The Dukes - one step at a time

Blog is No Longer Active...

2010-08-03T08:31:00.002-06:00

I have kept this blog, to keep the name but I am now actively blogging on my website.
To check it out go to:
www.jenphotographix.com and click on Blog along the top.

Blessings, Jen

Life Lately

2010-04-30T22:34:00.000-06:00

Life has kept me busy the last couple of weeks. This blog suffers when life gets hectic but I always try to update when things settle down again. Daniel is in school and that takes up most evenings so for right now I am "winging it" with the boys and life in general. Ian is still our happy, chatty, handsome 3 year old. He loves his little brother and can't seem to get enough of him. Gavin will be 5 months old on May 8th(only 1 week away!) As of last week he weighed in at 8lbs 9oz and was 20.5"long. I can't believe how fast time is flying by. He is rolling over, almost sitting up, cooing, and eating rice cereal. I find myself thanking God for all three men He has given me every day. I love them so much and with the recent death of my precious brother I hold those I love so close to my heart now. Please keep me and my family in your prayers as we struggle to keep going.

4 Months (already?)

2010-04-15T08:30:00.000-06:00

3 Years Married

2010-04-02T20:12:00.002-06:00

April 5th is our anniversary. Daniel surprised me early with new bedding. Isn't it sooo cute?
I absolutely love it and it puts me in a better mood every time I walk by my bed. Those of you that know

about the loss I have experienced know that I need "bright,cheery things" right now. I think this bedding qualifies! I miss my brother so much and every day that goes by without him here reminds me of where my "treasure" ought to lay. It doesn't hurt to have pretty bedding in the meantime :) Here are a few pictures...

3 Months

2010-03-31T08:49:00.002-06:00

Sugar and Spice {Vaughans}

2010-03-19T19:17:00.002-06:00

This gal was so much fun today!!! My awesome friend April met up with me on the Strand in Galveston this afternoon to have Cailyn's 1 year pictures taken. Originally it was planned for tomorrow afternoon but there is some nasty weather headed our way and I was too excited to postpone her pictures for another couple of weeks. Lucky for me, it worked out! Cailyn was such a trooper and I love how her pictures turned out. I have been photographing Cailyn since she was in her Mommy's tummy and it is such a joy to watch her grow into a beautiful little girl.
-♥-
Jen

Joshua Lee Stone

2010-03-18T08:50:00.000-06:00

As many of you probably know, my 13 year old brother Josh died on Friday February 26th. I am still not up to blogging, but will be soon hopefully. I have no words right now to express my sadness and the emptiness I feel. Here is a recent picture I took of him at a local park. I miss him dearly and can only hope that time(and God) will make this better.

Beautiful Baby-Even When He is Grumpy

2010-02-19T10:17:00.002-06:00

Here are two of my favorites from Gavin's 2 month session yesterday.

Coming up soon: Ian's 3 year pics.

2 Months Old

2010-02-18T10:35:00.001-06:00

Gavin at 2 months

Weighs 5lbs 8oz and is 18.5 in.
He loves to be held, especially by Mommy
Sleeps for 1 hour during naps, on a good day
Loves to nurse, he would do it 24/7 if I would allow it
He smiles occasionally
He has begun holding his head up like a big boy
He rolls over whenever he is mad,but not to show off
Ian loves to hold "his tiny little hands"
Daddy calls Gavin his "little squirt" a lot
Mommy loves snuggling her little baby boy

The Keys to My Heart

2010-02-15T09:04:00.003-06:00

I am Blessed.
My husband did it again. He surprised me and made me cry over his thoughtfulness. I don't have words to express how beautiful I think his Valentines Day gifts are to me. Let me tell you all he did. First, he ordered those decorative keys. Then he printed the beautiful phrases on pieces of paper.(he wrote those himself,no Google Search for my man) Then he cut each one out by hand in the shape of a tag. He stained each one with coffee to give it an"old" look, and finally tied each one onto a key with twine. The last step is going to be nailing them onto board to hang on the wall as an art piece. He did this for me. Like I said, Blessed.
He also gave me a cute camera bag. It is red and looks like a miniature bowling bag. Totally Me.
And last but not least, a coffee mug. And not just any coffee mug. This coffee mug happens to have my favorite pattern (damask) on it. And there is a spoon attached to stir the many flavors I love into my Saturday morning coffee.
I love that man and I am a very lucky woman.

Cinnamon Doughnuts..Mmm Mmm

2010-02-08T11:53:00.000-06:00

I am going to be randomly sharing stories of the events that go on in our lives so if there are any followers out there anymore, please be patient as I try to get them all in the right order. I am starting back in November 09'.
It is a tradition in my husband's family to make home made doughnuts every year, around Thanksgiving. I started attending this annual event back when we were still dating(5 years ago!!!) I don't know if I have ever been much "help" but I love to help eat them! Here is the wonderful recipe my Mother in law follows as well as a few pictures of the doughnut team. Seems like I missed Bethany somehow, but she was here too.

-♥-
Jen

Just a Few Pictures

2010-02-04T18:16:00.000-06:00

Gavin's Official Birth Story

2010-02-02T09:10:00.003-06:00

Because a lot has gone on in the last few months, I am only now getting to tell the story of how Gavin Cole Duke came into this world. Starting at 26 weeks things started going "not normal". But actually it was even before that...
I had my usual blood work done by 18-20 weeks and expected everything would come back normal. When my OB herself called me a few days later, I knew something was wrong. She told me I had elevated numbers that indicated Gavin may have Spina Bifida. Very scary! I immediately went online and researched. I didn't want my baby to have that. She recommended I get amniocentesis done but I ended up requesting a high resolution ultrasound to look for it. We found out at the same time that baby #2 was a boy and he did NOT have Spina Bifida. They did watch for it over the course of the pregnancy but all was fine.
At 26 weeks I went in for a routine check up and as the nurse was looking for a heartbeat, could only find one in the 80's. We thought maybe it was picking up mine so the doc came in and very quickly determined that Gavin's heart rate was way too low. So off I went to get another high res. ultrasound. This time they found that he had wrapped his little neck in the cord and was actually squeezing it with one of his hands and was the cause for the temporary low heart rate. They were fine with him holding the cord, it was that it wrapped around his neck that wasn't ok. So I started going in weekly, switching between regular and high risk appointments. I only made it in to my 2nd appointment to see the high risk specialist when she saw that Gavin had somehow wrapped the cord around his neck twice and was now in the frank breech position(ruling out a natural birth) and my fluid was very low. I was in my 29th week. This time I was sent to the hospital to be on continuous monitoring. Let me tell you, it was NOT fun to be restricted to a hospital bed for almost 3 weeks.

