Evelyn Laws.

Cajuns Return to Pensacola.......

 Fat. Stuffed. And Happy.

 

And ready for a routine!  Spring Break was a wonderful time spent shooting a wedding on an amazing plantation, another bride, babies, and more cajun babies........and of course, eating crawfish and chocolate around the clock with my wonderful and adorable family. I miss them so much it hurts sometimes.  The autism hurt a lot this time too.

 

 It doesn't always, but this time it did.  The 5th birthday is fast approaching and it's got me twisted. Things aren't clicking for him now, but I know soon we'll break through again and will feel more triumphant than I did before.  The outburst and tantrums are driving me in the ground. For now, I'm exhausted with a list I'll never finish and a grand plan to FIX my baby.  To help him enjoy all of the things that everyone else gets to enjoy. Organically.

 I wanted to share some of my edited fotos from my family time and have many more to show from Josh and Robin's wedding and from my sessions with little Miss Julia (3 months).  Here are some of our Chauvin babies and of course, our newest little Chauvin.......Noah. (also 3 months, who is without a doubt....NOT LITTLE. the rolls are endless.)  who I just cannot resist posting about tonight.  The cuteness of his little face just wears me slap out. TRULY.  I think he just reminds me so much of Lily when she was a baby.....I don't know......but someone help me out!!!

 

And here's one more of my baby JohnDavid "wrastling" with my Lawsy boy.  This photograph is not only one of my all time favorite but is a memory and a moment that is so profound. So simple. So mundane. But SO profound. This moment is a glimpse of normalcy for Laws. For me. For us. 

A photograph like this could never have a pricetag in my book. Never.  Up until now, Laws has been afraid of JohnDavid. He winces and puts his skinny little arms up at the rambunctious, vivacious, and tough little 2 year old cousin who tries to enter his personal space much to much for his liking.  He has started to actually enjoy it and we are teaching him to really fight back and stand up to that little 2 year old cajun who has stolen the heart of everyone around him. 

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Hickman-Hebert Wedding Sneak Peek below.........Nite Nite!!

Trying to find the track. The right one.

 

2009 is still yelling at me.  It's saying, "Helllloooooooooo in there. I've arrived and you're ignoring me and I don't like it. Not one little teensy tiny bit!"  You know, it's probably karma nudging me in the cheek.  It's probably exactly how my children feel when I bury my face in this thing they (the computer people) call an Apple, which I would have appreciated or would have thought it to be something healthy to ingest. Apples are healthy, aren't they?  Oh wait.....wrong Apple.  I bet this one that I digest on a regular basis has more significant, yet invisible consequences than the UNorganic ones that I buy at the store. (first note to self: start buying organic. no matter how much it cost. it'll make you feel better. less guilty, you know? toxins are BAD.)  Like a dirty house, unpaid bills, cancerous Gamma or Beta or X or Radiowaves being emitted through my skin, neglected children, take out food more than 4 times per week.............this Apple might just be throwing my BALANCE off a bit.  Balance. Hmmmm.  Now that's a thought, isn't it.  I've been looking for it for, I don't know, for forever.  I think even when I was young I was unknowingly searching for that feeling of what I'm sure I couldn't describe then, but what I know now is balance.  I have a pair of New Balance tennis shoes.  I don't play tennis though.  And I for darn sure don't have balance. It's funny though, because the moms that I see and that I meet and that I am friends with (or pretend to be friends with, which is disgusting to me, but they do it too. it's part of being in a community of moms. women. united, yet so divided.  heehee.  where do i come up with this stuff?) seem to have it. And I feel so out of place. But I feel happy too. Most of the time.  I guess I'm not sure what real happiness is either. And being out of place feels common to me.  I'm a Dory in a see of Nemo's, I tell you.  Again, my brain is so warped. But at least it's real, I guess. Insert wink.

