My business Cyphers Photography & Design was started almost 7 years ago!  It has evolved, just like I have, and has come to be something that I love but also struggled with.  Being a mom, and running a business, even if I say it’s part time, has run me ragged.  I’ve always wanted to just work for a photographer, or partner with one.  I had an offer even in the last year to do just that! And it didn’t feel right… it was just going to be too hard to juggle my kids and working for someone full time.  I don’t want to regret not being here for my kids, and I want to be the one that raises them, so that requires sacrifice sometimes… lots of times actually.  This winter has been tough! Even as I type that we are fighting yet another sickness.  August has a severe ear infection… I had a freak out moment yesterday when I noticed blood dripping from it.  (Don’t worry!  He is fine, we were at the ENT today and they got us some high power ear drops) Anyway, it’s been a tough winter… and it is hard to stay caught up with sick kids and sick me.  We have been taking turns for the last 3 months I think.  I’ve been lonely, sometimes and 7 years of working alone has been getting to me.  I love creative environments where colleagues can bounce ideas off each other and those ideas grow and thrive.  It’s where I came from as a graphic designer in KC, and I miss that so much. I miss grown ups.  Self employment, and being a stay at home mom, are both things that I pour my heart into, and both of these worlds can get lonely… even with a toddler glued on my hip all day.

So… where’s the rainbow?  Because you know there always is one right??  After months of praying and even debating on if I wanted to keep my business going, I made a new friend.  My friends name is Kim Bear.  Sometimes it is funny how God works… I mean, I was feeling like someone had died and mourning my business, and He sends Kim.  We met and talked at length about photography and how much we loved shooting. Since she wasn’t from Holton and had just moved here I felt comfortable talking to her about my business struggles, and asked her advice too.  After lots of talking one day I just said we should work together! I think we both started laughing because we knew that together we could do some great things.  We talked about this idea of photographing what we loved and inviting others to join us instead of shooting everything, and shooting what everyone else was shooting.  We talked about how we could make this a unique experience, offering video, and two shooters from two perspectives, unique props, and lots of imagination.  We are both inspired by our children, and decided to start there… by creating stories they love and we love with images as artwork.  Something else we both enjoy is teaching camera classes, and we talked about making that a part of our business plan because photography is something we want to share with others.

So here I am… If you see me smiling, it’s because I am excited about what “The Wild Chid Photography” is doing… and it’s because I don’t have to work alone all the time. What about Cyphers Photography??? Well, I still have jobs to finish, and lots of baby planners.  I wouldn’t leave anyone hanging.  You aren’t going to miss Cyphers Photography… because what I am offering with Kim is going to be so much better.  You just wait!   My blog is staying put…there are lots of memories and stories here.  It’s been my journey, and I can’t just get rid of it.  I will eventually change the look, and it will be about my family more then it already is.  I will include crafts, iPhoneography, and whatever else I may find interesting and beneficial.  I would love to be like the Pioneer Woman and share tons of awesome recipes, but I am sure you already know how to cook a frozen pizza, open a bag of salad, and boil noodles for Mac n’ Cheese.   Maybe I will put my mom’s chocolate chip cookie recipe on here sometime… it is amazing, and it is something I am great at making.

You should check out the new blog Kim and I put together!  www.thewildchildphotography.com.  It isn’t “done” but you can get an idea of what we are doing there.  Oh, and you have to check out “Little Red”.  I will post the video here for you too, but go look at the images Kim and I put together!  We still have openings if you have a Little Red. The Wild Child is going to be awesome.  If you are use to my prices, the new price list isn’t much different, except we are offering more fine art products, and even video.

It feels great to share what’s been going on in my heart.  I love each of my clients and I can’t wait to keep shooting you with even more resources then before.

Wild Child presents {Little Red} from Wild Child on Vimeo.

One of my best friends Kristy and her husband Jeff along with a group of their close friends are working on a really awesome project to benefit starving children.

I think here, where we live, we really have no idea what “starving” is… can you imagine going all day with out food and having no idea when your next meal would be? That is reality for some people.  I can’t imagine not having enough resources to feed my own children and it makes me really sad to think that we throw away as much food as we do sometimes. I have picky eaters and sometimes, I am ashamed to say, we waist more then we actually consume sometimes.

Fact: Each day almost 16,000 children die starvation-related deaths. We aren’t helpless… Jeff sent me an email with some practical ways you can actually help.

