Sunday, November 30, 2008

Janet married David on Saturday

and it was beautiful!  The morning started out cold and rainy, but by the time the vows were said, the sun was out and it made for some wonderful moments.  They were married in a friend's home with their family around them.  Just a great morning.

Thanks, Janet for calling me and letting me be a part of this.  CLICK HERE for more images.  They are the first wedding on my new shopping cart.  




















Friday, November 28, 2008

Turkey Day 2008

We had a great time with Devin's family yesterday.  We ate way too much food, laid around and surfed the internet way too much and just basically enjoyed the day together.  I hope everyone had a great day.  They only way to make it better next year?  If I could see my Mom and Dad, too.  

Enjoy the pics!  I didn't take too many, but there's some fun stuff.  :)



















Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Christmas Cards


Christmas cards are one of my favorite things about the holidays.  I love going to the mailbox each day and seeing all the beautiful cards.  Heck.  I even like the newsletters that some think are annoying.  I keep each and every card I get and at the end of the season, when I'm putting up the tree and decorations (otherwise known as spring break...LOL)  I tie a ribbon around them and pack them away to look at again the next year.  I love looking at them each year while we are decorating the house and tree.  

This year, I've predesigned several cards and have made it super simple for everyone to order.  Just click the link below and be sure and email me which images you would like on your favorite.  My lab will print your cards, include the envelopes, and ship your order in 48 hours.  You can choose from flat or folded cards and the paper is beautiful, just like my prints.  There are several designs to choose from, or if you prefer to handle your own, just buy the digital file and I'll email it to you right away.  


Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!  

Saturday, November 22, 2008

what I did this morning

I'm currently editing away like a MAD woman, and installing the new software on my iPhone.  BUT this morning?  I got to watch Kalyn Marie, (miss marie) play some bball!  She ROCKED the court despite some bad calls by a ref that was still waking up.

Way to go Lady Pirates!















MOM LOVES HER SOME BBALL!

I hate to even post these pictures now.  I mean, it's been over a week since they were shot, but Bball season has started at Cooper and I'm knee deep in the spirit!  It's been GREAT watching Summer's 7th Grade team form and step up and play great against Brownfield, only to show up Thursday night in Frenship and watch the game just fall apart.  

Our girls are good.  Very good.  My child too.  So, if you get the chance to make a game, DO!  

Here's some pics from Brownfield's Game and as always, more on the Cooper Gallery, www.hookapirate.com.


Sydni brining her game down the court.


and still bringing it!


Miss Summer Zoe with Taylor Connley in the background.  They all played AWESOME defense and shut this team down!




Pretty rough little team, both physically and verbally.  Yeah.  They let a few words fly.


Jordan was awesome under the boards!  She definitely made her presence known!













Way to go Lady Pirates!  I'm sorry about the loss Thursday against Frenship, but you'll get your chance for redemption the last game of the year when you play them at home.    Keep your heads up and bring it on Monday against Seminole!!

Mom is so PROUD!

leslie + keith

I photographed Leslie and Keith last weekend and just now had internet access (and time) to blog them.  When you have cute clothes, a cute couple, and awesome light, you get an awesome session.  AND when a couple can laugh and switch to public make out, you know you've got it made.

Great job you two!





































Thursday, November 20, 2008

the alford family


Presley and Jax had changed tons, but something about them always stays the same.  So much fun and so full of giggles!  

































Wednesday, November 19, 2008

the bednarz family

Keri, my good friend who is married to my husband's cousin, moved down the street from us, oh, 8 or so months ago.  I wanted to give her something for a house warming gift and when she asked me to photograph her family, why not?!

So, here's her adorable family around her front porch.

Thanks, Keri!  For freezing and waking up early and being so easy to photograph.  :)























Robin + Jeremy

You know you're a dog lover when the dog gets more "camera time" than the bride.  LOL  I'm so teasing, but this precious girl, Pugslie, just stole my heart!  She belongs to Robin and Robin, after Saturday night, belongs to Jeremy.  

