{ june's triumvirate } ~ austin area photographer

It's our second summer without Avery. She is away at her 5 week camp having a grand time. We miss her, but we certainly take advantage of our time to run a little extra wild and have adventures all our own.

We have been good about sleeping in a little, but not too late. It's nice to get up and make breakfast for the littles and have some coffee, then I force myself to work out and let the girls play or argue or whatever they feel like doing while I jam out on the treadmill for a couple miles. Typically they have been fighting over Avery's iPod which she wasn't allowed to take to camp. Finally we've worked out a time agreement, they take 30 minute turns. Here is little Evelyn playing some very intense game during one of her half hours....



Super serious.





My doober-doo is getting so smart and growing up so fast. I truly wish I could freeze time and just enjoy her this way for a long time, I'm not sure that I am ready to lose these days.




I have been much better about taking pictures of our outings and even just our time inside lounging around. These moments where we can run wild at the pool, go hiking, sit and share treats at coffee shops, treasure hunt in vintage stores, and visit with friends are something I love. Summer is most assuredly my favorite time of year. I kind of just wish we could live like vagabonds and travel the U.S. on smiles and winks.

Here are some pictures of what "rest time" can turn into at my house. ;)











Much more to share but once again limited on time. I swear that I will get internet at home again, this having to drive places is ridiculously inconvenient.

{ feverishly gratifying } ~ austin area child photographer

Evelyn was sent home from school Wednesday with a fever. Of course no parent wants their child to be sick, however she and I both reaped a reward the following day...

Fever gone, Evelyn was feeling fine. School policy required her to stay home another full 24 hours fever free. So the two of us just got to spend a morning alone doing whatever we pleased. To start we had oatmeal, a morning must for me. Then it was time for some nail painting, Evy chose 5 colors, one for each finger/toe. Snuggling was included as well. Then she accompanied me to the gym, where she stayed in the kids area and I took a Pilates class and did some cardio. To quote my silly little miss priss "there were mostly boys in the playroom and they were ALL annoying." I let her know that most boys are. She said she will go back sometime, but it was kind of annoying.



After all that excitement we went for a milkshake per Evelyn's special request. :) I will remember always her cute little face all sucked in trying to get the shake up the straw, her eyes couldn't have looked any bigger or shone any more anticipation and glee.



I needed this day with Evy to remind me of the benefits to my current job situation. If I had a typical 9-5 job this day wouldn't have been possible. When I was in retail I could never have taken off to stay with a sick kiddo and she surely would never have been allowed to come with me. So even though my career path is a little off beat right now, I am so grateful for it. Whatever is going to happen, will happen, and right now I want to learn the lessons I am supposed to that prepare me for the next exciting chapter in my crazy life.

{ 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

{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.

superfluous - {austin area photographer}

because sometimes, adding words is just more than is necessary....













Music musing is "Rave On" by M. Ward (Featuring Zooey Deschanel)

open ~ {austin area photographer}

Sometimes I just like to sneak in a steal a picture while the girls are asleep. Evelyn had only just opened her eyes when I took this photo, after a long, and obviously satisfying nap.

I really love to open the windows, because in my opinion there isn't any better way to wake up than to a gorgeous light pouring in on clean linens. You can almost smell it in this picture, the soft scent of Tide and perfume that lingers on my pillow (which Evy is borrowing here). I hope she remembers it amorously when she is grown up. I have great memories of my own mother's pillow smelling better than anything in the whole house...





The song (when it loads properly), is "Glitter In The Air" by Pink. I very much fancy Pink's slower, heartfelt ballads.

and so we drench

It's how it has to be when you live in Texas and it's over 100 degrees every single day... swimming is a must. So here are some pictures of our little poolside spectacle.



Snow cones are pretty much a necessity in the summer. However, this was the first time Masyn and Evelyn had ever had one!
*Masyn would like to add a note here.... "All our tongues match our swim suits."
She is soooooo OCD.



