Around 6 months ago, I had an idea for what I believed would be a deeply meaningful project. The only problem was that I was already in the middle of a project, the 365 Days in the Life of a Photographer Mom project. Now that project has drawn to a close, and I am finally able to start on a project that I am super excited about: the 12:12 Project.

So, what is the 12:12 Project? The 12:12 Project is about me finding, photographing, and sharing the stories of 12 incredible families over the course of the next 12 months. That's it.

Why? One of the most significant things that inspires me is people—extraordinary people with incredible stories, to be precise, the sort of people that make you stop and do a thorough self inventory of just who you are, what you are doing, and why you are doing it. Everyone has a story—every family has a story—and I want to capture and tell a few of those stories.

I want to tell the stories of families that have faced challenges and have overcome, or are currently overcoming. I want to tell the stories of families that may have struggled to even become families, families that have suffered loss, families that have battled cancer, and families that have faced a myriad of other challenging situations that any of us could have found ourselves facing. I want to tell the stories of families that have not let their struggles in this life defeat them. I want to hear their stories. I want to share their stories. That is what this project is all about.

So, if you know of a family, or if you are one of those families that you think should be included in this project and are located in the Northern California area, then I want to hear from you. Simply drop me an email at info@tresbebe.com and entitle it "The 12:12 Project. " Will you help me spread the word? :)

Emily Blowing Bubbles; Anna Being Really Excited

If you already follow me on Twitter or Facebook, then you probably already know that we are leaving on Sunday for North Carolina. Greg's family is from there, and we have not been back there for a couple of years now. We are all super excited to spend Christmas in NC with his family. In fact, we will have the time to do a few photo shoots for the two weeks that we are there... So, if you are in the Asheville, NC, area and need a portrait session done, drop me an email (via our contact page) and we would love to get together with you. ;)

Okay, back to topic. So, we are leaving, and I have so much to do in the next couple of days so that we can leave. I know that all of you mommies know what I am talking about. In addition to the cleaning, laundry, packing and planning that comes along with a trip of this sort, I need to get a lot of photography business stuff done. So, that is what I have spent today doing, and I think I am on the home stretch. However, I will admit that one of the drawbacks to working at home a lot of the time is my children. They can be such a distraction. Whether it is Anna peeking in to say "Hi" and giggle or Emily coming in to inform me that she just needs snuggles right then, it can get a bit tough to say on track at times.

Today I thought I had solved that problem for a little while. Emily wanted to play with bubbles, and Ariana was playing with Anna, so I thought I was good for about 30 minutes. No such luck. Before I knew it Anna was screaming out in loud giggles and pounding on the door. Seriously, I ask you, could you ignore something so adorable? Well, it turns out that she found Emily blowing bubbles to be the most hilarious thing ever. So, yes, I had to grab the camera and get this shot.

Do you really think I would have remembered this moment in 10 years or 10 months? Now I will, and trust me, I do want to remember this moment.

My Passport

Today I got my newly updated passport in the mail, and, man, I have to say that they have made them look even cooler inside then ever before! Now, you have got to be wondering why I needed to update my passport. Well, maybe you're not, but I am sharing anyway. ;)

Several weeks ago I learned about a special trip that our church is doing, to go to Mexico to build homes with Amor Ministries for a week. I thought, wow, that is great for them; I hope they have a mighty awesome time. Then I felt a tug on my heart—maybe I was supposed to go with them. I kinda shook my head and laughed a little. I mean, come on. Me? Construction? Mexico? Leaving my kids for a week (which I have never done)? How about my businesses? And then there is the hanging out with teenagers. (I mean, I have two of my own.) Then I kinda may have gotten overwhelmed with emotion as a few things came to mind. I also pondered how Mexico is the birth place of two of our daughters, and it is a chance to serve others (which I am so into). The tug didn't go away, so I kinda made a deal with God. I said if you provide the money for me to go then I will go, no questions asked. The $100 deposit was due the following week, and God provided it and the money to update my passport. I have realized that it is not just about my going to help build houses, it is about capturing the story of what is going to happen on this trip through my skills as a photographer. I am excited and nervous.

Now, here is my question: will God provide the $200 that I still need by the 19th (just 6 days away) so that I can indeed go? I would love to tell you how incredible my faith is, but it isn't. See, I am kinda a doubter, and I am kinda wondering what is going to happen. And here is where I throw out an opportunity to you, my readers, and ask if you would like to partner with me in this journey through either your prayers or your financial support. If you are willing to support me financially then all you need to do is click on the Donate button, and you can make a contribution in the amount of your choice via Paypal. Even a few bucks would go a long way. If you are willing to pray for me and the others who will be going on this trip—over 100 people—then I would love it if you sent me a message or left a comment letting me know. I am so excited to see what God has planned for this trip, and I can't wait to share it all right here. :)

So, I guess that is a kinda long winded way of explaining why I got my passport, huh? ;)

Update

I received enough donations to cover the cost of my trip. Thank you so much!

I'm excited to announce that this year we'll once again be exhibiting at the Green Baby Expo. This year's event is tomorrow, June 20 from 10:00am until 5:00pm.

We've made available a killer prize for the expo-wide raffle: a free Magnifique portrait session, which includes a 1-2 hour photo session, online proofs, and a beautiful custom leather book containing 40 images from the shoot. This prize is worth approximately $459.

In addition to that giveaway, our expo special will be available to all attendees. If you book a Magnifique portrait session, we'll add a free $100 print credit to the package.

Please drop by our booth tomorrow and say, "Hi." We'll have lots of samples of our work and information about our charities, and we'll answer any questions that you might have. We'll see you there!

Do you find yourself asking any of these questions?

• How can I take better pictures of my children?
• How can I make my vacation photographs better?
• How do I use my new DSLR?

If so, we have good news for you. We're thrilled to announce that we're going to be holding a workshop called "Photographing Your Family." It will answer all of these questions for you. This workshop will help you improve your photos of those most precious to you: your family.

Here's what the workshop will include:

• The meaning of all those buttons and dials on your DSLR
• The basics of exposure: aperture (f-stops), shutter speed, and ISO
• Rules of composition and the use of light
• A demonstration shoot of our kids led by Crystal
• Time for you to practice what you've learned while we are available for coaching
• Question and answer time
• Lunch

When is the workshop, where is it, and how much will it cost? It will be Saturday, May 30 from 10:00 until 3:00—or later if necessary—at our home studio. If you sign up before May 15, the cost will be $149. After that, the cost will go up to $199.

Want to sign up? Click the button below. We'll see you in May for a very fun day of photography and learning. Hurry! To allow for individual attention, spaces are limited.

Regular - Payments after May 15 (non-refundable) $199.00