Land of Wild Designs Photography: Personal

Showing posts with label Personal. Show all posts

January 5, 2018

Welcome Back to my Blog!

I haven't blogged in a while - it is not that I don't think of it often, it is not that I am lazy. Honestly, I really don't know why I haven't posted to this blog in over a year, but it is definitely time for a change.

Just to catch you up on what has been going on with me and Land of Wild Designs Photography...

2016 and 2017 were good years, but 2016 ended with quite a few changes for me, and that is probably why you haven't seen a post here on the blog since Sept 2016. Time for that to change. No excuses.

In 2016 I quit a full-time job that I had been working at since we returned to Arizona from Alaska. I loved the job... I loved the people... I just had to take the leap, you know? So I jumped.

Now, as it has been explained many times, we don't jump and expect to be able to fly immediately. We jump and on our way down (before we start to rise) we bump a few things, fall faster than we hoped, get some bumps and bruises along the way - - - but eventually, we get the courage to rise, get wind beneath our wings, and soar.. I am not all the way there yet, but I am rising friends - and I am flapping my arms as hard as I can trying to turn them into wings. Because as soon as my wings sprout I am flying to the MOON, I hear the view is incredible from there!

In 2016 and 2017 we experienced other personal changes - began a journey to improve our health - continuing education - family moving - buying homes - changing jobs - marriages - losses - and we even were blessed with a couple of adorable step-grandchildren in 2017.

2018 promises many great things for Land of Wild Designs Photography - we have been spending a lot of time dedicated to growing our brand and I am so excited to share with you in coming weeks and months the exciting things we have been doing and the plans for our future. We hope you join us on this exciting ride through Two Thousand Eighteen. 😊

We scheduled so many really fun photo-sessions last year, and we customized some really fun personal photography experiences as well - getting ideas from clients, coming up with our own, and searching pins to find inspirations. It has been an absolute blast being able to have this much creativity surrounding us. Thank you to all our clients who brought the creativity & ideas to the next level! This has been so amazing.

Mommy and Me Photo-Session that included an awesome "3 and 30" Mommy and Me Cake-Smash

Twin Newborn Photo Session

Capturing those only once in a lifetime moments

Fierce and Beautiful - Modeling Images

Photographing moments that capture the real you.

These examples are only a very small sampling of what we have been up to, but we would LOVE to start a new year with you. Contact us and let's begin scheduling your session - let's plan it, let's create an individual plan for your session that captures who you are and let's get photos printed and onto your wall!

www.landofwilddesigns.com

www.facebook.com/landofwilddesigns

www.instagram.com/landofwilddesigns

July 12, 2016

Blah Blah Blah on the blog

What do you do when you have a lot to say and don't really know who to tell it to?
(...and by "a lot to say", really I mean - not much to ACTUALLY say, just a lot of words to put together)

you blog.

So here is my blog post of the day 'blah blah blah'

Although it sounds silly, it probably isn't so silly. We all have so much going on in our day-to-day lives not to mention the planned stuff that we have coming up ... and hey wait, what about the unplanned things, interruptions, drop-ins, emails, facebook drifting [that should be an actual term, so if you see it coined someplace someday, remember you heard it here first ... patent pending, lol], and on and on and on...

Alright, here is the definition...

facebook drifting (verb)

The act of intending to check facebook for a few minutes, and waking up to reality an hour or three later when you realize you 'drifted' off in facebook land. Then what do you do when you realize this has happened? Yes, of course, be sure to scroll to the top to make sure you didn't MISS anything!

It's a real thing - check it out - you can find multiple sources to confirm - check facebook...I'm sure you'll find it - no, well, maybe after your thumb gets carpal tunnel pain from the repetitive motion of dragging your phone screen from one end to the other you'll see it.

whew

- - - and I'm back!

Ok, well, now I forgot what I was going to blah blah blah about, forgive my blah blah on the blog but whatever you do, don't forget to smile and tell someone you love them - to their face - not on facebook, because come-on! People are real with all the feels....so look up from your phone today - heck, maybe even leave it in the other room today - and be with people you love.

