The Norris Family

Well it has come to that time of year. A time to reflect on the last 12 months, look back on the good and back and get some good 'ole r and r. We'll be taking off the next few weeks. It's just some time for me to spend with the family, hanging out and enjoying the holidays. I'm sure I'll still be posting some stuff on the blog.
Please enjoy this time with your family and Happy Holidays!!

I met the Norris family for their shoot- my last family session for the year. Their little boy Landon reminds me so much of Hunter. Just a blonde little cutie with a smile that melts your heart. Even Morgan reminds me of Reagan and it's nice to see a big sister loving so much on her brother. Reagan does the same thing- :)

Such a sweet picture :)







Nothing like a kiss from big sister-yuck :)



You can view their slideshow by clicking here

The Odle Family

The Holidays are spent with family. It's a time to reconnect after the stressful year you might have had, and not take anyone for granted. Which is why it's so important to me to take a few weeks off in December. I wanted to be able to sit around and watch Christmas movies with my kids, and bake cookies and drive around and see lights. Unfortunately sometimes with all the hustle and bustle we wait for this special time of year to do these things, when in reality we should always have a lot of quality time with our family all year.
Yesterday my grandfather passed away. He had been sick in the hospital for a few weeks and although the doctors and nurses kept telling my family to not get their hopes up, we do anyway because it's our family. We wanted him to get better just to be able to say "see, Dr. we told you he was strong and he'd make it." But his body gave out yesterday afternoon and we know he's in a better place now.
When families loose a loved one, it's hard, and around the holidays it makes it harder.
This holiday season hug your family tighter, sit on the couch and cuddle and watch silly Christmas movies, make hot chocolate and bake cookies. Believe in Santa again and tell each of your family members just how much they mean to you, not just through the holidays but all year round!!!

I met with The Odle Family last week, unfortunately mother nature had her plans for our shoot and it ended up being one of the coldest days of the year, and we got it with a nice little rain storm for a few minutes. The wind was blowing and their family was trying so hard to cuddle and keep each other warm. It brought on a lot of laughs and I hope a lot of memories for this family because that is what it's all about :)

You can view their slideshow by clicking here!!

Papa Ken we will miss you so much!! May you rest in peace and know that we all love you so much! :)

The Lopez-Hodoyan Family

I really love taking pictures of this family. Petey has such beautiful blue eyes, they just melt my heart. Their family session this time was extra special, they have added an adorable addition to their family. A little boy named Dominic. He's three weeks old, so tiny and so cute. I can't wait to see how this little boy will melt my heart as well.
It's just so wonderful to see a family grow and how well Dominic fits into their family. Petey is such a good big brother and always wanted to sit by Dominic.
We first started out in Dominic's nursery and then headed out to take pictures of the four of them!

Petey checking in on little brother :)

Petey decided it was time to stop taking pictures towards the end of the session. And even with this little pout he still melts my heart! :)

You can view their slideshow by clicking here!

The Joesten Family

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We really did, it was fun, not stressful and just spent with our family. Those are special days that I always want to have. No stress, just hanging out and eating good food!
I actually cooked a buffalo chicken dip this year for an appetizer and it was so addictive that most of us hardly could eat our actual Turkey dinner, we were all stuff from the buffalo. It reminded me of the Friends episode when Joey wore Phoebe's maternity pants to Thanksgiving so he had more room in his belly to eat. It cracks me up every time I think of it. We definitely had to lounge around a bit and get out of our turkey/buffalo coma!
The day before I met up with the nice little family for their shoot. Sometimes the children are in charge and decide how the session will go and you are just along for the ride. Their adorable twin girls didn't like me much with the camera, but I was still able to still some great shots of them :)

You can view their slideshow by clicking here!

