The Burkholder Family

Easter Bunny

2009-04-13T20:07:00.001-07:00

We went to see the Easter Bunny last Friday and decided to grab a few shots of the kids in the studio before we went. Allory is so easy to entertain and of course Jackson is a pro at this camera thing now. It's so funny how well they do together. We have been so blessed with two amazing children. Happy. Healthy. Ours. God is Good! Happy Easter to all :)

Allory Mae : :4 months

2009-03-23T17:49:00.000-07:00

Allory was in a great mood after we went to lunch one day, so I decided to sneak her out to the studio for a few quick pics. At just short of 4 months old...she is getting good at grabbing her toys, putting her nuk in her mouth, holding her toes, drooling all over and smiling on command...and laughing quite a bit!

2009-03-08T06:39:00.001-07:00

: Notice her name on her onesie? :

Holy Jackson!! After this pic, I started put stuff in her hair :)

Allory is 3 months old already and she was so funny for her mini photo shoot. She cooed at me the entire time...it was hard to get pics with her mouth closed, or at least smiling. Thank you mom for helping me with this shoot. It's always harder doing it by yourself. We love our little girl so much. She is getting so strong now always holding her head up - hating tummy time, but sleeping well. We are so blessed to have such a sweet little girl. Thank you Joy for the fabulous little onesie with her name on it. I may even be able to use it for her 6 months pics when I can see it more :)

Our "little" boy turned four

2009-03-01T21:05:00.000-08:00

Jackson Patrick - you bring so much joy and love to us you have no idea. We are so proud of you. We couldn't ask for a better little boy or big brother. Thank you being a kind hearted, happy and smart little man. We are so excited to watch you grow up. We love you so much!

More pics to come of Jackson's photo shoot at Meijer Gardens, but I thought I'd post my favs. He'd start with a silly face, then end up cracking up at himself afterwards...this is when I caught his true smiles that weren't posed :)

Allory's Baptism

2009-01-14T16:10:00.000-08:00

Allory Mae Burkholder was baptized into our Church downtown Grand Rapids on Sunday morning. I was baptized at Park when I was right around the same age almost 30 years ago!! Wow...yes I am that old! It is so exciting for us as parents to see our little miracle being blessed in His name. I only hope that she will enjoy Church, Youth Group and timeless relationships through it all as much as I did growing up. Thank you everyone for being there and making it over to the house afterwards for lunch.

Allory...with Mom and Dad

2009-01-09T20:25:00.000-08:00

Adam got home from school today just in time for me to snag him into the studio for a few pictures with Allory before he was off to the Basketball game at the High School. After we got a few with him, he snapped some of me as well. As much as he doesn't like to take pictures, I think I have trained him well ;) He has a good eye!

The fabulous circle chair was a gift from the Rineharts to Allory and I am in love with it. It is the perfect prop for little girls. Thanks again Donovan! Allory is 6 weeks now and weighs about 10 lbs. Amazing that it has taken her this long to weigh that much when Jackson was there at about 2 weeks! She is finally getting to the end of her cold - with just a cough holding on.

Bathtime

2009-01-07T09:08:00.001-08:00

Like I said before Jackson is such a big help with Allory and wants to be involved with what she is doing. She smiled away at him as he dumped the water over her belly! What sweet kids we have :)

Skiing

2009-01-07T01:47:00.001-08:00

Minus the rope tow in our back yard :)

Practicing how to get up after you fall

Adam's favorite hobby is downhill skiing and ever since Jackson was born he kept asking how young can I start teaching him to ski?? Well, last year we never got the chance to take him out because every day that we planned to go the windchill was way too low for a 2 year old. So, this Christmas Break, Jackson finally got to try skiing...yes, it was in our backyard, but we wanted him to get a feel for it before he went out on the slopes! He loved it and Adam was a great teacher (weird, I know). He can't wait to get out to a real ski area. Good job Buddy, we are so proud of you!

Jackson and Allory

2009-01-05T15:53:00.000-08:00

The smiles we are getting from Allory are so precious now. She responds to Jackson and his little chats with her. I am excited for them to grow up together. Jackson is so good to her and is such a great big brother. We couldn't be happier. That last few days have been rough for both kids. Allory went into the ER because of her lungs, runny nose, and horrendous cough. They ruled out RSV and think she just has a respiratory virus that will take 7-14 days to clear up. Poor thing - she sounds like she is barking when she coughs! Jackson picked up the same thing from her, but not quite as bad. We've been homebound the last few days trying to recover.

Christmas 2008

2008-12-30T10:29:00.001-08:00

Jackson getting his treat out for Santa

Opening gifts Christmas morning

Allory got Jackson Woody to go with his Buzz (for "being a big brother" as he would say)

Seven grandchildren in just under 5 years!!

And you wonder who Lucy got her hair from...

Owen and Maggie

So excited about his new "tools"

"The Hulk" was trying to take out Papa

Brayden wouldn't take off his glasses during most of the gift opening

What a great Christmas we had with our families. After having the whole Burkholder clan over for Christmas Eve, we celebrated with the Heth family and Burkholder family on Christmas Day. Jackson was so excited this year for Santa to come and to open all of his presents. Allory slept through most of the days activities so Jackson helped her open her gifts. Thank you so much to our family for all of your help the past month - we really appreciate everything. We love you all so much!

Preschool Christmas Tea

2008-12-26T10:07:00.000-08:00

The only real way to eat an O-R-E-O!

