2009 Bluebonnet Pictures: Zoe and Ava!!!

This was the best bluebonnet year EVER!!!

The girls and I set out to do our annual Bluebonnet shoot in Northeast Texas over Easter weekend! We try to do this every year over the holiday while staying with Grandma and Grandpa...Since it was to rain all day Easter Sunday, we went out to the bluebonnet field on Saturday evening and played in the ocean of blue flowers (and yes, Zoe picked a few...whoopsie! ) The light was phenominal during the golden hour! Of course Ava had had it by then... folks it is sooo hard to shoot your own kids!!! But all in all, I was very pleased - especially with Zoe's set :) thanks to Aunt Lynn for helping with each one while I was 'focusing' on the other! I couldn't have done it without ya girly!!! XOXOXO Mj~

JUMP!

Reagan T.... Troup Senior 09

Reagan and I spent the afternoon together recently and found some gorgeous spots out in the country! Reagan is set to graduate from Troup High School this year and just had a birthday as well! Her birthday present was a horse! Congratulations and happy birthday wishes Reagan!

I enjoyed meeting you and your mom and your newest family member Ginger :) Thanks for putting up with all the crazy stuff I asked you to do :P

Fellow Photog Krystle Akin!

Krystle (Lexibugs Photography in Athens, Texas) and I did a trade recently and here is a dose of Miss K on the other side of the lens for once! We had a good time out on the town shooting each other in several locations so there's more to come soon... XOXO girly! it was a blast!

Tara and Justin Engagement

I was super excited when Tara called me to say she was getting married to Justin! And how flattered I was that they had chosen me to cover their wedding!!! Tara and Justin's wedding will be the first of my 'already friends' getting hitched and I can hardly wait to see her in her wedding gown ;) For now we'll just have to settle for the E-session!
I've known Tara for several years now and no one is more deserving of a happily ever after!!!Though I've only just met Justin, I can tell these two were made for each other! Both are strong and recourceful, sweet-natured, and always ready for fun! On this particular day, once again, we braved 35 mph wind gusts of 45 -50 degrees during the shoot - BRRRR! and though I had to doctor a lot of goosebumps with photoshop, you otherwise would never know :) LOL! What great sports! Though I'm sure it will be a day that Justin, Tara, and I will never forget! It was a pleasure spending the chilly afternoon with the two of you!

Brown Eyed Girls...

Holly and her 15 week old dalmation, Abby :)

Meet Holly and Abby :) my second Abby this year - but my first puppy... We spent a beautful afternoon together recently- the three of us jetting around Tyler. The first thing I noticed about Holly was her amazingly deep brown eyes! And of course the first thing noticed about Abby is her total puppy cuteness! At the end of the shoot, we went for ice cream ... Abby turned her nose up at a pink strawberry cone but we all enjoyed the vanilla and had a good laugh while she devoured the rest of Holly's cone :P Yum! Holly, I really enjoyed meeting the two of you! You and Abby both are sweet as can be! Thanks so much for spending the afternoon with me :) XOXO Mj~

Josh J. Grace Senior 2009

Meet Josh - another Grace Senior to 'grace' the pages of my blog :) What a handsome guy - inside and out! Josh and I spent the afternoon together shooting downtown and then back to Grace High School Stadium, showing off some of his favorite extra curricular activities: football and track. Josh has so many great qualities that I wish we had more light that day to capture them all! We also tried something new with this session: my very first YEARBOOK PAGE design!!! these ads actually have to be purchased through the yearbook staff at your school, but the design itself was done by me, using his senior session images, and graphics and textures and then submitted via email. Maybe this will catch on next year? Scroll to the bottom of Josh's images to catch a glimpse and pass the word on, as sessions will need to be done early next year to have one of these bad boys designed ;)

Anna and Ava in the bluebonnets

I have the priviledge of meeting up with the Penkilo family a couple of times a year :) and it's always wonderful to see how these girls grow! It's a big bonus being in this profession, to unwrap the gift of growth, change, milestones and accomplishments, each time you get to see a favorite family! Anna and Ava have grown so much! We played in the bluebonnets and with mom! Ava had the sillies that day like I had never seen before and each time I go through these images as I process them, I crack up all over again :) Monica, thanks for spending the Golden Hour with me ! Have a superwonderful vacation! I hope you enjoy your previews!
XOXO ~ Mj

Out of office for Easter weekend...

