Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday break and Christmas. Wow, just like that we’ve entered a new year. I still have to get used to writing that 2015. Don’t you?

I am not a big resolution maker generally but I did make a resolution to get myself on a regular blogging schedule. No more 3-months breaks from blogging, I pinky promise! Blogging is a challenge for me so it tends to be the first thing that falls wayside off that never ending to-do list. But I ‘ve resolved to plan these blog posts better and at a more consistent interval so keep coming back, there will be new posts. But enough with the talking, let’s get right to it!

This super hip family are long-time clients of mine. For this session mom wanted to do a shoot downtown and capture some of the ultra hip spots around the W hotel. We ended up not being able to shoot inside the W (except for the very last few shots) so had to change plans slightly but I think it worked out really great. We truly had a blast walking around and finding interesting spots. I love this family and being able to watch these kiddos grow up is an absolute honor.

I’ve been *sitting* on this blog post for way too long. Sometimes it is just hard to find the right words. But perhaps there are no right words? I’ll explain.

I’ve had a lot of little and bigger reminders this year about how precious life really is. To not take ANYTHING for granted. Ever. To show love and appreciation for the life I have, my family, having kids that are healthy and thriving, having a safe home. All those things we sort of take for granted,  we need to be thankful for them. Every day. Because truly, all of this could change in a day’s time.

First my bestie got diagnosed with breast cancer in January at age 38. She’s finished with her treatments and is doing well. More on this later.

I met this beautiful family through a mutual friend of mine. She is a nurse (I know so many awesome nurses!). This friend of mine was telling me about this mom’s daughter who had been diagnosed with Leukemia recently. Not only is she my daughter’s age, she also has a twin sister (So do I!). So mom was looking for someone to take family pictures for them before her daughter, Bridget, was going through her chemo treatments and would loose her hair. She thought that having those pictures would help Bridget get through some of the rough spots a little easier. Remind her that it is still her, same beautiful person, that this would just be a temporary thing. I totally agree and I told her I would do it.  Then she also said that they had never had family pictures done before. I later found out that they were also amongst the families that lost their home a few years ago when those nasty wildfires were raging through Bastrop. Ugh, I know, this is heavy stuff! You ask yourself WHY and how one can deal with so many challenges. I just stand in awe over how strong this family is.

If you wouldn’t know all this and would look at these pictures, you would think this family is just like yours or mine. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I met them but was totally prepared to get emotional at some point. But what I saw was love and warmth and lots of giggles and laughter, and two twin girls that seem incredibly close. They would consistently break out in giggles whenever someone said “chicken dog” (I know it’s random, must be a twin-inside-joke-thing ;-)) I almost forgot that heavy load they were carrying on their shoulders, not knowing what would come next for Bridget. And Bridget, she has got to be one of the most charismatic, confident 11-year olds I’ve ever met. They both were so full of personality!

I am thankful to have had the opportunity to meet them. Bridget (she’s the one with the lighter hair) and her family is in my thoughts and in my heart forever. After only an hour with them I can tell that she’s one strong little cookie and this cancer thing will not bring her down. And with the love and support she has from her sister, her family and friends I just know that they will get through this and come out stronger, more connected and with lots of laughter.

Happy Fall Y’all!! Don’t you love the cool fall breeze and that feeling of the holiday season just around the corner? I do. It’s my favorite time of the year!

With fall also comes one of the busiest times of the year though. One that we all could use a little help with. Well, I’d like to help you out by getting one thing checked off your list, getting some fun new family photos for your holiday cards and so you can appease the grand parents and relatives with updated pictures 😉

Fall is the perfect time to get some new family photos done! We have a few October and November mini session dates left. After these are gone my schedule is booked except for the occasional mid-week morning or evening session slot. So don’t wait, grab a spot while you can!

Available dates:

Oct 18th (morning)

Oct 25th (morning)

Oct 26th (evening)

Nov 15th (morning)

Mini sessions are 30 min long for up to 5 family members and are $350 (+tax). Each add. person is +$25. You will receive 10 fully edited full resolution images on CD with print release and  a Facebook timeline cover photo. Mini Sessions are scheduled consecutively back-to-back for either morning or evening times. Time slots are reserved on a “first come first serve” basis. The shooting location will vary and be determined closer to the actual session date. I take preferences and driving distances into account when choosing locations. Most fall sessions are done in a natural like setting.

It was a refreshing change of pace to photograph this adorable couple’s first anniversary. They were just so cute together! Loved all the ideas she had and collaborating with her on this session to make this special. Commemorating that first year anniversary is really such a good idea. With the stress of the wedding day behind them and a year of marriage under their belt that love of theirs just shines right through. They were just so cute together!

Happy First Anniversary to them!

Happy Friday to you! I am sure everyone is aware that this Sunday is Mother’s Day.

As a mom myself I know that this day is kinda important on the scale of various holidays throughout the year.

ONE day, to not be in charge of dinner, or laundry or feeding the kids 3 meals a day – and various snacks in between, helping with home work, cleaning up whatever mess just happened to land on floor… Moms do their “job” with love and selflessness all year and really don’t expect much in return. Little gestures like handmade cards and drawings from the kids, mean so much. I truly treasure them all.

Every time I hug my kids I wish I could hold on to that moment forever, make time stand still. They just grow up way too fast. I am pretty sure every mom feels that way. So here’s an idea that will make her day – give her lasting memories by gifting a photo session. Just mom and the kids. Let’s capture that love and bond that is stronger and deeper than anything I could ever imagine. Let’s give mom a moment in time that time actually stands still.

