Chanel's Blog

Spring Events | Bloomington Photographer

Don't you want to take him home? | Bloomington, IL

One of my clients recently started a facebook page for dogs in the state who need homes and she just posted about these 9 lab pups and their mom who are going to be put down this Friday if they don't find homes! They are in Virginia, IL  she will even bring them back to the Bloomington area if needed!

HERE IS THE URGENT INFO!

They are 7 weeks - not sure of adoption fee - should be no more than $100 - Cass Co. Animal Control is ONLY open from 12:30-1:30 and the phone number is 217-452-3763. PLEASE CROSS POST! THIS IS SOOO URGENT!

 

Shaws and Paws Pet Rescue

 

Email- shawsandpaws@gmail.com for more info!

Perfect Baby Boy | Bloomington Newborn Photographer

This Mommy and Daddy could not be more excited for this little man's arrival! He is absolutely adorable and with a few feeding breaks in his session....he did quite well! The perfect subject at just 10 days old!

His mommy made his this hat since his arrival was just a few days prior to Christmas!

Love this last image....so peaceful! He was finally completely sleepy by the sessions end!

Up Coming Mini Sessions | Bloomington Children's Photographer

Happy Valentine's Day

After 28 valentines day's alone....It was great to wake up with my best friend Damon Apsey. Married for 4 months and 26 days, together for 7 months 15 days. Can't wait for many more years together!

Happy Valentine's to you!

~Chanel

Vintage Mini Sessions | Bloomington Children's Photographer

Our speciality vintage mini sessions are coming up next week! We provide most all the clothing and have many options to choose from! Just the fun products included in this session would cost more than $149 alone so this is an opprotunity you don't want to miss out on! Plus we are offering 20% off all other prints, frames and most other products! (Not on jewelry or purses). This is the perfect time to get your children in for some adorable images that you will love for a lifetime! Sign up now as these sessions are filling up quickly!

The Loux Family | Nominate for Extreme Home Make Over

Take a look at the http://louxfamilyblog.com/

Make a difference in the life of the Loux Family. This is a family near Kansas City, who have been nominated for Extreme Makeover Home Edition. I was able to be apart of EMHE a few years ago and it was an amazing experience! This family's story is absolutely amazing! They have 11 children, 8 of whom are adopted. Go to... their blog & email EMHE to nominate them for a new home!

~Chanel

(I copied their image and the following from their blog to help spread the word)

 

Here is a post from their blog.....

This is Renee’s sister in law, Tracie Loux. I found out today that Extreme Home Makeover is looking for a candidate for a makeover here in the state of MISSOURI!!!

As you know that my sister -in- law, Renee’ and her beautiful children lost their husband and daddy in 2009 just 2 days before Christmas. Renee and Derek worked together trumpeting the cause of the orphan. They not only spoke out in defense of the fatherless, they put actions to their words by bringing children into their own home.

Renee and Derek’s first son, Josiah was born with Spina Bifida and passed away at age 2  1/2. Josiah’s incredible life opened their eyes and ours to the precious gift of children with special needs. They went on to have 2 beautiful daughters Sophia and Michaela. Over the past 10 years, Derek and Renee adopted 8 children. Their 5 daughters, Teyolla, Keyolla, Telma, Leeann, and Sana are all adopted from the Marshall Islands . Through Derek and Renee’s loving parenting, much prayer, and devotion to their daughters, these precious beauties have walked through incredible healing and restoration. Their 3 precious boys (Sasha, Ethan, and Silas) were abandoned at birth in an orphanage in Ukraine. Sasha has Spina Bifida. Ethan and Silas both have Down syndrome. The boys were severely malnourished, emotionally neglected and were suffering on so many levels. Derek and Renee literally nursed Ethan, a 5 year old weighing 11 lbs, unable to walk or  even crawl,  back to life! As a family we witness this starving, sick little boy come back to life, a true miracle of God’s kindness and his parent’s loving commitment.

