Love

Lily and her bestest friend, Gigi the kangaroo.

Nah nah nah nah nah nah...

you say it's your birthday? Nah nah nah nah nah nah...it's my birthday too, yeah!

Go shorty, it's your birfday, go shorty, it's your birfday....

34 today. Yikers.

My love for All & Sundry

If you like a healthy dose of wicked wit, self-deprecation, biting humor, and tell-it-like-it-is mommyness, you must get acquainted with Linda. Oh how I love her.

Suggest a name

for my baby! Girl and boy names, please. I'm just not coming up with anything that speaks to me! Leave it in the comments if you will.

A Talented Client You Should Know

Jen Harper entered one of her scrapbook pages in a local Creating Keepsakes contest and won 1st prize! This page is very special to her as are the photographs (by me ;-)). Creating the page was extremely therapeutic for Jen, as you can read in the journaling. (Click on picture to enlarge.)

I asked Jen if I could share this with my blog readers for a little inspiration and to brag on her - and she was kind enough to let me post it. From the very first conversation I had with Jen on the phone, she wanted her photography session with her family to be a sort of reward and celebration for a hard year in the trenches of life. In the end, I think her session was magic. It's the "famous" beach session I have posted about and is my sentimental favorite shoot I've done. I'm so proud of her!

And now for a little bonus: I found the email below (in red) in my inbox yesterday and was so excited after reading it! Jen is going to sell her crafty goodness. If you decide to purchase something from her, I will include a free 8x10 in your next session with me. Make sure to tell Jen I sent you.

Don't know what to get your man for Valentine's Day?

"Just thought I would send a picture of a cute flip album I am selling. It holds approximately 16 pictures and is $40. It is perfect for your honey or a son. If you are interested, I can send more pictures of all the pages. I can also make custom flip books, frames, letters to hang on the wall, mini-albums, and scrapbook pages, anything that involves paper! I can add your personal pictures or you can add them later. If you have any questions, you can email or call me, exceteragifts@yahoo.com . Thanks so much! jen"

I'm definitely going to get myself one of these!

women + photography

If you're a chick who likes to click...check this out:
http://shuttersisters.squarespace.com/home/

N.i.c.e.

This family could NOT have been nicer to me. Oh, how I love nice!

Pure Beauty

Sessions don't come much better than this one.

Love This Family

Catalogchoice.org

One of my guilty pleasures is that I insist on watching the Today Show's first hour each and every morning. I feel very out of the loop if I don't. I always learn something useful and can constantly be heard saying, "So I was watching the Today show today and...."

Here's what I learned today:
If you are inundated with catalogs in the mail, you can put a stop to them in one easy place without picking up your phone. You do it all online in one easy place. But, have your catalogs with you when you sit down to the computer.

www.catalogchoice.org


Pass it on!!!

Houston Photographers Alert!

A lighting workshop for cheap is coming to town Sunday the 27th of January and Monday the 28th. Check out this link: Captivated by the Light. And if you use the promo code WHCC it's $19. Yes, you read that right. $19 for 4 hours and a dvd with 4 more hours. Check it!! (I'm going Monday the 28th)

32 weeks (almost)

my banner family

More from the adorable Hunter clan who you can see up above in my banner. This is Jen, her man Shaun, and her other (little) man Eli. They are moving away very soon and I am bummed not only b/c Jen was my event photography partner, but turned into such a good friend. Anyway, they are just 3 of the cutest folks you'll ever find.

doncha' just love this?

Carol and her Dad dancing at her wedding. Sigh. More of my 2 weddings soon!

Sheye and Ava

My photography "career" began on a forum called "Grow" that Jinky started. It was geared for people (women, really) who wanted to photograph babies, children and families on location, using natural light, and capture each family's reality.

That forum changed my life in so many ways.

Yes, I became a better photographer. But. More importantly, I met a woman named Sheye. She was my favorite photographer on the forum b/c her pictures were just magical and her posts to the forum were so witty, funny, self-deprecating, and humble. She has 4 of the most beautiful children you'd ever seen and she'd post pictures of them, along with her clients' photos for our critique and support.

Anytime I saw that she had posted something new I rushed to see it and read her commentary. There was just something about her that drew me in.

Then one day last February, her best friend Carrie, also a member of Grow, posted to the forum. She told us that Sheye's little girl, 3 year old Ava, had gotten into the family's car and locked herself in accidentally and was in a coma. (They live in Australia where February is their summer. Imagine our Texas summers and this happening. Same thing.) I gulped with a "yikes" feeling, but I really thought no way would anything really bad happen. Ava would be fine.

Well, 2 days later Carrie posted again, but this time to tell us Ava has passed away.

Since then, I have been deeply changed inside myself. Rarely a day goes by that I don't think of Sheye and her Ava, and I keep a constant watch on her blog. Words will never do Sheye justice, so I won't even try, but she is simply magical.

I encourage you to read her blog, look at her breathtaking photos, and learn about her story. She'll remind you why it's so important not to sweat the small stuff with our kids.

Start with this.

Jackson Pollock would be proud

Behold Lily's...ahem...interpretation of Santa and Rudolph:

way cool

If you love recipes and cookbooks, CHECK THIS OUT!

christmas in portland (oregon)

Some pics from my vacation. It snowed on Christmas Day!! Too cool.
And yes, these all have my Lily Bean. She is the reason I got into photography, so she's my little star. I could eat her up I love her so.


Daddy and Lily
Lily and her Nana. Lily is Nana's shadow!

Catching snowflakes!


Having Tea at the Heathman Hotel in downtown Portland.

Gigi the kangaroo goes everywhere Lily goes.
Couldn't decide if I liked this next one in color or bw?

She actually looks like she knows what she's doing!