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crazy upcoming 2 weeks!

i cannot believe how fast summer, seniors, and rodeos are all going...this is INSANE!

tuesday and thursday, the kids are participating in the state horse show in 'their' events...carlee qualified for state horse show in showmanship (her FIRST year), and kyle in many, but is only participating in breakaway roping.

thursday immediately after kyle is finished, the family is starting off for pueblo, colorado for the little britches national final rodeo.  kyle has qualified for nationals in all 5 of his events...i am SO VERY PROUD of him.

me, i have meetings at the opera house today, FULL FULL days of shooting on tuesday-friday, then off to austin early sat. morning.

speaking of austin, i'm off to speak at the Children and Families Convention in austin, texas!  this is a great great organization intent on providing education to photographers of all experience level, and i am humbled and honored to have been asked to be a part of their line up. 

it will be a quick trip for me tho, i fly out sat. morning to austin, and back into sioux falls on sunday evening...then it's a drive to pueblo for me to join the family to cheer kyle on!  we will be out in colorado through august 1st, and then back in watertown to photograph for the redlin art center's event on august 2nd....

phhhheeeeewwwwwwwwwww...craazyness!

the studio WILL BE CLOSED...NO PHONE CALLS RETURNED/NO EMAILS RETURNED from july 25-august 5 while we are in colorado.  i apologize for any inconvenience this may cause clients...but, this is a once in a lifetime for kyle, and i can't miss it!

thank you so much for adjusting and understanding!!

ok, back to readying for what is guaranteed to be a wild and exhausting week!

heather

open houses are DONE for this year!

we have had a lower response this year to the open houses, and one can only assume it is due to the higher price of gas...

so, we are ending our thursday open houses for the year.

if you would like to come and view the sets, have questions answered, we would love to have you come...we just ask that you call to make an appointment to guarentee that we are able to give you the time you deserve!!

if you would like to make an appointment for a consultation for your senior appointment, please call the studio at 605-886-8858.

thanks so much,

heather

just so happy...

that i want to share you all...

kyle won ANOTHER buckle today...all around cowboy for his bracket for the 4H rodeo.

combine that with him qualifying in all of his events for national finals little britches rodeo, this is an
exciting time for our family!  we will be traveling to pueblo colorado july 25-august 2 to watch him compete.

SO, how does this benefit you the client?!  WELL...

the first 10 seniors to book this week,  in the month of august, will receive their session upgraded at NO CHARGE...sooooo our contemporary session will be $89.00 vs. $129!

the first 10 children or families that book will receive a free 5x7 portrait (value of $35).

how's that for sharing the happiness?!

don't wait to call, i don't expect this offer to last long...

h

you win some, you lose some...

this weekend, wow, where to start?!

as a mom, i had a fabulous weekend watching my kids participate in the 4H rodeo here in watertown.  kyle has been participating in rodeo for the past 5 years, and it has been amazing to see him grow and mature.  initially rodeo was a big social event for him, ride your horse and screw off with friends, and oh by the way...yeah, let's throw a rope...

NOW he's all business...and dang it, he's GOOD!  i was so very proud of him today...he caught his calf in breakaway calf roping in 2.69 SECONDS...clinching the buckle for him!!  the look on his face was priceless, and thankfully was caught on 'film'.  just for comparison, second place was taken with a time 5.77.  talk about a proud mom moment. 

for sis, this is her first year of rodeo, and it was equally fun to see the excitement on her face when her goat 'stayed tied', and she didn't break pattern in her barrel and pole runs.

as for the 'lose some' part of the weekend...

someone, in their desperate state, decided that my professional camera and lens must have been THEIR prize, as it was stolen while i was helping my children ready for their events.  it angers me intensely, as my camera is like my hands...ALWAYS with me, and i feel violated.  i feel terrible, as i wasn't able to photograph my children in their moments of glory...thank goodness for my friends brad and linda kuehn, who as professional photographers went out of THEIR way to extend professional courtesy in taking care of photographing my kids.  thank you brad and linda!!

more than anything, i feel sorry for whoever felt that they needed it so badly.  i understand that money is tight, and i hope that taking my camera helps them in whatever way they needed it...i just wish they had asked for help vs. taking what wasn't theirs.

i do have serial numbers, so, all have been reported and local pawn shops have been notified, so...hopefully it will be recovered.

FEAR NOT THO...i do have a backup camera, so, sessions and such are in no fear of having their sessions cancelled...it's all good!

off to put away rodeo gear and start the mounds of laundry,

h