Such a spontaneous kind of day!

This morning I met with an aquaintance-quickly-becoming-friend, Laura. She is the editor of Adirondack Weddings, a local magazine. That's what initially connected us - turns out, she's really cool too. She mentioned that she couldn't hang out long because she was going to do an e-shoot for a friend at a fort. Laura has done shoots in the past that look like such awesome opportunities - and shooting at a fort?!? How cool is that? She wanted a card to pass on to the couple who were only recently engaged (as in two weeks ago?) and are planning a wedding for October. I said I'd be happy to come do the e-shoot if that was helpful. I think that surprised Laura - in a good way. She called her people to double check, I called Ren Man to double check and ask him to bring my gear into Plattsburgh ... and then pick up our daughter at preschool.
All our ducks were lined up in a row and we met at the fort.

 

The fort was magical. So incredible. And such a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The groom has always wanted to see the fort and so it was fun to get pictures but also to explore the fort. Awe-inspiring.
The couple was also incredible and I'm really excited about possibly shooting their wedding in the fall.

 

While hanging out with this very cool couple and feeling overwhelmed by the beauty and image possibilities, Ren Man called the cell phone. Reception is spotty there, at best. I couldn't hear him. I explained that I couldn't hear him and I'd call back later. I was really surprised he'd call. He feels very very strongly about work being work. He wouldn't just call to chat - or see when I was coming home - or anything like that.

The phone kept ringing, but I silenced it, not wanting to interrupt the flow with the couple and knowing I couldn't really hear him.
I finally answered.
DSS needs respite for two kids for a week.
They needed me to confirm.
Yes, yes!

Then I realized that Ren Man has signed up for extra days at work next week.

....

That's okay.
Yes, yes.

Then I realized that at the end of next week we are doing a respite for two other children.
Six kids for two days.

....

That's okay.
Yes, yes.

So I'm thinking everything else will be put on the back burner while intensely parenting ... starting today.

Whew.
It's been adrenaline rush after adrenaline rush around here!

Farm to put an offer on - lots and lots of pictures - LOTS

We went to the house yesterday for one more (TWO HOUR) look before putting an offer on this house.
There was some stress about whether high-speed internet, a necessity for our work and my dad's, would be available.
We now know it is - so it's a go.
We can't wait!!
So much to do, so much excitement.
In The Happiness Project, Gretchen talks about how happiness is increased with the anticipation of something and then we acclimate and it isn't so happiness inducing. She says that gardening is an example of something that can regularly make you happy because of the anticipation (and growth, another contributor to happiness).
We're planning to paint, add shelving, oh - and FARM. Lots of continued anticipation and growth to come.
Lots of happiness already by this looking-for-a-farm-with-my-parents process (and a fair amount of stress) and lots to come (stress is expected too :) )

As a side note on pictures of real estate: it is often terrible not so great.
So during this trip I brought our camera to get a few quick shots.

There are a TON of pictures. I'll put comments ABOVE the picture I'm talking about.

The house from the road (we love the porch, the split rail fence, the not-busy road)

 

My dad, Ren Man, Ren Man's mom walking across the larger meadows towards the house (love the space, the mountains in the background, the old barn)

 

My dad and Ren Man walking along the ridge next to the snow covered pond at the front of the property (it's to the left a little of the house when you're looking at the house but can't see it in the first picture because it's covered in snow)

 

One of the rooms in the barn that has several stalls. There are two other "rooms" at least as large as this one in the barn with additional stalls

 

One of the two haylofts in the barn

 

The front porch

 

Front porch again (so excited about a front porch!)

 

This is right when you walk in the front door - so an entryway. My mom really did not want to walk into a room (dining room or kitchen or living room) but to have a dedicated entry area, and I have to agree. This is perfect. I am SOOO excited about the woodstove. It was essential, in my mind.
There is an office area immediately to your right (you can see the edge of the door frame on the bottom right of this picture), behind the woodstove is the laundry room, half bath and set of stairs, the door straight ahead goes out to a mudroom and work room and wood storage area before going outside near the barn, the kitchen is straight ahead and to the left (you can see one of the cabinets, dishwasher, and sink next to the back door), the dining room is to the left (see the corner of the wall halfway up the picture on the left?)

