D & L = C & E Olathe Family Photographer

What a shoot!! I loved this one, I love this family. There is nothing better than shooting a family for the second (or third or fourth....) time. For one, I know them already and they know me. For second, I already know that they trust me (hopefully!) and that makes the whole thing more awesome. I could shoot them all day..(that sounds weird doesn't it?) :)

Hope you enjoy the peek guys!!

LOVE this one!

When Mom and Dad want photos together it totally makes my day!! :)

To me, this photo completely represents what it means to be a couple with young children. My favorite part is the angel on the nightstand...praying for them!!! :)

The emotional "love my husband" post.

Something amazing is happening tomorrow.

My husband is going to drive to work....at a new job.

This may not seem amazing. But, for those that know us very well know how amazing it is. My husband has worked for the same company for 16 years. (he started there when I was a freshman in high school...sorry had to throw that in there!!! Only to put things into perspective of course.) We first laid eyes on each other at this job, we fell in love at this job, he was my boss...at this job!! He obviously continued to work there after I quit to become a mommy. He worked at many different locations during the span of this 16 years, but he has been a manager for the last10. The General Manager of a particular location for the last 8 I think. This job has physically been exhausting. He may go in at 5 in the morning and stay until 8 in the evening. Then the next day be there at 10 am and work until 9 pm...or go in at 4 pm and work until 2 am. These are all very TYPICAL days in a week. We missed him, a LOT. I was used to doing things alone with my boys. Going to scouts, gymnastics, sports, school events, parties, family events, ALONE with my boys.



To say Mike is a devoted employee would be an understatement. He is the most amazing employee I have ever known of. EVER. Not just because he's my husband. He makes me look bad. I could NEVER be like him. He is the hardest worker I've ever known. I thought he was amazing...always. But I had no idea how much others loved him. This past week has been so amazing.


When you are the General manager at a place that employees lots of people its a challange. Anywhere. Dealing with stressful shifts, customers, drama, food, adds more of a challange. He did this, wonderfully. He was ready to go, he was just ready for something dififerent. I dont think either of us saw the fall out coming this past week when his employees knew it would be the last. He received lots of cards, gifts, tears, phone calls, texts. They pretty much said the same thing....

"I can never thank you enough for all that you've done for me. You've always been there to talk to and help me see things in a different way. You've been my mentor and made me a better person."

That is a summerization of pretty much what every note said. Lots of notes...even several from ex employees!! I couldn't believe it. I could believe he was capable of this kind of affection, but I didn't know it was happening. Lots of cards and gifts referenced incidents, and inside jokes. I had never been prouder of Mike...EVER. It was a weird feeling, knowing that others love the person you love so much and you had no idea!

It made leaving difficult. Not the job, but the people. They were all upset he was leaving. But tomorrow is a new life for us. We are scared, really scared. That job has supported us thru the beginning... 3 pregnancies, 3 kids, building a house, all of my endless endeavors, my business, new cars, and obviously countless monthly bills. It's all we know, and its so scary. But it's very exciting. He will have a consistent schedule for the most part, he will be here on weekends!!! I almost cant even imagine that I will be able to cook a meal and know that he will be home!!!!!!!!! It's almost unthinkable.

Most of all, I'm just so happy for him. He deserves this, and he will be wonderful. I know it. I'm so proud I could bust!!

I love you Mikey! I'll be thinking of you tomorrow!!

A Treat For Your Sweetie

Made from the perfect combination....Peanut Butter and Chocolate!!!

I guess I could say I'm pretty good at making desserts. It's sort of my thing. I like to eat dessert too, but that's nothing to brag about.

Part of the problem is that I'm married to a man that has a SEVERE sweet tooth. That enables me to bake to often, therefore eat sweets too often. But, sometimes this is expected. Like on Valentines Day. This recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars is definitely a contender for his all time favorite treat. It comes from the famous Cake Mix Doctor cookbook. The original I think, because there is like a million now.

It's kind of extensive (for some, not for the experienced cook!!) but it's worth it!! Also, I'm sort of a cake pan/cookie sheet snob. This recipe (ANY recipe baked in a 9x13 pan) will come out so. much. better if baked in one of these! A Magic Line Cake pan. They are amazing. They cook perfectly and the corners are perfectly straight which just makes things look so much better. No more baking in a round corner pyrex dish...please!!! You wont regret it. There is a baking shop in Old Town Lenexa that sells them at a decent price.


Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 stick butter, melted
2 eggs

1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup grated coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325.

Place the cake mix, peanut butter, melted butter, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with a mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Mixture will be thick. Reserve 1½ cups for the topping. Transfer the remaining crust mixture to the pan. Using your fingertips, press the crust evenly over the bottom of the pan so that it reaches all sides. Set aside.

