The kids got the parents a gift certificate for a family shoot.  The perfect gift for people that have everything.  They got family pictures and also had lots of fun.  We all spent lots of time laughing at Ryan helping to get the kids to smile, he does an unusual peek-a-boo.

It was nice to see everyone, espicially Ryan and Shawn who I haven’t seen in a long time.  (by the way my daughter is in her first year of exploring 4-H, it won’t be long until she is showing horses)

Neil’s Family…

The kids were looking for frogs in the mud…

I was so thrilled to be asked to take pictures for this family.  It was more like hanging out with them then going to do a  job.  Wendy (Neil’s daughter) and I went to high school together (actually she was a couple years older then me- I got to get that in Wendy).  It was awesome to see her and her family that travel from Texas for the reunion.

I will have the rest of the photos posted in the storefront tonight.  www.photographybyjayme.com/store

Oh, one more photo… I have to post one I took with “Stan”.  Thanks “Stan” for making things entertaining.

I have been out of town with my husband’s family in TN.  We all rented an amazing house way out in the middle of no where (about 20 mins from Gatlinburg).  It started out good, but then my Mother-in-law ended up in the hospital.  She is coming home right now on oxygen.  We will all be glad when she makes it back home. 

I have lots of stories to share.  We seen a bear cub on the Roaring Fork in the National Forest, Bob and some kids got stung by hornets on alittle walk we went on by the cabin, we seen sharks at the aquarium, our car battery went dead, Jennifer’s (my niece) car tire went totally flat.  Really tooo much excitement for one vacation that is for sure. 

Today I will be returning phone calls, emails and editting the enitre day.  I want to say huge thanks to my recent sessions that waited until I got back to see pictures.  I will have them done today!!! 

Periodically I will post pictures and tell about our vacation on facebook.  If you are bored feel free to add me as a friend to hear them.  I will post a few pictures on here later this week I hope.

www.facebook.com/jayme.goetz

When I was little, I used to smile like this.  My mom called it my mug shot.   

I ment to have these online yesterday but it didn’t happen.  Partyly because I had sooo many pictures to look thru and edit.  I took way more then I normally do.  I was in the shooting mood and Allison was cute being her 2-year old self so I just kept clicking away.  Heather- I hope you love them like you did her one year old pics!

Ring light action…

flashlight on these next two….

Thanks Sara my flashight holder!!!  And also thanks to Cathy and Missy for such a fun time messing around with lighting things up at night.  It made me try some new things.  I will be rockin’ my two light setup from now on, can’t believe the difference!!

Super duper thanks to the models.  You girls were so fun to work with.  Steph, I can’t wait to shoot you again some time soon.

Can’t post too many pictures from this shoot since it was a Bridal Shoot.  I will for sure share after the wedding, but I wanted to share a couple because I really liked shooting it.  This was my first Bridal session.  What is a Bridal session you are asking????  A shoot prior to your wedding.  LOL 

Several reasons to do a Bridal shoot….We got some super cool shots, she got to do a trial run on hair (found out the veil needs to be secured differently), makeup and dress, we got to have alot of fun doing something different, oh and it is less photos we need to take that day.  Yes of course I will still take some that day, but if there is a time crunch that is one less thing that we have to worry about.

So here are just a couple shots, pretty much just of the flowers.  Elizabeth’s Garden will be doing their flowers for their wedding.  I love working with them.  They just flat out ROCK!

Huge thanks girls for making the long drive, espicially the one that got stuck holding my light stand because it started to get windy.  See you girls at the wedding… I can’t wait, it will be so much fun!!!!

The Relay For Life was a huge success.  I heard that about $27,000 was raised.  WOW!!  That is great.  It really was such an amazing evening.  Huge thanks to all fellow committe members that worked throughout the year.  It seemed like there was more people this year, more fun stuff going on,  more silent auction baskets and more people in purple shirts (survivors).  I feel mixed about the more purple shirts.  I am glad so many are survivors, but I hate that so many special people have to battle cancer.

I did’t have my camera out as much as I usually do.  I wanted to capture the event but I also wanted to enjoy time with the family.  This was the first year for a “Goetz” team that walked in honor of Aunt Cheryl that recently passed away.

Enough talk, here are the pictures……The girl scouts volunteered by filling the luminary bags and they also carried a flag in the mini parade.