So,we have quite a journey ahead of us don't we?  Evy will try to find balance and peace and happiness in 2009.  You know, I can be a little overly optimistic at times.  My glass really is half full most of the time.  And yes, I called myself Evy.  Laws has been hearing the little ones in my family call me that recently and he has taken a liking to calling me by my name. Sometimes Evelyn, sometimes Evy.  It's the FUN me. The CHILD me. It's MOM to Laws.  And I love it.  But I digress. I wonder if the woman I am named after, who I've recently wondered a WHOLE LOT about had anyone call her Evy?  She was Evelyn Laws also.  She gave birth to my father and when he was just 3 months old she died. Of polio. Shortly before Mr. Salk invented the vaccine. 

 
You start to realize, as another one of my mom blog friends says.....Life really just isn't fair.  But once you accept that, it can almost be freeing. Bad things happen to good people all the time and it's awful.  But it's life. Nothing is constant. Everything changes. Everything. At some point it all changes. OR dies. Or just goes away.  Living in the present has got to be part of that whole balance thing I was just talking about.  Just appreciating the moment or moments for what they are. And most of the time, they are a hodge podge, a medley, a gumbo, if you will, of miracles.  Little tiny miracles that go unnoticed.  Oh, this digression problem again!

 

Being thankful is part of that balance piece too.  Every single day, on more than one occasion, we can all.....at some point find something to be thankful for.  There was a period in my life when my mom bought me this Gratitude Journal that I wrote in to help me through a difficult time and I still have it. I have a few journals that I've been toying with reading these days but just can't bring myself to open the pages.  It's simply fear.  But, being gracious and thankful can really carry you through life.  It doesn't even take much effort.  So....I will add that to my list of things to blog about.  Hey, maybe I'll have a weekly list of things that I am thankful for.  Let's build a blog "TO DO"  list NOW. 

So, new "to do" blog list....here we go.

1. Offer up things, at least once a week that I am thankful for.
(ps. music is one of them.)

2.Discuss at least one thing during that week that I learned. Good, Bad or Ugly.  Whatever it is. Just talk about it.  If I don't learn one new thing per week, then Houston has a problem. (this week...i've learned that sometimes a martini is best.)

3.Word of the week. I know, I'm weird.  I just love words, New ones. Big ones. Fun ones. I've thought about busting out the dictionary once a week and learning a new word with Lily. One that we will use a lot during that week. Being able to describe who you are, what you want, and how you want it is power.  Words can bring you a lot of places you know.  Even the presidency. :)

4.Try to mention at least one book per week. Children's book, article, or one that I am currently reading.  This is a big feat, but am gonna STILL add it to the list. (second note to self.  rather question:  why are you so damn stubborn girl?)

5. Post my most favorite photographs. Even if they are from last year.  Only the ones that speak to me. That have emotion somewhere in them. That tell a story. That show who I am as an artist. If that's what you call me, anyway.

6.Create a love/hate list. I've been working on this list for years. Mentally, at least. And well, if you know me.....my mental memory doesn't perform quite as it should since having my children. Hence, the WRITTEN down list. I've started writing down a list of all of the people, places, moments, things, stuff that I love. Or even that I like a lot.  Those little things that happen that are so small.....every single day....that make up me.  I think when the year is over, I'll have a clearer picture. No pun intended.  The hate part....well maybe I should say, DISLIKE or the NOT SO MUCH" list. I am proud to say though, that I usually focus on the LOVE list more often than I do the other. But we're searching for balance here, correct?  The yin and yang. The black and white. The plus and the minus. For example........one little thing that comes to mind that is silly but that irks the doodle out of me is.....sheets not being fully dried when retreived from the dryer. The corners are always twisted and bunched up and still WET. ugh. ugh. ugh. They need two, and sometimes three rounds. You know, the fluff cycle. I don't know why. The darn sheets. Insert chuckle.

 

7.Isn't SIX enough for now?


8.OH wait....need to hold myself accountable for my health. i.e.going to the gym. I love going to the gym. I really do. I love being fit and healthy. Unfortunately, for the past 9 months I've take a hiatus and it's not good. Not good for my brain or my body. Trust me. So, I'll drink more water and go to the gym. Tomorrow.  Insert CRACK UP LAUGHING.
9.Try to post photographs that are relevant to the post if I can. Unlike I did today.  Sometimes eye candy is all we need right?

2009....is that YOU?

