Gina's Blog

new blog!!!

yay!!!  my new blog is finally up!!  while i've patiently awaited it's arrival for close to 5 months, i'm super excited!!!  check it out : www.ginamillerblog.com

jan & brett!

okay so i posted that jan won ... then many others got even more specific and said who the masked guy was (burger king guy!) ... brett was the first to point that out (i know ... no fair, he was in the wedding) ... but he was also obviously stalking my blog for the preview pix!  just teasing brett!  if you guys both would contact me with your mailing address, i'll get you a fun surprise for your big win!

thanks to everyone who participated in this fun little game!  it was amusing to read the comments!!  i'm getting in alot of pix for the july contest ... keep them coming!  i've gotten such great shots this time that i may let YOU guys pick the winner ... it's really getting tough for me already.

i'm running late, should have been out the door 5 minutes ago to take abbie gail to the vet ... but, as anyone who knows me, well, that's just how i roll :)  anyhoo, even when i'm short on time, i can't post without a photo, so enjoy this sweetness!!!

perfect day + mini sessions (+ july contest info below!)

on the 4th of july alisha and i had the pleasure of photographing a wonderful couple whose wedding had me in awe many times throughout the day.  i woke to rain that seemed as though it would never stop.  grrrrr .... as all of the pix were planned to be outside.  as we got closer to the start of the pix, the rain began to slow down.  we started 4 hours before the wedding, and there was not a drop of rain that we had to deal with! their yard wasn't soaked  ... it truly ended up being the perfect day.  and then i started noticing all of the detail and time the bride had spent on their theme &, and was simply amazed.  also, i can't stress enough how organized the girl was ... at one point, alisha said something about 'all brides should be this organized ... it's been so ridiculously easy today."  !!  so true :) 

it's something about weddings : i get choked up even if i don't know the people.  it's silly.  but some weddings just wow me.  these families seem so close and it's such a great thing.  they married on the 4th because one of their sets of grandparents did the same thing like 56 years ago, or something like that!  a long time, regardless :)   the same person married them that married the bride's parents 30 years ago. (sorry if these #s are off, but i think they're close!) anyhoo, i was really impressed with their tight-knit families, the speeches given, everyone dancing and having fun.  it was just really great and i couldn't be happier for them.  you guys rock, and it's clear that you are absolutely perfect for one another!  *please* call me when you have babies ... they will be gorgeous!!!

MINI SESSIONS will be offered again ... the following dates are available.  the session is for 30 minutes and is $150 + tax, including a $75 print credit.  i'm going to do two of these around here, and two around the indy area.  i have a few spots in mind, but if you have any suggestions, please leave a comment to let me know!!!

Thursday, August 28

Tuesday, September 9 - INDY

Thursday, October 9

Tuesday, November 4 - INDY

wowza - nice work, guys!!

do you notice anything  strange about this photo?  (aside from all of these men jumping with their mouths open and hands in the air ... :) first person who posts a comment with the right answer wins a prize!!
sweet couple.
gorgeous. details.

and more details .. i *loved* the apple idea.  i loved the colors.  i would love to post more, but no time!  i'll post this entire wedding as a featured gallery when it's finished.
and more details ...
toast.

dance!

sparklers ... so fun!!!

lazy days of summer??

so we are already approaching mid-july ... summer is in full swing!  it just hit me the other day, sadly, that i'm joining to crowd of parents whose summer ends abruptly mid-august.  my sweet jae will be in  her first year of school!  i am already dreading and mentally trying to prepare myself for waking up much earlier than normal in our house and getting the kids dressed and fed so she can be at school by 8am?  umm .... we're not really early risers here, so it will be a huge undertaking!  anyhoo, we are truly enjoying each and every moment of our summer thus far, even though the days fly by more quickly than i can even keep track of.  yesterday we went to conner prairie and it was really the perfect day.  it's *such* a neat place for kids of all ages ... with us was a 2, 5, 7, and 9 year old, and they all had a ball.  i'll post pix later, there are so many neat things there, and the neatest thing for me was walking thru the old homes (some original, some replicas) that were from the era from when my home was built.  the people that work there are wonderful, all in costume and in character.  to think of how things have changed so drastically in 170 years, it saddens me.  today's society is so fast-paced, always on the go, and that's why the days race by.  i'm included here, and i wish there was some magical way to slow down the days, but i surely haven't figured it out yet!

