just popping in with a hello and a peek from a session with three amazing girls & their incredible parents.  mom’s style quotient is off the charts which made this shoot extra extra fun…so was seeing them again at ballet under the stars a few weeks ago!  oh, and before i forget…i want to pass along a couple links:

an article about playful parenting i love (thank you to the author for permission to post a time bit here)

idea #4: “the cereal trick”

In their book How To Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk, Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish describe an approach to help kids get unstuck from something upsetting.

In the illustration, a toddler asks his mother for a certain kind of cereal, a cereal that they don’t have in the house.  Instead of arguing back and forth over the cereal, the mom tells her little one, “I wish I had the magic power to make a giant box appear!”  The authors write, “Sometimes just having someone understand how much you want something makes the reality easier to bear.”

I like to take this technique and run with it.  For example, one day our two-year-old was angry and pouting over not being able to go to the zoo that day.  Instead of trying to explain how it was too hot and the animals wouldn’t be out and we would all be cranky and disappointed, I said, “I wish we had a zoo right in our backyard.  Wouldn’t that be so cool?  What animals would you like to have in a backyard zoo?  Oh yes, definitely crocodiles.  How about giraffes?  Yes, and hippos, too!  Hey, let’s draw a picture of our backyard zoo!”

…playfully creating a fantasy seems help smooth over the feelings of frustration and disappointment that are often the source of unpleasant behaviors.  Read the rest of the article here :)

And this cute etsy shop is getting some love from some of my favorite people, including Whitney @ English Paper Co….darling return address stamps. (Is it painfully obvious how weak-in-the-knees i get over cute paper things?).  -m-

kindness in words creates confidence. kindness in thinking creates profundity. kindness in giving creates love. [ lao-tse ]

i love catching up a wee bit on blogging to share some of these fun sessions with you!  and i l-o-v-e sibling shoots…maybe because i love my own brother so much, and i love the transformation that happens from age 8 when you’re complaining to your mom that your brother got into all your stickers to what is now one of the truest and deepest friendships there is.  love you, matt!

i can only imagine how happy this trio made their parents with this *surprise* they planned for them.  their brilliance is obviously coupled with thoughtfulness :)  what a sublime pleasure!  thank you, thank you for allowing me to share this beautiful early evening with you!  warmly, -melanie-

To the outside world, we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other’s hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time. [ clara ortega ]

just a little encouragement to sit back and enjoy all that summer holds. warmly, -melanie-

summer afternoon – summer afternoon;

to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the english language.  [ henry james ]

To love is to find pleasure in the happiness of the person loved. [ Leibnitz ]

P.S. If you’re a photographer in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area, I’d love to meet you at the School of Photography later this month.  I welcome your questions in advance (just email me) and I’ll address them during our Q & A or work them into the presentation.

we find such delight in the

beauty and happiness of children

that it makes the heart too big for the body.

[ ralph waldo emerson ]

newborn sessions have been incredibly stirring as of late…yes, there’s sleeplessness, and piles of laundry, and lots of new baby gear but there’s also a sweet peace that wraps a home.  life slows down a bit so you can get to know the newest member of the family, family and friends stop by and you work out a new rhythm (ie: who is taking the 3am feeding?).  welcome to the world, baby wells…you’re doing an incredible job making your corner of the world happier :)

be ready. here comes life. [ maya angelou ]

hello friends!  i love showing you how i spend my days – and this was such an incredibly lovely one with the lexington cancer foundation.  definitely plan to come next year if you weren’t there this year!  have the best weekend…i’m dodging the rain (fairly successfully, right ashlie??) today and having a wonderful time doing so :)  warmly, -melanie-

never will a time come when the most marvelous recent invention is as marvelous as a newborn baby. [ carl sandburg ]

and people wonder why i’m so happy – look at this sweet sleeping baby, how couldn’t i be!  hope your derby day was lovely!  warmly, -melanie-

we’ve been enjoying the best (but also busiest!) winter!  we’re so excited about our duet [limited edition] mini session coming up march 13th @ keeneland!

it’s the perfect chance to throw on a great scarf & snuggle in with someone you love!

a few ideas on who this session is ideal for:
- as a gift for your adult parents (photo note: the darling mr & mrs dixon who braved the snow!!)
- get a babysitter and have an updated photo made just with your spouse (note: it’s sec tournament time so set the tivo and promise a whole interrupted day except for this one hour…and the session itself will just be 15-20 minutes)
- some ‘mom + little one’ shots (or whoever doesn’t typically get photographed because they’re always behind the camera (if it’s mom, i think it could be a sweet surprise fathers day gift for dad to unwrap)
- you with your dog :)
- two siblings
- any two people who love each other :)

details: a 15-20 minute session, $125
where: beautiful keeneland, lexington ky

times still available:  All Booked!

email us (info@melaniemauer.com) soon – we’ll be taking reservations through next friday, march 5th!

can’t wait to see you! warmly, -melanie-

50 best romantic getaways via cup of jo

lots of babies are headed our way…i think this baby naming site is one of the best.

love this chandelier that’s on sale right now :)

i think to myself, what a lucky baby to have arrived in a home with so much love.  such is the case with you baby ella.  -m-

you will always be your child’s favorite toy.
[vicki lansky, trouble-free travel with children]

the cutest personalized stamps…i think i’ll make audrey one of these for her birthday

i love dreaming up getaways (and this article has lots of great ideas)

a poster to give at valentine’s day for anyone with a fiance in med school

a quick reminder that prints you’d like to have in time for holiday delivery should be ordered *this* week…
we need a bit of extra time to deal with the amount that comes in this time of year!

