UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Yes, I know what this looks like. I know I haven't posted in a looong time. However, that does not mean I don't have material for you. The goods will soon* be produced.

*It's highly likely that "soon" to me will mean by the end of next month.

Feed America

A Tribute to Judi Simili

Personal: Happy Birthday McKenna

Today I started thinking back to when you were learning to walk. I remembered how you began to pull yourself up to the coffee table, how you'd toddle around the edge, afraid to let go. One day, you looked across the room at me. I knew you were about to let go and come my way, taking your first independent steps. I have to remind myself of how you reached out for my hand, but I had to keep it just far enough away to encourage you to reach further. I'll never forget when you let go of that table and started towards me, I stood back and cheered you on! Even when I knew you might fall, I didn't try to stop you because I was so excited to see you walking on your own.



Today is your 13th birthday and here we are again. I didn’t think the years would go by so quickly, but unfortunately Time is never late. As you enter these teenage years and start taking steps out into this scary world, I will again have to trust you to go independently and cheer you down the right path. However; I won't be far away, because I know you might fall. So I'll be there to pick you up, brush you off and help you try again.

*Photographed by Amanda Rae

Love you forever and ever,
Big Sis

Portraits: Amgen Babies

What you think this is wrong?! Posting semi-nakey pics and then cheeky babies? Well what are you gonna do... my own mom barely gets on here, how am I gonna get people to check two separate blogs? So I'm going to proceed:

Last week was National Bring Your Kid to Work Day, our team rounded up their little rascals and brought them onsite for a playdate. This was pretty impromptu for me, so I only brought my B game to the affair. I normally won't post this many pics, especially ones I don't love the editing, but I had to share all their personalties. They were all so much fun:

"Baby Leo, are you working?"

"Ya!"

Little Jack

McKinsey

Mya

Claudia Poppin' Collar

Can't handle the lips!

Karen's beautiful babies

'Dad, are you for reals? You said somewhere fun.'

Mommy and Mady

Leo working on breaking the ice with Clyde, but she's very focused when doing tricep pull downs

Half of the reason I come to work everyday and their Mini Mes!

(Kevin's Chrissy, Karen, Jefflyn, Matt and Kevin)

(The other half not pictured: Jenn, Steph, Monica, Carlos, Ranel, Larry and Katy)

Love you all!

Boudoir: Gina

Okay so when you have a beautiful model the pressure is on! Gina is ridiculously gorgeous so as the photographer it's actually kind of difficult; you're like, "um, just stand there?" So I took this time to try and focus on light, now I not only want more lenses, but strobes,  hot lights, reflectors...the whole set up. With that said, we're gonna have more to come with this little bombshell. Stay tuned.

Personal: Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend

They say, "the best mirror is an old friend". I've never realized how true that was until a couple of weeks ago. A handful of old friends thought to call me when the tragic news broke. We reflected on my adolescent love. It's sad to see the gap that life has put between us and memories. To these friends, I want you to know I'm sorry that it takes times like these to have us reconnect and that I have missed you. 

The joy Frankie brought to my life was being my first real boyfriend. "Going out" consisted of; my mom giving him rides home from school, hanging out at the Rollerdome and the perusing the T.O. Mall with a bunch of friends. My step-dad would disconnect our lengthy phone calls about nothing not a minute later than my curfew...earth shattering every night. The best was how we'd stand at lunch in that awkward pose that looks like we were about to take a picture. He was the first boy I kissed (at a Teen Center Dance on NYE), the first boy I had at my birthday, the first one to give me jewelry and the first one I've known to have his life taken far too soon.  In hindsight, adolescence was easy; everything added up and you were always told what to do.

Even as a kid, Frankie was the kindest of souls, which makes it unbearable to imagine the despair his wife and family are now carrying in their hearts. I can't allow myself to think of how they are handling this. The hardest part, is that this will never add up and there could never be an answer to explain this travesty. Frankie, I was so lucky to of had you walk through my life, though it was for a blink of an eye, your footprints will forever be on my heart.



"...I must remember somewhere out there a person died for me today. As long as there must be war, I ask and I must answer was I worth dying for?” - Eleanor Roosevelt

www.jofoundation.com

Boudoir: Jenn

Valentine's Day turned out to be a lucky one for quite a few men this year. Once Chrissy started getting around (her glorious pics that is), the idea of Boudoir seemed intriguing. Jenn stepped up to the plate and bared the cash and prizes for gift to remember. She knew exactly how to sex it up for her man:

You're welcome David :)

Personal: Wordle Me This

Wordle is a fun little toy you can make "Word Clouds" with. It allows you to pull words off your Twitter, blogs, websites or create your own cloud. Here's mine from twitter posts over the last few weeks:

Wordle away:

www.wordle.net

Boudoir: Chrissy

So this was my first time trying boudoir pics. It all started in the wee hours of the morning on a girls' trip to Palm Springs. We all decided to start the shoot around 1am and didn't finish until 4am! I guess that's how grown up slumber parties go down now. It was a lot of fun! Not to mention,  Chrissy's BF got a nice Valentine's Day gift. I think when I get good, I'll start another blog where I can post more racy pics. But here are a few appropriate ones of my beautiful bestie: