Beautiful family session...

The best part about being in business for over three years now is that I have repeat clients.  These families know me, and the kids are immediately comfortable.  I've had a super fun week with lots of repeat clients.  Everyone is at ease, and they make me feel like part of the family.

It was great seeing this family again.  I am always in awe of Judy.  She is one of those women who make mothering look so easy...and we know that's not the case!  She and John are both such calm parents.  When I'm with them, I make a mental note to be more like them in my home.  Their kids are very fortunate.

I'm not posting any images of the family, because I'm sure Judy is already thinking about her Christmas card.

First day of school...

I wish I could say that the first day was just completely awesome.  I can't. 

The 8 AM bus is really early for my guy.  He is not a morning person.  I caught this on my cell phone.

He literally looks green in every shot I took, and it's not my camera that was the problem.

He started to wake up a bit as his friends joined us at the bus stop.

There was some excitement when he saw the bus coming up the street.

He got on the bus without a problem...no tears or hesitation.

Here he is giving the sign for "I love you" that he learned from Papa Tony.

Dan and I jumped in the car to meet the bus at school and walk him to his classroom.  That went well.  He seemed to be anxious for us to leave. 

The problems really started when the bus arrived to bring him home, and he wasn't on it.  There was confusion about his bus number, and he was taken off of his correct bus and placed on another that visits our subdivision.  My neighbors reassured me that he would be on the next bus just minutes behind.  We waved it down to be sure it would stop, and he was on it.  He seemed very happy when he got off...despite the bus confusion. 

We came inside and talked a bit.  I then got on the phone to the school and bus company to try to resolve the confusion.  It took a few calls, but I'm relieved to say that we won't have these problems today. 

I opened Jake's lunch to clean out the empty containers and noticed that NOTHING was eaten.  Not a single bite.  I asked him about it and got that answer that he just wasn't hungry all day.  That is SO not like him.  Jake is a BIG eater.  He ate some back to school cookies that I made for him...just like my mom use to do on the first day of school.

Then he ate the lunch that had been packed and had to run off to soccer practice.

I'm thinking that he probably just hit the wall after practice.  He jumped in the shower,  got out, and then yelled to me from upstairs.  "Every other kid in the lunchroom had a note from their mommy in their lunchbox except me!"  OH MY WORD!  My heart was broken!  It never even occurred to me to include a note for my kindergartener...who can't read!  This was a huge mommy fail...huge!  Take this as a lesson if your little one hasn't started school yet...don't forget the note on the first day! 

I tried to make it up to him with a big giant ice cream cone after his shower.  (Of course, he has a very fancy note today.  I colored hearts and rainbows...included a sticker...and taped a Hershey's kiss to it.)

At bedtime he was weepy, but I really think he was totally playing me.  He is such a mommy's boy, and he was laying it on thick.  He doesn't like kindergarten.  He doesn't want to go back.  He wants to go back to preschool.  He wishes he could just ride the bus around and around and not have to go to school.  On and on it went.

This morning he was on the verge of tears when I was helping him with his shoes.  He did get on the bus and waved without a problem.  My fingers are crossed that today is a really good day for him.

Let's hope he eats lunch!! 

Happy Anniversary...

I just love this sweet family!  They make me feel like I'm part of it when we get together.  I get hugs, and love you's, and we blow kisses.  It's so awesome! 

Kelly asked me if we could do Brooklyn's 2nd birthday pictures at the spot where she and Shaun got engaged.  It's also their 10th anniversary.  What a special way to celebrate it!  We did birthday pictures for sweet Brooklyn and family shots.  Then Papa took Brooklyn, so we could do some anniversary pictures. 

Thanks for including me during this special time, Kelly and Shaun.  Enjoy your trip, and I wish you many, many more happy years together.  You make an incredible team!

This bench is the exact spot where they got engaged! :)

Lauren...

Soon after I started my business,  Lauren's mom booked a family session.  We had such a great time together, and I remember that we talked about senior pictures.  It seemed pretty far down the road.  I think Lauren was just starting her freshman year.  So...we blinked...and now she's a senior.  Funny how that happens, right? 

We totally lucked out and had a cool and cloudy August evening for shooting.  They had a few spots in mind, and so did I.  We even hit a couple of spots that we just happened to pass. 

Lauren...you are such a sweetheart!  I'm so excited for you!  Enjoy this year and good luck planning for next year and beyond!

Katie...

I started off my very busy month of August with the beautiful Katie.  The best part about shoots with senior women is that they are so excited!!  They've done so much work ahead of time to get ready for the shoot.  They plan their outfits and accessories so carefully...and...they really want to be there!  Each time I arrive at a senior shoot, I can help but think of how honored I am that I was chosen to take these very special images.  I love hearing about the plans for their senior year and beyond.

Katie and her mom met me at one of my very favorite locations.  I haven't been there in awhile, so that made it even more of a treat.

How cute is this golf team uniform!!

Good luck this year, Katie!  I can't wait to hear what's next!

Blogging in the summer...

I've decided blogging in the summer is not for me.  It kept nagging at me all summer long, but it was at the bottom of my list.  I purposely kept my July light.  I wanted plenty of time to hang at the pool with my little man.  We did just that.  We had lots of play dates, pool time, and other adventures.  Now as we approach the start of school, I'm ready to pick it back up.  I'm hoping to individually blog each fall session I have. 

I posted some of my Florida favorites, but here's a link to our video if you would like to see all of my vacation images.  I'll warn you...it's long!  9 minutes!  I should have done an abbreviated version to share.

Marco Island 2013

In addition to this family vacation, Dan and I went away to celebrate our 25th anniversary.  We had not traveled without a kid in 20 years.  I can't believe we let that much time go by.  It won't happen again!  I want to try to get away every year or two.  

We went to Sarasota.  It's a place we use to love, but we hadn't been there in 12 years.  We had a BLAST!  I took my camera along...as well as a new lens...and hardly touched them.   I documented the entire trip on my iPhone.  So...the quality isn't the best, but I am in most of the shots.  That was what was important.

Sorry I didn't spend the time to make a nice little collage of the images.  That would be pushing it. 

This sign now hangs on my son's door.  Someone is getting too big.

 Another sign that he is too big...we bought him his own alarm clock.  That is like a rite of passage. Boo.  I am hoping it will help us avoid some morning conflicts when school starts next week.  Jake and I are not morning people.  It can get ugly fast. 

Those are both iPhone shots.  I've been using my phone almost exclusive on Project 365.  Yes...I'm actually caught up on that project.  The shots are taken and dated and filed.  Doing it on my phone made it that much easier.

As I said before, I did work a bit in July, and here are a few of my favorites. 

If you haven't checked out my website in awhile, take a peek.  I updated it lots of favorite images from this past year.

Gigi Wagner Photography