BNW Photography

Seriously TOO Adorable!

2010-02-23T14:10:00.002-06:00

Bathtub Fun!

2010-02-03T17:12:00.002-06:00

Cale was so hilarious in the bathtub! What a fun session with such a handsome little guy!

Happy 1st Birthday Stryker!

2010-02-03T17:03:00.004-06:00

I have had the honor of photographing Stryker since he was born. He has become quite a little man over this past year! Looking forward to watching him grow! Love ya Shell (shelley is stryker's mommy who is just wonderful)!!!!

Sweet little princess!

2010-02-03T16:53:00.003-06:00

She belongs in a magazine! I just love her to pieces!

So grown up!

2010-02-03T16:41:00.004-06:00

He just keeps getting cuter and cuter every time I see him!

The Love of My Life!

2009-12-31T23:39:00.007-06:00

Things about Ty at 4 1/2 years old:

* Loves his puppy Ali

*Loves wrestling with Daddy

*Loves momma reading books to him

*If you ask him where Jesus is...he says in his heart

*Won't eat mashed potatoes

*Will choose water over any other drink offered to him (even soda)

*Likes Sam on ICarly

*Current favorite songs: Party in the USA (Miley Cyrus), You Belong With Me (Taylor Swift), Big Green Tractor (Jason Aldean)

*Says he will go to college at Long Beach State University

*Favorite players: Evan Longoria, Josh Hamilton, Derek Jeter, Jonathon Papelbon

*Is very sensitive to others feelings

*The most patient kid I know

*Mature beyond his age (sorry...I'm being "that" mom)!

Merry Christmas 2009!

2009-12-27T20:46:00.008-06:00

It certainly has been FOREVER since I have posted! I just completed what I feel has been the busiest year I have ever had with my business (hence, not posting since SEPTEMBER)! Thank you to my customers - whom I truly consider my friends. Without your support, I wouldn't have the opportunity to do what I love to do. Nothing makes me more happy than to hear how much you love your pictures!

Needless to say....bring on 2010! For those of you who follow me faithfully, know that 2009 was a little rough for our family. Thank you for your support during our trials...and I am happy to report that Bobby has retired from recreation softball and has taken a much safer path (I think) as the head baseball coach of a great group of little boys! The team is the KC Dirtbags and you can follow Ty and his awesome teammates on our blog http://www.kcdirtbags.blogspot.com/. Please mark that blog as one of your favorites if you would like to follow Ty. In this household, we live, breath, and bleed baseball....so you will be able to find out some pretty current events for us on that blog!

Thank you again for your friendships and support of BNW Photography. I love all of you!

Prayer Request

2009-09-28T15:45:00.004-05:00

Sadly, today I found out one of my friends/clients passed away. You can read more about her story on http://www.kmbc.com/ (Channel 9 Kansas City website).

I have known Travis (the husband) for a long time. We went to High School together in a small Kansas town. I was privileged to have the opportunity to photograph their engagement session, the birth of their first baby, and also other family pictures throughout the years.

Angie always amazed me with her sense of style, her beautiful blonde hair, and the "girlyness" about her. I will never forget one time she was at the Royals game the same night I was.....she had the cutest dress on and a pair of high heels! Even a sporting event didn't shy her away from dressing adorable! She looked amazing (as she always did).

It is with heavy heart that I am sharing with you one of my favorite pictures I took of Angie and Travis together. It has been on my website for a long time and some of you may have seen it on there already.

Please keep Travis, their children, family & friends in your prayers.

Angie & Travis

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2009-09-14T23:44:00.002-05:00

For those of you starting to think about pictures for the holidays.....I'm want to give you a bit of a heads up regarding my schedule!

October is FULL! Seriously! I have officially scheduled the last person I can for October. The ONLY exception are newborns.

The good news is.....November I have availability (but you better book now before November fills up too)!

So, if you want Christmas pictures (for cards, gifts, etc)....please schedule your November appointment anytime before Thanksgiving.

Any appointments after Thanksgiving I cannot promise to have back in time for Christmas unless you are willing to pay rush fees.

This has been a wonderful year and I am blessed to have your friendship and value your business! :)

Toooooooo Cute!

2009-08-20T02:06:00.005-05:00

See what happens when mommy and Miss Brandi have their way??!! We break out the swimsuit!!!! As stated in the title of this post...TOOOO CUTE!

Grady...such a sweetheart!

2009-08-20T01:59:00.004-05:00

This little guy has a smile that won't stop!

Oh, my sweet Olivia - Happy Birthday!

2009-08-19T22:18:00.005-05:00

I remember her newborn session like it was yesterday! Have a very happy birthday Miss O! We can't wait to see you dig into your cake at your party!!!!