Jackson had his first Preschool "Concert" aka Christmas Tea. The kids did a great job sitting in front of all of the parents that came to see them perform. They sang 4 songs they had been practicing during class. The teachers decided it would be less intimidating if they sat down during the first "performance". After the singing, we had snacks and visited with other parents and classmates. Great job Jackson - you were awesome!

He sees you when you're sleeping...

2008-12-20T11:21:00.000-08:00

Jackson...and Allory's first time sitting on Santa's lap. Jackson was scared the last couple of years to sit with him. It was so much fun and he had a list of things he asked Santa for :)

Lucy June

2008-12-19T06:59:00.000-08:00

Lucy June Elyea arrived Thursday morning via C-Section. Kristen and Jared had to be up at the hospital around 5:30 to get checked in and ready for her to make her entry into the world. She was 8 lbs and 21" long - almost the same size as Allory. As you can see, she has a head full of dark, thick hair and looks a lot like Kristen's baby pics. We are so excited for them! Colton did a great job as well when he first met his little sister. Kristen and Jared didn't know what they were having until about 4 weeks ago when the dr. accidentally slipped and told them!!! Needless to say - a little girl was a great surprise. Allory and Lucy are going to have so much fun growing up together - finally more girls in the family. Congrats Kristen and Jared - we love you guys.

So sweet...

2008-12-02T22:16:00.000-08:00

Our baby girl : one week old

Allory Mae

2008-12-02T09:41:00.000-08:00

After my epidural - Adam took a few pics of my stomach during contractions! Her butt was straight up in the air just under my ribs.

She has Jackson's big mouth!

I had bought a boy and girl baby book 5 minutes before Hallmark closed..I was having contractions in the store and left for the hospital 2-1/2 hours later.

Dr. Hartmann delivered Allory and came back in afterwards - he took this picture for us!

She found her thumb really fast.

Proud Daddy

Jackson holding Allory's hand for the first time.

Our two children!!

Proud big brother.

Monday, November 24th at 12:28 am - Allory Mae Burkholder joined our family. Adam and I went into the hospital Sunday evening about 8:15 and labored through some awful contractions until I got my epidural at 9:45. Dr. Hartmann delivered her after 3 pushes, the cord wrapped around her neck and a little blue. The staff at the hospital was great. Allory was 8 lbs. 1 oz. and 22" long....a lot less than her 9 lb. 7oz. big brother. What a relief for me :) She is doing great - eating well, and starting to get into a sleeping habit. We are so blessed to have such beautiful children. God is GOOD! Thank you to everyone who has sent messages, stopped by and brought us meals. We really appreciate all of you.

HALLOWEEN '08

2008-11-03T19:58:00.001-08:00

Jackson and Brayden

Buzz Lightyear...to the rescue!Logan, Jackson and Brayden

Visiting Dad at school...on their way to check out the haunted house!

Visiting Gigi Burkholder at work

Colton, Jackson and Lauren

Tinkerbell Lauren

Owen the Elephant...not really a big fan of having his head on!

Colton the Dragon

Can you say ADD? How my parents ever got a picture when all 6 of us were young is beyond me!

Check out Owen's Elephant rear? It was about 3 times the size of him!!

Colin the Giraffe

Papa and Gigi Heth with all the kids

Jackson and his princess Maddie

They will love this picture for their wedding slideshow ;)

Livvy the Butterfly

The first house...so excited!

Superman Jonah!

Gracie the Monkey

Laney the Lion

Happy Halloween to everyone. This year was the first year that Jackson actually wanted to go out and Trick-or-Treat. What amazing weather we had for a change! Jackson has had his costume since August and was so fired up to be Buzz Lightyear. As we were walking into Adam's school, he said to me "I can't believe Halloween is finally here!" We made the rounds and ended up at the Hosford's for some great company and great food. Thanks for hosting! We had a great time and were actually able to relax a little. A big thank you to Gigi Burkholder for the Buzz costume - it has definitely gotten it's use.

4 weeks and counting...the BELLY!

2008-11-03T19:02:00.001-08:00

So...this is actually the first post that we have even announced that we are expecting. The beginning was just because I didn't want to jinx anything, then life just got away from us. Now, we are just 4 weeks away. Jackson is so thrilled to become a big brother and participates daily in preparing for this little one. We (I according to Adam) decided not to find out this time so I think that just makes us more anxious for him/her to arrive :) A big thank you to "Mr. Deuel" for taking some great shots of us this past weekend to capture this time in our lives. Thank you to my husband for being there for me through the ups and downs and always telling me I'm beautiful. Hopefully in less than 4 weeks we will be able to post some great news and pictures for the new addition to our family.

Sweet Beka

2008-11-03T14:42:00.000-08:00

This sweet 6 yr old was amazing and really held out through a pretty long photo shoot! As you can see, she can capture you with her beautiful eyes. Beka you did fabulous - I can't wait for you to see all of the pictures. Thanks for bearing through the windy day we had :)

Lindsey & Scott :: Wedding

2008-10-19T18:16:00.000-07:00

Scott and Lindsey had a beautiful wedding and amazing weather in August for their ceremony and reception held at Thornapple Pointe Golf Course. Everything came together so nicely and looked fabulous! You two were so much fun to work with! I've been friends with Lindsey since we were young...probably middle school!?! How time flies. You two compliment each other so great and the love you share is so evident in the way you look at each other. I wish you all the best!