What am I going to do?

I'll tell ya!

I'm going to make home-style potatoes & onions, pulled pork, green beans & biscuits.

Then I am going to eat it

Then I am going to feel fat (cause I am kind-of) well, not kind-of, but don't judge, I'll diet. I will!

But that meal will be face-to-face with my husband and we will eat and we will talk and we will laugh and we will see each other's eyes. Cause people do that too sometimes...even though we can't find any Pokémon GO thingies that way, I have a feeling we will probably survive - and we will probably remember the happiness we felt and then we will go outside and run all the people off our lawn because their app is telling them we have Pokémon thingies in our yard....and we don't - but they can feel free to pull a weed or two while they are there if they want.

ok - NOW I think I am done with the blah blah

Be sure to visit anytime for actual photography related posts - many are coming - I have said it before - and I'll say it again...awesome things are getting ready to happen.

...hint...

it probably won't be on facebook

probably the blog

probably the website

probably Instagram

maybe twitter

probably not facebook - just saying

maybe in a movie theater near you! Just you watch & see........

February 19, 2014

My Daughter ... My Hero

Our daughter has always been a bubbly, outgoing, beautiful person

She has a wonderful personality on top of all else -

I am not just saying this because she is my daughter,

but she really truly is everything a person could ever ask for in a friend ...

Smart

Caring

Loyal

Generous

Kind

(just to mention a few of her wonderful qualities)

but we really need to add another amazing quality to that already impressive list

...

hero

...

No one really seems to understand the mind of a bully, what triggers the behavior, or how to stop the abuse, but thankfully there are people who have refused to accept the label of 'victim'.

Our daughter is one of those people.

She wanted to take the experiences she suffered through and make her story public so others who are silently struggling with the issues and destruction caused by bullying can have the knowledge that they are not alone.

There are amazing organizations that specialize in the education and prevention, but here is a glimpse into her 'Anti-Bullying' message:

In the words of my amazing daughter (hero)...

""Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt" is what we are all told, but I have come to realize that this is completely false.

Many people don't want to see this kind of brutal honesty when it comes to bullying. Most people just want to brush it off as kids being kids, when in all actuality it can cause lasting damage.

This is pretty much the story of the last five years of my life, and I'm not afraid to share.

I want everyone to know the kind of lasting effects that words will leave on somebody especially when they are already vulnerable or at an impressionable age.

It is not limited to school aged, or just a certain gender. It happens all over to anyone and I would love to know the reasoning behind bringing someone down.

If someone could answer that question for me it would be greatly appreciated. This is not for pity or for attention, just take this at face value and be kind to one another."

Everything appears to be normal on the surface.

Fun with friends, going to dances, movies, school events.

Just being kids...hanging out

while all along ...

She is really suffering alone.

Is it because they are jealous? mad? ignorant? or are they hurt themselves?

The root cause seems to be the missing piece to this story, but what we know is that

...

she is hurt

...

called names

shoved into lockers

tripped

laughed at

abused

The words stick

You may not see the words when you look at her, but she carries them with her

.always.

She begins feeling as if she is going nowhere - that there is no point - that everywhere she turns she feels alone and no one notices

She quietly suffers while life goes on around her

and even though they love her, her family and friends don't realize the impact that others are having on her life and health.

She suffers silently.

She can't get away from the words

and what she was told as a child was wrong ...

words do hurt.

the harmful words become a part of everything she is and everything she does

but she is not alone

she can begin healing

she can have hope

she can see a future

tomorrow can be better

...

although the words are (and may always be) a part of her

she wears them as scars

she is reminded of the pain

but

she chose to wipe the tears

she chose to seek help - to talk - to listen - to become a role-model

Every year there are victims of bullying

who stay silent

whose voices are lost forever

...

innocent

precious

perfect

beautiful lives

...

gone

Our daughter made the choice

to believe

to believe that she is somebody

to believe that she has purpose

to believe that she can make a change

...

And so can you

And so can your children

And so can your friends

...