Guess it is.  It really is. Wheeeewwwww.....that was quick.  Didn't I JUST say a few days ago that my renewed spirit of 2009 was kicking in and I would try to be blogging about every other day or so?  Oh, yeah.  That was about 4 weeks ago. Wow.  Gotta love being too busy to blog. Or breathe, for that matter.  So, 2008 left and 2009 has blown on in here with gusts up to 120 miles per hour.  Wreaking havoc on everything in it's path. Well, mainly just my sense of time and obligations.  Once you fall off the band wagon though, it's hard to get back up because you feel so......behind. Like no matter how much and how fast you type, you'll never be able to convey all that's been happening.  Big things, small things, irrelevant and mundane things, profound things.  All of it seems to matter enough to blog about and if I don't get with it I won't even have a band wagon to jump on anymore!   So , here's the rundown.....

I became an aunt. Again.  I missed the birth.  And hated that.  He is beautiful and happy and healthy and is gracing the face of my first post of the year.  Because he deserves it! More on him in a minute. Christmas came and went.  Santa was good. Not great, but GOOD.  He brought the Wii which I vivaciously fought off the urge to pursue in previous years but fell ubundantly short on this year. And you know what?  The kids love. I LOVE it.  Everyone seems to love it. Even if it tells me my Wii Age is 43.  And EVEN if it was only a few days before my 33rd BIRTHDAY. (insert ugly and nasty comment with eyes rolling into back of head here) Celebrated that 33rd birthday on the 3rd, which you all know will be my last magical birthday.  Unless, of course......I make it to 333 on the 3rd of January in the year........2342.  Well, maybe if Barrack plans on doling out those miracle he talked about, I might have a chance to make it that long but no one is holding their breath here. HeeHee.  Just kidding my lovely little Dem Friends.  Back to my point......it was a magical birthday indeed.  I spent the weekend in Atlanta shopping at one of my new favorite places, IKEA, for the better part of my day (organizational heaven and massive visual overload all at once), then had lunch alone at Whole Foods, and then went to see my sweet BFF in Midtown and we shared stories over....none other than the scrumptious Yoforia.  I dream about Yoforia.  Often. Shopping alone all day, having a peaceful lunch and then spending the night with a BFF on a full tummy of froyo.  Pure heaven.  Mom and Lily rode up to the ATL with me but spent time north of the city with relatives who we just love. It was nice to make the trip with them and was so glad mom got to see some of the big city.  But she has big plans for next time....as long as she doesn't have to drive!  Anything more than two lanes of traffic gets her upset, so you can imagine the fun of us driving up into about 6 or 7 seven lanes of interstate late on Friday night. Gulp. She says, "And to think that YOU would grow up to be a big city girl.  I just can't beleive it!"  Gotta love mom.  SMOOCH.  New Year's eve was low key and we spent it with some great friends. Didn't make it to midnight though. What's new?  Now about that..........NOAH MICHAEL CHAUVIN.   My little brother (well, at my age, 30 seems little doesn't it?) and his darling wife brought the most precious little bundle of Chauvin love into the world that  you can imagine.  He is like a little ball of blonde FUR. JUST like Jay Michael when he was born. And we have the photographs to prove it.  It is amazing how much he looks like my brother but manages to squeeze some of that adorable mom of his in there!

I've blogged about siblings having babies before...when my little tiger of a kid, JohnDavid snagged a big chunk of my heart over two years ago.  It truly is the closes thing you can imagine to loving your own children. It is undeniable and unmistaken.....the feeling you have when you get to hold and look at your siblings children. Jay Michael and Kristin are BURSTING with love for this little guy.  To hear my brother talk about his baby boy with such vigor and pride and flawless love and..........ahhhh......it's just beautiful. He is the most beautiful little creature who will be one of the lucky ones.  One of the children who were chosen to have selfless and open and loving parents to bring them into the world. To shelter, protect, and to encourage. Miracles abound as 2008 floats away and 2009 plops itself right down in my lap.

And thank goodness for that.

