Showing posts with label Annapolis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Annapolis. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 16, 2022

Tuesday thoughts about back-to-school

 It's a beautiful Tuesday!

What are you doing on this gorgeous day?

Thoughts of back to school are on everyone's mind.  We're in the middle of no tax on school supplies and clothing this week, and everyone is shopping.  

Young adults are getting ready to leave for college. High schoolers are finishing up their 40 hours of volunteer activities. Middle schoolers are gearing up for the awkward wonderfulness of the first day of school. 

The elementary school kids are getting their school supplies and are so excited!

Moms are worried about bussing and transportation.  It appears that there are a couple hundred bus-driving jobs available in AAC, because the students will all be starting school at the same time.  I see the wisdom, but it's a hard thing to deal with when you don't have those positions filled.  And no, I don't want to do it LOL.

With that being said, here are some REALLY great tips for getting your kids to school on time, written by Marissa LaScala and Caroline Picard of Good Housekeeping.


  • Have a designated spot for all of their stuff.  You could do this easily with an Ikea trunk to sit on, and a couple of hooks.  This way, they have a place for jackets, bookbags, shoes, etc.
  • Have your kids help pack their lunches the night before.  It helps to set the routine of getting to bed.
  • Make it easy for them to know the time everywhere they go.  You can put one on the bathroom wall, the hallway, their bedrooms, the kitchen, and anywhere else you can think of.
  • Simplify breakfast.  Have on hand cereal and fruit, granola bars, overnight oats, or frittata muffins in the freezer.  Just pop those babies that you made on Sunday night, and a bacon egg and cheese bite is theirs for the taking.
  • My favorite one:  add incentives for getting out the door on time by saying on Friday afternoon, we can stop by that bakery and each of us gets a treat!
I think that these are great ideas and so easy.  I wish I had thought of these 15 years ago!

Happy Back to School, y'all!

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Thanksgiving Week for Extended Family Sessions


Legacy Family Experiences

As a young child, a favorite activity was to pore over old family photo albums, and hearing stories from my mom about each person.  I loved the smell of the albums, the way the pages sounded when turned, and the feel of the photo corners that had been carefully licked and placed for each photograph.


 It’s because of similar experiences, that the oldest generations in your family hate to get photographs done.  Other complaints are that everyone looks stiff.  The thing I hear the most is “I hate myself in photos; I never look natural!” from these generations.  It’s because they were standing there, waiting for the person to take the photo, with the sun in their eyes, and not being quite sure when the photo was being taken, so they had their photo smile pasted on.



I’m here to tell you that it isn’t painful, these days, at all!

How much sentimental value do you place on the photos in your grandma’s photo album?  With the years gone by, specific details in your memories fade, but photographs always help you to relive the good times.  Those old photographs become valuable with each passing year, because let’s face it, the cycle of life does end, and when that happens, photographs of loved ones are often all we have left.

I consider Legacy Family Artwork to be an essential gift.  I have a photograph, done at Olan Mills, of my sister, my mother, and my grandmother.  It’s beautiful.    Because of unusual circumstances, I was not able to be a part of this photograph.  I truly wish I had.  It would be a gift to see the four of us together like that. 

When I think of 3 or 4-generations of a family that are alive, or even 5, I think of how amazing that must be to have all of that love, wisdom, all of those shared experiences, in one room.  
How marvelous is the opportunity that when your grandchildren have children, they will have these pieces to hand down to them, share with them special stories to make the people in the photos come alive! 

Consider this young boy, Ethan.  At the tender age of 6, he knows of his grandfathers on his dad’s side, simply because he loves boxing.  This boy is the youngest of generations of boxers, who have left a great legacy for him.  These photographs help him to remember who he is, where he comes from, and to where he’s going.





That’s the kind of artwork that we produce here at Honey Bee Photography.  

Photography that creates an impact every time you walk past, even on the hard days, because you relive those feelings every time you see them. 

If a family can walk past a collection like this every day at home, and feel that love, imagine what a collection will do for a family with three or more generations, together…  It’s an amazing addition to your photographs that you already display, and will complete the story of who you all are.

We know that Thanksgiving week is a time for families to gather, and it’s never long enough.  That’s why we’re offering a special opportunity, the week of Thanksgiving, to help families with multiple generations to be photographed together.  We can do in-studio, or on-location for these families.

