Red Stick Archives - Baton Rouge Moms

Fourth of July Celebrations in Baton Rouge and Beyond

June 22, 2017 by Baton Rouge Moms

Get out your red, white and blue and celebrate America’s Independence! Here is a guide to fireworks shows, parades and other Fourth of July Celebrations in Baton Rouge and beyond! Enjoy some family time at these family-friendly events to celebrate America’s Independence with food, fun, family, fireworks and most importantly, honoring those who have served and continue to serve.

Baton Rouge Moms will always bring you the best in Family Friendly events in and around the Baton Rouge area, we have gathered the latest list of Family Friendly events for 4th of July festivities, thanks to our sponsor, BASIS.ed!

Fourth of July Celebrations in Baton Rouge and Beyond:

Kenilworth Independence Day Parade
Monday, July 3^rd at 6:30 pm

The theme of this year’s parade is “LIVING IN AMERICA” – Grand Marshal – Mike Manning, President & CEO of the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank. This is one of the largest events in Louisiana celebrating our nation’s independence. The annual parade is a Baton Rouge tradition, and this year will mark the 45th time we gather to celebrate our great nation! The 2017 parade is scheduled to roll at 6:30 pm on Monday, July 3rd. It lasts about an hour and rolls as long as weather permits. The route begins and ends at Kenilworth Science & Technology School on Boone Drive.

USS KIDD’s 4th of July Spectacular!
Tuesday, July 4, 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM

The USS KIDD has been hosting a 4th of July celebration in the downtown Baton Rouge area for over two decades. In that time, it has developed into an incredible family event that celebrates our nation’s freedom. The evening culminates with WBRZ’s Fireworks on the Mississippi River sponsored by the USS KIDD!

Over the past five years, the KIDD’s 4th of July Spectacular has become synonymous with the patriotic activities that attract thousands of families from across Louisiana and the southern United States. According to the Downtown Development District, the Baton Rouge 4th of July Fireworks Celebration brings in between 75,000 – 100,000 visitors per year. The celebration is made possible in part by the USS KIDD Veterans Museum, WBRZ News 2, the City of Baton Rouge, community partners, area sponsors and volunteers.

We look forward to celebrating our nation’s independence with YOU, Tuesday, July 4, 2016 from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM

West Baton Rouge Parish

4th Fest
Tuesday, July 4th 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM

The 4th Fest is great fun for the whole family from 4-11pm! There will be plenty of great food, kids activities, spacewalks, water slides, magic shows and face painting, this year we were able to buy a shirt printing machine from http://heatpressmachineguide.com/best-t-shirt-printing-machine/ so we can give a customize shirt to everyone who attends. With music by Geno Delafolse from 5-8pm and Foret Tradition from 8-11pm. And, of course, Fireworks on the River at 9pm! Sponsored by WBRZ and The Advocate.

Come enjoy this FREE 4th of July event on the Westside!

Walker

Old Fashioned Family Day Celebration:
Tuesday, July 4 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Floyd Brown Band will be performing at the Walker 4th of July celebration from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 4th at Sidney Hutchinson Park. All games, festivities and events are free, bring your own food and drinks (no alcoholic beverages allowed) or purchase refreshments at the park. Come Join the FUN, FOOD, & FESTIVITIES! FREE ADMISSION, FREE EVENTS, FREE RIDES!Don’t forget your lawn chairs, blankets, sunscreen and bug spray!!! No alcohol is permitted in the park.

Donaldsonville

July Fireworks:
Monday, July 3rd 2:00pm-10:00pm

Singing Competiton, 3-5pm Michael Foster Project,
5-7pm Hello McFly, 7-9pm Artemis, & 9:15pm – Fireworks, Fun, & Fun for Everyone

Iberville Parish

17th Annual July 4th Hometown Celebration:
Tuesday, July 4 – 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Bayou Plaquemine Waterfront Park. Plaquemine Lock SHS will be open for tours and demonstrations, free admission. Friends of the Lock will be sponsoring putt-putt boat rides beginning at noon. The Iberville Museum will also open at noon and admission is free. 3:00-9:00 p.m. Mouth watering food will be served from the Waterfront Park (please no ice chest, pets or tents). 3:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. Veterans Boat Parade – theme decorated boats are welcome. 6:00 p.m. Dancin’ on the boardwalk until the Firework Display at 9:00 p.m.! Phone: 225-687-3116 Website: www.plaquemine.org

Pointe Coupee Parish

False River Annual 4th of July Boat Parade :
Monday, July 3rd 1:00pm to 10:00pm

New Roads Presents the 4th of July Boat Parade and Music Festival, July 3 For More Information Contact: (225) 638-5360

St. Mary Parish

Party in the Park – Morgan City’s Independence Day Celebration.
Tuesday, July 4th, 4:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Lawrence Park.

