Now on to GINGERBREAD TRAINS and TREATS for SANTA!!!

We had so much fun with the Gingerbread Train.  Last year he has a house, so this year we tried out the train.

James Clark picked out all of the things he wanted on Santa's cookie plate which included our favorite Trash, the iced sugar cookies that James Clark cut and decorated and our Rice Krispie Treats with sprinkles.  Oh and Santa got some milk too!!!!

It's CHRISTmas COOKIE time!!!

James Clark and I had so much fun making cookies this year for all of our Christmas packages.  We made packages for our neighbors and packages for Mama's neighbors and we even got them delivered before Christmas Eve, AMAZING!  We baked for days, Sugar Cookies with Icing, Ginger Cookies, Rice Krispie Treats with Sprinkles, Marshmallow Fudge and of course our personal favorite Trash.  

Then we had to take a little break to paint some more Christmas trees and play in the hammock.

More goodies, slowly it is getting there.  One piece at a time.  Trash, check, Sugar Cookies, check, Ginger Cookies, check, Rice Krispie Treats first batch, check.

Here are all of the treats lined up and ready to package.  Time for a break with trains!!!  

Then we got to package them all up.  James Clark was so funny handing me each individual thing to add to the bags.   Then all of our yummy treats all packaged.  All that is left are the labels.

How cute are these labels.  I used the same template that I made for James Clark's painted trees and then wrote notes to our neighbors and taped them to all of the bags.  

We enjoyed making them probably as much as everybody enjoyed eating them.  It was so nice to catch of with everybody!!  

While we were delivering packages James Clark got to play soccer, baseball, soccer basketball with the bushes and he got to jump on a trampoline.  Here is the great shot that our neighbor took of James Clark on the trampoline.  Just look at that great hair full of electricity.  It matches his perfectly!!!

Making more Trees/ Holiday Crafts Columbia, SC

James Clark has been making more trees.  We found more things around the house to decorate with.  My boy is so smart and he is learning to reuse and recycle which makes my heart happy.  We have reused the sausage tray (washed of course) for our paint tray, old paper for our trees and Granddaddy's blue tops from his insulin for the dots.

Taking a short break on the hammock!

Homemade Christmas Ornaments with my Sweet Boy!

James Clark and I have had so much fun making homemade christmas ornaments this year.  We started with a paper tree that I drew a templet of, then I made a bigger template for glueing the paper tree to.  We used left over red and green paper that someone was throwing away and then we used our cereal boxes for the larger tree.  We painted all of the paper trees and then spray painted the cereal box trees, glued them together and stuck them through out our tree.  They look sooooo good!!!  I love how James Clark painted these trees.  I will cherish these for all of my life........

For this one we recycled our old toothbrushes (of course I washed them) into paintbrushes.  They made a really neat design and James Clark had a ball.  

We used mixed mediums, finger paints, glitter glue, watercolor paint and now we are using the plaster and sun-catcher paint.  

Then I found these plaster ornaments that you paint and we spent days painting 24 new ornament for our tree.  James Clark would sit down at him little tykes art studio and paint.  It was so cute to see what color he decided to paint each figure.

Next we have been collecting Chick fil a kids meal bags.  So we took all of the bags that we have been saving and cut out all of the cows from the bags.  You can see one of the cow faces with Santa in the photograph on the top middle, then again below on the left.

Mama found some sun catcher ornaments and this cute little plaster train, so we have been painting them for the last couple of days.

When we were decorating our tree I forgot that last year James Clark made these clusters made from several ornaments.  He was so cute picking just the right place to hang them.

So James Clark and I  have a homemade ornament and cow tree.  How fitting for our last name Cowherd.  Thank you Mama for letting us borrow one of your trees and lights for our Christmas tree this year!!!!

HALO Christmas Program

This was our church HALO Christmas production.   He was so funny, when they were trying on costumes for the program they wanted James Clark to be the donkey, but he told them that he was going to be a cow.  He came home that night and said he was going to be a cow and he sure was the cutest cow ever!!!!  Our Choir Director Judy made James Clark the cow costume.  She did an amazing job with it.

