2011 Late Summer/Fall Blue Dot Changes

Randy & I have nothing but TERRIFIC things to say about our clients and how Excited we are at how much we have grown in the last year!! We have put in so much time and energy into making Blue Dot grow and we try our hardest to make sure we do our best to provide the BEST Customer Service we can to you all! We are still human and make mistakes and try what we can to learn from them and do better next time!! With Randy working full time at Bremers and I staying home with 2 children (one with special needs) that alone on our plate we feel life gets kind of crazy! Then with Weddings and Portraits added into the mix.. I will say we can never say we are bored!! lol! Saying this.. WE LOVE every single minute of it!! I love looking at our calendar and seeing that every week/weekend we are slammed! I love opening up our email and seeing I have a bunch of people inquiry about our services!! We try our hardest to balance everything as we possible can! We try hard to get Portrait Pictures back to our customers with 1-2 weeks.. Very few times has it been over 2 weeks.. and it would be 1 or 2 people in the last couple of years!! And sometimes we stay up till 2-3am editing away!! And our Wedding Sessions back to the customers back with in 4-5 weeks!! J
I honestly We LOVE it all!! Editing for me is my stress reliever!! I love uploading them on my computer and look through real fast and find a shot that just makes me smile (I try for something that’s cute, different, and fun!) I love the weeks where we’re slammed with sessions and I get to be creative and get to go outside the box!!

Okay.. So why the changes.. b/c of so many sessions and weddings coming at us (again.. So not complaining at all.. We LOVE it) we have had to get extra help for the kids! Paying sitters isn’t that cheap.. I’m finding that out.. And having to have certain sitters that will really be able to meet Tyus’s needs are even harder! Normally I am home and just down stairs editing away.. But at times I do have to leave them to go to sessions. So I have to make sure I’m covered! Another reason for the changes is b/c of the mistakes and lesson’s learned parts! We are always trying to see what you as the client want and try hard to meet your needs. As well we are still a business and this is like you going to your job every week to provide for your family. So we do have to have standards, guidelines, boundaries, etc! We try our hardest to be super easy going and work as much and as hard as we can to work around your schedule and ours! Looking at our schedule for the late summer and fall coming up we are booking up pretty good! Now we do still have openings but again as I said with Weddings to work around and I will be starting home school for Tash next week! I have learned the best way to balance everything out is to be prepared and organized!! Which I think through the years of Blue Dot we are getting pretty good at it! J

　

Our Late Summer & Fall Hours will change as we get closer and time starts changing and it starts getting darker earlier! As of now our last appointment we make for the night is 530, but as fall comes up it will change to 330! We will still be doing weekday appointments Wednesdays from 10-530 (fall 10-330) Thursday 2-530 (fall 2-330) We switch back and forth through each month with providing Saturday or Sunday appointments! With having to work around Weddings we still provide weekend appointments for our clients. Saying this these tend to book up a lot quicker! So if you are able to make a weekday appointment please do so! I won’t be putting up dates and time for we still do have a lot open and its just easier for you to tell us around when you are looking to book an appointment and we can let you know what we have open around those times!

As I said our sessions were going to be changing and things were going to be added and things be taken away! I have sadly decided not to do a Halloween Mini Session! I want to be able to put my attention into regular sessions and last year it was starting to get hard to be able to stay caught up with it all! I do as of now plan on doing a fun Kids Xmas Mini! I’m not going to say I’m 100% on that decision but as of now I still really want to do one! J

New prices and packages!

Each Normal Session

(Infant/Children, Family, Seniors, & Engagements Single Sessions)

Portrait Session 1:

Sitting fee is $85 which includes appox 30-40 proofs in a proof book that has a list of enlargements for reprints, etc! With no order our 1 cd is normal $150 which means. So Proof book and 1 cd would be $235. If you would rather have just the 1 cd with no proof book the sitting fee is $210 which include 30-40 proofs in high resolution format on cd with a signed release form stating you can get them printed, copied, or use however you would like.

Portrait Session 2:

Sitting fee is $115 which includes appox 50-60 proofs in a proof book that has a list of enlargements for reprints, etc! With no order our 1 cd is normal $150 which means. So Proof book and 1 cd would be $265. If you would rather have just the 1 cd with no proof book the sitting fee is $240 which include 50-60 proofs in high resolution format on cd with a signed release form stating you can get them printed, copied, or use however you would like.

