JT & the SPAkids

Tiffany was my second maternity shoot last week. She is pregnant with #4, just a few weeks from delivery, and still spunky as ever! She's never had maternity pictures before, so this was a special treat to do maternity/family pictures and show off their wonderful home! I'd taken some blocks along to try out a few interactive ideas using their initials, and it ended up being special for them because they use their initials around the house- for example their itunes station is "JT & the SPAkids" now, with the new one, it'll be "JT & the SPACkids."

P wants to grow up to be a "cooker" so he is feelin' at home here in the kitchen on his special stool.
Mom in the kitchen with her girls S, A, & soon to be C.




T & J. Who doesn't love a good cuddle?

Maternity, Jungle Jane Style

I did a few maternity sessions last week. We'll start with Angela, pregnant with daughter number two. I photographed Angela and her daughter around Father's Day- just peek back. She barely looked pregnant, and now she's ready to give birth any day! We tried out some fun wrap stuff out in "the jungle"- otherwise known as a state park here in the good ol' midwest. Her daughter was slow to join the fun, but after she saw what we were doing (playing in the creek), she wanted to join in!

Home again, home again, jiggity jig...

Just a few highlights from our first big trip to Texas before we're back to the most recent shoots... (mostly snapshots just for family, but everyone can enjoy!)

In the Dallas airport.

wearing his cowboy jammies in Texas and hanging out with Nana.
Cheering up Grandpa after his surgery (note the avoidance of kicking legs on my dad's stomach).
Standing!
Eli and I in our Bob shirts with my Uncle Bob. (shirts courtesy of my husband's mom).


My favorite two from the trip, which I know, are strikingly similar.

Airport in Kileen, TX. Headed back home to Daddy.

Out of the office

Free Senior Portraits

We're having a sale on senior portraits! You can get yours completely FREE. Pass on the word.

Summer is a great time for some unique, modern senior portraits taken in some of the hidden spots in St. Louis.

Say Cheese, Brie!

A friend I went to high school with in Kansas City contacted me recently to take pictures of her new puppy, Brie (like the cheese). It had been raining all day so I wasn't sure if we'd squeeze in the shoot, but mugginess aside, it was a lovely evening.





Brie likes to swim. We let her so I could take a picture that I'd been imagining all day (see below), even though it wasn't raining anymore. Let's just pretend, shall we?

Leaving on a jet plane

The baby boy and I are leaving on a plane to go to Texas. We'll be out of the office Saturday, July 18th through Wednesday, July 22nd. I will be checking email periodically and taking phone calls, but not much else other than that. Check back, though, I am planning a few blog posts as I've got some shoots coming up before I leave.

We had to do laundry to pack for the trip, of course, and it was much fun. This would be an appropriate time for just one picture... but who wants that? I'll stick with three.

Picture Around the Globe

As stated here on my website, Purple Lemon Photography in the form my husband and I are dedicated to helping spread the gospel through international missions. We support several missionaries and are often included in newsy updates from many more on the mission-front around the globe. I just wanted to give a few updates about what God's doin' around the world.

For the sake of privacy and protection, I'll just use initials here, today.

B is headed to Jua Kali, Kenya with a team at the end of this month to serve and bless orphans there on a short term trip. She has felt a draw to Africa since she was quite young and due to the Lord's faithfulness has the opportunity this summer. They are currently preparing for their trip.

My brother, B, and his wife, K, and their family are raising funds to continue serving in the London area. Praise God for the birth of their second child just one month ago. They serve teenagers in a boarding school situation, so even though most of their students are gone for the season, they are busy preparing for camps, raising funds in a society that requires a lot of money with a weakening dollar, and preparing for the return of students in the fall. You can follow them here: http://bnkeelynn.blogspot.com/

A dear friend R is getting ready to return to the U.S. after a two-year stint in East Asia. We look forward to hearing what God will be leading her to do next.

B & R (seen here & here) have just returned from a trip to Russia. They are readjusting to life back in America and getting ready to share pictures (yay!) and stories in the coming weeks. I can't wait to hear about the happenings of their journey.

There's a small update on some friends serving around the world. Please pray for them all as summer is a very transitory time for them. Tons of changes.

Happy Birthday!

Today is my birthday. I LOVE my birthday. I get so excited and I happily stretch it out as long as I can. To celebrate, I'm making a birthday special. If you book a session of any kind TODAY, July 9, 2009, you will get $50 off. New clients only, so pass on the word!

www.purplelemonphotography.com has all the package information... give me a call or shoot me an email!

Jungle Friends & the Fourth

This post is completely unnecessary and just for fun.

Since my little dude started sittin' up, I have wanted to take pictures of him sitting with his "Jungle Friends"...


Fourth of July meant testing out the fun features of our CRV in a parking garage. For example, the seats turn into a bed! How cool is that?

Summertime

Today is July 4th, and it finds me in the midst of summer, though it is chilly and rainy on this patriotic holiday. I've been thinking about the mixture of personal blogging and professional blogging here at Purple Lemon Photography. And it hit me as my husband was washing the windows of our car and I snapped a few pictures of my son eating a paper towel roll. Photography is personal to me, as well as relational. I want those of you who view my blog as future clients to know me relationally and know what it is that I find special. So as I'd debated this post for a few days, I decided to give it a go.

About a week ago, I was with my (church) family in Carbondale, IL for a conference with the network of churches we belong to. It was a wonderful time of rejuvenation, worship, and hearing from God about the direction he's taking us on this journey. I'd been asked to take pictures during worship, which is typically something I love to do, but for some reason this time was different. I took a few, one of which I'll share here. But I saw others who had apparently been tasked to shoot as well, and felt pleased to let them do the task so I could revel in the presence of God.



While on this trip, we stayed at The Little Red Barn at Cabin on the Hill with a few friends. It was a fun place to visit, and they had tons of animals. Now, you have to understand I am not an animal person in general, especially not birds, but I managed to get close to numerous chickens and peacocks, etc. Here's a small selection of the menagerie. Upon our return, our friend, Heather, taught us about peacocks, peahens, and peachicks... who knew there was a difference?




Are these ducks?


And then the little fella was so cute the other day... once again, it must have been the overalls.

One day, my prints will come!

One day my prin(ts)(ce) will come (to Crave Coffee House)! And all my dreams will come true...

You know when you have thoughts like "wouldn't it be fun if..." or "one day, maybe i'll get to..." or "do you think I'll ever get to..." ? I had one like that about having my photographs in a gallery (other than the one at my high school) and then later, more specifically, about having them in The Crave Coffeehouse. Today, that dream came true.

Please support a wonderful coffeeshop on the campus of St. Louis University and Purple Lemon Photography by paying a visit during the months of July and August to see some of my still life and landscape photography that is on display (and for sale!). Be sure to tip your barista's well, as several of my friends work there.

In progress. Too far away, so you have to go see them in person.

My little boy "helping" organize the canvases.
(he's not wearing lipstick. i promise.) (have i used enough parenthetical markings yet?)