Then my sweet boy got to be an angel.  He did so good.  Of course I was right there with him, but he still did great!!!  I love my sweet boy!

Thanks to all of my church family that made this production possible.  Thank you so much for all of your hard work.

Bryson / Newborn Photography Columbia, SC

Look at this sweet newborn baby boy Bryson.  Is he not the cutest thing.  He was such a great baby to photograph.

Jordan / Columbia, SC / Chapin, SC Lifestyle Portrait Photographer

I have been photographing this boy since he was 3 years old!  He is now 13, I cannot believe it.  I can still see him in my mind as that sweet faced 3 year old in a blue and white sear sucker suit with his sweet cheeks and great little grin!!!  You sure have grown. 

Sick Baby Boy

My sweet boy, he has been feeling under the weather, but he is still my beautiful baby boy!!!

Farm Session / Columbia SC Lifestyle Photographer

So who has always wanted to be photographed on a farm!  There are so many great places to photograph there.  I can even take the tractor out in the field and use it in the background to make some great images and the children love to get on and pretend to drive.  It is a great experience for everyone.

We (James Clark and I) were there the other day out driving the tractor and looking for the cows and when we turned around at the creek they appeared over the top of the hill peering down the hill at us.  It was such an amazing site.  I wish I could have photographed it, but I didn't take my camera down because there were to many rain clouds in the sky and I didn't want to take the chance for it to get soaked if we got caught in a down pour.

It was great to see all of the new babies (calfs) and to see the babies (calfs) that we watched being born all grown up into adult cows.  James Clark was not even a year old when we use to go to the farm three times a week and take care of the cows.

The farm is where my Granny(who just turned 93) and my Daddy (who would have been 68 had he lived) grew up.  Daddy lived there with his Grandmother from the time he was about 7 until he came back to Columbia for his Senior year of high school at Dreher High School.

Fall Sessions / Chapin SC Lifestyle Photographer

Fall is here and there are so many great places to photograph with the leaves changing and the weather being cooler.

James Clark hamming it up!!!

You are never to young to learn!!! / South Carolina Lifestyle Photographer

You are never to young to learn.  Lately James Clark has been wanting to take photographs with my camera when I bring it out to photograph him.  So I have been letting him take some photographs.  I was really surprised when he was able to hold it on his own because it is pretty heavy with the lens on it.

The other day we were out in the yard photographing and I took his portrait and then he took mine.  He played with all of my reflectors and just had an absolute ball.  I was really surprised when I downloaded the images of me.  It was pretty good even though I had just pulled my hair back into a braid and had absolutely no make up on.

Anyway here are some of the images from the day!!  I hope you enjoy them!!

Shannan / Chapin, SC Lifestyle Photographer

Meet Shannan, she is the new member of the Board of Directors for the Professional Photographers of SC.  We had a meeting this past Monday and I photographed this just outside of the restaurant.  I just love the photograph of her!!!

Rachel / Class of 2013 Senior Photographs/ SC Lifestyle Photographer

I had so much fun spending the afternoon with Rachel.  There are so many that are my favorites, but here are just a few.  Rachel was such a great subject to work with, she was very willing to do anything that I asked.  

I love this photograph of her in a field.  

This one was so great, God provided a tree root to hold my light and he did not allow me to slide backward down this steep hill into the river.  

Happy Halloween / SC Lifestyle Photographer

We had so much fun last week at Trunk or Treat!  James Clark made the cutest pirate ever!!!!!!  Okay so I am a little biased since I am his Mama.  He is still the cutest.