 

  It was a tough one gang that 2008.  BUT...as 2009 wraps it's big
snuggly wuggly self around me, I am happy to feel warm (well, NOT in JANUARY in FLORIDA for
> 'peeps" sake....as my daughter would say when she was a tot) and cozy and
content with embracing everything that I HOPE 2009 will be.  This poor little
thing I call a blog and has been horribly neglected, but no more my
friends......it's on THE LIST.  Again. (after I promised on the 15th of december. remember?) You know, that amazing list that everyone starts
out the year with.  The one that holds you to higher standards than you are
usually willing to be held to.  Because it's a New Year and it feels GOOD to
start over.  Be fresh. Be clear. Be fun. Be new.  Get organized.  Figure out
what's really important.  Reinvent yourself.  Or your priorities. Or both. 
Learn something new and exciting.  Push the limits. 

>
>Speaking of that. ..... La 182 already has 5 weddings on the books for 2009....Yipppeeee!!!   My sister and I will be traveling to Vegas in
February to the WPPI convention, which happened on a whim sometime last
week.......a spontaneous combustion of our blog stalking, forum scouring, and
exhaustion.  One night late when we found tickets to vegas half off we decided
that we would take 48 measly little hours and fly off to THE photography
convention of the year!!   Apparently it is the place to be, so we've decided that if we're gonna do it, we might as well get busy doing it  Some sort of wedding workshop will be in order as
well this coming year, along with new pricing and offerings.  Did I mention I have two kids?  Oh,
yeah.....them.  Those two are something else.  I have them on the list too. Well, I have trying to be a better mom on the list. But goodness, I don't need a new year to try and convince myself to be better.  I do that daily. REally.  LIke yesterday when I swore I would trade them both in for cats.  And I don't like CATS.  So there.........good mom sometimes, bad mom sometimes.  It's all I can muster up right now.  But.......took them bowling for the first time (well, it was Laws' idea...for the first time) this past Sunday night and it was a lot of fun.  Maybe the obsession with pumpkins and pretending to be Stella Luna will subside and the bowling alley will take their place.  Lord knows, I could use a reprieve from the pumpkins. ;)

Enjoy these sweet, sweet photographs of the newest addition to my family and hold on tight as I try to get a grip.  A new fancy blog with bigger and better pictures is in the works as well as a new brand for my wedding side of the business.......so much in store!  I have LOADS of photos to share with you guys from previous sessions and hope to wrap all of those up by the first of Feb. WEddings and all new sessions will start up on the 1st of Feb....with the exception of an egagement session this coming weekend in Baton Rouge at Houmas House Plantation. Yummy!

Welcome back....to any and all of the patient and diligent follower's of Evelyn Laws PHotography.  And just plain 'ol evelyn laws.  Love you guys and it's gonna be a wild ride this coming year, but hop on board and let's see what this thing called life has to offer this time around. Gulp.

Trotting along.... with a few personal notes...

AHH....so many thoughts run, or rather RACE, through my head as I sit throughout my day (or drive, or cleanup, or feed kiddies, or edit photographs, or talk to my BFF) that I feel as though I should start to put my nifty little iPhone notes to good use.  Even while lying in bed at night, with Laws' skinny little arms wrapped around my neck as he doses off to the land of nod, I find so many wonderful thoughts and things to talk about it, write about, be thankful for.  There are just so many I get wrapped up in the moment and then.....POOF.  There are papers to fill out for school, the dishes still need to be done (note to self:  yogurt spoon still in his lunch box.  will rot if i don't remember to put in dishwasher), tuition checks paid, check bank accounts so that we can pay said tuition, make sure sheets get turned on in dryer again (pet peeve:  sheets not completely dry.  like when they get all twisted and those nasty little parts stay wet. ugh.), revamp diet plan for the week (you know that changes weekly, depending on my sweet tooth.  hence, the extra 10 pounds since June), make a life list, pay taxes (not going there AGAIN!)......

So you see everyone....I am well intentioned to keep you in the KNOW with me and us and them and it.........oh, you get what I mean right?  I just run so many wonderful things through little filters all day waiting for the chance to bring it to the blog but somehow they never make it.  And frankly, I just have a hard time being......I don't know the word...superficial....for the sake of having something to write about or to put up here. I always want to have good content that I can talk openly about and not 

....."This is Jim and Sara.....and what a cute couple.  And these are their kids, Sue and Jack....aren't they cute too?"  post.

