Myrtle's Hands

My first impression of Gilda was her utter excitement and complete boldness. She has a goal, and nothing is going to get in her way. Her story:

Gilda (I absolutely love her name) had just started a non-profit in New Orleans when Katrina hit. She them moved to Dallas and that is where she has stayed. Instead of giving up her dreams, she has started again, working from the ground up to rebuild her organization. Myrtle's Hands is a non-profit that helps people in some of the most devestating circumstances. Too often people lose loved ones, and too often these people don't have the money to give them a proper burial. That is where Gilda with Myrtle's Hands comes in. She is striving to raise money to help those less fortunate to bury their dead. They also offer grief counselling.

Gilda confronted me while I was working at Alley's House (see post below) where she works as a cleaning lady. My first thought, sadly, was that I really didn't need more on my plate, and that I had already done my good for the year. But then she told me her story. And her excitement and complete determination shined through, and there is no way I could say no. She is working for such a great cause! And no one can say no to Gilda, I am finding out. And I have loved working with her to reach her goals.

Myrtle's Hands is holding a Bachelor's Auction to raise money. And I had the opportunity to photograph some of those wonderful bachelors for their posters. For just a sneak peak, here are two of the bachelors that are participating in the auction. And what models! They were so fun to work with and we had such a great time. The lucky ladies that bid on these two are in for a great time, no doubt.











I will also be photographing at the event. So for anyone who is going to be in the Dallas area on February 11th, the auction is going to be held at Chocolate Secrets (mmmm) on Oak Lawn. The entrance fee is $25 and is going towards a great charity. So come out! Not to mention all the handsome bachelors that are going to be in attendance! Let me know if anyone is interested, and I can get you some tickets.

Love the Red

This is my little sweetheart of a girl. My brother bought her (and my 5 month old) matching red Vans shoes for Christmas. I immediately saw them and was inspired! My first thought was, "Photoshoot!" So this past week I took her, along with her red bike and a red balloon from my husband's birthday, outside to play. She said, "Mom, let's go outside. But don't bring your camera." Poor girl has grown up being my little model. So many times throughout our days together she hears me say, "Wait right here. I'm going to grab my camera." She is normally very patient with me. So on this day I tried not to make her stop and pose. I let her do her thing, and I just chased her around, camera in hand. Some things are too soon forgotten. And it is my job, as photographer and mother, to make sure that they are remembered. So here is my little girl, riding her very first bike.

25 Things You May Not Know About Me

1. I L.O.V.E. LOVE, LoVe, love Taco Bell. Specifically, the Bean Burrito. I actually have never ordered anything else on the menu. I know where my very first Taco Bell that I’ve ever tasted is, in Idaho Falls, ID. I went on a date there with my dad when I was a little girl. I’ve got my 3 year old daughter addicted to the delicious devils as well. Every Tuesday and Thursday after I pick her up from preschool she requests her bean burrito. My husband asked me a while back which one I would choose: Taco Bell, or him. I told him if he loved me he wouldn’t make me decide.

2. I believe every woman should own a pair of bright pink shoes. I myself own three. And it shouldn’t depend on the clothes (if any) you have to go with them. That is irrelevant. Brightly colored shoes make a woman feel in such a way that nothing else can. And another thing: You don’t buy a really cute pair of shoes to go with an outfit. You buy the outfit to go with the really cute pair of shoes.

3. I’m claustrophobic. Don’t put anything over my face, or restrict my arms in any way or I will cry. My poor husband learned this when we were first married. He was sitting on the couch doing something, and I was attempting to take off a sweatshirt. It got stuck on my head, I yelled for help, he didn’t come, and I started bawling. I also don’t like wearing shoes because of this. During high school I don’t know if I ever wore shoes. If I was running late for class, I would run through the snow in my flip flops. Even that was better than wearing shoes.

4. I secretly am totally interested in the lives of celebrities. You will always see me in the check out at the grocery store reading all the gossip, though I will never buy a magazine. And although Angelina and Brad turned out to be a pretty good couple, I was incredibly devastated and embarrassingly affected by the split of Brad and Jennifer.

5. I love stepping on crunchy leaves in the fall.

6. I think I’ll win anyone in “worst date” stories. If you’re not sure, try me. I’ll have you beat in quality and quantity.

7. Best feeling: new socks. I know I’ve arrived when I can put on a new pair of socks every day. Okay, that may be a little absurd. I will wear the same pair of socks twice and still feel that I’ve arrived.

8. Pet peeves: Unused time left on the microwave. For crying out loud, just push the “clear/cancel” button. That, and odd numbers on the “volume” indicator, both in the car and on the tv. My thoughts become completely consumed when either of these are a 9 or a 13. I can’t think of anything else until the dial is turned up or down by just one.

