We Stepped Up!
Saturday turned out to be a beautiful morning. The sun was shining, there’s was just a light breeze in the air, and the chill was minimal.
We headed off to Arrowhead, to take part in the annual Step It Up For Down Syndrome Walk. If you’ve never been, it is definitely an event not to be missed!
It’s the perfect event for kids, babies and adults of every age! Not only is the walk the easiest, low key stroll you’ve ever done, but the food and activities beforehand are awesome!
- TONS of food: including hot dogs, Italian sausage, kettle corn, ice cream and popsicles and even coffee for crazy peeps like me!
- Games for all the kids (big and small): Jumpy and slide moon bouncers, rock climbing wall, carnival rides and games, horseback rides.
- Entertainment: roaming clowns and magicians (this year there were even a couple of entertainers on stilts!) and stage performers including music and dancing.
- Chiefs football players signing autographs and cheering everyone on at the start line! KC Wolf giving hugs and posing for party pics.
- Thousands of friends (old and new) supporting each other!
…AND best of all, lots of money is raised to support all the amazing things the Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City does for the community!
This was the first year for Pete and I to host our own team! Not only did we pass our goal of fundraising $500, but we had a team of seven walkers!
It was a great first year and a good learning experience. Next year, we’re going to go all out - set up a tent, create a banner, bring snacks and maybe even games! I would be thrilled to see all of you out there on our team next year, helping us promote awareness and acceptance of people with Down syndrome.
Pete and I want to send out a HUGE thanks to Mark, Joyce, Angie, Karen & Lori for joining us this year…we expect to see you again next year! 
Check out the cute signs along the walk, featuring my clients!
Step Up for Down Syndrome
Last chance! There’s just one week left before the Step Up for Down Syndrome walk! We’re so close to our goal, any support you can give to not only reach our goal, but blow it out of the water would be greatly appreciated!
Not only will you be supporting all of our adorable clients, but you will be supporting an awesome local organization, the Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City (DSG).
The Step Up for Down Syndrome walk promotes acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome and recognition of their many gifts, talents and contributions to society. All funds raised at the walk stay in the Kansas City area, and benefit the Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City.
This year Pete and I have created our own team, and we even have some awesome peeps walking with us! The walk is a one mile walk around Kauffman and Arrowhead Stadiums this coming Saturday, October 24th.
You can help us reach our goal by clicking here. THANKS!!
Fun in the Sun
Yesterday proved to be a beautiful day!! The temperatures were just right, there was a nice soft breeze and by mid-afternoon the sun had poked it’s head out of the clouds to give off some rays of sunshine!
We could not have asked for a better day for our Client Appreciation Picnic! As I write this post, I’m looking out the window at the ridiculous downpour of rain coming from the skies. Thank goodness our picnic was yesterday and the rain held off until today!
It was such a fun day! We had kiddos and parents coming and going all afternoon! I love seeing all the kiddos SO excited about everything! Not to mention all the hot, sweaty, sticky hugs I got - AWESOME!!!
Photography by Brandi blues and greens were everywhere this year!
I’m all about the goodies! This year, the goodie bags were stuffed full with lots of fun things. My two favorites: our fun, long sleeved black t-shirts, and the awesome, blue and green PhotobyB bracelets. I thought they both came out perfect and exactly like I had imagined!
Pebbles and Joey even got their own shirts this year! Unfortunately, I couldn’t figure out how to fit the bracelets on them, or else they would have been really decked out.
Devin the magician joined us again this year! He was amazing, stumping and wowing kids and adults with his comedy magic! I think I heard “what the…” and “nuh-uh” many, many times throughout the afternoon. Every time I see Devin he’s keeping me on my toes with new tricks and variations to old tricks. Devin has definitely found his calling in life!
This year we featured two bouncy inflatables from Wacky Banana. The kiddos loved them! We had the Little Red Caboose with it’s fun, crazy obstacle course, and the Basketball Moonwalk, perfect for kids of all ages. I even ran the obstacle course and climbed into the Moonwalk - once! – and that was enough!
The brand new hit of the year was our Bean Bag Toss game! Our good friend, Cory, created and built for us two bean bag toss games in our Photography by Brandi colors. They came out awesome, and were a huge hit with adults and kids of every age!
Top all that off with some food, drinks and desserts and you can’t go wrong! Two Guys and a Grill were our food specialists this year! They grilled hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken. I know the chicken was quite yummy, and I heard only great comments about the burgers. I even saw a few people head back for seconds and thirds!
My cookies were a huge hit! They were completely gone before the afternoon was even over. Not to mention, I saw many people two fisting the Rice Krispies! Despite parental wishes, I know a few kiddos out there who probably ate over a half dozen suckers.
All in all, it was an awesome day! Pete and I both had a blast. Thank you to everyone who joined us in making the day memorable and fun! Huge thank yous to our hard working assistants and helpers, we couldn’t do it without you guys!!! (Lori, Scott, Tracy and Chris!!)
Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk
Always close to my heart are my clients with Down syndrome. Over the past few years, I have continued to use my photographic talents to capture and showcase the beauty of Down syndrome, along with supporting the Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City.
For the last two years, Pete and I have participated and walked in the Buddy Walk. This year, the Buddy Walk has become the Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk. We are just as excited to participate this year as we have been in the past!
To make it even more exciting, we are creating our own team this year! I have so many clients who participate and create teams every year that I couldn’t decide what to do. Then it hit me, Pete and I will form the Photography by Brandi team. If we end up being the only two on our team, I’m okay with that. But, if you want to help us or walk with us, we would love to have you join our team.
Not only will you be supporting all of our adorable clients, but you will be supporting an awesome local organization, the Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City (DSG).
