I wish it were that easy. Picking out the models was not the only tough job we have had in the past week or so but school is KILLIING me. I have been so stressed. I swear all Joe’s homework is going to be the death of me. It drives me crazy. David and I have different opinions on it. Me, I’m like he’s 9, doing schoolwork from 4-8:30 is crazy.
Seriously, it stresses me out. I still have to fit in 45 minutes of hand therapy. We have come to far to loose what we have gained. Then he has speech 2x a week, which makes homework last longer. And it would really be nice if he had 30 minutes to ride his bike or just sit on the couch with me. K, I will stop venting. Too many sweet girls to post!
Sam and I are just finishing up Fall 2011. It seems we’ve been at it since October 1!~ Next Wednesday is the goal, seeing we leave for China on Saturday. I’m so excited to go. I love Shanghaii. It is huge but so relaxing. Lynette, Sam and I are all going. But truth is…..
We are way more excited about the shoot in Florida. We have such a great group of gals joining us. We have me, Kayla, Lynette and Sam from MJC, plus Elijah. Then we have our 6 team leaders and all the moms, kids and a few dads. Oh, and Anne. I love, adore, and just wanna keep Anne to myself. She is my neighbor who we all love!
And we cannot forget Michelle, Stella and Lucas. We can’t shoot without Michelle! My mind is going crazy with all the little details. I obsess on details. It’s almost ridiculous.
Holy long post right!!! So many beauties to share! I just sent David off to get Karate Kid and I’m gonna sit on that couch and watch a movie. Sounds relaxing, right? Well, that and sew buttons! I need to stop working for a few cuz I think I may be going crazy. Okay, I don’t have to think, just ask! Medication at this point would be great!
Oh, one more thing, sorry about the site. We are working on a few things and it may go out a few more times. So please just bare with us….Thanks
Beautiful girls! I swear all the MJ kiddos are adorable! And I have 3 extras if you want ‘em! lol
Ahh homework…I dread the day!
Gorgeous ladies! I’m so excited for them!
OMG these girls are gorgeous!!! How hard it had to be. We just all love our girls in our MJ. Thank you:)
OK, I agree about the homework. That kind of thing drives me batty. If they are in school all day, why do they need 4 more hours of work?? It is too much.
The girls are all beautiful, have fun in Florida and in China too!!
Oh, I hear you about homework… it’s a daily battle, actually it’s going on right now… daddy barking at kid to finish off before dinner. Fun, fun, fun. You’re going to China? Does that mean future lines will be made in China? I hope not =(. Oh, and all the girls are beautiful!!
Oh girl. I have a 9 year old son, Jackson, in 4th grade. The homework.is.killing.me! I feel like I have to schedule his playtime. “Sorry, son, your 20 allotted minutes of relaxation are up. Time for more work!” I want him to be outside in this wonderful fall air!
Btw, those are some beauties! Cache’s eyes are amazing!
Did they all come as professional pictures? Darn!
Wow, they all look like pros! Gorgeous girls!
All the girls are BEAUTIFUL!!!! Their eyes are amazing!
I am SOO jealous that you, Sam and Lynette are headed to China!! You know I feel about China. I LOVE * LOVE * LOVE China!! Almost as much as I love MJC!! Hope you have a great trip. While you’re sleeping under the China moon, blow my girls birth moms a kiss from us!!
Oh wow, look at all those beautiful girls! Can hardly wait to meet them all!! Have fun in China… xoxo
Congrats to all the winners! Nice pic Jami! Way to go Cache! You are a great photographer as well as the others. Maybe I will try my little one next contest! I did not submit a photo this time due to not wanting to fly by myself. I am scared to fly and I was not going to drive either. Congrats again to all the little beauties!
they are all such stunning girls!! congrats to each of them!
All this beauty radiating from the inside and out is making my eyes all leaky!!! I’m bursting with pride and joy and UTTER excitement to meet all these new friends!!! That’s what it’s all about for me. MJC bringing so much happiness and friendship to our lives. Thank you from every piece of our hearts!!! {HUGS}
We too are so excited to come and meet all these new friends. It will be such a fun adventure. But until then…. yes we will be doing homework!
