Hissyfits Photography Blog

It’s funny how certain moments in our lives stick out among the hundreds that make up even one day. I remember the day I met Lindsey like it was yesterday. In reality it was four years ago this past February. Four years. She showed up at my house with a baby on her hip and a toddler holding her hand. She was young. She was cute. She came bearing strawberries for the Valentine’s playdate I was hosting. It was the beginning of a friendship that would grow to be one I treasure. I am a big believer in the theory that paths cross for a reason. Friendships bud and bloom – some for merely a season, others for a lifetime. I know that the chapter of our life here in Arizona is fleeting in the scope of life, but from this entry in the book of my life, I will take countless memories with me. And I will take friendships. Friendships that saw me through some of the hardest times in my life. Friendships that circled me with love when I needed it the most. Friendships that will never, ever be forgotten…

Lindsey and her family will never, ever be forgotten…

This is the last frame I shot. Seriously. Then my battery died. {No worries, I have since purchased two new batteries so that won’t be happening again any time soon!} How incredibly cute are these faces? Are the kids looking? Nope. But do I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this shot? Yep. This is real. These are the images that tug at my heart strings and remind me of why I adore this gig…

This was one of the last shots as well. Look at that sweet girl running to her mama with outstretched arms as her daddy looks on adoringly. Melt my little heart!!

I was so honored to be able to photograph this family again this year. It is crazy how much everyone changes and grows in just 12 short months…

Yes, he is every bit as ornery as he looks!!

Bobby, Lindsey, Jakob, Aiden and Lucy,

Thank you for being you. Thank you for being our friends. Thank you for bringing smiles to our faces and happiness to our hearts. Arizona has never been our forever home. But the trip has been made all the sweeter because of the friendships I have made and the memories that are etched into my heart. Thank you for allowing me to capture you as you are right now in this crazy beautiful life.

For those of you who don’t know me or much about my past, before I was a mom {actually, before I was even married}, I worked in foster care. My college degree is in sociology. I have a minor in psychology. People fascinate me. I love watching the interactions of others and trying to figure out “their story.” Where are they from? Why are they here? What are their careers? For those who have seen Date Night, remember the scene where the husband and wife were out to dinner and assigning stories to the couples around them? So me. I even caught myself trying to discern what was going on with the couple who sat in front of us at church on Sunday. The body language going on between them was FAR more powerful than words! {She seemed to be thoroughly annoyed. He tried to put his arm around her on more than one occasion and she kept pushing him away. Chris even picked up on it so it had to be pretty obvious!!}

Birth order. I really wish I would have studied this more in school when I actually had time because this is one subject that peaks my interest like no other. It is beyond interesting to me how we all find our niche within our families and how birth order plays into that. I am your “typical” first born. Perfectionist. Nurturing. Responsible. Control freak. Rule follower. Achiever. Yep, that’s me. Or it was anyway. As time goes on and I am, ahem, getting older, I’ve changed. I’ve mellowed and the traits aren’t as strong as they once were.

When I think of my kids, I wonder how their birth order will play into their lives. Huntler is very much like Chris and I. {Chris is an only child but has lots of first born traits!} But Gentry? Ohhhh my. Based on a list I found online, she has very strong “last child” traits. Outgoing. Risk taker. Sense of humor. It will be fun to watch who they grow into and how, if at all, Brighton plays into that.

Meet Annagail. She is a first born. She’s three. I didn’t get to spend enough time with her to figure out which characteristics she portrays, if any just yet! I was far too focused anyway – when I am shooting that is literally all that is on my mind!

And this is her baby sis Harper. I LOVE her red hair and would be more than happy if Brighton’s grows in this same shade of happiness!

Right now they adore each other. ADORE. Here is the proof.

