Welcome to the Stacey Marie Blog!  If you found this blog, you probably already know that I’m a wedding, family, and headshot photographer in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.  So I though I would start my blogging experience by sharing a few things you may not know about me.

1. I’m a choc-o-holic.

No, seriously.  It’s a really bad habit.  I might have two jumbo bags of Halloween candy in my desk drawer as we speak.  In the checkout line at the grocery, I have to keep my back to the candy rack, or I will be tempted to grab a bag of caramel M & M’s and throw it in with the groceries.

2. I’ve been teaching in the public-school system for 20 years!

Yes, you read that right, 2 decades!  During that time, I’ve taught a multitude of subjects.  I have taught middle school band for that entire time but have also taught middle school orchestra, music, typing, TV production, yearbook, math remediation, HS marching band, and MS and HS color guard.

3. I play several instruments and participate in several adult community performance groups in town.

My principal instrument is the clarinet, but I also play the flute, saxophone, trumpet, and a little bit of violin.  I play the bass clarinet in the Manatee Community Concert Band and the flute and bass flute in the Gulf Coast Flute Choir.  Did I mention that I’m also the associate conductor for the Gulf Coast Flute Choir.

4. I’m an animal lover.

Over the years, I’ve had just about every pet one could have.  I’ve had cats, dogs, hamsters, gerbils, birds, hermit crabs, geckos, lizards, and fish just to name a few.  We currently have two cats, Verne and Felix.  They are brothers and rescues from the Cat Depot in Sarasota.  Their personalities couldn’t be further apart from one another, but I love them both.

5. I can’t start my day without coffee.

It’s mana from heaven.  I don’t really have a favorite kind of coffee as long as it’s steamy and strong.  Don’t really like cream and sugar in my coffee these days, but I won’t turn down a good triple venti caramel latte either!