(Jeff’s e-mail)

A few friends of mine and I decided to do something about it. We’ve signed up to bring an exciting opportunity to KC-metro area called the Feed My Starving Children MobilePack. Basically, over a two-hour period, you and group of close friends (or strangers) pack meals in assembly line fashion to be shared with those most affected by starvation throughout the world. The “MannaPacks” include rice, soy, vegetables, and vitamins, and are specially formulated to help a starving child move from the brink of death to thriving in a matter of months. What’s great, these MannaPacks only cost 22-cents to create! You see, Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) ships the raw product to a MobilePack location, we (my friends and I, for instance) organize the site and recruit the man power to package the meals. It’s really a simple, fun, high-energy way to serve those most needy across the world.

Here’s what we could use:

1) Volunteers to help do the work — sign up individually or as a group. Shifts are 2 hours long and you must be at least 5 years old.

2) Donations — we’re pledging to pack 100,000 meals in April at 22-cents each (that’s $22,000). Any spare change around your house, car, couch cushions or anything is helpful. Think of it this way – $5 (23 children get fed), $33 (5 children get fed for a month), $80 (1 child fed for a whole year), $400 (family of 5 gets fed for a year), $1485 (25 school children get fed for a year)…

3) Prayers — this is serious business — FMSC gets more requests for food than they can package. So if we don’t pack, children don’t get fed. Your prayers go a long way because GOD CAN DO ANYTHING!!

Personally, we had the opportunity to pack on two different occasions. Both times we left wanting to pack more. It’s a good experience to empty yourself of the cares pressing on you in this world and to focus on others.

To find out more about the Lee’s Summit Mobile Pack coming in April, to watch a video about the MobilePack process and learn more about Feed My Starving Children, to sign up to donate or pack, please visit the link I’ve provided:

http://fundraising.fmsc.org/leessummit

I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Thank you!

Jeff & Kristy Nevinski

We are definitely praying for this event, and hopefully at least some of my family can volunteer to help for a couple hours too. It doesn’t seem like enough… but if everyone prays, supports, helps think of all the kids that will be able to eat! Pretty amazing.

Snow and kids in red.. I love this combination!  It is so beautiful, like a cardinal in the winter snow.  You just want to look at it for hours.

I always have fun photographing the Taylor kids, and I can’t wait for their viewing session to show them the rest of the images… I had such a hard time choosing just a few for my blog.

(The following story was told to me word for word by Pierson.  I just wrote it down for him)

The Tree House

By Pierson Cyphers

Once upon a time, there was a storm.  The kids were outside but they didn’t know it was raining because the storm was so short.  The mommy was under the tree house, and I was jumping into the swimming pool past the tree.  Charlotte was in the tree house dancing.  A squirrel was stuck on top of the tree, then “P for Pierson” was on the house.  The squirrel was stuck so I jumped up and put him in his hole where he was safe.  It started to rain a little bit, so some trees started growing on the roof.  We were a little bit happy because we could do everything we wanted. Then Jacob came over and wanted to play with me so I had a birthday party and Bridget and Madison came too.  Them mommy blew a kiss and Charlotte was still dancing for like 40 years! Then my mommy was hugging and kissing me again.

The End

If you like Pierson’s story, leave him a comment please.    He loves it when I read him what other people think of his pictures I take, so this will be even more special.  He is very proud of this picture and I think did a great job drawing it, and making a story about it.  Charlotte helped him with the house, but other then that it was all his big ideas.

In case you are wondering, he has a bit of a black eye caused by Auggie’s foot… I didn’t edit it out because I like it. 

Bryson was gone on business last week, and I thought it would be fun to pick him up with the kids… he didn’t need a ride, but we thought it would be fun anyway.  Pierson has been talking a lot about airplanes and I thought that he might enjoy watching a few take off or land.  We haven’t actually been on an airplane with the kids yet, but now they sure want to!! We parked in the economy parking… even though we didn’t need to so I could take them on the shuttle.  The driver said “I sure hope you are taking these kids somewhere warm!!”….I didn’t tell her that i had parked in economy parking for the free entertainment of the shuttle ride.  It was so funny to watch them… you would have thought we were on a Disney World ride the way they squealed as the shuttle rounded corners and bounced.  Soooo funny!!  They were mesmerized by the planes out the window at the airport.  We saw Bryson’s plane land and we got to meet him as he stepped off the plane.  You would have thought he was a war hero that had been gone for months the way the kids hugged and kissed him.  What a fun day, and what a relief to have my husband home!

