Christmas

Here are a few random images from Christmas Day at our house. My sister Andie and her family are here so we've been catching up and getting to know Addison, my 5 month old neice. You can't tell from the photo of her, bu she is a very happy and ROUND baby. I'm still hoping to get some great pictures of her before they go back to South Carolina.

At Least We Made Some Memories

I was basking in the Christmas spirit the other day, and decided to spend the afternoon baking cranberry muffins and banana bread with the boys.




Don't these look fantastic? The aroma filled the house and we felt so cozy and warm...


Garrett couldn't wait any longer, so he was the first to have a taste...


His smile turned into a grimace, then he grabbed his mouth, ran to the trash can...


And spit it out!

In case you're wondering, the banana bread was just as bad. Everything went into the trash can, and I'm not sure I'm up for another day of baking, even though I got a great recipe from my friend Gina for her banana bread. If anyone has an extra loaf of banana bread lying around, can you send it my way (Gina)?

Amazing.

There is a blog that I read often, and the blogger posted this video by U2. I have to agree with him- U2 is the best band of all time.

Watch here.

Help me...

to settle an argument with my mom. She says that all you need is 100 lights per foot on a Christmas tree. I say its 1000 lights per foot. Now that is a gorgeous tree! The only thing is, we can only plug it in for 5 minutes at a time, so that we don't cause a neighborhood blackout...AGAIN.

Comments desperately needed.

Happy Birthday Devon!

I can't beleive my baby is 13!!!! What happened? I am so proud of this amazing girl, I can't say enough.

Dev, I hope you have a wonderful year. You're the bomb-diggity! I love you!

Snow in Schertz?!

It was a Christmas Miracle...a hill of snow right in the middle of the park. We had a great time sledding (on an inner tube), throwing snowballs, riding ponies, visiting with Santa and playing in the park.

Best of all, I got to visit a bit with my friend April and her kids, and also ran into a past client, Kacy Mora. What a great day!

Hernandez Family Session

I had the absolute best time with the Hernandez family on Saturday morning at Mission San Jose. I photographed one-year-old Reece a few months ago, and last weekend we did a session of the whole family since they were all together for Thanksgiving. The weather was perfect, they looked fantastic, and they were all super relaxed and ready to enjoy themselves. There was no way I could have done a bad job under the circumstances!

La Folie

Here is an Ever After Blog special...if you have your child's portrait taken in one of these hats, your session fee is on me!

La Folie Knits is a company that makes the most adorable hats I've ever seen, and I want some photos of your kids wearing them. Of course I'll post the pics here so everyone can see.

What the Duck

This comic strip cracks me up. The duck is a photographer. Like me. So I might find it funnier than you do, but maybe not.

Funny Girl

This email questionnaire just cracked me up. I had to put it on my blog, even though I've spotlighted the author, Corrie Angelo, before in my newsletter. Here ya go...

"Hey all, you know me and my dad like to goof off with these lists, but the questions are always the same old same old...everytime I get one of these emails it never changes...so, I added a few more at the end to change it up..They are in bold..."



1. What time is it? It's high time you bought a watch



2 . What is your full name? Corrie Ann Miniel-Angelo when I feel like being a bit more liberal....Dodie to Nick...Bug to my mom and dad, Corpella to Jill, Corrie Snorrie to Aunt Jannette, MA! to my kids, Corrie the Great to everyone else



3. What are you most afraid of? Being attacked by a massive variety of insects...oh wait, that has already happened, so I guess nothing.



4. What is the most recent movie that you have seen in a theater? I took my Dad on a date for his birthday to see The Departed....great flick, keeps you guessing and provides a few slightly uncomfortable sex scenes to endure with a parent sitting next to you....leave it to Scorsese!



5. Have you ever seen a ghost? It's highly possible. It's also highly possible that I am lying to you right now....I guess we will never know



6. Where were you born? On a hospital bed in a hospital room located in Panorama City, California. Fun Fact- Corrie and Nick Miniel were both born at 10:10 in the am....a coincidence that has no hard evidence, yet my mother swears by it....Craig doesn't believe me.

7. Ever been to Alaska? No, but I know people who do live there so I could totally bunk with them if I do decide to go and get free room and board. Tracey, I like my chocolate hot, and my snow white. Can we go Moose tipping? I'm not going all the way to Alaska unless I can tip a moose.

