Stephanie Clark

Congratulations Dad!

What a whirlwind week it's been. Two very exciting things involved my Dad. Last Monday he was named Ashland School System's superintendent. In 1996, after a 29-year career in education, he retired as Ashland's assistant superintendent. He's been the Mayor of Ashland for the past 6 years. He'll have to resign as Mayor on July 1st, the day his new job begins. It's a bittersweet time. He has the highest approval rating of any Ashland Mayors.

One of his proudest moments as Mayor came last Thursday (the day after he was named the new superintendent), at the ground-breaking ceremony of Ashland's multi-million-dollar riverfront project. Here he is at the ceremony with Senator Mitch McConnell (Senate Minority Leader- I'm trying not to hold that against him).

I love this picture of him in front of the KY/OH bridges.

This is my favorite picture from the festivities. Annabelle taught him how to rock. I'm so proud... gets me all choked up.

I love you Dad and couldn't be more proud of you!!! You really do rock.

Happy Birthday Carlyle!

My 1st baby just turned 12. Gah... how did that happen?! Depressing, I tell you (she's even getting boobs!). And for anybody doing the math... I was 13 when I had her. Here's Carlyle opening birthday presents. The older they get, the smaller and more expensive the gifts. Thankfully, Annabelle's still content with dollar store gifts. ;)

And here's the birthday girl with my Dad, Ashland School's new superintendent (congratulations Dad!). He always tells her "You're my number one!". What happened to me being his number one? I'm the first of his two daughters and four granddaughters. What's up with grandparents and their grandkids anyway? What ev.

This is Gracen... one of Carlyle's BFFs. ;) She's my kinda girl.

Bring it on!

Carlyle's a Verity cheerleader! This is serious stuff. Tryouts were
Friday night. I've never seen so much nervousing! Of course, I was
cool as a cuke. We had a celebration party at our house afterwards.
Lots of squealing going on. It's just beginning...

Cograts girls! Now, bring it on!!!

My Valentine

It's been so long since I've blogged and I've got so much to blog
about, it's rather daunting. For now, a picture of my littlest
Valentine that I took 2 minutes ago. She's seven and I don't care if
she sucks her thumb until she's 97. I could eat her up.

Track Santa!

I apologize for neglecting my blog.  I've got a pretty good idea of what pergatory must be like.  The last few weeks have been brutal!  Among all the holiday chaos... I lost a hard drive that had all my retouched files from the past few months, TMJ has found a cozy home in my left jaw, and we've all had strep throat (except Carlyle who has never missed a day of school, knock on wood).

Despite the yuckiness, I've had joy and happiness and will post more later.  For now, I wanted to share this site with you:  Norad Track Santa.  For the past several years tracking Santa has been a family tradition.  Starting on Christmas Eve morning, we can find out exactly where Santa is thanks to radar, satellites, Santa cams and jet fighter aircraft.  Not only do we track him online throughout the day on Christmas Eve as he travels across the world, but we call and personally speak to a Norad Santa Tracker who lets us know exactly where Santa is and where his next stop will be.  1-877-Hi-NORAD.  I'm getting excited just thinking about it!

While Santa's inside eating cookies and milk we've left for him, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph will be waiting outside.  We sprinkle reindeer food in our yard for them (the recipe:  a cup of sugar, a cup of instant oatmeal, and a cup of glitter).

That's all for now.  Blessings to you all, my friends!  Merry, merry Christmas!!! 

Some shallow talk.

Several people emailed me questions in response to my last post, but I wanted to blog my answers to the questions that were asked here.  Now these are the kinds of questions I'm talking about!  If I wasn't a photographer, I'd be a make-up artist.  Questions are in turquoise below.

Posted by: Jenny

How about lipstick!  I check your blog and love your lipstick color. I'm a lipstick junkie and well.....being a stranger, I thought it would have seemed a bit odd to ask. So you've opened the door.  What brand & color is it?

Jenny... I can tell you and I would be fast friends.  After all, it is all about the lipstick, isn't it?  I'll wear the same few lipsticks for a year or so and then move on to something new.  I'm a "your lips, but better" lipstick kind of girl.  I gravitate towards the nude/flesh tones.  For the past year, I've worn these lipsticks:  Aveda in Seashell, MAC in Viva Glam V, and Victoria's Secret Lip Gloss in Piece of Cake.  For several years, I've had a holy grail lip liner.  Wouldn't you know they'd discontinue it?!  It's Revlon's Timeliner for Lips in Mocha.  I'm all about luxury make-up.  In fact, if I could choose one place to live for the rest of my life it would be the basement of Bergdorf Goodman (beauty and fragrance department).  But this drugstore lip liner totally does it for me!  Sure, I wish it said Chanel or Nars... but I can deal.  I can't find it in drugstores anymore, so I snagged some from eBay.  You really can find anything on eBay.  Hopefully I will have found a replacement before my current stash runs out.

