January 31, 2008

{VENDOR} Pearls Events ~ Special!!!

If you have been thinking about booking Pearls Events for your upcoming event, now is the time. Aletha is now offering 10% off package pricing until midnight Valentine's Day (February 14th).

Email or call Aletha today for a complimentary consultation!

{01.31.2008} Preschool Entertainment

Luke, Nyla's boyfriend that said "I will" today when Nyla asked him if he was her boyfriend. Luke is perfecting his football stance. Seriously, as many times as he dropped today I thought he was coming after me.
Motor Room. Where kids burn off energy on these cold days. I love the concentration in the picture above.

{01.30.2008} Simply Cold

When all you need to do is open your front door, staying inside, to get a picture like this...yeah, it's too cold.

January 30, 2008

{EXPERIENCE} Gift Certificates!

Gift Certificates are available at LVL Photography! We will discuss who the gift is for, what you feel their requirements will be, and will then find the dollar amount to fit your needs!Gift Certificates can be used for...Shower Gifts, Birthday pictures, Milestones, Family portraits, Graduation, Engagement, Events, Weddings, and more!








Please contact for more information.

Leda Vander Laan
616.696.9877
ledavl@yahoo.com

January 29, 2008

{01.29.2008} Longing for Summer

This afternoon I went outside to find one of the bunny holes on the back side of our house. I've seen momma's tracks for weeks, just figured I'd wait to go check it out...and of course I didn't find anything. I then took a look at all of the landscaping I put in last spring. The picture above is of the zebra grass that mid summer reaches eight foot high. It will make a nice fence for our deck this year, once done. I also found that my precious lilac bush under our dining room window is now half the size it was just last week. The only thing I can figure is the deer are coming right up to our house. It's now shorter and much slimmer and the branches look horrid. Oh well, at least I know Bambi is eating.

Today, in all it's gloom, was good. Tyler was in much better spirits and even decided tonight to continue on with Tae Kwon Do for the next session. Ordered him up a uniform. I'm seeing more photo opportunities!

January 28, 2008

{01.28.2008} Kindergarten here we come!

As a first time parent bringing your newborn baby to the doctor for the very first time is hard. It's great because it gets you out of the house since you haven't been anywhere in days, but when the nurses walk into the room with shots all you can do is cry. Cry because your baby is going to feel discomfort for the first time...and seriously, no one wants to get a shot. You then wish that you could take the shot for your baby, so you could deal with the pain, discomfort, fever, and soreness. It gets easier with every visit, trust me. By the time that two year check-up comes around you only tear up as you're holding your little one and cry with them as the shots are administered.
Kindergarten here we come!

We had two appointments today. One was for Nyla, she turned three in November, she was due. The other for Tyler since he turned the big FIVE in December. Both kids hid from their appointment under the table. Nyla had her hands over her eyes so you couldn't see her....yeah, that always works for me.

Tyler was so scared about shots, but I couldn't tell him if he would be getting them today or not. You can only hope for the best right? He was scared and kept telling me that he was "not tough as nails." They did the eye and hearing exams...flew through them with flying colors and celebrated. We went back to the room to wait for the shots. Two nurses came in, one laid down a PILE of shots. I asked how many Nyla was getting today. None. All five of them were for Tyler. I could only stare at the pile. Tyler went into hiding. I pulled him out, sat him in front of me, wrapped my legs around his waist, and grabbed his wrists. My 40lb five year old is stronger than me. When kids are upset I'm convinced they triple their weight in strength. We could not get him under control. Doc then came in to assist me since Tyler was now slamming his body back and I was hitting the wall. I cried for him. I cried for me. I cried on the way home. I can not tell you how much harder it was today than it was that very first visit.

We are now ready for kindergarten in the fall. I'll cry then too.

The humor today was Nyla pitching a fit as we were leaving their appointment because she wanted shots so she could go to kindergarten. Nyla is "tough as nails."

{EXPERIENCE} St. Joseph, MI : Aug. 3 & 4, 2008!

More details coming soon!

{VENDOR} Phil's DJ Service

Weddings
Parties
Special Occasions
269.793.7517

{01.27.2008} Such a girl!

New purses are fun. New camera gear is great, but when you have new bags for your gear it's fabulous! My husband tonight told me that I'm "such a girl." Now to find shoes to match!

January 26, 2008

{01.26.2008} Reading is Sexy

Tuesday's seminar in Detroit was great. It reassured me that there are things I'm doing right (looking back on my sales & marketing life) with my business, but it also gave me some great ideas. Bruce Hudson's New Directions/Reality Check Tour 2007-2008 was an inspiration. Anyone that can sell a 50" print for $4500 (NOT a typo!) has got my attention! His 8x10's run around $200! Granted my prices will NEVER look like his, but he's a wealth of information, and this seminar was something you would not want to miss. Even if you were not a photographer, you would have picked up some great tools.

I will be introducing some new products in the near future. From trendy, bright, bold, colors in premium leather albums, to coffee table books, calendars, digital proof books, and more!

Oh, and the reading part...yes, I am making myself sit still long enough to read this book!

