Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Amanda and Ben... Married!

Saturday saw some freakishly warm weather for the weekend after Christmas! It also happened to be the day the Ben and Amanda tied the knot! They had a beautiful ceremony at Grace Bible Church in Canal Winchester and a reception at Hickory Lakes in Pickerington. I was honored to have Kevin Keefer come along with me so make sure you head over to his blog to check out his images of the day!

The girls were still finishing up their flowers when I got to the church...



There haven't been too many times I can remember shooting outside in December...


Capturing the ceremony on video...

They had a bell choir play during the ceremony...fitting for a Christmas wedding, don't you think??


On their way to the getaway car...



A different cake shot...


Signing the marriage certificate...All smiles...


Amanda and Ben telling Santa what they wanted for Christmas...


A sweet moment during their first dance...
The bouquet in midair...


I'll give everyone two guesses what song was playing here... :)


Amanda and Ben, congratulations and have a fantastic time on your Honeymoon and have a wonderful New Year!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Merry Christmas!

Well, I missed the last few days of posting for Advent but I'm back and just want to wish everyone out there a very Merry Christmas! If you have little ones, they may enjoy this little site we discovered last year. Check out Norad Santa to see where Santa has been (he's already been to Russia and is currently in the Middle East) and where he'll be next!

Merry Christmas to all...and to all a good night!

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Heather's Advent...7 Days 'til Christmas!

Someone e-mailed this to me yesterday and I thought it was worth passing along! It's always good to laugh this time of year!

HOLIDAY EATING TIPS

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare.. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're g oing to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. if something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. as for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You c an do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? LaborDay?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Heather's Advent...8 Days 'til Christmas!

Today I want to give a HUGE "Congratulations" to my little brother! He phoned this morning to say that he just got the results of his PE exam and he passed! Heath is officially a Professional Engineer!
I (as well as the rest of the fam) am so proud of him! The road hasn't always been smooth, but he did it!

Congrats! And just to show how devoted he is to his profession, I had to share this photo. To know Heath, you really have to have one heck of a sense of humor. He has a collection of message t's that never fails to make me laugh.. His fellow engineers and math-o-philes should get this one...




Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Heather's Advent... 9 Days 'til Christmas!

Nine days till Christmas? Really? How did that happen? Hope your shopping is just about wrapped up! December has been a popular wedding month this year, and why not? All the excitement of the season...the chance of a snowy wedding day...the beautiful Christmas colors...

Saturday I had the honor of photographing Lacey and Matt as they began their life together at Ascension Lutheran Church. I say they began their life together, but really, their story started way before Saturday! It started all the way back when they were High School students at Grove City!

Here's Lacey getting excited as her pearls go on...



Her eyes just sparkled in this one...

The guys...

Matt


Lacey was escorted down the aisle by her brother...







Lacey's grandmother during the ceremony...









One of my favorites from their first dance together...

Congratulations Matt and Lacey! Thank you for letting me be a part of your day! Best of luck to you as you embark on your house-hunting adventure in VA!

Monday, December 15, 2008

Heather's Advent...10 Days 'til Christmas!

Last Sunday was a busy day! After I spent some time photographing little London, I headed over to shoot a few family pics for Kelly, Ryan and their daughter Isabella. We had a great time getting some fun family shots at their home and then we headed over to Hoover Reservoir to get a few pictures in the freshly fallen snow!
Here's Isabella...

They wanted to try to get their Lab, Lilly in a few shots too...



And over to Hoover...they were troopers trudging though the cold and the snow!
But they fact is that Hoover is a special place for them. They're avid kayakers, and in the summer the drop their 'yaks in the water and enjoy the peace and quiet that can only come when you're out in nature! I may be a little biased here, but if you've never experienced the water in a boat that doesn't have a motor, you've never really experienced the water...







Lots of times, when I'm shooting a family I'll ask when the last time was that just mom and dad had a photo together. Usually, it's been a while! So I'll always try to capture a few of the couple alone. While I shot Ryan and Kelly, I couldn't help but notice Kelly's awesome boots! (Note to my husband: if you're still looking for Christmas ideas...)

The happy, if cold family...


Sunday, December 14, 2008

Heather's Advent...11 Days 'til Christmas!

I missed another day...I know. Forgive me.

After Eddie's birthday party on Friday, I headed to Lacey and Matt's wedding on Saturday. They are a super sweet couple with a really great story that I can't wait to share! In the meantime, here's a sneak peek!


Friday, December 12, 2008

Heather's Advent...14 Days 'til Christmas!

It's Eddie's birthday! Well, officially it's not till tomorrow, but the best time for a party is right now! So here's a shot from just moments ago!

Happy Birthday Eddie!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Heather's Advent...15 Days 'til Christmas!

Don't forget to comment on the blog anytime between now and Christmas! The comment that reaches me from the location furthest from Grove City wins an iTunes gift card! Right now the winner is in Plain City...if you're further than that, be sure to comment! And when you're done commenting here, why not hop on over to my friend Chantal Stone's site and leave a comment on her blog for a great cause...Cans for Comments!

In case you're having trouble getting into the Holiday Spirit, check this out! I dare you not to be in the mood for some Christmas Cheer afterwards!

Lots of great stuff happening soon...a birthday, a wedding and a really fun family shoot from this past weekend! Stay Tuned for all the fun!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Heather's Advent...16 Days 'til Christmas!


Kelly, Ryan and Isabella...a sneak peak!




Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Heather's Advent...17 Days 'til Christmas!

Uh Oh! I missed a day. Forgive me... I got busy and didn't have a chance to blog yesterday. But I'm back on track and ready to resume the daily blogging!

Saturday was a delightfully snowy day! And while most people were probably pushing their was through the holiday shopping crowds or complaining about the slippery roads, I had the pleasure of getting acquainted with London. London is your typical "almost-two-year-old", into Nemo, trains and the Backyardigans! Here are a few of my favorite pictures from our shoot!