In June, I really had time to get back into this project. No more Instagram photos ;) Woohoo!!! Doing a weekly Craft Day Series really helped me and motivated me to capture more moments <3
Enjoy my Project52 from June...

WEEK 22: BUSY
With the start of summer, I had to make sure and keep Sophia BUSY. She absolutely loved this project and now we have a beautiful project to hang on the wall!

WEEK 23: PERSONALITY
This little firecracker has quite the personality. She will let you know if she is having fun, and she will let you know if she has had enough! She sure had fun painting with water ... or at least spacing in the water!

WEEK 24: SHOES
One of her newest tricks is to find shoes and walk around the house with them like they are trophies! Sometimes, she even tries to fit them on her tiny little feet <3

WEEK 25: MORNING
Morning time is one of my favorites with my little munchkin. It is usually mommy+me time since David usually leaves at 5:30am for work. I love walking in with some warm milk and seeing her gorgeous smile and getting random kisses while I get her ready for the day....

WEEK 26: CUDDLES
Doc McStuffins has become a morning routine here in our household. It is a perfect time to get some extra cuddle time (she doesn't hold still often!)

How are you and the kiddos enjoying the sun this summer? Get out there and get your Vitamin D people! It's no fun being cooped up inside all day. You need fresh air and your kids need fresh air too!
So here is a quick activity you can do outside in the driveway! All you need is a cup or bowl, a paintbrush, and water... then you paint the driveway!! It's fun! It's simple! And the best part is that the sun cleans it all up for you!! If your kiddo is 3 or older, you can even talk to them about what happens to the water when it is heated up (in this case, by the sun!). Yes, you can start talking to your kids about this stuff this early ... I teach it every year to 4 year olds and they get it!! Your kids are smarter than you know ;)
Happy painting!
xoxo,
Sarah

This year my business has taken some major steps. Website. Gift Certificates. Blog.  And now ... I'm happy to announce that I will offer in-home ordering sessions. I decided that I really want to guide my clients to the right choices for them when purchasing prints for their home. I'm a huge advocate for getting your digital images printed and hung on your walls at home. That's why you had the session in the first place right? To document a special occasion or have updated photos of your family together. Why keep those memories in a file on the computer? You should look at them every day. <3
So ... what will this In-Home Ordering Session look like?
My goal is to come in with your gallery and we can decide which photos you  love, which photos you like, and which photos you can live without. Once we have categorized your photos, we will start with the photos you love. From there, we will figure out what you want to order. What better place to figure this out than in your own home !!! We can find the perfect blank places in your home to showcase these images. I will come in with samples of sizes so you can really visualize what will work with your vision.
I can't wait to with with my clients to make dreams come true <3
xoxo,
Sarah

Oh, summer! As a teacher, I love summers <3 ... but this summer is the first of many precious summers to me. This summer is the first time that I get to spend it with my little munchkin (Technically the second summer but I was on maternity leave last year!). 
As a parent, you want to keep your little babe entertained during those hot summer days. Let's be honest ... sometimes we draw blanks! So I've decided to start a new series of blogs that will go through the summer - Craft Day Wednesdays. Every Wednesday, I will post different ideas and fun activities you can do at home with your own munchkins. 
This week ... Mini Masterpieces! I went to my local Michael's store and picked up two things - a 2-pack of canvas and a 12-pack of Acrylic paint (it's non-toxic and perfect for kiddy crafts!). I snagged both for around $10! One of the reasons I love Michael's is because they always have a coupon going! You can download their app on your phone and that has coupons to use, too ;) They also have a nifty teacher discount! You're welcome :)
For me, I wanted something to hang on the wall after this project was complete so the canvas was perfect for that. If you just want your kiddo to have fun painting, you can cut apart a paper grocery bag and have them go to town with fingerprinting or paint brushes.
No matter what age your kiddo is, have fun creating your mini masterpieces!
xoxo,
Sarah

I have known Jordan since college and I simply adore her! When she heard about my mini session specials, she snagged her spots and I was stoked! Her dad literally lives around the corner from Windsor Castle Park so that seemed like a perfect location. I always love the way the sun sets there and it must be a dream to live in such a gorgeous location! I had a lot of fun with the Schreiber family, as always <3
I hope everyone enjoyed their Father's Day yesterday!
xoxo,
Sarah

