SherrieJay Photography

Best Day Ever!

2012-01-06T23:55:00.003-05:00

After four months of being separated, our family is back together again!

Christmas cookies

2011-12-18T21:53:00.003-05:00

Every year we received a much anticipated package of Christmas goodies from my grandmother. Sometimes the contents varied, or maybe they didn't and my memory is cloudy, but I remember two things that were included every year. Gumdrop fruitcake. I'm not ashamed to admit that I picked the gumdops out of that fruitcake (and slightly cringed if a crumb was stuck to it). I mentioned it a few days ago to my mother, who told me that she also picked out the gumdops. Who kew? Unlike my mother, I never acquired a taste for it. I learned at a young age that fruit cake was not for me. I don't know if I have ever tried any other fruit cake to this day. No offense if you have given us one. Turns out that it wasn't fruitcake, but Gumdrop cake. My sister informed me of this a few days ago. Doesn't really change my opinion of fruitcake, and I will still probably avoid it.

The other treat, that I very much looked forward to, was frosted Christmas Tree cookies. She didn't just frost them with green frosting, she decorated them with a yellow candy star on top and even the edible silver balls. Those were edible, right?

They looked amazing. They tasted great. I loved them. I still do.

One Already???

2011-12-10T20:16:00.005-05:00

We love this cute Little Angel. It is hard to believe that she is over a year old now. She is so much fun. She brings smiles and laughter and more love into our home. We can't get enough of her. Happy Birthday!

The Apple of his Eye

2011-11-16T00:39:00.005-05:00

Translation:

The apple of my eye is my mom because she helps me with my homework and she makes sure that I don't get hurt ever. I love her.

Mr. Mister

It makes my heart smile.

Thank You, Veterans!

2011-11-11T23:30:00.002-05:00

Our daughters school put on a Veteran's Day Program this morning. I knew it was going to be be an emotional experience. Especially as I got choked up watching elderly veterans and their wives walking into the building.

After a scout troop posted the colors, the band played the National Anthem. If that wasn't enough to get my eyes moist, I heard Veterans around me softly singing along. Part of me wanted to join in, and the other part didn't want to ruin the amazing experience it was to listen to them. I just listened. And cried.

The orchestra played patriotic music. The kids shared their gratitude for the sacrifices that were made and the freedom that was fought for. The chorus sang patriotic songs. Our daughter had the opportunity to invite all the Veterans to please stand as the chorus sang the fight song of the branch of the military that they served in. They started with the Army fight song, then they did the Marines, Navy, Coast Guard, and then the Air Force. Words cannot express the atmosphere in the room. It was amazing.

The students made flag pins that they passed out to the Veterans that they invited. The Princess of Awesomeness brought one to my dad, who served in the Army. One to Jay's dad, representing his father, who served in the Air Force. And one to me, representing her father, who is currently serving in the Air Force. Unfortunately, he was not able to attend today.

As they ended the assembly with everyone singing "God Bless America" they had the students pull a huge flag over their heads. It was incredible.

It was an amazing experience and I am grateful for the opportunity that I had to go. I am grateful that they are teaching these kids about the sacrifices that have been made. And that continue to be made for them. I am thankful for the men and women who have served and sacrificed for this great nation. I thank you all, from the depths of heart, for what you have done and what you continue to do. Freedom comes at a cost, and I am thankful for the price that has been paid. No, "Freedom isn't Free."

Sisters

2011-11-08T00:53:00.010-05:00

The Princess of Awesomeness waited 10 long years to get her baby sister. After four brothers, she was ready. She loves her brothers, but there is definitely a special bond between these sisters. I love it. I love to see it, and I love to document it. They are so fun and so amazing.

We love these girls!

Twelve

2011-10-09T20:15:00.004-04:00

"Just wait until you've been married six years."

Some friends of our, who had been married for six years at that time, told us that. They had just commented on the fact that we were acting like newly weds and asked how long we had been married. We told them that we had been married for just a little over three years. That's when they uttered the pronouncement that by the time we had been married for six years, our days of acting like newly weds would be long gone.

Well, we have now been married for six years times two, and we are still acting like newly weds! Perhaps our friends' dire prophecy of the end of our newly wed phase subconsciously motivated us to prove them wrong. We have been married 12 years, and people still comment on how much we act like newly weds. Our kids are so used to it that they don't even bat an eye to walk in and see us making out in the kitchen!

I am so thankful to married to the most amazing woman in the world. Sherrie has blessed and enriched my life in more ways than I could ever name. I am a better man for her influence. I love her with all my heart! I feel such love, respect, and affection from her.

Twelve years ago we joined our lives and our hearts and became one. Unity is the hallmark of our relationship. People throw about phrases like, "you complete me." In my case, however, it is really true. Sherrie really has made me whole and complete.

Thank you for twelve great years, Sherrie! I am so excited to spend the rest of eternity with you!

I suppose we should congratulate ourselves on making it twice as far as that apparently critical six year point; let's go make out!

Baby Callum

2011-10-04T00:39:00.011-04:00

What a joy it is to photograph such a sweet little baby that has just come into the world. There is such an amazing spirit that surrounds them. This little guy was super calm and patient with me. His big sisters love him so much. It was fun to see how they cared for him and tried to make sure he was comfy and cozy.

Thank you for the opportunity to photograph such an important addition to your fabulous family.

Our kids

2011-09-18T22:09:00.009-04:00

We think they are pretty amazing.

And pretty stinkin' cute.

