PhotoJenic Photography [blog]

This post is SO LONG overdue…and it’s part one as I will have a few more beach images to share as well. In September we crossed off #17 on my 101 list, not once but twice =) We were lucky enough to head to the beach with friends during their vacation in early September and then able to go back on my birthday to stay at this beautiful beachhouse offered up to us by another friend.
This vacation was just an extended weekend but since we we had limited cell phone coverage and I didn’t bring my laptop charger…it was a really nice FORCED electronic vacation…which allowed for great downtime playing in the sand with the kids. We had so much fun! Here’s a few photos to prove it…

This kid is serious about his football…I’m not kidding…he’d play it all day if someone could last playing with him that long
This kid has more personality than I know what to do with… And maybe you haven’t heard…he kind of has a thing for his Daddy… Brennan trying to follow his uncle’s footsteps… Don’t let this image fool you…she hated the sand and was in very few photos as she cried anytime she had to touch it. I think she is crying here and definitely wouldn’t let go of Daddy’s hand… Again…loves him some football… This last image represents our trip…complete beauty and relaxation!
It’s pretty nice to go back and reflect on this trip after a very hectic monthweek =)

Ok, with New Years quickly approaching I am dedicating this week to UPDATE you on my sorely updated 101 List! I have actually been working on and actually accomplishing SOME of my goals, but actually getting them to the blog has been a bit behind! I figured with the New Year and everyone wanting to accomplish new goals this might help motivate you to ACHIEVE a few things yourselves =)

#20 on my 101 List was “Teach kids about service by helping someone else.”

I’ve been thinking about this one for awhile and while I feel we do give our children opportunities to help others and each other often, I really wanted to hit home to them how blessed they really are. Every year we have done something as a family for someone else, always around Christmas. We’ve adopted families, bought for Christmas Angels, participated in food drives and left gifts on doorsteps to unsuspecting individuals. The problem is, I wanted my kids to really FEEL and SEE the true spirit of Christmas and the blessing it is to GIVE to others, to see the look on the person’s face they were giving to and to KNOW that burning feeling inside that they have done something good and that they have MUCH to be thankful for!! My idea put us all a little bit out of our comfort zone and frankly that’s what I LOVED the most about it. We made gift bags a few weeks ago to hand out to some of the homeless people in need. Here are some photos of some of the items we gathered for our project…


We gave them canned food with easy open tops, water bpttles, a mug, hand sanitizing lotion, new socks, a new flannel blanket, headbands that wrap over your ears, crackers, granola bars and breakfast bars, a little bit of candy, hand warmers that warm for 12 hours once you activate them, wet wipes, toothbrushes and my mom later added gloves, hats, soap and the toothpaste I had forgotten. I was able to get most of this stuff at the Dollar Store and the fleece blankets were an Old Navy steal for only $5!! We put 5 bags together and headed downtown! We actually found way more than we had bags to help, if I had to do it again I would do less stuff and MORE bags, there were SO MANY people in the streets it was really very sad!

I had the boys get out of the car with each person and walk the bag up to them and wish them a Merry Christmas. We talked to them, heard their stories of many years of living on the streets and accepted their very gracious appreciation. A few experiences were weird, but most were incredibly humbling. My husband was a bit more timid about the whole “face to face” interaction and it’s “safety” factor. On our 3rd delivery the person looked a bit scary and it was now dark so I said, “your turn.” He got out and said to this person who I thought was a man, we have something we want to give you. It was actually a woman, she was pushing a shopping cart and she shrieked in excitement, and literally started jumping up and down and ran to my husband in the biggest embrace ever. I was worried…the first person he gets to give to HUGS HIM? She broke down in complete tears and then approached me in the car and cried as I hugged her out of pure gratitude for our kindness. It was the best feeling ever!! It was EXACTLY what I wanted our kids to see and hopefully feel. We chatted for a minute and as we buckled up the woman excitedly opened her bag, grabbed a bag of Lays Chips, tore it open and immediately started eating! We couldn’t have been more happy and humbled.

I am really, really grateful to have food to eat and a warm bed to sleep in. I have a family who loves me and a million people who would help me if ever in need. I can only hope this experience helped my kids to SEE and FEEL how giving to others truly blesses us. I plan to do it again in the summer, armed with frozen water bottles to help them deal with the blazing heat!