I loved this next shot – it screamed vintage to me!! {And thus the reason why I edited a bit different in case you notice that kind of thing!!}

Family photos are challenging. They are. Small kids have minds of their own and at times even the best of bribes won’t work. So managing to get four pair of eyes on the camera at the same time as four smiles? Nearly impossible. But that’s okay. Because that’s real life. Everyone lined up and smiling perfectly for the camera? While of course those shots are nice to have, they aren’t real. I LOVE THIS SHOT. I do. I even edited it two different ways I love it so much. This is real people. This is real. Annagail is so over this photo business she can’t even pretend to be happy. Harper is so eager to move that sitting isn’t an option. This is time standing still for this family right now. It’s them. And it’s perfect in every sense of the word.

Bill and Katie,

It was so nice to meet you. Your family is adorable and your girls too cute for words! Thanks for letting me freeze a little bit of time for you all! Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

I talk often and openly about our move here. I can’t help it – it has forever changed me. And yes, it was four years ago so one would think I would hush about it already, but I so desperately want to move home that it is never really far from my mind. I’m not the same person I was when we moved out here. But how could I be? I was forced to leave everything that defined me. Every single aspect of my perfect world was turned completely upside down. I had no choice but to find a new normal. To create a happy life for my children who really didn’t know any different.

That was the very end of September of 2006. At the beginning of October of that same year, I joined a playgroup. It was just a random one I found online through meetup.com, but it has proven to be the single best decision I have EVER made. Nearly every single friend I have here in AZ was made in that group. I’m a thinker. Although you can’t tell from my short and sweet posts of late, I love to write. I love to ponder life and daydream. I love to reflect. I often wonder how my life would be different had I not joined that group. How I would be different. How my kids would be different. It’s quite fascinating to think about how single decisions can impact the entire path your life takes…

So mid-October I loaded up my littles into the back of our Trail Blazer and headed out for our first ever playdate with this new group. Nervous. Excited. Hopeful. And completely irritated that it was mid-October and we were headed to the pumpkin patch in 90 degree heat! The sacrifices you make when you are desperate to connect. I drove for what seemed like forever in parts unknown to me. I unloaded the massive double stroller out of the back of the vehicle and in we went. That day I made my first Arizona friend. Her name was Mistie. She had a son Huntler’s age, Bailey, and a daughter Gentry’s age, Arianna. She was new to Arizona. She had an SUV and a double stroller. She was my age. She was normal. Really. Could it possibly get any more perfect?

Time went on and our friendship continued to grow. Playdates. Birthday parties. I would say Mom’s Night Outs, but I always skip out on those!! And our kids continued to grow. But then Mistie moved. She packed up her cute little family and they moved away. That was March of 2008. We stayed in touch off and on through email and then a lot more often once I finally jumped on the bandwagon and joined Facebook. In March of this year they welcomed their third baby, a girl. In June we of course welcomed our third baby, a girl. Kinda crazy. And then in July Mistie and Co moved back!! Same peaceful suburb. Same crazy summer heat. Same adorable family. And yes, I thought she was absolutely nuts to “want” to return {and I’ve told her so!}, but I am so glad they are here again!

We picked right back up where we left off. Playdates. Birthday parties. Dinners out.

The photos I posted last week of the little girls in the orchard are Mistie’s. We met up on Saturday afternoon to take photos of the whole fam and go to dinner together. Pictures were taken. Tears were shed – poor baby Mya was so worn out! Bribes were issued. Dinner was eaten under the stars. But most importantly? Memories were made. There are the memories forever frozen in time that I captured on my trusty camera, but there are also the memories that replay in my mind that aren’t on camera. Walking to the restaurant. Sitting outside in the cool autumn air listening to the chatter and giggles wafting through the air from the end of the table where the kids were gathered. Simply knowing that I can be exactly who I am and be accepted for it – flaws and all.

Tony and Mistie – thank you for allowing me to freeze just a smidge of time for you. We are all so excited to have you back and look forward to making many more memories!

Here is just a tiny peek at what we captured…

Something about this image totally caught my eye – I really love it!

