home.

We're back! We had a great time in Charleston! Hung with Papa, Boo, D, Uncle Bam...it was wonderful! We did lots of lounging and sitting in the sand. Reese LOVED the beach. She never left the ocean or the sand. She wore herself out everyday. We were sad to leave. I'll edit our pics this week!

I've been such a bad blogger. Unmotivated, really. I've been enjoying family time and a way overloaded work schedule. I hope to post a few a week this Fall and not fall off the map completely. I always said I wouldn't stop but whew! My 2009 schedule has been booked since July so my Fall is crazy. I'm so excited about all my clients! I've got 4 shoots to edit on my computer, so look for some cute stuff coming this week!

Beach Babes...

Well, we may not be babes but we are certainly rockin the beach this week! We left Wednesday after Reese got out of school for Boo & D's house.  That is all Reese has talked about Beach, Papa, Castles, Boo house, D house...she knows her future plans that's for sure. 

Boo cooked us all dinner and we played at her house until she went to teach boot camp.  Reese and I tagged along while David & Dallas did some very serious fantasy football draft business. The park where she teaches is awesome so Reese had a blast. I did manage to snap a few pics...

Reese always heads upstairs into D's room to play out her rockstar dreams...

Then, she tried on literally every pair of shoes Boo has and walked around in them.  She chose the perfect person to steal shoes from...the girls got a ton!

Then we headed to the park...

Reese played her heart out and made friends with a 4 year old that she copied for an hour...

Thursday morning we headed to Folly Beach/Charleston.  We love it here!! Thanks to the Brasington's for always being way too good to us!! We LOVE their beach condo!! Reese hit up the beach (I didn't bring my camera down) and was covered in sand.  She is not my child.  I hate sand and the ocean.  She literally sat in it, covered.  She dug with her shovels, we all made castles with her and we even buried Daddy.  She went into the ocean a lot too.  She loves it!!

We came in, napped and headed out to California Dreaming for dinner with Uncle Bam.  Papa got her shoes on...

Finally, a mommy & daddy pic! 

I didn't get pics at dinner but Reese had fun with Bam.  She loves him!! Hope everyone has a great weekend! We are having a blast!

DORA LIVE

Saturday morning Dallas, Reese, Gigi and I all headed up to the Fox theatre in Atlanta for DORA live. It was da bomb. Reese LOVED it. Loved it!! She sat and was glued to them. She yelled for Boots, Doo Doo, Isa, Benny (he's a favorite) Tico, Diego, Baby Jaguar, Map, the whole gang. Dallas had a ball with her. At some point during the show he leaned over to me and said "this is what life is all about..." (I'm pretty sure he meant all of us doing things together that make Reese happy...family moments, not Dora shows in general...)
My mom had a ball watching Reese yell and dance too.
Here's Gigi getting Reese ready in the car... By the way her new saying when you ask her something is "In a minute" (with her pointer finger right at you...)

There were no cameras allowed inside so we attempted to snap some after...

Dallas bought her a light up toy (which she took to school today for show and tell) and a Dora and Diego doll...

Reese & Daddy...


Happy family...Doesn't Reese look happy to stop for a picture???

Afterwards we picked up the Baker's and headed to the Varsity for lunch! Yum! It was filled with Dora watchers and Jonas brothers fans...ah, the memories...

where did the week go?

We had a VERY busy (fun) week this week. I told Dallas I just had time to think/sit today after church. I've had sessions (with a VERY full computer of edits staring at me), fun with friends, appointments and our DORA live show! Busy.
On Thursday after picking up Reese from school, I drove to the airport to pick up Meghan, Summer, Hudson & Haven. I haven't seen them since spring training & I was SO excited to spend time with them!! The kids had grown and the girls of course, looked fabulous! The Marlins were in town playing the Braves so they came to spend time with us!! We all went to the house and played til late. Dallas hung with them while I ran to a photo shoot then drove everyone back downtown for the night. Friday, I had another shoot and we were all supposed to go out but a long rain delay ruined those plans. Saturday we headed to the Fox downtown for Dora then picked up the Baker's for lunch at the Varsity (an Atlanta tradition), ever since I was a kid we left concerts. etc at the FOX and headed to the Varsity. We took John to the field then headed to the house for more fun with Meghan. After that, Meghan and I went to the game that night....whew!!
Yes, I'm worn out. I just came in from a shoot too.
Another shoot tomorrow and then we're off to the beach Wednesday.
I'm trying not to be a blog slacker but life sometimes keeps me away from the computer. Here's a few pics from our visit Thursday night. The girls got some cute ones of Hudson taking Reese for a date in the pink car! I'll post when I get them!
Wonder where Reese learned to stalk people with her camera???

