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Archive: ‘Personal’

I’m BACK!!! Hello, my name is Tabitha; nice to meet you again:)

Saturday, March 2nd, 2013

Well… I've dusted off my blog and am ready to get back to it:) I have had a rather crazy past year and a half, and while I won't go into details I will say that there have been many changes in my life. 2012 was one of the best and worst years of my life and because it was that way, I learned some rather valuable lessons and appreciate life even more than ever before.

I took a break from blogging (amongst other things) to let myself breath a little, but am SO happy to be back to letting you know what I've been up to:)

I never stopped shooting (thankfully) and BOY was 2012 a busy year!

Shameful that I didn't share even one blog post with you!!!

So I will just jump right back in and try to catch you up on what I've been working on.

First up…the lovely baby Evelyn.

The sweetest face, TONS of hair and super squishy…who wouldn't fawn all over this little bundle of joy?

Wellspring Photography: Toledo baby photographer

Oh my goodness; Isn't she beautiful???

Next up: Sarah & Blake got hitched!!!!!!!!

These two had a baseball themed wedding (I LOVED IT!!!!!!)

We even got to go to 5th 3rd field for photos in between the wedding and the reception

(oh, the incredible things I get to do because of Wellspring:):)

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Wellspring Photography Toledo Wedding Photographer

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Wellspring Photography Toledo Wedding Photographer

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Sarah & Blake-what an INCREDIBLE day it was!

We are just absolutely honored & thrilled that you chose Wellspring to capture your big day.

Thanks for checking back in with me and I can't wait to share more with you!!!!!

AND Bethany & I have just launched our brand new website so please go check it out if you haven't already. You might just find some familiar faces while you are browsing the galleries.

Take care!

-Tabitha

tabitha.wellspring@gmail.com

Posted in Babies, Couples, Family, Personal, Weddings | No Comments »

My Spring Schedule & A New Face!

Thursday, April 28th, 2011

Check out this new little cutie! Say hello to little Sean.

He was still in his mama's belly last time you saw him; check out her maternity pics here.

Well here is his sweet face when he was just 2 days old with a great big yawn.

Love him!

Now for some business…

I have limited openings for Spring so I wanted to let you know my current availability.

If you are thinking about booking with me this Spring or Summer please let me know asap so I can get you in!

May

Tuesday the 3rd~ 10am or 2pm

Thursday the 7th~10am

Thursday the 12th~10am

Saturday the 14th (only Saturday in May)~ 10am

Monday the 16th~10am

Tuesday the 17th~10am or 4pm

Thursday the 19th~10am

Monday the 24th~10am or 2pm

Also in May I will be in Columbus on the 8th (Mother's Day) and the 9th and will be available to do 2 sessions. Shoot me an email or call me to set something up.

I have no Saturdays open in June and only 2 Sundays as of now (the 12th or the 26th) so call or email me if you are interested!

I will post my June schedule soon:)

419.266.0318 tabitha.wellspring@gmail.com

Tabitha

Posted in Babies, Personal | No Comments »

Spring Has Sprung:)

Saturday, April 23rd, 2011

So…I love NW Ohio; I was born in Indiana but raised here in Toledo and even though many people like to criticize T-town, I am quite the happy camper here (which is funny because I do not care for camping:) I have never wanted to move away, although I do love to travel and have traveled throughout this country, as well as in Canada, Mexico and Europe; BUT, I am always happy to come home.

The main reason I love it here is because of my family and friends, that is a HUGE reason to me. And I know sometimes it's quite dreary here, but usually it's nothing too extreme so another reason I love living in NWO is that we don't get hurricanes, monsoons, or tsunamis and rarely do we get blizzards or earthquakes (I know, I know… we get little ones that most people don't notice, but not the devastating kind.) I know that we don't have perfect, sunny weather everyday, but I enjoy it all the more when we do have it.

I also love that living in this part of the country offers a big change with each season. Maybe it sounds crazy to you, but I would miss that change of seasons if I lived in an always sunny climate. The last few weeks have been pretty cold and icky, as April usually is, but I have been LOVING watching all the trees come back to life and the flowers slowly emerging from the ground. It is SO exciting to me that I just can't help but grab my camera.

SO here are a few shots I've taken in the past week…

(woohoo! the color is finally coming back:)

Another part of living in Toledo/Maumee/Perrysburg is seeing the Maumee River, and during Springtime that means Walleye fishing!

