Ok, I'll just come out and say it, we have been bad bloggers lately!  With that said, I'll do my best to explain why.  I flew out of town unexpectedly on January 10th for a week and Stacey had single mom duty with Lauren and Ian, "the tiny tornado", while I was gone.  We got a call that my dad was in the hospital in Lake Havasu, AZ with some heart issues.  I am happy to report that he didn't have a heart attack, but his heart wasn't "in rhythm".  The top of his heart was beating at a different rate than the bottom.  The good news is that they got it back into rhythm and I was able to take him back to his place.  The Doctors are keeping close tabs on him, but he is out!  In addition, I am very proud of him for taking on some changes he needs to make head first.  He told me that he lost 14lbs since leaving the hospital on the 13th. 

To make things a little more exciting, I flew home on the 17th, gave a speech for the local ABC chapter (Association of Bridal Consultants) on the 19th, and we left for a family vacation the morning of the 20th.  Needless to say it has been a bit chaotic at the Thon house!  Despite all the chaos, it has turned out to be a blessing in disguise.  I got to spend a week with my Dad (and a lot of different Dr's and nurses :), which was nice.  Plus, I had the chance to catch up with some old and new friends.  Roger and I were in each others wedding and have been friends since 4th grade.  He was kind enough to offer me a place to crash before I flew home from Phoenix, where I ended up spending the evening with his family.  To top things off, I was able to have lunch with Melissa Jill, a great photographer and friend from the Tanzania trip.  It was so good to spend a little time with them both! 

In closing I am going to leave you with an image of a sunset taken in front of where my Dad is staying this winter.  It was the best one of the week and I was so happy to be able grab a quick shot.  Check back later for my thoughts on the ABC speech and hopefully we can post some pictures while on vacation!

Wow, I am honored to be the feature speaker on Tuesday, January 19th for the Minneapolis Association of Bridal Consultants.  If anyone in the wedding industry is interested in coming, here is a link to the Evite.

I have posted the Title and small outline of the presentation below:






I hope to see you there!

Wow, what a fun way to start off the first Tanzania Thursday of the new year!  For this edition, I have some exciting news to share.  One of my favorite images from the trip was chosen for the article on the Thirst Relief Benefit Shoot. 

For those of you who haven't heard of Wedding Style magazine, within the industry it is considered one of the best magazines out there.  Grace Ormonde has staked her name on the visual appearance of this magazine.  If you were to look through it, everything is done very classy and pleasing to the eye.  The first time I came across the magazine, it instantly became a must read because I was so impressed with the layout, the images, and the style that Grace features.  I remember showing Stacey it for the first time and we both said "We want to be in there, how cool would that be".  Mark one off the bucket list I guess :).  In all actuality, I just feel honored to have my name next to any of the other people who went on the trip.

I encourage anyone who hasn't read Grace's magazine to take a look.  I think you would agree that her magazine is top notch!  Without further delay, here is the article.  My image is of the boy getting a piggy back ride on page 104.  We are hoping this is just the first of many future appearances.  Thanks Grace!

As I sit here looking out at the snow, the Christmas tree, and take in the smell of the holidays, it makes me pause to think about friends, family, and loved ones both near and far.  It makes me think about the fun dinner we just enjoyed with Stacey's family.  It makes me think about the joy in our kid's eyes as they wake up in the morning.  It brings a smile to my face, and makes me want to do more in life.  The one thing I love about this time of year is creating traditions and memories.  Some of my favorite Christmas memories growing up were the simplest, but they almost always centered around traditions.  I am thankful for so much that sometimes I have to step back and take it all in. 

We hope that this Holiday Season has brought happiness and good memories to you all!  With that in mind, we at Staja Studios would like to wish all of you, particularly our family, friends, and clients a very Merry Christmas!  We are truly blessed for the part all of you have played in our lives!
 
In closing, here are a few images of some good times we shared this Christmas season!