out sick. and celebrating Christmas.

Posted on December 20, 2010

I am about a week late in getting a few welcome packets mailed out, I have two orders that need to go in the mail, I have numerous emails to answer and we still have sessions to shoot+edit before Christmas (plus 4 sessions the week after Christmas).

But this week each of my kids has been sick. Like takes all your time, can’t do much else sick.

It started Tuesday night at midnight when I had just laid down for bed and Bailey started throwing up. Which she did 9 times between 12am-5am. Which meant Chris and I didn’t get one wink of sleep. Which meant Wednesday I was useless. How did I ever pull all-nighters in college and still have energy for LIFE the next day? MAN!

Then Thursday Grayson’s eye was oozing green gunk like no ones business and then he ran a fever, started coughing and had a runny nose. Thursday night he was up a LOT which meant another sucktastic night sleep. Friday morning he woke up miserable so I got him in to the doctor who had NO idea what was wrong with him. Literally she’d never seen an eye infection like his before. And neither had the other doctors she brought in to look at him! So they put him on some kind of crazy high powered antibiotic I’ve never heard of (and we’ve had lots of antibiotics!) which has actually cleared it up, thank goodness! If it wasn’t better today we were going to have to have an emergency optometrist apt!

And then last night, around 3am, Parker started throwing up. It’s 8am and I think she might be done, if she’s anything like Bailey who had this bug FAST and VIOLENT! But three nights of little or no sleep in less than a week?

SUCKS.

SO.

For those of you waiting for a welcome packet… it’s coming. At some point. And if you want the info right away email me at jodie@freshartphotography.com and I’ll email it to you. For those waiting for an email I’ll try to catch up on that today. For those waiting for a package… I’ll send C to the post office later! And if you want to come pick up an order, I can leave it out on the porch so you don’t get this germ!

Thanks for your patience… we had a TON of sessions in November and we said a while back on the blog that we don’t promise Christmas delivery if you ordered after November 1st… but we’re trying our best to get as much out as we can! Sick kids derailed those plans a bit.

ALSO we are closing shop from December 22nd to January 4th. Of course we have like 5 sessions in that time! And of course I’ll TRY to answer emails but if I don’t I will catch up on Jan 4th when work resumes. We’ve been SO busy the last few months with December being no exception somehow that we need a little time to celebrate the season and enjoy our families.

And we will be blogging some sneak peeks and personal stuff… if we get around to it! If not the blog will sit quiet for a little while and that’s ok too. Sometimes sick kids, no school, parties+celebrations, church, gift wrapping, cookie baking, movie nights and CHRISTMAS needs to come before blogging! But you know me… I can’t stay away too long!

OH!

And if you are a Kirkwood family I have to tell you this news in case you haven’t heard… Magic Market is going OUT OF BUSINESS on the first of the new year!!! GONE! FOREVER! OMG I almost cried when I heard the news! Those sandwiches are my FAVORITE. They were my biggest craving during pregnancy! Anyway, go get a sandwich! Or one every day while you can!

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The Fresh Class or HOW TO USE YOUR CAMERA YOUR AWESOME HUBBY GOT YOU FOR CHRISTMAS!

Posted on December 16, 2010

We get emails ALL THE TIME asking if we’re going to offer our Fresh Class again and WE ARE!

And we wrap a DAMN GOOD gift certificate if you want to ask for this for Christmas!

SO here’s the deal.

JANUARY 22nd. Saturday. 1pm.

Leave your kids napping at home (if you have kids that can nap at home) with your husband (or your wife or friend or sitter), grab your camera (it must be a DSLR, Nikon or Cannon is best) and your COAT (because it’s January!) and come to the studio (that we’re working on renovating) for a SUPER fun afternoon!

Did that make sense?

At our Fresh Class we teach you the basics of your camera. How to shoot in MAUAL, how to NOT shoot in AUTO and how to understand+fall in love with photography again. Because we were in your shoes once. When we wanted to take good photos and had tons of great opportunities because of our kids but then got them printed at WALGREENS and were disappointed. Constantly. We will also teach you why you shouldn’t print photos at Walgreens! HA!

Anyway, we had three classes this summer and loved all of them! We have fun, eat great food (only because I don’t cook! it’s potluck!) and talk about all things cameras!

And now we’ve decided to offer one this winter. Because we’re tough and can stand the cold for little bits at a time!

SO. If you’re interested or know someone that’s interested let us know and we’ll get you a gift certificate for the holidays! If we book solid (8-10 total per class) we’ll open up one in February also!