Jackson

2008-10-19T15:59:00.000-07:00

This weekend was so beautiful, I just had to grab a few shots of Jackson before Adam mowed away all of my leaves. We have this argument every year..."I need to leaves for pictures"..."you're killing the grass that's beneath the leaves"...and so he wins. There are still plenty more leaves that will fall in the next week so I can continue my fall sessions :) Needless to say, Jackson gets mini 10 minute sessions when I get a chance. This was a busy week with 15 sessions and I finished it off with these few great pics of our little man. Jackson - we love you so much, thank you being such a great helper, son and soon to be big brother!

Logan Patrick

2008-10-17T07:06:00.000-07:00

A very excited big brother. Brayden was very thrilled to have "his" baby there! Sarah is going to be fighting a little to keep him off of his baby bro.

Gigi Burkholder - holding her third grandchild...and just as excited as she was with the first!

Jackson wanted to have his chance to hold Logan and get some practice in for when I am in the hospital...hopefully less that 6 weeks from now :)

Two proud great gigi's.

Sarah and Russ welcomed their second little boy into the world early Thursday morning. We had just finished some belly pictures of Sarah, Russ and Brayden less than 12 hours before...just in time. Logan Patrick made his entry into the world at 5:45 am Thursday weighing in at 7 pounds 11 ounces and 20 inches long. He was two weeks early, but healthy as can be. Sarah is doing great! Congratulations to the three of you - we are so excited to have another nephew in the family!!

Family :: DT

2008-10-08T05:40:00.001-07:00

When my cousin Darcy asked me to photograph her girls and a few shot of her family, I was very excited. I don't tend to get a lot of children in the elementary/middle school age group because they are getting school pictures every year. We headed downtown Rockford for some fun shots and some room for the girls to climb...on everything!! They brought a whole new meaning to being crazy monkeys :) Thank you for a great session!

Brooklyn and RyLeigh :: Children

2008-10-08T05:32:00.001-07:00

A little over a month ago, I got an email from a good from friend from High School that I haven't seen in about 10 years. Anyways, she scheduled a session with her two little girls...who look identical to her... and it was so much fun. My how time flies and we all grow up - so fast. I still feel young at heart and I think all of the amazing little children that come across my path help me with that. Thanks for a great session. This is just a little peak until I get your book done :)

Ruby and Tommy ::DT

2008-09-25T08:14:00.001-07:00

Ruby and Tommy did a great job for their photo shoot downtown last week. Tommy was a little unsure about me to begin with, but after watching Ruby he wanted to join right in! Thanks Sarah for running around after them so I could get these great shots. Enjoy!

The Circus!

2008-09-24T11:30:00.001-07:00

Last Friday, my mom, dad and I took the three oldest cousins to the Circus at VanAndel. They were mesmorized by all that was going on and of course the animals. Jackson's favorite was the tigers - which he became very concerned about the "guy" in the cage with them. He thought the tigers were going to bite him. After much explaining, he understood that some people can do that because they are friends with the tigers :) Some of the acts that they put on were crazy!! As you can see from the last pic, this guy was running on the outside of a metal circle...with no harness!! Insane!! It was a great time and the kids loved it :)

The Cabin..

2008-09-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

Yes - this was from Labor Day weekend..but better late than never. We had such a nice relaxing weekend up at the Cabin with The Hosford Family. Thank you for joining us for some much needed sleep, swimming and talks. As you can see the kids had so much fun together and as always played great!

Alisha and Blake :: Wedding

2008-09-18T17:14:00.001-07:00

Yes...this is long overdue, but I had to post some pictures from this fabulous wedding at Kellogg Manor. Blake and Alisha were the perfect bride and groom for the area. Blake looking dapper in his suit and Alisha looking stunning in her sassy dress! We had an amazing day with lots of heat, but beautiful all day. Thanks you to the both of you for making my job so fun!

My Idol: Chicago Seminar

2008-08-22T19:41:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to go to a seminar in Chicago with another fellow photographer and meet one of my favorite photographers - Jasmine Star. She lives in California and does some amazing work. She inspires me and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to meet her in person. So, the 7 hours driving in one day was worth the 4 hr seminar!! Yes, I may be crazy, but it hasn't been proven yet. Anyways, it was totally worth it. I also got to meet David Jay, another phenomenal photographer from Cali.

Caitlin: Senior

2008-08-18T22:14:00.000-07:00

Caitlin wins the prize for longest distance traveled to see me for senior photographs...over 2 hours. Never having met me...but trusting her sisters word she came. I hope I made it worth your trip. You did a fabulous job and I had so much fun working with you. Enjoy a few of my favs while you're waiting for your book :)

Nathan...

2008-08-12T21:36:00.000-07:00

This past week was a little crazy with more than my share of sessions....but it is always worth it when I look through pictures from each session. Little Nathan did an awesome job last weekend as you can see. I just love photographing children in all of their excitement and expressions :)

Little Beauties...

2008-08-12T11:59:00.001-07:00

Last week I had the opportunity to photograph two beautiful children of friends of ours from high school, and who are now teachers in Rockford. They did such a great job and are such happy kids that it was so much fun for me. Thanks for being such great parents Molly and Scott!!

Tony and Julie: Wedding

2008-07-31T06:25:00.000-07:00

Tony and Julie Alber were married on July 12th at Grand Valley's chapel. What was supposed to be severe storms and terrible weather ended up being a beautiful day. Tony and I met when I was in 8th grade...only a couple of years ago. Who would've thought that I would be photographing his wedding someday. Over the years, he hasn't changed - his personality, smile, and friendship. You're a great guy...and to go with that he now has a beautiful bride, Julie. These two are so sweet together and the emotions are never ending. You can see the love they share every time they look at each other. Thanks you two for being so great to work with! Congratulations again!

