Permission to Create. Now there’s an interesting idea. Her words struck me as I began to realize that somewhere along the way, I stopped doing just that. When I started this business a little over a year ago, I wasn’t afraid to try new things, to experiment, to succeed – or even to fail. At some point, I started measuring my success by how well I pleased everyone else, and in so doing I lost myself. I stopped experimenting – stopped playing – stopped having fun!

I had been thinking a lot about this idea of giving myself Permission to Create when we took a weekend trip to Kentucky to visit our dear friends who recently moved there. Jenni has always been a huge support and encouragement to me and part of the reason for our trip was a family photo shoot. I remember asking what kind of “feel” she was looking for in her photographs – If she had any specific editing style she wanted me to use. She responded with these words: “You just do your creative Mary Alice thing, and I am sure that I will love it!” And with that sentence, Jenni had done for me what I hadn’t figured out how to do for myself. So, thanks for the permission, Jenni – I love you!

That said, here are a few images of Jenni and her Phillip. I love the soft, vintage-y feel – very different from my usual style! I have lots more of the whole family to share, but I’m not quite done with those yet.

This next  image makes me really, really happy. And not only because my sweet friends were willing to risk ticks and chiggers for me but because normally, I would have only posted this image in color (because it’s oh, so bright and lovely in color). Also, I had intended for it to be flipped the other way, but I was watching Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland” while I was editing and well…looking at this image sort of made me feel like they’re falling down the rabbit hole. Which is kind of like being in love, right?

Thank you, Jenni and Phillip for being such willing subjects. I love you both, and I’ll have the ones with the kids up soon!

In thirteen days, he will be six.

S I X .

He’s been counting down since April 1st.

He is growing up before my very eyes.

I know every parent feels that way, but seriously.

He has been expressing lots of emotion lately and is really attached to us.

He loves his friends fiercely and has been blessed with many who love him in return.

He has a bright spirit and a beautiful, compassionate heart.

He still asks God every night to take care of the earthquake victims in Haiti and Chile.

This morning he read 27 pages of Green Eggs and Ham to me.

He would have finished had we not had to leave for school.

He gives the BEST hugs and kisses.

And I mean the BEST.

He asks LOTS of questions.

And I mean LOTS.

He is anxiously awaiting his first loose tooth.

He is incredibly polite and well-spoken.

He no longer wants to be a Paleontologist when he grows up.

He wants to be a Paleontologist and a Monster Truck driver.

His sweet raspy voice and southern drawl melt my heart.

His daddy is his hero.

And he is his daddy’s pride and joy.

He loves Jesus.

He’s head-over-heels for a girl named Emmy.

It’s a good thing she’s crazy about him too.

His laughter is contagious.

He loves playing PlayStation 2, Wii and the DS.

He kicks my tail in every single game we play.

He has an unbelievable sense of humor.

Seriously, little dude is side-splitting hilarious.

He always reaches up to take our hands in public and still screams “I LOVE YOU!” as he runs up the steps to school.

He loves basketball and will be going to basketball camp this summer.

He is very concerned with eating healthy food so that he can grow up big and strong like his daddy.

He also wants us to eat healthy food so that we don’t die.

I’m totally with him on that one.

I am blessed to be able to watch who he is becoming.

His big brown eyes reflect the person I want to be.

He holds my heart in his hands.

He is my one and only.

And he is almost six.

Is there anything more dramatic – more mysterious – than the heart of a little girl? The heart of a some-day young woman?

I am so glad you stopped by! Make sure you check out the many incredible entries over at i heart faces this week. There is some serious inspiration goin’ on over there – over 1,000 entries already! {Not to mention that this week’s guest judge is the Divine Miss Tara, my absolute favorite photographer on this whole, entire planet earth.} AND – if you haven’t been here before and would like to see a little more Jack & Emmy sweetness, you can do so here!

Have a BEAUTIFUL day, everyone. Do something kind for someone today!

Thanks for the reminder, Starbucks girl. He really is a keeper!

Man, I love this kid!

My little Jack has a lady love. This is old news to those of you who know me, but for those who don’t, Jack & Emmy’s romance has been blossoming now for the better part of two years. And yes, he’s five. And she’s four. Of course, by romance I mean that they are the sweetest of friends and absolutely adore each other. Valentine’s Day is a special one for them, after our surprise re-enactment of the Lloyd-Dobler-boombox-over-the-head-blasting-Peter-Gabriel’s-In-Your-Eyes scene from Say Anything last year on Emmy’s front steps.

This year there was no boombox, but there was still much excitement. Emmy’s mom, Heather, and I had talked this past week about how careful & thoughtful both Jack and Emmy were in shopping for each other’s gift. Jack chose an Accessory Pack for Emmy’s Dora Links doll as well as two teddy bears stitched together to, in his words, “make Emmy think about me and her, forever”. Emmy gave Jack a stuffed frog holding a heart stitched with the words, “You’re my prince.” Combine that with the singing card she chose for him {that he has listened to no less than 100 times} and he was one happy boy!

You know, I am no fortune teller. I have no idea what the future holds. But I do know that there is something special between these two. We all laugh & joke about the day they will get married and I always run to get the camera when they are together just in case I am in charge of a wedding slide show someday. But for now, I just want to enjoy the innocence of their love story. The genuineness of their friendship.  The pure sweetness that is Jack & Emmy.