***Please remember that with the package where you get a cd it comes with 1 release form with 1 name on it! Extra cd’s can be purchased after the 1^st for an additional $25 each with a signed release form!***

*** We do not put a limit on how many people can be in the session. There is no additional charge for extra people! We do however push for Portrait Session 2 for it will give you more pictures to help equal out the family evenly!!***

***All payment is due day of Session! We do not require a down payment!***

***Only Inside Sessions will be for Newborn/Infants! If your child is 2 and order we highly recommend always doing outside Portraits! If they have siblings that are infants we gladly welcome brothers/sisters in the shots inside however!***

***Our turn around time for Portraits is 1-2 weeks! We try our hardest to stay under the 2 weeks as much as possible! But most of you know with having kids some days can get super crazy and you just don’t know what to expect! If for any reason we feel that your portraits are going to go over the 2 week period we will let you know! We do try hard to always keep everyone updated through Face book at where you are sitting in line for editing!***

***We do put a Sneak Peek Picture up of each session the day or day after of your Session. During the time of Editing your Session we periodically add a few more sneak peeks up! Once the Session is completed we will not be uploading the entire session up on face book but you will be able to view your entire session on our website! By going to

www.bluedotphotography.com click on current Portraits and then click on your Name! They will stay up for appox 2 weeks! If for any reason you do not want your portraits up on Face Book or up on our website please let us know a head of time and we will respect your request!***

Our 1^st year packages

YAY… I have decided that I want to leave these alone! So prices haven’t changed but will still post them on here for those who don‘t know what they are! These will end up saving you a ton though the year! J

1^st Year Package A

$450

Newborn (0-6 weeks old) $150 Due

6 months: $150 Due

1 year: $150 Due

****Each session you will receive apex 40 proofs on cd in high resolution format, with signed release form

Last session will include a 8x8 collage of your favorite 12 pictures in the 1^st year! (Saving $180)****

1^st year Package B

$725

Newborn (0-6 weeks old): $145 Due

3 months: $145 Due

6 months: $145 Due

9months: $145 Due

1 year: $145 Due

****Each session you will receive apex 40 proofs on cd in high resolution format, with signed release form

Last session will include 25 5x7 personalized picture invites and a 8x8 collage of your favorite 12 pictures in the 1^st year!! (Saving $325) ****

　

　

We are excited to see what the rest of the year brings for us! Thank you all in advance to choosing Blue Dot to capture those unmatched moments for your Story Book!!

Happy Bithday Little Man!!

exactly 1 year ago today......