While I stayed there, I was seen daily, had ultrasounds every other day, ate the awful hospital food. BORING. The whole goal of me staying in the hospital was to keep Gavin in until 34 weeks. So my OB and I scheduled my c-section for Friday December 18th. We did this in hopes that he would grow big enough to not have to spend very long in the NICU. The next morning I had my ultrasound. It was my last one. Gavin wasn't doing too well anymore. My placenta had died and was no longer providing nutrients for him. He was also measuring small, her guess was 3lbs. 2 oz. That afternoon of December 8th at 2:38 p.m. I heard my sweet baby boy's tiny little cry for the first time. I couldn't hold him because he needed support pretty immediately but I got to see him and kiss him before he was rushed off to the NICU. He weighed 3 lbs 3 oz. and was 17" long. He had dark hair and by the time he left the room, his cry was a loud one. I didn't get to see him until the next morning due to recovering from the c-section but I will never forget the feelings that flooded me. I couldn't believe how tiny, how frail he looked. I was so grateful for the care he could receive. I knew God had a plan for this baby, He has been so good to us. During the time Gavin stayed in the NICU, he only grew stronger each day. No infections. No health set backs. He came home to meet his big brother for the first time on Thursday, January 7th, 2010. Three full weeks before his due date. We have a little fighter! (he fights his sleep very well nowadays)

Gavin still in the tummy, only a few hours before his birth

Gavin Cole Duke

2010-01-22T13:43:00.005-06:00

So my pregnancy was not the "ideal" thing. But he is here and safe and sound at home!!! Gavin was born on December 8,2009 weighing in at 3lbs.3oz and was 17" long. He spent one month in the NICU and came home on January 9th. He weighed 4lbs. 13 oz when he came home. I am so happy to finally be getting my life back in order. Ian adores his baby brother and is always saying"he is sooo cute". I guess he has heard a lot of people say that, not to mention his mommy :) Here are some pictures from the past few weeks at home. I hope to get some more up soon!

Love, Jennifer

This is the smile I love:)

2009-11-15T10:14:00.001-06:00

Its not very often that I catch this smile on camera. Ian is too quick for me most of the time. But it warms my heart and I can see that he is a very happy, content kiddo. It's the simple things that make him happy: hugs, books read to him, macaroni and cheese,
and time spent crashing cars on the floor. I don't want to ever forget how easy to please he was at 3 years old. I love you Ian, and you will always be my "special boy".
-♥-
Mommy

Family Session {Porter Family}

2009-11-12T11:31:00.000-06:00

I have to be honest, when Kelly Porter booked her session, I was a little nervous.
However, it turns out I didn't need to be! The kids were so incredibly well behaved (and cute!)
I had a blast running around the park taking their pictures. Kelly here is your official "sneak peak". Enjoy!
-♥-
Jen

I couldn't resist including this picture of the two youngest little girls, aren't they darling?

A few things so far...

2009-11-09T16:07:00.000-06:00

I have a few things already for Gavin and just wanted to share them with y'all.

So this bag I ordered on major clearance...but I didn't really look at the measurements and though it is lovely, too big too call the "everyday" diaper bag. Great for overnight stays!

When I look at the size difference of the boys clothing, I am blown away at how tiny Gavin will be.

And last but not least, are a few pairs of shoes I couldn't resist. I just love the little camo ones!!!

House Progress Continued

2009-11-09T10:49:00.000-06:00

This is Ian and Gavin's bedroom. Formerly it was the master bedroom but Daniel and I decided to give the boys the "big" bedroom since they will have more stuff than we do. When it was our bedroom, the walls were a beige color. We decided to paint the room in colors that went well with an airplane theme. "Blue sky, green grass" was kind of the feel we are going for. I wanted a chair rail to separate the colors and give it more of a grown up feel. I plan on these colors staying in here for quite a while! The curtains and cornice boxes over the windows were sewn by Daniel's very own talented sister, Bethany. I LOVE how they turned out! The bed was bought on craigslist. The changing table belonged to my three little brothers when they were babies. My mom has the matching crib as well and we will be picking it up within the next couple of weeks. The rug is from Lowe's, on clearance for $30(and its a super nice Berber carpet). This room has definitely been a budget room!
-♥-
Jen

This is where Gavin's crib will be going. Still working on art ideas.

Crib bedding, belonged to Ian and I am glad to use it again!

House Progress

2009-11-09T10:30:00.000-06:00

Daniel and I (mostly Daniel) have been working hard to get the house "ready" for Gavin. Early in my pregnancy I sat down and wrote down what I thought was going to be a small list of things to do before the big day. I looked around my house and thought " paint would be nice". That was only the beginning!!! I then started spending WAY too much time on a website called rate my space where people can upload pictures of the rooms in their house and others "rate" them. I got a little inspired by the thousands of rooms I saw and started dreaming about what I wanted in my house. So I made my short list longer and added painting all the bedrooms, changing rooms around(the office is now our master bedroom) and new furniture for Ian, and the list goes on and on...I can't remember it all. Somehow, our house is beyond what I thought would be possible for our time frame. I am so grateful for all of Daniel's hard work and am constantly in awe over my little house. Here are a few pictures of my living room. We have not decided on a definite paint color yet but there is time later for that. I am more than content with how it looks for now!!!
-♥-
Jen

A feeding chair...and it will be useful for years to come!!!

Window in living room. Daniel special ordered the blinds so the navy strips match our furniture

View of room from the front door...I think this is the most important view :)

View from Dining Room, only view you can see the whole room...