She now wears the scars of the abuse

You don't see them, I don't see them.

but.she.sees.them

She found courage - she broke her silence - she listened to others who had also suffered.

Mom Note:

I would like to say thank you to:

my daughter - for finding the courage to speak about this issue - for finding the courage to heal
her amazing husband who listens to her so patiently, lets her cry, understands and shares his own experiences, gives her strength and loves her unconditionally
her amazing Dad who is never judgmental and always does everything he can to bring a smile to her lips
to that one teacher in high school who [perhaps without even knowing] saved her life. Said everything she needed to hear. Rescued her from the depths of her despair. Gave her hope. Made her feel important.
to her beautiful Mother-In-Law who treats her with respect and generosity
to her grandfather - you gave her a solid foundation of faith and an unfaltering knowledge that she is IMPORTANT
to her cat Max for being the one she could talk to before she was ready to talk to anyone else. He saw tears and he saw the words that no one else could see
and finally to all of her friends and family who listen, encourage, love, and believe in her. There are too many to name. I believe we all have those people in our lives even when we feel alone. (I place myself in this group with the others)

Strength.Hope.Courage.Remembrance.Knowledge

There is help - There is hope - There is forgiveness - There is growth - There is education

There are many organizations that care, provide education, and provide help.

We aren't affiliated with any of these organizations, but would like to link 'Stand for the Silent' as they have wonderful resources that have been very helpful to our daughter.

And although we haven't been outspoken on many issues professionally, this is very near & dear to our hearts - and we are proud to share this story. We hope if you or someone you love is being victimized by bullying (at any age) that you speak up, share your story, become a hero yourself.

The world is a better place because of you

You are beautiful

You are perfect

You are important

You are loved

You are Somebody

August 15, 2012

I ♥ my job - just sayin'

Have

had

the

most

amazing

2013 Seniors

to photograph already and can't wait to book more sessions!

Now, all you Moms & Dads of those kids graduating in 2013 go ahead and pat yourself on the back... you deserve it!

You have some amazing kids!!!

We have a bright future folks!

December 11, 2011

Merry Christmas from Land of Wild Designs

November 27, 2010

School Portraits

We did a location photoshoot to get Alyx's school portraits.

It was so much fun!

Of course, I am not posting the 11th grade picture here (yet)

but I will get it either onto the blog or facebook sometime soon.

I let her pick her favorite pose before we got them printed.

She picked an amazing photo!

I can't wait to do her Senior Portraits!

She gets more beautiful every passing day.

November 24, 2010

Portraits in November - Talk about a peaceful day!

We found a beautiful old barn among tall black walnut trees in Haunted Canyon and got some amazing portraits! What a fun day, lots of leaves blowing in the wind, peace and tranquility were the only sounds.

Ahhhhhh - November in Arizona.

(Yeah, I noticed that he didn't take the sunglasses off too...this was the look we were after.)

You never know, you may see these pictures on an album cover someday...

October 3, 2010

Home Again!!!

Well, there was a little break from blogging...

sorry!

Well, maybe not really so sorry

but still a little break.

I did a little bit of traveling and took a few pictures.

Ok well, Mike calculated and it was about 3,000 miles driven, so maybe more than a few, huh?

It was awesome to see the country & parts of Canada...wow! What an experience to have in Autumn. Leaves changing, a crispness to the air, (oh and did I mention SNOW?), and great people to see at every stop (gas & then go again).

I can't wait to show you some of the pictures.

You see, the pictures are the only things I brought back with me (besides Mike). I can't believe I didn't buy a tee-shirt or knick-knack in every town. The pictures are my only treasures from the trip. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do...when we get to see them, ha ha!

My favorites are the ones of Brielle & Joanna!!!

I can't wait to look at them on the computer

...still waiting for Mike's iPod to finish sync-ing so I can have the computer...

waaaaaahhhhhhh

Waiting = FAIL

July 10, 2010

Held...

As you held your newborn daughter just months ago our prayer is that our Heavenly Father holds you to Him and provides peace and comfort for your beautiful family.