I woke up thinking oh my goodness Mr Tyus is never going to come out and as of 3 days before this they were weighing him in at 9 lbs 10 oz.. I thought seriously my due date was still 2 1/2 weeks away... Think Heaven My Doctor was smart enough to tell me that I was going to have to have a c-section and that I would be getting a scheduled c-section on the 19th for the fact that Mr. Tyus was already a big guy and I would end up with a 12 lb child if I waited till my due date.. and with High blood pressure.. starting to lose feeling in my legs... etc... I was so excited... So any way.. I woke up irritated that I was still big fat and carrying around a bowling ball and was still tech on bedrest.. (doctor didn't want me to go into labor on my own) but I was stir crazy and I wanted to have a great day with Tash.. Thinking this could be the last chance we had a Mommy/Tash day out for awhile! So we went to toysrus... then to Hobby Lobby got TONS of xmas crafts.. Went to Lakeview Muesum... Had us some nice warm startbucks... then went home to do crafts!! Perfect day!! I was tired but felt the same.. big fat and preggers and barely fitting behind the wheel to drive! So I went to supper (not saying where b/c I'm doing a contest) with a friend and Tash! (randy was at a Bradley Game) I started telling her that my back was hurting so bad!! Ended up not eating any of my food.. Went to the bathroom during our time together and sure enough... I was having a little bit of bleeding.. So I left with Tash and drove myself to the hospital.. yes drove myself.. Making Tash sing to me the entire way.. Called Randy to tell him to meet me there.. Called my mother to tell her to meet me there.. Called Randy's mom to tell her to come get Tash.. And thankfully I made it b/c it seemed to be the longest drive of my life!!!! WOWSERS!! So we get there I'm hooked up on the monitors and they check me.. at a 2.. Watched me for a hour.. showed no contractions.. Told me that my doctor said he wanted to keep me and that most likely I would have my csection the next day but wanted to watch so I didn't go into labor.. I said seriously this is hurting really bad.. Doctor on call said oh its braxton hicks.. I said okay.. kept laying there.. Doctor left came back and said Your ob wants me to check you again before he decides weither or not he needs to come in.. I was at a 5! Okay.. so bottom line.. I ended up with the csection that night.. I was so nervous about it and asked them if I could pee before hand and Randy was standing right outside the door when I went in and when I came out he was gone.. I lost it.. Thankfully he was waiting for me down by the room and couldn't come in untill they were all ready to cut.. But they still let me stop and let him give me a hug and kiss! I remember that it was so intimidating the entire time.. Between being completely naked in front of a staff of like 10+ people just ready to rip me open and take out my child.. Totally different feel then when I had Tash.. I instantly had the biggest head ache.. I am okay the whole not pushing thing was kind of nice.. But again… That’s the whole fun of having children in my eyes! Call me crazy! Lol…. So at 11:28 out popped our Beautiful Baby Boy!! Weighing in at…. Oh another contest question.. Hehehe!! He was so stinking chubby!! I didn’t get to hold him yet only touch him.. He grabbed my finger and had the tightest grip ever!! Oh I can’t believe I have my beautiful son!!! FINALLY!! With 2 miscarriage before and almost losing him like a hundred times.. Being on bedrest for over 6 out of the 9 months.. If not more!! From having to get a shot 1 a week in my butt… to checking my blood sugars daily and taking insulin 3x a day… The work had finally paid off… Then I’m told he has to be kept in the nursery b/c he can’t keep his body heat up and his sugars are to low.. Boo.. Oh well I will get to see him.. Now just have to get these leggs working and epideral to ware off so I can go hold my baby boy… Wrong.. At about I believe 2 or 3 am my Sister, Mom, & Randy decide its time to head out and go home and get some rest.. My sister noticed that I was blooding and told me I should tell the nurse.. I said.. Lisa I just had a baby.. Its normal.. I feel good and nothing to worry about.. Well on there way out she decided to tell a nurse to check on it.. Pretty thankful she did b/c I started hemorrhaging out.. I remember telling the nurse that I was fine.. I felt great… I remember a tons of nurses being called in.. That the big button above your head at the hospital that is only pulled on tv… Yeah that was pulled doctors were called.. I remember all of a sudden I wanted to throw up.. I remember I couldn’t keep my eyes open and that I was just getting yelled at… You know that feeling in your head where everyone talking just feels like echos… not real words…. Black.. Yep.. Black.. So I took a nice nap… I work to both my arms being pulled and blood everywhere! Gross.. Hearing Nurses yelling my name… and seeing a big long needling being stuck in my leg.. Thankfully I felt nothing.. Then I started feeling better and coming to.. Ended up having to have 2 blood transfusions… and was not aloud to get out of bed till my levels were up.. Poor Ty was not able to come see me and I was not able to come see him.. Finally at about 8pm on the 17^th my levels were better and I could go in and see him.. I remember the 1^st time I held him it was perfect!! He was the most beautiful chubby boy I have ever seen!! I remember looking around the nursery and not one of those babies were even close to Ty’s size.. I saw tiny babies having to take carseat tests b/c they were so tiny.. But here my big chubs in my arms he was the perfect size!! He was able to come see me the next morning.. I was so happy to be able to have him with me!! My OB said that there is only like a 5% chance of hemorrhaging with a c-section.. And that he had given me medicine that actually prevents it more during my c-section.. So he said that that actually happened is extremely rare.. He likes it call those cases a Cecilia and 1! This year with Ty has been a whirlwind of a year.. We have gone through tons to have him here with us!! I can’t explain how much he means to Randy, Tasha, & I! I love how protected Tash is of him.. I love how much he just adores her! How he goes to her door in the morning and knocks on it to wake her up.. How he giggles at her when ever she gets near him..I love how much he is thrilled when Daddy get homes.. How he goes to the window and just stairs at him.. I love how Daddy is his best buddy.. That Randy can’t wake in a room where Ty is without having to pick him up!! I love that through this entire year of ups and downs that our family has stayed strong and have never fallen apart! This year from birth to 1 year of age.. Ty has been in the hospital a total of 76 days, has about a million different test done on him, 2 surgerys, 1 cold, about 1 million throw ups/spit ups, gone with about a hundred outfit changes each week, probably 3 rash out brakes each week… about 6 bed changes each week due to throwing up of peeing through his diaper due to his feeding tube.. Gone through 12 different kinds of formula! Yeah.. I could seriously go on!! But the bottom line is I honestly it has all been worth it!! We have our CushCush pefect family!! We annoy each other and some days I wish I had a closet to hide in.. But in the end I LOVE my life! I love that a year ago today God gave us our Tyus >>>>>>> Cushman!! Another contest question.. Lol! J

Ty

I decided to word vomit! These are my feelings.. My thoughts and emotions. The last 39 days have been crazy... I have had many emotions through it all and couldn't ever really seem to take the time and just vent out how I really feel... So I decided to do it!