Twin Baby Girls {Haynes Family}

2009-11-09T08:47:00.000-06:00

Remember these cutie pies? I love their little dresses and bows:) I am still working on a few others
but couldn't resist sharing these. I'm sorry to all who have been faithfully checking this little blog and no updates...I kind of fell off the "blogging bandwagon" for a little while. Happy Fall!
-♥-
Jen

Davis Family {Kids}

2009-10-06T16:28:00.000-06:00

These sweet kiddos are from my church. Aren't they adorable??? The youngest little girl Sarah decided she didn't want her pictures taken on this particular day but I snapped a few anyway:) She will appreciate this very much when she is older! I hope you like these as much as I do, Marianne!(especially that last one)
-♥-
Jen

Gamble Trash the Dress

2009-09-25T10:34:00.000-06:00

I am behind on life in general right now, but here are a few pictures from Candace's trash the dress session. We all had a lot of fun and the weather was perfect! I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend!!!
-♥-
Jen

Fun with the Uncles

2009-09-18T08:12:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I took Ian and his uncles Josh and Jason to the local college park. There is a neat pond and lots of ducks to feed over there. We brought along a small soccer ball and Ian had a blast kicking it around with them. This kid loves soccer! We might have to sign him up next year. I have many fond memories of watching my own brothers as little kiddos at soccer games. Here are a few pictures I took, can't you tell Ian loves his uncles a lot?!
-♥-
Jen

Beautiful Bride {Gamble Family}

2009-09-16T07:33:00.000-06:00

I have to admit, this was my FIRST Bridal session, so naturally I was a little nervous. Candace is such a beautiful gal, she really made it so simple for me. I had so much fun running around on the Strand for her session(her mom probably has blisters from wearing heels the whole time, sorry!). I love how these turned out and I think I may have to do another Bridal session in the near future.

Candace, I hope you like these as much as I do!
Congratulations!!!
-♥-
Jen

Twin Cuties {Haynes Family}

2009-08-30T07:27:00.000-06:00

I am in a hurry this morning but I wanted to put these up for Erin Haynes. This is her official sneak peak:)
Her girls can be summed up in one word: Sassy! I LOVE these little tutus. And all the pink and bright colors. Ok so there is a lot I like about these girls. They did a wonderful job, and I look forward to taking more pictures of these two precious gals!
-♥-
Jen

Daddy and Me

2009-08-28T19:43:00.000-06:00

Cailyn 6 Months {Vaughan Family}

2009-08-24T09:07:00.002-06:00

Here are a few pictures from Miss Cailyn's 6 month photo session. She is quite the personality and did such a good job posing for her pictures. I am glad her Mommy decided to have some pictures taken with her. Look at the bond between these two. It's just so beautiful, I think April will cherish these special photos for a long time. Have a great week everyone!
-♥-
Jen

Baby K {Kummerfeld Family}

2009-08-22T20:33:00.001-06:00

Ok, so look at this ADORABLE Mommy(and Daddy) to be! Doesn't she look like she is loving her first pregnancy? And he really looks like quite the doting Papa already:) David and Katie are such sweet people, and they made my job so easy! They posed like it was the easiest thing to do and we were done in less than 30 minutes. I am so excited for them, I can hardly wait to see what their little addition will look like! Have a great Sunday everyone!
-♥-
Jen

Baby Miles {VanDyke Family}

2009-08-17T16:19:00.001-06:00

A few months back I took pictures of this little charmer, Miles. I had the pleasure of taking these as well. He is now 6 months old. He is crawling everywhere and taking in everything around him. I love it! I was reminded of how my very own little boy was when he figured out the crawling thing. he just took off without ever looking back!!! As promised, here is the sneak peak Darwin and Nicole!

-♥-

Jen

Engagement Session

2009-08-13T08:40:00.000-06:00

I had the pleasure of Photographing these two adorable people last night. The guy happens to be my brother in law, and the young lady is his fiance. It was my very FIRST engagement session. I only got about 20 or 30 minutes before it started to rain on us but I am very happy with the results! I usually take pictures of kids/babies but I might have to begin engagement sessions too! These two were so easy and natural and fun, and I hope they like these pictures. Happy Engagement, Chris and Tara!

-♥-
Jen

Summer is almost over and I have lots of catching up to do!

2009-08-08T04:38:00.000-06:00

So I got this fancy new camera back in the beginning of July and this is the first shoot I've really done with it. I am so glad Ian is such a willing model(though in the 1st picture he doesn't exactly look like he wants his picture taken). I have had a good excuse to not be running around with this new piece of equipment. I am 15 weeks pregnant!!! And it hasn't exactly been easy. I have all-day sickness which varies day to day. Some mornings I wake up and feel great and have a productive day for the most part. I'm usually passed out in bed by 8:30 pm on those days. On bad days I never really wake up. And then there are days like today. It is 5:30 am and I am WIDE awake. The only problem with the erratic puking/sleeping schedule is I don't get much in the way of "recovery" time because I have a constantly talking, always asking questions, never wants to stop moving, almost 3 year old. I have been scheduling people again for photo sessions after being on a short break(that lasted 2 months). I am very excited and am feeling more creative than ever. I took Ian down to the Strand in Galveston yesterday morning. I have been wanting to test out the area for some time now for future sessions and it provided a great opportunity for me to take pictures of my little guy. Enjoy the new photos and keep checking back. And leave comments so I know you came by! Happy Summer:)

-♥- Jen

More Pictures from Mexico

2009-07-22T16:46:00.000-06:00

Here are a few more images from the trip. Enjoy!!!

Ian and daddy in front of the pretty blue water

El Cozumeleno, the resort we stayed at. I highly recommend!

Ian and mommy in front of the band at the wedding

Just a cool artsy shot of Ian on the beach

Cozumel, Mexico Trip

2009-07-22T11:45:00.001-06:00

Daniel, Ian and I all ventured to Cozumel, Mexico to see our good friends Carlos and Elisabeth get married on the beach. It was a beautiful beach, let me tell ya! The pictures you see of Mexico with the "too blue to be true" water are real. There's no Photo shop skill required to make the beach look beautiful:) The wedding itself was very intimate and so sweet. I really loved so much about it,simple yet very elegant. I teared up a few times(I think a lot of people did). Ian didn't tolerate being on the beach without playing too well but we all survived. I am just happy he didn't yell something inappropriate loudly. There were photographers there to take the wedding pictures but I was able to get some nice shots myself. I think the newlyweds will appreciate the "candid" shots I got while there. I hope to put up some more pictures of the vacation soon.

