{back, refreshed, and awake...almost}

Taken by Kyle...shot in auto mode, but from a creative angle that he came up with all by himself. Hilary was so proud!
Obligatory "stand in front of the cool door" shot...holding a bag of key lime-flavored rum cakes that Hilary forgot to take from him. Heather and Hannah would have noticed this! Where were they?
A shot for good measure...just in case Kyle failed to take a decent photo of his wife. Artsy black and white shot of a towel stingray.

Awake enough to post a couple of pictures and entertain children who are tickled to pieces not to have homework for the next three weeks. Hilary and Heather will be doing the "School's In" dance when we ship them back to their classrooms after the long vacation...but that'll be a whole 'nother post!

going. under. cover.

For those who haven't been keeping up with the latest at the bakery, the girls of evy & grace are going under cover...literally. We're through with Christmas sessions, through with deliveries (almost) and ready to catch up on rest.

If you are expecting a package, the contents of which includes precious gift items for Christmas, you can rest, too...everything is on target to arrive and be delivered before Christmas. If you send email or call and don't get a timely response, we'll follow up as soon as we awaken from our under-cover work...we mean sleep! :)

Before Hilary heads off for her cruise, she would like to leave the following note to D-Rock...
I'M COMING TO SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!

You all should go see Derek, too! In case you haven't heard, he's the proud new owner of 180 Fitness...THE place to get in shape this holiday season...before it's too late. Fruitcake, hot-cocoa, and Christmas candy can do terrible things to your physique! And we hear cruises aren't good for the body either. YIKES!

I Have Three Children to Love...

so why do I always photograph this one? Perhaps because she understands that the camera is an extension of my arm. Perhaps because she grew up thinking that camera equals pose. At any rate, she's the most cooperative one I have when it comes to practicing new skills and trying out new props...so you just have to look at her again! I promise to try wrangling the other two and getting some holiday snapshots soon.

Of UFO's and Aliens...

OK...don't ask. Just playing around with food coloring, pumpkins that have somehow managed to stay firm well past Thanksgiving, a bathtub...and a willing alien.

Lady

Just getting around to taking a look at these shots taken earlier in December. This is wintertime in Florida...sunny afternoons spent playing in the sprinkler and collecting ladybugs. Maybe the fact that it's 80 degrees outside, combined with the mad rush of Christmas sessions that just passed, has me wanting to skip right to Valentine's Day! Or maybe it's the fact that I haven't even begun to do my holiday shopping? At any rate, thought you all might need another smile at Evy's expense.

XOXO...

OK...we might be taking a break, but that doesn't mean that we're not thinking ahead to 2008. Valentine's Day is right around the corner and we'll be available for a limited number of exclusive, sweet-themed sessions for little ones. The experience will consist of cookie decorating, card-making, and picture taking. Your little one will receive a special invitation from the gals of evy & grace and will attend an hour of fun and games in an undisclosed location. Photos will range from documentary to posed. The entire experience will require an investment of $150 with products valued at $225! Email us for the nitty gritty.

A One Horse Open WHAT?

My little one posed yesterday for some "Feliz Navidad" photos just for fun. She was humming Jingle Bells and strumming the mandolin while hamming it up for the camera. I wasn't paying much attention to what she was singing, but rather trying out new settings on the beast in my hands called a new camera!

This afternoon, her teacher asked me to have her sing the song again for me...apparently they've been singing Jingle Bells in pre-school. Mrs. Gwen, I'm not quite sure what it is she's saying after one-horse-open....but it's not sleigh. Actually the words one, horse, and open aren't even in her version. :)

It always cracks me up how children snurble through lyrics they don't know! I leave you with Evy's rendition of an old holiday favorite. Have a laugh on Ev.

Jingle bells, Jingle bells, Jingle all the way

Oh much fun, tee is to ride

To wait itself in slay, HEY!

Jingle bells, Jingle bells, Jingle all the way

Oh much fun, to is to right

To want itself today!

And the winner is...

Christopher, you win the award for "Happiest Child Photographed in 2007", hands down!!

I'm teary-eyed, looking through pictures from yesterday's session, and reminded just how fortunate I am that my children face such small challenges compared to this little guy's. The world is a better place with compassionate people like you and your family, K! And the sun shines a little bit brighter when Christopher smiles! Thank you for a special session!

NEWS!

Boy do we have it!!!

1. Our new site is finally live! Work that started in late September has finally come to fruition...well...almost. We'll be working out glitches over the next few weeks, customizing things a bit, and making some changes and additions to the site. But for now...you can enjoy bigger images, cooler music, individualized proofing galleries, a calendar, a shopping cart, and frequent updates.

2. We are wrapping up the 2007 year...no pun intended. The last of the pretty, ribbon-adorned portrait packages are being delivered this week. Thanks so much for your patience during this busy holiday season!

3. We are no longer booking appointments between now and January 21st. If you are in need of our services in the early part of 2008, contact us right away so we can reserve a spot for you. Don't worry, people...we'll still be sharing images here! We will finally have a chance to photograph our own families and friends during this festive time...keep posted by visiting us often over the next few weeks. (OH...and we do still have a couple of sessions left in 2007!)

4. Due to higher demand and upgraded camera equipment and props, we will be unveiling a new pricing structure in the coming year. Minimum investment (including session fee) will start at $225. Packages start at $500 and offer the utmost flexibility. Print prices will start at $15. Basic session fees will start at $125. Anyone who books between now and the new year will fall under the new fee and price structure. If you have already scheduled an appointment in 2008, we will honor our previous pricing.

5. We have an official space to call home! Our new studio is located on Highway 20 in Blountstown. Stay tuned for details about our open house...sometime in early 2008.

6. If you attempt to reach Hilary in the coming weeks and she doesn't relpy in a timely fashion...fear not. Hilary and her patient, devoted husband will be cruising to The Bahamas before Christmas. Bon Voyage!