What a Difference a Year Makes....

You may recognize Andy & Emily from my website--theirs is the picture on my homepage. The music for the opening slideshow on my page is Andy playing--he is amazing. Andy & Emily are good friends of ours and they were my first engagement session. I was so nervous when we went to do their session because it was my first REAL shoot. They were great in front of the camera and some of the shots from that day are my favorites I have ever taken.Today is Andy & Emily's 1st wedding anniversary. Since I didn't have this blog then, I thought today would be a good time to share some pictures from their big day. And while thinking about what I would write in this post, I thought, "Wow, what a difference a year makes." Things have changed SO much since this weekend last year. More on that later....

I thought Emily's shoes were SO cute!

Our wonderful group of Cleveland friends!

Okay, here we go on the changes since last year......Wesley & Denise--let's see....so immediately after the wedding, we left to drive to Johnson City for a few days. "Why?" you might ask....I was being a great wife and humoring my husband in this idea that he was going to go to pharmacy school. We came here one year ago today for Wesley to check out the pharmacy school and see if it was something he really wanted to do. One year later, I am typing this post from Johnson City where we are currently living in a basement waiting for our home in Murfreesboro to sell. :) In 3 years and 8 months (Graduation Day), it will all be worth it!

Cody & Kristy now have sweet little Ryder who only God knew about then.
(Next weekend we get to go visit them and take LOTS of pictures!! Whoo hoo!)

Camden was in Jonie's belly for Andy & Emily's wedding and now look how big he is!
And SO proud to have a cousin (sweet Ryder).

Kristy & I--enjoying life in Murfreesboro....now we both live somewhere else.

That's it for all of the changes.......(I think that's quite enough!)
Here are more pictures from the wedding day:

Andy ordered this canvas as a surprise for Emily.

Leah & Emma waiting for their big day.
Leah's mom is Brittany, my photographer friend who helped me shoot The Ritchie Wedding.
Emma is also a star on my website with her brother Grey.

I would also like to wish a Happy Anniversary to Mark & Jana! I'd post pictures from their wedding, but I had no idea the Skeltons existed then. :)

Jer. 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. NKJV

Walker Family

Wesley and I have been so excited to get to know the Walker family. They attend the congregation in Elizabethton where we now attend and are the sweetest family. Lori was so kind and helpful as I was trying to find a teaching job this summer. Bart has taught our Wednesday night class several times and we enjoyed it so much. Little Miss Molly was born Labor Day weekend, I think the Friday before, but don't quote me on that. Audrey and Emily are the sweetest big sisters I have ever seen. They just dote over her.....well, at least while we were there they did! I told Lori before Molly was born that I would like to take pictures of the girls for her, so she and Bart had Wesley and I over for supper and pictures. Wesley said we can go back and take pictures anytime as long as they feed us again. Bart, I guess the hog fat and fish muddle got him. (That'd be an Andy Griffith Show joke....I didn't get it either until Bart enlightened us!)
Walker Family, thanks so much for inviting us into your home and letting me photograph your beautiful girls! Enjoy my favorites and your slideshow.Molly's nursery is so bright and the walls are awesome!

Molly was very alert for our photo session.

The girls' room is so bright and colorful. It was a great spot for pictures.
I love Emily's sweet but solemn look in this shot below.

And that was Miss Audrey's face after I asked, "So what do you think about being a big sister again?"

The girls and Barbie the dog.

I convinced them they needed a family shot, Barbie included.
While I was taking these, Wesley was standing behind me saying "Now, be a TIGER!"
So, they did. I LOVE the last one. I think it's hilarious!

Sneak Peek

Walker Family, I am working on your pictures as we speak.....well, as I type and you read!
I hope to have them up with your slideshow later in the week.

Sweet Parker & Family

I finished this sweet family's pictures this weekend and am excited to write their full blog post and release their slideshow. I kept saying during the session, "He looks just like Carter." It amazes me how much Parker and Carter look alike. As I was editing them, I kept thinking the same thing. Parker's little face looks like you took Carter's face and shrunk it. :) These boys are such sweet big brothers. It was incredible to see them holding and loving on Parker. Nick & Teresa, I hope you enjoy a few of my favorites and your slideshow. Thanks again for letting me photograph your family.

I convinced Teresa they NEEDED a whole family shot....we even managed to get Mamaw in on it--see that one in the slideshow.

Sweet Baby Parker

Saturday I was able to meet sweet little Parker. Parker is the son of Teresa, a teacher friend from my Murfreesboro school, and the brother of Collin & Carter. You may remember these guys from our spring photo session. The week after that session, Carter joined my kindergarten class. I was so excited to get to meet the baby and to see them all again since I hadn't seen them since the beginning of summer break.

This is my buddy Carter. He is THE sweetest big brother!

Here are all three boys-Collin, Carter, and Parker.

The boys humored me for some feet shots!

My bud Carter and I after we had finished.

More to come with a slideshow soon (& I promise they aren't all black & white!)!

Maggie is One Month Old!

Here is Little Miss Maggie's full post. We took these pictures last Saturday--it was Maggie's first real photo shoot. She didn't know quite what to think about that. And for a baby who isn't interested in pacifiers, she sure wanted hers! "Nana" did a great job of swiping the paci and running, then running back and plugging her up. Enjoy a few of my favorites here and several more favorites in Maggie's One Month Slideshow.

"Nana" and Maggie--this is the beautiful dress that Martha made for her--notice the beautiful necklace that Tabetha made for Martha!

I LOVE this red antique fainting couch (it's stuffed with horse hair!). It's in Dean & Martha's guest room and was perfect for pictures.

This one above is quite possibly my favorite from the second half of the day.

This is what Maggie thought of the photo shoot by the time we were done~Why are you putting this long dress on me and putting me on a couch? And why is Mommy standing so far away and why does Nana keep taking my paci and why is Aunt Denise pointing that big black thing at me?!

A little self portrait in Maggie's room--I'm sure that after seeing the camera in front of my face all day she didn't know quite what to think of Aunt Denise.
Don't be worried, though, we had plenty of aunt-niece bonding time when we weren't taking pictures. And on Sunday we had a huge family get together where EVERYBODY wanted to hold Maggie---tons more pictures of course......those will come later. :)
For now, enjoy the slideshow and if you know anyone who wants their baby's picture made in an antique carriage, give me a call!

Ryder's Thank You Cards

In July, we made a visit to our dear friends, Cody & Kristy, at their new home in Columbia. They are expecting their first child, Ryder, at any minute. While we were there, we set up some pictures of their amazing dog with the stroller (no Ryder in there of course, since he was in Kristy's belly) to use as baby gift thank you notes. The notes have been sent out, so now I get to blog the pictures! (I didn't want to spoil the surprise.)

Aprilia the dog is amazing--she is a Boxer and is VERY smart......well, I think she is smart. Wesley thinks she's cool, but he might not call her smart. Anyhow, Aprilia was so good to pose with the stroller in several different ways so that we could get a few different ones to choose from. Enjoy these and have a laugh or two!

I think this is the one which convinces me that Aprilia should be a greeting card dog.


This is the one Kristy picked as her favorite. I do think it's pretty funny!

Please note: No animals were harmed in the making of these pictures. And YES, they are REAL pictures!