Thursday, November 30, 2006

New Music



I really like the self-titled album by Corinne Bailey Rae. "Put Your Records On" is the song most played on the radio, but I like the whole album.

www.corinnebaileyrae.net

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Speaking of my alma mater.....

This morning I'm sitting at my computer with the local morning news in the background. "Coming up next! Kim Schlegel will be with us to discuss her new book, Dog Parties!!"

No, this isn't a novel with an ironic name, it's actually a lifestyle book about giving parties for dogs. :)

Kim, Kellsey, Lindsay, Katy and I were all in the same graduating class. You can check out Kim's lifestyle website here. Funny how people who graduated together end up with *ahem* very different lives. :)

I hope Kim is doing well. I'm thinking of emailing her about helping me throw a Christmas bash for Giz and Teense. I can just see it--me in my Target jeans, Kim in Prada, chatting amicably just as the ceiling crashes down in the middle of our dog soiree.

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

How 'bout a little TEXAS highschool football?





I must say, M. and I had an unusually fun and relaxing Thanksgiving. One of the fun things we did---attend a playoff football game. (Texas highschool football-very serious business.) My (big) little brother is a defensive line coach at our alma mater--also Kellsey's and Lindsay's!! Anyway, our dear old school won the game and is going to state! My brother (the extremely tall youngish one) is pictured on the field with my parents (my dad being the older tall one and my mom being the little brown one.) My brother was ecstatic after the game and paced the field talking to his girlfriend on his cell phone. Pretty cute.

Earth....

It is so funny to me that Wedding Girl shared her new shoes, because I had been thinking about sharing my new fall shoes with you! These are Earth shoes and I love them. Your heel sits lower than your toes to support your back and encourage good posture.

Comfy & Cute


I just got some new Merrell shoes (Merrell "Plaza Bandeau") and I highly recommend them. (I have Merrell boots and shoes and I love those, too.) I walked all over Boston in 'em and they passed the test. Super comfy and super cute.

Monday, November 27, 2006

Cheese & Maple Syrup



Husband and I took his mother to Vermont this weekend to see the mini-mountains and visit a real cheese & maple syrup farm. It was good, tasty fun. (Husband and I also got some skiing in while mom enjoyed the view.)

I couldn't resist... Sam as a baby


One BIG post...





























The Barnas had one BIG holiday week with my Dad and little sister visiting. On Monday we had a Thanksgiving Celebration with Sam's Homeschool tutorial group. (Imagine 80 kids dressed as Pilgrims and Indians chasing each other with sticks.) I asked Sam what his favorite thing of the day was and he said "fighting".

It was also a big week for Sam because he turned 6 on Thanksgiving Day!! His party was the day before and it was, of course, a Star Wars party. (Imagine 8 boys chasing each other with light sabers.) I'm not quite ready for him to be 6. He has 4 loose teeth and he is changing before my eyes.

Sunday, November 26, 2006

I've been missing that girl in the video...and I obviously was using my digital camera's video recorder for the first time this summer in Mass.


Saturday, November 25, 2006

New blog (once again)

I got fed up with my "Life of a Wedding Photographer" blog and decided to end it. Mostly, the spammers attacked in full force and won. I couldn't keep up and I don't know enough about making my own template to keep them away. So, I've started a new blog using a customized blogger site and I'm hoping that this third try will stick.

It's called "Field of Depth: Thoughts on Wedding & Portrait Photography." I've created it with my clients in mind. This is a way for them to get to know me, my work and my style/philosophy a little better.

As my wedding season comes to an end for 2006 I'm hoping to have time to post often. Feel free to visit my site and let me know what you think.

Wedding Girl's New Blog

Friday, November 24, 2006

You're invited.....



Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Lately....around the house with a relaxed holiday husband...






we have recently become obsessed with scrabble...

..........

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!!

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Pray.

It's a heavy burden to find out you have a large malignant brain tumor--when you're in the ninth grade. That's what happened last week to my former student, and Michael's current one, Carson Leslie. When they did surgery to remove a ping-pong sized tumor, the doctors found the cancer had spread to other parts of his brain and spine. Obviously, this is a dire situation. Carson faces radiation and six rounds of chemo.

Please pray that God would be glorified in such a terrible trial. Please pray that God would protect and heal Carson!

You can leave a message for Carson here.

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Good times.







These three third-graders make up one of my private classes. They're a pleasure to be around--sweet, imaginative, lively. We are painting a still life of poppies.

Monday, November 13, 2006


This is one of my favorite little girls, Ava Chen. She is two and I am in love with her. She calls me Mrs. Wiz and always greets me with a hug. She is the youngest of 3 girls. Her sisters are equally beautiful and charming. Their family is new to our church and community group and I stand amazed at God's orchestration. Here we are awaiting our own daughter who will be Chinese and the Lord brings the Chen family into our lives. They are generous with their advice and support and Katie has said I can practice on her girls. (Ava asked me to put a clip in her hair and I snapped it down against her head. I instantly realized I shouldn't have done that, but she just smiled at me forgiving me for snapping her head.)















Sunday, November 12, 2006

Happy Birthday, too!! The big 3-0













































Happy Birthday to MY sweet husband, too. We had a party. A good time was had by all. M.'s big brother and sister-in-law came up from Austin--that was a fun treat.

Love you sweet boy!!

Andrew- Michael and I send you birthday greetings!!

Happy Birthday!!!

Today my sweet husband turned 31! He is a tender, loving and fun Daddy and a sensitive, intuitive spouse. I love him dearly.

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Nieces



I love these girls. They're so incredibly cute and fun. I'm not so much cute in the growling pic, but you make sacrifices to entertain your family...

Friday, November 03, 2006

book rec.

I continue to be amazed by the beauty of the book Gilead (see sidebar.) Have any of you ever read it? It won the Pulitzer Prize. I won't tell you the premise because it sounds boring. But this is definitely a book worth your time...

Thursday, November 02, 2006

.....

There are days when I hold someone's beautiful infant, and I have to hand her over to someone else, because I feel the tears coming, and I don't want anyone to see. The baby I lost would be 9 months old now. There are days when I catch myself standing in the children's section at Ikea, staring at the tiny chairs and tiny tables. I start a tiny children's library on the bottom of my bookshelf--Goodnight Moon, Beatrix Potter, The Pokey Little Puppy. I order information on adoption, and when it comes, I lay on our bed with tears streaming down my face, totally overwhelmed.

Then there are Saturdays when I sleep in with my husband; we throw on old clothes and slowly make our way to brunch. We sit at a table in the sun, sipping coffee and reading the newspaper. There are long evenings when we eat supper on the couch, then lay there and read or watch T.V. We talk about the book I'm reading. I give him drawing lessons there on the couch. We talk about work. I make us some hot tea. There are days when I work on artwork, visit the little girl I mentor, and come back home to exercise and do laundry in content silence. Days of long lunches with friends. Of art classes taught to interesting little people.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

'Tis the season for politics.






After Kerry's dumb comment yesterday, this photo made me smile.

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