Maggie and Aaron's Wedding

2008-07-28T10:19:00.000-07:00

My baby sister Maggie got married to Aaron Kutsche this past Friday at Aaron's family cottage in Holland. We had beautiful weather and wonderful company. The day went off great and we even made it back to the beach for some great sunset pictures!! Maggie looked absolutely amazing...I can't believe she is old enough to be married and have a family of her own. We are so proud of you Mags - congrats on a wonderful marriage. Welcome to our crazy family Aaron :) All our love!

Sophia Lynn

2008-07-22T06:57:00.001-07:00

Little Miss Sophie is already 7 months old. She is so sweet and full of personality and did a great job. While she didn't give us a lot of her big smiles, there are so many that are just precious! What a beautiful little girl.

Hot Summer Day

2008-07-20T14:26:00.001-07:00

My parents have been painting their house getting ready for Maggie's Reception and Jackson insisted in helping paint...so the basketball hoop was a great spot for him to work - and he really did a great job!

Owen loves being outside - driving his cars, the tractor...someones car if he's allowed

The many faces of Jackson...

And the sprinkler was a hit...Maggie had to run though to get Lauren to go in it!

"Maggs" in GR

2008-07-20T13:47:00.000-07:00

Notice the picture below of Maggs close-up laughing at the time-out entertainment!

Last week...as most of you already know, Magglio Ordoñez played in Grand Rapids with the Whitecaps for part of his recovery before heading back to the Tigers. David and Lauren called (knowing how much Jackson loves Maggs) to fill us in on the details and were able to get some great seats for all of us to go. So, as you can see from the pics above, we had a great time and got to see Maggs close up - Jackson had so much fun and enjoyed the ball game festivities...especially the cotton candy :) The last picture is our cousin Matt (who used to pitch for Peoria - the team the Whitecaps were playing) and his son Zach. Jackson and Zach are just 10 weeks apart!

David and Lauren Engagement

2008-07-10T18:43:00.000-07:00

My older brother David got engaged over Easter and is planning a Holiday wedding to his wonderful fiancé Lauren. We are so excited for them and are looking forward to celebrating with them come Christmas!!! With the help of my sister Kelly, we were able to get some great shots downtown of the two of them last week. What a beautiful couple they make. Congrats you two, we are ready welcome another sister to the Heth Family :)

Fourth of July

2008-07-10T18:25:00.001-07:00

A big thank you goes out to the Ducey's for having us up to their cottage on Thursday and Friday of the holiday weekend. It worked out great for us being a get-a-way that is only 20 minutes away. Adam and I both had weddings on Saturday so we were happy to enjoy the beautiful weather for a couple of days. Jackson had a ball with Alex and Anna fishing off the dock, jumping into the lake and going for boat rides. Thank you again Joy and James for a great time - we'll have to do it again soon :)

Kristy and Rusty Anderson Wedding

2008-07-08T08:46:00.001-07:00

What a beautiful couple...the question is, will their kids have crystal clear blue eyes or deep chocolate brown?? Hmmm?

Kristy thought she couldn't pull off the serious look...I think she did great!

Congratulations to Kristy and Rusty Anderson. Over the holiday weekend, they tied the knot in Grand Rapids with some beautiful weather and a great group of family and friends. Thank you for letting us be part of your special day. We had so much fun with all of you! Kristy looked absolute stunning in her gorgeous gown and fabulous hair...Rusty you weren't so bad yourself :)

Thanks again for a great day - enjoy a few pics until I have your books ready!

LaBeau Wedding

2008-07-06T18:24:00.001-07:00

Last year I had the pleasure of photographing Julie and David Christopher's wedding. This year, I got to spend the day with the whole family again...only this time it was for Colleen's (Julie's sister) wedding. Colleen and Kevin had an amazing day planned out and the weather was perfect. What started out as a drizzly morning - turned into a beautiful afternoon. Thank you Zeeff family for another fabulous day with your family, and thank you Kevin for being such a great groom! Congrats you two - I wish you the best of luck!

Congrats Uncle Jim & Sara!!

2008-07-01T13:35:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Uncle Jim and his new wife Sara. Adam and I had the pleasure of photographing their wedding day last weekend and had so much fun. We are so happy for the two of you and what the future holds. Thank you for bearing with me through the heat and "coughing" up all the smiles possible :) We love you guys - congrats with all our heart! And yes - that is (almost) the entire Burkholder family at the bottom.

I am so proud.

2008-06-24T20:52:00.000-07:00

The last week of school Adam was hired by East Rockford Middle School as their new Activities Coordinator (Athletic Director). He is so excited for this new opportunity and has already moved into his new office and is slowly getting acquainted with his new responsibilities. With his passion for kids and sports, he can't wait to get more involved with the individuals that make up the teams at ERMS. Along with this new position, he has also been blessed to be able to keep 2 hours of Science (a true passion) and a Tools class. This will be a great way for him to be in the classroom as well being involved in Athletics. He is bummed to have to step down from coaching boys basketball and tennis, but anxious for what this position has in store for him.

I am so proud of you honey for your dedication, passion and true love for what you do. You never cease to amaze me will your talent, work ethic and outlook on life both for your family and your career. Jackson and I love you so much and will be there for you as you move forward into this new position!!