On to sweet Jennifer & Trey! Over the years I’ve noticed a ‘gap’ in photographs.
Too often it goes from wedding images to family shots with nothing in between.

Perhaps because in my particular case there were several years in between getting married to having Audrey, I think that can be far too long so I’ve been delighted with the anniversary shoots clients have arranged this year!

Totally smitten with these two and their ability to relish the great moments (I  particularly love their travel adventures)….
i feel so strongly that photography holds a key to helping us preserve our memory of happy times. And seriously, who wouldn’t love photographs of their parents like this? There’s an image of my grandfather sitting on a fence holding a darling beagle puppy that stands out as a favorite in our collection because of the sweet smile on his face. Thank you, Jennifer & Trey for being beyond wonderful! -m-

make-up: ana crane simpson

check out: a great blog series about having a ‘first look’ with your groom from a fun wedding planner
(saundra hadley in indiana)

this talk by james nachtwey really moved me…not only are his images incredible but they stir my heart in a deep way
and I think they are powerful enough to illicit change. Well worth 20 minutes to view.

the most delightful building swathed in liberty print

all the choreographed first dances at weddings this year have been so fun!
Here’s one via Cup of Jo (you’ll see three small boxes, click on the 2^nd):

love these mini chalkboards…I’m a message sort of girl: a smile on the fogged up window for Audrey, notes in a shoe or emails in the middle of the day to jason saying ‘I love you’…when I was little I had a box that I put messages back and forth in with my mom, perhaps that’s where the love stems…write a sweet note to someone you love soon.

gina, lance and their family were wonderful – we did this session for a couple reasons.  first, to create an image for an announcement and also to create images of their new blended family for their home. i love that now, as they share lives, the images on their wall will reflect this new beautiful family of theirs.  here’s a peek at their beautiful announcement.

it’s not nearly done but i’m already feeling like i’ve had one of the best years imaginable.  thank you, thank you, thank you…next week marks my 10th year in business.  it means more than i can express to have been present when you say ‘i do’, as you’ve welcomed babies into your home and to see them grow.  i appreciate that i’m involved with recording your visual history and i really do feel that it’s so much better to have consistency in that if at all possible.  moves happen but if circumstances allow, i think the loveliest option is to utilize one photographer so that the voice amongst the images in your home all ‘play’ well together – they have a similar feeling and voice to them.  yesterday, the most darling mother mentioned her young daughter and the fact that i would be there to photograph the wedding and my heart jumped – it’s never an assumption i make that i’ll get to share life beside you, just a deep deep hope.  you make life rich – merci.

where does the family start? it starts with a young man falling in love with a girl -
no superior alternative has yet been found.
[ winston churchill ]

it’s been a little while – we are busy bees and sometimes the blog gathers a tiny bit of dust this time of year.
first, thank you over and over again for an absolutely magnificent summer!  it has been the best!

there’s so much to share…oh my!  but i’ll start with a peek at a couple great events the lexington cancer foundation organized – their annual wine auction and hats for life.  i’m so impressed with what this foundation does – every event is impeccable.  and kristi martin, the executive director, manages to craft events that are both elegant and FUN!   i feel deeply honored to record a tiny bit of the work they do and adore the amazing women on their board.

definitely plan to come to this event next april!  tickets are so so reasonable and there were so many great hats!
location: hilary j. boone center on uk’s campus

she happened to look cute in absolutely everything she put on!

an image from the wine auction held at keeneland

how wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.
[ anne frank ]

a few things to share:

an incredibly thoughtful engagement story
a darling gift for your favorite 3 year old boy
these are my kind of alphabet prints!

so happy for a recent feature on style me pretty – merci, abby & eddye!

see [ one day ] – the fenwicks

a huge thank you to the endlessly sweet fenwicks for their trust – i hope that by the end of this, you’ll fall in love with them like i did a few years ago when i walked beside them on the day they married. and perhaps you’ll also imagine a bit of what your [ one day ] would hold.

if you’re interested in something similar for your family, please let me know – we can do coverage in kentucky or perhaps at your vacation home late this summer/fall. our signature 1 hr sessions are almost completely full for summer so let us know soon if you’re up for a fun shoot at the state fair with games/bright colors behind you…maybe eating cotton candy? or we can find a peaceful park for a picnic! i hope my love for you and what we create is evident…it’s an incredibly happy life because of my association with you!

if you’re a client or prospective client and would like to receive our occasional notes, please sign up below…you have our promise that we won’t inundate you with mailings…just the occasional letter to say hi and let you know of news :) -m-

i appreciate that behind this label there are two mothers…moms that appreciate that clothes for children need to be sturdy for play.  and play we did!! i missed these children so much after the shoot was over!

it was fun to see an entire collection and the creative process that went into it – and oh the sweet details like the ric rac on a back pocket.  i absolutely adore the clothes, adore the children, and adore the great family of people that make up bella bliss!  so very honored to create a record of such a labor of love.

bella bliss
209 north limestone
lexington, ky 40507

the dog was created specially for children. he is the god of frolic.
[ henry ward beecher ]

amy atlas makes me want to throw a party every day
i think this is one of the better baby name sites – nameberry

have a GREAT weekend…i’m so excited for a beautiful wedding tomorrow!