Avengers Infinity War : The End is Near

I may not be a super hero, but I am a super Mom.  I broke this kiddo out of school yesterday to get a sneak peek of the new Avengers: Infinity War movie before it hits theaters.  I told Connor to put on his Captain America shirt before school and he had no idea we’d be going to see the movie.  I haven’t checked him out for anything this year…but this was so worth it!  When he got to the office and I was wearing my Captain America shirt and I said “What shirt are you wearing?  “What shirt am I wearing?”  He just stood there and said “No…no…no….are we going to see the movie?”  YES!!!

Proceed with a screaming 8-year-old boy running out of school like his pants were on fire.

Every time we both try to talk about it Terence promptly “SHHHHHHHHH” us! He is going to see it Saturday so we’ve been sworn to silence in our own home.  Which, after you see the movie you’ll understand is a hard thing to do!

Being in a house of only dudes I’ve probably seen every Marvel Superhero movie 3 times or more.  It seems like 10 years has whipped past and suddenly I’ve been hit with a thousand stones (Infinity stones to be exact: Space, Mind, Reality, Power, Time, Soul) trying to process the latest film.  I hope you have your tickets and are ready for quite the ride.  If you haven’t seen all the films leading up to Avengers” Infinity War now is your chance to marathon watch y’all!

It all started with Tony Stark.

  • Iron Man (2008)
  • The Incredible Hulk (2008)
  • Iron Man 2 (2010)
  • Thor (2011)
  • Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
  • Marvel’s The Avengers (2012)
  • Iron Man 3 (2013)
  • Thor: The Dark World (2013)
  • Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
  • Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
  • Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
  • Ant-Man (2015)
  • Captain America: Civil War (2016)
  • Doctor Strange (2016)
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
  • Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
  • Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
  • Black Panther (2018)
  • Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
  • Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
  • Captain Marvel (2019)
  • Untitled Avengers Film (2019)
  • Untitled Spider-Man: Homecoming Sequel (2019)
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2020)

Who knows how it will end???

Now go get your watch party started with some popcorn…maybe throw some M&M’s in there for good measure.  Prepare yourselves mentally for this movie…physically you’ll just be sitting there, don’t worry it’s okay to watch Thor and Captain America and just sit back and admire with googly eyes.

In a closing note I’d love to hear your thoughts once you see the movie, so come back and comment and let’s discuss!  Also, if I had to chose an Olsen sister to defend me at the end of the world it wouldn’t be Mary Kate or Ashley.  The Scarlet Witch is my favorite Avenger female superhero…because daaaaaaang.

This showed up in my time-hop today on Facebook…coincidence…I think not!

Like AVENGERS on Facebook

Follow AVENGERS on Twitter 

Follow AVENGERS on Instagram

Visit the official AVENGERS website here

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR opens in theaters everywhere on April 27th! 

When Life Throws You Curve-Balls

This post is sponsored by Urgent Care for Kids.  All thoughts an opinions are my own.

Hello!!!  I hope everyone’s week is going well!  I have a ton of fun stuff to blog about soon.  I’ve been crazy busy and oh yeah…if you haven’t been on my Instagram or Instastories lately you may not have heard that we are without a kitchen right now.  Isn’t home-ownership GREAT!  A pipe leak under the sink has lead to an unintended kitchen remodel.  Needless to say it’s been cray cray and work on the kitchen still hasn’t started.  I never thought I would say this…but I am actually tired of eating out.

That’s the thing about life…it’s constantly throwing you curve balls.