SC State Fair / Chapin SC Lifestyle Photographer

It has been over 10 years since I have been to the fair and James Clark and I had a blast.  We spent all afternoon ridding rides and trying out the fair food.  James Clark rode a lot of rides, but by far his favorite was the Speedway Race Cars.  After he finished his first ride he said, "Mama it was loose in the turns", that's my boy.  He gets it honestly, his Granddaddy use to build dirt track cars.  Normally he is has a very serious face when he is riding rides, but not with this one, he was all smiles.  He rode it at least 5 times.  We enjoyed the teriyaki chicken, corn dogs, cotton candy, ice cream and elephant ears.

Okra Strut / Irmo SC Lifestyle Photographer

Fun at the Okra Strut!!!  We had so much fun.  We ate, we danced, James Clark rode rides.  It was just a really fun time with James Clark.

Last Days of Summer / Columbia SC Lifestyle Photographer

James Clark and I have spent all summer outside and these are some of the last days of summer images before the first cold snap of the year.  Here is South Carolina it went from warm and sunny to cold in just one day.  Now we are back to warm and sunny again, thank goodness.  That is definitely South Carolina Weather for you.

We have loved spending the summer at the lake in my childhood home.  Watching James Clark play in the same place with my memories is wonderful.  The other day all on his own he took water and made a mud hole in the exact spot that we (my sister's and I) use to make mud pies.  It was so great.

James Clark is all boy and loves his trucks and construction vehicles.  A boy can never have to many.  We have been bare foot all summer and it has been great!  Now we just need something to get out on the water in.  We have not had a boat since Daddy's boat and that was 1988.  I think that it is finally time even if it is just a kayak.  We just need to get out on the water for the winter.

Tennis anyone?

This is my sweet boy playing tennis.  He runs all over the tennis courts throwing the balls all over the court.  In the image on the left he is just like his Mama, determined to carry all of them at once.  You are my sunshine man James Clark, your Mama loves you lots and lots and more!!!!

My sweet boy turned 3!!!!

A week ago today my sweet boy turned 3!  I cannot believe how fast time flies.  One day you are bringing your baby home and the next day he is 3 and as smart as a whip.  We spent all day today swimming in the lake and he learned how to tread water for the first time.  I picked up a life jacket for him and from just one day he is doing so well.  At first he kept saying "hold me Mama, hold me Mama" and by the time we were getting out he was saying "let me go Mama, let me go Mama".  My Mama has told me stories of me swimming like a fish from the first day.  She says I just jumped off and swam.  So he definitely takes after me with the water.  I LOVE IT!!!  I love you my sweet boy James Clark!!!!!

Please Vote for Photos by JeeJee and The Mather Company!!!

Please Vote for  Photos by JeeJee and The Mather Company!!!

5.25.2012

My friend Hart Trayer for the Mather Company voted for me as Best of.  So go and vote for Hart's boss Charlie, the Mather Company and me, Photos by JeeJee.  Hey everyone, this is Hart. Last year Hart posted on his blog, http://hartandvanessablog.blogspot.com/2012/05/please-vote-for-mather-company.html requesting y'all to vote for The Mather Company as real estate company of the year, and his boss, Charlie, as real estate agent of the year. Well, the company didn't win, however, Hart's boss did!

Well, the polls are open and voting has begun for the 2012 year. And I would greatly appreciate your votes! This is an annual thing our local newspaper does, The State. If we win, then we get featured in the newspaper. So it's great exposure for us.

The way it works is you'll have to go to the following website. There you'll see a list of 92 categories. In order to submit a vote, you must complete at least 30 of the categories. To make it easier for you, I'm providing a list below with some suggested categories. Of course, you are more than welcome to fill this out with your own choices. But I would greatly appreciate you putting Photos by JeeJee down as the Photographer.  I have highlighted my favorites that I am voting for.  

