From the Homefront...

I always worry I'm posting too much about my personal life, my kids, etc. But sure enough, a few days without a report and I'm getting emails asking how they all are! :) As long as you asked... we're sick, again!! I swear the cold/flu season is kicking our behinds this year.. this time it's my sweet middle child who's stricken with the annoying "nothing but a high fever and body aches, not enough to keep them quiet and in bed but enough to make them too sick for school so they can stay home and drive you crazy" virus. (yes, I'm pretty sure that's the official medical terminology).

So as we're all waiting on her every need, she, the classic middle child searching for attention wherever she can get it, is milking it for every moment possible. Here's an excerpt from our conversation this afternoon, on the way home from carpool pickup for the other girls.

Invalid child: "Mommy, I feel terrible."

Me: "I know, sweetie, I'm so sorry."

Invalid child: "I'm just so hot. It's like, my whole body is radiating."

Me: (impressed at my 6 year old's choice of words) "I'm sorry, honey. But that was a really great vocabulary word!"

Oldest child: (not one to be outdone, no matter what the contest) "What did she say?"

Me: "She said she was radiating!"

Oldest: (clearly impressed, no hiding it no matter how much she would like to) "Wow."

Invalid child: (loving every second of this admiration, ready to up the ante) "Yeah, I am. And I'm abbreviated too."

:)

Sooo genius she is not. But my dear, sweet, radiating, abbreviated child is on the mend now, which is a good thing for everyone!

Have a wonderful Wednesday! Here's a parting shot of me & my sweet girl.. on a much healthier day of course!

p.s. don't forget to see the post below about the expanded minis.. they are going fast! :)

By Popular Demand...

Okay, I get it... not enough mini sessions to go around! Due to overwhelming requests we've opened another day of mini sessions on Sunday. They're already filling up with people who were on a waiting list for a Saturday cancellation so let us know asap if you are interested!

And because you know I hate a post without a picture.. one more from yesterday's session at the Arboretum. If this doesn't make you want to book a mini session I don't know what will! :)

So Blooming Excited!

Coming off of a busy weekend, I've got some sneak peeks to share and excitement over the upcoming mini sessions building! My last session of the weekend was actually at the Arboretum so it was a bit of a sneak peek for ME to see all the great location opportunties!

This little cutie was certainly enjoying her time among the flowers. The middle child, surrounded by brothers, she is certainly akin to a daisy in a field of corn! That said, she gets along just fine, and marches to her own beat while her sweet brothers adore her every move. More from them to come, but first just this one...



Next, one of the two adorable baby girls I got to visit with... this little one really made us work for every smile.. but they were so worth it!



And finally, one of the more serious kiddos I've had in a while... but we aren't giving up on her yet! I'm going back soon to follow up and try and diversify her porfolio so to speak.. I know there's a smile behind those intense blue eyes!



Hope you all have a great week... just a reminder, the Saturday mini sessions are full, we have two openings on Friday and that's all! Thanks so much everyone!

Friday Five!

Happy Friday everyone! It's been a busy week here but things are moving along smoothly and orders are finally shipping out to everyone still waiting.. proofing galleries on the way for the rest of you! :)

One quick scheduling note: Next Saturday's Dallas Blooms minis are completely full. We do have two open slots on Friday, so get in while you can if you're interested!

And now, on to the links!

68 Great Things to do with your Kids
The link will only give you a preview, you can't access the whole article without a TX Monthly subscription but this article is worth the newsstand price alone! This cover story for the April edition is a detailed listing of an incredible amount of great activities around the state for families. Some of them you've heard of, many of them will be a surprise.. all of them are intriguing and will have you itching to take a road trip! A great diversion from the usual vacation standbys, this list is like a lifetime of memories just waiting to happen. Can you tell I was excited about it?? :)

Speedy Fingers
This test was a cross between a great challenge and a scary high school flashback.. ack! But it was still a fun distraction and if you're remotely competitive (cough, cough.. you know who you are!) you'll be like me and take it over and over to beat yourself! (And for the record.. I'm embarrassed by my score of 61. It would have been higher but my accuracy was terrible... spell check is my crutch!)

Mommy & Me Spa
Okay this is pretty much irrelevant to most of you out there, but consider this link a plea to anyone listening... we need this in Texas!! :) If anyone knows of something similar a little more local, let me know.. I'm drooling at the thought!

Extraordinary Moments
This online store offers some really inspiring products, some designed especially for scrapbookers and a lot of things for everyone else! All handmade and designed by a local mom, it's a great site for gifts for the hard to shop for woman in your life.. and yourself! As a self-professed paper junkie I got excited just imagining the possibilities.. and one of these journals in my hot little hands!