My beautiful family Easter 2018
It’s bluebonnet season/aka spring time here in Texas and my allergies have been crazy!  We all got through the winter season without the flu and only a couple of cases of strep throat.  The flu was outrageous this past year wasn’t it?  That’s the thing about being sick too…nobody PLANS on it!  I’m so thankful we live in DFW and there are such great places to take your kiddos like Urgent Care for Kids.
There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for this kid right here.
Over the years we’ve had to deal with a lot of life’s curve-balls, including urgent medical situations.  I’ll never forget the day the school nurse called and Connor could barely walk, he was so sick and we couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him.  Turns out he had a severe allergic reaction to some medication and it went septic.  We were so scared!  At Urgent Care for Kids they are ready and waiting to help YOU!   They offer after hours pediatric urgent care.  They even offer online telemedicine consults with a Pediatrician via video so you never have to leave your home.
Urgent Care for Kids has 10 locations in Texas & 4 locations in DFW.  When you are ready you can check in online.  To find a location near you go here.
The Pediatricians at Urgent Care for Kids are there to help you as parents and put you at ease.  They offer extended hours, because you never know when you may need to see the Doctor right?  Nobody plans on being sick and it can hit you when you least expect it.

Check out Urgent Care for Kids today, so next time life throws you a curve-ball you’ll know exactly how to handle it.  Follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest news.

Vacation Destination: Arlington, TX

One of my favorite cities to visit is Arlington, TX…not only because it’s right next to me, but because it has some amazing things to do!  I first visited Arlington, TX when I was 18 years old and my parents took me to Six Flags my senior year of high school to see a concert and visit friends.  Never in a million years did that young girl from Arkansas imagine living in Texas, but here I AM!  I married a Texan almost 17 years ago, and for the past 10 years DFW has been my home and I love it!  Arlington has changed so much over the years and grown into a magical place to visit and explore.  

Let’s start out with Downtown Arlington.  There are so many restaurants and cute shops to visit.

One of my favorite local hangouts is Legal Draft Beer Co.  Legal Draft just opened a couple of years ago and it has a great story behind the brewery.  Not to mention they have every type of beer imaginable!

“So how did a trial lawyer and a medical logistics professional wind up founding a craft brewery?  About 15 years ago, Greg (the lawyer) and Curt (the logistics guy) were hanging out with friends, enjoying a cold beer and discussing family, business, and life its own self. With very little introduction, Curt announced that the assembled group of friends should open a brewpub in our hometown, to serve our friends and neighbors along with the many tourists who visit the area. Everyone agreed, then finished their beers and returned to making a living and raising a family. In early 2015, Curt and Greg and their friends were again enjoying a cold beverage together (a theme has now appeared) when Greg let everyone know that he had decided to open a craft brewery in Arlington, so that our hometown could take part in the craft beer revolution and participate in the revitalization of downtown Arlington. Curt, of course, simply couldn’t resist. Thanks to a recovering attorney and a retired logistics guy, here we are.”

A fun atmosphere and a place to gather with friends.

If you are looking for a sweet treat there is nobody better than Sugar Bee Sweets Bakery.  They have amazing cakes, cupcakes, and cake balls.  I’m always in the mood for cake, and they never disappoint my sweet tooth!

 

For the perfect girls day out try the Rose Garden Tea Room.  It’s inside of Decorator’s Warehouse, which has every decoration imaginable for every season and holiday!  The food is delicious and I literally have dreams about that white cheddar soup.

Do you have a bowling fan in your family?  If so, Arlington has just the place with the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame.  Everything you ever wanted to know about the history of bowling and exhibits is all right here!

Globe Life Park is another landmark in Arlington, TX.  It’s the home of the beloved Texas Rangers and it’s always packed with fans.  If you haven’t caught a game here…then you MUST come visit!

Let’s not forget about AT&T Stadium– Home of the Dallas Cowboys as well as several great concerts throughout the year.  Even if there is nothing going on at AT&T Stadium it’s still quite a site to see.  You can take a tour of the venue, it’s mind blowing and larger than life!

I love this sculpture in front of Globe Life Park…random but so cool!

Let’s not forget about Six Flags!  I’m a big chicken when it comes to roller coasters, but it sure is fun to watch people scream their heads off!  Six Flags is always coming out with fun events and new rides.  One of my favorite times to visit is at Christmas when everything is lit up and they HONESTLY have the best hot cocoa in Texas 🙂 The swing ride makes me shiver just looking at it.  Have any of you been on this ride before?  It’s SOOOOOOOO high up!!!