Hudson gladly posed...

"You're doing great Hudson, really working it for the camera..."

Meghan with the kiddos...we LOVE her!!!

Hudson hanging out having a drink...

Reese LOVES Meghan...

tickles...

Summer & her beautiful kiddos...I didn't get any Haven shots! I am so sad, we were all too busy playing between the playroom & the basement. Haven is gorgeous!!

These are from Saturday night with Meghan. Reese ADORES her and literally drug her all over the house. They danced in her room forever too...

Getting her workout in...

Love it!!

I am so thankful for friends like these! We had a blast and love them so much! I wish we were all on the same team again! Love you all! Can't wait to see the Bakers again in a month!!

school girl.

She is such a big girl these days. She's a chatterbug (even talks to trees and houses while in the car) loves anything Dora and Diego (also known as Yeeago) and is rockin some school. The teacher told me yesterday that she didn't cry one time and was a social butterfly mingling in her classroom. (enter a huge sigh of relief from mama...) I finally got out my camera while she ate lunch yesterday. We just chatted and laughed and loved. Somewhere in the middle I got this shot...I LOVE this shot...

It's indoor and not my best work but I love her expression. It's so HER. I loved it so much you're getting it with a funky process too. I equally loved this version...

She's a total ham and has become such a Daddy's girl. I thank GOD for her everyday.

Especially when she shows me her teeth...

florida trip

We've had a very busy past few days. I headed down to Florida to hang out with the Murphy's and meet baby Grace. She is ADORABLE. I just fell in love with her. She's the best baby too! Her big brothers ADORE her...

It was a quick trip and we didn't get half the shots we wanted but I was so thankful to hang out with Deb & Tommy. We miss them so much! We'll get everything in for Grace's 6 month modeling debut. Isn't she a doll? Just chillin by the pool while her silly brothers were doing cannonballs...

My two favorite little boys...

They've grown up so much and they have the best tans you have ever seen! I've had 3 shoots this week and 3 more this coming one...whew! I promise I'll get some princess pics soon. She's been a Gigi's girl (three sleepovers last week). We had a great day yesterday with church and family time. I'll post pics soon!

busy girl

We've had a very busy week here! Reese started school Monday and her mom, the photographer did not take one picture. I needed to be a mama that day. It was weird seeing all the other (non-photog) moms getting first day pics. She is doing great! She hates when I leave but today was better. It is so.darn.cute.though. There are 14 kiddos in her class. A good mix of girls and boys. She has colored us a bumblebee, chick, puppy and a girl already. She played with play-doh today too. When we go to pick her up all of the kids are sitting at tables in their seats with their bookbags on. It is just too much!! Dallas was rolling. How do those teachers get those kids to sit???

She had her 2 year check up today. We loved seeing her doctor...love her! Michelle couldn't believe how much she was chatting. (reese did not shut up the entire time we were there) She helped Michelle check her ears, etc. She was in the 99% in weight and the 92% in height. I need to grab the stats but they are in my car and I am too lazy right now. Michelle walked in laughing with the nurse as she was trying to talk to me after examining Reese. She explained that at 2 years they do a height equation on all the kids (that is supposedly accurate) to determine their height when they grow up. Her words were "Okay, we promise we double checked this to be sure..." I was like "what???" "Uhm, she's going to be 6'2.

What??? I fell out laughing. Couldn't wait to tell Dallas. He's not a fan of tall girls but when it comes to his daughter and sports...yes. He went ahead and ruled out cheerleading. We're thinking that's a bad investment all around. I don't believe it for a second, but it made for a good family laugh at dinner tonight!

