Saturday morning I was so blessed to visit with a beautiful friend and mother and her gorgeous family. They just expanded their home by two feet and I was there to document the love.  I think these photos are mostly about relationships and I find that's what I love witnessing the most. Welcome to the world, baby Maverick. I think you're really going to like it here.  You have a wonderful family and I can't wait to watch you grow up before our very eyes.  Just remember... Life's a journey, not a destination. :-)  Cause you have arrived, my friend!  Jump in!

I wish I could bottle their laughter. I wish I could build a whole city fueled by children's laughter much like in Monster's Inc.  People would be laughing all day long with all the contagious hilarity found in all forms known as a child's sense of humor. That would be a fun world.  I love how she loves to feed squirrels as much as she loves to laugh with her friends. I love their make believe. I admire her determination to be a snow princess in the high heat of Texas summer.  She compensates by chewing ice and tries very hard to stay dressed up until her Prince Charming (daddy) comes home. Sometimes, though, the heat is too great, so we'll see her laughing in her room in her undies.  She's the most precious thing I know and it is with great pleasure we share her and her cheerful outlook with the world. Here are various precious friends and even a cousin from our dog days of summer. 

 

Six years ago, we lived in Charlestown, MA.  The Democratic convention was coming to town and we knew we'd better get out then deal with the crowds.  We went West on a vacation with my parents in their fabulous BlueBird RV.  We flew to Denver and drove to Bryce Canyon, UT, Arches National Park and Moab, through the Painted Dessert and the petrified forest and back home again.  The landscape was unlike anything I'd ever seen before. The roads windy, and as we drove, we had to keep going, just to see what you could see around the next bend. It was a magical trip and left a lasting impression. And it's become a mantra of mine... "let's go! and see what we can see!"

We're quickly approaching our five year Texas anniversary. And while there's a lot that we have done, most of it has been colored the rainbow of fruit flavors of domestic life, buying and decorating the home we hope to live in forever, bringing home the loveliest child in the world and feeding her and watching her grow.  I have been so very fortunate to have been able to stay home with my sidekick. It's only now that we're on the verge of big change that I'm able to see clearly all that has transpired.

She's officially a big kid now and heading to school like one.  I'm so excited about the opportunities for her, for the things she'll learn and the people she'll meet and inspire. She's infectious like that and I've always recognized the importance of sharing her with the world, but I've been greedy, too and recognized our limits.
 
In some ways, I'm feeling enormous freedom in the new schedule of events. In fact, I feel kinda like I just moved to Austin for real and am coming out of my kid-centric scheduled cave-dwelling. I'm excited to step out and see what I can see. 

And here's what I can see from an early morning photo safari with my lovely friend, Carli Kiene. Check out her work, too!

Last month I had a chance to visit with my favorite non-profit organization, the Girl Scouts of Central Texas. In case you haven't heard, the Girl Scouts is the world's largest organization dedicated to empowering girls to be leaders. I love getting the chance to document these world-changers in the making at summer camp. Faux-Toes went to two camps so far: Zilker and  Robotics with another appearance to be made later this week at Concordia for Geek Week.  The girls' enthusiasm for their creations is a great thing of beauty and I am so honored to be able to capture a bit of that to share with the corporate offices. They use the Faux-Toes in their marketing materials, calendars and on the web.  It's just one more reason why I have the best job in the whole entire world.  Enjoy the Faux-Toes!

Saturday brought the cutest kids over to play at the Faux-Toes studio.  We've known the eldest kid since she was knee-high to a grasshopper and it has been such a joy seeing their family grow right before our very eyes. You might be interested to see the photo session from their earliest days as three siblings here.  Enjoy the sneak peek!
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I'm in love with Summer 2010  in Austin Texas.  The weather has been a bit unpredictable and by that I really mean "normal." Having survived some really blistering temperatures in the past along with a sky that would not rain for years, I'm so happy to be where we are, even if that means putting up with a bit of humidity.  So on this particular day, with the sky full of clouds, the muted light on the trees and the flower blooms bursting with color, I met with a beautiful family at Mayfield Park. Earlier this year, I met Cindy via the Girl Scouts corporate office and it has been such a pleasure working with her on documenting the Girl Scouts at camp. More pictures from those sessions to follow. Cindy's husband just returned  to Fort Hood from deployment. I was so honored to be able to capture this precious family and to convey my gratitude for their service to our country. You are beautiful!  Enjoy the sneak peek!