Hi everyone! It’s me, writing from the point of insanity that is my life at the current moment

This past weekend we celebrated little man’s 2nd birthday (8/15) and had a party for BOTH darlings on sunday (8/16).  K.’s bday is the 29th, so one party it is.  It was HOT out and we ended up indoors a lot, but what a time!  Thanks to all of my AWESOME family who were able to come and enjoy the fun.  K & E are so blessed to have you all.

Kindergarten starts in Sept and I am a nervous wreck over that. Please, KG, be kind to my shy little piece of work because she is really fun, but has a super sensitive heart.  On the flipside, 6.5 hours of WORK TIME, STRAIGHT is sounding pretty luscious at this point (on the days my DH is off duty, anyway).   I suppose every mom goes through this anxiousness… her preschool teacher is a local LEDGEND so entrusting her to someone new is really, really challenging.

I’ve got the elmers glue and the crayons (I know, it said 16 count but the 24 count were priced at 30 cents compared to 1.50 for the 16 count. They can remove the other 8 if they want, I’m not paying more for less!) and the other stuff. Now I just need to get into a school routine again with both kids. Eek!

If anyone has any school advice or comments on it, please share. I know I’m not the only anxious mom who stops by the blog. I’d really appreciate it!

A few more sneak peeks of Senior A. and little neighbor A. – just gorgeous, agreed?!

I purchased (in conjuction with another awesome photog) some new templates today and HOLY ROCK AWESOME, youre going to love them.  Along with the buy 1 get 1 half off sale on the books this summer, I believe something fun should be done to celebrate these new layouts for the books and 3×3 accordion wallet books!  Awesome storyboard temps too – cannot wait to share!  So much to update on, so little time.  But all the new goodies are coming in just in time for awesome holiday gifts… yippie!

ALSO – in honor of Alexa, Christi, and all of the countless others who are suffering, have suffered, or will suffer from childhood cancer, I will be donating $5 of every order to the Brown Family’s fund for Childhood Cancer Charities.  You need not contribute more, it’s simply coming out of proceedes.  You will receive a gold ribbon to commemorate that SEPTEMBER is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in your box with your order.  Dear Alexa’s family is graciously splitting the raised funds amongst a few groups who directly benefit the research and support/care of the kids and their families.   Alexa is now pain free and flying, but her momentum carries on through those of us who push it!

Anyway, I’m slammed.   Back to work.

How about this humidity? ACK!

xo

dani

So, beyond proofing this BEAUTIFUL wedding -

… I have also been working on these:

Vintage processed senior, A.

Cutie-pie lil’ A.  wasn’t the happiest about having her photos taken, but I’m one sneeky lady:)

I wish I could do more here – blogging.  But it’s just been so, so crazy here. 

Little sweet Alexa Brown has finally gone home to be in precious peace.  While the thoughts of that are so bittersweet; while she is finally free, there are so many people left here on earth to miss her.  The fight must rage on, and we must find a cure for this awefully underfunded – in – reasearch childhood cancer!  I felt comfort in seeing their family tonight and if you ever have the chance to meet them, please – don’t pass it up. They are a handful of the most inspirational, wholesome, amazing people on this planet.  We have a lot to learn from them about patience and acceptance – and how to be a little more wide eyed about life.

*Sigh* I want the suffering to stop

Enjoy the sneak peeks, it might be a while before I’m back – I’m just zonked!  My kids’ birthday party is this weekend, my little guy is TWO on saturday!  Miss K will be 6 on the 29th, but one party is the way its got to be. Cant throw two in two weeks and expect a turnout!  I love them, so dearly. Each year that they aren’t babies anymore just tugs a little harder at my heart.

xo everyone,

dani

ps: thanks for making the mini-sessions a big hit! it’s going to be so much fun! I am so happy to offer these…

I hope everyone had a great holiday, I did and it was complimented by cool weather. I’m not a fan of hot and humid, so that worked out for me quite well!

I have to start out by saying that little Alexa is floating like a silken feather into the wind, navigating her pathway into heaven – where she will feel no more pain – and will be free from this beast of cancer.  Please offer a word of support, or a heartfelt thought or prayer for Wendy, Warren, Abby, Amanda, and Ethan as they do their best to remain strong during her sendoff and in the days, weeks, months, and years that are to follow as they adjust to life without their “little sis”, Alexa.  With the biggest hopeful heart, I wish for her spirit to live comfortably in THEIR hearts.  I only had the opportunity to visit with Alexa once during our brief time together, but if you coulda seen this chickie crack a giggle or a smile – there was a lively sweatpea under this mess of cancer that just wanted out. When will our government wise up and begin to fix this?

Please visit Alexa’s page at www.caringbridge.org/visit/alexabrown and offer up whatever support you can. It might not seem like much, but your words do mean something to them. My heart is very heavy as I write this, but I will do my best.

__

I’m session free this week until saturday’s “double header” day.  I’m using this week to get caught up on proofing and launch a few galleries.  I’m in the process of recovering from the host switch which put me back a bit – lovely pickpic is almost ready for your photo-purchasing delight – and a new portfolio interface is on the way as well!  The new portfolio will allow you to access PDF’s of all session and investment/product info and should be lovely.

