Nashville Wedding and Portrait Photographer

The Sunflower Series!

2012-02-06T21:55:00.000-06:00

This made me laugh AND cry

2012-02-02T23:52:00.000-06:00

Jasmine Star posted this pic on one of her blog posts and I just had to repost it.. I hope that's okay and I don't get sued..LOL

But isn't life just like this... I know I've felt so much like this picture lately, no not like a large elephant, I'm actually feeling super great about my physical well being for the first time in months, but just the whole "take that risk" "go for it" "miracles happen everyday" mentality.
GOD IT IS SO TRUE! Two self employed people living with three kids two dogs one porch cat and the additional remodel "kitchen clutter" everyday is up and down and all around.

It is somehow both wildy peaceful and alarmingly unpredictable this life in Nashvegas. And and I realize as I type this not only will we all get there, but we are already here.. Take a giant elephant jump!!

A girl and her dog...

2012-02-02T01:12:00.000-06:00

why do we love our dogs so much.. because they have so much love to give.. I must've used my baby dog voice the entire time I photographed Julia the other night.. her doggie was so sweet and every time I'd sit on the floor Tennessee would come over and lean on me.. I love dogs who lean on you.. like "hey... let's hold each other"..WHAT.A.SNUGGLER. and as you can see.. a POSER! Feel like I made two good friends the other night... YEA!

Betty and Veronica's Pinup Photography! new to Robin Dodd Photography!

2012-01-26T00:11:00.000-06:00

I've decided to start a pin up business in Nashville! My friend Heidi who owns Hair Mafia studio in Berry Hill is going to be Veronica and I'm Betty.. my favorite pin up name.. We're calling it.. Betty and Veronica's. Nashville Premiere Pin up Photography.. Stay Tuned!!

DancEast!

2012-01-20T00:09:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the 2011 Robin Dodd Photography Awards..

2012-01-13T19:23:00.000-06:00

Today I decided to post my favorite photos from the previous year as I embark on a new photography adventure in 2012!

Best Cheesy Idea of Mine at a Wedding Photo

Best Super Serious Dance Photo

Best New Pet Named after a Rock Musician..

Best Show the Love photo

Best Stylized Shoot with the Cutest family of all time photo

Best Dharma and Greg Engagement Photo

Best Stellar Musician Supermodel Photo

Best Almost Group Family Photo.. STEPHEN!!!

Come join me in my new studio space in Marathon Village you guys! I'm really excited about it. Lots of new projects and adventure in 2012.

XOXO
Robin

Speights Family

2012-01-10T22:26:00.000-06:00

Wow.. this is a good lookin group.. someone want to guess the temperature? IT.WAS.COLD. Good job looking warm you guys! My hot flashes kept me nice and toasty..I know TMI.. but alas that's me.

We need to start the new year out with this folks..

2012-01-05T18:40:00.000-06:00

Olivia, my niece came back from Texas with us after Christmas and we were getting stir crazy by the time we got to Hurricane Mills, TN about an hour out of Nashville. So I got out the old you tube on the iphone and she showed me this.. I might be the last person in the world to see this. but it never gets old.

Looking Back

2011-12-31T01:05:00.000-06:00

The Hollinger family was one of the first family shoots I did when I became a professional photographer almost seven years ago. I started thinking about this particular image again because I had the pleasure of shooting their family for the third time over Christmas, this time with Stephanie's entire family. I've come to realize that this is an image I try to recreate again and again with mothers and daughters, even though of course I can't.. this was their moment.. I love it so much.. maybe because Stephanie and Zoe look just alike, but probably because I can feel this picture.. not just see it. I don't know. I just know that I love it. And it helped me realize way back then that I might be on to something..

Thinking of my Lily

2011-12-10T21:31:00.000-06:00

My grandmother Lily's trademark was her fire engine red hair. I never saw her without it. She's going to be 90 years old in July and for the past 18 months has been under the care of a lady in the Texas Hill Country. It's a small place with maybe room for three or four people there, the way I understand it. I haven't been. Once Lily's mind forgot us I couldn't bring myself to go..I am so far away so when I think of her I am thinking of her joining my nana and papa in heaven. They too lived to be in their 90's ,but weren't sick long when they passed away and had their minds till the end..My dad visits Lily and says that it is hard that she's terribly weak and he can't believe she's still holding on, and her hair is white.. White. that I never wanted to picture.. It will be two years in March since I have seen her. A lifetime for me and my Lily.. I went to visit her the last time with my mom, when she was still living on her own in a little fancy trailer park called "The Take it Easy" trailer park.. Classic. So Lily. We laughed and I reminded her who people were in the pictures we looked at..she was still Lily.She had a little dog living with her, that I'm sure she was overmedicating and feeding raw carrots and canned green beans but that was her way. When I grew up she always had a teacup poodle with a French name. Collette, Suzette, and way back I remember Nanette, although funnily Nanette was a shepard mix.

Lily has lived a pretty hard life, but the part of it that I've been alive for I remember her enjoying quite a bit. And as a child I never knew of the tragedies and series of bad decisions that dictated her life up to that point. It was kept secret. And for that I'm thankful. As I grew older I learned more and was able to process that as a young adult, a college student, a grown woman.. not have to be burdened with that heaviness as a child. I'm thankful that sitting way over here in the hills of Tennessee I can think back to Christmas's and Thanksgiving at my Lily's and my great grandparents and all the summer vacations she traveled with us and call up not just one great memory but too many to count.

Her little matchbox house

where we sat in front of a box television the size of a mini cooper and watched "The Carol Burnett Show" wrapped up in a multi colored afghan on a scratchy couch in front of a giant window unit air conditioner.

The Leroy Baptist/Methodist Church

where we went when we were in town and apparently couldn't tell the difference between being a Baptist and a Methodist because the services were supposed to be different and I never noticed. Where we went to the Harvest Festivals and ran barefoot thru the church yard with the other families kids, half of whom we were cousins, second cousins, third cousins with..These pics were taken when my sister and I drove down to take pictures in Leroy and got stopped trying to go inside the old Leroy Bank, ( to our credit the door was broken and wide open and was really too dangerous to be walking around in) which dates back to the Bonnie and clyde days.. a privately owned bank.. you think Archer City is small.. or any small Texas town.. Welcome to Leroy. SMALL. 500 people small.

My Lily lived right next door to her parents for my entire childhood. If you went to Baylor with me you probably met Lily and Nana and Nana's amazing biscuits and gravy and fried chicken..(they loved feeding us and believe me, we were sick of Ramen and canned green beans) You won't recognize my Nana holding my Lily in the pick above.. This one is probably more familiar

and Nana's house

which was actually painted with black trim see here..

I've posted this pic before.. and I just marvel at my hippie dad wearing his best Ward Cleaver clothes.. I know he is miserable in them..

Distant relatives are living in Nana and Papaw's house now and I don't know why they didn't just let us walk right in, when we pulled up with six kids an invitation to take a walk down memory lane with us.. I really just wanted to see how small that house was.. we crammed so many people in there on the holidays.. and my Lily stood in the kitchen and always rinsed the dishes and dried .that was her job. I remember that.

Wedding season is just around the corner

2011-12-08T22:09:00.000-06:00

Tiny Ballerina's...

2011-12-07T23:59:00.000-06:00

The Honorary Dodd

2011-12-03T21:24:00.000-06:00

Thought you might like to see Grace's best friend and my personal assistant for the shoot today. Love this kid. They don't make them cuter..

Bad Santa

2011-12-02T21:59:00.000-06:00

On the ride home from the gym tonight..

Me: Let's watch "Santa Claus is coming to Town" tonight, I DVR'd it the other day.

Mariama: Have we seen that one?

Grace: Of course Mariama.. it's the one where the one Santa Claus gets drunk and falls off the sleigh and the other Santa has to ride in the parade..

Me: That's Miracle on 34th Street. HAHAHAHAHAHAAA

Is that what Grace took away from that movie..? LOL

Random thoughts on Wednesday

2011-11-30T21:39:00.000-06:00

Hilarious..
All the ads on my blog right now are related to menopause.. A woman clutching her back.. Nice. I'm going to take a picture of myself holding the Magnesium Citrate powder Natural Calm that I carry around in my purse like a baby blanket.. and you'll see the real me.

A lot of great things transpired today. I received all the proofs for three sets of clients, I set some things in motion for a new project that I'm going to be a part of, working with kids and photography, and I revamped my little weekly drama class I teach. Got to keep some drama in your life.. On the stage.. On the stage I mean.

I also resumed writing on a book that I started last year. It's working title is "The Middle Daughter" and it's going to allow me to get it all out I think. To write what I know.. The inner workings of a southern family. and let me whisper this.. " a dysfunctional one.." Of course I have drawn most of the story from other people's lives and hopefully you won't know you you are.. it's the way I think I process emotional things.. by weaving them into a story. And I always feel better when I keep a steady writing schedule. So instead of editing the middle grade novel I'm going to delve into this place and see what this West Texas family has to show me.

And once again I go back to the yoga. It has given me so much the past three months and I will never betray you again yoga.. because you are helping me undo so many things that need to be undone. It's beyond healing. And I am so grateful for that.

November in Pictures..

2011-11-28T19:11:00.000-06:00

The most spoken sentence in the Dodd household...

2011-11-14T22:11:00.000-06:00

WHERE"S MY OTHER SHOE!!??

I am learning to be still... I mean really still

2011-11-11T21:30:00.000-06:00

Thought I would blog a bit about the way my life has hit the brakes and yet taken off at the same time.. It's so strange the way we rush around, with our lists, and our activities and trying to keep up with the latest everything from the iphone to the ipad. I'm really surprised that I didn't crack before now.. and by crack I mean been driven to a blinding halt by what is surely depleted adrenals and a slew of other hormonal fluctuations.

Dear ladies, when you hit your mid 4o's and are in the throws of peri menopause.. two words.. Natural Calm. I've been researching and looking for solutions to nighttime anxiety and fatique, and sure the raw food has been great. I've lost the 10 pounds I put on in 2011, from the 35 I lost in 2010.. Fun that weight loss roller coaster.. The Natural Calm is a magnesium supplement, one that is dissolved in water so the minute you take it.. you're calmed. I read that women need 1000 mg of it during this time. It has turned my panicky situations into a small bit of anxiety that I can breathe through.. Although I'm still waking up a couple times in the night if I dream something scary or get too hot, the power surges, hot flashes just come on when they come.. and sometimes I just have to stop. in my tracks. Like today when Mariama and I were walking Carlos by the river. Just had to stop. Be Still. and then continue. Such a strange sensation but a life lesson for me.

In the midst of this time, my business is becoming what I want it to be. I'm only shooting what I want to shoot and I love the freedom to go to yoga everyday and grow spiritually and asking questions. Another thing I"ve noticed about this whole thing is that my filter is fading fast. I just don't have it. It's a fine line for sure.. I'm alot less angry because of the raw food, so I don't just walk up to someone and tell them what I think, but I know now what that's about..

