Happy New Year!
A new year! A new start! Who hasn't made a resolution for the upcoming new year at one time? Did you know that if you do a search for unusual holidays, there is actually one on January 17th for "Broken Resolution Day"? Don't worry, now you have an excuse to break your resolution! There is a holiday for it! Okay, for me I have secretly made some that I will be glad to share.
1. I promise to shave down my addiction to reality shows. No more little people shows, no more what not to wear shows, no more intervention shows, no more 48 hour crime shows, no more "my strange addiction shows"... NO MORE! Okay, sounds like I watch a lot of tv, but really I don't. I would say I watch tv maybe three times a week on weeknights after 8:00. I am not giving up Deadliest Catch and Cops... sorry, I have to draw the line there.
2. I promise to be firmer and say "no" more. Saying yes means time out of my schedule for someone else. Which is not all that bad all the time, but saying "yes" means less time I can spend getting healthy. So, friends, sorry. I need to work on my health and well being this year. Don't be mad if I have to turn you down once in a while.
3. I promise to leave the studio at a decent hour.
4. I promise to expose myself to all positive things, including people. So, if you have something negative to say all the time, I have to bid you a fond farewell. Upbeat is the direction I am going. Positive energy folks! Its a good thing.
So with that said, I am not feeling that I will be celebrating "Broken Resolution Day" at all this year. Realistically speaking, I think I am good on the 2011 resolutions. This I know for sure!

Once again, Dan and I headed down to Philadelphia's Penns Landing for the fireworks display over the Delaware River for New Year's eve. A combination of fireworks, people in great moods and in general, people watching is a fun way to start out the new year. This year's firework display was just so .... so. They have had better. But, I always like to take a few photographs. Enjoy and good luck on your resolutions. Make them realistic.

This one is my favorite!

This Christmas, my husband Dan surprised me with a Kindle. For those of you who are unfamiliar, it is a reading device of which you download books. Surprised to say the least, he thought it would be a great idea since I have been doing a ton of reading lately. For those of you who know me, you know I am a hard core Apple fan. When the I PAD came out, I tossed and turned the idea of getting yet another gadget. Not feeling that it was justified, I passed it off. So on Christmas morning, a little box awaited me. Indeed, I was surprised, but unsure if how my body would react to a non Apple product.
"Okay", I thought, I will give it a try. I finally opened the box 3 days after Christmas and read the instructions. "Cool", I thought. I'll give it a try. Having to drive my mother to the eye doctor, I decided to take it with me and read. While there, we got shuffled into three different rooms. As soon as we left, mom announced her desire for a cheeseburger. An hour and a half later I am driving home from the restaurant and realized that I left the Kindle at the doctor's office. Frantically driving back there, I caught them in time hoping it would still be there somewhere. Yes.. whew... they had it.
Okay, lets say I had a freaking heart attack when I found out I left it somewhere. Which makes me believe that I am not ready for this responsibility of holding on to something this expensive instead of a simple magazine!
Or, was it the stress of taking my mom to the doctor, moving around to three different exam rooms, her consistent driving instructions, her need for beef and the holiday traffic that made me forget? Who knows. I know wonder how many other people have left this little expensive wonder somewhere like me!
Today, I will wait for the mailman to bring me my share of monthly glossy magazines of which I can cut out the coupons and leave on the floor next to the bathtub!

If I were to say that behind every great photographer there is "this" or "that".... most of my photographer friends would tend to voice their opinions. Rightfully so. But, I have to say that sometimes, you need to count on your "peeps" to give you a hand, a laugh to get you through the day and even some helpful advice at times.

Today, the "peeps" and I went out to lunch for the holiday and had a truly wonderful time and tons of great laughs. Yes, we did have a wee drink, but it is 5:00 somewhere as they say.

So, thank you again Megan and Gary for your help throughout the year, your wit, your honesty and from keeping me balanced at the times when I wanted to scream! You are the best.

• In the blink of an eye...

  There are only three days left until the start of the biggest holiday (I believe) known to man.  Christmas!  The older I get, the more I am amazed of the money spent, the time shopping, and the holiday baking preparations.  All so that we can have the perfect holiday.
   
  This year, for the very first time, both of my children will have moved in different directions and spend their biggest day afar.  My daughter Ashley recently married a terrific guy Dominick and together they are building their life together about 25 miles from my home.  Although she has not lived at home for several years, the finality of it all takes some time to get used to.  As happy as I am for her, I miss her smile and her constant giggle that lights the sky. 