Check out B. and N.  I babysat N. (on the right) a handful of times back in highschool when he was just a teeny guy, and he’s so grown up now and inquisitive – with an awesomely friendly personality.  And B.? Well hes giggly cute and makes a super little-friend, and can ride a bike like a pro.

I was impressed with their cordialism (sp? word?) toward eachother.  Some brotherly love, right there (see below, obviously!)

So I part you now with the above images as I delve into what will be my final dentist appointment day for what I hope will be a while. Next? Wisdom teeth. Eek.  Those of you who know the dental journey will be relived to hear that tomorow is the “get pretty” day and I couldnt be happier.  While my parents spent great money as I was a kid for my straight pearly whites, E.’s pregnancy was unkind and I am so ready to be complete! YAY!

Off to workity work on some .cr2 catalog conversions!

Er… work on your photos.

xo

dani

Good Monday to you!

I will be out of the office for a week – if you email me, please do not expect a personal response until the weekend or monday.  You will recieve an autoresponse full of what will be hopefully helpful info, however. The next few days will be spent Celebrating my birthday and our wedding anniversary, with many fun things planned with and without our lovely kiddos.

Here is my favorite photo from our wedding – actually taken by a paramedic friend of ours!  It was taken just after we exited the church, on the back of FFD’s 1928 antique fire engine.  Just thought I would share for fun

Meanwhile, you may email me as usual if you would like to be updated on some big time changes here at DLP!  A few things that have changed include the flat rate session fee – there is now ONE session fee for any type of session with me.  The fee covers my time and talent, and also includes a print credit to be used at the time of your order.  Those of you already on my books who have already signed a contract are NOT subject to these changes, only new bookings.  Prints will also be coming from a new colorlab and are now at new set prices as well.  I believe in offering the highest quality possible for your artwork and appreciate your continued patronage and support! 

The press products keep rolling in and contine to stun me with awesomeness.  As noted above when you enter the blog, there are two Press Printed specials going on right now!  I promise you will love them!

You may, at any time (includcing while I am out of the office), email me at dani@danielleluc.com  (or use the blog contact form) and request the NEW .pdf Danielle Luc Photography Investment, Session, & Product Catalog – which consists of a link to a quick downloadable PDF file that will load on your PC.  Here you will find all of the new pricing and session details, and also images of all of the new press products.  Per your request for this while I am unavilable, it will still be automaticly sent to you.

I am currently accepting very few remaining in August and am booking into September.  I have had a few requests for Fall Mini-Sessions, but will be re-arranging that a little this year to make it a little more relaxed and private – as it was not a favorite for many of the kids last year!  If you are interested, please let me know.  Info for the Fall Mini’s will be going out more than likely in August.  This season has been very busy so far and I’m enjoying seeing all of the kids and families returning from last year, and meeting all of the lovely new people I’ve been so lucky to come into contact with.

Weddings are booking up for 2010 already – so if you are interested, the time to contact me and book your date is NOW.  Currently booked and unavailable wedding weekends in ‘10 are July 31 and October 2.

And to leave you with a little something to refresh your summer-on-the-brain-ness….

…a little of my two – E. loving the water and K. on her new (beach cruiser!) bike.  Her knees were hitting the handlebars of her old one and it was time for the training wheels to GO.  She’s a champ.

I’m biased, but I love those two images

Hope you do, too.

Enjoy your week, talk to you all soon!

xo

d

(little Alexa and her family need all you’ve got in your heart right now.  Stop and leave a message for them if you can)

Remeber Alexa?  Clyde OH was on CNN/HLN this afternoon.  Please excuse the crappy recording as I did it from my Vado HD handheld from the DVR and my microwave beeping in the background Thanks to Jenna @ KCC for getting this on YouTube for me.

We’re getting somewhere.  There might not be answers, but there is spreading info.

If you’ve made a pledge to donate to the battle, please follow through!  If youre even more willing to give after seeing this, click the link up above next to my twitter feed to find out the details.

Even if youre not willing to donate – please spread the word about whats going on in Clyde and whats happening to our children… and not just here, everywhere.

xo

d

ps: can you believe no one told them they were going to be on CNN?! I was just proofing when I heard it coming on and DVR’d it. Strange!!

Dear Bo-bo,

Mommy loves you and your precious smile and silly giggle.

Mommy loves you and how you laugh-so-hard-your-eyes-close when you try to throw Bud his ball with your kid-sized chuck-it Santa brought you.

Mommy loves you and the sweet little faces you make right before I release the shutter; and how your BIG brown eyes always sparkle.

I love you and I love that you let me try three different times to hold out my enormous camera with a 50mm fixed (not an arms reach kind of lens) focal length lens to take a photo of you and me, and smiled each time without complaining.

(And I love you and the way you bolted off the minute I said “okay, thanks Bo-bo!” to go get your bike so we could go on a walk.)

I love you and I love our little hours together while your big sister is at school.  I miss the days of spending afternoons with her and I treasure that I get to have that time with you.  When you go off to school I will miss you and you will be a “big boy”.  I know I’ve got time, but the kindergarten registration I finally filled out today for your sister states all too well that time goes by too quickly.

