Thursday, December 30, 2010

Merry Christmas from Braden & Gavin!!

A few days before Christmas I had a session with a little baby.  After he left, the props were still out... which gave Braden an idea (Mom are you smiling yet?!)  Braden wanted his own Christmas shoot, with costumes and all.  He planned the outfits, set all the poses and checked each shot to make sure it was right!!  

Anyway, we hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a very HAPPY New Year!  With Love.

2010 Hart's Christmas Card

Last year my good friend Brandi told me, in so many words, I needed to step up my Christmas Card Game (of course in the nicest way!!!)  I mean... cards are a huge part of my job and for the past several years I have printed small{ish} cheap{ish} cards.  The designs were cute, but she was right it was time send something out that really represented me!!

Anyway, you've probably already seen it, but for "journaling sake" here's our 2010 card.  It's a miracle it all turned out, but I AM glad we went all out!  Thanks B!

By the way... a HUGE shout out to all of you!!  I got so many cute, fun, amazing cards this year... seems as though everyone was on top of the card game!!  KUDOS!!  I LOVE it!

 

Friday, December 24, 2010

And This is Why I LOVE Disney...

If you follow my blog at all, chances are you've seen me in my favorite {knock off} burberry hat MANY TIMES!!  I bought this in South Beach right after Blake and I got married and it has history!!  I wear it all the time!!  Anyway, I was sooo bummed when I realized I left my hat on the Mt. Everest roller coaster ride in The Animal Kingdom on the last ride of the day before the park closed!!  I heard Disney's lost and found is phenominal but I thought it was gone forever (I know, dramatic, but I really like this hat!)  On the off chance someone was going to turn it in, I called the L & F services the next day and reported it.  I also left my name and address in case!!

Low and behold last week, I received a package in the mail with my HAT!!  Yay!! And that is why I love Disney :) 

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Grove Park Inn Getaway...

On the heals of our wonderfully, busy Thanksgiving "break", Blake and I had an amazing 4 day getaway to the Grove Park Inn... JUST the 2 of us!  Blake is the VP of the North Carolina Local Government Budget Association and planned the entire conference... in turn we got hooked up with the Presidential Suite!!  AND, Christmas came early for me!  I got to spend an entire day at GPI Spa, which is world renown... I mean it is AMAZING!!!!!  I did have to work/edit a good portion of the trip, but it was so NICE to relax in such peaceful, serene, surroundings.  I would HIGHLY recommend a stay there... especially around Christmas!

My BIG-FAT-EPIC Thanksgiving Post!!

I have put this post off for nearly 3 weeks now... just too many fun pictures and too little time to actually post about them!  I am, however, finally getting my life back this week, since I have officially finished all my client photo sessions, print/card orders, disk hand-off's etc...  Yay!!  I can focus on my own family and enjoy the Holidays and start crossing things off on my own to-do list! 

#1: Blog about Thanksgiving.

This was an amazing trip.  And I'm blogging all the pics/details mainly for myself.  I love to be able to looks back at my "online scrapbook" and remember the fun :)

This trip was a bit of a "working trip" you could say.  I was hired on by "Wild Florida" to film and edit a 10 minute mini movie of their picturesque surroundings via an airboat ride?!!  My new Canon 7d films in high quality HD video mode, so hey, why not!  (of course now I am reminded why I got out of videography and into photography... but it was a great job nonetheless).  I spent a lot of time on that project as well as time on several photo shoots (including my own family... finally!!!) and making Christmas cards for Mom, Tiff, Cami and my family!  Lot's of computer time :)

BUT there was also a lot of fun time... here are the pics.

Miniature golfing with the crew!  I love B&G's pirate scowl pic...

Getting ready for the main event.  Doing the "bawk bawk" dance with the Turkey... a Clark fam tradition


The day after Thanksgiving we headed to airport to pick up Tiff, Benton and Zoe from the Airport.  They traveled 18 hours from Dubai... GO TIFF!!  This was the first time meeting little for almost all of us!

The THREE amigos... actually got along pretty well!

Saturday night we hit "Old Town Kissimmee" a precursor to our Disney day!  Mom and Camille even did the Human Swing... the highest in the world I think!  I did that once and still have nightmares about it... but they had a great time!  The pictures aren't that good, but the boys had a blast!


MONDAY we had a fabulous day at Disney!!  We were there 15 hours and the kids did awesome!!  I LOVE the bottom right pic in this collage... look at the kids (get us out of these strollers and on to a ride!!)
Buzz light year... the crowd favorite! (what up w/ my pose?!!!)


Naps, melt downs and cotton candy... just part of the whole experience!!

The lighting of the castle had to be a highlight!  We were racing to get back from the Animal Kingdom and just made it!  It was SO FUN to be at Disney with all the Christmas Decorations up.  I would highly recommend it.  Our good friends the Copes (from NC) were are the Magic Kingdom that same day, but we never did manage to meet up!  We also saw some good friends from our San Diego days -- Brian Perkes cute family!  "It's a small world after all"!!

Had to include this funny set of pics!  Gavin is obsessed with cousin Zoe... he LOVED her.  He wanted to be sitting beside her any time we were in the car, and wanted to hold her any time he could get his hands on her!!  She was such a good sport!!  THIS IS THE BEST LITTLE BABY!!!  She goes with the flow, never fusses... even when G has his hands all over her!

To end the trip WE ALL took a road trip back to Charlotte.  Tiff and her kids, myself and the boys, Mom & Ash.  All 8 of us packed in the suburban and drove back (Blake had come back 4 days earlier to get back to work!!).  The trip went pretty smooth... not gonna sugar coat it though... there were some brutal parts!!  After being spoiled at Ahmas for 10 days it's always a little hard to get back into the routine of things.  Plus I think all the kids were at their limit w/ cousin time... BUT, it was a great memory and I'm so glad we made it.  We tried to visit Santa at the South Park Mall and then hit up the Branch Christmas Party... always a memorable evening!  

I LOVE MY FAMILY and I'm so glad we were able to spend this precious time together!