Taking a Shot at Photography

How do you come back to blogging after a 5 month hiatus? You completely ignore the fact that you haven't even thought about your blog in 5 months and jump right back in! Duh!

First of all, yes, the pun in the title is intentional. So lamely funny - I know. Okay, so on with the blog! Last week I had the pleasure of doing something that I love but have never really pursued. Photography. As most of you know, my sister, Kelly is an incredible photographer. She started doing paid shoots when she was only 17 years old and her business has blossomed into an empire in the past 4 years. You can view her awesomeness here. Since Kelly has such a natural talent for photography, I would always refer all my friends to her. However, once she moved to California and obviously could not shoot here in Denton, I started playing with the idea of getting behind the camera myself and a couple months ago when an opportunity dropped in my lap, I happily jumped on it! I did a 30 minute test shoot of a 2 week old baby. He was such a precious little model - no crying, pooping, or peeing! I think he knew what an amateur I am and went easy on me. Here are my very favorite photos from his shoot. A huge shout out to Kelly for all the pointers she gave me, to Tiffany for hiring me and to Dad for letting me borrow his camera! 

Click the photo to view a larger image

Until next time.
~Katie

Because I love you guys......

There are three women in my life who I love dearly who are all going through very different and very exciting things in their life right now. They have inspired me so much and I want to share their awesomeness with you.

I'll start with Amanda. Amanda and I share the same dry/sarcastic sense of humor and the love of buying things, then changing our minds and returning them. We both love tennis and still like to think we are as good at it as we were in high school. Amanda is a crazy hard worker and will never not speak her mind. We were both young brides who married after short whirlwind romances. We have supported each other through thick and thin and I know we will continue to do so. Even though I hate her just a little for moving all the way to Ft. Worth, I know she will be my BFF and I love her. I am so thrilled for Amanda and her husband Clayton because in just about 3 months they will welcome Baby Logan!!! I cannot wait to meet this little guy and I know Amanda is going to be such an incredible mother.

Amanda and I at her 21st birthday! 2009

Sometimes friends are jerks. Revenge coming soon, Prego! 2010

Aunt Amanda showing Kayden a great time at the pool! 2011

Celebrating Addison's 1st birthday. 2011

 

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The next lady I want to share with you (even though every person I know seems to already know her) is Kristina. Oh, Kristina. Where to start? Kristina has a huge heart and is a friend to everyone. She is an incredibly talented singer and I would love to one day have even half of her musical abilities. Kristina and I became immediate friends years ago because our men were good friends. We are silly and ridiculous and loud when we get together and it's awesome. I am so blessed to get to be her friend and I get to enjoy the pleasure of being a bridesmaid in her wedding which is THIS Saturday!!! Kristina and her soon-to-be hubby Ben are such awesome examples of how God's love should be lived out in a relationship. 

A million years ago and I have no clue what we're doing.  2008

Ben, Kris, Kevin and I at the Gungor concert! 2011 

Laughing - we do a lot of it. This was at her couples shower. 2012

My gorgeous, gorgeous friend at her bachelorette party. 2012

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The third lady in my life who I love dearly and has exciting things happening in her life right now, is my incredible sister (in-law) Katie. We share something most sister-in-laws don't.....our name! Katie is absolutely stunning and her beauty is far more than just skin deep. I have never met anyone who is more determined than Katie is. She makes her mind up to do something and doesn't stop until it's done. She is loyal, trustworthy and funny as anything. People sometimes think she is shy but that's only if they haven't given her the chance to not be shy. She is a firecracker who loves chocolate, running and a strong drink. One knowing look at each other and we both get a terrible fit of the giggles. Katie is an incredible aunt and the best Godmother I could have ever chosen for my girls. She says I'm the sister she never had and although I absolutely adore my two biological sisters, neither of them are Katie so that means she's kind of the sister I never had too. I love her dearly and am so so proud of her because she just graduated from TWU with her Masters in Science and is a Registered Dietitian! She is going to have such an incredible career and any company would be lucky to have her. I feel like now that she is done with school, homework, projects, papers, tests, quizzes, internships and ALL the stress that went with that, we are going to become closer than ever.

