probably the last time

I can get away with saying Merry Christmas in 2007. So, I'll say it twice.

Here's a fun video I saw from a blog for a local church. It reminded me a bit of the Beastie Boys and made me feel a little bit like I was in high school again.



And here my family 'elfed' ourselves. It is a hoot. Just click HERE.

So, Merry Christmas ... in a sort of untraditional way and for the last time of 2007.

amy's q & a

First name & city: Amy, Royal Oak

How many children, first names and ages: 2, Lilly 2, Collin 6 months

What's on the top of your holiday wish list? Nano

What's on the top of your children's wish lists? Pink Toys, Binkie

The gift you are most excited to give: Digital KID Camera I'll have to watch out for the competition

What is your favorite family holiday tradition? Driving to NY (I love road trips)

Black Friday- are you out before 6 am? No

Shopping- stores, online or both? Both

One store getting a lot of your business for gifts this holiday season: Target I have found the only way not to buy something at Target is to walk in with out my wallet!

Favorite holiday food? Cookies

Favorite places to go with your children in the winter months: ????

What was the last book you read to your children? Fidgety Fish


What's on your nightstand? Lamp

What are your favorite websites or blogs to visit? Children's Clothing Stores

What are your 3 favorite local restaurants? Big Rock, Royal Oak Brewery, and Vinsetta Grill

What is your favorite Salon? Cole Street

And last but not least, what do you *love* about Rebecca Redman Photography & Design? Her personality and her love for children



This year I had the privilege of photographing both C & L twice. Once when C was born ...









and big sister L was celebrating her 2nd birthday ...





and then one more time in the fall ...

December contest - Webkinz Reindeer

So, I had a contest in November so it seems only fair to have on in December, too. This one is really simple.

1. Subscribe to RRPD {the blog}. (You may have already done this. If not, see the yellow box to the right)
2. Get at least two more friends to subscribe to RRPD {the blog}. (Have them view the blog and subscribe.)

Now, this is important. This is how you get entered in the contest.

3. Send me an email --subject header - December Contest -- with your name and email and the names and emails of your two (or more) friends who have subscribed to RRPD {the blog}.
4. All three (or more) names will be entered into the contest.
5. Last day to enter is January 7th, 2008.
6. One winner will be drawn at random on January 8th, 2008.

PRIZE: One (1) Webkinz Reindeer for your child to adopt and love. Now you may ask, what does this have to do with RRPD? Absolutely nothing. I just know how much my children have been wanting a reindeer (and if you can keep a secret, they just might each have one show up in their stocking ... ssshhh) so I thought one of your children might like this Webkinz, too.



Disclaimer: It seems pretty straight forward, but if something is confusing or I've made some kind of legal error, don't hold it against me. I am a photographer, not a lawyer.

more Q & A

First name & city: Molly, Bloomfield Hills

How many children, first names and ages: 3 beautiful little people. Bryce age 11, Ryan age 10, Bailey age 7 (we got our girl !!!)

What's on the top of your holiday wish list? Time with family - especially those I don't get to see very often

What's on the top of your children's wish lists? Webkins, video game stuff

NOTE: Molly will definetely want to check the blog for the upcoming December contest! Hint. Hint.

The gift you are most excited to give: The big canvas photo that Rebecca took of all 5 grandchildren which we are presenting to their grandparents (our in-laws)...they will LOVE it !!!

What is your favorite family holiday tradition? Getting together and eating yummy things with both sides of the family. (We have a cool family)

What's something you *don't do* during the holidays? I tell my kids we don't burp anywhere in front of their grandmothers.....the boys usually forget this and think its funny.

Black Friday- are you out before 6 am? Ewww, not a chance. I hate crowds.

Shopping- stores, online or both? I prefer on-line...I can stay seated, enjoy a cup of tea and have it be quiet.....I LONG for quiet most of the time (see ages of kids above to understand why).

One store getting a lot of your business for gifts this holiday season: Florist shops (they carry Webkins)

Favorite holiday food? Christmas cookies and Filet Mignon

Favorite places to go with your children in the winter months: Up North skiing

What was the last book you read to your children? The Bible. I read a verse or two to them every morning before they head out for school

What's on your nightstand? Remote controls, the phone and usually a glass of water

What are your favorite websites or blogs to visit? Shopping sites

What are your 3 favorite local restaurants? Bo's Brewery in downtown Pontiac (yummy food and easy to get into), HEY, I'll have to check that out!! Crust (really good salads and pizzas), and Moose Preserve

What is your favorite Salon? Steve'Annes in downtown B'ham

What local groups or causes are you involved with? We are working with Volunteers of America this season to provide stuff for those less fortunate, we also volunteer our time with Spring Hill Camps up north.

And last but not least, what do you *love* about Rebecca Redman Photography & Design? She works fast and has an excellent eye for capturing personalities !!!




Now these kiddos hinted that they are normally a pretty rowdy bunch, but for this session, they were a dream. Just look at these gorgeous faces.

I'm fresh out

Okay, so I am fresh out of new portraits to be posting. I am done shooting for 2007 and already thinking about new and exciting Signature Sessions for 2008. In the meantime, I've been doing all the talking so here's your chance. I'll be posting these fun Q & A from now through the new year. I actually stole this idea from another photographer friend, but she did give me permission so maybe it's not technically stealing. In any case ... Enjoy!

And now, a word from ... Jennifer and a few portraits from me.



First name & city: Jennifer

How many children, first names and ages: One daughter, Kiersten, 11-1/2 years old.

What's on the top of your holiday wish list? A gorgeous necklace from Swarovski.

What's on the top of your children's wish lists? The new iPod.

