today was the day...

Today was the Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep training session and it was very helpful. The metro area coordinators are extremely organized; we are linked together by a private blog and even have the opportunity to choose our own on-call dates. (I am very thankful to know ahead of time when I could receive a call as it will help in preparing emotionally.) What has surprised me most is the actual number of calls that come in - an average of four a week! (And that's not even every hospital in the metro area.) Needless to say, there is a great need for photographers.

In addition to providing infant bereavement photography, NILMDTS also offers free photography for families with terminally ill children. I never knew that before today. Several experienced photographers shared deeply touching stories and we received tips and ideas for making the most of our time with the families.

I can honestly say, I'm ready.

On a completely unrelated and extremely superficial note... Maplewood has one awesome library. Seriously. I might have to arrange for a coffee w/somebody there soon. Real soon. (Click HERE to learn about the cafe that resides within it.)

i'd forgotten how much i love this movie

The boys wanted to watch Facing the Giants last night. It wasn't until watching it again, that I realized how much I'd forgotten! It is so much more than a football movie. (The clip above is just a peek.) You can find it HERE for a steal.

Edited to add: The song featured in the above video is Completely by Ana Laura.

a football game, wedding reception, and birthday party all in one day

It was a big day that ended with a Chili Party for the September birthdays at Amy's house. (I used a white chilli recipe similar to THIS ONE though it was nothing compared to my sister's spicy brew.)

Of course, we couldn't go to Amy's house without diving into Rock Band (kids vs. grown-ups).

We stomped 'em.

okay, this is just darn tootin' funny!

For those of you who are Nate Kaiser fans (Image is Found), he and several photographer buddies recently embarked on a roadtrip. (Yes, I realize if you're a fan you might already know this from his blog but part of my job is to keep you up on my favorite blogs!) They dubbed themselves The Mammoth Men and even created a blog to chronicle the extreme happenings. (Which included an unintentional mooning on Day 1.) In addition to being HILARIOUSLY FUNNY, it's kind of neat watching these talented guys in action. Click HERE to check out their blog.

They were even featured in Glamour magazine... go figure.

12 on the 12th

Okay, so technically it's 12:08 am on the 13th but really... I had it completed on the 12th!

BEFORE and AFTER

This is why it takes me so long to pull my shots together after a session. Here's a BEFORE:

And AFTER:

And another set, BEFORE:

And AFTER:

Sometimes it's nice to have a little help from photo-editing software, especially when there's a trash can or tent stake in the background! Playing with the shots is one of my favorite things to do though it can be quite time-consuming. Corel Paint Shop Pro is the editing software I use (and love), though I still have A TON to learn.

okay, so I've posted this video once before...

But I'm doing it again FOR GOOD REASON: BarlowGirl is coming to town!!

They'll be playing at Club 3 Degrees on Saturday, November 1. And if that weren't exciting enough, Superchick will be coming to town as well on Friday, November 7. Show details are HERE for BarlowGirl and HERE for Superchick. (BTW, the Superchick video code has been disabled so if you'd like to check it out, click HERE.)