Christmas orders are due Dec 1

I know that December 1st may seem early for our ordering cut off and I've had quite a few people ask why so I'll explain.  I used to have my Christmas order cut off around Dec 15.  It usually takes 2-3 weeks in the non busy season.  The closer we get to Christmas the longer shipping and deliveries take to arrive.  You can imagine the last minute running around that went on in my already crazy life. 

My sons are still small and I want to enjoy the holidays with them.  As my husband constantly reminds me, "They will not always want to hang out with us."  I'm taking advantage of it while I can.  We have our Giving Jar task that we need to complete every day in the month of December, baking, shopping, cooking, parties...  I LOVE it all.  My Mom and Dad always made Christmas a big deal for my sisters and I.  I want to do the same for my boys.  I want them to remember that their Dad loves this time of year so much, he can't wait for the radio station to begin playing Christmas music ridiculously early, baking cookies, the lights, the snow, sending and receiving mail, picking out our real tree, the smell, feeling loved, loving each other, decorating Grandma and Grandpa's Christmas tree on their anniversary, the art of gift giving, the excitement of Christmas morning, being thankful... all of it and more!  I want them to have a dance party and bust a move when the ball drops on New Year's Eve wearing the crazy hats that they picked out just a few hours before on a spur of the moment dinner and trip to the store.  Remembering the past and looking towards the future.  Most of all I want them to realize how lucky we are to have each other, appreciate all of the advantages that we have in life that get taken for granted at times and the real spirit of the season... giving.  These lessons are important for me as a parent to teach my children. 
  
When I started college, I wanted to be a doctor.  I LOVE science and it's something I thought I would enjoy and could be very "successful."  The more classes I took, I didn't find it necessarily difficult, however it was so much more time consuming than I had ever imagined.  I had only ever wanted to be a mother and I kept thinking, "How much family time am I going to have?", "How long will I have to wait to start a family?" and "How involved will I be as a parent?"  I knew that if I put this much time, energy and work into my career, I would concentrate on my career and not necessarily on starting and raising a family.  Within a year or so I started to think of switching my major to education.  I thought I could have the same schedule as my children, enjoy the summers with them and these were much more important to me than having just a "career."  I never even considered becoming a photographer until after my son Anthony was born.  Becoming a photographer developed slowly and organically.  It is my perfect happy.  Believe me it's not all pretty pictures and unicorns, but there are perks.  I get to do something I love, I'm helping other people and my schedule fits my family's needs. 

In years past, my Christmas cut off was a couple of weeks later than it is this year.  I have spent too many hours on the computer editing and placing last minute orders.  I've missed watching all of the old good Christmas movies and snuggling on the sofa with my boys.  I even delivered an order on Christmas Eve at midnight (so technically Christmas Day) with icy streets after we left my parents house for our family Christmas celebration.  I will not EVER do that again!  No amount of stress or money is worth loosing my family time.  I will be happy to photograph your children and family after December 1st and I also will be accepting orders, I just will not guarantee Christmas delivery.  I appreciate you respecting my family.

I wish you a happy, loving, stress free Christmas filled with wonderful memories and lasting traditions. 

Giving Jar

We are doing the giving jar again this year.  We did it last year and really enjoyed it.  It has become a tradition in our house.  This idea came from a fellow photographer.  Instead of an advent calendar, we do something nice for someone else everyday of the month of December.  Here is the link to her super cool website.  Giving Jar  Here is the list of our good deeds. 

1. Make a donation to a can drive at the Holly Days Parade in Armada
2. Write a Christmas card to a soldier and thank them for their service and wish them a Merry Christmas
3. Random act of kindness of your choice
4. Mail box of goodies to cousins in TX
5. Donate a coat and mittens to a coat drive
6. Send a letter to a friend you haven't been able to see in awhile
7. Donate your favorite book to a book drive
8. Bring Grandma Sue and Grandpa Tony a Christmas wreath
9. Give a toy to a Toys for Tots
10. Give treats to some of the school staff and thank them for the work they do
11. Help Grandma Dale and Grandpa Jim decorate their Christmas tree
12. Write a letter to your teacher telling them what you enjoy about her class
13. Deliver baked goods to a neighbor
14. Christmas Caroling at the rehabilitation center/nursing home in town
15. Adopt a family in need
16. Donate a blanket to an animal shelter
17. Dust Great Grandma Pepie's apartment and take her to dinner
18. Drop off spare change to a Salvation Army's Red Kettle
19. Make a blanket and give it to a woman's or homeless shelter
20. Deliver treats to the firestation
21. Pay for a random persons coffee order
22. Give a box of cupcakes to the police station
23. Write a note to your brother telling him what you love most about him
24. Deliver food to someone who has to work on Christmas Eve

I will update this post with photos as soon as I get some of our jar. 