Ok, so here is the link to go vote: http://www.thestate.com/bestof/

And here is my list of suggestions:

The State Best Of
1 - Columbia Museum of Art (Art Gallery)
2 – EdVenture (Children’s Entertainment)
6 – Town Theater (Stage Theater)
9 – Miyos (Chinese Food)
10 – No Name Deli (Deli/Sandwich Shop)
11 – Chickfila (Fast Food)
12 – Divine Foods (Greek Food)
13 – Carrabas (Italian)
14 – Hibachi Express (Japanese Food)
15 – Casa Linda (Mexican Food)
16 – Bone Fish Grill (Seafood)
18 – Bojangles (Biscuits)
19 – Pawleys Front Porch (Burgers)
21 – Sonic (Hotdogs)
22 – Docs Bar BQ (BarBQ)
23 – DiPratos (Brunch)
24 – Zaxbys (Chicken)
25 – Cupcake (Dessert)
26 – Marble Slab (Ice Cream)
27 – Tony O’s (Pizza)
28 – California Dreaming (Salad)
29 – Bone Fish Grill (Steak)
30 – Taco Sushi (Sushi)
31 – Carolina Wings (Wings)
33 – The Sewing Center (Art Supply/Craft Store)

40- American Floral (Florist)

41- Paul D. Sloan Interiors (Furniture Store)

48- Bill Owings Custom Clothing (Men's Clothing store)
54 – Play it Again Sports (Sporting Good Store)
55 – Firestone (Tire Store)

56- Learning Express (Toy Store)

57- Initially Yours Columbia Luggage (Unique gift shop)

60- Kicks (Women's shoe store)
63 – Chucks Auto (Auto Repair)

64- BB&T (Bank)
66 – Constan Car Wash (Car Wash)
68 – Gilbert Studio of Dance Arts (Dance Studio)
70 – Trace Rutherford (Dentist)
71 – Bens Dry Cleaner (Dry Cleaner)

72- Yoga Masala (Fitness Center)

74- All American (Heating and air condition services)
77 – Covenant Birth Center (Place to have a baby)

79- Paul D Sloan Interiors (Interior design firm)
80 – The Mather Company (Real Estate Company) I photograph the Mather Company's real estate listings and they are a great company to work with.  I  would really appreciate you voting for them & Charlie below!
81 – Charlie Mather (Real Estate Agent)
82 – Home Pest Control (Pest Control)
83 – Photos by JeeJee (Photographer) 
85 – Kay Plumbing (Plumber)

Thank you all so much for taking the time to do this for me! I really appreciate it!

Bubbles, Bubbles, Lights & Tree Cutters

So the other day, my sister Missy gave James Clark a bubble gun that she got at Crackle Barrel. They have such great stuff there. If you have not been there in awhile you should go. I think that I am going to go do some Easter shopping at Cracker Barrel for James Clark's Easter Basket.

He has had so much fun playing all over the yard and down the street with this battery operated bubble gun. He loves that it is clear and has lights so he can see all of the moving parts. James Clark was leaving a bubble trail all down the road and when we made it to the bottom of the hill he wanted to step up onto the drain cover on the side of the road. We have done this so many times before I had no idea that my heart was about to sink. I hear the bubble gun bounce onto the pavement and down into the drain. My heart sank. So I take James Clark back home to Jeff because I was upset and mad all at the same time and afraid that if I tried to get the bubble gun out with him with me it could be dangerous. I would not be able to watch him and possibly get down in the drain to get the bubble gun. I know what you are thinking. It is just a bubble gun, but he had only had it for less than 24 hours and my sister gave it to him. I am very sentimental about those kind of things. I think that I was more mad at myself. How could I be so brainless to not think about the fact that the bubble gun could fall into the drain when I helped him up onto the top of the storm drain. Then I went back down the hill almost in tears (I know silly) trying to prepare myself for trying to fit into this drain knowing that I really did not want to get in there. Who knows what could be down there and how deep it was. I think I was preparing for the worst. I knelt down and thankfully I could see it, but I could not reach it. I found a stick and of course it was not long enough to reach it. So I sat there in tears not knowing how in the world I was going to get this bubble gun out of the drain. Then I heard someone say "can I help you with anything". All week we have had a tree company in the neighborhood cutting trees on the power lines. I told the nice man that my son had dropped his bubble gun down into the drain. I know I looked so silly crying about this gun, but he went and got one of the long tools that they were using to cut the trees and fished the bubble gun out of the drain. I thanked him and felt so relieved that he helped me because I really did not know what I was going to do. I know that I looked totally stupid, but I don't care because James Clark has his bubble gun back and is enjoying it immensely. And that is work looking stupid a million times over.

