My Name is Not Reagan

About a month ago, while I was with the ladies who attended the workshop weekend, Pat introduced Sarah and Reagan to the movie Mulan.
I came home that Sunday late in the afternoon to find both of the girls curled up in my bed watching it.
Since that day, I think it would be safe to say Reagan has watched it no less than 25-30 times.
She is completely obsessed with it and now actually recites parts of the movie as she is watching it.
It is cute and kind of scary at the same time...... we call it her "Mulan trance".
The other night, way past her bedtime, I caught her at the foot of my bed once again mesmerized by Mulan.
I called her name and she would not answer me. I thought it was that selective hearing again,
but a few moments later she turned to me and said, "my name is not Reagan, my name is Mulan".
So I guess if I want her attention, I have to call her by her new name.
Oh this girl....she keeps us on our toes and makes us smile at the same time.
I see a trip to the disney store in our future.
This is a costume we have yet to add to our collection.
Happy Friday Friends!
~Hope you all have a wonderful weekend~

For those of you that are photography fanatics, settings for this photo were f1.4 SS 1./100th and ISO 10,000
It is really amazing what some of these cameras can do in extremely low light conditions.
The room was literally pitch black, except for a small ray of light coming from the TV.

All That Spring Brings (iPhone style)

Frappacino's mid afternoon for a little pick me up, digging in the sandbox, playing in the driveway after dinner, fields with "flowers"... okay, some might call them weeds, we call them flowers, beautiful blooms on trees, soccer practice, scrumptious salads, farmers preparing the fields, Friday night adventures, and some "monkeying around" at sunset!!

All of the fun things we look forward to in Spring!
Although this morning it almost feels like winter again here in the northeast.
The temps have dropped and there is even a touch of frost out there!!
I can hardly believe that we are in the final weeks of school.
This year flew by in the blink of an eye...but I know three people in this house really looking forward to their summer break.
I just wish I got a break from work to enjoy all of those weeks with the kids.
Instead, I am going to have so look forward to a one full week of vacation and a few extra days here and there:)

A Mother's Love

"A Mother holds her child's hand for just a short time, but holds their heart forever"



"I received a gift on that faithful day
Of which I know I could never repay,
Just as God came down to say
He just gave one of his Angels away.

Little did I know, the test this would be
To prove to him and make him see,
That this angel was my destiny
Of that I’m sure a guarantee.

To hold her forever and never stray
To be there to comfort her pain away,
To see her through even the roughest of days
And teach her to be stronger along the way.

I was told one day, from a friend of mine
That God just gave me the gift of time!
Confused, I asked her to define?
And what she said never left my mind…

She said to watch her as she sleeps
It was then it became so plain to see,
How TIME STANDS STILL when she is next to me
Whether in my arms, or in my dreams.

Now watching each day as you grow
The changing of features from head to toe,
The smiles and giggles that make you glow
And the way you let your spirit show.

So, I’ll make a promise to you now
To raise you the best that I know how,
To teach you to always be confident and proud
So that you always stand out above the crowd!"
~Author Unknown~

May is a special month...
Not only is it the month we celebrate Mothers, but it is the month that started us on our adoption journey.
Seven years ago today, we were officially DTC(Documents to China) and our application was logged into the system just days later when our wait truly began. What we thought would be a 12 month journey to one daughter on the other side of the world, took about 5 years.

During that time, God opened a new door that was unexpected and now we have two beautiful girls.
One adopted domestically and one from China.
At times the wait was frustrating and the not knowing what the future held was painful.
Through all the ups and downs during those five years, I tried to remain optimistic and finally had to have the faith to put it in God's hands.
Only he knew when the time was right and which angels were meant to be our daughters.
Now on the other side of the adoption wait, I am reminded of that daily as I look into the eyes of all three of my children.
Each one came to us in their own special way, but there is no question in my mind that I was picked to be their Mom.
I have many jobs and roles in life, but there is nothing more rewarding and fulfilling, than being a Mom.
It is the best job I could ever have and I thank God for the three blessings I stare at each day.
To all of the Mom's and Mother's to be.... Happy Mother's Day!
~Enjoy your special day~

Favorite Photo Friday - "A Spring Night"

I am just popping in this morning to share a few snapshots from last weekend.
The weather was absolutely gorgeous and I think it is safe to say that Spring has finally arrived.
It has teased us a bit this year with a few warm days then back to cold, but it has been beautiful and everything is finally in bloom.
Lots of pretty colors sprouting everywhere you look.

