Freeze Tag

So, I'm a little late on this because I was on vacation for awhile, but I was recently tagged by my rock star photographer friend Jennifer Nichols. Thankfully, this doesn't mean I have to stand motionless--teetering on the verge of humiliation--potentially until the end of recess. (phew!) ;) In accordance with the bylaws of the blog-tag game, I am to share 8 personal facts that are not part of the knowledge of the general populace. I decided to go with the "random and wordy" theme. You're welcome. ;)

Here we go:

1. I met my husband (a.k.a., Mix Master Mike, Miguelito, Mikey J) at a wedding in Colorado. (He flew in from Florida, and I traveled in from Texas.) I was the bridesmaid to his groomsmen, and though I immediately thought he was adorable and it definitely worked out perfectly for us in the end (in accordance with the plans of the matchmaking bride and a sovereign God) we didn't instantly form a Chuck Woolery-styled love connection. At that time, I was over-the-top, completely self-conscious because I had recently had some pretty medieval jaw/mouth surgery that resulted in some messed up mouth antics including, but not limited to, the crazy widening of my upper palate (roof of mouth), the installation of some insane/torture mouth hardware that was undetected by the average viewer but not to the listener (i.e., I could NOT pronounce long vowels and certain consonants with this thing....or eat, by the way), and the installation of a temporary third.front.tooth. You read that right. It was there to cover the sizable gap between my front teeth that was created by the surgery/torture device until my braces were fitted later....whoooo felt like the prettiest princess in all the land when she met her future husband?!! Needless to say, our relationship started to grow much more rapidly once we traded e-mail addresses and could talk safely over the long distance until my mouth was normal again. ;) Sweet Mike has said he never even noticed anything different was going on with my mouth at the time...just that he couldn't really carry on a conversation with the back of my head during the reception dinner. ;)

2. Speaking of being a bridesmaid, I have had the honor of serving in that fun role 11 times for some amazing ladies, and I've been blessed to serve as maid of honor for three of those ladies! I lova da weddings! I have walked down the aisle with Mike three times: at the wedding where we met in Colorado, at our wedding in Austin, and finally in Colorado again at the wedding of another set of mutual friends.

3. Though I became a vegetarian in 1994, one of my favorite restaurants in Austin is a BBQ joint. (Have you tried County Line's veggie kabobs and garlic mashed potatoes? de-lish.). I have never really had an inspiring story for why I stopped eating meat (or 'carcass', if I'm giving my family a hard time) ;). As a matter of discipline, I just wanted to see how long I could go without it. Evidently, I kinda lost taste for it. (Though recently, I did start eating fish every once in awhile as a favor to Mike....something about protein or something. [blech]) ;)

4. I have what doctors call a little bit of a travel bug! I cannot get enough of it. One of my goals is to visit all of the continents before I'm 35 (though I'll give myself a break on Antarctica because I get really cold easily). After law school graduation and the requisite bar exam passage in 2000, I lived in South Korea for awhile and taught English. A few of my favorite travel highlights include (in chronological order): hiking through a rainforest and then up the Franz Josef glacier in New Zealand; random and spontaneous solo backpacking trip throughout Thailand; celebrating birthdays in Ireland and France with my sweet mom; scrambling through Santorini, Dubrovnik, Ephesus, and Istanbul with Mikey J; alpine hikes and glacial lake views in Banff/Yoho/Jasper...!

5. I'm the youngest of 5 children...though I am not the baby. [That's actually my oldest sister Lisa. ;)] There are 15 years separating me from my eldest sister, and I have 8 nieces and nephews ranging from ages 22 to 6. My family is just like the holiday sweater your grandma gave you when you were 9: tight-knit and super-loud. We love each other so much, and in a way that is often expressed in the best kind of teasing. Some traditions just never die. There is typically so much laughter when we’re together that I get light-headed. By the way, my siblings and I are not just incredibly gorgeous faces either (insert eye rolling here), three of us were valedictorians of dear ole Highland High School.

6. Speaking of high school, I was on the basketball and track teams back in the day, but I might accidentally be the least competitive person ever that lived in the world. This trait once earned me a little chastisement by my track coach for stopping during the 1600 meter to help another runner who had fallen. I just remember my coach yelling, "Courtney....YOU keep running!!!" (She looked really sad though.)