They had a wonderful wedding!  Both mom's came up to me at the rehearsal and had one special request.  Robin's mom wanted a good shot of her daughters and Jeremy's Mom wanted a shot of his face as Robin made her entrance.  

Done.

Enjoy the sneak peek!  I don't have their gallery posted yet because the new one is not quite ready.  Hopefully soon!  

Thanks Robin and Jeremy for a wonderful Saturday night!

Robin hosted the bridal brunch at her house and you know immediately that she's a HUGE TT fan!  It's so cool how she found all these vintage Texas Tech yearbooks that she displays in her living rooms.  

Yep, the dog.  

Lots of good laughs with this bunch.

Robin used Adair for her makeup and it was wonderful!  You can find her spa at Indiana and Quaker across from Big Lots.  

Hair was done by Terra Bella's.  One of the BEST places in town to get "up-do's".  

A little trouble with the contacts and eye makeup.

Beautiful flowers by none other than College Flowers of Lubbock.  THEY ROCK!

Great moment between Robin and her mom.  They had been together most of the day, sharing in all the activities, but it's just something when the bride finally pulls it all together.    It was a bit much to take in for her mom.  I love this shot!





Guys, guys, guys.  Oh, the stories I could share.   Especially the words they were sharing with me as I was lying on the ground in front of them trying to make awesome photographs for them.  Gentlemen, yes, but funny gentlemen all the same.  
Jeremy and Robin needed to see each other before the ceremony.  First Baptist Church is AWESOME because you can always find a pretty spot for such a thing.  This is the courtyard between the chapel and the sanctuary.  Just lovely light and the color of the brick acts as a perfect reflector.  

In the left hand corner is Travis.  I'm sorry, but I can't remember the name of his company but he was a great videographer to work with.  Travis, if you are reading this, leave a comment below with your contact info.  

First look.  :)

Some first cuddling and kissing.  THE BEST STUFF!



Robin is a completely down to earth human being that has a high maintenance feel to her. Only way I can think to describe it.


Adorable flower girl!  I realize I say that about all the girl's in the weddings I attend, but I swear there's a competition among them I they just keep raising the bar.




Funny stuff happens when you have to wait in a room.

Here comes the bride.

The chapel was decorated perfectly.


















I wanted to comment on more stuff, but I'm out of time!  Oh, such a great wedding!

Monday, November 17, 2008

sloan

I love this first image!  LOVE IT!  For one, there's very little editing as she is standing in a pig stall and in front of a screen that is giving it a great textured look.  Sloan thought there might be something worthy of a shot down by her pigs, and she was so right.

LOVE IT!

My site and blog have been moved to a new server and my new shopping kart (client galleries) is almost ready to show off.  Another day or two I've been told.

Enjoy Sloan's Graduate Session!  She totally ROCKED IT! 


































Friday, November 14, 2008

exceeded the bandwidth

Remember that cute construction worker I posted a while back?  Well, I need him again.

My site is being moved to a new hosting company AND I'm getting a brawn new shopping cart that is 10 times better for you.  Bigger images, easier interface, just plain better.

Stay tuned and in the mean time, I think the only thing accessible is this blog!  LOL

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Miss Taylor

I LOVE this!  After the Hurst Family Session, Taylor and I made some photographs to remember her SENIOR year!  I can't believe she's graduating!  She was in the womb the day I got married.  I have video.

Enjoy!






















the hurst family

It's getting cooler and the light is getting crisper.  My favorite time for portraits.  You don't have to stand and sweat and appear "glowy", your skin doesn't stick to your family member, your hair doesn't fall flat from the heat.  Great time for family sessions and I'm shooting them like crazy this month!

This is the Hurst Family and I've known them for decades.  Yep, I'm old.  I had a great time with them Saturday afternoon and I have more to show you from Taylor's Grad Session, but for now, ENJOY!




















Sunday, November 09, 2008

john + jill (and cool dog, Bobby)

This was fun.  No agenda, meaning, we MUST get the shot for the paper, no major plan, no fussiness and the coolest Chihuahua on the planet!  What a beautiful day yesterday, (Saturday) was for a session.  I met John and Jill on campus and yes, we almost got towed away, BUT WE DIDN'T!!!  And we just had a great time taking some fun, relaxed portraits of their little family.

