Heart to Heart

Three

I started to photograph a tutorial for these sweet, quirky invitations that we came up with for my daughter, Natalie's, birthday.  But, I decided that they were pretty self-explanatory by just looking at the picture.  They were made very inexpensively, but with a lot of love.

A fateful trip to Hobby Lobby yielded the perfect party plates.

I'm feeling mighty blessed these days.  This brown-eyed girl brings an energy into our lives that we enjoy heartily. 

And don't judge my underwear-flaunting, shirt-lacking child.  We'll worry about the latter in later years.  She's simply wearing her finest.  Her birthday suit.  How fitting.

The CoVans in Gruene, Texas

We traveled with the CoVans to Gruene, TX this past weekend and had an awesome time dipping our feet into the cold Guadalupe, eating icecream cones on the lawn outside of Gruene Hall, laying on the lawn and looking at the stars afterwards, and shooting some pool inside the oldest dance hall in Texas.  The weather was perfect, the company was good, and the music was great. 

My husband and I lived in this area the first two years of our marriage (before kids) so we get so excited and nostalgic when we travel I-35.  He kept saying to me, "This is where we belong."  And after such an awesome weekend, I'm choosing not to ponder that he might be right or I'm liable to craft a For Sale sign and stick it in the front yard tomorrow.  Gruene is where we've listened to the likes of Asleep at the Wheel and where my hubby nearly was arrested trying to meet Willie Nelson in his college days.  It's a great part of Texas that holds many memories for us.

We took advantage of the beautiful scenery to take some family pictures of our dear friends.  It's been a few years since they've had their pictures taken as a family and I'm hoping that the wait, the trip, and our company was worth it.  They made Gruene look even better with their western wear. 

 

For dreamers like me

Are you like me?  Are you constantly re-decorating your home in your head and waiting for the funds to do so?  I have manila folders with plenty of magazine cutouts and swatches so when i stumbled upon the handy organizer I was in heaven.

Found this baby at Homegoods in Atascocita in the stationery section for a measly $7.99.  Look how cool:

handy little pockets:

And even a place for my musings:

Found it on Amazon, too, for double the price.

When I went to HomeGoods last week there was one more on the shelf.  Who will snatch it up first?

Happy Decorating!

Baby Marlow

This little peanut is the newest member of our extended family and I just love being around her.  Her eyes sparkle and her smile makes me giddy.  Everything about her is perfection from her fuzzy head to her rolly legs.

Our last summer adventure....

A week at the beach with my family did my body (and soul) good.  Now we're back to business as usual made tolerable only by the memories of a wonderful summer gone by.

Thanks for letting me share.

Kylie and Blake

My precious niece and nephew were in town this past week and I was so happy to get to see them and photograph them.  It's been over a year since the last time I had seen them and they have grown so much.  Despite the fact that they hadn't seen us in so long they were as sweet as could be and gave "Aunt Viv"  the best hugs.  I sure wish we could exchange hugs more often, but at least I have current pictures of them on my hard drive to smile at.

Meet Kylie and Blake!

  

Shiner, Texas

Independence Day 2010

We spent the holiday in Shiner, TX where everybody knows your name (if you're local).  Otherwise, they look at you funny when you walk into restaurants or down the street to find your spot for the small-town parade.  However, I'm thinking that if we spend every 4th of July in Shiner perhaps we'll one day be considered "local"...if only on the 4th day of the seventh month.

As I get older, I find my life feeling simple(r).  I no longer feel the need to spend the fourth going downtown for an elaborate fireworks display.  Quite the contrary.  I would do anything to avoid heading downtown on a holiday.  In my mind, it's perfectly acceptable, perfectly desirable to spend the steamy day in a small town where floats consist of giant tractors pulling flatbed trailers.

I am realizing that simplicity is where I find true happiness.  And don't be mistaken.  I have the same tendency as any other human being to complicate and distress.  But, I'm mindful of the alternative and do my best to prune excess.  It's all about the choices I make.  And this year we chose to make Independence Day a simple affair again. 

Red, white, and blue

tractors, trailers, and candy

sweat-drenched hair, a cold Shiner beer, and a chair to park on the lawn.

It was simplicity at its finest.

St. Edward's University, Katy O, and Austin Update

It's so good to be home after being away for a week.  We had a wonderful time in the hill country, but it's time to get back to business as usual.

A few weeks ago, I had mentioned I took a trip to Austin to scout out shoot locations for my upcoming Austin weekend.  I got to spend the night with my good friend Katy (O).  Katy and I go waaaaay back.  We used to ride the bus together in fifth grade and discuss things like Nancy Drew mysteries and the JFK assassination.  We were quite serious about it, too.  I loved going to spend the night at Katy's as a kid.  Her mom always kept frosty mugs in the freezer that were perfect for cokes.  When we graduated from high school we parted ways....she was off to Baylor and I was off to A&M.  Despite our physical distance, we've kept in touch over the years.  We see each other after a year or so and hug like just yesterday we were deciphering conspiracy theories as fifth graders on the school bus.  She is now living in Austin and working as an academic advisor at the prestigious St. Edward's University.  She was able to give me a detailed tour of the campus and I just knew that it had to be one of the locations I used.  Though both of the St. Ed's time slots are booked I wanted to give those clients a preview (even though one of them is a St. Ed's alum) and hopefully entice you into booking the next go-round.

I have 2 slots for Austin left. Contact me if you're interested. Also, I'm selling prints of the Austin pictures if you're interested in some funky art prints for your home.  Contact me for pricing on those.

Saturday, July 17th 6 pm on S. First Street

Friday, July 16th 6 pm in Taylor, Texas

A week of rest and adventures

This is the second year in a row that I've managed to escape with my children and a good friend to Burnet, Texas where we lounge, sleep, read, and eat.  It's a much needed respite from the monotony of the washing machine, the phone, the housework, and the sultry Houston heat.  This year 3 of the 4 children are old enough to go to Christian camp in Marble Falls where they refer to their counselors as chiefs and maidens and embark on adventures that involve bows, arrows, canoes, and tribe time.  It's a good time, indeed.

Here are the babies LAST year in 2009.  Bailee was the only one old enough to attend camp.

Here they are on a pit stop we made in Taylor, Texas THIS year in 2010 on our way to Burnet.  

And here are our little indians on their first day at camp. 

  

The O'Day Family

This week you were supposed to see the O'Day family, but 10 minutes into our shoot the torrential downpours began.  So...you'll be seeing them in their full glory once we have rescheduled.  In the meantime, a teaser.

1.  Have I mentioned Heartspun is on Facebook??

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Heartspun-Imagery/117472168294458?ref=ts

2.  Have I mentioned I'll be shooting in Austin the weekend of July 16th through the 18th?  I'll be booking 6 shoots at the most.  Details coming later this month.

3.  Have I mentioned how much I've enjoyed being outside with the kids until the sun has set?

4.  Have I told you how much I enjoy watermelon for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?  Any tips on consistently picking a good one?

5.  Perhaps I've told you how we're simply relocating the baby shampoo to the back porch for the kids' evening showers with the water hose?  They consider outdoor bathings to be quite the luxury.

Regardless, thank you for letting me share.