SO, with the coming of 2009 and the start of a new year and I have started with one of the things on my life list and that is to blog at least every other day and to add precious and funny and relevant and irrelevant content so that my clients, friends, family, and potential clients can have something to enjoy or something to look forward to.  Hopefully I can find something enlightening or funny (if you don't have humor, then WHAT exactly DO you have right?) or interesting to share.  Even if it's just a thought or two.  2009...here I come.  

As the holiday season approaches, I sit and look around at the busyness of everyone and everything but am finally able to (after the complete mad dash of client holiday sessions and Christmas card orders) just be.  I'm not sure what just BEING means but I embrace every Christmas season with a sense of magic and wonder and this year seems to be putting a tiny, but much needed, spring in my step in terms of being a mom and enjoying BOTH of my children.

  The past few years with Laws have literally been some of the most difficult that I can remember.  Last year at this time my heart was broken.  So tattered and frayed and worn. But mostly broken.  Broken because I felt like he was so broken. Beautiful in every way, but just broken.  The wall of an indescribable nothingness that kept him from us.  The mysterious cloud that surrounded his spirit and his face.  It was like I couldn't even SEE his face. Even though looking at him and his beauty made my insides hurt, I was staring at eyes that had nothing but grey matter behind them.  The words that do not come, the words that don't describe what we SEE when we really LOOK INTO our children's eyes still escape me.  There is something about what you feel in your heart when you look into the eyes of even a baby that seems to say....I LOVE YOU. Or I"M HERE with YOU.  Those unexplained feelings, those organic moments that happen so naturally with a typical child just DON'T with a child that has autism.  And last year, they didn't with Laws.  But this year......I see a spirit. The mountain of AUTISM that surrounded him and me and and us and my thoughts seemed insurmountable on most days.  The thought that at 3.5 years he had no clue who Santa was or why we opened presents or the point of presents or Christmas, for that matter, was sickening to me.  The repetitive words and ear piercing shrieks every few minutes started to make me weak.  I felt like on some days I would just collapse with this child that was mine and whom I would die for but couldn't seem to find. 

Over the course of this past year, after many hours of ABA therapy and a regular preschool (in which we have an aid that accompanies him for about half of his 16 hour school week) where he is required to participate and do the things that all of his peers are doing......he has come a long way. No doubt.  I pray so hard every day.  I beg for his recovery.  I ASK for a pardon for him.  I plead with St. Michael the Archangel and our Mother Mary to bring him to US.  To open up his brain, the pathways, the connections......to take whatever it is that Autism is stealing from him and give it back.  And you know, some days I think they are listening.  Some days I feel as though all of the prayers and all of the therapy and all of the love that is given to him is helping.  He has become so social and loving and we have seen so many wondrous clues as to who Laws really is.  Who this gift that we have been given is supposed to be to the world.  It is humbling and amazing.  If ever there was a mom to love their child out of autism, it will be me.  I know that in reality he will always have autism. He will always be different. But I will never......for the rest of my life.....quit trying. Never quit praying. Never quit asking.

Yet, I will forever wonder why.  Why me. Why us.  There is a reason, surely....and you know.....there are some days I see it. I see what joy he brings to us and dumbfounded at what he has taught me.  What he has taught Lily.  The beautiful, magnificent soul that she is.  One of my other only hopes for him is that he realizes one day the magnitude of her love for him.  

Sneak Peek..........and Addictions.

I just had to give this family a little sneak peek of their adorable family session today because I am so THRILLED  with the results.  YIIIIPPPPPEEEEEEEE!!!! Now, I really need to be in bed trying to catch those precious ZZZ's, but most of you know I cannot help myself.  Like Lily told me today....."Mom, you know some people can have addictions to the computer and I think you have that." WOW.  One of those rare, precious moments of being recognized as one darn good mom. LOVE IT.  LOVE that my sweet darling daughter thinks that I don't have the power to break away from the computer and that my level of guilt just got bumped up past the National Security level of RED.  Maybe I need a 12 step program.  ;)  Or maybe one day I'll learn that sacrifice is a word that is beyond synonymous with PARENT. You know, I'm reading this amazingly funny, yet painfully truthful book about "reinventing modern motherhood" called I WAS A REALLY GOOD MOM before I HAD KIDS. 

