Exciting News! - {Personal}

If you are one of my lovely followers over on Facebook, then you probably saw this news on Friday. I wanted to make sure I shared it with you guys too though incase you missed out!

This..... is my sweet little boy who will be making his appearance in July!

Can you see the resemblance? Hah! ;)

After the announcement, I have been getting emails & Facebook messages asking if I would still be doing sessions. 

YES!

I will be doing sessions, weddings & events until the end of May (pending there aren't any complications with my pregnancy- and I'm totally hoping for that!). If I am feeling okay, I might take on a few sessions in June, but that is not a guarantee. If you know you want a session with me, please book before then!  After he arrives, I will take a few months off but plan to be back doing sessions and events again in October.

So what does this mean for you?

If you want to have a regular session with me before June, I *highly* suggest you book soon and don't delay. Some dates as late as April are already fully booked and my schedule is quickly filling up. 

If you want me to photograph your wedding or event in 2012, I suggest you book now. The sooner the better. 

If you are wanting a fall session, it would be wise to go ahead and schedule it. I fully anticipate my fall schedule to book months in advance!

And finally, if you are having a baby this summer and know you want me to do your newborn photos - give me a call so we can chat! I will do what I can to make sure it will work out.

Thank you all for your kind words & congratulations over the news! Although it was more than a little unexpected, I have fully embraced it and can't wait to meet the new little man who will soon melt my heart!

............

Krystal

Happy Holidays!

Wishing you & yours very Happy Holidays! Enjoy your weekend. :)

I hope your days are filled with family, friends & loved ones!

...........

Krystal

Heartache - {Personal}

When I started this blog a year ago, I was torn if I wanted to include a few stories from my own life. As time has gone on, I've discovered that many of my clients become fast friends and I want to share my life with you guys. We all know that life has good times and bad. Life can't truly be appreciated unless there is a little heartache. But when you're in the midst of a tragedy, all you can ask is "Why?". I've been planning to share fun holiday posts with you all week, but I received a phone call on Monday late afternoon that has morphed my family's holiday into something you never think could happen.

My dad called me around 5:00pm on Monday. While this isn't totally weird, it was definitely not the norm since my mom is the one I talk to about 55 times a day. I figured he had a last minute gift question or something of the like. As I picked up the phone, he said "Krystal..."  His tone was enough for me to know something was not right. He went on "I'm so sorry. I hate that I am having to call to tell you this.... but Robert Lynn (my cousin) was in a rollover accident and he is no longer with us."

My heart stopped beating. Robert Lynn? ..... Gone? .... But, he was only 27 years old. 

How? Why? When? All of the questions were a jumbled mess in my head. How had this happened? 

My next thoughts were of my aunt and uncle. They only have two children - and those two boys are my *only* cousins. We are a small, tight knit family. I knew my aunt and uncle's hearts would be ripped apart. No one ever plans for the death of their own child. It's just not right.

I've slowly been processing and still find myself in a state of disbelief. We were all supposed to be together this year. We hadn't had Christmas with my aunt & uncle in years and we were so looking forward to time with them. I was going to take photos of all of the family since we didn't have many recent ones since all four of the kids (me, my brother, & my two cousins) are all grown.

I know my family will pull through. We have seen our fair share of tragedy & lives taken too soon. But from this, I hope that others can learn just a few small things.

1. Always, always wear your seatbelt.

2. Take photos of family & friends - and take them often. Even if they aren't by a professional, those snapshots will be something that you will one day look back upon and smile.

3. Appreciate the time you have together. We are never promised tomorrow.

4. Take time to remember that even though the holidays can be stressful - it is meant to be a time where love is freely given.

Hug your loved ones tight and send some extra thoughts & prayers for my family.

I was so blessed to have Robert Lynn as my cousin & I will never ever forget the fun memories we made together.

