I’ve been taking Heather & Ben’s family photos for 6 years – I think!

This year they asked me to come to their new house & property – WITH A CREEK!

Do you know how I feel about creek exploring!? It’s our new favorite thing to do in the summer!

But – this wasn’t a summer session!

This creek has seen a LOT of changes this summer & fall – and LOTS of flooding!

We’ve hiked through the woods for our past two sessions – climbing boulders – trekking through the moss & mud – but this year – they are officially my adventure family!

Chilly hands – momma always makes it better!

Do you see the fog on his glasses – those little things – they’re my favorite!

The coolest part about their new property – Ben grew up here – so he gets to relive all his childhood memories & make new ones with his kids!

Tune in tomorrow for the rest of their session!

GORGEOUS!! AND the wind died down – just in time!

STUNNING!!

I ADORE that shot!

Time to get warm by the fire!

Such a precious moment – again – so much of photography is being in the right place at the right time!

Karen – THANK YOU SO MUCH for asking me to spend the afternoon with you!!

I wondered how Karen knew me – turns out I took her daughter’s senior photos – THIS daughter – only NINE years ago! NINE!

Waiting – impatiently waiting for the ceremony to start!

Can you see it? Can you feel it? SO MUCH EMOTION in that moment!

Time to get BUNDLED up and ready to brave the chilly weather & winds – because when you have a BEAUTIFUL view right out the door – you GO OUTSIDE & GET THE PICTURE!

SUCH A GORGEOUS FAMILY!!

I got a message from Karen on FACEBOOK – hoping that I would be available for her intimate wedding in October!

Can I confess something to you?

When I first started this business – intimate weddings were NOT what I wanted. Because successful photographers book BIG events. BIG weddings! LOTS OF HOURS! ALL THE WEDDINGS!!

Can I tell you how differently I look at them now!? Don’t get me wrong – I still love the BIG WEDDINGS – the 6 or 8 hours spending the day with you!

But I have come to really love the small weddings. The intimate ceremonies. Spending a few hours with you and the people you hold most dear on one of the most memorable days of your life!

We were really hoping to have the ceremony outside – but that WIND and the chilly temperatures kept us inside by the fire!

I dressed for the occasion – so I took a little walk with THE DRESS!

I absolutely ADORE the getting ready room at Pine Cradle Lake!!

She LOVED that dress!!

I might have a little too much fun with those reflection shots – but I JUST LOVE THE PERSPECTIVE!

ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!

Stay tuned for the next two installments of Karen’s BEAUTIFUL wedding day!

ALWAYS with that giant smile! I JUST LOVE HER!

ALWAYS LET THEM BE LITTLE! LET THEM BE SILLY!

They have a picture from their wedding on these steps – six years ago!

We tried ALL THE THINGS to get him to sit still and smile. But sometimes – it doesn’t work. But the shots you DO get are REAL & BEAUTIFUL!

ONE LAST ATTEMPT – and it’s better than ANY looking-at-the-camera-smiling-shot!

And because she really wanted to show me her mask!

AND the side she designed! WHICH IS MY FAVORITE!

I used to post all these photos on FACEBOOK for you to see – and then I changed the process so that you see the bulk of your session in the blog post!

When I posted a handful on FACEBOOK – Amanda messaged me and said – HOW DID YOU GET THESE!?

When the parents are having a rough time because their little ones aren’t listening and aren’t sitting and are ALWAYS ON THE MOVE – I’m pretty sure they leave hoping that maybe there might be a handful of good shots. JUST A FEW.

When a parent says – WERE WE EVEN AT THE SAME SESSION!? HOW DID YOU GET THESE!? THAT’S MY GOAL. Because I know. I’ve been there.

I’ve had a kid with a lollipop in his mouth – nearly screaming – the entire time – and yet – they are HUGE prints on my wall – because that was our life then.

And through the eyes of someone else – someone who knows what to look for – where to be – someone who is not IN that frustration with you – you see your family and your life through their eyes.

And you see the beauty – when you convinced yourself that it couldn’t possibly be there.

That’s what I want to give you – AN HOUR IN THE LIFE of your family. A new perspective to your every day.

Amanda – thank you SO MUCH for asking me back into your lives each year!

I can’t believe that I’ve been photographing this family for TWO years already!

It seems like just yesterday that I met them in their backyard with a fresh baby boy!

Those shots – MELT MY HEART!!

Are you smiling yet? Because if you’re not – there MIGHT be something wrong!

This guy – he was ON THE MOVE THE ENTIRE TIME!!

I remember our family photo session when Enoch was two – it was a ROUGH one! He has a lollipop in EVERY SINGLE shot – or is reaching for said lollipop in EVERY SINGLE SHOT!

Thankfully – I get it. I have an ON THE GO kiddo – so I know.

THAT SMILE – it’s so very contagious!! STAY TUNED tomorrow for the rest of their session!

I met Jackie when her little family won my very first BEAUTIFUL contest!

It’s ALWAYS bittersweet when we get together – because the little boy that brought me into their lives – is no longer walking on this side of heaven.

So – family photos are HARD for them. Waking up and getting through each day is HARD for them.

Remember what I said about GETTING THE SILLIES OUT!?

Oh – you want to take pictures at a little castle in the woods? I guess. If we HAVE to.

SUCH an amazing little castle!!

Jackie – while I don’t personally KNOW how hard family photos are for you – I see it. I feel it. Thank YOU for asking me back into your lives even after all the hard things.

YOU ARE STRONG. YOU ARE BRAVE. YOU ARE LOVED.

I photographed Chelsea’s wedding earlier this fall and realized that her brother Cris & his wife Traci were also clients of mine – more than five years ago!

They contacted me after the wedding for a family session!

The last time I saw her – other than at the wedding – she was just a little tiny thing!

She was about THAT size!

I LOVE THAT SHOT!

HOW ADORABLE IS SHE!!

Sometimes – when the focus isn’t where I was hoping – it’s STILL a BEAUTIFUL photo!

I LOVE THAT ONE!!

OH MY WORD – she LOVES her big sister!!

THOSE LITTLE TEETH!!

ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!

I CAN’T. SO CUTE!

Cris & Traci – THANK YOU for asking me to capture your BEAUTIFUL family!! I hope it’s not another 6 years before we see each other!

The last time I saw Emily – I was photographing her wedding! EIGHT years ago!

I knew she had a little girl – but I didn’t know about this adorable little guy!

When I pulled up to their house and saw this MILKWEED field – I screamed a little bit! A WHOLE FIELD OF MILKWEED! A DREAM!

ALWAYS let them be little – it gets the sillies out!

OH MY HEART!! I LOVE THOSE SHOTS!!

That shot MIGHT be my FAVORITE!!

And a tiny ladybug to end the night!

Emily – THANK YOU SO MUCH for having me over! Next time – let’s NOT wait 8 years!!

FOUR years ago I took Jake & Tara’s wedding photos – and NOW their baby girl isn’t so much of a baby anymore!!

She wasn’t so sure of me – just her momma!

FINALLY – some smiles!

Jake & Tara – thank you for making the drive down!