Hat Trick

What can I say..this little man just won my heart! As if he just isn't adorable enough, the four different hats Mom brought for him just pushed the "awww" factor over the edge for me. And I'm sorry... my hubby has a strict "no sweater vest" policy (Liem's Dad just so happens to not be the biggest fan of those, either), but the little golfer look? C'mon! That just rocks!

So glad I got to meet this family ... so sad they're leaving so soon! I wish them all the happiness in their new adventures. Thanks for a fun morning!

On the "biz" side of things...I picked the three different color variations for this post to show off some different options I give clients in their galleries. I love the different "feels" they create. I also have a fabulous new mounting option I'm adding to your options...the float wrap! I ordered one for my studio to see what it was like and I just l-o-v-e it. I'll be posting a pic of it soon on here for you to see. I've also done a few gallery wraps lately with wording going around the edge...loving how that looks , too! I'll get some pics of those up as well.

Desert Diva

Some more fun from Friday's session...

...She was so excited for the pink dress...then she got it on, and she was like a runaway bride! Got some cute ones of her sporting the dress with some funky fun boots, but I couldn't resist posting this one, though, since it "summed up" how she just kept wanting to go see what her brothers were up to off to the side! (girl after my own heart..cool dress, cool shoes, and playing in the dirt!) I just love how the pink popped in the desert...

...and when you have the dress & the shoes, you can't forget the sunglasses! This girl's got "diva" down pat and I love it!

Desert Blooms

Headed out bright and early on Friday AM to Rainbow Basin...my new favorite spot here in the Mojave. I had such a great time with these three ... they have such a cool dynamic going ... so fun to watch the whole brother/sister thing ... but you can also tell they genuinely love each other and have a lot of fun together.

We did a lot of group shots, but of course some individual shots as well...and I was psyched that the sky cooperated again this week and had some cool cloud action going on for me! The color versions are beautiful...but since I know Mom was looking for some black & white images for her home I wanted to post these. (besides, I just love black & white...it's so timeless and really creates a "story telling" feel in my opinion)

I'm sure I'll be posting some of the individual shots as well...I just started proofing this AM, and wanted to make sure to get some sneak peeks up to start out the week...

{sigh}

There are moments in life that take your breath away, and then there are moments that just plain cause you to stop breathing. When you feel like getting hit by a speeding train would be a lot less painful...when there aren't enough tears to make it feel better...when having someone to hug is about the only thing that matters. It was like that this week {sigh}.


It's taken me a week to be able to write these words. Somehow, as painful as it is to say them to my parents and close friends, writing them just seems to be so much harder - so permanent, so in your face, so unable to be erased. But maybe that's what I need...to just write it, get it out, breath again, and move on...


The cancer is still there. And now there's areas in my hubby's chest that are concerning the Drs. as well. So, we're holding our breath until Thursday when we can sit down with them and plan the new battle. To say I feel blindsided is a gross understatement - I really felt in my heart that everything was great, and that the results from the CT scan were going to be that the chemo was a 100% success and we could have our lives back.


But Mike's a fighter. He's proven that more times than anyone should ever have to...and he'll prove it again. And I'll put on my war paint and go back to battle with him. I refuse to let the huge wave of dissapointment crush us. Refuse. Mike and I both have stubborn sides (ask our parents), and in this case it's a good thing.


We've got amazing friends and family, two goofy pets that keep us laughing, careers that we love, and most importantly each other. So we're set.


And since it's friends and family that are in this battle with us, (and since I can't stand to not end on a positive note), here's a photo from back in April. My brother, niece, and sis (in-law) came out to see us. We were hanging out in Coronado...I just love Dayna's laugh in this. Both she and Julianna were being entertained by my hubby. He's just that guy that always makes people smile.

A Little "R & R"...

