Remember When...Tomorrow

A new location...

For those of you that are clients already...you know my love for outdoor locations by the lake!  For those of you that don't...I love outdoor locations by the lake!  My sweet husband grew up on Eagle Mountain Lake...he is the third generation to live out here and now we're raising our little ones here.  Lord willing, we will get to spend many, many years in this community!

So.........I found a new dig and the Meister family was brave enough to try it out on a whim Sunday night...and I am so pleased with the results.  There are so many great spots in this location that you will be seeing more of as the season goes on.

Angie, thank you so much to your beautiful family for allowing me to capture your tomorrow's "remember when."  It was such an honor to work with you and I look foward to sharing the rest of the images with you :-)  Yes, there are posed family portraits...but ya'll did "lifestyle" great, so I had to share!

 

 

 

 

God's amazing creation...

Everyone keeps asking where I have been...Fall shoots, kids, and doing a little travelling with my sweet husband!  I haven't had much time for blogging lately, just trying to keep up with everyone's proofs and orders :-)  I did manage to steal a few days to go to Scottdale, AZ with my sweet husband.  He had a business conference there and I got to tag along!  It was so nice just to stop and spend time together...I kind of like him...alot, as he would say :-)

Fortunately, there was some time to site-see a bit...we got up at 4am one morning to drive over an hour to a field way out in the desert...and take in God's amazing desert.  You wouldn't think the desert is so amazing, outside of the Grand Canyon, of course...but as we pulled into the field...make-shift launching pad for the Hot Air Balloon rides...we say a coyote running across the field.  Then, we loaded in the basket and up, up, and away...to the most silent place on earth.  It was music to our ears...the two of us that live such busy lives...it was amazing to just stop and listen to our hearts and to God.

After the ride, we landed on the opposite side of the desert, enjoyed some champagne together and breakfast...yep, right out there in the middle of nowhere...we enjoyed a very nice breakfast with new friends.

I have one picture that is a shadow of the balloon that looks like an explanation mark...I heard God say "!" - seriously, like what do you think of this!!!  I create this!!!  How cool am I!!!!  Enjoy it!!!  Really there were no words....He just said "!"

Straight from heaven...

I had a newborn session today for a very dear life-long friend...and what a pleasure to meet her very special, beautiful baby girl!  Due to my crazy busy schedule with Fall sessions we had to move her a few times!  Then, my little guy woke up with fever this morning, Shannon, our nanny from heaven was off today...and I have a weekend full of sessions so I didn't want to reschedule...so we improvised and did the shoot at my house and quarantined my little guy to his nursery, praise the Lord for morning naps!

So.........my friend Jennifer.  We met when we were like 2 or 3.  Our moms were great friends when we were little kids.   Mom still tells a story of how I would not go to kindergarten without my security blanket...so she told Jennifer she would have to hold my hand.  I then, wouldn't go without Jennifer.  It is so neat watching my Evie Kate grow up with her little friend Emma...it brings back such wonderful memories of me and Jennifer when we were kids.  She was always the caretaker...just had it in her, so I know she will be an amazing mommy!

My parents moved our family to the "country" when we were in sixth grade and we kind of got separated, but through the years, we will pick up every now and again and laugh about old times.

So, I was thrilled to learn Jennifer was pregnant and couldn't wait for the opportunity to capture her precious newborn.

Jennifer and Dan...congratulations!  I am so incredibly happy for you.  What a wonderful blessing Miss Rowan Elizabeth is!!!  Thank you for sharing her with me for a few hours today :-)  There are a TON more pictures...but I wanted to share a couple real quick!

 

 

...and Daddy wanted to see that baby's eyes...she performed and wrapped him around her finger!!!

And now she's crawling...

Just a quick one from yesterday...every now and then I see "the shot" in the camera and RUSH home to see it...well, here is one from a session yesterday that was just that...just had to share!  Miss "E" was first photographed while secure in her mommy's belly, then a newborn baby and now, I can't believe it she is crawling!!!!

 

...and I just love natural baby shots...we often get so caught up in life that we forget to cherish the special things like a paci :-)

Meet Miss Zoee Loissa...

Yes, it is different to use a child's name on my blog...usually, we (photographers) do not post kid's names to protect them!  But today is different...not that God won't know Zoee, if you were to pray for her by Miss "Z" - or the little girl with the amazing blue eyes...but I want to ask EVERYONE I know, to lift up Miss Zoee Loissa tonight in prayer!

Zoee's parents drove from Longview, Texas today to capture some images of Zoee at 8 months old.  Today we laughed at Zoee posing (I've never seen anything like it!) and played peek-a-boo...I embarressed myself by singing songs that go way out of my octave (not that I have one to start with!) and just had some great fun making memories...because you see, tomorrow Zoee will start 3 days of chemotherapy again.

This beautiful little girl that looks incredibly healthy has  a rare form of cancer called "neuroblastoma".  She is currently receiving chemo every 21 days for 3 days at a time.  Tomorrow starts her 4th round.  I ask you to please join with me and many others to pray for Miss Zoee tonight.  Pray for her comfort to be the best it can be while the medicine does its work.  I ask for patience and peace for Misty and Jamie - a peace that only God can provide.

