Nod to PW

I think I'm going to start saying "Don't be hatin" tomorrow. I'd start saying it today, but the only person awake besides me is Santa, and he hasn't stopped by yet.

My 14 year old daughter, D, has had a bit of an attitude lately. I think I'll say it to her, first.

Oh, yea, Merry Christmas.

Meet the T family

It can be VERY difficult to relax and be yourself around someone new, multiply the difficulty by ten when that someone new has a camera in your face and is TELLING you to relax and be yourself. But somehow, this family had no problem.

I met them for the first time on the day of our shoot, but you'd never know it. The awkward moments lasted, oh, maybe 10 seconds. After that, everyone was ready to have fun. I love it when that happens. It makes getting great shots so easy for me.

Now here is the thing, the reason these shots are so precious, so meaningful, so tear-jerky for anyone who knows them: These two adorable kids, kids who obviously (as you can tell in the pictures)adore their dad, won't be able to see him for months and months. Dad is leaving in a week or so to go overseas because he is in one of the Armed Forces. These photos are going to go with him, bound into a little leather album, so that he can take it out and remember his two perfect kids.

I knew all of this going into the session, and so I was a little anxious about the whole thing. I REALLY wanted to do a great job. But as the session unfolded I knew it was in the bag, and it wasn't anything I did or didn't do. They did it all just by loving each other, and letting it show, even to a perfect stranger.

Six Days

We have less than a week till the big day, and I haven't begun shopping yet. I was supposed to start today, but things didn't work out. Now I'm starting to sweat. Big sweatballs in my arm pits are rolling down as I think of what the stores will be like over the next few days as I fight, grab and push my way to a perfect holiday for my kids.

For now, I still can't shop, so I'm taking part in one of my favorite pasttimes, filling out another little informational email about myself that I know you were dying to read.

This one is a special Holiday version, sent to me by my friend Lisa. And Gina. And I also got one from Michelle.

So, lets begin!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper, damn it. I can't trust my kids to stay out of the bags.

2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial. The last real tree I had dropped so many needles that I broke the vaccuum trying to get the blasted things out of the carpet. And it wasn't my vaccum. Or my carpet. Very soon after that, it wasn't my tree anymore because I put it where it belonged, in the trash.

3. When do you put up the tree? About two weeks after I intended to put it up. My tree is much bigger than it oughta be, and I dread putting it up, so I wait until the kids start to cry because everyone else has one and we don't.

4. When do you take the tree down? Same answer as #3.

5. Do you like eggnog? Umm hmm. Kids do too. I have a recipe from my mother-in-law that is out of this world, maybe I'll post it in a day or so. Or next week. Or next year.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? As my sister can verify, I never got exactly what I asked for. It was always "last years model" or something similar but different from what I wanted. But my mom has gotten better, and she gets me way cool stuff now that I'm grown up. She also does a great job getting the littles stuff, too. Thanks, Mom.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Just got one this year, from my Mom. Thanks, Mom.

8. Hardest person to buy for? Big "D" my oldest daughter. She would be the easiest if we were loaded. But I don't know anyone with that kind of money.

9. Easiest person to buy for? Chip. He won't let me buy him anything. That is REAL easy. He says I'm easy too. But difficult to buy for.

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Um, I got some wacko boots one year that my friend Gina couldn't get over.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? I consider them New Years cards. Snail mail.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I'll let you know.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes, but I promise that the thing I buy for you will be something I drove to the mall to get. Promise.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Bacon wrapped anything.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear? I call them White.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Oh Holy Night. Also Silent Night. Also Mary Did You Know, sung with tears in my eyes. Also Grandma got Run Over by a Reindeer, sung at the top of my lungs.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay at home. No where to go, since everyone and his brother lives here or travels here.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? You bet your sweet patootey I know them all. If it is part of a song, I know it.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel on one, Star on the other. We have two trees.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas Eve from the family and my babies open Santa gift Christmas morning. Lisa wrote that, sounds good to me.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Putting up the blasted tree. And taking it down again. If I had enough storage space, I'd just leave it the way it is and drag it back and forth every Christmas. But then I'd complain about that.

23. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme? Yes, I'm so glad you asked! I have a gorgeous decorator tree in my front room. It is just dripping with gold, white and silver baubles, and has sparkly white poinsettieas all over it with an ornate gold angel at the top. It also has ribbon weaved through the branches and lots of crystal ornaments. Heavenly. My mom comes over and helps me get everything just right. Thanks, Mom.

But that one isn't my favorite. The tree in the family room is WAY better, because it is decorated with the ornaments that my kids have made for me. It has Big D's cinammon reindeer from 5 years ago that still smells (fairly) fresh, and G's handprint ornament from last year, and this year we added the two that T and M made at playgroup. I don't even decorate this one, the kids do. And when they are done, I don't go back and fix things. There are three white ornaments so close to each other that they are touching, and I just leave them there.

G asked me which tree is my favorite. Hands down, this one is the one that I'd rescue in a fire. Can't replace that handprint ornament, ya know.

Vipers Attack!

What happens when you spend two nights in one hotel room with FOUR teenaged girls and two moms? You have a blast, that's what! Last weekend I went to Ft. Worth with "D" for a cheer competition. I expected drama and fights over who gets the bathroom, but really, we had a wonderful time. We always do, that is what makes the gobs of money we pay worth every dime.

I finally managed to take some pics of D's cheer team, and wouldn't you know it, the girls wish they could just forget the whole event. The comptetition didn't go as everyone expected. OK, fine, I really mean we LOST, but damn it, we had fun anyway!

So, the video below is a recap of our trip. I only spent about 10 minutes putting it together so its not one of my best, but it'll do for now. I'm just happy that I managed to take some pictures before the year was over-it will be 2008 soon, and this was the last competition before the New Year.

I especially love the all the Dads that go along to every event. They get into it so completely! You'll see what I mean, they're the ones who look like they're at the Superbowl. Before the girls hit the floor to perform, these Dad's get all of the parents worked up into a frenzy, chanting and yelling and acting like nut jobs (I mean all the parents act like nuts, not just the dads, though they are a little on the wild side). Everywhere we go, the Vipers are the most spirited group. Or maybe we're just the loudest and tackiest, but we definately have the most fun.

Oh, and one more thing, we love our coaches! This has been a wonderful season so far, guys. You're the best!



You can see the rest of the images here. And purty please, leave me a comment. Thanks for stopping by!

No pictures, yet.

My oldest and sassiest child "D" is a cheerleader. She was born to be one, as anyone one who knew her at the age of 2 can tell you. So far, we've attended four competitions this year, long days spent watching cute girls applying makeup, hugging, cheering, winning. Great photo ops, right?

Not for me. I have not taken a single blasted picture this entire season. Oh, I've had a good enough reason each time for not having my camera, or not taking it out when I did have it, but I am DETERMINED to get some shots this weekend.

I will not forget my camera, I will not forget the memory card, I will not forget to charge the battery. I will take lots and lots of amazing pictures of my daughter doing what she does best, and then I'll post them here for all to see. I will, I will, I will!

And just in case I don't, there is always next week.

I'm still stuffed.

Thanksgiving was 12 hours of non-stop face-stuffing. I ate everything in site, three times, paused a while and then went back for more. Sweet potatoes with brown sugar should not be called food, but since it is, I had a months worth of beta-carrotene in one sitting. Oh my, it was soo good.

My mom does an amazing job making everything look beautiful, no matter what the season. She got rave reviews for the decorating she did at her office party, and you can see how pretty her table looked, she went all out just for us.


Action shot. Love those, 'cuz you can tell we really cooked, this wasn't a Bill Miller dinner.


This is my daughter M entertaining Chip while we wait to eat. She sings songs all the live-long day, and sometimes in her sleep.