Ayden is 1!

2009-08-19T22:05:00.003-05:00

A tribute photograph to baby Ayden's grandfathers

Happy Birthday big guy! Time has sure flown by this year!

Soooo little just one short year ago!

What a precious newborn!

2009-08-09T20:51:00.002-05:00

Can't wait to find out if she decides to be a Royals or Cardinals fan! Mommy and daddy have a difference of opinion when it comes to Missouri baseball teams! Thanks for having me photograph your new little bundle of joy! Your daughter is sooo precious!

The wonderful faces of Marshall!

2009-08-09T19:12:00.001-05:00

So new to the world!

2009-08-09T19:08:00.002-05:00

And a proud big sis!

Ah, soooooo cute!!!!

2009-08-09T19:03:00.001-05:00

Another one of my favorite fams!

2009-08-09T18:57:00.002-05:00

Thank you guys.....loved hanging out with you at the park!

'10 Senior

2009-08-09T18:48:00.002-05:00

Thanks Miss J - you were so much fun and hopefully your dad can forgive me for the beautiful images of you!! Inside joke....LOL!!!

Proofing Changes

2009-07-30T19:50:00.003-05:00

Effective August 1, 2009 - I will have a NEW way for you to view your proofs!

Any sessions from August 1, 2009 going forward will be posted online. I will no longer provide the spiral bound image magazines. HOWEVER, for those of you still interested - you can still purchase an image magazine starting at $35.00 (more than 30 images in a book will result in higher cost).

I know the image magazines are popular with many of you - but I have found that more people are interested in having their proofs online so that your friends and family can view your sessions easier (without the hassle of passing the proof magazine around). Furthermore, you will not have to "collect" money from your relatives - they can go online, order, and pay without you being the middle person! The additional plus side of this is that your wait to see your images will be shorter! I won't have to send your images off to my lab for printing!

A few things have been changed/added to the right column of my blog. Please check it out! :)

If you have any questions - please feel free to email me at brandi5772@hotmail.com

Thank you so much for your support of my business! I value your loyalty and friendships! :)

No news is good news!

2009-06-21T10:43:00.002-05:00

I am sorry I haven't updated Bobby's progress lately! It's been crazy around here! Well, I am happy to report Bobby is doing better. He still has his moments, but for the most part the bad pain spells are gone. He is now just at a point of being sooo hungry! Soups, malts, and blended chili just aren't cutting it anymore. We will visiti the oral surgeon again in 1 1/2 weeks. At that time, he will determine whether Bobby can get the wires removed or if he needs to stay an additional week. Let's hope for the sooner option!!!!

Bobby went back to desk work this past week. It's pretty boring stuff. It has given me a chance to get back into my "routine" though. It's so crazy how he has totally thrown my schedule off since he has been home. I think it's good for him to be back at work anyhow. It will be a good transition for going back to the road.

I am super busy with photography and I promise to start posting pictures again (versus my doom and gloom blogs I have been subjecting you all to)! However, we truly appreciate all of your comments you left for Bobby. He reads them and is so encouraged by your words. Even though he may not know some of you like I do......he truly appreciates your thoughts and prayers as he has dealt with his injury.

Happy Fathers Day to my husband......he is the most wonderful Daddy in the world! When I asked Ty what he loved about daddy, he said that he loves his hugs and kisses. When I asked Ty what is the funniest thing that daddy does.....he said "He shakes his booty." Bobby will appreciate me posting that comment for everyone to read! LOL!

Quick update

2009-06-11T10:21:00.004-05:00

We are 1 week and 1 day post surgery (not that I'm counting or anything). Things have gotten better in some areas and have stayed the same in others.

I am proud of his eating. He has really made an effort to eat as best as he can with the liquid diet. I have even tried some new recipies that he liked and at least I know he is getting some nutrition. He has lost 10 pounds and looks lean! I have lost 12 pounds and am anxious to lose more!! ;)

We have had some bad spells with pain. The surgeon had Bobby come back in to the office this past Monday and he took the wires off and replaced them with rubberbands. He felt that Bobby was in too much pain and the rubberbands should offer him some relief. Making that switch put Bobby in a lot of pain (just because of the slight movement of his jaw). So Monday was not good. We had another really bad spell yesterday morning about 6:30am. He was in so much pain I really though he was going to go into shock. I helped him through it and the rest of the day seemed to go pretty well (even ventured out to Target with him for awhile).

He is still on pain medicine and will be off of work for this week. We are hopeful that he will go back to light duty the following week and then only have 2 or 3 weeks on light duty.

Everyone has been so thoughtful.....we can't say thank you enough to everyone who has been so kind to us! Gotta run....sounds like another pain spell is setting in.....