And a couple of the whole fam…

I complain a lot about living out here. I know I do. Not constantly, but frequently. I can’t help it – that is simply where I am in life. I could pretend that I love it here and I want to raise our kids here and spend forever cultivating our life in the desert, but that wouldn’t be keeping it real. What’s real is that tears flow frequently and my heart breaks often because I long for home. For Kansas. For the family that awaits us with open arms. For the country roads lined with trees as old as time. For the wheat fields swaying in the summer breeze. For the dandelions. For the fireflies. For the memories just waiting to be created. That’s real.

The truth of the matter is that life doesn’t always play out like that fairytale we envision when we say our vows. And while we may not always be where we pictured ourselves years ago when daydreaming about the future, that’s okay. That’s life. That’s real. Do I love it here? Of course not. Would I pack up and move tomorrow if Chris said we could? In a heartbeat. Am I sad for my kids because I know what they are missing out on not being close to cousins and grandparents? You bet. But will my heart break and tears fall freely when the time comes to say goodbye to our life here? Without a doubt.

When we moved here I made a promise to myself that I was going to get us involved. I was going to join a playgroup and we were going to make friends and meet people. That was three and a half years ago. That playgroup and the people we met? They are more than just people – they are friends. Forever friends that have given comfort. Friends that have provided encouragement and laughter. Friends that have shared advice on everything from the best doctor to directions to the new Carter’s store. Friends that have had babies. Friends that have closed the chapter of their life in Arizona and have moved on yet still stay in touch. Friends that see your faults, listen to you whine and yet still love and encourage you anyway. They are the constants in my life here {other than Chris and the kids of course!}. They are the bright spots on dark days. They came into my life at a time when I really needed them and I will forever cherish the place they hold in my heart because of that.

Meet Lindsey {and her man}! She is one of those friends. A forever friend. I remember the day I met her like it was yesterday. It was a Valentine’s playdate at my house – 2007. She showed up looking all cute and trendy with her bowl full of strawberries, a toddler holding her hand  and a baby on her hip. I can’t believe that was over three years ago. I can’t believe that day I made a friend whom I love and my kids adore. Lindsey gets it. She gets that our family is what seems like a million miles away and I can’t get back there fast enough. She knows how hard it is to be pregnant and miss your mom. She understands…wholeheartedly. I love that about her.

And Lindsey, if you do not have this image printed big and hang it in your home, I am going to do it for you!! I LOVE THIS MOMENT!! This is exactly why I love this gig – freezing real life snippets like this for people to look at and remember long after they have passed!

Lindsey and Bobby aren’t from Arizona either. They moved here from California –  she left behind her family too. Her mom. Her sister. Her dearest friends. Her life. Sometimes you don’t have a choice…I get that. But she too made the decision that they were going to meet people, to make friends. They were going to make the most of their life here because that is all you can do. Shortly after we joined the playgroup, she joined the same one. One decision. One simple decision that has created a friendship that will last a lifetime.

I had fun shooting Lindsey and Bobby! I RARELY photograph adults so it was something new and different. And easy! Oh my gosh! It is so easy to take photos of people who listen and cooperate without having to bribe with candy or a trip to Toys R Us after the shoot!

These two  have three beautiful kids…Jakob, Aiden and sweet Lucy.

Jakob and Huntler were in the same preschool class last year and while they knew each other beforehand, they grew to be good friends over the course of the year. But when Huntler returned for another  year of preschool, Jakob moved on to kindergarten. He is sweet and shy…much like Huntler. He rolls with the punches and is low maintenance. He enjoys school and is soaking up all of the new knowledge like a sponge!

And then they had Aiden! Their Aiden is the equivalent to our Gentry. Cute as a button but ornery as all get out! This little guy gives his parents a run for their money numerous times a day! Personality just exudes from his little body! He is so candid and real…

And eight months ago tiny little Lucy joined the world and won the hearts of her parents and adoring big brothers! Happy, adorable, petite little Lucy girl!