Very beautiful girls. But it saddens me that there is such a lack of diversity with this company. Where are the lovely asian girls and the lovely african american girls and more? I belong to forums where mamas show pictures of their girls in MJC and these are girls with such diversity of skin and hair color and eye shape and such. I see very little of that here. Sad. As your company grows larger, you should do more to show the diversity that makes the USA a great place. Maybe next time ………
I agree with Kathy – disappointing there is little diversity here. These girls are beautiful and I’m sure there must have been at least one girl out there who shows a little diversity and would be “colorful, sophisticated, and a wee bit cheeky.”
Hey Kathy and Tracy-
Thanks for your comments. Yes, we do have diversity. We are using some girls we have used in the past/and or have already scheduled that were not part of the casting call. The casting call was intended to fill 2-3 slots that we felt were missing from the shoot. However, I fell in love with 14! But please know we have girls from all backgrounds in our shoots as we always have and will continue to do.
I am so very disappointed in the lack of diversity from the chosen models. While they are all beautiful girls, why do they all look the same? Where are the beautiful little dark skinned/brown eyed girls? Makes me really sad that in this day and age, your company still chooses to show case only the blonde/blue eyed little girls as your models. I wish my daughter could look at one of your models and be able to relate to her, unfortunetly that won’t be happening in your future line. So very disappointed in MJC right now.
It would have been nice to know you were considering babies. I thought it said 18 months and up?! Not really fair, but sure hope this means smaller sizes in the future lines! All of the selected girls are gorgeous!!
I am sorry to make you feel this way.
Please know the Casting Call was to fill in a few open spots.
We have already chosen many models that are not part of the Casting Call and I hope you can have faith in me that many nationalities are represented.
Part of the reason I waited so long to post photos is I knew customers would feel this way.
It looks like all the same girls, but you are not seeing the entire shoot.
I feel each girl I choose is truely beautiful girl inside and out with her own personality.
I also chose girls that are from the same family for many reasons.
Once the shoot is complete, I hope you can look at it with new eyes and see the story that is being told.
I am quite certain you will love it and feel differently. It is very hard to only see half of the story.
all the girls look the same – where is the diversity? Blues eyes are the selling power now??? sad
Wow, I see what you mean! It must have been difficult to choose the models. They are all gorgeous!!! Have fun at the Spring 2011 photo shoot.
Beautiful girls! You will all have a blast! I hear you on the homework/rehab/etc. It is easy to get caught up in it all. My mom gave me an idea that I love as we also live in a busy household with a baby requiring 2 times a week therapy, full day school and numerous extra-curricular activities for my two older children. Try to spend at least 15 minutes a day doing something fun that is not work and will surely bring out some laughter and give you something to look forward to each day. Maybe set up a table and work on a really tricky puzzle that you can do a little each day and possibly finish by the week end! You might be tired, but you are doing a great job! I really admire you!
Yeah! So excited for these girls, they are all gorgeous! I can’t imagine how hard it was to narrow it down. Jami- So exited for you and your babe, she is BEAUTIFUL!
So out of all the girls that entered the contest my understanding is that there were no darker skinned girls that were beautiful enough? That amazes and saddens me as the mom of a AA daughter.
Ok, I just have to know what size dress that Ellie has on. It made my heart skip a beat to see a beautiful preteen with that dress on. I have a daughter this age or a little older and I would love to know that she is getting to the age that I can size up in Matilda Jane since so many 12s do not fit my 12 year old. She refuses to give up on being fashionable at school. She won’t wear jeans and just a plain ole tee to school. Gotta have her MJ fashion rolling down those Middle School halls. I love it too!! YOU ROCK and those models are all so stinking beautiful!!
Denise, it makes it a bit worse that you fell in love with 14 white girls to fill 2-3 slots. Sorry, but the lack of diversity is lame.
All the girls are BeAuTiFuL! Can’t wait to see the spring line with all of these girls plus more.