January 24, 2008

{01.24.2008} Grand Rapids Childrens Museum

Preschool field trips are great! Being this is my second year in a row I knew what I wanted to do this morning! Instead of keeping track of children, I roam, camera in hand, catching all the excitement that comes with what GRCM does to these three through five year old.
This mirror tends to scare me. I already feel that Tyler is a multiple some days...
And I love bubbles. It's nice to see that even though GRCM mixes things up with every new theme, they keep the bubbles along with other favorites.

January 23, 2008

{01.23.2008} Peaceful Eyes

These are my kids. They don't sit still for much, but this morning they were watching cartoons so closely that I needed pictures of their eyes to remind me of the peaceful moment in our house today.

{01.22.2008} Homeward bound!

I'm a day late posting this; but what can you do when you arrive home at 2:30am, get the car stuck at the end of the driveway, and can't get on line? Don't you just hate that?lol

The picture above was taken when Sue and I walked in to Toarmina's (open 24hrs right around the corner from DET) at 11pm looking for dinner. My wonderful Garmin GPS system locked up right after leaving the seminar we attended, leaving me to dig out the old map from the trunk. Since "Lola" (yes, she's been named!) has done this before, I NEVER leave home with out my handy-dandy National Geographic atlas.

Lola is on my "replace" list for first quarter 2008. I won't say what I called her when I realized we were the blue arrow that wasn't moving on her screen. Anyone have a favorite GPS unit you can not live with out? I'd love to know!!!
Toarmina's - "The Biggest Around"

No, we did not order a 24" pizza, but they have their walls wallpapered with their logo so you don't miss what they are advertising!

I'll post in the next few days on why we were in Detroit!

January 21, 2008

{01.21.2008} Coloring Books and Crayons

I LOVE lazy days. Days where there are no obligations, clocks do not matter, staying in your pj's is celebrated, the most important choice is what movie to watch first, and what color crayon to choose for your favorite super hero.

Tomorrow will make up for today...=)

January 20, 2008

{01.20.2008} Clique Lanes

Bowling is NOT my sport; but what better way to entertain a large group of photographers! Taking over the second floor of Clique Lanes on the west side was great for making new friends, free entertainment, lots of laughs, and self-inflicted score punishment. I had no idea that I had a right and a left curve. It's all about the inconsistency!

January 19, 2008

{01.19.2008} Craig & Jaime got MARRIED!

Saturday was COLD! Five degrees as we pulled into the farm! As planned, Jaime, Craig, and their wedding party were troopers!

The wedding location was Sparta United Methodist. The church built in 1927 was exactly what I had imaged for these two. Simple and beautiful. Their family and friends packed the little sanctuary with not a dry-eye to be seen. A very emotional ceremony.

Reception location was at Boulder Creek. I have never seen this hall so packed! The dance floor should have been three times the size!
Congratulations Craig and Jaime!

January 18, 2008

{01.18.2008} Phil in the morning sun.

The picture of the day is of a philodendron I'm attempting to bring back to life. There's a couple of larger plants around our home, but this little guy is struggling. The morning light made it's couple of leaves glow.

January 17, 2008

{01.17.2008} LOVE Playdates!

Guilty?
Playdates are fun! Today we had friends over. To burn off a little energy we brought them down into the studio to jump around. What I love about this picture is saying "on the count of three, jump!" The difference in age really shows. I also love how Tyler looks like he's been attached to the wall and all the different, fun, expressions these kids had during the jump challenge.

{01.16.2008} Coffee

Starbucks is in my kitchen. Good morning my friend.

January 15, 2008

{01.15.2008} I :heart: Dylan!

Dylan brought his mom and great grandmother in the studio with him this morning. I can not believe how much this little man has grown in the last couple of months! He is definitely a "thinker." He noticed every change that's been made here since his Christmas pictures!

January 14, 2008

{01.14.2008} All 5 Yards.

NOTE: at age three, when flossing in the car, use ALL five yards. If that's not enough then steal your brothers goody bag for his five yards.

January 13, 2008

{01.13.2008} Shoe Shopping

This image still makes me question what is going on in the fashion world. Granted there is some really fun stuff out there, but this? These are not slippers and they were not on sale. Seriously, who wears this stuff?lol
After asking for several different size 5 shoes I opted to ask to see the back room in four different stores. They let me in (as they normally will) and THIS was my selection. I'm learning that online shopping is the only way to go...

The Morning After Football

Saturday night my husband invited a some guys over for football. Game started at 8, I have no idea who played after the Packers won the earlier game, but this morning when I came down to the kitchen I realize that these guys are getting OLD!lol Five guys, three hours, and THIS is all the beer they went through? Most of the cans sitting there are mountain dew!

Maybe being older does make you wiser? Hmmmm....something to think about...

{01.12.2008} Playing with Light

Saturday was a day for entertainment. The studio is painted and everything back into it so I decided to invite a couple of other photographers over to play. My girlfriend has a set of strobes with filters for the back light. This wall is red, but the back light makes it rock. Nyla dressed in her best fairy princess attire, add a red boa, and VOLA! Psychedelic Fairy Princess!

January 11, 2008

{01.11.2008} Covered in white beauty.

To go from 64 degrees on Monday to 30 degrees and school closings in four days is amazing.
The picture below is for Claire as promised on 12.31.2007. A little love from Michigan.