Shopping for your Baby
I found this link on another site and thought it was a great concept! A personal approach to preparing for and caring for the most important people in your life.. your children! They offer everything from advice and education to childcare recruiting and personal shopping. Complete baby/child experts who are ready to pass on all their worldly wisdom and save you some much needed sanity! Why didn't I think of that first!? :)

That's our list this week.. hope you enjoyed it.. be sure to let me know if you have some to add to the mix, I'm always on the look out for the latest & greatest sites, stores & sources! Have a great weekend!!

Dallas Blooms!

UPDATE: As of 12pm on Thursday we only have 4 sessions remaining on Friday and 1 on Saturday. Please call or email asap to get these last places before they are all taken!



Spring has finally begun to appear across the area, and nowhere is that more evident than at the Dallas Arboretum, where the world-famous tulips are in full display for the annual Dallas Blooms festival! It's such a popular destination for portraits that we'll be offering mini sessions at the Arboretum this year for the first time ever!

Mini sessions will be held Friday, April 4th and Saturday, April 5th from 9am-1pm
Sessions are 20 minutes in length and include up to 2 children; for additional children or parents please book two consecutive sessions to allow ample time to capture everyone!

All proofing will be done online only, with special packages available only to mini session clients and all other prints and products available a la carte as usual.

Mini Session fee is $50, due upon booking.

These will make the perfect spring portraits and great mother's day gifts for grandma.. or yourself! Spaces are very limited so please contact us by phone or email asap to reserve your spot! We announced these on the newsletter on Monday and are already about 50% full.. we still have early morning slots open on Friday and a few scattered spaces on Saturday. Please contact us soon if you are interested!



p.s. these pictures are from the first time I ever shot at Dallas Blooms.. and yet they are still among my very favorites!

If it's a dog eat dog world...

these two are having a buffet!



Just a peek into a super fun session with some of my favorite little people and their furry little friends. This session is one of four we'll do over the course of the year, part of a "Year in the Life" storybook session which includes all four sessions and a beautiful custom coffee table book featuring all the images at the end. A perfect way to catch a glimpse at a growing family.. and a great way for me to really get to know & enjoy your kiddos!

For now I get to share a few of my favorites... what's the saying about never working with kids or dogs? It was a circus for sure!





I was a bit skeptical about this one at first, but they swore he loves this thing.. and sure enough, this little dog sat so still as they pushed.. then whined when it was time to get out!




After we'd had our dog fun we took the girls' other favorite plaything.. their grandparents.. for a hike in the woods. You know you've got a special set of elders when they don't balk at jumping creeks and wading through mud just to spend the afternoon together!







Thanks for the fun day, girls... and happy Monday everyone!

p.s. quick scheduling note.. we had a last minute cancellation for next Sunday morning (3/30) if anyone is interested! Spring starts to fill up quickly, especially weekends, so if you've been thinking about a session grab one quick while they are still available!

Good Friday Five

Happy Good Friday everyone.. sorry for the late posting... hope everyone is enjoying the holiday weekend!

What Kind of Celebrity Mom are You?
This funny article from FW Child made me take a second look at my friends.. and myself! I'm just glad we don't have to battle the paparazzi to get through preschool dropoff... or there would be a lot of pictures of me in jammies wandering the internet! :) (Oh, and in case you were curious.. I'm Jennifer Garner.. minus the Alias rock hard physique!)

Stockyards Egg Hunt
It's a Texas-sized egg hunt for bunnies of all ages! The day-long event includes pictures with the Easter bunny, educational programs featuring live bunnies and chicks, and of course the massive hunt!

Family Fun for Easter
My all-time favorite resource for all things holiday and kid-related.. the family fun magazine website has everything you need to throw together a last minute celebration to perfection! From coloring pages and craft ideas to seven course menus (with receipes and lots of pictures!) it's the perfect mommy's little helper!

Worst Baby Names of All Time
Hilarious look at some really, really bad names.. and just downright mean parents for giving them to the kids! Here's to hoping none of your kids' names come up on the list! :)

What Are You Reading?
Now is a great time to start stocking up on some good summer reading.. or spring reading! :) Enter the last book you read (and enjoyed) into this site and it will suggest some new ones you might like too! A great way to break beyond the book club circuit.. you may find your new favorite! (Oh, and I just finished this and am currently in the middle of this. Both get high marks from me!)

Happy Easter Weekend!