Jackson...

2008-06-24T20:33:00.000-07:00

found Adam's hat that he bought on our Honeymoon in Costa Rica and loves it. I think it may have something to do with that fact that it looks like a cowboy hat, and he is obsessed with Toy Story right now?!? Either way, he cracks me up and as you can see from the top pic he cracks himself up as well!

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-16T05:49:00.001-07:00

What handsome golfers!

Papa with his boys

Jackson and Brayden (2 years apart)

Happy Father's Day first and foremost to my wonderful dad...because after all he is My Father! I love you dad and appreciate everything you do for my family. Secondly - to my husband and best friend for being such an amazing dad to Jackson, we are learning as we go how to be the best parents we can be with the help of each other :) We spent the morning at Boulder Creek for Brunch and then to the putting green. Jackson loved it and wanted to stay all day. And Happy Father's Day to my "other" dad is again being such a great grandpa to Jackson and loving him and us the way you do best. Thanks for the great dinner at Burkholder's last night - it was fabulous :)

Awesome Family

2008-06-05T18:59:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to take some beautiful pictures of Laney Rose downtown last weekend. What an amazing little girl she is - smiling for most of the session! And yes - the happy big bro Jonah did great as well. The family picture at the top is one of my favs. Thanks again to one of my favorite families :) ....and afterwards, Sean treated the boys to some hot dogs by the dam. They were in all their glory.

Happy Birthday Colin!

2008-05-31T12:52:00.000-07:00

Colin James celebrated his first birthday a couple of weekends ago and had a ball. He loved being the center of attention and was so excited about his new big boy toys!! No more playing with all of Lauren's girl stuff :) Happy Birthday Colin - we love you! Thanks Katie and Tim for a great party.

Congrats Andy & Tiffany!

2008-05-13T14:11:00.000-07:00

The gorgeous Tiffany (and yes, Jean she should be featured in "the Knot")

Tiff's parents have a beautiful condo DT GR that made for some beautiful pictures!

Men in Black!!

This past Saturday, Adam and I had the pleasure of photographing Andy and Tiffany's wedding. What an amazing day we had - the weather was perfect, the wedding party was fabulous and the bride and groom looked amazing. I just had to post a few of my favs from the day. Thanks again you two for such a great day! We wish you all the best in your marriage!

Happy 4th Birthday Ryar!

2008-04-27T07:37:00.001-07:00

Ryar turned 4 last week and we celebrated in the beautiful weather we "were" having at the park. He had a great turnout and lots of friends were able to come celebrate with him. It's hard to believe how fast time goes. Happy Birthday Ryar - thank you for inviting us to your big bash!

Beautiful Sophie!

2008-04-23T06:47:00.001-07:00

Jackson and I have the joy of watching 4 month old Sophie Rinehart on Mondays while Kristen works. She is such a sweet little girl with lots of personality. She will sit and talk to you on hours if you let her...kinda like her mom ;) Kristen had this fabulous new blanket with her this week and I couldn't resist!! So cute!

Spring Break 2008

2008-04-20T17:19:00.001-07:00

This is on our voyage out to the beach when there was literally no one else out there. Jackson insisted on playing in the sand...but it was a little windy as you can see in the next few pics. Sand blowing directly in our faces most of the time we were down there. He still managed to play for 45 min. in the wind.

Our visit to LuLu Buffet's Restaurant. We had great food and enjoyed the live band and surroundings. After dinner we went to the Go-Cart track and Jackson loved it. I thought for sure he would be a little nervous to begin with, but as you can see from his faces - he had a ball!

A great big thank you to the Matlosz Family for inviting us to join them on Spring Break this year. While we didn't have the best of weather, we had a great time. The boys had each other so that made things a little easier for entertaining while we were stuck in the condo! The condo was beautiful with lots of room and fabulous decorating. I wasn't very good with the camera during our vaca, but above are a few of my favs!

Happy Birthday Gavin!

2008-04-08T08:06:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Gavin's 6th Birthday last Sunday at the zoo. The weather was a little chillier than last year...when we were all in shorts, but we had a ball. I think the parents were more cold that the kids were. The kids were just happy to be outside and running around. We actually saw quite a few animals that were pretty active and out to check out all of the commotion in the quiet zoo! Gavin got a lot of nice gifts and had fun. Thanks for having us - we had so much fun :)

Happy Easter!

2008-04-08T07:41:00.000-07:00

So, yes I know there are a lot of pictures, but we had a great day Easter Sunday and spent the whole day with the family. Both Adam and my family were able to get together at the Heth house for a great dinner and socializing. The cousins got to do a fun indoor easter egg hunt and loved it. Despite the snow, it was a great "Spring" Easter.

New Beginnings...

2008-03-26T05:50:00.001-07:00

As I sit here and think of all the wonderful memories I have had in the past 6 years, so many things come to mind. I started working at WMTL in August of 2002. My boss came looking for me...little did I know that the first interview would turn into such a turning point in my career. As the Graphic Designer for West Michigan Tag & Label, I learned so much about the field, my talent, myself and most importantly the people around me. I have been blessed with so many great people to work with - and will miss them dearly. Since I have been working here, I have bought a house, got married, had a child and expanded my photography business. Six years doesn't seem like a lot until I put it into perspective that the most significant parts of my life have happened while working here. I want to thank all of my co-workers for their support and understanding along the way. Each of you has challenged me in different ways to mold me into the individual I am today. As the saying goes..."Today is the first day of the rest of my life." Let that be true. Thank you!

