more, I took my camera with me. Those critters move fast!

Lately I have been so occupied with work & clients that I rarely get to drag out my camera to photograph my own people. There are entire external drives loaded with images of them that have not yet been looked at & I wish it were not so but for now it is & I have to accept it.

One nice thing about approaching 39 is that you start to see how futile it is to try to be all things to all people all of the time. It simply cannot be done & so you relax a little & take it easy on yourself more than you did at 25 or 30 or even 35. All that leads to lines & grey hair & I want to avoid all of that for as long as I can.

However, when my babysitter came to work a month or so ago & told me she had taken our her sweet baby to Sears over the weekend for pictures….well….I needed to reevaluate! If I cannot take a few mintues now & then to capture her in all her yummy babyhood, then really, what’s the point?

So while it is still very true that I cannot & will never be able to be all things to all people, I can, from time to time, remember to be the photographer to one sweet & special baby.

I have been friends with I’s mom for a long time. In fact, I met I. when he was about 9 years old & we would cross paths from time to time as he was growing up. A few years back, I went into the local car dealership to buy a new Montero….man I loved that car….and I. was my salesman. He had grown up of course & my hubby & I were so glad to see him & catch up. One thing he told me that day was that he had just met the most amazing woman. His eyes lit up when he spoke of her & he was so newly & madly in love with her that I remembered that conversation for a long long time.

Seems he is still very much in love with her & she with him as well. And it also looks like very soon, they will both have another someone else to love as well.

Little Q. is the man. Yummy cuteness from head to toe & faux hawk is included!