Levi at 4 and 5 Months of Age

He is growing like a weed... especially when you think he originally started at 5 lbs. 11 oz.! We are so lucky to have this wonderful little man in our lives!

4 Months - Celebrating Christmas Up North at his Grandma and Grandpa Great's house

5 Months - "1st Christmas and they stick me under the tree like a present"

 

Merry Christmas from the Fiebigs!

We want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!

(Photo credit to the wonderful Samantha Johnson of Evelyn Vaughn Photography)

Hazy Day

Fog rolling over the shores of Lake Michigan... and my 21 month old nephew, Forrest, enjoying his great grandparents beach for the first time... Simply Beautiful!

 

 

Oh, Santa!

Jill and I took the boys to the Farmers Insurance Children's Christmas Party! The first thing you do when you walk in is get in line to see Santa. Since so many children visit Santa at the party, they have more than one "Santa Station" set up. So you enter a room that includes the big man and Mrs. Claus. From the get go, we should of known this wouldn't be Forrest cup of tea since he loves to watch other kids and seeing other kids sit on Santa's lap may of been enough encouragement for his visit to see the "big man". Least for us, Levi was a good sport and we got a great picture of him with Santa! :) Enough blogging about it... here are a few pictures so grandma can see how it went! :)

Personal Touch

For a family Christmas photo shoot, I got crafty and created a burlap banner. I had no idea what to do with it after the fact so I hung it on our barnwood headboard... and it looks super cute!!!

Getting Crafty!

Thought I'd share my creation... a burlap flower hairband! Looking forward to showing it off at the country chic wedding of Dayna and Brandon tomorrow!

Today I am 171

Today, I am 171 lbs. Today, Ryan and I start F.A.S.T. (Flexibility Agility Speed Training). Today will be the last time I let myself get to this place in my life.

Tomorrow, I will be sore. Tomorrow, I will feel better about myself. Tomorrow, I will more than likely be 171 lbs. but at least tomorrow I can say I'm working on making myself better.

Ryan and I first took F.A.S.T. January 2010 in the hopes of getting us in shape for our wedding! F.A.S.T.was the start of a year of pushing my abilities and becoming a stronger person physically and mentally.

I'm nervous to start this again because it wasn't easy. I remember the first day getting pushed to the point of feeling like I could throw up. But the next class was easier... and by the time it was the last class... I was running faster and able to do everything I struggled to do in the beginning.

Here is to a month of F.A.S.T. classes and not seeing 171 again! :)

Forgetting about Julie

As summer usually goes, its been super busy! From the 9 to 5 to wedding photography... the basement renovation to being somewhere besides home every weekend, I'm lucky to get a breath in edgewise... but it has took a major tole on me.

Me in every way has been lazy. I can't say I've given a 100% on anything this summer. Excuses have been my crutch. As I internally struggled with becoming 30, I thought that drive would come out in me. I'm sad to admit it but in all the hustle and bustle of the summer, I've forgotten about myself. I've not exercised since May... I've drank more than not drank... I've struggled focusing... and have felt exhausted.

With summer coming to an end along with a lot of the craziness, I'm making a pack to myself to again care about myself! Putting myself first will again help me get my life back on track and successful! It's not going to be easy but I know I have to or I'll  be heading down a dark road which would be hard to climb out off. I look forward to the new season and the climb to becoming a happy healthy, mentally and physically, 30 year old!

Summer Fun in Grand Marais

As summer is rolling to an end, I finally snuck in some time to edit a few photos from our trip to Grand Marais back from June.

As a child, my parents and grandparents would go to Grand Marais to enjoy its charming quaintness and its abundance of fish. These days it is still very quaint but the fishing isn't what it used to! In fact, these "cigars" were few and far between. But its more than the fishing and the town that we enjoy... its also the beauty of the UP that keeps us busy during the day!

 This trip, Ryan's first, we ventured over to the mouth of the Two Hearted River to reminisce with grandma and grandpa there time years ago when they came up there fishing as a new married couple. Also to get an idea where Bell's Two Hearted Beer got its name from! :D With that, we were able to see destruction caused by the Duck Lake Wildfire, which was humbling. We also did the "tourist" thing and took the boat tour to see Pictured Rocks, another first for Ryan.

All in all, being up there was just as wonderful as I remember and relaxing. Just crossing The Bridge, I could feel the weight lifted of my shoulders! Ryan enjoyed it just as much as I, and hopes to make it an annual tradition!

Might I also let you know, after maybe 10 years of sitting on the shoreline, I finally got my pole back in the water! Growing up with two master fisherman, it was easy to learn the ropes, but fishing wasn't the "cool" thing to do, so I stopped. My parents boast to Ryan about the skills I had! We'll, on this trip it was either sit and watch board on a pier for hours, or jump right back in and catch me my own "cigars"! And that's exactly what I did! It was just as natural as if I was born with the skills... and by the 2nd night, I was back to casting my own rod and baiting my own hook with no one telling me how or what to do! Despite my amazement in picking up a pole again... I also, which I haven't done in years too, age some of my catch! Nothing is better than fresh whitefish and scrambled eggs for breakfast around a picnic table! Makes me hungry thinking about it! :)

I'm so glad I got to share this wonderful place with Ryan and I look forward to next years adventures there! Already on the list of things to do is Tahquamenon Falls! Also, it was wonderful to get to go on vacation with my grandparents! Growing up I've got to go many places with them and camping wouldn't be the same if they weren't there with us!