50 years

2011-09-15T23:30:00.003-04:00

Today, September 15, 2011, marks 50 years that my parents have been married. All 10 of their children, most of the spouses, and quite a few grandchildren were able to come from all over the country and even Canada. It has been 10 years since we were last able to all be together. What a great experience it was. We were able to celebrate as a family, and we also had a reception where so many of their wonderful friends came to celebrate and show their love and appreciation. My heart was truly full, and still is as I reflect on it.

How grateful I am for such fabulous, giving parents. Their isn't anything they wouldn't do to help someone out. They have always set such an amazing example of love and charity. They sacrifice so much for others. They work, they play, they love their family. Deeply. And beautifully. I feel so blessed to be a part of their family.

Mom and Dad, Happy Anniversary! Congratulations on 50 years of happiness and here's to many more. We love you!

Three spouses were missing from this pic. Our plan is to put them in.

10 kids. Crazy...

...but fun. Right?!

This fabulous cake was made by Jay's mom, Tammy Johnson. Isn't she amazing? Love her.

Baby Gracie

2011-09-12T22:07:00.009-04:00

I love these girls. They are so beautiful and sweet. They have super fantastic parents, as well. This little baby was so good. She was so patient through my manual focusing, which I'll be honest, I haven't done in awhile. Thank goodness we got that fixed. :)

Thank you for a great time, and for the opportunity to capture this precious time in your lives.

When It Rains, It's Gross

2011-08-28T15:41:00.003-04:00

WARNING: The following account contains graphic descriptions of gross things involving bodily fluids. If such things are overly disturbing to you, do not read this account! Also, don't have kids.

WARNING NUMBER TWO: It's also pretty long, but worth the read!

You are probably familiar with the saying, "When it rains, it pours." This adage refers to the fact that when something unfortunate occurs, it is usually accompanied by many unfortunate occurrences. If we were to use that phrase to describe last night and this morning, we would have to amend it to say, "When it rains, it pours vomit, urine, and blood." That would be a very good description of our last 24 hours.

We were on our way home from a great day spent at Grandma and Grandpa's house in Iowa. Jay was in the middle of recounting to Sherrie the epic awesomeness that is The Empire Strikes Back, when suddenly we heard the sounds of Partially Digested Dinner Strikes Back coming from the back seat. Our four-year old, Rock Star, was in the middle of what doctors call "sporadic fits of gurgling geyser-like up-chuck coughs." Acting with the alacrity only seen in the finely honed skills of a mother attempting to stop the flow of vomit, Sherrie found a puke bag and thrust it into Rock Star's hands. He, of course, simply held it off to the side as he continued to spew forth bits of hot dog and Doritos all over himself. Rock Star's technicolor yawn happened within sight of our neighborhood. Of course.

We got home and immediately went into full-blown "clean-up-this-nastiness" mode, which involved stripping a screaming, puke-covered boy down to his skivvies right there in the front yard. It also involved a mountain of Clorox disinfectant wipes. It was late, and we were trying to get kids into bed and disinfect every surface in sight, all while we had tired, cranky, and (at least one) vomit-covered kids. Fun.

We thought that was the end of our adventures, but when we got up to get everyone ready for church, we found Rock Star sitting in the living room with dried puke on his shirt. This was not the shirt he had been wearing home last night (see the above reference to stripping him in the yard). This was the nice, new, clean shirt he went to bed in. Jay asked, "Did you throw up again?", to which Rock Star innocently replied, "No. Oh, I did at night. You have to throw away my pillow."

Rush down to the boys room to survey the damage. What do we behold? The expected chunks of semi-identifiable food and "ick" all over the top bunk (including the pillow). The unexpected surprise, however, was our two-year old, Buddy Boy, sleeping sweetly on the bottom bunk, looking for all the world like a beautiful cherub--floating in his own pee. Nice.

You know that sensation when your mind simply refuses to accept what your eyes behold? Yeah, it was like that. One bed covered in sick-up, one bed (and associated boy) covered in urine, and the clock quickly ticking before we had to leave for church. Why did we even bother bathing our kids last night?

We stripped the bedding off of both beds and rushed to the laundry room to put last night's puke clothes into the dryer to make room in the washer for this morning's puke and pee clothes. And what to our wondering eyes did appear? Wet clothes in the washer that still had vomit on them. Great, now the washing machine doesn't work. (Incidentally, we now have a lovely pile of grossness on the floor of our laundry room; guess we'll have to figure that out!)

Rush, rush, rush and we finally have everybody (somewhat) clean and ready to go to church. As we load them into the car, we noticed the strangest puddle of what looked like blood under the back of the car. Putting that puzzle aside for another time (what in the world could leak red from the back of the car?) we load the kids in and tear out of the driveway. We're running late, but we will only be a few minutes late for church. Not bad considering our adventures.

As we are heading down the road, Sherrie suddenly asks, "Did you get the steaks out of the back of the car last night?" Gross. Mystery solved. Back home to grab more Clorox wipes. So guess what leaks red out the back of a car. Three large rounds steaks that have had all night to thaw out, that's what!

On the way to church (now considerably later), Sherrie suddenly bursts out laughing uncontrollably. Wiping away her tears, she says, "This is going to make a great blog post!"

It all started with this.

I'm Jacob!

2011-08-24T22:18:00.004-04:00

Our youngest son, Buddy Boy, has a magic hat. Not the kind where you find rabbits or that make snowmen come to life, but one that transforms him into a new person: Jacob. Every time Buddy Boy puts on his Power Ranger hat he declares, "I'm Jacob!" In fact, he even refers to his hat (or any hat, for that matter) as his "Jacob." He tells anyone else with a hat that they are wearing their "Jacob" as well.