**update 12:40pm......spoke with surgeon about an hour ago. He is so unsure why Bobby continues to have pain. Said it shouldn't be doing it this bad 1 week post surgery. We are heading to ENT Doctor at 3:00pm to see what he thinks is going on.

And round three....

2009-06-08T10:02:00.002-05:00

We ended up BACK at the ER. Bobby has been in so much pain (the pain medicine isn't doing anything for him at this point) and he is in complete misery still. I called the oral surgeon and he wanted Bobby to go to the ER right away to be seen. The reason is because he (the surgeon) wanted to rule out middle ear damage or a crack to the base of his skull. WHAT??!!! This couldn't get any worse...

So off to Liberty Hospital we went. The Readers Digest version of our hospital visit was that it was long, extremly painful on Bobby, boring for Ty, and frustrating for me. But, the best news we have gotten this week was that the CT scan showed no further damage (to ligaments, ear, bones, etc). He even said Bobby's brain looked good (which I really do question)!! LOL!

He was given a stronger pain medicine. He said this medicine just makes him more loopy but doesn't ease the pain much. Seems like the only thing that's working for a small timeframe is an ice pack. But again, that is only temporary relief.

So, just to keep you posted on his weight (and for me to journal it) he has lost 7 lbs. I have lost 8 lbs. I, however, am NOT complaining though!!!!!! I eat what Bobby eats....I feel too guilty eating in front of him. He has never asked me to not eat, in fact he wants me to eat.....but I just can't bring myself to do it yet. But no fears.....I AM getting nutrition - it's just liquid right now!

Please continue the prayers......we will need them in the coming weeks. I sure hope things turn around at our household soon. I know they will with time.....it just can't get here fast enough.

Round Two

2009-06-05T09:54:00.003-05:00

Round two of finishing Bobby's jaw surgery was yesterday. It was the most HORRIBLE of the two procedures he has had in the past two days. He was in soooooo much pain, I can't even describe it. I cried for him almost the entire day.

After we got home from yesterday's procedure, I made him drink an Ensure to get something in his stomach. Any nutrition he has must be in liquid form and has to "seep" through his teeth in order to swallow. Once he drank the Ensure, he took his pain meds and went to sleep for about 3 hours.

After waking up (it was late afternoon by this point)....he was doing somewhat better and was ready to have more in his belly. So off to Target I went. I bought things I have never bought before and was clueless about how to do this whole liquid diet.

We made him a strawberry smoothie and he drank chicken noodle soup broth. He then wanted to go outside for some fresh air and watch Ty ride his John Deere. That made me feel a little better (actually seeing Bobby move around). Once I saw him act "a little normal".... my tears started to fade away. I think I just needed to "see" that he was going to be ok. Seeing your husband in so much pain, laying on the bed moaning, crying, and in misery is nothing a wife wants to witness. I just felt so helpless which made me so upset.

He just woke up this morning and said that last night was rough. He didn't sleep much and the pain his really bad in one side of his jaw. I told him it's going to get worse before it gets better....the wires are trying to do their job to fix his breaks. It's not going to feel good by any means.

Thank you to all for your concerns, phone calls, emails, texts, etc. We appreciate it more than you'll ever know. It will be a long 5 weeks- but with your friendships, I know it will be a little more bearable for us to make it through.

P.S.....we get to carry around wire clippers around with us everywhere in case of an emergency (like if he starts choking). I know it doesn't sound like a major ordeal to do that.....but the thought of an emergency like that happening just stresses me out. We have two pairs (one for home and one that I will put in my purse). I plan on buying a 3rd pair that Bobby will carry on him. We examined his wiring last night to see where cuts need to be made in case something should happen. Just makes my stomach hurt thinking about that. I'm sure nothing will happen, but it's something we have to be prepared for just in case.

Just one of those days!

2009-06-03T22:18:00.002-05:00

Bobby played softball Sunday night and got hit in the face with a ball that took a bad hop. The long and short of it is that he ended up with a broken jaw in 2 places. He has his mouth wired shut and it will stay that way for at least 5 weeks. He will be on a 100% liquid diet during that time.

It was an emotional day...I totally wasn't expecting that news. I knew he was hurt, but didn't expect it to shake out this way.

In the end, I know he will be ok....just one of those roadbumps life gives us....

Happy Birthday Max!

2009-06-02T10:07:00.003-05:00

What a fantastic session! Max was totally full of smiles! LOVE the second picture....I think it captures his personality PERFECTLY! Enjoy mommy & daddy!!!

Such a sweetheart!

2009-06-02T00:47:00.003-05:00

Slow down - there's a new officer in town!

