New Year's Baby?

Prairie Images Photography would like to honor any babies born on New Year's Day with a Gift Certificate! If you are expecting and your baby is born on January 1, 2010 you will win a $50 Gift Certificate towards a New Born session. Because new babies can cause a ton of excitement and adding anything to remember to the schedule can be chaos, just drop me an email if you are expecting soon and I will put you on my list! If you are the lucky one and your arrival gets here on January 1, 2010 you will be eligible for the gift certificate. If you want to wait, all contacts to me must be made by January 5th, 2010 to receive this special offer. All sessions must be booked and completed by January 15th, 2010. Gift Certificates expire on January 15, 2010. Good Luck to all expectant families!

If you know of anyone out there that is expecting around this time frame, be sure to pass this information along to them! But hurry, because this ofer expires soon on January 5, 2010.

JOIN NOW!

Tomorrow is the final day to become a fan and take advantage of this special offer! We are getting close to the 150 Fan Members, which qualifies for the Gift Certificate Drawing!

Have you become a fan of Prairie Images Photography yet? If not, take the time to join now! Prairie Images Photography will be hosting a drawing for a Gift Certificate. One lucky person will be drawn from the fan list. The more fans that join the more the gift certificate will be. So get busy and start inviting!


You can join right here: Become a Fan!

150 Fans by December 31st=$50 Gift Certificate
200 Fans by December 31st=$75 Gift Certificate
300 Fans by December 31st=$100 Gift Certificate

Gift Certificates will be good for a newly scheduled Child or Family session and will be valid until December 31st, 2010. Cannot be combined with any other gift certificate, coupon or special offer.

Entering is easy! Anyone appearing on the fan list on December 31st, 2009 will be entered automatically. One winner will be drawn from the member list. Winner will be notified by Facebook message.

As a special bonus to all Fan Club Members, if our goal is met a $25 Gift Certificate will be given to anyone on the Fan List that requests one! Please make your request by emailing me at prairieimages@hughes.net or sending me a message on Facebook. Make sure to include your mailing address. These Gift Certificates will have the same criteria as above!

The Fan Page is the official announcement media for Prairie Images Photography! All special offers and new happenings will be announced on the Fan Page first!

January is Referral Month . . .

Refer a new client to Prairie Images Photography and earn DOUBLE Referral dollars!


Referred party must be new to Prairie Images Photography and session must be completed and paid for by March 31st , 2010 for credit to be issued. Be sure to tell your family and friends to mention your name when they book their session.  Referral sessions can be for any type of Regular Studio scheduled session. Special offer sessions excluded.  If you need referral cards to hand out, please drop me an email and I will get them to you! For more information and complete details about the Referral Program or any other services Prairie Images offers, contact me at 620-873-5258/629-5677 or prairieimages@hughes.net

The Party Starts Here. . .

Prairie Images Photography introduces. . . Party Sessions!

Click image to make larger!

January Happenings. . .

Well another Christmas is behind all of us . . . and we all survived!  Now it's time to gear up for a new and busy 2010.  I say busy because things just never seem to slow down!  With all of the school activities, business ventures and just life in general I think we all probably meet ourselves coming and going!

January will be a busy month for Prairie Images Photography! 

First, if you know of any expectant mother's due soon, be sure to have them let me know by January 5th if their baby is born on New Year's Day!  A special gift is available for ANY baby born on January 1st, 2010.

Blog Trivia returns to the blog on January 3rd.  So be sure to check back right here every Sunday for the new trivia question.  One winner from a drawing of the correct answers will be awarded each week!

Prairie Images Photography is excited to launch"Party Sessions".  I have been working out the details on this for awhile now and just about have everything put together. If you have a birthday girl coming up, give me a call.  These will not be limited to birthdays, but would be a PERFECT fun gift for those pre-Teen and Teenagers.  More details will be coming SOON so be watching the Fan Page.  Speaking of the Fan Page!  We are continuing to grow and don't forget about the special offer if we meet a minimum of 150 Fans by December 31st.  The prize grows larger the more Fans we have!  So if you aren't a member do so by clicking now! Become a Fan!