The Step Up for Down Syndrome walk promotes acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome and recognition of their many gifts, talents and contributions to society. All funds raised at the walk stay in the Kansas City area, and benefit the Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City.
This year’s walk is just around the corner! Please help me, by supporting me or joining me at the 2009 Step Up for Down Syndrome walk.
The walk is a one mile walk around Kauffman and Arrowhead Stadiums. The festivities take place from 9 AM-1 PM with the walk starting at Noon on Saturday, October 24th.
Click here to join our team or to donate. THANKS!!
Beautiful Ladies
Last month, we hosted our Ladies Night Out event. Ladies were invited to come out to the studio, do a little shopping, eating and relaxing.
In addition, Skin Care by Kimberly provided complimentary makeovers and touch ups, and I had the honor of photographing all the beautiful ladies for new Facebook profile pics!
Check out some of our beautiful ladies…
Ladies Night Out Fun!
We could not have picked a better evening for Ladies Night Out. Yes, it was a little warm, but the sun was shining, there was a nice breeze and it was just a great evening to do a little shopping, enjoy some yummy food, get an Arbonne makeover and strike a pose for a new Facebook profile pic.
With the help of some great friends, we transformed the studio into an pink, orange and black oasis of Ladies Night Out decor
The first 30 attendees received an awesome gift bag including fun items from all our participants. There were unique jewelry pieces, custom created holiday bags and ornaments, travel skin care products, massage oil and lotion, a yoga dvd, fun blank note cards and a few other fun small items! I thought the gift bags came out perfectly!
I spent the whole night photographing lots of beautiful ladies! In the past, my events have always included kiddos and animals. Working with beautiful, adult ladies was definitely a change, but a TON of fun!
With the normal summer humidity of Kansas, everyone was in need of a little tender loving care! Skin Care by Kimberly worked with some great Arbonne products and lots of hairspray to get everyone ready to see me.
Cindy, with Silpada, had a gorgeous display, full of unique jewelry pieces. Not only did she have pieces available for special order, but she had some pieces available for you to take home that night!
Sunflower Creations had many of her unique creations on display! Becky does custom embroidery and quilting by request. She can embroider anything, from t-shirts, to burp cloths, to a child’s suitcase! It was fun for everyone to get a peek at all the one of a kind things Becky can create.
Heidi, with YogaXoga, was there with her brand new DVD! A DVD including three twenty minute classes, perfect for those of us who have no free time! Twenty minutes, right before you go to bed, is perfect for calming your crazy head…how could you ask for anything more!
Everyone got to take advantage of Jennifer’s Hands of Healing massage! Jennifer brought her massage chair and provided neck and shoulder massages to relax everyone! With the massage and available Sangria, all the ladies were relaxed and ready for their mini portrait sessions!
Then, there were the fantastic raffle items donated by everyone! Every half hour we raffled off one of the items. It was so much fun hearing the ecstatic screams from the winning ladies!
A HUGE thanks goes out to my friend Chris and her hubby Dave! They prepared all the yummy food and drink! It was an amazing spread, and quite tasty!
Without the help of my great friend Shawna, my sister Lori, my friends Chris and Dave, all the vendors and their hubbys, and my hubby, Pete, Ladies Night Out would not have run so smoothly! I can’t thank them all enough!
The biggest thanks goes to all the ladies who joined us for what turned out to be an awesome, fun evening!!
Helping Paws Slide Show
Forty-one furry, four-legged kiddos came to our Helping Paws event, all in support of Wayside Waifs!
I still can’t get over the response we received this year! The purpose of the event was to collect donations and gifts for Wayside Waifs, a humane society committed to helping homeless animals find a permanent place to call home. I was absolutely in awe of all the donations that we received. Delivering them to Wayside Waifs was an unbelievable experience. They were so very thankful and appreciative!
Follow this link to the Helping Paws Pet Portrait slide show, and check out all our stars who helped in the cause!
Ladies Night Out Reminder
I am excited to remind you that Ladies Night Out is this Saturday, July 11th from 4-8 PM, rain or shine.
This is one event you won’t want to miss! I will be taking complimentary Facebook Profile Pics of all my ladies, and this will be your only opportunity for 2010 Gift Cards! For every $20 you spend, you will receive an additional $10 of Photography credit. You can buy 2010 Gift Cards for yourself, or you can buy them to give as gifts!
Invite all your ladies! You are sure to have a fun night out!
Don’t let this night pass you by. Not only will the first 30 attendees receive complimentary Gift Bags (valued over $150), but, every half hour, we will be drawing for one of six Must Have Raffle Giveaways!
For more information please visit our Ladies Night Out web site:
You can help us plan for enough food and drink by clicking here to let us know if you THINK you will be coming.
I am looking forward to seeing you on Saturday!
Helping Paws Sneak Peek
A few weeks ago, we rolled out the red carpet for these four legged stars at our Helping Paws event! Not only did they all arrive carrying lots and lots of goodies for us to donate to Wayside Waifs, but they brought their award winning personalities and smiles, ready to strike some poses!
The entire slide show will be coming soon…stay tuned!
Ladies Night Out!
I am thrilled to invite you and your ladies to join us on Saturday, July 11th, from 4-8pm, for Ladies Night Out at our studio.
Ladies Night Out is a great chance to spend time with old friends, meet new friends, do some shopping, check out new products and services, have a new Facebook profile pic taken AND support the LADIES…all participants are women-owned small businesses.
For more information please visit our Ladies Night Out web site:
Please help us plan for enough food and drink! Click here to let us know if you THINK you will be coming. Don’t worry, we won’t hold you to it.
Can’t wait to see all you beautiful ladies!!