-Jen

NEW CAMERA!!!

2009-07-09T17:16:00.000-06:00

I have been saving up for my "dream " camera for a little over six months and last night went and BOUGHT it!!! I am a little overwhelmed right now with all of its capabilities and buttons poking out from all directions. Here are a few images I took with it this morning while at the Conner's house. I am seriously blown away by how great these turned out. These are completely unedited and
were taken on the most basic "automatic" setting. I am going to have a blast the rest of the summer!!! I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer. I will try to to post more often!

Love, Jen

Up close and personal with Maddox

I love how Ian's face is in focus but the truck isn't

Recent Pictures

2009-06-22T15:57:00.000-06:00

Here are a few pictures of the three of us all taken within the last month or so. Daniel took the picture of me(thanks babe) and I took the other two. I am always trying new thing in my pictures so this time it was on the picture of Ian. See the litle flower in his back pocket? It's harder than it looks! I hope everyone is a having a wonderful summer!!!
Love, Jen

Grayson Chad Conner

2009-06-18T15:24:00.000-06:00

Time has flown! I can't believe Grayson is FOUR months old already!!! Where has the time gone? Taking his newborn pictures is still fresh in my memory. He was so tiny just a few short months ago. He is a happy kiddo and I will miss him and his sweet family when they leave for California in about a month(yikes! what do I tell Ian?)

-♥-
Jen

Hannah Grace

2009-06-06T20:16:00.000-06:00

Meet Hannah Grace Rath. She is here posing for her 2 year portraits. Isn't she a ham? Ian and I had a lot of fun with her at the park for the photo shoot/playdate. Hannah is going to be a big sister in September and I hope to be able to take pictures of the family of four when the time comes! I have a bunch of stuff I need to post but my time is limited. I will try to update frequently over the next week or so.

-Jen

2009-05-25T06:06:00.000-06:00

I realize some of you may be missing pictures of Ian. I have been blogging a lot about pictures I have taken of other people, and have not said much about Ian for about a month now. Don't worry, he is still here! The month of May has been a rough month for the little guy though. It all started with a cold the first week of this month. He ended up having cold like symptoms for 2 weeks and then things just slowly started getting worse. He started this weird fever and rash thing over a week ago and then the diarrhea kicked in. I did a little bit of research and figured out my kiddo was suffering his first round of Rota virus. Yucky stuff let me tell you! I am talking the most disgusting thing yet. He thankfully never got the vomiting part of this virus! Saturday was the scariest day of all, he started refusing food and drink and went several hours with out going pee pee, we knew he was getting too dehydrated but Daniel was such a good Daddy and all but forced the pedialyte into Ian. Boy am I glad he did, it made an amazing difference. Ian has been on the road to recovery since Saturday, I am thinking we may go OUTSIDE and PLAY today!!!
Happy Memorial Day!!!
-♥-
Jen

Baby Miles

2009-05-23T19:44:00.001-06:00

This little one is Miles. He is the son of some good friends of ours from church. Don't you just want to pull his cute little ears and squeeze those cheeks? He was a lot of fun to work with and made it very clear when he was done modeling!!! After about 45 minutes(not bad for a 3 month old), he decided it was time for a nap. I hope his parents like these pictures as much as I do! Thank you Darwin and Nicole for letting me have fun with Miles!

-♥- Jen

Conner Family

2009-05-22T15:43:00.000-06:00

Meet the Conners! I have mentioned this family in previous blog entries. I have been watching Maddox since he was just under 6 months old,where has the time gone??? Maddox turned two in February and his little brother Grayson was born the same month. Chad and Catherine will be leaving Galveston to head to Santa Monica in just a few short months. They will be missed!!! I am so happy I got to take their family pictures in a place they have called home since Medical School.(I honestly have no idea how many years that is). These pictures will have a lot of sentimental value to Catherine especially because this is where she began her family.
I hope everyone had a wonderful week, enjoy the long Memorial Day weekend!!!

-♥- Jen

Little Girls are Sweet...

2009-05-15T10:19:00.005-06:00

This cutie is Cailyn, she is currently 4 months old. She is a petite little thing and she loves the camera(at least my camera likes her). Enjoy the pictures and have a great weekend!

-♥- Jen

Bethany Joy

2009-05-11T20:50:00.001-06:00

Bethany is Daniel's younger sister. She is also one of the prettiest people I know:)
She is currently in training to be a missionary in West Africa. While she was down to celebrate Mother's Day weekend with us, I had to jump on the opportunity to photograph her. She is such a natural,from her gorgeous smile to her blowing hair...I can't get enough of it! I love the 3rd picture,it looks like CD cover to me.

Artsy Shots

2009-05-09T20:48:00.001-06:00

I hope everyone has a wondeful Mother's Day weekend. Don't forget to give those special Mommies a little something tomorrow!
I just wanted to share some recent pictures taken at the cemetery on Broadway in Galveston. Isn't it breathtaking? I can't get over how beautiful it was in there!
-♥- Jen

Kirby Family

2009-05-09T20:43:00.000-06:00

This weekend I had the opportunity to meet Brian and Samantha Kirby and their twin boys Asa and Elijah. They are one sweet family!!!
They were in Galveston for the weekend and wanted some beach shots, I hope they like these:)I am very pleased considering it was 12:oo(not the best timing for lighting), and it was quite a gusty day. In the end , I love how their pictures turned out. Enjoy!!!

-♥- Jen
(p.s. twins look like they are sooo much fun!)

