Ali

Wow. Look at her. Look at Ali. She's got beauty AND brains, and that doesn't happen very often. Ali has gorgeous red hair, piercing hazel eyes, and listens to science pod casts in her spare time :) She's going to be an engineer and plans on working for NASA one day. I have no doubt she'll get there.

Taking photos of Ali reminded me of me at her age - quiet, reserved, uncertain, but so much to say and so much to give. She'll be a senior this year, a year to remember. Make the best of it Ali, I know you will.

I'm kind of speechless, I'm sort of in awe. I have a logo. It seems so surreal.

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You know, I always knew I wanted to be a mama, and my dream came true, two times over. I'm twice blessed for these angels on earth. Then I wanted to stay at home with my kids, more than anything. I was granted this incredible wish last year and I thank my husband for making this possible. If I only had a year at home with them then I would make the best of it, and we did.

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At 37 years old I discovered another "dream". I didn't know I wanted to be a photographer, too, until last year. I just didn't know.

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And it wasn't until today that it all seems real, when my logo was created. Thank you to the wonderful and patient Tara Staton Designs for creating something that feels so authentically me. And thank you to the two wonderful friends who tried to help me first, who tried to create something from nothing because I had no idea how to express myself in that way.

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I sorta wanna cry, is that weird?

A few more...

Here again is Ivory, Cheyanne, and Tanner.

Gorgeous Siblings!

Take a look at these stunning siblings! This is Ivory and her younger brother and sister Tanner and Cheyanne. Mom suggested a gorgeous location and I'm so glad she did, it was beautiful!

I had a lot of fun photographing these three; the little ones have so much spunk and smiles that lit up their faces. Ivory has some experience modeling and it showed. Her and Mom taught me a few things about posing - thanks ladies!

Check back later for the individual photos. I can't wait to process them!

Sam and "Little E"

These are my incredibly gorgeous and vivacious neice and nephew, Elizabeth and Sammy. Elizabeth's nickname is "Little E", but she's not so "little" anymore J & J... Not fair, I know. I've taken lots of candids over the years of these two, but this was my favorite time spent with them behind the camera. We worked with very little open shade so not as much variety as I'd like, but it was fun chatting them up: we talked about Elizabeth's favorite Sponge Bob character, Patrick, Sam's favorite position in baseball being the pitcher (because he's closest to the batter there), Sam's handful of grass to feed the grass carp in Grandpa's pond, and how Elizabeth is able to achieve motion blur with her camera.

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Their little brother Ben was on the run just about right when everyone got there. I should have taken images of him first; with each session I learn something (more than one something actually) and with this one I learned TAKE PICTURES OF THE FASTEST ONE FIRST!! I hope to catch Ben some time soon, he's got an incredible face that I want all of you to see. His heart is gold as well and it shows up in his kind eyes.

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Man, are my relatives gorgeous or what?!?!

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Oh, one more important thing - my daughter Rachel and Elizabeth are BFFFFFFFFFFF - seriously. I've never seen two girls that young so closely bonded, like they were friends in a past life. It's really something to see.

Paige, Grace, and Brother Jake

I was blessed with another chance to take pictures of these loving siblings, Paige, Grace, and Jake (in order from top). They were SO FUN to photograph. Paige just strikes a pose and it's "the one". I love her skin, too, the freckles are awesome. Grace is a bit more shy when it comes to posing but she lightens up a bit after some conversation and is a beauty to behold. Now Jake, what can I say, he's a boy! He stood still for some Smarties - every toddler's favorite treat. He's got a mischievous look in his eye but he never gets out of line, he's such a good boy!

Thanks Paige, Grace, and Jake!!

Baby Blake

These are more of Blake. I loved spending time processing these, I loved looking at him as I worked and listening to my music.

Look at picture #3...can you see how he's looking at his mama? She is the only one in his world at that very moment, and he in hers. Newborn love is so wondrous.

Thanks Blake's mama, for letting me relive both my baby's first weeks :)

Ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes....

This is Blake - so tiny, so vulnerable, so dependent on his mama. Can you believe we were all this tiny once? As I watched mama with her first born and watched Blake with his beloved mama I was reminded of my first days with my firstborn. Other mamas can tell pretty quickly who's got the instinct, who has totally and completely fallen in love with their tiny angel. Blake's mama has both and it was wondrous to be a part of their day for just a few hours. Thank you!

Thanks for waiting!

More of that dear sweet Aidan, and these are my favorites. There are many more of these poses and I'm so glad they turned out nicely!

Thanks again, mama, for letting me into your home. And thank you for asking me to take 9 month and 1 year pictures, too! Woo hoo!!

More Aidan

I'm still processing images of this handsome young man, I took so many! Here are a few more, and still more to come.

SOOOO big!

It's Aidan again! Six months old and amazing. The moment you look into his face you are first captured by his blue eyes and then you light up from the inside out when he grins at you. And once again, his love for mama is so apparent, makes me wish I could snuggle up with them, too.

These are a preview for mama, more to come!

More of my baby

As I load these I'm shaking my head back and forth thanking the heavens that she's mine, that they are both mine....

(Check back for Rachel who will be up soon, she'll be 7 in a few weeks!!)

Happy Birthday Claire!

My sweet baby and I went to the park today for 3 year pictures! OK - it was a dual purpose trip, both for her pictures and so I could practice finding that "open shade" and getting that sunlight twinkling in her eyes (called "catchlights" with us cool dude photographers :). She's such a stinker to photograph, couldn't even get much today with bribing. I told her she'd get a lollipop if she'd pose and as we got in the car I told her she could have a small one... I think the meaning of that was lost on her.

More Laney

Here's some more of the birthday girl...

I'm TWO years old going on 13...

This is Claire and I's dear sweet friend Laney. She had a birthday recently and I got to take her two year old pictures!! Laney has been the subject of my camera many times; she has been so patient!

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Today was just Laney, Mommy, and me at the Botanical Center. Laney was all dressed up and ready to party in her beautiful orange party dress, pink toe nails, and Dora sandals that lit up when she walked. I LOVE her pigtails; they are so characteristic of her personality. Laney did some posing and some dancing, she was a great model! Laney found Nemo in the pond and said the shark was there, too. However, she never was convinced of the (nonexistent) ladybug on my shoulder in a ruse to get her to look my way. I need to think of a different shtick. :)

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Thanks for allowing me to take your pictures again Laney, you are beautiful!