Last week I received a copy of Beyond Snapshots by Rachel Devine and Peta Mazey.

Beyond Snapshots is a super cute book for anyone wanting to take better photos. It contains great images with simple tips on how to shoot in manual, I highly recommend the book, even to those who can shoot in manual, simply because the images themselves will inspire you.

This Thursday, Clickin’ Moms will be teaming up with Jill Krause, the CM Ambassadors and the authors of Beyond Snapshots on Twitter for a twitter party to celebrate the release of the book.

(I won’t be at the party because of Listen to Your Mother, otherwise, I’d be there!)

(any level photographer is encouraged to attend, you do not need a fancy camera, just the passion to learn!)

(okay, enough parenthesis.)

Join the party to learn how to improve your photography and to win AMAZING prizes. You can visit Jill’s blog to RSVP for the twitter and learn who exactly to follow and to see a complete listing of the prizes that are being given away. (you must RSVP at Jill’s blog in order to enter to win prizes. Super easy to do!)

So, go, HAVE FUN!

In the midst of all of the craziness in my life, I’ve accepted a new role as blog ambassador to Clickin’ Moms. I started out with Clickin’ Moms in 2008 after stumbling upon their website. I can recall jumping in to the forums and discovering so many great things regarding photography, it’s like walking into a store and realizing the store has everything in your style, so you spend hours sifting through the inventory, walking around, browsing and walking through again and again.

Clickin’ Moms has been a great place for me to learn, to be inspired and to be with my peers.

Basically, my new role is to continue telling you what I’ve been telling you for years:

Clickin’ Moms is awesome.

It’s an incredible resource and may be just the thing you’ve been looking for if you’re looking to take your photography to the next level, whether that means you just want to improve, learn to use your DSLR or you think it’s time to go pro.

The forums are filled with so much useful information, but the thing that I love the most is CM University. I have learned more from CM University than any other organized classroom setting and/or tutorial that I have ever taken.

I urge you all to check it out – luckily I have a special discount offer just for you guys!

20% Off 6 months or 1 year using code: FOLDINGLAUNDRY
or a free trial using code: LAUNDRYTRIAL

Also, if you sign up for the their newsletter (which is AMAZING and not annoying at all when it hits your inbox except it’s a little annoying because I stop whatever I’m doing to check it out), ANYWAY, sign up here and receive some free digital goodies.

So, if you have an interest, a passion, a love for photography, stop hesitating on taking it to the next level and do it now. And start with Clickin’ Moms.

I have written about her before. About the way she loves and lives, the way she sparkles, the way her talent blows me away, the way her passion blows me away. I wrote about her cancer.

I know many of you have been looking for updates and I’m sorry for being unable to update you. But I thank you for praying for her and her health, her strength.

Yesterday, Samantha passed away.

I type those words and I reread them and I can not believe it’s true. I feel like I’m lying to you. I wish I were lying to you.

But I’m not.

My heart. My heart feels missing. Lost. Broken. This is so completely unfair. It’s unfair. I can’t comprehend it and I know that it doesn’t matter whether I comprehend it or not but if I could just get an explanation from God as to why this happened, I wonder if that would make me feel better.

The world lost some color yesterday. As soon as I heard the news over the phone, everything seemed to turn black and white. I imagine it will take time to turn back to color again but the world will never, ever be the same.

I am so grateful to have met her. To have wrapped my arms around her, to have shared our dreams together, to have been able to look into her eyes and feel them nearly start me on fire. I will never, ever forget the gift of just knowing her.

But for right now, my heart just wants her back.

Please pray for her family.