I'm off tomorrow to see my best friend Deb and her new baby girl...Grace! Can't wait!

D.D.D.D.D....DORA, D.D.D.D...DORA!

Did that intro get you singing? Probably not. We are BIG Dora groupies in this house (it's funny how as parents you swear off things (ie Elmo & Dora) and those are the things your children love. We did successfully manage to avoid the backyardigans (they drive me crazy) but we've embraced all the other children's characters. Our stage right now is Dora. We saw a few weeks ago that Dora was coming to our Chick-Fil-A this Saturday. In Georgia we have special Chick-Fil-A's called Truett's Grill. (da bomb) There's only 3 and one is in my hometown. There all on the southside since Mr. Truett himself lives here. It's a family diner setting with veggies and all kinds of extras along with the regular chick-fil-a yummies! (It's a McPherson family favorite...)

Anyhoo, they had a celebrity guest there and we all showed up to be in her presence.

Reese was so excited...until we got there and saw her. Did I mention this Dora was as big as Daddy? What the? No wonder Reese was freaked out!

This was her stare from afar...

The only thing she would say to Dora was "boots? Where's boots???"

Since we were anti Dora in the miserable heat we walked around checking out the other stuff with Gigi, Aunt Donna & Daddy.

What a sweet Daddy...it was one of our many attempts to get Reese over near her. See how big this chick is???

Afterwards I went to get the car and Reese decided THEN was the time she wanted to see her. Word on the street is she hugged Dora, talked to her, saw her map and backpack....yeah, I missed it. So did my camera.

Thanks for the fun Dora!

We started a new sunday school class at church today and really enjoyed it. Reese is doing good in her new 2 year class on Sundays too. She called Dora (the doll) Doo Doo and a friend of ours little girl corrected her. We're gonna have to work on that. After church Boo, D, Gigi and our fam all grilled out. It was a fun Sunday together!

time for school...

Friday night Dallas and I took our baby girl to her first school open house. (sniff, sniff) Two year preschool starts Monday and we are so excited! We got to follow the bumblebees through church to find her classroom. We loved her teachers! They explained to her everything she'd be doing this year...painting, playing, the circle mat, pay-doh, the list goes on and on. For me, it was a reunion...I think every client of mine puts their kids in school at our church! It was great!

To warm up to them, the teachers showed her the toybox...jackpot!

When we were done we ran into Jackson and Reese and him played outside (on the hottest day ever!!) while all the mama's and daddy's talked...

Jackson tried to hug her alot and she was rude(Her Daddy congratulated her rudeness...). That Jackson is so cute!!

Close up of Mr. Jack!

We had a family date night and all sat in bed talking until late when Gigi came and picked her favorite gal up for a sleepover!

playroom stuff

Our days are crazy here. Spending time together, me working, Reese playing, family, friends, whew. I've meant to post her playroom pics for a month. It's still a work in progress but I love it! I wanted it bright, fun & organized. I think we got pretty close.

Mom & Boo painted it white ( I was desperately wanting one white room in this house) Here's her kitchen...Wall art off etsy...love it...

From another etsy store (the trunk is actually lighter brown than this pic shows) in pink and green. Ignore the window reflecting light I took this right when the sun was shining in!

These bunk beds were Aunt Boo's when she was a kiddo. Gigi took them and gave a fresh coat of paint and made some new polka dot bedskirts. They are a little wrinkly here but who's bed isn't???

Dance yourself silly board courtesy of Aunt Boo...

Her shelf with storage for all of her toys. Ikea, baskets Target, tv on top...

Baskets full of Reese's toys...

Her table & chairs. Pottery barn (gift from Gigi/Papa/Boo last year)...

Polka dot rug Target...gotta love target...

Gigi got her this cute crayon holder for her table...

Aunt Deb gave her this last Easter (it holds crayons & aquadoodle pens)...

"R" on her wall from a girl in my hometown who makes them $20. Totally cute, right??

My office. I need to get a pic of my whole office but it seems to always be filled with client orders. This was my Nanny's chest that mom sanded and painted for me in April. I love it! I wanted it really retro. Cameras were my great grandfathers that Daddy saved. Cool, huh???

I'll post my thrift store desk when I actually clean it off!