4 weeks and counting...

2008-03-04T20:49:00.001-08:00

until I am completely finished working at WMTL as a Graphic Designer. While I will continue designing through my own business - photography will be my priority. The above image was one of many shoots in the studio a couple weekends ago. My...how my skills have changed. I honestly can't believe that some of the work I was doing just 3 years ago...people paid money for! I just want to thank all of you who have believed in me and given me a chance to photograph your children, families and weddings. I strive every day to excel at what I do... I am so excited about this next chapter in my life. God Bless!

Ava Angeline

2008-02-29T15:07:00.000-08:00

Look at that dimple...just like her mom :)

Matt and Alice Matlosz welcomed their baby girl - Ava Angeline on Wednesday afternoon. She weighed in at 7 pounds 2 oz. and was 19" long. Alice is doing great and said it was a fast labor and delivery!! Jackson was pretty excited to meet her and check her out - he is so good with newborns...he wanted to take lots of pictures of her (with my camera) so with a little assistance he didn't do too bad. Congrats Matlosz' - we are so happy for you!

Great Gigi Clark

2008-02-29T13:29:00.001-08:00

Great Gigi moved back here to Michigan last February. We have been so blessed to have her around and in our lives. She constantly reminds us how so many things we do together are "firsts" for her and her grandchildren...celebrating her birthday with us, holidays, special events. Last week Gigi underwent surgery to remove a cancerous mass. Life is strange how it works sometimes. Knowing that she is in great medical care here in GR, her family surrounding her and not being 100's of miles away - we know that she will too overcome this battle. We love you Gigi and are happy to have you here. Thank you for being you :)

Above is a picture of Jackson giving Gigi her belated birthday present - he was so proud and excited to be giving a gift.

Jackson's Bday Celebration

2008-02-29T09:14:00.000-08:00

A couple weekends ago we celebrated Jackson's 3rd birthday. He decided he wanted Mickey Mouse on his cake and I think had more fun watching me decorate it in the morning...and eating the extra frosting (as you can see above)...he was so proud of it! Thank you to all of our family who came over to celebrate with us. He was so excited and has had a ball playing with all of his new stuff.

Happy Birthday Adam!

2008-02-27T09:42:00.000-08:00

...or should I say belated Birthday? Adam turned 27 on Monday and figured this was going to be a good year (27 is his favorite #). Anyways, we went to dinner and enjoyed the time together. Thank you being such a wonderful husband, father and best friend. You amaze me every day with your talent, love and devotion to our family and your career. AAFM - YMC :)

Why I love photographing children...

2008-02-23T11:55:00.000-08:00

Need I say more? Children have no idea how much fun they really are to adults; the things that come out of their mouths, their expressions, personality and especially their SMILES! Brayden was my first photo shoot in my new studio and he did awesome. Thank you little BGVV for having a contagious smile :)

Happy Birthday Colton!

2008-02-18T17:23:00.000-08:00

Colton Scott is now two years old. We had a birthday celebration this past weekend for Jackson and Colton, but unfortunately Colton ended up with the flu that is going around and missed his own party. We'll get you next year on the double party bud! We missed you Saturday. You are a sweet little boy that is growing up so fast. We love you - and as Jackson would say "Happy Birthday Tolton!"

SNOW DAY!

2008-02-07T19:18:00.000-08:00

So...needless to say we have had a rough winter. I feel like Adam has had more snow days than I can remember...even as a student! After the call this morning at 5:30 calling off school, he still went in to get some work done. But came home around lunch time to go sledding with the kids and have some lunch. Lauren and Colton had a tough time walking in the snow because it was so deep, so we cut sledding short. Jackson, Ryar and Adam stayed out for about an hour - and had a ball as you can see from the pics!

Jackson is THREE!

2008-02-06T06:12:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Jackson Patrick!

Three years ago today, I was in a labor for over 20 hours...then pushing for 3 hours...then our little boy arrived. Weighing in at 9 lbs. 7 oz. and 22" long our hearts melted and fell in love with our new baby. Where has the time gone? Today is Jackson's third birthday - how crazy! He is such an amazing little man. We couldn't have been blessed with a better child. He surprises us every day with the things that come out of his mouth and what his little brain retains. He is excited about his birthday and that we are having "all my family" over...in a week to celebrate. Thank you to everyone that has played such an important role in molding him into the sweet (sometimes bossy) little guy that he is. Adam and I couldn't have done it without all of your love and support. Thank you mom for watching him from 7 weeks old until now - your daycare and Gigi responsibilities don't go un-noticed. I came across a handful of the above pics from his "younger" days and the top the most recent from this fall.

Jackson & Jack

2008-02-01T18:56:00.000-08:00

While we were getting ready to do some Prego shots of Alice, Jackson and Jack thought they would play on the backdrop - I love this pic of them. It will be priceless as they grow up together. This was the only time during the evening that they didn't insist on wrestling or tackling each other :)

Happy Birthday Brayden!

2008-01-27T13:43:00.000-08:00

Our handsome nephew

Brayden enjoying his Elmo cake that Gigi Burkholder made - it turned out fabulous

I love his expression watching his new train go around the track for the first time.

Brayden and his girlfriend Maya - going for the older women, like his uncle Adam.

We spent Saturday afternoon celebrating Brayden's first birthday. It's amazing how fast this past year has gone. He is such a happy little man. He did a great job handling all of the people that showed up to celebrate with him. Great party Russ and Sarah - we had so much fun.