We attended the annual carnival that takes place in the town where I grew up.
Not much changes from year to year..... same rides, same people, but the girls LOVE IT and always look forward to it.




In less than an hour the girls dizzied themselves silly on all the rides and even tried a few of the games.
We burned through the cash quickly, but the last $5 went towards the ball toss to win a fish.
Lucky for us, that $5 got us the family sized container so we could "help" to win the girls a fish.
Mimi had the lucky toss..... and we came home with three goldfish.

The girls were so excited and spent the first 2 days mesmerized by the fish bowl.
Unfortunately, the fish did not have much life left in them.
By the Fourth day, we had our third and final funeral, where we flushed our last slippery friend to fishy heaven.
Both Sarah and Reags handled it well and I was secretly relieved that I was not going to have to keep up with cleaning a fish bowl.
Having a dog for a pet is enough for me:)

~TGIF...Have a wonderful weekend~

Very Proud of "the Girls"

My original plan was to share the rest of my workshop photos with you all, but as the week progressed I had a change of heart.
The ladies that attended have been sharing their photos with me and each night after work as I viewed them, I was truly blown away by what I saw. So much that I decided to share their photos with you, instead of mine.

I guess you could say that I am just a tad proud of what these ladies have accomplished. Many have been with me from the moment they turned their camera dial from Auto to Manual and to see the progress that can happen in such a short period of time, just blew me away. Hands down my favorite photos of the week are the ones they produced

Since posting about our weekend I have received emails with interest and questions about future photography weekends.
Each of the ladies have not only shared their photos, but their thoughts on the weekend as well. For anyone who was wondering what the weekend was about and what they could take away, you might want to read what these lovely ladies had to say.
I promise, I did not pay them to say all the kind things they did..... these are their words, not mine:)


"Our weekend was absolutely incredible. We had a diverse and talented group of women, and we had such a fantastic time together sharing our passion. I already knew that Lisa is an extremely talented photographer, but getting to work with her in person reinforced that she is also an extremely gifted teacher." ~ Emily



"Undoubtedly the best workshop! Every detail was well thought out and executed perfectly. Lisa left nothing to chance, her number one goal was obviously providing an unforgettable experience, which was definitely accomplished! The location, models, instruction, food and materials were top notch. Highly recommend!" ~ Shasta



"Attending Lisa's Spring Photography Weekend was such an amazing opportunity, both professionally and personally. Seeing Lisa in action at multiple photo shoots and learning from her classes helped push my photography to another level. I also gained much needed information that will help me grow and sharpen my skills. I am especially grateful for the friendships formed with Lisa and the other talented and passionate photographers who attended her workshop. It was an inspiring weekend!" ~ Hannah



"Lisa has a natural gift for capturing the essence of the soul in her photos. Each picture tells a story and has a magical feel that leaves you in awe and wonder. After two years of online classes and mentoring with Lisa, I had the privilege of meeting her in person at our recent photography weekend. Throughout our time together I had countless "ah-ha" moments watching her at work behind the lens, seeing how she interacts with her clients to achieve a natural pose and learning more about the business side of photography. Lisa's talent doesn't stop with photography…she can even do a grand jete with perfect form in boots and jeans! We had six unique photo shoots all with different locations, models, weather and lighting conditions which put the skills she has taught us to the test. I learned more about myself and the importance of staying true to my vision as a photographer. I also met some wonderful ladies that share the same passion for photography and adoption. Lisa covered every detail... the hands-on experience was really a dream come true. It isn't what you see but how you see it that makes a difference. Lisa has taught me to see life through a different lens and for that, I am forever grateful." ~ Amy



"The weekend was more than I ever expected. Lisa is really the most amazing teacher. She has the most incredible ability to present things in a way that makes them understandable and exciting. I had many "aha" moments during the workshop with regard to things that I never even thought about. I left the workshop with a new excitement for photography! Not only did I learn a tremendous amount about photography, I learned that women can come together with a common purpose and support each other in kind and loving ways. The workshop was an incredible, life changing experience and I'm grateful to Lisa for every second of it." ~ Laura



"Lisa’s weekend workshop was so helpful to me as I was able to see in person the way that Lisa stylizes the models, poses them, picks a location, and then switches things up based on the model and other circumstances that were planned or unplanned. Now I feel so much more confident when photographing people. Lisa and all the wonderful ladies who participated in the workshop made the weekend so fun and memorable!" ~ Lauren



"Where do I even begin?!? The workshop was an incredible learning experience! There is something about taking a weekend to focus on photography and surrounding yourself with talented, supportive photographers. Lisa put together an incredible agenda with a mix of information and photo sessions with different subjects and locations. I know that the quality of my pictures will forever be changed from what I learned at this workshop. And boy, did we have FUN!" ~ Kelly