JULY'S CONTEST : send me a photo of your child or family doing your favorite summer activity.  the winner will not be based on technicality, but originality.  (think outside of the box!)  please get entries to me by JULY 31.  winner will receive a complimentary session!!

  our favorites this summer : making sun tea ... the kids love to put in the tea bags and then taste it after it has sat in the sun.  i buy decaf green tea and put in a decaf berry tea (blueberry is great!) and the kids love it, i love it.  i don't use any sugar so they're free to drink as much as they want!  they have really enjoyed catching fireflies this summer ... looking for fruits and veggies (still have asparagus! blackberries on the way, apples on the way, plum tree bearing good plums now ... tomatoes coming) --  harp will get out his wagon and put the good in it :)  i've finally gotten off my butt and started running again, thank god!  now if i miss a day, i feel incredibly guilty.  i can push the kids in the jogging stroller for a good 2.5 - 3 miles and they do great.  they chat and we'll stop to pick flowers or throw rocks in the creek.  if i stop running for a minute, they ask why and say to hurry up, so it's good for me!! harp can identify corn and beans in the field, and mamaw has been teaching them the names of all the plants/flowers ... they honestly know them better than i do!! jae has made leaps & bounds at the swimming pool, going completely under the water, with her eyes open and nose UNplugged, this has been a major change from last year.  harp just runs around looking cute.  we've also been on the slip-n-slide some, and jaeda was shocked to see that her mom could do it better than her!!  i remember the summer my sister and i ruined our front yard with the slip-n-slide ... dad was not happy... !!

JUNE {inspiration} contest -- thanks for the entries!!!  i drew names and the winner is AMI SULLIVAN.  ami wins a frame from the new line i am offering - up to 11x14 size.  CONGRATS AMI!!!  email me and we'll go over details.

enjoy every minute of your day this summer!!  a couple of cutie pies from a recent session, and then my own :) 

rock on

hope everyone enjoyed your long weekend! doesn't it go too fast?!  i shot a fantastic wedding on the 4th and will post some of the awesome pix from it later this week.  keep your eyes on the blog this week, i'll be announcing the july contest and also the winner of the 'inspiration contest.' for now : hope you all have a rockin' week!!!
  just harp fishing ... jae dressed him this day !! :)

cool pix

short on words, but here are some cool wedding and engagement pix that i just finished.  i could post tons more, but don't have time ... another wedding tomorrow. BTW - this is the wedding i did All By Myself!! :(  i think i held up pretty well :)  i'll post again before the weekend is over with some new updates on some things ... i'm a bit behind over here!!

everyone : enjoy your 4th of july, be safe and have fun! 

summer fun

just some recents of my own kiddos ... hope you're all enjoying your summer!!!  my camera hasn't left my hands lately, i'm either photographing you guys or my own ... i've been trying to get some good pix of harp because he's been seriously neglected so far in his short life compared to his sis ....  i've also neglected my blog lately, the madness has begun for the summer ... i have a new blog in the works, SO excited to for it to be finished!!!

   

june winner ... remembering dad ... inspirations

  thanks to everyone who entered ... lots of cute pix!!! below is the winner chosen for the june contest ... it was just too funny to not choose :)  jon, please call/email to set up your complimentary session!!!

father's day is this weekend and although i think of my dad often, it hits a little harder over holidays or special days.  this august will be 10 years since he passed ... i think about how my life has changed in the past 10 years, and it's sometimes overwhelming.  i think i've said this on here before, but i would give anything to have known my dad as an adult.  i would give anything for my kids to have been able to sit on his lap and laugh with their papaw.  i ache when i sit and think about it.  the other day, jae said that sometimes she sees papaw in her head and he tells her jokes and makes her smile :)  that's so great to hear.  he always made everyone laugh ... always.  i think about his illness and how he always put on a brave face for my sister and me.  it bewilders me, quite honestly.  i feel sorry for myself when i get a cold, for crying out loud!  he was injected with chemicals to destroy a monster inside of him, and i don't ever once remember hearing him complain.  i specifically remember a day when my dad, mom, me and alisha were sitting around the table chatting.  dad got up, went to the bathroom, and hurled something terrible.  he strolls back, sits down, smiles and says "guess i drank too much last night!"  that's how he dealt with it.  at the time, we all laughed, and i just didn't think about it alot.  i was a kid still.  now, i think of how he must have felt like crap most of the time ... exhausted ... scared of what was going to happen to him, and ultimately to his family.

