After the rain...

Notice how after it rains everything seems...brighter...cleaner...softer... Well that's what happened today...right in the middle of the summer heat...Just when everything turns that wonderful crunchy brown, flowers and plants wilt, water bills sky rocket and gardners all across Texas pray for even the smallest of sprinkles if for nothing else but than to get rid of the stifling heat...we got a much needed drink. Everything seemed to be brought back from near death...and all was made new again!

I can only imagine...

Tonight...in the middle of my haste to 'get things done' and getting from one moment to the next, I was interrupted by a light tap on the studio window - it was my best half asking me to come outside. SO...although now irritated, I went...the wind had picked up...the air had gotten a little cooler (hey, 90 is friged after the heat we've had lately)...and suddenly I was thankful J took the time to make me stop...can't you imagine God right in the middle of this...coming down in a blaze of glory...coming to take His children home!? Look closely...you might just see...or are you like me...do you need to go and 'get something done'?

Not just any school picture...

Well...I can honestly say that Emma's school pictures are rockin!

Kuddos goes to Elizabeth at The Shepherd's School for asking Amy Teichman to be the person to tackle the GINORMOUS job of capturing all of those munchkins...what a challenge in just a few days!

I am impressed!!! No tacky backgrounds with wagon wheels...no fake fruit or balls they can barely hold...no platforms and foam covered in furry cloths to sit on (contaminated by other children...if you know what I mean...I know, I have a kid, remember? I know what they do...even when you ARE looking...)...no ugly chair to stand behind...and most importantly - NO FAKE SMILES!

I love them! Thanks Amy for the great pictures!

And, thanks to the best little school in Dallas County for making the dreaded 'school picture' something to remember...and smile about!

Under Re-design...

I used 're-design' cause I just don't like the word 'construction' - design sounds SO much more fun, right? Yeah! I think I am trying to convince myself...or my re-designer (J)! :)

Anyhoo, if you've been to my website lately...well, it's changed...again. It's one of those things where knowing what you want in your head and making it actually happen are 2 very different challenges.

So, please be patient with the site; it is a creation in process. Please let me know if you can't find something; chances are it's just lost for the moment! And for goodness gravy crumminittly ~ someone tell me if they are a FlashPlayer guru!

beautiful LIFE!

http://www.tinstarphoto.com/

Wild Horses...

Everyone loves a baby...and I am no different from 'everyone'! The pasture next to Ree's house has been blessed by 4 foals this spring...and they are such a joy to watch. Their curiosity has finally gotten the better of them as over the last few weeks of repeated visits...they have finally gotten up enough courage to see who these humans are...up close!

Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there...and to my "One and Only"...Wild Horses couldn't drag me away! Love D & E

The Eyes Have It...

Two posts in 24 hours! Holey Moley!

Well, I'm trying to 'practice' each day...so tonight we just ventured out in the backyard and took a few. For the first time Emma said - Take my picture Mama! The 4 words a mom/photographer loves to hear...especially from their own baby!

I love eyes, and Emma has the best! There is so much going on behind those eyes. The second picture is the reason I call her "Princess Crazy Hair" (Her Dutch / Indian name, of course) and the last picture is definitely my favorite - all messy! She's becoming quite the little model!

Fish...and so much more!

Well, our family day was postponed due to food posioning (don't ask, but I am TOTALLY bummed about the place it came from), so we gave it a whirl on Saturday at the Dallas World Aquarium! OK - first, if we had to do it again...we would NOT pick Saturday...it was packed! Second, save up...it's a bit on the pricy side, but the money goes to a good cause...check out the link on their conservation programs. But the time together and photos were well worth it all!

Work in progress...

If you know anything about our circa 70's house...you also know it was a foreclosed home that sat vacant for over a year...no care, no love, no style (was there a style in the 70's...besides crappy?) and definitely no place for nature to call home! So, we have become green thumbs out of necessity...before the fire ants and dahlia grass could become the rulers! Now...the fire ants are at bay...and the dahlia grass is retreating! God has returned to our little piece of earth; birds, frogs, butterflies, spiders...and, of course, Emma!

Check out the little series on the progression of Sunflowers in our new butterfly garden! Within the next year, everything will be established enough to begin portrait and family sessions...right at home!