2009-06-02T00:35:00.002-05:00

The little red ball tells quite a story in these pics

2009-06-02T00:26:00.003-05:00

Sometimes I worry about toys being in pictures (will they be distracting, etc). But not in this case! This ball made for some of the cutest shots!

Downtown Fun!

2009-06-02T00:20:00.001-05:00

Best Friends!

2009-06-02T00:17:00.002-05:00

We had too much fun during this session!

2009-06-02T00:10:00.002-05:00

Handsome little guy!

2009-06-02T00:04:00.003-05:00

This little cutie was a blast! I definitely think mom and dad have a heartbreaker on their hands!

Beautiful Senior!

2009-06-01T23:58:00.002-05:00

I am waaaaaay behind on my Spring 2009 posts. I'm going to try to play catch up! Here is one of my seniors.....what a fabulous session!

Can't believe I haven't posted about baseball yet!

2009-05-29T09:57:00.006-05:00

Ok...this is one of those proud mommy blogs - I'm about to brag on my boy!

As most of you know, Ty is in his second season of T-Ball....and we couldn't be happier about how far he has come along this past year. He hits the ball so awesome, he has really improved on fielding this year and has a strong arm to get the ball where it needs to go. The other day, Bobby and Ty were at the fields for about 2 hours and they practiced hitting (Bobby pitching to him - not off of a T). Then, Bobby taught him how to pitch. I would say Ty thew it right over home plate about 80% of the time. Not too shabby for a 4 year old!

I think our neighbors think we are crazy because on any given night we are in the front yard pitching to Ty for at least an hour. We can't wait to see what the future holds for Big Ty (as Uncle Ry Ry calls him). According to Ty, he will be playing for either the Yankees or Tampa Bay someday! Currently, his favorite players are Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, Evan Longoria and Andy Pettitte.

Here are a few pictures of our future MLB player! By the way, you know how obsessed we are about baseball.....don't be shocked if you see us on Dr. Phil someday with the show titled "I'm Grooming My Child to be a Star!" Every parent has their proud moments....I guess this is just ours! LOL! It's fun to dream!

Proud big brother!

2009-05-16T12:17:00.002-05:00

I had a great time photographing these sweet children! Baby Maryn was only days old....and was SO alert for her first photo session! I think she is going to be a ham for the camera like her big brother Kohen is!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T19:01:00.002-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to all of you awesome moms out there!

I had a great day!!!! Ty and Daddy bought me some beautiful yellow flowers in a blue vase and also a Royals jersey (Soria). He is one of my favorite players! I also am getting Royals tickets for Friday nights game that Greinke is pitching in! YEAH!

I am most grateful for my little Ty! Words cannot explain how much joy that boy has brought to Bobby and I.

I thank God for choosing me to be Ty's mommy.....

Happy Mother's Day! And GO ROYALS!!!

Updates

2009-04-21T00:09:00.003-05:00

Quick post/update....

It's been a whirlwind of a month around here. Lot's of ups & downs it seems like- which makes me really want the month of April to be over with - bring on MAY! But our most recent news is that Ty has pneumonia. He started getting a deep "barking" cough last week - I actually thought it was a slight case of the croup. So, I treated it as such - steamy showers, followed up by cool outside air, then humidifier in the bedroom (just the basic stuff). Well, after getting worse over the weekend, we ended up at CMH today with the news of pneumonia AND a left ear infection. We were given an antibiotic and sent home with instructions of rest, water, and lots of TLC. Apparently his left ear tube is about ready to fall out - hence, it's not really doing the job anymore. We spoke to Ty's ENT about 3 weeks ago, and he said that it isn't unusual for children to have to get a second set of tubes. Well, looks like we may be heading down that road at some point!

Bobby and I both started to not feel well yesterday too - but as you know, the show must go on for us. But we are definitely making Ty slow down so we don't end up admitted into the hospital.

I will get some new pics on this blog soon. Hope this warm weather this week will help get the "sickies" out of the air so we all start feeling better!

Pretty smiles for the Easter Bunny!

2009-04-02T11:20:00.002-05:00

Too Cute!!! LOVE the hat!!! I'm sure the Easter Bunny will be very good to Miss Addison this year!

Getting close to graduation time!

2009-03-31T00:39:00.003-05:00

We had a great time doing these pictures! Thank you so much, Dylan, for having me capture this important time in your life! I can't wait for you to see the rest of the pics....there are toooooooo many awesome ones!!!

Sweet Sisters :)

2009-03-29T21:12:00.007-05:00

Miss Kaitlyn and little sister Lauren were so awesome! We had a wonderful time during our session. Kaitlyn followed directions so well (she is setting a great example for her sister)! Thank you guys for coming to see me so soon after Lauren was born...she is beautiful!! Mommy and Daddy are so blessed to have such wonderful girls!

