Extreme Makeover Home Edition - Night falls on the build

Extreme Makeover Home Edition - Neighborhood happenings...

Lemonade stands going up all over! Be sure to bring your change...




These lovely ladies are burning tons of calories with all the walking they are doing! The ATV on the right is decorated "Paige Style" - gotta love the pink!




Floor joists...





Debris from the demolition of the home... There are about 10 of these lined up - and yes they are recycling.





Onlookers...




Production crew rigging up a camera.




Digging the foundation...




Neenah Fire and Police on hand in case of an emergency.

Extreme Makeover Home Edition - Who's that Bus?

Ever since "the bus" has rolled into the 'hood nothing has quite been the same... actually, it never will be. A deserving family was swept off their feet and the entire community has turned up to tear down, cheer on, and rebuild a statement home that says "dreams really do come true".

The attitude is infectious. Everyone walking by as a forward tilt of enthusiasm in their step. So many people signed up to volunteer that they are turning turning people away. I signed up to do a number of specialized tasks via the online volunteer contact sheet. But since there are no need for more volunteers in blue shirts I decided to do what I could in my own way.

For one I am doing a behind-the-scenes photo essay on this blog and we are planning on putting a giant twitter hashtag (#emhewi) in our front lawn. Another idea we had was to host a water bottle sale on our lawn and donate the money to the build. We are bringing goodies to the Extreme Security and NPD. But most of all just sharing a smile and a wave as onlookers walk by.

Extreme Makeover Home Edition - Welcome to the Neighborhood!

Welcome to Neenah! I've decided to do a little photo essay of things that I see this week during the build. We live on the street up the block from the family that has been chosen to receive this amazing life changing gift.

I've witnessed some amazing things happen so early into it all (and yes, I've already had tears well up in my eyes). I hope to bring an insiders view to help better describe what it is like to live in a 24 hour construction zone and photograph it in all it's glory.

Follow me on twitter for up-to-date information about the build!
http://twitter.com/ardent_photo

or my husband Andy and all his witty charm at
http://twitter.com/andygaerthofner

5 months old....

Tomorrow my baby girl is turning 5 months old. She is such a delight! I've had this past week to spend with her all alone with no big brother around. Emerson loves to smile and laugh... her new big thing is to blow spit bubbles and make baby pteranodon noises.

This week we also found out that our sweet baby girl will need to have surgery in a few months. In late June Emerie had a UTI infection that lead us to have a series of tests. A visit this week with a pediatric urologist explained that she has some crazy stuff going on. In a nut shell, she will end up having part of her right kidney removed as well as some other things that are going on with the tubes that drain to the bladder.

We are hoping this is just a little hiccup in our lives. The abnormality is neither hereditary nor caused by anything from the outside world. This is just how God initially wanted Emerson's cells to form inutero.

Right now we are praying for her and loving her. She is soooo awesome and we know she will pull through.

Maternity - Ardent style

It's been crazy here at Ardent Photography! Since I last blogged I've moved into my Milwaukee Boudoir studio, hired a part-time employee, got Emerson baptized and even found time for a short vacay with the family.

I don't usually do maternity portraits... but if a past client calls with news that they are expecting I cannot turn them away! Katie was one of my first sessions that I shot in my studio in Milwaukee. We shot part of the session in the studio and the second half on the streets and in a baby boutique in the Third Ward.

Their little guy is due any day now. I wish for them a quick and complication-free delivery!

Emerson is 3 months old today!

My little baby girl is such an angel. Today she is three months old! She is sleeping upstairs in her bassinet and Drew is playing cars and trucks by himself - giving me the opportunity to catch up on some work.

This photo was taken last week... isn't she precious?


People say she looks just like Drew... I can definitely see the similarities...

High Cliff State Park Engagement Session

Molly and Brian and I had a fantastic time during their engagement shoot at High Cliff State Park. This park has breathtaking views and is one of our favorite spots to go hiking. High Cliff is also the perfect place for an outdoor wedding ceremony in the Fox Cities. Just don't plan your wedding during the lake fly hatch... lake flies are known to be a nuisance and will stain your white wedding dress!

The park is a special place for the couple...Molly grew up down the road on Fire Lane 1 and Brian did an internship at the park. I bet they wouldn't have guessed they would find themselves strutting in front of a camera years later!

This couple is so in love and very easy to photograph. They booked my wedding package more than almost two years in advance! I'd say they put their wedding photography on the top of their priority list.

Here are some of my favorite shots from the day. The sumac tree shots are my absolute favorite!!!

Enjoy!

Winter Engagement - Wisconsin Wedding Photographer

Tonight I'm meeting with Cortney and Bryant to finalize details of their upcoming wedding. I thought it was ironic that it is so very warm outside today and their engagement shoot was the coldest I've ever shot. The session last December was something like negative 14 degrees with the windchill.

I decided to share some of these wintery engagement photos just to prove how beautiful a session can be even in the cold and snow. Luckily, we were able to take a few breaks from shooting amongst the frigid temps in a cute little coffee shop downtown Appleton.









Don't get me wrong... I love a warm summer day! I am actually looking forward a warm weekend - my last official weekend of maternity leave. I will be returning to work in the studio on June 1 - and I plan to announce some exciting news!!!

Something new - Wisconsin Wedding Photographer

Sneak peak above has a custom designed cover printed on artist's canvas.

Beautiful new albums now available. Distinctive design options and unique sizes showcase your wedding in our new line-up of engagement and wedding albums.

New options include:
Variety of colors and cover materials
Linen, watercolor or pearl pages mounted on artboard
Many sizes and shapes, including 8x8, 10x10, 12x12, 12x6 and 6x12

Detail shots of the album spine, inside spread and linen paper texture