I love Gods creation! Nature is where I feel closest to my Savior, and it is so refreshing to my soul.  My mom always made me go outside for a “nature nurture” when I was a kid which just meant “Get out and go for a walk!” I would come in after spending time by the creek in the trees feeling calm and refreshed.  Last week was really tough; we were hit with a snow storm and I was a single mom while Bryson was traveling for work… I may have over done the emergency supplies from Wal-Mart, and surviving everyday was my priority.  I didn’t have time to get this blog post done, though I did dwell on it a lot.  I wanted so badly to photograph nature… with out the white stuff I’ve already been photographing. when I think of “creation” my mind immediately goes to green grass, warm wind, and wild animals jumping around a field… there isn’t anything green here right now and I had no idea what I should photograph for Genesis 1.  Yesterday my mother and father in law gave me two violets for my birthday on the 28th and I knew I had my subject for the week.  The detail in these flowers is mind blowing! The pedals almost look like they were painted with watercolors.  Isn’t God creative?  I constantly think about what an amazing artist God is… every sunset, every baby animal, every tiny flower pedal is stamped with his watermark of beauty and truth.  My children are constant reminders too… sons and a daughter of the King of Kings they amaze me with their creativity and abilities reflecting their creator to me daily.  Sure, they reflect our need for a Savior as well {ahhhem, yes daily}, let’s be honest… they are little sinners, just like I am.  {but that would be another chapter in Genesis, not this weeks chapter..}

I encourage you to read the first book of the bible again, Genisis 1.  We just read it again in our children’s Bible together and every time it is so beautiful.

Here are a few pictures of my little artists.  I don’t know if these pictures really go with my “theme” but I wanted to share anyway.  They are fearfully and wonderfully made too…  just like green grass, and every other living creature.

My dad Michael Eubanks has been in business for 33 years building beautiful cabinets and furniture at Eubanks Custom Woodworks.  What you might not know is that everyday he gets a rubber band around his mail, and everyday it goes on to a rubber band ball… for 33 years.  It is BIG.  I have no idea how many rubber bands that is, so if you are good at math maybe you can tell me, but it’s a lot!

I was wondering if it was the biggest rubber band ball in the world so I googled it.  It isn’t quite there yet, but it still might bring people to Holton Kansas, or maybe end up in a museum. The biggest rubber band ball was created by Joel Waul, of Lauderhill, Florida.  {see video}

Anyway, I always think I should take a picture of it and I finally did.  Isn’t it pretty?

Bennett is such a sweetie and it’s a good thing because he is the youngest of 4 adorable Warner kids.  I loved how he just stared at his momma in the photographs I took… such a strong connection.  He wasn’t too sleepy for pictures but that was fine, and I love what we were able to get. Malia {Bennett’s momma} delivers a lot of the babies at Holton Community Hospital (including my Auggie) and is so amazing at what she does.  If you are from our area I would definitely recommend her to you for any need, not just OB care.

It was great to catch up during Bennett’s session.  It’s kinda like a play date for me when I have a friend come in for pictures.

My boys love getting into the curtains.  Sometimes August will hide in them… I’m not sure if he realizes they are sheer, but he thinks no one can see him there.  Usually I take him off the top of the couch and tell him to not get back up there. Today Pierson joined him in “hiding” and it was too cute…. I was about to get mad and then watched them for a few minutes, they were playing together like best friends, and I just couldn’t stop them…not right away anyway.

As a photographer/artist I am always looking for and seeing light. The filtered light through the sheer curtains was gorgeous and made my little stinkers transform to almost angelic looking little boys.  Instagram worked for one pic, then I got out my “big” camera to take a few.  I love these images, I wish I could keep them this small forever sometimes.  You will probably see more pics taken here or I may just put sheer curtains {aka “soft-boxes”} all over my house.

This week instead of a verse this week for the Faith 52 project, we were to interpret an old hymn, and not just any old hymn, on of my favorites.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

Refrain

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

The history of this hymn is so amazing (Ho­ra­tio G. Spaf­ford, 1873.).  You can read all about it by clicking here. I can’t sing this song with out crying… ever.  I still hear my Grandma Eubanks’ sweet alto voice every time.  She was a beautiful lady that didn’t live long enough to see any of us grandkids even graduate high school.  I have some great memories with her though, and this song brings them back to me every time.

This last week was a tough one emotionally…. It has been my goal with my art to bring others to see Gods beauty and truth with my images, when in fact I finally realized that He has been working on me.  I see it, in the fresh snow, in the strong winds, in the beautiful golden evening light, and in the colorful sunset.  I see it in the faces of my own kids, and in the beauty of a family and the relationships I see in them during a session I am photographing, and in the miracle of a new born baby, and in he laughter of a toothless 6 year old.  He is working on me.   Revealing Himself to me over and over and over again.  I can’t please everyone, and I don’t… I fall short no matter how hard I try {I am human}.  I really needed this hymn and it’s words to soak in and allow me to say, “It is well…It is well with my soul.”

The snow brought me the peace and comfort I needed. Through nature I am especially drawn to Him.