Volleyball pics, mom style

I know that I always say that I buy both school pictures and sports pictures too so that I can rest my head at night knowing that I am in possession of those crappy horrible pictures for them to look back on in 30 years. That being said, I want some that I can display around the house and I am sorry but those simply do not make the cut! Today after the girls and I got back from their hair appointment, I took some frame worthy volleyball pics of M...

Please exuse if the color looks a little off, my monitor calibration software isn't in yet and these were done on my new computer and 24" monitor....whoot! Yes, Santa I was a very good girl this year!

We wish you a Merry Christmas...

I took very few pics this year mostly because I really wanted to enjoy the day for what it was and hopefully T got it all on video anyway. Our festivities generally begin Christmas Eve with T's parents coming over to exchange gifts and do dinner. After dinner we go to the candlelight service at church (though this year we skipped it so we could partake of Meme's Louisiana Swamp Cake she worked so hard on) and then with some of our closest friends, we drive around looking at the holiday lights on local area homes. This year we drove to a themed neighborhood and I so wish I had brought my camera with me! Once we get home, it's hot chocolate and "The Polar Express" and the kids almost never make it to the end making bedtime a snap! Its a family slumber party in our room so we can monitor their movements Christmas morning! After an hour or so of ripping and tearing and squealing with delight, we have a yummy sugar packed breakfast and break out the pliers to undo those horrible kids' toy packaging. We try to squeeze in a couple hours of play time before heading over to my parent's for more presents and another big dinner in the early evening. It's a wonder we can roll ourselves out of bed on the 26th with all the food we consumed the 48 hours prior!
Look, it's a cool blue trip to the emergency room!

Meme and Papa try to figure out what on earth is in this big box!

Christmas Morning...

T waits with camera poised to video the stampede...

One...two...three...open!

And just like that, at least two months of planning, purchasing, wrapping and anticipation, it was over.

My how time flies...

There was a time when I felt guilty about letting more than a day go by without a post, but a month? No way. I cannot believe how badly I have let this blog go. With the busy season almost behind me, I have a minute or two to catch everyone up on the goings on around here. We had a volleyball tournament, piano recital ( me & T were shooting a wedding and had to miss it but Granny & Chippy got her there and even videoed the performance), band concert, school parties and Christmas. I am trying really hard to take some time off right now, but with a mountain of proofing still left and January already booking up, it may be February before I can really slow down. I am trying to get a new website put together and a shopping cart feature organized along with the daunting undertaking of gutting out my office and getting it to a functional point for me. The thought alone is exhausting! In any case, here are some images of our various events this past month. It may surprise some to know that whenever I could get away with it, I left my camera at home.

Volleygirl...

My little flutist...4th chair (out of 16) too boot...whoo hoo!

Yup, that's snow in Houston! And 72 hours later we saw highs in the mid & upper 70's and crowded doctor's offices and cleaned out cold remedy aisles in the stores.

Class parties...

Teacher gifts...

Gifts for the kiddos in L's class...

The sweet light

Ahhh, sundown is my absolute favorite time of the day. The beautiful warm glow that sun gives as it is saying goodnight just can not be duplicated. While I set up last evening for a session, I used my M as a quick test subject. You can clearly see how enthusiastic she was about the prospect...ha-ha!

New Prop

I got a fun new prop last week that I actually used on a session before I got to test drive it with the girls! Go ahead and call me crazy, but I just love it and I already have another session in mind for it...weeeee!

I just love this one of my little boo bear...

Hodge Podge

These are just several images that I snapped this weekend, nothing serious. Just some randomness.
L & her gf, P...

M...

These next couple are from the impromptu ping pong tournament courtesy of the set that came in the Wendy's kids meal after church...

These were taken after I got back from my early evening sessions Sunday...