I have the found the focus that has alluded me for the past couple years in terms of who I wanted to be as a photographer. And I think as I follow this path and leave the trail of carbohydrate fog behind me for good I will discover writing again and the theatre. I miss them both so much as well as singing beyond belting out diva tunes with the girls in the car. I know there's time for it all. What amazes me is that I was moving so fast in my head with a Starbucks next to me at all times, how is it that caffeine came and went so easily. I admit I don't miss it much. And even though I don't sleep so well right now in the early morning hours, I am a hell of a lot less tired than I used to be.

And sure I still crave cooked food. I do eat cooked Salmon and Lord how I savor that on a crunchy raw veggie salad. I also eat sushi. ALOT. SASHIMI. But if I do have a sushi roll, it's funny, I don't have the appetite to have 6 rolls.. unless of course you take me to that sushi buffet in the gulch. I don't miss alcohol, my craving for winter red wine is gone as well as my craving for DARE I SAY IT. Margaritas!!!

Just trying to meditate through it and come out the other side maybe knowing a little better.
Tune in tomorrow when I post the first of some of the shoots I had this past few days. So honored to be able to photograph all of you guys.

All my love,

R

I'm back and Dreaming about Celebrities..

2011-11-03T22:05:00.000-05:00

Some of you who live outside of the Davidson County line may not be aware that my hormones are rollercoastering ( since I've been spreading the news). I'm changing my entire lifestyle to get healthier.. I remember at the beginning of the year my mantra was "health and wealth" and I'll be damn... it's November and the health part is starting to kick in. Now to the wealth..

The other night I dreamed that I was sitting in a hotel room with Donald Trump or maybe it was an amusement park, but he was handing me cash and writing me checks. It was very strange. In the past week, I've dreamt about Brad Pitt,(who wouldn't) and the girl who plays Charlotte on Private Practice and somebody else who has slipped my mind. Wondering if it's the black cohosh or Valerian or some herbal tea I've been drinking. I've been known to have celebrity dreams before like this, oh yah, just remembering the Brad pitt dream.. He and I were a couple and this spaceship that looked like one of those mean guys in Star Wars in the white uniforms, came out of the sky and landed and took Brad who suddenly had on a Prince outfit to his true love and I was left standing on a cold dark street. I think her name was Angelina...

Anyway,
So much has happened and then not happened in my bloggy absence. I've had to learn to be still, I mean really still and silent and learn some things about myself. It's been cool and scary as hell all at the same time. When you've never had an anxiety attack before and suddenly you're afraid if you go into the Kroger after 8:00 pm you could wind up doing alternative nostril breathing in the fresh fruit aisle.. it takes you back a bit.

But Shawn, my favorite husband of all time has been a trooper even when I burst into tears because I forgot to get Daisy's flea medicine. I also cried through the entire first act of Wicked and my mother in law was like " YOU ARE HORMONAL". IT'S WICKED!!! and I was on the 5th row. I'm like "but she didn't get on the broom, she didn't go with her!!!" DEADPAN FACE from the girls and Memaw. Okay so send me to a home.

One thing that's gotten me through the first half of my forty fourth year is this little whirling dervish. Carlos Santana Stitch Dodd

Carlos likes a good raw chicken leg, seeking out cat turds, and a really expensive shoe to chew on.. He's half pug, and half French Bulldog and quite the clown.
Daisy's finally gotten used to him after a month or two and now just gives me this frequent look.. like where the hell is my bone.. he gets one everyday so he won't chew up every shoe and magazine under this roof..

Another thing happening in my absence is Grace's gymnastics season is flying by. She and I had the pleasure of staying at this fantastic place in the Smokey Mountains before the Knoxville meet about a month ago before I'd figured out what was going on with me.. So i didn't enjoy it near as much as she did, at the time I was still eating sugar and drinking caffeine and the woman who owns the place made me, and I mean MADE ME eat Buttermilk Pie, French toast like I'd never seen, and some other chocolate thing and by then I knew that alot of this was made worse by sugar.. that was a rough night.. But the meet was great and I do want to go back.. I'd hate to associate the Smokey's with hyperventilating and hot flashes.

Grace was the only kids there and you can see that she really hated that..

She loved that we had our name on a board when you walked into the foyer..

And just in case you wondered.. yes. We are still an episode on HGTV..

But getting closer..

Now off to watch my Thursday night shows that hopefully won't send me over the edge.. My wednesday night tapings include the funniest show on TV, Modern Family and the most horrifying "American Horror Story".. find me someone as interesting to watch as Jessica Lange.. I dare you.. LOL She is AHMAZING!!! I would love to have dinner with her and Sam Shepard.. wow. is all. Hmmm. Maybe I'll dream it tonight..

Sunflower Series from This Summer.. because I'm FREEZING !

2011-10-03T01:45:00.005-05:00

Is that Nadia's Theme?

2011-09-30T18:49:00.000-05:00

Grace is on a gymnastics team.. this makes me nostalgic. It takes me back to my childhood days when I watched gymnastics incessantly.. Lord who didn't in the days of "Nadia's Theme". GO 1976 Olympics! I think I even sang that for a contest in the 3rd grade. But before you label me a dance mom, let me say that I did have to be convinced to take Grace to a gym. We thought really hard about it..And I'm glad I did. Thank you Graham. Thank you Hilary for suggesting Magnitude. Grace loves it. LOVES IT. It's been an adjustment financially and it is a time commitment, but in actuality has given me time to work uninterrupted for three and a half consecutive hours three days a week. I'm very thankful for that time, and when the revamp of the business website and holiday season gets underway dare I say it.. I'm going to use this time for WRITING... aaahhh... Hold on Patrick Dempsey.. I'm writing the perfect script for you... just so I can get a closer look at that Kennedy Hair.

Below are three of the four videos I took of Grace's first meet in Gallatin last weekend. The bars is missing. I'll add it later when I figure out where I put it..LOL

Pretty sure they couldn't be cuter..

Renovation : Dodd Style! Let's do the Kitchen

2011-09-27T13:51:00.001-05:00

Hi and welcome to the second episode of Renovation: DODD STYLE!
Let's start with a picture of our new NYC style living area. Here it is..

This actually hasn't been that bad.. as you can see the new puppy, Carlos Santana Stitch Dodd's crate is right there on the couch. Boy is he traumatized by the sounds of the roof gun thingy and Shawn psychotically ripping up the floor.
But first before I scare you..LOOK.

Just seeing the toilet paper roll thing over by the door.. HAHAHA, that's because Shawn was about to put on the door handles to the shower, missed that in the pic..

Welcome back to the Great Depression, World War II, the age of aquarius and disco all rolled into one. Our kitchen Linoleum floor. There are 4 layers under the lovely hideous stuff that we've been walking on for 5 years.. this is the bottom layer. Cute in it's day. Reminds me of my great grandma's kitchen floor. And the smell reminds me of her garage.

Let's look up.. This is our tub up there and a beautiful three layer painted ceiling that Shawn has ripped up

This below will be the mud room, so to speak. The very small pantry is to the right and that's a 70's or early 80's version of the floor...

You can see that Big Daddy is pulling up the linoleum layer by layer and behind him you can see where the gorgeous oversized sage green awful cabinets were.. to the left is the new hula hoop plumbing coming out of the wall.. I'm told that will be covered as the kitchen is fixed..

Shawn needs his own show so he can be a Youtube sensation.. ahh but the language..

Oooh ceiling from the 70's or 50's or sometime long long ago.. gross..

AND LET'S NOT FORGET THE ROOF!!

The Little Anne of Green Gables House has a new deep green roof this time..

Look at this yard.. How does Shawn Dodd in the green do rag do it....

Can you spot the watermelon?

Ahhh Chez Dodd.. how I love you..

Flashes of Hope

2011-09-26T19:01:00.002-05:00

I heard about Flashes of Hope through the lovely photographer Adair Freeman, she and I have not officially met but had exchanged a few emails about photography and East Nashville in the past, so when she asked me to shoot at Vanderbilt in August I was so honored to participate. As a former teacher and all round fan of kids.. nothing can prepare you for the love and honesty LITTLES offer up in a photo session, especially the ones who are forced travel a difficult path..it's humbling.. thankful to have gotten to enjoy a moment of fun in what would've been another day at the clinic .. and to their amazing parents and Dr.'s and nurses.. you are the real deal. All the love...

Gratitude

2011-09-24T00:36:00.000-05:00

I always wanted to live inside the MaryTylerMoore show... Just set in NYC.

2011-09-16T00:05:00.002-05:00

Namaste

2011-09-14T23:28:00.000-05:00

So I've started practicing yoga full time and it has saved me from myself yet again.
The first time I practiced was in Fort Worth HERE I was teaching high school English to 6 classes of Freshman in one of the most ill-behaved schools in Texas.. I won't say which one. BUT, I remember going to the doctor complaining that my vision was strange... really it was like when you get really tired and you see kind of shimmery or maybe you've had 5 venti vanilla lattes in one day.. you know, vision like that. Well, he asked me what I did for a living and I told him and he said " You need to quit your job." Your flight or fight response is being triggered about 47 times a day and you never have a chance to get your adrenaline to come down.. normal.. to which I said. "I can't QUIT!! HOW CAN I QUIT????" He said, let me give you something. NOW, I don't take pills very often. In fact, I can take one advil and clear a headache right up, but at this point I was like. Let me have it. WEll it was something like valium but not,and I can remember the students just screaming and cussing me out and me just standing there like Johnny Depp..."Hey....." No problem... you can wrap yourself in tape and run down the hallway wearing the American Flag, and my blood pressure is going to stay right here.. Moving on class" But still I knew I couldn't be that zoned out all the time so I somehow found the yoga. AND IT WAS INTENSE. It was Bikram yoga and the couple that owned it and still owns it I'm assuming was super nice but TYPE A. He was. I remember that. But at the same time, I signed up to do a challenge that would have me there 6 days a week, either at 6:00 am or 4:30 in the afternoon. It really changed my whole perspective. I decided to enter the world of photography while lying in a posture and I still marvel at the life changing things that I discovered while sweating profusely in Bikram 90 minutes a day. When we moved to Nashville in the summer of 2006 I got Shawn in on the yoga here at Hot Yoga on Elliston Place. Nothing like getting the giggles in a room full of 40 people practicing in a 103 degree room..there was this one girl we called "The Breather" and as you may know when you practice yoga you're supposed to stay focused on yourself. Well it was impossible standing next to the breather. She would sound like she was hyperventilating at all times.. and that would get me annoyed. Just like when you go to the movies and sit in front of someone whose sucking on cherry sours or crunchy popcorn in your ear. It was distracting and with the release of emotions and toxins,laughter was always right there. We practiced here for a year and then when the adoption took over we stopped.

