Annual super-sappy posting….

Mom is always the first person I call on Mother’s Day. This morning she told me she’d be joining her sisters at my aunt’s house for a dinner specially prepared by all of their sons. {Well if that isn’t the sweetest start to your day….} Today I’m celebrating some of the things I’m most thankful for -

My grandmothers, the queens of my heart,
for mothering my parents with love and devotion.

My Mother and friend, the one who gave me life,
for her demonstration of love, generosity and great work.

My husband and children, givers of this gift of motherhood,
the reason my heart smiles from sun to sun.

My favorite tradition, Mother’s Day Brunch at the Four Seasons,
for four years of a full tummy and heart.

My city I love, home of the most amazing resort spa,
for being just a stones throw away.

Better – a very well-orchestrated, surprise limo ride away…
feel free to outdo yourselves next year, fellas {we wouldn’t mind it}.

My Mommy Mafia, owners of these cute chicklets and brunch companions,
for sharing this journey with their wisdom and wit.

Hope all you moms and moms-to-be enjoyed a day full
of sunshine and smiles!! Xo

Happy New Year! First and foremost, please forgive me for the quietness around here {I do realize I failed to blog about 20 or so sessions in 2012 and if you’re one of the clients, please do not kick me off your Christmas card list!} Among the many exciting moments this past year, my most favorites were: the blessing of my marriage, the birth of my second child and the new title I’ve acquired - ‘international photographer’.

Our renewal took up all of Q1 and I found out shortly after I was pregnant with baby #2. I will spare you details of my pregnancy and birth, but I must say traveling to Belize was a great end to my maternication last week and, together with my little family {latest joiner included}, we ended the year just right.

For over half a decade now, I have renounced resolutions and, alternatively, I have instead chosen a quote at the start of the new year. Togetherness – my general pledge or intention for the next twelve months. Being a mom is rewarding but not without sweat and hard work. Finally, after the universe told me three times in the last few weeks, “The days are long but the years are short“, I realized I need to put forth more effort to entertain family and friends, schedule HH’s with the girls, and sneak out for date nights with the hubby.

What do you guys vow to do in 2012? Hugs and cheers to new beginnings! Love and happiness to everyone everywhere. I look forward to many many more blessings in the new year!

xxxo,

Ziem

Ambergris Caye, Belize

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if you’re here via the I Pick Pretty link up, leave me a note so I can be sure to check you out. I’d love to check out what you’re wearing, also!

next wednesday, my little one starts mommy’s day out. to say my husband and I are getting sad at the thought of our first {and currently only} child being out of the house part time is an understatement. we’ve prepared her since the start of the year by hiring a twice weekly nanny who sang, played and fed my daughter while I was outside of the house running errands, grabbing groceries, working out, working, and or grabbing lunch with Daddy. miss T has never been under the care of anyone other than our immediate family or magda, so I will need lots of mocktails and chocolates to get through the first few weeks of drop off.

who’s with me?

oh, and more importantly, we are meeting the teachers, classmates and other parents this friday, and so I thought it’d be fun to join the ever-so-fab, Melissa @ I Pick Pretty, for her first installment of What to Wear… Where?this week’s theme is perfectly relevant – the open house day wardrobe. I’m keeping it casual, comfortable, and me by pulling existing pieces out of the closet.. click the logo at the bottom of this post to see what my fashion forward friend {and her blogger clique with equally chic followers} will wear and join in on the fun.

but before you do – say a prayer my sweet angel does not scare off any children or adults with her boundless energy later this week.

1. lush chiffon blouse  |  2. anthropologie brushed chain bracelet  |  3. joe’s pink denim
4. anthropologie vivi bracelet  |  5.  OPI polish {bubble bath}  |  6. tory burch caroline ballet flats
henri bendel ring {old}{similar here}  |  bracelet {vintage}  | unsightly veins courtesy of pregnancy + toddler

Joining the wonderful Jen on her weekly installments of 7 Quick Takes. Bloggers- Join in on the fun!

1. Two Life Changing Events that Have Nothing To Do With Each Other

I’m so behind on reading. The last time I was pregnant {did I mention I’m gestating a baby?}, I read Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, and so I thought about picking up another one of her controversial books, Atlas Shrugged, while I marinate. Any recommendations for summer reading? Note to reader: My brain cells are dwindling by the day so I will only read about shades of grey if by doing so I’ll improve my advanced color balance skill and technique in Photoshop.

