Holiday Cards for your Family Portraits

Had an amazing Xpedition, or some Xquisite  family portraits with jenX this year?  Share your moments with your Christmas or Holiday Card.  Let jenX custom design your card, or choose from one of our beautiful previously designed cards below.  Custom Designs and Cards featured below are 5x7, printed on your choice of Pearl, Pebble, Premium Heavyweight, Linen, or Standard, professional quality card stock.  They come with envelopes; and can have your return address pre-printed, for an additional fee, upon your request.  Custom designs also available in additional sizes and folding cards.     See additional custom sizes and pricing here: jenX prices. (Hate to disappoint, but let's plan ahead....No custom designs available after December 5th.)

$44 per 25 

Don't see something you are Xcited about?  Don't be afraid to ask!  I have additional designs available upon request, and am happy to custom design something perfectly unique, just for you.  

Two Epic Costa Rica Xpeditions

In 2012 the lives of my family were impacted for the better.  We were contacted by the most amazing non-profit, Ocean Healing Group.  They are actively "Carving the 'Dis' out of Disability," one child at a time!  Our son Christian was born "differently abled."  He has a neuromuscular disease, CMT, that is classed with Muscular Dystrophy.  This in turn caused him to have a joint disorder, AMC, or Arthro-Gryposis, which roughly means "stiff joints."  He was born with severe club feet, his right hip out of socket...missing a ball & socket all together actually,  and various other troublesome issues that evolve out of having fused joints.  The doctors at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children were so unsure what his abilities would be that when I asked "Will he walk?" they danced right around it with the most vague of answers: "He may walk, he may not walk, he may walk, and then not walk!"  ??? Well, walk he did.  After many surgeries, and countless hours of physical therapy, he got up and went.  He used a wheel chair to go any significant distance, but he could walk!  I was absolutely struck with the realization that nothing would hold this kid back.  Nothing.     In 2012 Christian was in middle school, experiencing all the awkwardness that that right of passage has to offer, and perhaps more.  In spite of his tremendously positive attitude, there is no doubt that it is challenging to be an adolescent who is seemingly a little different than his peers.  When Ocean Healing Group reached out to us, and said they would like to take the family to Costa Rica and teach Christian how to Surf, it sounded unbelievable.  Too good to be true, even.  Although it took a sizable leap of faith, our family decided it was a once in a lifetime opportunity that we would be foolish to pass up.  The long and short of it, is that that boy stood up and surfed!  Here are a few of my favorite images from our Epic Xpedition:  

Not a dry eye in the ocean.  One of the most spectacular moments of my life.  Bar none.  At a time when it would be   easy to feel sorry for yourself, or bemoan the unfairness of life, Christian demonstrated a perseverance that would make anyone take notice.  I can't begin to thank Ocean Healing Group enough for being the vessel to put the wind in his sails at maybe the most opportune moment in Christian's life.  They are a group of the most servant minded wonderful human beings a person could be blessed enough to stumble across.  We immediately felt a kinship, and knew we wanted to continue to be a part of their efforts and their lives.  This past summer, 2015, we were granted just such an opportunity.  The Elmore family traveled back to Costa Rica as volunteers this time.  Again, life changing for the better.  It was empowering for Christian to be in the position to be of service to someone else, instead of the one getting all of the attention.  It was joyous to be back at home with our Ocean Healing Family again.  The Camp is called Shaka, located on the southern Nicoya Peninsula; and when OHG is there, the adventures are called JAWS.  (Just Add Water Surfing)  The adventure branch of my company, jenXpeditions, was able to volunteer photo and video services for the week.    Here is my attempt  to capture what great things Ocean Healing Group is doing for families during the JAWS 24 camp:

Then and Now - The Bluebonnets

Out shooting clients in the bluebonnets this week, and felt compelled to reenact a bluebonnet session from days gone by.  I Dug up some images from a shoot from 2002.  Christian, then 2, is now my assistant at age 15.  We had a few minutes to kill before my clients arrived, so we did our best impromptu reenactment before and after the actual bluebonnet session.    We asked our dear friends Cathy and Kaitlyn to join us.  The 2002 shoot was the first photo session I ever had with Kaitlyn.  We have had at least one every year since.   Hard to believe the next one will be Senior Portraits.  

Here is Christian with my first camera, bought from a pawn shop in 1989. 

Film may be antiquated, but I'm hanging on to that camera!

Hard to believe he is taller than me now.

Not a big fan of the Bees in the Bluebonnets!

"No Mom!  I will not smile with Bees all around me!"  (Still not a big fan of getting down there at 15!)

 Kaitlyn tried to cheer him up.  

 Hard to believe she couldn't find lemon lime overalls in her size for this shoot!

Not quite the same sitting on Mom's lap now, is it?

Special thanks to Cathy and Kaitlyn for being willing to be spontaneous and silly in the bluebonnets the other night.  It has been an honor to capture FOURTEEN years of great moments.  Countless laughs and fun.  Looking forward to many many more.