A favorite local burger restaurant is The Grease Monkey.  It has a vintage garage type of vibe with indoor and outdoor seating.  Video games and a Juke box for the kiddos too!  There is also a long list of concerts throughout the year performed on stage at The Grease Monkey.  Check it out here.  

I love Ripley’s Believe it or Not!  Not too far from Arlington is one of the best ones I’ve been too.  Well hello there Mr. President, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Jason Statham, and other stars.  Have you ever wanted to mingle with the stars?  Well, here’s your chance….to at least get a selfie! Lol!  Ripley’s also has fun seasonal events and a fun 7D “moving theater”.  

Check out more in my video below and I hope you get the chance to visit the city of Arlington, TX!  Summer is right around the corner and there are so many fun places to visit…I don’t just live here, but I love to visit too.  For more information on the city of Arlington, TX visit HERE.

Mornings…What’s Your Favorite Breakfast Food?

This post is sponsored by RaceTrac.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Morning are crazy in our house!  Terence and I getting ready for work and getting Connor ready for school in time…well let’s just say we are 3 chickens running around with our heads cut off.  Oh and did I mention that we don’t have a kitchen and they are tearing it out right now???  Take a look HERE and check out what’s left of our kitchen.  The kitchen fiasco started out at the beginning of spring break and we aren’t sure yet if it’s a total tear down or if we are going to try to salvage some of it.  I really need a TV show to come surprise me at my doorstep and remodel my kitchen like magic.  That would be GREAT! LOL!

I normally stop for coffee before I go into work and thank goodness RaceTrac knows that sometimes you just need Whatever gets you going in the morning – whether you crave a large coffee or a large Coca-Cola; donuts or a slice of pizza. RaceTrac wants to give you the freedom to do – or eat – Whatever it is that gets you going in the morning, without feeling any guilt about food choices.

RaceTrac has some awesome roller grill items to choose from.  My favorite grill item is the Taquitos!  Whether it’s hot dogs or bacon, egg and cheese croissants. RaceTrac wants YOU to know that they have Whatever you need to fuel your morning.

So many snacks to choose from too.  My favorite are the honey mustard pretzels for a mid-day snack.
There are lots of healthy options too including fresh fruits like bananas, apples, and oranges. Connor’s favorite are donuts, so I usually pick him up some Krispy Kreme powered donuts.  

Not everyone can be an early bird, but at RaceTrac they’ve got whatever you need to make your mornings something to look forward to. With the hearty, delicious breakfast options your morning is never mundane.

Everyone knows my favorite morning must have is COFFEE!  RaceTrac has one of the best coffee bars EVER!!!

RaceTrac’s “Crazy Good Coffee” bar offers a variety of blends of fresh brewed coffee, including 100 percent Hazelnut, Regular, Columbian, Decaf and Dark Roast.

  • All are 100 percent Arabica beans — the highest quality coffee.
  • RaceTrac’s coffee bar also features cappuccinos, iced coffee, hot teas and hot chocolate.
  • RaceTrac has new coffee machines coming to stores in 2018, which will give its guests an even more elevated coffee experience. This new offering will allow guests to be their own barista by selecting their favorite coffee blend and watching the beans grind right before their eyes into the freshest cup of joe.

To honor its early bird TracFanatics, RaceTrac will also have offers catered to Early Birds on social media the rest of this month. Follow RaceTrac on social for information on the morning-time deals.

I’ve got a Free Grab and Go Chicken Sandwich or Angus Cheeseburger for YOU!  Available for redemption: 3/19 – 3/25.

To recieve the coupon code just comment below:

What is your favorite breakfast item???

