sadness...

I posted a very sad blog the other day about the loss of a little guy that I had photographed last spring. Unbelievably, tragedy struck another family that I have photographed.
This past summer, Courtney & I had the privilege of photographing a wedding for a family that I have gotten to know over the years. I have shot their kids senior pictures & their family & was thrilled to photograph their first wedding. Courtney & I truly had a great time with this group - they are so welcoming, hospitable & know how to have a good time!
We were both totally charmed by the adorable flower girl & ring bearer - so sweet & polite. There were loads of red cheeked, little tow head cousins running around & lots of big, huge family shots done with them all.
Sadly, one of these sweet little tow headed cousins of the bride (the ring bearers' little brother) passed away Sunday due to an accident.
I am having a hard time this week working through all the tears. My thoughts are surely with both these families during this unbelievable time of sadness.
Please use this as a reminder to hug your families tighter, give a few more kisses, cherish your photographs & let the little things go.

Hearts breaking...

I absolutely love photographing children. You never know what expressions you will get or what they will say. Imagine my shock when I saw the face of a child that I had photographed on the evening news yesterday.
Last year I was asked to photograph 3 & 4 year olds at a local church preschool. It was so much fun working with these little cuties. I particularly remembered one little guy because when I photographed him, he gave a big, perfect wink! So adorable.
Unfortunately, this perfect little boy lost his battle with a congenital heart defect this week. I would love to share the image that I have of him giving me his big ol' wink, however, I do not feel that would be appropriate or respectful to his family. Please keep this family in your hearts - I know he will always have a place in mind.

Baxter! Toledo area pet portraits

I wouldn't say Baxter is our neighbor's dog - I have to say Baxter is our neighbor!
I love this big, fluffy, messy, silly dog! Baxter is one of those dogs that likes to get into things - he has had surgery multiple times to remove softball mitts, twist ties, etc. I tried to intervene once when I noticed him eating an entire package of burger buns left briefly by the grill - he didn't seem to mind.
Baxter is getting up there in age; he doesn't hear too well, wanders aimlessly more than he should & needs help getting to his feet. His bark may not be quite as aggressive as it used to be. But he still loves to lounge around on his front porch, he still loves his family & I'm sure he will still eat anything left in his path.
Thanks, Baxter, for participating in our fundraiser - we Love you!

Furry Friends - Toledo area pet photography

The pet mini sessions are running through April. No session fee - just bring dog or cat food to donate to the Humane Society - Thank to those that have brought such generous donations!
Lily and Buckeye are the energetic pups of Andrew & Heather, who's wedding we photographed this past summer. While we weren't successful at getting the two of them in a photo together, we did get some cute images of them. Like all kids, they enjoyed having their picture taken on Mom & Dad's lap! Lily is very fond of Andrew, as you can tell! It was great seeing you guys again - thanks for participating in this fundraiser!

Serendipity Cutest Kid Contest

Thanks to all that participated in the Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation Cutest Kid Contest. This is a great fundraiser for a cause that is near & dear to my heart.
Since this is a national contest (huge-o), I've decided to hold my own little Cutest Kid Contest to give these great families another chance to win something - a $100.00 Serendipity Photography gift card!
Go to Serendipity Photography on Facebook, find the Cutest Kid album & leave some lovin' comments for your choices! Each comment = one vote. One vote per entry per person. You may vote for as many kids as you like, but you must "like" Serendipity Photography in order to leave a vote. Feel free to repost & share the contest with all your FB friends & family in order to bring lots of votes to your favorite Cutie! Voting ends April 25th! Votes (comments) must be left in the Cutest Kid album in order to track.
Good Luck to all my Cuties!

Mia - St. Ursula Senior - toledo area senior photography

Mia, St. Ursula senior - beautiful, modest, polite, sweet... Meeting Mia was like a breath of fresh air. She is involved in drama & dance & loves classic movies. Her idol is Katherine Hepburn. She gets along amazingly well with her sister. And, bonus - she was kind & nice to her Mom!!!
Best wishes, Mia, you will succeed at all your dreams!

Home Session - toledo area family photographer

I really enjoy doing family "home" sessions, or lifestyle sessions. Kids are more comfortable in their own surroundings, with their own toys and furniture.
I went out to photograph Reid, 6 months, big brother, Brock & Mom & Dad. Reid woke from a nap when I arrived & was cheerful & smiley. Brock was not so thrilled with the whole thing. We worked with it... Moms are always surprised to see that we get many more images than they imagine. After pleading, bribing, wiping noses & changing outfits, they are usually exhausted! I take it all in stride - because I can get some sneak peeks in the back of the camera & know that we are getting some great "lifestyle" images! It is what life is all about, after all!

Furry Friends Minis!

Furry Friends Mini sessions are ongoing through April. Bring your pets for their own session. Donations of dog or cat food to the Humane Society in lieu of a session fee.
Lady came in today for her personal shoot. What a doll she is. Her "parents", Jonette & Aaron, are one of my 2011 weddings. They purchased a home @ 5 years ago in which the owner of the home needed to find a new home for Lady, as well. Aaron & Jonette adopted Lady & have totally fallen in love with her. Such a sweet story! I think Lady should be called Lady Luck! Can't wait to see how they incorporate Lady into their wedding this May!

Date Changes!!!

Due to the fact that my incessant cough & ear infection has decided to stick around for over 8 days now, I have fallen waaaay behind on marketing...
The Furry Friends Mini Sessions will still take place on Sun., April 10th, but also will be available by appt. through April. Just call for an appt. Remember - no session fee- just bring dog or cat food to donate to the Humane Society!
Also, the Senior Open House scheduled for Sat., April 16th will be changed to a date in May - TBA - as soon as I can get my self back on track here...
Thanks for the understanding - stay healthy!