Join us for our July 4th Party in the Park! There will be live music by Driftwood & Groovy 7, BBQ dinners by the Tillman BBQ Team, fair hamburgers by X-Treme Sports, Immanuel Christian Church will have a soft drink and water booth and Morgan City Main Street will be selling beer on tap! Finish off the night with fireworks over the Atchafalaya River!
Please refrain from bringing ice chests to this event! Purchasing from these vendors supports this event and future events!

There’s something for everyone to celebrate this year’s Independence Day! We hope you have a fun, safe and Happy Fourth of July with your families!

*Dates and schedules subject to change. Please confirm with local convention and visitors bureaus before making your trip.

A big thanks to our sponsor, BASIS.ed!

BASIS Baton Rouge is opening in Fall 2018! They look forward to providing Baton Rouge families with the opportunity to experience a truly world-class education. We are proud to partner with Woman’s Hospital for this first BASIS campus in Baton Rouge. Interested in learning more about what a BASIS school will offer your student? Join them for an information session to learn from experienced BASIS school leaders about our academic model and get details on how to apply! http://basisschools.org/batonrouge

Becoming Mom Strong : Baby Boot Camp Baton Rouge

May 26, 2016 by Whitney Andrus

ouIn November I had this four month old infant and I was struggling to find my place as a mother and regain my health. I visited gym after gym, none were a fit for me. Enter Baby Boot Camp Baton Rouge. I reached out to get some questions answered and had the pleasure of speaking with Mauree Brooksher, the owner, who come to find out had just had a baby. So she was already winning in my book. I was not answering client emails a week after birth. She helped me sign up for my first class. It was free and I had nothing to lose.

I went to my first class and Christina was teaching. She was sweet. She took the time to calm my baby girl. She brought the fitness to my level (that level where you haven’t worked out in 18 months). I was hooked. All the moms. All the kiddos. I knew I was in the right place. I wanted my Birdie to grow up seeing her mom taking care of herself, becoming strong, mom strong. I know I couldn’t do Baby Boot Camp justice, so I decided to talk to Mauree and interview her in my best Rolling Stone interview skills.

Mauree Brooksher, Owner of Baby Boot Camp Baton Rouge

Not sound cliche, but tell us about yourself. How many kids? Are you from here? Etc.

I am a wife, mommy, fitness instructor, & business owner. My better half is Steven & he is my rock & adds so much fun to our family! We have 3 children whom we have been blessed with: Christopher (5), Marguerite Jane (3), & Anna Beth (6 months). Fitness and early childhood education are my two passions. And Baby Boot Camp is the best way for me to merge the two!

Have you always had a passion for health and nutrition?

I have! I grew up active. I’m always looking for a way to keep my body moving.

I grew up participating in gymnastics, tumbling, dance, cheer leading, swimming, tennis, & running. As soon as I got to LSU I fell in love with first walking the lakes, but that quickly turned into running the lakes outside my sorority house & I completed my first half marathon my 2nd year at LSU. I’ve been running races ever since. I’m not fast, but I love the goal races provide me. I took nutrition courses at LSU with Mrs. Myhand and have enjoyed learning about nutrition ever since. I’m a firm believer that the key to nutrition and maintaining a healthy body is eating nutritiously and clean 70-80% of the time and other foods 20-30% of the time.

Let’s get to what the people what to know, what is Baby Boot Camp Baton Rouge?

Baby Boot Camp is a stroller-based fitness franchise. We offer fitness classes for moms in which they are able to bring their baby to. Our classes are for the prenatal & postnatal mother.

STROLLFIT is our most popular class format. It is one hour of cardio, strength training, core work, & stretching. During class we engage the children by singing, reading stories, blowing bubbles, & more while we provide moms with a challenging yet fun workout!

STROLLGA+core is a class I added my own touch to based on the needs of my clients. We offer this class in the evening so that moms can come for one hour without baby to focus on themselves and have a a 1 hour break from the busy week. It is 30 minutes of mat-based Pilates where we focus on our “mummy tummy” and 30 minutes of Yoga. My goal is that moms feel sore in their core the next day & that they walk away from their Yoga mat feeling rejuvinated to return to serving their families at home.

