7 Reasons Why I am Lucky...that my hands suffered 2nd degree burns

1. My kids were safely inside the house
2. My face didn't burn (only my eyelashes are burnt off)
3. My hair did not catch on fire
4. If I scar, it won't be noticeable on my knuckles, where the worst part of the burn ended up.
5. The grill didn't explode (which is next to my house)
6. My house didn't catch on fire
7. My husband had the following four days off to be my hands for me (that has been interesting!)

Well, it is safe to say that I have learned my lesson in lighting a grill after letting too much propane build up inside. It was a tough lesson, and the burns were extremely painful but I am thankful that God protected me from much worse circumstances. I don't expect to fall very far behind in my editing, as the palms of my hands are fine and I can still type and click my mouse to my heart's content (now that the really thick bandages are off. Thanks for all of your prayers and well-wishes!

Butterscotch Coconut Cookies, oh my!

My first time baking with coconut...and oh! the texture of these cookies is fantastic (thanks to the coconut). If you really like sweet, soft, kinda chewy cookies...it would be my pleasure to share this recipe with you. I have to lock these up or I will eat a ridiculous amount at once. Not good for the diet but super fabulous for the sweet tooth!!

A girl and her dress...

It is safe to say that this adorable little Nicole Miller dress was made for Callee. It is the perfect color to compliment her gorgeous green-brown-grey-blue eyes! She was such a good sport in the summer heat, and I was thrilled that we got so many great shots. I couldn't narrow them down any more than the following nine...they only scratch the surface of our versatile session in downtown Fort Myers. Best of luck during your senior year, Ms. Calle, class of 2009.

and a Happy Fourth of July to all!!

Another passion of mine...

I love to bake. I have recruited my kiddos to be my little baking helpers and we have gone so far as to scour the library shelves for new recipes. Here is one that we found in a Taste of Home cookbook that ended up accumulating some serious late fees. It tasted okay but look fabulous, so of course I had to photograph it. My daughter had the idea to take a bite out of it and each precious crumb worked perfectly for the second shot.

A hobby I don't have time for...

Scrapbooking. I miss it. I used to scrap all the time and today I came across an unfinished page...it had been left with no journaling for TEN months--yep, since I lived in Oregon! So I just took a few minutes and finished it...then I thought it would be fun to share something different here on my blog. I hope to get back into this hobby eventually...I need to even things up between the amount of scrapbook pages my daughter has compared to my son!

here is what it says:
"Inseparable. That's the two of you! You are constant companions and playmates. I enjoy seeing you together, playing...and I love hearing you laugh your belly laughs together. I secretly delight in spying on you as you devise a naughty little scheme together (usually to sneak some treats.) You are affectionate, thoughtful and kind to one another. You miss each other when you are apart-even asking to call the another on my cell phone! Your bond is strong, love evident, and did I mention that you want to get married?"

Beautiful Belly

My first maternity session was perfect...I was thrilled to shoot in a beautifully decorated nursery! I couldn't have asked for a cuter belly, or sweeter parents-to-be...congratulations, Alex & Julie!

super fun group of girlies

Just had to post a few pics from a Girl's Night Out...this group was warm, kind and as you can see--fun! I loved meeting them and I am happy to call them my friends.

Now I remember why...

I always wanted a sister (in addition to my brother, not in place of him, hee hee)! These two were sweet, loving and definitely different from each other. Their affection for each other is apparent, and I adored watching how K, the oldest, took care of her little sister when she got a "sticker" stuck in her foot. The tenderness was pure and genuine...and I felt like they were so blessed to have each other.

The Beautiful Butcher Family

Precious family, at an awesome location...I was so happy they chose this park for their session...even though we got eaten alive by mosquitoes (at least I did!). They hung in there with me while I kept finding new spots...thanks, guys!

Raquel and those eyes!

Introducing Raquel! Her breathtaking eyes were super fun to photograph and her sweet spirit just made this session really enjoyable. It was so refreshing to spend time with Raquel and her brother who so very kindly ran all the way (it was a long way) back to the car for her lipgloss! I loved seeing a brother and sister team who loves and looks out for each other...now I wish I had a shot of them together!

Alex just rocks, what more can I say?

So, when I wasn't snapping pics of this beautiful high school senior, we were gushing over the one and only Dave Matthews...I think I have met my match as far as crazed fan (she might even have me beat)...we were quoting Dave from youtube at the SAME time! woah! I love so many of her proofs, I just had to post a bunch. Sweet like candy to my soul~

I am addicted to texture

I finally bought some textures and I can't stop using them...I'm officially addicted. I love the way a texture can add a whole dimension to an image, creating a new feeling and allowing the eye to take in so much more. This photo is one of my current favorites because the wind started blowing and lifted up Dayna's dress--it caught her by surprise and I was so happy that I was able to capture her reaction. More textured-up photos to come!