Love the natural curls!

2009-03-22T00:01:00.001-05:00

Isn't she just precious!?

Here it is Nathan!

2009-03-18T01:45:00.002-05:00

Nathan drove over an hour away to have me do his Senior pictures! I always think it's such an honor when someone is willing to drive that far to have me photograph them! So for that, thank you Nathan (and Mom)! He was so much fun to work with....a great personality, polite, and willing to do whatever! Thank you again!

These pics left me speechless! You will agree!

2009-03-15T01:12:00.002-05:00

Mommy and daddy have been patiently waiting for their sneak peek! I think it's safe to say these adorable pics were worth the wait!!!!!!!! I just adore this little sweetie!

Another FUN session with Adleigh!

2009-03-15T00:24:00.006-05:00

Sweet little Adleigh was so much fun during her session! She is such a beauty and always gives me the BEST smiles!!!! And by far she is a little trend-setter with her awesome clothes!

Little Cowboy turns 1!

2009-03-14T09:58:00.003-05:00

Baby Aaron as a newborn

It's hard to believe Aaron is already 1! I have known him ever since he was in his mommy's belly. He is such a ray of sunshine!! I have enjoyed watching all of his milestones this past year! Happy birthday big guy!

Jaden and her stunning blue eyes!

2009-02-16T23:37:00.002-06:00

Happy 1st Birthday Miss Jaden! You were such a sweetie during your session! Thank you for flashing those beautiful eyes at me!

I love drool pictures!

2009-02-16T23:15:00.002-06:00

And yes, he is as cute as a teddy bear!

Little Baby Boy!!

2009-02-16T23:04:00.004-06:00

This little man was so incredible! He was soooo easy going and didn't have a care in the world as to how many poses we wanted to put him in!

Introducing Baby Callie!

2009-02-16T22:52:00.003-06:00

She was such a good sport with all the things Miss Brandi had her doing!

She never cried one time!

Thank you baby Callie for a fun session!

My Bitter-Sweet Day

2009-02-10T10:56:00.011-06:00

Well, I apologize ahead of time if I sound "whiney" or pathetic! Today, my little Ty started Pre-School. I know, I know....I should be rejoicing! Well, I am to some extent. But for those of you who know our family - I have been so blessed to be able to stay home with Ty ever since he was born. So as I sit in this quiet room typing this blog with misty eyes - I realize my little Ty isn't so little anymore.

Ok....I know millions and millions of children go to pre-school. And I know that probably every parent goes through some anxiety on their child's first day of school. But (sigh), for as much as I want my little one to grow up - I don't want my little one to grow up.

We got a call last week from the church he is attending Pre-School at. They said they had an opening because another child in the class was moving. Ty was next on the waiting list. If you don't know about Liberty's waiting list for pre-school - oh, my -it's crazy! We have been on the waiting list for over a year! So we quickly snatched up the opportunity for Ty to go to a wonderful school! I have been a mess ever since we got the call. But Ty has been so excited!!!

So off to school we go today. We pulled into the parking lot and I said to Ty...

"Look Ty, here is your school!"

And he responded, "Is it heaven?"

The reason he asked this is because the Pre-school is at a church - where we learn about Jesus (who is in heaven). Which prompted Ty to think that his school was heaven! Oh my!!!

Well, we walked inside and thank GOODNESS we saw a friend of ours Lonnie (someone Bobby works with at the PD) dropping off his little boy! He totally took my mind off of the fact as to what was happening! Ty did great....walked right in the classroom and started playing on the floor with a couple other kids. He has two teachers and they are super sweet! They have a "Question of the Day" in the classroom....and today's question was..."Have you met the new student in our room?" That made me feel AWESOME! I knew at that point, the other children in the class would each have the opportunity to meet Ty and make him feel welcome.

As I walked out of the class....I felt pretty good. I ran into a good friend of mine Jennifer who totally knew I have been a mess about this. She gave me a hug and asked how I was doing. Surprisingly, I did ok..........UNTIL..........we drove out of the parking lot.

I cried.

I needed to.

But as Ty told me last night before bedtime....."it will be ok mommy."

He is right........... It will be ok................

Brand New Baby Boy!

2009-02-09T17:44:00.004-06:00

Stryker's session was so much fun! He is sooooo little!!!!

Future Baseball Star

2009-02-09T17:35:00.002-06:00

How cute is this!!!??? Did you notice the extra "stats" I added?!

Happy Birthday Lexi!

2009-01-18T16:21:00.003-06:00

Lexi's daddy especially loves this last picture!!!!

Lil' bit of summer....lil' bit of winter

2009-01-18T16:15:00.002-06:00

My "better late than never" card!

