Showing posts with label personal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label personal. Show all posts
TGIF
Happiness is...a new puppy!
Clara is 2 1/2 months old, loves squeaky toys, cuddling, and harassing her new big brother Einstein. Einstein's not too sure of her just yet, but hopefully they'll be best friends sooner rather than later! In the meantime she's keeping us all on our toes!
Life Via Instagram: March 2012
I love Instagram, although I currently don't have an iPhone so I just have to use my iPod. No worries, an iPhone is on my list of things to acquire this year. :)
Here's my life via Instagram in March, 2012. It's clear three very important things in my life are Einstein, food, and the beautiful sunsets we get to see every night out our back window. Enjoy!
(Starting with the large photo and moving clockwise: Einstein doing his neighborhood watch thing (there's a giant dog in that little body, I promise you!), Einstein at the vet asking "can't we just leave and pretend this never happened?", and Einstein sunbathing on the deck during Spring Break.
(Starting in upper left corner: Banana "ice cream" - love ice cream but watching your figure? Freeze some peeled bananas, throw them in the food processor. It will make a scary noise, but it won't break. Add a little almond milk or soy milk, keep processing until the consistency resembles soft serve ice cream. Delicious!, Frozen coffee from Corridor - my fave!, Cadbury Eggs - can anyone resist these?, and Izze - delicious fruit juice + sparkling water, great if you're trying to give up or eliminate soda.
I love where we live! These sunsets are amazing.
And just a random photo of the tulips I bought, but they died. :( I have a seriously black thumb.
Here's my life via Instagram in March, 2012. It's clear three very important things in my life are Einstein, food, and the beautiful sunsets we get to see every night out our back window. Enjoy!
(Starting with the large photo and moving clockwise: Einstein doing his neighborhood watch thing (there's a giant dog in that little body, I promise you!), Einstein at the vet asking "can't we just leave and pretend this never happened?", and Einstein sunbathing on the deck during Spring Break.
(Starting in upper left corner: Banana "ice cream" - love ice cream but watching your figure? Freeze some peeled bananas, throw them in the food processor. It will make a scary noise, but it won't break. Add a little almond milk or soy milk, keep processing until the consistency resembles soft serve ice cream. Delicious!, Frozen coffee from Corridor - my fave!, Cadbury Eggs - can anyone resist these?, and Izze - delicious fruit juice + sparkling water, great if you're trying to give up or eliminate soda.
I love where we live! These sunsets are amazing.
And just a random photo of the tulips I bought, but they died. :( I have a seriously black thumb.
National Puppy Day!
To be honest, I didn't even know there was a National Puppy Day until I saw it on Boo's (World's Cutest Dog...*however, I beg to differ*) Facebook status. Why do I follow a dog on Facebook you ask? Well someone has to keep eyes on the competition (and Einstein hasn't really mastered the internet, or a keyboard - no thumbs)!
So, to celebrate National Puppy Day, I thought it was only appropriate to post a new photo of Einstein. Hope you guys are having a great Friday, have a fabulous weekend!
Extreme Makeover: Einstein Edition
Although I love the shaggy look on my little Bubba, he always seems a lot more comfortable after a visit to the groomer. It's always such a huge difference between his two looks, that he almost doesn't look like the same puppy! I thought it would be funny to take a before and after shot this time since his last grooming appointment was right around Thanksgiving. Which version of Ein do you prefer?
Meet Miss Sophia... [Personal]
I distinctly remember the phone call we received this summer from Josh's sister Kara letting us know they were expecting a new addition to their family - I was so happy for them, as I know a baby was something they'd been wanting for so long. I was also incredibly excited to be an aunt for the first time, and couldn't wait to find out if I would have a new niece or nephew (they weren't finding out the sex prior to the birth).
Miss Sophia began her life as a very punctual young lady, arriving directly on her due date of January 5th, 2012. Josh and I had to wait a little while until our schedules would accommodate a long weekend, so last Friday we flew out to Denver to meet her.
I brought my camera, of course, and over the three days we were with the lovely little Sophia, we were able to capture some wonderful images of her and her parents. These aren't the typical images I would get with a newborn or baby session (although I did get a couple!), but something about these candid images is so lovely to me. Getting the chance to capture a new family just simply loving each other each day was truly a blessing. I hope you find these photos as beautiful as I do...
Image below was taken by Josh.
Bath time!
Little Bo Peep, is that you? (This cute little hat was made by Sophia's great grandma.)
Miss Sophia began her life as a very punctual young lady, arriving directly on her due date of January 5th, 2012. Josh and I had to wait a little while until our schedules would accommodate a long weekend, so last Friday we flew out to Denver to meet her.