Spring Beauties

2009-05-05T10:04:00.000-06:00

I know this is going to sound very silly but on Saturday I noticed as Daniel was mowing the backyard, there were some pretty flowers growing that he was going to mow over soon. So, I ran out there real quick and snapped away. I have no idea what these little weed-flowers are called but they are so beautiful. I am really in awe of these little pieces of God's creation. It is so amazing how such a little flower can be so beautiful, and leave me happy for the rest of the day just because I saw it and took a few pictures.
-♥- Jen

The Dickerson Family

2009-04-26T19:42:00.001-06:00

I have known Sam and Julie Dickerson since their eldest child, Annie was only a few months old. They are such a dear family and as you can see, are very photogenic as well! Annie is such a sweet doll with her big smile, and I really love the serious expression Hudson has on his darling face. Julie is crrently in her last trimester with baby #3. I think she looks gorgeous, she wears the pregnancy belly well. I hope everyone had a great weekend!

-♥-Jen

Family Fun...

2009-04-12T20:36:00.000-06:00

This weekend, I took some pictures of Daniel's parents and three youngest sisters. These are my favorites. I LOVE the one of Ariel, she looks as if she is waiting for her prince...

My Son is almost Two and a Half!

2009-04-06T14:13:00.000-06:00

Ian is almost two and a half (two and half!?). I can't believe how much he has changed since the day he came into our lives. I am so proud of my little boy. I think he is the cutest little thing I have ever seen(even when he is mad, I love the way he wrinkles his nose). I am sometimes overwhelmed with the love I have for this precious gift God has given Daniel and I. I can never measure how much he means to me, and to think that God loves me even more than that I cannot begin to comprehend! I wanted to put these pictures up here to remind myself that just because Ian is an ever changing little person does not mean I need to be sad about it. I need to smile and enjoy my little boy each day and watch him grow to be a strong man of God. I hope that Daniel and I can continue to be the examples he needs to grow up to be who God wants him to be.

Ian, always give me those sweet kisses!

Love, Mommy

Introducing Grayson Conner

2009-04-06T13:34:00.002-06:00

This cutie is the newest addition to my employer's family. He is such a snuggly little boy. I could hold him all day(and he would let me,too) I had so much fun taking his newborn pictures, and I look forward to watching him grow over the next couple of months. Here are a few of my favorites from his session. Have a blessed week!

-♥- Jen

Charlie James-my favorites

2009-03-30T21:21:00.000-06:00

Okay, so now that I have finished the pictures of Charlie and the CD is in his family's hands, I am posting up my favorites. I didn't want to spoil the surprise for his Grandma who requested these. The first two images are of him in his Christening gown (which is hand-made by the way). I think this special piece of clothing will serve as an heirloom for many generations. It is so beautiful! I did some pictures that were supposed to replicate the "Victorian-era" and I think they turned out rather nicely. He looks like a doll to me! The last two images were taken right outside on the big front porch. I absolutely LOVE the one where he is looking away from the camera. Pure innocence and so baby-like. Well, that's it for last week. I will hopefully have some new images up soon.

-♥- Jen

One Year Ago...

2009-03-28T20:01:00.002-06:00

I am truly amazed at how much Ian has changed in the past year. The pictures below are of Ian and his buddies Maddox and Hudson exactly one year ago. They were barely walking,talking tots then and now they are two years old and taking the world by storm! The 2nd photo is of all three of their precious little feet. Just wanted to share some thoughts.

♥ Jen

Charlie James

2009-03-28T19:22:00.002-06:00

I had so much fun taking pictures of this cutie-pie. He is extremely photogenic and I loved making him smile. Charlie is currently seven months old and is obviously a huge joy in his Grandma and Mama's life. As promised, here is your sneak peak, Marsha!

♥ Jen

Bluebonnet Season

2009-03-24T18:35:00.005-06:00

I am so proud of these pictures. My Dad called me yesterday morning and told me he saw a rather large patch of bluebonnets off of a nearby highway. I was in the car and on my way in 15 minutes. Not bad considering neither Ian or I were dressed for the day yet. Ian just loved them! He ran around in them for 10 minutes or so and then he noticed a pond and thought it would be a good idea to run straight for it (I think we are ready for summer, folks!). Sorry no pictures of that...too scary for me to document. So here are the pictures, I hope they make you smile!

-Jen

Meet Cailyn

2009-03-23T04:58:00.005-06:00

So I am trying really hard to me a woman of my word and keep this blog updated as much as possible. I am doing it for a few reasons. 1.) To keep friends and family updated on the things going on in our lives and 2.)To show friends and family how much fun I have taking pictures.

The pictures in this series are of my good friends Nathan and April and their sweet baby girl, Cailyn. I had this grand plan of how we were going to"pose" Cailyn for her pictures with Mommy and Daddy but she had other plans. She finally won and I have to say, she makes the cutest face when she is angry. We even got a few pictures where she is not crying! Enjoy!

-Jen

Contemplation...

2009-03-09T17:31:00.005-06:00

So I have been thinking about what I am going to do when the Conners(my employers) leave. They leave at the end of July. A few months ago I thought I would nanny for another sweet family for a while and just keep doing that. However, I really enjoy taking pictures and would love to expand in that department. Today I recieved an email from a family member that had several GREAT ideas for marketing myself. (thank you Grandma Needels!) One of them was to set up at a church craft show and display pictures I have taken . I don't know how successful that would be but I think it would be a lot of FUN! If anyone has information on local craft shows or ideas on promoting Jenuine Photographix(like the name?!),let me know!

Happy Monday!

-Jen

Sad that my first Post for 2009 is in...MARCH!

2009-03-07T07:23:00.006-06:00

Wow, I have NOT been good about keeping this thing updated. To those of you who still check regularly, I am so sorry! A lot has happened since I last wrote in here so I can't type it all but I will do my best to highlight the important stuff. Dan is still in school. He is actually on break right now so Ian and I are enjoying him immensely. We have been taking trips to the beach and park a lot these days. It's nice to have him around more for a little while! Ian is still the cutest 2 year old in the world(at least in my opinion). He is talking non-stop(everyone says both Dan and I were talkers as kids so I think we are in trouble). Ian is currently able to count to 20 almost on his own,he starts getting things jumbled around number17. I do think he may be a little artistic himself as he LOVES painting any type of "art". I also find him singing to himself a lot. I love it! When ever I ask him what he is singing his response is usually "guitar, mommy" with a "duh!" undertone...the kid cracks me up! And as for me, I am still working part time as a nanny for the Conners. They have a new addition to the family that I love holding and snuggling. I have also been working on expanding my photography opportunities. I have been having a blast with my camera:) So if you know of anyone that would like unique out-door photos done, let me know!
So, that about wraps up what we have been up to. The pics posted are my most recent work with my little guy. I love how they turned out!