For the filling, place the chocolate chips, condensed milk, and 2 tablespoons butter in a medium size heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir and cook until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is well combined. 3-4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the coconut, pecans, and vanilla until well distributed. Pour the chocolate mixture over the crust, and spread it evenly with the rubber spatula so that it reaches the sides of the pan. Using your fingers, crumble the reserved crust and scatter it evenly over the chocolate. Place the pan in the oven.

Bake the cake until it is light brown with a few gold spots, 20- 30 minutes. Dont over cook!! They get dry fast. Cut and serve! :)

And yes, if you haven't noticed....I'm kind of on a roll with this blogging thing!! Trying to keep it interesting!!

I LOVE books!!

If you know me very well...you know I love to read. A. LOT. I have always loved to read. My favorite store has always been a book store, for as long as I can remember and i could easily spend thousands of dollars in one trip if I had the money. These books below are a recent read. I first noticed them one day at Target, because the covers are just so pretty. These are YA (young adult) books. However, any of you that read the Twilight series know that a YA book can be just as enjoyable as a grown up book!! I didn't read these for awhile but was finally persuaded by one of my wonderful senior girls. She loved them, so I finally read them. AND, they are sooooo good! For my generation, think BH 90210 set in 1900 New York City. Wealth, servants, balls, carriages, manners, and lots of betrayal! Good stuff. For the younger generation I guess think....Laguna Beach in 1900..I guess...I dont know!! :) But, either way, these books are really good. You can even read the first one for free online at the website. HERE





Feel free to share some good books you've read...IN THE COMMENTS.....I get a lot of hits on this blog and I'd love some of you to comment!!! Please...it would make my day!! :)

All Made Up ~Spring Hill Wedding Photographer~

I love makeup. I always have. I still remember my first real set of makeup was some cast offs of my aunt Dellene's (Thanks Dellene!) :) I remember perfectly that there was a big chubby stick of BLUE eyeliner and I used it up.

These days i still love to play with makeup, although I've found that being mainly a stay at home mom for the last 10 years I sort of lost touch with my makeup loving side. I guess because I wasn't going and doing a lot that caused me to try to look really pretty, and even if I did I just used what I had and put it on the way I was used too. Sad isn't it?

A few months back I stumbled upon this gal on You Tube. Kandee Johnson the Makeup Artist. And as I do when i find a blog online that I really like.....I spent the next 2 hours reading and watching her videos. She is amazing!! She is a real legitimate makeup artist who has the sweetest personality, and who charmingly lets us into her life and shares deep emotional feelings sometimes in her video's. I have her bookmarked, and love to keep up with her. She is also a mother working hard to make a name for herself in a big industry...that makes me like her even more! :)

Her videos are VERY easy to follow, and she gives product names and often even gives the "cheaper" equivalent if you need to do the drugstore version of her look. Some of these looks are obviously not for repeating...but they are amzing none the less...



The one I wanted to highlight her was her Bridal Makeup video. Some brides may be wanting to try their hand at their own makeup. While I definitely see the value in hiring a makeup artist....some just are trying to skim some costs out of their budget. And I think Kandee's video's are wonderful. Most of her other tutorial videos on her blog are way back in the archives so to see some more it would be better to double click this video and browse her on You Tube. They are all GREAT! But beware, you'll want to run to Sephora and buy the place out!!

Who Dat?! 1 of 3 ~ Kansas City Wedding Photographer

Where to start with this wedding. To make a long story very short...Becky and I at one time were inseparable. We lived, worked, and played together. We were immediate friends and for nearly the whole year of 1999 we were always together. As life often does, it got in the way and our paths were lead in different directions. We lost touch and fast forward 10 YEARS after not seeing or talking we reunited on facebook. Not long after she contacted me to see if I would be interested in shooting her wedding because she was engaged!! Uhhhh....YES!!!! I was so excited.

So, last weekend Mike and I headed out of town to shoot my first wedding of 2010. The wedding of one of my favorite people I have known in my lifetime so far. :) It was a beautiful day and she was glowing and happy. But it was bittersweet because while I spent the whole day with her, I was in wedding shooting mode and as we drove home I realized that I already missed her and hadn't spent nearly the time I would have liked with her. So, Becky I think that means that sometime I need to come down south and see you!!

Oh, and to top off a great day.....John and Becky live in New Orleans (I believe John is from there) and it was a full on celebration of the Saints going to the Super Bowl. Geaux Saints!!





John has 2 incredibly, beautiful and very sweet daughters.














I had forgotten how much I loved this family. I really didn't even know most of them well or at all. But when you are friends with Becky you feel close to her family because she is. Her family is a HUGE part of her and her family is HUGE itself!! :) Being around them is so fun.