Why Jacob? It all started when our oldest son, Wizard, began going to Cub Scouts. There is a boy in Wizard's den named Jacob. Buddy Boy initially declared that anyone wearing a Scout uniform (including the Cub Scout hat) was Jacob. This eventually progressed to just any ball cap, but especially his Power Ranger hat.

Whenever he wears it, and we call him by the name we gave him, he corrects us, "I'm Jacob." If we ask if he's cute, he responds, "I'm not cute; I'm Jacob." If he takes his hat off, however, he informs us that he is not Jacob. Well "Jacob," we think you're pretty stinkin' cute anyway!

This is "Jacob" saying "Wussup, yo!" Which he repeatedly shouted in the middle of church a while back. Did we mention shouted? And repeatedly?

We rarely find "Jacob" in bed at night without his "Jacob" on. Or his shoes. Or even in his own bed (he prefers Wizard's top bunk). Shoes in bed. His "Jacob" in bed. What's next?

Kenzi & Tyler: WEDDING

2011-08-20T23:46:00.005-04:00

Tyler and Kenzi started the rest of eternity together on July 1st in the Bountiful LDS Temple (yes, we are a little behind in our blogging. We have no real excuses, so here's a fake one: ALIENS!). We had a great time spending the day with this truly amazing couple. Sometimes you can just tell that a couple "gets it," and this is one of those couples. Tyler loves and cherishes Kenzi. You can see it in the way he looks at her and his every action around her. He loves her! And Kenzi is head over heels in love with Tyler. You can just see how much she admires and respects him, and that definitely comes out in the way she talks to and about him. And as you can see from these pictures, they do not have a hard time getting each other to smile and laugh. They love each other, and they love life. They have a bright eternity ahead.

Kenzi and Tyler, thanks for letting us document this special day!

Kenzi, you're beautiful. "Fo' Real!"

Love School Alumni

2011-06-12T22:32:00.004-04:00

One of the best parts about our relationship is that we are very affectionate with each other. We really like each other, and we like to show it. We often hear our boys shouting in disgust, "Ewww! They're kissing." Several times one of them has asked, "Why do you guys always kiss each other every time you see each other?" Our youngest son, Buddy Boy, even gets in on it by demanding, quite clearly, "Stop kissing!"

Our oldest child, the Princess of Awesomeness, has been wondering how on earth people end up like us. She tells us she thinks that there must be some secret school we attended that teaches people how to be in love. In fact, she has declared several times that we are lying when we say there is no such school. She is convinced that there is, in fact, a "Love School."

On the way home from church today, she was again asking how on earth we learned to be so in love. We explained that you read your scriptures, say your prayers, and regularly attend the temple. The Princess of Awesomeness exclaimed in wonder,

"That's where you learned to grab each other's bottoms???"

Baby Preslee

2011-06-10T20:17:00.006-04:00

This little angel was so sweet. She hardly acknowledged that we moved her around so much while she slept. A few grunts and she was content again. She did awaken near the end and gave us a beautiful smile.

Quantum Physics, Maslow, and a Four Year Old

2011-06-08T22:12:00.003-04:00

(Quantum Physics from enlightearth.com)

Some of the best (by which, of course, I mean funniest) conversations I have ever had have been with my children in a public bathroom. I'm not sure what the reason is, but our kids seem to have their deepest thoughts while sequestered in the stall. This Sunday at church I took our four year old, Rock Star, to the bathroom. While he was doing his business, we had the following conversation.

RS: Dad, guess what I don't know.

Me: Um, quantum physics?

RS: Nope. I know that. Guess what I don't know.

Me: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs?

RS: What?

Me: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

RS: Um. OK. Guess what else I don't know. There's two things: that, and one other thing.

Unfortunately, I was laughing too hard at this point to hear what the one other thing is in the world beside Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs that our four year old does not know.

I'm glad he's already mastered quantum physics, though. It would be a little disappointing to have him enter kindergarten without a firm grasp of that one!

Baby Logan

2011-06-06T22:40:00.005-04:00

This cute little guy was so much fun. He was awake when we started which was perfect to catch his beautiful eyes. Then he was even fantastic enough to go to sleep for some adorable sleeping shots.

I love how much his brother and sister totally love him. They were both so excited just to be by him.

My SCARY Lady

2011-05-28T14:21:00.003-04:00

Yesterday we announced to our children that we would be watching a true classic, My Fair Lady. This is the conversation that we had with our fourth child, Rock Star, following that announcement:

Rock Star: NO! NO! NO! I watched it before, and it's really scary!

Me: You have not seen My Fair Lady.

Rock Star: I watched every movie in the whole world at Dia's house.

Me: Really? What's it about?

Rock Star: Scary stuff. There's a dragon what cannot be trained and is not nice!

Dia, by the way, is Rock Star's imaginary friend. He is the world's foremost authority on everything. Rock Star often cites experiences he's had with Dia as a reason he should not have to do certain things, such as eat today's lunch ("I tried it before at Dia's house, and I didn't like it!"), or watch the aforementioned scary movie.

We watched My Fair Lady last night, and it must have been truly frightening for Rock Star; after about 45 minutes of watching it he was passed out for the rest of the night. The fright just must have been too much for him!