It’s been so fun watching these kids grow up! Jakob wasn’t in school and in a few short months he’ll be starting first grade. Aiden wasn’t even one yet when we first met him and now he is four. Lucy was just a dream and now she is here. It is amazing how much has changed and how much we have all grown in the last three years.

When my mom gave me this vintage white bowl at Christmas, I had a vision. A vision that involved a baby girl and strawberries! I had no idea how it would all play out and it was admittedly a bit more challenging than I had pictured {I’ll blame that on my large stomach and inability to get up and down in a timely fashion!}, but it was fun to bring an idea to life!

Little Miss Lucy was VERY interested in the strawberries…she couldn’t shovel bites in fast enough! And her outfit? Well, about two minutes into this set of photos it was gone! But the thing is, it was okay. I know Lindsey well enough to know that she would be able to just roll with it…that a few strawberry stains weren’t going to be a big deal! And they weren’t! Lucy girl was so focused on the strawberries I had a terrible time getting her attention for a few photos! In most of them she is far more interested in the strawberries and hanging out of the bowl to get them than in having her picture taken! But I did manage to get this one!

And this next one? It just makes me giggle. Laugh out loud really. Because it is Aiden. It is 150% orneriness and personality. LOVE it!

And of course a few of the fam! I will be perfectly up front and honest here in saying that this is the first time I have ever shot more than four people at a time! For some reason I have just never had any more than that involved in a session. It was challenging for sure…but I love a good challenge from time to time!

I kid you not when I say this is the first frame I fired off at our session {other than the one I took to check my exposure and get my settings right}. FIRST SHOT = FAVORITE SHOT.

And then we changed it up a bit! I promise Bobby’s eyes are opened in this one!! His allergies were really bothering him and I felt so bad! {Note Aiden and his ornery grin!!}

Lindsey {and fam!},

Thanks for meeting up with me for a fun family session! Thanks for humoring my ideas and letting me experiment with your family. But most of all, thanks for being such a good friend. I meant every word I said – while I can’t wait to move back to Kansas, my heart will break when it comes time to say our goodbyes. You have been such a great source of strength and encouragement in our journey out here and I am forever grateful our paths crossed. Big hugs!

Enjoy your photos!

Energy. Ohhh the energy of this little guy! How I wish he could give me just a tiny bit! I can still hear the sound of his little flip flops hitting the pavement as he hopped, skipped and jumped from one place to another during our shoot last week! In fact, he was skipping so much that I asked his mom if he had just learned how! You see, Gentry recently figured it out and has been skipping all over the place ever since! But Tucker? Nope. He is just a little ball of energy who is always on the move!

Tucker ROCKED at our session! He was so good! And he listened so well! And the smiles he would flash? Priceless!!

I love these two! I cropped them opposite because I think they would be so cute hanging one above the other!

As we rounded a corner and this bike rack came into view, I almost let out a little squeal of excitement! What a FUN element to work with! And so boy. Oh so boy.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this black and white one!!

The little guy does have some serious faces too…

And this one just makes me smile for some reason!!

We ventured up onto a hill during our time together too! For anyone interested, I started shooting in “evaluative” metering mode but when Tucker was way too underexposed because of  all the backlight, I switched to “spot” metering and had MUCH better results! I love it when I take the time to think things like that through and experiment a little during a session! That one decision made all the difference in that entire series of photos! And it took all of three seconds to do!

I LOVE this light!! For real. One of my personal goals is to get out of the open shade and start shooting in light more often! Now that I see the results first hand, there is no holding me back!!

And a couple with mom! Tucker is going to be a big brother this summer and his mom looks AMAZING. Seriously April, you look great!!

Dad wasn’t actually planning to be in any pictures, but I sort of insisted that he get in on just one!

Thanks Tucker and Co for taking a little bit of time to hang out with me the night before you left! It was so nice to meet you all and I wish you all the best! Good luck this summer with the birth of Baby #2!

