It’s been a little while since I’ve posted anything personal so I thought I’d share a couple of recent photos of a Mommy/Daughter photo-shoot with my sweet Addison and Lillian. It seems like the days go by faster and faster as they get older. I’m so thankful photos have the power to freeze time forever! XOXO

P.S. It was extremely windy so excuse my crazy hair! Happy Monday!

Every single time I photograph a wedding, it never fails, the Daddy/Daughter dance gets me every time. I just can’t help but think that one day that will be Addison and Lillian dancing with their Dad at their big wedding one day. Just to imagine that for one single second, brings tears to my eyes. I watch how the Dads dancing with their daughters fight back the tears and when the song ends, I can tell they don’t want to let go. Time goes by so… fast which is why I’m so thankful we recently had our family pictures taken to freeze this time forever. They will only be little once! I am SO very blessed with an amazing husband and sweet little girls. Check out some of my favorites below…

Me, Lillian (2), Mark, Addison (5)

I met Mark in high school, he sat across from me at the lunch table. Isn’t he cute?  :)

Those hugs and kisses melt my heart!

Daddy’s little girls!

Have a Happy Tuesday!

Photographs taken by // Kendra Trevino

Photographs edited by // Ashley Lynn

Clothing // Gap

Make-up // Mac

Location // White Rock Lake Dallas, TX

Over my recent trip to Las Vegas and Thanksgiving break, I cracked open the pages of Today we are Rich by Tim Sanders and couldn’t put it down! This is a wonderful book for business owners, anyone who may have lost a loved one, anyone looking to build more confidence or just overall take your life to the next level. Who doesn’t want to take their life to the next level?

I think it’s one thing to just read a book and it’s another to actually soak up the knowledge and apply it to your life which is why I thought this would make for the perfect Motivational Monday post. For those of you who may have not heard of the book or are looking for something new to read… I will share Tim Sanders’ 7 main principles of total confidence as well as some of my favorite quotes directly from the book.

PRINCIPLE 1 // FEED YOUR MIND GOOD STUFF

Tim quotes Dr. Norman Vincent Peale from The Power of Positive Thinking: “What comes out of the mind is what you put in the mind. You must feed your mind like you feed your body.”

“The reason it is so important to feed your mind good stuff is that the resulting thoughts determine your success or failure, your happiness or misery, and most important, the circumstances of your life.”

“Avoid gossip the way you would the flu. It’s a socially acceptable form of pornography that is hurtful. Other people’s misfortunes should never be a source of entertainment.”

“Frenemies, town criers, and Chicken Littles are all poison to your outlook, so trim them from your social circle, your work, and your time online.”

PRINCIPLE 2 // MOVE THE CONVERSATION FORWARD

“Constant negative chatter from you can drain the energy and vitality out of others.”

“You need to eliminate “weak” words and phrases from your personal vocabulary.”

“In every conversation, you have a choice: Will it have a positive or a negative tone?”

“Believe in something bigger, something far more powerful than making money. Focus on helping others, which makes us oblivious to ourselves.”

PRINCIPLE 3 // EXERCISE YOUR GRATITUDE MUSCLE

“When it comes to finding reasons to be grateful-I think of them as avenues of appreciation-it helps to follow a practice I call the POET approach, which stands for People, Opportunities, Experiences, and Things.”

“When you begin to exercise gratefulness toward a “who” and not just appreciation for the “what,” you are extending gratitude fully.”

“Perhaps the ultimate benefit of gratitude is that it gives you the freedom to frame your entire life as an exciting adventure, regardless of your circumstances. If you have a grateful mind-set, you can turn your have-tos into get-tos.”

PRINCIPLE 4 // GIVE TO BE RICH

“One of the best ways to refresh your spirit is to give a sip of joy to someone in need.”

Tim quotes Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Without a rich heart, wealth is an ugly begger.”

“Giving is like any other exercise: The more you do it, the better you get at it and the more you get out of it.”

PRINCIPLE 5 // PREPARE YOURSELF

Time quotes Napoleon Hill, “Successful men, in all callings, never stop acquiring specialized knowledge related to their major purpose, business, or profession.”

“Ten hours of getting smart will yield the same value creation as forty hours of busywork.”

“Book readers are leaders.”

PRINCIPLE 6 // BLANCE YOUR CONFIDENCE

Tim quotes Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, in The Power of Positive Thinking: ”The most powerful force in human nature is the spiritual-power technique taught in the Bible… faith in God, faith in other people, faith in yourself.”

“Confidence is never about you alone; rich confidence also includes believing in the power of we.”

“Leaders who don’t follow something bigger than themselves will eventually become drunk with a false sense of their own power.”

PRINCIPLE 7 // PROMISE MADE, PROMISE KEPT

“I was raised to believe that if you can finish what you start and do what you say you are going to do, anything is possible.”

“Keep your promises. Fulfill your commitments.”

“Chew on promises before you spit them out.”

