Farewell to 2006

It is with a bit of sadness but mostly the readiness to move ON----- that we say farewell to 2006. Thank you to all of our clients, the families, the kids, the pets, the brides and grooms, it was a wonderfully successful year and we have you all to thank for it.

We, along with the rest of the world, sit and feel a bit sad as we think of the things and the people we have said goodbye to this year.

Let's look ahead to 2007 on this New Year's Eve. May it be a year of blessings, of health and love, of positive energy and change for the better.

Here's to YOU, with our gratitude. We leave 2006 with a look at Kiener Plaza dressed up in it's holiday lights, we'll miss it sparkling with lights!

Chrissy & Chip

What a wonderful way to end 2006---- we get to welcome Chrissy and Chip to the wedding family at Bobbi Brinkman Photography! They are a wonderful couple---- and so darned organized to boot! We will be watching though Chip---- WILL YOU get your living space cleared out and sparkling in time to welcome your new bride to your digs??? :) No doubt!

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We hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas or Hanukkah and are getting settled in that weird week in between Christmas and New Year's Eve. Don't you hate it when you are coming down from a wonderful celebration and trying to get back into the work groove and here comes another excuse to eat too much, drink a glass of champagne and take another date off work! We will all support each other, we'll get back into the swing and enter 2007 with a bang.

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We are focused on the upcoming Wedding Show at America's Center in a couple of weeks. If you still need discount tickets let us know we have a few left.

Bobbi reports that Prince and Hana have attacked the stuffed snowmen upstairs again. Silly dogs, good thing they are adorable. We'll have photos later of the mess, I must admit they are pretty funny.

Angels

Angels abound.......... just ask us!

Of course it is THAT time of year, we're half way through Hanukkah and only a few short days to Christmas but the signs of angels are everywhere. Even when things don't look like you think they should, even when it might even be bleak-- have faith! I got an email the other day from Oprah.com and one of the things they said was what we all know; this time of the year psychiatrists and psychologists are having a very busy time of it---- we as a nation have trouble during the holidays. How sad is that?

If angels are around us and blessings are in our lives, why is it that we all get a little crazy? The problem is, we're too darned busy to notice the good things! Shopping, baking, wrapping, delivering, visiting, traveling, calling, writing, addressing, cooking and being just plain frantic.

Let's start the Peace, it begins with us. Many of our clients share the sentiment that somehow we have lost our resolve that THIS year will be different, we are going to be focused, centered, relaxed, calm and in the Zone. So, re-focus, re-center---- be peaceful.

If you haven't given to a charitable organization of your choice, please do so--- they are always in need, especially this time of year. We have some suggestions for 0ur 2006 favorites a few entries back, and we always welcome your suggestions as well.

On a practical note, the latest edition of our Wedding Newsletter is available, if you aren't on our mailing list and would like one please email us at info@BobbiBrinkmanPhotography.com and ask for one, we'll get it right out to you.

Take a breath and look for your angels---- leave us a comment here and share your stories, we can all keep each other watching for blessings.

Welcome Julie & Angelo

We love to welcome new couples to the wedding family at Bobbi Brinkman Photography, it is always an honor and a special treat! Julie and Angelo came to see us and we all just had an instantaneous 'click'! Welcome, welcome, welcome! We are all delighted. The rest of the staff is now very anxious to meet them as well since we had so much fun telling everyone how much we enjoyed this down to earth, happy, and much in love couple. The icing on the cake (no pun intended) is that we adore October weddings, they are almost always weather wonderful so their wedding date is already eagerly anticipated.

While Bobbi works in the studio today getting ready the last minute Christmas orders, Danielle is finishing her Christmas shopping. Scott is with his daughter enjoying this glorious and moderate weather. Becki is trying to finish decorating and gift wrapping. Jeanetta is at home wrestling with her Christmas Tree. Leslie is enjoying Hanukah with her family in New York. And Tina is up to her ears making a pumpkin pie for the musical at church and making candy and cookies to share with neighbors and friends. (Are you on her list????)

We'd like to share a fabulous holiday recipe in the spirit of blessings:

***Holiday Marshmallows***

*Grease an 8x12 non metal pan and set aside

*bloom 3 packages unflavored gelatin with 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of a Kitchen-Aid fitted with the whisk attachment

*Combine 1 cup of light Karo syrup, 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar, 1/4 tsp. of kosher salt in a saucepan. Over medium heat, without stirring, bring the mixture to 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat.

*Pour the sugar mixture into the dissolved gelatin on low speed, then turn up the speed to high and whip until the mixture is very thick and fluffy (about 15 minutes). Add 1 tablespoon of great vanilla at the end and combine thoroughly.

*Pour this marshmallow batter into the greased pan and with damp hands smooth it out uniformly. (Or a reasonable fascimile of.....)

*Let this stand uncovered for a day---- it needs to set up, it is VERY sticky when first poured out.

*Turn it out on a board dusted with confectioners sugar. Dust the top side with the sugar. Cut into pieces with a damp knife. Roll all sides in powdered sugar and store at room temperature.

YUM! You can make peppermint marshmallows using peppermint extract and whirl the batter gently before turning out with red food coloring. You can also add other flavorings and/or toppings.