***Side note... this will now be my "personal" blog! So no more pictures... least not the portfolio type... I have created Julie Lynn Photographer as a place to show of my work for potential wedding couples to hire me as a second! :)

Welcome Levi Thomas!

Thursday, July 12, 2012, the doctors decided that my sister should have her c-section and give birth to Ryan and my newest nephew, Levi Thomas! Levi was initially due to be born August 24 but due to a condition called SVT was born Thursday. Fluid had built up in his lungs and stomach due to his SVT and was causing him some stress. My sister keeps me updated from day to day on his progress as he is staying at Helen Devos's Children's Hospital until he becomes a strong enough little guy to put up with his big brother, Forrest! :) Please keep Levi, Jill, Shawn, and Forrest in your prayers! Here are a few shots I was able to get on our first meeting of this precious little boy! Soon enough, Levi, you will be used to your grandma and I having a camera in our hands ready for you to do something adorable! ;) Love you to pieces, little guy <3

Busy Bee!

So much photography and everyday-wise has gone on that I haven't been able to blog much but have so much to post!

It started out a few weeks ago when I inquired about a Craigslist ad looking for an assistant/second shooter for the upcoming wedding season. Since than I've had the opportunity on a "trial run" to assist on my first wedding which has also opened up to assistant/second on many more weddings this summer!

That was a photography weekend because I also had the opportunity to go to Kalamazoo to visit my best friend, Keri, who has 2 adorable 7 month old twins! :)

I'm anxious to show both but with taking over 800 photos in 2 days... it's led to alot of editing!

Aside from putting my camera to good use... this past Monday I turned 30! I have been talking about how much I've been dreading this birthday over the past year. Its not that I haven't accomplished a lot already in my life and am very happy... just a few things that I would of said 10 years ago, I would of/have, been/done!

I came to a realization today that maybe the biggest thing that bothers me is that... I'm not the only one getting older... so are many very important people in my life. I'm scared that my grandparents will not have the opportunity to meet my children. I'm saddened that my children may not get the same relationship with their grandparents as I with mine. Don't get me wrong... I'm not ready to start a family... but as I see my parents and grandparents getting older, I realize how much they have changed.

Truthfully, being 30, even though a few days in, isn't that bad! I'm going to keep improving myself... for example, this year I've already given up pop, stopped biting my nails, and am putting more energy in to learning as much as I can about photography. For 2012 almost being half over, I'd say thats pretty impressive!

Last but not least... I took another workshop put on by Posh and Ashley Made Photography. The subject was lighting but we had a photographers dream day with it being overcast. I wanted to show of a few pictures I took! The best part was getting to share my knowledge of Nikon cameras and shooting in manual with many of the other students. Ashley and Kasey are so helpful and knowledgable... I look forward to participating in more workshops they put on!

Mother and Daughter

My friend, Carla, let me capture some wonderful moments of her with her daughter. Thank you so much! You and your daughter are so beautiful!

Easter Wishes

My adorable nephew, Evan, wanted to wish everyone a "Happy Easter"! Love the plaid shorts, sweater vest, and tie! Jenni, you better save that for when I have alittle boy! :P

HAPPY EASTER!

Bike on the Brain

After editing some cute munchkins this past week, it made me miss editing and reminded me of an awesome bike I came apon during my PO 101 shot for my midterm. I was having an off day, just not feeling creative or feeling like I was finding anything good to photograph until I found this bike in the GRCC parking ramp. I even went back after class and took a few more shots thinking maybe I'd do my final on bikes since I had an awesome shot of a bike from the Insane Asylum, AKA Village at Grand Traverse Commons. Well I went another route for my final and still had these cool shots siting on one of my SD cards.

Makes me want to go on an adventure and challenge myself to find more cool shots! :)

Forrest's 1 Year Photo Shoot

I've finished editing and wanted to share my favorites and what others are "liking" on Facebook! :)

Sneak Peak...

Jill, Mom, I are a great trio! I feel like the photos I took of Forrest today really shows how far I've come in photography, especially with children! He's one of my best models and it helps that his "grammy" is his stylist! I only had time to really get in to editing one photo for the night but it might be my favorite of all of them I took today! Plus I put some Photoshop skills to use removing a post/mile marker that was in the background! :) Photo taken with a Nikon D5000, 50mm 1.8f lens, ISO 400, 1/800 SS, 4.5f, used Liz LaBianca Photography actions "Keep it Clean" and "Eye Candy"!

Hard to believe he is already a 1 year old!

Its a Celebration, Forrest is 1 year old!

Here are a few pictures from Forrest's first birthday. So hard to believe a year ago yesterday we met him for the first time! Can't wait to see what fun the next year will bring! :) Love you little man!