The gift you are most excited to give: I can’t say in case Kiersten reads this!

What is your favorite family holiday tradition? We decorate our house and tree together and spend an entire evening of it with Christmas tunes playing loud!

What's something you *don't do* during the holidays? Sleep.

Black Friday- are you out before 6 am? No.

Shopping- stores, online or both? Both of course.

One store getting a lot of your business for gifts this holiday season: Abercrombie & Holister.

Favorite holiday food? My homemade Bailey’s and cookies I make with Kiersten.

Favorite places to go with your children in the winter months: Skiing.

What was the last book you read to your children? Merlin the Dog (we’re still reading it

What's on your nightstand? A clock radio, lamp, magazines and lip balm.

What are your favorite websites or blogs to visit? One of my fav web sites is Oprah.com.

What are your 3 favorite local restaurants? PF Changs, Streetside and Bravo.

What is your favorite Salon? Platinum in B’ham

What local groups or causes are you involved with? I support Best Friends, Make a Wish Foundation and The Humane Society.

Any business or fun stuff you want to share? I’ve got a wonderful, smart, thoughtful and funny daughter that I am sooo’ very proud of. I am a very lucky Mom!!

And last but not least, what do you *love* about Rebecca Redman Photography & Design? (I had to ask!) Kiersten and I both LOVE how much fun we have when Rebecca shoots us, her professionalism and her always positive attitude!

good jeans

This cousin shoot was a treat. How couldn't it be with these fabulous "genes"?

happy thanksgiving

Today gives us the chance to reflect on what we are thankful for. I have a lot to be thankful for:

a God who loves me no matter what
a loving & giving husband
a brave son
a spirited daughter
a wonderful home
loving family

and the best clients around.

and the winner is ...

Congratulations to K and her little man A. Her rootin', tootin' cowboy managed to caputure 40% of the votes in our Halloween Cuties contest. Thanks to all who participated. K, I'll get you that Starbuck's card when I am back in town.

on vacation

I am officially on vacation for Thanksgiving until Monday, November 26th. Feel free to leave messages and I will return them when I get back.

my baby boy

As some of you know, my son played flag football this year. He absolutely loved it. And we thoroughly enjoyed watching him play. He seems to be finding his niche on defense. Well, on Sunday, the team was playing in a tournament. Here is the boy at 8:00 AM, just before we left the house. Notice the waiver on the island in front of him that he had just signed.



And here is the boy one hour later. In the hospital with a broken bone.



We got to the field about 8:45 am, he started warming up with his team and then we hear screaming. And as he is running towards us his hand is flopping around in a way that is not natural. His coach checked and sure enough, he had a break. We rushed to the ER which was just about 2 minutes away and just prayed.

He did break a bone in his arm, just above his wrist. My brave boy had to endure the pain of a broken arm, the scariness of his first IV, and be patient as we languished in the ER. Finally he was given some morphine and the nice sleepy drug and I watched two grown men push and pull and exert and push and pull some more as they got his bones back into place. Here is the boy waking up, totally in shock of the cast, and telling me I had four eyes and wondering if I was the 'real mommy.'



After about a 5 hour stay, we were on our way home.



It broke my heart but I was so proud of him. He was quite the trooper and still loves football and can't wait until the spring season.





For now, he has a long cast on for about 4-6 weeks and then if all is healing well, he will get a short cast for a couple more weeks. You gotta love him.

I love what I do

This is what is so cool about my job. Getting to see K grow up. When I first met her, I thought she would be too busy chasing frogs for me to get her picture. But, I got it.



I think it's interesting that some of my favorite portraits of her are when she is so serious. Because if you knew her, you would know how lively she is.





Every year she grows more beautiful but I love the fact that she still has a sense of awe in everything around her. This year, when I showed up for the session I found her on top of the play structure. I love her spunk!

halloween contest

Okay, we didn't quite make the goal of 15 entries, but these were too cute not to share and vote for anyway. Voting will end on Tuesday, November 20th at 10:00 PM. Only one vote please! The poll is below the pictures (or maybe above if I can't figure out how to put the poll in the same post!)

In totally random order, here they go. We'll start with our honorable mention going to Cricket.

Let me see your Halloween cuties!

Okay, I am completely pictured out right now. I have one more session to edit and post but I'm finding it hard to take the time to update the blog when I'm so busy. So, here's your chance to help me out.

HALLOWEEN BLOG CONTEST

Send in your snapshots of your cuties in their Halloween costumes. I'll post them to the blog and let the voting begin. Be sure to ask your friends and family to visit RRPD {the blog} and cast their vote. Deadline to submit your photograph will be Monday, November 12th by noon. Just send me a jpeg file. rsredman@umich.edu All photographs from one family will be put on the blog as one entry. For the contest to be valid, there must be at least 15 entries. Just to keep it exciting. I'm sure there's more details I should be covering to make this sound really official, but let's just have some fun.

What's the prize you ask? Well, how about a $10.00 Starbuck's Card Plus 2. The Plus 2 means it comes with a code to download two free iTunes. Well, I hope that sounds good to you because that's the prize.



Coffee loves music Register this card (pictured above) to enjoy two free song downloads along with the convenience of your new Starbucks Card. iTunes song codes are redeemable only on iTunes store for U.S.

Here's how it works: when you register this card you'll get a code for two free song downloads on iTunes.

# Here are a few things you need to know about your free download code: You must register a Starbucks Card Plus 2 to receive a code.
# Your code must be redeemed on the iTunes Store by 02/29/08.
# Redeeming your code requires an iTunes account.
# You must be 13 or older to receive a code.
# To learn more about iTunes, visit www.iTunes.com.