Day ThreeHundred-SixtyFour

I just don't think any additional explanation will really enhance the awesome-ness of today's photo.  Pure genius I tell ya.

Day ThreeHundred-SixtyTwo

Crazy Hair Day in our family is basically considered and treated as a holiday.  We've got it down.  Too bad the night before I had to head to the store at 9pm for some last minute spray that I thought we had in our stash.  The stash had been raided a few months prior for someone's "Fashionista Birthday Party" - this tiny detail forgotten!  In the end....it was well worth it.

Day ThreeHundred-SixtyOne

Today I was a chaperone for Cakes KG class field trip to a local farm, known as Dewberry Farm.  Great place.... poorly run.  So it was pretty much a solid day of 1300 kids from schools around the Houston/Katy area fumbling their way through as many activities as they could with no rhyme or reason.  You know what I call that... a cluster-yea well, I'll be nice and won't go there.  But as always, capturing the images from the day kept me more than entertained, and without that bit of background knowledge I just passed your way, well, from this picture I'd say Cakes thought it was a complete success.  Love this shot.

Day ThreeHundred-Sixty

The sunrises recently have just been killer.  Too bad once we fall back I won't be seeing many more of these!

Day ThreeHundred-FiftyNine

Yesterday started my season of HolidayMini's.  And I think this little one captures the essence of everything "mini".  She just happens to be a close neighbor with parents that I adore.  And man, is this little one a firecracker.  I'm really considering using a collage of her facial expressions as my own Christmas card this year!  Can't get enough of this bundle of spunk.

Day ThreeHundred-FiftyEight

We had this fella as a houseguest this past weekend.  Not only a total sweetheart, but half ridgeback who was a spitting image (in the face) of our first ridgeback, Macey.  Couldn't help but fall in love.

Day ThreeHundred-FiftySeven

Two of my favorite people giving their impression of the "BlueSteel Stare" (for those of you unaware it's a Zoolander reference).  Classic.

Oh, and babe, this one was tweaked especially for you.  :-)

Day ThreeHundred-FiftySix

Best part behind this photo is the story.  Cakes is looking at a boy in her class during her sister's big "speaking" night at their school's dedication ceremony.  She just thinks he is SOOO FUNNY, and of course we all know what that is code for.... CRUSH.  Sorry Dad, this one will give you a run for your money.

Day ThreeHundred-FiftyFive

My new favorite spot to save the one thing I CONSTANTLY lose.  From now on, all shoots will be done in boots.  (Well, at least until Spring).  Clever, I KNOW!!

Day ThreeHundred-FiftyThree

What do you get when you mix two little girls, a big heart, a box of chalk, a rainy afternoon, and an empty garage?

Day ThreeHundred-FiftyTwo

Beginning eight years ago yesterday, I was in a room at St. Luke's Hospital, working to meet my first child, a daughter named Alison Noelle.  I continued to work to meet this child for 31 hours, finally bringing her into this world around 10:30pm the following night (8 years ago today).  Never could I have imagined what kind of girl this baby would grow into.  In front of me today I see a smart, creative, artistically bursting, curious, sensitive, caring, beautiful - and forever unique,  eight year old little girl - and now can't imagine what kind of pre-teen, adolescent, young adult and adult she will grow into.  I'm not one of those that likes to sugar coat the realities of parenting, it's not all pretty and fun - and I'll be one of the first to admit this and discuss it in full sarcastic detail- but it IS an amazing journey.  My husband and I, WE, created this freckle-faced wonder.... and every so often it is so important stop "time" and remember, how blessed WE are to have created such an amazing human-being.  I look forward to watching her grow over the next 8 years and 8 years after that....and 8 years after that....and....

Happy Birthday to the "first" inspiration behind MoeCakes, Moe herself.

Day ThreeHundred-FiftyOne

Remember when tp'ing a friend's house was a great way to show that you cared?  Let's face it, getting up int the middle of the night to (basically) vandalize a friend's house - now THAT is true devotion!!  So just consider this a division of that same concept.  I mean, what better way to show your child that the entire day is about them then with a streamer wrapped doorway??  Maybe next year I should go back to the basics with toilet paper!?  Will that say "I Love You" even more??  All joking aside, Moe loved it!  It was a great way to start the morning with a well deserved smile.

Oh, and I must thank Pinterest.  You are a never-ending wealth of ideas that allow everyday Mom's to kick themselves and say "I should have thought of that!!"  but appear to those around them NOT on Pinterest to think they are REALLY creative!!!

Close up of the sleeping birthday girl.