I've never tried Walleye fishing but EVERY Spring without fail there are tons of fisherman all lined up trying to snag a few fish. This year I couldn't resist a few snapshots of this event…

So April showers not only bring May flowers, but also some April flowers, as well as fish and maybe a few colorful plastic eggs too…

Hope you all are enjoying Spring and that you all have a very lovely Easter:)

BTW- Even if you didn't celebrate Earth Day ON actual Earth Day, it's not too late. You can enjoy our planet each and everyday by noticing how amazing our planet truly is. NOW is a really great time to do so: simply take a walk and observe all the changes occurring every day as Spring arrives, plant a tree or a flower, or even just throw a plastic bottle in the recycling bin instead of the garbage.

Every little bit counts.

Happy Spring!

Tabitha

Posted in Community, Personal | No Comments »

My Pets:) (aka…my stalkers)

Friday, April 8th, 2011

It has been quite awhile since I posted pics of my much loved pets so I thought it was time to share some.

(See them in older posts here & here and they are in other posts too, just keep looking:)

These three make me absolutely crazy but I love them sooooooo much. I do not think of them so much as children(since they are not), I guess I think of them more like good friends/stalkers.

My husband & I are probably more like THEIR stalkers since we talk about them, photograph them, and snuggle with them as much as possible.

Here they are…see, they just stare at me and follow me around. kinda creepy:)

Tango will be 11 this month.

He's doing great for an old pup; just a little lumpier than he used to be, but still just as cute as ever:)

Charlie is 2 and SUPER nuts.

He's actually getting to be very well behaved, but is still a wild man.

And did I mention that he looks very worried about 75%of the time?

And Tango never really seems worried about anything much. (except for Charlie.)

Part Kangaroo???

Next year I need to record Charlie running in the snow and play it in slow motion. I bet I would laugh for days about it:)

And here is Hannah. We are dog people really (in case you hadn't noticed, haha); but somehow we got stuck with a cat.

Lucky for her -she is a really nice cat,

and she IS pretty cute…

Guess we will keep her:)

Okay last one.

Now usually Charlie is running circles around Tango and I worry that Tango is too old for a younger dog who can be SO rambunctious and extremely bratty…but then I see them chasing a squirrel together or snuggling, and then I am very happy we got Charlie.

Also since we have passed the 600 fans mark on our Facebook page I wanted to announce what our giveaways are!

Once we reach 1000 fans I will be giving away a H.S. Senior Package and a Family Session!!!! Check out Bethany's blog too for her giveaway.

Tell your friends and family to "LIKE" our FB page so that they too can qualify for the giveaway.

Details and rules later:)

Tabitha

Posted in Personal, Pets | 2 Comments »

I LOVE DOGS. (I also love people who train dogs to help people.)

Monday, April 4th, 2011

I just can't get over how much I love Assistance Dogs of America, Inc. (ADAI) I love what they do for people. I love how they train dogs and how they train the people who receive these amazing dogs. They take what they do seriously but everyone I've encountered there, when I go to ADAI to take pictures, is kind and giving and they seem to share a lot of laughs while they do what they do. This is why I am happy to volunteer my time and services at ADAI. Check out some my older ADAI posts here & here.

I headed out to ADAI in Swanton last week to grab some shots of the newest group of dogs who will be graduating at the end of this month. At graduation these dogs are officially presented to their new families. They typically start living with the new family prior to the actual graduation; however, the grad ceremony is a chance for ALL the many people, who have helped to raise and train each pup, to see who the dog has been placed with, and gives them a chance to say goodbye. It also gives the new family an opportunity to see how much love and work has gone into raising their service/therapy dog. All of the ADAI dogs go through extensive training and are fostered and handled by many wonderful people. Click HERE to read about the process each pup goes through and what they learn to do.

Soooo, here are the latest soon-to-be graduates: Steve, Jada and Gracie…

The perfect Golden Retriever smile…

When the dogs get placed with their new families, the families spend about a week getting to know their new dog and learning how to work with them. They learn how to give commands, how to walk them, basic care, how to take them to the vet, etc.

Here they are at the park where they went walking and practiced giving commands. They learned how to keep the dogs focused on them while there were distractions such as other dogs, squirrels, and strangers.

These next 2 shots are of some "distractions" that were set up at the park, pretty cute distractions!

Next up…some of the newest trainees at ADAI!

Meet Kennedy, a very sweet and laid back Golden…and that was him 2 pics ago at the park too:)

Leah…I love her brown eyes and she is so snuggly!

And this little guy is very playful. He didn't have a name yet when I met him because he was so new but I've heard since then that he has been named Gallaway, in honor of Karen Gallaway who was a volunteer at ADAI from 2004-2010; she sadly passed away last year but will never be forgotten.

