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BLESSINGS!

{ Contest Winner ~ Elms }

I was so excited to see these Elms family again...this time for a kids only session...and this time because their super mom won a complimentary session for answering all of the Tin Star Jeopardy questions correctly!!! YEA!

Tracy - I have NO idea how I'm gonna pick just 20! :)

There's another contest when we hit 200 fans on Facebook...and if you're the winner...you get fabulicious shots like these... SO, I hope to see YOU on Facebook ~ Become a fan of Tin Star Photography!





~blessings~

{ Jones Family }

I love this family...I loved this session...I love these girls! They are SO precious...and so is their mama BTW.
Tammy makes me belly laugh at least every day; our humor is creepily parallel; and our duel love of everything 80s is like karma...so I couldn't say no to someone who is OBVIOUSLY so cool! Thank goodness that I think her kids like me now too...cause I would sure be dissappointed if I didn't get to see my little peeps again! (PS - Dad, you're pretty awesome too.) I had a fabulous time with each and every one of you!





~blessings~

{ Ault Family }

I met the beautiful Ault family in Highland Park this morning for their family session...and I am SO STOKED that the azaleas were in full bloom for their special day! If you haven't made the drive through...take the time...they're only in bloom for about 2 weeks and then they're gone for another year...so get going!

The first thing Emma said when she saw these images today was..."That's my little Ashlynn! I love her!" :)
I hope you guys like the pics as much as Emma and I do, cause we think you're the bomb...and such an oh so cute and sweet family! Thanks for the awesome session!








~blessings~

{ small }

I've been thinking about this particular blog post for a few days, but it all came together last night when I discovered this...



I'm sure it's hard to tell from this image...but it's a baby cardinal tucked away in our jasmine...tiny, fragile and exposed. Mom and dad were out scouring up some good grub this morning...so I tried to carefully snap a couple...before I was dive bombed like a P-40 in 1942...which resulted in injury (to me and the chair I USED to be standing in)...which also resulted in disinfectant, Neosporin and Nemo band aids...and now a limp...which I’d like to keep on the DL...especially when it comes to my husband! (J, just in case your reading this...yes, the camera and lens are fine...I checked!) Dang, what I won't do for a picture - thank goodness I don't work for National Geographic; my liability would be GINORMOUS! :)

Anyhoo...over the last 2 weeks I have been gently and humbly reminded of how small I am. Not physically...especially after baby number 2, and definitely not as small as I wanna be. But how I sometimes jump to conclusions, assume the worst in others or ignore my God-given sense of shut up instinct and in the end…feel small. I think it's God's way of reminding me that I am not the all-powerful, super-human, awesome mama control goddess that I think I am - and that's a GOOD thing!

For instance, last week I kept telling my daughter..."Come on, Em, hurry up, we have to go, let's go, get moving...I don't want to hear it, we're late!" In a small, sad little voice she finally said, "But mama, I can't find my shoes." If I had just stopped to listen. Small...

Or when I've assumed that my husband means something terrible by "You're gonna wear that?"...when in actuality he means, "You can't wear that, cause now you look better than me!" :) Instead of asking what he meant, I assumed he meant the worst, when he was really giving me a compliment! Small...

Or when I kept worrying over a situation for days (OK, months)...and when I was praying for just a Pinto and He gave me a BMW...I'm suddenly stunned! Why should I be surprised? God is bigger than my worry, but when I prayed, did I really believe what I was praying for or to WHOM I was praying? Small...

So now I am faced with the challenging reality of praising God for those times when I am reminded of my smallness. I have to learn to raise my glass with gusto to all of those times when I am humbled, or when frankly, I am cut off at the knees...or pushed off my chair by a ticked off mama cardinal!

2 Corinthians 12:10 (The Message)
7-10Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

Yep - limitations, mistakes, assumptions, a big mouth and a big head are not fun things to learn, but it reminds me that because of Christ, my weaknesses make me strong. Because of His grace, I'm forgiven...thank goodness! Because of His mercy...I don't get what I REALLY deserve!

Thanks Emma for being patient with this hurried mama.
Thanks J for loving me when I assume you mean the worst.
And thanks to all of you...family, friends, clients, strangers...for recognizing my weaknesses and giving me a chance anyway to share my talent...for then I am strong!

I'll try to take a few more pictures as the baby cardinal grows to show you his humble progress…and mine...:)
Now I should probably go and take some Advil and change my band aids...

{ Michelle ~ Senior 2010 ~ South Garland HS }

I had the wonderful opportunity to work with Michelle and her mom on Saturday for her uber photogenic Senior session. I love it when seniors come with ideas aready formed about how they'd like their session to go...what they want to do...how they want to look...and are willing to do just about anything to make it happen...even humoring this photographer...AND including walking 100s of yards across a bridge to hang from tressels...:)

Michelle and Linda - you guys were so awesome to work with and thanks for walking all over creation with me! Enjoy Part I of your senior preview...Part II in a few days!









~Blessings!~

{ Ryder - 6 Months }

It's a busy weekend, so to keep up I'm posting previews as I go...here's number 3!

Ryder is another little boy I've seen since he was just a few days old, and I can't believe it's already his 6 month session...times flies...but OH, the cuter they get! I could just melt for those big brown eyes and adorable 2-tooth grin! What a beautiful morning session with little Ryder...

