Brown-Eyed Girl Photography » about me

Monday Musings

Jana — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 01:26:56 +0000

First of all…….Happy New Year! Thanks for stopping by and checking in to see what’s going on here at Brown-Eyed Girl. The holidays have come & gone, all traces of Christmas have vanished from my home, my family has left, hubby is back to work and the kiddos headed back to school today and it’s a new year with endless new possibilities so my mind is racing with all of the resolutions I want/need to make, things I want to do & accomplish personally, physically & professionally, changes to myself & my business that I want to make this year, improvements I want to make to our home, etc. and it’s all just a bit…….overwhelming actually. I feel as if it’s impossible to focus on any one thing in particular so I chose to focus on 2 tasks that I knew I could finish today……laundry & blogging! Rather than attempting to focus on one subject or session which seems utterly impossible at the moment, you get a compilation of random musings on this fine chilly monday……..

It’s only been a few months since I’ve seen Duran Duran in concert but I’m already itching to see them again (badly!)
I just bought myself a new upgraded flash for my camera, necessary but not very exciting for me unfortunately
I’m pretty excited about the new seasons of American Idol, Bachelor & Project Runway
I just can’t seem to get rid of magazines for some reason & have stacks of them……everywhere
My Yorkie has about a dozen different names that we all call her, poor thing probably feels like Sybil
When I was little all I knew was that I wanted to be a mommy & be successful
I never really used to care for my name nor the fact that I’m from Oklahoma but now I embrace both wholeheartedly
I love Texas but really believe that I could move to southern California & feel very much at home almost immediately
It’s only early January and I’m already growing tired of this cold weather, I crave warm sunshine
2010 is all about updating my home, new paint & carpets are on the horizon
My neighbors showed me how to appreciate & enjoy really good red wine & I’m so happy that they did
I feel good that I successfully helped my mom get through her first holiday season without my dad
But I’ve been focusing a bit too much on everyone else & now I think it’s time to focus on me for a while, my needs & wants
I feel my home is VERY organized yet my business paperwork & such?? Notsomuch
I stink at making goals yet understand that if we don’t make them, we won’t know if we accomplished them
I look forward to nurturing current friendships & making many more new ones in the new year
I like looking at this photo I took at the San Antonio Missions because it makes me feel WARM……..

My Three Sons

Jana — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:48:11 +0000

Well, I had every intention of taking some house pics to share with you to show all the hard work Mom and I have put into our Christmas decor this season but alas, we’ve still had literally no sunshine nor even a hint of bright skies to help illuminate my dark house so I can take pics so instead I’ll post some pics of my boys. On late sunday afternoon after I returned home from a newborn session in Boerne, I nagged my reluctant sons into submission and we headed out to the greenbelt behind our house for a few quickie family holiday pics so I wouldn’t be the only lame photographer out there who isn’t sending out a pic of her OWN family and here are the results. Not perfect but hey, it’s US, real life and all. I’d rather look back at these photographs in 20 yrs. and think, “Yep, that was us back then. No fake smiles nor ties & snazzy clothes in a pretty plastic setting……our outfits don’t really match and yea, the logos on their shirts are slightly distracting but those are my boys!” I also have my mom to thank for the motivation to get some pics taken. Since Dad’s death she’s been in the process of changing things up around her house to make things different yet the same, not intending to erase Dad’s memory yet needing a change so things aren’t exactly the same since he was there with her. I totally get it and support her 100% so I was more than happy to oblige when she asked for new photos of her grandsons to line to hallways of her home.

Here she is, Grandma & her only grandchildren:

Our oldest son, Ryan…….new driver, trumpet player, quirky sense of humor, the most like my husband, intelligent:

Our middle son, Dylan……..sensitive, physically strong, the clown of the group, quiet most of the time, the most like me:

Our youngest son, Brendan……..athletic, popular with the girls, mixture of his older brothers, momma’s boy (in a good way!):

My mom was brave enough to jump behind the lens and snap a few shots of us and this is literally the ONLY one that turned out but I’m so grateful it did as if provided us an image for our Christmas cards, woot for that! Yea, again, it’s not perfect and I look extremely short & squatty in my flat Ugg boots next to my tall, lanky husband but what can ya do?

