{ my-self } ~ austin area photographer un-done

Sher, this is for you...for making me feel special on a day when feeling special seemed impossible. For always being my friend, even when you were completely alone in caring about me. I definitely would not be able to live a life that didn't include you, and my French would be far worse than it already is. Without you, my life would have a huge void where all our great memories would be missing. I would not have learned the things I am about to say about myself, and I wouldn't be strong enough to actually say them. You are a sunspot in my life lovely, you will always be my best friend, my long lost sister, my twin soul. I love you Sher, thanks for sharing so many special afternoons with me, for opening your heart to me and for helping to heal my own.

xo,
Ame



I've learned these things about myself.
I'm a nice girl, and as cliche as it sounds, we will always finish last. I'm okay with that, because I always want to see others succeed, I'm just now learning to give myself some credit. Thanks for my bosses for pushing me in this.
I am an over achiever, in almost everything.
My expectations are unrealistic, and I'm okay with that.
My body will never look like it did before kids, and no matter how nice people are, they haven't seen me naked and just don't get it.
I will try almost anything once. Fear isn't something that holds me back and I don't care if I look dumb.
Snuggling is the key to my heart.
I am deceptively strong, physically and emotionally.
My two biggest flaws/strengths: my sensitivity and my willingness to forgive.
I can become friends with just about anyone.
I sell myself short a lot.
Heavy metal is about the only genre of music I never listen to.
My girls are lucky to have me, but I am even luckier to have them.
I have skills with a camera.
I can teach myself almost anything.
Nobody can challenge my bravery.
28 is my number, not my age, I'm way older.
Sometimes even I need to sleep.
The more I run, the bigger my butt gets and I think it's okay (so does Evy).
I have trouble being mean to others, but I can say the cruelest things about myself.
When I'm really upset, I want to cut my own hair or throw dishes, but I don't do either..I run.
I miss my family.
I cherish my friends.
Trust is something I give too easily.
Money doesn't have power over me.
I wish I had more patience with my girls.
I get that I am a work in progress, and I wish I had more patience with this process.

That's all I can say right now, I need to go run. I love you Sher, I hope you enjoy this because I'm sweating bullets. :)

{ avery-bug } ~ austin area tween photographer

Tomorrow I work all day, so I'm posting for Avery now, before I crash after such a long day off.

Avery, you're stunning. I know you think your body isn't changing fast enough and you want to look so grown up. Let me calm your fears baby, you are growing in ways that matter more than physical, you are maturing in spirit and understanding. You care about people, you are sensitive, caring, and such a good girl. Being so sweet will bring people into your life who will need you, be patient with them, but always remember to refresh and take care of yourself as well. Advice will be something you will have to give, because you have gone through much and dealt with it beautifully. Don't be a know-it-all, be a listener and a shoulder for those who come to you, and when they ask...share your story. I can't imagine my life going in a different direction, even though it seemed scary when I was so young, but Avery, you have helped me become a better person. In many ways you really saved me from making a lot of mistakes and wasting my life. When you were born I realized that there is a love that most people can't grasp until much later in life when they have children. So maybe it wasn't ideal for me at 16 to have a child, but I am eternally grateful for you being given to me, I didn't deserved you and I still don't, but daily you make my life a happier and more fulfilling one. You're my special blessing, my best little friend, and a beautiful young lady on her way to a gorgeous teenager. Slow down and love who you are, because your sisters and I think you are pretty darn fantastic. I love you baby, more than you will know for a long time and I hope we keep growing closer each day.

You mean the world to me,
Mama

{ masyn-moo } ~ austin area child photographer

Another day, another post. Today is Masyn's day.

Masyn, you are a great source of entertainment and love. You make people work for your affection, and prove to you that they are worth your time. Once they earn your attention and time you are a best friend and pal for life. Your memory is amazing and the little details that never escape you blow me away all the time. I love your little quirks, even when they challenge my patience. It's so rewarding to be able to watch you learn to temper and direct your strong need for order and understanding of all things. I love being able to teach you about things and watching your eyes brighten as you grasp something for the first time. I giggle when you try your best to tell me I am wrong about simple things, like when you swear the sky is not blue, but rather yellow...or you KNOW in your heart that Christmas happens in the Summer AND in the winter. Even though right now you believe you know it all, the world has much to offer and show you, and I hope your heart lights up as you experience new things and are not afraid to break your routines and live life to the fullest. You are like a magnet Na-na, people have long been drawn to your charismatic smile and sparkling blue eyes...but it's more than your sweet face, you have inside you something that many people long for, you know who you are even at the young age of 6, you are full of confidence and love. Hold onto that and share it with everyone you can, let family and friends learn from you and spill your Masyn-ness all over them. Don't let people try to change you, but be open to learning new ideas and respecting how others feel. You will touch so many lives, I have always known this. I love you more than any other Masyn in the WHOLE world, nobody can take your special place in my life lovey!!