Holiday Baking - {Recipe}

When I started writing this post, I was just planning to write a quick post with a recipe. As I began to write, my mind went elsewhere and the post is a lot longer than I originally planned. But it is sharing a little piece of my family history and why I love holiday baking so much. :)

One of my favorites parts of the holidays is holiday baking. Ever since I was a little girl, my mom and granny would make the most delicious cookies -and of course I was always there to "help" (eat the batter & cookies). As I grew up, I began to do more and more of the baking and really loved the quality time I had with my granny and mom. It was always an all day affair - we're talking starting by 8am and not finishing until late in the evening. My parents always made cookie trays for all of their friends & family, so we had to make double, triple & sometimes even more batches of each cookie. My mom and granny would bake up a flurry and then we would enjoy the cookies over the next few weeks. When my granny passed away due to cancer in October of 2006, the holidays were obviously very different that year. I was away from home graduating from college & working three jobs - all while planning my quickly approaching wedding. That year was one of the first years I didn't do the Christmas baking and probably one of the reasons why that holiday seemed so "off". 

The next spring, I got married and moved to Dallas. I think I may have done one or two cookies that year, but I honestly don't remember. It certainly wasn't the same baking by myself.  Fast forward to 2008 when my parents decided to leave the town they lived in the past 25+ years to move to the Dallas area. This opened up the door for my mom and I to continue our holiday tradition of baking all of our yummy treats together since I was living here! Although it is a little different from how it used to be, I love the quality time I get with my mom. Of course things are a little different since Luke is a very active toddler. Instead of both of us doing the baking, it has now turned into me doing all of the mixing while she chases around Luke. This year she was able to at least roll out many of the batches which was a HUGE help! When all was said and done, we made 22 (yes TWENTY TWO) batches of various cookies and my home smelled *wonderful*. 

I had great plans to document all of it with my camera, but I am not known for being the neatest cook - so once the flour started flying, I put my gear away. Hah! Before the day began, this is what one small part of my counter looked like:

I wanted to share with you guys my favorite homemade cookie recipe! This recipe was handed down to me by my Granny. If you had the pleasure of knowing her, then you know she didn't mess around when it came to the kitchen. These are SO good (and the recipe makes a ton)!

Crunchie Cookies

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup shortening

1 cup vegetable or canola oil

1 egg (for egg free version - substitute 1T white vinegar, 1 tsp baking powder & 1T milk)

1 tsp vanilla

1 T milk

3 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cream of tartar

1 cup instant oats

1 cup rice krispies

1 cup coconut

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Cream the sugar, brown sugar, shortening, canola oil, egg, vanilla and milk together.  Slowly add in flour, baking soda, salt and cream of tartar. Mix well.  Then add instant oats, rice krispies, coconut and nuts. Roll into balls and flatten on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes until golden. Cool on cooling racks then enjoy!

And here is the finished product!

Don't they look yummy?

I even made an egg-free batch so Luke could enjoy my favorite cookies!

You should definitely try these & let me know if you love them as much as I do!

............

Krystal

Fabulous Shoes - {Personal}

I think every girl should have at least one pair of fabulous heels. I have just a *few* more than one pair, but always seem to think I need to have just one more pair (even though most days I am wearing comfy clothes and practically never get dressed up). ;)  With the upcoming holidays, that brings the onslaught of many holiday parties to attend. Which gave me just another excuse to get a pair of shoes! Hah!

This year, I will be sporting these fabulous, sparkly shoes to many of the holiday parties we will be attending! And surprisingly, they are not killers to wear!

Aren't they fun??

My name is Krystal and I may have a shoe addiction....

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you are enjoying your day today with friends, family and loved ones! I wanted to take a moment to thank each and every one of my clients, friends, fans & everyone else who makes it possible for me to continue doing what I love to do every day. You all truly mean the world to me and it wouldn't be possible without you!

Take the day & enjoy what little bit of fall we have left!

And I can't complete this post without sharing what I am most thankful for: my sweet family - especially this little guy!

He always makes me laugh & shows me what it means to love.

Have a wonderful day!

..............

Krystal

Happy Halloween!

In the midst of busy season, I decided to block off one weekend between August & Thanksgiving to be completely off. That weekend was this past weekend (and it was probably for the best that I did since I have some nasty cold/bug that won't. go. away.) Even though I wasn't feeling my best, the fun still had to go on for my little man!  