 

The kitchen. I love how open it is to the house (but not too open) and how light it is. Yes, it's small but efficiently designed.

 

The dining room. There is a wallpaper problem in this house - we're having fun dreaming up what paint to throw on these walls. We're loving the Pottery Barn collection that Benjamin Moore has. To the left is the living room (that I didn't get a picture of) and the stairs straight ahead go to the landing shown four pictures down and leads to our (mine, Ren Man, and the kids bedrooms).

 

This is our bathroom (meaning mine and Ren Man's and the kids) I love the paint color already!

 

My parents bedroom (wallpaper hit hardest here and in their bathroom)

 

My parents bathroom

 

The landing upstairs when you go up the stairs that are in the dining room. I'm so excited about how big this landing is. Straight ahead is the bedroom Ren Man wants us to use (it's in the picture below) (I'm not sure if this one would be better for us or the smaller one in the next picture with the blue border wall paper)

 

Potentially mine and Ren Man's bedroom

 

Or this one:

 

The kid's room (both kids are excited about the bunkbeds ... and are fine when we explain that the bunkbeds don't stay):

 

This is the back door going to the barn. I think the birch bark is so neat.

 

Not pretty but very functional work room for rinsing vegetables and eggs and storing things like egg cartons and scale never mind the space for refrigerator/freezer items.

 

So that's the photo tour. We're in love (despite advice NOT to fall in love before closing). Now we have to wait and hope that the buyers accept our offer.
Maybe seeing these help with ideas for farm name advice? We're still thinking through options. At some point the farm was called: Paradise Corners Farm (the farm is located on a corner of a paved and dirt road). We're not loving that ...

What do you think of it all?

Last Baby Session before our move!

This little guy arrived just in time before our move. I'm so glad he did! I met his family when doing his brother's newborn, 6month, and one year pictures. I was honored to go out to their home and meet their newest addition.
If you want more of the tiny cheeks and an adorable smile for his Momma, click here to go to the Brown Eyed Photography blog entry.

How to choose the best wedding photographer for YOU

Originally posted on April 13, 2011 on the photography blog.

So many decisions when planning a wedding. It's exciting, it's fun...and it's even a little overwhelming. Here is a little help when making the choice of who should be at your wedding capturing the memories of the day.

Your wedding photographer is one of the first people you'll see on your wedding day that will make the day feel like it's really finally here! Your wedding photographer is likely to be one of the last people you see before you walk down the aisle and the first person you see as you walk back down the aisle with your wedding band newly placed on your finger!

When your wedding day is said and done what you'll have left after all of the planning and anticipating and your perfectly executed wedding day will be the images. These will hold your memories and be the piece of your incredible day that gets passed from generation to generation. These are what you'll pull out at anniversaries, on date nights, and just when you're wanting to remember the magic that made your day your day. This is why your photographer choice is important and this is why we take our jobs very very seriously.

Things to look for when choosing a wedding photographer:

Someone who is willing to meet with you, just to get to know you and for you to get to know them. It takes personally meeting with your photographer to determine if they are the best match. Their website or a referral alone won't give the whole perspective.

Consider the photographer's style and skills. Browse their portfolio and blog. Is there consistency? Can they work under a variety of conditions and scenarios? Every photographer has a unique vision - do they provide the "look" that you would like for your wedding images?

Does the photographer work alone or as a team? Josh and I work as a wife-husband team and it rocks. We get to work together doing what we love and our work and life are intermingled. We love that. It shows in our work and our interactions with our clients. We each know where the other is going to be and have no problem critiquing and pushing each other to always improve. Another benefit is allowing your "photographer" to be in two places at once!