If you decide to create your own giving jar, let me know what your tasks are.  I would love to hear!

jamie

November 24 - Santa is coming to the studio!

Your time with Santa is so personal and not rushed. You have a scheduled time. There will be no waiting in long lines like the mall. This will make your visit with Santa the most personal experience for your child. The session will be a mini 15-minute session which will be plenty of time for you child to speak with Santa and read a story. You will select your images immediately after your session and you will have them in about 14 days. In order to schedule a session with Santa, you must purchase one of the packages below which start at $40. A la Carte items are available as well.

*NEW* Digital files of the largest print in your package will be a complimentary gift this year.  You will receive it in an email before your prints arrive! 

Packages
(1) 8x10 (2) 5x7 (8) wallets - $80
(2) 5x7 (8) wallets - $60
(1) 5x7 (8)wallets - $40

A la Carte (after the purchase of a package)
8x10 - 30
5x7 - 25
8 wallets 10
24 5x7 flat cards $32

*Images will not be on Matboard


These sessions will fill fast. Call 586-855-6549 or email jfodale@comcast.net to schedule your appointment.

jamie

Don't kill me

Ok, I know the last post I featured some lovely beach photos, however I can't wait for Christmas!  I was going through some of my personal family images from last year and it's such a happy time.  The boys, Tony and I picking out our Christmas tree, doing our giving jar tasks (I'll talk more about that later), spending time with family and friends....  My list could go on and on.  With as little snow as we did have last year, these images of us selecting our Christmas tree made me wish it was already here.  I never wish time to go faster.  I feel like I never have enough time.  These images will tie me over for now. 



I love the photo of Anthony looking down on Vinny.  They really really do love each other.  They look out for each other and are truly best friends.  I hope these little guys know how much I love them and that they are my dream come true.  I have never wanted anything except to be a mom.  Honestly.  All of my cousins would want to play or dress their barbies and I would sit with all of the women when we had parties because that's where the babies were.  All of the kids would call me an old lady, especially my cousin Sara, but I didn't care.  If I could just hold one of the babies for a few minutes and maybe even rock them to sleep, it was worth sitting and listening to their "boring" stories.  Now all of these years later, I have my own babies.  I know they don't look like babies, but they are.  They always will be.  Don't tell anyone, but Anthony still loves it when I lay with him at night until he's asleep and I love it too.  Guess all of the practice came in handy. 

Parenting - I don't care what you think

I grew up in a semi traditional catholic family with my two sisters and my parents. We were expected to do well in school, make our sacraments, work hard and become good people. I followed the rules and did what was expected. Although I wanted to be a good daughter, I have never really cared what people thought of me. I've never made decisions because it looked good to the outside world.

 Last year my husband and I watched a documentary about Pat Tillman's life. It was an amazing story about his life, his brothers, his parents, wife, the way he was brought up, the way he died and the governments attempt to cover it up. If you haven't watched it. I recommend it. His parents moved out of the city and to the country so their sons could have a little more freedom growing up. They thought it was best for them to be able to go hiking, fishing and spend time outdoors. They wanted their children to respect adults, however they did not want them to follow them blindly. They wanted their children to think for themselves and not to be afraid to question authority.

 Days after I had watched the documentary, I found myself still thinking about their way of life. I started to talk Tony about it and he said it was still on his mind too. Within a week we were searching for a home more than 30 miles away from the only city I had ever lived in. My zip code had never changed! I know 30 miles isn't across the country, but it was a HUGE move for us. My parents, one of my sisters, Tony's Grandma, brother and many other extended family members all still live in our hometown. My youngest son and my niece had been in the same class together since pre preschool. Daily family visits, my business, shopping, babysitters, coaches we had known all of our childhood that were now coaching our sons, weekly run ins to people that Tony and I had gone to school with... they were all going to be left behind. It was a scary move, but we thought a necessary one.