7. Distinguishing left from right is more of a challenge to me than it is for most kindergartners. (I have to pause and give some serious thought to the decision, and I can usually overthink it in most circumstances. I think the problem is clearly a sign of genius.) ;) This affliction has given rise to many a big sweaty moment. The first time I went to meet Mike's parents' at their home in Florida I tried (super-hard) to follow the directions I was given to reach the guest restroom. Like a Greek tragedy of sorts, I made the exact opposite decision at each turn and ended up in the private bathroom in Mike's parents' bedroom instead. It could happen to anyone.

8. Since my college days I have been teased mercilessly for my fervent commitment to being comfortably garbed in my pajamas within 37 seconds of arriving home every night.


So, now check out these very cool photographers who I check out often (all of whom have likely either already been tagged or aren't playing, but that's how I'm rolling)! ;)


Kristen Hodgson (my big sister!)
Eclectic Images
North Light Photography
Boutwell Studio
F8 Studio
Stacy Cross
Traci Dennis and Kellie Finch of Anne Marie Photography
Allison Portis

Wedding Bells

Their story is one that would sell out movie theaters during prime movie season. They met and dated over the long distance from California to Texas. When the time was right, James surprised Jacque by not only moving to the Lone Star State but also by asking for her hand in marriage in the beautiful home she had once said was her dream home. Oh, and it also happened to be the home he had purchased in secret for their new life together. Surprise! That home was the perfect setting for their engagement AND marriage ceremony. And like every good romantic movie, there was not a dry eye in the house during this touching event. Jacque's sweet young son Nicholas was the ringbearer, and he didn't know that he would also be receiving his own special ring during the ceremony. One of my favorite moments (sniff) was when Jacque and James pledged to Nicholas vows that every young man would feel affirmed in love to hear from his parents. What a moving ceremony! I assisted in shooting this beautiful wedding with the fabulous Heather Mabry with Eclectic Images, and it was such a treat to shoot with her again!

Jacque and her mother have the most amazing smiles.


Nicholas gave his mom a "Secret Admirer" note before the wedding. Adorable!


James was so touched when he saw beautiful Jacque for the first time!
No one could keep it together! :)



There was love and war going on at the house that day!

Deal Sealed

Right before drifting off to sleep almost every night, I enjoy one of my favorite recap and chatting sessions with Mikey J. It usually contains some good-natured--yet robust--teasing of one another and much laughing. I triple love it! Last night, Mike reminisced about some of his shenanigans as a big brother, and I am now positive that we are destined to have children that are naugh-to the-ty! (if God blesses us with any at all...) [For the record, I ascribe no weight at all to Mike's theory that they'll be naughty because their lives will be replete with teasing because their mother (i.e., me) insisted on naming them "kooky" (read: super-cool) names like Wakefield and Thackery.] So, back to Mike's dark side. ;) Last night, I learned that Mike, or "Sweet Mike" to all who know him, when he was a young sprite, convinced his little brother Mark that everyone in his entire family was a robot. Everyone BUT Mark. When Mark started feeling a little too convinced of the tale, he knew how to call a bluff even at the age of 4 and threatened, "Stop it, I'm going to tell Mom." Mike, apparently an evil genius wearing the impenetrable and adorable disguise of innocent brown eyes and curly hair retorted: "NO!! Please don't tell Mom. She'll cut my circuits."

Yep, I'm destined to have some really naughty kids...despite the fact that I was THE perfect child. ;)Note how Mark looks like he wishes he could sprint away in this picture....I always wondered.

Lynnae's Bridals

'Sweet Petunia'. That's the fun nickname Joe calls Lynnae with an endearing, mischievous manner reminiscent of the days of fedoras and bobbysoxers. And it works. I think Lynnae has a smile especially reserved for her groom when he uses his charm and the nickname that's sweeping the nation: 'sweet P.' :) Lynnae's beautiful smile was in high demand when we recently shot her bridal portraits at the Capitol. She is obviously such an elegant bride, and I had so much fun hanging out with Lynnae for the day!