I found Kali Yuga
in 2007 and went a few times but as I said the girls were coming home soon and I was another person .. Just deep in the center of adoption world where things rollercoaster daily. Well, skip to Jan of 2010 when I saw myself in a vest and I looked like Rosie O'Donnell's older sister.. Sorry Rosie, but it's true.. I started running and running and running and running... RUN FORREST!!
and have continued that until a few months ago when my hormones decided to betray me and I literally ate a cupcake one day and gained ten pounds back. NICE. And coupled with the fact that my head was spinning around on a daily basis and my joints hurt and all kinds of lovely perimenopause things I decided I needed help and let me tell you.. I am never straying from the yoga path again.. I love Kali Yuga and the fact that is on the Eastside is a real bonus. Every single instructor there is so warm and it's just a comfortable environment, smaller classes. I'm still in love with the hot yoga and I do that about three times a week at Kali Yuga but have taken several wind classes and a restorative class that I'm sure I snored in it was so awesome. I've had so many people tell me over the years that they don't have the patience for yoga but that's the point isn't it.. learning to be still and keep your body strong. And what it does for my mind.. Jesus take the wheel.. because do you really want to be "CLAIRE" on Modern Family.. As funny as she is.. NO. So on that note.. Namaste.

Hit the Lights

2011-09-08T23:26:00.001-05:00

"Sometimes you have to turn all the lights on in your head so you can see again. Hit those switches with a good long look and find some clarity.."

I love this. Saw this on one of my favorite blogs,"Pacing the Panic Room".. so true. Sometimes we need to just TURN ON THE LIGHTS and see what's in there.

Not feeling very bloggy..

2011-09-07T21:16:00.000-05:00

I feel like there are alot of things going on that are making me feel melancholy.. the entire state of Texas is on fire, the anniversary of September 11th and maybe because I'm practicing yoga again daily and it is really getting rid of stuff emotionally for me and physically challenging me as well..

I am really feeling grateful and happy and satisfied with so many things that are happening in my life and our family has a lot of great things going on.. but still feeling like I'm in transition into fall mode... summer is so hyper and lazy at the same time, if that makes sense, and fall is the exact opposite.. school and everything else keeps you highly structured, but the nesting, the hot tea, the reading of good books, is so different from the social atmosphere of summer.

It will be this time of year before you know it..

But for now, let's just ease into fall...

Books I'm Reading in September

2011-08-31T21:14:00.000-05:00

And last but certainly not least.. Another book with Madonna in the title, only this time we refer to "The Material Girl". This book was written by my SUPER duper fun friend WHITLEY

SO as you can see this is going to be a fantastic month for reading!!! Now back to cleaning the vacation rental...What are you reading right now? any great books I should know about?

RENOVATION DODD STYLE

2011-08-28T18:58:00.000-05:00

Hi, and welcome to the show. Today's episode features handyman and renovation expert Shawn Dodd diligently at work. What's that noise you say? It's the sound of a table saw screeching through the delicate afternoon breeze, for today we're tiling until the cows come home..

Look. Subway tile. Dal Tile. These are things you need to know, because it is obviously kick ass tile. Oops I cussed.

And this, well this is the shower that I have been dreaming of for two weeks..still in the box but surrounded by gorgeous blue funkadelic tile that Shawn carefully cut over and over and over.. Ha! Take that peeps with the barking dogs. You KNOW who you are.

AND LOOK AT THIS!!!!!!!!! THIS NEW SHOWER LINER with NO MOLD. Jesus take the wheel this makes me happy.

And what a lovely faucet and that stunning bead board ceiling.....Shawn is obviously ready for his own TV show, because think about it.. HOW ANNOYING is that chick from Property Virgins?

So excited for this piece to find it's happy home on the other side of the wall, but right now I'm just going with the flow...

I know conehead.. I know...

You hang out there and I'll see you after I get back from here..

the FANTASY Y shower and the cardio cinema, playing the worst movie ever made.. THE GREEN HORNET.

See ya'll next time on RENOVATION DODD STYLE

Pensacola Beach Part TWO

2011-08-25T19:59:00.001-05:00

Why did Summer have to end so fast???

2011-08-24T17:23:00.001-05:00

The Beginning of a New Journey

2011-08-24T12:26:00.000-05:00

I came across some photos of the girls from their first days here, almost three years ago in September. The bottom left photo is particularly hilarious to me because that was Easter Sunday 09 when Mariama called Grace an "asshole",
"You're bunnys going to melt if you don't put it in the frig"
"No it won't"
"Yes it will (with no inflection whatsoever) you asshole"

And before you call Supernanny just know that yes, I have road rage and I might have said that particular word in the car. Now the girls KNOW that I say bad words in the car, God help me.. most of them just refer to the buttocks area. "SAY CUPCAKE MOM!!!"

The picture on the top right cracks me up. Grace and her sassiness.. she's WEARING those size 2 pants right??

The bottom right is a photo that includes another person whose privacy I wanted to protect and my terrible job of cloning around Grace's head... Don't hire me for my cloning skills you brides and families out there...LOL but I wanted you to see how MUCH the girls have grown!

September 24th will mark three years here in the USA! Time flies when it's all about the journey huh!!

A short play: by Robin Dodd

2011-08-14T00:54:00.000-05:00

Hi I'm Hillary

Hi I'm Grace

I talk a bunch how bout you?

Nope, I'm as quiet as a church mouse but secretly the funniest person on the planet

I'm the baby in the family... me too.. let's stick together..

THE END

The Plumber

2011-08-12T22:58:00.000-05:00

Meet Mez...Mez is our plumber and now.. our friend.

Because with an 80 year old house you better like your plumber, you're going to see him ALOT.

Mez Mezera is originally from Chicago I believe.. something I asked him the first time I met him over a year ago.. "Remember Tim the tool guy's friend. Al??" I was like, that voice.. who is that???"
Here are three things I like about Mez.. Number 1.
He's a kick ass plumber. He's like the John Wayne of plumbers..He answers his phone AND he works a hundred times faster than the average plumber. I think that's three things in one..

(notice the red and blue plumbing in this picture, the thing that looks like hula hoops)
Apparently it expands and won't freeze. IN LOVE WITH THIS IDEA.
Number 2. He's such a calm person.
Me:(arriving home from trying to run with Mia and almost dying I'm so out of shape)...
Mez: Hey Robin, have some things to show you..
Me: oh I don't know anything about this mess..
Mez: Sure you do.. let's take a walk..
See this, this and this... and this pipe out here has totally burst and needs to be replaced as along with what we're doing today. It's going to cost a million dollars and I don't want to have to dig that mess up, but it's a huge leak and running up your water bill..
Me: I guess you'll have to tell Shawn...we have to do it though..
Mez: He wanted me to tell YOU..(he laughs)
ME: of course he did...

Why you ask? Because when Shawn and I have something thrown at us like that.. we close the door and Sid and Nancy appear, and it's so much easier when a nice sweet person like Mez breaks the news to you.. like when people go to a public place to break up with someone. Good move Shawn.
Number 3. He has the coolest family.
His wife Audrey, a wonderful singer songwriter, this shot is from a shoot we did together.
She's from?? guess?? look at the globe....

AUSTRALIA. Too cool.
Mez travels to gigs with his good friends Cora and Gypsy.. They are something else.

Look at this girl.. it's safe to say that she loves pretzels and cheerios..

This is Gypsy.. she is not as willing to let me get up in her grill like I do Cora, but SWEET all the same. They just hang with Mez and Kurt.. oh here's Kurt.

Oh that's not Kurt, that's Shawn and not his butt crack.. as he so eloquently put it. He's prepping the tub to apply a new liner and then later paint texture onto the walls that is so strong you can smell it in Little Rock. Or maybe that's just my PMS nose.. you know how that goes.
Me: Shawn I can still smell that stuff, I'm tasting it!!! and I was only in the house for three minutes..
Shawn: Stop calling me!
Me: I'm calling so that you will put a fan in the studio so the poor boys staying there tonight will live to see another day and survive these deadly fumes.. I can taste it Shawn!
Shawn: I can't smell anything...
Me: Or hear anything but that's not the point. Love you. Bye.
Shawn: Bye.

Here's Kurt.

with this plumber's rubik's cube thing after working all day.
And here...

is our old nasty plumbing from olden days. I am very fond of the colorful hoola hoop plumbing. I don't feel like I'm being poisoned for one, and two it's so bright and shiny.
AND after all that, Mez capped off the old broken pipe in the front yard and connected it to some secret hidden pipe that was in the ground (I know.. a giant pain in the ass diverted) it was like he handed me $1200 dollars.
Thank you Mez. And I'll see you on Monday for more Plumbing Adventures.

Good Morning Students..

2011-08-11T23:25:00.000-05:00

And welcome to MIDDLE SCHOOL!!!!!

This morning Mariama and Holly and I drove down to a friends house to walk to school on the FIRST DAY OF MIDDLE SCHOOL. Middle school effects me on several levels, I want to have JOY for my little sweeties, beautiful excitement and "I DO, I DO" she shouted like a psycho.. I do... think our neighborhood is unique in helping foster friendships and easing our little Nancy Drew's, into the lead role in a middle grade novel, I mean I wish life was like "The Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" and maybe it is on some days.. but I remember 5th grade and how much I loved Mrs. Wilkerson my teacher and 6th grade when I had Mrs. Craft, but I also remember Laura Bartula, yes I had to say her name because she was mean as a snake and tried to bully my best friend Robin Finecky Wienecke constantly and it was stressful, even with all those Dr. Pepper's I drank and Snickers I ate.. I remember.. and I am PROUD and HAPPY that our community is able to walk to their neighborhood school and come home chattering about how exciting it was and how awesome it was..
.. ...

So I will not lecture the girls about middle school life and how scary it is that they change for every class and how there are a hundred new rules to follow and electives to choose,

I'm going to enjoy middle school this time, because I'm going to be at the school everyday..(see below) Just kidding!

I'm going to embrace this time in the girl's life and gently guide them through it.. LOL, okay that made me laugh.. but seriously I'm going to try to be the laid back mom who doesn't lecture every five minutes..
"Whose sock is this?"
"Remember don't ever pretend you don't know the answer in class if you do!! never play dumb!!! This is your education we're talking about!!"
"DO NOT even pay attention to those boys!!!?, Although Mariama, maybe you can marry Leo Spadafino so Camilla and I can be related?"
"MOM!!! OMG MOM!!! STOP!!!" HAHAHAHAHAHA.....

HGTV right in your own backyard.