8. Ever been toilet papering? Yes, my parents took me and my friends toilet papering for a few summers in a row. Yes, you read that right, MY PARENTS took me and my friends. Mom? Were you guys drunk?


9. Loved someone so much it made you cry? No


10. Been in a serious car accident? I was just kidding about #9 peoples! I have been in a few accidents but never seriously hurt. Fun Fact- at age 12 I was in a accident with my family and during my physical they found out I had scoliosis, so the moral is that sometimes accidents happen for a reason, like discovering your back is crooked.


11. Do you plan to have any more Children? Yes



12. Favorite day of the week? I am just kidding to question #11...Craig, Nick, Mom, and Dad...take a few minutes to just breathe and relax, I was only joking. I figured out what was causing that and I quit. Favorite day of the week...hmmm, I like Sunday nights :)



13. Favorite Restaurant? I cannot possibly choose, this is an unfair question. I have yet to eat overlooking the Italian country side, or at a pub in England, or oceanside in Greece. So ask me this after I eat in Ireland, and I will tell you.





14. Favorite Flower? Calle lily, it will always be a calle lily...any color



15. Favorite Color? Reddish orange



16. Favorite sport to watch? Don't judge me, but I love watching curling...something about people casually sliding stones across ice and brushing a path with brooms is so exciting! I'm pretty sure I'd be good at it, so if anyone wants to start a team here then I'm game. I also like watching Brandon Webb earn the Cy Young award...D-backs baby


17. Favorite Drink? Last time I said Absinthe, and the time before that I said sweet vermooth on the rocks with a twist, but I changed my mind to my mom's margarita's and chocolate martini's with a straw...:)



18. Favorite Ice Cream? I prefer gelato



19. Favorite fast food restaurant? I like McDonald's because I like to fill my belly with trans fats, cow poop, chicken fillers, artificial flavors and about ten teaspoons of sugar per soda I drink. Me no likey fast food...JUST SAY NO!!!



20. What color is your bedroom carpet? Lately the color of Chuy's pee...shame on him



21. How many times did you fail your driver's test? I failed it one time. I guess you are not allowed to back up over a curb during the test. They fail you for that.



22. Before this one, from whom did you get your last e-mail? From Miss Hillary Owens! Dental Lab Tech extraordinaire!



23. What do you do when you are bored? I like to play Russian Roulette, clean the toilets and showers, listen to hard core rap, play ding dong ditch with my neighbors, dust my mini blinds and take time to fill these emails out. Actually, I haven't been bored since October 9, 1994. The first 5 people to email me back on why I stopped being bored on that date will receive a complimentary email back from me.



24. What time is your bedtime? Around the time when my eyes slowly close and don't open for at least a couple of hours



25. Who will respond to this e-mail the quickest? Me, I just might want to fill this out again



26. Who is the person you sent this to that is least likely to respond? Me, on second thought I don't want to fill it out again.



27. Who is the person that you are most curious to see their answers? Hillary....shhhh, your my favorite, don't tell the others

28. Favorite TV shows? The Simple Life with Nicole Ritchie and Paris Hilton, Chaos with Brittany Spears and K-Fed, now that is just good television......Naw, I love The Office and I love Survivor because my kids jump in bed with me every Thursday night to watch it and one day Talia will be on it and win her momma a million smackers



29. What are you mose greatful for? Besides the obvious.....words written on a page



30. What are you listening to right now? Bella breathing



31. How many pets do you have? Since we got rid of our armadillo family and our flying squirrels we only have 3 dogs, 2 birds, 10 fish and a partridge in a pear tree.



32. Which came first the chicken or the egg? That is for me to know and you to find out



33. What would you like to accomplish before you die? Nothing....I already saw Neil Diamond live in concert, so that takes care of that.



34. How many people are you sending this e-mail to? No one



35. What is your favorite book? To Kill a Mockingbird....Fun Fact- I have read it 6 times and still have my original high school copy



36. If you had a boat, what would you name it? The Atticus Finch....the first 5 people to email me back and tell me who Atticus Finch is will win my respect and probably be added to my christmas card list for this year.



37. Name 3 places you would rather be right now. In Italy, at the Kinglseys, and at Cathy Chan's Sushi bar in Lancaster California, watching a broadway play in new york, at the Louvre in Paris, sorry that was more than 3.



38. Name 3 people you would like to have lunch with. Harry Potter ( I know he's not real, but the question wasn't very specific), Neil Diamond, and Craig Angelo.