Thanks Lynnae for such a fun day full of laughs and for being such a fabulous model!

50 Golden Years~Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

I remember nervously crumpling the decorative napkin and half-filled punch glass in my hand as a little girl, just waiting for the Guinness Book of World Record people who were sure to burst through the door in a congratulatory stampede at my grandparents' 50th anniversary party. I mean, 50 years of marriage had to qualify for a world record or two. Now, I look at my parents who are in the same station, and I am stilled filled with the same admiration and wonder for their marriage...though not quite with such naiveté. Now, it's not just the number of years that impresses me, but the depth of love and commitment that is woven among those years and binds them and our entire (large) family together. Children don't often get the opportunity to say it about their parents, but I'll gladly shout it any chance I can: I'm so proud of my mom and dad. They have loved, comforted, and cherished one another and honored the vows that they made before God through even those contrasting times that are contained in the vows that couples hope on the wedding day that they are fortunate enough to never see one another face--like sickness...My mom and dad have seen some extreme sickness, and they have also seen God's goodness and faithfulness through those times as well. From things like my mother so very nearly losing her life in child birth to the stroke that almost took my father and the long road to recovery that they walked together--squeezing each other tightly each step, I know that I'll be a better wife for having grown up under the comforting example of marriage that they set before me and our entire family in both times of lightheartedness and those of burden. They have endured it all with grace, not to mention whatever craziness their five kids and eight grandchildren (so far) could throw at them. (NOW, where are those Guinness Book people?) :) Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad. I am so very proud of you. We all are.

Before we took our big family trip to California (the Golden State) in celebration of the big 5-0, we had a reception (a Golden one) in my home town of Hardy, Arkansas (Party Hardy) :) to celebrate. Though that evening was not itself without opportunity for my parents to shine in their care for one another, it was a fun night of reminiscing and eating millions of desserts. (Thank you, God, again for your goodness!)

Before I post photos of the reception, these are some of my favorite images from my parents' wedding on June 16, 1957. I love the wedding photojournalism perspective that was employed by the photographer Mr. Jinx Scrape of Blytheville, Arkansas. He obviously knew the pj style was the way to go even way back then!



My Mom does everything BIG. They couldn't fit both sides of the wedding party in one picture!





Some images from the 50th Anniversary reception are below. My mother looooves gold, so this was the night to live it up! I purchased this cool plaque from a great company in Colorado (whose super-fun and helpful owner I found out is originally from Austin. small world! Check out their great work at the Family Plaque.)

The cake was designed to look like their original wedding cake from June 16, 1957.


[Please note the 'golden' punch. We were nothing if not thorough in our 'themery.' ;) ]

Clipped to this were topiary images from Mom and Dad's big day 50 years ago.
The yummy [and golden] candy buffet. (Probably should have snapped this photo before it "opened for business.")



My sister--the ever-talented Kristen Hodgson--captured this sweet image of my dad with our dear family friend, Carol Bates. I love it.

My Mom's cousin helped facilitate their introduction so long ago when they were in high school. Jimmy drove many miles to spend the evening with us. My dad--a craftsman of tall tales--will treat you to a story of how he had to twist the arm of Hugh--Jimmy's brother--to get that introduction.

The Stockton's drove all the way from Mississippi to celebrate with Mom and Dad, and we were so touched by that! I absolutely loved hearing stories about my parents' double dates in college during their days at Ole Miss and how smitten my dad was with my mom. (sooOOOoooo sweet!)


I think you'll find that there are no limits to the Hill family Ham factor! (I just asked them to be still whilst I set my lights.) ;)
Here's the whole family! Multiply life by the power of two!

Dad's cousin Cleo and her daughter Kim, who came all the way from Mississippi!

So sweet! Mom and Dad with the Brays, who drove many miles to celebrate with them. Mom and Nancy have been close friends since their days at Blytheville High School. (They had the boys wrapped around their fingers back then too, I'm told.) ;)

Mom and Dad with we five children...one of us for each decade! (I, as the youngest, of course, will take this opportunity to say that Mom and Dad saved the best for last. But I can only say that because this is my blog and no one is here to thump me in my head.) :)
Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad! We love you so very much! Here's to 50 more years!!