I'm back....

...And boy does it feel *GOOD*!! I've been with out the internet for nearly 3 (THREE!!!) weeks.... but as of this afternoon, I'm back! I never realized how much I'd miss it, till it was gone. It's pretty amazing how much of my life (not to mention my photography business) is wrapped up in this amazing, little illuminated screen that sits so nicely on my big, black desk. I can't even tell you how many times I wanted to blog, work on a picture, shop online, look up the number to Pizza Hut (who needs an actual phone book anymore when you got the web?), etc and all I had was the tiny screen on my iPhone to do it on. Well, actually, I can't work on my photography on my iPhone... all I can really do on there is check out a website or two... Or look up a phone number. And even those internet privileges starts to seem annoying when all you've got for nearly 3 weeks is an iPhone's tiny screen to look at!

Anyhow, needless to say, the point of this totally boring post was just to let you all out there in The Land of the Internet know that I am still alive and well...

My move is complete.

We are *almost* all settled in.

Christmas was hectic, crazy, and a blur... but it went well.

And, now I am back up on the world wide web.

So, expect to see more of me soon and expect more timely email replies.

And, since no post is complete with out a photo... here is a random photo of a little pig. I saw this little guy in my daughter's room when we were moving and thought he needed his photo taken. He looks so lonely.

Later, reata

Hang in there.

I'm still here, I promise.... I know I've been a little MIA over the last week or so, but it's with good reason. Not only is it the holiday season and I've been finishing up all the editing from holiday sessions and doing my Christmas shopping, BUT I've also been packing. Yes, packing. I'm moving... in 2 days! I'm super excited about the new house, but goodness... this is the. worst. time. of the year for me to be trying to move!

So, if I reply to emails slower than normal or return phone calls slower than normal... Just be aware that I'm literally up to my ears in boxes and packing paper at the moment... Be patient and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!

However, if you are wanting to book a session for 2009, please don't hesitate to contact me regardless of my moving situation. January is already starting to fill up and I assume February will book quickly as well. So, let me know if you want to get in for a session!

And, since I can't post on this blog without including something fun... Here is a youtube video that my cousin sent to me that I find super duper amazing. I am a very, very intermediate guitar player and so when I see a really amazing guitarist... I am always stunned. This particular guitarist is extrememly stunning... he's only a child. He leaves me speachless... If I could only be 1/4 as good as him, I'd become a rock star. ;)

Snow!

Can you even believe this stroke of Christmas season luck? It's snowing! In TEXAS!

Of course, it's not really sticking to the ground or anything.... and there's only like 5 or 6 snowflakes visible at any given moment.... and by Saturday the high here is 70... But whatever. All that really matters right now to me and my little girls in this very moment is that we have actual snowflakes falling slowly to the ground!

Oh... One more thing: Only minutes before I started to write this post, my oldest little girl came up to me and asked me if I was SANTA? What was I to say? I couldn't believe it.... I mean, she's in 4th grade now, so I *knew* this would happen soon... But, still. I couldn't believe it. So, eventually after questioning her for about 10 minutes about where she got such a ridiculous idea, I finally confessed. She had me cornered... I had no other choice. Of course, she then asked... So, does this mean your the toothfairy too? And, what about the Easter Bunny??

28 Years Ago Today.

*Photo by Bob Gruen.

On December 8th, 1980, John Lennon was gunned down in front of his NYC apartment building, The Dakota, by a delusional fan named Mark David Chapman, a man obsessed with the book The Catcher In the Rye. Lennon was shot 5 times by Chapman, after returning home from the recording studio. John's wife Yoko Ono watched in disbelief. Earlier that evening, Chapman had Lennon sign his Double Fantasy album and photographer Paul Goresh happened to be there and got a picture of the event.

I'm one of the many, many fans of John's. It's so horrible that he was murdered.... for no good reason. The contributions he made to the music world (during and after The Beatles) are huge and I don't think any one would argue with that. Let's remember John's music today and be glad of the wonderful songs he left us to listen to.

My new do.

