Angelo & Ann :: Engagements

I'm so glad that it's a brand new week!

I'm not so glad that it's a brand new week with SNOW, but I will take the brand new week, especially with Todd being here safe and sound. What a HUGE relief it was to pick him up at the airport and see his nice tan face... Yes, TAN face he has now, along with him losing about 10 lbs. I'm a bit jealous!!!

We stayed up so late chatting about his trip and what an amazing experience it was for him. He is already talking about going back next year. I just hope I'll be ready to go then, but we'll see... it might be two years before I get the chance to do that one. I'll share some of his photos later this week as he gets settled back in, he can help me explain some of the photos with you all.

In the meantime, I have been having some of the funnest photo shoots. One of those fun shoots was with a super sweet couple: Angelo & Ann. What a perfect couple they are! Both are so full of love, life, excitement, spontaneism (if that's a word), and just all around beautiful people! We were both so happy to hear the news of their engagement, and their story was definitely one I have never heard of before! But I loved it, especially the way Angelo told it!

We are so happy for you guys and cannot wait to be a part of your special day here in a few weeks!!! We are praying for no snow!!!!!

Here a few of my favorites from our session...

What an adorable couple...



One of my favorites... so sweet!



He loves her...



LOVE this...



Umm... can we say how perfect they are together??!!



Sooo sweet!!!



Love it!



Woooo wooo...





Sooo in LOVE!!!

Today is a Good Day!!!

It has been such a LONG week... I actually didn't know when today would get here. The days were going by so slow it seemed... it was like the clocks went into slow motion and the days stretched to their max. I even think there is possibility that there was a few extra hours placed in some of those days.

But the good thing is... today is here and today is a good day!

I have been looking forward for today for SOOOOO long... well maybe only about 8 days, but the anticipation just might kill me if the excitement doesn't.

Todd should be arriving home late this evening, but the thought of him coming home has butterflies in my tummy! It's like our wedding day all over again.

Granted we have been apart before, this time was way different. One being he was out of the country, two being I had no idea when or if I would be able to hear from him, three being the obvious one, I'm pregnant and the thought of something happening and me being a single mom quite possibly scares me to death. I'm sure the list could go on, but the fact is... I made it through the week and I did hear from him just a few times for a few minutes, but long enough to know he's safe and he was having an incredible experience.

I can't wait to hear all about it and be able to share his experience with all of you!

In honor of that excitement, guess what I will have for you all next week???

You guessed it... lots of fun shoots that I did this past week!

Angelo & Ann



Baby Colin



Max



Baby Cooper

Excuse My Absence...

It's so hard to sit inside when it's so nice out...

Please excuse my absence as Maddox and I are enjoying this nice weather. I've been busy with some great shoots lately and can't wait to post them, but the sun outdoors is calling my name.

Safe and Sound...

A couple months back, I told a story of wanting to go somewhere and be "useful". I wanted to go to a place to not only help as much as I could, but also to bring a new visual perspective on life... little did I know that even though I really wanted that to happen, there were 'other' plans for me.

In those last couple months, Todd and I had decided were going to team up with an organization called Raincatchers. Raincatchers is based out of Haiti and their main goal is to build gutter systems for the locals to provide them with clean drinking water. I thought that would be such an amazing experience, especially with all of the stuff that has been going on there.

But as the time grew closer to go, the country of Haiti was holding some elections and they were having some problems with rioting, it was just not safe for us to go then, so our trip had to be postponed. I was so bummed! I had hope because they were going to be postponing to a time I could go, luckily it wasn't going to be in the middle of summer, in the midst of all the weddings we were going to be involved with.

Well a little other "surprise" came and basically, my chances to go were deleted. But even though I was unable to follow through with the trip, my other half, Todd, was still on board to go and make a difference... and the team he is with have not wasted any time in doing so.

I have not heard from him personally, since he did not know the conditions of communication, but I have heard an update from someone who is in connection with the current team over there now, and I do know they made it safe and sound, and a pretty cool story I wanted to share. It turns out that once they flew in to Port au Prince, they were delayed at customs, which I am told is pretty rare. As they finally made it out of customs and were making their way up the mountain to the clinic they were going to staying at, they came across a bus accident that JUST happened, and were able to help them out. That is pretty amazing... being delayed and the accident, doesn't seem like a coincidence... seems pretty "intentional" to me.