2008-12-20T11:58:00.001-06:00

Happy Holidays!

2008-11-30T13:53:00.000-06:00

So a lot has happened this year. We started out the year with Daniel getting a new job. He now works for Xerox, which was a move up in pay and benefits. Xerox has education reimbursement, so Daniel started back to school! He’s going through University of Phoenix and working towards a bachelor’s in Business Management. It’s been a busy year, trying to cram school into an already busy schedule, but it will be worth it.

Jennifer has expanded her responsibilities on many levels. Jen is keeping our household together, first of all. She is a nanny as well, getting up early and taking Ian with her to go care for Maddox. Ian and Maddox are like brothers, which can be stressful for Jen, as they get along just like brothers! In September (an early birthday gift), she was given a nice digital camera by her loving husband, and is now generating 500 beautiful pictures every month.

Ian is possibly the smartest child ever, at least in his parents and grandparents and great-grandparents eyes. At two, he can say his alphabet, count to ten, sing lots of songs, and have little conversations with others. It’s very cute stuff. He is also a camera hog, and loves smiling for photos. His aunts and uncles can’t resist him, and he’s just a joy to everyone’s lives. Of course, he is two, so he does have his temper tantrum moments and gets in as much trouble as he can.

Hurricane Ike hit Galveston Island in September, and changed thousands of people’s lives forever. We didn’t lose any of our stuff, but our apartment sustained mold damage, and we had to move out. We then managed to buy a house in 30 days, and we are now living in our own home in Texas City! See our new address on the envelope. We feel extremely blessed to have come out so well, and we continue to pray for those who are still working to recover from the storm. We have learned so much this year, and we are hopeful as we go into 2009.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Daniel, Jennifer & Ian

Ian's Alphabet Song

2008-11-30T12:30:00.001-06:00

Ian singing the alphabet... enjoy :)

Ian's 2nd Birthday

2008-10-22T18:39:00.002-06:00

Ian had a WONDERFUL 2nd Birthday!!! Lots of family and friends came out to "MeMe and Poppy's" to help us celebrate. It seems like only moments ago I was holding him for the first time. It is my prayer that God will continue to show Daniel and I how to raise this precious little boy. I am so excited to see what 2 is going to bring us and yet I am a little sad because he is not a baby anymore. He will always be my baby though. Here is a poem I found that describes the way I am feeling right now...

It seems like only yesterday
that I held you in my arms
for the very first time
And now you walk beside me
holding my hand
and teaching my heart
to see the world
through the eyes of a child
Today all of nature
is your playground
and tommorow will dawn
with a rainbow of surprises
waiting to be discovered
by your innocent eyes
and open heart
It seems like only yesterday
that I welcomed you into my world
for the very first time
And now I can't imagine
what my world would ever be like
without you!

Some photos...

2008-09-20T13:13:00.006-06:00

Daniel bought me an AWESOME camera for my birthday. He had to give it to me early because he couldn't hide it from me in the car!!! Here are a few pictures I have taken. I have taken close to 700 already. I had better start deleting some of them...

Post- Ike

2008-09-20T12:35:00.002-06:00

I know everyone is wondering how we are doing...we are fine!!! Our home has received minimal damage(we are on the second floor), praise God! I hear that everyone who lived on ground level was impacted greatly by the storm. I have a friend who got six feet of water in his home. Scary!!!We have some water leakage in the ceiling, our chimney stack is down and it stinks like rotting food but I can handle that:) We are currently staying at Mom and Dad's in Santa Fe until the situation gets better in Galveston. I know there are a lot of people working very hard around the clock to make my home livable again. I read in the news paper last night that the city will be letting people back on the island as early as Friday. However, there won't be power yet so Dan and I will continue to stay right where we are. We plan on going to the island to clean out the apartment and to drop off some things that have been in the trunk for over a week now. I hope everyone is doing well. Please pray for those that are in need!!!

Love you all,

Jen

A Little Visit with Granny

2008-08-25T13:11:00.000-06:00

These are pictures of Ian and I with my Granny Yost(my Mom's Grandmom). I
love how these pictures turned out. I have many fond memories from my childhood of drawing her pictures to keep on her refrigerator and her giving me too much apple juice...and ALWAYS having red licorice in the house. I smile every time I think of her.

Cuties

2008-08-25T09:57:00.000-06:00

This picture is a favorite of mine...simply because all three of them are looking at the camera and SMILING at the same time! It is hard work getting three young children to all sit down and smile long enough to get a good picture. The other two kiddos are Ian's second cousins Bobby(age 4) and Abby(age 2).

Over the River and Through the Woods...

2008-08-25T09:36:00.001-06:00

This is my dear Great- Grandmother.(and Ian's Great-Great Grandmother!) Ian and were fortunate enough to have a
little visit with her. It was Ian's first time to meet her and he warmed up quite nicely.

What a Difference One Year Makes!!!

2008-08-25T06:38:00.002-06:00

Both of these photos were taken in my Grandparent's BEAUTIFUL flower bed. The top one was taken last summer when Ian was only 8 months old and the lower one was taken just a couple of weeks ago. Its amazing all the changes that have happened in only one year! He has gone from a baby to a walking,talking toddler.(He will always be my baby though) Ian loves God's beautiful outdoor creations...especially flowers. We can't walk by any flowers without stopping to smell them...I think we could all try to remember that more often!

Fun at the Zoo!

2008-08-23T20:49:00.005-06:00

My Aunt Julie and I took the kids to the zoo while we were up in Pennsylvania. She has two
young kids,Bobby and Abby.They are really cute kids and even better,Ian LOVED them. He wanted to do everything Bobby did(I hope it didn't drive him too crazy!)and he thought Abby was "pretty". Anyway here are a few of my favorites from the zoo trip. Oh yeah,it was Ian's first time to visit the zoo and he just couldn't enough of it. I don't think I knew what it meant to be REALLY exhausted until I experienced chasing a toddler around the zoo for five hours. But it was well worth it and I would love to do it again!!!

