Someone's Lucky

I have found in life, a great friend is hard to come by. One that remains there for you for years and years. One that can tell you things about your own past that you can't even seem to remember. One that you met in 6th grade and you know they will stand by you your wedding day. I have three of those great friends who have been with me for countless years. People I have built relationships with based on things in common. I am so blessed to have them. What I have come to realize that I'm equally extremely grateful for are relationships I was born into. Friends by blood. Cousins! A cousin is one of the best friends you can have. You grow up with them and you grow old with them. I am also blessed with three very close cousin friends of which I refer to as CUZZYS! A couple blogs back you read about my cuzzy who is the peach of my eye. She is the one who came up with the phrase "cuzzy" or "cuzzy wuzzy" and we have held onto it for years. Now you are going to read about my other cuzzy, Elainea. Elainea is a little younger than me but we have grown closer with age. She inspires me in ways she'll never even know. She moved off to Colorado for college right out of high school, by herself! (Ok, I know a lot of people may do that but to me it's seriously scary and anyone with the guts to take that plunge, I admire.) She met a guy there, Shane, who she has been dating for a few years now. She flys with him to his families place in California, so in a sense she's a world traveler. She doesn't seem to be scared, one bit, of taking life by the horns-- and I wish I had that! She text me one day asking if I would take photos of her and her horse. She got "Lucky" as a birthday present from her parents when she was young. (She probably did a lot of begging.) I couldn't wait. Photographers dream of taking photos of a long haired gal with a horse, because it's bound to be beautiful. So we went out to Lucky's pasture and got what are some of my favorite photos I've taken. I know I may say that a lot but seriously, these are amazing to me. The beauty of the horse and Elainea, and the love between them... It. was. perfection. I am so glad to have Elainea as one of my best cousin friends because I know she will be one for life. She makes me so proud and I am so glad she is my family. Thanks Elainea for letting me take photos that mean so much to you, because it means so much to me! One of the coolest parts of this session to me was that the horse's harness said "someone's lucky" because although they may seem lucky to have that horse, the horse is way more lucky to have them! :) Love you cuz!

Jagar is TWO!

Every year since I started photography I have taken this sweet family's photo on both their children's birthdays. I love a client that is loyal to me, who supports my passion. They are a family who have been there with me from the START! Back when my photos were something I'm not so proud of but they stuck around to see me grow, and grow with me. Looking back, comparing myself to the old me, I am proud. I am proud of my work, and what it has become, the business choices I have made, etc. So I want to thank them for always being with me through it all! This shoot was for Jagar's 2nd birthday! I can not believe how time has flown!! I remember the first time I photographed those BLUE eyes and I have been in love since. Although he hasn't felt the same love back for me on picture day I know he will come around someday! ;) He usually warms up to me after the whole hour long session and then he starts to giggle at my crazy faces! haha! Happy birthday Jagar! You are so loved & so lucky to have the family you do!!

Christmas Minis day ONE!

I wish I could take credit for all of the creativity done on this shoot but I can't even come close! After finding 2 1/2 ft tall letters spelling "joy" made of wood cut out of wood for $160.00 a letter on etsy I called dad! He has been known to be called "Tim the tool man" and boy am I grateful. He can literally fix/build anything! So I drew the letters out on a piece of wood and he whipped them up. I don't have to try hard for my hand writing to look like a child's, I was just blessed with that talent, Haha! (my sister always makes fun of me for that).. I then painted my letters gold with the original idea of having a very simple Christmas shoot in tall grass with the letters. I called my friend, Jodie, who's land I shoot at often and told her my idea's for this shoot and she ran with them. She text me the next day telling me about her Christmas looking trees on the land. How she could help me decorate the tree and wrap presents. What a home maker! I wish I could brain storm hard enough to come up with what she did. The day of the shoot I got to the location about two hours before we started shooting, and Jodie started bringing out all kinds of things! Big ornaments, burlap, berries for the tree. I can't thank this girl enough y'all. We went to town on this tree. I had 8 families come back to back who enjoyed it thoroughly! The sneak peek was such a hit that we planned another day packed full of minis! I am so lucky that business is booming for me and thank all of you who picked me as your family's photographer this Christmas season. My promise is to spend ample time on each of you as if you were my own family. Y'all are allowing me to strive to do full time, what I love doing. Thanks again to Tim the tool man who I can always call, and Jodie who is so generous with her land, and decor. I can't wait take her family photos soon so I can repay her just a little of what she has given me. Y'all be on the look out for Christmas mini day number two but in the mean time, enjoy this preciousness!!

A day at the PATCH!