2011-08-09T21:16:00.000-05:00

Okay so it's no secret that we have two vacation rentals here in East Nashville.. or maybe it is..we have a cottage

and a studio, as we so happily named them after we moved the crack head from the back and Bad Santa from the studio and started renovating. We inherited the renters when we moved here 5 years ago and Santa wasn't actually too bad, except for the fact that he chained smoked downstairs and kept the window unit on 55 degrees.. it wasn't until we were renovating that I realized, "Hey there are air vents from our main house to down here, and it's super cold why did he leave that air on all the time.."
So needless to say, I like to take credit for EVERYTHING cool that happens for me and Shawn.. I'm always saying jokingly, sort of, "you can thank me for that"...LOL but Shawn is the one who decided we should rent to short term visitors, musicians, tourists, interns etc.. So for the past 4 years, we have, and CHEZ Dodd has been quite the little vacation villa..

Thank GOD no one was in the studio this particular weekend..but the cottage had two peeps from the renaissance fair taking pics from the little porch last year when Nashville flooded.. "We're from Florida!" They yelled across to me.." This is nothing.." But it was wasn't it.. I digress..

We've had medical students from Mexico, graduate students from China, Country singers, Texas songwriters, European bands (that was an interesting group), touring casts from Wicked and a few other Broadway shows, lots of Canadians, a few folks from down under, traveling nurses, people moving for their jobs,and many many couples moving to the beautiful neighborhood that is East Nashville. SO, our latest and greatest idea, ( is to corporate rental out the main house we live in, as we have outgrown this house with three girls and such.) Plus our backyard area is a courtyard and although we have a pretty creek out back and a garden in front, I need these kids and dogs to be able to run free at times..

SO, we have been on the fast track renovating.. First Shawn did the bathroom downstairs.. isn't it lovely..?

The curtain is actually from the girls room and is totally see through..LOL but this bathroom was put in originally when the Memaw who lived here couldn't go upstairs anymore.. and well it was practically at the front door.. it still opens that way ( when we get the door in) but we've pushed it back some..LOL

We still have to add the mirrors and towel rack, and what not, but I let Shawn design the color scheme because when it came to the renovating, my eyes were glazing over... the light fixture came from our old Fort Worth house we had rented out long term, and on another note, this bathroom took about 2 years to finish, or at least it felt that way.. that coupled with these..

Built in bookshelves that Shawn designed and widened my closet.. as you can see it needs a door too.. we're apparently doing doors all at once! But as of a few days ago we are truly living in a construction zone.. there are a few areas that are still normal..

but in two days we are ripping out the plumbing and redoing it and so as of today (because new guests came to the cottage) we have nowhere to shower for a week.. LOL, good thing we're still swimming and we are members of the YMCA.

So I'm just taking it day by day, even though school starts in two days and our bathroom is right here...

I was like "Holly what are you doing?" Oh nothing.. just wandering through the building materials..." It's serious..

This morning Mariama and I won the coin toss and had the pleasure of putting up the ceiling with Shawn.. Now there are a few things that I like to do as much as help Shawn build things.. One..return some piece of electronic crap at the Comcast office, and two.. move heavy furniture.. Don't get me wrong.. I find it very sexy that he can do all this stuff and it looks so great, and I love to walk around with a glass of Pinot and survey it when it's done, but doing it.. no. This however wasn't too painful, just one broken light bulb and an excellent array of curse words.. "Say cupcake, daddy.." HAHAHA.. never gonna happen when he works on the house and I drive in heavy traffic.. only certain words will come out.

Next on the list is the kitchen and then...what I've been waiting for..

The stairs and foyer..AND THEN! other folks get to enjoy it (short term that is)never say never, but we are NEVER renting long term again. I am dreaming of a big yard, as much as I love this place and my neighbors..Stay tuned for pictures of the bathroom in ONE WEEK! Manifest that timeline..Happy Back to School!

2011-08-05T08:42:00.000-05:00

“I'm youth, I'm joy, I'm a little bird that has broken out of the egg.”

Life Should Have a Beach in it at all Times...

2011-07-26T21:22:00.000-05:00

Some people make all the difference...

2011-07-07T23:57:00.000-05:00

The other day we were at the movies and pass by the Winnie the Pooh poster and I say "Oh look ya'll.. Winnie the Pooh" and Holly goes.. "yah... I think I've outgrown Winnie the Pooh Robbie..." My heart starts to palpitate and I go running back to my tweens.. "NO, NO.. it's not possible.. no one outgrows Winnie the Pooh... no one.." LOL.. Heavy sigh... so for my thoughtful deeply soulful child... I mean I could look at this face forever...

“A little Consideration, a little Thought for Others, makes all the difference.” - Winnie the Pooh..

Remember When...

2011-07-06T12:32:00.000-05:00

As a tribute to my Remember when photo series I'd like to share another bit of nostalgia

Reading this today with the girls.. Ahh Judy.. Thank you... for helping me make it through middle school..

OMG in Riverside Village.. Go there Peeps!

2011-07-05T23:43:00.003-05:00

So it's been awhile since my last blogpost.. holiday, birthday, flu-like symptoms, my discovery of Drop Dead Diva, as well as painting most of the cottage for the past two days.. and then I had a couple photo shoots, of which I must post. But first!!
I love East Nashville. I know you've heard me say it.. to anyone who will listen.. HAHAHA.. so last month my friend Kristin who owns The Wish List asked me about OMG in Riverside Village. And of course I'd heard of it, because I drive by it everyday living around the corner. Shawn had mentioned it to me, because of this character right here..

"You have GOT to go see the French Bulldog at OMG!! althought I doubt he said it with that much flair..LOL" So I finally got in there and talked with both Kate and Ashley and decided to work with these guys on my stylized shoots, the first of which starred "THE WEEDMAN FAMILY"... cue the Dick Van Dyke theme song music..

Kate had just made these cool glasses on a stick and I thought they were perfect for my college professor family!

We also used the gorgeous dress that Jo Ellen was wearing along with the gloves.

We used lots and lots of old books that were so cool and really set up our Little Women vibe. And those little red chairs.. love..love them.

As you can see Fancy Nancy is sitting on the supercool desk that I might buy if it isn't already gone.. That's the thing.. I went back a few days later and all the stuff I had my eye on had flown out the front door. So if you see something you like.. like that retro desk chair behind her you better go get it!

Love having a unique place like this around the corner from my house, because whether it's a cool dress or a funky piece of furniture... and OMG.. I loved those Monopoly card hotel prints... I wonder if those are still there... have to check and see..

So HAPPY 4th of July you guys! Hope ya'll had a great day yesterday.

PEACE OUT

Robin

What does this remind you of... it reminds me of..

2011-06-26T23:26:00.000-05:00

"SSSSSOOOOOOKKKKKIEEEEE!!!"

Watching tonight! Finally!

Senior Portrait Preview

2011-06-25T00:38:00.000-05:00

I met Katie and her family when I photographed her cousin Sarah's wedding in the summer of 2009 in upstate NY and I was so happy that she asked me to do her Senior portraits this summer, because she has the sweetest family; We had to postpone our session for a few days because Katie and her friends were volunteering in Joplin, MS helping out folk who lost everything in the tornado. That was impressive to me, that these kids reached out to help. Katie told me she wanted to go into Nursing in college. It sounds like it will be a perfect fit for her with her sweet spirit.

We started our shoot at the Union Station Hotel in downtown Nashville, one of Katie's favorite places and finished up in Germantown, where our trek wouldn't be complete without a cupcake from The Cupcake Collection.

One of my favorite places. Was happy to introduce she and her mom Bridget to the Red Velvet and Wedding Cake flavors.. Thank you ladies for such a fun shoot!

Part TWO : Trek to Texas or the Scooby Doo Episode

2011-06-24T14:27:00.003-05:00

Now that I think about it Part TWO is actually Ben and Stephanie's wedding in Elgin, Tx. But I am still working on the photos I took that day and could go on for three years about the resort we stayed at there in Bastrop, so that will in fact come later.. and you know me..I love to jump from subject to subject.

Our story starts the day we left the sausage capital of Texas and headed East down 290 toward Houston. We veered north through the Piney woods of East Texas that in fact looked like the New Mexico desert. It was So dry.

Well it wasn't that dry.. but when you live in Nashville ( and it looks like Ireland these days)
it does take you back a bit. I have no pictures from the first leg of our trip to Nachez, MS. It was uneventful, just three girls in the back seat, two reading Harry Potter and one annoying one of the other two or me by squeezing empty plastic water bottles.. the girls did sleep about five hours of the trip and before we knew it we were pulling into our last stop for Mexican food in Alexandria ,Louisiana at twilight. oohh Twilight.. vampire talk. Not a swampy True Blood kind of town..Alexandria. I mean I was looking for Bill and Sookie and water moccasins and shape shifters but no... just long highways and green trees and lots of construction. Okay FINE Louisiana... Be that way.

After dinner I started my hotel negotiations. I am now a Pro at this. This is when I call up hotel rooms at the last minute and ask if our family of 5 can stay for ten dollars a night. What's funny about this is that we own two vacation rentals, and I very rarely give discounts.. Why you ask.. because we are booked continuously and LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. But in Natchez MS on a Sunday night.. We've got some wiggle room. SO, this is where story gets interesting. Yes, I realize it's taken me twenty minutes to get to this point.

I booked us a room at the Eola Hotel. Now we've have stayed at this hotel before. It was on the way to New Orleans and there was nothing memorable about the hotel itself except I remember thinking it was eccentric, all the ornate statues and the grand lobby. It's supposed to be a sister hotel of the Peabody.. but here's the deal. When you drive into Memphis and pull up to the Peabody, you feel very comforted, luxurious, thrilled to be there.. you know you'll sleep well in that place. COME ON.
They've got the ducks... exactly...

But for some reason when we pulled into Natchez about eleven that night.. I had this sort of uneasy feeling in my stomach. And it happened to me last time we were there. I remember walking down the street with Georgia and Holly and feeling like this man was walking toward us like that Terminator robot

and of course everyone thought I was crazy... but I'm telling you.. something wasn't right there..
So back to the present trip.. we check in and just like in a Scooby Doo episode the guy behind the desk says.. "You're in room 708..."
I'm thinking "708" is that too high for the fireman's ladder? Why so far away? There doesn't seem to be a soul in the hotel tonight..." But I just go "Cool, thanks.."
So we head upstairs in the old school elevator and the air just feels thick in the place and it's super cold. Freezer cold. Well, we get to our door and there's an empty bottle of ketchup beside it.. and I just find that funny... the girls seem to love the room. It's got two big beds that back up literally to a giant old window over looking all of downtown Natchez which has the most beautiful architecture. Many of the houses around the hotel look like this..

SO we put our stuff up and head down to canal street to take a picture and the whole time I'm like "Shawn keep the car running"...

LOL maybe because there is not a person in sight... and then this truck pulls up with tinted windows.. and I'm like "See, it's a truck full of vampires.." I don't know what I'm thinking.."
SO we get in the car drive around admiring all the glorious deep Southern roots visible in the buildings and restaurants and hotels, bed and breakfasts, and the whole time I'm thinking "WHY does this city creep me out?? WHY????" But it does.. and there's nothing I can do about it.
I don't feel this way in New Orleans or Savannah or Charleston...