Now, get in the kitchen and be a blessing!

Thanks Tourists!

Bobbi is breathing a bit easier today............the House Tour is OVER! Her home was one of the featured homes for the Discovering Options Gingerbread House Tour yesterday, and the halls were definitely decked! A great cause (www.DiscoveringOptions.org) and a lot of fun was had by all. Jeanetta baked cookies for the tourists, how lucky were they? Thanks so much to all of the BBP clients that stopped by to say hello and enjoy the tour, as always we are very much aware that we have the best clients in the world! For those of you that missed the tour it isn't too late to make a much needed donation to Discovering Options, a local charity that benefits kids at risk.

Now the studio is back to work on Holiday Portraits, creating more wonderful custom holiday greeting cards and meeting with brides and grooms.

Stay warm and dry on this gray wet Monday!

Light a Candle

Time to Give back, it is the holiday season and there are so many in this country that aren't going to have much joy. If we all join together and Light A Candle--- we can make a difference.

There are many great charities and places you can give as well as volunteer. We humbly make a few of our favorite suggestions for places to make a difference, to give:

Discovering Options: A local St. Louis organization that works with at risk youth. "Many students in St. Louis Public Schools live with multiple risk factors that are predictors for drug abuse: poverty, family conflict, a lack of commitment to school, behavior problems, and neighborhoods where drugs are easily accessible. These all make a child more likely to use and abuse drugs and alcohol. Discovering Options provides at-risk students with supportive and life-enriching programs to prevent drug abuse. The effectiveness of our programs has been verified by research studies. These programs facilitate positive change in the lives of students we serve. St. Louis Public elementary and middle schools partner with Discovering Options to provide our services to their students. If you have a child in a St. Louis Public elementary or middle school, ask the principal if they have become a Discovering Options PREP school.The curriculums we use are proven to work. Our staff is professional, experienced and dedicated. Our mentors are committed and receive individualized support and training. Everyone at Discovering Options, both employees and volunteers, is focused on helping our students discover options for making positive decisions about their lives. " www.discoveringoptions.org. They are sponsoring a FABULOUS house tour this weekend to benefit the charity, tickets are still available through MetroTix or by calling Discovering Options at 314-721-8116. Have fun on the house tour and know that 100% of the proceeds go to this program that benefits local kids.

Kathy J. Weinman Shelter for Battered Women and their Children P.O. Box 5852 St. Louis MO 63134 Business #: 314-423-1117 Hotline/Crisis: 314-423-1117 : Unfortunately domestic violence increases during the holiday season and women and children are impacted the most.

The St. Louis Area Foodbank: The St. Louis Area Foodbank has a service territory that encompasses 14 counties (including St. Louis City) in eastern Missouri and 12 counties in southwestern Illinois. Our mission to feed hungry people includes people in all 26 of those counties. www.stlfoodbank.org.

Light a Candle------------- there is always someone that needs your help, and every little bit helps. Call or email one of our suggestions for giving, or contribute to your favorite charity. Be a blessing to someone today.

Celebrate?

Okay.......... we hear it EVERYWHERE----- let the holidays begin, let the good times roll, time to Celebrate!!! Not so easy for those (bless them) that still don't have power here in St. Louis, but the lights and heat are coming back on and as it does, and we thaw out--- all around us is the deer in the headlights look that says, Christmas is HOW MANY DAYS AWAY??? Friends Laine and Giuliano just got their power back on last night and now with their fabulous home on the house tour next weekend they are in a mad dash to get the decorating finished.

For the rest of us, relax--- take a breath! Get done what you can and let the rest of it go. No worries! And let's all make a vow right here and now, no matter what your religious affiliation or where you are from, lets remember to keep the important things first and foremost. Family, Friends and the Divine. We will all celebrate together, and take care of each other as we can. Sounds like the last line of a Zen card but it still holds true.

Get ready to celebrate! Start by counting your blessings and give what you can to those in need.

Holiday Portrait Smiles

I know I've mentioned how much we LOVE holiday portrait time! It's always so great to see everyone again! The Trottier's were in yesterday and bless their hearts to have come down to the Central West End when the weather was so cold. As you can see, this is one gorgeous family!

Bummer that the WinterFest was cancelled yesterday in the CWE.......... the sidewalks were still so icy, it was super cold, and there were still trees down everywhere. On the way to the studio yesterday morning a crew was working to remove a huge tree that had fallen on some poor soul's shiny new Lexus!

We've heard from clients in town and out of town that are touching base with everyone to see how they are faring in the aftermath of the storm. Once again it reminds us that our portrait families and brides and grooms are so wonderful.

I think that all St. Louisans are counting their blessings that things could have been worse. If the precipitation that fell as ice was snow we would have had 3 feet of the white stuff! We still have ice on the too heavy trees and many are still without power. All of us in the studio lost power in the storm with Bobbi's coming back up last. The studio itself was without power for a short time but is now nice and warm. And our weatherfolks are saying that the cold is here to stay with a flurry (no pun intended) of storms coming the week of Christmas.

Our hearts are breaking for those that are still without power, it has to be absolutely horrible. Get out there and check on friends neighbors, make sure that everyone has what they need--- be a blessing to someone today.