I love you huge,
Mama

{ evy-doo } ~ austin area child photographer

Sometimes I just like to take time to celebrate each of my girls all on their own. Maybe some parents think that is being "partial" but I think it's "personal."

So today is "doo-day." My Evelyn getting a post all to herself.

Little doo, one day down the road you will know just how special you are. How amazing you make everyone around you feel. You brighten the lives of all who know you, even when you frown you make others smile. By far, you are my snuggliest baby, and that makes me so happy to finally have a little snuggle bug to share my bed with. I love that you show all your emotions when you speak, that your face changes from happy to sad at the speed of light, and that you and I have our special song. I adore you dooby-doo! You're my strongest girl and even though you are the youngest, you're often the leader. I see strength in you that will carry you so far in life, as long as you stay humble, honest, and keep love foremost in your life. You won't have trouble with this, you are naturally loving and affectionate, don't let people drain that from you....stay close to your family, we love you and find friends who pour love back into your life and don't just take it away. You're precious in every possible way a person can be precious, a true treasure to me and to your sisters. My life wouldn't be complete without you Evelyn.

I'm Yours,
Mama

{ bathe } ~ austin area photographer

Today I want nothing more than to add color to my skin and soak in the warmth provided by the gorgeous sunshine that is beginning to stream in my open windows. Maybe it will add more freckles, maybe I will age a little more, it's all part of life and I want to feel it.



Armed with a giant pair of sunglasses and a big towel, I am now descending from my apartment and headed poolside....

{feelings show} ~ austin area photographer

First and foremost I have to thank Shelli and Pedro for your extremely kind and timely emails/comments. From the bottom of my heart, thank you! You both really touched me and my heart is so full of gratefulness I just can't express it to you enough.

I've felt something brewing inside for the past couple of weeks. I had no idea what was going on, where my mind was, just feeling a little lost and lonely... Luckily I have seen what shutting myself away does, so I didn't isolate thank goodness. Still, I wasn't really able to knock the feeling that something needed attention deep within. Today I think someone reminded me.




I haven't been making time for my art. My one outlet aside from running that is 100% me without deadlines or directions. Just taking the pictures that I love, capturing the moments that I see as beautiful. Don't misunderstand, I do love shooting for others as well, but my truest pleasure behind the camera is snapping without expectation, free to interpret the world around me as I see it in my mind and how I want to remember it years from now.

So the above collage is a little sample of what my evening was like, building memories with my most precious treasures in life...my girls. I'm going to challenge myself to take at least one photo a day, and hopefully I will stop neglecting my love and start sharpening my skill.

I'm completely preaching to the choir when I say this, but take hold of each spare moment, in every unexpected piece of time you can snag, do something that matters. Hug your babies, kiss your lover, write your thoughts, read a book, tell a story, sing a song...really and truly live. Finding time is always hard (I know this, with 2 jobs and 3 kids I'm still trying to work in exercise lately) but if you really look hard, there are snippets when you can sit down and color a picture or grab your loved one and say how much you care. These things don't take that much time, but they matter so much, especially when the day is over and you consider what you've done....these things matter most.

{ one picture } ~ austin area child photographer

Just a snippet from a session last week with a really stunning little boy. His eyes are mesmerizing, they literally jump off the screen in almost every frame I shot that day. *sigh* I'd for sure trade my muddy-brown-green-eyes for crystal blue beauties like this mini man has.



Aside from this session, I'm working a LOT at my full time job. The girls and I are doing good and looking forward to summer like mad women. I forecast lots of time by the pool, many cups of lemonade, peppered with a few visits to gobble up yummy frozen yogurt, and a few road trips if for no other reason than to have genuinely wind blown hair from the rolled down windows and open sunroof. Oh summer, please come quickly!!!

{furtive feeding}

Another adventure in my kitchen...

So I guess I haven't really shared on here that I have been juicing a lot since Christmas. I love it, so much goodness in one cup! I have been wanting to bake with the pulp and yesterday I gave it a go.