  My son Jason is still serving overseas in Afghanistan.  His dedication to the Marine Corp is stellar.  My husband and I could not be prouder of his commitment and his long journey to become an officer.  Every night, before the light goes off next to my bed, I say a good night to him. Hoping he is safe.  When he returns, he will be living at his brand new house in North Carolina. 

  So, in the blink of an eye, the two bedrooms are empty.  The heat is turned down in those rooms and it is weirdly quiet. Without sounding strange, that chapter of the book is finished.    A new and exciting chapter awaits.  There are many more chapters I'm sure of life, and I am sure some will be good as well as not so good.  That's life. 

  Last week, I once again had the pleasure of photography St. Mary's Breakfast with Santa.  This job always comes in what seems like the worst week for me business wise.  Everything is coming to a head deadline wise.  Twelve hour days accompanied by orders and re-orders.  So thankfully, my daughter Ashley steps in to give a helping hand with the 280 kids who see Santa in a three hour time span!  Of course she doesn't have to help with this madness. A busy school teacher, she has tons of stuff I'm sure she would rather be doing.  But frankly, it is great to see her smile as she knows that a flash of her pearly whites calms me after the 100th screaming child. 

  So this Christmas, when the panic of not having enough gifts for "so and so", remember that it is not about the money.  It is about "time".  That pearly smile, the sound of family on Christmas morning as the coffee is poured and the wrapping paper squished up.  It is the sound I will miss like a limb.    For once, I will take a long hot bath on Christmas morning and maybe even read a magazine.  Dinner will be hours away in a new home richly filled with love and laughter from my daughter and new son in law.   For my son, I hope and pray he gets a decent meal, a safe place to eat it, some warmth and maybe delivery of the boxes we sent him weeks ago.  If my Christmas wish comes true, he will get to a satellite phone to call home.  I will then be a happy camper.  This, I know for sure....

After 280 happy children with Santa!  Ashley and me!

You always see bumper stickers that say..."If you can read this, thank a teacher." You hardly ever see a bumper sticker that says, "You are free today because someone before you died for your freedom."

Today is Veterans Day. A day when some have off from work and school. To others, it is a pain because there is no trash pick up and banks are closed. Funny how something like an inconvenience makes folks so upset.

Today I will visit my dad's gravesite at the Washington Crossing National Cemetery and place a flower and a flag by his grave. He was the proudest of Marines. He used to say.... "Donna, once a Marine, always a Marine!" We used to raze him in his autumn years of his life that one day they may call him back up to duty when 911 was upon us. He never hesitated a beat and would always say with a stern look... "gladly".

Upon boxing up some items a few weeks ago, I came across these two things that brought some tears to my eyes. You know the kind of thing you open up, hold in your hand and then sit down for a few minutes while tears fill your eyes. I had forgotten about the little brown box that was given to me years ago when I was pregnant with my daughter Ashley. In it, was one of his two Purple Hearts awarded to him for getting wounded in Korea. He wrote inside the box, "For Donna and her new baby."

So, today, as begin to pack my suit case to attend my daughter's wedding in Jamaica next week, I will carry this Purple Heart with me. Knowing the sacrifices my father made with hundreds of thousands of men and women for the opportunity for us to be free.

And yes, one of the biggest sacrifices that we make as a family as my son Jason, proudly serves his country as a U.S. Marine, serving in Afghanistan, will miss his sister's wedding. We couldn't be any more proud of him for his commitment to serve his country.

So, Dad, if you can hear me there in heaven, I just want you to know that on this Veterans Day, I packed your Purple Heart with me in my suitcase. I know you are watching out for Jason over there and both of you will be with Ashley in her heart when she says "I do.".
This... I know for sure..
Donna

Give back. Thats right. Donate your time, or even your dollars, everyone should give back in life. It doesn't have to be a big thing or huge amounts of time. It should just be something. A couple hours, a couple days, a couple dollars if necessary.
Every year I put some time aside and donate my time as a portrait photographer for schools to raise dollars for their home and school organizations. Last year was our biggest year ever donating time to the entire Council Rock School District for the Council Rock Education Foundation (CREF). All of the Council Rocks families were invited to participate in helping CREF. Wow, what a great turnout spanning over two days and two photography crews! Add to that, my studio did three other local schools during the months of October and November! Whew!

In a nutshell, I photograph families! Plain and simple. The proceeds from the portrait session go directly back to the organization for their benefit. In order to get families in and out quickly, we set up our studio at their location. The art of documenting families seemed to dissipate over the years and about ten years ago, I came up with this fundraiser to bring it back.

