a wedding ~ {austin area photographer}

Weddings are a big job. I have only done a couple. Today I'm driving back to my old town to shoot for a sweet friend who is getting married tonight! I just purchased a Speedlite so I can safely attempt indoor shots no matter what time of day or the light... this is insanely exciting to me. What a nerd I am, a flash made my whole week.

In preparation for this event, I not only bought the flash, I also worked all week in order to have off on the weekend. I love work and I tend to give myself entirely over to whatever I am doing, so I pretty much was out of steam by 7 PM when I arrived home last night. I had a snack and went to take a "nap." The nap ended at 6:20 AM today...... I slept almost 11 hours, that's more than I get in two nights combined!!!!! I woke up totally glazed over and my hair looks eerily close to an old picture of Amy Winehouse. My greatest ambition for this morning is to shower and wake up after so much sleep, and try to look nice even though my Chi broke (which actually broke my heart a little as well).

I'll soon be hitting the road, cruising down the highway back to small-town-in-Texas and doing what I love... capturing moments people want to remember the rest of their lives. I feel really lucky right now (minus the fact I could guest star in The Addams Family).

I'll share sneaks when I get back home. Until then, enjoy one of my new favorite tunes, "Hey, Soul Sister" by Train.

Oh and PS. I have met Chuck Woolery who hosted "Love Connection" and I had no idea he was famous until he walked away and someone told me who he was. I used to watch that show when I was little. The song made me think of it, it wasn't totally random that I mentioned him.

{memoir possibly}

There is no real reason for me to write a memoir. I'm not famous, I don't have an extraordinary amount of children, there are no significant scandals surrounding my life, and I have yet to be offered a role on reality t.v. However, I was perusing Barnes & Noble on Sunday to kill time while Avery had choir practice.... and I came across a book I very much wanted to purchase! It was all about how to write your own memoir. Still, I plan to go back and buy it, for my own personal enjoyment (yes, I am the geeky sort who actually LOVED homework and writing papers in my brief college experience). Though it will more than likely never see a publisher's desk or be laid subject to en editor, I will write this memoir.

Most recently I have considered writing "All The Famous People My Friends And Coworkers Have Met That I Have Not." A list that now contains Sandra Bullock, Matthew McConaughey, and Rose McGowan. I just can't commit to such lengthy list right now (and ever growing it seems). Although I did manage to sell candles to Jessica Alba (who is incredibly tiny in real life).

So then I toyed with the idea of "The Things My Kids Say Daily." Yesterday ruined that for me, because I really wouldn't want the world to know that I got a text from Avery that read "Masyn is SO disgusting!!!" to which I replied "that's not nice, what's up?" Avery's response..... "she's licking the walls." Yeah, that pretty much shot that idea down in an instant, at least it did for me.

Next was my thought to share my personal musings and observances from my many hours wasted people watching. Again, plan foiled. People have been far too rude lately for me to allow their negativity to encroach on my lighthearted memoir. Although it was recently suggested to me that I am "dark" and possibly "moody." Maybe I should give time to the idea of what I have surmised through people watching, maybe I can even write about the common misconceptions that we as humans place on each other and ourselves. Ah shoot, I'm really just not that smart, it took me like 3 minutes to just put that idea into words and I'm still not sure I expressed it in an ideal manner.

Okay this is really a silly post because as we all know, my memoir will never be more than an exalted diary because I will be the only set of eyes to ever read it... unless I leave it to my girls to read after I pass away. Yeah I think that's actually a good idea..... a memoir on "All The Things I Want My Girls To Know About Their Mama...Even The Not So Pleasant Things." The title could probably use some tweaking. ;-)

{playing favorites} - austin area newborn photographer

Finished with all the proofing and picked out a few more favorite pictures from the session, as well as a few random lists of favorite things.



I love this blanket. It's one I purchased from Anthro after pining away for it for several months. Oh how happy I was to finally use it, I've been saving it for a newborn session.

Which evokes my list of favorite things bought from Anthro:

All my AG jeans.

My teal schlubby cardigan.

My red suede sandals.

Honey & The Moon perfume by Tokyo MIlk. The other day someone said I smelled like a cupcake, that made me feel good.

All my AG jeans.

The red poppy headband that makes me feel saucy.





A list of favorite memories:

Waltonia. It's a campsite my family used to visit every summer. Sometimes I smell things that make me feel like I am 8 years old and swimming in the river again.

These fizzy soda drinks that my aunt used to serve at parties. They had a city skyline on the label and I have no idea what they were, I just remember loving when we went to her parties because that was the only place I'd ever had such a yummy drink.