So, we have this little game in the pool...basically I throw this wet ball and everyone else tries to catch it... (so much fun for me, let me tell you). Occasionally though, I get a helper who throws too, and this is Masyn's "throw face" that I just LOVE!! She is so intense and honestly, she has a darn good arm for a 5 year old.



Yeah, yeah, I tried to take one of myself too, to prove that I was there during this time in the girl's life. I seriously think that they will question my existence one day because there are so few pictures of us together.....because I am always taking the pictures. *Note to self: Invest in a remote for The Beast.



Avery was soaking up some serious sun here. Everything about this is reflective, I swear my lens was screaming in pain when I took this picture. "Too bright Amelia, too bright!!" And I politely answered back "SHUT IT!"



My darling little Evelyn Blair! She wears out pretty quick in the sun, so it's imperative that I snap her before she gets in the pool. If I miss that precious moment before she is submerged...all hope of a happy picture is lost, because either 1. her eyes are closed, or 2. she is crying to go get food.



Another picture of Avery (who, the little narcissist that she is since her P-word post, will be thrilled to see herself again).... looking way too grown up. I love this new phase in her life, but oh boy does it ever make me feel old!!!

Music musing selection is "Juicy" by Better Than Ezra.

character inspiration

Evelyn is so full of character. She is funny, sinister, happy-go-lucky, silly beyond all reason, completely lovable, and pertinacious at times. Each time I snap a picture of her, it's a new face.



Inspired and challenged by a good friend, Nic, over on her clever blog... I am listing my top 10 (although I might fall asleep before I make it to ten) favorite movie characters of all time (OFF the top of my tired head).

In no particular order:

Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) ~ Pirates of the Caribbean
Juniper "June" Pearl (Mary Stuart Masterson) ~ Benny & Joon
Jake Perry (Josh Lucas) ~ Sweet Home Alabama
The Phantom (Gerard Butler) ~ The Phantom of The Opera
Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) ~ The Godfather Trilogy
Dory (Ellen Degeneres) ~ Finding Nemo
Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) ~ Twilight
"Chris" the cross dresser (Liev Schreiber) ~ Mixed Nuts
Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) ~ Breakfast At Tiffany's
Alex Hitchens (Will Smith) ~ Hitch

A Christmas ditty by U2, one I consider an ALL time classic.

truth and 2's

I am well aware that 2 year olds are notoriously difficult. The name "terrible two's" has been a well earned title, I know this. Evelyn, however, has taken this to a whole new level in my family. Never before have I really felt the cliche of terrible two's applied to my girls. 18 months was tough and around 3 years it seemed they both went through a little phase of trying to find boundaries. 2 years old, not too much trouble.

Until now.

She's not bad, really. I just never expected that Evelyn would be so deviant. She's sneaky and also believes that rules do not apply to her. It's pretty tricky to deal with her, because I find myself wondering just how much she can understand. I think that I have been under estimating Evelyn though....

As an example, let me introduce item 1A as evidence to my case.



That is Evelyn's halloween candy from our church event. I placed the girl's candy in their own bags and labeled with their names. After meals I have been letting each one pick out a piece of candy, insuring the equality of candy distribution so nobody could gripe.

Please look closely now at exhibit 1B.....



The above picture is Masyn's bag of candy. The bag is also a plastic, one gallon, ziplock, yet it contains several more pieces than 1A.

A mystery surfaces and further confounds as we look next at photograph 1C.



That stout bag is Avery's. She has obeyed perfectly the rules regarding the eating of the candy. After delineation over the matter, the girls have all confirmed that Evelyn has been sneaking candy from her bag at various times when nobody has been looking.

Who would have guessed this innocent and precious girl could be such a fiend? Yes, she is definitely keeping me on my toes.

Music musing, Amos Lee singing "Sweet Pea." So fitting!



xo~Amelia