Just one more picture honey

Mike hears these words all the time. It's time for dinner and I just want to edit one more picture. Which would be ok but he knows me and knows "one more picture" means 30 more minutes.
I can't help it but sometimes I just get on a roll and really need to finish that last batch or finish the next 300 pictures.
Today for lunch, I started to make Hunter and I some lunch. In the middle of my grilled cheese grilling, I thought, I'll run over to the computer for a minute and edit a picture. In my focus I started to smell something burning and realized I was cooking lunch and oops. My grilled cheese sandwich is more than grilled don't you think?
Thank goodness I'm not in charge of the turkey tomorrow.

The Whittle Family

A few years ago I got this sweet e-mail that came in from Andrea. She told me how much she loved my pictures and wanted to have some family pictures taken. I set up the session. I drove there, took their pictures and when I was leaving, Andrea handed me a gift. She had given me a Precious Moment figurine which she knew from my 101 goal list that I collected them. When I opened the card it read..

Mandy,
Thank you providing me the inspiration to pursue photography professionally!
Andrea

(yes I have kept card all this time, it's always on my desk!)

I was really touched and more surprised at myself for giving her the inspiration. I had no idea my work could help someone like that. It made me want to work harder on my images, and be more creative. It was an awesome feeling.
I started thinking about when I had started and remembered when I gave the official, let's get started! It would have been nice to have had someone to look up to then. I didn't know a single photographer, I knew absolutely nothing about it, the business or honestly my camera. It sure was scary.
It's nice to know Andrea these last few years and she's been my assistant on my weddings. We've worked enough together that she can already get a lens out for me before I even have to ask for it.
Thank you Andrea for being such a wonderful assistant to me. You have grown so much in the last two years so I hope your work can inspire someone as well to start their business!

Sweet little Cassia!

You can view their images on the slideshow by clicking here

The Osheel Family 2009

I just love this family. So much that walking up to the car at the begining of the session as the boys are still getting dressed, doesn't seem abnormal to me. So much that I don't mind standing in the rain shooting their pictures. So much that at the end of the session I don't mind risking my camera's life that I'll stand in the middle of a water feature to get some really fun shots.

I've known Brooke and Jeremy for years, actually Brooke since I was 16 so it's nice to go and hang out with them. I'd love for someone to take my picture as I'm taking theirs. It's fun to leave a session when your stomach hurts from laughing so hard! A day is complete when that happens.

So when big sister wants a kiss, and little brother doesn't....

the big sister always wins!








And when mom wants a kiss too.....


she gets it as well!











First we start with the kids....


Then Jeremy has a great idea to swing Brooke
LOL- love this...!



Love this one even more! So sweet!

You can view their slideshow by clicking here

Has a 1001 days come and gone already?

In the middle of my hustle and bustle of life, I realized that my 101 goals in 1001 days has met it's deadline, and I totally forgot- oops. My date was Nov 3, 2009. I knew it was coming but the last few weeks have been nutty so it slipped my mind. I actually haven't been able to cross anything off the list in a while but I realized in the 1001 days that my life had changed a bit and certain things I thought I wanted to accomplish back then, I really don't care to now. There are also some items that I really want to accomplish even if I can't accomplish them in my first 1001 days. I'll keep putting them on my list until they are.
I think 101 goals in 1001 days are so important. Sure there are some things on my list that might be silly but they are always in the back of my mind and if I write them down and if I think about accomplishing them, it just might happen. So I'm posting my old list to show you all that I accomplished. I'll be working on my next list in the next few days and am glad to share it with you. Fill free if you are inspired to do yours and send it to me. I'd love to see what you'd put!