I would love any ideas for more service projects with them in the future! I am thinking a visit to see sick kids might make the list as well. Have you had any meaningful service projects that you’ve done with young kids?

with Church to attend.

Our Christmas this year was just awesome. Despite a LOT of prepping before Christmas Eve we still managed our usual 2:30am bedtime (how does this happen?) but we got to sleep in until 8am which I would say is completely lucky! I think I could have been more excited to give the kids their gifts than they were…hard to say for sure. We completely tortured them until every detail was perfect, tree lights on, music on, video camera ready etc etc, then this year we did a one by one walk out which was fun to catch their individual reactions to their stuff from Santa.

We were able to host and spend time with both of our families. Had plenty of playtime with the kids and made a wreck out of the house…sounds familiar doesn’t it? I think the only thing that could have made it even more perfect is a reduction of a million mouth ulcers that had me in pain all day…but I’m hopeful the forced diet gives me another Christmas present =)

Here’s the kiddos last Sunday after our beautiful Christmas program.
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Well I did FINALLY get the last of my Christmas cards mailed and delivered…but since I’ve been sick, some of them came at the last second on Christmas Eve! (Sorry). I actually ran out of holiday cards this year, so if you didn’t get one, I hope you can enjoy it here! I did a circle card, so you have to envision the circle cut out on these images. It was quite fun to do a different shape…and the post office was not at all difficult in getting them mailed with the right postage!

I need to join my husband in finishing our wrapping…but I wish you all a VERY Merry Christmas!
Card Front

Inside spread with some of our most commonly heard phrases and a little about our kids this year…

And the back!

This is my wonderful friend Alisa and her family. We went out last week to get some new updated photos of their family, here are some of my favorites…
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If you don’t know Alisa, you should know that she is an AMAZING caterer and does DELICIOUS food for weddings and events! Her business is called The Irresistible Dish and rightfully so! She’s also well known for amazing stunt work in the Grand Canyon and for a super sweet personality…but we’ll leave it to that for now! =)

Today I am photographing a fashion show for a local business here in Peoria. As a part of their event I’m offering mini sessions for those who might be interested in booking a session for January or possibly in a unique holiday gift for family and friends! The mini session is an on location session for $100 and it INCLUDES 1-11×14 and 2 5×7 prints in the price! We have gift certificates if you are interested in giving this to someone else for Christmas. This offer is only available until midnight Sunday night, you can email me at jen@photojenic.net or call my office at 623.935.5513 to express your interest and I will touch base with you on Monday.

Happy shopping this weekend!!

Who says Arizona doesn’t have seasons? Check out the color in this first shot! This was such a FUN session…I’ve known Russ and Katie for a VERY long time, in fact Russ is the link to me meeting my husband =) I photographed their wedding years back and even had the privilage to have Katie work with me for a few years. Anyway, they are such an adorable family and I really just can’t get over the cuteness of their kids in this session. Santa came a bit early for Daddy this year so they brought that little treat along for me to photograph…I pretty much LOVE little Mason, Daddy and the car…there were more cute ones, I just had too many posted already =)
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Thanks Russ and Katie, I had so much fun with you guys!

Ok so it’s an abundance of my niece on my blog today! My brother and his family stayed with us over Thanksgiving and we were able to take some new family photos. They live in Dallas so we don’t get to do their photos as often anymore. I especially love the ones of my nephews with their new sister! So cute to see those boys with a dainty, baby girl! [gallery columns="1" gallery size="full"]

While working on some images of this little gem, I came across these and forgot I had wanted to share them…[gallery columns="1" gallery size="full"]

I heard about THIS heartbreaking story right after Thanksgiving and was so saddened by it. What a sweet girl and wonderful young family to go through such a tragic loss. I wanted to help out by donating and just a few days later I saw the opportunity to join this online auction to help the family. There are SO MANY wonderful things in this auction and all the proceeds will go to this young widow and her family. Please go to THIS SITE to view over 100 auction items and find something to bid on! I’m offering a mini photo session that INCLUDES a 16×20 Wall Portrait…I’d love to take your pictures =) You have until this Saturday to bid on any of the items in the auction. Be sure to look from today’s posts all the way back to November 30th to view all of the items up for grabs.

Shopping has never felt so good! Love that all the money goes to the family!