Gaylord Ice. 2010

Dinner at the in-law's house. 2010

Enjoying a drink at Hannah's. 2011

In Fort Worth. 2012

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All three of these incredible women mean so much to me. Love you, ladies! Cheers to all the awesome things you each have happening in your lives right now and to all the great things to come!

Wow.

Today, while at the park with my children, I over heard a young woman and a not-so-young man talking about how he and his wife recently moved in with their adult daughter, her husband and their 5 (yes 5!) boys - ages 5 weeks (twins), 2, 7 and 9! As they talked about how he has become a live in babysitter, she repeatedly said "praise God", "to God be the glory", and "all in His plan". Recognizing that she was a Christian, I started thinking about how Mary Kay might appeal to her as a business considering we, as a company, are based on two principles - 1) Keeping your priorities of God 1st, family 2nd and career 3rd in that order. 2) The Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." A little while later she had turned and was talking with another mom. I was on the outskirts of their conversation; adding in little things here and there while chasing Addison around. She mentioned to us that she is a single parent of three girls. I told her that as a one time single mom myself, I had a ton of respect for her. I also told her that God has an incredible plan for her life and although it's impossible to see the big picture when you're right smack in the middle of it, she'll be able to look back one day and see the pieces fall into place. Her face lit up and she thanked me for saying that. 

After a while, I re-approached this beautiful woman and said "I hope you don't think I am crazy, but I teach skin care with Mary Kay Cosmetics and I'm sure as a single mom, pampering yourself is not at the top of your priority list. With that in mind, I feel really called to offer you a complimentary facial along with a $10 gift card to use towards whatever products you want. Is that something you'd like?" She looked so thankful and accepted happily. She then casually mentioned that she'd actually thrown around the idea of doing Mary Kay. I excitedly told her that from the minute I heard her talking to openly about God, I wanted to share our business with her because I so love working for a company that was founded on God 1st, family 2nd and career 3rd. Upon hearing that, her jaw dropped, her eyes swelled up with tears and she coughed out an "are you serious?" followed by "God is so good". She stood there with her eyes filling with tears and her hand on her heart, gaping at me. Her reaction was so heartwarming that I reached out to embrace her. We hugged and she cried, saying, "God is so good, God is so good" a couple times through her tears. It was such a "moment". One of those moments you know happened because God wanted it to. 

We exchanged contact info and she told me that she is currently living at her pastor's house because the apartment they were in had become very unsafe. We talked a little more and then she thanked me -thanked me, like I'd done something extraordinary- for being so bold and offering the facial to her. I think my fear of hearing "no" sounds so lame and selfish when I take into consideration how joyful an offering of something so simple could make someone. I know that God can work through me, through Mary Kay. All I have to do it open my mouth and ask. 

As I walked with a skip in my step back to the car I heard my phone's text message sound go off. I ignored it and got the girls buckled in, all the while still thinking about how awesome and honestly moving my meeting with Melissa had been. Once in the driver's seat, I grabbed my phone to check the message and there, already opened up and staring back at me was not the new message I'd just received, but the response Kevin has sent me many months ago after I informed him via text that one day I would have a pink Cadillac. I had saved it because it meant so much to me. Staring back at me, after this incredible encounter with a woman who really needed a beckon of hope, were the words "I believe you will." Four simple words that meant so much then and again today, meant so much. I believe that God will work through me to enrich the lives of women around me. I believe I will inspire. I believe today both of those things happened and I am truly thankful to have met Melissa. 

Thanks for reading. Please take a moment and lift Melissa up in prayer. She asked that I pray for her and specifically mentioned the verse containing the words "let no weapon formed against me prosper." 

Trust. Let Go.

"Do not be anxious about anything but in all things, through prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." -Philippians 4:6

Do not worry ever about anything. You only need to let me know what you want and I will do what is best for you. Give it all up to me. Trust. Let go.

"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." - 1 Peter 5:7

Do not worry. You are in my hands. I care for you. Let me take your anxiety, your worry, your fears. Hang them here upon the cross. Trust. Let go. 

"And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:19

I will handle it. I will take care of you. Does the sparrow not have his needs met? So too will I meet your needs. Trust. Let go. 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight." -Proverbs 3: 5-6
You can't do it alone. You need me to guide you. I will not lead you astray. Don't you know that I love you? Trust. Let go.