Pumpkin patch minis have been one of my favorite minis since day one! This session is like the first breath of crisp air or a nice hint that pumpkin pie, Carmel lattes, scarves, and all things FALL are just ahead! It's a simple session. Come as you are and bring all your cuteness! Browse the isles of the pumpkin patch and see just how far you can tug dads heart stings! "I want the biggest! I want the tallest!" Let me tell you, these kids know their taste in pumpkins at a young age! This year I had Kyleigh, and then Ava and Alex! These folks are officially my regulars! I love regulars! I know them well, they know me well and we all work together really - WELL! Ava and Alex brought their new pup, Maggie Black Ezernack (hilarious dog name) to the session and I made her smile too! Also I had a new family who I hope to make my regulars- the Penitusi's! They are such a gorgeous family! I got precious shots of them hugging pumpkins and then got mom and dad to have a seat and put everyone's faces real close and cuddly and got probably the coolest family shot to date! I love fall, it reminds me of what to be thankful for! I am thankful for a LOT but my list seems to grow with age. This year I am thankful for good health, great family, wonderful friends, and as always I am more grateful than any of you could ever know for clients! New clients, old clients, clients that COME BACK! You guys are making my dream of doing what I love as my career come true. I can never thank you enough! Xoxox Happy fall y'all!

 

                   

Let's GEAUX Tigers!

Lynda and I met through a mutual friend, Tiffany, and started talking about setting up a day to take photos of her and her two boys! Meet Tanner and Trace! They were such cute tiger fans! They brought the football to their session and were running wild while mom and I were trying to explain it was picture taking time! I asked several times, my favorite question, "Where's your teeth??" I also had to do some tickling but all the tricks I had up my sleeve seemed to have worked because we got some precious photos!! Thank you Lynda for choosing me as your photographer! I really hope to work with y'all again!!

Ellie Grace is here..

Mama Courtney and I met in high school. We had the same group of friends and hung out often. Finally one night we were all at my house, since that was the place to be my dad asked her last name. He figured out she was related to me down the line. She was something like my third cousin. It is so crazy how small of a world it can be at times. So from then on we would always say "hey cuz" or "what's up cuz" haha.. We thought we were so cool being related. About 3 months ago Courtney messaged me asking about my newborn packaging and pricing. Once I told her I would come to her home (as I do with newborns) and set up there in front of a big window, her response was "girl you are hired!" I don't think she will ever know how big that made me smile! Usually it's my job to make others smile and I love doing just that, but it sure is nice when my clients say the sweetest things that are simple that make my whole day. Ellie Grace was welcomed to the world a happy camper on September 27, 2013 at 5:45pm. She weighed 6lbs and 10oz and was 19 inches! We set up a day shortly after she was born and miss Ellie Grace was just a doll for me!!! She did so wonderfully, I couldn't have asked for a better baby! Thanks so much Courtney and Billy for letting me into y'all's home to take this precious babies photo. Here are some of my favorites!!! PS: This was my FIRST session shot fully with my new UPGRADE of a camera (Canon 5D Mark II!) I was nervous, but boy am I pleased!!!!

The PEACH of my eye!!!

Gentry and I have been best cousin friends since before I can remember. Our moms told us growing up that they were always asked if we were twins. Although we may not even be sisters, we have always been sisters at heart. We have laughed together, cried together, grieved together, and rejoiced together. We have memories together that I know I will carry with me and cherish until the end of my days. She knows the good, the bad, and the ugly of me. We have always been able to share with each other anything we needed to get off our chest even if it was something we weren't proud of. She is someone who is always willing to be weird with me. Like tracing our bodies in her driveway with sidewalk chalk. Or speaking whale. Or skipping in public. We are never ashamed when we're together. I'll never forget one time we were eating together (imagine that) and I had something hard and weird in my food that wasn't supposed to be there. It wasn't spaghetti and meatballs but for some reason I gasped and said "THERE'S A ROCK IN MY MEATBALL!!" We laughed so hard, and that is one of the many jokes we share that's more than off the wall. Now anytime our food is weird we say there's a rock in our meatball, and laugh together about it! It probably sounds absurd to the average person reading this, but I know when she reads it she will be laughing and know that's the weirdness we share. This past weekend my cousin became a WIFE! I think that is crrrrrazy! We have always talked weddings (being girly girls) and never realized how within reach we were. Finding out she was engaged was one of the coolest days of my life. (See engagement blog post.) I am so grateful to have been beside Gentry as a bridesmaid. In my heart she is more than a cousin, she a friend, a best friend, and someone who will be in my life until the end of time. Congrats Mrs. Olden, you deserve the happiness you found!