Well, it's not really "new" because I've been cutting & coloring it like this for quite sometime, but yesterday when I went in for my hair cut appt... I left feeling absolutely delicious and quite like a rock star! My fabulous stylist, Lynn, *gets* it. She *knows* hair. She *understands* it. And, she is completely passionate about creating sensational hair everytime she works.

And that's why I love her!

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Lynn! I love my hair.... and, thanks for sending me the photo that you took of me too! ;)

To make an appointment with the Fabulous Lynn from Hair By Lynn, call 832.264.6053 and tell her that Reata sent you! :)

Share God's Bounty.

I totally forgot... Yesterday when I was blogging about how crazy I was for taking on 4 sessions during the week of Thanksgiving, I totally forgot to mention that I was the photographer for a HUGE event called Share God's Bounty at St. Laurence Catholic Parish in Sugar Land, as well! The church fed 800 families Thanksgiving dinner... isn't that amazing?! I was literally walking around in a sea of turkey, mashed potatoes, and yams trying to snap photos of the hundreds of volunteers. [ Seriously. Have you ever seen 800 frozen turkeys? Well, I have. And let me tell you... it's pretty intense. ] I was so happy to be there... I felt really lucky to be the volunteer photographer! :)



the catholic school was the headquarters for all the food.



some gravy and scripture... the scripture is the gravy, right?



some of the turkey toters:



there were 1600 boxes... each family got 2 boxes of food.



some hardworking volunteers:



me and my sis-in-law:

a gift.

my little girl brought me a gift this afternoon that made my heart melt... a dead, dried up flower from our flowerbed. she was so proud to give it to me and she couldn't wait to put it in a vase (baby food jar) and give it a drink.... it was very thirsty (read as: brittle/dead/a goner). moments like these are what being a parent is all about. :)

randomocity.

Warning: This post is very random and has no point, other than to amuse myself and my husband.

For some odd reason, I've been holding out on posting any of the photos I took while in NYC waaaay back in September and I'm finally ready to share. Well, okay, it's not really for some "odd reason"... I know the reason, it's not a mystery to me. Basically, in a nutshell, I don't think I got any good shots while there! My husband and I were so busy enjoying ourselves and our time without kids that seriously, I hardly even took any! And then, the ones I did take, kinda... well, they kinda suck. In my own defense though, I was on a moving tour bus while taking about 99% of all the photos I took... so there. That's my excuse.

Guess this is a good place to start:

They call him "The Naked Cowboy". He stands in the middle of Time Square. Playing a guitar. Naked. Making money. Tough life.

And, yes... I know it's blurry. Tour bus, remember?

Moving right along...

This is mine and my husband's shadow in the lake in Central Park... I'm the shadow on the left.

On top of the Empire State Building:

Visiting Strawberry Fields which is across from the Dakota Building, where John Lennon lived when he was shot.

Visiting the Statue of Liberty... You can *barely* see it in the background... Look closely:

And my husband! I really *love* this photo of him... I love how the light is coming in from behind him:

Me, slightly upset and LOST, in NYC... did I mention I was tired too? We walked OVER 180 blocks the day before! (isn't that isane?)

Well, that's all I got from NYC... Some of my favorite shots of iconic buildings didn't turn out too good due to the moving bus factor. Oh well... guess I need to take another trip. ;)

On to more randomness... I edited these two shots last night and I am in love with them:

love, love, love them both!

well, good night to all... I'm off to a date with my hubbie now! Music and drinks at the Sugar Land Town Hall jazz concert... should be relaxing and fun!

xoxo, reata

costume parade.

let the halloween costume parade begin! here are some of the sweeties from yesterday's halloween mini-sessions....... enjoy! :)

soooo adorable!

[btw, my *nearly*4 yr old saw the above photo of little snow white and thought she was a doll!]

she's such a happy little thing... so cute!

