Goodbye Blogger!

So long Blogger, I have a new home now. You were good to me and I thank you!

Come check out my new blog here. Make sure you change your bookmarks to reflect the change. I know it is annoying, but you won't be disappointed. Thanks!

Jodi

Beautiful

I mentioned to Brooklyn the other day that we needed to go take some pictures of her in the pecan groves across from our house. Well, she bugged me for several days because she wanted to get dressed up in the pettiskirt and get some pictures so we made a date and headed out. Wouldn't you know that after being there for less than 2 minutes she was done with me and ready to go home. We did have fun though as she explored and ran through the trees. That girl makes me laugh so hard with the things she comes up with. I love spending time with just the two of us. She lights up when she is by herself and thinks she is SO BIG.



I think I could stare at this picture of her bright blue eyes and sweet smile all day. I don't know where the time is going. She looks so big to me here.





This last picture is definitely a favorite of the day. She looks so carefree just spinning and being a little princess all dressed up. This makes me want to treasure everyday of her childhood and enjoy the little moments we have together.

26.2

Yep, you read that right--26.2 miles of pure determination. The PF Changs Rock n' Roll Marathon was this past Sunday, but no, I didn't run in it. I know, I know, I just didn't want to have to beat up on Troy and go and embarrass him and the other guys so I stood by and watched from the sidelines. Hey somebody has to be there for moral support and to be the chauffeur so I decided to take the bullet for the team and let them do their thing and race. And it is a good thing because Troy did an amazing job, especially for an old guy. (Just kidding hon, I love you!)

Seriously though, Troy hasn't done a marathon in 10 years, but he still managed to get second place. Not an easy feat for sure. Not only that, he had a great time--2 hours and 37 seconds--not too shabby if you ask me. He qualified for the Boston Marathon with 23 seconds to spare. Competing at the Boston Marathon has been a dream of Troy's and I am very proud of him for accomplishing his goal. His older body definitely didn't like the miles and I don't think Troy has ever been so sore, but that won't stop him from doing it again in a couple of months. Troy is the most dedicated and hard working person that I have ever known. Once he makes up his mind to do something, there is absolutely no stopping him--not even when I get on his case.

I want you to know that I am incredibly proud of you, Troy. I am in awe of your determination. We can all learn from you for sure. Thank you for never giving up!

Here is the start of the race. Adam, Erik and Lamar also competed with Troy and did an amazing job. Congrats on finishing the race boys!





Here's Troy very happy that the race is over. He was so sore that it took him three tries to just get out of his chair, but luckily he finally made it. Congrats, honey. I am proud of you!



I had to add this picture of Lamar finishing the race. Lamar is a quiet guy, but man when the race was over he had the biggest smile across his face and surprisingly enough wants to do another marathon in the future. Are you crazy??? Lamar first sat in a racing chair less than a year ago and now has finished his first marathon. Pretty amazing if you ask me. Congrats, Lamar!

Better Late Than Never

I know, I know, I am a total slacker. It is already several weeks into January and I am JUST posting pictures of Christmas morning. Even though it is late, I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful new year! I just had to show you what Santa brought my kiddos. I think Santa went a little crazier this year than he should have and I think he forgot that the kids were only 2 and 5.

Brooklyn got her very own moped from Santa. I was FREAKED OUT to say the least when she got on this for the first time and went whipping down the street. This thing goes 15 miles an hour and she went full speed from the second she got on it. Troy's family had bets on how fast she would end up with a broken arm, but surprisingly she is great on it. And doesn't she just look so cute?!




Brigham was not left out on any of the fun. He got his very own MOTORCYCLE! All he wanted for Christmas was a motorcycle and talked about it for weeks and weeks. Funny story--he called Santa on the phone to let him know that he wanted a motorcycle (my kids are too scared to sit on Santa's lap so we called him instead :) ). Well a couple of days later, he saw Santa in a parade. When Troy asked him how the parade was he just kept saying, "Santa didn't bring me my motorcycle." We had to remind him that Santa would bring it for Christmas.

Then on Christmas Eve at our family party Santa brought Brigham a little motorcycle. He was in HEAVEN to say the least. Well, Christmas morning comes and we ask Brigham if he wants to go in the family room and see if Santa came. His response, "I'm ok, I already got my motorcycle." He had no idea that Santa was going to be bringing him a full size Harley. As soon as he saw it he was in love and did not want to get off of it to open any of his presents.




Thanks, Santa!

Temple pictures....in print

I have had a great deal of interest in the pictures I took of both the Mesa Arizona Temple and the Salt Lake Temple, but the cost of canvas is out of the price range for many people SO I have decided to now offer the pictures in PRINTS! And just in time for Christmas too!

I have printed the images as a print and I can tell you that they look AMAZING. It is funny to watch every person that sees it reach out and touch the print because it looks like it is canvas, even as a print because of the textured look.

Yes, I will still add your sealing date to the picture at no extra charge!

11x14 $75
16x20 $125
20x24 $175
20x30 $250
24x36 $325

These would make a terrific gift for Christmas, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, or just because! Hint, hint to all of the husbands out there trying to find the perfect present for their wife. I can guarantee that your wife will LOVE this under the tree on Christmas morning.