Here's my first list!!
Anything in Red was accomplished
Anything in Green will be put on the new list

101 Goals in 1001 days
1. Clean out master closet -accomplished 2/11/07
2. Throw out old towels -accomplished 3/18/07
3. Hang curtains in bedrooms down stairs -accomplished 7-26/07
4. Hang window treatment for sliding glass door-accomplished 7/8/07
5. Hang up pictures of Reagan and Hunter in hallway -accomplished 11/1/08
6. Book 20-25 weddings a year
7. Get published in wedding magazine
8. Visit the Stephens’ Family in Texas -accomplished 12/26/08
9. Take Reagan and Hunter horseback riding
10. Buy quads
11. Learn photoshop from front to back –accomplished 2009
12. Plan an awesome SURPRISE 30th wedding anniversary for my parents!!!-accomplished 11/10/07
13. Set up connections with 4 new wedding vendors this year -1, 2,3,4 accomplished 2008
14. Make promo-collages for vendors
15. Take Mike Colon’s 4 day workshop in Newport Beach -accomplished Jan 21-24
16. Lose 20 pounds -accomplished 2008
17. Organize the kids playroom -accomplished 4/08
18. Get caught up with scrapbooking
19. Take a cooking class
20. Take a ballroom dance class -accomplished Spring of 2008
21. Make a business profit of 30% each year -accomplished 2007
22. Buy 2nd 5D Canon -accomplished 10/11/07
23. Go to a Yankee game at Yankee stadium
24. Go to an Oprah show and meet her
25. Shoot a destination wedding on another continent
26. Read 10 great marketing books -1,2 down
27. Redo decor in Master Bedroom -accomplished April of 2008
28. Get Reagan potty trained accomplished 2009
29. Have a rockin’ 30th birthday party 9-11-08- yikes accomplished 9/11/08
30. Take a cruise
31. Be able to quit my day job- make photography my "only" job –accomplished 2008
32. Spend more quality time with my family -accomplished 2008
33. Travel to New Zealand again
34. Visit a new place for vacation each year -accomplished June 8-10,2007 (Catalina Island)Cancun, 10/08
35. Set up our family in a trust
36. Set up our will -accomplished 10/08
37. Attend church more often -accomplished 2008
38. Win a WPJA award
39. Become a member of WPJA
40. Attend WPPI
41. Hook up my fax machine
42 Tape record Reagan talking and signing -accomplished 7/8/07
43. Write in Reagan and Hunter's journals once a month
44. Make a business plan -accomplished 3/6/07
45. Hire an employee (s) - accomplished 8/08
46. Open a studio -accomplished 9/3/08
47. Learn Spanish
48. Take a East Coast trip to Boston, Washington D.C, New York
49. Make date night with Mike once a month -accomplished 2008
50. Take an adult only vacation with no kids -accomplished Oct 21-24, 2008 Cancun
51. Get boob job, tummy tuck- thanks to Reagan and Hunter:)
52. Learn how to shoot Raw accomplished 9/22/07
53. Take weekly walks with my family
54. Spend cuddling time every day with my kids and husband -accomplished 2007
55. Go to Vegas for "just the day" once a year! -accomplished 2/21/07
56. Shoot a celebrity/high profile wedding
57. Attend PUG meetings every month
58. Transfer my e-mail to Outlook -accomplished 3/11/08- thanks Courtney!
59. Get my name out in the "wedding world"
60. Attend 4 photographer workshops -accomplished 7/25/07, accomplished Jan 21-24, 2008, accomplished 5/4/08
61. Send out birthday cards and anniversary cards to everyone this year
62. Get success software to organize clients -accomplished 7/08
63. Send out anniversary cards to past clients
64. Join toastmasters
65. Actually celebrate our wedding anniversary every year. -accomplished 3/29/07 & 3/29/08 &3/29/09
66. Volunteer -accomplished July 2008
67. Visit B & H Photo in New York City -accomplished 11/2/07
68. Shoot a wedding in the snow
69. Get lasik eye surgery -no can do. :( Dr. says I can't have it. Replace with Make new 101 list when I finish this one.
70. Learn to eat more veggies -accomplished 2008
71. Limit Dr. Pepper -accomplished
72. Go through and label all old negatives and organize
73. Organize extra photos in albums
74. Spend one whole week with nothing on my to-do list
75. Spend one day, laying in bed, watching movies all day long
76. Tell Mike, Reagan and Hunter I love them every day. accomplished 2007
77. Bake homemade cookies for Christmas every year -accomplished 12/22/07
78. Buy a real plant and keep it alive -accomplished 2007
79. Fix or replace my broken Precious Moments
80. Get my tattoos touched up -accomplished 10/30/08
81. Watch the ball drop in times square for New Year's Eve
82. Take a carriage ride in Central Park -accomplished 11/3/07
83. Visit the Statue of Liberty -accomplished 11/2/07
84. Go to the top of the Empire State Building -accomplished 11/2/07
85. Take Reagan to a Disney "character" breakfast at Disneyland -accomplished 6/7/07 and Oct 7, 2009
86. Set up more lunch dates with "girlfriends"
87. Have my wedding ring cleaned, resized -accomplished 11/17/2007
88. Travel to Greece
89. Go ice skating at Rockefeller Center -accomplished 11/3/07
90. Set 30 minutes a week of "me" time
91. Get regular pedicures -accomplished 2007
92. Attend an American Idol showing at the Kodak Theater
93. Talk to my parents on the phone or by e-mail everyday -accomplished
94. Learn how to travel by plane without having a freakout
95. Try Sushi- ewwwww , I said try it, not like it -accomplished 4/10/07
96. Be brave and try new techniques with my pics -accomplished
97. Have a family picnic in a park –accomplished 3/2009
98. Read the bible from front to back -
99. Pray everyday -
100. Never go to bed angry with Michael -
101. Kiss Mike and my kids good night every night!-accomplished 2007