Meet Gallaway…how about those 'puppy dog eyes'?

Thank you to Assistance Dogs of America and all those who are involved for helping others and helping to make our world a better place. Please check out the ADAI website and Facebook page for more info and to see how you can help!

I hear they really need foster homes right now so if you are willing to open your heart & home to help with one of their pups, give them a call:)

Tabitha

Posted in Giving Back, Personal, Pets | No Comments »

Horseback Riding in Empire

Friday, February 11th, 2011

Last blog post from our fall trip up north to the Benzie County area and I saved the best for last:)

I LOVE horses but hadn't ridden in awhile so while we were on our fall Michigan trip we decided to do a trail ride and enjoy the autumn scenery, gorgeous weather and some super cool horses.

We headed out to Empire, Michigan to H & H Stables for a two hour trail ride; their horses and trail guide were very nice:)

I didn't take my camera on the ride because I wanted to enjoy myself and not worry about my camera getting damaged or jostled around, but here are some pics from after we got back (btw~ WHOA my legs were feeling a little bit wobbly when we got done, like I said, it had been awhile!)

This next photo reminds me of one of those "I hate Mondays" or "This is what I think of housework" posters…

This guy had the craziest light blue eyes, aren't they awesome?

This next one is my fave…this guy was NOT shy:)

Thanks H&H Stables! We had a great ride and hope to come back next year for another:)

Tabitha

Give me a call or send me an email if you need photos done

of you, a loved one, of your pets, business, family, etc.

tabitha.wellspring@gmail.com 419.266.0318

Posted in Personal, Pets, Travel | No Comments »

Vacation Days~ A View From the Top

Tuesday, February 8th, 2011

On my first trip to the Benzie County area several years ago, my husband & I were driving from Beulah to Frankfort to check out Lake Michigan. We passed the Frankfort Airport and I saw a strange sight in the sky.

Looking up, I said to Michael, "Huh, that's weird…it looks like a real plane… PULLING a fake plane." He thought this was hilarious and pointed out a sign that read GLIDER RIDES and explained to me about glider airplanes.

I don't know that I had ever heard of a glider plane before and didn't give much more thought to it; it sounded like something I would NOT want to try, but SOMEHOW on our last trip up north, I ended up taking a glider ride!

When I look at the photos I am still AMAZED that I ever did it.

So, riding in a glider plane is basically what I observed that first time I saw one: an airplane with an engine and propeller (real plane) pulls up a glider plane that has extra long wings, no engine and no propeller (fake plane)….(yikes, I know) attached by a rope and then once high in the sky…they detach! (double yikes.)

Okay…this sounded like the craziest idea in the world to me, but the glider plane, once at a certain altitude, glides around peacefully up in the air using currents & thermals (think of an eagle soaring in the air.)

I won't try to explain it in detail but you can read all about it here.

Here are some photos from my experience…

This next shot gives you an idea of how small the cockpit is and how LONG the wingspan is…

I was feeling VERY nervous but excited to try something new:)

Luckily I didn't need to know what any of these dials were for, lol!

A shot of the "real" plane..

The guy in the plaid shirt was preparing to attach the rope to the front of the "fake" plane (not a fake plane, just a glider.) My hubby is in the back of the cockpit:)

Green arrow shows the yellow plane with an engine pulling the glider plane; we went up to 4,000 feet!!!!!!

This is while we were still attached but heading out OVER Lake Michigan…

Once we were up there it was an unbelievable view.

Here we are looking down at Lake Michigan.

The larger green arrow is pointing at the Point Betsie lighthouse,

and the smaller arrow is pointing to one of the many shipwrecks in the area.

This was what I saw when we were preparing to land:

the black arrow is pointing to the airplane that towed us up; look how TINY it is!

Safely back on the ground!

Thanks to the Northwest Soaring Club for the safe, skillful, & awesome glider ride and gorgeous views of Michigan!

Next up…Horseback riding:)

Tabitha

tabitha.wellspring@gmail.com

419.266.0318

Posted in Personal, Travel | 1 Comment »

Vacation Days~ Pure Michigan

Saturday, January 29th, 2011

Back at the beginning of Fall my hubby and I took a trip up North to the Benzie County area on Crystal Lake and near Lake Michigan.

We've been up there several times before in the Summer and will be going again (very soon) this Winter, so that's probably why our last trip has been on my mind so much.

I wanted to blog about my trip right after we got back but we are so busy at Wellspring in the Fall that it got put on the back burner.

Our trip was JUST before the leaves really changed, but even without the dramatic colors it was still amazingly beautiful and is one of my favorite areas to visit.