There is an amazing pumpkin patch in north Texas that I happened upon this year! You can pick your own pumpkin straight off the vine, feed farm animals, go on a hay ride & there's plenty of room to run around. It was so much fun & we really enjoyed it! And to cap off the weekend, little man was treated to his first candied apple. I'll let you be the judge on whether he liked it or not. ;)

It may be hard to tell (hah!), but he really *really* liked it.

 And it's not halloween unless there are some monsters around!
Can you hear him roaring?

Enjoy your day & all of the yummy treats that come along with it! :)

Happy Halloween!

................
Krystal

Things I Love - {Fall}

I love a lot of things - but one of my favorite things of all time is Fall. 

The weather is cooler. Beautiful colors are everywhere. Football is on ALL the time. Baseball is coming to an end, which means every game counts (Let's go, Rangers!!). There is a crisp feeling in the air. Yummy drinks make an appearance at Starbucks. (Hello Pumpkin Spice Latte!) And...it means Christmas isn't too far away. (wanna guess what is another favorite time for me?) ;)

And...... the best part.... pumpkins! Pumpkin muffins. Pumpkin bread. Pumpkin pie. Pumpkin patches. Pretty much anything with pumpkin has gone over quite well with me! hah!

These are just a few of the fabulous pumpkins & fall colors I have seen this fall!

Get out there and enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend & check out a local nursery or pumpkin patch near you! It is guaranteed to make you smile a little (even if it is just because you think of the delicious pie it will produce).

...............
Krystal

Brand Identity - {Design Board}

I previously mentioned that I am having my brand re-worked so it is cohesive & truly portrays my business. I am SO excited to be working with an amazing designer (Ravyn of Three Fifteen Design). Just from a few conversations and looking at my pinterest board, she was able to basically read my mind. Amazing if ya ask me!

Head on over to her blog & see the design board she came up with for my branding project! Hurry! Go go go! I am so excited about it & would LOVE to hear what you think!

Busy Season!

It never fails that once September hits, my head is spinning non-stop until after the New Year. I absolutely love that & am SO thankful that I stay as busy as I am. It does make blogging much harder!

On top of all of the busy times with work, my house has revolted on me! Water leaks are no fun, especially when they are in the office. Eek! After appointments with a plumber & the insurance claims adjuster, it felt like it was going to take forever (plus a lot of money) to get the work completed. Thankfully my dad is beyond handy & came out the next day to help repair the big mess! My office is back to a state where I can work in it, so playing catch-up is the name of the game.

Add in dental appointments, chasing a two year old around all day & attempting to keep my house in somewhat of a clean state and it is really hard to sit down & write a blog! However, there is hope! The house is clean. The repair work is almost completed. And today is Friday (woo hoo!!).

All of that to say - I am now back on track & will be sharing many more sessions with you guys over the next week and the next, and the next, and... you get the idea. ;)

As always, I can't have a blog post without photos in it, so here's a little peek of a beautiful senior from last weekend!

Have a fantastic weekend!!

.............
Krystal

Little Things

It seems as though the UPS and Fed Ex guys are here almost every day. And while I am always excited to see what they bring - it is typically not something for me. Most of the time it is prints & products for my lovely customers or something boring (like diapers) for my son. But this week I got a package just for me!! And I was so happy about it, I had to share!

You see, for the past year I have been using this ginormous (yes, I'm using made up words) big ol' bag on every photo session. Now don't get me wrong, it is great for traveling because it is a tank. But when it comes to daily use, it's not so great. If you've had a session with me, you know what I'm talking about. Most of the time, I plop that sucker down and don't touch it again unless I need a lens. The main reason is because the strap is ridiculously uncomfortable and not very easy for me to move around with. Plus it weighs as much as a small goat and is impossible to get things in & out of while wearing. 

But now that will all change. :)

Here is the lovely package that came to me.

Oh yes. A Kelly Moore bag!! It can hold the lenses I use most often for sessions, my camera, my flash & accesories, my iPad - all while being easily accessible! And uh, did I mention how freakin' cute it is?!? 

Farewell, ginormous bag.

Hello, my pretty bag.

It's the little things, I tell ya!

Homemade Garlic Hummus - {Recipe}

While declaring my undying love for hummus the other night on Twitter, I jokingly made a comment about loving it so much I wanted to dedicate a blog to it. After receiving several tweets back saying "DO IT!!" or "Give me that recipe!" and others like that - I decided to go ahead and give you guys the super easy, delicious recipe for homemade garlic hummus.

Your tummy will thank you and love you forever if you make it!

Here are the ingredients.

1 can of Chick Peas (Garbanzo beans)

1-2 tsp of minced garlic (personal preference as to how much)

4 T lemon juice

2 T olive oil

a few dashes of cumin

dash of salt

Step one:

Drain the can of chick peas & shake off excess water.

Step 2:

Put garlic & chick peas in a blender or handy chopper & chop them up until they are paste-like.

Step 3:

Add in lemon juice, olive oil, salt & cumin. Blend it all together until it is a nice, creamy consistency.

At this point, I always taste it & see if it needs any extra garlic or cumin.

Step 4:

Put a few extra dashes of cumin on the top, if so desired.

Step 5:

Eat, eat, eat! 

Some of my favorite ways to have hummus are with slices of bell pepper, baby carrots, pita chips, naan, and triscuits!

And this is for those among us who hate having a huge mess to clean up...

These are the only dirty dishes I had from making the hummus!

I'd love to hear if you try it!

................

Krystal

Rebranding - {Design Process}

Over the past few months, I have been working on giving my website, blog & print materials a cohesive look. I want my brand to be the complete package & am working hard to get it there. As a way to get the creative juices flowing, it was suggested that I go through and find things that I like. Things that inspire me. Things that make me smile. Things that I can draw from to complete my brand image. I'm even hoping to include a lot of these products in my office when all is said and done! So here are some of the things found during that ongoing search! Can you guess what colors my final branding package will be??

And links to all of the fabulous products!

Paper Bird; Gray Chair ; Silver Vases; Tree Paper; Moss Decor; Tic-Tac-Toe; Vases; Shoes; Pillow

...............
Krystal

Colorado - {Landscape & Travel Photography}

I recently got to escape this *ahem* spectacularly warm weather that has rocked Texas as of late and make a run to the mountains of Colorado. The break was wonderful and the cooler temperatures were so nice! 

This is just a small sampling of the places I visited!

View of the mountain in my wine glass :)

The storm clouds rolled in & created so much drama in this photo!

Now, if only Texas could take the memo that being over 100 with ridiculous amounts of humidity every day is completely unnecessary.
....................
Krystal

Luke - {2 Years Old}

Today is such a special day to me.

Two years ago, I met the sweetest little boy a mother could ever have.

Seeing him face to face for the very first time was a moment that I will never forget. Looking right into the eyes of a precious life that was now my responsibility.

You've heard it before & you'll hear it again - being a mommy is a full time job. 24/7. But you know what?

Every minute of sleep lost is worth it. Every tear I shed (some seemingly for no reason other than hormones) is worth it. Every bite of food that is no longer mine because someone so sweetly asks "Mommy, pleeeease?" - worth it. He is more than worth any of these things and so so so much more.

Now, two years later he still makes my heart smile every day (even the days when he uses me as his own personal trampoline and re-decorates the house for me by leaving 234875 toys out). He has given me so much joy and I am so lucky to be his mother.

Happy Birthday, sweet Luke! 

You are so loved.

..................
Krystal

Austin, TX - {Street Photography}

Today's post is going to be a little different from the norm. Of course it is full of photos, but instead of beautiful people it will be a few of one of my favorite places: Austin, TX. Since my new "baby" came in on Friday, I was dying to use it at every moment possible. So we took a walk around downtown Austin to get some shots of the surroundings. Plus my house is in need of new art to hang on the wall, so it worked out great. I definitely plan to get large prints of some of these!

I have already been asked by several people, so I thought it'd be easiest to just put it on here. These photos can be purchased as prints, canvas, etc directly through me. Just send me an email at krystal@kmphotostudio.com or give me a call (972.200.3535) and I can get you set up!

Enjoy a little tour of my weekend!

These next few are some of my favorites!

We found this row of lock boxes that realtors use on homes. Completely random, but I love it!

.............
Krystal