Double Referral Month is good for the month of January!  Any referrals made by you to the studio in January will earn Double Referral dollars.  So be sure to give them the referral cards that you have or have them drop your name to me when they book their sessions.

January is SuperBowl month so watch for a fun contest just for this!

Valentine's Day is just around the corner so if you missed Christmas Portraits, call today and schedule a Valentine Session. 

And last but not least, (see I told you January was busy), don't forget about the Cutest Baby Contest at Alco.  See the past blog post for details on this or give me a call and I'd be happy to give you the details!

I am also in the process of rebuilding an email mailing list!  Many of you are already on it but I will be sending out a request for this soon!

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a session, call 873-5258.

Merry Christmas!

Twas the Night. . .

before Christmas and all through the house,
not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

Well this is it . . . it's now or never. . . if you aren't done shopping by now you are now down to less than 24 HOURS! Better make them good ones . . .

Santa Stats. . .

Did you know. . .


The U.S. has 78 people registered under S. Claus and one under Kriss Kringle

December is the most popular month for nose jobs.

The weight of Santa's sleigh loaded with one Beanie Baby for every kid on earth: 333,333 tons.

Number of reindeers required to pull a 333,333-ton sleigh: 214,206 plus Rudolph.

Average wage of a mall Santa: $11 an hour. With real beard: $20.

To deliver all his gifts in one night, Santa would have to make 822.6 visits per second (at 3,000 times the speed of sound).

At that speed, Santa and his reindeers would instantaneously burst into flames in Earth's atmosphere just like meteors.

Speaking of Santa. . . the sleigh is being packed as I type!   This means you now only have TWO Shopping Days left. . .

Want to Win?!?

Have you become a fan of Prairie Images Photography yet? If not, take the time to join now! Prairie Images Photography will be hosting a drawing for a Gift Certificate. One lucky person will be drawn from the fan list. The more fans that join the more the gift certificate will be. So get busy and start inviting!

You can join right here: Become a Fan!

150 Fans by December 31st=$50 Gift Certificate to the lucky winner.
200 Fans by December 31st=$75 Gift Certificate to the lucky winner.
300 Fans by December 31st=$100 Gift Certificate to the lucky winner.

Gift Certificates will be good for a newly scheduled Child or Family session and will be valid until December 31st, 2010. Cannot be combined with any other gift certificate, coupon or special offer.

Entering is easy! Anyone appearing on the fan list on December 31st, 2009 will be entered automatically. One winner will be drawn from the member list. Winner will be notified by Facebook message.

As a special bonus to all Fan Club Members, if our goal is met a $25 Gift Certificate will be given to anyone on the Fan List that requests one! Please make your request by emailing me at prairieimages@hughes.net or sending me a message on Facebook. Make sure to include your mailing address. These Gift Certificates will have the same criteria as above!

The Fan Page is the official announcement media for Prairie Images Photography! All special offers and new happenings will be announced on the Fan Page first!

And as a last message . . . I didn't forget to include the countdown . . . if you are still Christmas Shopping time is getting scarce with only 3 short days remaining!

First Day of Winter. . .

Hmmmm . .. if I'm not mistaking, seems like we've had our share already . . . if today is the FIRST day of Winter, where has Fall been hiding this past month!

The first day of Winter means that today will be the shortest day of the year. . . which also means that we are that much closer to SPRING!  :-)  But before we think about Spring we have to get through the holidays first!  So all of you procrastinators out there. . . you now have 4 SHOPPING DAYS left. . . Enjoy the madness!

Some Christmas Humor . . .

Ohhhhh the things kids will say :-)  Enjoy!