The girls are all stunning! Congratulations!
Because your customers are so diverse (and passionate!!!), I can understand why some may feel that they are not being represented. However, I have always been impressed with the diversity of girls you have showcased in past collections, and I am positive that this collection will meet that same standard. Good luck girls, and have fun!!!
What lovely, lovely girls! I must say we are just a wee bit jealous of all the fun that will be had in Florida at the shoot! What a totally awesome group of people all assembled together to work & have fun! Can’t wait to see the pics & the new spring line!
Oh, and I totally hear ya on the homework…I seriously have to stay on top of Jack every second to keep working…I feel so terrible because I would much rather him be outside playing & riding his bike or kicking a soccer ball or whatever. But I do want him to learn that if he will focus on his work, he will have time to play afterwards. Tonight I sat with him while he typed up a biography report that he has to present in class next week. He’s 8…I don’t think I wrote reports like that until middle school & I sure didn’t type them! (Although I must say that typing was not required, but we decided it was a better option for easier editing.)
Have a great trip to China!
Sandi, I just checked out your blog and your four girls are beautiful!! I love seeing older girls in MJ =).
Dana, you already know I love you & your K crew =). Have tons of fun and drink a Southern Comfort for me ;-).
Ladies…let’s keep this conversation healthy and happy. Put your faith in Denise and know that only goodness comes out of mjc!!!! My children were not picked either but I’m TRULY happy for these 14 young ladies and know that it could not have been easy to pick. :(. We love you MJC and thank you for all of your hardwork.
Absolutely gorgeous! I can’t wait to see all these girls with the models you already have, it’s going to be an amazing shoot!I can’t wait to see how everything turns out! Good luck!
Denise and the MJC crew, you did an awesome job! These girls are such beauties! We love you and cannot wait to see the Spring line!
My little girl Danielle is a brown eyed, olive-skinned Latina girlie and I am so proud to have her chosen to be part of this group. Can’t wait to meet everyone. Thanks Denise!
very pretty!!! can’t wait to see SPRING!!!
@ Tammy….Ellie is wearing her older sisters dress. It is a Womens size small. She was so happy when she figured out it fit her too! We just love the dress. I know it can be so tricky to find cute clothes to fit middle schoolers. I love seeing my girls in Matilda Jane!
Congrats to all involved. All the girls are gorgeous and how exciting for them and their families but I want to see GREAT pictures of the clothes. The focus should be on the clothes. After all, that is what is being sold. It doesn’t really matter who is in them. Have a great time at the shoot and enjoy the FL weather!
Beautiful! So happy for all the proud mammas and their girls!
I think we need to have a little Faith in Denise and MJC as a whole. They have never been the type to come off as a white girl only clothing company. Their clothes are just as unique as the beautiful little girls they use in their photo shoots. I have always been impressed with how they do things and I still am.
All beauties! Congrats to the winners! I’m a little mystified by people’s disappointment in the diversity. I’m looking through photos of Field Trip, Gypsy Blue and Hotline and you’ve always used girls of all nationalities. Keep up the good work! Miss Lily & I love ya!
You picked some beautiful little girls. Am I a little disappointed that my daughter wasn’t picked sure we are only human right??!! What mother wouldn’t want their daughter picked that is why they entered the contest to begin with. You have always had a great mixture of “looks” in your ads and you continue to do so!! You can’t please everyone…some people will always find fault in anything you do…You gave 13 BEAUTIFUL girls a chance of a lifetime!! I bet if EVERY mother who sent in their daughters photo to you, sent it to FORD MODELS than maybe 1 would have been chosen…its life…Now what you really need to do is have a “MAMA” search!!! Have a great weekend!
WOW!! Beautiful girls!! Good job on the choices :0)
All day I’ve been thinking about this and I’m disappointed. In the moms who are so “green eyed” that they are not seeing the beautiful young ladies who will represent MJC and remembering their beautiful young ladies at home who are watching their reactions. It’s an arbitrary contest and my daughter is still just as beautiful and happy when she twirls in her clothes whether she gets a trip to Florida or not. I saw diversity in those girls just the same and wasn’t counting colors anyway because that’s not what this should be about… “It’s what’s on the inside that counts!”