 

And goodness gang, I think these two women wrote the book for me.  And a few of my good friends.  Come to think of it, me and one of my best friends since birth (well, you know what I mean!) SHOULD have written this very same book.  I haven't gotten very far yet but have laughed quite hard at the the honest truth that so many mom's just fail to recognize......which is........despite loving our children with everything that we have, we are not loving MOTHERHOOD  with the same zest and emphatic spunk that we should. Or that we THOUGHT we would.  That innate feeling of unconditional and undying love seems to come most when the kids are asleep doesn't it?  The premise for pseudo happiness, from what I can gather so far, is that we have TOO MANY CHOICES and UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS of ourselves as mothers.  And as much as I like to have lots to choose from for my children, having too many choices can make a mom who is already stretched so thin feel dazed and confused.........and......challenged.  One mom was quoted in the book when being asked if she was really happy, saying, "Happy?  Am I really happy?  I think the word that can best describe me is CHALLENGED."  GOD I LOVE THAT WOMAN.  ;)

And goodness, when I see photographs like this of a child, whether it's mine or not, I can't help but feel so thankful for all of these little bodies running around bringing so much chaotic LOVE and joy to the world.  BUT.....there's always a BUT right?.....if we are truly honest with ourselves and we quit comparing ourselves to what and who we THINK the other moms are we would see that we are all in this together.  REALLY. Some moms can fool everyone into thinking they have it all together but no one ever knows the real story.  It's probably a lot of the same guilt and failed expectations as the next mom. Being a mom is a thankless and taxing job that so many times does not COMPLETE us like we thought it would. But.....it is worth it.

So, in light of and despite that truth, I will say that I shared such a sweet little moment with Lily over the weekend that was so small and minute, but so profound for me. Lately, with my mind in a million different places at one time, have started to take notice of the things in my life that I TRULY love or even that I just genuinely like OR dislike.  (Now, this doesn't mean that I can recount them for you or even remember most of them....but I'm trying to make little mental sticky notes. Trouble is, there's a FAN that runs in my head blowing them all around up there and they get blown into the abyss most days.) And so the other day, as we were walking over to the T.T. Wentworth Museum, the wind settled in quite nicely and you could just smell the rain coming.  She looked over at me, while walking a little ahead and said, "Mom, I just love taking short walks when it's hot and the wind is blowing.  ESPECIALLY right before it rains."  And I said, "You know what?  Me too, Lily."  It's so cool when your 7 year old makes you stop to think about something as simple as this.  It is in those moments that I appreciate her being who she is and knowing that she can teach me too.   And so, that one will go down in my LIKE category as I work my way into finding out all of the things about myself that I don't know enough.  Or that I don't appreciate enough.  Even the bad stuff.......it's all me.  Evolving and erratic.  Confused yet focused.  Dizzy but stable.  I feel like such a paradox of sorts on most days of the week....guess if i could just figure out how to have an addiction to motherhood we would all be better off huh?  HAVE A GREAT WEEK GUYS.  And more to come from my new book.  We might explore this one.....chapter by chapter.  So send all of your friends over so that they can enjoy the journey with me.  Put it this way......if you secretly wish you had your own apartment or if you find that slowly browsing the aisles at Target by yourself feels like therapy.......come over and visit.  And for God's sake.........when you're in Target......buy the book written by Trisha Ashworth and Amy Nobile.  :)

THE TUCKER CLAN......I mentioned in my wedding post a few days ago that I got to see one of my dearest friends while in Lafayette and got to take some fun photos of Lily with her children having fun and playing alondside the Vermillion river. We joined one another at her sister Molly's house, so I snuck a few of her two beauties, May and Trip. AHHHH.......this family is to die for!  I carry on such a beautiful and interesting relationship with so many of my friends from afar and on the telephone.......that when I see them it makes me miss them even more.  It imprints the bond that we have from so far away with a FACE. And it is wonderful. Wonderful to have gotten such a rare treat for such a short visit. I busted out that camera of mine when no one really was expecting it.  Drank wine. And shot away.

