Happy, Happy, Happy Dance!!!

I just registered to attend the workshop I've been dreaming about that is in Feb., in San Francisco, where the speaker for the weekend is WORLD-RENOWNED ......... Jinky!

There are so many photo conferences to choose from, but when I found that this workshop was able to snag her (she lives in Australia)...I was done searching. This is like if you wanted to take cooking lessons, and a spot opened up to learn from Rachael Ray herself, with her favorite dishes... (or whomever you may esteem as a "guru" of their trade.)

Yep. Happy, happy, happiness jitters are at the other end of this note! I can't wait!
:)

To end with a picture, here is the gorgeous, 10-yr.-old, M. I photographed her and her sisters yesterday, but their blog is yet to come. I must get busy catching up with the others' first!

That Way

These cousins just might be giving their parents/grandparents the best Christmas gifts yet - a *surprise* set of portraits. They set this session up all their own and managed to get out of the house Thanksgiving weekend with their families all around and brought three different outfits/accessories and themselves without anyone the wiser!

R, (2nd from the left), said that her mom on the way out asked, "are you guys going shopping?", and she replied "uh....yeah..."

:)






A little fib doesn't hurt when...


...the results are worth it.... don't ya think?


And we had a fun time!!!

From Our House to Yours

I have sessions waiting, desperate to be granted their own blog, but being that it's the holiday season, I thought I'd share some personal pictures from this weekend, and continue my regular session-sharing blog tomorrow...

Thanksgiving with mi familia!
My mother (in red), invited a friend for dinner (left), along with my father, my "baby" brother, his wife, and Stuart is at the other end of the table not pictured. (sorry, hon!) I have an older brother too, but he and his wife are out of the country.

My mom said, "I'll just keep the dinner simple this year. I won't make too much". Well, you can see, the lover of entertaining that she is, "simple" has a different definition in her dictionary than most! Everything was delicious, and I love that she uses the fine china at this meal and Christmas. It is definitely a season worthy of the good stuff!

Stuart made his first pecan pie from scratch with the pecans from our own backyard and this recipe! The bottom is a layer of chocolate chips.... yeah, divine....

My handsome hubby.

(Why is it that after all these years, the high school homecoming dance pose is the natural stance for pictures?!!?! Just comes out, make me stop!)

Black Friday met its match! There are actually three bags I had already put away when I decided this much holiday craziness should be captured. I'm pretty much done Christmas shopping though! Just a couple things left on the list!

Whilst I was out on my spree, my sweet husband was donning the holiday cheer! This is our first year to actually put lights on the house. Before we've only draped them through the bushes and around the dark window on our porch, (which we still have left to do this year, but I was so excited about the lights on the house, I had to post now!)
It was funny - our neighbor said, "those are some big lights!", to which I replied, "we like it old school!" :)
We actually had Stuart's mother help us find some in her city last year because we could only find a couple strands at our stores.
Simple & timeless.

My favorite now is seeing them glow outside of my office window while I work.

It really makes it feel warmer than the gray skies lead on.




(Macy watching her momma out of the window.)


(Not that any activity would get past Pearl...)

Hunter & Gatherer

Last week I met G and his family for their holiday session! His momma is a new friend I am teaming with to offer custom bags with your photos on them!
I've been looking for a quality company for a while now who makes these so that I can offer them to my clients. I am so excited I found such a great vendor because these purses really do turn out like little pieces of art. I am so happy to finally be able to offer them! (I have a sample purse on display in my office for you to be able to touch and hold it in person!)

Can't you just see his lucky grandma doting on his gorgeous eyelashes from this image on her purse to her friends?

Too. Precious.

Little brother, R, was quite the ham for us!

He really enjoyed inspecting all the pecans on the ground. G would hunt them down for R to gather them! A great brotherly duo!

I love his little fingers clenching a fist around his prized find.


Only a little boy would think to line them up in a row - very mechanical. Maybe he's making a train, or pretending they're animals lined up at the circus? Nothing sweeter than capturing imagination in a picture.






Such an easy smiler!




Fun mommy!

Words of Affirmation

These are the gorgeous kiddos of a good friend I used to work with. I'm so happy we've kept in touch. She really played an inspirational role in encouraging me that my photography could become a full-time business. I honestly credit her with a majority of that hope in me because for the longest time I didn't think my shots held much worth, (I'd like to blame that on the "middle child/people-pleaser" syndrome. Definitely a pleaser, that's me!)
(This is sort of turning into a "Deep Thoughts by Julie Birdseye" moment....)

Anyways, well, she is definitely wonderful friend to have, and I could never repay her for her words of affirmation.
( Love Languages ..... anyone? I just finished a Bible study group on that book last week and it is interesting to watch people's interactions and guess how they give and receive love. So important in relationships! )

Yeah....


.... gorgeous....


.....kiddos.....

*One of my favorite images of the session because the kids did this all their own. For blocks the younger siblings were on the older siblings' backs hitchin' a ride, (even up stairs! - strong older siblings!), and then I look back and they've come together for a group-hug-in-motion!
Love it.

Love YOU, M!

Toddler Independence

These girls just saw me not too long ago, but this time we got to play with their mommy & daddy, too!


Big sister M tried to hold L's hand to guide her around the rocks, but as her mommy says L's favorite saying is right now: "I do it myself!"


M started Kindergarten this year. From what I hear, she is a smart cookie!

Look at this personality! Her little expressions had me giggling the whole time.

Look mom, we got a sweet one of your girls together!

(Though you'll just have to forget that .38 seconds after this was shot, L pushed M away and ran to see the fishies.... or don't forget that part for that matter.... that's your L's cute, toddler personality right now!)

(I love when I get to capture families just interacting and it turns into a natural family portrait!)

**The hubby is prying me away from editing to have a date night tonight! Since I have sessions all day on Saturdays and spend my Sundays editing (among the other five days remaining in the week), a Monday night has now turned into our "weekend." We're going to go see either this or this. But I'm leaning towards this - it just looks like an Oscar nominated-esque movie. I like to see those so that during the awards shows, I know which movie they're talking about! (I'm the cliche female that enjoys some Hollywood event watching!)
I love celebrity news and babies, so when I discovered this website... it was like I just made a new, very dear friend.

:)

Daddy's Princess

Another Chickadee Planner has hatched!

Baby E is two weeks old today and couldn't be more beautiful, (and well-behaved! She did not fuss once - such an easy session!)

Big brother E just kept loving on his sister the whole time. Well, it would go: love, love, run around, love, wrestle with Daddy, milk break, love, love, squish sister, love...

:)

**Yeah, drooling over her to-die-for nursery like I did? Don't be jealous, her mommy is a designer. When it just comes naturally like it does to her, that's the reason you call someone like her if you'd like to have your baby's nursery look as magazine-worthy as this one!

It was a lot of fun to get to play with her girlie, princess decor. She is my first baby girl newborn in three months - it's been all boys!

I think they might have a Daddy's Girl on their hands. Not only does she look like her daddy, but she is so happy in his arms.

Here to Play

This dear family braved the chilly winds with me yesterday morning! I'm shivering now just remembering... but look at these bright, happy faces. The girls did such a great job!

I was warned that Miss K is a toddler always on the go, (true!), but that's when I just try to keep up and and make sure she knows I'm here to play!

Big sister M was ever helpful. She is the big 0-4 and dressed as Dorothy for Halloween because she "loves" that movie! (K was Minnie Mouse!)

The girls' Nana & Papaw came, too!






Nothin' like a you-did-a-good-job-taking-pictures lolli reward!
You deserved it, K!