Made with Love

2008-01-25T19:39:00.001-08:00

Before Jackson was even born Carol Reardon (Brad's {Adam's best friend} wife) made this fabulous sweater. When we first got it - it seemed so big....my how time flies. This fits him perfectly now and is so crazy to think that almost 3 years ago, she made this for him. Thanks Carol for being so talented!

Morning Beauty

2008-01-25T06:11:00.000-08:00

After a long night on the couch, trying not to wake my husband from the loud chest cough that has set in - I woke up to this. There is nothing I love more during the winter than iced tree branches being lit up from the sun's warmth. With all of the crazy cold weather we have been having - the sun is always a much needed pick me up. I can't imagine living in Alaska this time of year and not seeing much of the sun. Happy Winter...bring on the Spring :)

Enjoying our Winter Break!

2007-12-31T16:55:00.000-08:00

The loves of my life - my two boys

As you can see, we went out sledding today and had a blast. This was actually our first time out this year. Jackson was thrilled when Adam sent him down for the first time. We didn't realize how nice of a sledding hill we had on the side of the house - perfect and not too close to the river :) Jackson and Adam built a snowman earlier this week, which he proudly named "Shrek." We have to give a thanks to Carol and Brad for the great hats. Jackson is sporting the Minne-SO-ta hockey hat that they sent him for Christmas....while Adam still wears the hat Carol knit for him when Jackson was born!! What talent! Thanks you two for always thinking of our little man.

Oh....you better watch out

2007-12-29T20:49:00.001-08:00

The excitement on his face was priceless - Santa brought
him exactly what he asked for ...a Leap Frog computer :)

Jackson got a camera from Mom & Dad - he is so excited
to be able to take his own pictures now! I have an official helper.

Two more stockings were added this year for the
youngest boys - Colin and Owen - for a total of 19!

Colton - almost 2 years old

Jackson with his Papa and Gigi Heth

What an amazing day we had on Christmas. We were able to actually sleep in for a change and woke up around 9:30. Jackson was so excited when he woke up and realized that Santa had come to his house while he was sleeping. We headed down to my parents for brunch with the whole fam and have the kids open their gifts. What a riot to watch them all together and think back to our Christmas mornings with just the 8 of us. My how things have changed. Both of our families have been blessed with healthy, happy children and wonderful siblings and parents to spend our holidays with. We ended the day at the Burkholder's and had a great time. I hope everyone had a great holiday!

Merry Christmas!!

2007-12-21T22:48:00.000-08:00

Jackson loves having his picture taken...but by the end this was the face he wanted to show me - definitely a sign we were done :) Merry Christmas to everyone - enjoy this blessed time with your families. We are really looking forward to some QT with just the three of us. Love and hugs to all.

Boys, Boys, Boys

2007-12-18T12:28:00.001-08:00

Owen

Brayden

Owen and Colin...3 weeks apart

Colton

The Heth family has always had girls, girls and girls. Well, now that we are all having children, we have lots of boys. Between Adam and my family, there is one girl and 5 boys! Jackson being the oldest, then Colton, Brayden, Colin and Owen. Wow!

The Count

2007-12-18T12:14:00.001-08:00

Paul Eldred's daughter, Brayden and Jackson

Lauren, Colin, Jackson, Owen and Colton

So, yes I know these are only about 8 weeks late....but as most of you know I am completely swamped with work. I will catch up someday. I don't complain because I love what I do and am anxious for my business to really take off. So...above are some great pics from Halloween with the cousins. Jackson was "The Count" for Halloween, but managed to look more like Dracula instead - oh well! We put his tux for Aunt Kelly's wedding to good use :) He wasn't really into trick-or-treating, he had more fun playing at Papa & Gigi's house and then over to Jack's house to watch the kids come to the door.

Sophia Lynn

2007-12-17T07:55:00.001-08:00

The proud boys

Only 4 hours old

What a Nolan face!

Sophie's first bath

Sophie Lynn Rinehart came into the world Saturday morning completely surprising her parents that she was a GIRL!! What a blessing that she arrived 3 weeks early and is healthy and happy. Kristen and Donovan are planning on coming home from the hospital today. Both Ryar and Nolan were excited to have a baby sister even though they were asking for a new brother. Congratulations to all four of you - we are so happy for you! She was 6 lbs. 9 oz. and 18" long.

Congratulations Todd & Juli Szalka!

2007-11-26T04:23:00.000-08:00

This past Friday Todd & Juli Szalka got married in Trenton. Todd played baseball with Adam at CMU and we met Juli a little over a year ago. What an amazing couple they are - we love you two so much. Thank you for letting us both be part of your special day. You both looked amazing and we had a great time. Despite the chilly weather - the sun was shining and we were able to capture a few pics outside - thanks for bearing with me wedding party!

Happy Birthday Sarah!

2007-11-14T07:52:00.001-08:00

Last night we went to dinner to celebrate Sarah's birthday. It was a last minute thing that turned out great. We had dinner at Logan's and Jackson loved the fact that he could throw the peanuts on the floor and not get yelled at! Happy Birthday Sarah - we love you!

Heth Cousins

2007-10-31T06:30:00.001-07:00

In 2-1/2 years, we went from 0 to 5 grandchildren. Jackson - 2-1/2, Lauren - 2, Colton - 1-1/2, Colin - 5 months and Owen - 4 months. After a little singing of "If you're happy and you know it..." we got smiles :) What a task. Hopefully it gets easier as they get older to get pictures. They are having so much fun growing up together...and will continue to as our family grows. We love you all!