Last week I had the wonderful opportunity to meet up with sweet Kenley and her mama and daddy. The second I saw her little blue jersey, I knew what I was going to title this post! We met up at the practice fields for the Kansas City Royals for our session. Words cannot express how fun it was to shoot somewhere so fun and different! When Katie mentioned the idea I jumped at it…the creative wheels in my mind spinning! And the thought of ALL that lush green grass? Such a treat for us down here in the desert! Chris was out of town four nights last week, so when the session was booked, I warned Katie that there was a pretty big chance that my own two littles would be tagging along…and they did. They too had a wonderful time and have since been to a Royals spring training game with Chris {I was at a photography workshop all day or I would have gone!} and from what I hear went on and on about Billy! Katie, as I share with you memories and priceless moments forever frozen in time of your precious family, I want to thank you for the ones you in turn have given mine.

Ahhh Kenley. Her mama warned me that it would be tough to get lots of smiles! She was right – but the ones we captured are darling! And her little tongue sticking out? Well that is just a bonus!

No smile here, but I love a serious face just as much as a smiley one!

And then it was time for a wardrobe change. I.LOVE.THIS.OUTFIT!! The photos do not even come close to doing it justice as there are all sorts of rhinestones and bling adorning this little number! If you look really hard you can see them! So, so cute. And glam.

A personal fave of mine. I can totally see this one printed really big! The retro feel I adore. The loose curls. The toddler walk. The bits of dust and dirt on her jeans from sitting on the ground. And the feet. Ohhhh the little bare feet. Mid-step. On her way to do bigger and better things than take pictures! Love this moment!

From her serious face in this photo you can’t really tell, but this little girl LOVES her daddy. We were having the hardest time getting eye contact out of her, let alone any sort of  a smile. And then her daddy made it over. She lit up and was so excited to see him! I love to see those connections. The recognition. The unconditional love. Capturing those moments are what this is all about for me. When I look at this photo I see love. But I also see strength. Look at how big and strong Billy’s arms are in comparison to Kenley’s little body. And his tanned skin next to her pale face. What a story this photo tells…

As a mom, I don’t love being in photos. I love taking them, but being on the other side of the camera isn’t really my thing. Yet, I know with 110% certainty that in 30 years when my kids look back on images from their childhood, they will cherish the ones of us together. I am their mom, their only mom. Katie…the same is true for you. I know you weren’t jumping for joy at the thought of having your photo taken, but think of how much these will mean to your family…now and years down the road.

These next two? Ummm….LOVE. I mean LOVE LOVE. I look at these and tears come to my own eyes. Yes, I am a pregnant and emotional mess, but what sweet, tender moments these are. I love how it feels like Kenley and Billy are the only two around in this image. I love the stadium lights in the background. I love that no matter where life takes this family, they ARE a family. They stick together. They share in each others highs and lows. They love.

Katie, I love this shot of you and your girl. I hope you see it and remember our time together that night on the baseball field. I hope you remember Kenley as she is right now. I hope as life moves you from one state to the next, you cherish the good times and learn a little something from the bad. I hope you cling to each other and your love to carry your family far.

It was so nice to meet you all! I hope that next summer finds my own family in Kansas City and gives us the chance to meet up again!

Last night I had the opportunity to meet up with an adorable little family who is in town for Spring Training. I was SO excited when Katie suggested we meet at the practice fields for the baseball teams as this was somewhere completely fun and new for me to shoot! It was so.much.fun!! I am going to be doing a bigger sneak peek in a few days so I’ll wait and share more about it all then, but here are a few that stood out as I was scanning through my captures!

This last one reminds me of an old time magazine cover or something! I had so much fun playing around and editing it to feel retro! And don’t even get me started on what a sweet moment it was! LOVE!