This elephant was NOT camera shy!

Ian looking at a tiger(there is glass separating them)
Ian the Leopard!!!(I love the face!)
A close up...the artist was wonderful!
Bobby the Crocodile,Abby the Piggy and Ian the Leopard

Summer is flying by!!!

2008-08-23T20:28:00.002-06:00

During the first week of August Ian and I took a (long!)airplane ride up to visit my family in Pennsylvania. And boy did we have fun!!!!By the end of the week I had uploaded close to 500 pictures that had captured many smiles and memories. I will refrain from putting them ALL up here:)It would take too long anyway!! The picture of Ian was taken out on my Grandmom's swing. Isn't he a goofball? The other was also taken on the front porch. I believe my Grandpop actually planted those plants in an old pair of his workboots. I love it! More pics of the trip coming soon.

No we haven't disappeared!!!!

2008-08-23T20:10:00.006-06:00

Okay okay, so I haven't gotten on here to do updates in a VERY LONG time. Sorry Pop-Pop!!! Here are some pictures of what we have been up to this summer. I am going to try and do better about getting on here more. Fun times at the Moody Gardens Aquarium. Ian is pointing at starfish.

Ian listening to the new "headsones" mommy got him.
He decided to break dance!!!
Future Hip Hop Dancer???

Summer Fun

2008-07-07T20:12:00.002-06:00

So it has been a little while since I last updated everyone on our summer. We have been spending all of our free time at the pool or just hanging around our apartment.

An evening at the beach...

2008-06-24T09:33:00.005-06:00

One evening after dinner Dan and I decided to take Ian to the beach. Actually we were headed to the pool when we realized it was locked and we couldn't get in. Ian was devestated that we weren't going so we decided to tell him we could take him to the beach. He was on board with that plan!!! While there I took pictures and a few of them turned out cute. I love the one with Ian holding Daniel's hand.

I love these boys!!!

2008-06-10T19:53:00.000-06:00

I took these pictures of Ian and Maddox(the little boy I nanny) this morning during a rare but very sweet "hug". They are just like brothers...but every once in a while they are nice to one another. I especially like the last picture because it looks like Maddox is squeezing the life out of Ian.

He is supposed to be sleeping....

2008-06-09T13:23:00.005-06:00

A little bit ago I quietly slipped into Ian's room determined to take
"sleeping" pictures of him. Apparently he wasn't asleep yet! Does he look like he is going to sleep anytime soon? I have a feeling it might be a long afternoon...

Daniel's Birthday

2008-06-09T13:02:00.003-06:00

Daniel's birthday was last Thursday. I went to Kroger and bought steak for the very first time.(wasn't as hard as I though it would be). It was so good!!! I also made brownies for dessert which we shared with our dear friends Carlos and Elisabeth. It was a wonderful day,and I think Dan is very greatly anticipating his gift...still. I am running a little late on it. Thank God he doesn't hold grudges!!! I am forever thankful to God for giving me such a wonderful husband and Ian a fun daddy:)

Ian Performing on Video

2008-05-26T07:37:00.003-06:00

This video is especially for the Duke side of the family. Yesterday, Ian went swimming with Grandma, Grandpa, and his aunts Audra, Natalie, and Ariel. That evening, during our discussion of the day's events, we reviewed all those names. He never really got Grandpa (sorry, Daddy), but he did pretty good on the rest. Check it out!

First Time at Moody Gardens

2008-05-23T17:46:00.000-06:00

Last weekend Daniel and I went to get our Moody Gardens passes made. For those of you that don't know what Moody Gardens is, its a local tourist attraction that consists of a rain forest, aquarium, and and a large swimming area named Palm Beach. There are other things to do there but I don't really know what. Since we were there and had some free time on our hands,we took Ian to the rain forest for the very first time. He was enthralled!!! The kid just kept walking around in awe of the animals and water. Some of his favorites were the bats(no good pics) and the colorful macaws. There were also some brightly colored birds walking around and he had fun following them around too. I think we will be visiting Moody Gardens a lot this summer. I hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

2008-05-20T09:55:00.000-06:00

Look what Ian and Daddy do when they get creative...too funny!!! Daniel called him the "Activia King",and Ian loved it! He even went and sat in his "throne" for pictures. I love the last one...he looks the part of king:) I am having so much fun with Ian in this phase of his toddlerhood. He has a wonderful imagination and is always learning something new.

Busy boys...

2008-05-18T20:11:00.000-06:00

Ian and Maddox are practically brothers. I am so glad Ian gets to have a little play pal right now. Maddox is very special to him. Even though he is only 18 months, I hope that somehow Ian will remember this special time in his life.

Monica Holmes is now Monica Malloy

2008-05-13T21:43:00.003-06:00

One of my best friends,Monica got married on Saturday. It was a beautiful wedding! She and her husband Sean just moved in a few doors down from us. I look forward to being their neighbor and having a walking/running partner once again! Don't they look happy?

A Very Special Mother's Day

2008-05-13T21:32:00.002-06:00

This Mother's Day was special indeed! My little boy said "Happy Mommy Day" upon my waking up!(I got to sleep in a bit thanks to Dan) My special present from Ian was a personalised bottle of perfume from Clinique that had a picture of us on it. I also got an awesome pink tool kit and a deep fryer that I will be using in the near future. Fried chicken anyone? It was a wonderful day that was spent with loved ones and will hold special memories for a long time. I hope all of you Mommies also had a fun day with your family!!!

Bethany came for a visit!

2008-05-13T14:27:00.001-06:00

Daniel's sister Bethany came down from Waco to stay with us all last week!
I loved it!! We got to spend a lot of much needed quality time together. We have really gotten to know one another better over the past couple of months and I praise God for such a wonderful sister-in-law. I miss her so much already...I hope she plans on coming down again in the near future:) Here are a couple pictures of Ian posing with his "Aunt B".

Recent Photos on the Beach...

2008-05-12T13:30:00.005-06:00

The three of us...

Ian and Mommy

Exploring...