Two little boys went to their grandparents' place for Christmas. At bedtime, the youngest one began to pray at the top of his lungs.


"I PRAY FOR A NEW BICYCLE...

I PRAY FOR A NEW BICYCLE...

I PRAY FOR A NEW BICYCLE..."

The older brother exclaimed, "Why are you shouting? Do you think God is deaf." The little one promptly replied, "Nope! But Grandma certainly is!"

Your shopping countdown is now at 5 shopping days until Christmas!

Santa Claus All Over the World. . .

The present-day Christmas traditions are said to have their origin from the Victorian period during 1860s. Santa Claus or Father Christmas has many forms around the world that have different personalities, different duties and dresses. In Sweden and other Scandinavian countries, St. Lucia is believed to mark the beginning of the Christmas festivities and is also known as St. Lucy or 'Little Yule'. On this day, the oldest daughter in each family rises early and dresses up in a long white gown with a red sash and a crown made of twigs with nine lighted candles on top. She is known as 'Lussi' for the day and has the duty to wake up each family member dressed in this manner.

Finnish, too, choose a girl annually to be the national Lucia and she parades surrounded by torchbearers as the name Lucia, derived from the Latin word 'Lux' means 'Light'. It is said that on St Lucia Day, sun's rays again start to strengthen. According to the legend, Lucia is the patron saint of the blind. She lived in Syracuse in the 4th century when Christians were persecuted for their beliefs. Though, not much is known about her, it is said that she lost her sight because of a Diocletian tortured her much for following Christianity. Other version of the story says that she plucked her own eyes, as she could not bear to see Christians being tortured so cruelly anymore. Scandinavian children leave their shoes on hearth for Saint Nicholas to fill them with treats while American children who known him as Father Christmas hang stockings on their bedpost or near a fireplace on Christmas Eve in the hope of getting gifts from him.

The popularity of St Nicholas reached America in the 18th century with the Dutch families, who knew him as 'Sinter Klaas', which later got transformed to 'Santa Claus'. He used to wear a broad-rimmed hat then with huge Flemish trunk hose. Later, he turned into a joker with a blue three-cornered hat, red waistcoat and yellow stockings. The present-day image of Santa Claus is attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, an Episcopal minister, who wrote a long Christmas poem for his three daughters in 1822 that was called 'An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas.' He lent Santa the image of 'jolly old elf' with a portly figure and the supernatural ability to ascend a chimney. The poem picturized that he flew from house to house on Christmas Eve in 'a miniature sleigh' led by eight flying reindeers and left presents for children who were good and obedient all through the year. Thomas Nast, the famous cartoonist added red clothes and protruding belly in 1881 along with a full, white beard and a sack of toys. He introduced North Pole toy workshop of Santa, his had-working elves, and his wife, Mrs. Claus too.

Swiss children wait for Christ-child on Christmas while Kris Kringle is the one to deliver gifts to German children. In hilly regions of Scandinavia, a jolly elf Jultomten delivers gifts in a sleigh drawn by goats. English children known Santa Claus by the name of Father Christmas while Pere Noel fills the shows of French children with treats and toys dutifully. Russian has an old lady called Babouschka who does the job on 5th of January every year. It is said that this lady was so used to solitude that she did not like being disturbed by the three wise men to ask for directions to Bethlehem. In anger, she gave them the wrong directions to mislead them as her supposed revenge. However, she repented her actions later and went in search of the men to tell them the right path and ask for forgiveness but she was too late and could not find them anymore. Ever since then, she visits Russian children and leave gifts for them in the hope that maybe one of them is Baby Jesus who will then forgive her. Italians have a kind witch called La Befana who delivers gifts to the children's stockings while riding a broomstick.

And speaking of the big Jolly Elf. . . I belief he is tuning up the sleigh as he prepares for his Christmas Eve Journey!   This means you are now down to only SIX shopping days before his arrival . . . Happy Shopping!

