JJ is a life coach & an amazing person.  She has so much knowledge and insight and such passion for life.   Top that off with her beautiful home, office & yard and you get one awesome session.

Thank you JJ for choosing me to capture YOU as you are.  Such a beautiful spirit.  ♥

Much ♥ ~ Julie MayRee

As photographers, when we get an inquiry to photograph a family of 20+ people we tend to sweat a little. With all of the family reunion photography scams going around, it makes it even harder to discern which inquiries are real and which ones are trying to take you for a ride.

I must say I was so happy to meet this family when they came to visit all the way from Texas!   Such a sweet, welcoming group of fun-loving people!!   I enjoyed getting to spend time with the children splashing in the lake, finding shells & interesting rocks,  watching the family playing bocce ball,  joking, having fun & just enjoying moments as a family.   All too often we get too busy to slow down and enjoy our families.  The tradition that this family has started will be one that I will start when my own children leave home.  Once a year, all of the family members gather to spend a week together.   They were all having such a blast!!  I’m so glad I was able to capture a few of the memories made over the week they were in Wisconsin.   I even got to capture one of the little guys losing his first tooth! Now that’s exciting!!

Thank you for allowing me to capture these moments!

Much ♥~ Julie MayRee

The dates & times of the Summer Mini Sessions:

Located at our studio at 630 E. Court Street Elkhorn, WI

Friday 6/19 5:30pm-7:30pm

Saturday 6/20 5:30pm-7:30pm

Sunday 6/21 5:30pm-7:30pm

Wednesday 6/24 5:30-7:30

Thursday 6/25 5:30-7:30

Sunday 6/28 5:30-7:30

You get a 20 minute mini session for up to 4 children

plus 8 fully retouched digital images with print release.

just

$99*

For your chance to WIN your mini session FREE!

1. Comment below on this post &

2. claim & share the offer posted to my fan page

Book by 6/19 at 8pm & receive 2 additional fully retouched digital images!

*Mini sessions are not valid with any other offer or discount. plus applicable tax.

Much ♥ ~ Julie MayRee

This is going to be a post raw & full of emotion.  A post I’ve been needing to to write for quite some time, yet always come up short with words.
It has been over 2.5 years since my last photography blog post.  There have been busy times, slow times, happy times, heartbreaking times, stressed times & overwhelmed times but through it all, I’ve been blessed.

After years of doing photography, three years ago, we opened up a studio here in Elkhorn, WI.   It was a dream come true, approximately 3000 sq ft of studio space  & 1000 sq ft for our photography prop business.  Both of these businesses really kept me on my toes along with homeschooling our older 2 children (Caleb who has Aspergers & SPD & our Claira girl, whom you will read more about.)  I also gave birth to our sweetie EdieJane.  She was born screaming & continued to scream 18 hours a day for the first 2 years of her life.  Caring for a baby that cries non-stop all day, every day for 2 years straight is enough to make any sane person a little crazy.  My husband Chris quit his full time job to be at home to help with the businesses and the children as I couldn’t keep up with homeschooling 2 children, running 2 very busy businesses and a non-stop screaming baby.  Edie was later diagnosed with sensory processing disorder and with therapy & help from mommy & daddy she has learned to self regulate and only has occasional meltdowns.   In the midst of EJ’s screaming, our sweet Claira was diagnosed with a vaccine injury that completely took away every bit of her sparkle & shine.  She had sudden onset of OCD, anxiety, SPD & more.   To watch the sparkle & shine be suddenly stolen from your 5 year old & be replaced with terrifying thoughts is one of the worst feelings of helplessness a parent can experience.   Then, last year….September 2nd, 2014 happened.   A day we will never forget.  The day we lost the life of our precious baby boy and the day I almost lost my life.   I was just shy of 12 weeks pregnant when I began to hemorrhage and was in such excruciating pain I could not move.  I was rushed into emergency surgery where I lost my baby and my one of my fallopian tubes.   We were absolutely devastated!!  We named out little guy Theadore Yates *Teddy* and there isn’t a day that goes by that my heart doesn’t ache for him & my arms yearn to hold him.  With all of these things literally piling up, the wind was just taken out of my sails, my soul crushed.  My mama heart couldn’t take ANY more.  I have not been able to focus on my passion for photography or my prop business, I had hit ROCK BOTTOM, I had no passion to give.   Both of our businesses are now so slow that we aren’t able to make ends meet.  We are selling our home of 8 years and may be moving out of my “dream” studio.   We do not know what the next step is for our family is,  but we are sure to re-focus our energy on ALL THINGS POSITIVE, pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and move FORWARD.