When you scroll down and find Bobby, I just know you will say "awwwwww!"

Enjoy!  

And a shout out to John and Jill for a great morning!  You two couldn't have been more gracious and willing to just stand around and be "cool". LOL




































I'm getting better at this football thing

Cooper had their last HOME game of the season Friday night.  It was horribly cold and I'd frozen snot and frozen toes before it was over, but I had a GREAT time!  I'm still not what I would even call good at this football thing, but I am getting better.  Maybe by the time Kalyn is a Senior, I'll have it down.  

Way to go Cooper!  They are in the Play-offs!


































CMS Last Pep Rally

LOVE this!  Summer Zoe had her last pep rally as a 7th Grader.  I can feel the tears welling up inside me, ready to pour out the 2nd she enters high school.  Time is moving fast my friend.

I've enjoyed this "season of cheer" in our family's life.  It's brought new friends into my life, and new friends into Summer's as well.  She has absolutely ADORED cheering!  She's working hard each week to get her tumbling down so that she can make the squad again and keep on cheering.  You go girl!

Here's her squad, (L-R)  Brianna Redden, Miss Summer Zoe, Megan Allen, Nicole Sarabia, Kaiti Haltrom, Sydney Holmes, Alyssa Jarvis, and Sami Smith.

8th Grade Squad 

Crazy dude in the stands LOVING the beat of that JR High's DRUMS!

Lauren and Anna, some good friend's of Miss Zoe's.

More Crazed JR High KIDS!  LOVE their energy!  We should all just go around enjoying life like this.  



Such a great smile on this girl!  They were doing the class screams and she got up off the floor to yell for her grade.  :)


The theme this week was "Super Hero" and Adrian Smith and her family always come up with the cutest skits to entertain the crowd.  This week, our PROUD MASCOT PIRATE was looking pretty cool in the Indiana Jones Jacket and get up!  Very cool indeed!






We love you Miss Summer Zoe!  I, of course, think you are the BEST cheerleader EVER!

Friday, November 07, 2008

lexi and brooklyn


Talk about your princesses!  I needed to blog these days ago, but we've had a busy sports week in the Bednarz Family, so Grandma had to wait to see the sneak peek of her adorable babies.  

Thanks Deanna!  I had a great time seeing your girls again.  Everyone looked awesome and these two are absolutely precious!





























Monday, November 03, 2008

the irlbeck family

How cute is Ben?  Oh, my gosh!  He is exactly the same, yet oh so grown since I got to play with him last year.  Just adorable and I could smell his baby goodness on me all day.  LOVE that!  Sort of like puppy breath you know?  Kinda weird, yet you associate it with cuteness?  Yep.  That's baby goodness at the toddler age.  They smell like what they touch and see, yet are still fresh with the world and good.  

I photographed this family last year and we had a bitter cold day.  So this year I was so happy when we woke up Saturday (game day for TT) and the world was bright and shiny.  Perfect day for photos. 

Enjoy!




Miss Annie Grace will steal your heart so quick you can't stand it!  Nor can you run backwards fast enough to elude her giggling grasp.  She's such an adorable little girl, I could make millions if I could bottle her up and sell her to the world.  





Brian was a trooper with the I will make a fool of myself for my kids.  Public park screaming in his best laugh to keep the kids happy.  Anything for the shot, right?




adorable.  



My favorite of the day!  

And this is the look I usually get from many dads.  LOL  

"Just what are you doing lady?"







Total cuteness.  :)







Sunday, November 02, 2008

Halloween

It's kinda sad.  

Kalyn didn't dress up.

Summer and Sydni did, but this was the first year Keri (Sydni's) or me did NOT trick or treat with them.  Very sad.  But it was still fun!

I'm loving watching these two enjoy Junior High.  Sure, it's not all roses and wonderful moments, but they have each other to pull them through and get through the tough times.

LOVE the pig outfits!