Kenzi & Tyler: Engagement

2011-05-24T23:44:00.007-04:00

Once upon a time in a land far, far away (read: Georgia), we met an awesome family. What was particularly awesome about them was the fact that they had two daughters who loved to babysit our kids! One of these daughters, Kenzi, will soon be getting married to an amazingly spectacular guy named Tyler.

Kenzi and Tyler met at the restaurant where they both work in Pocatello, ID (which, for those of you who are geographically challenged, is right next door to Georgia. Sort of. It's in the same country, anyway.). Before Kenzi realized that Tyler was the love of her life she would complain to him about all of the other boys, and how they just didn't measure up to her ideal. Then one day it hit her--Tyler was her ideal! Which, of course, Tyler knew all along, and was just waiting for Kenzi to realize. And having listened to her complain about what she didn't like in those other guys, he knew exactly what to do, and what not to do, to make Kenzi happy. Smart man, Tyler!

We met them in Salt Lake City this past weekend to do an engagement shoot with them, and we had a blast! First of all, Salt Lake City is beautiful, and when you add a gorgeoulous (it's a word; look it up. Or not; we made it up) couple, you have a recipe for a great photo shoot. When that gorgeoulous couple is a lot of fun to be around, likes to laugh, and is not afraid to do silly poses and make silly faces (such as poking fingers in each other's mouth or doing the Tyler patented "squishy-face-kiss"), you have the makings of a truly amazing and fun-tastic photo shoot!

We would be remiss if we did not give a huge thank you to our photography assistant for this shoot, Kayti, who hauled not only our gear, but also Kenzi and Tyler's suitcase full of clothes. Thanks a million, Kayti!

Anyway, here is only a small sampling of the fun we had with this dazzling couple!

Princess of Awesomeness

2011-05-23T23:28:00.006-04:00

On the second to last day of the first July of this century and this millenium, the Princess of Awesomeness was born, making us parents. Since that first July of the millenium, the Princess of Awesomeness has insisted on having a birthday each and every year. This coming July will signify the eleventh such event. Last July was the tenth. What does all of this mean? It means we are old.

Some people reading this might object to the claim that we are old, while others may be picking their jaws up from the floor after exclaiming, "Holy, Methuselah!" Allow me to explain my reasoning. Think of the oldest living person you know who has children. I guarantee that their children's ages are in the double digits. I am certain that no living person on earth today has a child whose age is in the triple digits. Well, the Princess of Awesomeness has had a double digit age for nearly a year, officially making as old as the oldest living person on earth!

The Princess of Awesomeness, in fact, is old for her age. Certainly some of you may object to that statement, saying you cannot be old for your age; you either are your age or you are not. Now some of you may be objecting to that statement, saying you cannot not be your age. Some of you may now be objecting to the fact that I don't make any sense.

Regardless, the Princess of Awesomeness is old for her age. How? She is about to finish the 6th grade. Most people are 12 years old, or will very soon be, when they finish 6th grade. The Princess of Awesomeness, as I mentioned before, will soon be 11 years old, thus making her old for her age. Or maybe that makes her young for her age since she is younger than the next youngest 6th-grader by a whole year. Or is she old for her age because she is finishing the grade above all of the other 10- and 11-year-olds? Or is she old because she has the same number of digits in her age as the oldest person in the world who still has living parents? Regardless, we are old!

You may be wondering why the Princess of Awesomeness is finishing 6th grade instead of 5th grade with all of the other 10- and 11-year-old. The answer should be obvious: she did 5th grade last year! Some of you may be wondering why she didn't do 4th grade last year with all of the other 9- and 10-year olds. The answer should really be obvious: she did 4th grade the year before. A few of you may be wondering why she didn't do 3rd grade the year before with all of the other 8- and 9-year olds. Well, because she did 3rd grade the year before that! A couple of you may be wondering why she didn't do 2nd grade the year before that with all of the other 7- and 8-year-olds. Because she started 2nd grade with all of the other 6- and 7-year-olds!

One of you just shouted, "What do you mean the other 6- and 7-year-olds??? 2nd graders are 7 and 8 years old!" Not in England! The Princess of Awesomeness started school at the ripe old age of 4 with all of her 4-year-old British neighbors (pardon me, neighbours; Brits have extra U's that we don't have. I mean, Briuts hauve euxtra Uu'su thaut weu doun't hauve).

So the Princess of Awesomeness has gone to school on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean Pond. Whether here or there, she has always been at the top of her class. (Academically speaking. Being physically at the top of her class would require very impressive levitation skills!) Having dominated her class in two separate countries on two separate sides of the world, I think we can officially say she has conquered the world. So yes, when next you see her, the proper greeting is to bow down to your ruler.

And, because she started school in England, the Princess of Awesomeness is now young or old for her age, while her British counterparts are still their age for their age, and we are still old. I mean ould.

Wizard

2011-04-17T21:21:00.005-04:00

This is our second oldest child, whom we'll call "Wizard." Wizard's favorite things in the whole world are Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Pokemon. Harry Potter is the newest addition to this list of favorites, but it is also probably the biggest on that list. Why? Because one day Wizard discovered that books can actually be enjoyable! (*gasp!*)

For the longest time, Wizard considered reading to be something akin to enduring hot pokers while stretched out on a rack. That all changed when we read The Indian in the Cupboard as a family. Wizard was captivated, and started reading ahead of the rest of us. He loved it, and we thought he had surely changed his opinion about reading. Wrong! Apparently, The Indian in the Cupboard was the lone exception to the medieval torture called reading.