SO now we're back in the hotel and Mariama is dragging behind and she's always dragging behind.. and we're always saying.. somebody is going to snatch you up in one second if you don't stay with the family.. well we are all in the elevator except for her and she finally decides "Oh hey... they want to go upstairs and then the door shuts.. leaving her in the lobby.. which I did think was hilarious... because it's a safe environment.. I mean it's just us and the thousands of ghosts that are obviously hanging out in this hotel, the air is so thick you could cut it with a knife..

Well sure enough Mariama has sense to get in the other elevator and come up to the 7th floor. Meanwhile.. the kids love the hotel room, they can't stop talking about how cool it is and how great it is and how cozy it is.. I can't stop looking over my shoulder.. the feeling that someone is watching me.. I asked Shawn to go get some ice and apparently it's on the 6th floor. He heads out and the girls go to the bathroom to get ready and I proceed to look out the peep hole and the windows a few times.. thinking "I'm going to turn around and a man's going to be standing here..." WEIRDSVILLE. But do I get on the internet and look up this hotel online to see if it's supposed to be haunted.. Hell to the no.. I'd like to sleep that night... I keep thinking of a particular movie that doesn't help...

So Shawn comes back from the 6th floor and no joke tells me that the air isn't on and it's stifling down there. That he felt very strange by the ice maker, that he couldn't get the bag open and he was sure a vampire was going to come out from around the corner and bite his head off.. that he was sure he saw a shadow.. Now he may be joking about the vampire, but when Shawn sees stuff it's usually there.. he's not ridiculous like me.. he doesn't watch Celebrity Ghost stories..HAHAHAAA.

So I was like "GREAT!" I'm going to sleep GREAT TONIGHT!!!" But to make a long story longer and super anti climactic, nothing happened in the middle of the night. We did however, go to a coffee shop the next morning where I proceeded to look up the hotel online and read that the spirit of the guy who owned the hotel loved to run around the seventh floor especially when there used to be a bar up there.. SUPER. HE was obviously just standing in our bedroom.. I also read that his daughter's spirit supposedly haunts the elevators and messes with stuff all over the hotel.. a fun spirit if you will.. and it's true.. it's not exactly a dizzying energy you feel there like when you go to The Carnton plantation here in Franklin.. but more like "there's someone standing right beside you.." and your mind just fills in all the creepy scenerios...

And Vampires do live here... SOOKIE!!!!!

This story has no moral and no point but to entertain you and let you know that I still never figured out why Natchez MS makes my stomach hurt.. I really want to love the place..

Because I Love all things Nostaglic

2011-06-23T23:37:00.005-05:00

Inspired by my love of all things nostalgic and my all time favorite tv shows, Dick Van Dyke, Little house on the Prairie and Little Women.. which was both a book and several movies.. as we all know..LOL Full post manana after my Mint Julep...

Historic Cedarwood and Pursuit 31 Retreat!

2011-06-19T23:39:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Cedarwood Mansion. To say that this is a gorgeous wedding venue is a true understatement. I had the opportunity to shoot the sweetest couple Katie and Dustin as part of the Pursuit 31 retreat. They were so patient with all of the girls snapping away and giving directions. Really made our job easy as you can see below in these pictures.

Something I learned from Karen Stott, the Portland area photographer who is the inspiration for the retreat, is that a great venue can make all the difference. This is a great venue.

The staff of Cedarwood was wonderful and shooting a wedding here would be a photographer's dream. I chose a vintage style with these photographs but that doesn't mean a modern bride wouldn't love it.

Let's talk about the dress for a minute.. The Boutique Couture in Chattanooga provided the wedding dress Katie was wearing for our retreat, and it was truly one of the most stunning gowns. I loved the period style so much..

as much as I loved this limo... Hello? Take me back in time folks... Matchless Limo Nashville.. what a glorious ride..

Alrighty kids... let's not get carried away... HaHaHaHa

That's better... lots of love here folks.. such a blessing to photograph.. thanks Katie and Dustin and everyone involved in this day.. thunderstorm and all, it was perfect.

The Top 10 Things I've learned from my Dad..

2011-06-19T12:23:00.000-05:00

So my father didn't have such an easy childhood.. he could probably write a book..because we've heard so many stories over the years, some funny, some not so funny.. He was born in Austin and grew up here

in Leroy Texas..a little town off of interstate 35 near Waco.. 250 people. SMALL.TEXAS.TOWN. Don't make me launch into stories about the Leroy Baptist Church, who had the quirkiest preacher I've ever known. He wore his Baptist hat two Sunday's a month and his Methodist hat the other two. I never could tell the difference..
Here's a picture of my dad and my grandma Lily,my nana and papa,and my cousins in the 60's.

He looks so comfortable right? He was really Willie's Nelson's little brother waiting to burst out.. Ny dad was known to ride the horse down the highway wearing long fake braids in the 1970's.. wish I had a picture of that..it was CLASSIC, especially since our horse looked just like the one Matt Dillon had on Gunsmoke.

When we were kids my dad loved to race.. race canoes, kayaks,run marathons, it was a part of our daily existence. At the time it could get on our nerves, but looking back.. thank god we had that whirlwind exercise thing going on..you would think it would have distracted me a little from the makeup but alas it was the 80's.

I'll skip past those teenage early 20 years when the likeness between my dad and I drove us apart. Over the next decade we would both grow up a WHOLE lot and come together in mutual respect. My dad is one of my best friends. I love that we share the same political views,and can go on and on and on.. LOL
We both enjoy learning something new everyday and thrive on history and telling stories. I also love that we both share the same crazy and talk too much..(as I'm sure everyone else does..LOL)I love that when our renters in Fort Worth destroyed the house we used to own, he dove right in and helped us try to save it with memaw and gigi in an Extreme home makeover I don't really ever want to repeat.. I love that my dad is a fantastic grandpa and that all the kids can see the big kid he was with us, without the stress of trying to figure out life.

So here they are.. the Top 10 things I learned from my dad.

1. Always leave a big tip.

2. Climb a mountain, canoe down a river, run a race and you'll feel better

3. see the funny..

4. try to pick up the tab, even if you don't end up paying for it.

5. travel the most interesting path, not the shortest

6. stop and talk to people, learn about their lives

7. tell alot of stories to your kids and grandkids

8. don't be afraid to cry your head off if you're sad

9. be frugal not cheap

and my favorite

10. You cannot fix a broken lawnmower by beating it with a hammer.

Happy Father's Day Daddy! I love you.

Welcome Back..

2011-06-17T18:21:00.001-05:00

Two weeks ago we went to Texas to get Holly for the summer and attend my nephew Ben's wedding near Austin. We had an amazing time, spend way too much money, and caught up with family on both sides.. We got back to town on Monday just in time to MISS the CMA stuff... Dangit... LOL and today is already Friday. Wow. So I do actually have alot to blog about. And today I will start with the first leg of our trip. Sulphur Springs, TX. We usually meet my sister and her kids there for the first weekend of the summer and hit the pool, but since the pool wasn't open we headed over to this super nostalgic ice cream shop in Cooper Tx. Run by Mabel, who has worked here since 1951.. Good Lord.. I know.. I heard her on NPR on my last trip through and knew we had to go there, even though I don't eat dairy and couldn't have a malt...

So if you're driving through the middle of East Texas on a hot summer day, come on out and see Mabel, she'll take care of you and tell you how it is too... reminded me of my nana.. LOL. Of course the official name of the place is Miller's Pharmacy.

I personally loved my rootbeer, made from scratch.

Peace out,

Robin

Ahh the theatre... How I miss it!

2011-06-03T00:46:00.001-05:00

Well, there's just something very special about taking pictures for friends.. friends you've known a long time. People you don't have to say explain things too. Last Saturday I had a headshot shoot with David Wilkerson and his daughter Anwen. Look how cute they are.

I know.. I know.. David looks twenty... but here.. see if you can find him in this picture...when he was actually twenty..

Please ignore me sitting on the lap of Geraldo Rivera.. I mean my friend Stan Denman.. It was a period piece people.. look at the hose.
And for this picture I'll just say I'm sorry Janie.. David's wife. That is not David in this pic with us.. nor is it Rick Astley.. that really bad pop singer from the 80's. It is Chad.. and that's all the explanation we need, for those who remember. LOL. (Oh and what are we doing in this picture...anyone anyone..

David and Janie and I grew up in the theatre department of Baylor University in the late 80's when Prince was the hottest ticket in town, besides Pink Floyd and Benetton sold ALOT of sweater dresses. Now David is the stage manager for Tennessee Rep and also directs and acts here in Nashville!

Janie and I cheered each other on for National Novel Writing Month awhile back and both lead crazy busy lives being the mother's of strong gorgeous teenagers ( mine tweens) and rarely get to see each other although we live in a small little place called Music city USA.See how much Anwen is a perfect combo of David and Janie. Love, Love. Love knowing you three and happy to have you in my life.

2011-05-30T21:05:00.001-05:00

So the Eastide YMCA Pool opened this weekend. This is the place we like to live in the summer. So between gymnastics and the pool this is where we'll be. Today I had to crack up at the parents (myself especially) whose kids were taking the swim test. Since last year, to be able to swim in the 4 feet and over without a parent in the water with you, you must swim the Olympic length pool inside, on top of the water, like a regular Olympian. Well, Mariama had no problem, I didn't even go in there with her, she came outside with the golden wrist band. Now don't get me wrong, I thing it's necessary because the pool is crowded and you want to know that your kid can make it to the side when needed. Peace of Mind.

Well, Grace passed last year, with no issues and quite frankly is 2nd in line to Shawn for swimming with the best form out of the five of us, so when she came out of the door on Saturday with her head held low, I was like "Oh no..."

I said "No biggie.. let's just get your form back, let's practice for a couple days and take the test everyday until we pass." Well she tried yesterday and her mask flew off and it was traumatizing and really the little's just get so worried by the distance they have to swim that they try to go so fast and freak out and the next thing you know they're on the wall..

So today when Grace decided to take it, she was pretty afraid and I was like, sometimes we have to do things that are unpleasant but you'll really feel better once you pass and then you can swim all over the pool and go down the slide. So the lifeguard was so sweet and Grace jumped in like a wild one and started swimming. Well, she started drifting toward the wall and that's when I became a crazed pyscho. My voice became high pitched and I was running alongside the pool screaming "Go Grace, you're almost there. You can do it!!!" Because her form was so good and I knew she had the energy to finish, but you can't touch the wall at all.. LOL She was so happy to have passed of course and on the way home she said.. "Mom you were squawking like a chicken!!" It was intense people...LOL

Gosh I can't believe it took all that writing to tell that little story..a little too much sun I guess..LOL

Our Daily Grace

2011-05-26T20:50:00.000-05:00

Grace:(wiping down the kitchen table) Mom Mariama and I switched jobs. She's been checking the bedroom and I'm kitchen monitor..
Me: Well that's cool.. we've had a crazy week.
Grace: And whose going to be thinking of that on a week like this.. someone who doesn't care what's happening in the world that's for sure..