The Steltenpohl/Sebanaler Family

Let me tell you how irritated I am that right now it's November and still warm outside. Living in Phoenix we know what we are getting into. We know our summers will be excruciating and we'll be indoors all day, wearing as little clothes as possible. We know that we we do get in our cars, we drive without touching the steering wheels for the first 10 minutes (don't ask me how I do it) and don't dare buckle our seat belts with that silver shiny hot piece of metal for at least a few blocks down the road. We never ever ever walk outside barefoot and realize that all outdoor activies are in the far distance. We get that and we follow the rules every year. But what happens in November when it's still warm outside? Don't you think it's time for a break and we are allowed a little chill in the air?
Each year it seems like the summers drag on and on. Maybe it is only high 80's right now but it's enough to still having you sweating like a pig while shooting a family session out doors. I look forward to the days of shooting without coming home to take a shower. Apparently those days are not here just yet. We'll hope and shoot for December this year I guess.

Poor Justin, Rhonda and Jordan had their session on a warm winter day. But they came out adorable. Jordan has such a sweet shy personality that is just so pure and innocent.

My favorite of the day for sure!!




You can view their images on their slideshow by clicking here

Christmas Cards are here!!!!

We have added 45 new templates to our catalog of Christmas Cards this year. It's really easy.

1. Pick a template you love
2. Pick the images you want to go on the card
3. Let me design the card for you
4. Mail them out to all your love ones and friends
5. Receive a ton of compliments on how adorable your Christmas Pictures were this year!!!!

Check out all our designs at by clicking here!!

Some templates you can change the color and you can write anything you'd like on the cards.
E-mail us if you are interested in ordering your Christmas Cards from us this year!!!

Michelle and Mike's Flirt Session

I met Michelle and Mike about a year and a half ago. Both are very funny, sarcastic and a lot of fun to be around. Instantly you like them and they both have something that draws you in. Which is why I'm sure they make such an adorable couple. They not only make everyone laugh but they make each other laugh and that is so important in a relationship.
Their engagement session was surely different for me. It's nice taking someone out you know so well and taking pictures of them. It also calls for a lot of extra laughing, sometimes hardly seeing through my lens, I had tears rolling down my eyes.
They are getting married in February, just right around the corner. And I am so looking forward to spending their day with them. I am sure it will be filled with lots of laughter, good times and maybe even a few surprises.

Mike and Michelle have beach cruisers that they go riding on so we just had to bring those. It made their session so adorable!!!

See lots of laughter!!











We are designing their Save the Date Cards- aren't they so cute?


