A break from the break

Spring break is in full swing, we have returned from our weekend away and chaos is abound! Rest assured, all shipments will be going out this week as promised and galleries are going live as we speak! Thanks to everyone for your patience.. spring fever seems to have gotten the best of me!

In the meantime, thought I'd return to regular blogging schedule with the return of the.most.photographed.baby.ever.... sweet baby a! Can you believe he is six weeks old already? Sniff.. sniff.. they grow so fast!

We were finally able to wrangle his big sisters into these shots, and I used my puppy dog pout to convince his mom to join in as well.. she was such a sport for the maternity shots that I couldn't bear to let his baby days pass without some special mommy & me shots as well. Yes, it was chaotic... but a few jelly bean and photoshop bribes later (had to target my negotiations for the different target obviously) we have some absolutely divine stuff!

Hope everyone is enjoying the week off!















And of course, we had to complete this previously blogged trifecta... anticipation to adoration!

Spring Break Five!

The Friday five come early this week as my little ones and I head out of town for the weekend to be with family. Erin will remain here to hold down the fort, so just call or email with any questions and she will be sure to have it all covered! (Much better than me, sadly!) :)

For now.. your spring break friday five.. lots of fun links this time!

Traveling with Kids
Love this site with everything from packing lists to game ideas.. a must read before you venture out with the little ones!

Park Directory
Staying in town this week? This site has an indepth listing of the public parks all around the Dallas-Ft Worth area. One of our favorite summertime activities is to have a "Park Parade"... make a list of five or six different parks around you.. the old favorites and some completely new ones.. and spend the entire day touring the various kiddie hot spots! Pack a picnic lunch to really make a day of it.. so fun to find new discoveries right around the corner, and you'll be shocked at how many tiny pebbles will be accumulated in shoes by the end of the day! :)

Sandra Boynton
Just loved this article because I just LOVE this author. My oldest fell in love with "Oh my , oh my, oh my, oh Dinosaurs!" at the age of 9 months (yes, seriously!) and we have been Boynton fans ever since! NYT did a really great profile that made me love her even more.. so I had to share!

St Paddy's Fun
Don't forget your green on Monday! Family Fun is always the ultimate source for everything party and holiday related, and they don't disappoint this time! Crafts, recipes, you name it! Pull it up and let your wee little leprechauns enjoy!

Boon Storage Bags
I think this might be my favorite link so far.. the one I was most excited to share! The second I saw this I knew it had to go on the next five.. how cool are these? As someone whose three girls are drowning in stuffed animal counterparts, I can certainly see the value in a way to store them that is both functional and humane to the fuzzy ones. (I have been told on numerous occassions that the Webkinz simply cannot BREATHE in the toybox. Sigh...) I am so excited about these and hope you are too!

Okay that's the list... hope you enjoy the links.. and the week off!

:)

Someone's got a case of the Mondays....

**gold star for whoever can tell me what movie that line is from! it's one of my all time favorites!!**

Rainy Monday can't spoil the mood.. too many bright & shiny smiles from the weekend to share!

First, this little darling, whose big brother we've watched grow up right on this very blog! More to come from both of those guys next week after I edit the session, but for now I've got one too cute to not share.. almost the last frame of the day.. what a way to go out!



This one isn't technically a sneak peek, his session was last weekend and mom just got the whole gallery, but he's new to the blog and again.. how can you resist those bright & shiny smiles?



And finally.. a marathon session from today.. one of those every relative in the family in one shot pleeeeease all look my way just once sessions... the ones I usually turn away but will do on occasion for good clients.. or people with a really pitiful story :) .. luckily for this family they were more the former than the latter, though they did have a good reason too! And lucky for me they were all just so much fun to work with... and I'm sure we got some great images out of the day! This one was the very last (of the 400 or so!) one taken today.. and it certainly sums up my feelings about having completed the challenge!

Friday Five 03/07/08

Happy Snowday (or lack thereof!) Everyone! Hope you're all snug and warm inside today... cuddle up by the computer and check out this week's top five links! :)

What Kind of Fruit are You?
Another silly pointless quiz, but I can't help it. I love these things. Oh, and I'm a banana. :)

Momready
There's no shortage of parenting advice on the internet, but I found this site recently and really liked it. Clean, simple layouts without excess annoying flashy graphics, plus solid, creative advice and some innovative ideas I hadn't seen.