Sometimes Grace blows my mind with her insight. I know she's not only talking about going back in forth to gymnastics..

Thank Heaven...

2011-05-23T21:47:00.000-05:00

for little girls...

Tornado Death Toll Hits 90 in Joplin Missouri From Once In a Generation Storm - ABC News

2011-05-23T13:27:00.000-05:00

Tornado Death Toll Hits 90 in Joplin Missouri From Once In a Generation Storm - ABC NewsI am so scared of tornadoes and I am devastated at what has taken place over the past month throughout the south and now in Joplin. It is a war zone. God Bless these people as they try to rebuild their lives. One minute you're sitting there and 20 seconds later you don't recognize your street. I remember when that F5 tornado hit Jarrell Tx years ago. Now it seems the F5's are coming out like monsters..

Wow.. it's been a week..

2011-05-22T16:44:00.000-05:00

So much happened this past week, and apparently the end of the world came and went and alas we and the cicadas are still here.. there is a still a giant polar bear dog under my feet and a cranky old schnauzer cooing from under the nightstand while we sleep. the bunny rabbits are still running across the back yard, as well as the deer that leapt across Riverside drive the other morning.. our porch cat Amy brought up a dead bird and a dead lizard for our approval, really it just means that she wants me to buy her some moist food. Grace went to gymnastics 47 times.. not really, only three, but in the short time she's been asked to be on team she's advancing so fast. Mariama and I are getting the workout's of our life, and Shawn and I worked opposite schedules which I do not like. As I really like my husband . ALOT. That will all change in two weeks.. summer time baby.. lots of photo shoots, trips and all three girls here in the Dodd house. I love the beginning of summer. I had another photo shoot today at the Wish List in Berry Hill, a great shop to buy cool vintage items,whimsical romantic gifts or just neat things you can't find anywhere else. So on that note, I'll leave you with this.. the cutest baby on the planet. Have a great week!!

The Wish List Photo Shoot

2011-05-15T23:08:00.000-05:00

I shot these portraits at my friend Kristen and Chase's shop The Wish List.. A great vintage shop on Columbine in the Berry Hill neighborhood of Nashville. I loved it so much I know I'll use it in the future for kids shoots.. although the subjects had alot to do with it!!

Friday the 13th... Let the slumber partying begin...

2011-05-13T23:36:00.000-05:00

Mariama had her first official slumber party today. It was a great time of Las Maracas, the Cupcake Collection and we even made our very own Taylor Swift music video..LOL. It really took me back to my fourth grade experience out on the ranchette. Just playing and laughing and being so LOUD.. I remember that. I tried not to say "Quiet down girls.." too many times.. I'm thrilled that Mariama has found friends in these three. They all share a love of singing, art, DRAMA.. just a real creative sensitive group of girls... who all passed out about an hour ago..WHEW... Now where is that Mint Julip?...LOL

Happy Birthday Mariama Lily Dodd!

2011-05-11T15:58:00.000-05:00

Dear Mariama,

You are one of the best people I know. You are a caretaker, a lover of good books, an excellent student, and a free spirit. Your world is limitless and you make up the bold, confident and creative in our family and we love you for being you! You are our informer, our blurter, and the one who loves to help with the laundry!! YEA! LOL.

Below is the the video Anita sent us from AAI, the very first time we saw you girls. We knew you were meant to be in our family and I am thankful everyday that we get to watch you grow into a beautiful young woman. We are so lucky...

Can't wait till summer when the Dodd sisters converge on Nashville for another fabulous summer!!

Let's Dance!!

2011-05-09T21:30:00.000-05:00

We love DanceEast so much. Just another group of people bringing great ART to Nashville!

A Year in Review...

2011-05-04T17:34:00.000-05:00

From May 2, 2010 to May 4th 2011... it's been quite a year. The summer was rocky, and I mean ROCKY...our family was beginning to grieve the devastating loss of our nephew, I was looking for him in everyone and everything. Still am... who gets past it?.. you don't.. I think about him everyday..

the flood just made us feel incredibly vulnerable and we didn't lose our house, but our friends did, it was all around us... our vacation rentals were affected..Money was tight, we were modifying all our mortgages, including the rental in Fort Worth, we were audited randomly, SWEET and that was so much fun. We had insurance for that, hurray.. it just seemed to go on and on. PAPERWORK that never ended.. and then finally it did..The holidays were hard, but we did have a lovely end to the year and things began to look up, (this too shall pass) and we celebrated with VERVE ( love that word) the blesssings in our life.

Grace is standing right next to the little creek from the first pic ,way behind that tree you see in the first picture..

Part 2 of Were they ever this little?....

2011-05-03T23:00:00.000-05:00

This summer is going to be the 5th summer that Moonpie comes to stay with us in Nashville and I just can't believe we've been here this long already.. Soon all three of these sillies will be teenagers..

A couple little's from Ghana have grown up some too.. On September 24 they will have been home three years... WOW!!!

(Shawn thinks I'm crazy for posting Mariama eating a chocolate chip cookie, but when you've never had one it's a big deal!! LOL)

And this video cracks me up.. the muppet arms... she is now the same size as Mariama when she first got here.. WHAT? I know.. it's not possible is it??

Excuse me.. Hey you!!! Enough of the videos already... LORD.

A moment in Time...

2011-05-02T15:59:00.000-05:00

Came across this today and it really made me smile, and then I decided to compare it to a photo from Summer 2010 so you can see the three little's from the first pic. They don't wait.. they just grow right up...

I love you Nashville...

2011-05-01T19:45:00.000-05:00

Our Daily Grace

2011-04-30T22:28:00.001-05:00

We're learning new moves in gymnastics!

It's time to VOTE!

2011-04-25T23:42:00.001-05:00

My friend Amy is in it to win it! The macy's million dollar makeover! Final 4! Please follow this link and vote 1000 times a day this week for Amy! She is a fantabulous teacher and mom and wife and friend and deserves to win this. So proud!Macy's Million Dollar makeover

Our Daily Grace

2011-04-23T21:29:00.000-05:00

Mariama: Mom, when I have my sleepover don't worry about playing Pink.. Lexie and Skylar listen to her..
Grace: ( very Sophia Golden Girls) Mariama.. what 10 year old doesn't listen to PINK????

LOL!!!

Let's do this thing...

2011-04-20T21:02:00.000-05:00

Go for what you want in life.. don't resistant.. and the universe will give it to you..

What's Love got to do with it? Everything.

2011-04-19T22:04:00.000-05:00

Well, I just love these two photos if I do say so myself and I know they're a bit different, but sometimes the SAME can be so annoying right..can I get a RIGHT???

Lately, I've been feeling the love and not feeling the love you know.. is that vague enough for you? LOL Manifesting my dreams little by little, removing all that is not love, that which is fear.. can we do it really?

Let's hope so, but if not.. there's always ART, and that, along with good girlfriend conversation,running like someone's chasing me,three silly fabulously soulful girls, and one incredible husband really gives me hope. And that is the key, to look for what you want, not for what you're trying to avoid.. there's really no time for that.

*This therapy session was brought to you by one grateful woman..

And the Tony goes to....

2011-04-17T18:45:00.000-05:00

Okay, so how much do I love the theatre and how exciting was it for me to have the girls be a part of this production of Once on this Island. What a GREAT group of KIDS. They were all so sweet to the girls. It could've only been better if Holly could have been here to partake in the show. The most dramatic of them all...LOL. Grace really cracks me up.. Here's me. (trying desperately not to be a stage mom) I was pretty good, cause most of the time I left her at rehearsal so I wouldn't be tempted to go all assistant director on my friend Kelli and act like a crazy "Toddlers to Tiara's" kind of mom.. LOL)
Me: Grace okay let's go over your lines.. (opening night) Okay.. first you cry.. then you cry.. then you yell "NO" then you say..
Grace: (chuckling like Maya Angelou or someone else wise) Mom.. I KNOW my lines.. I don't need to go over them..
Me: What about the monologue...???
Grace:... Mom... Mom... I know the monologue...
Me: Alrighty then... okay.. now make sure to fake smile and sway in the opening number..LOL

I mean really.. I hope I wasn't too annoying.. she did look like she was doing her taxes during that song.. which cracked me up..HAHAHA.. but she was a TROOPER and so brave.. I was hiding behind my mom's skirt at that age..(hard to imagine I know..) and there she was with all those kids.. going all Broadway.. and Mariama.. she LOVED IT. She was a dancer and singer in the chorus and just really loved hanging with the high school kids and learning the lingo.. this is a first in a long line of plays for Mariama I think.

I told the girls Friday night that I was going to dance in the closing number, that miss Kelli said it was fine.. HAHAHAAH.. you should have seen Mariama's face.. God I love tweens.. Oh the horror... she was thinking I'm sure..

So Saturday during the matinee I took some pics from the audience while Ruby and I fought back tears.. just a great show, this one.. if you haven't seen it.. this is my second time to see this show and I love it.

Loved this part of the play..

Show your moves.. show your moves..

Go kids!!!

This is Liz.. Grace's kid wrangler...she gave Grace a duck closing night aww.. what a sweetie, and Catey played her mom during all the shows except for the Saturday matinee, when I took pics.. both girls were amazing as the mamma..

the girls with grown up Timune and Daniel.. what sweet kids. They really put on a great show!! until next time...

Going to the Chapel.. or even better the BALLPARK!

2011-04-09T22:57:00.000-05:00

Kyle and Carla Gathright April 2, 2011

Vote for Amy Ya'll!

2011-03-28T22:43:00.000-05:00

My friend Amy was chosen out of thousands of folks to get a makeover from Clinton Kelly in NYC and is now in the running with 7 other people to win the Macy's Million Dollar makeover. I met Amy when we adopted our kids from Ghana through the AAI. Her kiddos and mine are cousins and though they live across the country from Nashvegas in Washington State, we keep them close to our heart! I love this pic below because all of our kiddos are in it and I'm pretty sure all of these guys live in America now ..

Here's a picture that I stole from her blog! LOL so you could see the whole family now.
She really needs to win as she and her hubby and 5 kids will get a new home if they win! YEA! and won't have to live in one that is 1000 square feet with ONE BATH... Amy is a wonderful teacher and an incredible mom and has recently lost 60 pounds. I'm so proud and happy for her.. Watch the video, her makeover is so cool. I think you can vote 500 times a day if you wish, so let's do it folks. Think of how many times you vote for those kids on American Idol!! LOL.