 

Sure had a ball too!! I MISS YOU JULES!!  Way up in darn Charlotte and she's a Louisiana girl y'all!!!!  One of these days.....we'll be going to the drive through the Daquiri Shop together thinking about the good 'ol days most likely wondering why we thought moving back home was such a great idea in the first place!  We're good like that....Me and Jules.....we just can't seem to make sense of it all, but are always aware that when we think we've LOST IT.......we should just pick up that telephone! Most likely the other one has a story that should make the caller who thought their life or their day was crazy feel a whole lot better! LOL!! 

  Julie will be spending the next two weeks in Louisiana soaking up the hot, muggy,  downhome, cajun Louisiana lifestyle with all of her family.  She is salt of the earth and one of the people who I can call with the REAL DEAL. You know those folks I'm talking about. The ones who KNOW you, but love you anyway.  Crazy or not. HEEHEE.

I simply cannot wait to get back down there to have a real session with little May and Mr. Trip.......should be lining that up soon!  As for Caroline and Stuart.....well guys, just tell your mom and dad to come on back home and we take all the photos you like. Hint, Hint. 

 

 

And a rare occurence when something like this happens....May was outside playing with her grandmother and the big kids when she walked up the bedroom window checking out her baby brother!  She's probably thinking....."Why did YOU have to come along and take over the thrown, you little....THING!" ;) 

And he's going, "Joke's on Her gang!"  Gosh I love these photos......

Louisiana Wedding and a little SLEEP....zzzz......

So, here I am finally.....back to blogging!  Goodness I miss this when I'm away, but DARN....it's so hard to keep up!  I returned from Franklin on Sunday night after having gotten the opportunity to second shoot with my sister for our cousin, Jacob and his beautiful bride, Sarah's wedding.  

What a whirlwind it was for me driving in just in time to be at the evening ceremony!!  I had not gotten much sleep the two nights prior to this trip and then drove 330 miles to get there , so was not working with a full creative cup at this point!!  Nonetheless......and despite Jacob's lack of desire to have his photograph taken, I managed to pull off some amazing shots  that I know they will enjoy for a very long time.  I've learned my lesson, however, on trying to do too much with little in the reserve!!  I was completely exhausted but had a wonderful time and was honored to be part of their special day.  Granted........the last time I really spent time with Jacob was when Billie and I used to babysit for he and his sister, Stephanie when they were young children!!  He has grown into such a handsome young man and am very happy for he and Sarah.  Very young, yet very devout Catholics who I know will lead a happy and fulfilled life together. Not to mention how gorgeous their babies will be! ;)  And so, after all of this excitement and fun I went back to Mam and Papa's house and CRASHED. Seriously, my parent's house is a sleeping paradise when no one is around (i.e. KIDS) and I hit that back bedroom without crawling out until 11:30 the next morning.  Yes, you read right.....11:30 people.  Do you know how long it's been since I've slept until 11:30.  GEEEEEZZZZZ, it had to have been college.  AH, the good 'ol days for us moms, huh?  With the whirring of the window unit back there I think I went comatose for 11 solid hours.  And you know, SLEEP does actually help the dark circles that tend to accumulate under one woman's eyes who is tired, run down, and worn out!!!! I did the same thing the next night and so returned to Pensacola well rested with some cool wedding photos to boot!

Not to mention I got to see my DEAR, DEAR friend Jules in Lafayette on Saturday.  What a treat it was to see her and her family!!  She and Mike live in Charlotte these days, but we are dreaming of a Louisiana Lowdown.....or MOVEdown, I guess I should say! Teehee!  Dreaming of us BOTH moving back home to raise our little babies the CAJUN way.  Which might not be the RIGHT way, but hey......can't help where you're from right?  And at least we have fun down in those parts, that's for sure!

Congratulations to you both....Jacob and Sarah....it was a pleasure to photograph one of the most special days of the rest of your lives.

