All wrapped up in Grandma's hand-knit blankie...
...in Daddy's strong hands...
...equally-precious big bro (Have you ever seen such beautiful eyes?)...
...and the parents that love them both very much! 1. When I was a kid, I decided that I wanted to be an astronaut despite watching the Challenger spaceship burst into flames the very same year. I was inspired by my third grade teacher, Mrs. Oliver, who applied for the teacher in space position that Christa McAuliffe won. Sadly, I grew up and realized actually becoming an astronaut meant excelling in math and science. Let's just say my algebra teachers never nominated me for an outstanding student awards (that's for sure). ;)
2. One of my OCD tendencies is that I firmly believe all bathrooms should have the toilet paper accessible from the top of the roll, not underneath. I would even be willing to change it in someone else's home if I was there very long!
3. Since Tim & I married, we have carried on a NCAA tournament tradition of selecting teams from the bracket and giving points for each win (final four wins get more points) to see who will dominate. Actually, we started doing this before we were married with our friends, the McElroy family. This year, our eldest daughter joined the fun...much to our dismay. She's been creaming us!
4. I am a minimalist. I like clean lines (in clothing and furniture), solid color clothing, simple shoes & just enough make-up to get the job done. I guess it's my way of trying to keep life as simple as possible.
5. I check e-mail WAY too much...probably 15 times or more a day (but I'm trying to wean myself). And, okay...it's more than 15 times a day.
6. Tim & I have been trying to become more healthy this year. We've given up all unnatural sweeteners (aspartame) and reduced (almost eliminated) white sugars/white flours from our diet. We've added more protein, veggies and whole foods. We allow ourselves one day off a week to eat a typical American diet but we've found that when we do eat junk on our day off, we feel terrible and miss our fresh veggies! Who knew?
7. I will graduate with my bachelor degree next May...fourteen years after I first started it!!
8. I hate flannel sheets.
9. I have suffered from migraine headaches since I was an elementary-aged kid, but since the birth of my second child, they have subsided significantly.
10. I love the sound of whippoorwills. They are a type of nocturnal bird that I often heard growing up in the forests of Arkansas. They make a very soothing sound...it's a great lullaby.
I know: Bobo is a weird nickname for a kid. Surprisingly, there is no backstory to it either. It's just something that came out of her daddy's mouth one day & it kinda stuck.
She is a quirky little creature. Unlike our oldest who has always been soft-spoken and a little shy (she once told her Sunday school teacher, "I only talk to kids."), Bobo has pretty much been her exact opposite: loud, boisterous, goofy.
Last week, she was in a indulgent mood and allowed me to take her picture. After one or two, she suddenly began striking poses of all variations. Crazy kid.
Ever since I first noticed it, I fell in love with it. There are plenty of old homes and barns on my driving route, but this one has always captivated my attention though I don't know why (maybe it's the unique skinny rectangular window shapes or the wooden shingles). I have always wanted to do a photo shoot at this location.
Good news--I finally got to! :)
Bad news--I can't show you any sneak peeks because it was for a bridal session! : (
Well, I can't show you for now... but picture this: three gals (one wearing a beautiful brand new wedding dress) tromping through a field, bypassing cow manure then braving the half-rotten floor boards of a really old house to sit in one of those intriguing windows. I gotta say...after doing a session there, I love this place even more!
Oh, and guess what? We didn't get a speck of dust on that beautiful white dress! We're good!
These two were cutie patooties. Lathan wanted to show me all of the tractors and trucks that he got for his birthday & Kate told me all of the names of her babies and bears (hint: they are all named after her). And the cutest thing ever: Lathan asked his mom if I could stay and play after we took pictures. Awwww!
I love these little hats!
And for art/photography enthusiasts (because this means absolutely nothing to a regular person): check out the Rembrant lighting. (Rembrant lighting, produces a triangle of light no longer than the nose and no wider than the eye on a cheek). 
I must say, one of the best parts of living in western Oklahoma is that, even in the winter time when everything is brown, there are huge fields of green (winter wheat). There's something about seeing a little bit of green when it's cold outside that makes you feel hopeful...like spring is not too far away! (Plus, it makes for some pretty good pre-spring pictures!)
As my grandmother would always say, "Isn't she a dandy?"
Awww...brothers & sisters DO love each other from time-to-time!
Zach is three and, like most three-year-olds, he likes to move fast! But I managed to get one shot before he hurried off to his next adventure!
{ Images from past portrait parties}
I don't advertise portrait parties on my website simply because I can only take a limited number of them. Also, portrait parties are not to be used for huge family reunion-type sittings; it's impossible to work with giant groups in such a small session time.
Looks real, right? This is a digital composite made from the lips of Angelina Jolie, the nose of Charlene Theron and the eyes of Carmen Electra. Somebody was actually able to piece an entirely new and completely fake person together using photoshop.
So the lesson of the day is: quit wishing you had the thighs/waistline/arms/fill-in-the-blank-here of the person on the cover of your favorite magazine. Chances are, they wish that they look that good in real life, too.
Source: Photoshop News & The Daily Mall