Connor’s 8th Birthday

My sweet boy turned 8 a couple of weeks ago.  I can’t believe it’s been 8 years since we brought him home from the hospital.  I can’t imagine life without you kiddo.  Connor, you are loving, kind, thoughtful, and curious.  This age is so much fun!  I thank God every day that He gave us you to raise & nurture on this Earth.  We are truly the luckiest parents ever…obviously we are to have a sweet boy like YOU!  The time goes by so quickly and before we know it you’ll be a teenager.  As much as I rush through the day to day I find myself reflecting more recently on the past.  Those days where I was glad I took extra pictures or a little video to capture a memory.  Those are my most treasured things now.

Connor wanted to have a bowling/laser tag party and Main Event was the perfect place to host it.  He’s really into Roblox, but I honestly don’t know much about that game, so we went heavy on the bowling theme and light on the Roblox.  LOL!  We invited 10 of his friends from 2nd grade (if you were not invited, please don’t kill me…but birthday parties are expensive…so we had to dwindle it down to a small list!) I promise if we could have invited 100 we would!

We also had the joy of driving a Toyota Avalon Hybrid for the week!  I love reviewing cars, and I honestly think Connor loves it more than I do.  He thinks it’s so exciting when we get to test out new wheels for the week.  The Toyota Avalon was BLUE, Connor’s favorite color too!  I had an Avalon for 11 years and I absolutely LOVED that car.  I never had a single problem with it and to this very day it’s my favorite car I’ve ever owned.  It was nice to see how the Avalon has changed since I had mine…and boy has it changed.  It was super quiet and much more sporty than the Avalon I remember.  I drove it for the entire week and I didn’t even use half a tank of gas doing all the things I would normally do during the week.

Smooth steering and control A must have for any (and my next) car….I don’t know how I’ve lived so long without a back-up camera! The Avalon was FANCY- Look at that wood grain finish and the mix of tan leathers.
Another cool feature was the cup holders.  At night they lit up so you could see where to place your drink!  It’s the little things people 🙂 It’s already 80 degrees in Texas, so I really enjoyed the air conditioned seating.

All packed up and ready to PARTY! I loved how smooth and easy the Avalon was.  It rained the entire week and this car handled rainy weather like a piece of cake…or cupcakes…like the ones seen here???

These bowling cookies turned out so cute!   Connor and his Dad Connor and me 🙂 The kiddos all had a great time bowling and doing laser tag.  Our party host at Main Event was named Connor too and had curly hair!  He was so good with all the kids and I highly recommend them for a party…they did not pay me to say that either!  We had a great experience and just wanted to say THANK YOU!

I bought a sparkler candle and oh my goodness…I didn’t realize how much that thing was going to SPARKLE!  All the kids starting screaming and yelling.  It was super cute and Connor loved it.

Thank you Toyota for a fun week in this fabulous BLUE Avalon!  Thank you everyone for coming to the party and celebrating Connor with us we are truly blessed by all of you.

xo- The Branch Family

What’s it REALLY Like to Shoot a Red Carpet?

Morning Everyone!

I’m so excited because my twin sister and her family are headed to visit from Arkansas today!  Look out DFW the sisters are back together 🙂

If you have been following me on Instagram or Instastories you may have some idea of how fabulous this week has been….NOT.  A pipe leaked in our kitchen, so half of our kitchen has been torn out.  Our garage broke the day after that.   I had the WORST stomach virus over the weekend as well….so it’s just one of those times in life that you think “Is this all really happening?”  I’m sure one day we’ll look back and laugh….right?

Anyway, back to the topic of this blog post.  Last year around Christmas time I was asked to photograph the Red Carpet at the Jingle Ball here in Dallas.  I got notice literally the night before and I pretty much told Terence “Hey tomorrow night I have a shoot and I won’t be here!”  Because let’s face it, how many opportunities to photograph events like this will I have in my lifetime?

I arrived early and went through a ton of security.  They check all your gear and backpacks etc.  You are then escorted to a waiting room with a small red carpet and a handful of other photographers from other agencies working from laptops and some even have two or three photographers with them.  You have to be escorted everywhere, because you can’t run around with a camera unattended.  Even if you have to use the bathroom.  Gulp.

They did provide water and a few snacks, but here are a few things I wish I would have known before shooting a red carpet event.

