New Toy

The last couple of days my 17" laptop has been acting a bit weird and today it really frustrated me so I went to the Apple store and replaced it. My old one is 3 years old and I sent it in for a check-up. It's still going to be a great computer for someone but with the demands I put on my computers, I need to update them every three years anyhow. So it was time and today I was just pushed over the edge.

I'm excited about my new toy. I need something reliable because I'm going out of town next week to shoot a wedding in SC. I'm a loyal Mac user and I love the 17" screen because I use my laptop to show a slideshow at each wedding reception of some of my favorite shots from that day. So the bigger the display the better!

If anyone is in the market for a 17" 1.5GHz Powerbook G4 for cheap, let me know. My old baby will be out of the shop soon and looking for a caring home :).

Tyler & Kelly's Album Design

We are getting caught up on albums this week and just finished Tyler & Kelly's initial album design. I think it turned out great! Tyler & Kelly got married on December 30th and it was a great wedding. Click here to view their album design. Keep in mind that the finished album is 14x10 inches in size so the photos are MUCH bigger.

Blog Recognition

Liene Stevens, a cool wedding consultant that I've gotten to know recently, just let me know that I was mentioned on The Wedding Bee site as having a good blog. I checked out the post and they talk about reasons why wedding photographer blogs are great and list a bunch of great ones to check out. Many of the blogs listed are those I look at often myself and I'm honored to be listed there. I'm not sure how I ended up on the list but I'm excited! It's amazing how word-of-mouse spreads. Check out the post here and feel free to leave a quick plug in the comments about how much you adore my blog :).

Thanks!!

#50....check!

50. Solve the Rubik's Cube

When I was around 6 or 7 years old, I had a Rubik's cube and was in awe of my older cousin who could solve it. It blew my mind. It's always been one of those challenges that seemed impossible. So I thought it would be fun to figure out the mystery... and I have conquered! I know--I'm a big nerd for spending my time on this. I've always been a little nerdy--got a minor in math in college. But it's fun to be able to solve it and have that sense of accomplishment.

#38....check!

38. Spend a whole day with Jess out at her place


So today I was supposed to have an engagement shoot but the couple had to postpone last minute so I took my whole Saturday off to spend time with my good friend Jessica which just so happened to be on my list. Now you may wonder why spending time with a friend would be considered a legitimate goal. Jessica has been my friend for a long time. She has two kids--Sydney is 8 and Grant is 5. I've been friends with Jess long before she had Sydney and we've been through a lot together. Last year she got remarried and she now lives out in the boonies beyond the limits of Queen Creek -- about a 45 minute drive from me. And our relationship has changed a bit this year. I don't get to see her nearly as much and have only made the trip out to her house once. Isn't that sad? So I decided I needed some quality time with her and would make the effort to go her way.

But we didn't spend the whole day out at her house. We started the day at Grant's little league game. Which was a lot of fun. Here's a great shot I got of one of the little leaguers at bat:


Here's Sydney playing with her most cherished toy--an American Girl Doll. I haven't seen Sydney in months and she is getting so big and seriously talks like a grown up.


This little guy is playing the outfield and is totally prepared for any fly ball that may come his way:


I love this shot of the team as they wait their turn up to bat:


After the game and lunch we made the trek back to Jess & Daniel's house. They live off a dirt road and burn their own trash and they don't even really have a city name to call their own. Right now they're "borrowing" "Queen Creek" for their address even though their house is 10 miles beyond the edge of town. I give them a hard time for living so far out. Here's their house:


We went next door to my friend Lindsay's house. Lindsay is also Jessica's sister-in-law. She is pregnant and I got this great shot of her:


She was watching some cute dogs. Check out these ears:


We hung out for awhile working on a school project with Syndey. Here's Sydney--I can't believe how gorgeous she is!


To wrap up the fun-filled day, we went ice skating! Sydney made the honor roll so this was her reward. It was the first time ever skating for both Sydney & Grant!

Getting laced up:


The whole fam:


Now mind you, all of the following shots were taken while I myself was on skates on the ice. Pretty impressive, I know :).

Grant was really tentative at first and either held onto mom or the side:




But then he got this walker-looking-thing that helped him not fall and gain confidence. It was really cute:


I caught this action shot of him wiping it even with the walker:


But then he got rid of the walker and was wizzing around the rink on his own. He had a blast!


I got some cute shots of Jess & Daniel as well--still newlyweds :).






