Mango Street Photography » Personal

This Is Us:

admin — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 19:37:24 +0000

Eating up every moment of life as a family of 3. Wild, always changing, lots of laughing, hard at times, but most importantly, always loving life.

PS. Thank you so much for your patience with my blog-hiatus. It’s good to be back.

A Snapshot

admin — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 15:34:00 +0000

Google tells me that a snapshot is “A photograph, especially one taken quickly or in a moment of opportunity; A glimpse of something; a portrayal of something at a moment in time.”

The photo of our daughter below is just that: a snapshot. It wasn’t staged. It isn’t a stunning piece of art. And yet I can’t take my eyes off of it. We were playing on a blanket on a family day away in the mountains, and I saw something beautiful. I reached down and grabbed my camera to shoot this frame, and I’m so glad I did. I love it.

I love it because her eyes are dancing.

Because when I hold the photograph in my hands, it is timeless. Something I would find in my grandmother’s own baby album.

Because when I look at it I see everything about the moment, even what isn’t pictured.

The way she was wrapped up and squealing with delight in the autumn breeze.

The way the leaves were dancing in the sunlight above her, for her.

The way the clean mountain air brought refreshment.

The way our hearts were full.

This is what I want to give you. Captured moments in time that you can look back on and say a resounding, “Yes. That was it.” Would you be so brave as to move past the posed shots and invite me in to take snapshots of your life? Of what is now for you and your family? As I sit here holding this photograph that is now one of my favorites of our daughter, I can tell you that you won’t be disappointed.

Meet Audra. :)

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:29:12 +0000

I cannot get enough of this sweet girl.

I. love.

The way she stretches for 5 minutes when she wakes up.
The way she loves to snuggle.
How her hair sticks straight up, even after bathtime.
Bathtime.
Watching her kick and squirm.
Hearing her coo and share her smile.
Knowing, really knowing, how much the Lord must love His children because of how much we love her. For just being her.
The way she is already reflecting the character traits she was named for.
Her tiny little features.
Her growing range of facial expressions.
The way she has captured our hearts.

And I am her mom? Just wow.

Audra Rachel Thomas, I love you.

2 More…

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:28:55 +0000

I couldn’t resist sharing these 2 frames from Audra’s first week…some of my favorites:

Hello World!

admin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:17:11 +0000

As many of you know, we welcomed our baby girl into the world at the end of May (pictures to come!). I had originally planned on taking time off from the blog until I began accepting clients again in August, but it turns out that my blog-writing withdrawal can’t it anymore! I really do enjoy connecting with you readers through the blog, so be on the look out for regular posting to resume, along with some additional features. To get back in the swing of things, I thought I’d share a frame I grabbed while we were out over the weekend that speaks to me of the easy-going nature of summer. What about you? What have you enjoyed about the summer of 2010 so far?

Until next time!

Nesting~

admin — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 16:11:28 +0000

In the last post, I mentioned that Andrew and I have been busily getting ready for the arrival of our baby girl. Even though she still has about 3 weeks left, we wanted to have all of our ducks in a row, so to speak, by the end of April in case she decides to make an early appearance. While there are just a few small loose ends to tie up this week, we finished the last major project over the weekend, and I thought you might enjoy a glimpse. It was definitely a lot of work, but like many young families who are on a budget, we were determined to do as much as possible ourselves. The mobile, wall art, crib skirt, and pillows were all hand-made by yours truly (with help from my hubby when it involved paint fumes!), and I need to brag on Andrew who definitely outdid himself by re-finishing (and hand-distressing) the dresser/changing table. Didn’t he do a fabulous job? Take a peek into the nursery:

A Snowy Valentines

admin — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 12:59:00 +0000

The snow began falling early Friday afternoon and did something that it rarely does in Georgia: it stuck! As I crawled in bed that night with the snow still falling, I couldn’t wait to see what the morning would bring. Up even before the neighborhood kids, Andrew and I headed out with camera in hand to explore our winter wonderland. Enjoy a glimpse:

3 Reasons I am Smiling Today

admin — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:26:08 +0000

In no particular order…

1. Warm sunshine. With a very cold and rainy weekend ahead, I couldn’t be more excited about today’s forecast of sunny and 60 degrees. Spring makes my heart feel alive, and these little hints of it are what keeps me going until it’s official arrival in a few months.

2. Audra. We have finally decided on a name for our baby girl! After going through countless lists online and pouring over name books, we have a name that feels just right for our little girl, and it is such a good feeling.

3. Fresh flowers. My sweet husband knows how I anticipate spring each year, and he made my day yesterday when he brought home fresh tulips for me. They quickly found their home on our mantle, as you can see below. Thanks, Andrew!

What is making you smile today?

Charleston, Part 2

admin — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:14:19 +0000

I’m back to share the second and final installment of our trip to Charleston. When you see these photos, I think you’ll understand why they deserved a post of their own. This live oak, called The Angel Oak, is estimated to be between 300 and 400 years old. 25 feet in circumference, it provides 17,000 square feet of shade. The largest limb? 11 feet in circumference and 89 feet long. Hands down, one of our favorite parts of the trip. Enjoy a glimpse:

Yes, the buildings in Charleston were full of history and character, but there is something about the grandeur of nature that sets it apart as truly spectacular.

Charleston, Part 1

admin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:34:01 +0000

For those of you who know me, you know that Andrew and I are super-sentimental. Up until this point, one of our favorite traditions has been for Andrew to take off several days in May to celebrate our anniversary. Some years we have had a “stay-cation” while other years have involved fun trips, our favorite being experiencing the splendor of Yosemite National Park, followed by a stop in Monterey, a beautiful drive up the coast on Hwy. 1, and the amazing cuisine of San Fransisco. Well, with our little one due this May (on our anniversary, no less!), we decided to seize the last of Andrew’s vacation days from 2009 and take our anniversary trip after Christmas while traveling is still relatively easy on me, not to mention still OK-ed by the dr. When we arrived in Charleston, our agenda was simple: relax, enjoy the history and character the city had to offer, and eat some great food! That being said, my camera had a hard time staying inside my bag, so I’m going to divide up the photos from our time into 2 posts. Enjoy a glimpse into downtown Charleston:

Stay tuned for Part 2 next week!