Tonya Joy Photography » motherhood

the dream…

Tonya — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 03:58:22 +0000

i love the way that a camera can help me to tell a story…the way I can create images to materialize pieces of my heart…bring a feeling into a tangible and visual thing I can share…
i don’t sing…it is a talent I admire so greatly in others who have been gifted beautiful voices…but if I could, I can imagine that the way I feel when I get to shoot something special and beautiful is probably much like how it must feel to express yourself in song…
this shoot…my heart was singing…
so I share with you…the dream…(or the “dreem” as my sweet scribe ella put it).

once upon a time…there were 3 beautiful little girls…their momma was feeling a tugging on her heart because life seemed to be a little tough at the moment…

so she took her sleeping beauties out for a special shoot to remind them all of how very blessed they all were…to do fun and girly things…

they put on beautiful dresses, painted their eyes with delicate gold makeup, and giggled together…and then they feel into a beautiful dream…

they found themselves in a beautiful wilderness…

they looked around to see the beauty that was everywhere around them…

they danced…

laughed and played in the warm sunlight…

their momma told each and every one of them how beautiful and special they were…

they wondered what was in this beautiful place…

so they explored…

they enjoyed being in such a beautiful place…they sat and warmed in the sun…talked…and played a little….

but then they remembered the secrets they had giggled about the other day…

so momma asked them about their secrets.. what they dream about?

mia must dream about all the fun letters and words she is learning to write in preschool…

ava is catching on to technology…

girl you better marry a stock broker

and ella is dreaming of…what??? BOYS!

oh no…we have to have a talk girl!

so i thought it was only fair to share something I have been dreaming about lately!!!

Heaven help me! We are expecting a baby!!!

I will admit…I have been a bit blue…

I have been so sick, been having such a rough time getting through this hard first trimester…

but I am almost through it and I know that the thing that pulls me through is to focus on the little person who will change all our lives in about 6 months!

how could I not be filled with such joy…

look at these angels that bless my life…

you kids all inspire me to find the magic in everyday…

…we are excited and I know I will be feeling better soon!

We are keeping this one a mystery and will find out whether we are having a girl or a boy join our family on its birthday!

Baby is coming in July!

thanks for letting me share my little dream with you…click on the slideshow to see a few more of our little shoot!!!

happy dreaming!

an afternoon dream…the introduction…

Tonya — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 03:04:24 +0000

often when I am styling a shoot, I take one or all the girls along with me. They ooh and ahh over the glam that ends up in my shopping bag and they always ask, “momma…when you are done with your shoot, can I have that?” I always tell them they are free to have anything I get after I am done with it. I love purchasing knowing that the goodies I end up with will be fun for all of us to use. I have been meaning to get them all dolled up for weeks and go out and play together…things have been busy, or someone was sick, or the weather was not right…but today…i decided we would make it happen. Even though I was exhausted, ella had a chapped face from fighting a cold, and the girls would most likely surely make me crazy shooting all 3 of them by myself, I seized the opportunity to put a little shoot on. I had picked up some individual false lashes at target and decided I would try them out on my little beauties…ella first, then ava, followed by mia whose lashes did not need a single falsie…so she opted out of them. How they giggled and stared in the mirror after sitting in momma’s make shift makeup chair. Jason came home and Ava ran through the house laughing and telling him she had fake eye lashes on. He all but rolled his eyes with a smile knowing what he had ahead of him with these little beauties!

I decided after dolling them up…that my little girls reminded me again…of the reality of the women that lived with in them that they would all too soon be…

mia reminds me of a sweet little hollywood starlet here…

this pic of ella is exactly what I mean…she is only 7…yet looks so sophisticated and mature here…

oh where do our babes go?
a little behind the scenes of our getting ready fun…

the girls were all ready, but we didn’t dare invite a boy on this outing…so while we waited for his babysitter (and best buddy daddy), we allowed adam into a couple shots

he stayed for about 4 shots and then was outta here…way too much sequin and tulle for one little guy to face alone!!!