How about engagement sessions? We believe pre-wedding engagement sessions are essential and greatly improve both the relationship and the final images. When we've had a couple of hours to hang out with our clients before the intensity of the wedding day - it makes things go that much more smoothly. This is why we include engagement sessions with every wedding service, and would encourage you to invest in an engagement session with whoever you choose to capture the images for your wedding day.

Weddings are a big deal. Make sure your photographer has back up equipment with them. Make sure they have a plan if they are deathly ill and can't make it unexpectedly. Make sure your photographer is insured.

Consider what final products you would like to have. Album? Guest book? Digital files? Wall Portraits? Something else? Something more? There are numerous options and you may want to think through this a little in case there's anything you absolutely must have after (or for) your wedding day. When you know what those products are you can be sure to find a photographer who can provide these items. Product quality is important too.

Think long-term too. You could be planting the seeds of a lasting relationship with someone to be your family's photographer for life.

Above all else, seek out a photographer or team that you like. You're going to be spending a lot of time working together, and you want them to see your day the same way as you do. If you meet with your potential photographer and you lose track of time talking about all sorts of interesting things - consider it a match!

735 pictures later

 

You may have seen on facebook that after an embarrassing lag in print ordering - I managed to sit down and order prints of our life. I haven't had a picture printed since the moment we were pregnant with Farm Girl. So Ark Boy has pictures until 15mos printed and then suddenly - none! Never mind Baby Farm Girl.
Embarrassing.
Ya know ...
considering that whole Photography thing.
What prompted all of this is that while at Imaging, a photo conference hosted by Professional Photographers of America, we listened to several excellent speakers. One talked about the importance of pictures - it may be the last you have of that family member. It doesn't matter that it's not technically perfect or that it's tiny in size - it just matters that you have it.
And I realized that I hadn't printed pictures for us in a l-o-n-g time. And we haven't backed them up - at all - ever. We back up Brown Eyed Photography client proofs - definitely. But not our personal images. Ren Man wants me to cull before we back up. That's super overwhelming! With over 16k personal pictures (so not including BEP) - yeah, overwhelming.
But I went through and ordered 735 and now - even if our hard drive was wiped ... it would be okay.
I just have to remember that I ordered up until March 2011 when I'm ready to order again in 3 years ;)

Valdale Farm

 

Before we left Vermont for our adventures in RI we knew we'd want to go back to VT - specifically to farm.
Now the time has come for us to move and launch our farm life.
So we made a website for the farm.
I'd love to hear what you think of the site (all constructive criticism welcomed and considered!)

If you'd like to follow us through this transition and beyond feel free to subscribe to the farm blog. That blog will detail what's going on as far as the farm is concerned and I'll continue to blog here about our family life (current big family challenge is home schooling decisions!) and of course the photography blog here.
Yes, three blogs.
I'm only slightly embarrassed.
So if you'd like to stalk us to the fullest there's this Mommy Do It! blog, then the farm blog and finally the photography blog. Comments are welcome (and encouraged!) on all three.

First beach day of the summer...

... and probably last.
We're just not big beach people.
But we might have to change that.
Ark Boy announced on the way to the car that he doesn't go the playground, he goes to the beach.
Uh oh.
We're in trouble.

It was actually a ton of fun.
We went for a photo shoot with friends (you can see more here) and decided to make an afternoon/evening of it complete with a sandy picnic dinner.
Makes me tempted to do this again.
Maybe.
Oh- and while there our friend took a few family pictures of us (an accomplishment considering Ark Boy turned into a wild and crazy child that could comprehend nothing but the call of the water!).
I'm thinking of having one of them printed but can't decide between two of them....
They're similar... you'll see. I'll post them both tomorrow... or maybe Tuesday and you can vote for the image to print.

Brown Eyed Photography

As most of you know I've been taking my photo hobby to a whole new level.
I have been being slightly hush hush about the website because there were so many things I wanted to update on it.
Well updating is finished and I see a couple more things I'd like to tweak.
In the mean time check out Brown Eyed Photography and let me know what YOU think.