39. What has been your favorite vacation/trip? Water skiing at Lake Buena Vista....age 15. Good Times.



40. Where did you have your first kiss and who was it with? In line on Splash Mountain at Disneyland with Kevin Tarwater. Yes dad, that skinny little stringy guy with a big head. What was I thinking?



41. If you changed your name what would it be? Ruby....beautiful...you could call me Rubes, or Ruby dooby. But I like Corrie, it's different.



42. Favorite movie/actor/actress. Fiddler on the roof, Daniel Day-Lewis, Laura Linney



43. Pick a car, any car. I love those little mini coopers....I would honk my little horn at everyone and take my kids to and fro one at a time cause we wouldn't all fit.



44. Favorite song? And The Grass Won't Pay No Mind by Neil Diamond. That's right, I said it. Jealous?



45. What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to own a bookstore in Tuscany, become a Eukanuba Dog Show judge, and be hired to see all Cirque Du Soleil shows and then give them my opinion, although I don't think that last one is even a real job.

Big Day

Tomorrow is a big one for me because I'm doing four mini-sessions right in a row. I have never even had four in one month. I've doubled up on memory cards, batteries, checked all of my equipment (several times!) and charged anything that can plug into a wall. I'm going to get plenty of rest tonight and get to the site extra early.

Wish me luck!

More than just prints!

I've had a few emails recently from clients who want to know what I offer besides prints and DVD slideshows. Here are a few things you might not know about:

Gorgeous photo jewlery. Very classy and elegant, and sure to bring compliments!

Custom made photo tiles. I make these myself. They are the perfect size to display on a tabletop.

Canvas Prints. Your image will be printed on museum-quality canvas and hand streched onto a custom built 1.5" thick wooden frame. It is gallery-wrapped, continuing around the sides of the frame, ready to hang on the wall.

Coffee-table books. I will design a gorgeous book, large enough for your home, or small enough to fit in your purse, that tells your story in pictures.

I really love all of these items, and can't wait to show them off. Just ask me if you'd like to see a sample.

Family Time

I had an awesome session last weekend, and I'm just now finishing up the editing. I finally got to capture some really cool Father/Daughter images. And check out his car!

November Spotlight

Before I started this blog, I kept my friends and clients (many of my clients end up as friends!) updated with an email newsletter. My favorite feature of the newsletter was my Spotlight On You section, and so I've decided to continue it here.

If you've seen my business card or my website, you've seen the daughter of Gina H. I've known Gina since we were little girls. Now everyone can know her a little better...

My name- Gina Herrera


If not a... Mom I would have been a....Dad

Something I wished I had known then that I know now... How awesome and beneficial it is to speak Spanish.

My strength is... organization, but don’t tell my husband that!

My weakness is...impatience – I’m working on this, chocolate – I’m working on this too!

A product you should know about... Patricia Wexler dermatology line – Your skin feels remarkable in the morning!


Something that is overrated....designer handbags – non-designer work just as well!

3 things in my purse...small photo album, plenty of lipstick and breath mints

Where I get my inspiration from...My best friends and Oprah

At 2 P.M everyday you can usually find me... Leaving my house to pick Kaia up from Pre-k

Something I'm still learning... How to deal with hard to deal with people

One thing I can't part with... hair clip – I put my hair up without even knowing it!

The CD I'm listening to.. The Kings of Leon! Awesome you should listen to them!!

A product you'll always find in my shower... soap! Duh!

I love to indulge in... perfume – Prada. It’s very sensual!

My best feature... You decide???

Something I dream of doing...running a marathon

I'm addicted to... milk chocolate


Something I need now... my sweet, smiling kids around me to inspire me

One thing I do to stay fit... exercise regularly – I work out at the Spectrum doing the treadmill, elliptical and weight lifting

If I could have lunch with anyone who is famous it would
be.. Oprah – she does so much for others. I would ask her how to get started – what inspires her……….


A good friend is... Leah!

Here are some photos from one of Gina's kid's sessions:

Get Your Own! | View Slideshow

Happy Fall!

Booked another wedding.

Thank you Carla Brassfield. I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to photograph the most important day in someones life. I'm deeply honored that she and her fiance chose me.

The wedding date is in February, so even though I have already booked a wedding for my friend Casey, this one will happen first, and I'll have tons of planning to do until then. I'll try to post all of the details that I put into the event as they occur, and I hope your excitement grows along with mine.

My friend Lisa Bielefeld referred Carla to me, along with SEVERAL others. Lisa, I owe you big time. You refer more people to me than anyone else I know. I'm hoping to photograph your son's game soon, I'll let you know when I can get over there.

In the meantime, here is a photo of Lisa and Todd Bielefelds kids from last summer. Who does her daughter remind you of?

How to make a paper airplane

This is a required skill for moms of boys. Trust me.

The instructions sound and look complicated, but it is very easy. I make these all the time from memory now.





Imagine how good you'll feel when your kid wants MOM to make his plane, not Dad!

Bad Blogger

I get frustrated when the blogs that I check out daily don't post frequently, and I'm guilty of the same thing. So here is what is on my mind tonight:

I'm super excited about the new coupon website I found recently. It is called The Grocery Game, and I love it! Today I used the site to generate a shopping list for Walgreens. They match up the current store sales with coupons that have come out in recent weeks to give you very low prices. I spent $16.40 and saved $16.90!! Yeehaw! Tomorrow I'm heading to HEB. I have to get quite a few things that aren't on the list, so my savings won't be as high, but I still expect to do very well.

The service isn't free, though, it costs $10 for 8 weeks, but it is SO worth it. I really think everyone should check this site out. You can get a 4 wk trial for a buck.

By the way, I don't get paid to say this stuff. Wish I did.

Have a day. Make it great!

Wow!

Take a look at Ashlee Simpson. I'm so impressed. Wow.

My baby is TWO!

We celebrated Morgan's birthday last night with a small party. I had no idea how much she would like her new toys. I think the pictures say it better than I can...

Rainy morning, beautiful day

Yesterday morning I had a photo session with a very sweet little one year old girl. It was very overcast, lightly misting, and we got a late start because my cell phone was dead and her mom couldn't reach me to get directions. Not a good way to start a photo session!

But after a few minutes when the rain stopped, the light was just perfect. Soft, glowing. And my portrait subject cooperated beautifully. I really liked that her mom didn't seem to mind if she got a little dirty in her pretty dress. She dusted her off and put her right back down to play. Too cool.

Rochelle, you have a beautiful child. When do I get to photograph your other daughter?

Christmas Mini-sessions at the River Walk

I've ironed out the details for my Christmas cards this year and the announcement has been sent out on my newsletter. Here are a few extra details:

I'll have the following card options-

Photo Cards-
These are 5x7 flat cards with envelopes. There are many different stock borders to choose from, and I have created several custom layouts. The images here are examples.

Stock Border $37.50 (set of 25)



Custom Design $50.00 (set of 25 cards).



Folded Cards
These are also 5x7. Personalization is available on the inside of the card.

Stock Borders $50 (set of 25).


Custom Design $62.50 (per set of 25).



The advantage to a custom designed card is that I can perfectly match the colors in the image to the colors of the card, making it look very coordinated.

The sessions will be held on Saturday, Nov. 18th, at the San Antonio River Walk.
The session fee is only $20 per family. You will get a 25 minute outdoor session and 10% off regular print prices.

It's only been two hours since I sent out the newsletter, and I have already had three people respond, so I expect the appointments to fill up quickly. Don't wait until its too late!

Christmas is coming!

I've had a few calls lately with questions regarding my plans for Christmas cards. I'm working right now designing my custom card line for this year, and I should have a few to show very soon.

I'll have an announcement about my Christmas promotion later this week, which I'll deliver via my email newsletter as well as here on my blog. I expect the sessions to book fast once its released, so be ready!

If you want to make sure that you are on the list of recipients, email me at LeahGodfredson@aol.com.

Wedding Number Two

Saturday night I had the opportunity to photograph another wedding, this time at Los Encinos in Boerne. The venue was just gorgeous and I'm really looking forward to seeing the images. I was one of FOUR photographers, so Jim has his work cut out for him in order to edit and post them all. He usually has them posted to his website by 2:00 the next day, but I just checked and they still are not there.

At the end of the night, I handed my memory card over to Jim, and to my surprise he handed back to me the card from last weeks wedding with all of the images still on it. And so now I can share them with you:


Here are two handsome boys I found hanging out outside the church. Actually, the one on the right is the bride's son.


The bride reciting her vows.


I had to resist the urge to straighten the candle during the middle of the ceremony!


Now is she a doll or what? There were several cutie-pies in the most beautiful little dresses.


The groom toasting his bride. I just love weddings.

As soon as I can get last nights images from Jim, I'll post them. Hey, now I really can say "I'll keep you posted!"