Racing my sisters and cousins to finish eating at my grandma's house and running to weigh ourselves after to see who gained the most. All I ever remember eating was chili and rice, which can really pack a punch in the weight gain department.

Giving birth to Evelyn. Not to trivialize the other two girl's entrances into the world, but Evelyn's was the most relaxed, special, and memorable of the three. Having her at home and going at my own pace let me take it in and enjoy each moment of the whole experience. I cherish it.

Wearing my grandpa's boots pretending to be a dwarf.

Staying up with Becca and talking all night until I made her fall asleep.





Favorite frivolous things:

Keeping my fingernails polished.

Teaching my girls to say silly things just to get a laugh.

Sunbathing in extreme heat. I love to feel the sun on my skin.

Frozen yogurt. Too much.

AG jeans.

Feeling my hair on my bare back. I have been growing my hair for years and this feeling makes it all worth the wait.

Reading books, all books.

Kombucha.

Lastly, a favorite song... "Starlight" by Muse. Wow, I'm such a fan.

{dream baby} - austin area newborn photographer

I have read and re-read the book "The Baby Whisperer." In the pages of that book there is described, a baby that is so good natured and happy that it will just go along with anything and hardly ever fuss. Tracy Hogg calls this the "Angel Baby." I met him Tuesday. This little guy was sleeping or just sort of taking it easy the whole shoot. His daddy moved him around and we woke him up, but he would just drift back to sleep, only fussing a little at the very end of our hour session. This little Mr. is most definitely the type of baby that every mother hopes for, and it was a privilege to photograph him. A huge "Thank You" to his beautiful mama and super helpful daddy for having me in your home to capture this precious stage of his life!













Also some music provided by a favorite band of mine, "Band Of Horses." Enjoy~

whirlwind.

As promised, an update on why I hardly have time or photos to post.....

Really, have I slept at all? I don't think I have much, I have been both busy and excited...resulting in a very challenging sleep pattern.

The girls all began school this week and are really loving it! Avery is at a friend's house tonight, her first sleep over since moving, very big thing in the life of a 5th grader. I'm so proud of her making new friends so quickly and adjusting so well. Poor girl having to move SO many times at such a young age, I really hope she can stay in this school district for a long time, ideally graduation. :o)

News in my life is that I was recently promoted, so that's been super exciting! I am so thrilled because I love the team I work with, adore the atmosphere, and thoroughly enjoy the new tasks.

We hosted something special and the planning and event itself kept me hopping. It turned out perfectly. I only wish I had been able to take pictures to share on here. Just have to take my word for it, it was amazing. Candy for the eye to be sure.

I'm really working to build clientele in the new area, and then I will hopefully be able to share pictures with you all again. I miss shooting SOOOO much! My photography took a back seat all summer to my surgery and recovery, but now I feel ready to jump back in!

fresh - {austin area newborn photographer}

I have been very lucky to have been asked to photograph a beautiful friend throughout her pregnancy. Yesterday was a most gratifying shoot....I got to snap pictures of her new little baby boy. He's so precious and still so fresh. I forget what it's like to see such a tiny baby and to hear their itty bitty wimpering cries. I really, really love my job(s)!!



His nursery is decorated with a western theme so this is to blow up for his wall.



Or perhaps black and white... I'm partial to the black and white.



Ray LaMontagne is singing one of my favorite mellow tunes "Empty."

Stay tuned for an update of why I've been SOOOO quiet lately...lots going on!

a little piece of my heart - {austin area photographer}

It's no secret that I have been shooting pictures of Masyn since the first day of her life, on at least a weekly basis. She is by far the most photographed of my girls because of her modeling days and her stint as my SFB spoke baby. :o) No matter how many times I take a picture of her, I still love seeing her smile so much it physically hurts me. I honestly believe she's got that "heartbreakingly beautiful" quality. Even with ketchup and food all over her face as seen below, she can steal my heart just by the twinkle in her stunning blue eyes. I love this girl so much, that even when she is absolutely a pill (and believe me, she can be!)... she still owns me and I would do anything in the world to see this sweet smile and hear her raspy little laugh.



Music musing is a fun song we've been having kitchen dance parties to lately, "Say Hey (I Love You)" by Michael Franti & Spearhead.

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.

exit - {austin area photographer}

SPC has me working this month, truly. Of course I am not sinless, I won't pretend that.. still this theme of "Seven Deadly Sins" is tricky for me. I'm very modest, yet I want to dive deeper creatively than I did last week. I want to try and capture something a little more outside my comfort zone.

Today I exited my place of security, I chose to try and shoot "lust."




I don't have anything clever to say, I'm still reeling from actually sharing this photo. However, I do have a gorgeous version of "She Is Love" by Parachute on my playlist for this shot.