My sister came to visit in July – so we all stayed at the farm together!!

I posted a blog recently where Enoch helped my mom make food for Ebony and feed her. Jack hadn’t been able to help yet – so Enoch had to step aside – which was HARD for him.

You know what else is hard!? Navigating boundaries and relationships with your siblings when you all have kids and parent differently!

My sister lives 3 hours away and my brother about 6 – we live about 45 minutes from my parents. We see them quite often.

And when we are all visiting together – I have a hard time. Because I want to see my family and I want my kids to experience their cousins. BUT I also want my niece and nephews to experience G & Pa without my kids there monopolizing ALL the time and attention!!

SO – Enoch had a little bit of a hard time handing it over to Jack – because we are a selfish race!

AND – he ended up doing really well with the sharing! After his initial whining of course.

Jack is 13 months younger than Enoch – but they’re about the same size – the Trout genes are strong!!

THOSE GUYS – Jack only calls him Enochguy and Enoch usually calls him Jackieboy!

I LOVE THAT SHOT!! Makes me laugh every single time!!

That’s Red and her gorgeous little guy – Brownie!!

I hope we have a few more years with Red!!

Jack with his little arm around G – I know that everyone loves their mom – but our mom is AMAZING!!!

THAT FACE!!! Like I said – EVERY CHILD should grow up on a farm!!

That guy – look at how GROWN UP he is looking!!

THAT SHOT – I see teenage Enoch in that face!!

ALSO – if you need a cat – if you want a cat – DO YOU WANT A CAT!? My parents might have a few you could take!!

Do you drop off your pregnant cats at farms – PLEASE don’t.

We are NOT bringing a kitten home – but if we did – it would be that one!!

My parents have a small farm – and Enoch LOVES the cows! He has loved them since he was a baby – even though their MOO scared him so much he shook!!

Right now they have a baby girl that needs bottle fed! E was SUPER excited to help make the formula AND feed her!

ALSO – if you want a little kitten – they’ve got LOTS to pick from!!

Her name is Ebony! Her mom kicked her in the head and wanted nothing to do with her – so my parents adopted her!

I rarely take REAL pictures of my kiddos anymore – it’s something that I struggle with – living in the moment or living behind the camera capturing the moment.

I’m so happy I pulled my camera out for THESE moments!!

I’ve known Carla for a LONG time – we grew up in church together! This fall will mark their 8th wedding anniversary!!

I haven’t seen them since that day – so I was SO excited to hear that they wanted to bring their pups for a mini session in the creek!

I LOVE THOSE SHOTS!!

SWOON!!

LOOK AT THAT BEAUTIFUL GIRL!!

She really did NOT want to get in that water!

Kevin & Carla – THANK YOU SO MUCH for asking me to photograph you and your sweet pups – AND for traveling so far!!

My cousin Jake messaged me about some announcements he needed to make – and was hoping I would photograph their happy news!

SURPRISE!!

There was a mistake in ordering the t-shirts – but nothing a sharpie can’t fix!!

A baby – a marriage – a new big brother! SO MUCH EXCITEMENT!!

Jake & Amanda – I am SO happy for you both!!

Can I tell you something about this guy? It was COLD that day – not terribly cold but cold enough!

He never complained. He almost always had that giant smile on his face!!

I asked him to show me his teeth – he wasn’t wrong! I just meant SMILE with your teeth!

BROTHERS!!

Patti – THANK YOU for coming to Mansfield and braving the cold!!

I hope to see you all again soon!!

We LOVE summer around here!

I took the boys up to the property – my dream property!

It’s where Jared and I kinda-sorta “met” – where we got engaged AND where we got married!

It only makes sense to build a house there – someday – when we win the lottery we don’t play!

AND – Enoch was getting his hair cut – and I needed EVERY EXCUSE to take ALL THE PICTURES before that fateful day!

THAT FACE! That darling face that made me a momma on this earth!

OH MY WORD! SUCH SWEET BOYS!

Enoch took that one!

We take the long way home – and see the goats and Lil’ Sebastian – the boys don’t watch Parks and Recreation – obviously!

But they DO know about Lil’ Sebastian – AND they know the song – it’s the BEST!

AND ONE LAST SHOT OF THOSE SWEET CURLS!

In June – we took Fitzy to the zoo – in the Bronx!

My sister and her husband live in New Jersey – so it’s two trips in one!

Crazy boy!

My sister has lost over 150 pounds in 14 months! I can’t stop telling everyone I meet about her! She looks (and feels) FANTASTIC!

Fitzy is a pretty cautious little guy – he didn’t want to get too close – didn’t want to pet anything – just enjoyed the day!

It was a LONG but great day!

Fitzy LOVES his Sammy (or as he calls her – Hammy) and Xavier. Both mornings he woke up saying – HAMMMMMY! HAMMMMY! HAMMMMMMMY!

Thanks SO much for having us over for the weekend – we love you guys!

When I was in college – I saw a poster for a Student Activities trip – to the Renaissance Faire. I thought – my dad would LOVE that! I wonder how much it costs. I checked – $5 for me and $10 for my dad. SERIOUSLY?! That covered the fee into the Faire and the bus ride down!

That was 10 years ago! TEN YEARS! We went with the college up until they changed the policy on who could go. Then we made our own trip!

It’s kind of like Christmas for my dad. He saves all year and makes a suit of armor. We watch glass blowing – eat giant turkey legs and soup in a bread bowl – get cinnamon almonds for the trip home – bid at the pirate auction. The first year we went – it was just the two of us. We watched the glass blowing demonstration – they made a pumpkin. I’ve always wanted one and since this year was our anniversary – I got TWO!

We were hesitant about bringing Fitzy – but he did FANTASTIC! He slept a little on the way down and chatted with grandpa. Walked around the park or caught a ride on shoulders. Posed for pictures and roared like the dragon he was! He took a nap in the afternoon and met a little friend who shared her goldfish and some kisses. He slept almost the whole ride home – we tired him out!

Belinda let me borrow her dragon costume!

Make up artist – I am NOT. But it worked – till it got warm anad melted off!

The dragon and the knight he defeated!

It got REALLY warm – so the dragon turned into a pirate!

He was too little to ride the elephant – maybe in a few years!

Fitzy met this little girl on our trek around the park. He loved her.

I love these pictures! It’s just a mango Slush Puppie people!

We switched to the dragon costume I had originally bought because it was a little lighter and I would have felt horrible if he got the one from Belinda all sticky!

On our way out of the Faire – we had SO much fun!

He is TOO big!

The dragon and the knight – friends after all!

I met Lisa and her family while we were attending church in Liberty and then took her oldest son’s senior pictures last summer!

She had me back for some family pictures – on a HOT day!

I LOVE THOSE SHOTS!

Thank you SO much for asking me to capture your family!

OH MY WORD! This family was so sweet to spend time with and photograph! Vaughn’s sister Miranda is a client and friend of mine and she referred them to me! When I walked up to their house – little *K* was already out the door to welcome me and show me around to all the photo spots! I asked her what it was like to have twin babies and she said – it’s great – but it’s a lot of hard work! The twins are only two weeks older than Fitzy!

Seriously – SO CUTE!

Thank you SO much for welcoming me into your homes and hearts! I cannot WAIT to watch your little ones grow!!