* All quotes directly from the book Today we are Rich by Tim Sanders and photos taken via instagram 

A lot of these principles really hit home with me because I was raised by a similar set of principles. In fact, I really think my Dad and Tim Sanders would hit it off great. I feel by reading this book it was a valuable investment in myself and overall really encourages me to strive to become an overall better human being in all areas of my life.

If you’ve read this book or are now inspired to read this book feel free to post feedback in the comment section. I’d love to hear how this book may have had an influence on your life!

For more information on the book visit: http://twar.com/

I recently set up a little photo-shoot play date with my good photographer friends Kendra and Marianne. I  got my make up done at MAC counter (holla) and got all dolled up for a little fun in Sundance Square located in the heart of Fort Worth. It’s been a long time since I’ve stepped in front of the camera all by myself. Let me tell you, it’s a strange feeling as I’m obviously the one that is normally behind the camera. Overall, it was an eye opener because I felt like I was in my own client’s shoes. As in, I didn’t know what to do or how to pose and even felt a bit awkward at times. I guess it’s just human nature.

I think the number one piece of advice I can give for anyone that is going to step in front of a camera out there or even my camera would be to just let it all go. Be happy from within. Stop worrying about those love handles, that extra few pounds, your nose being shaped weird, that zit on your forehead, your hair color not being right, your bra strap hanging out and/or any other insecurities you are carrying around. Just let it go my friends. Learn to love yourself and be comfortable in your own skin. Be yourself and most of all, have fun. I promise that just by letting go of insecurities and by trusting the photographer on the other side of the lens, you will gain a new sense of self love and confidence.

“Confidence is like rocket fuel.” – Tim Sanders

Click PLAY below to see the slideshow…

As most of you already know, I wear more then one hat on a day to day basis. Wife hat, Mom hat, business owner hat, photographer hat, and the list goes on… The hat that often gets pushed to the back of the closet is the ME HAT! It’s so easy to get caught up in wearing all of the other hats that I forget to take care of myself. By take care of myself, I mean taking the time to work towards more personal goals outside of my business. Goals that overall will help me wear all the other hats just a little bit better.

If you know me on a personal level then you know that I go through phases of being on extreme health kicks then a few months later the kick dies off and I go right back to the taco bell drive thru ordering crap food along with a large dr. pepper. This time around, I want to strive for an overall lifestyle change and not just a kick. No more fast food. No more Dr. Pepper (help me sweet baby Jesus). No more processed junk in my body. I’m over it. Time for change! I want to live an overall healthy life style, eat well, exercise more consistently and just feel good about myself again. Not to mention, be an excellent example for my kiddos. Let me be clear for those that might respond and say… “Ashley you don’t need to lose weight!” It’s not about the number that shows up on the scale, it’s about how I feel and simply being healthy.

I’m setting a new goal of running my second half marathon on December 4, 2011 and I could not be more stoked. It’s been almost two years since my last one and this time my training program is going to be a little longer and will focus on strength training in addition to running. Not to mention, it would be nice to beat my first half marathon time! This goal is just one of many new personal goals I’m setting for myself. Wish me luck because I will need it along with drive, motivation, and no excuses!

It’s Monday! I just love Mondays… I feel it’s a brand new start and opportunity to plan for a productive and fun week. This morning on I was listening to the Kidd on KISS FM while I was getting my daughter ready for school and he made a statement while talking about Lady Gaga’s performance last night on the VMA’s that got me thinking… This is not a direct quote by any means but it was something along the lines of, there are no original creative people and that all creativity is sparked from inspiration from someone or something else. I probably totally ruined his quote (sorry Kidd) but that was the gist of it so you get the overall idea. While I don’t 100% agree with that statement, I do believe there is a lot truth to that. On the flip side, I also believe that everyone has the ability to be organically creative on their own. I guess you could say that I’m caught somewhere in the middle of both sides and just think it’s an interesting topic to bring up especially because there are a lot of people calling themselves “artists” these days.  Where do you draw inspiration from? Do you believe that you are organically creative? I believe that I’m a mix.

While on this topic I thought it would be fun to list a few People, Places and Things that I do draw inspiration from…

Jasmine Star – If you are a photographer and don’t follow Jasmine, you should def climb out from underneath the rock that you’re living under and check out her blog and creative live courses today. I love her because she likes to keep it real.

Promise Tangeman – Super stoked for the release of her new SITEHOUSE designs coming soon!

Holli True – I adore Holli’s blog and Senior Portrait work! She is uber talented and I admit to stalking her on a regular basis.

Jaymee Dee is a singing You Tube sensation. She has amazing talent and I can’t wait for her first album to drop. Check out her YouTube Channel and covers!

Move over iTunes, Spotify is my new best friend. If you would like an invite shoot me an e-mail and I’ll send you one. I only have a couple left.

Editing music…

Foster the People

Death Cab for Cutie

Mumford & Sons

I was somewhat slow to jump on the Pinterest bandwagon but now I see what all the hype is about for sure. You can follow me HERE.

Here are just a couple of recent pins…

I think I’m addicted to pinning on Pinterest!

