Michelle & Adam : ENGAGED

From the first time I met with Michelle, I thought she was very classy...her engagement session with Adam was just that: fun and CLASSY! They both are super sweet and a great couple. We had a great time on their session in New Town. I have never been in New Town before for a session, but it proved to be a great place for their photo shoot! Michelle and Adam are getting married in October...I am definitely looking forward to their wedding!!!



I love this dip...just gorgeous!



I love this one because of how happy Adam looks...





GORGEOUS RING!





One word: classy.





Favorite of the session!





Love this photo...it was my second favorite picture! They both look great!

Natalie and Jake: Engaged!

Natalie and Jake met me on a beautiful day to do their engagement session. We had a great time in Old Town St. Charles. Natalie and Jake are contagiously in love with one another. They laughed a lot and were very cute together. Enjoy this session:


Love their model looks: HOT!


Favorite picture of the session. I just love how Jake looks at Natalie!








Look at how cute Natalie is!!! She is just madly in love with her man!









Congrats you two...I cannot wait till your wedding day!!!

Beautiful RUBY!!!

Baby Ruby came into the world on March 20th! I went up the hospital the day after to do a little session for sweet, little Ruby. I was so excited to see proud parents Bryce and Carrie. Here are some of my favorite picture of Ruby.

The perfect book for Ruby!



Gorgeous family!!!!





I love the perspective with this picture....one of my favorites in the session!




Her first book read to her: The Bible. (And then the "Ruby" book)


With her proud daddy.


Little pink bow!


Carrie's parents and sister made it in time for the session...they are loving their sweet addition to their family!

And the winner is...

Okay, so this contest turned out to be one of the hardest decisions ever! Tony and I felt like it was too hard for us to decide who won, so we went to an out-of-town third party person who did not know the people nor their situations. After reading each one and much thought, the winner and runner up were picked unbiasedly by our judge. CONGRATS TO:

The WINNER: Ashely R.
Runner Up: Gina R.

Here are their winning stories!!! CONGRATS and thanks for all the entries. EVERY story
entered was so touching and amazing!

Ashely's story: We have been blessed to live in a country where men are still willing to lay down their life for a stranger. Eleven months ago my younger brother left for Iraq. I saw my family come together and support the decision my brother had made to join the Army. He had always had a desire to serve like his father and grandfather before him. When he signed up, he had no idea the plans that God had for him. Through many situations that he has been thrown into from basic training to going to war, I have seen his faith in God grow. I have seen the values that my parents gave us become the backbone for his deployment.

Before he left (for the war in Iraq) I was five months pregnant and demanded that he be in a family photo shoot! I wanted to put up recent pictures of him, so my daughter would know her uncle and the sacrifice he made for her. It is because of brave men and women that she will grow up in a country where she is free! He will be coming home in August and we will have much to celebrate because August is the month that my daughter will turn one. A free family photo shoot would allow us to capture all of those memories. August will be a good month for us. Thanks! Ashley


Gina's Story: I want to take this opportunity to tell you about my family. My family consists of my 2 1/2 year old son, Malachi, and myself. When I found out that I was pregnant, I felt my world turn upside down. I was on the verge of graduating college and felt the world at my fingertips, until then. I didn't want to be pregnant and I didn't want to be a parent. I prayed and prayed and prayed that God would get me through this situation somehow. Adoption was something I considered for about half of my pregnancy. Then in July, I found out that I was having a little boy. I knew right away what his name would be and that he was going to be mine.

On October 29th, 2006, at 17 minutes after midnight, Malachi Joel came into my world. I asked the three girls that I had in the delivery room to step outside of the room. As I held my little baby for the first time, I told him that it was just the two of us, at least for now. I promised him right then that I would do whatever it took to give him a good life and be the best mom that I could be. Then, for the first time, I prayed with my Malachi. I asked God for strength and direction. I prayed that he would call Malachi to a life of obedience, peace, and honoring him. I have a friend that writes and sings songs. A lyric in one of her songs describes my feelings the moment Malachi was placed in my arms- "I didn't foresee how quickly it would be that I would say, 'what would I have done without you?'"

Today, things are difficult. It is not easy being a single parent in this world. We are getting ready to move back home to my parents' house. But I always tell him that no matter where we are, as long as we are together, we are home.

When I say, "Malachi and Mama," Malachi follows with "What a team!" That's exactly what we are. We need a family photo session to chronical our life as it is right now. I want pictures that show how strong of a team our family really is and the bond shared between us. Thank you for hearing our story!


** All entry participants please check your EMAILS for a nice surprise!!!! **

Sneak Peek....

I am sooo excited to announce our winner for the FREE family session tomorrow. So make sure you check back tomorrow when the winner is revealed. But for now, enjoy this sneak peek of Baby Ruby! The whole session will be blogged soon!!! Enjoy:

The Husgen Family!

Derek and Brooke are such an amazing couple. They have sweet 9 month old Naomi. She is such a curios little girl who is such a sweety, too. We met in Ballwin to take their session. We had a great time during the session. Have fun looking through my favorite pictures from the session!

Look at this sweet, happy girl! She just lights up being outside!


Favorite family picture...we had a blast playing on the playground.


Brooke and Naomi are just gorgeous...love this close up!




Favorite picture of Naomi from this session. She kept sticking out her tongue...love this fun picture with her tongue out!




Naomi is in cloth diapers...Brooke showed me how they worked...they are actually very cool! She was sitting in the grass...I just love that Naomi like the grass sooo much. She was super coureous and playful.


This family just loved being together...which makes taking pictures even more fun.


She looks very much like Derek here! Love her expression.


Daddy's little girl...

LAST DAY to enter to win a FREE family session!

Make sure your entries are in by 11:59pm tonight!! Today is the LAST day to enter to win a FREE family session ($350 value).

How to enter:
1. Email your entry to lifesnotstaged@yahoo.com
with one of the following:
* a funny story about your family or one of your family members
* an inspirational story about your family or one of your family members
* why you have to have a free session...what will you do with the session

We have had some great entries so far...cannot wait to see even more entries today! Good luck! The winner will be announced on March 27th!!!