"Going to out to Lisa's workshop was like a dream to me. To be with Lisa in person and watch her work magic at each session was amazing. She was very gracious with sharing all her little tricks while helping us all to become better photographers. It is hard to put into words this experience. It was a time with women who shared many of my passions. Lisa's guidance as our leader allowed us to come away with new friends and photography skills that will change our lives and dreams!" ~ Teri



"I can not begin to put into words how much Lisa has done for my photography skills! I have loved her on-line classes, but I am a hands on learner. In one weekend with Lisa things just clicked and my photography has changed in amazing ways. You then add in the awesome women, the bonding, the fun times..... a photography weekend with Lisa....PRICELESS!" ~ Sandy



"I cannot express how incredibly blessed I feel to have had the honor and pleasure of attending your Spring Weekend. You are an amazing photographer, teacher, mentor and host. Your Workshop reached far beyond my expectations in learning so much more than I ever thought possible. I had the best time EVER connecting to photography and friends all in one fabulous weekend. In true “Lisa style” you made everyone feel so comfortable in this beautiful picturesque setting that is any photographer’s dream. Whether we were shooting on location, dining in fantastic restaurants or spending time together at our hotel, you made us all feel so special. I found myself in constant awe as I watched you go above and beyond in creating an intimate and personal experience for each and every one of us. Thank you for allowing me into your world and inspiring me to continue on my photography journey. I will "forever" be grateful for this wonderful weekend!" ~ Diane


It's hard to describe how much it meant to me to work with these fantastic ladies face to face after working with so many of them online.
It was almost surreal to have an entire weekend to shoot together. We accomplished A LOT and had a ton of fun at the same time.
Every moment was accounted for and unfortunately the time flew by way to quickly.

As much as these ladies feel I have provided them with a learning experience, they have also provided the same for me and SO MUCH MORE.
I sure hope to see this group of talented women again very soon and in the meantime, I will enjoy watching their photography grow.

A special thank you to all of our beautiful models who braved the cool and very windy weather to help make this weekend complete!
Without you, we could not have done it!!!

~Happy Weekend Everyone~

Triple the Fun

This weekend was a complete blast..... words cannot even explain how much fun we had shooting at all the cool spots around town and spending time with each other talking photography and adoption. Most of the ladies who came to visit are also adoptive Moms and I absolutely adore them.

It has taken me a few days to recover from our action packed weekend.
Seriously, I can't believe how much we fit into two days.
You all have heard me say that I require very little sleep, but the last two nights I have been in bed by 8pm and slept straight through until 6am. When I do that, I know I am REALLY REALLY tired.

I woke up this morning feeling energized and finally ready to start sorting through some of my photos.
We had 6 shoots in total. All of them took place in Bethlehem except for our triplets. The girls and I took a field trip.... literally:)
We went to visit the field of dreams because the blue bells were still standing tall!!!


A few months back, I put out a note on my facebook page looking for models for this particular event.
As soon as I saw this darling trio, I knew we needed to fit them into our lineup and I am so glad we did.
These adorable little ladies totally knew how to work it for the camera.
Their momma is also an aspiring photographer and it did not phase them in the least to have 12 ladies with big cameras pointed at them.
In fact, they totally ate it up! I have never seen so much personality in my life. I have a new found respect for Maria, their Mom.
Keeping up with them on a daily basis must require some stamina.


One of the many things we learned this weekend was how to deal with things that happen that are out of your control. Early in the morning I was talking about ways to improvise when things happen that are unexpected. We had a couple things crop up that reinforced this lesson. This sweet girl was in tears just a few minutes before because she stepped on a little twig that scratched her foot. She was also a bit chilly (it was really windy all weekend) so we wrapped her up in a pretty blanket and gave her a break. As I saw her sitting there with the blanket wrapped around her, I thought it would make a great photo. Funny that this was never part of the original plan, but it is now one of my favorite photos of the day:) She was also ready to ditch that blanket and get back into the limelight with her two sisters moments later. What scratch?