What a fun day! Thanks guys for hanging out! I hope it's not too long before we do it again :).

Paula & Brian's Album

We just got done with another great album design. Paula & Brian got married in November at The Wrigley Mansion. It was a beautiful wedding and it's fun to re-live it in album form. Click here to see the album design. Keep in mind that the finished album is 14x10 in size so all the photos are MUCH larger.

Grant to Phoenix Firefighters

Today I covered a short check receiving ceremony where the Phoenix Fire Department was given a grant. It's not something I usually do but I enjoy covering any type of event where I am just free to be creative and shoot what is happening. Here's a few images.






We were setting up for a group shot at the end and everyone thought it would be great to have two ambulances in the back. But then they noticed they were a little dirty so all the firefighters started washing them. It was a fun scene that reminded me of fund-raising car washes I've been a part of in the past:




Short and sweet. I didn't know what to do with myself after shooting for just under 2 hours :).

February Newsletter Out!

I just sent out my February newsletter! I've been sending out monthly newsletters using Constant Contact since September. It's been a great thing for my business--a vehicle to stay in touch with past clients and other vendors in the industy. If you read my blog regularly, there won't be anything new in the newsletter--it basically reiterates what is in my blog and links to it to keep everyone in the loop who doesn't look at my blog regularly. But if you are interested in receiving my monthly newsletters, just type your email address into the box on the right side of my blog and you will be added to the list!

Hazel & Elias

Hazel & Elias got married Saturday at Seville Golf & Country Club. It was an unusually warm February day and the wedding was beautiful. Around 230 of Hazel and Elias's family and friends surrounded them to celebrate--including their two Yorkshire Terriers: Zazz and Mimi. They were a big part of the wedding. So I apologize ahead of time for showing more pictures of the dogs than the groom but I can't help it -- they stole the show and were SO cute.

Anyhow, the day started out with hair and make-up at Changes Salon in Scottsdale:


Hazel was peaceful and glowing:



Then we progressed to Seville for the final steps of preparation. Getting in the dress is always a challenging task. I love this shot of Hazel's mom helping her put on her gown:


Two hands help speed the lacing up of the back:


Hazel was an amazingly gorgeous and photogenic bride. I couldn't pick between all of these shots of her. If you want, comment below and let me know which one you prefer. Number 1:


#2:


#3:


#4:


The ceremony setting was beautiful with the mountains in the background. But I was nearly blinded by the sun reflecting off of all the white chairs:


Zazz was dressed in a doggie tux and bow tie:


Mimi was outfitted in a cute pink dress. Here she is chilling before her job of being wheeled down the isle in a wagon by one of the ring bearers:


Zazz and Mimi in the wagon:


Elias as Hazel said her vows:


I love this shot of Hazel shortly after walking down the isle:


This next shot has to be my favorite of the whole day.


Hazel giving Mimi some love (I warned you--lots of cute dog shots):


A sweet shot of Hazel and Elias after the ceremony:


The harsh sunlight is good for some things:


The cakes:


The first dance:


What a great wedding! Thanks Hazel & Elias for allowing me to be a part of it!

Click here if you would like to view the slideshow. It ends with the most violent bouquet toss I think I've ever witnessed, so you'll want to see it!

Josh & Molly's Guest Book

I'm cutting it close again!

I wanted to share with you the fun design of a custom guest book that we recently finished. Josh and Molly are getting married in April and I shot their engagement shoot about a month ago. They are a great couple.

This custom guest book is a great product that we offer. We use 30-40 of the couples' favorite photos from their engagement shoot and design a guest book that they can use at their wedding. So the pages are designed with plenty of open space for their wedding guests to write personal notes to them. This has been a favorite product of my clients recently and it's easy to see why. It makes the guest book something to be cherished -- not just a book of names to be filed away in a closet somewhere. This is a great book to display on your coffee table and read through occasionally.

Click here to see the design of Josh and Molly's book. Keep in mind that the finished book is 11x8 inches in size.

Portico Website

I only have an hour left to get my blogging in for the day. I'm on day 13 of blogging every day working toward a full month. Almost half-way there! This is going to get a little tough I think.