And the last picture is just to prove that it isn't always rainbows and puppies at every session! It makes me giggle, but after only 2 pictures of tears, we have a hundred of smiles...he warmed up to perfection! :)





~It's Easter...and He is Risen!~

{ Luke - 1 Year }

It's so much fun to watch those little babies I get to see at just a few days old grow into little people! Luke is one of those...and I just love his personality. He is DEFINITELY all boy, with a capital B! :)

And with a little brother on the way, mama's gonna have her hands full...with a capital F too! But I bet mom and dad wouldn't trade this little boy for the whole world! :)

I can't WAIT to watch the next McClure boy grow into as handsome a young man as Mr Luke...the first image is my FAV - hands down! D





~It is Easter...And He is Risen!~

{ Monsoon...Gebhardt }

I say that because just as our session started it came a gully-washer...as my Mummer used to say...:) But these sweet, fun and daring people graciously accepted the weather challenge for their family pictures.

And, when everything calmed down, the daylight was beautiful and all of the colors were so bright and pretty...this actually turned out to be one of my favorite spring sessions so far...and I'm SURE it didn't have ANYthing to do with this georgous little girl! ;) I had a great time, and I hope we all meet again soon!






~It's Easter...and He is Risen!~

{ balancing is an act }

You ever meet those people that you think, "MAN, I wish I was her; she really has it all together - the cute house, awesome husband, great kids dressed in boutique clothes, gourmet meal on the table and perfectly sun-kissed skin...blah, blah, blah"

OK, nothing against those people, but that ain’t me. Someone said to me the other day, "Man, you sure are handling everything really well - 2 jobs, commuting over 3 hours a day, 2 beautiful kids, a husband AND keeping up with Facebook and a new business...":) Well, I’m here to let you know that I wear A LOT of concealer under these eyes, cause along with a lack of sleep and serious caffeine addiction lately, I certainly don’t feel that way. I struggle every single day with this thing called ‘balance’. Life, home, kids, husband, exercise, planning birthday parties, my DVR’d shows...hehehe

So this weekend is my personal rejuvenation! Yes, I have 4 sessions. Yes, I have eggs to paint. Yes, my hardwood floors look like I’ve been sawing wood in my house. Yes, I’d like to actually like to sit down and shave my legs and paint my toes or pull weeds in our garden. But you know what...it’s also Easter.

We were at the pediatrician yesterday since Miss Audrey decided to carry on the Perkins tradition of a record number of ear infections BEFORE the age of 1, and little Emma tagged along. Before we left, Dr Joslin – who ROCKS BTW – asked Emma about her Easter. Oooooohhhh, she mentioned eggs, her new dress and candy, but when Dr J asked her what was Easter really about, she stretched out her little arms and said “It’s about Jesus! He died and then He came back to life!” There was such excitement and joy in her voice. It was one of the proudest Mama Moments I’ve ever had...To know that my child, one of the greatest loves of my life, showed the first glimpse that she gets it! It’s not about eggs or candy...jobs, dirty floors and Facebook. I can teach her to ride a bike, be kind to others and give to the SPCA – but when she learns to love God, my job as a mom, for me, is D.O.N.E. That’s it for me; to know that one day my child will be with me in Heaven worshiping at the feet of our Savior. So, at what point do we as adults lose that ‘matter of factness’ and instead focus on the things that don’t matter? Where is MY attitude of sheer joy in knowing that someone loved you so very much that He took your place, suffered an excruciating death when not only He didn’t deserve it, but no one could find any reason for killing Him?

So this Easter...forget about shaving your legs (wear pants please :) ), your new dress (if you’ve had time to get one) or the fact that you haven’t had a haircut in 2 months (hats are in, right?) or washed your car in 4 (cars are parked OUTSIDE the church)...come to Him as you are, flaws and all. He already paid the price; He already bought you your life back; He loved you before He created you. He doesn’t care what your floors look like, if your kids are wearing the latest trends, or if you shop at Whole Foods; He cares about your heart. He cares about ME and calls me His Beloved; He cares about YOU and calls you the apple of his eye...and yes, He loves my kids more than I do!

And those people that look like they’ve got it all together...do they really? Balancing is really an act after all...because I’m sure they’ve got a disorganized closet or crazy junk drawer at their house too. How do I know? Come on over to my pad, and I’ll show you...just don’t look at my floors...:)


~blessings~

{ Watkins Crew }

OK - so a HUGE 'ol shout out goes to my awesome friend Paige for cluing me into the Watkins Family!
Love them...love their kids...TOO photogenic...and oh, so much fun!
We had a great little play date yesterday afternoon in the beautiful sunshine in my charming little hometown and snapped some great little images to boot!

My previews from the weekend are D.O.N.E....and date night with my husband and Jack Bauer is on the horizon! I'm out! :)







~Blessings!~

{ Madelynn's Family }

My sessions on Saturday were WAY big on wind...and the sweetest little girls!

Madelynn...simply adorable! Such a pretty and sweet family to work with...I love it when a session just FEELS right and everything seems to go just as we wanted it to. Sometimes there can be alot of anxiety asociated with children's session because of how unpredictable they can be...smiles, behavior, non-stained clothing, even little face scratches or nose boogies! :) So sometimes I spend a little time reassuring them that everything is 'A-OK'. So here's to an awesomely patient mom and dad...see...it's all A-OK!

I don't know which one I like more...Madelynn practicing her ballerina positions...or Madelynn and Pooh...:)