I don't really even know what to say....but I ask for your prayers.  The pictures for this blog entry are likely to change...I just wanted to post a few for Misty and Jamie to enjoy...as soon as I could.

If you would like to know more about Zoee, please visit her information at www.caringbridge.org

Click on visit and type in babyzoeeloissa

 

 

 

 

Can you see me now?!

I have been trying to figure out how to post larger images...and finally had time to sit down and learn some code today, yippie!!!  Look forward to MUCH larger images to viewon my blog :-)

 

something to smile about :-)

So, my best friend Katie's husband was admitted to the hospital Thursday night...praise the Lord, he will be fine but it is just a reminder that age doesn't make us safe from our time on earth being over!  He is only 34 and has been having some heart troubles.  None of us know how many hours we have left in our journey here on earth...so we need to do the Lord's work daily and hug our kids ever chance we get...and tell our spouses how much they mean to us!

So...........on a lighter note....Josh and I went to Grapevine to rescue Katie from having a 3 year old at the hospital!  We had already planned to go to Lubbock for the weekend to visit my Nana with our two kids, so what's one more, right?!

WRONG!  Have you ever tried to get two 3 year olds to sleep on sleeping bags in the same room?  Oh, did I mention...after they have had chocolate milk all day, a bowl of icecream and stayed up two hours after bedtime?!  My husband actually said he was beginning to question my judgment...but I just thought this was a special trip and they should make some memories!  I have sooooo many memories of staying up late with my cousin when we were their age...in the same room at my Nana's house!

The trip home was nothing short of a National Lampoon's vacation movie...waiting to be made!  Zachary had his first icecream...cone, that is...without the icecream, we are sure the people at Dairy Queen in Snyder, Texas thought we were nuts...

So, here I am...sitting at my desk editing pictures and working on orders...when I came to this picture and smiled....and had to share it with you.

Yes, it has nothing to do with our trip or taking two 3 year olds and our one year old to Lubbock...but it's making a memory!  A picture that this little girl surely someday will say to her mom "I am beginning to question your judgment!"  To which the mom will reply "what a wonderful memory!"

Have a great Monday...

Pouty lips to die for...

Check out those lips!!!  Miss "A" is one of my baby plan members and I can't believe how fast she is growing up.  Today we were capturing her 9th month!!!  You know, the smiles, tic tac tooth poking through, fast crawling (too fast for me to focus sometimes!) playing peek a boo with daddy...and the attention span of about 25 minutes for pictures!  Such a wonderful age!

I am usually not a huge black/white picture person...I do love the b/w images, but I love color more.  I want to remember the color of my kid's eyes and their skin tone...and I just love color (well shades of brown but hey, it's color to me!)

Here are a few of my favorites...that happen to be in b/w today :-)

 

My sweet Little "B"...

I am so blessed by my group of friends that have supported me along the way in pursuing my dream in photography.  Just today, my friend Erin and I were laughing at how we sat in Starbucks almost two year ago with a group of gals (every Thursday night for years now!) and I said, "I am thinking of learning photography..."  Little did we know, (okay, everyone else knew BUT me...) that I would come to make a business out of!  It is kind of my personality to do whatever I do at 200% :-)

I am grateful over and over again to my friends and family for their support EVEN on days like today when bookkeeping is a necessary evil of owning your own business.

So, it was a LOVELY break today to get to FINALLY celebrate Mr. "B's" third birthday...that was in June!  His mommy and I were pregnant at the same time, so it is has been incredible to watch Evie Kate and "B" grow up together.

Erin, I am soooooo sorry it took so long to get together...but the fact that your proofs are already ready should make it better :-)

Here are a few of my sweet boy...

 

 

 

A Home Session...

Meet baby "L"...he is already 10 days old and so tiny!  Home sessions are always a fun challenge, since I have no idea what light, backdrops, etc. I have until I arrive.  It was fun to meet the whole family and I enjoyed building with Mr. "N".  I promise buddy, in October, it will be all about you :-)  It's hard dividing your attention between two super cute boys.

Here are a VERY quick few...I am honored to be this family's new adopted photographer...they moved from IL and had to make the hard decision to change photographers!  Thanks so much ya'll for trusting me to capture such an important "remember when."

More to come...promise.

 

 

 

Back to work :-)

I am soooooooooo excited, Fall is in the air (can you believe this incredible weather?!), the phone is rining...and I am back behind the camera!  My most sincere apologies to the sessions that did not get blogged in August...my blog was kind of neglected :-(  I try to blog as much as I can, but I figure you'd rather have the prints!!!

Josh and I had a WONDERFUL time in Cabo...despite the rain EVERY day we were there!!!  It was un-IKE related storms...but rain and no ocean-activities allowed.  Josh was sorely disappointed to miss his long awaited fishing trip...so hopefully we'll head back soon.  We ate incredible food, walked on the beach, took lots of pictures...and Josh even practiced shooting on manual!

Soooooooo, I have lots of babies here and on the way...so here's one from today!