And here is my mom and daughter, D. In case you are wondering, she is indeed taller than I am. Not like it's a big deal though. Everyone is taller than me.

Ree is my new best friend.

I've been so busy!!! I can't seem to keep up with my blog lately, even though I've been dying to post some of the images from the last couple of weeks. Well, being busy isn't the only reason I've neglected you, I have been secretly reading another blog (gasp!) and now I don't think my blog can compare. This girl is so funny, and it's as good as a soap opera. Confessions of a Pioneer Woman. There, now I've done it. You aren't going to think I'm funny either. Well, at least now I'll have someone to talk about Ree to (yes, that would be you).

Now so that you can see I really have been a little bit busy, here are the shots from the last couple of weeks.

This shot is from this morning. I just like it, thought you would too. (Am I sounding more like Ree yet? That's what happens when you hang out with someone, you start to talk the same way they do. But if you really don't think I sound like her, I don't really need to know that.)


Here is another from today. I shot three adorable kids. I bet you wish you could get away with shooting 3 kids in the morning. I know of 3 more I'd like to shoot if they don't stay in bed.


This is my 3rd session with this family, and I have another with them next weekend. "K" plays volleyball, and she's an amazingly pretty girl. Kinda looks like Demi Moore, huh? I went to school with her mom dad, that's him in the pic.


I've been wanting to photograph this little guy for the longest time. I showed up at my son's Mothers Day Out school for a photoshoot last week, and look who was there! I'm going to have to make myself a book of little curly-haired boys. Cute!


I have a ton of great images from the school shoot, but I don't have permission from all of the parents to post them online, so here is one of my son "T". He won't ever pose for me at home(who can blame him, I always have a camera in his face), but I suppose he thought he had to listen to me because he was at school.


Oh, one more image. This is "G" at school last week. I love how the sun shines on their hair, and they are playing so rough. Boys are great.


Alright, I noticed when I posted the link above that Ree has a new chapter posted about the saga of how she met her Marlboro Man, so I gotta go read it. See ya.

Another scary bug.

I looked everywhere for this image last week, and finally came across it-still on my memory card. This is a huge and ugly and very scary caterpillar my neighbor found in one of her trees. Those are pinchers at its mouth, four sets of them. Ewugh! I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about that thing.

edit: I think I found out what kind of caterpilar it is: a silkworm. Here is a picture I found online:

I think I have a new favorite image. This is from a Bridal session I did on Friday. I plan to get one for myself, probably in canvas, and HUGE!

I love photographing brides. Here is the slideshow:

Things That Scare Me

I have had the hardest time posting images to my blog lately, and it seems I'm not alone. It might be time for me to look for another blog hosting company soon, but I'll give this one a little longer to get things straightened out.

Anyway, back to the regularly scheduled program! Halloween was a huge success at our house. We had an Eskimo, who was sad to discover that everyone thought she was Pocahantas, a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, and a scary murderer. I went as The Mom of Four Kids, boring but still scary!

Apparently six is the golden age for boys to begin to really dig the scary part of halloween. "G" didn't want me to display anything cute this year, such as my collection of scarecrows or my dancing ghosts. He wanted our house to be "SCARY and CREEPY and NOT STUPID!!!" Hmmm...maybe next year. I'm just not into all that dark stuff, but it does sound good to do something different.

G loves how scary he looks here. It took 5 or 6 frames to get this one right.

Speaking of creepy, I've taken a couple of images lately of things that scare the bejezzsus out of me. There sure have been a lot of ginormous spiders around here lately, I guess because of all the rain we've had.

This is a Banana Spider. Nothing sweet about it.

Same kind of spider, but this one was on the other side of our house. Brothers, I guess.

Now this ugly crinkled up thing was found already dead in our cul de sac, but I saw it slither across the sidewalk TWO FEET IN FRONT OF ME when I walked to my neighbors house a couple of days before.

If anyone can identify it, I'd love to know. My neighbor thinks it is a Coral Snake. The poisonous kind. Now THATS scary!