That great smile!

Doesn't she just have the most inviting smile? It's contagious!
Aimee and I spent several hours out in the cold a few weeks ago. But we came away with some of the greatest shots! I was really thankful to have such a gracious subject that could withstand the temperature and still look like she was having a great time.



I am so honored to be able to take pictures of these great kids. They are so busy. I love to get to spend a few hours with them and get to know them a little bit.
We have known Aimee's family for many years now. She has two really fun brother's. In fact, you can find one (Nich) on this blog just a few pages back. They are all such wonderful people and I was so pleased to get to talk with Aimee about the rest of her year and her future plans.
She is a dancer in the local high school drill team and needed the shots for an upcoming show. I think we got some great ones!



Good luck in the Spring Show, Aimee! You are a beautiful girl with a sweet spirit about you. I love your family and appreciate their support of my work.
Enjoy these last few months as a high school senior. I'm excited for you as you look forward to your next few years in college.

Looking good at 32 degrees!

I've got to hand it to these girls who need senior pictures done this time of year. It's COLD outside - but they take the cutest pictures in clothes that you would normally wear on a bright summer day. And they ROCK it!
Alicia and I went out on a day that couldn't have been much above freezing. How she kept that sweet smile going I'll never know. But smile she did - beautifully! With a model thin body she didn't have much to keep her warm after the coat came off. But she was a real trooper. Here are some of my favorites from our shoot.





No complaints from this girl as we snapped away. I don't know what she has planned for the next few years but I think she would be great doing this professionally. She sure made my job easy.








Such a beautiful girl!

I sure had a great time with you and your mom, Alicia! Thank you for allowing me to take your senior pictures. Can't think of two nicer people to spend a day out in the cold with.

Sandra

Baby girl!

I've been doing some fun things lately! One of them being photographing this beautiful baby girl. Her name is Hannah and she is the precious grand baby of a sweet friend.

Photographing babies is still new to me but this little girl was so great and her mom and grammy had so many cute clothes for her to wear that we couldn't miss.

Take a look at the fun we had!

Hannah, you are certainly loved!

Sandra

The Fun of Family!

In December I got to shoot a session of a beautiful family that I happen to love dearly. From Mom and Dad down to the cuddliest baby boy - they are each unique and precious.

Smiles were abundant - which made it really easy for me! And the fact that the kids are adorable AND easy going gave us plenty of time to get some great shots!

I wish I could tell you just some of the wonderful things my friends are doing to raise their children to be very loving and sensitive to others. OK, I will! This summer they took their two oldest kids with them to Africa for a medical mission trip. The kids became fast friends with many of the children in the cities where they stayed and learned the beauty of a different culture. The four of them were very giving in so many ways.

I love every time I talk with them and hear about their day to day lives. It's always fun with four little ones!

They put together a great Christmas card with some of their pictures! Here are some of them. Enjoy!

Sandra

Haleigh - Happy Senior Year!

This weekend I got to photograph the daughter of a dear friend of mine. She and I have daughters the same age. We got to know each other during a crazy busy school year when our daughters shared the job of Cheerleader Captain. Of course that means she and I were thrown together to do a job that we learned by trial and error. We laughed a lot and sometimes felt like crying. But I can't think of a more wonderful person to get to share that special time with.

And now her youngest has come to the same place in her life and is no less busy. She is captain of the high school country dance group and probably helping in many other areas at the school that I don't even know about. Her name is Haleigh, and though I'm sure she is very different in many ways from her sister - they both exude the same confidence, humility and beautiful presence.

I was so happy to get to spend time with both Haleigh and her mom! We had a great time out in the beautiful fall weather and got some beautiful shots.

Have a great time this year, Haleigh! I know it will fly by and you will wonder where it has gone by next May. But soak up as much as you can. Enjoy the relationships, don't miss the opportunity to make a memory you wont forget. Love your momma! Cause she will miss you next year.

Thank you for a wonderful time at our session!

Sandra

Charlie and the Sunflowers

Nothing much going on right now. Just thought I'd leave you with something beautiful and happy.

Sandra

Transition

Well, it's a transition time in my photography business. Since I take a lot of Senior Portraits - the summertime is not a busy time due to the hot Texas summers. But the season is ramping up for Fall pictures and I am looking forward to those I have already talked to and begun to set up.

It is also a transition time in our family with the kids going back to college next week. I am always surprised at how sad I get when they go back - even though I have gone through this many times now. We just get used to having them here and then it's time for them to go back.

Though transition is hard, I think we always learn and grow from it! I know I do.

And I get the tiniest little bit of excitement knowing that soon I can clean a room and it wont get messed up again in 5 minutes. Haha! I wont have to empty the dishwasher 3 times a day and I can finally take the time to organize and finish cleaning out my closet. I would always rather spend time with my kids instead of taking care of that sort of thing, and I usually do.

We lay out at the pool when I should be buying groceries because their days are coming to an end to be home for the summer. We stay up late with friends over, playing games and being crazy silly because there wont be time to sleep in when our schedules get back to normal in a few weeks. We sit and talk and laugh over a long dinner just to catch up and catch every minute that we can together before they are 2 hours away again.

Things are good! And they are as they should be. They will leave and we will go visit. We will enjoy the wonderful relationship we have with our grown and married daughter and son-in-law who live here in Dallas. We will pick up movie nights with our friends that we have put off since their kids and our kids have been home these past weeks. And we will look forward to a daughter graduating in December and seeing where her plans might take her. (Maybe home for a bit to save some money on rent. That would be fun!!))

I don't know how it will all go - but I know it is all in God's plan and I don't need to be sad for the change because He takes care of each of us whether our family is together or apart. And sometimes "apart" is the best way for us to grow. All of us, even me.

Thank goodness I have a great husband who isn't quiet as sentimental as I am and can help me through these transitions.

So I will look forward to the transition as much as possible. Maybe I will have LOTS of senior pictures to do to keep me busy. I hope so! I love meeting those fresh new faces full of excitement for the new school year.