Saturday, January 22nd at 1pm (usually about 3 hours) and the cost is $150.

Be there or be… sucky at taking photos! HA! Kidding! Just come and learn a ton and win a door prize!

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Designer Jules | St. Louis Maternity Photographers

Posted on December 15, 2010

Julia just sent us her Christmas card she designed for this year and it’s so cute we just had to share! HERE was her maternity session and check out her cute card!

I love having crazy talented clients!

Just look at what she did last year HERE!

And read her blog HERE too! She makes tons of cute things you might want to check out!

In other non-cute news Bailey was hit by the worst stomach bug I’ve seen in a while! She threw-up 9 times last night which means C and I got no sleep. Poor guy is at school getting through finals and grading and coaching and even scouting late tonight on maybe one hour of sleep. I feel drugged I’m so tired but at least I get to be in my jammies and not at work! She’s kept down some Cheerios so I hope we’re past it and I am praying that no one else gets it! UGH! I can handle most things but stomach bugs kill me. Heading off to nap instead of eat… I have no appetite and I think it’s because I’m scared of what could come back up!

I’m ready for Wednesday to be over!

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Tom & Sharon | St. Louis Maternity Photographers

Posted on December 13, 2010

Have you ever been SO excited for something you think about it every single day? Like Christmas was when you were a kid. Or how it is now when you have kids. Well, waiting for the Johnston’s to have this baby is WAY bigger than any of that. I literally think about this bambino every day. I can’t wait to hold this baby most of all! Really, I imagine what it will feel like to see Sharon in labor and to hear whether it’s a GIRL or BOY and I imagine Tom’s face when they hold that baby up and seeing their family get to come meet him or her for the first time. ALL OF IT. Is magical. And all of it unfolds in my brain every day like a beautiful painting just itching to be painted. Like my mind won’t sit still until I can capture these moments I know will unfold in just a couple short weeks. Days. Less than a month. I can’t wait.

And I know I’m going to ball my eyes out the ENTIRE time because Tom and Sharon have been parents without a baby for far too long now. And this baby is the luckiest baby around!

But before we get to be there for the birth (I will be in the c-section and Kim will be capturing all the amazing moments happening in the waiting room… then we’ll shoot together once the baby’s here!) we had to get some maternity shots for them! And of course we HAD to do it on the coldest day of the year! Or so we thought! Today it was 4 degrees when I woke up so TODAY would have been much much worse, but the big old 28 that it was last weekend was bad enough! And OH MAN you should have heard Tom complain! Such a chick. HA!

Anyway, I hope you all like these images. This is one of my favorite sessions simply because I couldn’t love Tom or Sharon any more than I do. We are literally family now. And it’s bittersweet because I would give them up in a heartbeat to get Seamus back, since that’s why and how I met them, but if God wanted Seamus home I’m so blessed to have been able to be a part of their world at that time. Because they are the biggest blessing to Chris and I now. Amazing friends. I love you sister!

The best part of photographing these two? It’s SO easy to get REAL and GENUINE smiles out of them! Watch for Tom’s incredible laughing smile… it’s HANDS DOWN the best smile ever. And that’s saying a lot because I married Chris because of his smile… but I think Tom has him beat! Sorry C! Love you! Tom just smiles with his entire face… watch for it!

Kim’s view above and my view below…

MY FAVORITE! That shot above is SO them! Print this one BIG guys!

I love you! I hope you love your photos!

BABY JOHNSTON COMING SOON!!!

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Andrew | St. Louis Newborn Photographers

Posted on December 12, 2010

We were SO lucky to get Anne’s call for a super last minute newborn session because even though Andrew was already three weeks old (we like to shoot newborns in the first week) he was PERFECT and his parents were awesome! He was awake a bit but being a little older he was SO cute and smiley! And truly, once he fell asleep he was a champ! It was a freezing cold+wet day so it was really nice to be cozy in the studio with a sweet baby and great conversation with Anne and Tim. AND we’re so excited that they booked our Baby Plan so we get to see them all year! If Andrew is this great at all his sessions it will be a breeze!

Let’s start this sneak peek with my FAVORITE from the session! Look at his little face!

SO cute!

Thanks so much for braving the weather you guys… it could have been in the SNOW so the cold rain was a bit better at least! HA! We can’t wait to see you in a few months again!

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holding on. | St. Louis Birth Photographers

Posted on December 11, 2010

We just HAD to share this image (with permission of course from the momma!) because hands down it is our favorite birth photo ever taken!