2. Blue or Pink – Not Sure What I Think

We don’t know the gender of le bebe just yet, but it’s never too early to prop shop or begin storyboarding the newborn portrait session! Of course all I can hope for is a healthy, happy baby who will master sleeping through the night by week two, potty train by week three, recite the Constitution by week four, and learn to nurse ASAP without the help of that scary lactation consultant. I’m so excited Miss T will have a sibling; nothing compares to the bond and memories I’ve shared with my sisters and brothers. Would not trade them in the world for cupcakes.

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3. When Friday Feels Like Monday

My husband and I got to enjoy an impromptu sushi date night on Monday, we saw “Ted” on Tuesday night, so by Wednesday morning, I woke up with a groove in my heart and decided I would give my husband two full days off. That meant taking care of managing all three meals, bathing, and bed time for our daughter for two full days. Did you hear that, Dear Internet? I’m Mom AND Wife of the Year. Now that the party is over for Hubby, I will live it up this weekend by killing myself in Barre class, couponing at Walgreens, and eating fried pickles during a cheesy chick flick.

4. Haute in Texas

There’s a brutal heat wave tearing through the US and if this summer will be anything like the last, I will have to get creative should I decide to leave the house. Miss T and I try to get out at least once a day to avoid going stir crazy. Any ideas for air-conditioned entertainment in Austin?

5. Ziem an Ill Fit For Cannibal Frenzy Attack

Each morning, the average woman uses a dozen products containing 160 chemicals to her body – all before coffee! It is recommended that 60% of our products are natural or organic. I’m racking it up in daily damage with just a mere 25% of which being organic. Yikes! How green is your beauty routine? Any tips on pairing down the necessities?

6. Pretty With The Witty

Melissa, no stranger to beauty and one of my favorite lifestyle and fashion bloggers at I Pick Pretty, kindly featured me on her site last week. Do me a favor by checking out her blog/ subscribe/like/buy her a handbag. You’ll be glad you did!

7. Re-think Possible

A Portland mom with six kids gives up her 9-passenger suburban for a bike. Check out the contraption here. I admire her resistance toward a privilege she can clearly afford {her husband is a neurosurgeon}, but I don’t see myself foregoing this particular modern convenience anytime soon or ever!

Happy weekend, friends.

It’s that time again for our annual free couple’s session here at Ziem Photography! *Spirit fingers*

To show my clients and fan base {past, present and future} love and appreciation, I am giving away one complimentary portrait session to a very lucky couple. Since I’m in the business of documenting love, I couldn’t imagine a better time to announce this than the weekend before Valentine’s Day.

How do you win, exactly? Simply send a note to  info at ziemphotography dot com, leave a comment on my blog, or post on my Facebook page telling me a little about yourselves in 200 words or less. That’s it. I’m opening this to couples of ALL TYPES, married, engaged, or not. (Sub-giveaway: I like people in love and I love a fascinating story.)

Rules:

1. Both parties must be 21 years or older.

2. Only entries submitted to my email, blog and Facebook will be accepted. Like my Facebook to increase your chances of winning.

3. Entries must be received by 11:59pm CST on Friday, March 2nd.

The Prize:

One-hour Austin portrait session + Save the Date Video Slideshow + images on disc.

If you are like me and my husband, and you like to do dinner and gifts early, have a wonderful weekend celebrating!! Time to sleep off all delicious food  I am too ashamed to admit I had from Justine’s tonight.

How to give great gifts? Let me count the ways.. From now until Christmas, at random, I’ll be bringing to you “Ten Days of Sharing” here on my blog. I can’t spill the egg nog but a little elf told me there will be holiday design layouts and a one hour portrait session thrown in somewhere, so be sure to check back!

Perhaps it came from our neighboring Dallas, responding to the news of Lamar Odom/Chloe Kardashian/E!’s impending move, or it was the sudden jolt after an epiphany I had while running around the lake with my husband as I sang along to Rihanna, but let me go ahead and apologize to all of you  {and your tea cups} for the unexpected quiver yesterday. While I have certainly prepared for the holidays – shopping underway, Christmas cards mailed last week, wardrobe finally winterized – I realized 3 miles into my run that I have only donated one portrait package to an Austin non-profit in 2011 {which helps the organization raise money through a silent auction} and rudimentary math tells me that if I want to keep up with years past I better find four beneficiaries. Stat!