This is just a quick post to let everyone know that I will be out of the office for Easter weekend (Friday through Sunday) and will return all calls on Monday. Happy Easter everybody!

XOXO Mj~

Easter Peaches...

A gross but funny Easter story....

This is one of my four cats, Peaches.... Peaches was adopted by me from Petsmart (who was housing her for A.R.F. (animal relief fund). I went for a cute little kitten, but having a huge heart for the underdog - or cat in this case, found 1 yr old Peaches in a cage atop all the little kittens. She wasn't shy... I opened the cage and she put her enourmous front paws on my shoulders and licked me on the cheek, like a dog! I didn't even look at the kittens that day. I brought Peaches home.
She was unusual in that she was very communicative. She is also a Polydactl, she has 7 toes in the front, 6 on her back feet and packin serious Freddy Krueger weaponry on all four. She's a bit neurotic, a good fighter and hunter, very vocal and stingy,too. But she's also very appreciative to have a home which brings me to the point.
Peaches often brings 'gifts' usually being once living things - sometimes still living things! On the eve of Easter, 5 years ago, I was diapering my 5 month old Zoe on the floor of our living room. My husband was working nights and was gone. I could hear Peaches meowing from my bedroom where the window was open. I called to her and she came running into the living room. I wasn't looking right at her, but down at my daughter when she hastily laid her gift at my infant's head and meowed for my gratitude. There on the floor, was a full grown rabbit - fresh kill :( Panic insued and I snatched the baby and ran screaming from the room. I don't even remember what happened next...maybe my son can tell you?
I don't think I've ever screamed as loud or been as mortified until her recent gift brought to me while wracked with fever and flu. I lay in partial darkness with kleenex stuffed up my nose, only half asleep, when Peaches once again darted through the window and climbed onto my chest. When she set it down on me and meowed, I couldn't quite make it out, but as eyes adjusted I came to realize it was a large mouse. What little strength I had and without even sitting up, I gathered up a shrill scream. If the mouse was dead - I had scared it back to life because the mouse jumped straight up off of me (probably screaming too - I dunno), ran down the bed and as I sat up still screaming, ran into my closet.
Crazy Peaches! The ARF people had begged me not to let her be an 'outside cat'. Funny... If only they knew :)
Have Happy Easter Weekend! Blessings and Hugs from the Jones' fam! (and dont' show this story to your kids :P )
Mj~

Z O E ...

{ Z O E }

Greek : ZO * EE ; Life; to be posessed of vitality; to have life active and vigorous; to be devoted to God; to be blessed; to be among the living; to enjoy life, true life worthy of the name; to be fresh, strong, efficient, active, powerful; to be endless in the Kingdom of God.

thanks to Aunt Sherry Phelps for the 'meaning', given to us for Zoe's baby book soon after birth :)

Art and Meredith!

WOW! what more can I say? I cannot tell you how awesome it was to meet this super couple!
Meredith and Art came from Houston to spend some time at the Villages in Flint and ....to get married while they were here! How exciting that these two wonderful people have found each other...they could not be more perfect for one another! It became evident after only about ...oh...one minute that God has truly put these two together :) Meredith I feel priviledged that you and Art chose me to capture your story at the end of what was obviously one of the most spectacular days of your lives! It was truly a pleasure to meet you both and I hope you enjoy these small previews....I also look forward to seeing you both this summer and meeting the rest of your wonderful families! XOXO! ~ Mj

Zoe and Ava at the Caldwell ZOO

My two Monkey Babies in the jungle of the Zoo :)

Last week, I took off one afternoon and Zoe and Ava and I set out for the Zoo :) we fed the birds, played with the otters, chased squirrels (well...they did :) ate french fries and took some fun pictures. It was nice to have that time with them. It is rare for me to take time off this time of year, and I can't help but wish for another afternoon like this one! On the way home, Ava snoozed in the backseat (sleepy-binky sounds... *sigh*) and Zoe helped me location scout for my up and coming shoot with photog friend Krystle Akin :) Check out some of our awesome animal images below!

Otter "OOPS!" lol! we never get to play with the otters :) this was a real treat!

White Tiger

Wildbird Walkabout

Love Birds :)