My photography journey hasn't been the smoothest of rides, and I'm sure I'm not the only one out there with a crazy story! I began dabbling in the photography world in high school with a traditional photography class. We learned how to operate an "old school" SLR with film, we learned how to develop our own images in a black room, we learned how to be creative with our images. This is where I first fell in love with the art of photography. From there, my photography career began by capturing a few special moments for one of my best friends. She picked up on my love for photography (which I hadn't really picked up on myself yet!) and asked me to take pictures of her while she was pregnant, asked to capture her small wedding, as well as some mommy and me pictures! Granted this was over a couple of years time but I was still blown away!! That got me thinking that I could really turn my passion into something bigger.
I dove in head-first to this new adventure. I starting doing some portfolio building. I signed up with some online courses with the fabulous Rachel Brenke. I began to get really into photography but my life started catching up with me quickly. I decided that I wanted to go back to school to get my masters, which made my life a little more crazy but manageable since I was planning on taking things one class at a time. Then David (my hubby) and I began talking about starting a family and I got pregnant. Then it hit me. Worry. Fear. I was convinced that I couldn't wear all these hats. The teacher. The student. The small business owner. AND the mom... Something had to give. It was with a very heavy heart that I decided to step back from photography. It was one of the hardest decisions I've had to make. Photography was (and still is) more than just another hat. It's something I enjoy. It was something I had put a LOT of time and effort into through educating myself with courses, research, and blogs - not to mention camera time. Not only that, but I had put a lot of money into it as well. I will step out and say that photography is a very expensive job. There's software, equipment, props, education, AND time. Regardless, I decided the best bet was to sell all of my props and keep my equipment. I didn't want to give it up as a hobby, I just knew that I wouldn't have enough time to commit to it as a job.
My "last session" was a newborn session in February 2013. It was bitter-sweet to say the least. As I was cuddling and posing Mr J, I was constantly reminded that this is why I chose to step away. Soon, I will have my own little newborn and my life will change forever. Fast forward to July 2013, only five short months after my "last session". I was asked by a good family friend to shoot a wedding. It was a second wedding for my friend's mom and she just wanted something low key to capture the memories. Of course, I was beyond excited to do this! It was this wedding that brought me back into business. After everything I had sold and everything I had done to mentally prepare myself for no longer doing photography as a business. It all changed. It was crazy how much I really loved shooting, culling, and editing these images. I still remember that I was in the middle of culling and I got up and went over to my husband. I sat him down and told him that I can't give this up. I told him how much I truly enjoyed every little part of what I was doing and how much I had missed it in the short five months that I had stepped away from it. It was then and there that I decided that I would once again dive in head-first to this business. I came back even more passionate and eager to learn. I wanted to push myself to do my best. I once again began to build my portfolio to let the world know that Wood Photography was back in business, I signed up for a workshop, I began putting myself out there, I invested in props again, and I began making and planning some big business changes ... I wanted to create a website, start a blog, invest in new equipment. I was coming back and I was determined to come back strong. I even took a semester off school so that I could focus on my business and figure out my workflow so that I can easily juggle my many hats for the next year and a half. 
So here's to meeting those goals and coming back strong.
Here's to pushing the envelope.
Here's to success :)
xoxo,
Sarah

Thanks to the lovely Brannan Blascak Photography and Design for these head shots <3

This past year, I've really stepped out of my comfort zone and become a part in the photography community here in Hampton Roads and I LOVE IT!!!! A couple months ago, I blogged about my experience with the Amanda Hedgepeth Q&A Group but my first workshop was with Keely of Kiwi Marie Photography. She hosted her first newborn workshop back in November and I not only learned SO much from her but I met several other photographers! She has created a tight-knit group of photographers, all with an interest in newborns. 
What I love most about what Keely has created is the sense of community. We are open and honest with each other, not cut throat and secretive (seriously, that's how it used to be!). We learn from each other and help each other. It is such an incredible bond that we all have! So we decided to all get together and do something to thank Keely for all that she done for us!  The bench that Brannan made was phenomenal! A kiwi to represent Keely's business and then we all signed it ... gorgeous!!!
We all love you Keely. Thank you SO MUCH for all that you have done. I wish you the best in Iowa. <3
Thank you to Brannan Blascak Photography & Design for the photos ;)
xoxo,
Sarah

This session was taken back in February but I wanted to save it until a little closer to the wedding! Well they are getting married in 12 DAYS!!!!!! The countdown is on and I cannot WAIT to photograph these two ... eh three ... on their wedding day <3
Landyn was so excited that they were ALL getting married ... and I am so excited for them to all be married, too! Haha. He couldn't have been cuter! 
Enjoy a few of my favorites from their session!
xoxo,
Sarah

So far you have met Sarah: The Mother and Sarah: The Teacher. Well, in amongst all the madness, I am also a student at Old Dominion University. I am working toward a Masters in Education and I am a little over halfway done with my degree - on track to graduate in Fall 2015!!! That date cannot come soon enough! Obviously I enjoy keeping myself busy, but I took last semester off and it was nice to be able to breathe a little! 
Even though I "only" graduated 5 years ago from Longwood University, I feel like I should have a deeper knowledge when it comes to the science of teaching ... if that makes sense. Longwood prepared me very well for my career but the teaching world constantly changing with new ideas and philosophies coming out, and I can't keep up! Let's be honest though... I don't necessarily care to learn about the different philosophers and memorize what they did. I'd rather learn the APPLICATION of it all and the HOW and the WHY. I want to see it all in action (or at least read about it being applied). I enjoy learning new techniques and getting ideas during research projects that I can actually apply to what I'm doing now in my career. I love stepping back and analyzing a situation that is going on and instantly coming up with strategies based on research I'm familiar with and projects that I have done. And guess what??? It makes my job so much easier knowing this stuff ;)
The only downfall is with having so many amazing ideas floating in my brain from all of this, I have to pick and choose what to do and what to put off to the side for a while. If you know me, you can attest to that being a very difficult task for me... I'm more like that person that has 37 tabs open up at once and is trying to do them all at the same time. Pulling my hair out and getting stressed that things aren't getting done. True story (ask my husband haha it drives him crazy!). But I am learning to do things one at a time to be the best teacher I can be for my little ones.
I'm not going to sugar coat it because it is *really* hard to juggle everything that I do and I am so thankful to everyone who helps me stay sane, especially my wonderful hubby!
xoxo,
Sarah

I loved this little impromptu family session! Since everyone was coming into town for a birthday celebration, this family decided to get some portraits taken since they don't get together all that often!!! ... LOVE THAT!!!!
Even though we had to change location and the wind wasn't always our best friend, I'm so in love with these captures. The sun was glowing through the tress so perfectly.
Enjoy some of my favorites ...
xoxo,
Sarah