So to truly get in the spirit of the season and avoid the title Bad Santa than a little giveaway, one inspired by a blogger extraordinaire who happens to be a part of my Austin “Mama Mafia”. She’s a retired lawyer and a buddy of mine happens to be a detective, so if either of the two hold your entry suspect, it is grounds for elimination.

I will donate $50 to a charity of one reader’s choice, given these parameters:

1. Leave a comment naming the charity and its mission.
2. Charity must be a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
3. Entries close on Sunday, December 18th at 11:59 pm CST and a winner will be selected via a True Random Number Generator.
4. Winner will be announced on my blog Monday, December 19th.

If you decide to follow suit, let me know and I will be happy to spread the news via my blog.

And how could this entry be complete without a photo of my Royal Diva? Notice the Halloween toy which made a very inconsiderate appearance in my would’ve been Christmas card photo.

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Dear Friends and Family,

As many of you know, I am proud member of the Young Women’s Alliance (YWA) in Austin, Texas. What you may not know is that through its philanthropic arm, the Young Women’s Alliance Foundation, YWA provides funding to empower tomorrow’s female leaders in the area by awarding educational scholarships for girls and women and providing grants to the organizations that serve them, ultimately inspiring all women to give back to their community.

Our goal this year is to raise $16,000 for the Foundation through the individual fundraising campaign and my personal goal is to get 50 people from my wonderful circle of family and friends to donate $10.  I hope you will take a moment to visit my personal fundraising page to learn more about YWAF and help me in raising money to support the future young women leaders of Central Texas.

I thank you sincerely for your thought and generosity, and I know the young girls and women of Central Texas who benefit from the YWA Foundation thank you from the bottom of their hearts as well.

Sincerely,

Ziem Malkani

Kelley and I met on the set of a fashion shoot…..

2007

Now that I’m typing this statement, I recall very distant memories of our fun nights downtown when we were asked by friends and strangers, “How did you two meet?”. {Apparently it is not often a vertically-challenged Asian woman and statuesque red-headed woman peacefully co-exist.} Kell and I would instigate a guessing game in which we would we would allow said persons five chances to guess how we met or pay the price of ten push-ups. No one in the history of Z & Kell ever managed to guess in five tries. End tangent.

The opportunity to chat did not present itself during our initial meeting so technically our friendship budded over a glass of wine on 2nd street several days later {doesn’t it always? I will save all the fun adventures that ensued the years following for another post or never}. This also happened to be the same year I attended eight weddings and two baby showers so to celebrate US, we decided on the anniversary of our meeting we would celebrate our first and hopefully annual Friendaversary. As a homage to the elixir that brought us together we hired a chauffeur made my soberaholic, teetotal husband to drive us to four different wineries to satiate our appetite for wine & cheese and bust a little impromptu pop princess karaoke during the rides in between.

Kell and I have matured so much (translate: a lot less young, single but still very much appreciative of grapes} – yeah – we now prefer the spa. Last year we went to Lake Austin Spa Resort and this year we went to Spa on the Lake.

Post-Facial, Post-Massage, Post-Eucalyptus Shower
Spa on the Lake, 2011

Next year we are going back to Lake Austin Spa Resort where the use of an elegant Balinese-inspired pool lounge area in plush cotton spa robes after a calming steam bath is strongly advised.

A little TLC for our tattered tootsies
Lake Austin Spa Resort, 2010

I hope this inspires YOU to grab a friend, one you may get to see often {but not enough}, and have some one-on-one with one of your best friends.

Happy Friendaversary, my fabulous friend and bridesmaid!! Cheers to another year of friendship, spa days and great wine. Love you.

xo, Z

With the help of Mayra, Thu and Grace, I celebrated Wednesday of Austin Fashion Week at the Kendra Scott Boutique where we all had way too much fun customizing our own jewelry at the in-store Color Bar. Mayra and I had the opportunity to chat with the designer and it is nice to know that behind all the exceptional work we so appreciate is an incredible person and mom. The girls and I channeled our inner Kendra with the help of some bubbly and cupcakes (or in my case cupcake, I was good tonight) from The Cupcake Bar.

Tonight at La Belle Vie: An Austin Fashion Week Soiree. And what an inspiration to be surrounded by such talented designers, artists, and women. Girl power! Photos were snapped on my FANCY camera which also if you can believe it allows me to make outgoing phone calls. Better believe it! xo- Z