At Baby Boot Camp we also offer running training once in the Fall & once in the Spring.

We also offer a community called Stroller Friends, we have the best double strollers. Through Stroller Friends we offer opportunities for our moms (& families) to connect on a social & emotional level. We offer a play date & Mom’s Night Out once a month.

I am a mom who is not in great shape, could I still follow along?

ABSOLUTELY! This class is for YOU and for the mom who has participated in Baby Boot Camp for 2+years. EVERY single exercise can be modified and taken up a notch, I also recommend checking buysteroidsonline org which can help you better your health. At every STROLLGA+Core class I always remind moms, “this is your yoga, not your neighbors” and I mean this for STROLLFIT too. Every single mom has a different goal. Baby Boot Camp is not a cookie cutter program. It is a program that welcomes ALL fitness levels and caters to each. I want moms to focus on working at their own pace, not trying to keep up with their neighbor or instructor. Yet, they may be inspired by their neighbor. We want no mom left behind. It takes a village to raise our children and a village to reach our individual goals. We cannot do it alone. I do not believe we were created to be alone. We were created to be in community with one another supporting one another. I strive to keep a positive atmosphere at Baby Boot Camp.

What kind of work-outs/classes can a mom expect?

STROLLFIT is one hour. We begin with a warm up. We do this is so the mom running 5 minutes late can sneak on in and jump right into the warm up. After warm up, we alternate between cardio & strength training. We mix up moving the strollers and stopping the strollers, jogging and everything, we read about the Best Jogging Stroller Reviews and took off from there. Babies like to be on the GO. We end class with 10-15 minutes of core work & stretching on our Yoga mat. During this time babies can come out of the stroller and play with a bag of toys. Class ALWAYS ends with stretching out our most important stretch of all, our smiles and a sticker for each baby!

What makes Baby Boot Camp unique?

Gosh, there is SO much that makes it unique. However, if I had to say one thing, I would say our amazing community! Community is SO important to me! I know every mom and child’s name. I know what type of stroller they push. I remember most mom’s first class too. And my amazing instructor team does too. And if we don’t know a mom, we are making it a point to get to know them! If a mom hasn’t been to class in a few weeks we are asking about her. We have a very holisitic approach to gaining optimal health & wellness. We celebrate when a moms has a baby and we support moms who miscarry. I believe this is why our moms stick with Baby Boot Camp for so long. They feel they are a part of our supportive community.

Is BBC only for stay at home moms?

NO! We 3 evening classes a week & class on Saturday mornings 🙂 We are for moms who work at home & moms who workout outside the home!

Now for the question I was so concerned about…What if my baby/toddler/kiddo doesn’t sit still when I bring them to work out?

It’s ok! We encourage moms to be consistent! Consistency not only helps mommy achieve her goals, but helps baby learn our expectations. Our instructors are happy to push the stroller, if baby prefers to move or even hold baby! Our instructors also carry a giant bag of toys for children to choose from.

What benefits are there to bringing your kiddos to work out?

The children are learning that exercising is FUN! And they are learning at a young age the importance of taking care of your body. The children get to listen to stories & songs which has many language development benefits. They children are learning to count, the days of the week, & the months of the year too! The children also benefit socially as they meet other Stroller Friends!

If you could share one thing with a mom, what would it be?

Love the season you’re in & savor the season you are in. My oldest starts Kindergarten in the Fall & I cannot believe it. He won’t be riding in the stroller any more. Every single season comes with its own challenges & joys! Whether the challenge is lack of sleep, toddler tantrums, potty training, colic, accept it, learn from it, & choose to be grateful for the blessings. Once your baby moves on to the next stage of life, you will miss the previous stage. No matter how hard motherhood can be, be grateful for its gift.

You can get more information about Baby Boot Camp and chat with Mauree yourself by emailing her at mauree.brooksher@babybootcamp.com!

Navy Week sails into Baton Rouge

March 23, 2016 by Tiany Davis

From Phoenix to Baton Rouge, America’s Navy will come home to 15 cities across the country in 2016 as part of the Navy Week program. Navy Week will “sail” into Baton Rouge on its last stop, Oct. 31-Nov. 6.

“Navy Weeks are designed to help Americans understand that their Navy protects and defends America on the world’s oceans, that their Navy is deployed around the world around the clock, and is ready to defend America at all times,” said John Wallach, NAVCO’s deputy director. “Because the Navy is concentrated primarily on both coasts, we’re challenged to communicate our mission away from fleet concentration areas. The Navy Week program helps us do that.” Navy Week offers a glimpse into how the men and women of the United States Navy serve the American people. What’s it like to be deployed at sea for six months? How does the Navy contribute to world peace and security? What new technologies is the Navy currently developing? These questions and many more will be answered at Baton Rouge Navy Week.

