[ Love ]

One of my favorite pictures EVER.
Tracey & Jason.

[ Happy Monday: 2-22-10 ]

Whew!

What a weekend! So busy and full, but also had some good relaxing moments as well!
Had sick kids for the past five days... all of them alternating their times to be sick...
lots of movies were watched and a lot of soup and crackers eaten! Everyone is 100% now.
Thank God!

Onto Happy Monday...
(Everday Happy: 365 Ways to a Better You, written by Jenny Hare)

Leave Your Work at Work

Form the habit of leaving your work behind you when you leave your workplace. Try not to take it home with you. Keep your home life separate so that you can relax and enjoy your leisure time, family and friends to the full.

Your leisure time is an oasis of happiness for you to relax in. With no work worries and tensions invading your privacy, it's a special time, just for you and yours. A proper break from work also replenishes your energy and inspiration, so you'll feel restored and ready for work again tomorrow.

So this... is HARD HARD HARD for me to do, since I work from home!
Generally my day starts with getting stuff done around my house and then making it to my desk about 9ish.
Cort plays with Lucy or in his playroom or watches Sesame Street while I reply to emails, blog, edit, order or do some bookkeeping.
(Bookkeeping is soooo not my favorite thing in life!)
We break for lunch and he goes down for a nap and then I really GET WORK DONE!
Then we break again and go pick the girls up for school and then we are home and it's Homework Time and then Dinner Time.
I used to REALLY try to not return to my computer after dinner, but recently I've gotten busier (so happy about that!)
and I have been trying to keep UP so I've been working in the evenings as well!

But on the quest for a simpler, happier life... I'm going to try to go BACK to only working during the day!
No nighttime working and no editing on weekends!... Wait... that might not happen... I'll start with the evenings!

I had a LOVE-ly engagement session this weekend! It was SO. MUCH. FUN! Thank you so much Tracey & Jason!!!



Also had a GREAT GREAT GREAT family session with the Caples family!



I've had a great past week... so much going on...

* Note to self: Next time I decide to make Sloppy Joes for my family there is no real need to double the recipe.
Only so much of Sloppy Joes a family can take in one weekend! Seriously... SICK of it!
Add to that having to listen to Cort mimic me singing Adam Sandler's "Sloppy Joe... Sloppy... Sloppy Joe!"

* ELLEN cracks me UP. On her show. On AI. Seriously. CRACKS. ME. UP.
Her Dennis Quaid bits are SO FUNNY!

* You know you are OLD when your calves are so sore from dancing you can barely roll over in bed,
get up from the couch or say, swivel around in a chair. Easy stuff like that.
Only danced for m-a-y-b-e 15 minutes??! Sad!
Fun times! Happy 30th Shannon!!!

* It's embarrassing and so not cool to admit... but I love Rod Stewart's music. Love it!
You should hear Cort and I driving around town belting out "Rhythm of my Heart!"

* In attempting to set an out-of-town girlfriend up on a date with another out-of-town friend,
I sent one of the texts to another acquiantance I had been texting earlier in the day!
Which then made for some reallllly funny Laugh-Out-Loud texting with her for the rest of the evening!
Hilarious annnnnnd kind of embarrassing not gonna lie!

* Made a new friend. That's always fun! Helloooo Chelsie!

* Adore hearing Cortland say, "ock-odile" instead of "crocodile" and my girls saying, "He's so cute Mom" when they hear him say it!

* Movie I CANNOT change the channel when I come across it on TV: Bridget Jones Diary.
Same with Shawshank Redemption, Dirty Dancing or The Notebook. It's just impossible to switch channels.

* Speaking of TV: I LOVE Keeping up with the Kardashians! LOVE IT!!!
Those women are crazy but still so sweet hearted to each other! Sisters!!!

* I have ONE more available slot of my Dallas sessions this Saturday. Let me know if you want it!

Happy Monday!

[ Janna & Chance Simpson ]

"To find someone who will love you for no reason,
and to shower that person with reasons, that is the ultimate happiness."
~Robert Brault

These two were... AMAZING.
Seriously. AMAZING.
I loved getting to know them. I could have shot them all day!
I love photographing couples! It's so much fun for me!
These two were PERFECT to photograph.
They basically acted like I wasn't even there and just loved and laughed and teased and smooched.
That's exactly what a photographer wants! To just capture the interaction. PERFECT.
And this was not an engagement session.
They have been married for five years. Together for TEN.
It was a beautiful thing to see them interact with one another.
They were playful, loving, thoughtful... it is so clear for all to see that they ADORE each other.