One more thing, if you don't live near me, I can ship this to you for an extra $10 anywhere in the US.

If you would like to order, please email me at jdavisphoto@gmail.com.

In the Past 24 hours...

Let's see in the past 24 hours Brigham has:

*poured an entire bottle of glue on my tile, carpet and leather couches
*dumped out a bottle of nail polish remover all over my bathroom
*smeared lotion all over my bathroom
*opened a new bag of chips and proceeded to smash them into small crumbs all over Brooklyn's bed
*got out of bed every 2 minutes for over 2 HOURS last night and each time he did it he LOCKED the door
*smeared glitter glue in a friend's hair
*broke more than a couple ornaments and spread them throughout the house

Yeah, I guess that will do it. As you can see I am more than a little frustrated with my little guy today. I hate to even think about what the next 24 hours has in store for me.



But then I look at this cute little face and everything seems better again. That and the fact that he is napping peacefully at the moment!

Hayden's Toy Drive

I love this time of year! People seem to be friendlier and look for opportunities to help others more than any other time of the year. You might expect that from an adult, but it always takes me back when kids open up their hearts for others and teach us how to live. My 6-year-old nephew Hayden is a great example to me when it comes to giving to others. Hayden was born with a heart condition that required 3 open heart surgeries within his first few weeks of life. He spent his first Christmas at Phoenix Children's Hospital recovering from these life saving surgeries. Through it all the doctors, nurses and staff were so amazing to both Hayden and his parents. Santa even came to visit Christmas morning and brought presents to all of the kids. Although Hayden was just a baby, this moment will never be forgotten by his parents. They told Hayden this story often and that is when he decided that he wanted to start collecting toys for other kids that spent Christmas at the hospital. After telling everyone he met about it, Hayden's Toy Drive was born. This will be his 3rd year collecting toys for the hospital. Last year the hospital said that Hayden collected more toys for them (outside of corporate sponsors) than any other charity. AMAZING!!! Think about the difference one boy can make.

Now, I am asking for your help to make the toy drive even bigger this year. I know that times are tough, which means that even more kids are going to be needing presents this year than ever before. I am not asking for thousands of dollars, I am simply asking that you pick up an extra toy when you are out shopping and you find a sale. They love DVDs, journals, scrapbook items, pajamas, legos, nail polish. I mean some of these are seriously only a couple of dollars. I know that you have a least a couple of dollars to spare.

All donations are tax-deductible! Come on, I know you want to donate! So give me a call at 480-710-0750 to arrange for a time to pick-up toys. Cash donations are also accepted.

Visit Hayden's blog for details! I thank you in advance. Have a Merry Christmas!

Beautiful Girls

So it feels like all I have been doing lately is sitting in front of my computer editing pictures. Tis the season I guess. I have so many pictures that I need to share, but for now here are a couple of beautiful girls that I had the pleasure of photographing last week.






Didn't I tell you they were absolutely beautiful?! They were good sports too. We actually got kicked out of the first location that we were at. That was definitely a first for me. One of the residents threatened to call the Sheriff because I was taking pictures in their community. Seriously, some people have entirely too much time on their hands. Thankfully my brother lived close by so we ran over there. In the end it all worked out and we got some great shots.

Alright back to editing!

The Ultimate Christmas Giveaway!

Photographers from all over the world have been challenged by a fellow photographer, Kristen Kalp of Essential Imagery, to offer an amazing gift this Christmas season and I could not pass up this opportunity. Times are tough right now and this is one way that I can make a difference this season.

For many people, this is an exciting time of year-the hustle and bustle, the shopping and gift giving, holiday parties and spending time with loved ones. For some, it's a struggle and a painful reminder of hard times.

You know someone. You know someone who's experienced a tragedy, is struggling to stay afloat, is raising kids while holding down more than one job, or is volunteering selflessly despite extenuating personal circumstances. You know someone who can't afford custom photography, but who would cherish it this holiday season. You know someone who deserves a year-round reminder of their family's spirit, love, and beauty.

You know someone. I guarantee it.

I want to know who they are, and I want to give them the chance to experience complimentary custom photography. So here's the deal. I will be giving away $1500 worth of products--canvases, slideshows, prints, albums, gifts...anything that I offer. And of course that includes a complimentary photography session. Oh, and the best part? The person who nominates the winner receives a complimentary session and a $250 print credit. What better reason to show some love could there possibly be?

The rules:

* You cannot nominate yourself, and the person nominated must sincerely be incapable of purchasing my services. (Being unable to make mortgage payments for a two-million-dollar-vacation-home in Paris does not qualify as sincere financial need.)

* The nominee must reside within 45 miles of Queen Creek to qualify. Tell me who you know, what they're experiencing, and why they deserve my artwork. Please include contact information (phone number and email) for both your nominee and yourself.

* E-mail me the full story at jdavisphoto@gmail.com.

*All nominations must be received by midnight, December 22nd.