We had shoots with a gorgeous ballerina, pretty little girls, a couple of cool dudes,
and a beautiful child who is about to receive her First Holy Communion.
On Friday I plan to share more photos..... I have only just begun to go through them.
I have also received a number of emails and messages about future photography weekends.
This weekend went so well and the feedback was very positive..... I am thinking about doing it again in the Fall when the leaves change.
It is my very favorite time of year for our area.
If you have an interest in attending, please email me as I have yet to firm up dates.
(visions by lisa at gmail dot com)

Hope everyone has a wonderful week....we are almost halfway through already:)

Dreamy

The light was not quite the same the evening I went back with Reagan. The clouds were beginning to roll in, but we managed to get some photos and now I am pretty sure I can fill up an entire wall in our home with this series of photos of Sarah and Reagan. Only kidding:)

We had a few hair malfunctions, so we went with the flyaway messy hair look.


For the last 2 years, I have had the privilege of working with some incredible women through photography.
There is a core group that has pretty much been together from the beginning and they were asking for a weekend together in person, so now that the warm weather has arrived, they are coming for a visit!!

There will be 12 of us spending an entire weekend together shooting in all of my favorite locations around town.
I have some SUPER CUTE and BEAUTIFUL models all set up and have tried to stylize the clothes for each session.
Everything arrived about 2 weeks ago and I decided to give one of the props a test run on Reags Wednesday night.
Although it is quite lovely, it was a smidge too big for her tiny head.
Our model is older, so hopefully it will fit her perfectly!

Well, all of this to say, this week will be more hectic than most and I am anxious and nervous at the same time.
I can't wait to meet these super sweet ladies. I just hope the weather will cooperate and the sun will shine down on us like it did on Sarah this week! And that the bluebells make it until Saturday.... they all want to visit the "Field of Dreams" :)

Have a wonderful Sunday and a terrific week!
We are headed to the soccer field today!
Sarah traded in her yellow jersey for a blue one.
It's not pink, but we are getting closer:)

It has been a while, but I am participating in my friend, Stef's, Sunday Snapshot today.
Take a minute to pop over and say hello!

Magical

It is safe to say that you might be seeing a lot of "blue" around here the next two weeks.
Spring has sprung and so has the famous field of blue bells in the neighboring town.
Those of you that have been following the new "2 Hip Chics" photography site, have seen more than a few of these photos already,
but since this is where I document for our family, I wanted to post them here as well.

Sarah was the first one to go running through.... She looked so stunning in the light she literally left me breathless and I could feel the tears welling up when I looked at her. Reagan is not the only one that is looking very grown up these days. I can hardly believe how mature Sarah is looking as well.


The girls got these light pink night gowns for Easter and I thought they might look pretty out there in the field.


It seemed like it was one of those evenings where everything lined up perfectly.
The light was simply AMAZING and I have never seen Sarah look more radiant.
She must have picked about 100 flowers... all for her Daddy:)


Needless to say, I was kicking myself for leaving Reags at home...and I made a return trip the following night.

You know what that means, right?
Yep, you got it... more photos, but since I have already packed more than a few photos into this post, I think we will say:
TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK

But I will leave you with just one teaser:)


~Have a fabulous weekend friends~

A Taste of Spring

Thank heavens it finally warmed up around here...
We had temps in the high 60's on Sunday, so Reags and I headed out for a morning walk to bask in the bright sunshine.

Nothing is bloom yet and it was a little windy, but that did not stop us from enjoying the fresh air.
We are so ready for Spring and all the fun things it brings like bubbles, sidewalk chalk, trips to the park, and our favorite, Rita's Italian Ice.


It has been a long winter and I don't think Reags remembered what it felt like to have sandals on her feet.
She has been keeping her tootsies warm in her boots for the last few months and I think those toes were in shock to be out in the open.
Every time I looked down at her feet, she had her toes all scrunched up!!!
Something tells me by the end of the week, she will be loving her sandals and won't give those boots a second thought.
Weather forecast says a high of 79 Degrees tomorrow....HOORAY!

The Only Proof of Easter Break

I really seem to have fallen off the wagon lately when it comes to picking up my camera.
For a while there I was in a good groove and making an extra effort to document the little moments.
I sure have gotten lazy about it and would you believe never picked up my camera once over the Easter Break?

Luckily I snapped a few iPhone photos, so I do have proof that the holiday existed, jut not in the normal fashion.
Nothing fancy about these.... just the girls for the most part loving their time off together.

It sure was hard for everyone to go back to school and work this week. No one wanted to get up and go their separate ways.
Too much fun and a lot of sugar. Trying to detox everyone this week.
I moved the Easter baskets out of plain site, but the little one found them in the dining room and plunked right down and helped herself to the chocolate. That girl will stop at nothing when food is involved..... especially when it comes to the sweet stuff:)

Happy(almost)Friday friends.
Hope you all have a nice weekend.
It sure would be nice if Spring would finally arrive.
It is still quite cold here.

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