9. My camera is not a person, that would be absurd. But it does have feelings. I can’t bear the thought of my camera sitting alone in a dark bag for too long. It needs to see the light, and be around people. Or just me. I think my camera has a pretty good life. All SLR’s have feelings. If you have one, be good to it. Use it properly, use all the settings, and never let too much time go by without spending time together.

10. I’m from Utah, but can’t ski or snowboard. Believe me, I’ve tried. And it has never been a good experience. Broken bones and sprained wrists are a good example of this.

11. I was the girl in high school who couldn’t exert any physical energy in P.E., because that would be SOO embarrassing to be sweaty during school.

12. I secretly LOVE to sing.

13. 3 things that I always asked for for Christmas: a tv in my room (never got), a phone with my own phone line (these were the days before cell phones--and never got), and picture frames. This last one was much more attainable. I’ve always loved pictures, and always felt the need to display them. When my family went on vacations, and all the children were getting souvenirs, I always wanted pictures. That is where memories are preserved the most. Not in little trinkets that just get lost or broken.

14. If I were to get a tattoo, which I never would, but if I did, I would get one on the top of my foot.

15. I can type over 100 wpm with 98% accuracy. I LOVE to type.

16. I know the difference between too, to, and two; their, they’re, and there; and affect and effect. And I HATE when people use them incorrectly. I am always tempted to correct, though I have never had the guts. I’m not sure if people care as much as I do. Though I can never remember the correct usage of lay and lie.

17. I am addicted to Sudoku.

18. My favorite music is the same music I listened to in high school. A few new songs have been added to the list, and a few have been taken off, but it has much remained the same.

19. My favorite restaurant (besides Taco Bell), is a Mexican joint in Utah called La Frontera. I get the hamburger.

20. You know those people who don’t make big deals about their birthday? Well, I am NOT that person.

21. When I met my husband, I was the aggressor. Weird, huh. He is so lucky.

22. I am a rule follower. Not a rule breaker. I don’t walk outside of crosswalks. I don’t even cut the corners.

23. I’ve seen EVERY episode of Friends. More than once. My favorites are Monica and Ross. (Ross mainly in the later years.)

24. I currently have my dream job. Being a mom is what I’ve dreamed of doing since I was a little girl. I think it is the hardest yet most rewarding job that anyone could ever do. Oh, and being a photographer is pretty cool, too.

25. My favorite color is pink. My favorite number is 27. My favorite times table is 8 X 4. My favorite time of the day is morning. My favorite dessert is hot fudge sundaes or double-stuft Oreos.

I Miss You, Snow

I'm originally from Utah, and have relocated out here to Texas with my husband after we finished school about a year and a half ago. We are slowly getting accustomed to the Texas ways, but weather is by far the biggest thing that we are having a difficult time getting used to. During the summers here I swear that I cannot live in Texas any more, let alone another July. But by November I absolutely LOVE it here. Though I think I will always call Utah my home.

I had the opportunity to go back to Utah for the Christmas holiday. I loved spending time with family, but I made sure that I fit into our busy schedules a trip into the mountains. The mouth of the canyon is only a couple miles from my house--which I unfortunately always took for granted when I lived there. So one afternoon just before sunset, my husband and I put on our snow gear, grabbed our cameras, and trekked out. There was no limit to the breathtaking beauty of the canyon covered in snow. The hardest part was finding a place to pull over on the side of the road. After our much-too-brief shoot, (ended by the setting sun, not the cold), we found a steep hill without trees, climbed up as high as we could, and slid down on our backsides. Over, and over, and over. It was a great memory for me.

So here is a glimpse at a couple of pictures that I took. I hope you get a look into the ultimate serenity that snow can provide.

Alley's House

I knew I wanted to do a Christmas charity project. And I knew I wanted to do something with my camera. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, and honestly, because of the holiday rush, was about to let the idea pass me by. One afternoon I knew that Oprah was going to be anchoring the channel 8 news, and of course I had to watch. (I am a huge Oprah fan.) So, instead of watching my usual channel 5, switched to see Oprah. She reported on an amazing woman doing some amazing things. I knew that I wanted to do something with her organization, and immediately knew what I could do to help.