Meet Baby "R"!  She was full of spunk today...this little gal is ready to wake up and see what's going on in the world.  She was holding her head up and looking everywhere...thank goodness she had a determined mommy and a supportive daddy...we waited her out and finally got the much coveted "sleeping newborn shots"  THANK YOU Baby "R" - and to her patient siblings for waiting with us!!!

Here are a few...

 

 

 

Happy Birthday Little Buddy!!!

Man, I am realizing more and more that when people told me time would fly with my kids...that was an understatement!  My little Zachary turned one year old last Friday...he's walking everywhere and still smiling all the time.  We are so incredibly blessed to have two healthy, vibrant, beautiful babies!  Saturday morning we took the annual birthday trip to the zoo with both kids, then we celebrated Zachary's birthday with family and close friends.

Yesterday, Josh and I headed to the studio to capture the infamous "smash the birthday cake" session...and let me just say, my little guy did NOT disappoint.  I have to say, he only had one taste of the cake...but boy did he have fun playing in it! 

Just an fyi, after today, I will be out of the office through Saturday, September 13.  I will be returning all phone calls and emails on Monday.  If you have an URGENT need, please contact Jennifer Smith at 817-903-5704.

Have a wonderful week...and take a snapshot of your kiddos this week...they grow up fast.

Love,
Terra

 

End of summer...

Yep, I have been MIA the last two weeks...it is HARD to believe it has been TWO weeks.  I knew I was going to be busy the week before Evie Kate went back to Mom's Day Out because my summer nanny went back to her full-time job and my mother was traveling...so I was on my own for a whole week with my kiddos!  We had so much fun that last week of summer just hanging out together and me TRYING not to work!  Despite the chicken pox that Evie Kate got somehow (yes, apparrently, even with the chicken pox vaccine you CAN get them!)

Then last week was spent catching up on editing, proofing sessions and ORDERS...so if you are getting ancy, all orders are in and WILL be here this week, yea!  I also have all my new jewerly in to show off for the holiday season...keep that in mind when you are making your holiday gift list!

Soooo, much in the works for the holiday season...here are just a few things to think about:

1.) BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY FAMILY SESSIONS NOW...the schedule is almost full!  The deadline to ensure gifts will be back in time for Christmas is November 15 (and the 15th is booked!)

2.) 10% of all sessions October 1 - November 15 will go to support the Keller Community Storehouse.  For more information on this amazing organization visit www.communitystorehouse.org.

3.) I recently read an article (which I will share in a few days) about the importance of photographs for military families.  I am looking for three families to gift a session and package to that have a family member that is or will be serving away from their family this holiday season.  Please forward me their email / phone contact information and why they should receive this holiday gift!

I have several babies due in September, so be on the lookout for newborn pictures galore in the next few weeks.  I will be posting a few new sessions over the next few days...so be on the lookout.

Lastly, I would like to say how incredibly blessed I am to be in this business.  God is amazing and this jouney is nothing short of His miraculous plan.  I praise the Lord for the talent He has given me and I am eternally grateful to my incredibly supportive husband.  This would not be possible without him :-)  We just celebrated our ten year dating anniversary over the weekend (so you see, I have been busy...back to school, anniversary, chicken pox...getting ready for our Cabo vacation...end of season at marina...LOTS going on, planning my little Zachary's 1st birthday party!)

Have a blessed weekend and I will be posting more this week!

Not above bribery...

Most of my friends know we have a rule in our house..."no sugar before noon".  It's something I had growing up, so we have it now.  Well, I still have high hopes of capturing images of my sweet Evie Kate's beautiful blue eyes before she turns into a little girl and not my baby anymore...and it's happening fast!  So, this morning I bribed her with one picture where she HAD to look at the camera and then she got a surprise (a ring pop)!  So, this is THE one...it was COMPLETELY under-exposed...thus the red tint to it...7am...barely any window light...in her pj's...and I had to edit the tear from her cheek where she was YELLING just before I snapped the pic!  But, I love it of my sweet girl...  Someday...someday....someday...she'll want me to take her picture.

She IS coming around though, when she sees me editing pictures, she will ask to see herself swimming with Emma or playing "touch the sky" with Daddy...so I remind her that she has to let me take pictures of her in order to have those memories to view later.  She just looks at me like "whatever" and walks away.  Oh well :-)

...and one of my little man who is always happy to take a picture for me!  Well, now that he is crawling FAST it is a bit harder...but he's buckled in his carseat here :-)

A beautiful family...

I am so excited to introduce my newest family that is allowing me the opportunity to capture their newborn...Miss "R" that will be making her appearance in September!!!  I am scheduled to go to Cabo on vacation in September and have four newborns due around the same time...it is going to be a BUSY month!!!

We had so much fun today celebrating the love between a family that truly filled the room!   A beautiful family from the inside out...and I am honored to have been chosen to capture their tomorrow's "remember when."

I should really seek overshooters-anonymous...here are just a FEW from today :-)  Tricia, I am putting a few extras out here...since we're not proofing until Baby R gets here...talk to you soon!