Welcome Home Sweet Evelyn {North Dallas Newborn Photographer}

Sara and Brandon are great friends of ours.  I was thrilled when they asked me to capture their baby girl after her arrival home.  Evelyn is such a sweet baby and I can't get enough of her.  She has even won the affection of her big beagle sister, Bailey.  I hope you enjoy her photos!

With a Thankful Heart {four}

"Both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness." - George Washington, 1789 

I'm thankful for our founding fathers.

I'm thankful for this country that I love. 

I'm thankful that we still celebrate this day of Thanksgiving.  

Happy Thanksgiving readers.  I hope you are spending your day surrounded by family and fellowship. 

Puppy Love {pet photography}

More and more of my clients are wanting to include their pets in their sessions.  And why not?  They're part of the family too!  Here are some tips I've learned from photographing some pretty cute pups.  

1.  Get on their level. 
You risk getting slobber on your lens, but it's worth it to get the perfect shot. 

2.  Talk to them.
I have found that if you talk to them long enough, they will usually get interested in you and give you that inquisitive look that photographs so well. 

3.  Bring treats.
This is a great way for the pet to warm up to you.  After you have made friends, it is also a great way to keep their attention.

4.  Have assistance.
I always have an assistant when pets are included in a session.  They are able to help corral pets, get their attention, or distract them as needed.

5.  Give up.
Sometimes pets are just going to be too excited to stay still long enough to get the shot you're looking for.  But that's okay!  Embrace it and focus on action shots.  Playing with their favorite toy or getting a belly rub can make a great photo too.

With a Thankful Heart {three}

Before I was married I ate a lot of chicken tenders and salad.  Then I married a man that craved more than just chicken and I needed to learn more about cooking tenderloin, tilapia, salmon, rib eye...  Learning to cook was fun.  Yet it wasn't without its share of mishaps, like the time I used Minute Maid instead of freshly squeezed orange juice, resulting in me crying over little orange scented muffin bricks.  Since then I have de-veined shrimp, stuffed chicken, butterflied filets, filled pumpkin rolls, and nursed many burned fingers. 

I'm thankful for family and friends willing to be taste testers. 
I'm thankful for the evenings I have the time to cook a meal from scratch.
I'm thankful that when there's no time, there's always the Crock Pot.

A Campy Oklahoma Weekend

I never never ever thought I would like camping.  I'm still afraid of most wildlife... opossums, armadillo, all bugs, birds (thanks Hitchcock), the list goes on. But I've learned a getaway to the great outdoors can be very relaxing.  

We started out as tent campers and quickly became pop-up campers.  LeNita, our 1983 Coleman pop-up, has turned into our home away from home.  We used her for the first time last month in Broken Bow, Oklahoma.  Here our a few pictures from our trip.   

With a Thankful Heart {two}

My mom and grandparents visited last weekend.  I was reminded of how thankful I am for how I was raised and where I came from.  It's a place where life is slow, shoes are optional, doors are unlocked, coffee is black, tea is sweet and cornbread goes with everything.  It's the land of cotton.  It's Dixie.  It's Mississippi. 

I'm thankful for the state that raised me.
I'm thankful for the people there that I'm tied to.  

An Instagram Update

Happy Election Day everyone!  I hope that you all have a chance to get out and vote today.  Here's an Instagram update to keep you occupied while you wait in that long line.

1.  My vote counted!
2.  I was summoned to jury duty and dismissed, but left proud of my Texas legislature.

3.  Dan picked these up for one of my shoots.  It was so windy that only one balloon survived in this post.
4.  We used our pop-up (which we named LeNita) for the first time.  We'll never go back to tents again!

5.  We enjoyed Halloween with friends and their adorable children.  I consumed way too many caramel apples. 
6.  Pinot's Palette with girlfriends... mine didn't turn out that great. We prominently displayed it in the closet.

7.  Before the time change I was able to see a few sunrises... I call these cotton candy clouds. 

8.  Starbucks' red holiday cups are back.  I'll be getting Christmas in a cup every Friday morning with my prayer group girls. 

With a Thankful Heart {one}

The Starbucks holiday cups have arrived.  Stores have their shelves lined with ornaments, garland, and the hottest gifts of the year.  I saw a Christmas tree up in Highland Park.  The holiday season has officially arrived, and while many may have forgotten that this is a time of thanksgiving, I wanted to commemorate the season by sharing with you just a few of the many things I'm thankful for.  I must start with my dear husband. 

We've been together for six years, married for two and a half of them, and we'll always be newlyweds.

I'm thankful for how supportive and loving he is.

I'm thankful for his sense of humor and ability to always make me laugh.

I'm thankful God caused our paths to cross that night on Beale Street. 

I'm thankful that he's willing to be my model for lighting tests.

How hot is my hubby?? I think I'll keep him.