I brought my camera, of course, and over the three days we were with the lovely little Sophia, we were able to capture some wonderful images of her and her parents. These aren't the typical images I would get with a newborn or baby session (although I did get a couple!), but something about these candid images is so lovely to me. Getting the chance to capture a new family just simply loving each other each day was truly a blessing. I hope you find these photos as beautiful as I do...
Bath time!
Little Bo Peep, is that you? (This cute little hat was made by Sophia's great grandma.)
Goals for 2012
I can't believe it's already January 10th! I've been thinking about this post for several days now, and although we're already 10 days into the new year, it's never too late to write down some goals. Here are some of mine...
1. Let go.
I have a very difficult time letting go of things, and I don't mean material things - I mean worries and fears...stress and frustration. The things that eat you up inside and make you lose sight of your goals and what's important in life. A goal of mine this year is to learn to let go. To try and focus on my dreams and not let that little voice inside distract me anymore.
2. Say yes when it matters.
Work is an extremely large part of my life (between nannying, photography, and The Look 4 Less blog - I have about 3 jobs), and often that means saying yes to work related obligations and saying no to my family and friends. This year I want to say yes more often, to the people that matter most. This also extends to saying yes to myself, taking a little time each day to do something for me (and not feel guilty about it - that's the key!) - exercise, read a chapter of a great book, or watch one of my favorite shows on tv. Finding a balance between work and everything else has been a bit of a struggle for me in the past, but hopefully this year I will succeed (or at least improve!).
3. Learn to listen to my body.
As I near the two year mark of being diagnosed with lupus, I am still working on listening to my body. Often I fight against it, working extra hard when I feel good, only to crash and burn days later (sometimes for weeks on end) and end up a worthless lump on the couch. This year I resolve to pay attention to my body...which might mean going to bed at 7:30 pm if I'm feeling tired (and not beating myself up for going to bed at the same time as a 90 year old woman), or taking a leisurely walk with Einstein if more intense exercise has been aggravating my joints (note to self: not moving at all never seems to help!). I'm also trying to reduce the amount of gluten I eat, and it seems to be helping some, but I'd also like to cut back on dairy (which I eat at nearly every meal). My goal is to get (and stay) healthier, and finally get my disease under better control in 2012.
What are some of your goals this year?
Happy New Year!
I'm not going to lie, New Year's Eve for me typically includes some sort of take out, watching a marathon of a TV show in my most comfy pajamas, and falling asleep on the couch at least 2 hours before midnight. It's a little embarrassing, but hey - that's how it is at the Madigan house! Einstein on the other hand, is a major party animal, and has been gearing up to ring in the new year...
Here's to a wonderful 2012, full of fabulous photos and many new memories!
Happy New Year!
A look back at 2011...
2011 was a whirlwind year, I'm not exactly sure where it all went! Like every year, it had it's ups and downs but was filled with lots of laughter (and a few tears). We decided early in the year to build a house, and moving was exciting, stressful, and at times bittersweet. I hadn't realized how attached I'd become in just a few years to our first home, and it was harder to leave than I anticipated! Exciting and happy news was also sprinkled throughout the year, with Josh and I getting news from his sister that we would be an uncle & aunt sometime early in 2012, and two of my sisters getting engaged this fall. The year wasn't without it's challenges, as I was chosen for jury duty at a very inopportune time (is it ever convenient though? I don't think so!) and also made some excruciatingly difficult decisions regarding my future. 2011 also included a trip to NYC, lots of photo sessions, plenty of snuggle time with Einstein, rebranding my business, time with friends & family, catching a Maroon 5 concert, and making some dents in my 101 in 1001 list.
What does 2012 have in store? One never can tell, but I do know that it will bring travel, a new niece or nephew, and a new brother-in-law. I hope it also brings good health, happiness, and plenty of time with family and friends. What are you hoping for in 2012?
What does 2012 have in store? One never can tell, but I do know that it will bring travel, a new niece or nephew, and a new brother-in-law. I hope it also brings good health, happiness, and plenty of time with family and friends. What are you hoping for in 2012?
Happy Holidays!
It's starting to become a bit of a tradition to feature Einstein on my business holiday cards (see last year's photo HERE) , and this year I had the talented Andrea from Forever Handmade crochet Einer a little candy cane striped scarf! I think it turned out super cute, but I'll let you guys be the judge...
I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and I hope to see you all in 2012!
Favorite 11 of 2011
Wow, what a year!! 2011 was a bit of a growing period for the business as I went through a branding revamp (which I'm in love with), so I apologize in advance for the two different watermarking on the photos below.
