One of the greatest gifts I can give our friends is the gift of memories.  I am honored when they allow me to capture fleeting moments of their family – especially a new family. I know they always tell me its special to have the images but it is truly an honor to take them. I feel so blessed every single time I do it

Today was no exception.  I couldn’t wait to get home to open up these images.  I knew I got some shots I’ve been dying to get AND with such a beautiful family – I just couldn’t put my camera down.  To say its going to be tough to narrow these down is an understatement!

This sweet baby girl has been a dream for her parents for a long time.  After lots of prayers, wishes and hopes, She made her grand entrance to the world just a few days ago – I just love a fresh new baby. this little peanut is 6 days new!

Without any more delay – Meet the love of our dear friends Dave and Brier’s lives… Ms. Maya.  Congratulations you guys – We are so thrilled for you!  We love her to pieces already — Can’t wait to smooch her again — Maya, you couldn’t have picked better parents – we know you are going to live a life full of love and laughter.  Many blessings to all three of you.. oxox

I’m not sure who heart is smiling more – hers, Mom or Dads?!

I have been waiting for this shot for a lonnnng time.  I’ve seen it done a few other times but I’ve never had a Dad willing to do whatever like Dave – Thanks Dave – You take direction so well Was it worth it I hope!?

Look at that squishy little face – Don’t you want to just smooch her face off!? I do.

We headed outside for a few quick shots in the sunshine… Dreamy.

Since they live right on the Lake – we HAD to get a few of these shots.. And dont worry – Dad and Mom were right there just in case Maya wanted to go for her first swim – But, she was so tuckered out from the session she didnt even move!

“No more pictures lady!” … Maya had had enough

Thank you guys so much for spending the morning (and early afternoon!) with me — Sorry I took up most of your day   Get some sleep while you can — Many Blessings and Much Love.. oxox

Do you believe in fate friends? You know – friends that you were meant to be friends with? I do. I’ve seen it 1000 times over in my life.  Every friend I have (and yet to have) I think has a purpose in my life.  What  a gift, don’t you think?  I think every friend you are given is for a reason – a blessing – a lesson.  I think we all have so much we can share and so much we can give. I think that is what makes special friendships – the ability to have an honest relationship and open your heart to someone else to help teach them something, learn something from them, or maybe even to go through some sort of event together.  Whatever the reason – there isn’t a single person in my life that I take for granted. 100% true.

Having said all that – I want to tell you about my friend Keri.  Yep, you read that right, her name is Keri too – even spelled the same way. Fun fact #1.  Fun fact #2 — we are both Moms. More fun facts … At the time we met, we both lived in the same town. We were both getting into photography, we were both teachers of 1st grade, we both HATED our photography teacher. (Ha!)  The more we got talking, the more we realized just how many things – big and small  - we had in common. It was almost a little bit scary but really cool at the same time (if that makes sense!)  We decided to take another class together – a Photoshop class.. I think we talked more during that class then we actually listened (No wonder why I had t relearn Photoshop!) but it was awesome for our friendship.

As time passed I got more into my photography and Keri found herself with less and less time for it.  She loves it and has a dream to use it one day but life had different plans for her at that time so she carried on teaching and welcoming her second baby girl into the world! Remember this little face?

So naturally after her sweet baby girl was born – I told her she had no choice but to let me come over and take some pictures.. graciously she agreed – good things because I was going to do it anyways. We snapped away and even made her adorable birth announcement from that shoot.  There isn’t a session that goes by without having a few favorite moments — a favorite moment from that session — Big sister Ava was holding sweet baby Maddy.. Just as I was snapping that shutter her face went from big smiles to a look of horror — “SHE PEED ON ME!”… Bless her heart, the poor thing took it so personally she couldn’t even believe her sister peed on her! How dare this 2 week old little babe!  It was too funny… I think the rest of the session was a bit shaking – for fear it would happen again!

Back to Keri. So if you know Keri you know she likes to talk. Not only likes to talk but loves to make people laugh and OH is she good at it.  Her stories are hysterical and often make me laugh outloud.  Most days I can’t believe the stuff that happens to her is real – either that or the exact same things has happened to me! She even started to blog about it — You should follow her- I promise when you’re having one of ‘those’ days…Keri will make you laugh!  Check here out here: “Does this happen in your house?”

So lucky for me, my good friend is a talker- also lucky for me she knows A LOT of people. I believe that a good majority of the success of my business rests on the shoulders of Keri.  Without a doubt.  The amount of referrals she has sent me has been a truly blessing.. One I don’t know how to thank her for!  The kind words of encouragement have been so helpful especially when I second guess myself. And of course, her laughter is what I can always count on after a long night of editing.