Thank you, as always, for checking in. I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine’s Day full of love!

M E R R Y   C H R I S T M A S ! !

I am a total homebody, but am becoming aware of just how much I really do love people.  I enjoy coffee a little too much. I stay up way too late at night editing photos. I read lots and lots of Stephen King. OK, so maybe the coffee and the King have a *little* something to do with my being unable to sleep. Maybe. If I could, I’d stay in my pajamas all day long, and I often do. I am running headlong into 40. OK, so that’s an exaggeration. I turn 35 on Wednesday, but I really like being dramatic. 35 is halfway to 70, so perhaps I’m not being as dramatic as I think. I am head over heels for my husband, who looks just like and sings way better than Finn on Glee. (Squee!) I think my son is an absolute Rock Star in every way. I think that starting two businesses in the midst of a recession is both the scariest and the most incredible thing we have ever done as a family. I’ve grown lots of new gray hairs, but grown even more as a person. I am forcing my family to Eat Clean as much as possible in 2010, which frequently leads to statements like, “Oh, mom! Not Quinoa AGAIN!” I have the best friends EVER. And the best clients EVER. And guess what? I’ve really missed posting their pretty stuff here for your to see!

So, let’s remedy that problem, shall we? 

This lovely little lady came to visit me earlier today and I couldn’t resist posting these for you to see. Oh, she is such a charmer! Miss Skylar Rose is now almost seven months old. I was supposed to photograph her at six months, but thanks to the Flu That Would Not Go Away, it’s just now happening! I owe Skylar’s sweet momma a debt of gratitude for her patience – so I figured these images were a good start! You might remember Skylar’s 3 month photos – I can’t believe how fast they change when they’re this little! 

I really, truly do have lots more goodness to share, but I have been very hesitant to post anyone’s images for fear of spoiling a surprise gift or a Christmas card photo. But it’s coming. And I think it will be worth the wait!  

I must say that I now fully understand the words Christmas Rush. Having manned the front office for an incredible children’s photographer for several years, I always got to witness the Christmas Rush. And I did get to experience it, a little, at least on the periphery. I’ve read about the Christmas Rush on other photography blogs. But now, being a one woman show from start to finish, I get it. I am now the Queen of the Christmas Rush! I haven’t seen my family much (I haven’t even been to see New Moon!), but I am almost over the hump. And as much as many of you have heard me groan about being swamped and tired and overwhelmed – I am eternally grateful. 2009 has been one of the most exciting and rewarding years of my life and I look forward to sharing more of myself and my art with you soon!

Confession time! I feel like such a broken record and even more of  a Debbie Downer, but y’all – I am feeling the crunch around here, trying to finish up everyone’s photos in time for Christmas cards. While I probably do my best work under pressure, I am certainly NOT a very nice person when I am stressed! That whole “Grace Under Pressure” thing? Yeah, not so much. I actually thought I was doing a decent job balancing housework, decorating for Christmas, being a good wife & mom and maintaining about a 12 hour work day until my sweet son informed me that I was not being very nice, that I didn’t hang out with him much anymore, that I never listened and that Daddy was pretty much better at everything.

* O U C H * (If I knew how to insert a sobbing emoticon here, I certainly would.)

But you know, sometimes it takes someone who loves you being brutally honest with you to help put things into perspective. Even if that someone happens to be your five year old son and even if that perspective makes you feel about 6 inches tall. Normally, I would let that revelation send me down the dark, twisty spiral of guilt and have me questioning why I ever picked up a camera and snapped that first photo, and who in the world do I think I am to set up a website and start myself a business, and why oh why are all these people hiring me because I can’t keep it together! And my water heater busted this morning, adding insult to injury, so that certainly means I’m doing something wrong, doesn’t it? Doesn’t it?!

You know what? It doesn’t.

My sweet husband looked at me today, with a sympathetic smile on his face and said, “This is just life, babe. It’s hard, but you know what? It’s GOOD.” And he’s so right. 

I never feel more alive, outside of being with my family, than I do when I am behind the camera or in front of the computer making art for YOU.

Do I need to become a list-maker? Yep. Do I need to do a little better at prioritizing? Uh – huh. Should I turn the computer OFF as soon as Jack gets home from school and not turn it back on until be goes to bed? Goodness, yes! (And that’s my new rule, thanks to Sir Honesty from the Kingdom of Rip Your Mother’s Heart Out.)

Would I change anything about this crazy path I am on? Absolutely not!!

So thank you, thank you, thank you for all the support and words of encouragement. I am on a journey, learning more and more every day what I am capable of. I am so excited about 2010 and the positive changes it will bring for both me and my clients. I am super-stoked about all the beautiful sneak peeks I have coming up over the next couple of weeks. I am overjoyed that I get to photograph 2 brand-new little babies next week. I am honored beyond belief that in a few weeks my mailbox will start filling up with Christmas cards, many of which will feature pictures that I took. I am immensely blessed. 

And I really hope Santa brings that D-Rex. Because I really think Phillip and I  Jack would get a kick out of it!