I work really, really hard to be the best photographer I can be and to capture little smiles from babies and big grins from children and loving moments between their parents.

I’m not above blowing raspberries OR asking people who are almost strangers to me to kiss. I know I’m weird, it’s ok.

To my utter happiness, these tactics work and my clients are usually thrilled with their images. As many of you know I’m here… and I have my gallery page… and I’m all over Facebook pretty much any time night or day. All of that adds up to a LOT of feedback from clients, friends and Facebook “fans”. And it’s NICE. I feel like the most appreciated person in the world and those of you who are moms know that sometimes appreciation can be hard to come by. I won’t even try to lie… getting a compliment on a photograph thrills me. I mean, who isn’t happy having their work complimented?

But still the best compliment to date has come from the owner of the store where I bought our house paint. He was crazy about my photographs. Loved them. Said he could tell right away I was a pro. He raved about my camera and my skills.

Would you like to see the photographs he was talking about?

Are you sure you’re ready?

Ok, hold on to your hats….

It doesn’t get much better than that, folks.

Years of studying, practicing and putting tips and lessons into use – it’s all led up to this.

But really, I was probably more flattered than ever because – wow – if I can take a picture of gross, flaky, scraped off paint and make it look professional, then the SKY IS THE LIMIT, right?

Um, right?

Maggie has always been the first one up in the morning and the last to go to bed at night.

These days, she has some competition in that department from her brother

But unless he starts playing Audrey-Hepburn-Dress-Up at 6:30am,

Maggie still owns the camera.

With a week to go before my youngest babies have their first and second birthdays (respectively), the Cotton Husband has decided to paint the outside of the house.

Here are some observations:

Men love white paint and white paint only.

We’re in the middle of a stifling, overwhelming heat wave. Painting something outside is the last thing on my mind.

Men adore white paint.

The house might look nice for the birthday party but there will be paint chips all over the ground.

Men are afraid of paint with any pigment whatsoever.

I would love to hear any ideas y’all have about what to do before the Cotton Husband breaks out the paint gun. I will be listening while he sticks his fingers in his ears and sings “White paint” over and over and over again.