it snowed last year in Texas so we played in it and made snow icecream plus also happy new year, friends // northeast, tx portrait and lifestyle photographer

Christmas day began dark and rainy. Clearly I wasn't expecting a White Christmas. Texas isn't known for our abundance of snow don'tcha know. {How'd y'all like that shoutout to my northern friendlies? :)} But nevertheless, midday on the 25th proved to be quite blizzardous. So Bing Crosby's dream came true after all. :)

The next day, I went outside to examine our new little winter wonderland. :)

After this I got a phone call from my cousin Mitchell asking if I might want to go play in the snow down at my uncle's land with his little girls who I claim as partly mine, Maglite and Banana plus also Charlie the Bestest of Beagle Puppies {whose precious self I kept for a month before they received him as a Christmas gift.} Psssshhhh...would I want to?? The answer to such a question was needless to say... 

Suuuuure. :)

Oh Maggie, with your owl hat and missing teeth...

Oh Anna, with your squinty grin and perfectly drawn pink eyebrows made possible by your brand new make-up kit...

Oh Charlie, with your smallness and irresistible puppy charms...I, I love, I love you all. :)

My heart beats faster at the sight of such a shadow as his.

Actually everything about him tends to do that....

Chaw-laaaaay! :) :) Pardon me, I am quite enraptured....

This laugh...

Followed by this laugh. I was painfully cold but there was too much pure adorableness surrounding me to dwell on my numb fingers and toes. My heart was warm. :)

Not to mention it was gorgeous out there. :)

Goodness, goodness, goodness.....

Hey you. :)

"Is this my good side?"

No need to be self-conscience, you don't have a cute side, Charlie Barley Puddin' and Pie...you are the essence of cute all over.

Which is why none of my blog readers will get tired of seeing you or leave this post even if it is entirely too long and redundantly cutefull. They wouldn't ever. ;)

Cosmetology school...here she comes....

As the giggles started getting mingled with tears because the cold was so piercing, we headed to Mam-maw's house to warm up...
and perhaps to also make snow ice-cream. ;)

Let it be known that I had wintry nails. :) { Side story: My mom got all my Christmas presents with me there as she shopped. :) She got me just what she wanted to...which is what I asked for. ;) Gold fingernail polish, gold eyeshadow, and gold eyeliner. Dripping, dripping dripping...in...ummm...gold maybe? ;) }

Anna guarded the canned milk so that it would be safe and sound for the ice-cream. ;)

Maggie was busy humming and soaking in sunlight. :)


Have you ever made snow ice-cream? You should. It's easy. And scrumptious. And it may or may not be safe for consumption. Which is the perfect set-up if you ask me.


You take your ginourmous bowl of snow that you gathered carefully off the top of the things outside, making sure to skim and not dig...that way you avoid any dirt or foreign "we probably shouldn't eat that" objects getting mingled in with your snow.

If you have too much in the bowl and it is impossible to stir it all at once, separate into smaller bowls according to convenience.



Next you'll need to add your canned milk.


Pause to check and make sure your puppy is not doing something suspicious.

Then get back to pouring.


Now to the sugar...which you will sprinkle carefully around so it gets properly distributed. How much sugar? I advise you to keep adding sugar until you're totally pleased with your ice-cream and its amount of sweetness. This will be more or less depending on how related you are to Buddy the Elf. :)


Vanilla time. :)

Best leave this to Mam-maws because they are professionals when it comes to precise magic such as vanilla adding.



Last step? Stir stir stir until it turns into ice-cream before your very eyes.

Actually the last step is eating it. Whoops. No pictures of that. :) I can't stuff my face AND hold a camera at the same time, yo! What do you think I am...Superwoman?! That's right...I'm not. I'm Spiderwoman...duuuuh.



Happy 2013, friends. It's gonna be good. I can feeeel it. ;)

~Through Christ's Love ♥