*love* this b/w:

okay. seriously. how cute is this cowboy?!?!

isn't she just so cute?! just wanna squeeze & hug her!

xoxo, reata

halloween special.

halloween mini-sessions are here!

what? costume clad kids striking ghoulish poses

when? october 26th

where? richmond, texas

how much? $20

here's what you get:

15 minute mini-session*

5 - 10 ghoulish proofs in a password protected gallery

2 FREE 5x7s

*limited to ONE child per mini-session

email to set up an appointment... limited slots available!

reata@sugarshotsphotographysite.com

Download PDF flyer HERE

to distribute to friends & family everywhere!

ike, the storm.

what a sunset... what a storm! goodness, i can't even begin to tell you how scared i was in the few hours before hurricane ike hit this past week. there's just something about mother nature and the fierce way she can treat us sometimes that freaks me out... i guess it's because the destiny of your home, land, material possessions, and... um... life is *almost* completely out of your control during a storm such as a hurricane.

i am *very* glad to say though that besides some minor damage to my fence, me and my family are perfectly safe! we were without power for a few days, but we are some of the lucky ones that have it back up now. there are still thousands (hundreds of thousands, actually) who are still without power... in the texas heat. yuck!

here are two more photos of the sunset we had right before the storm hit... these were taken in my mother & father-in-law's backyard... simply amazing!

it looked as though Jesus should have been rising out of these clouds... it was seriously STUNNING!
okay, i'll be back to post more later! i am leaving for NYC tomorrow with my hubbie for our anniversary! woo hoo!! we are so pumped up! :)

xoxo, reata

sarah.e.evans. etcetera, etcetera.

gee whiz?! this is what i call fun... designing kick ass logos, creating awesome photographic memories, and working with cool people. i mean really, does it get any better than this?! aside from my family, i think this is *the* greatest thing since sliced bread!

anyhow, i had loads of fun designing this fun, hip, fresh look for sarah e evans photography... it's going to look great on your marketing material/website, girl! :) can't wait to catch a glimpse!

Logo:

Watermark:

and just for fun, i thought i'd throw in a photo of none other than yours truly... ME! :) [ this is where the etcetera, etcetera part comes in. ] so yeah, this is me in austin, when my hubby and i went there for our fun, little over night trip *with out* any kids. nice job on the photography, hun. ;)

xoxo, reata

squishy. little. puff-ball.

here's a few more from our trip the other weekend to fredricksburg... only have time to post a few because my love and i are heading out to Austin for a fun little over night date [withOUT the kids! :) ]!

she's soooo squishy! :)
grandma, grandpa, and little A... look at her puffy hair!

also, i am excited to announce that sugar shots is going to be shooting a wedding!

yep, that's right.... come late august, i'll be taking the role of wedding photographer and i am so pumped up about it! i'll be heading over to shirley acres in spring, texas for a day filled with all sorts of wedding fun... can't wait K and R! ;)

xoxo, reata

lovely.little.lady.

oh-me-oh-my! i have no patience for *me* tonight.... i have been working on my photos from my family's recent trip to fredricksburg, texas for the past two nights and i can't stand it any longer... i've GOT to post at least a couple! these two are of my middle A at our stop in Johnson City... these were taken at the family home of our 36th president.... lyndon b. johnson!

[ i swear. she came up with BOTH of these poses on her own! clever, huh? ]

i'll post more later. it's late. i'm tired. goodnight!

xoxo- reata

maid.like.me.

goodness me. my middle A is turning out to be *JUST* like me... when she was first born, everyone said 'oh reata! she doesn't look a thing like you... she is juuuust like Chris!' or 'my, if i didn't know better, i wouldn't even think that was your child!'

well folks, maybe she doesn't *look* like me, but she certainly does ACT like me... even down to her obsessive attention to detail and cleanliness! for weeks now, she's gotten completely into spraying things down with her little pink water bottle and cleaning them, wiping out the bathtub for hours, and even folding clothes... she even folds our dirty laundry in the hamper [so stinkin' cute!]! so, eat your heart out molly maids... cuz heeeeeeeeeeeres A!

upon entering my room the other day, i was greeted by this face...

...and this neat circle of clothes.

also, i ran across these on my computer tonight and fell in love with them again... i don't think i ever posted them!
look at how *cute* she is:

so sweet... aw!
much love.

xoxo, reata