Vote for Amy here you guys! She deserves to win!!

Move to the Beat..

2011-03-27T15:39:00.000-05:00

I've been working with musician Mike Marsh and I just had to share this photo. Such a fun idea! I would like to say that I tackle a shoot with loads of preparation and hours of thought, but I really just fly by the seat of my pants most of the time. Mike had this idea with the drums lined up and we just ran with it. There was alot of jumping involved.. I've got some good blooper shots from this shoot.

Drummer and Daddy to this cutie...who obviously shares her dad's creativity and flare. This was part of our DanceEast Studio Shoot in East Nashville.

They don't make them cuter folks...

Random Thoughts

2011-03-26T15:46:00.001-05:00

When I try to dress this way Shawn tells me that I look like an old character! I told him he cannot wear a baseball cap to Paris in the fall! He can wear one of those cute Oliver type caps like Tim McGraw wears to pretend like he's not a country boy and really has Kennedy hair under that cap...

but we know better... and just to digress.. is there anything hotter than a Tim and Faith video.. and particularly this song..

You can't tell it, but I'm singing really loud right now... "like a needle needs a vain!! Like my uncle Joe.." okay anyway...

I was talking to Shawn on the phone just now and I said something and he said.. "Who are you Samantha Stevens...?" HAHAHAHAHAH!! How MUCH do I love my husband? Alot.

Our Daily Grace

2011-03-25T23:02:00.000-05:00

My favorite part of this clip is Holly on one side and Mariama on the other jumping in with their "harmonies" crack me up ladies.. LOL

We are filming a little short and this was in between takes, Grace wanted to throw in a little "once on this island" so awesome.

Sunday at Radnor Lake

2011-03-21T01:02:00.003-05:00

Somebody slap me, I think it's spring...

2011-03-19T15:44:00.001-05:00

There are a few signs that let me know spring is approaching(besides sneezing me head off), and after this winter... I am glad to acknowledge them.

1. My neighbor... we'll call him Paul.. starts up the mower before there's even an inch of grass on the ground.. but that's a good thing, because sometimes he doesn't mow all summer..

2. Two.. the other neighbors who shall remain nameless, except to me and perhaps my other neighbors who may see this on facebook.. (confused already) will put the two barkiest dogs on the planet out on their front porch when it is between 55 and 90 degrees and Sunny.. This makes for a lovely spring early morning or dusky evening when we all want to leave our windows and screen doors open..

3. I have a hankering to throw everything in the house into a dumpster and give it to the Salvation Army. Including the entire contents of the basement. Right before the girls came home in Sept of 08 I had a professional organizer help me get the basement in tip top shape. And hell, I'm no pack rat. I purge. But after 2 1/2 years and one GIANT flood, there are a few things that could be handled down there.. for a whole month I wouldn't go down there because I thought this brown recluse spider was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs.. no one else ever saw it... well that turned out to be Jiminy cricket... LOL

4. I start thinking about the beach... waves... the mountains... cabin and lakes and all things summery... Spring and Summer are my favorite seasons.. we have all the birthday's in our immediate family, one a month, starting with Holly April 10

(Breaking news...this just heard from downstairs).. Grace: THANK GOD Mariama! Mom didn't eat all the cheetos!!) Do they know me or do they know me??? (I think Shawn bought those yesterday while I was working for part of the kid's lunch and like cheese with him.. they know I could live on cheetos everyday.. weird.. but so true.

HAPPY SPRING!! Can't wait till Summer!!

Before the nap...

2011-03-12T14:24:00.000-06:00

Two things are going on in her mind....1. "Daisy, I can smell your breath from here.." and 2.... I had too much to eat at Puckett's for lunch..

(I took this picture to show the lovely tile Shawn installed in the grand foyer.. grand that is)

And I know what you're thinking.. "Is it legal to keep a Polar Bear in your house like that?" And the answer is "Yes, they make the best snugglers in the winter and they leave 3 pickup trucks full of dog hair in your house every spring.

And who have we here?...

Excuse me... Miss??.... Mariama???

Mom.. seriously..

And so this is how we leave her...

Snuggling up to a good book, which can be almost as good as the Polar Bear from the first pic.. almost...

Our Daily Grace

2011-03-07T21:28:00.000-06:00

Me: It's going to rain today..
Grace: Are we going to have extreme weather?

Me: Let's go Mariama!
Grace: She really is lagging behind..

Me: I think it's going to be in the 60's tomorrow girls.. Pick out something to wear..
Grace: Is that an estimate?

Quick call Miss Vocabulary!! Someone's comprehending her library books. She cracks me up.. how much do I love the book nerds I've helped create.. Go Jane Austen!!

How to Make the Perfect Smoothie...

2011-03-06T17:23:00.000-06:00

Since I can't eat much of anything else...
For the past 15 months I have not eaten bread.. Bread.. one of the loves of my life. It's true. NO PIZZA. Why you ask? Well, bread, gluton, all things white tortillish are not my friends. And I lost 35 pounds which was great.. well for the past six months I've been running and eating lots of chips.. and cheese..HAHAHA and have been on a plateau. And I really would like to drop another 35 pounds for my health. Just to be as healthy as I can.. as I will be 44 on July 3, peeps.. and I also would like to run two marathon's this year.
So a month ago Oprah had the show about her staff going vegan for a week, and I thought "why not?" I've never given up Dairy ever.. so it's been a month now without my soulmate... Cheese.. and I've been okay.. actually never felt more present.. less foggy. and bloaty..( I will add that SOY in my starbucks makes for a gassy morning, I know.. TMI) so I need to get past that.. LOL but the point of this blog entry is to show you what I've been eating... LOTS of SMOOTHIES.. and the smoothie of the day is called the Purple Girl Scout... LOL and unlike Pioneer Woman, there will be no luxurious photographs for this entry..

First.. you pour in your fake milk of choice.. this can either be Coconut milk, which is very good, almond milk, or a new friend of mine, HEMP milk.. LOVE HEMP. but I think I like Chocolate Almond Milk, with the Purple Girl Scout..

Next throw in a large amount of Frozen Blueberries.. YUM. this makes your smoothie so very purply and icy... when you can't eat much of anything, but healthiness, you think what yucky food can I throw in here, and mask through my delicious smoothie... OATMEAL of course.. I throw in a little dry oats.. a teaspoon of peanut butter for protein and a banana, and now for the girl scout part.. you put in two or three THIN MINT cookies! and you have the greatest smoothie ever. I like to have this one in the afternoon!!

Let's be Little...

2011-03-02T22:45:00.000-06:00

There is nothing like a little, little, little, little baby... and what a sweet one this is... Thank you Robin and Stephen for sharing your little one with me today. Congratulations you guys, she is so special. More to come of this little one!

Just because it's Wednesday and we need a little love...

2011-02-23T20:36:00.000-06:00

Tourists in our own town

2011-02-20T22:11:00.000-06:00

Today we were in downtown after a little shoot and a great brunch at Puckett's and the girls and I decided to enjoy this GORGEOUS weather and see the sites in our own wonderful city.. Nashvegas...

We spend as much time as possible here...

The Capital..

Oh look a museum we've never been to..

Thank you for a lovely sunny day Nashville.. we had a great time

Wally needs a home and boy is he somethin....

2011-02-19T22:01:00.001-06:00

Elizabeth is part of my East Nashville Women's Series and today we did part of her shoot and Wally agreed to help. He was such a poser. He is available for adoption to the right family, because he is super delicious and if I didn't have silly and crazy my two dogs in this house and we had more room.. he would be a family member. I fell in love with him. Please email for info. Wally ,like myself, is willing to travel...

Our Daily Grace

2011-02-19T13:39:00.000-06:00

Me: Hey Girls! Bought some girl scout cookies for you today..
Mariama: I want to be a Girl Scout!(super long pause ) What's a girl scout..?
Grace: the one's with the pom poms Mariama..
Mariama: Those are cheerleaders!!! GRAAAAAAACCCEEEE.. held out for thirty four minutes...

It's that time of Year...

2011-02-15T19:51:00.000-06:00

Tax time.. and while going over every receipt we attained in 2010, I thought to myself... "if I see one more Kroger receipt...God we eat alot.." LOL.

You can really tell alot about a person by his or her receipts right? I am glad to see that I didn't have that many Starbucks receipts.. mainly just when I travel for the business.

Loved looking at my Trader Joe's receipts the way they spell out all the food in great detail made me miss cheese so much.. yes, yes, I'm trying to be Veganish... and yes I was just cutting out meat and gluten, but after that Oprah, I thought.. "hmmm why not. Dairy is making me feel so bloaty.. and after two weeks, I have to say.. feeling GREAT!"

And every year I laugh when I call our mechanic and ask him how much food we put on his family's table this year.. LOL. Not too bad. And now that we have the "new to us" vehicle, I can rest easy..

SO we got it all together and then dumped it on the desk of Wes Aull, our beloved CPA, who I was so excited to see, and he couldn't be nicer, now we wait. Think we could have some good news this year : )

Okay... So I'm not much on Valentine's day..

2011-02-14T22:32:00.000-06:00

But I am big on L.O.V.E....LOVE and today I just felt like sharing a few pics that represent love to me, and suddenly a theme... Dads.. My stepdad passed away last week suddenly and he was a great dad. He had four sons. They're great dads because of him, and it got me to thinking.. what an important job.. like one of the most important jobs of all time.. My heart goes out to these guys below for making the world a better place... yes I do realize that it's not Father's day.. but I'm a "fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl..."

Olivia's Birthday

2011-02-10T23:30:00.001-06:00

Let's Race

2011-01-31T20:18:00.000-06:00

So I have decided to run a marathon this year. I ran the White Rock Marathon in Dallas in December 2001. So ten years later... here I go. I loved the White Rock because it has two things that are a must have for me and marathon's.. one.. it cannot be over 50 degrees when I run it, and two.. NO HILLS.. LOL.. SO sorry Music City.. you're 98 percent late April humidity and 80 degree temps and more than likely in the rain.. will not do for my 2nd race. Although I did run a few miles this summer in Dauphin Island Alabama and was okay with the humidity.. but why make it an issue I say.. so I've got some research to do.. found this link..here..

I know I would love to run the Disney Marathon! But would also like to run something in May and September. Going to start training officially soon. Right now, running four miles in the morning on the treadmill.. the long runs... hopefully will do those outside this spring on the weekend! Can't wait!
I love how running makes me feel... love, love, love...

Tiny Dancer

2011-01-29T23:42:00.000-06:00

There is a place where the sidewalk ends

And before the street begins,

          And there the grass grows soft and white,

                      And there the sun burns crimson bright,

And there the moon-bird rests from his flight

To cool in the peppermint wind

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,

And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,

           For the children, they mark, and the children, they know

                              The place where the sidewalk ends- Shel Silverstein

I ran across these pictures tonight and the first one made me tear up thinking about kids and the sheer joy of knowing no self-doubt.. how I wish we could hold on to that forever...
                                                                                    All the love in the world- ME

Reflections of a Middle Aged Mom who had a weird week..