Today I was pretty much out of commission. I shot a great wedding yesterday and I will post some photos in the next couple days. But today I was more than the normal amount of exhausted after a wedding. I think the unusual heat and the sun took a lot out of me yesterday. Anyway, I pretty much laid around most of the day until I went to church this evening. My church meets at 6pm on Sundays. We're a very small church right now and we rent out a meeting room in another church building in Chandler. Our name is "Portico." I love my church. Even when I feel wiped and like I have nothing to give, I can just show up and be myself and feel loved. It's like a family.

I wanted to just give a shout out to my church and let you know that we have a cool website that just got updated with some of my photos. Click here to see the site. Check it out--you might recognize some of the photos. One of my 101 goals is to take more photos of Portico for the website to be able to update it more and make it more personal. So I'll have to work on that. But I think it's a pretty cool site so far for a young, small church. Goodnight :).

#70....check!

70. Finish crocheting the blanket I started years ago

I'm excited to report that I just checked off my first goal on my 101 in 1001 list! Woo-hoo! It's not a huge one but it feels good to make some progress nonetheless. Over three years ago, probably before I started my business (although I can't remember for sure), I put this blanket in the back of my armoire and forgot about it. Recently, while cleaning stuff out of my bedroom for a garage sale, I found it and remembered that I used to love to crochet. I used to enjoy a lot of things but the last four years have been mainly consumed with starting my business. I love it and it's great to be focused so I don't have any regrets. But I used to be a lot more domestic and craftsey. So I put it on my list. I had to look at the instructions again and re-teach myself how to crochet--that's how long it's been. But I did it and only a week later - it's finished! I didn't realize it but it was close to 90% done sitting in my armoire this whole time! How sad is that? I could have been using it this whole time! But it feels good to finish a project. And I love the blanket. It fits in my living room perfectly!

Phoenix PUG

Last night we had our monthly Phoenix PUG (Pictage User Group) meeting. It was a great one! Davide Greene, who is based out of Toronto but flies around the world shooting international weddings, came out to share with us about his Simple approach to his business. Davide is a friend of mine and it was great to see him again.

I also shared real briefly about my 101 in 1001 list and challenged everyone to join in. So we'll see who jumps on board!

Also, today I pre-ordered my copy of Lightroom, a new software out by Adobe that will revolutionalize digital workflow. It's discounted $100 if you order it this month. So if you're a photograher, make sure to order your copy soon!

Awesome Conference

Yesterday I went to LA for the day to attend Joe Buissink & Marcus Bell's Photo Conference. It was awesome! These two are amazing photographers and I was so inspired. Joe is a celebrity wedding photographer but is very genuine and down to earth. I found out that he has a 13 year-old son who has autism so I definitely felt a connection to him in that since I have two nephews with autism. Marcus is from Australia and so I enjoyed listening to his accent all day. I wanted to get a photo with the two of them to share with you. Here's Joe saying, "do we need a reflector?" as he acts like his bald head would work well for that:


So then I'm cracking up and look like a total goofball for the photo:


I went to this conference on my own but ran into two friends (top photo). Michell Jonas is a Phoenix photographer who showed up and it's funny cause we're running into each other EVERYWHERE lately. And then Jen Disney (on right) is a girl I went to college with back in the day. We didn't know each other too well then but were in a girls' choir together and I ran into her in the bathroom at the conference and we immediately recognized each other. So the three of us girls went to a little hole in the wall Mexican Restaraunt for lunch and it was delicious.

The conference was inpiring mostly because of Joe and Marcus' images which just made me want to be a better photographer and get out there and shoot. Marcus also shared about his workflow using Lightroom, a new software that is out there that I will be buying and incorporating in our workflow soon (one of my 101 goals!). So it was good to learn a little more about that. I was also inspired to get some fine art canvas prints made and enter a print competition. So those goals will be going on my list.

At the LAX airport as I was waiting for my plane, I saw these adorable boys playing and had fun taking some photos of them. Check out these mugs:


I nearly missed my plane because I was having so much fun shooting them and didn't hear the boarding call. But I made it and had fun taking a few pics on the plane. LA by night:

Happy V-Day to me!

Happy Valentine's Day!

My gift to myself this year is a photography conference with Joe Buissink and Marcus Bell. So I'm heading to LA for the day and it should be great fun!

I am still working on my 101 in 1001 list - only 13 goals left to make it to 101. I'm purposefully waiting until after the conference today to finish the list because I know I'm going to come back inspired and will be able to finish writing my list in no time. In the meantime I've been working on some of my goals, including blogging every day for a month. I'm going strong at just over a week now, so I'm feeling good. Stay tuned to see if I make it!

