WE ARE FAMILY

Filed under: . babies . babies . babies .,babes,bardenisms,family,just because,kiddos,lifestyle,my family,portraits — admin at 11:03 am on Monday, August 20, 2018

My sister was here for the last week in July – the boys ADORE their cousin Jack! They like Aunt Sammy too!

Enoch & Jack are 13 months apart but that Jack guy is a tall one!!

Fitzy and Pa were talking about school and Gettysburg and books – and it was ADORABLE!

This is my cousin’s little girl – and this was the FIRST time I met her!

That’s my mom in the back – she’s gotten close with my cousin Heather recently and that little girl LOVES her!

Enoch guy and Pa! Two peas in a pod!

A grandmother has ONE job – FEED all the kids ALL the sweets!

I just noticed Jack’s tooth! It’s longe than the others – and it makes me laugh every time he laughs! I LOVE IT!

Hey Fitzy – you can’t fit in that tub!

CRAZY CRAZY BOYS!!

DERIK & SARAH JO – 8.4.2018 – PART FOUR

Filed under: marry me,wedding — admin at 10:46 am on Sunday, August 19, 2018

A dad & his daughter!!

ABSOLUTELY PRECIOUS!!

The groom & her dad – the bride & his mom!

ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS leave the reception for pictures!

I asked her if they were going to smash or not – just to be ready. She said – look at that uniform – I am NOT cleaning it. So we’re being nice!

That changed!

And look at that uniform! SPOTLESS!!

Aunt life is the BEST life!

Sarah Jo & Derik – thank you SO MUCH for asking me to spend a few hours with you capturing your wedding!

DERIK & SARAH JO – 8.4.2018 – PART THREE

Filed under: marry me,wedding — admin at 12:01 pm on Saturday, August 18, 2018

WARNING – little ones at weddings – especially YOUR little one at YOUR wedding – they steal the show!

ADORABLE!!

GORGEOUS!!

Her dad – he was a little emotional – SO SWEET!

Those father-daughter dances don’t make me cry – usually! But – those mother-son dances – ALL THE FEELINGS!

ONE MORE POST!!

DERIK & SARAH JO – 8.4.2018 – PART TWO

Filed under: marry me,wedding — admin at 10:40 am on Friday, August 17, 2018

Aren’t they a GORGEOUS little family!!

I couldn’t decide!!

I ADORE THAT SHOT – look at him looking at her!

REAL SMILES – LOVE!!

I didn’t even realize that couple on the left was there – I was just following them into the reception!

I posted this photo on FACEBOOK and luckily the couple on the left were recognized!

Married 63 years and married 63 minutes – PERFECTION!!

SO many people were touched by this photo – and THAT is what I hope these pictures do – give you a BIG emotional response!

STAY TUNED for the reception!!

DERIK & SARAH JO – 8.4.2018 – PART ONE

Filed under: marry me,wedding — admin at 11:01 am on Thursday, August 16, 2018

Sarah Jo contacted me through Wedding Wire – a service I have my information on! It might be the first wedding I’ve gotten from their site!

BUT – it turns out that she knows my friend Ericka – you might know her – she has the BESTEST BABY GIRL in ALL the land!

Anyway – she saw Ericka’s photos that I’ve taken and reached out to me!!

Sarah Jo and Derik live down south – but are from Wellsboro and were getting married here in a small ceremony.

I’ve come to really love small ceremonies.

THIS is how I met Sarah Jo!

That picture on top – the reflection – LOVE!

This guy – he had just woken up – was WOKEN up – and his shoes were too small!

I said – go barefoot – it’s ADORABLE!

I LOVE those shots!

ALWAYS choose barefoot – especially when you’re a little guy!

Her momma – she could barely keep it together!

THOSE SWEET MOMENTS!!

Sending them off the right way – with RIBBONS!!

Stay tuned – I’ve got THREE more blog posts for this GORGEOUS wedding!

WE’RE HAVING A …

Filed under: . babies . babies . babies .,babes,bardenisms,expecting,friends,just because,kiddos,lifestyle,my town,newsworthy — admin at 10:56 am on Wednesday, August 15, 2018

I say WE because I feel like it’s “my” baby a little bit too! Actually – I know a few others that might say WE too!