2011-01-28T19:13:00.001-06:00

So this post isn't going to be that deep even though I did watch two really gut wrenching Oprah's back to back, coupled with that American Idol episode that had me weeping for a good hour or so. LOORRDDD... I've started running full time again and I do think I am releasing a few toxins.. that's a real thing right, cause it feels real.

It's a new year and transitions are happening all over the place. Things are being solidified, three major things really, that will be good and finished and not have to be thought about after June, ( our short term goal), and I'll tell you about them one by one as I flush them out of my head forever..

This week flew by and it was such a weird one. I had this amazing allergy attack on Tuesday that made me feel as if something foreign had mysteriously flown up my nose to live there for 24 hours so I could SNEEZE MY HEAD OFF for a good two days straight. And when I mean sneeze, I mean seven times in a row.. who does that?? People who live in Nashville and neglect their Kombucha for the past season as I have. Because quite frankly I haven't been sick in a long time with a stomach virus, flu or cold and I feel like I had all three of those things since we rang in the new year, which has had me so distracted. Plus I watched Inception in the midst of my sick day and wow.. Leonardo DiCaprio's movies lately confuse me to no end.. I believe them to be quite brilliant, but still. wouldn't it be funny if he did a bad romantic comedy once in a while. Jennifer Aniston and Leonardo DiCaprio work in a law firm together...I crack myself up..

I had a very cool photo shoot with two great guys this month and my lord, I have barely had time to reflect on the shoots as well as get creative about what I'm going to do with the East Nashville Women's series.. I need to get inspired. Ready go. You know how it is when you can't think straight.

My Pioneer Woman Cook book has gathered dust the past few weeks also.. wow this post is turning into a real whiny one.. so happy Friday night everyone... I'm going to scrounge up some dinner, miss my husband, who'll be home pretty soon, listen to the kids play the Wii and dive into the uplifting second novel of the Hunger Games trilogy, Catching Fire, which is really super happy!! LOL, but really, how great are those books?? SO addictive.

SO HAPPY SNOWY DREARY WEIRD JANUARY EVERYONE.. I will see you on the flip side of this fabulous weekend.

LOVE and everything else,

ME

And just in case you were confused... the photographer I never hope to be.. LOL

if you haven't seen the awkward family photos site, you are missing out.. it's true we all have a few Olan Mill's fake bookcases in our past, but what the hell? LOL

I'll be back...

2011-01-21T21:41:00.000-06:00

right after these messages, oh and when I get through reading this...

I know, I know... this is so 2010, but I am finally getting to this series and it does not disappoint. LOVING IT!

We've got spirit...

2011-01-13T21:14:00.000-06:00

Lately I've been seeing all these old photos of people my age on Facebook and everyone has these pyramid photos.. WHY did we always do that? It was such a trend.. who needs Taylor Swift or Hannah Montana or the Wii, when you can get in groups of ten and create a pyramid.... We were entertained by so little.. and this may be 8th grade band when I used to get hormonal (TMI) headaches so bad I'd ride home in the back of our 60's Chevy Nova, no seatbelt of course, having listened to those blaring instruments. with a cold Dr. Pepper can stuck to my forehead.

Happy 8th day off from school with the kids... Peace out and I emphasize the word peace.

Old Friends and New Pictures

2011-01-11T22:02:00.001-06:00

Cindy and I have known each other since, dare I say it... 1975.. at least. We were little then, in diapers practically.. Okay I was in 3nd grade. We both went to a lady's house to stay after school. Her name was Jerry, her husband's name was Jimmy and he had a deluxe comb over. They were the sweetest people on the planet. Jerry's house had giant window units that blew frozen air, a scratchy couch, red kool-aid and hours and hours of cartoons and games, babies running everywhere but somehow never getting on your nerves and everybody crammed into about 1200 square feet. I do remember there being a backyard and I also remember we never played out there. Back when Texas was hotter than HELL in the summer and snowstorm after snowstorm in the winter.. like what's suddenly happening right now in Tennessee... this is not Philly or NYC... this is the SOUTH... SOUTHEAST.... so lighten up with the snow.. although it is pretty... but I digress.

I wish I had a picture of Cindy as a "little", I'm sure I could dig one up from high school, but why go there.. we've all seen plenty of John Hughes movies.. we remember the 80's... LOL... you don't want to see our giant hair and tiny shorts... white.. probably.. what were we thinking!!

I got to see Cindy and her gorgeous family in December and below are a few pics from their latest shoot.
Actually this is a great pic to show first.. Cut some of her hair and give a butterfly armed shirt with gold piping and this would be the Cindy I remember.. except it's her littlest.. such a sweet girl!

I know.. a waiting in line picture.. I'm such a risk taker.. LOL! But I love this kind of thing!

And why is this one my favorite... it's not posed I guess.. this I would have in my living room... LOVE IT. or maybe this one..

Thanks for sharing your family with me even for an hour of picture time.... they are a joy! and you know me.. I'm not just saying that..

Dream Big

2011-01-10T19:06:00.000-06:00

Believe it will happen and it will...

Blog catch up and other things to do on a snow day...

2011-01-10T15:45:00.000-06:00

I thought I would give you my favorite blogs today because well, I haven't been out of the house since Friday and it's MONDAY afternoon... I finally got to catch up because I am ~~trapped~~ loving being here with the kids for the 72nd hour in a row..

I love Literary Rambles.
A totally kick ass writing blog on agents, queries and what to do and what not do. LOVE IT. I firmly believe that I will get my agent through this site.

On Earth as it is in Heaven
Every time I read Katie's blog, as cheesy as it sounds, I know there are angels who walk among us, and this young woman is one of them.

From the opposite side of the spectrum The Sartorialist fashion blog.. It's awesome.

This chick doesn't blog that much, but I LOVE her photography.Tiny Treasures.
I think I may have seen something of hers in a photography contest from Pioneer Woman. Who I'm not even going to list because me, my whole neighborhood and everyone I've ever met know who she is..

To quote Meryl "That's all"....

How do you keep the music playing??

2011-01-09T18:25:00.000-06:00

Since November 1st when I started working on a new novel for National Novel Writing month, and after a week deciding this wouldn't be my year for National Novel writing month, I have put my writing aside. I had substantial photography work this Christmas season and had also taken a new part time job during the week when the kids are in school to pay off that never ending old adoption debt/remodeling/business debt. And yay! Call Dave Ramsey, the Home Depot bill is no longer!!

So.. we had a wonderful holiday season and I concentrated mainly on that and the kids having a good Christmas and spending time with family and just gave up writing for a minute.. Well, two months later..
Shawn ran into a couple women at work who are in the creative writing department at Vandy and know agents in New York and they told him to tell me to contact them. SO it was seemingly the perfect time to pull out the query for Mila Dasher and sent it out again. I also have to dive into my Echo Raney Theatre Camp book and finish it. Now that I have two contacts who might want to read my work. It's all who you know right?

I'm just starting to get back to working out in the mornings after this bizarre flu like symptom thing I've had literally all week..LOL if I can get out of the driveway in the morning due to the impending snowstorm.. So the question is ? or rather what has to happen is that I have to start writing and re writing on these books and I don't want to.. it reminds me of college when I would skip a class and then not want to go back ever.. LOL but I know once I start I'll get back into the characters again. It's not about inspiration. I get that.. The inspiration comes from getting it out there and someone thinking kids might want to read it. It's just hard to do the whole agent thing "come on reject me.. reject me.. I can take it.." and who knows maybe this time they won't..

(for the record, I have only been rejected ten times.. not 6700 like Stephen King was...so I've got a ways to go I guess..LOL)

Alright already...

2011-01-07T19:52:00.000-06:00

I have wanted to blog all week about 2011 and the exciting things I anticipate happening! BUT LORD enough with the stomach virus, flu like symptoms etc.. First of all, I'm not a person who gets sick alot....hardly ever..Back in the day I held the title of "World's greatest and biggest Hypochondriac" but somehow that dissipated when I acquired my second husband, THE Shawn Dodd..

But since Tuesday I've been trying to shake SOMETHING and today I was literally in a meeting with a musician about a shoot and I said "One moment.. I need to run hurl in the bathroom... of Ugly Mugs no doubt.." But luckily... Jared and Courtney ( my friends and owners of the establishment) it was a false alarm.. and right now I'm currently downing a good portion of Brie, Avocado and Flaxseed crackers.
But I have no concentration skills to write about what I want to achieve in 2011.. So I'll say it in these three words..

HEALTH and WEALTH.. That's right.. the motto of 2011. Use it spread it around like Facebook and see if it sticks.

So instead of feeling like this

I can feel like this....

dang it... I mean THIS...

I crack myself up.... LOL

Weekend here I come!

2010 Picture of the Day

2011-01-04T19:18:00.001-06:00

February 2010 Disneyworld
Grace and Cinderelly...

What will you be curious about this year?

2011-01-03T19:18:00.000-06:00

I take this particular title from watching Diane Sawyer, one of my favorite people on the planet, of course I've never met her.. but I aspire to be like her.. and when Oprah launched her new network with 48 million hours of television that I now have to DVR... I watched her Master Class episode and it was really inspiring.. she talked about being curious and I immediately related to feeling curious about EVERYTHING. So instead of resolutions I will make a list of things I'm curious about for 2011..

1. I'm curious about art school.. graduate school in photography to be exact.
2. I'm really curious about the publishing business and what it might feel like to sell something I've written...
3. I'm curious to see if I could possibly run another marathon.. this time in Nashville this spring. I will pray for no humidity now : )
4. I'm very curious about Paris, France and the fact that I will probably be going there with Shawn this fall to visit our Aunt and Uncle who are living there for a year..
5. Curious about where Mariama is going to be in school next year.. we are in three different lotteries!!
6. I'm curious about Shawn's music and making a music video for his song "Worthy Praying for".. scary but exciting.
7. My kickstarter project on families living with Autism
8. Curious about what my East Nashville Women's Series will bring when I FINALLY finish..
9. And as shallow as this may sound.. I am curious about creating more of a sense of style for myself.. starting with the brand new hairdo and color Sara helped me out with...
10. And lastly, I will take the time to reflect on one of the most difficult times in my life... 2010, and still believe it was also a truly rewarding year.. losing 35 pounds, falling more and more in love with my husband and girls everyday, and dreaming of all the possibilities that lie ahead.

I'm still here...

2011-01-01T23:41:00.000-06:00

It's just been a whirlwind of a holiday season and a great ending to a really tough year.. but one of my goals in 2011 is to blog everyday, so I had to get one in on the 1st right before midnight, even though as you can see I have nothing to say but "goodnight everybody"... LOL