If you haven't created your 101 in 1001 list yet, I encourage you to do so! It has definitely stretched and motivated me in just the last week alone! Three people have emailed me with their lists and if you'd like to read them for inspiration, check out this post.

Hope you have a great Valentine's Day and remember to give your single friends some love today :).

My Kick Butt Graphic Designer

So I get a lot of people asking me who designed my website. The answer is -- I had a team of two people working on it. Sarah Marsh, my friend who is also an AMAZING graphic designer, designed the look of the site. She is so creative and fun to work with as well. I had total confidence in her and she came through for me. She does a lot of freelance design work and is in the process of getting her business "off the ground" in a more official way. The other day I helped her shoot some of her pieces for her portfolio. So I thought I'd give her a little plug on my blog. If any of you are interested in using her, just send me an email and I'll give you her contact info.

Thanks Sarah for everything!

Two cute bellies!

Yesterday I got the chance to shoot what few photographers have had the chance to shoot - two sister's maternity photos! Emily Edwards, a wedding consultant that I love working with, and her sister, Jenny, are both due with their first child at the end of March -- only 5 days apart!! Emily is having a girl and Jenny is having a boy. It's hard to imagine anything cuter than that.

We had a lot of fun shooting at Emily's house and at a nearby park. Both Jenny and Emily were gorgeous and glowing:


Emily has stricking eyes -- check out this model shot :):


I had a lot of fun with the double-belly shots:



Both Emily and Jenny's husbands also got involved in the fun. Here's some of my favorites of Jenny and Tim. Tim was a goof-ball and made Jenny laugh a lot:





And here's some favorites of Emily and Brian - gorgeous!:




Finally we had to shoot some portraits of all four of the cute, expecting parents:



My favorite:



Thanks guys for this opportunity! I'm SO excited for you and can't wait to hear the news in March!

John & Kim's Album

This last week we finished designing John & Kim's album. They got married in November at Grayhawk and the wedding was beautiful. This one took us awhile because we had so many photos to work with. But it turned out fabulous! Click here to view the album. Keep in mind that the finished album is 10x14 in size so the photos are MUCH larger.

Elijah's 5th Birthday

My adorable nephew Elijah turned 5 on January 5th but the poor guy didn't get to celebrate his birthday until just last week. He was sick for awhile and then the family just couldn't all get together until now. But I don't think he noticed. He's autistic, non-verbal and still hasn't caught on to the birthday thing. But I was excited because he seemed to enjoy his party for the first time in his life! He usually goes in the back room to watch videos when a lot of people are in the house because it just overwhelms him. But he hung out with all of us the whole time!

My sister is such a great mom - Elijah is on a VERY strict diet and can't have like 30 major ingredients so she found a way to make a special cake just using nuts, egg whites and powdered sugar! And it was good.

Here's some more fun pics from the party. I just had my point and shoot so they're not too fancy but I still wanted to document the event.

Me and my cute dad:


Elijah playing with his favorite gift - large legos:


My brother-in-law, Josh, giving his best pose for the camera:


Me and my sis (aka. super-mom):

Cool Photographers

Last night I met up with a bunch of fun photographers at Garduno's Mexican Restaurant in Scottsdale. It was a great night of networking and you can't go wrong with Mexican food!

I met some new friends and spent some time with some existing great friends. In the top photo are (from top left clockwise): Stuart Thurlkill, Eric of Eric & Hollye, Hollye Schumacher, me, Jennifer Bowen, Katrina Wallace, Anne McCarthy, David de Dios and Jeff Caplan.


And here are super-cute photographers Matt & Angie of Sloan photographers and Tammie Billey of Largo Photography. So much fun seeing you guys!

I love these chances to network. The photography community is so friendly and I benefit every time we get together.

Can't wait to do it again!

It's Catching On

So I'm making some progress on completing my list of 101 in 1001 - not actually checking off goals yet, but just finishing LISTING them. Mandy Hank, another local photographer, emailed me and said she was motivated by my post to do her own list of goals. I was excited for her and then found out that she thought of 101 things before me! She ripped some of my ideas off and then I ripped some of hers off, it's been great.

So if you're reading this and feel prompted to try to come up with a list of 101 goals for yourself, I would love to hear about it! And you don't have to be a photographer to do this - Marisa, Julie, Shannon - I know you're reading this :). If you have a way to post your list, send me the link and I'll post it here for others to be inspired by. If you don't have a way to post it, just email me your list and I'll post it for you. Fun!