Then Wizard learned that his cousin in Kansas, who is his all time favorite person in the world, was not only reading the Harry Potter books, but actually enjoying them! All his cousin ever wanted to talk about was the books, and Wizard soon learned that his knowledge of wizards and muggles gleaned from the movies was woefully inadequate compared to the wealth of knowledge his cousin possessed. That got Wizard thinking that perhaps there might be something to books after all, and so he decided to try reading the first Harry Potter book.

Suddenly we were facing situations we had never confronted with Wizard. The following is a word for word example from when Sherrie went to check on the boys one night after they had been in bed for a couple of hours:

Sherrie: You'll never guess what I just saw.

Jay: What's that?

Sherrie: Wizard is still awake.

Jay: That's not too unusual.

Sherrie: Yeah, but he has a flashlight in bed, and he's...reading!

Jay:...*plunk* (That was the sound of Jay hitting the floor after he passed out from shock.)

We have now gotten very accustomed to the sight of Wizard with his nose in a book at all hours of the day. He has read all seven Harry Potter books, and wants to buy the Tales of Beedle the Bard. We're so used to it now, that Jay doesn't even feel the slightest bit woozy at the sight.

And so, Wizard is obsessed with Harry Potter now. One of the most common activities in our house is to see the kids running around with sticks, spoons, or anything else remotely resembling a wand as they shout things such as, "Stupefy!", "Protego!", and, yes, even "Avada Kedavra!" Actually, that last one is by far the most common. Do you suppose we should ban the use of killing curses in the house?

Having finished the entire Harry Potter series, we were excited to see which books Wizard would try next. He eagerly picked up the first Fablehaven book, read the opening line, "Kendra stared out the side window of the SUV, watching foliage blur past" and promptly screamed, "AAAAGH! I'M STRETCHED ON A RACK AND BEING BURNED BY HOT POKERS!!!!"

Well, at least he likes some reading, right?

Wizard with his "Buckbeak the Hippogriff" pinewood derby car

Mr. Mister

2011-03-27T23:19:00.005-04:00

This is our third child, Mr. Mister. As you can see from these pictures, the kid has the most expressive face ever! Those big blue eyes of his are going to get him into trouble; they're probably going to be the thing to get him back out of trouble, too!

Mr. Mister has had a very eventful year. A few weeks ago, he lost his first tooth! He was really excited. Shortly after that, we went to the circus, where he won a bike! ("Yea!" for free bikes!) As if that wasn't enough excitement to last a life time, Mr. Mister just turned the ripe old age of six. Does life get any better?

Mr. Mister is one of the funniest people on the planet. On the way home from church today, he informed us that he wants to be the President of the United States. Awesome! Why does he want to be president? "The president has body guards!!!" Is there a more noble motive for civil service? His older sister, the Princess of Awesomeness, informed him that the Constitution dictates that the president must be at least 35 years old. Mr. Mister sighed dejectedly and said, "I wish I was 35." Maybe someday he'll get those body guards.

Of course, this does raise an interesting point. Just what on earth does a six-year-old need body guards for? Kindergarten recess must be a lot tougher than it was when we were kids!

Which reminds me, yesterday he said he wished he could turn invisible. Now what would you do if you could turn invisible? Mr. Mister knows exactly what he would do; he said he would sneak into the school unseen (since he's invisible, after all), wait till recess (who knows what he's doing in the mean time; maybe just learning without the teacher seeing him), then bump into kids so they would say, "Ahh! A ghost!" Now isn't that a great way to use the power of invisibility?

But we're glad he's not invisible; he's too darn cute!

Need we say more?

Rock Star

2011-02-06T22:02:00.006-05:00

This is our fourth child, whom we will call "Rock Star." We call him Rock Star because he was apparently born with an internal sound track that only he can hear, and he feels compelled to bust out with ridiculously amazing moves on a regular basis. This kid was born with rhythm. We're pretty sure music just courses through the boy's veins.

It is always fun to hear him belting out the most random songs. He has quite a repertoire, too. We will be getting dinner ready and Rock Star will groove into the kitchen belting out, "You've got blood on your face, you big disgrace! Kickin' your can all over the place", at which point Buddy Boy will join in, belting at the top of his lungs, "We will, we will rock you!" Or we'll be enjoying a quiet afternoon in the living room, and suddenly Rock Star will boogie in singing "Standing on the rooftops, everybody scream your heart out!" Or we'll be driving in the car and he'll be jiving in his car seat, singing "Swing, swing from the tangles of my heart!" (Does anybody recognize the Lego Rockband playlist in all of these?)

One of our family traditions is Friday night movie night. And one of the very best things about Friday night movie night is getting to the ending credits of whichever movie we are watching. Why? Because typically, the ending credits of most movies have some great music, and Rock Star simply cannot resist the music. As soon as the credits start rolling, Rock Star leaps up from his seat and entertains us all until the last note has played. We love it!

Here is just a glimpse of some of Rock Star's killer moves.

He rocks.

Shoe-On

2011-01-30T21:38:00.004-05:00

This is our fifth child, "Buddy Boy." He is just a few months shy of being a fully independent two-year-old. As with most children his age, he is pretty sure that he knows what is best, and we, as his parents, don't have a clue. Actually, does that condition ever go away for kids?