  

 

Something Fun

Still have so many more photos to show from both New Orleans trips, but wanted to post a few of the ones of my Lawsy Boy!  We did a little photo shoot with him the other day and yesterday, Emmy got some cute ones of he and I laying on the floor together.   I let her do some fun updated fotos of me too and wow........I LOVE being BEHIND the camera.  I didn't realize just how difficult it really is to be on the other side of the lens, but it was fun anyway.  HOT and BUGGY, but fun.  Em did a great job and now I have a few fotos to change out ont the site, the blog, and on FaceBook .Thought they would be fun to share.........and will post more this coming week.  Off to finish my packing.  Going back to Pensacola.  :(

I mean, c'mon people......let's all sing......."You are my Sunshine, my only Sunshine......"

Hee Hee! 

NOLA's always a good time.....

Not much time to write tonight, but thought I should post a few of the photos that I took while on my French Quarter photo shoot on Thursday...........with help from none other than photographer assistant extradonaire and old college bud, Mr. Chad Howat.  He was gracious enough to spend his evening strolling around aimlessly in the Quarter helping me change out lenses at the drop of a hat and to offer food and drink service as needed. HeeHee  ;)  I didn't quite FEEL the creativity flowing as much as I needed it to, but turns out I got some nice photographs that might even look nice blown up.  Guess finding a happy place in New Orleans doesn't always lead to award winning photographs though, huh?

These two above are ones taken from the ferry, and while not completely in focus........I think they turned out pretty darn good for being that dark and that late. ;)  Not to mention the RUNNING in bare feet I had to do to actually make the boat!!  Oh, this trip was a.....well....TRIP!!!  Enjoy the photos and maybe I'll post more later. Just got back from my second trip to Big Easy in 3 days, so will post fotos from that trip soon!  Happy Father's Day to all of the amazing dads out there...........I am so blessed to be surrounded by many wonderful men who love being a father and love being good at it too!!!  I don't know where I would be without my dad, as he is a man of no comparison.  Truly an insipiration. 

Fun Fotos and no more HAIR!!

I just returned to Franklin today after a very fun night in New Orleans shooting in the French Quarter with an old friend (and pretty darn good photo assisitant, i might add!) and thought I would post some fotos of our kiddies from this past week!  Lily and Laws' little cousin John David is 20 months and a FIREBALL if I've ever seen one.  This little cajun roughneck is ALL BOY and can tear up a house in about 0.2 seconds!  He is the funniest child with a beautiful face to boot.  We are soaking up all the time we can with him and Lily just LOVES being around him and "babysitting" makes her feel so grown up.  Laws could do without him, of course, but it's good that John David is SO IN HIS FACE.  Keeps Laws on his toes, you know?!

And speaking of LAWS.........the poor little kid...........his momma and his Emmy BOTCHED his gorgeous sun streaked long hair!!  A little sad, I might be, but realized as we were bored to tears sitting in Franklin and needing something to do that I was ready.  Ready to see him look like a big boy and ready to really see his beautiful FACE. 

And while this is not the best photo I've taken or th best photo of him.WHAT A DIFFERENCE HUH?  As you can tell we still have a little touching up to do, but this took 6 hours of me, Em, and DJ working on it while he was semi to fully distracted just get the job done.  I still can't tell if it's that he really has sensory issues or just doesn't like someone cutting his hair....hard to say. But I will say that it was TOUGH. But it's over and now we just have more to work with in terms of getting it looking like a nice little BIG BOY HAIRCUT. ;)  Send me well wishes on this one...PLEEEEZZZ!!

But on to some fun, lighthearted news.............my mom's good friend did an AMAZING tea party for the second year in a row for Lily and some of her Franklin friends today.  Here are a few of the photos that I took of Emmy doing her hair and the final LOOK for the tea.  I was so bummed that I did not make it, as I had to keep Laws and John David.  But Lily was in heaven, as is usual while here, at Mrs. B's Second Annual Franklin Tea Party............complete with gummy worm and fruit ice cubes, homemade cookie cake, M&M's, and all sorts of other goodies.

I was amazed too, at how much it seems on some days that my Lily is changing and growing up so much.  That milky white skin and gorgeous lips and eyes makes my heart skip a beat every time I see them.  (although, we all know my arythmia has permanently moved in and i'm always skipping beats ;)) I hesitate to think about how much she will change in the coming years and sometimes do dare to dream about the little lady she will become. Maybe that's why I have an irregular heartbeat?  More photos to come tomorrow of my shoot of the French Quarter...........

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