Posted by:  Amy Zellmer

Botox?? Have you tried it?? I am so not above having it done! lol... and isn't bleaching an amazing thing?? my parents sunk a large chunk of ching into my teeth too! have a wonderful holiday season!!

Amy, I am being serious when I tell you that I quite possibly love Botox as much as my two children (well, that might be a slight fabrication); but the joy I have received from watching that hateful crease between my eyebrows disappear has been life-altering (again, a very slight fabrication).  I've been getting Botox injections for the past 4 years.  I can spread my visits farther apart now and only go every 6-8 months.  The pain is minimal.  Actually, I kind of enjoy it (sicko).  I only get it on my forehead.  My Doctor won't do around my eyes.  She says I don't need it... yet.  It's true, I'm a certifiable Botox junkie.  And yes, bleaching is a wonderful thing!  So is toothpaste for sensitive teeth.  My teeth have definitely become more sensitive.  I now bleach every few months for maintenance.

Posted by: Erica Amato

I have a question for you friendy....do you still think it is possible for ol' John Edwards to win the presidency? You always have been a dreamer! On the teeth issue...you know if you bleach one more time your teeth are going to start falling out!

Last but not least... Erica, my dear dear patronizing best friend.  Why did you come and dilute our nice little, albeit shallow, discussion with politics?  I never said I thought John Edwards was going to win the Presidency.  I do like him, but my vote is clearly better spent backing Hillary or Barrack.  I'd love to see Hillary win.  You know I never got enough of Bill.  :)  But I won't be sad to see Obama in the White House either.  Actually, things are looking pretty good from where I'm sitting.  Even if the GOP somehow manages to pull it off and win the election, looks like he'll be pro-choice!  Hey, you brought it up.  :)  Something has got to be done about that lisp though!  Seriously.

Happiness!

A Dental Diversion

I get lots of emails everyday with questions pertaining to photography.  With the holiday chaos around here, this email was a welcome diversion and made me smile.  :)

I just wanted to compliment you on your photography!  It is really awesome!  Also, your teeth are beautiful!  Did you have them bleached or are they veneers?? What dentist do you go to?  I hope that isn't too personal of a question.  Thanks and keep up the great work!

Isn't that great?  Too personal?  Heck no!  My parents could feed a small country with the funds they've sunk into these teeth.  I'm happy to talk teeth!  I replied to the email; but in case any of you are wondering... I bleach, they are not veneers, and Jimmy Daniel is my dentist (McDreamy's got nothing on Dr. Daniel).

If anybody else has a non-photography related question, fire away.  I'm OVER photography right now.  Who wants to talk perfume?  Botox?  How about Big Brother trivia?

What I'm Thankful for...

Last week we lost a hard drive.  We didn't lose any raw files (I can hear my clients breathing an enormous collective sigh of relief), but we lost lots of retouched work.  We'll be burning the midnight oil trying to catch up.  This couldn't have happened at a more inopportune time.

So this Thanksgiving, in addition to all the good stuff, I'm thankful I haven't resorted to smoking crack.

Must Love Dogs

I've never photographed as many dogs as I have this season.  Almost every senior has brought their dog with them.  It's been rather therapeutic for me since we had to put Lily, our 14-year-old Maltese, to sleep a couple months ago.  While not all of them have been a walk in the park, Zoe was a little gem!  All four whopping pounds of her.  She was the best behaved dog I think I've ever photographed and knew exactly how to strike a pose!  Don't you love that tilted head?  And check out her perfect pedicure.  Little priss pot.

Morgan was equally well behaved... and gorgeous!  Fun girls!!!

Lost in Love Last Night

I'll admit it, I wasn't entirely pumped about going to the Air Supply concert last night.  Sure, I was a kid of the 80's... it would have been nearly impossible to not have memorized every word of some of their big hits (see set list below); but, I'd had a long session earlier in the day and quite frankly would've loved spending the evening on the couch watching Grey's and ER.  I'm so glad I decided to rally.  The concert was at the Paramount Arts Center.  We had a table front and center... one of the perks of living in a small city.  :)

It's official, sign me up as a certified, card-carrying Air Head.  Hannah who?!? 

Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock, aka Air Supply!

Here, you can see Graham was actually singing Every Woman in the World directly to me.

As much as I bonded with Graham, Katy and I both clearly had our sights on the little hottie bass player, Jonni Lightfoot.  Afterall, we were all three born in the same decade.  ;)

Here's Jonni getting in on some sister love.  You know we're the original Gilmore Girls, right?

Off to jam to Ultimate Air Supply.  Good times.