i think that when you lose someone close to you, it changes you.  you see the world in a different light, maybe?  appreciate things and people more.  i look around and it makes me very sad for people who hold grudges against friends or family, who are hateful towards others.  and i guess some people are going to be like that regardless as to whether there are any life-altering events.  the fact of the matter is that none of us knows when our time is up ... or that of a close friend or family member.  or when something life-changing may happen.  i watch the news and the tornadoes and houses being swept away by water ... no one ever expects that to happen to them.  i feel so thankful that i have good friends and close family that get what this life is really all about, too.  i feel so thankful for my kids and my house.  when i stop and think, i have absolutely nothing at all to complain about ... we have it much better than so many people.  yes, i'm tired a majority of the time from working and chasing kids ... but at least i have the chance to do all of this, you know?  i wouldn't change it for anything.

send me an email or post a comment and tell me what inspires you ... it may be a person, a thing, an event.  i'll do a drawing at the end of the month for something FUN ... (not sure *what* yet, i'm going to sit on it for a minute and think of something good) ...  aside from my ultimate inspiration (my kids,) capturing memories inspires me.  i got an email from a client i have done photos of ... she just graduated from high school.  a friend of hers just lost their house and barns from a tornado that completely flattened everything they own.  rubble ... they used to be an amish family and i was told they had one family photo, and it was of course destroyed.  from what i know of amish, they don't typically have their pix taken, so i'm sure this one family photo was treasured greatly.  i had this girl email me to see if i could do anything ... i wish i could do free sessions for everyone, i would love it.  i am going to offer a free session to this family, because it's something that i utterly can't imagine.  they have 8 children, everyone survived, thank goodness!  however, now they have to start fresh ... it really gets to me when i hear of stuff like this.  i will always do everything i can to help people in situations like this, if nothing else, to help turn their attitude in a more hopeful direction.  i know how much people cherish photos, and i find it amazing that i get to take part in this for anyone.

some sweet recents (i'm glad i'm not you guys!!  i could never choose .... :)

 

what is love, anyways? (plus new JUNE CONTEST info!!!)

i have a few things i wanted to touch on today ... first, i've gotten several emails regarding my *holistic* post recently.  to share, here's some websites that i heard of from you guys this week :

www.shaklee.com

www.happyfoody.com

http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/

also, i forgot to mention some other items we're using that are great ... Method Kid wash/shampoo ... they also have a baby version.  I got ours at Babies R Us .... for mom & dad - Burt's Bees has some good stuff, and Walgreen's is also getting quite a bit of natural stuff in.  i've also used john master's organics - smells great.  some good reads -- whole living | body + soul magazine -- it's a great magazine (for guys & gals!) with lots of articles on how to keep healthy and how to start "greening" your life.  (www.bodyandsoulmag.com) ... while on the topic of favorite magazines, i also want to mention Wondertime - it's a great mommy magazine and has lots of great articles, lots of cool photos.

Kara -- if you can post your natural solution you use on your dog, i would love to have it and i'm sure others may as well!

i think that's it for the holistic part ... if anyone has any other suggestions/comments, please email me or post a comment!  thanks for the input!!

i shot a wedding by myself this weekend, alisha couldn't make it ... so i found myself thinking about things, observing the bride and groom and their families ... the priest touched on something during the ceremony that has stuck with me.  he talked about different levels of love ... we say we love chocolate, but it's a totally different level of love than you have for your child.  when he was talking about this, i started thinking that *love* is tossed around pretty casually these days, and how i want to make sure my kids know the true meaning of love.  i remember when i was little, writing on an old school desk in our basement *gina + mark + donna* (mark is my dad ... donna, of course, is my mom :) ... i had a little crush on my dad, simply because he was my hero.  i had no clue then what it means to be *in love* and quite honestly, probably still don't know.  i've fallen *in love* and head over heels in love so many times already over my short life, where i thought it was the *real deal*, that by now, i think it's silly.  rather than 'falling in love,' i look at relationships more as simply respect.  the priest talked about how truly loving someone is a commitment, taking their faults, them taking your faults, and working together -- changing things along the way to keep it working.  respect each other ... if one person isn't being respected, the other person isn't going to be happy.  i think about these things not only for myself, but for my kids ... having gone thru a yucky divorce, i don't know if i'll ever marry again.  right now, any term involving marriage or dating makes me queasy ... i just don't like the labels.  however, i think about my kids, and if at all possible, want to steer them in the direction to make wiser choices than i did.  i want them to know that great love is possible, but first they need to know how to completely respect themselves, before they know if someone is treating them 100% respectfully ... anyways, just some things to ponder.  by the way, B & E, the wedding i shot this weekend made me think these thoughts because you guys have your heads on straight!  you guys will do wonderful things together, i have no doubt!!