“where are we going?” they ask…

I tell them “it is a secret…

we are off to shoot a dream.”

there are just times in life that you have to put the dreamy, most wonderful, beautiful things front and center…to see them…take notice…breath lighter and know the world is a pretty darn amazing place…and today we were gonna do that…

they giggle and start secrets of their own…things that little girls seem best at …

and this is ava’s “no really! this is a SECRET..face”

remember the gold sequin mini my last model wore?…it has been happily up-cycled into a ball-gown and a halter top for my little ladies!

up next…what my little girls dream of…

until then…sweet dreams…

xoxo

Tonya

we are super!

Tonya — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 16:01:35 +0000

there are few holidays that top halloween when you have a home full of little ones! This last friday, we had a get together at church called “trunk or treat”…it is pure craziness, but a shame to miss. A beautiful church building brimming with cute kiddos all costumed up, yummy chili and cornbread to share, and a parking lot full of cars dressed up for halloween with candy being handed out just steps from each other. My kids love it! So this year, we went with a family of supers…i am still kicking myself for not getting Jason the Captain America suit and me wonder woman, but the costume budget didn’t quite allow for mom and dad to dress up this year (or at least that is my excuse *wink*). Nonetheless, the evening was, well, super… and I am so glad I pulled my camera out for a quick photoshoot before we headed out!

So i share with you this halloween season…my supers!

(this is mia’s supergirl face)

she keeps asking to cut it…oh but it is soooo beautiful…

i about died when we put this costume on him…such a little stud…

he wanted to do. his. own. thing. whenever anyone tried to slow this kid down he was not having it! so glad I caught of few of him…

serious cute below…

such a blessing you kiddos are! I love you and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday…enjoy your little ones!

xoxo
Tonya

a gift….

Tonya — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 05:44:07 +0000

the past couple weeks I have been planning for family photos…now…as a photographer, i know that family photos are streeeesssssful! I get it…a lot of time and money goes into the prep and the actual session of trying to get everyone to look at the camera and smile after the stress of all the getting ready, etc…etc….
but I will tell you this…there is no gift like it. all these photos of my family frozen in time…priceless…another heirloom of both memories and a tangible treasure that I do not take for granted.

so i start off with saying thank you thank you thank you…to my dear friend and perhaps one of the funniest people I know (she has some really great stories…adore how that girl can make me laugh…wowzas…good stuff!) and she is also very kind and generous and ~~offered~~ well…agreed…to take our family pictures this year. Kelsey you are such a gift! Thank you so very much….

I also want to thank my other fabulous friend Katrina for dolling me up even when I thought a. i was too old and b. much too shy to do it. I really enjoyed the pampering and it was fun to feel the glam that this sweat pant “mom stink” momma feels most of the time! Thank you…you know I adore your work! fun getting a fresh headshot! If you are getting married, wanna look awesome for a shoot, or just wanna get all dolled up for your next trip to target…she is your girl!!!

how could i not thank heavenly father for the gift of these beautiful babies…for the unique little souls each of them possess…for the privilege to raise them and to love them and the teach them right and wrong. What a gift and real responsibility it is to teach them happiness…and I do falter at times with that…I have my grumpy moments all too often…but as I sit and look through these images…I can’t imagine feeling another other than joy…

(and jason…you are one of my greatest gifts…thank you so much for our beautiful family….for all you do for our children and me. You work hard and we enjoy so many blessings directly from you. i love you)

well…did you make it down this far? I wanna offer up a gift to you! I designed this fun little spin on subway/trolley art and made a big print to hang in my home to center between these wonderful family photos. I have decided to have a GIVEAWAY for one 24×36 print of it! It will come printed on styrene board so all you have to do it slap it in a 24×36 frame and you are good to go!