2009-01-18T16:05:00.003-06:00

Here is our New Year's card that I FINALLY finished of Ty!

No pain, no gain!

2009-01-14T02:26:00.002-06:00

Happy 1st Birthday Brady!

A Mother's Love!

2009-01-13T23:57:00.002-06:00

A family near & dear to my heart!

2008-12-29T21:52:00.002-06:00

Had a blast with this family!

2008-12-29T21:42:00.003-06:00

New Baby Girl!

2008-12-29T21:37:00.002-06:00

This family was so awesome....so patient and sweet!

Can't get over those eyes!!!

2008-12-29T21:28:00.003-06:00

Wonderful session!

2008-12-29T21:11:00.002-06:00

We are happy to have met this family this past year! Thomas is on Ty's T-Ball team....and we have developed a wonderful friendship with them! Thanks guys for having me photograph your awesome family!!!!

Sophia is 2!

2008-12-29T21:04:00.002-06:00

This little girl is such a sweetie! I know this sounds silly....but she is such a "mature" 2 year old. She is busy....but loves her picture taken! You may recognize her from my website....she is on my homepage eating birthday cake! Pretty soon....she's gonna be a big sis!!!! I can't wait to photograph her little brother when he arrives! I have a feeling Sophia is going to be a big help to mommy!

Awesome family portrait!

2008-12-29T21:00:00.003-06:00

A special part of Christmas this year...

2008-12-26T18:12:00.003-06:00

We were blessed to spend another Christmas with my Great-Grandmother. She is 99 years old. She is the most beautiful, sweet, and loving person. I wanted to share with everyone how beautiful she is....

Can't believe Christmas has come & gone!

2008-12-26T18:02:00.004-06:00

It was a great Christmas! This year, Ty really knew what was up with the whole Santa & gift giving! Here are a few pics from Christmas Eve & Christmas Day!

Beautiful Family Portrait

2008-12-12T21:06:00.003-06:00

Awesome & FUN session!

2008-12-11T00:21:00.003-06:00

This family was soooo much fun! I couldn't wait to get these posted! When I look at these pictures.....it brings an immediate smile to my face!!!

A lot to be thankful for....

2008-11-27T19:57:00.007-06:00

Another Thanksgiving has arrived and is coming to a close. I must admit, I have never really sat down and "documented" what I am thankful for. Although when nice things happen to me, I always say "Thank You" and "I appreciate that" or "That was so thoughtful." And when I really stop and think about the little things that are in my life that bring me happiness - it is a little overwhelming.

First and foremost, I have the most amazing, loving family. My hubby is wonderful (although every once in a while I like to gripe about him -LOL)!!! He works so hard to provide for our family - and will give the shirt off of his back for a friend in need. He is the most awesome daddy and would do anything for his son. He is so supportive of me - and even though I can be a little dramatic at times - he is always there to hold my hand (or put me back in my place) when needed! I love that about him! He rocks!

And my son Ty. Wow....what can I say. The love of a child is the best gift anyone can have. He is so innocent, so spontanious, and keeps me on my toes. I am so thankful for his health, smiles, the pitter patter of his feet running down the hallway, when he asks me where the sunshine is when it's a cloudy day, how excited he gets when I tell him he can go wake daddy up, how he says "I love you MORE," how he shares toys & food with his dog, how much he loves sports, all the baseball players names he knows, how he calls me his girlfriend, how much he likes donuts, how he tells me "mommy, hold you" (which means he wants me to hold him), and when he gives me the biggest hugs in the world.

There are so many more things I could share....but these popped out at me as I was typing. I am so thankful to have these moments with him.

I am also blessed with the most amazing friends. I truly believe God brings people into our lives for a purpose - and I am truly surrounded by the most caring, trusting, and loving friends ever.

And I am so thankful for my photography business. Again.....I truly believe God has sent people to have their pictures taken with me for a reason. Every person, every family, every situation, has a story. And whether it be a baby's newborn picture, a baby's 1st birthday, or the first time an extended family has been together in years, or it's time for the family to have a picture because they haven't done it in forever, or a new daddy is getting sent to Iraq to serve our wonderful country.........it's sooooo important to record the "here and now." We can never go back and get those moments again. I keep thinking about that song by Kenny Chesney called "Don't Blink" (it's on my playlist if you want to hear it). The message behind that song is that you better enjoy every little thing about your children....because before you know it....they will be all grown up. So when I take pictures of your children, your family, or your senior high schooler......I can promise you that those thoughts are going through my head. Because what I am giving you are more than just pictures.....they are memories......to be shared for generations, upon generations to come. So I am thankful that God has blessed me with the emotion that I carry with me behind the lens.