An attempt at an "artistic" shot

Daniel and I took Ian to walk on the rocks down on the seawall last week after dinner. I was a little apprehensive because up until that day he has been terrified of water. I mean shaking head to toe terrified! To my amazement,when Ian saw the water,he starting screaming "blue" over and over again!! He is now no longer afraid of the water...he loves it! Here are a few pictures I took that evening...maybe we will make a trip down soon to play in the water!!!

Four Generations!!!

2008-05-10T22:49:00.002-06:00

And here is the ONLY halfway decent picture of the four generations. Who would have thought it would be so hard to get them all to smile at the same time?

A Visit from the Great-Grandparents!

2008-05-10T22:47:00.000-06:00

Daniel's Grandparents from West Texas came down for the weekend for Christopher Duke's(Dan's youngest brother) Graduation Ceremony. It was a big event! It was a blast having most of the immediate family around. Ian especially liked having the chance to grab Great-Grandmother and Great Granddaddy's undivided attention! Here he is brushing up on his reading skills and showing off his squirminess!

A Mother's Love...

2008-04-30T20:41:00.003-06:00

A Mother's love is something
that no on can explain,
It is made of deep devotion
and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish
and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it
or take that love away . . .
It is patient and forgiving
when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters
even though the heart is breaking . . .
It believes beyond believing
when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty
of the rarest, brightest gems . . .
It is far beyond defining,
it defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret
like the mysteries of creation . . .
A many splendoured miracle
man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence
of God's tender guiding hand

A day at the Park

2008-04-23T10:40:00.004-06:00

Ian, Mommy and Daddy went to the park for a Jada's birthday.
We had so much fun. Ian was swinging in the swing and running around all over the place.

It was a sunny day, and the wind was blowing, so Daddy decided to take a "breezy" picture of Mommy and Ian.

First Video Post!

2008-04-23T08:43:00.003-06:00

This is a great video of Ian learning to use a spoon...

2008-04-22T11:23:00.009-06:00

Left to Right: Monica(bride to be),me,and Bethany(Daniel's sister)

I love this picture,Monica's mom, Marie took it during the bridal shower Bethany and I threw for her on Saturday night. We had a blast. Bethany and I look pretty good for feeling so exhausted! I am so excited that Monica is getting married in just a few weeks. I have known her since we were little kiddos and am proud to say she is one of my best friends. I love you, girl!

Good times with family

2008-04-22T07:56:00.005-06:00

Ian and his Great Pop-Pop

Ian and his Great Mom- Mom

Ian with Uncles Josh and Jason

My awesome parents

Grandma and Grandpa,the Birthday Boy

We went out to eat to celebrate my Grandpa's birthday last week and I had fun taking pictures of everybody.Here are a few. Looks like I managed to get everyone but Jimmy-sorry! We had a great time visiting with my Mom's parents while they were down from Pennsylvania for the week too!

Too cold for swimming!

2008-04-21T20:58:00.003-06:00

So we decided that since it hit 85 degrees last Saturday that it was warm enough to go for an afternoon swim after Ian's nap. WRONG! After spending the 30 minutes putting on swim suits,finding the beach towels, rubbing each other down with sunscreen,and attempting to blow up Ian's floating device(which the cat previously attacked we soon found out),we headed out to the pool only to find out that I couldn't stand to put my feet in the water. So we packed up and headed back to the apt to hang out on the roof-top patio. On the way back,I decided to snap this picture...I didn't go through all that hassle for nothing!!! I just love Ian's floppy hat. Daniel thinks it makes him look a little girlie,I think its one of the most adorable hats ever.

Sunny Days in the Sandbox

2008-04-17T12:30:00.007-06:00

I love these pictures of Ian and Maddox playing in the sandbox at Maddox's house. They had a blast! They are dirt-finding pros now! Every day after nap time we go out for an hour of playtime and when we come back in,we HAVE to get a bath before doing anything else!

He Grows Up So Fast

2008-04-03T22:20:00.000-06:00

I guess I never realized how fast time can fly by until I opened up this blog and realized a year had gone by! A year! And no ordinary year at that... It contained Ian learning to crawl, and walk, and talk, and run. This year holds memories of laughter and tears, anger and happiness, and lots of growing up on everybody's part. Ian will be 18 months on the 20th of April. Our lives are forever changed for the better, and I hope to continue to share that life through this blog and our Picasa Photo Albums at www.picasaweb.google.com/ddukefamily. I promise I'll update those soon too!

Keep reading, and feel free to comment, I'd love to hear from ya'll!

daniel

rolling over

2007-05-17T15:29:00.000-06:00

just a quick post to say that Ian rolled over today! I know he's 6 months old, so this shouldn't be a big deal, but Jen was worried, and that made me worried. He can sit up as well or better than kids his age, but Jen said that he wasn't rolling over, and that was not good. But we started working with him this morning, and he got it! He could roll left or right from his tummy to back. And he could do it on his own without prompting. Still working on back-to-front, but we'll get there! :)

- daniel

ian the littlest cowboy

2007-05-02T14:32:00.000-06:00

Isn't Ian just the cutest thing you've ever seen with this little cowboy hat? Hehehe, I love it. But we can't have him growing up redneck now... I've got my geek status to pass on to someone!
- daniel

i wonder - am i a gamer parent?

2007-05-02T12:29:00.000-06:00

I just read an interesting article about being a gamer parent, and realizing I'm going to have to make these types of decisions soon! Check out the article and let me know what you think...

(Cartoon is just for fun)

- daniel

first post + fav picture

2007-05-02T10:59:00.000-06:00

My first post! And I could think of nothing better than this picture to start things off. Ian is such a wonderful kid, he's always posing for pictures for his mommy and that makes her happy. Life is crazy right now, we're going 10 different directions (which is impressive for 2 parents and 1 baby), and things don't look like they're slowing down. In fact, I should probably be working on a logo or something right now, but instead I decided to try out this blogging thing. I don't want to look like I'm jumping on the Web 2.0 bandwagon, but I think I finally have something to say. Plus, I also have a bunch of pictures of Ian and Jen, art I'm working on, and other stuff I'd like to share.

- daniel

(This picture was taken by the pool in our apartment complex. I'm not sure if Jen or I took it, so we'll just say it was Jen. She usually takes better pictures.)