I’m sure you’ve read about my best friend Missy! I met her because of this little page RIGHT HERE! She saw a blog I posted from someone on FACEBOOK and realized we both had great dane puppies!

We got together for a few puppy dates and grew closer through our shared struggle – infertility.

I took their family photos and we talked about how hard it was to be happy for other people that were expecting. Other people that got to hold their babies.

How SO VERY HARD it was to hope.

She would read my blog and call me and SOB! WHY DO I ALWAYS SOB WHEN I READ THIS!

That’s how we became friends. Because I was open and honest and raw and vulnerable.

Missy & Cody needed to use the amazing technical miracle of IVF to conceive. The day after Fitzy was born – Missy stopped in to see me on her way back from the fertility clinic. They were pregnant!

They had several embryos fertilized in the early months of 2011 – and while more than one was implanted – only Aiden stayed. I was ending my miracle pregnancy and she was starting hers!

About 4 years ago they had more embryos implanted – but those babies didn’t stay here on this earth.

Missy & Cody have BEEN THROUGH IT. Not just with infertility and multiple losses but the “normal” stuff life throws at you and even some of the “not-so-normal” stuff.

Missy prayed. I prayed. We prayed. So many people prayed. For their family – for their marriage – for their journey.

Did you know that Jesus is RIGHT THERE? WITH YOU RIGHT NOW? You only have to reach out your hand and your heart and say – YES! PLEASE! HELP ME!

Cody discovered that truth recently – and it TRANSFORMED HIS ENTIRE LIFE!!

I have very rarely been able to WATCH someone be completely transformed because of asking Jesus into their life – AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!

Grace. Upon grace. UPON SO MUCH GRACE.

Missy & Cody had their last set of embryos in storage and they prayed. Was the time was right – do you stop freezing them? While they are only TINY TEENY little embryos – they are indeed very alive.

So – no. They didn’t stop. They had three implanted earlier this spring.

Missy traveled to Syracuse several times over the course of a few months – and she asked me to come along on one of those trips!

SEVEN WEEKS PREGNANT – and you CAN SEE A HEARTBEAT! YOU CAN HEAR A HEARTBEAT!!

Grabbing a snack via IV! IVF is no walk in the park! Shots. Hormones. SO MANY SHOTS!! Hopes. Disappointment. More shots. Hormones. Exhaustion. Tears. Miles.

Three little babies were implanted and ONE stayed.

This time – Missy has been SO VERY SICK!

And she went and got herself a full-time job and we don’t get to spend nearly as much time together as we used to – but being involved in the details of this baby – MEANS SO MUCH TO ME!

SO VERY VERY SICK – ending up in the ER for fluids. A little bit of a scare in losing this baby. It’s been a dramatic few months!

YESTERDAY “we” found out whether this AMAZING little soul was a boy or a girl!

I went with them to the ultrasound yesterday morning to take some photos!

It’s hard to make out – but that is a profile! 20 weeks old – not even a pound yet. And you can see the 4 chambers of the heart. You can see the arms. The fingers. The legs. The eyes. The little mouth yawning. ALL THE THINGS!

Aiden got his very own picture of his new baby! AND had to keep a secret – ALL DAY!!

LOOK AT THAT FACE! THAT SMILE!

THEY KNOW!! WE KNOW!!

CAN YOU TELL? DO YOU KNOW?

We stopped for brunch on the way home and Aiden helped me in a cute little picture of what his new baby will be!

BUT – the four of us were sworn to secrecy until last night – WHEN EVERYONE WOULD FIND OUT!

SHHHHH!! AIDEN – you can’t tell anyone!! YOU ARE ALMOST DONE KEEPING YOUR SECRET!

IT’S A GIRL!!!

They MIGHT be a little excited!

Missy’s mom might be a little excited!

We ALL might be a little excited!

And we all know that this sweet little girl NEEDS a girl-friend in this group of boys!

SUCH A CELEBRATION OF LIFE & LOVE & SO MUCH GRACE!!

Find your tribe. Keep them close.

Jared snapped that one of Jose – SURPRISED MUCH!?

