Wednesday, August 24, 2011

The Beauty of Summer {northeast, tx portrait and lifestyle photographer} [Personal]

That beautiful season...
Summer...
Filled is the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape
Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.
| Henry Wadsworth Longfellow |
{Hope you are in the mood to tarry for a bit...this may be on the lengthy-ish side but sure to make you smile. ;)}

As swiftly and gloriously as it made its appearance, my favorite season is fading fast. It is crazy to think that its already almost September. (Did I really just say September??


It seems like just yesterday that June began our festivities...
Gardening, Canning, and Crape Myrtles

Hanging out Laundry, Honey Suckle, and Homemade Garden Fresh Pizza
Babysitting sleeping baby girls and sleeping baby ducks
July came marching in behind with joys of its own:
American Flags and Fireworks
More Gardening...more Canning...
Dairy visits and Petting horses

Camping with Friends and A Great Bible Reading Challenge
The Miracle of Life
Swing-sets and Daring Leaps of Faith
Movie Making and more Movie Making


And then there's been August... 
Getting extra swimming in before summer is over!!

Being at dear friends' house during golden hour and a beautiful sunset...
Friends with adorable little ones...
Enjoying the sweetness and relaxation of simple country living...
And lastly, something so very bittersweet happened to abruptly cut short this summer fun.
Maggie
started
Kindergarten.
On the 22nd she woke up, got dressed, and prepared to embark on one of the biggest journeys of her little life...her little bitty life...especially compared to her great big backpack and huge "flip-flopping tummy" smile.
Anna was close by her side, nearly as excited as Maggie herself.
Mitchell and Brandi held it together like champs...though I know they felt like going into hysterics, "MAGGIE!!! OUR BABY!!!" 
They saved that emotion for after they dropped Maggie off. ;)
{Along with me who came home and bawled as I looked back over the pictures I had taken}
As we drove to the school Maggie turned to me and said, "It's not summer anymore, Allix." I nodded. "You're right Maggie. Looks like summer's over." She sighed. "Yeah...even if we wanted to go to the beach...we couldn't. That's what it means when you start Kindergarten. No more summer."
She stopped for one last smile before she walked through The Doors.
And then, there she was. As if she had been going to Kindergarten her whole life. As if she had never been a little baby wrapped up in a big pink blanket. As if she had never been her Grandmama's Silly Girl and her Mama's Gracie. As if she had never been 2 feet tall with a 5 inch blonde ponytail. As if she had never had trouble saying her L's and looked at me with those sparkly blue eyes and said, "I yove you Ayix." :')
She just seemed to blend right into this new world.
But you and I both know the truth.
Summer did happen.
And it was wonderful.
I wish it never had to end....

Now I'm back to the school books as well...trying with all my might to finish high school. Just call me the "Little Junior that Could" and I'll stick through it with a few "I Think I Can's" playing through my head. Let's face it...it's down from 107 to 105 degrees here in Texas. Summer is fading.
But at least we have the memories. :)
I'd love to hear some of yours! Tell me...what did you do that was oh-so-lovely this summer??
~Through Christ's Love 


Monday, August 22, 2011

Tara Jayde is one! {sugarhill, tx child portrait photographer}

First birthday parties are always so fun, aren't they?
Do you know of any other particular occasion where we go to such great lengths to decorate, celebrate, and encourage babies to stuff their faces with brightly colored sugary icing and fluffy white cake just because they look adorable once it's smeared on every inch of their darling face??
It's absolutely delightful. :D

I recently was privileged to attend the 1st birthday party of Miss Tara Jayde whose sweet vintage outfit I loved...
And feet adornments I adored :D
Like any 1st birthday party, there was cutely themed decorations...
And yummy looking refreshments...and a cake just for the birthday girl. :D 
Though the whole thing was very informal, I was able to grab a few candid portraits of her. :D 

 Her faces are ridiculously adorable!
I rest my case... 
Then it was time for Tara to eat her cake...which didn't come without an agonizing tragedy...
When we sang "Happy Birthday" it seemed like she would be okay... 
She wasn't so convinced... 
But eventually she found that the cake was just too good to waste time crying. ;)
And she happily shared this good news with everyone around her. :) 
And she even fell prey to the tell-tell signs of being the 1st Birthday Girl. :D 
I don't believe she cared a bit. ;) 
My little plate of tastiness. :D {I must admit this was my first time to eat ice-cream with a fork...the outcome? It's just as good. ;)} 
After the refreshments were eaten it was piƱata time! :D Tara gladly let her guests gather first...and then she quickly joined the hustle and bustle to find herself a treasure. ;)
 She ended the fun little party by opening a few gifts...
in the comfort of her Mommy's lap. :D 
And, some exciting news to leave you with...Tara's mom Ashley wants me to take scheduled portraits of Tara later so you get to see more of her! In this very same outfit in fact! {After they've washed it of course...it may have a bit of orange icing left somewhere.} ;)
Have a Happy Monday! :D
~Through Christ's Love