Over the weekend I had the chance to meet up with sweet little Abby and her mommy and daddy again. You may remember when I did her six month photos back in May. Well, as time does, the months have passed and this little princess has now turned one! And not only is she celebrating her first year, next month she’ll be a big sister! It was so much fun getting to catch up with Bob and Lacy again. They were my very first “official” clients and are from Kansas…they will forever hold a special place in my heart and I wish them the best of luck as they bring another baby into the world at the beginning of the year!

Since things are obviously a bit on the chaotic side for many of us now, I am only posting a few images in their sneak peek!

LOVED her next outfit!!

Thanks for letting me capture your family once again! I had a great time meeting up in your neck of the woods! Have a WONDERFUL holiday season!

On a side note, I PROMISE I have not forgotten my blog! It has just taken a back burner for the time being! I have lots of snapshots of my own two littles to share! My parents and Chris teamed up and pulled off a HUGE surprise and they flew out the day after Thanksgiving so things have been busy! Tis the season, right?!

Any just turned four year old that uses the words “actually” and “besides” in regular conversation totally suckers me in! Something about little people using such big words and using them appropriately just makes me giggle! My own kids use big, adult words all of the time, but because they are mine, I guess I don’t think twice about it! Yet hearing Lincoln carry on about everything from school to Sponge Bob to Optimus Prime with perfect grammar and confidence made my “almost majored in English vocabulary loving little heart” skip a beat!

{Please ignore the non-centered images! Chris did some work on my blog and one of the not so great things is that now my pictures won’t center! We are working on getting it resolved though!!}

Meet Lincoln. I am pretty sure he is every bit as ornery as he is cute! He looks like he is cooking up something in that mind of his, doesn’t he?

I am also pretty sure that he adores his mom and dad just as much as they adore him!

I had a wonderful time at this session. Lincoln was the chattiest, happiest little guy and was a total rock star when it came to listening to my crazy ideas and then following through! He tried really, really hard to give me lots of shots with the best four year old “cheese” smile he could muster up, but when I brought up things like transformers and school friends, he totally let loose and let his real smile shine through. And isn’t it a sweet one?

And a serious face every now and then too! I LOVED how Rachel dressed him for this session! He was super stylin’ in his layered look! And that scarf? Well, let me just say that I came home that very night and ordered Huntler the same scarf with a matching hat and mittens. And maybe an orange sweater too. Maybe not. You can be the judge of that one!

When emailing back and forth with Rachel in regards to this session, I knew that my gumball machine would be the perfect prop to tote along! I have had it for months now and have been waiting oh so patiently for a little guy just the right age to come along! Lincoln was definitely that little guy! I had an idea in my mind of how I wanted these images to look even before I took them…they had to have that vintage flair.

And this next one? One word: LOVE. It is quite possibly one of my all time faves. Ever. I can assure you it will be seen again on my website! I also would LOVE to try to recreate it with Huntler and Gentry both. I giggle as I type that…the odds of that happening are slim to none, but lucky for me, this gumball machine just so happens to be at my disposal, as are my two favorite kidlets!! Then I want to blow them up big and on canvas. But for now, back to Lincoln. Is this shot not amazing?! And the orange gumball peeking through his hand up there? Fab little detail I couldn’t have planned if I had tried!

Of course we did a few more with mom and dad too! As you can tell, I was totally feeling the black and white on some of these! There is just something so captivating about black and white photographs in real life moments for me. I can’t really explain it, but you’ll notice that a lot of the more candid shots I edit will be black and white…love the timeless feel!

And this next one…it is slightly out of focus and not quite as sharp as I wish it would have been, but it is such a sweet moment that I just had to edit it! I adore how Lincoln is looking up and has that genuine smile on his little face!

And one more black and white image to finish it off! If you would have seen me trying to capture this one you would have had to have laughed! I was shoved back in a corner as far as I could get and was bent over at one crazy angle! But I managed to get the shot!

Sam, Rachel and Lincoln…thanks for making the drive out to meet up with me! It was so nice to meet you all! Have a wonderful holiday season!

