So everyone is asking where the pictures are found.  I guess the challenge was harder than I thought.  Thank you to everyone who participated and took the time to look through my images.

First, I will show you the screen shots from mormon.org and tell you where they are located on my blog.  Then I will announce the winner of the free mini session.

The top banner picture of the LDS Newport Beach Temple is from Kelli and Todd’s wedding.  It’s also located on a second page on mormon.org, so I accepted this answer for the “hidden” picture.

The next picture is from Matt and Christina’s wedding at the LDS Los Angeles Temple.  The real “hidden” picture no one found.  It is behind the photo of Matt and Christina, and it’s actually a different picture.

The third picture is from Sharon, Stanley and Katelyn’s holiday mini session.

And the winner of the free mini photo session is…… Danielle McKee!!  It seems appropriate since she also happened to be the first person to finish the challenge just a few hours after I announced it.  Congratulations, Danielle!  Please email me to arrange a time and date for your photo session: amber@amberkatrina.com

And to all those who entered but did not win, I will offer a $50 discount if you would like a photo shoot.  This offer is good for one portrait session, and must take place by August 31, 2010.  Contact me for pricing and details: amber@amberkatrina.com

For the last few months I’ve been training for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.  I’m doing it with a team of 5 friends, and we walk together a couple of times a week.  I’m up to walking 9 miles at a time, which I’m feeling good about, but there’s a long way to go to work up to the 40 miles we’ll need to do in September.

At the same time, I have lost 27 pounds through walking and watching what I eat.  I’m proud of my weight loss, but again, I feel like there’s still a long way to go to get to my goals.  I’ve been on a plateau for a few weeks and I’m starting to get frustrated because I still have much more I want to lose.  I need to buckle down and get strict on my diet again so I start seeing results.

To help with both my training and weight loss goals, I’ve decided to do a couple of Mud Run’s over the next few months.  This will give me some short-term goals to work toward.

I signed up for the Camp Pendleton Mud Run just a week before the event, so I didn’t have time to train specifically for it.  I knew I would have to go with the condition I was in.  This mud run was a 10k, which is 6.5 miles.  Since I can walk 9 miles, I figured I was in good enough condition to complete the race, even if I had to walk a good portion of it.

I was so happy I signed up.  A couple of friends did it with me, and we all had a blast.  We ran along trails, through rivers, crawling through mud, jumping over walls, swimming through a lake, getting sprayed with water…  We were so dirty and muddy by the end – it was awesome!  I felt like a kid again.

Here are some pictures from our race.  I took a waterproof disposable camera, so please excuse the quality.  ;)

Since, this is an update about the Avon Walk, I also wanted to let you know how I’m doing with the fundraising part of the event.  I have already raised $1,059 of the required $1,800.  That’s 59% and there’s still 3 months left.  I have been blown away by everyone’s generosity.  To donate directly to my Avon Walk, go to: http://info.avonfoundation.org/goto/AmberBaker

In addition, to help raise money for our team, we are putting on a yard sale on June 26th.  100% of the proceeds will go to the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.  So if you are in the area and would like to donate items to sell or if you can stop by the yard sale, please email me and I will give you the details: amber@amberkatrina.com

Again, thank you for your support.  I’ll try to keep you updated on my progress as the Avon Walk approaches.

For those of you who know us, you are probably aware that we have had many many changes in the last few months.  We have had a baby, bought a house and now we need to buy a car (due to an unfortunate accident).  Sooo, I decided to offer some incredible discounts as incentives to book a photo shoot in the next few months. Think of it as performing charity for our car and house fund.  ;)

The first discount is available to anyone that mentions this promotion.  It is a $100 discount on any print or album package.  This is an AMAZING deal – up to a 30% discount!!  And each package includes the full session of digital negatives – wow!  The offer is only good through the end of March.

The second offer is an AWESOME incentive to refer your friends, family or anyone you know.  If your referral books a photography session, YOU get a 50% discount on the session fee (worth $100).  That’s IN ADDITION to the first discount, so you save $200!!  I probably won’t be offering such a big promotion again, so take advantage while it lasts.  All sessions need to be booked before the end of the promotion period, and obviously this needs to be a new client (no referring each other).  :P  So feel free to right click to save this flyer and send it to everyone in your contact list (you never know who will be interested).

Lastly, the holidays are here.  Think about giving your loved ones a photography session as a gift.  This is the ultimate thoughtful and personal gift to give someone.  Contact me today for more information and pricing: amberkatrina@gmail.com

This week’s challenge over at I ♥ Faces is “Blue” and Sheye Rosemeyer is the guest judge!  I just had to enter with such an amazing photographer judging this week.  Here is my submission for “Blue”:

Here is a sneak peak from a recent wedding I shot at the LDS Temple in Los Angeles.  I love their mischeivious expression and joy at their special day, so I decided to enter it into the I ♥ Faces weekly contest: “Wedding Bells”.  Check out their site: www.iheartfaces.com