I have to say this cake smash was a great time, and these photos never fail to crack me up. Love his expressions!
First of all, I am SO incredibly thankful for all of my 2011 clients, both new and returning. I was given the opportunity to photograph several clients again and it was so much fun seeing how much the kids had grown! I cannot tell you how lucky I feel to have such great clients, many of whom I'm thankful to call friends. As always, it was incredibly difficult to narrow down my favorite 11 photos of 2011 (and I admit, I cheated a little bit with the series of three in there).
The faves from this year are shown in the order in which they were taken, starting with the adorable Oliver and ending with Kathleen and Brett. Did any of your faves make the cut?
I have to say this cake smash was a great time, and these photos never fail to crack me up. Love his expressions!
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...
I have to admit, I've been feeling the holiday spirit 100% this year. We put our tree up on Thanksgiving, I finished my Christmas shopping the first week of December (I had a serious online shopping marathon on Black Friday), and I've been listening to the Christmas tunes on the radio (I found myself humming Christmas music while getting ready for work the other day). My favorite part of the holiday season so far was a cookie decorating party I had with my sisters a couple of weeks ago (don't worry, the cookies are long gone) where we ate homemade pizza, gave Martha Stewart a run for her money with our cookie decorating skills, and watched Elf.
I hope you all are enjoying the holiday season with your friends and family as well. I am taking a little time off from sessions from now through New Year's, but I'll be posting my favorite 11 photos from 2011 very soon, so check back to see if your favorites made the list! :) Until then, here are some photos of what I've been up to lately...
Check out the hairy gorilla gingerbread man towards the top of the photo, let's just say we took some liberties with our cookie decorating...
As a kid I always admired those department store Christmas trees with a color scheme, weird, I know. Anyways, my perfectionist tendencies are appeased by this strictly brown and gold tree (although Josh did sneak a Volkswagen ornament in there which he hid very sneakily in between several branches). This year I decided to add a personal touch by printing out some photos of us and Einstein (mostly Einstein) to hang on the tree.
I hope you all are enjoying the holiday season with your friends and family as well. I am taking a little time off from sessions from now through New Year's, but I'll be posting my favorite 11 photos from 2011 very soon, so check back to see if your favorites made the list! :) Until then, here are some photos of what I've been up to lately...
Check out the hairy gorilla gingerbread man towards the top of the photo, let's just say we took some liberties with our cookie decorating...
As a kid I always admired those department store Christmas trees with a color scheme, weird, I know. Anyways, my perfectionist tendencies are appeased by this strictly brown and gold tree (although Josh did sneak a Volkswagen ornament in there which he hid very sneakily in between several branches). This year I decided to add a personal touch by printing out some photos of us and Einstein (mostly Einstein) to hang on the tree.
Thankful
I just wanted to take a minute to give thanks today. I hope you are enjoying your day off with your family and friends & eating delicious food!
Thanks to my wonderful clients who trust me to document their lives and important events. I will forever be grateful for your support, I truly have the best clients and am thankful every single day.
Thanks to my husband, family, and friends who support me no matter what. Thank you for helping me fulfill my dreams.
Thanks to Einstein for making me smile every day, just by being such a cute, furry mammal.
I am so grateful for every opportunity and experience that comes my way, and I hope that many great things come your way too. Happy Thanksgiving.
Party Time, Excellent...
A little Wayne's World reference for you on this Wednesday! Anyways, I apologize for the lack in posting recently. I have been battling a bit of a cold, so took last week off and am just now getting back into the swing of things. I hope you all are staying healthy as this weather keeps switching from beautiful to frigid (can you believe it snowed last week?) and back again!
I took these photos at Myelle's 1st birthday party the last weekend in October. Lindsay (her mom) and I became good friends after we met when I did Myelle's 6 month session back in the spring. I was invited as a guest to the party, and brought along my camera to take a few snapshots. I mainly wanted to share the decor photos, as Lindsay and her mom Marita are pretty much AMAZING. I wish they would plan parties for me! :) All of the Halloween decorations were so cute, classy, and perfect for the occasion. I especially love the little banner that Lindsay made, featuring a photo from each month of Myelle's first year of life.
I took these photos at Myelle's 1st birthday party the last weekend in October. Lindsay (her mom) and I became good friends after we met when I did Myelle's 6 month session back in the spring. I was invited as a guest to the party, and brought along my camera to take a few snapshots. I mainly wanted to share the decor photos, as Lindsay and her mom Marita are pretty much AMAZING. I wish they would plan parties for me! :) All of the Halloween decorations were so cute, classy, and perfect for the occasion. I especially love the little banner that Lindsay made, featuring a photo from each month of Myelle's first year of life.