Day ThreeHundred-Fifty

The next few days are pretty much centered around one thing...and that would be a special little girl's 8th birthday.  Tonight was the birthday party.  The birthday girl, four friends, one sister, and a WHOLE LOT OF giggles and shrieks, it was a "good ol' fashioned" slumber party - complete with swimming, dancing, board games, cake, presents, movies and best of all - A PILLOW FIGHT - I'd say it was a success.  Oh, and you may not be able to tell, but under that pile of giggling girls, is Dad.  :-)

Day ThreeHundred-FortyNine

Not sure if any of my followers, regulars or drop-ins even noticed, but Day 349 was actually skipped last week when I was updating my 365.  It wasn't due to not having a shot that day or a slight overlook.  It was actually done on purpose!  I did take many pictures that evening but hadn't yet gotten to the post edit side of things.  (Today I did.)  The woman on the right is a dear college friend of mine that contacted me many weeks ago asking if I would be willing to volunteer my time to photograph a special event that she is involved in and whenever I am offered the chance to give back, it isn't even a question.  This group is known as Friends of St. Jude and is a group of young professionals work and raise money for the St. Jude cause and help fight against childhood cancer.  On this evening they were having a special benefit along with Texas Young Professionals called the Hope Benefit.  It was a night of networking, socializing, silent auction, drink, food and dancing - all for one reason - to raise money for a great cause.  I was honored to be asked to capture the evening but as I get before any shoot, big or small, a tad nervous (okay, this one, more than a tad).  I'm not necessarily used to having the task of walking up to strangers and asking if I can take their picture!  Furthermore, I knew lighting would be something to address, but overall -- I just didn't want to mess up!  (Was I really qualified for this sort of thing?  Are they sure they wanted MoeCakes?  Dear lord, don't let me accidentally erase the pics!!)  But as I recently heard an inspiring photographer, Kelle Hampton, recently say during the iheartfaces Photo Conference, when in doubt or uncomfortable, the best place to be is where you (as a photographer) are most comfortable, and that's "hiding" behind the camera.  So I did just that!  All in all, it was a great evening out, a great way to catch up with an old friend, and in more ways than one, a really great learning experience.  I really do feel blessed to have been part of the night and part of the ever-growing fight against childhood cancer.

And for more from my evening at the Hope Benefit...click here.

Day ThreeHundred-FortyEight

It's just been one of those days.

Day ThreeHundred-FortySeven

It's official.  We have finally hit the age of "at home school projects".  We have completed our first one, creating a map of the neighborhood.  There were only two break downs, pretty good I'd say.  Remember this is Moe we are talking about.  The girl that falls apart any time something isn't perfect.  Notice the different color orange houses??  Tears.  See that little bit of red on one of the orange houses??  Tears.  But all in all - I'd say it was a success.  And a 100 for sure.

And for the record, she took ALL of the pictures herself.  Come on, former teacher here, I know the rules.  And it's Moe.  Do you think she would actually let me touch more than the corner?

Day ThreeHundred-FortySix

Packaging - there is so much you can do with a brand.  Too much at times.  I look forward to the day that I can drop a few bills on this side of my business.  It's so much fun to make things pretty - especially when you know how meaningful the items inside are to the person on the receiving end.  And I admit, it's fun to see MY business name stamped across things... It's a constant reminder to myself.... Yes, I did this.

Day ThreeHundred-FortyFive

Between Facebook and 365, I may be giving away my possibilities for this year's Christmas cards, but do you blame me?  Not that I'm biased or anything, but how cute are my girls???

I started the prep work yesterday for today's "Holiday Mini-Session by MoeCakes" - got them new clothes, talked up the fun we would have, curled hair and yes, threatened them just a bit -- that this would go well and we would have a good time....but you know what?!  We DID!  (Insert note below from Moe following shoot!)  

Both of them at dinner tonight told me that their "high" was the photo shoot with Mom!  How cool is that?  And the pictures really show it.  Selena Gomez in the background, crisp fall weather, and just a fun morning all around.  

Pictures shared earlier on MoeCakes Photography -- Facebook.

Goodness I love my kiddos.  Could look at these pictures a thousand times over.  That's when I know - I have some fabulous shots.  And that's why I LOVE photography.  I want to remember these moments - these mornings - these feelings - these faces.  And you should too, of your own loved ones and of your own life- if it's not me, make it another photographer or make it yourself....just capture these moments.  Freeze time.  Hold it close.  Look at it often.  It's beautiful.

Day ThreeHundred-FortyThree

I will be posting more from today on my Sessions & Such blog page, but for the purposes of 365, I thought this was the perfect image of the day.  If you've ever wondered what happens when you get a group of photographers together for some hands on training - well, here ya go.  A whole lot of clicking.  And you thought having one camera in front of your face was uncomfortable!

Day ThreeHundred-FortyTwo

Today was actually spent getting to this location for a weekend away at a photography conference held at Southfork Ranch.  So, technically this picture doesn't happen until tomorrow, but it was a good represention of the weekend ahead!