Baton Rouge Navy Week

Baton Rouge Navy Week will coincide with the Greater Baton Rouge State Fair and will focus a variety of events, equipment and personnel for a week-long series of engagements with the public, key influencers and organizations representing all sectors of the community.

“During a Navy Week, 75-100 outreach events are coordinated with corporate, civic, government, education, media, veterans, community service and diversity organizations in the city,” said Lt. Cmdr. Brett Dawson, NAVCO’s event planning department head. “We bring in as much of the Navy as we can. The Blue Angels, the Navy Parachute Team, bands, divers, Seabees, EOD teams, crews of ships and submarines that are named after a city or state or have a tie to the area, hometown Sailors, medical personnel, environmental displays, USS Constitution Sailors and equipment, and Navy recruiting assets all have participated in the Navy Week program.”

Navy Week cities are chosen based on a variety of factors, including Gallup data on Navy knowledge and awareness, Navy recruiting data, demographic information, namesake ties of ships and submarines, past outreach history in the market and geography, to ensure events are dispersed across the country.

Navy Week will be a great opportunity for the Baton Rouge community to get involved and show support for America’s armed forces. We will post a full schedule of events as soon as it becomes available. Navy Weeks in the past have include the Blue Angels, Navy Leap Frog parachute team demos, Navy Band performances, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) dive tanks, flight simulators and SEAL fitness challenges.

Last year’s Navy Week program helped commemorate the Navy Reserve Centennial. There were 12 Navy Weeks across America that reached nearly 100 million Americans through more than 1,500 individual outreach events.

For more information on the Navy Week program, visit http://www.outreach.navy.mil.

The Baton Rouge event page is not yet updated with a schedule but can be found here—> http://www.outreach.navy.mil/Navy-Weeks/Baton-Rouge

Sources & photos: outreach.navy.mil

Best and Worst Halloween Candy Options for Children’s Teeth

October 21, 2015 by Baton Rouge Moms

“Ask the Experts” is a series on Baton Rouge Moms where local experts share their thoughts, opinions and answer questions relating to health, wellness and parenting. If you have a question for one of our experts, please leave it in the comments below to be featured in an upcoming article.

Halloween: A Kid’s Dream and a Dentist’s Nightmare

All kids (and some parents) want to load up on all the Halloween candy they can get. Why even have the “Trick” in “Trick or Treat”?! Right?

As a pediatric dentist, I obviously don’t want your kids to eat too many sweets. Although I love seeing their smiling faces, I don’t want to find new cavities or an unglued crown that came out when they were eating a Laffy Taffy! Moderation is key here. I would say don’t deprive your kids of candy. After all, that’s what Halloween is all about! But my advice is to go through all the candy together with your kids and choose 2-3 pieces they can have that day. Then stash the rest away out of sight.

Best and Worst Halloween Candy Options for Children’s Teeth

The best types of candy for your child’s teeth are dark chocolates or sugar-free hard candies. Dark chocolates have antioxidants and are crunchy and dissolve quickly in the mouth. This means your child’s teeth will be exposed to sugar for less time.

Types of candy to avoid are hard candies that remain in the mouth for longer periods of time (i.e. lollipops) because these expose your child’s teeth to sugar over longer periods of time and have an increased chance of causing tooth decay. Similar to hard candy, caramels and gummies will stay in the mouth longer and also tend to stick to our teeth’s biting surface, creating a perfect environment for cavities to form. Sour candies have increased acidity and can cause tooth enamel to break down more quickly.

Another great idea is to give kids fun, but healthy (SHH!) Halloween treats. I love Pinterest for ideas and found a great site with Halloween snacks for kids. Check it out here: http://www.cleanandscentsible.com/2013/09/heathy-halloween-food-ideas.html

Halloween doesn’t have to be a dentist’s nightmare. As long as candy is eaten in moderation and you supplement that candy with some fun, healthier alternatives, your kids can enjoy Halloween and still have a healthy smile!

For more information on children’s oral health or if you have any questions, please visit www.ascensionsmiles.com or call us at (225) 402-4118.