--from http://www.worldofchristmas.net/

Just a little History . . .

As I was trying to think about what to include for today's blogpost I came across this little tidbit about the history of Christmas carols and thought I would share!  Enjoy. . .

The History of Christmas Carols

Maria Augusta Trapp has documented history of carols in a clear and concise way. According to her, singing and caroling at Christmas is one of the oldest folk customs of the day and has been present since the time when Christianity and Christmas season were still at their budding stages. It is a worldwide custom and there has been lot of research on the subject and several books have been written about it. Originally, music compositions and songs at Christmas were in the form of chants and hymns. Caroling originally meant 'circle dance' and the words to accompany this festive dance were later added to the tradition.

Initially, the church looked down upon carols and carol singing as a pagan custom and they could not be included in the sacred services. However, in the countryside, many simple folk songs and Nativity carols were written and gaine popularity too. In 1223, Saint Francis of Assisi introduced carols into the formal worship of the church during a Christmas Midnight Mass in a cave in Greccio, in the province of Umbria. That night, the songs and music that accompanied this sacred and formal event were not hymns but carols. Ever since then, carols caught on with the masses and were at their prime in the Middle Ages, when they were almost always a part of the mystery plays.

There was a time, when wandering minstrels and waits or watchmen that guarded the old walled cities in the night used to pass their time by singing carols and also sang them to the people who used to pass them by. They would go from home to home, singing carols and entertaining people and may be get a treat in return. Later groups of musicians began singing carols and playing them for various events that were held during the Christmas season. Today, carol singing has become an important of this holiday season and a number of caroling events are organized throughout the world during the festive season, especially on Christmas Eve.

So now that you have had your history lesson for the day. . . Do you have your shopping done?  The numbers are now in single digits with only 7 shopping days and 1 weekend remaining.   

In a pinch for that last minute gift. . . Gift Certificates are a great way to solve your problem!  The Gift Certificate Extravaganza ends December 23rd.  Details included in a previous blog post.

Happy Friday everyone! 

--from http://www.worldofchristmas.net/

Ring a Ling, Here them Ring . . .

Soon it will be Christmas Day!

City sidewalks, busy sidewalks.
Dressed in holiday style
In the air
There's a feeling
of Christmas
Children laughing
People passing
Meeting smile after smile
And on ev'ry street corner you'll hear . . .

And you now have 8 shopping days left until Christmas!

Tis the season . . .

Don't Forget. . .

Lots of upcoming happenings at Prairie Images Photography!  Be sure to check back through the blog for all the details!

The Gift Certificate Extravaganza goes through December 23rd.  A great way to save on sessions for next year!

January will be a busy month full of ways to save at the studio.  If you know of anyone expecting a new baby on January 1, 2010 make sure they let me know if they are one of the lucky ones. This promotion is for ANY baby born on January 1st of 2010.  The cutest baby contest at ALCO will be starting soon so take advantage of my special offer to go along with that! January is also Double Referral month. Be sure to tell people to drop your name when they book their sessions so you can get the bonus!  And lastly Blog Trivia will be returning on January 3rd.  So be sure to tune in each week for the new trivia question.  Prizes will be awarded each week.  Blog Trivia will run through March of 2010. 

Prairie Images Photography will also have some new things coming in 2010.  Watch for information on Party sessions.  These will be fun photo sessions perfect for friends to get together and celebrate if there's a birthday in the mix.  They won't be limited to just birthdays though and can be scheduled at any time!  Details are still being worked out so watch the blog and the Facebook Fan Page for more details. 

And last but not least, the Calendar now reads, December 15th.  This means you now only have 9 shopping days left before Christmas!  Just a friendly reminder that Prairie Images will be celebrating the holiday season from December 19th through December 27th.  Phone calls and appointments will resume on December 28th. 

Are you a Fan Yet?

If not, why not join us!  Facebook is a fast growing community enabling us to find classmates or old friends and catch up on our lives.  It's also a great tool to let people know important happenings. 