What a huge success it has been for everyone involved. The heartfelt stories I hear year after year as I return to the schools and seeing one less individual in the portraits. Yes, indeed, other fundraisers may in the long run make more money, but in the end, no one is going to throw away this moment caught in time. Give back... always.....

For the first time in a while, I will be attending a wedding as a guest. When you get to a certain age in life, the invites to the weddings become less and less. When I was younger, it seemed like there was a wedding every few months. My daughter has been to eleven weddings in three years. Yikes, thats a lot of outfits!

Even though I have been scaling down on my weddings, it will be hard to sit and watch another photographer at work without the voices in my head playing out the next spot where I would normally be. I think my decision to scale down on weddings and concentrate on portraits has been a good thing. However, I don't think there will ever come a time when I sit at a ceremony that I won't be thinking of the best angle! Perhaps it is a twelve step program or something. Maybe I should start a group for photographers! LOL!

The good thing though is that I love to dance. My husband just looks at me and shakes his head because he feels that I've been stricken with some sort of dance disease. Me, on the other hand, must have a set of pliers to reduce the smile on my face when the music begins. Sorry, no chicken or line dances for me folks. I am a serious happy go lucky butt shaking "older" woman on the dance floor as soon as it opens. (Please don't mistake me for the crazy aunt at every wedding.)

A very good friend of mine is deaf and when we have parties and of course blast the music, he dances around the house with some pretty awesome moves. Amazing to me at first, but I love watching him get his groove on. He says he can feel the beat in the floor. You go Terry Lee!

So, today, without the aid of cameras around my neck, I will dance like no one's looking. Do I care anyway? Think not!

  This past Sunday friends and family came together to bring showers of happiness to my daughter Ashley by attending  her beautiful wedding shower.  A destination wedding is planned for November so the shower was huge because of course, a lot of folks can't make the trip. 
This is one of those times that I never saw my daughter happier.  It wasn't the gifts, it was her seeing friends and family in one room.... many of which she hasn't seen in some time.  It was a moment I will never forget.  Her smile, her laugh and the warmth she feels for those who care about her is priceless.
I am the lucky one, to have her in my life.

Yummy cookies the Aunts made.  YUM!

My very good friend Elissa put together these delish chocolate covered strawberries and stuff!

Such beautiful gifts!
 

Melissa (Ashley's friend), Gerri and Elissa (Old neighborhood friends)

Ashley and Michelle (college roommate) sharing a laugh

Ashley and Dominick

And lastly, the Italian ladies.  Plates filled and Mamosa chilled!

Can you hear it?  No, it isn't the sound of waves hitting the beach.  It isn't the sound of sea gulls hovering over you.  It is the sound of your kid's laughter.  The excitement that can only be felt by the warm ocean breeze, the smell of salty air and the rushing of water around tiny little feet.  That giggling high pitch laughter that comes over your child as they run away from a wave chasing them.  Close your eyes and you can hear it.  Innocence, childhood and memories....

Every year we change gears at the studio and offer one amazing beach session special for only 4 weeks.  My clients try to lure me into finding out what it is early on, but to no avail, I keep it hush.  No amounts of Dunkin Donuts coffee will give up the special until July 1st.  However, for those who are my Facebook followers and Blog groupies, here it is."

This year's session will be available on a first come first serve basis.  Why?  I have decided to do only ten this summer.  That's right, I am scaling back a bit on the beach sessions because although I love doing them, it gets to be a bit much driving back and forth down to the Jersey Shore several times a week for 4 weeks straight!

Here it is.... hold on to your socks:

I will spend an evening with your family under the sun setting at the Jersey Shore. Usually this consists of about an hour or so right at sunset. Lifestyle portraits will be taken of your family that best reflects your personality.  NO stiff rigid posing.  Session fees are reduced $100 to only $175!  Travel to the shore is included in your creation fee of course. Simply put, for only $375 ($185.50 of that is your session fee and the rest is a credit toward prints!), you can be on your way to showing your neighbors just how cool and trendy you are by doing something different.  PLUS, here is the really good part....... It is actually fun!  The beach I do these at is LBI.  (I also go to Cape May but there is an additional $25 charge )  All images will be presented in a way cool slide show and even posted on a website for you to view.

Here is a sample from last summer.  Just looking at this, you can this child laughing.  Step out of your comfort box!

Insert your kids into the frames above!

Call the studio at 215.968.5220 to nail down a time!

Donna

Love, love, love doing high school senior sessions!  Vanessa from Central Bucks School made it to the blog because she was one fun gal to photograph.  I had a wonderful time getting to know her and her enthusiasm for life was definitely catchy!  Look out world!