Those are some gorgeous girls!!! <3 What a tough job you guys had!!
UGH…I. Hate. Homework. lol The school year is sooo crazy between homework & dance classes!
Have a great time in China!!!
well I just read through the comments & really? Some of you think these girls all look the same? I don’t see it…
Have YOu SEEN pictures of the past MJ photo shoots? You don’t see the diversity?? hmmm….
Oh Denise! Keep your chin up. You will never make everyone happy despite your best efforts! MJC is amazing because of your hard work – don’t forget that is what got you here! Go hug your kids, your husband, your friends, anyone
Oh dear, those are some beauties! Great job MJC. Wish I could leave it at that- but I have to add….It’s a shame that there are so many disappointed comments trying (note “trying”) to sour the beautiful opportunity you are giving so many girls. Your company has and I believe will continue to do a great job of representing all girls regardless of their race. Have fun at the shoot, I can’t wait to see the new line.
Congratulations to each girl chosen. They are all beautiful and the task of choosing must have been super super hard! Sounds like the Florida shoot will be more than filled with work and fun in getting to know one another. (Oh, my two blue eyed granddaughters pics were sent in and not chosen). Good luck on the homework issue. David is coming at this from another angle but I so believe that we put too much pressure on children at too young of an age.
Darling, darling girls! I do hope you make it an annual or semi-annual contest; it’s fun to think my little girl just *might* have the chance to participate in an MJ shoot someday. I must say, I’m loving seeing all these older girls in MJ. My daughter is only three, but that’s the kind of fashion example I hope she follows when she’s older. I see so many 11 and 12 year-old girls these days dressed in ways that seem far too grown-up. (Did I just out myself as a fuddy-duddy? I swear I’ll only be 35 next week!)
Why in the world does someone have to turn something like this into a race issue when I am sure it is not! My daughter didn’t get chosen but you know what that is ok and of course not the end of the world. I hate to see this outlook of “race” continued to be pushed on to more generations. I see diversity in these girls. I have always seen diversity in the girls you choose. Don’t take it personal Denise, you are not the one with a problem here. Keep choosing the diversity of girls just the way you always have. Just try to please God and not people. God doesn’t see color and I am sure you don’t as well. All the girls are amazing!
stunning selection of gorgeous girls! I can’t wait to see what’s coming next!
I am so excited to see what you have planned. I am always in awe of your shoots. I love all of the details, props, and the overall vision. You are AMAZING!
The girls chosen are beautiful. Congrats to them and their parents.
But race does matter and it is a shame that those of us who notice this fact are not being taken seriously. It is important.
AND, I want to add, it is not about something being wrong with these girls or the ads that have run in the past. It is not about anyone being green-eyed with envy. I did not even enter my kids in the contest!
It is about the fact that 14 very pale skinned girls were chosen when a lot of darker skinned girls were entered. Why did not one of them get chosen? Why not represent everyone? Why not chose at least one or two who are not white?
OH MY, I can certainly feel for you…seeing all these beautiful girls! And, I know there were many, many more~
So many gorgeous eyes! WOW-
Great job! Cant wait to see them in the NEW MJ for next fall!
Have a wonderful, safe, relaxing trip in China!!
Thank you MJC for choosing my beautiful Eliahna. We are beyond excited! We can’t wait to meet everyone.
Beautiful girls, Congrats to all!
*I honestly can’t believe that ANYONE who has seen a past MJ line, could feel that you DO NOT INCLUDE children unless they are the stereotypical “cookie-cutter, light skinned, blue/green eyed, models.”
EACH and EVERY child I have seen represent your company is UNIQUE and ORIGINAL (in one way, or another… be it a physical trait, or in their personality or presence.) You have always done a fabulous job at including a “diverse” ethnic range. I believe, this line, will be no different:) Keep up the GREAT work!