Lisa and Mike / Vow Renewal

My good friends Mike and Lisa Ragland celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary by renewing their vows! There is no greater way to show to each other and to others how your love has grown throughout your marriage. I felt honored to be there, and to be the photographer! Congratulations Mike and Lisa! I wish you many many more happy years together!

Anderson Family / Family Portraits

This is the sneak peek of the Anderson Family shoot. :) I was very excited about this shoot as we chose an AWESOME location, and the family is so sweet and SO PHOTOGENIC! Sooooo, I couldn't only pick a few. I just couldn't decide on a few, so here is a lot of them! I love them!

Chris is 20!... Well, in 2 days!...

Chris will be turning the big 2-0 on Saturday! Now, last year I had serious issues waiting to give Chris is birthday present, because I was so excited to give it to him. So, he got his birthday present a month early last year. This year I made it until 2 days before! I'd say that's progress! 


(I realize the paper says "Happy Birthday Girl," but I added blue string for masculinity!!! Hehe)

Telling my brother, "It's mine!"

A happy 20 year old kid! <3

 

Goodbye Fall 2010...

Today, I finished my last final at San Jacinto Community College. Starting in January, I will be a Lamar University Cardinal (Uncle Rob should love this!)... I cannot wait! But I am so excited for a month of relaxing Christmas-filled break.

Recently, I have been crafting some cute things for my dorm room. The first one is a simple photo holder that I made with the gold frame I found at an antique store here in Pearland. This frame has had multiple lives, first most likely as a frame, next as a photo prop (see it in use here), and now as a photo holder! 

I started by cutting a roll of cork into a 16x20 square. Then, I rapped the cork square with black fabric from Hobby Lobby. I used jersey cotton fabric, but I wouldn't suggest that because it was extremely flimsy fabric and difficult to work with! 

I cut the maroon ribbon and laid it out in a criss-cross pattern. Then, I hot glued it at the crosses and on the back. 

To finish, I added the flowers cut out of cute vintage-looking paper from Michael's and the buttons. I SERIOUSLY <3 BUTTONS! :) 

The next craft I worked on was the clothespins to hang photos in my dorm. The plan is to hang some black thick string and clip photos to it with clothespins. So... I mod-podged newspaper over the clothespins and added... what else... BUTTONS! 

It's Christmas Time...

Our Christmas Card:

Christmas Special...

Here is a sneak peek for all you who follow my blog, or happen to stop by, of the Christmas card special for this season that I am handing out during the Pearland Parade. :) 

Come out to the parade on December 4th at 5:30pm from Pearland Parkway and Old Alvin Road! It's going to be a blast!

Gleesons / Family Portraits

These crazy fun, good-looking peeps are my Aunt Maddie, Uncle Chris, and cousins Bella and Ryder! They call me "Cousin Auntie." Haha. :) I was excited about doing another family shoot for my own family (did my own family back in March... McAuley Family). We decided to go to Helen Gardens and League City Park, and we had so much fun during the shoot. We were praying praying praying for the rain to hold out, and it did! Thank you Jesus! I had to promise Ryder a silly shot for about every 3 or 4 good shots. Haha, needless to say, I had a wide variety of silly shots when all was said and done. :) Without further ado, here's the GLEEson family! (I love the show Glee, and just realized the first half of their name spells Glee!) 

Uh, can you say, Christmas card? :P

 BIG smiles and BRIGHT eyes. <3

She's learning to play guitar! Sweet princess Bella. 

Can you tell I'm a sucker for black and white?

His face says it all!

Again, his face says it all. I LOVE photos where all you can say is "That is so them." And this is so them! Nerf war champions!

Last but not least, my favorite! I love you Gleeson family!

Prayers for Josh...

In our little well, kinda big city of Pearland, nothing like this has happened, at least in my lifetime. On Tuesday, a boy named Josh Wilkerson didn't make it home from school. Yesterday at 6:30pm, his body was found. I was not friends with him, nor did I ever talk to him. It is so real though, because I did see him on occasion. And he was supposed to graduate here really soon. Please pray for his family and friends. Based on the sad I'm feeling, I can't even imagine the pain they are feeling. Bad things happen to good people, but it all works together for God's ultimate plan. I know that. But with my human mind with which I sometimes can't even wrap my mind around the concept of Heaven, this is difficult to understand. It defies the natural order of life. 18 year old children, regardless of actions or enemies, should not die. But, again, I choose to believe that SOMEHOW it is God's plan. God's glorious, confusing, sometimes wonderful!, never-ending, pre-organized, sometimes (like this time) awful plan. But that is coming from my weak human mind, and I also choose to believe that I have no idea what the big picture is. God does though, and that brings me peace. Josh had so much life left to live, I can dwell on, OR Josh lived 18 years. I know nothing about the life he lived, but just like you and I, he had probably made bad choices, maybe some wrong turns here and there. But, imagine him now as a child walking into the arms of Jesus. The perfect Jesus who he himself died so that Josh could live 18 years here. He was really only a child. Aren't we all just children in God's eyes? 


I pray he knew You, Lord! I pray with all of my soul that his parents at least have the peace of knowing he is holding Your gigantic hand right now, Lord. That while we are confused, some with heavy hearts, he is beautiful in Your light, with no more pain at all. I pray for the search team. Thank you for them! We are lifting this to You. 


Amen

Halloweenie...

I know I have not blogged in a while. It's due to a mixture of being super busy sometimes, and when I'm not, wanted to just veg in front of the TV.. But, I wanted to share photos from Halloween last night. We had so much fun as everyone dressed up except for my parents! Even our poochies! :) 

Until next time...