and finally .... the JUNE contest is here!!!  this is for a free session, and since it's the month of father's day, it's geared towards dads!!  i know that i'll have a heck of a time getting any man to get involved, i'm guessing, but i'm going to try!  GUYS - send me a pic (just a snapshot will do) of you interacting with the kiddos.  the most *creative* photo wins.  mom's ... if you want a free session, you can sweet-talk your man into this ... it will be fun!  PLEASE NOTE : i'm not looking for a photo that will make me go ... awww, how sweet ... i'm looking for something CREATIVE.  so put on your thinking caps!!!  please get photos to me by WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11.  you can email them to me at info@ginamillerphotography.com .

some cute dad pix :

holy cow! a holistic approach ...

last week, i had a client tell me that she had cleared most of their plastics from their kitchen, replaced with pyrex.  i laughed, because i have been doing the same over the last several months.  i also had my second accupuncture appointment yesterday, and she has given me some helpful hints and tips on holistic healing.  i sent an email to a friend several months ago seeing if she had any recommendations for anyone practicing holistic medicine and accupuncture, and did she ever!!  thanks to her advice, i'm hoping to be on the right path to naturally healing my headaches and female issues.

i was on the migraine medication topamax and my migraines were better, but i was still having them some, along with side effects. (thumbs twitching, memory issues...) -- i really started wondering if i should be on this drug or not.  for my female issues, my dr. suggested a drug called Lupron, which i came home and read about.  it seems to be a temporary relief, and there is a boatload of side effects.  i decided that between the two drugs, i would definitely lose my mind.  it throws you into temporary menopause!  i was afraid i would be an emotional trainwreck, all for less pain.  it was then that i decided to wean myself from the topamax and try something holistic, and it also was then that i discovered the words parabens and xenoestrogens, etc. that was 3 months ago, and i have yet to have a migraine. 

my research a few months ago brought me to this : i never thought much about what i pour into my body or apply to my skin (the largest organ of our bodies!!)  but it makes sense that artificial ingredients, man-made hormones, and synthetic materials can effect us, doesn't it?  i replaced all of my make-up, lotions, and shampoos/conditioners with paraben free products.  the good thing : you can often find products on shelves now that say no parabens, GMO's, synthetic (anything!), SLS ... which is great!  hopefully one day (soon!) companies will *have* to start making products more naturally, and in good ol' glass containters!  it should be demanded by consumers.

another thing : my accupuncture lady (i'm sure that's not the correct term!!) mentioned taking harper off dairy products when i mentioned him having an ear infection.  i had never heard of such a thing, so i came home and researched online.  sure enough, people can have food allergies (milk is most common, it seems) that can contribute to ear infections.  i conveniently had an appt scheduled today with an ENT (ear, nose, & throat specialist) and asked him ... he said, yes, it could be a milk allergy, it's possible.  he did mention a difference between an allergy and being lactose intolerant. we'll see!  harp is scheduled to go back in one month so we can check ... in the meantime, we'll be running a little test with much less dairy.  he had fluid in his ear today, he just got off an antibiotic about a week ago.  we'll see ... i'm guessing he'll probably have to get tubes, but it's not going to hurt and try!!  just thought i would mention this, because i know i had never heard of anything like this before, so maybe anyone reading hasn't either.  or maybe i'm just way out of the loop!

anyhoo, here is an excellent site to check out:  http://safemama.com/   -- there is lots of good info on there, and you can spend hours browsing the topics.  some other good sites:

Saffron Rouge
Terressentials
Dr. Hauschka
Melaleuca

organic and natural products are more expensive ... it stinks.  but i decided that my and my kid's health was worth a few extra dollars, and i just wouldn't have such a variety of the things i normally purchase.  some good products i've found :

Weleda baby Calendula Lotion - smells excellent and they are a natural, organic company ... this is available at Babies R Us, among other places

JASON quit bugging me spray - natural insect repellant, also availabe at Babies R Us -- Deet, PABA, and Paraben Free

Pangea Organics - Canadian Pine with White Sage hand soap - yummy, smells like pine trees!!  i also got the Argentinean Tangerine & Thyme Facial Toner ... smells delicious and is a bit of a pick-me-up!

i'm also buying natural soaps, you can usually find some at at art/homemade crafts fairs.  they smell delicious and last forever.

i think what's important for all of us to do is stop and think about what we're putting into our own bodies, and our children's.  what if environmental factors really do have an impact on autism or ADD, cancer, or your own daily ailments? it's something to think about.  just do a few of your own searches on parabens and xenoestrogens -- it's kind-of scary.  i don't want my hormones, or my kid's, being altered by drinking a glass of milk or putting on lotion!

some recents (i don't know why the photo spacing is messed up ... tired of trying to figure it out!  i'll have a new blog soon ... !!!)