We are back...

Some of the most wonderful experiences of my entire life have happened in the last 2 months. Our daughter has been a vortex of joy that has completely sucked us in! I have always loved taking pictures and working with children, but having your own and watching each moment of growth and wonder has been absolutely breath taking. It gives me new understanding when I see someone kiss their child during a photo session. Or seeing the child coo and giggle at their parents. It is an unbelievable bond, one I don't think I could have ever fully expected or prepared for.  Leaving her for just a few afternoons to go back to work at 4 weeks was extremely hard. Those who know me, know my passion for my work, but this new passion for her just can't compare. We are still learning how to balance our jobs, a baby and the busy Christmas season, but I think we might be starting to get the hang of things. Yesterday Betsy Lackey, www.photobybetsy.com took our family pictures. Here is a sneak peek of our new little family on Scouts 2 month birthday!

She is here!

Rowyn Marie Ballentine (Scout) was born on October 12, 2010 at 4:08 pm! We could not be more happy to share our new bundle of joy with everyone! She just turned a month old, and my o my how time is flying by! We will be back at work for Christmas Card Sessions starting in 2 weeks. There will be posting new information about them shortly. But for now, here is God's greatest blessing in lives; our lil Scout!

Picture taken by Betsy Lackey - www.PhotoByBetsy.com

Picture taken by Betsy Lackey - www.PhotoByBetsy.com

Following Pictures taken by Mom (Katrina Ballentine)

Picture taken by Dad (Matthew Ballentine

Caden Monster

Caden needs you to have a major sweet tooth this Saturday! 

Head on over to FreeBirds off on the S Loop by Old Navy and buy some sweet treats to help him and his family as he fights Leukemia!

O geez.... We are behind... and Pregnant!

Picture taken by Betsy Lackey- www.photobyBetsy.com - She is pretty amazing!

So, as I was FINALLY updating my website tonight, it occurred to me that I should click on my blog link. I mean when you, wonderful people of the web, are kind enough to go to my website, you have 2 options... Enter Site or go to the BLOG. I go through blogging spurts, and yes I know people have a busy week or two where they forget to blog, but my last blog date was in March!! And the guilt was just overwhelming. Yes we have been busy this summer (clearly you can see that in the pic of my ever growing belly above) but there is not excuse for not blogging in 5 months. I DEEPLY APOLOGIZE for this grand gesture of negligence.  In a small defense, I do update our facebook page just about every other day. You can look up Ballentine Studios on facebook, click the "Like" button and you will get to see all our updates when you get on. The truth is Ballentine Studios has been busier than ever. We hit our "official" 2 years as a business mark back in July. We have been booking 2 mo. in advance ever since spring hit. And it is all because of YOU... well a lot of you. Thank you for passing out our name along with kind words.  We couldn't be happier with the direction our lives and the business are going. So what is in store? Well my due date is 10-10-10.... pretty nifty huh? I will take my last session on September 15th and start closing up shop for the month of October. Closing up shop is quite a job since e-mails constantly come and orders need to be made and delivered. For the first time since I was 15 yrs old, I will be jobless for a whole month starting in October. I guess it could be said I will be starting my hardest and most rewarding job in October, of being a MOM! I will be coming back part time for infant and baby session only in the 2nd half of November. On the first weekend in December we will be taking Christmas Card Sessions on the 3rd, 4th, and 6th. Other than that I am going to spend my time cuddling with my new lil girl! We will be back with a bang on January 1st. There will be some changes made due to our growth over the last year, and I can't wait for everyone to see our new look and focus! Thanks for sticking with us!

Suprises- Ballentine Studios- Lubbock, TX Newborn and Child Photography

I LOVE SURPRISES!

OK so Surprise #1 is..... dum dum dum dum- I am going to have a NEW blog! One that I am sure I will actually enjoy writing in! I have heard it from just about every photographer friend and random person off the street- "Your Blog is kinda SAD". I know you can't see the pictures big enough, there is not much information, I never update it, yada yada yada. So I just wanted to let everyone know that I am aware of this problem and as soon as my genius computer geek of a husband finds time to install my new blog software, I will be up and running! Whoo Hoo!

Surprise #2 is.... in the first blog entry I make on the New Blog, I  will be telling an even bigger surprise! Yes Sir, but I can't tell you it right now! Just wanted you to have something to look forward to!

So I have been working like mad lately to catch up on everything before senior/wedding season officially starts. I have been blessed the past few months with tons of children and newborn shoots. I can honestly say it is my passion and they type of photography I enjoy the most! There is something so fun about it to me, I think it is the unexpected. Your never in control with kids, and I love that. It is the chance to create something beautiful out of chaos! :) Matthew and I have talked and we have decided that this will be our last year for wedding and event photography. I want to focus more on general family photography, this will mainly include Maternity, Newborn, Children, Families and Seniors. I feel like being able to focus more time in these areas will result in some awesome pictures. We will be making this change over the next year and I am looking forward to it!

For now I will leave you with Lil Miss P. - she was not interested in sleeping much but such a cutie... I was really digging the black and whites I got from this session so this is an all black and white blog. If the last one does not put a smile on your face, then you are a Grinch! Sorry.. it is fact!

Snow Day- Lubbock, Texas - Childrens Photographer

If you had ask me last October, "So, Katrina, how many times do you think it will snow in Lubbock this year?" I would not have said. " Oh, I don't know, maybe 8 times." I mean normally we are lucky if it snows even once in Lubbock during the winter. So one day when the kids were out of school on a snow day, and the driving conditions became decent in the afternoon, I made a little comment on the Ballentine Studios facebook page, saying that if anyone was interested, to meet me at a park and we would catch a few "snow pictures". Apparently I was not the only one who thought this would be a cool idea because I booked up my afternoon with-in 30 mins. It was a little too cold for some kidos to have a great time and then others we could not get out of the snow. It was such a fun day and here are just a few of my favs!

Alyssa - Vintage Bride- Ballentine Studios - Texas Photographer

We got back from Alyssa and Johnnys Wedding this past Valentines Weekend! So now I get to show off Alyssas Bridal Pictures! It is always so hard for me to wait until the wedding is over to show off the bridals. By the way the wedding was so sweet, Matthew and I had a great time and I cried... not usually a crier. I barely cried at my own wedding. They are just such a sweet couple and I think it was the verse from the book of Ruth that really got to me. Anyhow enough about the ball bag photographer.... here is the beautiful bride!

I love the wood detail in this one above!

We were seriously hoping that garage behind her was not going fall while we were there!