1. Bodie is rolling.  Please note:  this is not with great enthusiasm.  I quite enjoy the time when he’s not mobile.  I even considered fashioning some sort of concrete block contraption to extend the non-mobile period a bit longer.  However, my dear friends brought it to my attention that that’s considered cruelty, so I guess I’ll let him continue with his development.  ::sigh::  The immobility was nice while it lasted.  (please note that I’m kidding and would never harm my child).

2.  I have such big things planned for this fall!  I’m working on Christmas card templates right now!  I plan on making them a password protected gallery for viewing (similar to last year, but even better).  I am GIDDY with excitement over this years templates.  Some are great ones from last year with a lot of new ones too!

3.  Is 4 months too late to send out birth announcements?  Because that’s what we’re doing.  Yup, I never got Bodies announcement sent out.  My kids are like the cobbler’s kid that have no shoes.  They have plenty of snapshots but I always put client editing ahead of theirs, so they sit on a folder on my computer collecting proverbial dust.

4.  Mother’s helpers.  MY LORD what did I do before them?  Oh that’s right?  I got very little done that wasn’t super late at night.  I’ve been so blessed this summer to have quite a few days with help from mother’s helpers.  I’m going to have to figure something out during the school year, because I can’t go back now!  The ability to sit down and work for any length of time is a luxury for a work from home mom.  But, with the helpers, I can be here to feed Bodie, run in the kitchen to make my lunch, or whatever.  It’s been glorious!  I plan on packing them in as best as I can before school starts back and all of my helpers go back to school!!!

5.  What I’m working on right now.  This is a long overdue session for a friend.   She is so sweet!

Email me at JenniferMauren@gmail.com to book your mini session today!

Did you think I forgot about this place?  Heck no!!  But, life has been busy (boy, is that the understatement of the year!!!)

1)  Let’s start with the first and foremost!  Boden Cooper Dunlap is here!!  ON his due date (not like his tardy brother who was 12 days overdue).  He was 8# 14oz and 20in  long.  He had his 6 week check up yesterday and is 13 lbs 11 oz and 24.5 in long!  He’s growing like CRAZY and is already in a size 2 diaper and is outgrowing his second set of clothes!!  You know, mom’s always say that “it goes so fast” and with him, it literally does!!!  I am editing his newborn pics, but here’s a snapshot or two from his first days.

2)  The next question is always… “How is life with the new baby for the rest of the family?”  Well, Carter LOVES his little brother, but is testing my patience with not wanting to listen.  Some of it is normal 2 year old shenanigans, some of it is fueled by mom having to divide her attention.  All normal.  All COMPLETELY frustrating!!!  LOL!

3)  Miles for Moffitt!!  In a little over a week me, my dad, my cousin Kim (who is flying in), my brother (only one, the other is fishing a tournament that day), a cousin and her fiance, and a spattering of other friends are going to be walking/running Miles for Moffitt.  I ran this race 2 years ago when mom was still in the hospital recovering from her surgery to remove the cancer from her colon.  This year we do it in honor and memory of her.  I’ll have Boden with me, and not sure if I’ll bring the “big” camera… but rest assured, there’ll be some sort of camera there and I’ll share photos!!  If you’d like to donate to Miles for Moffitt, we have a donation page set up for “Songbyrd’s Army” (that is what we’ve named ourselves).  Go to this website:  http://www.active.com/donate/milesformoffitt2010/songbyrd and you can either donate, or register for the event there!  Make sure you choose Songbyrd’s Army from the drop down box if you want to register for it!!

4)  Stay tuned in the next week for an AWESOME contest for a FREE SESSION!!  I’m brainstorming the details, but I want to give back and have some fun shooting, so don’t go too far!

5)  I am “back” from maternity leave for shooting June 1st!  So, if you’d like to book your sessions, drop me an email at JenniferMauren@gmail.com and we’ll get a session booked!  I’m loving shooting my new baby, but am excited to get back out there and shoot some newborns, children, families, and seniors too!

Look at me with 2 blog posts in a week!  I’m getting back in the swing and hope for even more frequent posts in the future.

1)  Kind of an exciting week here!  Last Friday was Richie and my 5th anniversary!   We celebrated at home with a great dinner.  We did filet’s (from Chop Shop of course!!), coconut shrimp, caesar salad, mashed potatoes (more like smashed potatoes with skins on and big chunks) and the crowning jewel of the meal which was my blondie brownies!  Those were actually Richie’s anniversary present.  Because our anniversary is exactly 3 weeks after Christmas and both of our birthdays are in December, our anniversary is usually light on gifts.  We do something special, but it’s usually “anniversary on a budget”.  And that’s ok.  What’s important is we celebrated the day, not the amount spent on it.  Lord knows we spent enough on the wedding!  I’ll have to check the annals to see if I can find a wedding photo of us from “way back when”

2)  We’re making progress on things around the house to get Carter a big boy room.  About to order bunk beds!  We need to move the office/workout room to the Florida room first though.  There’s also a closet that needs to be tamed.  Lord, help me!