Please take time to stop and smell the roses......be thankful for the little things in your life.......don't be quick to judge........don't sweat the small stuff (it's just stuff!!!!).....always extend your hand, because you may be picking someone up who needs help.....give to those less fortunate.....and remember to always say I love you to your friends and family.....you never know if it could be your last chance.....do something nice for someone, and don't ask for anything in return - only ask that person to pay it forward to someone else.....let the circle of love grow.

Happy Thanksgiving! Thank YOU for being a part of my life! And thank you for reading this post!

Brandi :)

Long, Overdue picture update!

2008-11-19T00:43:00.006-06:00

This Fall has been a blast....I've had some AWESOME sessions! Just wanted to thank everyone for giving me the opportunity to capture your family or child.....each and every one of you are so important to me - you are not clients to me, but friends. Thank you again for your trust in me!

P.S. If you don't see your child/family on here.....stay tuned....more to come!

No Tricks & Lots of Treats!

2008-10-31T23:03:00.003-05:00

FREEZE! DON'T MOVE! Well, if Ty doesn't make it to the majors in baseball....I'm pretty sure he has another career choice in mind! Hope everyone had a great Halloween!

Didn't make it to the doc today!

2008-10-27T14:19:00.002-05:00

Ty and I are sick.....so we had to cancel Ty's appointment today. Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers for us! We will be rescheduling his appointment - so I will be sure to keep you posted on what happens!

Upcoming Doctor Visit

2008-10-22T13:10:00.004-05:00

Well, this upcoming Monday Ty has a follow-up appointment with his urologist from Children's Mercy. They are going to do another ultra-sound on his bladder/kidney area. He has what's called "Bladder Reflux." Basically, when he goes to the bathroom and the urine leaves his bladder....some of the urine doesn't expel like it should and it goes back up into his bladder. This causes bladder infections (which is very uncommon for little boys). The long term effect is kidney damage. The doctor is hoping that Ty will have "grown out of it" by now....which is why we are having the test done again to see if it's gotten any better. Ty is scared to death of doctors.....so I am NOT looking forward to this visit.

Keep us in your prayers......cause Ty's mommy doesn't do well at the doctor's office either when Ty gets really upset. It totally stresses me out. But I am going to keep my thoughts on a family I know who's 5 month old just had heart surgery yesterday. Baby Slayton is doing really well post-surgery today. The strength this family has is remarkable. Please keep them in your prayers as well. What a fighter!!!

Cowboy Take Me Away!

2008-10-18T13:22:00.004-05:00

So in love

2008-10-06T20:47:00.002-05:00

Pumpkin Patch Fun!

2008-10-06T20:29:00.004-05:00

!
You know Ty is thinking...."Mom, please, I'm a big boy....why are you making me do this??!!"
Ty and Uncle Clint
He is the such a preppy farmer, isn't he?
Bridget and Adelyn

We went to the pumpkin patch with our very good friends! We had a great time!

Props can be so much fun!

2008-10-06T20:18:00.003-05:00

The "accessories" in these pictures weren't planned.....during the middle of our session, these children found my props and started playing around. It made for some cute pictures! It's soooooo in the moment!

Heartbreakers

2008-10-06T20:11:00.001-05:00

Sweet 6 month old

2008-10-06T20:02:00.001-05:00

Fabulous session, fabulous friends!

2008-10-06T19:58:00.001-05:00

Another Great Fall Festival!

2008-10-06T17:36:00.003-05:00

The weather couldn't have been better for the Fall Festival this year! It was a busy 3 day event...and I handed out a lot of business cards! I thought it would be fun to show you what my booth looked like!

Hey Brooke....here they are!

2008-10-04T21:05:00.004-05:00

Here is gorgeous Brooke......I can't believe she is a Senior already! I have many favorite images from her session....but the first picture ROCKS!

Olivia's newborn session

2008-09-19T15:16:00.002-05:00

Precious....that's the only word to describe this sweetie. She was 11 days old when she came to see me. Look at how tiny she is!

Christmas is just around the corner!

2008-09-19T15:05:00.004-05:00

My calendar is getting crazy busy already! YEAH! And just so everyone knows....my schedule is booking up fast....and I will be at the Liberty Fall Festival next weekend (where people book on the spot). Sooooooo....if you are thinking about having your family pictures done for Christmas, I highly encourage you to contact me before next weekend. I can't promise to give you your 1st choice in scheduling a date - so please have a few dates in mind. Weekends go first - so if you can (by chance) - do a session during the week - it would be great!

If you want pictures back before Christmas, all sessions must take place before Nov 30th!

Christmas is closer than you think! Can't wait to hear from you!!!!

And a handsome little prince he is....

