One for the weekend - {Lawrence, KS children's photographer}

Let's just say our summer break hasn't really felt much like summer yet. Rain and cooler temperatures. We have however stayed clear of the path of tornados that have plowed through the midwest this past week. Terrible, terrible destruction. I will take the rain over the latter for sure.

Yesterday another storm was headed right towards us but we managed to get a session in before the rain! A super cute little guy that just turned one. I will post more of him later but for now let his sweetness take you into the weekend!
Here's to hoping for a Memorial weekend full of sunshine, good food and fun times. No matter what your plans are I hope you are able to sit back a little and enjoy!

Fast and Furious

I often feel like I am constantly running on the treadmill....go, go, go. If only I could get the treadmill results, hmm. This week has been no exception. It is the last full week of school for the girls, another school year has come and gone. New schedules and routines, or lack thereof, are upon us.

But this week started off a bit different than my normal. Monday afternoon I headed to the airport, by myself, to fly out to Orange County, California for my own little adventure. A workshop. I have wanted to attend a photography workshop for quite awhile. Derek and I had decided that we could make it happen this summer. I had kept in my head that if I was going to make the effort to attend a workshop I wanted to just go for it, go big, find someone who I knew I would enjoy. Over spring break an opportunity came into my inbox, a Jasmine Star workshop. Her workshops are known to sell out in as quick as an hour so there was no time to debate! After texting back and forth with Derek we decided to go for it. No regrets.

Tuesday was filled with information, laughs, challenges and new friends. I am now looking at my business through a different set of eyes. My head hurts a little and my lists are long but I am excited to dig deeper and see what I can find.

I truly am thankful for such an opportunity to come my way...I plan to post more, just waiting for some of it to settle in.

We had a quick shoot with these two hotties.

Jasmine and I

Almost done - {Eudora, KS senior pictures}

The school year is so close to the end, summer is near. The very thought makes me smile. Oh and please remind me of that later in the summer when I am begging for routine. As the year wraps up so do the senior pictures for the class of 2011. I really do love to work with the seniors, they are excited for their session and follow direction much better than my kids!

This gal had some serious height on me. I am vertically challenged as it is, then she shows up tall and in heels, I felt like a kindergartener. She could work it too! Rawr.

It was so good to meet you guys, thanks so much for letting me capture you during this fun time in your life! Congrats and good luck!

Ok, I just had to put this on here.

She totally humored me and wore a vintage hat I brought along.

Thanks for putting up with me!

One alley -Baldwin Senior {Lawrence, KS photographer}

Working with a senior boy is so dramatically different than a senior girl. Heck, the difference between boys vs girls starts as early as a newborn session. I love that. It would be very boring if every session was the same.

McKinley couldn't have been more laid back during our session. He had no pre-concieved ideas, no worries about his outfit or his hair. He probably went along with me 30 minutes longer than he wanted but I never knew it. We just walked up and back in an alley downtown behind his moms store. She didn't tag along, she stayed in the store and let us do our thing. But it was a beautiful evening and we had plenty of other company walking by. That in itself is always a little interesting!

Thanks McKinley for hanging with me. Enjoy these last few weeks of High School and best of luck in college!!!

Mother's Day contest - {Lawrence, KS family photographer}

One of the biggest rewards of what I do is meeting wonderful people and creating a gift that will last for years to come. I often see or receive emails from mothers brought to tears when viewing the photos of their children. A time in life captured and frozen to enjoy. But I also know there are so many families out there that I will never meet. So, I wanted to provide an opportunity to a mom and her family, someone who couldn't make this happen on her own. We all have our stories and there are often chapters to our stories that we would not have chosen to write. But each of them helps define who we are and why we are. I have joined together with a couple of other local businesses and we have created a Mothers Day package that is sure to make someone smile!

If you have someone you would like to nominate to receive this great gift please see the details below!

Know a mom who deserves a better Mother's Day than she will probably get? Well, of course all of us deserve a week in the Caribbean sans children and chores, but there are so many moms who never get spoiled, not even a little. Now is your chance to change that. Nominate any mom who fits the description of a hard working, deserving woman and she could win our Mother's Day Package. The package includes:

* A photo session and picture package for her and her family from one of the area's favorite photographers-

Amy Dye Photography

( Value $300)

* Hair and make-up on the day of the photo shoot provided by

Lawrence's DASH Salon & Day Spa

3727 W. 6th Street Suite C Lawrence, KS

(Value $150)

* A sterling sliver necklace hand stamped especially for the mother

by Lawrence Artist Jenny Brown

of BrownBaubles.com

(Value $50)

Just write a short essay between 100-200 words telling us why this person deserves to win. Entries are due by May 2, 2011.

The winner will be chosen on or before May 6, 2011. The winner must be able to travel to Lawrence and will be notified on or before Mother's Day.

To enter, email your essays to: mothersday11@aol.com or send it to

Dash Salon, 3727 W. 6th Street Suite C, Lawrence, KS 66049

All entries must be received by midnight on May 2, 2011

Must be redeemed by September 1, 2011.

So get out your pens or strike the keys of your computer and nominate a Mother you know that would not only enjoy this gift but humbly receive. I can't wait to read the stories and announce the winner!

No blog post can be complete without a photo

Here is my Emme striking a pose on a beautiful spring evening!

Three is the new two - {Lawrence, KS children's photographer}

The moving boxes were not yet unpacked, heck they were barely off the truck! Yet, the mama of this cute face stopped everything to let me capture her daughter, to celebrate being THREE! She contacted me prior to the move and we made the appointment, they just had to get here from Tennessee! Priorities folks, she's got them. Stop and enjoy, the boxes will still be there.

It was chilly on this March morning but she toughed it out and we got some cute shots! Welcome (back ) to Lawrence, I hope we can work together again...maybe when it's a tad warmer!

At least she had this warm and stylish coat to cozy into!

The sweetest curls.

St. Patty's day - {Lawrence, KS photographer}

A parade, Lawrence style. If you know Lawrence you know it will be fun and well ummm, unique. One of the very reasons I love this town. Having gone to college here that of course is another big reason I love Lawrence. The university puts so much energy into this town. I did leave the state of Kansas after graduation and got to experience other parts of the country, to which I am thankful. I always knew that if I came back home to Kansas, Lawrence is where I would want to land. A small town, yet it has so much diversity and spunk. A great place to raise a family.

So, enjoy some photos from our St. Patricks Day parade. It didn't disappoint!

Harper and her buddy Maddy not missing a beat.

March madness in a basketball crazed town is an experience all of it's own!

We love our Hawks and this time of year.

The "real" Jayhawk was in the parade too but was not at a good angle for me.

The Sandbar, yep it is a bar.

If their objective was to make me want to leave this parade and go have a beer with them, they were successful. Unfortunately it was in the middle of the afternoon and I had my kids in tow.

Yes, those horses really were green!

And who doesn't love a cute little "leprechaun"!

Thank you Lawrence. I do love to call you home.