"So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?'" -Hebrews 13:6

What is a man compared to God? I was mocked, hated, beaten, and even killed at the hands of men and yet I rose again. Do you not know they cannot hurt you with me at your side? I am your helper. You need not be afraid. Trust. Let go. 

Why do we fight Him so much? Why can't we just let go and let God? Why do we avidly insist that worrying will help whatever problems we come across in our daily lives? My assumption is that we are so far inferior to our Creator that we can't even begin to fathom how someone so powerful and incredible could care about our issues even one tiny ounce. We are human. Plain and simple. We are vain. Our humanity keeps us from the humility giving it all to Him requires. Starting today I am going to welcome that humility. I am going to trust. I am going to let go. I am going to allow myself to be lead for I know I will not be lead into harm. I am going to walk humbly with my God. "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" -Micah 6:8 

Daddy's Little Girl

Over the weekend my sister Kelly came over and did an in home studio photo session with me. It was an absolute blast! In high school Kayden and I used to be a "model" for Kelly quite frequently to help her build up her portfolio. Here is one of those pictures - taken April 2009.

Now Kelly totally doesn't need me to fill in the gaps because her portfolio is currently packed full of incredible photos of families, babies, college students, homeless men, brides, high school seniors and weddings. I felt so lucky to get to be on the front side of her camera this weekend again. It was just like the "old days".  Here are two of the pictures from Friday's shoot.

Okay, so now let's get to the part of this entry that will explain the title. But first, let me introduce you all to my dad.  He is a totally goob. He is silly and witty and can make anyone laugh. He is an incredible man who has been married to my mom for 25 years. 

He is a wonderful "Grampies" to his grandkids and he isn't nearly as much of a hard-ass as he'd like you to think he is. He is a hard worker who always has grease under his finger nails and is the only one around who knows exactly how to load the dish washer properly. 

One thing my dad is not though is a man of many words. He is sensitive but not horribly open or expressive about his feelings. That is he hasn't been until the other night when he called to tell me that he had seen the most recent pictures Kelly had taken of me. He wanted to tell me that he had always seen my inner beauty shine through but that seeing those pictures made him see my outer beauty more so than he ever had before. He said he just couldn't believe those pictures were of his daughter. Then, in a classic "dad" way, he ended with, "I know those weren't really you though and they were just some model Kelly picked up on the side of the road on the way to your house".  Needless to say he made me cry.....and then laugh. I think everyone loves hearing sweet things from the mouth of their father. Moments like that remind me that no matter how old I get, I'll always be (and long to remain) Daddy's little girl. 

I am putting all of this in my blog not to toot my own horn but to make sure that I never forget what my dad said to me. It really meant so much to me and I want to be sure I have it forever. Mom, I know you are having Dad read this so Dad, thank you. I love you so much. 

Thanks for reading! Until the next time I get around to writing....

If you want to view more of Kelly's photography or schedule a photo shoot of your own, you can search for "Kelly McCullough Photograhpy" on Facebook and "like" her page or go to her website: www.kellymcculloughphoto.com.

Duck Ponds and Guava Fruit

Sissy is my older sister. When I was little I couldn't say her name (Patty) so I just called her Sissy. That stuck and now 20+ years later she has become Aunt Sissy to my girls.

Here she is looking gorgeous. That's me on the left....I'm the one that looks just like Kayden. The little hairy one on the right is my other sister Kelly. Don't worry, she grew out of looking like an old man. 

Today, the girls and I had the privilege of hanging out with her all afternoon. She came over in time for us to go pick Kayden up from school together. From there we headed off to Braum's to grab some lunch and then took off for the duck pond. We tried the pond over off of Teasley at Eureka Park but quite frankly, it sucked. There were like 8 ducks there but they were lazy and tired and couldn't care less that we were throwing delicious, day old hot-dogs buns at them. Not only that, but there were also two obnoxious seagulls (I'm sorry, are we in Galveston?) who kept hovering and squawking and threatening to poop on us.

Look at them, just ignoring us like that. Jerks. 