The premium experience that we provide includes the following for only $99:
  • §      A $400 gift certificate
  • §      A series of phone calls to help you, and yours, to reconnect and rediscover what is loved the most about your family, and planning of the entire session, down to clothing, colors, and location of the session.
  • §      The session itself, which will take approximately 2 hours.
  • §      A cinematic presentation of your photographs, for all of you to enjoy, right after your session, where we’ll sit together to create the collections each family within the main unit wants to purchase. 
  • §      Each family unit will save $200 with the purchase of a collection starting at $600 or more, or 10% off, whichever is more.  We offer 3 pricing platforms in Good, Better, and Best.  All artwork is created with premium products.



§      Local members of the family will have their delivery and installation done by me.  Families out of town will receive their artwork directly from my vendor via UPS, with instructions on how to install.  Our 2 largest collections, in the best category, come with installation by a professional, who will be vetted by me, through a vast networking community to which I belong, at the family’s convenience, whether in the area, or out of state.


Slots are available on the following dates and times:
Nov 26 at 10 am
Nov 27 at 10 am
Nov 29 at 8:30 am and 3:00 pm
Nov 30 at 8:30 am and 3:00 pm
Expect that the session, starting on time, to each family unit ordering, will take about 5 hours.  Please make time for that, so that we can serve everyone there.

Monday, July 1, 2019

Santa at the Beach: What to Wear

Hey Moms!

So you want to have your children photographed with Santa at the Beach on Saturday, July 13 from 9 until 2.  You know that we'll be doing a couple of activities while we're together, but the biggest question you probably have is:

What should my kids wear?

So, since it's summer, and at the beach, I recommend choosing very simple, casual clothes in your favorite holiday colors.  You could use adorable bathing suits with hats; you could do cute over-alls with no shirt; you could do a cute breezy dress, or a polo shirt and shorts.  It's entirely up to you, and how fun is it that you'll be able to display these, not only at Christmas, but summer, too!  And you can TOTALLY use these for your benefit! 

ACT NOW.  Don't delay on your call for more information!  You don't want to miss this ONE SPECIAL DAY.  We have only 20 available slots.





Our Santa at the Beach Sessions: A Guide for You

Happy Christmas in July!

Are you a beach bum?  Do you absolutely love the Santa tradition, minus Elf on a Shelf? (We hear they hate sand!)  Do you identify as an Islander with hot weather and tons of sun all year long?

We have the perfect, and most UNIQUE premium session event coming up on July 13: Santa at the Beach!


Here he is, pointing to where Donner and Blitzen are grabbing a snack, and hydrating.  Santa's reindeer have a hard time in hot weather, but they love coming to Maryland 
for some crabs and Old Bay Seasoning.

We have a bunch of fun activities for these Santa Experiences that  you. and especially your children, will LOVE.  After the initial greeting, Santa will blow bubbles with your children, and then listen to the ocean sounds in a big shell.  Then, your child can try on a couple of Santa hats.  Santa will then introduce your kids to Sandy Snowman, a round, tropical person who is related to Frosty the Snowman.  After that, Santa will check to see if your child is on the Nice List (each child will get a copy of this, featuring their name), and give an autographed bottle of magical Santa Bubbles.




We're told the Magical Bubbles help keep bedrooms safe at night from anything scary.  There will be an instructional sheet on how to use these.


But WAIT.  THERE'S MORE!

The $99 reservation fee ALSO includes the following:  a beautiful 5x15" dry erase board, just for your child, with a special message from Santa, that can help your child relive those magical moments with Santa at the Beach (and which you can use to YOUR BENEFIT).  And you'll also have $40 to spend TOWARDS your favorite, specially priced package that fits your needs and budget, starting at $65,



The products that are included with these are gorgeous folded 4x5.5 cards, and flat 5x7 cards.  This year, we are adding GLITTER PAPER, which is a top premium product, but we saw this, and I squealed.  I really, REALLY squealed LOL.  The best part of the glitter paper is that the glitter is NOT LOOSE, so no worries about having glitter everywhere.

What's NOT to love?  Well, because Santa's so busy, he's only available for one day, July 13, from 9 am until 2 pm at Jonas Greene Park in Annapolis.  Also, appointments are MANDATORY, as we need to know ahead of time about names for Santa's Nice List and how many bottles of Santa's magical bubbles the elves need to make.  You are welcome to have up to 4 children in your photographs, but certain restrictions DO APPLY*.  We have ONLY 20 slots in 5 hours.  Cell phone photographs and video will be strictly forbidden at this event.  Sorry, that's Santa's policy, not ours.