So having said that- I was looking through some old files the other day when I came across Keri’s daughters last session.  See the three blogged favorites to remind you:

After looking through those images I just wanted to give my girl a shout out! To tell everyone who will listen how awesome it is to have a fate-friend. A forever friend. I wouldn’t be where I am without her.
Keri, Thank you is such a simple phrase but I hope you know how very much I appreciate all you’ve shared with me. From motherhood advice to support to laughter.  You’ve been such a good friend and I just wanted you (and everyone else) to know how much I appreciate you in my life.  You are awesome and I can’t wait to see what other memories we’ll make!  Lots of love and hugs girl.. oxox

If you’re like me and have special place in your heart for dimples – don’t say I didn’t warn you.  These two have a pair of dimples that you just want to go pinch when you see them giggle!  Meet Will and MC.  Will is one of Jackson’s best friends from school.  We’ve had such a crazy Summer so far we haven’t even had a playdate yet – can you believe it!?  Needless to say, I was so excited with his Mom asked if we could do a session with the boys .. at least I knew I’D get to see them — Jackson? Well, he’d just have to wait ha!  So without delay – meet these two adorable little faces… And trust me – it was SO hard to pick just a few to blog… I have so many favorites!

Check out MC  – What a big man!!

I love this face!  I love the way Mom’s make their kids laugh – There is nothing better!

This is a great opportunity to share something about cropping images.  I genearally have a tendency to prefer tightly cropped photos.  It’s just what I like.  I also like to play around to see if an image feels different when I crop it.  Take the following example.  I included the full version because I’m pretty sure this was one of the first times MC was up rocking on his knees!  I knew Mom was excited and it was a perfect moment to capture on camera!  BUT, when I was doing some editing, I realized just how much I liked a tighter crop on this particular photo.  Check it out here:

Does it feel different for you? It feels different for me… So cropping an image can change it a lot if you ask me! Just a little FYI on how  I see things   Carry on…

What a smile, right

Peek-A-Boo!

So there is your sneak peak Jessie!  I hope you guys had fun – I know Jackson was very sad he didn’t get to see Will and MC but I promised him another playdate soon — So I hope you’re up for that!     It was so great to spend the afternoon with you guys – I hope the boys had dinner and gave you guys some quiet time – all that running around hopefully tuckered them out! We’ll be in touch soon…

Big Hugs!

xoxo

Remember this little face? Well I forgot to post his newborn slideshow from a few weeks ago – so without further ado … Welcome to the world Mr. Will… and of course big sister Quinn is in there too

To see the slideshow click HERE!

I’ve wanted a picture of me and my kids for a long time now.  I have been meaning to schedule a session of our own with a photographer so we can 1) have family portraits of our family of our family of 4 around the same time that we did family portraits when Jackson was a baby and 2) so we can fill our house with some family photographs that I’m actually in!  I clearly haven’t got around to doing that yet so I asked Rick to snap a few pictures tonight. I really started thinking after watching the end of the Michael Jackson Memorial on CNN…

This coverage of Michael Jacksons life has just emphasized even more why I feel my job is such a priveledge.  I get to capture family moments, perfect or imperfect forever.  That is a gift.  What I also realized is I don’t have may photographs of me and my kids. Just us. Just as we are. I am on a mission to change that.  I often struggle with perfection and what I want my images to look like.  It is that constant battle that has endless folders of unedited family memories on my external hard drive! Somehow I get my client images edited and processed in no time, but I can’t process my own! I tend to always be saying,  ”I’ll get around to it – I’ll do it next week – I’ll definitely do it after the kids are in bed.”  With not enough hours in the day – They are still sitting there.  Rick always asks about every 5 months – “Hey can I see some pictures on your computer that I’ve never seen!?”  I always have my camera in hand, actually opening the pictures I love to take is another story.  I often import them and then flag the ones i WANT to go back to.. somehow i HAVE to find a way to start going back. How do you keep up?

With that said… This is the picture that means the most to my heart right now.   Me and my kids. Totally unedited (yikes!) tired eyes, hair scrunched back with no brush in the last 8 hours, no makeup on (double yikes!) no dressy clothes, Jackson with a big boo-boo on his face, and Molly with her dinner all over her face!  But nevertheless all I see is perfection.  I see my heart beating outside my body in the two gifts in my arms.  I see the look of wonder in their eyes – I see the look of happiness in their smiles- and most of all I see the look of love in the way they are holding on to their Mama… That is perfection.

So today – this is my vow. I will take more pictures – more snapshots of our life – stress less about getting whats in my head and stress more about preserving my OWN family memories. Thanks to Michael Jackson for reminding me – todays memories are irreplaceable. Every. second. counts.

Much love…xoxo