2013 - The Year in Pictures

I can't believe another year has flown by. Neighbor, Melissa, got a new puppy, Barkley, in January.

Krista and I flew to Alabama to visit the family later in the month. My parents didn't know Krista was coming, so it was a great surprise!

Rose the Rat Terrier has been renamed the "Energizer Bunny" by Dr. Josh. She's had kidney failure, hip dislocation, and other assorted maladies, but right now, she's doing great for a senior!

Here's Mr. Bill with Coco, whom I've had for over a year now. What would I do without Mr. Bill to babysit the girls when I travel, and to take care of my yard and home?? Thanks, Bill!

In February, I had a quick work trip over to Coronado Island in California. I hadn't been in years, and so much was still the same. Lots of memories.

 In March, I did a labor and delivery shoot. Here's my favorite photo of dad meeting son.

 My sweet neighbors, Mike and Sabrina, became pregnant!

In late March, Krista and I went to Asheville, North Carolina.  It was freezing cold, but these buttercups brightened up things.

 We met this sweet boy and his owner, Ann, at the Champagne Book Store, and we still keep in touch!

 Rose got ready for Easter.

 I drove down to San Antonio to visit my dear friends, Elaine, Pat, and Sam. After living in Germany for quite a few years, they're back stateside now...and even in the same state as me!

 We checked out the Riverwalk, downtown.  Quite the place!

 Nancy and I did a trip to Jerome, Arizona, stopping in Sedona on the way.

 Here's the view from my room at the Surgeons House B&B,

and my friend, Opal!

We drove over the mountain to Chino Valley and visited Holly Joy and her Iggys!  Here she is with the darling Princessa, who is her clothing model for her custom-made line of dog clothing, Spoiled Bratzwear.

My friend, Ann, always tries to get up to Jerome when I'm there. She went with me to visit Holly, and we had so much fun!

 Next came a trip to Houston, where I photographed a birthday celebration.

I finally made it to Broken Bow, Oklahoma, where friends Peggy and Fred live.  What a gorgeous, comfortable house they have!

 Of course a year would not be complete without a visit to Canton to see the Girls Gone Junkin'!

My sister-in-law, Cindy, and niece Sarah, came up from Houston for a girls' weekend.  We had a blast, and need to do it again!

 Over Memorial Day weekend, I went to my first rodeo in Saginaw, Texas.  What a treat!

In July, I flew to Portland to attend Krista's graduation from nursing school.  She's now an RN!  I got to see my faux daughters, Tracy, Damaris, and Lauren, while I was there. I've known them for years, and now they're all grown up!  I love those girls and am so proud of them!

 The pinning ceremony.

 Damaris with Harlan and Everly.

 Lauren, with Finley and Chris.

My neighbors just couldn't wait to have their baby girl, so they had her when I was in Portland!!!  Here's Dylan, at her first photo shoot.

 I went back to Bama in July for another family fix.  Here's cousin Missy and aunt Reba.

 And mama (looking mighty spry at age 82) with her sister, Reba.

We had a cousins get-together at mom's house, and looked at old photographs and cards, while exchanging stories that everyone had forgotten!  We definitely need to do that again.

 These sweet peas are my cousin's daughters, Izzy and Savannah.  Love the porch!!!

 Here's Missy, looking elegant, as always.

 We did a drive-around with my dad, and found this corn field and old barn outside of Eldridge, Alabama.

 I had a fun, fun, fun photo shoot with Emilie!

 Here's daddy with Emilie's grandfather, Clarence.  They are good friends.

 This is my Uncle Olan and Aunt Flo's crew.  Olan is one of my daddy's younger brothers.

Almost as soon as I returned, several of us took off for a girls' weekend in Santa Fe.  Every second was fun-filled!

 Here's friend Sheffy, admiring some art on Canyon Road.

 I managed to fit in another trip to Broken Bow, to photograph Peggy and Fred's wedding barn.

 The girls got a special treat:  a Charley Chau bed from England.

In September, I broke down and bought a new car. My 2004 Honda had a ton of miles on it, and I was ready for a change. Rose agreed, and approves of her new ride.

 The last week of September, I flew to France with friends Nancy and John. We started in Strasbourg,

 and then stayed in Riquewihr for a week in a beautiful old home we rented.

Here are Martine and Jean-Paul, along with their pup Happy. They own quite a few very nice vacation rentals in Riquewihr.

 They were nice enough to take us on a day trip into Germany.  What pastoral scenes!

 From there we went to Paris for a week, and started it out by taking the train to Chatou to the Ham and Antique Market, which is held twice a year.

 My friend, Geni, met us there, and we spent the day together.  It was good to catch up, but there never seems to be enough time!

Later that week, we took a day trip to the champagne region of France, visiting three different vineyards. It was harvest season.

Paris was as lovely as ever. I never tire of it, and as soon as I leave, I want to start planning my next trip there.

 The end of October, I extended a work trip in Phoenix to include a weekend in Jerome.

After that, I didn't pick up my camera for over a month.  In early November I had some fairly serious surgery, and after a week-long stay in the hospital, I went home for five weeks of recuperation. I had to cancel a Thanksgiving trip to Bama, as well as a trip to visit Nancy in Seattle.The good news is that everything turned out fine medically, and I consider myself a very lucky person. Thank goodness for Sister Pam, who came out and stayed for a week, plus all of my good friends and neighbors who brought me food, ran my errands, and kept me company. Suddenly, though, it was time for Christmas! Rose wanted a fireplace, so I bought us an electric one. We love it!

In early December, we had an ice storm that shut down Dallas, and in fact we had no electricity for a fourteen-hour period.  Brrrrrr!

I wish everyone a healthy and happy 2014. As always, thank you so much for following my blog and facebook page. Although I had to cancel photo shoots in November and December, 2013, Vickie Cunningham Photography had its best year to date, and for that I am very grateful to you all.