We wanted a better life for our sons. We wanted our sons to be able to catch frogs in the back yard, ride their bikes around the block, bring an apple to the horse at the end of our street, ride their scooter 2 blocks into town and buy a book from the bookstore, pick fresh fruit and veggies from the farm near our home, walk down to the creek and watch the small fish swim and marvel at how big the baby ducklings are getting. We too wanted to give Anthony and Vinny the freedoms the Tillman's wanted for their sons. We also want them to respect adults, but not to be afraid to ask questions and think for themselves. We don't want them to think an adults opinion is correct or more valuable than their own thoughts. I don't care what people think of the music I let my sons listen to or the "inappropriate" video games they play or if I take them to the midnight showing of Batman opening night at the theater. I don't care what the people staring at us in a restaurant with our family at 11:00 pm eating dinner are thinking. What they don't know is Daddy works at night and sometimes they don't get to see him Monday through Friday unless we meet him for an 11 pm dinner. My feelings about religion are changing. I'm not sending my sons to catechism because it is what would look good to outsiders. I don't get all of their vaccines because that is what a Dr. think would be best for my sons. They watch the news and are informed about current events in the world. We've talked to them about sex and politics. They are not sheltered. We want them to be aware of the world around them. While it can be a beautiful place it can also be filled with dangers. I don't always correct them for swearing because society thinks it is impolite. We're not politically correct. I still say sit Indian Style, not crisscross apple sauce. That one... SERIOUSLY? I'm Native American. How is that offensive? I don't get it.
 Anyway, you get the point. Well, maybe not. You maybe thinking my sons are disrespectful inappropriate crass boys with mouths like a truck driver.

Not exactly...

While they are not perfect angels all of the time, they are great kids. They work hard in school and get excellent grades. They love to read. They have an outrageous sense of humor. They love each other fiercely and are best friends. They care for our English Bully, Artie and our new huge family of fish. We treat them with respect and they treat us and others with respect. We talk to them. They are not afraid to ask us questions because they know they will get an honest answer. There is NO topic in our home that is off limits. I never want to shut down any line of communication no matter how uncomfortable the subject maybe for us as parents.

I don't care what anyone thinks of me or my parenting. Remember, I really never have. I'm not making these decisions because they are easy or look good to society. I'm making them because I'm doing what I feel is right for my family. I'm not perfect. Our approach wouldn't work for everyone. We creating our own path as a family. The only opinions that matter to me on my parenting will be Anthony and Vinny's when they are in their 20's and 30's and beyond. They can be the judge and jury.

Anthony and Vinny's birthday!

My son's birthdays are only 6 weeks apart. We usually do something small with Tony and my parents and our siblings on their birthdays. We split the difference between the 6 weeks and let them have a big friend party. We've tried it all. We've had bowling parties, magician, the bounce house and we've even had a photo party at the studio. (More coming about those soon.) This year our house is big enough to have their party here. We decided that's what we'll do. Tony and I are still in contact with all of our friends from high school and they have children our boys ages. Our children are great friends. It's so nice to see them grow up together. Then they invited a few friends from their old school and of course a few boys from their new school. There were about 30 boys.

I know... I know... This is where it gets a little crazy.

We had an obstacle course planned for their Army party. It rained the entire day before and I didn't want parents to be upset with me if their kids clothes were ruined. We decided not to do the course outside and set part of it up in the house. Which turned bad fast. The party was only 3 hours long (for the school friends). I'm really not doing a very good job at describing how bad it was. The school friends were so rowdy and so many of my boys toys were broken that they actually said, "That party was too crazy and we NEVER want a party like that again!" Coming from a 7 & 9 yr old. Maybe you get the picture a little now?

After most of the craziness was over and our friends boys were left, they played a game of good old tackle football.

Well I guess next year it will only be one or two friends from school and just Tony and my friend's kids. Which is totally fine with us! Here are a few images of the boys and the second generation of friends.

First Birthday

Happy First Birthday Giacomo!

These images are only a small sample of the fun things that happened during the day. There was a bounce house inside the Partridge Creek Banquet Center. A wonderful sweet table with make your own favor bags, a gorgeous cake and desert table, a popcorn station, an ice cream cart, a face painter... So much fun for the kids. This incredible mom made all of the soccer and paper crafts with a Cricut Machine.