Here's a few lists to help inspire you and get you going on your own:

Jessica Claire
Mandy Hank
Melissa Jill
Liene Stevens
Kate Wall
Jennifer Bowen

Go us!

101 in 1001

So I mentioned in my last post about the Debbie Allen seminar I went to last night. She encouraged us to write down our goals. This isn't the first time I've heard that. Jessica Claire, a photographer I love, shared her list of 101 things she wants to do in the next 1001 days on her blog. It was fun to read through. I guess I'm not that ambitious of a person. I used to be much more so. I used to be much more goal oriented. Don't know what happened to that.

But for some reason, this time, I was motivated to try it. So I started writing things down last night. I like lists. I like to check them off. But this is overwhelming. Debbie Allen said that if you write down your goals, they seep into your subconscious. So I'm just going to see what happens. I'm not going to be primarily motivated by my list. I like to live life, listen to God, and see what happens - be open to opportunities that present themselves.

I've only gotten to 51 goals. I am stuck! I guess I'm pretty content and don't want too much. And some things I want most don't really fit on a list like this - like getting married to the man of my dreams who likely doesn't exist. But it's not like I can work toward that goal. Another reason I'm stuck at 51 is because I've already accomplished a lot of goals in life so far. I've done so many things I've wanted to do so far. So I need your help. Post a comment if you think something else should be added to the list and I'll consider it. And I'm going to keep brainstorming and adding as things come to mind.

Oh - here's the list and I'll update it on this same post as things progress:

101 goals in 1001 days

1. Print & hang photos in my upstairs living space
2. Learn to grill meat
3. Blog every day for a month - completed 3.6.07
4. Get a dog - completed 5.10.07
5. Invent something
6. Flatten my tummy
7. Take a road trip and stop along the way at cool places to take photos
8. 2nd shoot at a wedding with Jessica Claire
9. Shoot a wedding on another continent
10. Take a cruise
11. Order pens for my business - completed 3.19.07
12. Get a wedding into Grace Ormonde
13. Enter some photos in a print competition
14. Speak at PartnerCon
15. Read one book per month for 3 months to benefit my business
16. Research a well – known photographer of old
17. Travel to Europe
18. Visit the Mibu tribe in Papua New Guinea
19. Take a dance class
20. Write down the systems of my business – create a manual of what I do
21. Win another WPJA award
22. Join Toastmasters
23. Develop a business exit plan
24. Visit Andy & Shannon in NH once a year
25. Market myself in Portland for summer weddings
26. Update my wardrobe – needs help!
27. Practice the guitar each day for a month
28. Throw a party
29. Get my office TV hooked up so you can see the internet on it
30. Get my phone set up so I can access the internet anywhere on my laptop
31. Organize my office closet
32. Do the splits
33. Visit Becky in San Diego while David is in Iraq
34. Visit my grandparents on the farm in Nebraska
35. Babysit for the Swansons
36. Buy out my parents' investment in my house
37. Create a photo book of my nephews for my sis
38. Spend a whole day with Jess out at her place - completed 2.24.07
39. Tape record my grandma telling stories
40. Improve the packaging of my products
41. Learn how to make sticky rice (Thailand style)
42. Stay at a luxury resort & go to the spa
43. Develop a menu of favorite dishes to make on an ongoing basis
44. Get Michelle Neese to visit me
45. See Brian Regan, the comedian, live - completed 4.1.07
46. Take a painting class
47. Visit Australia
48. Learn Lightroom software
49. Go skiing again
50. Solve the Rubik's Cube - completed 2.25.07
51. See a musical on Broadway
52. Shoot the cover of another national magazine besides Destination I Do
53. Figure out how to get video on my blog and then post videos - completed 3.24.07
54. Take a story-telling class – I'm horrible at this
55. Go camping
56. Put up window treatments in my house
57. Book 20-25 weddings each year
58. Begin sending out anniversary cards to past clients
59. Take a carriage ride in Central Park
60. Go on a picnic
61. Become CPR certified
62. Go to an APU Chrismas Choir concert
63. Babysit my nephews once a month for a year
64. Be on "Simple Photo Minute" - completed 5.16.07
65. Get a wedding published in Arizona Bride Magazine
66. Post on OSP once a week for 3 months
67. Find good legal music to use on slideshows - completed 5.2.07
68. Go to Serrano's with Shannon at least once a month between now and Aug.
69. Do something to help raise awareness for autism or help find a cure
70. Finish crocheting the blanket I started years ago - completed 2.16.07
71. Add 7 more intro slideshows to my website
72. Update the "press" page on my website
73. Take more photos for Portico (my church) and add them to the website
74. Read a classic literature book I haven't read before
75. Upgrade my 17" laptop - completed 2.28.07
76. Look into a health savings account
77. Visit Shannon after she's married and living in Chicago
78. Take photos of my parents - completed 2.28.07
79. Do a photo shoot with Josh & Natie without the kids
80. Visit one of the 15 states I haven't been to yet
81. Donate blood
82. Have a neighbor over for dinner
83. Watch a sunrise
84. Write a letter to the child I sponsor in Niger
85. Go apple picking
86. Run a 10 minute mile for 3 consecutive miles
87. Clean out the packaging material in my garage that needs to be recycled - completed 3.20.07
88. Watch the movie "Born into Brothels" - completed 3.30.07
89. Go to a photography gallery
90. Get some canvas prints made
91. Try an in-studio viewing after the wedding
92. Refine workflow to get album designs done 2 weeks after weddings
93. 2nd shoot weddings with 3 local photographers
94. Improve my website search optimization
95. Upgrade my custom blog to use larger photos