The winner will be announced on Christmas Eve -- get nominating! I can't wait to read all of your entries!

Open your heart to someone this holiday season -- and thanks for giving me the opportunity to open mine.

With love,

Jodi

All Because Two People Fell In Love

It amazing to see the legacy that two people can make through their love. Looking at all of these beautiful children just makes me smile. This is what is important in life--our children and grandchildren! I hope you love this, I keep looking at it myself and they aren't even my grandchildren. They are all absolutely gorgeous.

This past Saturday I loaded up and drove to Glendale to the coolest location for pictures. Why does this place have to be so far away from me? Wood, brick, peeling paint--I was in my own little piece of heaven. But, back to the reason I was there. I met up with a VERY cool and very BEAUTIFUL family. I try to stay away from big groups, but I thought I would give it a go and everything worked out great--better than great. I *might* even do it again. Let's see once I finish editing all of the pictures.

So here is the first of several posts from this wonderful family. I promise to add more as I finish up with editing. ENJOY!

Happy Turkey Day!

Wishing all of you a Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you all enjoy eating turkey, taking naps, visiting with family, watching football, and my favorite--looking through the ads and strategizing for Black Friday! Have a good one!

Banana Head

I really shouldn't even be looking at these pictures yet, considering I still have a couple of sessions to edit and Christmas cards to design, but I just HAD to. I know that all of you photographers out there know that there are some sessions that you just can't wait to edit. Well, this was one of those sessions.

My husband and I met the "A" family about a year ago and I don't think 2 families could possibly have more in common. Just like us, the "A" family has been blessed with amazing and gorgeous kids through adoption! Well, just recently little L's adoption was finalized and their family headed to the Mesa Arizona Temple this weekend to be sealed for time and all eternity and they wanted to document this amazing experience. I can vouch for them and say that taking my kids to the Temple was the most amazing experience in my life--2 days that will be forever etched into my mind and heart. I have to say that their are definitely some advantages to adopting your kids!

So on to the pictures and there are A TON of pictures. It's late and I didn't want to narrow it down. They all make me so happy.

They even have a Brooklyn, too! I DIED when I saw her hair as I haven't seen her in a while. She is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!



And I love this smile from T. I loved that it was so easy to get a natural smile from him. He called me "banana head" the whole time, which he thought was hilarious. I don't mind being a "banana head" as long as I can get a good smile out of it :).



"N" wasn't too sure about me at the beginning, but it didn't take her long to warm up and then she LOVED being in front of the camera. She is a natural I must say.



And what about these cheeks? Don't you just want to reach through the computer and squeeze them?





Then came play time and the kids loved tackling their dad!





I couldn't forget about mom and dad. They have been married for almost 10 years and yet in this picture they look like they are getting engagement pictures because they look so happy looking into each other's eyes.



Thanks "A" family, it was great seeing you again. I had a wonderful time! I hope you love them as much as I do!

First Book

A few weeks back Brooklyn pulled this book out of her backpack and wanted to read it to me. Not thinking too much about it I said sure. And then, much to my shock, she actually started reading it to me. I couldn't believe it. You should have seen the smile on her face. Priceless. I guess the sight words we have been practicing are sticking. She is one smart cookie I tell you.

I am so proud of you, Brooklyn! I hope that you always have a love of learning and reading!

The Year of TIN

It is hard to believe that 10 years ago today Troy and I were sealed for time and all eternity. 10 YEARS!! Just saying that makes me feel old, but truly that day I made the best decision of my life. Marrying Troy, as cheesy as it may sound, made me complete. In so many ways we are complete opposites, but that is what makes our marriage work. We balance each other out and make up for each other's weaknesses. Together we make one amazing person I tell ya!

So apparently the traditional gift for your 10 year anniversary is TIN or aluminum. At first I thought this was a little different, but then I read why and it totally fits us. Tin is used to describe the first major milestone anniversary because it is both flexible and durable and can be bent without being broken. This is exactly what marriage is all about--compromising, helping each other out, taking the good and the bad-- "bending without breaking". That absolutely describes the past 10 years of our lives. I am a different person in so many ways since I have married Troy and I think that he could say the same about himself. We have learned to adapt and have tried to give more than we take. We have had ups and downs for sure, but through it all we have leaned on one another to make it through. We are both stronger people than we were 10 years ago. We have been bent, we have been molded, but we are not broken!



Troy is an amazing father! He loves playing with the kids and takes every opportunity that he can to be with them. They spend every evening outside playing when he gets done working and I get a few minutes of peace. Yeah!



After dinner you can always find Troy and the kids wrestling on the ground. I love to sit and listen to them all laugh--well at least until they all gang up on me and take me to the ground.





What do you think of his crazy new helmet?





Here is my guy looking so handsome in his new suit from China!



Troy we have had many wonderful years together. I cannot even begin to express my love for you, but I hope that you see it everyday in the way that I live and in the way that I treat you. I see your love everyday in a hundred different ways and I am so grateful for that. I don't know how we ever made it past the first date, but I am glad that you were patient with me and didn't give up. I pray for many more anniversaries together because the best is yet to be! I love you, Troy!