You can call Megan or Erin at 240-766-8966 for more information and to schedule your slot for this premium event.

*The $99 price includes only 1 dry erase board, so if more than one child is photographed, each additional child's dry erase board will be only $35 (regularly $60)... you'll want one for each child for your maximum benefit.  However, there will definitely be a Nice List featuring each child's name individually, and a bottle of Santa's Magical Bubbles for each child, too.

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Christmas in July with Santa at the Beach!

Sand. Sky. Beach. Bubbles. Fun. Santa.



If you’re a beachy, summer-lovin’ family, who happens to be die-hard Santa fans, then this is the event for you!

No elves on shelves will be attending, by the way. We hear they are not fond of sand.
Your children will be delighted to visit with Santa at the beach!

Imagine how they’ll feel: visiting Santa in the middle of summer, with the sand between their toes, laughing over a special sandy snowman, and blowing bubbles to their hearts’ content with the big guy himself.

You’ll have photographs, cards, and gifts that are quite different from anything you’ve ever had for the holidays. Nobody else you know will have such clever and unique holiday photos!

Now, for only $99, you’ll see that this is a fantastic value. First, we’ll hop on the phone and have a great chat about what you love about summer and how fun it is to visit with Santa in July. Then, we’ll schedule your experience for July 13, and your children (up to 4 kids) will have 10 minutes to spend with Santa. During this time, they’ll do a couple of quick, fun activities, and go home with a special, autographed bottle of bubbles from Santa.



Your experience continues later on with a design consultation with your photographs; either at our studio location in Bowie, or in your home. The $99 also gives you 2 more wonderful things: a 5x10” dry erase board (valued at $60!) for your refrigerator at home so they can talk about seeing Santa at the beach every day, and $40 towards your purchase of one of our special holiday packages that start at $65.00.




Location is TBA very soon, and we’ll also be offering a rain date in August. We know that you’ll love this opportunity to have fun photographs that we know you’ll cherish all year long!

Saturday, January 19, 2019

Bee You Beautiful Session Experiences: This Is Me

Your Authentic, Beautiful Self

Every woman deserves to feel beautiful, at every age, in every season, and even when she looks in the mirror to study and criticize every fine line and blemish.

"Don't you know you're beautiful, Just the way you are?!"

Okay, okay...  So we all need help with our eyebrows and brightening the circles under our eyes... insomnia and the stresses of every day life are just NEVER fun.  Worrying about your teen's college career and scholarships, your partner's job promotion, your beloved pet's old age problems, and so much more, can make you feel less than beautiful, especially after a night of low-quality sleep.

This, in turn, can make you lose sight of who you are, as an individual:  a woman, talented, skilled, intelligent, and loving.  We women have a tendency to care for everyone else, first, and leave ourselves for last.  Here is where the disconnect begins, and we want to help you to reconnect to that woman you really are.

My team and I are excited to introduce a brand new session experience to the Honey Bee Photography species of styles:



Are you a woman who has gone through a recent transformation, and feeling more empowered and confident than ever?  Perhaps you’ve been working out and you’re proud of how far you’ve come! 

Perhaps you’ve gone through a change in your relationship with someone and you’re starting to heal and ready to embrace this new chapter in your life! 

Could you be going through something right now and you need a break and a breather, and you need to stop and rediscover who you are?

Looking in the mirror, you’re surprised to see someone who has been through a lot and you see a person who is a little different, a bit wiser, bolder, and certainly more beautiful, inside and out.  All of your recent experiences and how you’ve handled them has imprinted upon your heart, and the way you see yourself now is so different than you used to.

Your essence, your authentic self.  This is who you are now.  It’s time to express yourself and enjoy an experience that will reflect who you are and the hope that is now blossoming within you.  It’s time to celebrate You with a “This Is Me” Experience.

Together, we’ll discover what you love about yourself, and what you want to remind yourself of who you are.  Strong, empowered, beautiful, sexy, elegant, bad-ass, you name the characteristic, and we’ll design a session for you, that is authentic to who you are right now.  Together, we’ll create artwork that you’ll be proud to display in your favorite space, where you’ll be reminded every day of who you are.

