Engagement Pictures

My youngest brother is getting married in April 2016. Weddings are so very wonderful and one that gifts you another sister is extra magical.

My brother called a couple months ago and asked if I would take their engagement pictures for them. After repeating a couple times "remember I'm not a professional photographer", I bit the bullet and agreed to do them.

I immediately texted my guru, photog friend, Katie... promptly stole her lens and had an afternoon of intense practice in manual mode with one of my favorite subjects.

Unedited and still beautiful. Eased my nervous heart.

While they are still far from professional... these two beauties' love did all the work for me. Such an honor to bear witness to a sweet moment in their day.

Here's a glimpse...

Some people get to have this be their JOBS. Lucky.

COME ON APRIL!

Beach Life

I have spent the past 4 days shamefully hiding out from life. In all fairness... I did escape for a quick hello to meet Aunt Balissa yesterday, but almost as quickly as our visit ended... I was already racing back home with visions of pajama pants and an episode or two of Liv and Maddie on the Disney Channel.

Those vacation day blues. I've got it bad. We all do. Annie and Lucy haven't been out of pajamas in a couple days, naps are plentiful and sunshine is limited in the house. Honestly, if it weren't for the week that our maid came (I know. I'm a brat.), I swear we would have still been ankle deep in beach crap. Luckily though... because she was coming I did do some laundry and then stuffed all the rest in to our closet to live for a couple weeks. You know what... I'm okay with it.

I mean, let's be real. If you had seven days of unfiltered, abundant, laughter-filled moments of family time with the most beautiful backdrop, wouldn't you mourn its loss just a little? No? Well, then. I want to be YOU when I grow up... or do I?

On a different day, I would make every attempt to explain to you that for the wellness of my mind and body, my feet belong in the sea. The magic of laughter found from chasing waves or catching crabs between sugary sand dunes with flashlight yielding children, leaves imprints on my heart that even the purest of shoreline waves can’t wash away. All my worry and anxiety and frustrations take backseat and for the first time in what seems like forever I can breathe again. Like lung filling, no hesitation, take down the world sorts of breathing. Not to mention, dang. My nails look pretty darn stellar at the beach. In beach life we eat better. We sleep better. We play better. But even the most eloquent of expressions (and this is not that) would absolutely do little to truly identify the solace and safety I find there. So... I won't explain it. 

I'll just show it. 

Because these people...

and their shenanigans...

in this place ...

casts the most beautiful light in my heart.

I am gently reminded it has always been that way...

Lucy and Daddy- 2013

 Annie and Daddy- 2015

Now to seek out "vacation mode" Julie in my every day life. Oh the greatness that could be.

Eleven Months!!

 ...
I'm not even going to pretend that I'm just sneaking this bad boy in under the wire. Five days, folks. Psst...it's birthday week.

Buuuuuuutttt..... let's pretend it is not and take it back a few to a time not so long ago...

You remember that time... where you could actually play outside in Texas and didn't feel your skin melting off your bones. Remember that time???? I miss it.

Eleven Months was beautiful. Road trippin'

crazily celebrating my favorite guy...

For real fun. Eating flip flops on the bottom of a dressing room loads of fun.

Cousin hangs kind of fun.

DISCOVERING ICE CREAM kinds of fun.

And that whole trip to see Dr. Williams and hearing that my "hips are looking good"... well that was okay but my parents sure seemed excited. I just wanted to hang around my friend.

11 months... you've been good. 

*Physical therapy started up for Annie one day a week which means that before we started therapy she pretty much charged head on in to all her milestones... cause' that is how it works, no? Travels to Dallas, learning to crawl, swimming almost every single day... all kinds of gloriousness. 

This whole first year of life... almost checked off the list! FIVE DAYS. We can't wait.