So I find that I have been posting little by little regarding Ty on facebook. Some days I feel like I write a ton and others very little.. I guess it depends on my mood and how much energy I actually have left in me! As I sit here on night 39 alone with Ty who just now falling back asleep. I sit here wishing I was home laying in bed next to my husband and thinking how great it would be if I woke up at home and ask him to get up with Ty b/c I'm to tired. How it seems like forever ago! I can recall his 1st night home.. I can still recall Tasha's 1st time home.. Both were so different and yet both had the same magical feeling! Feeling of love, joy, and excitement! It stinks b/c I can not recall the last night I slept in my bed! Or the last thing I cooked at home! I guess our minds are designed to recall werid crazy moments and yet forget others! Like child birth!! I mean we don't really totally forget but yet we can't recall it enough that here comes baby 2 and on my thats a lot of pain... why in the world did I do this... I can't take the pain this is incredible... yet baby 3 comes out. God's way of designing our brain to forget! Its amazing how I have changed myself in 39 days.. I use to be a very needy person.. Relied on Randy for everything. I use to have anixety of being alone. I have yet to stay at our house alone over night but yet I can survive 39 days in a hospital with Ty! Amazing what you are willing to change when it comes to your children. I mean yes I do still feel like there are aspects of me that need to grow up so to say.. but don't we all have a little childness in us here and there. I see that after 39 days I can do so much on my own.... But honestly... I don't want to. I want to have Randy as the person that makes it all better.. That can walk into the room and calm my heart and mind. That always makes me feel that no matter how small or how large our problem is.... it will always be fixable.. Weither we like it or not... that there is always a way we can look at the situation and seek something positive out of it.. even when you would rather just throw your hands up and just give up... But then seriously... whats the point of living. God throws something at you b/c he knows that you can handle it!!! Knows that it may take time but in the end if you trust in him and let him guide you with his hands it is possible!! I'm so tired and worn out and yet I aske him every night and morning to grant me another day of strength, courage, and understanding.. I realize that we will never have final answers b/c only the lord is a step ahead of us! But we can have peace with Trusting in him and letting him guide us! Though all of this I have never doubted our God.. But pulled him closer and held on tighter.. I have never questioned him and asked him why, in a way that most would.. Instead I try my hardest to thank him. Thank him for trusting that I can handle it. Thank him for believing that I can do it! I look at Tyus and think about what his name means... A Gift from God. I think how fitting it is.. I think of Natasha and think about what her name means.... birthday. Naming my children neither of them did I ever even look to see what the name means till after the fact.. When the birth certificate was signed. So I think of my children and I think of the meaning of there names and its so incredible on how fitting both of there names mean.. Tyus is so much a gift from God to us! We had such a hard time through out my pregnancy and there were times I seriously thought it just wasn't going to happen. After my miscarriages I never felt like it was real until I got to hold him for the 1st time. Tasha... I think of what a birthday is and what it means to me... A party... balloons, streamers, laughter and smiles.. That is my Tasha! A party! Anyone who has ever met her will say that she is a light! A joy! Someone that has this way of just making you smile and giggle!! Then I do think of my name and it means Blind... I guess you could read into that in a lot of different ways.. I read it as Blind... I think I have grown up to lose sight in things that could bring me down... I feel I am one who can let a lot go... Blink and its gone... Turn a blind eye... I try though I will be the 1st to say I do fail... but try to be blind to the hurt and focus on the love! I know everything is not always roses and sunshine... But I also know that crying and fussing about it isn't going to change it at all! Won't make it better to throw a fit about it. I have lasted 39 days b/c I except the things I cant change and changed the things I can. Like my outlook on it. I got to have 39 days to get to know Ty! I got to have 39 days to appricate the things I have outside this hospital! You tend to take things for granted.. My husband.. My bed.. My front door! The thing that is the hardest is being away from Tash so much! It breaks my heart and causes me the most pain! I try to juggle it all and have told myself on many occations that I need to step away and spend time with her and yet I can't leave Ty here... And when to her that we are leaving and she starts freaking out and crying and I ask her why.... Her reply... "mommy you can't leave Ty.. He would be so scared.. so alone.. he needs mommy right now.. you come home when he does. I can see you here! I think of that and I sit here and I cry to God on how incredible it is to have the opportunity to have one of the sweetest loving and understanding Child! Why did I do to get such a blessing from the lord! I praise the lord for my little family many times of day. As the tests are coming to an end and am told that they are to the end of what they can do.. I am not scared.. I am not nervous.. I do know we will figure it out.. Weither its now or later.. I do know that the most important thing to Randy and I is just taking him home.. Weither we find out that he is just going to be a peanut who can barely eat anything b/c he is allergic to it all... or to find that he has something that will affect his life and the way we live for the rest of our lives... He is our Ty.. Nothing has changed.. Nothing will change.. He is our Little Man.. Our TyTy.. Our Tyus! We will never know how long we have or how long our loved ones have here. Only God knows that! So each and everyday I get with the loves of my lives are treasures..