NYC

I’m amazed at some of the iPhone photography on instagram! You can follow me @livelaughphotograph.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this book! I highly recommend it to all business owners. Seth Godin might be my new idol.

What people, places, and things inspire you? Feel free to post your blog links in the comment section!

Her Hello Kitty alarm rang at exactly 6:15 a.m. Today is the day we’ve been preparing for. The very first day of kindergarten. The first day of the rest of her life. The first day of her official school journey. The first day she’ll experience classroom style learning, recess, and hopefully even new friendships. I thought I was ready for this. I was honestly looking forward to getting back into a strict routine after the relaxed summer fun we’ve had but I feel as if it has come and gone too quickly. I didn’t think I would feel this emotional about her first day of school. She is so so so… ready for this but I guess I’m not sure if I am. I feel as if I’m releasing a part of her into the world. It might just be a kindergarten classroom but to her it will be a whole new world. It sure is a good thing I wore waterproof mascara today. Hopefully, this will get easier for me. For now, I will just stick with taking really deep breaths and pray that God is watching over and protecting her.

She started school this morning,
And she seemed so very small.
As I walked there beside her
In the Kindergarten hall.

And as she took her place beside
the others in the class,
I realized how all too soon
Those first few years can pass.

Remembering, I saw her as
She first learned how to walk.
The words that we alone made out
When she began to talk.

This little girl so much absorbed
In learning how to write.
It seems as though she must have grown
To girlhood overnight.

My eyes were blurred by hastily
I brushed the tears away
Lest by some word or sign of mine
I mar her first big day.

Oh how I longed to stay with her
And keep her by the hand
To lead her through the places
That she couldn’t understand.

And something closely kin to fear
Was mingled with my pride.
I knew she would no longer be
A baby by my side.

But she must have her chance to live,
To work her problems out,
The privilege to grow and learn
What life is all about.

And I must share my little girl
With friends and work and play;
She’s not a baby anymore –
She’s in Kindergarten today.

[source]

Mommy is super proud of you Addison Jane! I love you!

Did your little one go off to school today? I hope I’m not the only one feeling these mixed emotions.

This week’s contest theme over at i heart faces is Friendship! My little girls are the best of friends…. for now anyway! Check back with me again when they’re 13 and 16 years old.

This photo was entered into the I Heart Faces photo challenge // http://iheartfaces.com

I honestly don’t think that my website will ever be completely finished. In between photo shoots, weddings, editing, attempting to cook without burning our house down, and changing diapers I’m constantly tweaking my website and it is slowly but surely evolving along with my photography. For the most part the shell of my site is still the same however I wanted to post about a few changes that I’m super excited about….

Ready. Set. Go.

Given the recent shift I’m making in my business, [click here to get caught up] I removed all newborns, children, families, and life style photos/galleries. I’m not going to lie…. clicking the delete button was very painful.

I added a new and improved “About” section. Here you will find four different vintage polaroid style clickable buttons to learn more about me!

“About Me”

I thought it would be fun to feature casual photos and snippets from my life on this page. I think people generally relate more when you let your true self shine through. That means sometimes posting non-posed, non-professional, snapshots of regular life.

Collections now officially only apply to High School Seniors and Weddings unless you are already a client.

I’m super stoked about my new letter style contact form! In my opinion, it’s waaaayyy more exciting than the old one. Totally worth the hours I put in going cross eyed in front of the computer screen setting it up. Go ahead, you know you want to try it out! It’s fun!

Lots of new Wedding and Senior Girl photos added to the galleries. Even more coming soon!

Go check out the new and improved changes at www.livelaughphotograph-llc.com and let me know what you think via the “facebook me” comment button at the bottom! A special THANK YOU to SHOWIT for making my website possible, to the Showiteers for inspiring me every single day, and last but not least to David Jay, Andrew Barlow, and Kevin Sturm for the countless Showit Live Videos and Hangouts I’ve watched in order to figure all this techy stuff out on my own. You guys are so awesome!

I have dreamed of this shoot for a looooooong time. I saw it in my head and deeply wanted to make these images of my children come to life. I literally obsessed over these outfits from Matilda Jane Clothing for months, searched and searched etsy for the perfect headbands from Cozette Couture and called up my Grandma a.k.a. Nanny to borrow a few vintage props that she had stored up stairs. It all came together so perfectly….. just as I had imaged it in my head. All of my obsessing boils down to this post, showing off the slideshow and printing large float wraps for my walls! I photographed Addison (5) using an old vintage school desk, books and an apple in honor of her starting kindergarten next month. I photographed Lillian (2) playing with a very old cradle and a cabbage patch doll that was purchased by my Great Grandma Dee that was passed down for me to play with when I was a little girl. I set the props up and just let them play, pretend, and have fun with it. I was amazed at their cooperation and willingness to work for frozen yogurt. Scroll to check out the images and be sure and click play at the bottom to see a slideshow to Taylor Swift‘s Never Grow Up.

A special thanks to my amazing Mother-in-law for helping me and to my fun Nanny for providing vintage props!