Here’s a little peek:

And, of course, just when you think you have lots of headbands, bows, pettis and rompers, wouldn’t you just know that I had very little in Julia’s “colors.”  Well, dang, I guess I need to do a little more prop shopping

Consider me blessed! How lucky was I that this adorable little two year old was my first client in the new studio!

I have a few little bugs to work out in the studio and am still familiarizing myself with where I put everything, but overall, my “test” sessions went great!!

I love my new studio and am especially excited about the convenience of the set-up/take down. No more loading and hauling my gear

Once a month (maybe more, maybe less) I’ll be posting a special. You never know what I’ll be offering, but I can guarantee this is a good one!

Call or email me to take advantage of this super April special!

I signed the lease just a little over two weeks ago and immediately got to work transforming a very boring location into a space that is now bright, fun and ME!! I definitely had a vision!

Here’s a little peak of the before:

and the after:

And a little peek into my prop room:

And the not so exciting, rather bland outside. I have a sign ordered (although I don’t it is going to help the outside much)

I’m located at #17 Camp Evers Lane, in the Camp Evers Center, Scotts Valley.

I need to give a couple of REALLY BIG thank you’s!  First, to my husband for all of the support and encouragement (and the many take out dinners). To my girls, who are my biggest fans! To my sister for all of her support and fun times during the many shopping trips and helping me move into the studio. Again to my sister and nephew for helping me with the painting! And to my nephew Jeff, who without his handyman skills, I would not have my space complete! Thank you all, I truly appreciate all of the support and help in making my studio a reality!!

But, the week (and my mood) quickly got better. Little things throughout the week filled me with encouragement.

On Monday afternoon, a friend texted me to tell me that I have encouraged her on her weight loss journey. She said that at the age of 40, she had about given up, but that seeing my posts (and knowing I’m well over 40) she decided it was time. No more excuses! She’s now down 25 pounds and putting me to shame!!

On Tuesday, I got an unexpected “thank you” gift in the mail. It’s always fun to get presents!

On Wednesday evening (after I did my “freezer cooking”) post, I got an email from another blogger asking me to help her with some photography on a couple of her new recipes for an e-cookbook she is putting together. Sorry, I can’t share much yet, her recipes are still confidential, but am hopeful to do a full blog post in the near future with the complete how to on her recipes. They sound delicious!

Thursday, I got to babysit my sweet little niece. She is an absolute doll and I enjoyed every minute of her repeating everything I said

This is all not to mention the fabulously supportive family I have at all times!

Today I found out a friends son is cancer free!! Way to go Wilson!!

And then, in today’s mail I received a thank you card for a shower gift. Nice, yes, but it get’s better…….this is what was written inside the card……..

“I also want to say what an amazing mom you are to have raised Jamie to be so thoughtful and giving to her friends. She is an amazing blessing in my life and your must receive some credit for that! ”

And tomorrow, my sister and I are going flea marketing, to a Stella & Dot party and lunch at a great restaurant, and finishing the afternoon with a pedicure!!

Yes, my heart is full!!

Got to go, my hubby is due home soon and it’s date night!!

*Sorry for my lack of pics on this post!

Sedona and her family are good friends with my daughter and her baby girl Leighton (yes, the little cutie who put our food in the clothes dryer). Anyways, Sedona was recently dedicated at church and little Miss Leighton was in the back of the church and as soon as Sedona and her family walked up to the front of the church, Leighton got so excited and from the back of the church, was waiving and yelling, “HI, HI, HI!!” I can just picture her now, sweet little girl, screaming HI to her friend from the back of the church! This is the same little girl, who was in the nursery last week and had a diaper blow out. Without a change of clothes, she finished her church morning in her diaper, a t-shirt and cardigan and her little black shoes. Oh my sweet Leigh Leigh!

Ok, back to Sedona. She was a bit stingy on smiles, but I’m still loving the shots we got. And I know that her Mama isn’t going to complain that we didn’t get a ton of shots, this was more of a mini-session and was my gift to them for Sedona’s dedication.

When I was down in SB last week, I hauled down the basics and did a couple of mini sessions. One was for my daughter and her baby girl. I don’t think we’ve done any since her newborn photos.

Here’s baby girl. I guess I’m going to need to stop calling her that soon, because in another 3 months she is going to have a new little girl cousin, who will then be the newest “baby girl.”

And then of course, since B was all geared up to play some ball, we thought it only appropriate to grab a shot of him too!

The following day he got his first “at the barber, big boy haircut.” Bye bye shaggy mop!!

I don’t think Baby Girl is going to need a haircut for a long time. Not much there

The week prior to our big adventure we started brainstorming and browsing the internet for ideas. We decided to freeze a few crock-pot meals and also a few regular meals. She works full time as a 2nd grade school teacher, has a toddler and is expecting baby #2, so needless to say she is tired by the end of the day and her quantity time in the kitchen most weekdays is nearly non-exist. Her husband was very excited to know that they now had homemade meals in the freezer!

We started off the morning making our grocery list, then hit the store. Of course, we had little Miss L with us and she doesn’t care for being in the cart very long, so our shopping experience was an experience in itself! In hind site, we should have shopped the day before.

Once home we organized our goods.

Next we began our prep.

We chopped and diced.

And rolled meatballs.

And dropped breakfast cookies onto the baking sheet.

If ever we couldn’t find an ingredient, we looked in the clothes dryer. Yes, Leighton, you’ve been caught red-handed!

Hours later we were still chopping, stirring, baking, simmering, measuring, and bagging.

In total, we made:

Mini ham & cheese quinoa cups   (2 dozen)

Slow cooker chicken and dumplings   (2 gallon freezer bags)

No flour breakfast cookies (2 dozen)

Healthy Mama BBQ Chicken  (2 gallon freezer bags)

Stephanie’s Goulash

Beef Pepperoncini French Dip Sandwiches  (2 gallon freezer bags)

Honey Garlic chicken

Slow Cooker Ribs (2 gallon freezer bags)

Apricot Chicken (2 gallon freezer bags)

And:

About 4 dozen meatballs

Homemade spaghetti sauce

Out of the meatballs and sauce, 2 baked penne casseroles were assembled. One bag of meatballs and sauce for meatball subs, and one gallon bag of sauce for spaghetti.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup (2 gallon freezer bags).

And some extra cooked chicken is in the freezer ready for a pot of Chicken Tortilla Soup.

Whoa!!!! Are you tired yet?  We sure were!!

By the end of the day our freezers were stuffed!!!! This is just a portion of it!

So far the baked penne w/meatballs was a hit! As was the chicken noodle soup!

Leighton loved the healthy breakfast cookies. I found them to be just so-so.

We didn’t care much for the quinoa cups

I’ll keep you posted on everything else as it is consumed.