Oh man it has been a long day...

Updated to add the quick snap shots that I took.

Had some things that had to be taken care of last night so I was up until 2am. Finally fell asleep sometime after 230am. And then it seems like 5 mins later that the alarm went off. It was actually 630am and time to get up, cut Austin's hair, get the other 2 in the showers and be at NOB by 9am for Gary's reenlistment. We were up and, bathed, fed and completely ready by 8am. So we headed over the Nexcom to drop Sunrita's OPLOVE video and photos off to her. And then sit in traffic to actually get on base. Park forever away from the pier and then head towards the ship. Onboard at 902am but it didn't make a difference. Gary didn't get topside until almost 920am. We headed to the bridge, discussed what was going on with his releif and our orders to Naples. A little after 10am we finally got the reenlistment ceremony underway. Gary was discharged and enlisted in a matter of 3 minutes lol. They gave me a certificate (as usual) for my dedication and support etc... But someone forgot the kids. Not sure if it was Gary or someone else. I guess they will get theirs at some point. We celebrated with a cake. Certainly not the best cake but you could tell it wasn't from a box lol.
We (the kids and I) made it off the ship around 11 or so, and went to the Cold Stone Creamery to order Sommer's Birthday cake for Saturday. She wanted a Strawberry cheesecake ice cream with red velvet cake. Get to pick it up on Friday at lunch time (yay). This is the Cold Stone on Base, can't you see my excitement?
Gary finally got off sometime after noon. He decided that LoneStar Steakhouse was where we would go to celebrate his last 4 year enlistment in the Navy. Lunch wasn't too bad other than it took him til almost 2pm to decide where we were going. Didn't know kids eat free on Tuesdays there nor that they offer a military discount of 10% everyday and 20% on Mondays.
Now we are home and relaxing. I need to process his enlistment pics and get them up and maybe even creat a page or 2 for the scrapbook before we forget everything lol.
So after this very long winded entry I will try to get the pictures up soon.
Think I will head to bed early tonight :D

Published!

I was published in the Military Spouse Magazine February issue. They featured a few photographers and the founder of the organization for Operation Love ReUnited (OPLOVE). I will try to post a copy tomorrow. But for now here is the link to the "extras". Hope you enjoy. I am honored to have been published.

Click the title "published" and it will take you the page.

Kari and Davids OPLOVE session

Yesterday I had the opportunity to photograph Kari and David. They are such a cute and loving couple. I truly enjoyed their session and truly wish we could have gone outside for a little more variety. All the same I think the images turned out beautifully. Here is a sneak peek of one of Kari. I will as more as soon as I get dh's computer all set for photography, so if the colors are off etc... I apologize ahead of time. My computer was sent back to the shop for the umpteen hundredth time right after Christmas. It is driving me insane, as dh's computer is slower, doesn't have all of my actions etc... So it slows me down tremendously.

Kari and David,

Thank you both again for allowing me to be a part of your session. I look forward to working with the two of you again.

With the new year comes new changes to Breezy Cranford Photography

Well I am certainly hoping that 2010 will be better than 2009. Many things happened in 09 good and bad. My husband was a geo bachelor in Mississippi while we were here in Hampton Roads VA until May, which certainly has it's challenges. Family sicknesses, cancers, surgeries and deaths. I hope they are all behind us now.
But with the bad there was some good too. The kids and I were able to go to Charleston SC to visit Daddy while they were commissioning the ship. We wound up in DC just to get away. We went to Oahu and Kauai over the summer for our family vacation. And then Disney had to put out their Military Discount that is always too good to pass up. So for Thanksgiving we wound up at Disney World. So lots of good traveling atleast.

I met some great friends and clients in 09. Photographed lots of couples, families and weddings. OPLOVE really took off here, so much so that we can't possibly help everyone who requests it.

With all of that said I am ready to start 2010 off right.
I am enrolled in a photography course, cause as we all know you can never learn too much. I am always looking for new ways to do this or that. I have a photoshop course lined up for later this year.
I don't make New Years Resolutions, so I am going to make "goals" instead.
A few of my goals personal and business wise are
* to get fit.
*get more organized and balance my time better (purchased software to help with this and made schedules)
*Practice new lighting techniques.
*Spend more time together as a family since the hubster will be home for the majority of the next 6 months.
*Try to remain open and understanding when the talks with the detailer starts for new orders (this is probably be the hardest of them all lol)
*And I hope to take atleast one photo everyday.
I will post the images here but it probably won't be everyday. But I definitely plan to post here atleast a couple of times a week. So be on the look out.
I have 6 photo projects that I need to get done hopefully before I leave for Nashville and Imaging USA. I had an idea today that I practiced with but unfortunately it won't work for my project. I will post it here later and start fresh again tomorrow.

Also if you are following this blog please friend/fan me on facebook as I have an awesome contest going on.
For all of my facebook friends/fans I am asking you to help me get more fans for the new year. From Jan.1 through Jan. 14th at Midnight who ever refers the most friends to my photography page will win a 2010 calendar with a collection of images from our Hawaii trip. I will do a different contest starting the 15th through the 31st. These contests will continue through June 30th. At that time who ever has referred the most people overall will receive a complimentary Snaptotes clutch bag with the portrait of their choosing. With your help I know that 2010 will be awesome. If you refer someone please have them put your full name in a message so that I know who referred them. If you click on the title of this post it will take you to my photography facebook page.
Thanks for your help and I look forward to meeting many new people, reuniting with old friends and making new ones.

Amanda's OPLOVE homecoming

Click the first image to view the slide show.

Here are some images of Amanda and her husband reuniting after a long deployment. Matt is stationed onboard the USS Arleigh Burke DDG 51.
Thank you guys again for allowing me to be a part of your special day. Hope you guys enjoy the images.

Gorgeous Couple from OPLOVE Session

OPLOVE Session

Skye thanks so much for asking me to be a part of your special day. These are just a couple of sneek peeks. I hope you enjoy.

Christy OPLOVE

Today I had the pleasure of photographing Christy and her boys for an OPLOVE session. Two gorgeous boys you have there Christy. Thanks so much for choosing me as your Operation Love ReUnited photographer. I had fun and it was great meeting you guys.
And here is your sneek peak from the session.

OPERATION LOVE REUNITED

Here are some images from the USS Ramage Homecoming on April 1st. I photographed three families that day and got some great shots of each one.