I was able to sneak away for some "me" time this past Sunday morning...grabbed the camera, my hubby's truck, cranked the radio (oh! a radio ... awesome! My car's radio doesn't work so this was a thrill to have!), and hit up Rainbow Basin, the Harvey House, and some of the cool motel signs on Route 66. I'm doing a road trip up to Napa Valley with my hubby in August, so I'm definetly in the "road trip" frame of mind right now; the little 30 min drive to Rainbow Basin was a good little way to wet my whistle while I wait for the trip to finally get here...

On another little note...I posted a call for models on Facebook! Better check it out for the details...first come, first serve...(if you haven't already become a fan, I'm at Missie Jurick Photography-Sunflower Studio on there)...

Find me on Facebook!

I've had a personal Facebook page for a while now, and finally had some time tonight to create one for the studio, too! (It's under "Missie Jurick Photography - Sunflower Studio." ) Yeah for free time!

I'll be using the page to add little tidbits about the studio, post upcoming events, and give personal comments about some of my favorite images...AND now you'll be able to show off even more pics from your session on your facebook page! Become a fan, and once images from your session are posted to my page I'll be able to quickly "tag" you. Viola! Instant gratification....if only all of life were that easy!

I'll still be writing here, and of course posting my studio "sneak peeks." Studio promotions and announcements will also still be here, but I think they easily get "lost" on the blog. Having them not get buried under new posts will make it easier for you to stay up to speed. (plus you never know....I'm taking some more classes in the fall, so I may just be putting out a call for models on there for some homework assignments!...that means free sessions as a "thank you" for letting me borrow you for a bit! Whoa!)

OK...off to lala land I go! G'night!

Life Behind the Lens

It's been just about a month since Mike had his last chemo treatment; tomorrow he has his CT scan, and then we'll just have to hold our breaths a few days longer until the results come in. We're feeling confident that everything worked the way it was supposed to, and that life can truly start getting back to normal. (I must admit, though, that I will kinda miss his bald head... when he's thinking and get those cute little forehead wrinkles of his it just looks extra kissable with the naked noggin'!)



Eventhough there's still a long road ahead - additional surgery & 7 years of monitoring - it's been such a release emotionally and physically to know that the chemo side of life is over for us. We've been able to hit the gym more, eat veggies again (Mike had to avoid raw fruit/veggies while on chemo), and not feel so panicked about germs in public places. Our butts even survived a 5k on the 4th! (and we've run the equivalent several times since...) I feel like my old aerobaholic self is starting to weasel her self back through all these cobwebs! Whooohooo!



With all this comes revived inspirations & thoughts floating through my head,(as I wrote that I had flashbacks to childhood car trips in the ol' stationwagon...I can hear my brother's cracks about "smelling smoke" right now...), and even better, some actual free time to act on it!

Today I rediscovered an old love - Shel Silverstein poems. So, I just wanted to share one of my favorites with you, (I have many). This is from "Where the Sidewalk Ends"

Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me Too

Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too
Went for a ride in a flying shoe.
"Hooray!"
"What fun!"
"It's time we flew!"
Said Ickle, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.

Ickle was Captain, and Pickle was crew
And Tickle served coffee and muligan stew
As higher
And higher
And higher they flew,
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.

Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too
Over the sun and beyond the blue.
"Hold on!"
"Stay in!"
"I hope we do!"
Cried Ickle, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.

Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too
Never returned to the world they knew,
And nobody
Knows what's
Happened to
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.

More Sweetness....

I just had to share a few more!

Splish, splash...

A few more from this session....I've been dying to use this little tub I bought, and finally got a chance...

Ah! I want one!!

Tuesday was just the best day ... I had two precious little gems to cuddle and coo over... definetely the "baby fix" that I was needing!! This is the second time I've been able to shoot this little sweetness...and I just can't get enough of her! She's at that super fun stage...and that belly! Oh just so perfectly baby!!!

Little Lyra

Such sweetness! 2 month old "Bean," as her Mom & Dad call her, was definetly not wanting to be on her tummy at all - she just wanted to stretch out those arms and legs and wiggle away. She fell right to sleep, though, when she got all snuggled in on the swirly pillow...