I e-mailed Allison Whitehead from Alley’s House to see if there was any possibility of me doing some charity work. She was so grateful! We immediately got things rolling. I drove down to Dallas to meet with her, discuss our ideas, and figure out a plan. It was then that she told me her completely inspiring story. She started Alley’s House because of a school project. (Talk about extra credit!) And through many struggles, and an unlimited amount of heart, worked her way from an idea, dream, and class assignment, to a full-time executive director of her own non-profit organization. Alley’s House was designed to help teen mothers. They offer tutoring for GED’s, babysitting, clothes, diapers and forumla, parenting classes, mentors, and an unbelievable amount of camaraderie and love. Oprah put it best when she was reporting on this story, “When you help a mother, you help a family.” And Allison, along with the rest of Alley’s House staff and volunteers, are not only changing the life of a teenage mother, but they are changing the lives forever of their darling little ones, which will in turn change the whole community and beyond.

I spent two days with these girls, and had the opportunity to talk to each one of them about how Alley’s House has helped them. Most of them reported on how Alley’s House has helped to raise their self-esteem, to become more mature, and more independent. One said that Alley’s House has helped her to be a “more positive person” and taught her to “never give up.” So many of them are working on their GED’s because of the support offered at this organization. Another said that being here has helped her to be a role model for her kids. Largely due to Alley’s House, these girls have a bright future. One girl I talked to wanted to own her own hair salon someday, and another wanted to get finish her GED so she could go to college.

After hearing Allison’s story, I couldn’t help but be moved. By the end of our conversation we both had tears in our eyes. What an amazing work that this woman is doing. It really puts into perspective for me how easy it is to just do something. To go forward with an idea and to push until you get it. Allison never stopped, and so many people are reaping the benefits of her determination. I couldn’t help but comment to her that she wasn’t normal. A normal person wouldn’t have the drive to accomplish something like this. A normal person wouldn’t dedicate their lives to a cause, no matter what the risk or price. And a normal person doesn’t have the glow that Alison has. How lucky she is to wake up every day knowing that what she is doing is making a difference. I feel so lucky to have found her and to have met her. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to interact with all these amazing girls. All of them are really working to make the best lives for their children that they can. And it was great to get a glimpse into their lives. You could really see the love that they have for their kids. Seeing them inspired me to be a better mother to my children as well as a better member of my community. Open your eyes. See a need and fill it. You can make a difference. You can do something. Now go out and do it!



Some interesting statistics:

96% of teen mothers keep their babies.

In Texas, a baby is born to a teen mother every 10 minutes.

85% of teens with mentors will go on to secondary education in college or some type of technical school. (Compared with 20-30% without mentors.)

Babies born to mothers aged 15-17 have less supportive and stimulating home environments, poorer health, lower congnitive development, worse educational outcomes, higher rates of behavior problems and higher rates of teen childbearing themselves.

Only 33% of adolescent mothers will graduate high school and only 1.5% will earn a college degree by age 30.

Children of teen moms have lower birth weights, are more likely to perform poorly in school and are at greater risk of abuse and neglect.



To find out more information about Alley's House, and how you can help, visit: alleyshouse.org. They are always in need of volunteers, mentors, children's clothing, diapers, formula, toys, and of course, money. Every little bit helps, and every little bit goes to a child or young mother in need.

The Gentry Family

Picture this: Two girls. Four houses between them. A whole summer ahead. I like to think of Lexi as my sister, since neither of us were graced by any in our own families. Many days growing up we were inseparable. We invented sidewalk angels. When it begins to rain, you run outside and get into a precarious position on the sidewalk. And then just lay there as the rain falls down on top of you. After a few minutes, you get up and see the silhouette of a person lying on the sidewalk. Genius. We made music videos together. Sometimes walking around our neighborhood, sometimes in her basement, and sometimes on a train somewhere between Scotland and England. The kind that you make people sign contracts for before viewing so they will never reveal to anyone the contents within--because they are that embarrassing.

One summer we had an idea. A dream, rather. We wanted to go to England together. I asked my mom. She said if I raised the money, I could go. Logically, being just 15, there was no way that I was going to raise the money. We sat in my driveway dreaming up the dream. We walked around the neighborhood brainstorming ideas. We saw a vacuum standing outside someone's house. Next to their garbage can on the sidewalk. Perfect. We could use this vacuum to clean people's houses. That is how we would pay our way to England. We dragged it home, plugged it in, and found out it didn't work. (Duh.) That didn't stop us, though. We raised our money, went to England, and had one of the best times of our lives. Thanks, Lexi.

This Christmas vacation we both ended up spending time with our families back in Utah. So of course we got together, and of course I photographed her wonderful family. I had such a great time! I bundled up so warm I was sweating. Poor Gentry's had to look so nice they were shivering. It's all worth it in the end, right?












Now Lexi is married, has a sweet baby boy, and lives in Washington. Now I am married, two kids in tote, residing in Texas. Life has moved on from those lazy summer days together and we have gone our separate ways. And I still love her like a sister.