You might be asking yourself WHY do I need to be a fan of Prairie Images Photography?  Well the answer is simple.  Fan members will be the first to know about any promotions or special offers that are published.  I will also keep everyone up-to-date with any new products or services or special events that might be coming up! 

So take the plunge and join today!  There's a button to the right---> that will take you to the page.  Invite your friends too.  Once the fan list grows to 200 a special prize is in order. . . Announcements will take place soon. Hope to see you on the page!

Oh . .. and I'll bet you all thought I forgot to give the countdown to Christmas update . . . so for all of you out there that are procrastinating, you now have 10 days left!  Happy Shopping and don't forget Gift Certificates are great gifts.  Call today to order yours, 873-5258!

HO HO HO!

Twelve Days of Christmas. . .

I got this sent to me in an email from a good friend!  I myself have always wondered about this Christmas carol and it's meaning and signficance.

There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me. What in the world do leaping lords, French hens,
swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas? This week, I found out.

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics.

It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

-The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
-Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.
-Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
-The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
-The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
-The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
-Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching,  Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
-The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
-Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
-The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.
-The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
-The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of the Apostles of Jesus.

So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol...so pass it on if you wish.

And with that being said . . . you now have 11 shopping days left!

Auld Lang Syne. . .

In case you are wondering, I haven't lost my mind or the last 12 days of  2009, which by the way is how many shopping days you now have left!  But, I did want to get your attention and anyone who might be expecting a new baby soon. 

Prairie Images Photography would like to honor any babies born on New Year's Day with a Gift Certificate! If you are expecting and your baby is born on January 1, 2010 you will win a $50 Gift Certificate towards a New Born session.  Because new babies can cause a ton of excitement and adding anything to remember to the schedule can be chaos, just drop me an email if you are expecting soon and I will put you on my list!  If you are the lucky one and your arrival gets here on January 1, 2010 you will be eligible for the gift certificate.  If you want to wait, all contacts to me must be made by January 5th, 2010 to receive this special offer.  All sessions must be booked and completed by January 15th, 2010.  Gift Certificates expire on January 15, 2010.  Good Luck to all expectant families! 

If you know of anyone out there that is expecting around this time frame, be sure to pass this information along to them!

Cutest Baby Contest Coming!

ALCO will once again be holding the Cutest Baby Contest in the month of January and Prairie Images Photography would like to help promote the event!  The winner is determined by the amount of money collected during the month.  The money is then donated to a local charity.

Prairie Images Photography would like to help you with your portrait to display for your entry!  Anyone booking a mini session for their baby(must meet age requirements for the contest) will receive a $20 ALCO gift card!  In addition to the mini package purchase a BONUS 4x5 will be given to use for the contest and is yours to keep once the contest is over!  AND to sweeten the deal even more if your baby wins the contest with the image provided by my studio, I will award the winner with a $50 Gift Certificate for a future session. 

The contest begins January 1, so book your session soon so we have the image back in time to enter into the contest!  Entries are accepted by ALCO throughout the month, but the sooner it gets there the more money that can be collected.  And remember all money collected will stay local and help a needy cause!

To book your session, call 620-873-5258 or 629-5677.

And in case you are still counting . . . you now have 13 shopping days left til Christmas!  :-)

It's beginning to look alot . . .

Like Christmas. . . which means your shopping days countdown is dwindling!  You now have 14 days remaining and TWO weekends! 

Don't delay or all the goodies will be gone!

Tidings of Comfort and Joy . . .

Reflecting back on 2009 once again I have so many things to be thankful for! My clients and faithful blog readers are on the top of the list! It is great to live in a community with so many supportive friends and clients.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to all of you for trusting me to capture your family milestones and memories. I wish all of you a Beautiful Holiday Season and New Year of Peace and Happiness!