Thank you Chance & Janna! I hope to see you again. I want to hang out! ;)
The rest of your images are coming soon...

I asked them to stand infront of these newspaper stands and Chance just pulled out a paper to read! It was hilarious! So funny!






He kept picking her up and twirling her! They would laugh. It was precious! :)






Janna. You are GORGEOUS.



Love the way Chance looked at her!





Did I already say... Gorgeous?









He peeked around the tree!



Love this!



So keep in mind that a Couple Session isn't just for Engagements...
get ahold of me if you'd like to celebrate your love "just because."
I promise... it's fun! ;)

[ Spinning Wheels ]

Hey everyone!

I am feeling a little overwhelmed! I have so many sessions on my plate to edit! (So grateful for that... not complaining in anyWAY!!! .. )... but I just wanted to put here on the blog if you have contacted me or are waiting on an order... I feel like I've forgotten someone or something...
Not on purpose of course, but I just feel overwhelmed with life right now and I don't want to forget someone!

So get ahold of me if that someone is YOU!

Also- if you are in need of a Valentine's Gift last minute... I have Gift Certificates available!



I am also hoping these are the LAST snow pictures I take! I am SICKSICKSICK of snow and cold! I can't wait for this Summer... CAN'T WAIT!

Brrrrrr....!











More to come of these two lovebirds tomorrow!

[ Love ANYONE can see ]

My Fayetteville sessions went GREAT! I met so many amazing people (that's what I love so much about this job!) and reconnected with an old friend.
More to come soon of all the sessions!

These two were so unbelievably ... UNBELIEVABLY... IN LOVE!
They have been together ten years and are STILL ooyey-gooey-PDA-style in love!
These two were playful, connected, serious at moments, thoughtful, caring, all-over-each-other.... I saw all that by spending just 45 minutes with them! It seriously melted me! More to come of these two lovebirds...




Also swiped this quote today from my friend, John Blair's facebook page!
"When you have nothing else to give, just give of yourself."
... You know how much I love quotes!...

... now off to my afternoon shoot! Woohoo!

[ S.W.A.M.P.E.D.! ]

So... I am working... working... working!
Getting Christmas photos ready for everyone!
I really should put some make-up on and pry myself away from this computer! LOL.

No, in all seriousness... I've been speed editing to get ready for my ENTIRE family to be here tomorrow!!! Woohoo!
I can't wait for us all to be together again. Grace & I have been planning meals and making plans!
Movies to be watched, yummy food to be eaten, games to be played, a whole bunch of laziness and laughter!
I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Also wanted to share some pics of a great couple I know!
I love it when Mom & Dads let me get some "lovey-dovey" pics!

Thanks Monica & Erin!!!

[ Christmas: Sneak Peeks! ]

I am having a BLAST with my Christmas Sessions!!!
So much fun!
I still have just a few time slots open this Sunday if you are interested in booking!
For more pricing & times click HERE.


The Telle Family:



Joey & Ashley:
Lovin' the shirt Joey! ;)



Sweet Little Jack:



One of my most favorite families in the world!!!
The Estes Family:



Sweet little Jada, Gracie & Kylie:



Awww! Trey just melts me! He's so sweet:



... and Haley! Always up for pictures! I love it!!!

[ Just Because: Adam & Meghan ]

I had such a great time taking a "Just Because" session of these two!

They have a long distance relationship and only get to see each other periodically!
It was cute photographing them because I could tell they were SO glad to be together...
they wouldn't quit kissing each other...
which was fine with me because it made for some adorable photos!

We took these photos over Halloween weekend and they were thinking
"outside the box" for their session (so much FUN for me!) and brought their Halloween Costumes!
Such a fun and loveable couple!

Thanks you two! Here are my favs...

Starting out with my favorite!















I'm also trying out some different editing techniques... thoughts? Like? ... Don't like? ... Me? ... Not me? ...









Meghan has some beautiful eyes!

[ Christmas: Crownover ]

When it comes to my job + my family I have to say it's pretty AWESOME!
All of my family members are ALWAYS willing to pose for me & to try new things!
Starting with my sister & brother in law with my new Christmas set...
THANKS YOU TWO. I love you both dearly.

For more details (dates, pricing, info) click HERE.

Merry Christmas!





I ADORE this picture!!!!!!!! ADORE IT!!!



It's pretty cool to photograph um... M-O-D-E-L-S.....!?!!! ;)