Part of Buddy's all-knowing wisdom includes the fact that he must be wearing shoes at all times. And not just any shoes; no, they have to be the right shoes. Although he owns more than one pair, the only ones that will do are his church shoes, which he calls "shoe-on." He has decided that his "shoe-on" goes with every outfit, to include pajamas. Because seriously, would pajamas look good with tennis shoes? Of course not! No, only a nice pair of black shoes with a fake buckle (velcro, of course) will work with pajamas. And although his pajama top may not match the pajama bottoms, he just wouldn't feel right without his "shoe-on."

Buddy Boy's "Shoe-On"

And when we say he has to ALWAYS wear his shoes, we are talking ALWAYS! Including to bed. He will scream and shout if we try to put him to bed without his shoes on. So if you think it looks uncomfortable to sleep all night with your shoes on, that is just further evidence of the fact that you just aren't as wise and all-knowing as an almost-two-year-old!

Our Little Angel

2010-12-23T17:21:00.005-05:00

Here are some photos of our Little Angel at three weeks of age. Where does the time go? She is absolutely perfect. We love her lots!

New Introduction

2010-12-20T00:26:00.005-05:00

We used to use this blog exclusively for our photography, and another blog as our family blog. We've decided, however, that as awesome as we are at blogging, we really didn't need two blogs to not update. So, we are consolidating in hopes to be better at keeping up to date. We will use this blog to post our adventures in photography as well as our adventures in real life.

So here we are! Watch this space for exciting updates! Or at the very least mundane updates (we have six kids; there will probably be updates about bodily functions, and those qualify as exciting. Or gross. We might give a disclaimer at the beginning of those posts for the squeamish out there).

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Our tree, by the way, really looks nice from about two feet up and above (this picture was definitely taken from above that two-foot limit). Our Christmas ornaments have suffered many casualties this year thanks to This Kid:

OK, we'll come up with more creative names to use for our kids online later! :)

-Sherrie and Jay

Bren & Joe: Wedding

2010-08-12T13:33:00.007-04:00

The day was hot, humid, and on the verge of being nasty. So, we did pics indoors at the Union Station in Kansas City. It was fantabulous. The light was amazing, the couple was gorgeous, and even though it was hot, their day was amazing. Bren and Joe, thank you for allowing us to capture your day and the love that you so deeply share. You guys are amazing and we hope that you enjoy the pics.

Why yes, we do love your shoes!

We had to take a few shots with the dinosaur out front. How could we not?

The Scott Family

2010-08-02T23:12:00.003-04:00

First off, this post is long overdue! (Sorry!) These shots were taken in the Scotts' beautiful backyard and inside their gorgeous house. It was hot and muggy out, but they all cooperated really well with our madness (even the kids!). Eventually, we decided it would be a lot more enjoyable to take pictures inside (thank goodness for air conditioning!).

We enjoyed getting to know several generations of the Scott family during this shoot. They are a great family!

Bren and Joe: Engagement

2010-07-10T12:16:00.006-04:00

These guys are great! Bren and Joe met through a friend. Joe saw Bren's picture on his friend's Facebook page, thought she looked great, and said he wanted to meet her. It was a while before they ended up meeting, but once they did they hit it off. They fell in love and are getting ready to start an exciting life together! And we are so excited to shoot their wedding!

Did that help?

2010-06-02T00:40:00.002-04:00

Can everyone see them now? Aren't they such a cute family?

Sorry for the lack of big pics. You really are missing out. We will figure out a way to make it work... eventually. For now, cute small pics. Hope you enjoy them. At least more so now that you can actually (hopefully) see them. :)

Photos

2010-06-01T11:54:00.002-04:00

We were trying to make photos bigger, but it seems like not everyone can see them. We will try and correct it so everyone can see them. For the time being that will probably keep them small. Which is a shame because the bigger pictures look really great. How many people can't see them, anyway? Can anyone see them? Thanks!

John & Holly: Family

2010-05-22T22:22:00.016-04:00

This is one of the most amazing families you could ever hope to meet! John is Sherrie's brother, and we love him and his family. They are the kind of people who never think twice about helping someone in need, are always cheerful, and genuinely love each other. Not to mention, they are a lot of fun! We live a few hours away from them (which is quite a few hours closer than we used to!), and we love getting the opportunity to see them as often as we do. It helps that they have the same number of kids as we do; each one of our kids has a corresponding cousin in John and Holly's family that is within a few months' age of our kids (and no, we did not plan it that way! :D )

We were thrilled when they asked us to document their happy family. After all, the family pictures they had on the wall needed some serious updating. (Actually, we can't say much about that, which is a bit ironic since we're photographers. We once had some friends where she was a massage therapist, and we commented to him about how nice it must be to get professional massages all the time; he said she never gave him a massage; since she did it all day it was the last thing she wanted to do when she got home. Kind of like that for us, except without any massaging. And we don't do it all day, either. And we actually still like taking pictures. So, it's nothing at all like the massage people--we're just pathetic. OK! We'll change our ways! :D)

So, after all of that, here are the pictures of the awesome people (and if you are ever thinking of marrying a massage therapist, do it because you actually love the person, not because you are hoping for some massage benefits!)

This is a classic example of what we like to see in a family picture. Check out that air! If we ever take your family's picture, expect that we will probably ask you to do this. Can you catch this kind of air? And don't forget the arms and legs at crazy angles! It makes it awesome! You have been warned. So when we tell you we want to do a jumping picture, you know what we mean. It sometimes takes people a while to finally get what we are talking about. So this is it! Do that kind of stuff! Oh, and if you happen to have any sort of physical problem that might make this kind of stuff difficult or painful, like, say, a knee problem (*ahem*, Layne!), let us know BEFORE the jumping commences!