Well, now you know a bit more about me and my family…….probably more than you bargained for but this is us. Imperfect, humble, grateful, saved, & loved.

Currently…..

Jana — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:08:38 +0000

Current Wishlist: to have more fun in my life, things have been wayyyy too busy & serious lately for my taste

Current Color: robin egg blue & red, lots and lots of red

Current Drink: the seasonal Caramel Brulee latte at Starbucks. Holy crap.

Current Food: I’ve been craving super spicy lately, I put jalapenos on anything I can

Current Favorite Shows: Survivor & So You Think You Can Dance

Current Shame: no shame thankfully but I HAVE been spending a fair amount of $$$ lately…….’tis the season!!

Current Needs: laughter, fun, relaxation, some time off from photography (just a little bit!) & a wonderful Christmas

Current Triumphs: that I scored my family 3rd row tickets to the Cotton Bowl in Cowboy Stadium & that I got all my holiday clients orders placed & delivered on time

Current Bane(s) of my Existence:

Current Indulgence: A new Coach purse, yummy candles from Anthropologie, time spent on Facebook & Starbucks a few times per week

Current #1 Blessing: My family & that my oldest son is ranked #33 academically out of 485 students his Junior year (I know, that’s 2!)

Current Outfit: An OSU tshirt & black Adidas track pants & no shoes since it was warm today

Current Excitement: Christmas & New Yrs celebrations, Cotton Bowl tix & a family vacation in February

Current Mood: FESTIVE!!

I’ve been in the mood to blog more, more than I currently do but not as much as I USED to. Just a few years ago I’d blog nearly everyday and ramble on incessantly about such random ordinary “stuff”……I still can’t believe people besides me actually read it! Anyway, I really want to turn this blog into more than just a photography blog although I’m sure there might be folks out there who tune in exclusively to see photography and might not care less about what I’m actually doing or what projects I’m working on around my house but hopefully there are a *few* of you out there who do care and might not mind if I ramble on for a while every now & again so I hope you’ll indulge me! Don’t worry, I’m still going to post plenty of photos although holiday sessions are winding down. I’m sure I’ll find something to snap photos of to share, I am needing to take pics of my house all decorated up like crazy for Christmas but I’ve been waiting for a nice sunny to do so since my house is naturally dark but we haven’t seen much sun around these parts lately unfortunately. ONE of these days.

Today I’m thankful……

Jana — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:34:09 +0000

for this cool dreary weather which has helped get me in the holiday spirit
about the fact that I just have a few more small presents to purchase and then my shopping will be finished
for a very short-lived head cold that started out bad but ended quickly (although I am still blowing my nose!)
that my mom is able to be here with us and not alone for the holidays since this would be her first one alone in 43 yrs without my dad
that my business grew leaps & bounds in 2o09, I’m VERY thankful to all who supported me and brought clients my way!
for a husband who has been 100% supportive of me and Brown-Eyed Girl. Not sure what I’d so without him and I don’t intend to find out
for 3 healthy sons who always keep me on my toes but also keep joy & pride in my heart (usually!!)
for little things like coffee, music, beautiful photography, magazines, reality tv, yummy candles, etc. that bring me joy & relaxation
that God has provided good friends & family in my life since I don’t have a biological sister, they are my familia
for the new things I’ve learned this year that help make my photography job easier & I look forward to learning much much more next year
that I have a vehicle that allows me to come & go as I please, I try never to take these trivial things for granted!
for our church family at Crosspoint Fellowship & how they’ve accepted us into their big extended family
for friends like you who care enough to stop in & see what I’m up to…..for YOU I’m very very thankful