2008-09-15T01:55:00.002-05:00

Yes, this is me dressed up as Cinderella (thanks Tracy for letting me keep this costume for so long). I had a special request to attend a "princess" party for some 6 year old girls. We even took a ride on the Cinderella carriage at the Plaza. It was so cute because they really thought I was Cinderella and I live in a castle! Well, unfortunately I'm not Cinderella....and I don't live in a castle....but I sure do have an awesome prince by my side (really, I have two awesome princes but the bigger one had to take our picture)!

For the love of the game

2008-09-10T23:43:00.004-05:00

The Royals are winding down for the season - it's a sad time at our household because baseball is coming to an end. We are hopeful the Royals will be more successful next year. Here is Ty supporting our favorite hometown team.

My little stud

2008-09-06T00:02:00.004-05:00

You know how the plumber has leaky faucets? Well, I'm the photographer who doesn't have pictures of her own child! Not really, but I am only running about 3 months behind on taking his 3 year picture! He is gonna break some hearts someday.....wouldn't you agree? Here he is posing with his famous "A-Rod" bat, mommy's favorite sweatshirt, and our awesome "pretty girl" Ali.

I love my daddy!

2008-09-05T23:27:00.002-05:00

My brother, my friend!

2008-09-05T23:22:00.001-05:00

Adleigh is turning 1!

2008-09-05T23:18:00.002-05:00

I have had the pure joy of photographing this sweet baby girl ever since she was born! It's hard to believe a year has already gone by! Happy Birthday Adleigh!

Baby Ty is pure sweetness

2008-09-05T23:15:00.001-05:00

Lil' Diva!

2008-09-05T23:11:00.002-05:00

Yep, he's a stud at only 6 months!

2008-09-05T23:04:00.001-05:00

Chase is turning 2!

2008-09-05T22:50:00.003-05:00

This sweet little man has so much energy....I don't think we got him to sit still for more than 5 seconds at a time! But we got some great images of him! AND LOOK AT THOSE CURLS!!!! His mommy and daddy are so awesome - I just love this family to pieces!

For Rocky

2008-09-05T22:23:00.004-05:00

Very rarely, do I do a portrait that makes me cry (in a sad way, that is). My dear friends have a very sick Black Lab named Rocky. We decided to do a portrait of the family with Rocky - and it turned out beautiful.

Love birds since the 7th grade!

2008-09-05T21:30:00.002-05:00

What a cute couple! They have been dating since the 7th grade - doesn't that sound like the best love story ever? Brandon is in the military - another one of my heros! Everyone knows how soldiers tug at my heart! Thank you Brandon for what you do for all of us!!!! And what a small world - Molly and I have a law enforcement connection (too long of a story to explain)! Thanks guys for having me do your pictures! It was a blast!

Happy Birthday Miss Addison!

2008-08-27T00:28:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite little girls is turning 1! Here are a couple images from her birthday session!

I'm gonna toot my own horn

2008-08-26T13:13:00.003-05:00

I don't ever toot my own horn, but I just have to today! I just received the NICEST card in the mail today from a new client I got to do pictures for this past week. I just have to share it with you all! I hope that what she says is true for all of my clients. I truly try to make my home welcoming and I hope that when I do your pictures, you feel the same way she does! Here it is:

"Brandi,
We just wanted to thank you again for fitting us into your schedule and for being so kind and patient with our little Ty. We were both a little nervous and you were so open, warm and gracious that we both left your home feeling like we had known you for years and looking forward to seeing you again. We are very excited to see the photos and look forward to years of wonderful photos of us and our family. God has blessed us in so many ways and has blessed us again by bringing such a genuinely nice person into our lives. Thank you again. We enjoyed meeting you and your Ty. He is a very darling, well mannered young man. Sincerely, Jason and Shannon."

So it's been awhile!

2008-08-21T00:09:00.002-05:00

I know, I know....I haven't posted pics in awhile! It's been crazy around our house (like it always is)! I PROMISE I will get some new pics posted in the next day or two so you all can see what I've been up to!

We started practice for Fall Ball. YEAH, baseball is back! Our team has some new faces and it's really fun to see the kids interact. Bobby started his new shift at SCPD (dogwatch) and it's going wonderful! He really likes it and it's nice to know in the back of my mind that his patrol is so close to our home.

I am getting ready for my fall & Christmas rush! I love this time of year because the temperatures are cooling down and it's fun to get outside to do sessions!

I will post more on this in the next couple weeks....but for those of you who are thinking Christmas pictures, cards, etc.....start looking at your calendar and give me a call! I already have people booking and the days will fill up fast! If you are wanting the Fall leaves....historically, mid-late October/early November has been the prettiest.

We hope everyone is doing great! Enjoy the rest of your week!