A 1st

Tonight I went to a marketing seminar for professional photographers. Debbie Allen, the author of a number of books including "Confessions of Shameless Self-Promoters" was the speaker. I always find these types of seminars helpful and motivational. Even if I hear some of the same things, it helps me to actually eventually ACT on them. Anyhow, I'll share something I got out of the seminar in the near future. But I just wanted to write real quick about something that happened to me for the first time in my life.

I showed up a little after 6 for the seminar that was supposed to run from 6-9 and sat down in an open chair on the isle. Two seats away from me sat a friendly-looking girl. Usually I introduce myself right away but for some reason I didn't. About 15 seconds after I sat down she asked, "Are you Melissa Jill?" I responded affirmatively and we proceeded to talk for the next hour until the seminar ACTUALLY started (I learned my lesson about PPA meetings :)). She turned out to be a good friend of a bride whose wedding I am shooting in December. She will be a bridesmaid in the wedding. And she is also very interested in getting into photography herself. It was fun getting to know her. But it was such a strange experience being recognized by someone I have never met. She had seen my photo on my website and recognized me purely by that. It also showed me the advantage of having my face on my website. But that was a first for me. I've never been the type of girl to crave fame or want to be in the public eye. And I'm not saying I'm the LEAST bit famous. But it made me think about people who are recognized daily by those they don't know. What a weird thing. I don't envy them. Not that I minded tonight but I don't think I would enjoy that on a larger scale.

Well, off to implement some new things I'm motivated to do...

Kids Just Want to Have Fun

Last Friday I had the opportunity to shoot a high-energy event at Bethany Community Church in Tempe. It was put on by an organization called KidzBlitz that travels around to churches entertaining kids and their families while sharing the message of Christ. The worship center was packed with families and everyone had a blast. Here's a few photos of kids before the event getting excited:



Throughout the night there were shouting contests between the two teams and it was CRAZY loud.


The teams competed in various games. First, two kids got oversized clothing stuffed with balloons. It was pretty entertaining :).




Next someone from both teams had to jump rope with swimming fins and a top hat on. I don't think I could have done this myself:


Check out the air this girl got when she found out she won:


Next kids had to try to eat a donut off a hook without it falling to the ground:


This cute little girl really got into the shouting contest:


THIS was impressive. This little boy had to stand on a stool and constantly hoola hoop while blowing up a balloon blindfolded.


I can't believe how well he did:


More screaming:


This little girl looked a little nervous when placed in a cage and told that things were going to drop on her. Don't worry--it was just plastic balls and such.


The parents even got involved. Here a dad had to sit on a bean bag with a water balloon on his head covered in shaving cream. His little girl had to shave the cream off using a razor.


The little girl did a great job and never broke the balloon but the guys running the event had to pop it afterwards anyway :)


For entertainment value, all the adults involved in running the show got "poofed" at various times:


And this is what a bag of grits getting smashed by an oversized hammer looks like:


For the last game, a large group of kids got covered in toilet paper.



TOTAL CRAZINESS. And my ear drums are still recovering...