Our weekend went from fun to fabulous…in Edie Grace’s eyes. Saturday, Edie Grace FINALLY lost her first tooth!
Edie Grace was the only person in her kindergarten class to graduate without losing a tooth. Now, several weeks into first grade, she was starting to doubt that she would EVER lose a tooth. I didn’t lose my first tooth until I was seven and my Mom was in 3rd grade when she lost her first. Although she has had four wiggly ones for weeks, there didn’t seem to be much progress. Saturday, when she realized that it was REALLY loose, I couldn’t even get my camera before she and DeWayne had it out. I was AMAZED by what a trooper she was. I really expected a little whining or at least some moments of apprehension.
For years, I have informed clients about the importance of creating the five year portrait before they loose their teeth. Of course we can work around a missing tooth or two - but the most important issue with missing teeth is that they are officially no longer our little ones. They are now entering childhood. ALL of their little girl or little boy features are soon to be gone forever.
This is the reason the five year portrait becomes one of the most important portraits of their lifetime. It is the one that will become an heirloom that hopefully they will pass along to their little girls or boys.
Edie Grace’s portrait is featured on our web site and in our studio. It is a 30×40 hand painted oil. The reason I chose an oil is because of its archival nature and the exact detail only available in a painting. It is important to document her features like her jaw structure, hands and feet. All of these features will change rapidly now. 30×40 allows us to capture her as close to life size as possible.
She is no longer my LITTLE GIRL! But forever we will remember this incredibly special time thanks to her Oil Portrait.
There are certainly no two days that are the same at the “office” for me. This week has been packed as usual with beautiful children and families. Two of you have amazing stories of survivorship and I hope you will allow me to share these stories soon on the blog for everyone to enjoy. I draw so much energy and wonderful karma just from being around both of you and I know everyone reading the blog would enjoy the same energy.
Two more of you invited us into your world to enjoy a “day in your life.” This is always so much fun, whether it is joining you at your home, your horse farm or a day at your favorite watering hole. With you we did all three this week and soon we will be sharing these powerfully creative images for all of you to see.
You were both kind to allow Edie Grace to tag along to the watering hole and to the horse farm. Thanks to you Edie Grace experienced two more first - riding in a speed boat and riding her first real horse. How amazing is it to not only get to document artistically these wonderful life events and memories for you to share for a life time and at the same time create new and powerful memories and experiences for Edie Grace. THANKS!
DeWayne took a few shots to give you some highlights of these two fun adventures!
Tomorrow I am going to write more about last night’s award banquet. There are so many people to thank! I am still in a state of shock. It touched me to the depth of my being!!! So while I struggle to get my thank list in order I thought I would share some of my new custom jewelry items we have available. There are only about six weeks left to order them for Holiday delivery. (purses need to be ordered early also!)
The unique thing about certain pieces of this line is that we can send them back in and have the image changed for a small fee plus shipping. That way you can update the image as we create new images for you of your children and family.
We have a few sample pieces in stock that you can come by and see. I have already chosen about six more things that I want for myself! I am also going to order a pair of cuff links for DeWayne. (ssshhh! don’t blow his surprise) H e collects cuff links. Although they won’t be as rare and collectible as some in his collection, I think they will be much more dear to his heart! If he is on the good list, and not the naughty list, he might even get a key chain too!
I know you will be thrilled with these new cool gift ideas! Don’t procrastinate! Call us today and order something that will make Grandma’s Holiday even merrier!!!
p.s. I will b
e happy to call your hubby and d 
rop a hint or two for you! Just call or email me with his contact info.
(The photos only show a small sampling of what is available!)
***We can create these from our portraits or your snapshots!
Twenty years ago when I began my business I never dreamed that this night would EVER occur. Since Saturday, DeWayne and I have been shuttling back and two between Statesboro and Augusta where the Annual Georgia Professional Photographers Association convention has been in full swing. Tonight was the annual awards banquet. I still can not believe it. Two years ago when I was named International Photographer of the Year by the Professional Photographers of America - I had a little advance notice. That was a huge honor - but in no way compares with being selected by my peers as their photographer of the year.
I will have more on this tomorrow - there are lots and lots of people I need to recognize. I want to share this journey more completely - but while I am still in a state of shock I wanted to share this tremendous news with each of you first.
In addition to winning Photographer of the Year, I also won a few other amazing awards including, Best of Show, First Place, Distinguished, the Kodak Gallery Award and the American Society of Photography award. Below are two of the prints that pulled my scores up to the exceptional level - which positioned me to win these awards.
Tomorrow, and in future blogs, I will tell you about these images and other award winning images juried this week in Augusta.
I must say, however, NO award is GREATER than the one you give me every day by entrusting me and commissioning me to be your portrait artist! Thanks for allowing me that opportunity!
Above all, I thank God for giving me the gift and artistry to master my trade of photography.
One of my favorite days of the month is when my “Working Mother” magazine comes in the mail. (Yes, I still do love getting mail just like when I was a kid.) Working Mother magazine is a “must read” for any mom that works, has worked or plans to re-enter the work force at some point. As a working Mom, there are just days (sometimes EVERY day) that you feel like you are drowning under the sea of responsibility. Homework, laundry, work deadlines, traveling twice to the convention in Augusta this week, going to Atlanta last week, ect. ect. We all have our never ending to-do lists!!!