These muffins are packing kale, strawberries, parsley, grapefruit, and apple!



I didn't tell the girls what was in them. They definitely gave me some "lip" when they saw green in the muffins, but I said they were special and just taste. After the taste test, all three agreed they were yummy and finished every crumb. I let them in on the secret...



Only Avery was excited to know she had ingested something extremely healthy. Masyn and Evelyn might not trust me again for a while, however...they did ask if I could make the special muffins again for breakfast. Sweet glory.

Today's conquest: Kolaches from scratch. I can report (minus pictures) that they were delicious. I'm feeling so Betty Crocker.

{self portrait} ~ austin area photographer

Self Portrait time...

This is a combination of "Introductions" and "Seven Deadly Sins."

Introducing myself yet again, to perhaps any new readers or just to reintroduce myself to anyone whose been around a while. I'd like to thank you for even visiting, so kind of you!

I'm Amelia. I love my girls, photography, my job(s), music, living, reading, running, and noticing all the small things in life. I don't like lies or negativity. Mostly I'm just sort of plain, but sometimes I like to try and mix up fashion and have fun. Nice to meet you!




The sin is "sloth." I'm being super lazy today and this picture captured it, or at least I think it does... Just taking it easy in my bedroom, relaxing for my own portrait. Sounds a little cheesy now that I think about it and read what I just typed. Oh well, I suppose I do have a dose of cheese to me. ;)

{old fashioned} - austin area child photographer

Last night I had the girls here with me.  Actually, Masyn and I had been together all day because she left school early with a fever.  I guess she just needed mama time because her temperature returned to normal within 30 minutes of me getting her from the school nurse's office.  I must be good medicine. ;)

As I was saying though, the girls were all here and since it was Friday we just sort of had a party.  My poor neglected pantry offered no easy outs for dinner.  Since I'm not really an "easy route" girl anyway, I decided that I would make something I've never tried before.... cinnamon rolls from scratch!  I mean, can't be that hard, right?  The reality of this for me, was that I had a blast getting flour everywhere and trying something totally new.  Yes, I am easily entertained....duh.





After the dough was rolled, coated with yummy cinnamon goodness, and in the oven...it was playtime while we waited and our olfactory senses were tantalized.

There is a YouTube video that my girls adore.  If you haven't seen it, the next two pictures will not make a lot of sense to you, however, if you have seen it, then you will probably appreciate the "double head!" joke.  Sometimes we get funny looks in public because often one or all 3 of the girls will shout random lines from this silly little recording.



Of course this is the "triple head!" version.  Masyn was really squashing Evelyn so we had to rearrange before they let me shoot.  I love this because Evy really was THAT happy, she wasn't being cheesy.



A rare a special big sis/lil sis moment.  Evelyn is super affectionate, but Avery isn't always so ready to snuggle.  Makes me smile each time I load this picture.  My sisters are some of my best friends and I truly want my girls to know the value of a good relationship with their sisters.



The moment of truth dawned as the timer sounded.... What would the outcome be?  How would the rolls look and taste?  Who cared?... not me, I was in euphoria watching my girls play and snapping pictures.



The result was extremely positive!  The girls all devoured their cinnamon rolls, asked for seconds, and gave me "thumbs up" with request that I make these every morning (or night, or both).  Hurray...success all around, beautiful.

Next was the "capture and kiss" game.  I'm big on hugs and kisses so I am always looking for fun ways to keep them flowing in my house and with the girls, I want to encourage outward display of affection.  Anyway the game is just like it sounds, I yell "kiss Avery" and they run to kiss her... or I yell "everyone kiss Evelyn!" and you get the idea.  This is my little kiss-collage.




No real story behind this except that Masyn refuses to be excluded from anything, even when I am shooting inanimate objects, she wants in the frame.  I can't blame her though, if I looked like her I would definitely want my picture taken non-stop.  Oh, and the plate was on the floor because Evelyn and I were having a little picnic style dinner, so Masyn literally laid her face to the kitchen tile for this shot.  LOL



Just one last image that I love so much.  My littlest beauty, Evelyn Blair with her special "Night-Night" that she carries everywhere.  I can't really tell you why I am so fond of this picture, technically speaking it's nothing amazing, but I keep picturing it on a canvas or gallery wrap.  Hmmm...sometimes pictures just strike me, this is one of those cases.





I bet you are all sorry you asked for more pictures!  Be mindful of what you ask for when asking me...sometimes I go overboard you know. ;-)