Portraits ♥ Baby Joseph - McAllen, Texas

Whoah! I have been meaning to blog for a while but I had not realized how long it had been since my last post! Gasp... I spent all last week recuperating and eating tons of mashed potatoes. I love potatoes but after not being to eat any real food for a while I am desperately wanting to bite into a giant and delicious hamburger. Yumm.

I am a little behind on blogging some sessions so I figured I better start tonight and catch up. It's already Wednesday!!! 

I love being able to connect with my clients and getting to know them on a personal level. After I photograph couples on their wedding day, I always get excited to keep up with their growing families. Cassandra and Joseph were married in late August of 2010 and welcomed a healthy, beautiful baby boy in 2011. I had been awaiting his arrival and glad I finally had the chance to meet him this April. At four months, he was very well-behaved during his session. 

It was almost as if I was photographing a newborn because after he drank his bottle, Jospeh went straight to sleep. What an adorable cutie!!! 

See for yourself = )

I hope you had a wonderful and blessed Easter! Have a wonderful week :)

Ouch.

Howdy! I had all four wisdom teeth extracted on Monday evening so I will be taking the week off to recover. You can reach me via email and I should be able to get back to you in a timely manner. If you call, or have called, I promise to get back to you as soon as I can properly speak :)

I'll be back soon!

Have a blessed week!!!

Mail me a letter...

...I have an office!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

260 South Texas Blvd Weslaco, Texas 78596

I am a dreamer - always have been and always will. In second grade my teacher made me write an essay reflecting on what my future career goals and aspirations were. I knew exactly what I wanted to be - a million and one things. How could anyone choose only one thing they'd want to be?! I wanted to dabble and excel in anything and everything. 

So what did I write about? I wrote I was going to be an entrepreneur. Yes, I had to double check the spelling just as I typed it - both now and back in second grade. I did not know how to spell the word, was not quite sure exactly what it meant but I knew that is what I wanted to be. For someone who wanted to be everything and anything, becoming an entrepreneur was exactly the profession for me. 

Fast forward the remainder of elementary, middle and high school and I became a lost kid in  college, way lost. I am sure I visited every college dean and asked for guidance. It took me two years of taking the basics to discover my home - political science. But, in typical Marisol fashion, it was not enough for me so I also felt welcomed in philosophy. I called the two colleges my home and have serious brain power thanks to Dr. Cole's Epistemology course... don't mess with me, I'll ruin your thought process ;)

I graduated college, applied to law school, and bought furniture for an apartment. But I did not leave. I'd be lying if I said everyone believed I made the right decision in staying behind and pursuing a risky dream. I know I made the right choice. Back in November, my mind set itself on another dream. I wished for the day I could have my very own office, a real one. My mom letting me use her home office and my corner bedroom spot don't count. On a yellow piece of paper I wrote down all of the expenses an office would incur. And I dreamed. I dreamed about the day this would become a reality. 

I knew it would happen. I would work hard to make it happen. And it did, it happened and I am so thankful and feel very blessed. I never imagined I'd find the perfect space with the perfect logistics for my business so quickly. Truly, this is faith and I am on the path I am meant to be. I found a rental space in January and signed the lease at towards the end of the month. My mom and I spent all of February preparing for the big move and dreaming bigger. 

So I have officially moved in a while back and although the move added to my workload, I am delighted to have a little space to call my own!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, I am still very excited :)

Do you want to take a look?

This is the building I am in... the Historical Villa de Cortez in Weslaco, Texas. I think the Villa de Cortez and I are a perfect fit. It is an absolutely beautiful building and serves as a home to a variety of offices, two restaurants, and a glamorous ballroom. I wished for an office here back in November and my dream came true! Thank you Lord :)

The before...

... and the after. We begin from the outside... I am down the hall in Suite 405 :)

I typed my college applications on this typewriter! It was a gift from my mommy when I was in high school. It still works :)

 My home-made-filing cabinet :)

 Desk linens thanks to my lovely grandmother :) She sows much straighter than I do...

 Some packaging...

 My diploma... it was getting dusty at home ;)

I sit inside and look around and wonder when someone is going to come in and kick me out. Then I realize it's mine. Well, so I don't technically own it but I have already daydreamed about buying the building years from now... it's such a beautiful and historical landmark that I'd love to own it ;)

But for now, my dream has come true. I am a business owner and I have my own office space.
WOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! 

Everything in this little room is special and meaningful to me. I have been collecting items for many years now and I am so happy all my little things have a home to be displayed in. My furniture is comprised of things we had at home and some new items I bought... but more details on the process tomorrow so come back!!

If you are in my home state and in the area, come visit ;) 

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!!!

Pageantry ♥ The Miss Donna Sweetheart Pageant

Growing up, I knew I wanted to be an entrepeneur and a baker. Practicing law was not a dream until I arrived to college and figured I had to do something with my life right around junior year. For the most part, I had always wanted to become successful as a fashion designer and move to New York. I have countless notebooks full of sketches. Gowns, that's what I wanted to become known for... beautiful and glamourous evening gowns.

I find it interesting that I later decided and applied to law school because, as I have previously mentioned, I have been really timid most of my life. Then, in high school during senior year, someone said I should sign up for the local city pageant. I mentioned the idea to my mom and she pleaded that I participate. She wanted to see me wear a gown and wear a little bit of lipstick.

I agreed.

Fast forward to today and I am so thankful I participated in the Miss Donna pageant back in 2004. It truly was a launching pad for my communication skills. I still find myself telling some of my clients that I am really shy but they have a hard time believing me. As I think about it, I am no longer shy. I have become an outgoing young woman and I actually enjoy public speaking. Seriously, give me a microphone and I'll give you a piece of my mind :)

The world of pageantry opened many doors for me but what I am most thankful for are my scholarships that I earned and the confidence in my speaking skills. I am not going to lie and say it was all peachy and sparkly because it was not. Trust me, there were some interesting things I experienced both positive and negative. For a good chunk of time I came to dislike the world of pageantry and never wanted anything to do with it. It was then that I realized we can never let negative people take the good things we see in others away from us. 

Now I could go on and talk about how I later discovered world peace or something like that but the truth of the matter is I didn't. What I discovered is who I am as an individual and what I want out of my life. I came full circle with the world of pageants and it was very important that I inform my community what great pageantry can do for young women in the community. That is why my mother and I started the Rio Grande Valley Beauty and the Miss Donna Sweetheart Scholarship pageants. Right now, we are in full pageant mode preparing for the Miss Donna Sweetheart Pageant. 

The pageants are completely free of cost to every contestant. I am very proud of this. My mom works harder to make this possible but we think it's worth making the pageant accessible to all girls interested in competing. My goal, personally, is to give someone the opportunity to believe in themselves... just the way pageants helped me.

So, I'd like to introduce you to some of our 2010 winning queens. These girls did an amazing job this past year representing our community, Donna. 

Sick. :(

I can't breathe through my nostrils and my little eyeballs look ten times larger than usual. I probably have a cold and my little body has finally given in to feeling ill. I managed to go through all of 2010 staying away from germs but they managed to find me in 2011.

Blaaaah. (<< this is vaguely a representation of how I look AND feel. It's horrible, trust me.)

If you don't hear from me when you try to reach me, please forgive the delay. I will get back to you as soon as possible.

No photo for today's post, sorry :(.

But I hope YOU are having a great day :).

Be blessed.