Caudill Family

My friend and colleague has been trying to schedule a family photo session for quite some time... they are a busy group of people and she has teenage children which means lots of extra curricular activities.  So, we finally met for pictures last week end.  It was Nov. 11th and it could have been cold, rainy, snowy, overcast etc.  Instead, it was mild and sunny... and VERY windy!!  Originally, we planned to take all the photos at her home.  However, it was so windy, she decided we should go to the Sorrowful Mother Shrine instead.  Turns out, there were still lots of crunchy leaves on the ground and a few left in the trees to create a beautiful background for some family photos!!

I have known this friend for over 20 years!   We started teaching about the same time and have had many long chats.  I have to give her "credit" for seeing into the future and predicting who I would marry.  I can remember chatting in her classroom one night about my (now) husband who played softball with her husband.  I think her exact words were "he is your destiny".  At the time, I didn't even know him... and it took 9 years and my sister getting re-assigned to work at the same PT clinic as him for us to meet.  We've been married for 12 years... so she was RIGHT!   

Take a look at the photos below and you can see that she has a beautiful family!  I had a wonderful time taking their photos... and the light held out for me to get my FAVORITE shot (the one of the family sitting in the grass in front of their home).  

Not only is my friend beautiful on the outside, but on the inside as well.  She is one of the most kind hearted and caring people I know.  It was a joy to take her family photos!

Dalton and Darin Fall Photos

Earlier this year I photographed 2 senior boys.  One is my nephew and the other is a former first grader.  You can see their summer photos here and here.

For our second session, my nephew chose to be photographed at his high school baseball field and my former first grader chose to be photographed in the woods where he hunts.  Both sessions were fun and unique!  My nephew was a good sport while his mom and I bossed him around and had him pose for a variety shots.  My former first grader had me crawling around in the woods, sliding down a muddy bank and walking around in the creek... and enjoying every minute of it!!

Both of these young men are destined for great things in the future!  I hope you enjoying seeing a bit of their personalities in the photos below.  I couldn't be more proud of how each of them has grown up and I wish them luck (although they don't need any luck) as they continue their education after high school!

Fall Fun Week End 2012

Every October my husband and I celebrate a non-national holiday called Fall Fun Week End.  We pick a location and spend 2 days with my youngest brother, his wife and their 4 kids.  We ALWAYS have a great time and the kids actually think Fall Fun Week End is either an extra holiday or a vacation (even though it's only 2 days).  What I love is the quality time I get with my brother, his wife and, of course, the 2 nieces and 2 nephews!

This year we traveled to Walnut Creek, Ohio to visit THE FARM at Walnut Creek.  If you ever get a chance to visit, it is WELL WORTH the trip.  We plan to go back so we can experience it again on a sleigh ride!!  There are so many amazing animals to see up close... and I mean CLOSE!  We took a wagon ride through the animal area and the animals come running up to the wagon (mainly because they know we have FOOD).  It was incredible to say the least.  There were so many unique animals and we were feeding them, touching them and seeing them FACE TO FACE!!  My favorite was the giraffe.  I have never been so close... and able to reach out and touch one.  Needless to say, I think us adults were just as in awe as the kids.  I snapped a lot of photos but, honestly, it was hard to get a good shot because we were so close to them (and trying to navigate around a crowded wagon pulled by horses isn't the easiest thing to do either - smile).   We felt pretty lucky regarding the weather as well.  Hurricane Sandy was sending Ohio some pretty rainy, gloomy weather but, we had about a 3 hour window when it wasn't actually raining and enjoyed our afternoon at the farm.  I can't wait to see this place in the winter snow!

The 2nd day of our week end was pretty much a wash out.  No worries though, we visited the carousel museum in Mansfield, Ohio and caught a great movie in Ontaria (where the tickets for the first showing are only $1... a GREAT deal for a family of 6, one Aunt and one Uncle!!)  We all splurged on popcorn and soda (which cost more than all our tickets - smile).  As always, it was a memorable week end!

Enjoy the photos!!
Lisa

    

    

My niece lost her tooth the night before we left and was so excited to show us what the tooth fairy left under her pillow...  her little sister was freaked out that the tooth fairy was coming and couldn't sleep in their room though (smile).

Ethan's Fall Senior Pictures

 Ethan...

This particular Senior photo session was especially meaningful to me.  Why?  ...because it was for Ethan.

Ethan was in my first grade class many years ago.  We had so much fun that year!  I had no idea that he would be such a big part of my classroom for so many years after that.

Starting when he was in 6th grade, Ethan has been helping in my classroom.  What began with helping to take my students to the buses has evolved into being a huge part of my classroom!!  I can't begin to think about how things will be next year... when Ethan isn't there.  He has given up his free time before school, during study halls and after school to assist me in preparing materials and prepping the classroom each day for 6 years!  He has also provided help to students.  My first graders consider Ethan a member of our "first grade family."   ...and next year, he will begin his own journey to become an educator.  I couldn't be MORE proud of him but, I will also miss him terribly.  There will be a little "empty" feeling in the classroom without ETHAN there!

Ah, but time marches forward and there I was taking his Senior photos.  It was a joy.  We are so completely relaxed around each other that I knew his photos would look amazing.  The leaves had just started to turn and the temperature had finally dropped.  It was MY kind of day!!  I know his mom got choked up a few times watching me photograph her oldest son...  thank goodness I had too many "technical" things to think about or I would have been right there with her!  Two of Ethan's good friends came along (you can see Rachel and Sarah's senior pictures HERE).   These 3 "kids" have been such good buddies since they started school together many years ago... and are still friends (and I suspect they always will be)!

I hope you enjoy viewing Ethan's pictures.  They are so special to me and a few of them will find there way into my classroom so that next year, Ethan can still be a part of it!

Thanks Ethan... you are the BEST!    ...and as I always tell all my teacher friends, "everyone needs an Ethan in their classroom!"  I wish you luck on the next part of your educational journey.  Don't forget to stay in touch and yes, I know, you are still planning on replacing me when I retire (smile).

Snay Family

The Snay family...  I cannot say enough incredible things about this group of 5!!  Mom, Dad and three amazing kids met me on the campus of Tiffin University for a fun family photo session.  As one of the boys put it, we took a "tour" of the campus and I snapped photos along the way.   There were plenty of smiles, lots of giggles and even some laughs.

I have a few personal connections with the Snays.  Last year I had the honor of being one of the children's first grade teacher.  What an amazing boy... I know I learned from him while he learned from me!  It was a joy spending the year with him (and I pretty much fell in love with the whole class)!!!  His dad was a childhood friend of my brother.  The 2 of them found lots of ways to "get on my teenage girl nerves" - but that just makes me smile and even laugh when I think about it now!  He has grown up to be a wonderful Dad and it was pretty special to see him with his beautiful, smart wife and 3 kids that obviously adore and look up to him!

I have to say "thank you" to the crew that takes care of the grounds at Tiffin University.  The campus was beautiful and there were even flowers still blooming.  I grew up on close to Tiffin University and have watched it grow and change over the years.  When I was a kid, it was just one building and a library.  Now, it is a college campus that adds beauty to the city of Tiffin (and provides another great location for me to take pictures)!

I hope you enjoy looking at the Snay Family photos!