365.3: UPS Christmas After-Party

Have you been reading all the ruckus about the late deliveries from UPS and FedEx this season? Some people have been pretty upset by it all. We had two packages come quite late from UPS. One was full of Christmas presents that were for family that had been visiting for the holiday. Those will need to be mailed on since family has already gone home. The one that arrived today was for us and was full of presents from my parents. It was like a little Christmas after-party. The girls got some fun clothes and accessories. T got a devotional book and a cool string puzzle book. I got a little lens for my iPhone camera (more to come from that in a later post). M got a new phone case and some socks. It was all great fun!

But then...

There was a tin at the bottom of the box. I knew what it was before I even opened it. Puppy chow. Not kibble for young canines, but the chocolate-peanut-butter-powdered-sugar-covered breakfast cereal that has played an integral part of my family's Christmas tradition for decades.

How many times do I have to reboot this New Year's diet thing?

You may say there's no such thing as Santa, but the powdered sugar in my goatee may give you pause.

Andrew and Beth: MARRIED!

Memorial Day was certainly a day to remember for Andrew and Beth. Family, friends, and a beautiful venue at the Cotillion in Independence made their ceremony completely unforgettable. Andrew is in the Navy and got just enough leave to get back into town for the wedding/honeymoon. After that, Andrew will head right back out to sea to serve our country. I can't help but be so thankful to both Andrew for serving and Beth for sharing her husband with the rest of us. I was honored to be a part of this selfless and beautiful couple's big day.

Jacob and Lauren: ENGAGED!

This love crossed band sections! Lauren played the trumpet, and Jacob played the sax, but that didn't keep them apart. These two became great friends in high school marching band, traveled the country together on tour, and played in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! All of this was before their first date! True love came after a long friendship...what a great foundation they've got for spending the rest of their lives together! Congrats, Jacob and Lauren! You're great people, and I can't wait for your wedding!

Pat and Amanda: ENGAGED!

Who knew that pool could lead to true love? Pat and Amanda met playing pool in the same league and hit it off right away. The rest, as they say, is history. Pat and Amanda's love for each other shines through in their conversation, so it was very easy to enjoy trekking around the gloriously eroded recesses of Kansas City's West Bottoms district with them.

This couple is headed to Ireland for their honeymoon, so we had to make sure to hit the J.O.B. Theatre which brings a little bit of celtic wonder to the midwest. Can't wait for this amazing wedding in March! With Pat and Amanda's strong love anchoring the day, it's sure to be a blast!

Kassi and Aaron: Cowboy Love Story

You know, it's not very often that I get to photograph a good old-fashioned cowboy love story. This was my first, and I hope it's not my last. Kassi and Aaron are a match made in cowboy heaven. Aaron is a true-to-life, horse wrangling, bull riding, rope throwing cowboy. Kassi is a farm girl with a love for horses, goats and just about anything else with four legs. When she saw Aaron, it was love at first sight! Don't believe me? Let Kassi put it in her own words:

Aaron came to our house with his brother to trim a horse. When he got out of the truck I about fell over... I had never seen someone with such pretty eyes and smile. I tried to hide behind him so he wouldn't see I was blushing but he kept turning around and smiling. A week later I saw him again and met his family and knew then I wanted to marry him! God was so good in sending Aaron to me!

Kassi approached her wedding day with a calm grace that I have rarely seen. She was neither frazzled nor excitable, but acted as a calming influence to those around her. The details of her day were a reflection of her and Aaron and paid honor to their parents and grandparents in some very special ways.

The ceremony was beautiful! Aaron rode away with his new bride on a horse-drawn carriage...into the sunset. Such a magical start for this special couple to begin writing their happily ever after!

Spools Up!

I saw this little idea over at sewmanyways.blogspot.com and had to try it. It was a process, but I couldn't be more pleased with the results! With a little help from my favorite photographer's table saw, I was able to get all my cuts made and assemble the cutest way to store my thread! UP and out of the way!

Ribbons on a Rod

Rolls of ribbon wrapped 'round a rod

This was probably one of the easiest fixes I've ever done. I saw it done somewhere else and thought, "Where has this idea been all my life?" A few simple tension rods under the stairway and I was able to store all my ribbons in an out-of-the-way but accessible spot. Sorting them by color even adds visual appeal! I use stick pins to keep the ribbon in place. When I need a bit of ribbon, I just roll a section off and cut it! Easy as pie!

Photos for Katie

Photos for Katie
picture by Apples of Gold

On February 15th, four-year-old Katie Kuehl went to the doctor after she suddenly developed marked swelling on her upper left quadrant. After an ultrasound and blood work Katie was diagnosed with cancer. The next day (2/16) she had a cantaloupe-sized tumor and one of her kidneys removed. The pathology report showed that Katie has Wilm's stage 2. She will be undergoing 25 weeks of chemo. Her family lives in Michigan where her father just started pastoring a church. Photos For Katie is about helping this young family with their mounting medical bills. Dan Moore Designs is proud to be one of many photographers all around the country chipping in to help out! Click on the image to visit Photos for Katie and learn how YOU can help!

Emily, Senior

Emily shined at Kauffman Legacy Park for her senior portrait session.

I have to say that Kauffman Legacy Garden is beautiful at any time of the year, but it was a bit surreal to walk around the Kansas City tourist site in the middle of February with temperatures in the mid 60s! It was perfect weather for a late photo shoot and Emily was ready! The afternoon light was warm and wonderful! While Emily's mom crocheted in the botanical greenhouse, we walked the garden and got some great pictures. Emily even brought her flute...the music fit perfectly in the serene setting!

Emily's expert flute skills filled Kauffman Legacy Park with light and breezy tones.  

S'Mores in a Blanket

S'Mores in a Blanket make an easy dessert! And the kiddos can help!

Tonight, we had an easy and fun dessert! Simple crescent rolls are rolled up according to the package directions, but include chocolate chips and mini-marshmallows! Bake as you would normally and enjoy the  gooey goodness!