Our prices for sessions start at $195 for the session and MUAH fees.  Please click below to enter your email address and we'll send you  a free guide on Three Tips on How to Prep for a Bee You Beautiful session along with a mini-pricing guide.

To be in the know about all the recent photography we've been doing (shared with permission, of course), giveaways, and encouragement and empowerment, please join our private Facebook Group.

Tuesday, January 1, 2019

Guest Blog Post: Liz Hostetler with Le-veL


 Meet my friend, Liz Hostetler.  She's a consultant with the Le-Vel company, and has been using their Thrive Experience for over 18 months.  I have watched her become much more energetic, happier, and I know from her stories, it's helped her family, too.

I invited her to say a few words about her product, because even though we just celebrated the holidays, including New Year's, Valentine's Day is in six weeks... And you know what that means!

We are going to be photographing all kinds of Lovelies for three different types of sessions:  "This Is Me", "Blanc Boudoir", and "Bee Burlesque Pinup".  When I spoke with Liz about how her product could help my clients, she said that her clients could get started right away and start seeing results with decreased belly bloat pretty quickly. 

It’s that time of year when it seems everyone is looking at their current health situation and starting to make resolutions to “fix” it.  Making a lifestyle change is what can really make a difference. Diet plans, especially ones with time frames, are temporary “fixes”. Most people fall right back into old habits when the time period ends.

Thankfully, I was introduced to a simple, three-step process that is completed in the first 30 minutes of my day that has made an incredible difference in how I feel each and every day. I used to do very restrictive diet programs combined with intense workouts two or three times a year that had good results each time, but I was not enjoying life.
 
Now I can enjoy life – have that glass of wine (or two), eat that brownie or have a piece of cake – and remain healthy, active and full of energy. Now I know - it all starts with your gut.

GUT health matters!

 Why am I so tired (gut health)
 Why do I keep getting sick (gut health)
 Why do I toss and turn at night (gut health)
 Why is my mood low (gut health)
 Why is my digestion irregular (gut health)
 Why do I hang on to weight around my waist (gut health again!)
They say our GUT is our second BRAIN for a reason! 
How can you create a happy, healthy gut?

Add Thrive to your daily routine!

Thrive is an easy, three-step system that can fit into anyone’s life and provide amazing results. Thrive is about filling in the nutritional gaps in your daily routine by supplementing your body with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and probiotics it needs to function at a premium level.
 
Adding Thrive to your morning routine will help prepare you for a Bee You Beautiful session. You will notice your belly bloat will decrease, your mood will elevate, and your energy will improve resulting in a more confident, comfortable you.

When you start using Thrive you are not alone. As your coach I will guide you. We will have a conversation to discuss what Thrive can help you with (increased energy, improved sleep, mental clarity, etc) before you start. We will then stay in contact each day as you begin to discuss how you are feeling and to help with any questions that may arise. I am here to help tailor the product dosage to your specific needs. I will coach you throughout your journey to a healthier, happier you.
Liz Hostetler 
240-508-7589 cell

















If you would love to contact Liz to discover more about her product and how it can help you prep for a Bee You Beautiful session, please give her a call!

Bee in love with the artwork of your life!

Authentically yours,
Megan

Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Fun Things to Do for Kids Ages 2-92 in December 2018

It's the holidays and many times, families are always looking for new things to do and new traditions to embrace.  I've put together a fantastic guide for extended families to enjoy doing throughout December, but especially the time between Dec 19-Jan 1.

Please note that I've found these all through Facebook events.  Please visit these events' pages and thoroughly read to ensure that the event hasn't been canceled or rescheduled.  Honey Bee Photography is not responsible for any events that we've shared with you.


Arbutus Volunteer Fire Department presents our 25th Anniversary Old Fashioned Christmas Train Garden. 

New design every year!

Includes Charles Richter's Christmas Garden!

Free admission, although donations are gratefully appreciated.

Opens Sunday, November 18, 2018
Closes Tuesday, January 1, 2019

Weeknights: 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Weekends: 11:00 AM - 8:30 PM


This wacky retelling of the beloved fairy tale takes Cinderella on a royal adventure complete with a wisecracking rat, evil stepsisters, and a smitten prince. When Cinderella’s stepmother forbids her from attending the ball, her fairy godmother convinces her that if the shoe fits - wear it! True love may await her if only she can put down her sword. Just the right fit for the holiday season! Best for ages 4+.