The famous Starke County Firefighter Honor Guard.  (I say famous because some of the members were in the movie Ladder 49 with John Travolta)  My father-in-law Grover is the guy in the back. 

Special friends Dave and Mary walking together.

Samantha (in the middle) with her friends Hannah and Kara.

Brandon is always happy when there is a grandpa near.  By the way, I am pretty sure my dad was the only one in cowboy boots.

My friend Jody with her mom and dad.  This was right after Jody gave the best “fight back” speech.  I fought back tears thru most of it. See all of you next year!!!   I will put the rest of the photos I took in the storefront so you can see the rest.

During last year I went out and took pictures of my dad farming various times.  I tried to cover “main events” like the snow storms, the flooding, the planting, and the harvesting. 

Like I say at the end of the book, I created the book for my kids and my nephew.  I think some day they will really appreciate having it.  Things will change,  and it will be nice to have something to look back on so we remember how things were in 2008, and how hard of a working person my dad is.  The daily entries that are in the book are from my dad’s journal.  He has kept a journal for years.  The AM and PM stuff is what the tempature was that day.  Some of it won’t make sense to you without understanding stuff like; Mikes, JoAnn’s, Trainor’s are different farms. ( they all have names, usually they are names after previous owners). 

Here is the book online…  http://www.photographybyjayme.com/dad/projectdad.html

PS  My dad teared up when I gave him the book. (he tears up pretty easy, we get that trait from Grandma Marjorie)

Relay For Life is tomorrow at the Starke County Fairgrounds in Hamlet.   If you don’t have anything going on please come out and support the community.  I was talking to my friend Dawn today and she is going for the first time.  She said she would have gone before but no one ever asked her.  (I felt terrible when she said that)  So here in everyone’s invitation.  Even if you are not part of a team, don’t worry you can be on mine.  (right Denise!)   There are so many fun things for kids and adults to do, plus walking, which is good for ya.  High School students, I know Oregon-Davis has a couple groups walking, and I remember last year seeing lots of others from Knox and North Judson there.  There will be a DJ there too!!  (yeah the crew does an awesome job of making a great event)

For those who have never been it is an amazing experience espicially if you or someone you love has dealt with cancer.  Setup starts at around 3-4 on Friday and the opening ceremonies are at 6pm.  Another special event that is a must is the luminaria ceremony (I always get a tear or two during that part) that is at 9pm.  The event ends with an awards ceremony at 9am Saturday.

Here are a couple photos from last year.  Once again Bob and I will be taking photos and I will have them on here and on facebook soon after.   Oh, and about facebook…our group even has a facebook page so check it out, post a special message if you want.  RELAY FACEBOOK  and to register online or make a donation go HERE

One more thing… I will have a 1 hour photo session in the silent auction.  So go bid, I want to raise BIG MONEY!!!

Here are some photos from last year.  Bob took the HOPE one.  I just love it.

I can’t stress enough how much fun it is and how it will make you feel good about taking part in such a special event.  If you are a blog stalker make sure you say hi if you see me (I will be the one with a camera in my hands and blue tshirt with committee on the back).  I like to know who is out there reading.  See you all tomorrow night!!!!!

I didn’t have sisters when I was little.  I was blessed with a bratty brother.  (sorry Jon, but when we were this age you were)  Luckily he grew out of the brat stage and by junior high age or so we were best buds.  I did have a non-biological sister Jackie.  She was blessed with three brothers (enough said).  I still call her Sis.  It is nice to have someone in your life that has known you since you were FIVE.  I think those people understand you the best and are friends with you no matter what. 

I am so happy for these three girls that they will have two other people for the rest of their lives that will always be there for them and that they will be able to sit and talk about  life back as far as age five.

Thanks girls for the fun morning.  Also you are lucky to have such a goofy dad and a sweet mom!!!

 I just love this shot….

I love this series of shots.  They were reading a sock money book to the baby (sock monkey is going to be the theme of the bedroom).  Then I asked them to kiss and they started laughing.  They happened to have the book open to a page talking about the big kiss.  Isn’t that too funny.

I am so excitted for Casey and Richard.  They will make great parents.  I bet the grandma’s are going nuts!   A couple years ago I took a photo of Richard’s family, I think we will have to do a reshoot some time after the baby arrives!!!!

Danielle is such a sweetie, and total farm girl!  I shot her sister’s senior pictures not too long ago, and couldn’t believe she was done with school already.   Have a wonderful summer, see you at the fair.