After, her husband’s death, my precious sister in law, not only walked through grief and suffering with her children in  such a remarkable way, she also stood tall, determined to carry on the mission that she and Derek worked passionately for- defending orphans and standing for justice.

Renee currently serves as the director of the Orphan Justice Center in Kansas City, MO with the mission to RESCUE, ADOPT, and RESTORE! The goal of OJC is to raise awareness, equip families to adopt, and establish safe, restorative communities for orphans.

In addition on a personal level, Renee continues to walk heroically, bringing orphans into her home and calling them her own. Since Derek’s death, Renee has brought a beautiful 1 year old boy, Judah, into her home, has taken in a little blind girl, Joanna to assist her parents in getting her the care and education she needs to thrive, and has opened her home and offered to legally adopt  a 30 year old, Dawn, an orphan herself, who is working on the streets of Ecuador caring for orphans.

Renee has been given 45 acres in Grandview, MO to help her walk out the vision she and Derek had to build a home with space enough to personally take in 30+ orphans. Their dream together was to take in children with special needs and provide them with a loving home where they could be restored and healed. Their dream was to have horticultural therapy, equine therapy, along with traditional therapies (physical, occupational and speech).

When I heard today that Extreme Home Makeover was looking for a deserving family in the state of Missouri, I couldn’t think of a more deserving family. This precious family: Renee, her mother Flo, and the 12 children currently in their home, share a 4 bedroom home that is bursting at the seams. They have exhausted every available space and have simply run out of room. Renee doesn’t know the word “No” when it comes to children in need. Their garage and family room have both been converted to extra sleeping space, and there is simply no room left. In addition, their current home has three floors and requires Renee to lift Sasha and his wheelchair from level to level so that he can be with the family.

When someone as rare and precious as my sister Renee desires to love and live her life in a away that to some may seem extreme, extravagant, or hard to even fathom, it seems just wrong to see something like MORE ROOM hold her back from LOVING LARGE!

If you would please help spread the word and nominate Renee Loux for this amazing opportunity to be considered for an Extreme Home Makeover. If you have been touched by this story, I would also encourage you to blog, post on FB or share in anyway possible.

DIRECTIONS:

Email nominations to CastingMissouri@gmail.com

Each nomination must include the names, ages of everyone in the house, a description of the major challenges within the home and a short description of the family story. (Feel free to copy and paste some of the information above if you need, but your own connection to Renee would be great to share as well!)

Here’s a list of their names and ages if you’d like to copy and paste, though I encourage you to write a personal description of this sweet family if you know them at all.

Renee-mother (49)

Flo- Renee’s mother (72)

Telma-Renee’s daughter, adopted from the Marshall Islands (19)

Teyolla- Renee’s daughter, adopted from the Marshall Islands (19)

Keyolla- Renee’s daughter, adopted from the Marshall Islands (19)

LeeAnn- Renee’s daughter, adopted from the Marshall Islands (16)

Sophia- Renee’s daughter (13)

Michaela- Renee’s daughter (10)

Sana- Renee’s daughter adopted from the Marshall Islands (9)

Sasha- Renee’s son with Spina Bifida adopted from Ukraine (8)

Ethan- Renee’s son with Down Syndrome adopted from Ukraine (7)

Silas- Renee’s son with Down Syndrome adopted from Ukraine (4)

Judah – Renee’ son adopted from the Marshall Islands (1)

Joanna- a blind girl under the legal guardianship of Renee (from the Marshall Islands) age 13

Deadline is March 31st. Additional Details HERE!

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to look at this and please do your part!

Chicago Session | Bloomington, IL Baby Photographer

 Looking for to this little man's one year session in the next few weeks! This was a fun session and he was just the happiest baby ever, the whole time! It was fun to do this session in the city! Can't wait for my next Chicago-land sessions in May and September!

Have a great week!

Chanel

Snow Day Sale!!! | Free Session Credit Today ONLY!

Email| Chanel@yourreflectionmystyle.com

 

Have a fun day....off to help my husband shovel the driveway!

 

Chanel

Studio Session | Bloomington, IL Children's Photographer