So we left. Too bad for you, stuck-up ducks, we'll just go to a better duck pond! So, we drove across town to the duck pond off to I-35 over by the new Apogee Stadium. (Plug for Nicole: You should go see a game there sometime everyone!). The ducks there were much less high and mighty (obviously because they are UNT fans) and throughly enjoyed our bread....when the blasted seagull that was there (again, this is Denton, right?!) didn't scare them away and steal it. It was a wonderful day and we all had a blast.

I know Kayden looks terrified and sad in this picture but I assure you she had fun. This was at the end of our time at the duck pond and she was really upset to have to leave. 

So yay for a fun day with the girls and my sister. Now, I am so looking forward to a dinner date with my bestie, Amanda. She's fabulous and I'm sure we will shut the restaurant down and get kicked out before we're done talking. That's the greatest thing about spending time with a best friend isn't it? The fact that time just disappears when you're together.

Here's us. Yeah, we know we're awesome. Oh and here's a little tip - if you've ever thought of using a guava fruit, yogurt and "other random food items all mixed together" face mask....don't. It'll stain your face orange even if Amanda says it won't. 

Until tomorrow....unless Amanda and I are still at the restaurant blabbing.

Denton Craigslist>Sale>Children>Female

"You know that place where you know you have to have a babysitter -meaning the TV and the movie Madagascar- watch your kids for an hour while you sneak a brownie in the kitchen and take a breather for fear that you are about to lose your last ounce of sanity and probably wind up listing them both with a "buy in bulk" discount on Craigslist?"


That was my status update on Facebook yesterday and I ended up with 11 glorious moms who commented saying they totally related. So my thoughts for today are going to be about that place that all moms come to  at some point or another where you just want to sell your kids on Craigslist or Ebay or -as one mom commented- just put them out on the curb with a sign that says "free". Oh and I would like to mention that since the kids are in bed for nap, I am happily stuffing my face with candy, right out in the open space of the living room. Aaaaaah. 


Okay, so what made yesterday one of "those" days? What didn't? After naptime it got worse. Kayden was being a little bit (a lot bit) of a diva and Addison was crying insistently for a cracker. Since Kayden was bouncing around, yelling horribly and climbing on the top part of the sofa (guess which two of those are not allowed in our house), I decided we should go outside to blow bubbles and release some energy. That was fun for the first ten minutes until Addison's withdrawal symptoms kicked in after not eating a cracker in a whopping twenty minutes. Kayden was happy outside though so we pushed through for another thirty minutes or so. After Kayden successfully dumped all of her bubble juice out and Addison removed her shoes and walked in the mud, we (meaning I) called it quits and promptly went inside and put Madagascar on (a movie I actually find funny too. Those penguins are freakin' hilarious.) I then sat on the sofa and played Bejeweled for the next hour and a half until my knight in shining armor arrived and rescued me.


And that's another thing! Why is it that the minute "Daddy" gets home, everything is suddenly like a story book tale? Why do the kids quit crying, fighting and breaking things the minute his key hits the door lock? I really make an effort to clean the house up everyday around 4:30 so that when Kevin gets home around 5:30 it looks nice. If nothing else I at least get to the kitchen and living room. That's the effort I make daily so that he doesn't have to walk into chaos. Oh and I try to have showered. I'm sure that's appreciate. Anyway, maybe the kids make an effort of their own too and settle down for a few minutes when he first gets home so he can walk into a peaceful environment instead of a war zone after a long day.   


Today was a better day than yesterday for the most part. After picking Kayden up from school we went to the playground in the mall for an hour and then came home to make what Kayden has decided to call "hot dog rollies". It was my first time to make them and it will definitely not be the last. They are super easy and pretty tasty. Canned croissant rolls, hot dogs, cheese, roll them together, bake at 375º for 12 minutes. Done. I'm sure half of you have made these before but if you haven't they're worth a try. 

I never said they were pretty but they are yummy! 

After naptime we have some errands to run and that always helps the last half of the day (my day countdown ends when Kevin gets home from work) go by quickly. I guess as moms sometimes we just have to find those little things that save us for even just a moment from the craziness we live it everyday -whether that something is a brownie, a new pair of shoes, or a couple hot dog rollies.

So for today, post and tell me about a time your kids almost got listed for sale on the Internet. I promise not to report you if you don't report me.