Then just a few days later James Clark dropped the bubble gun in a barrel of water!  It's just the way things go.

This is from February of 2011.

Sunglasses, Sunglasses, Sunglasses!

So last week I left to teach my class at USC and left Jeff and James Clark playing outside.  Then the next day I went to grab James Clark's sunglasses and they were no where to be found.  I looked, Jeff looked, my cousin Aubrey looked, my cousin Tanya looked and nobody could find them.  It was making me crazy!  We always were our sunglasses outside and I could not find them anywhere.  For days I searched the house going through everything to find them, but to no avail.  I still could not find them.  Jeff knew how distraught I was over not being able to find them so he went and bought some new ones.  They are really cute, but not the ones that he has worn for so long.  Long as in since he was a tiny baby and they were way to big for his face.  So then yesterday we were playing outside in the front yard and I looked down and there they were sitting on an old tree that we had cut up on the edge of our yard.  I was so relieved to find them.  Anyway enough of my rambling.  Here are some images of Sunglasses Bug Eyed Baby, Found Sunglasses and Sporting the new Sunglasses!  Sadly I cannot find the images of James Clark as a baby with these glasses on and I am starting to think that I have lost some of my sweet boys photographs, but I will keep on searching.

James Clark & the Dandelion!

James Clark and I have been having so much fun with the dandelions this season!  If you can call it a season.  We went from a mild winter to summer without much spring in between.  Isn't it funny how such a pesky weed like a dandelion can be so much fun.  We spend our childhood playing with them and then spend our adult life trying to get rid of them.  In a life full of busyness, I am trying to enjoy the small things that are in front of me everyday and the dandelion reminds me to laugh and have fun and not be so worry and stressed out about all of the things that I need to get done.  So thank you God for creating the dandelion for my son and I.  It makes us smile and laugh and just have fun!!

PlayDate Micah & James Clark

Our playdate with my sweet friend & neighbor Vanessa and her son Micah.  The boys had so much fun playing together & it is always nice to have another Mama to talk to!  Vanessa, I always enjoy our time spending time with y'all.  Everyone should check out Vanessa's blog Designs by Sessa.  She is a very talented lady!!

The Twins and the Cake!!

These photographs are of some very sweet twin boys that I have been photographing since they were 3 months old.  I will never forget these cutie pies.  My son James Clark was only 2 weeks old the first time I   photographed the twins.  I had photographed their big brother Elliott at Kilbourne Park PreSchool.  Elliott is a super sweet boy too!  A couple of weeks ago I surprised their Mama at their 3rd Bday party and photographed them cutting the cake and here are a few images from their Bday!  Hopefully their Daddy will get on board with an entire family photograph soon!  I have great photographs of all of the kids and with their Mama, but we need some with Daddy!   

Really I have not fallen off of the face of the earth!

Really I have not fallen off of the face of the earth! Things have just been really busy around here with family and James Clark is getting so big. I don't want to miss a minute of it. November was busy with our trip to Florida to see Jeff's parents. December was December with Family in town and Christmas. January was crazy with our last minute trip to Iowa. My brother in law Master Sergeant Travis Riddick was one of the six Marines killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. I am so thankful for all the Marines that have given there time and lives for us and especially the Marines that made it possible for us to make the trip to Iowa on a grant because otherwise we would not have been able to be there for Jenny (my sister in law) Charlie, Matthew, Jamie, Zachary, Victoria and Levy (Nephews & Nieces). They will never know how much it meant to us to be there. February was full of our Professional Photographers of SC Annual Convention where I am the Executive Director and then here we are in March. Time flies by so fast. I can hardly keep up.