BLUE DOT CHILDREN'S CONTEST WINNERS!

Congratulations BABY KENDYL!!
1st Place Winner!!!!
Free 11 x 14 on foam core

2nd Place Winner/ AKA Cutest Baby

Set of 25 5x7 1 side Picture Cards w/ envelops

3rd Prize Winner/ AKA Mr. Future Heartbreaker

8x10 Collage Print on Foam Core (4 pictures)

4rd Place Winner/ AKA Most Unique

Set of 25 4x6 photo cards w/ envelops

5th Prize Winner AKA Miss Little Angelica
8x10 collage (4 pictures included)

All other Contestants will recieve a 5x7 print for participating in Photo Contest!!! Thank you all!! This was a really fun contest!! Can't wait for the next one! :)

New Mini Session!!

A little stroll in the park looking for bugs!!

Enjoying a spaghetti fight!!

Ages 0-2 Inside Portraits. $65 sitting fee appox 15 proofs on cd with signed release form. 30 mins sessions.. Spaghetti time, t-p fights, Baby Bake Off, Cheerios with a little milk, Baby Laundry, etc.. Decorate your home with a little bit of magic! Have a moment of your child’s personality and uniqueness to your walls! One of a kind portraits that are fun for you and your child!

Older kids 2 and older... Outside portraits $65 sitting fee appox 15 proofs on cd with signed release form. 30 min sessions...... Finger painting, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, bicycles, swinging, etc.. Capture those timeless memories, moments and personality of your children! We will follow you little one around and capture them being them!

We are open to any and all ideas! ;)

I eat you up I LOVE YOU SO!!

I recently did a 2 year old photoshoot!! Max!! How describe Max... All boy! He was very entergetic! Was always on the go! He reminded me of Max in Where the Wild Things Are! Which is still my favorite children's book! He was all about the bad guys! I LOVED it!! I couldn't stop smiling!! ;) He was yes very entergetic but one of the sweetest little boys! He was all about finding the bugs and the spiders! I loved getting the pleasure of following him around and capturing him being him! :) Couldn't have asked for a better day and I think the pictures really turned out terrific!! Thanks Max hope you have a terrific 2nd bday! :)

Family Art!

I will say I treasure my pictures a ton! Each one that we get printed has so much meaning behind it. There is always a story behind each shot! Weither its a posed one to one that no one was even aware that it had been taken! I have said it before and I will say it again... I love being behind the camera and HATE being in front of a camera! As most people I have a hard time looking at a picture of myself and saying OMG... I look fantastic! Though I see other pictures of people and think OMG... They look fantastic and they may look at it like seriously.... UGH... I hate how I look... So I guess its a extremly great lesson to always take the time to get infront of the camera and understand what others go through! I'm one that even though I may not like myself in pictures... down the line my children are going to adore them!! Heaven forbid something happen to me.. I want my kids to have tons of pictures of us together! To see what there Momma looked like!! Something that they will always be able to treasure for years to come!! I love the saying a picture says a thousand words.... To me its true... A picture can say soo much!! They way you get a picture printed can say so much more also.. You can take a picture make it into a 4x6 ratio and sure its adorable but you can turn it into say a 10x20 and it can turn into so much more!! Though even us as photographers have an extremely hard time shelling out money to get pictures printed... its so worth it! We recently got some pictures printed and we hung them up yesterday! It was amazing the difference I feel it has made our living room.. Amazing how sizes can just pop out more!!


Family Pictures 16x20 and 3- 10x10's



More pictures and my coffee table books! Just ordered 2 more!! :)


10x10's- Doing different sizes helps the pictures stick out more! Loving the Standout Boards! Really makes the picture pop more and makes them look like they are floating!






Coffee Table books are a big plus in my eyes!! I do a yearly one for each of our children and also for our trips we take! We really enjoy grabbing one and looking through them now and then and they really capture all of our treasured moments we get to have with each other!!


My hall way photos!! 2- 5x7's & a 8x10 both on foam core!