Catching up.

Well, since my last post when I excitedly announced how I had re-gained internet access again... I once again lost it! Seriously... What the heck? I had internet service for about 2 or 3 hours and then nada. Nothing was working.... And I was more than frustrated.

But, it wasn't anything that a two hour phone call to my internet provider and another visit from a technician 2 days later couldn't solve! I now have the internet again [fingers crossed]...

woo hoo!

Anyhow, since I've been MIA for such a long time I have a ton of stuff to post... I thought I'd start with my adorable little nieces from Austin, Texas. These three little sweeties had fun walking around with their mom and aunt taking "modeling" pictures... all until about the last 10 minutes.... You'll see what I mean in a minute. Unfortunately for my sister (their mom), I got a ton of photos of her oldest daughter and not as many of her younger two. I couldn't help it.... Her oldest was throwing all sorts of serious poses my way....

I just *had* to snap away!

For Instance:


And this one:

And this is my favorite of her:

But, I DID get some of the other two.... :)
I love the photo on the right... the sun was in her eyes a tad so she kinda winked at me.

I love these too... Especially the one on the right... I love the look on their faces!

And of course, we took some time out to play... like always:

Okay, here is one of the last ones I took... when their spirits were starting to fade.

And, the last one of the day... I couldn't make them go on any longer after this.... I love this one though... so expressive!


Okay, well, assuming I still have internet access tomorrow, I will try to post some more. I've got a birthday party to get ready to go to.... Later!

The C Family.

Aren't they all adorable? This sweet, little family is close family friends with my husband's family... they've known 'em for years. First meeting them when they lived overseas in England for a couple of years (when my husband was in middle school)... My in-laws became close friends with R and P, and all the kids became good friends too. Then, my husband's family moved back to Texas.... and as fate had it, the C Family moved back to the US too. More specifically, to Texas. And even more specifally (and unknowingly and coincidentally), to the next street over. Crazy, huh? Needless, to say, they've remained really good friends for years and years and years.

Anyhow, I've loved getting to know this family over past few years and I was so happy to be the lucky photographer to take their photos! They are all so adorable... and believe me, their personalities are even more adorable. ;)

it's not easy to get 13 people ready for photos:

but somehow they managed:

the cool thing about R & P is that you can literally see love all around them when they interact. it's so cool!

this one is so zen... love it!

these handsome little angels are gonna be heartbreakers one day.

i admit it.... i'm not sure which one of the twins this is. oops!

i had to convince this little lady that i was going to take her on a leaf hunting adventure inorder to get some shots of her... she was so sweet!

xoxo, reata

The H Family!

What a week this has been! FOUR photo sessions... all which took place during the week of Thanksgiving! Some may say I'm crazy, but hey.... I like my life to be a little crazy every now and then! Anyhow, this little family was super to work with, especially the two little ones! It made my heart melt when at the end of the session, I was bombarded with *HUGE* hugs and requests that I stay longer to play!

and of course, one of the family pup:

xoxo, reata

i'm old. and weak.

I must be getting old... I played the Wii over at my in-laws on Monday night and I don't think I'll ever be the same again. Besides having a lot of fun, I also got a complete workout... and got completely sore. That boxing game is really tough on your shoulders and arms! Then as if that wasn't enough, I put my body through another workout on Tuesday morning at the grocery store. [yes, i said at the grocery store.] Typically, my two littlest ones act normal at the store... but not Tuesday. My nearly 4 yr old wanted to ride in the basket because her "legs were so tired [she] was about to die" and my 1 yr old wouldn't ride in the basket because she wanted to crawl.

Needless to say, I ended up pushing my 40 lb child in a shopping cart full of heavy groceries with ONE hand, while my other hand was busy holding an extra squirmy 1 year old. We left after 1 1/2 hours of pure muscle torture... without all the groceries on my list.

Oh well... at least I'm gonna have some killer biceps this year for Thanksgiving.

Here are some photos from my last session with one of the cutest little newborns I've ever seen! His momma looked GREAT for only giving birth 10 days earlier! Introducing, Baby O:

xoxo, reata

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

lend me your ears. and eyes.

you ever gotten something new and felt like it was too awesome to actually be used? i know that sounds crazy, but i'm positive that's had to have happened to everyone at least once in their life.

i know it's happend to me a few [hundred] times for sure. one of my first recollections of this was when i was maybe 7 or 8. i got a brand new bedspread.... my first ever set that *i* actually picked out and that wasn't a hand-me-down. i remember spending weeks, maybe even months, picking it out in a catalog and then slowly persuading my mom to purchase it for me. then after it arrived, i loved it so much that i never wanted to unmake my bed. i actually slept ON TOP of my bedding in a sleeping bag. for weeks. seriously. i know... i must be nuts. but it made perfect sense to me.

i was reminded of my perfect bedding this week when my dad got himself a new truck [you may remember him from this session]. my dad's one of those awesome old school men... you know, the kind of hard working man you just don't see around too much anymore who can literally build you anything you want out of anything he finds laying around. so, he got a new truck monday, after driving the same truck for literally TWENTY years! i was so excited for him when i saw it monday... a brand new, shiny dodge ram... fully loaded and decked out with chrome trimmings. it even has a CD player might i add... a luxury not in his previous truck. it was glorious and i was so happy for him.

today... three days later... it is still sitting on the driveway in the same spot as monday. go figure.

here is a sneak peek from my last session... one of the cutest little families ever.

recognize him?

and her?

and, some of the beautiful parents:

xoxo, reata