Fort Worth Cats Fest 2008
If you've never been a Cats game, GO. It's a million times more fun for the kids than any major league park (nothing personal, Rangers!) because it's just so much more personal. Even the cheapest seats (which are CHEAP) are ridiculously close, and the whole crowd is so enthusiastic. Plus it's nice to see players who aren't on the field to earn their multi million dollar paycheck, but just for the chance to play. I'd equate it to a high school team in a small town... everyone puts their heart and soul into every play. And best of all they plan lots of great family friendly activities.. there's even a playground in the park! After that endorsement (swear I'm not on their payroll!) I have to promote Cats Fest this weekend... if you have little ones even remotely interested in baseball it's a must do! Autographs and pictures with all the players, meet the mascot, play in the bouncy houses, and all sorts of other activities on the field. Even if you weren't a big baseball fan, you'll probably leave there one!

Butterflies in the Garden
The Ft Worth Botanic Garden is actually good for things OTHER than portrait sessions! :) Their annual butterfly event has just begun, and it's something everyone should do at least once. The conservatory inside the main park is filled with countless butterflies from around the world, and as you walk through they'll flutter around your head, usually landing on the shoulder of the least suspecting little one. It's an amazing sight.. bring your cameras! (but don't bring your strollers, the walkway is too narrow so they aren't allowed!)

Adventure Boot Camp
I know it's frigid outside now, but pretty soon the sun will shine and the flowers will bloom and you know what that means... swimsuit season is next! (ack!) Get a head start in a really fun way with Adventure Boot Camp! I actually did this last fall for a session and really enjoyed it.. I would have done another round but my recently injured knee just couldn't handle the squats. At least we'll blame it on the knee... But really, it's a great workout early in the morning (early enough to sneak out, get your workout in, then get home before the kids need cereal poured!) at a local park (different locations around the area) with a boot-camp style theme. The only difference is that the instructors are super fun and encouraging, they play loud and energetic music, and there's no threat of deployment! :) This site is for the SW Tarrant county locations but if you contact them they can find one in your area, too!

Have a great week everyone!

My Story: Isabella

Continuing on our Wednesday tradition to profile our favorite little people.. the ones who make the job so much fun! This week it's the ever darling Isabella, who is known for her spunk, smile, and giving me guaranteed new all-time favorite images with each session. So now I am more than thrilled to introduce her to the rest of the world. :)



Name? Isabella Grace

Nickname? Bella, Izzy, Izzy Bee

Age? 5 and 3/4



Favorite movie? High School Musical 2

Favorite song? Anything from High School Musical 2

What I want to be when I grow up... A mom, a teacher, and an artist, and a dentist



Shoes or bare feet? I like to have the shoes, but walk around in bare feet

I always laugh when... my daddy tickles me under the armpits

My claim to fame is... that Richard Dreyfus told me I have a pretty belly!



What was your favorite image from the session? How do we choose just one?! Probably the ones of Isabella in the pink car at her Honey's house.

Get out the Vote!

Tuesday is Primary Day here in the Lone Star State and I strongly encourage everyone to brave the blizzards (ha ha) and get out the vote! I'm not a very political person, but I do love politics... which I understand is a bit of an oxymoron except that I just love the process.. I am fascinated by the dynamics.. so while I don't have any particular preference just yet the *idea* of voting excites me! I'm sure it's the newsbug still floating around in my blood.. but whatever it is, I hope it infects you too! :)

To help ease the process, some helpful links:
To find out what you need to bring and/or where you need to go, check out the Texas Secretary of State Website.

For a very indepth analysis of the race thus far, including profiles of the candidates, fundraising, vote counts, where they stand on the issues, and important dates/events to watch out for, check out CNN's election headquarters.

And for the Texas results, by far the best local coverage you'll see (no bias, I swear!), including live web streaming video reports, archives of video and new reports, all compiled from reporters in Washington, across Texas, and of course the Dallas-Ft Worth area, check out the WFAA Election Coverage.. and of course don't forget to watch them for the final results on Channel 8! :)

This cool online quiz from ABC news asks a series of questions on the issues, core values, and other relevant matters and then uses your answers to match you with the candidate that best fits your opinions. Take it even if you already know who you'll be voting for... you might be surprised to see the results!

And for those of you still a bit skeptical of the whole system who want a more tounge-in-cheek view of the news.. you can't beat The Daily Show's InDecision 2008 site. Funny political cartoons.. the best (or worst!) comments from the campaign trail... and completely pointless polls that will make you Laugh Out Loud for real!

Like I said before.. I really don't have a strong preference WHO you vote for... just VOTE!

This was the closest picture I have to patriotic... my girls on last 4th of July.. but I think it's appropriate enough! Happy Primary Day!