Now through Dec 31 Zoo Lights at the National Zoo
FREE and Open to the Public 5PM-9PM daily - November 23 to January 1 (*except Dec. 24, 25 and 31)

Join the thousands of visitors who make ZooLights a part of their annual holiday tradition. A free event, ZooLights includes live music performances, tasty winter treats and plenty of opportunities for holiday shopping. More than 500,000 environmentally-friendly LED lights transform the Zoo into a winter wonderland complete with a dazzling light show set to music!





Be one of the first guests to experience ICE! featuring A Charlie Brown Christmas by joining us on opening day! Favorite characters including Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy and friends will come to life in colorful, larger-than-life ice sculptures and thrilling two-story tall ice slides. Then continue the fun in our Christmas Village with more than a dozen activities and excitement for the whole family!





Dec 19-24 The Winter Wonderland Festival of Trees
 December 19th & 20th 6-8pm, and December 21st-23rd 6-9pm. Come see over 30 themed trees and a special "Who-Ville" Display. Admission is FREE but we are asking if you can please consider donating non-perishable food and/or gloves, scarves, and mittens for our local shelters and food banks. All trees sponsored and decorated by Kent Island American Legion and Kent Island Volunteer Fire Department Volunteers.





It's that time of year again! Christmas cookies, holiday shopping, presents under the tree...and yes, UGLY SWEATERS galore!

Break out your best holiday get-up and join Fleet Feet Sports Annapolis for a festive Ugly Sweater Run!

Prizes will be awarded to the UGLIEST Holiday sweaters! 

Meet at Armadillo's restaurant for a fun run through downtown. We'll run past the Christmas tree at City Dock as well as some festive lighting displays around downtown. All fitness levels welcome. Please wear your lights and reflective gear for safety. 


Celebrate this holiday season with a trip to the Christmas Village in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, an authentic German Christmas market running for its 6th consecutive year.

More info  
bit.ly/baltimorefun






Dec 22 Reindeer Rides At the Rhiel Farm
Come on down to the farm for a Reindeer ride (pony rides)
Hot cocoa, snacks and fun!
$10 per child (pay at entrance)
Please RSVP and follow the event for any updates







It's that WONDERFUL time of the year, and it is so nice we're showing it twice!

Join us on Saturday morning, December 22nd AND Sunday morning, December 23rd at 10:00am for our ANNUAL FOOD DRIVE to benefit the 
GEDCO CARES Food Pantry!

Featuring Frank Capra's
Its a Wonderful Life
(1946 | 130min | DCP)

Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers & Beulah Bondi


An amazing spectacle of holiday music, a light show, and dramatic effects await you at this delightful concert, The Ghosts of Christmas Eve.  Tickets are still on sale.









Dec 26-Jan 1 Lights on the Bay
Lights On The Bay is an annual holiday light show featuring a two mile scenic drive along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay through Sandy Point State Park, with more than 70 animated and stationary displays depicting regional and holiday themes. 

From our popular classic displays and lighted tunnels to our North Pole Village & Enchanted Fairy Tales, Lights on the Bay has plenty of twinkling lights sure to delight all ages. 
West Annapolis Business Affiliation (WABA) announced that the Budweiser Clydesdales, one of the great American icons that draws massive crowds everywhere they appear, will attend “A Miracle on Annapolis Street” on Sunday, Dec. 30 as part of the festivities leading up to this year’s Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman. Scarborough Capital ManagementHyatt Commercial and Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Annapolis Church Circle are major sponsors of this event.

A portion of proceeds from this event will benefit 
Patriot Point, the Military Bowl Foundation’s 290-acre retreat for recovering service members, their families, and their caregivers on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

“The West Annapolis Business Affiliation is excited to welcome everyone to charming Annapolis Street for an event that will have activities for residents and visitors of all ages,” said Frederik De Pue, President of WABA.




The City Of Annapolis presents family friendly activities and entertainment starting at 3pm at the Weems-Whelan Memorial Field (behind Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts) from 3pm-5pm along with activities for the kids including moon bounces, slides, obstacle courses, face painting and fun with both the Annapolis Fire Department and the Annapolis Police Department . Plus enjoy Crabtowncurbs Cuisine food, live music by Priddy Music Academy and fireworks begin at 5:30pm.