Nebraska Omaha Mission

2010-02-23T12:37:00.010-05:00

I had the wonderful opportunity to photograph the Nebraska Omaha Mission yesterday. The Spirit of God that was felt in that room full of those doing their best to serve the Lord their God was amazing. If you want to know more about the message they have to share please click here.

Elder Perry came to speak with the missionaries. He wasn't able to stay around for the group picture, but we were able to get a quick shot of him with the mission president and his wife. (pictured left to right: Elder Hallstrom, President Kunz, Sister Kunz, Elder Perry, and Elder Schooff)

The centerpieces for the luncheon made me want Spring to be here soon. I am ready.

This is the missionaries doing a shout for Israel. "Hoorah for Israel!"

I am so thankful to have been able to capture those involved in this mission who are dedicating this portion of their life to serving the Lord and serving others. Thank you for all you do and thank you for allowing me to document this day.

Heather & Asa: Family

2010-02-05T23:11:00.005-05:00

This family is awesome. We had so much fun. Thanks for letting us document your family. Love you guys!

And this picture is awesome. I think cuteness kid on the left actually dove and fell down. All for the sake of a good picture. Love it.

Tyler and April: Family

2010-01-08T18:43:00.004-05:00

Here are some pictures that we took a long time ago in a place and time that was far, far warmer (when we would try to schedule photo shoots for early mornings before it would get too hot) than where we live now (since we are now in "SNOW-maha" Nebraska, and it is winter now). We didn't post these at the time, because April was pregnant, and didn't want anyone to know yet. She still is pregnant (boy, pregnancy last FOREVER!), so those of you who know her...the secret is out!

Jay usually asks couples to do this pose (with the guy "checking out" his wife's rear); this is by far the best reaction from a wife that we've captured yet!

April also does photography (and she's amazing!) Check out here blog here.

Laurie & Matt: Wedding

2009-12-29T15:53:00.018-05:00

She reserved a study room in the library at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She arrived to find some guy there. After some discussion as to who was in the wrong room, it turned out that the room actually was his. Laurie had the wrong room! After working together in the library for a time they started dating and then that led to so much more. The wrong room turned out to be the right room and the rest, as they say, is history.

Laurie and Matt became Mr. and Mrs. Holman on December 19 at Eastridge Presbyterian Church. Their reception followed at Havelock Social Hall, and it was a lot of fun. Laurie and Matt, thank you for letting us document your special day. You have wonderful family and friends that welcomed us right in. Thank you for your laughter and your love. You are amazing!

Laurie, you're beautiful!

LOVE laughing pictures.

We're Still Alive!

2009-12-23T10:58:00.002-05:00

We have not fallen off the face of the earth, or even gone into exile. We have, however, moved, and that feels like it could possibly be related to the same thing. We are here in good old Omaha, NE. And it is COLD!!! But we still love it. We miss Georgia like crazy, especially all of our amazing friends. (Why don't they all just follow us around? ) We miss you all!

We have several things to post, but moving kinda slowed that down. We will try to cram it down your eyes as quickly as we can. For now, here is a shot from a wedding we shot this last weekend. More coming soon!

Thanks for being patient with us.

Beautiful "M" : BABY

2009-09-02T12:31:00.006-04:00

This little angel was perfect. As soon as the hair dryer was on to create some heat and white noise she was perfectly content. Hope you guys enjoy the pictures and the new little piece of heaven sent to dwell in your home. She's adorable.

Cari & Jess: FAMILY

2009-08-22T16:14:00.007-04:00

Cari was at college and noticed a cute guy on campus. To her surprise, the next day this same cute guy came up to her and said, "You're Cari, right?" Her heart went pitter-patter as she thought, "EEEE! He knows my name!" Fast forward a few years and a couple of kids later, and here you have one amazingly cute family!

Sweet Kids

2009-07-30T14:30:00.009-04:00

These adorable kids were so much fun! It was a beautiful morning walking the trails. Amazing family! We love you guys!

Jessica and Adam: FAMILY

2009-07-26T22:27:00.007-04:00

She was just 13 years old when she first saw him, and she knew then that she wanted to marry him. He was her brother's best friend and she just wanted him to notice her. Notice her he did! It's every young girl's dream. The boy of her childhood dreams is now the man that her whole world revolves around. You can see by the way that he looks at her that his world revolves around her as well. What a joy it was to capture the laughter, the joy, and the love that permeates from this wonderful family.

They were up for all of our crazy ideas, only making faces every once in awhile (cough, cough, Jessica), and coming up with crazy ideas of there own. It was a lot of fun doing this shoot. You guys rock!

(Jessica made some really great faces throughout the shoot, so look forward to seeing "The Many Faces of Jessica" coming soon to a blog near you! P.S. We mean our blog! :D )

Sneak Peek

2009-07-25T22:02:00.002-04:00

This is just a quick peek. More to come!

"L" Family

2009-07-14T14:56:00.005-04:00

This family is so great. We had so much fun with them. They were even cheerful out in this Georgia heat. Who knew that was possible? Thanks for a great time, guys! Hope you like them.

Another "W" Family

2009-05-29T14:39:00.005-04:00

We had so much fun with this great family. It was a beautiful day on a breezy river walk.

And this little girl is an Angel!

"W" family

2009-02-21T11:17:00.005-05:00

This family is so much fun. The beach in February was a little chilly, but not too chilly to keep kids out of the water. (Not that our kids would have started that at all). They were all having a blast. You can see the love this family has for each other and how much they love being together. It was a great day! Thanks guys!