Introducing Nine New BRM Contributors

May 23, 2014 by Tiany Davis

Baton Rouge Moms has grown by leaps and bounds since we launched 7 months ago, with over 8000 Baton Rouge moms on our Facebook page sharing ideas and offering support to each other. The Baton Rouge Moms website is also growing! We put out a call for contributors a couple of months ago and the response was overwhelming.

We are excited to be adding eight new voices to the Baton Rouge Moms team! This is a smart, diverse group of ladies and each of them brings a unique perspective to BRM. We are honored to have them share there hearts, ideas, tips and thoughts with you all.

Here are the new Baton Rouge Moms contributors you’ll hear from….

Alexandra relocated to Louisiana from New York in 2013 just before the birth of her son, Nicholas. Leaving her career in fashion behind in early 2012, she became a certified Yoga Instructor and has since added Anti-gravity Yoga and Barre fitness to her repertoire. Alexandra is excited to be part of the very first all Kids Yoga Studio in Baton Rouge, Playoga, offering classes for children 6-weeks and up.Juggling over 20 classes per week while raising an active toddler in a modern world is not as easy as some make it seem. She believes it’s important to support other moms and their choices on how their children are raised. Sometimes you need to be reminded that you are not the only mom with a toddler that screams all morning or won’t eat his dinner some nights. Feeling supported by other moms, helps to keep you sane.

Alexandra married husband Taylor (from Montana…they met at their best friend’s wedding) in 2014, they will have a second wedding this August in New York at her families church. Their son Nicholas always comes first, but when their busy lives slow down for a moment and are able to find some “down time”, you can find her outside playing with her boys, dabbling in interior decorating, enjoying a glass of wine and definitely not folding laundry. (Why can’t clothes fold themselves??)

“Just remember to breathe”

My name is Brittany Anderson I am a life long resident of Louisiana. I graduated Zachary High, Bachelors from NSU in Psychology, and Licensed RDH. I am a first time mom to a beautiful baby girl, Emma Grace. I have a wonderful and loving husband, Cody, of 2 years (and counting). I grew up hunting and fishing and absolutely love cooking (though I rarely have time for it these days). I have had my own battles with being a first time mom from struggling with PPD to deciding how and when to go to work and just learning how to balance motherhood with normal household tasks. I hope to learn from other moms, share my own experiences, and receive great feedback and support from our wonderful community of moms! 🙂

I’m Doris, I was a working mom until a year ago when I was blessed to become a full time stay at home mom. I’m honored & humbled to raise our Jackson who was born with a rare physical disability, Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congentia (AMC), basically he has a lack of muscle and tight joint; and manage our home. It has always been my dream to be a wife and mom who was dedicated to her family and I’m living out that dream. I’m able to serve immensely at my son’s school and here at my home. There is no greater joy for me than serving my Savior and my family, it is my life’s calling.

My name is Jessica Walker and I live in the Central area. I graduated from St. Amant High school and have moved and traveled all across the state as well as Mississippi. I am a full time working, running, first time mom and wife.
I am an old college athlete (washed up) just trying to find the balance of being a good mom, wife and person. I am very family oriented and love spending time with my family. After spending 6 years on the road for my sport and college education, I realized that home is really where the heart is.I ran my first ½ marathon for St. Jude in Memphis in 2009 with my life-long friend and have been hooked ever since. My mom now runs with us and we have made the trip every year, rain, snow, sleet or shine! Last year I ran unknowingly 6 weeks pregnant and had my fastest time thus far. This year, we are running the full marathon! This is going to be a huge time commitment, training wise, so I will have to depend on the hubby and other family to help with the baby.
I am always trying to push myself physically and mentally and I have an old school mentality that I can do anything that I put my mind to, which sometimes gets me in trouble. I tend to be very hard on myself and take it personally when things don’t go as I feel/think they should – AKA – a non-sleeping through the night 9 month old, that is currently sleeping with me (which is of course the #1 mommy rule breaker – to some). I can’t wait to open this new chapter in our lives and connect with other Baton Rouge Moms! I don’t do Facebook, but love Instagram and occasionally Twitter.

Melanie is a Baton Rouge area real estate agent, social media enthusiast, and to borrow a phrase from a friend, lover of the Louisiana life. She is mom to three boys and a cat named Loki

Having lived through divorce herself, she is passionate about supporting single/divorced moms and blended families. She is an enthusiastic fan of sports and most anything techy or nerdy, and also enjoys travel, reading, music, and attempting to run. She can’t craft anything to save her life, but she does cook a mean pot of gumbo.