Thank you Mike and Michelle- I'm so looking forward to February!!!! You can view their slideshow by clicking here!!

The Wasserbeck Family

We have been super busy with weddings and family sessions lately. It surely has been nice to meet so many new faces and see familiar ones from previous years. We still have a few more sessions available before Christmas so you'll want to book your session soon. The last day for sessions is Dec 5. If you miss out this holiday season, maybe you can start a new trend of sending out Valentine's Day cards!!

When you think of cute kids you should surely think of these 3. Noah, Andrew and Abby. They all were so much fun to shoot and all were great in front of the camera. So well behaved as well! The Wasserbecks brought along their grandmother for a few pictures which I thought was absolutely wonderful.

Adorable!!














I love this little series and how much fun they had. They made me laugh out loud with their giggles











You can view their slideshow by clicking here!

Amy, Joni, Blake and Bailey

As the holidays get closer and closer we find ourselves busier and busier. With me, I know half of it is I make myself busier. I was in the kitchen cleaning yesterday which was Nov 2nd and I saw four Christmas commercials. I think a panic sets in for everyone and your mind starts asking a million questions and running through everything that still needs to be done. Because if there are Christmas commercials then I only have days left. Here is a peak into about 2 minutes in my brain.

"What are we gonna do for Thanksgiving?
What are we gonna do for Christmas?
When am I Christmas shopping?
What am I buying?
Christmas Cookies?
Wrapping?
Oh that extra 15 pounds- dang pumpkin pie
gotta order our Christmas cards
I need to fit in some "fall cleaning"
Gotta finish everyone's else's pictures
I still can't find that hoop earring-where is it?
I'm running out of space to hide the Christmas gifts
Christmas specials?
Christmas decorations?

This is all on top of the normal mom things like laundry, picking up the kids, washing the dishes, feeding the dogs, feeding your kids, paying bills and the list goes on and on.
At that moment, the words "it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas' flashed before my eyes and I almost reached for the wine bottle but then remembered I do really love the holidays and even with the stress, the money spent and the extra 15 pounds, I really am looking forward to it- I just need to work in all my "to-do's" and remember the most important "to-do"- Enjoy my family and make lots of memories!!!

Amy, Joni, Blake and Bailey met me for their Christmas pictures. It's amazing to me how much Amy's girls are starting to look just like her and how blonde they are. Blake and Bailey are turning into beautiful young girls.

You can view their slideshow by clicking here!!

The Gardea Family

I hope you all had a wonderful Halloween. We surely did. My kids are still young enough that I can influence them a little bit of what to be for Halloween. Last year they were Superman and Wonder Women, although Reagan kept calling her "Women Girl." This year I suggested pirates and boy where they both adorable. I don't know how many more years my suggestions will still be "cool." But I'll keep trying as long as I can.

We went to my friend Natalie's neighborhood to go trick or treating. Natalie's birthday is also on Halloween so she knows every year she'll be trick or treating. As a mom you'd much rather celebrate Halloween with your kids than celebrate another year older but we went and had a nice little party to remind her she isn't overlooked on that special day.
We made it to about 15 houses and Hunter came walking down the sidewalk, handed me his candy bucket and said, "Mom!, that's it!!!" He had had it and although wanted more candy, surely he didn't want to work so hard for it. Each house we pushed him to go a little farther and every house, he say the same thing. Poor little guy. We made it home, pretty early. I plopped us all on the couch to watch Charlie Brown's Halloween special and we all passed out asleep before 8:30. Poor Mike had to put us all to bed. That was our exciting party night, much different from about 10 years ago when I was single with no kids. :)

On another note, I've been super busy trying to get every one's Christmas pictures up and ready before the holidays. Here's the Gardea Family. I shot them as well last year and it's always so nice to see how much the kids grow. Mia was wonderful and such an adorable cutie in front of the camera!!!

You can view their slideshow by clicking here!!

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween from the Hank Family!!!

Hope you all have a safe and happy holiday!!