  • You are there to serve the agency you work for and nobody else.  You represent them and you are not there to mingle with other photographers.
  • Bring a laptop. The sooner you upload your photos, the sooner they are likely to get published and sell.
  • Bring ear plugs!  This is a big one….nobody told me this and I wish I would have known.  We got to shoot the celebrities on the red carpet and also the very first song of each performance.  Photographers stand RIGHT NEXT TO the stage equipment and speakers…..so I was basically deaf.  Lol!  After the first song you are escorted back to the waiting area for the next celebrity appearance.
  • The waiting gets old.  You may be on a schedule, but the celebrities don’t show up one after the other.  There was at least a 30-45 min gap in between appearances.
  • Everyone- including body guards, family members, and acquaintances of each celebrity bombard at once.   The room gets full really quick and it goes by fast, so be ready to shoot and click the minute they walk in.
  • Be prepared to YELL!  “Hey Charlie look this way!”  “To the Left” “To the Right” (They are used to this and posing so ASK for their attention or you won’t get it).
  • Bring a Red Bull or Caffeine because the night is long and nobody is going to deliver you a Starbucks.

I had the best time and so many of the celebrities were very nice.  Kesha….well…she was quite the diva and didn’t want her live performance photographed either.  To each their own I guess, it was still disappointing.

Here are a few photos I got from that night, I hope you enjoy!  I have hundreds…but you know…gotta whittle it down 🙂

Camilla Cabello

Hailee Steinfeld – Loved her in all the Pitch Perfect movies

Forgot this guy’s name…he was on the Bachelor?

Liam Payne- Former One Direction 

My absolute favorite of the night was Charlie Puth.  His personality was so cute and he was great with everyone.

Hailee’s first song on stage

Kesha

Niall Horan- Former One Direction 

My other favorite was The Chainsmokers.  These two were SO nice and down to earth.

Up and coming boy band- Why Don’t We

I hope you enjoyed these pics and a little behind the scenes info!  I look forward to shooting many more red carpets and having fun.  That’s what life is all about.

xo – Becky with the good coffee

Mary Poppins Party + Movie Sneak Peek!

Last fall I was asked to photograph a cookie exchange party for several little girls.  The party theme was “Mary Poppins”.  When I walked in I was blown away by the decorations and the magical feel of the entire party.  The hostess actually owns an event planning/decorating service, so if you are looking for someone in DFW to take your party to the next level email me and I’ll forward her information.  With the upcoming movie “Mary Poppins” hitting theaters in December 2018, this party couldn’t have come at a better time.

Each little girl attending the party got a dress and a parasol to decorate.  Of course no party would be complete without Mary Poppins popping in for an appearance and a sing along!

It was truly one of the cutest parties I’ve ever attended and photographed.  Enjoy the photos below 🙂

Now that you are in the mood for a Mary Poppins party…take a sneak peek at the new teaser trailer from Disney’s MARY POPPINS RETURNS, an all-new sequel with a fresh sensibility that celebrates the spirit of the original film.

In the sequel, which arrives in theaters this Christmas, Mary Poppins is back to help the next generation of the Banks family find the joy and wonder missing in their lives.

MARY POPPINS RETURNS stars Emily Blunt as the practically-perfect nanny with unique magical skills who can turn any task into an unforgettable, fantastic adventure; Lin-Manuel Miranda as her friend Jack, an optimistic street lamplighter who helps bring light—and life—to the streets of London; Ben Whishaw as Michael Banks; Emily Mortimer as Jane Banks; and Julie Walters as the Banks’ housekeeper Ellen; with Colin Firth as Fidelity Fiduciary Bank’s William Weatherall Wilkins; and Meryl Streep as Mary’s eccentric cousin, Topsy. The film also introduces three new Banks’ children played by Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh and newcomer Joel Dawson. Angela Lansbury appears as the Balloon Lady, a treasured character from the PL Travers books and Dick Van Dyke is Mr. Dawes Jr., the retired chairman of the bank now run by Firth’s character.