Jonathan L Golden Photography - Houston Texas Wedding and Portraiture Photographer » Ava Golden

Ava’s First Ballet Recital

Jonathan — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 14:52:06 +0000

Last Friday, after many months of preparation, Ava performed in her very first Ballet recital. This was actually her first performance of any kind (not counting “showin out” in the living room). To say we were thrilled would be an understatement. Both sets of grandparents, one great grandmother and other family and friends joined in the festivities.

My parents followed my two younger sisters and I all over the country as they played golf through college and I played football. My dad, who also played collegiate football used to tell me that he got more enjoyment watching me play then he ever got from playing himself. Whenever he said that, I would give him a cockeyed look of “ya…right.”

After watching Ava dance and twirl across the stage during the recital, I fully understand what he was talking about.

Enjoy the pics!

After so much amazing ballet dancing, someone was sleepy.

No worries though. We had more than enough sweets to go around at the post-recital after-party. The cake was made by Aunt Lizzy, who is in the process of opening up her own cake shop. Her cakes are DELICIOUS!

Yes, I had a cupcake too

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Ava’s First Ballet Recital [Sneak Peak]

Ava Loves the Snow! – Houston Texas Photography

Jonathan — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:39:18 +0000

Last Friday Houston was greeted with an early “White Christmas.” If we get snow, it’s usually a 10 minute freezing rain storm that we call snow. This time, Houston had a full blown snowstorm. To top it off, as my final photography purchase of the year, B&H (via UPS) delivered a brand new Nikkor AF-S 70-200 f/2.8 to my doorstep! I all but shredded the box getting to it, strapped it on my D700, grabbed the family and headed out into the snow.

At first, Ava (my little one) thought the big snow flakes were making her “dirty” and refused to venture away from the porch. Eventually, determined not to let my wife and I have all the fun, she gave it a chance. As you’ll see in the pictures below, Ava could not get enough of it.

Don’t act like you didn’t try dirty snow the first time you saw it!

A lucky man…I know

Daddy gets to adventure into the middle of the yard. You’ve got to love my “cold weather socks!”

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Ava’s 2nd Birthday Party – Houston Texas Photography

Jonathan — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:34:34 +0000

On October 11, 2007 in Houston, Texas, Kristen and I were blessed with a beautiful baby girl; Ava Golden. The last two years have been incredible. Well, the first 12-18 months are “exciting” but actually just a lot of work taking care of an unresponsive human. Now, Ava has developed into a running, jumping, playing, laughing, joking, singing, waking up in the middle of the night begging for apple juice buddle of joy!

As a kid, I thought all those birthday parties “just happened.” Ya right! They are a ton of work. My wife did most of the creative work and I played handyman/garbage collector. The Dora the Explorer themed celebration was complete with turkey burger sliders, chips and queso, Capri Sun, fruit trays, cookies, cakes, balloons, a pinata and a crayola themed bounce house.

I don’t think i’ve ever seen Ava so happy! I think all those involved (Paw Paw, VG Ma, Pa Pa, Mi Mi, Aunt Pat, Uncle David, Aunt Deborah, Mommy and Daddy) all deserve a pat on the back for bringing this special day to reality.

Ava, we love you very much a wish you many MANY more wonderful birthdays in the future.

Enjoy the pictures:

I think she is a natural!

Pinata time!

OK…ya’ll are a little weak. Come back in a few years. We need to call in the terminator…this is taking to long.

Ahh…much better!

I didn’t teach her this…

She absolutely LOVED her play kitchen. As you will see over the next few images, she basically shrugged off all the other gifts and never got more than an arms length away from the kitchen.

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