When I started blogging a year and a half ago, I am not really sure what I expected to get out of it, if anything at all. I knew I wanted to write – to babble on about the insignificant little details that composed my days as well as those that were actually important. I knew I wanted to post snapshots of my darling kids for friends and family “back home” so they could see what a day in our life was like. But what I didn’t know was what a huge part of my life blogging would evolve to be…the void it would fill and the friendships that would bloom because of it.

Two years ago I was happily oblivious to what “blogging” even was. I distinctly remember asking Chris one evening what exactly a blog was! HA! My how times have changed! I have connected with women all over the United States…some near and some far. We have bonded over chatter about everything from mothering to photography to party planning to crafting. We have shared our ups and downs…our victories and our failures. Everything from potty training secrets to who on Etsy has the cutest dresses to easy crock pot recipes has flashed across my computer screen. Quite simply, our lives have become intertwined in a way that only fellow bloggers can truly understand.

This past weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to meet up with one of my sweet “blog friends turned real life friend” and photograph her adorable family! {Out of respect to her family, I won’t be using their names…but you’ll catch on pretty quickly!} To be perfectly honest, I can’t exactly remember when “Mom” found me! But she did. And she commented. And so begins the circle of blogging. Curious of course, I clicked over to see just who it was that commented! And a connection was born. We continue to stay in touch through our blogs and also emails. Mom is an amazing party planner and our love for attention to detail has had us sending many a late night email with links, ideas and thoughts on upcoming parties!

When she contacted me in regards to taking her daughter’s four year pictures, I was thrilled! After months of this online relationship we had going on, we were finally meeting in person! It was SO nice to actually meet and be able to capture some images of her family.

Meet “Big Sis.” She will be four next month. She is just as cute and bubbly as she looks! It took her just a little bit to warm up, but once she did, it was like we had known each other forever! She was so comfortable in front of the camera and was such a joy to photograph!

Just to warn you, I am posting a ton of images! There were so many fun ones that I just kept editing and editing! Plus, these guys had quite the drive to meet up with me, so they deserve a little extra love on the ‘ole blog!

I am starting off with my traditional vintage retro look! You’ll notice that I processed these in several different styles…the colors and the clothes inspired me to do a lot of different things!

This first one is one of my personal faves…it is truly “my” style in editing! I love the haze and the timelessness of it!

How ADORABLE is this face? Love it!

And the shoes? And toes? Couldn’t you just scream at the cuteness here? Her grandma jazzed up these flip flops to match her dress! And her mama took her in for a pedi before our session! LOVE it!! It is ALL about the details, my friends, all about the details!

And now for a pop of color!! A little bit outside my “box,” but I love them!! She was looking up her mom here.

These next two were inspired by Laci Davis. She has a series called “Favorite Things” in which she takes images of kids and families with their favorite things. Mom thought it would be fun to capture some of her girls with their favorite things right now. Big sis here happens to love zebras! In fact, her upcoming birthday party is this same hot pink/black/white zebra theme! I have seen some of the decor and party favors…it is going to be DARLING!

Grandma made all the hair bows too! Doesn’t she rock?

Ahhh…”Little Sis.” This sweet thing was not loving me. At all. Despite all her protesting though, I did manage to get a few cute ones of her! Mom was worried that we didn’t get anything, but I think we captured some keepers for sure! Is she smiling in all of them? No. Is she giving great eye contact? No. But that really isn’t my style anyway! Freezing moments in real life is more my style, and this is quite simply, real life with a toddler.

Same shot…just wanted to try it in both color and with a little vintage haze! And yes, those are Smarties she is enjoying here!

Quite possibly my favorite shot from the entire shoot! Could that lip be stuck out there ANY further? I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

A little sisterly love!

And of course a few of the whole fam!

Another fave! I love how they look so relaxed and unaware of me and my camera! Just a family, being.

I want to thank you all once again for making the trek out to see me! It was so nice to finally meet you! I hope you look at these and remember our time together…your family is darling!