New Look
You may have noticed the new look around here lately, and I wanted to take a minute to say a huge thanks to the team at Braizen - Ashley, Alicja, and Tyrie were just some of the individuals I had personal contact with and they were amazing.
Branding was a new experience for me, as the original Jen Madigan Photography logo was one I came up with by myself one afternoon (and clearly I'm no graphic designer!!). I wanted something that people would remember, and that was truly unique to me. So, after filling out a very long questionnaire and speaking with Ashley on the phone, they came up with 4 wonderful concepts. We ended up merging two of them to come up with the gorgeous branding that you see before you (also thanks to Penny Lane Designs for helping me by implementing the branding into my blog design!).
One thing I wanted to incorporate, as you all know, is my spoiled little sidekick Einstein. Turns out that it was fate that Mr. Ein would end up being a part of my branding because my last name, Madigan just so happens to mean "little dog". (Cue Twilight Zone music now...)
Anyways, I hope you all love this new branding as much as I do - I was so excited for it all to be implemented (and my new business cards should arrive soon I hope!) from the moment that I saw the finished product. Honestly I can't thank the Braizen team enough for doing such a wonderful job.
Hope you all are having a fantastic week!!
Branding was a new experience for me, as the original Jen Madigan Photography logo was one I came up with by myself one afternoon (and clearly I'm no graphic designer!!). I wanted something that people would remember, and that was truly unique to me. So, after filling out a very long questionnaire and speaking with Ashley on the phone, they came up with 4 wonderful concepts. We ended up merging two of them to come up with the gorgeous branding that you see before you (also thanks to Penny Lane Designs for helping me by implementing the branding into my blog design!).
One thing I wanted to incorporate, as you all know, is my spoiled little sidekick Einstein. Turns out that it was fate that Mr. Ein would end up being a part of my branding because my last name, Madigan just so happens to mean "little dog". (Cue Twilight Zone music now...)
Anyways, I hope you all love this new branding as much as I do - I was so excited for it all to be implemented (and my new business cards should arrive soon I hope!) from the moment that I saw the finished product. Honestly I can't thank the Braizen team enough for doing such a wonderful job.
Hope you all are having a fantastic week!!
Thankful Thursday
I haven't done one of these posts in awhile so I figured it was time to post one again. I hope you all are having a great (short) week!
I'm thankful for...
2. Fall like weather. Could the days be any more perfect this week? I wish I could bottle these days and enjoy them again in the dead of winter.
3. Completing another item on my 101 in 1001 list! I will have you know that I finally got around to making myself a stellar wedding album. Does it weigh 50 pounds because I stuffed the maximum number of spreads in it? YES, but that makes it doubly awesome because I get a fantastic arm workout when I look at it. I'll take some photos of it soon - I'm working on some new packages for my sessions (likely to debut in January) that include one of these albums, which are more expensive than a typical book (which I will likely still offer) but you get more photos and it's a great heirloom quality album. It's definitely something that you can treasure forever, which is important to me.
I'm thankful for...
1. Fall TV shows starting soon. I love trying out new shows, but I also love old favorites. I'm currently counting down the days until How I Met Your Mother starts up on September 19th. I love all the characters equally, except maybe Ted...although I think Barney might be my secret favorite. Everytime I see the following photo it makes me laugh out loud:
2. Fall like weather. Could the days be any more perfect this week? I wish I could bottle these days and enjoy them again in the dead of winter.
3. Completing another item on my 101 in 1001 list! I will have you know that I finally got around to making myself a stellar wedding album. Does it weigh 50 pounds because I stuffed the maximum number of spreads in it? YES, but that makes it doubly awesome because I get a fantastic arm workout when I look at it. I'll take some photos of it soon - I'm working on some new packages for my sessions (likely to debut in January) that include one of these albums, which are more expensive than a typical book (which I will likely still offer) but you get more photos and it's a great heirloom quality album. It's definitely something that you can treasure forever, which is important to me.
4. Lincoln Cafe. First let me say that Mt. Vernon has to be the cutest little town - they even have lights in their trees on Main Street. LOVE. Anyways, the Lincoln Cafe is probably my #1 favorite restaurant in the entire state of Iowa. I'm extremely excited because I just booked a spot for Josh and I to partake in their September Sunday night dinner where the theme will be honey from the chef's backyard bees. I think I'm already drooling. If you haven't been there yet, you better check it out. Have the special. Invite me. ;)
5. And of course, I'm thankful for my family, friends, and four legged friend Einstein. I snapped this photo on a lazy weekend in our new house. I think Einstein has the right idea - a nap sounds perfect about now, what do you think?