The red leaves were JUST starting to turn while we were there…

While we were there we stayed at a rental suite above this fantastic shop in Beulah, Crystal Crate & Cargo, check out the link for shopping or info about their suites:)

This kitchen is STOCKED but if there is something you need you can always run downstairs and purchase it!

Roomy but very cozy and with lots of beautiful sunlight all around.

We loved how colorful and comfortable it was for our stay:)

Another of my favorite aspects of Beulah/ Benzie County and the surrounding area is all the great FOOD!

If you go be SURE to get a pizza from East Shore Market, fresh bagels at L'chayim deli, lunch or coffee at Phoenix Cafe.

W also ate at Dinghy's in Frankfort (mmm the pulled pork sandwich), The Lighthouse Cafe in Elberta (yummm huge bowl of steaming oatmeal topped with fresh blueberries) and Coho Cafe in Frankfort (okay, my mouth is watering!)

For our last dinner out we drove to Maple City on Glen Lake and ate at a little French restaurant, La Becasse…and it was amazing; I urge you to go there:)

We also did some cooking (which we LOVE to do) at the suite and had Michael's Dad & step-Mom over. We made Leek & Asparagus Quiche with sides of fresh fruit & bacon. Soooo tasty (if you make the quiche~ we just use shredded mozzarella instead of the Gruyere, but I'm sure it is delish the other way too.)

One of the many beautiful sunsets on Crystal Lake…

And Michael snapped a pic of ME for once (I prefer to be behind the camera:)

but I thought I'd share it since it's a personal post for a change…

Coming soon…Horseback riding, Glider rides and maybe some pics of Bethany's new little love:)

Stay tuned!

Tabitha

Posted in Personal | No Comments »

2011 Wedding Dreams Bridal Show Booth (and a baby!)

Monday, January 17th, 2011

First thing Sunday morning, before my alarm clock went off, my phone rang.

It was Bethany.

She said, "Well…you called it. I think I'm in labor."

I said, "How far apart are your contractions???"

She said, "5 Minutes."

I said, "What are they supposed to be before you call the Doctor?"

She said, "5 minutes."

Her due date wasn't supposed to be for another 2 weeks, but I told her when we registered for the Wedding Dreams show at the Pinnacle that she would probably go into labor at 3am on the 16th since we were planning to go set up our booth at 10am.

Her contractions started at 4am, so I was only an hour off!

Thankfully we had some friends on call to help at our booth in case this happened and thank goodness for all the help we had!

After the booth was set up I spent the rest of the day going back and forth from the Pinnacle to the hospital and I'm SO glad I did because at the show, I got to meet some really great Brides-to-be, (and Grooms-to-be & Mother's of Brides-to-be etc., lol:) but, at the hospital I got to photograph the arrival of Bethany & Ryan's healthy & sweet new little baby boy!!!!!

What a truly amazing day!

SO…I have photos of the booth to show you now,

and… I will let Bethany choose if she would like to share photos of their new addition later.

AND did I mention we won BEST OF SHOW????? Woohoo:)

Thank you, thank you, thank you to Phil, Karen and my husband Michael for all the help setting up.

Thanks to Wedding Dreams & The Pinnacle for another fantastic Bridal show:)

And a SUPER DUPER QUADRUPLE special thanks to Andrea (our album/graphic designer) & Lisa for working our booth for us! You two are the best and thanks for making the day go so smoothly.

CONGRATULATIONS to the newly expanded Leisure family…love you guys!

Brides: get a hold of us SOON if you'd like to redeem your coupon and so we can reserve your wedding date; Saturday's are filling up quickly!

Tabitha

Posted in Bridal Shows, Personal, Weddings | 2 Comments »

A New Addition~Bethany’s Maternity Session:)

Thursday, January 6th, 2011

Here at Wellspring we are all anxiously awaiting the arrival of Bethany & Ryan's first child:)

Bethany is super adorable as a Mom-to-be and we often tease her about how small her belly is (she is due this month!)

They have decided to wait to find out if they are having a boy or girl until the baby is born and one the baby's aunts decided to nickname him/her "Benji" so that we didn't have to call it…well, "It." (not only are they waiting to find out if they are having a boy or girl but they are also not telling anybody the names they have picked out! It's torture!!!)

So, "Benji": I can not wait to meet you. I will be one of the first people to see and photograph you and hopefully someone else will take the camera for a few moments because I also can't wait to hold and kiss you:)

Bethany & Ryan: You two will be amazing parents and I can't wait to see you two welcome your new little love into the family.

So, here she is, all glowing and round…