I’m Taresa, 30 years young and a stay at home mom to my 19 month old son Landen. Originally from New Roads, Louisiana, I now live in Zachary with my fiancé and our son. My fiancé and I met while attending ULL together. We’ve lived in Zachary for 5 months now. Between Storytime at different libraries, play dates, museum visits, and other baby targeted events around the city, I’m one busy mama! I enjoy family time more than anything. Whether it’s playing in the yard, our Saturday trip to the farmers market, or just being at the table together for dinner. I make sure that between cooking, cleaning, flash cards, and ABC’s that we always make time for “family time.”

A few Other things I enjoy are Pilates, cooking, walks in the park, “me time”, and exploring healthy living for my family. We are regulars at Whole Foods Market and the farmers market. There’s so much fun in teaching my son about fresh foods and where our food comes from.

Being a mom (and stay at home mom) is the most challenging yet rewarding thing I’ve ever done, but it’s also the best, and most important.

Tiffany Brooks studied Psychology at LSU. She is a Homeschooling Mompreneur and Coach. She helps passionate female entrepreneurs build their businesses in a way that honors their priorities and allows them to enjoy the journey. She truly wants to see more people living their truth. Learn more about Tiffany and get inspired on her website.

Whitney is a graduate of Louisiana Tech University with her Bachelor of Interior Design. After a couple of years in the design field she found her home in Baton Rouge, LA. Her passions lie in playground sports, keeping a messy home (much to the dismay of the fiance), drinking lots of caffeine, dancing in the kitchen, getting (well trying to get) her booty in shape, and making people smile. She is working as the creative director for a group of dental clinics. She devotes her time to three things that fall very close to her heart: her little family, her 2 weenie pups, and the urge to never stop creating.

She is getting married in August of 2014 to a guy who is her counter-points. He though a pilot is firmly grounded while she spends most of her time with her head in the clouds. With him comes a 8 year old with more energy and awesome than she knows how to keep up with. Keeping up with Jones has become keeping up with Audrey. She’s a newbie to this mom thing, balancing this whole step-parent versus friend thing, but has found that everything can be fixed by making good bread, butter, and her mom’s “Terry Berry Mayhaw Jelly.” As a tiny little family they make life work with amazingly creative grilled cheese sandwiches, streamers, Steen’s Syrup, and maybe a bubble bath.

You can see the day to day (well almost, kinda, more monthly these days) of all (okay okay most of) her adventures on one of her blogs, Paper Rainbows or I Saw My Mom. Till then she will keep chasing paper rainbows and living the southern narrative.

I am wife first. Mom second. Photographer third. I try to keep them in that order as best I can. I have two boys who are 21 months apart. I really did not think that one through. My oldest will be 5 this year and my youngest will be 3. My boys are all boy, wild and out of control. If left alone for more than 30 seconds, my boys can make a room look like a war zone.

I am new to the Baton Rouge area. We relocated here for my husband’s job, in April. My husband works at LSU, as a recruiter and instructor for the ROTC department. We are a military family. My husband has been in the army for the last 20 years. I am thankful we have not had to endure a deployment since we have been together.

I am able to work from home. Working from home is such a blessing! Working from home can seem like a joke with kids. I don’t know how I do it, but eventually work gets done. I love photography. It has always been a passion of mine. I worked with film a lot in high school and did not own my first DSLR camera until 2008. I started my business, Rachel Ezzo Portraits, in 2012. I am self taught when it comes to my business, photography and Photoshop. I learned everything I know by watching online tutorials, videos, reading, trial and error and a lot of practice. I am constantly learning, and trying to improve my skills and business. I don’t claim to know it all! I love sunsets. I love them even more when they show up in my photos. Natural light is so important to me, when shooting. I work with children and families. My all time favorite shoot is when I get to work with my newborns. I love cuddling and soothing those sweet babies, into adorable poses. I don’t love it enough to want another baby. Let’s be honest. My kids are like squirrels on a sugar high.

I was born and raised in upstate New York. I attended college at Liberty University, in Lynchburg Virginia, where I lived for the last 11 years. I have a degree in Psychology. I worked as a counselor with children and teens on a Psychiatric unit for a few years before having my own kids. I met my husband while living in Virginia, who was also from New York. My husband made a list of attributes he wanted in his wife, and named the list his “Rachel List.” He prayed for his Rachel for 7 years. I did not know him until about 3 years after he had been praying. We did not date until 4 years after that. I believe God has a plan. I believe he chose me for my husband, and him for me. I believe God’s ways are higher than my ways and better than anything I could imagine for myself.