If you would like to gift this session for Mother’s Day I can e-mail you a printable gift certificate. Please contact me ASAP for details. The Mommy & Me Mini Sessions will be available until the end of May. Sessions need to be scheduled before September 1, 2014.

Have you seen them? They are finally popping up all over the place. I’m talking about bluebonnets, of course! Spring is finally here and warmer temps are in the forecast (Is it just me or did this “winter” feel longer than normal? Must have been all those ice days!)

Speaking of ice though, apparently, between the relatively wet fall and the icy temps we had over the winter, things are setting up nicely for our beloved Texas bluebonnets. (This is by the official wildflower experts forecast, not that I know how any of this plays into it.) Interestingly enough it seems that especially the bluebonnets come back around in full force every two years. 2010 and 2012 were both stellar years, so in theory, this year should be a good one. So anyways, good news, we should have a pretty good year for bluebonnets and Texas wildflowers in general. I’ve located at least one pretty good patch and I’ve seen plenty driving around town along the usual highways.

With that said, I’ve made some room on my calendar to schedule a few rounds of spring mini sessions.

Available dates are:

Sunday, March 30th morning

Saturday, April 5th morning

Sunday, April 13th morning

Location for the spring  mini sessions will be determined a few days before based on where the best patches are. If you see good wildflower patches in your area, let me know. Safety is always my out most priority, I will not do photo sessions along major highways or roads.

Bluebonnets are only around for 2-3 weeks depending on weather conditions.

If you would like to book a slot please contact me at info@tictactoephotography.com to inquire about open time slots.

Wow, has it really been 3 weeks already of 2014?! It seems like a blur, between getting out of the holidays and back into a routine, we’ve been extremely busy. January always seems like it should be a slow month but with lots of catch up work left over from the end of the year, it never really is.

So I need to apologize for not blogging and posting earlier. It has taken me a little bit to get back into the swing. But I’ve got lots of posts to catch up on, so let’s get started.

This sweet newbie baby boy was close to a month when I met him. I’m really starting to like the slightly “older” newborn past the typical 2 week window. Just amazing to see how much more alert they are. He was really calm and chilled through most of the session. And while it took a little longer to lull him to sleep, he did eventually fall asleep. There’s just nothing more peaceful than a sleeping baby. Sigh 😉

His big brother did fantastic despite the little challenge of not really wanting to be in the photos with his baby brother. It took some convincing, bribing and eventually a very effective call to Santa to change his mind. Oh life with a toddler and newborn, things will only get easier from here. Until they turn teenagers at least, right?
All I know is, these boys are too cute and they will have a blast growing up together.

And some hilarious outtakes – aka real life.

I’ve been wanting to share this session for so many reasons, not the least of which because I had such a blast with them during this shoot and loved that the kids are so comfortable around me. I could tell they had as much fun as I did 🙂 You’ve likely seen these folks around my old blog, they ‘ve been clients of mine since that cute little news boy was a tinsy winsy newborn. I recently took a fairly extensive trip down memory lane that made me realize how fast these past 5 years have gone by. It’s been incredible to watch these kiddos grow over the last few years.

They remind me so much of my own big sister/little brother duo and when I watch these two, their love for each other is just oozing out. It warms my heart to see siblings that genuinely love each other. Not just for the camera or because I asked them to, because they feel like it. That’s what my two do too and we hear lots of comments how rare this is, so much that I’ve started to think it really is an anomaly. A good one for sure. And one I don’t take for granted. These two though are proof that sibling love is real. It’s so fun to watch them together. Seriously, cuteness overload!

And that trip down memory lane I was referring to, it has a bit of a sad story behind it. No more than 5 days after our session, this beautiful family lost their home to a fire and with it everything in it. I was so incredibly saddened and shocked when I heard this. I cannot fathom coming home to a house in ashes. All the things that are not replaceable, pictures, kids art, family heirlooms, things you’ve collected and brought home from travels, kids lovies and keepsakes,  you want to hold on to… all gone. In the last few weeks, neighbors, family and a whole community has pulled together to support them in whichever way possible.

Their story is a very humbling reminder for all of us:

That this could happen to anyone.

That things are just things. No more. No less.

That the people that love and support each other and selflessly help in difficult times are what matters most. It takes a village.

That being surrounded by loved ones gives them the strength to get back up and start the rebuilding process.

That FAMILY is EVERYTHING.

I’ve come away from this knowing that as long as you have your loved ones around you, you can always restart, no matter where or how. They are lucky in the sense that no one got hurt, even their beloved dog was rescued. And they now get to feel the love that surrounded them all along.  Experiencing that must be incredibly uplifting, even when the road to rebuild their life and home is still long and difficult.  I know they’ll get there, stronger and more connected than they were before.

The last round of holiday mini sessions for the season – Nov 3rd or Nov 10th!

Seriously, grab one now because these are the last two weekends I have open. Crazy, I know.

Fall is in full swing and we finally have some cooler temps to back up the calendar date! If you haven’t booked your family holiday session yet, now is the time! Fall weekend dates are sparse to come by through mid December. Luckily I did block off two Sundays for Holiday Minis this month 😉

To book one of these spots, contact me here or e-mail me at info@tictactoephotography.com

But hurry, availability is limited and these sessions tend to go fast!

What’s a mini session, you ask? Mini sessions are quick little sessions to get some updated family photos, capture a milestone, etc. They are scheduled consecutively for predetermined dates and locations.

Holiday Mini Sessions are $350 and include:

– October 20th & 27th morning sessions

– 30 min long for family of up to 4 (add $25 per each additional person)

– 10-15 proofs in online gallery

– 10 digital full resolution images on CD with print release

– Custom FB timeline for personal use

– 25% discount on custom holiday cards