Pumpkin Carving

2007-10-31T05:31:00.001-07:00

Last week, we carved pumpkins with a handful of friends. Gavin, Ryar, Ella, Maddie, Jack, Nolan, Tobin and Owen came over with their parents to get into the Halloween spirit. Thanks everyone for coming over - we had a great time.

Summer Fun!

2007-10-29T07:27:00.001-07:00

I came across these pictures when "cleaning up" my computer yesterday. I can't believe that the summer came and went as fast as it did. In between all of the weddings, photography, and working on the pole barn - we were able to take some time to enjoy beautiful Michigan. Matlosz' had us up to their cottage a few times this summer and we always enjoyed ourselves. The boys always have so much fun together as you can see. Thanks again Matt & Alice for the good times!

Laney Rose Carlson

2007-10-22T11:01:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Kelli and Sean Carlson on their beautiful baby girl. Laney came into the world on October 8th after a scheduled c-section. I know this is a little late... she is beautiful. Kelli said that she is doing awesome at home and basically sleeping through the night. If we could all be so lucky at less than 2 weeks old! Congrats you three - your family is now complete:)

More Pics!

2007-10-22T10:23:00.001-07:00

Jackson and Lauren had a ball on the dance floor that night. I couldn't believe how much he wanted to dance! They were so cute and went out all on their own to start the dancing :)

More wedding pictures. My beautiful family - not bad looking men I have living with me!! Our niece Lauren was the flower girl and was so cute in her dress. We were able to spend some time with our Indiana cousins that we only see about once a year. We love you guys and are so glad you could make it up for the wedding!

Congrats Kelly & Paul!

2007-10-08T11:15:00.001-07:00

This past weekend Kelly and Paul finally tied the knot! After dating for six years, it is now official. We had a beautiful day - record heat for this time of year :) Everything was gorgeous - Kelly and Paul looked fabulous as you can see and we all had a great time. It always so hard to believe when it is all over all of the planning that goes into the big day. Jackson was the Ring Bearer and did such a good job - we were so proud of him. And...he looked so old! I will post more in the next few days. Congrats again you two - we are so happy for you!

Thumb Sucker!

2007-09-26T09:34:00.001-07:00

Look at those dimples!

So...Owen is 3 months old now and doing fabulous! He is so precious and happy all the time. Maggie and Aaron are doing a great job with him. My favorite picture is the top one of him sucking his thumb! He is the first baby that I have seen do this...ALL the time. My how time flies.

Kelly's Bachelorette Party!

2007-09-25T09:36:00.001-07:00

Kelly was pampered all day...and got to play all night. We spent last Saturday playing games, going on Scavenger Hunts, decorating Christmas Ornaments for Kelly & Paul's Tree, and dancing! We had so much fun with all of the girls celebrating with Kelly. Katie planned an awesome party and we all enjoyed ourselves. Thanks for a great night ladies!

Happy Birthday Lolo

2007-09-25T09:16:00.000-07:00

Lauren Elise turned 2 in August and I just now and getting a chance to post some pictures from her Party. What a ball - she had a princess cake and was so excited about it. One shot above is all five Heth cousins (all within 2-1/2 years of each other)...so much fun!

Special Prize!

2007-09-11T08:19:00.001-07:00

So...Jackson is finally potty-trained and going on the big-boy potty all the time. What a champ. It really only took a couple days for the potty part. The pooping was another story. He had a special surprise waiting for him as soon as he pooped on the big boy potty. Aunt Judy (from Colorado) sent over an entire box of Pez dispensers when she heard that Jackson was using this as incentive. He was so excited when he opened this box full! As you can see, he and Dad were having fun looking at all of the characters. We are just excited for no more diapers!! Thanks Aunt Judy :)

Congrats Nate and Amanda

2007-09-05T05:33:00.001-07:00

This past Friday Nate and Amanda Armstrong got married in Rochester Hills. What a beautiful wedding and amazing day. We had so much fun. You two did a great job planning, it was perfect. Thanks for letting us be part of you day. Congrats again!

Cousins

2007-09-04T08:30:00.001-07:00

Future Cousin - Dylan (Aaron's Nephew)

Future Cousin - Olivia

Cousin Owen

Maggie, Becky and I took the kids for a walk a few weeks ago. The kids had a ball playing together. Next July - Maggie and Aaron will be getting married, and we will add more cousins to the mix! Congrats Mags - we are so happy for you two :)

Dinner with the Fowle's

2007-09-04T07:57:00.000-07:00

So....Jackson is a little bigger than Alex, for now anyways.

Jackson - posing for a picture!

After a short busy summer, we were finally able to get together with the Fowle's. Mike, Erin and Alex (who just turned one in July) were home from camping and came over for dinner a couple weekends ago. It is so hard to believe how fast these kids are growing - how time flies.

CMU Weekend

2007-08-08T06:26:00.001-07:00

The girls: Em, Tracy, Melissa, Kristen, Jessica, Brooke & Christine
(it's amazing that we all met 10 years ago on the 8th floor of Cobb)

Brad & Em

Beer Pong

So...the house had a pool.

Nice hair Gorris!

This past weekend, we had our annual Central Weekend with a handful of our friends that we went to school with. Emily and Christine organized the beach house in New Buffalo, just down the street from the lake. We all had a great time and enjoyed the time off from work. Thanks everyone for a great weekend.