Just leave me a comment and I will pick a winner OCTOBER 1st!

xoxo

Tonya Joy

health…the gift of our babes

Tonya — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 01:49:39 +0000

this past week has been a bit of a blur…sometimes things happen and just stop you in your tracks…

often life just steps in and stops you…

and sometimes it is the people who need us in our lives that cause that screeching halt…

my little ava was sick last week…she was sick with a fever and I just kinda thought it was another little virus going around…

until I went to check on her late monday night and she was having a seizure in her bed…she then had a brief period of hallucinating and I was scared…

we actually visited 2 ers and one urgent care over the coarse of 24 hours and finally the doc at St Jo’s Er ordered a chest X-ray after ava told me her ribs hurt…

in the complete absence of any respiratory symptoms, we were all shocked to learn that she had bacterial pneumonia in her right lung…

but i was so thankful that there was finally an answer to her near 104.00 temperatures that were persisting even with tylenol…

I am not gonna lie…that week was a long one…very little sleep and spending 3 days in the hospital with my little one was tiring…

it was really hard on her too…she missed home so much…

the doctors were really great and made sure everything about Ava was ok…and it was a scary week for her and she was brave…i was so proud of her…

i was so tired…wore the same clothes for 3 days…but quickly was reminded that my most important role is the supportor and caregiver of my children…

i feel very blessed to be able to dedicate myself to that…

so thankful for all the well wishes and thoughts for ava…it meant so much to her…

we are finally starting to get back to normal…and now all of it is just a memory..

so thankful for the health of my children…

you are all the most complete and utter happiness in my life…

you are a strong girl vava…we love you so very much!

now take your medicine!!!

xoxo momma!

little miss mia grace…my heart in a slideshow

Tonya — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 01:28:41 +0000

in the quiet of the afternoon…

Tonya — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 01:11:58 +0000

after the sprinklers have been run through, the cookies have been eaten, the running and playing of summer afternoon comes to an end…

the hum of the air conditioner lulls these little ones to sleep…

cartoons are playing, popcicles are melted, and the wind blows in the palm trees…

it is so quiet in this moment…i drink it up and admire the beauty of my little ones in sweet slumber on this quiet afternoon…

kisses to my sweet sleeping babes…i love you…

xoxo

Momma

mini me…

Tonya — Wed, 18 May 2011 21:31:41 +0000

this morning i walked down the stairs and told ava to get dressed for school…usually I start these nagging and reminders for her to get ready about an hour before school starts…(there is a reason why this kiddo has a whopping number of tardies…something we are working on…p.m. kinder is a hard thing for us)…

anyways, I came down and her response was…”well, I want to wear your outfit”…i thought…”right…you can just borrow my clothes!”…I told her her they wouldn’t fit…but she soon reminded me that she wanted to dress like me…

so…we went up stairs and looked through her clothes…and it is actually quite funny how close we got…

so today…thankful for the little mini-me…she is my clone in so many ways and I know was sent to me because caring for…my ava…oh my sweet ava…takes some special insight at times! I love her to death…no matter how colorful and spirited she can be at times! Love you vava girl! You inspire patience and a pure sense of humor in me…thank you for being YOU!

xoxo

mommy

lil princess…

Tonya — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 23:28:34 +0000

everyone has the royal wedding on their mind as today the price and princess said…i will…

but I have another little princess on my mind after our fun little session this morning…

just a sneak…

love this little one…

more to come of little princess clare and her 10th month mark!

xoxo

Tonya

and then he turned two….

Tonya — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 03:34:18 +0000

have no idea how time does fly by so quickly…

i really try not to let it make me sad, and really just try my best to savor these little ones…

we all say it as mothers…these little ones are the best part of our lives…in reality…the best parts of ourselves…

and time…just teaches us to be present and to enjoy them…

this I know…

because, somehow…i blinked…and then he turned two…

we had such a nice day on his birthday…just laid low…took it easy…and enjoyed all the things that adam loves…

(love catching him dancing with and having a little time with daddy…his bff for life!)

Adam is my joggin buddy…he loves to go out in the running stroller…LOVES it!

When he sees me get into my running clothes, he marches right to the jogger and climbs in…

but this new little trick he just started though…

…for some reason, he loves crawling in this really really small spot! so funny…

we had to delay his birthday dinner due to the fact he didn’t want to get out!

Two things to honor this little guy on his big day: cars & dirt!

They are his favorite things…

and why a dirt cake…

he loves the dirt!!!

he plays in it…and it is his spot in the backyard…

you will always find him hanging out in this area of the backyard…

his best bud playmate mia is a fellow dirt lover

we love you adam john!!!

keep growing…exploring…and making us fall more and more in love with you and your sisters each day!

xoxo

mommy