Be sure to continue reading the blog updates!  New things are always happening at Prairie Images Photography and 2010 will be no exception.  Some of the "old" fun will also be returning so stay tuned for all of the happenings that will be taking place.  If you haven't joined us on Facebook as a Fan yet, be sure to do that as well. There is a link to the right that will take you right there.  Special offers and promotions will be posted there and Fans will be the first to know.  A special Fan Promotion is also being planned for the new year! And lastly, if you are still shopping for that special gift you now have 15 days remaining. 

Prairie Images Photography will begin the holiday season on Saturday, December 19th through Sunday, December 27th.  Any orders that need to be placed will need to be to me by Thursday, December 17th but will not be available for pick up until December 28th when regular phone and studio appointments return.

Merry Christmas!

Gift Certificate Extravaganza

Are you still shopping for that "perfect" gift and find yourself running out of time as well as steam? Well look no further. . . Gift Certificates offer the perfect solution to those hard to buy for people on your shopping list! With only 16 shopping days left until Christmas you can't go wrong . . . and what better gift than a Portrait Session!

To celebrate the season Prairie Images Photography will offer a Gift Certiciate Extravaganza from now until December 23rd, 2009. . . So buy your Gift Certificate today and $AVE!

Purchase Any of the following denominations to take advantage of this Holiday Offer:

$100 will = $125 gift certificate.

$150 will  = $200 gift certificate.

$200 will = $260 gift certificate.

$300 will = $375 gift certificate.

$400 will = $500 gift certificate.

This offer expires on December 23rd, 2009

Gift certificates are valid for new sessions that are not currently scheduled for 2010.

For more details or to purchase your Gift Certificate, call 873-5258!

Happy Holidays and Happy Shopping!

Credit Cards accepted via paypal!

Still Counting . . .

Christmas isn't going away and is quickly approaching . . . leaving just 17 short shopping days left!  HO HO HO!!

Oh The Weather Outside . . .

Is frightful . .Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow . . .

Just kidding really .. . I hate snow!  Too much going on to have snow slow me down!  But if it's going to be so blasted cold some of the white stuff might make it seem more worth it! 

And to update you on your shopping countdown . . . You now have 18(I think I skipped a day somewhere so updating this) shopping days left until the big guy makes his trip . . . Happy Shopping!

Silent Night . . . Holy Night . . .

All is calm . . . . all is bright!

Maybe this rings true at home . . . but I can assure you the stores are far from calm at this point in the season!  You are now down to 18 shopping days til Christmas!  Which means only two weekends left as well!

Enjoy the season!

You'd Better Watch Out . . .

You'd better not cry . . . Better not pout I'm telling you why . . . Santa Claus is coming to town . . .

And he will be starting his journey in 19 short days. . . So Happy Shopping!  Be sure to check out what your local merchants can provide for your holiday gift buying!

GO BUFFALOES!!

Tonight's the night, and a cold one it will be.  The Cimarron Bluejays come to town for some hardwood action!  Games start at 4:45 with the JV squads taking the court first!  Varsity girls will follow at 6:30 and the Varsity boys will round out the evening starting at approximately 8:00.  Good Luck Buffaloes!

And just in case you are wondering. . . you now have 20 Shopping Days left until Christmas! 

Ho Ho Ho . . .

Are you in the spirit yet?  The days are going any slower and December is zipping by. . . You now have 21 shopping days left until Christmas!  So you'd better get busy .. . oh and if you haven't decorated yet, you might want to put that on your agenda :-) 

On a Sports Note. . . MHS Winter sports have gotten underway with the Wrestling team opening up this past Tuesday in Elkhart!  Basketball teams will take the court on Friday, December 4th against the Cimarron Bluejays!  Come out and Support your Buffs!

Tick Tock Tick Tock . . .

Time is ticking away . . . Christmas is coming soon!  You now have 22 shopping days left!

It's December. . .

Which means you now have 23 shopping days left until Christmas. . .