Little "B"

2009-02-18T11:39:00.004-05:00

Little "B" is growing so fast. It is hard to believe that it has been a year since we took his newborn pics. Can't get enough of those eyes.

Baby " A" & "A"

2009-01-27T14:30:00.006-05:00

We love taking baby pics, so what could be better than twins? These boys were such angels. Their adorable big sister loved being part of the action, as well. We had so much fun. What a wonderful family!

Crazy Awesome!

2008-11-19T21:44:00.002-05:00

We know you've seen this picture before, but we had a lot of fun making it look like this. This is just fun!

"M" Family

2008-11-19T14:33:00.007-05:00

Yes, they are related. To the previous "M" family that is.

Always a good time and always great pics. We love you guys!

The "M" Family

2008-11-01T22:08:00.007-04:00

We love this family! We had a lot of fun taking their pictures. They have some characters in their family, which made it all the more fun.

"W" Family

2008-10-06T12:23:00.004-04:00

Here they are again with the addition of a little one. He is such a sweet baby, and was so incredibly good. We had so much fun. This is one of the most loving families we have ever met. They are so full of love to everyone they meet. They just radiate love and goodness. Sorry it took so long guys. Hope you like them!

A Day Not To Be Forgotten

2008-09-11T21:51:00.002-04:00

We just wanted to post a tribute to those whose lives were taken on that tragic day, to those who gave their lives that others might live, and to those who still fight to secure our freedom! Thank you!

God Bless you and God Bless America!

Kenzi

2008-09-07T00:14:00.005-04:00

Today was our first senior shoot, and it was a blast! Here's just a taste for you, Kenzi. There are SOOO many good ones, and we wanted you to get a glimpse. Enjoy!

A & M's Kids

2008-09-01T14:55:00.004-04:00

A & M, here's a preview of your pics. We'll have them available to order soon. Enjoy!

Pirate "D"

2008-08-25T17:31:00.004-04:00

This kid is so fun. They have since moved away and our son misses him a ton. He saw these pics and got all excited. Hope you guys are having fun. We all miss you!

"P" family

2008-08-14T21:49:00.005-04:00

This felt like the hottest day of the summer. Early morning did not help at all. They were good sports and we had a lot of fun. Thanks guys! You're awesome!

Mike & Michaela

2008-08-02T21:16:00.005-04:00

Here's a taste, Michaela. Hope you like them!

Little Baby "L"

2008-07-21T23:00:00.004-04:00

So, he's not that little (over 10 lbs at birth!), but he is SO CUTE!!! These are some of our favorites. Hope you like them, Joe and Rachel!

Cutest Kids in the Whole World!

2008-07-08T00:43:00.008-04:00

Alright, we've had this photo blog for over a year now, and we've never posted pics of our own way cute kids! I know; shame on us! Well, here they are! :) (Aren't they cute?!?)

Flores Boys

2008-07-07T00:21:00.005-04:00

Here are the good looking Flores boys! Their family just moved away; we'll miss you!

"S"

2008-06-16T16:05:00.005-04:00

This is girl is SO photogenic. We had so much fun!

Rachel's Maternity Shots

2008-06-03T13:39:00.004-04:00

Just a little longer and this cute family will be joined by a little baby boy. We are excited to take pics of him when he gets here.

Mike & Michaela

2008-05-23T16:49:00.023-04:00

This cute couple is getting married in July! We had Mike's kids come along for pics, as well. We had so much fun. We love this location, so you may be seeing more of it.

"L" Family

2008-04-12T16:53:00.025-04:00

What an Awesome family! They are so fun! Here's a Runway Model Family in the making. What a good looking family, every single one of them. For those of you who have read Twilight, can you say Carlisle and Esme Cullen? (with a bit more color, of course)

"G" Family

2008-03-12T12:58:00.012-04:00

We had so much fun with this family. They were so fun and SO incredibly cute. Need we say more. Enjoy!

Baby "A"

2008-02-25T23:09:00.016-05:00

We LOVE taking pictures of babies!!! They are SO cute! This little angel is so sweet. This is the same little baby from our last post! She is so cute!

Beautiful Baby Girl

2008-02-24T23:23:00.003-05:00

We'll post more pics of this baby, but we thought it would be fun to get this one out for the world to see. She's so cute!

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T20:50:00.002-05:00

"M" Family

2008-02-13T23:50:00.010-05:00

This family is so great! We had so much fun! We always have a great time with them, so that was no surprise.

"M" Family

2008-02-04T13:08:00.000-05:00

This family was so much fun! Especially the generation shot we were able to photograph. How awesome!

Kyrie & Jake

2008-01-29T12:46:00.001-05:00

This was an absolutely FREEZING day! It was sleeting all day except for a couple of hours where we managed to get some pictures taken out in the open. It was freezing, but the ice was so beautiful. And the couple was looking good, as well. Enjoy!

"P" Family

2008-01-11T22:36:00.000-05:00

These kids are so cute. We had so much fun! What a great family.

Baby "T"

2007-12-05T20:56:00.001-05:00

This baby is so cute. It took him a little bit to get warmed up to us, but then he was all smiles.

Families Are Forever

2007-11-25T16:18:00.000-05:00

This family is so amazing! It was great to be able to share in their special day. What a wonderful example of why the love that exists in families is meant to endure through eternity.

April's Maternity Shots

2007-11-07T15:12:00.001-05:00

Here are our friends again. They will be having their baby this month. Fun times!