MISSY – I LOVE YOU SO VERY VERY MUCH! Thank you for asking me to come along on this journey with you! EVERY STEP OF THE WAY!

GRACE UPON GRACE. SO MUCH GRACE UPON GRACE!

*D* FAMILY – AN HOUR IN THE LIFE

Filed under: an hour in the life,family,just because,kiddos,lifestyle,portraits — admin at 11:07 am on Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Rosemarie messaged me on FB to take advantage of a special I was running!

Have you NEVER been in front of my camera? NOW IS THE TIME!!

These are their first professional photos since their oldest was a baby!

We spent an hour at Hills Creek on a BEAUTIFUL Saturday morning!

ISN’T SHE ADORABLE!?!?

This guy – he loves Jurassic Park too!

I LOVE those shots – SO SWEET!

I LOVE THOSE SHOTS!! I feel like they describe childhood PERFECTLY!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

Ending the session at the playground!? ALWAYS SAY YES!!

Those shots – they are my FAVORITE! If I could only show you ONE image from this session – it would be that one right above this sentence!

Dad is waiting in case she needs him – but she’s climbing and conquering. A picture speaks volumes – and this one – VOLUMES!!

She was debating if the top of the slide looked like a shark’s mouth!

He might be too big to go down the slide WITH his mom – but when that sweet boy that made you a momma asks – YOU GO DOWN THE SLIDE!

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

Ending the session with some good old-fashioned playgroup licking! WHY NOT!

Rosemarie – thank you SO MUCH for asking me to spend an hour in the life of your family!

I hope to see you guys again SOON!

REPTILAND

Filed under: bardenisms,family,friends,just because,kiddos,lifestyle,my family,my town,newsworthy — admin at 11:44 am on Monday, August 13, 2018

We spent Friday night with Matt & Johna – getting ready for the boat regatta (that rhymes!) and then we spent Saturday racing and hanging out in the rain rain rain!

On Sunday we went to REPTILAND for their DINOSAUR DAYS!

SPITTING DINOSAURS!!

Enoch KNOWS that there’s a person in there but it’s still a little creepy!

A GIANT SNAPPING TURTLE!!

Those birds – getting them to sit on a stick was QUITE THE ORDEAL!

Macy got TWO on her stick!

I love his I’M SO EXCITED BUT I CAN’T REALLY SMILE face!

THE HAPPIEST BOY!!

We had a FUN-FILLED weekend with our dear friends! We can’t WAIT to go back to the campground this fall!!

CARDBOARD BOAT REGATTA

Filed under: baby barden,bardenisms,family,friends,just because,kiddos,lifestyle,my family,my town,parties — admin at 10:27 am on Friday, August 10, 2018

We painted the boat. We went to the movies. We went back to camp to get READY FOR THE RACES!!

Enoch and his little friend raced together in their blue race-car!

THE MACY FITZGERALD!!

Macy & Fitzy were the ONLY kiddos in their age group to have TWO in the boat!

Those kiddos – they paddled their hearts out. They knew they wouldn’t be first – but they didn’t cheat the course. They did it exactly how they should have.

THEY FINISHED! TOGETHER! With burning thighs and smiles and laughs – they FINISHED! AND – NO WATER IN THE MACY FITZGERALD!

I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE PROUD!!

IT RAINED. It rained all morning and cleared up JUST IN TIME to race – and then the rain rain rain came down down down!

Kids with shoes on the wrong feet – I LOVE IT!

LOOK AT THE DRIPPY JUICE! WATERMELON MIGHT BE THE BEST THING ABOUT SUMMER!

This girl – she’s a DEAR ONE!!

THANK YOU Matt & Johna for a FANTASTIC WEEKEND! We can’t WAIT to spend some time at the camp ground this fall!!

CHRISTMAS IN JULY

Filed under: bardenisms,family,just because,kiddos,lifestyle,my town,NCA,newsworthy,parties — admin at 11:48 am on Thursday, August 9, 2018

Our school is expanding! And as you know – expansion costs a pretty penny!

We are trying some new and fun ways to raise money for the school – including a DRIVE IN MOVIE!!

In July we watched HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS!

Enoch didn’t hang for the whole movie but Fitzy made it to the end!

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