For anyone who knows me or has read my previous post, you know that my entire heart & soul go into my art…every last ounce of energy that I have.    The last few years have been a struggle for me as I want to put all I am into my work but my spirit has been so sorrowful and broken.  I am a firm believer in giving it everything you’ve got or not doing it at all.  I’ve not been shooting as much as my creative heart needs.   I’ve been struggling to deal with the plate full of negative I’ve been served.  I am now choosing to refocus on all of the wonderful things in life, all of the positive things and let those negative things fade away.

I’m now ready to pour myself back into what I love, my passion for capturing the spirit of each individual that comes in front of my camera. This is what makes my heart and soul happy.

Please watch the blog for posts of some of the sessions I have “missed” posting over the last 2.5 years.

Please help us continue our dreams by interacting here on the blog as well as on both my photography fan page and our photography prop fan page and please share our work with your friends and family.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read!!

I look forward to capturing your memories. ♥

Much ♥ ~ Julie MayRee

Cute Stuff By JO& CO’s 20k fan giveaway!!!!!  $2200 in prizes will be given away to one lucky winner!!!!

Look at all of these great goodies!!!!

The Giveaway includes:

1) An iPad Mini AND a $500 Cute Stuff By JO & CO Package including flokatis, plush pretzels ( the original braided photography prop ), popular stretch wraps, lil britches & more from Cute Stuff By JO & CO!!!

2) A seat to the Making Memories SE Wisconsin Newborn Workshop from Memories by TLC!!!

3) A photographer’s package valued at $285 from Studio Baby Posing Props!!!

including:

A Professional Newborn Poser-JUMBO Size (46 ” diameter x 24″ tall)
5pc Positioner Combo
Body Positioner
Butterfly Positioner
Non-Slip Poser Mat
Waterproof Poser Pad
Camera Cozy

4) Newborn Necessities™ Photoshop Actions from MCP Actions.

All you need to do to enter the giveaway is go to the Cute Stuff By JO & CO facebook page, find the image below on our fb page, SHARE the facebook photo on YOUR facebook page/fan page (make sure your share is public) and comment that you’ve done so under the image on facebook. Go check out Memories by TLC, Studio Baby, MCP Actions & Cute Stuff by JO & CO on facebook and give them all the  *thumbs up*!!  You could even leave a nice thank you note for their wonderful contributions to the giveaway!

The giveaway will run until noon CST on Friday 6/21. A winner will be chosen at random from the comments on the facebook photo.

Best of luck!!!

♥ Julie MayRee

aka: JO

Much ♥~ Julie MayRee

On occasion, you meet a person….a person who is just as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside.  Danielle is that kind of person.  She was such a joy to photograph & to spend time with.  We had a great time!  Danielle, here’s wishing you an amazing senior year filled with fun!!!  Enjoy every minute….it goes by way too quickly!!!

Much ♥ ~ Julie MayRee

I love to see previous client’s families grow!!!  I photographed this little guy’s big sister two years ago.  I was excited when his mama contacted me to photograph him, as well!!!

Don’t let the cute fool you!!!  This tiny boy gave me a run for my money.  He holds the record for the most times I’ve been poo’d/peed on in one session. LOL!!  Aside from that, I enjoyed getting to love on him. Such a sweet sweet boy!!

Thank you so much for trusting me to capture your tiny boy at 8 days new!

Much ♥ ~Julie MayRee

Early morning giggles with sweet precious ones is enough to get me out of bed.  These little ones were such a joy.  When their mama told me the best time for a session would be 8am….I’m not going to lie….I thought, “whew, how am I going to pull that off?”  I’m so glad I did.  I loved watching these two play and giggle.  They brought joy to my heart as I could tell they do their Mommy & Daddy, as well.  Thank you so much for allowing me to capture their precious little giggles!!!

Much ♥~ Julie MayRee

Megan has her own unique quirkiness about her and I love every bit of it!! Such a vibrant soul.  I enjoyed my time with her, her mom & her best friend.

Megan, here’s wishing you all the luck in your future!  I know you’ve got a bright one!!!

“Do what makes you happy, be with who makes you smile, laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live.” ~Unknown

Much ♥~

Julie MayRee