This month’s magazine has a great article, “3 Guilt-Free Hours” written by Leadership Coach Jamie Woolf. Jamie tries to educate her clients on how important it is to recharge. Here is a quote: “As a leadership coach, one of the first lessons I teach everyone–from executives to religious leaders–is this: To perform your best and inspire the best in others, you need to step back from the pressure and nurture yourself.” She goes on to say, “Whether they’re running a company or a carpool, joy is too often displaced by feelings of resentment and pointless drudgery when they don’t take a breather.” Here is a shocking statistic… a BizRate survey taken recently said, “Out of 1062 moms polled, almost half (47%) said they were the ‘least happy person in the household’.” That statistic really breaks my heart! Unfortunately, I see it all too often in Mom’s I meet. Everyone is looking for a little piece of HOPE. Just a small sign that life will get a little easier. We are all soooo blessed but we all work very hard trying to be the best Mothers we can be and that can take quite a toll on us.
Click on this link and read the article and take the quiz. (working mother magazine) It will help you find those precious three hours you need just for yourself. You deserve it!!!
Can you imagine driving 20 minutes to have dinner at a combination convenient/grocery store/coffee shop/steak house? If you really want to step back in time (can you say Mayberry) and have a unique dining experience that you will be telling your friends about for weeks then Cafe Berne’ is the place. Otherwise know as Bernies store in downtown Bellville. Bernies is one of six operating business in this town with a population of around 150.
Only on Friday nights - Bernie’s has become one of the most popular steak houses in the area. That’s right - they only do this one night a week. Your evening begins by going to the meat counter and picking out the meat and select side items you want Bernie to cook for you. For $1.00 he cooks the item’s to perfection. Once you place your order you climb up some wooden stairs to the attic of the building. Once your there - you are transformed into another world. You really will think your in an exclusive private hunting lodge.
On really special nights they have tremendous live entertainment. That entertainment is in the form of a Karokee machine. You know that Bernie has had a great night I understand if he leads the Karokee.
You MUST put this on your calendar as a must do dining experience.
Bernie’s wife Hilda owns one of the other operating businesses in town - the Anderson House restaurant. A block away they have transformed an old southern home into a place known for some of the best southern cooking in the southeast. But that is another blog entry. Today the spotlight is shining on Bernie’s “fine dining” experience.
To get to Bernies from Statesboro take highway 301 south to Claxton (about 18 miles). At the red light in the center of town turn right onto highway 280 east and travel approximately 5 miles to Bellville. At the caution light turn right onto highway 169. You can not miss Bernies on the left after you cross the rail road tracks. Please be sure and tell Bernie that Lori sent you.
I can’t wait to read your comments on this one!
WOW! What a day!!! My alarm clock woke me up this morning at 2:30am and I hit the road to Atlanta at 3:30am. I had to be set up at 7:00am before the State Immunization Conference began. It kicked off at 8:00am but most of the attendees arrive early to visit the exhibits. I was very excited when I got the call inviting me to be a part of the event. The event organizer, Angie, had been given my name by someone in Savannah that had been keeping up with work promoting the HPV vaccine. (Thank you to that person!)
The event had 480 registered attendees. Most were nurses who were there to learn more info about the new vaccines available and any new data. There were many speakers including Dr. Sandra Adamson Fryhofer. You may remember her as our 1976 Miss Georgia. She had wanted to be a doctor since she was only five years old. When she was a contestant at the Miss America pageant her question was, “Miss Georgia, what makes you think you can be a doctor?”. At the time, she was only the second contestant in Miss America history to list being a doctor as her career goal. I am amazed by how much she and Kara look alike and that they are BOTH past Miss Georgia’s, past Miss America contestants, internal medicine doctors, and both practice at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta.
Sandra not only became the doctor she had dreamed of becoming, she also became the youngest president of the 115,000 member American College of Physicians - American Society of Internal Medicine. She was only the second woman to hold that post.
It was great to meet yet another person working to promote the HPV vaccine. She delivered the keynote address today and dedicated her speech to one of her client’s daughters that had recently lost her battle with metastatic cervical cancer. I think everyone was really touched by seeing photos of one of the 10 woman a day that lose their life to cervical cancer. The family was so kind to share their story and photos with permission in this time where HIPPA has to keep everyone’s identity private.
Our new cervical cancer posters were a big hit. These posters explain why I am one mother who will vaccinate my daughter when she is nine. My prayer is that these posters will save just one life. I understand that not everyone will share my view and I respect each person’s opinion. All I ask is that you will give me about five minutes to share a few things that the media has forgotten to mention. That way, whatever your decision is for your daughter, it will be made with complete information.
As you probably remember, last month I celebrated my five year anniversary of cancer freedom. Driving up to Atlanta this morning I reflected on the gift of life and how precious it is. This weekend do something to celebrate your life! You deserve to!!!
Those of you who know us - know we are Disney fanatics. We first took Edie Grace to Disney World when she was just over a year old. Before she was three we had done pretty much everything you could do in Orlando with her, in addition we had taken her on the Disney Cruise and to Euro Disney in Paris. Many of the great deals and wonderful information that we have passed on to each of you was through this site. I have pasted the sites monthly newsletter here for you to review. The links in the newsletter do not seem to be working - however you can get most of this information through their web site. This is truly one of Disney’s best kept secrets. I highly recommend the Mickey’s not so scary Halloween parties and the Very Merry Christmas events.
Mary, the owner of this site, has created a wonderful network of all things Disney. There are always great deals, tips and news for Disney lovers.
See you at Disney SOON! Be sure to register to receive this free monthly newsletter from Mary.
Our weekend went from fun to fabulous…in Edie Grace’s eyes. Saturday, Edie Grace FINALLY lost her first tooth!