3)  Well, not Lord help me, but Aunt Peggy help me!  My mom’s sister (and my godmother) has SELFLESSLY volunteered to come down here in a few weeks to help me nest and stock my freezer in prep for the arrival of a certain bundle of joy.  I’m going to try to get through that closet on my own first.  Otherwise, the crew from the TV show “Clean Sweep” may have to make a visit!

What, you can’t picture what my Aunt Peggy looks like?  Not a problem!  I’m here to help!  hahaha.

When we were on vacation in Orlando, I headed over to their house in Apopka to take some photos for their Christmas cards.

4)  And in baby news, I found myself on self imposed bed rest for a bit this week.  I had a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions that did not want to slow down unless I was laying completely down on one side.  Turns out an infection was to blame, so I’m on antibiotics and they’ve slowed down significantly.  Now, don’t go assuming I’ll go into labor early.  I did the same with Carter (and an infection was not to blame) and still delivered him at 41 weeks 5 days.  …but who’s counting

5)  Lots of exciting stuff is happening behind the scenes at Jennifer Mauren Photography!  Updates to the online buying experience, updates to the website, and lets not forget the excitement all business owners go through in January.  That’s right!  Year end bookkeeping!  (do you detect a note of sarcasm on that last one?  You should, because I was laying it on plenty thick)  Stay tuned for some giveaways, progress on Carter’s new big boy room and client images too!!!

I recently met up with the kids from the M family.  These kids KNOW how to have a good time!  There was never a dull moment the whole time we were together!  And no, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you, that’s four kids in one family.  Ages 9, 6, 3, and 2!!!  I was exhausted after just one session!   It was great to meet up with you guys!

What’d I tell ya?  Don’t they look like they know how to have fun!!

I know, I know, it’s 100 degrees outside and I’m already dreaming of sweaters, hot cocoa, and christmas trees!  It’s my favorite time of the year, what can I say?  It is not too early to book your holiday sessions!  In the next week I’ll be posting more details on my holiday specials!  Remember, by the time we book a session, wait for the gallery, order prints, etc it can take upwards of weeks to get everything back to you, it can drag out the process, so booking now is NOT too early!  I plan to offer my holiday specials in the month of September and October and maybe the first week of November.

So, think about how great a coffee table book, enlargement, or storyboard would be for your loved ones!  Also, we can get those holiday cards done and ready to go out in style and on time!

This beautiful girl B, and I have tried to do these headshots a number of times.  We met up last Wed to try again.  Anyone remember last Wednesday?  The day of the torrential down pours?  Yeah, that one.  The rains were that of something out of a movie starring Charlton Heston.  What I’m saying is that the rain was awful and there was no light.  Funny thing, cameras like light!  LOL!  So we met up the next morning (when the sun shone for literally an hour) to shoot a couple more.  Here are a few!

I know this next one isn’t a traditional headshot, but she looks sweet, so I posted it anyway

This last week has been chock full here in the world of Jennifer Mauren Photography!  1st I moved my blog (thus creating some complications that I’m still working out.  If you find anything not working as it should, please feel free to drop me an email @ JenniferMauren@gmail.com).  I launched my new website (still working out kinks there too) and I’m hard at work building a client site (called clientweb) that is password protected in order to make information readily available via the internet for my clients!   So I’m a bit delayed in getting these pictures posted, but much of the week I couldn’t get photos to upload… but back to the reason you come here!  Pictures!  I had the pleasure of capturing the fabulous s family recently at one of my favorite locations.   Beautiful dancer, talented son, great parents…  I tell ya, I just love the people I get to photograph!  They are just fabulous!!

First up, Miss A.  She is stunning.  Seriously stunning.

Then was Mr. A;  talented guy, let me tell ya.  I do have shots with his face in focus, and I did this on purpose.  I just thought it was a cool perspective!

Mr. and Mrs. S are coming up on a special anniversary, and I hope it’s a great one!  Congratulations on the milestone, guys!

This lovely young woman happens to be a joy to photograph and to teach.  She’s a teacher’s dream.  Smart, funny, talented, hard working… can’t say enough good things about her!  She is in my “Elite 2″ class at Stage Door Studios.

Phew!  It’s been a while since I updated and it has been busy here!!!  Richie, Carter and I got away for a long weekend in Disney’s Ft. Wilderness campground!  We went camping!  …and by camping I mean, in my in-laws motorhome with 2 a/c’s, electricity, running water, toilets, and functional kitchen!  What can I say, I’d never make it on Survivor!  haha!  I have lots of pictures to go through, but I’m making myself finish up a couple client sessions first.

Carter is trying so hard to talk more.  He babbles to himself a lot, and his current favorite word is “uh-oh!!!!”  but you have to say it like you just dropped a diamond ring down the toilet.  It’s way too cute.

I am happy to announce my 2009 Investment Pricing list.  PORTFOLIO BUILDING SPECIAL!!!!!  Waived creative session fee and 50% off all prints!!  While I build my business is a fantastic opportunity to save on great portraiture for you!!  Drop me an email at JenniferMauren@gmail.com for all the specifics!!