Erin's Maternity Session

You've met this sweet family before: Steve, Erin and Wynne.

Erin decided she wanted a few more shots before their new baby arrives, so we met at a park near downtown Houston and had some fun.

Just a few more days and that little guy will be here! I can't wait to meet him!

Meet Jonathan!

This little guy is just too much.

Too much fun.

Too much cuteness.

What a great session! Thanks, Jonathan!

Back Porch View

I just wanted to share the view tonight from my parent's back porch in Dalhart, Texas.

The Legendary Joel Chisum

I had a rare opportunity to visit my oldest brother and his family (most of them) in Colorado last week. You met his oldest daughter, Katy, in my previous post. He has two others that are just as beautiful and talented and amazing. But this post isn't about them, it's about him. My oldest brother, Joel.

People have told him his entire life that he was just a younger version of our dad,

but I've always seen my mom in him, too. He has her blue eyes, for sure. Really fantastic.

Well, legend has it that Joel and I got off to a rough start. He was 13 when I was born and really wanted/needed a new saddle that summer. Instead, he got a baby sister. We've come a long way since then. Here we are at our Grandmother's 90th birthday last year (before I cut my hair off.)As is tradition when I visit Joel's house, we did chores. He must have been tired, because this was the easiest chore we've tackled in a while. Last time we (along with our brother, Jeff aka Skip) loaded many bales of hay into his truck. The time before that, we tried out his new chainsaw on Thanksgiving Day and cut firewood for a few hours. This time, we all loaded up in his non-Toyota SUV and checked the water levels in the ponds. My job was to take pictures of cattle.

Not really, but I did it any way.

After that exhausting task, Joel cooked dinner. We picked anaheim peppers, squash and green tomotoes from the garden (one of the few things I miss about living in the country).

May I introduce you to Joel Chisum's Famous Beef Stirfry:

Where's the beef, you ask? (Sorry, couldn't resist.) It's getting all tender and yummy on the bottom in a sweet balsamic vinegar marinade. The man's got real talent.

This random photo is brought to you by Fiesta Dinnerware (because I LOVE my sister-in-law's dish collection.)

The next day I joined Joel at work. We drove around in his non-Toyota SUV listening to Celtic music (because his current obsession in Tim O'Brien's bouzouki) and 'looking for fat cows.' Other guys got around the old-fashioned way. Too bad for this cowboy because he didn't get to listen to bouzouki music.

It was lunchtime for these guys. They are from Mexico. They have cool hides.Joel calls this bunch The Golden Girls. Hee hee. They are from Canada, though, not Florida.

We named this guy Buddah.

And, one of my favorite shots of the day:

Thanks for a great 24 hours, Chisum-style. I'll never forget it.

One More Beautiful Niece

This is Katy. She is one of my nieces that didn't make it to the reunion this summer, but I got to see her this week on a short visit to her town.

She lives in Colorado (but would LOVE to live in Texas, which makes me smile.)

She sat next to a window in her parents house and the light was amazing. I love how it dances around her eyes.

Katy is a beautiful blend of my brother and sister-in-law and so are her sisters.

I still need to photograph them--Mattie and Callie--and if they don't let me, I'm just going to post some pictures I have of them as little girls. That would almost be as much fun, but they would never talk to me again.

Anyway, thank you, Katy--For being you and for letting me snap this fantastic photo.

Crazy beautiful, indeed.

Fried Pies

I would like to introduce you to the fried deliciousness that gave my favorite cherry long johns a serious run for their money.

On a drive from Dallas to Oklahoma City, I passed several billboards advertising "The Original Fried Pie." Some of you know that my rule on the road is: If you see more than 3 billboards for the same place, it's worth a stop. Well, I missed the exit, so I made sure I didn't miss it the next day, on the way back to Dallas.

It is everything you hope a stop on a roadtrip will be: yummy. Oh, and clean restrooms.

It was obviously a tough decision when it came to selecting a filling, but I chose coconut (oh my mercy) and apricot (terrific). They also fill their 'pies' with breakfast items, pizza fillings, spinach and cheese, etc. You can read more about them at http://www.denosfriedpies.com/dinnerpies.html

I read a quote from Reba (the country singer/actress) recently. She said a friend once told her, "No food tastes as good as thin feels."

I bet that friend hasn't had one of these fried pies.

Amazing Memorial

I was recently in Oklahoma City doing some training for Toyota and I stopped by to see the memorial from the bombing that occurred in 1995.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but it is beautiful.

Stunning.

Heart-breaking and peaceful.

A storm was blowing in, and the clouds were so majestic.

In my opinion, it is a must-see location in our country.