After hearing that, it gave me such a calmness knowing that as much as it really stinks not having my love and friend here, I know he is being used for the greater good! And believe me, it was REALLY, REALLY hard for me to say goodbye for JUST a week! I know it's for the best and he is going to be doing some amazing things this week!!!

Happy Monday!

Last, but Not Least...

If you know me and you read this blog much, you will know that my most favorite photos are usually ones that happen naturally, and the ones that really make me smile are the ones that happen right after a couple is announced as "HUSBAND AND WIFE"!

I LOVE those moments when a couple takes their walk down the aisle, hand in hand, with all their loved ones standing and applauding with so much joy! It brings a smile to my face just thinking about it!!!

That is why the LAST contest consists of my most favorite Wedding Recessional Moments from 2010.

Here are the finalists (in no particular order)...

#1 Mike & Karen



#2 AJ & Abby



#3 Simone & Jessica



#4 Nathan & Alexa



#5 Andrew & Meaghan



I LOVE them all, but now it's your turn to share your LOVE and pick your FAVORITE moment that made you smile as well.

The winner will receive a 6 x 6 gallery wrapped canvas and the FRONT spot to the splash page of our website.

Voting takes place via Facebook, so travel on over to our Veldman Photo Page, "Like" us, and then head to the photo gallery "2010 Wedding Recessional Moments Photo Contest Finalists", "Like" your favorite one (ONLY "likes" will count as votes), and go ahead and share it with all your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, etc... Remember you must "like" our Veldman Photo Page first or else you will have trouble voting.

Enjoy picking your favorite... Voting will end Wednesday, April 20 at 12PM EST, so get going!

Happy Wednesday!!!

Baby Liam :: Newborn

HE'S HERE!!!

Earlier this year, we had the opportunity to photograph a maternity session for Patrick & Rachael, and just a couple weeks back, the little guy made his way to be with them. How exciting!!!

I always love being a part of such sweet moments like these, to follow up with them, and to be able to document those really do last a lifetime! I had such a fun time taking these because shortly before their maternity session was when Todd and I found out we would be having a little bundle of joy this year as well, so we chatted about that and how scary it was for me. Ha! I knew I wanted kids ONE day, I just wasn't expecting it to happen the way it did, a bit out of "schedule", you could say! But even though it wasn't our plan, it was meant to happen and I'm so excited for our little guy, just like Patrick and Rachael were excited for theirs!

Baby Liam is so adorable! He was such a good baby too... he really gave us some cute faces, and when they are that age, all those cute faces are so stinkin' sweet and give you HUGE smiles! Love it!!!

Congratulations you two... he is adorable and such a sweet little guy!

Here are a few of my favorites, although he was so cute it was hard to choose!

Look at that little face... ADORABLE!





So Sweet!!!



I think he likes sticking his tongue out... Ha!



But he's so sweet...



Aww...



Precious!!!



Oh my... so cute!



He's spent!!!

Excuse Me... Who invited You?

Guess what???

Todd and I had our baby...



Ummm... that can't be, can it???

APRIL FOOL'S!!!

This is just a preview of a little guy I had the opportunity to take some photos of earlier in the week, and more will be posted next week as I finish them up.

But the title is really trying to explains an unwanted visitor that has arrived here.... a stupid COLD!

I thought I had a great immune system. Bummer! I don't usually get sick, besides here and there the last year or so, and let's not forget the dreadful flu bug we had over Christmas. Oh my... that was way worse than what I'm experiencing now, but now I feel hopeless because I cannot do much to make it go away, besides putting honey in my warm water, gargling with salt water here and there, laying on the couch while I get bed sores... how depressing! It's stuck in my nose, throat, and head... I do feel like I'm getting a pretty good cardio workout ever time I go up and down the stairs, but that could be the extra weight I have right now and the fact that my lungs are being pushed up my chest and they don't have their usual space to expand. Haha!

Well let's hope I wake up tomorrow feeling better and refreshed or else I might just consider chopping my head off, I would do so much better without it right now... Ha!

Enjoy your weekend!!!!