You are my precious boy and you know that I worked darn hard to get you here and will always protect you (like saving your head with my scapula).

I love you, and thanks in advance for not getting mad at me when I show you this when you are old enough to understand it… for calling you Bo-bo as a baby. You are my little Bo-bo.

(So it wasn’t t he best framed image and most of my face is missing but I love it anyway, because I hardly have any images of ME with my kids/family.  I love being the one behind my camera, but if you only know the joy it would bring me to have someone with similar style, photograph my family for me. *sigh* I put my mother through heck just trying to get ONE sometimes =)

*Sigh* we needed the fresh air this morning, it was so nice to go for a walk.

I’m taking K. to see miss Shayla tonight in her play. Girls night! K. & I are going to go out to dinner, just the two of us and then head to see the playwrite of my favorite childhood movie “The Wizard of Oz”.  A lot has been going on lately and I am really looking forward to spending some time just her and I.

And I’m bringing a Leapster with headphones incase she gets bored (afterall, she is young) so I can still enjoy the Munchkin tonight!

Go get’em, Shayla!

Much love,

danielle

{PS: and I love you ALL but not getting feedback (not that I’m a “Gimme comments” kind of person), is boring. Come on, nothing? Not even on bridal pictures?! Does anyone love ME?}

*smile*

I guess by now my readers know my position on childhood cancer – and if you’re sick of reading about it – I’ll be okay if you leave… because I will advocate until I’m blue in the face and there isn’t much you can do about it.

Locally this has become an epidemic, to say the least – and it’s growing numbrs and waxing pain for the children and the families it effects is beyond comprehensible.  EPA this and that – whatever – there isn’t any more time to wait and action is appropriate.  We must educate those around us about what is happening – not only here, but all over the world as these gorgeous children are being delt hands in card games that aren’t even fit for the most robust of adults.  At my wedding, I read the statistics to my guests on ACS and where and what (little) funding/dontaions actually goes to childhood cancer research.  It’s just not enough.  We need to bind together and get it where it needs to be – so that when your children or grandchildren are afflicted, there is 10x the knowledge on the scientists’ desk as to go how to detangle it.

Meet my 4:00 from saturday, Alexa.  You can read her story here.  Be sure to sign the guestbook when you stop by if you can leave any words of encouragement for their amazing family.

Alexa is soft and sweet and her voice is precious.  She loves her cats and her dogs equally and will absolutely not choose between the two when asked to pick a favorite.  She is 10 and will be 11 next week and she likes her fuzzy white hat and will wear it no matter what her sisters say – because she has an opinion and it comes first

This is Alexa’s family.  Her sisters are a teacher (some of you may know her as she is local) and a nursing student (who I can sense will be great), and her brother is a 15 (16!) year old student who probably would rather not have his picture taken but he did it anyway and never complained.  There is a mom and a dad, Wendy and Warren and they are Warriors (no play on the Warren, swear). 

They are warriors because upon entering their home and meeting them I could see and feel the rage of love they carry for Alexa and her siblings and if you have seen them on TV news reports, you will know that is such by the words that they speak.  Here you see how awesome they are toether and that they are smiling.  But the truth is that they are freezing and the weather stunk and we are in the middle of a cul-de-sac and that the girls have no socks on (smile).

Okay – seriously, though.  Behind these gorgeous smiles is the fight of a lifetime.  A fight you or I maybe can only imagine.  A war so deep and so passionate that the sound barrier could be broken if it had the properties to do so.

 I want you all to see that this is REAL. It is HERE. It is so close.  I went on about this when Christi died and so many of you graciously donated to the fight at my wedding (we skipped the “dollar dance or whatever” and took up dontations instead).  

I am no scientist.  I cannot create a cure or a better treatment.  But what I can do is charitably offer sessions for those who deserve to have amazing images and use those images to create awareness.  I can photoshop and make things graphicly pretty darn well but I cannot create the elements that I hope so close to my heart, are created. 

From now until May 15th, 2009 – I am making you an offer.

If you donate  $5.00 toward fighting this beast – you will recieve a $10.00 print credit toward your next order.

If you donate  $10.00 toward fighting this beast – you will recieve $10.00 print credit AND $5.00 off of your session fee due when you book your date.

For every person that you refer – who also makes a donation, you will recieve an additional $5.00 (up to 20.00 in value) off of your session fee when you book your date! Just make sure they note who reffered them!

This credit applies to any sessions booked from today until 5/15/09 – meaning you can book in may for a november session for all I care (smile) and still recieve the credit.

I’m not trying to save the world here and I know that I can’t.  But I can help rally the impact for the fighters, the survivors, and our future children who can potentially be affected.

If you are ready – please join in.  Use the contact form or email me at dani@danielleluc.com to complete your donation and recieve your credit(s).

All donations will help in providing these sessions for families in the fight and to CureSearch. Check it.

Spread the word.

PS: lovely meeting you Brown family pardon me for talking your faces off today!

PSS: sorry the family photo isnt BW as I promised… it WILL be ha!