DANIELLE & CLIFF – 5.26.2018

Filed under: marry me,portraits,wedding — admin at 12:37 pm on Friday, June 15, 2018

Danielle and Cliff asked me photograph their wedding about a year and a half ago – and it seemed like it would NEVER get here!

I LOVE YOU. I KNOW. PERFECTION!

Also – Danielle might be the most ORGANIZED bride EVER!!

Danielle & Cliff opted for a FIRST LOOK and getting ALL the pictures done BEFORE the wedding!

I ABSOLUTELY ADORE THOSE SHOTS!!

Those special little moments – details that most people might not see – they are MY FAVORITE!!

A TROLLEY RIDE THROUGH TOWN TO THE CHURCH?! YES PLEASE!!

It was SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY!! Stay tuned for the rest of their wedding!!

AND THEN THERE WERE THREE

Filed under: . babies . babies . babies .,babes,expecting,family,just because,kiddos,lifestyle,newborns,portraits — admin at 12:14 pm on Thursday, June 14, 2018

I met Megan and Brian when I photographed their wedding in 2010! At least – I think it was 2010!

We’ve been praying for their sweet little baby for the last FIVE years!

I was SO excited to hear the good news of a positive test! The good news of a first ultrasound with a healthy little baby! The good news of finding out it’s a BOY!

THE GREAT NEWS OF – HE IS HERE!!

LOOK AT THAT SMILE! SHE IS SO VERY HAPPY TO HAVE THAT BABY IN HER ARMS!!

THOSE SQUISHY LITTLE LIPS!!

THOSE HAPPY FACES!!

SWEET LITTLE ONE!!

IT’S SO TIRED IN HERE!

I absolutely LOVE lifestyle newborn sessions!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE THOSE SHOTS!! He will be so much bigger in just a few months!

It’s hard to remember that they were EVER that tiny!!

And these shots – MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE!!

LOOK AT THAT LITTLE FACE!!

He was the sleepiest and happiest and squishiest baby!

Megan & Brian – THANK YOU SO MUCH! For asking me to pray with you. For sharing your heartache and your joys with me.

THANK YOU for asking me to come back into your lives to photograph this little miracle!

*B* FAMILY

Filed under: family,just because,kiddos,lifestyle,portraits — admin at 10:43 am on Wednesday, May 23, 2018

I’ve been taking their family pictures for a LONG time! Since their oldest was a newborn!

And this little sweetie – she is FULL of personality!

I LOVE THOSE SHOTS!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

I LOVE those ones!

OH! AND THOSE!!

I ABSOLUTELY ADORE THAT BLACK & WHITE SHOT! I know it’s not technically perfect – but it might be my FAVORITE shot of the session!

We ALWAYS take a shot of them in this bay window! I almost forgot this time!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME BACK YEAR AND AFTER YEAR!!

*F* FAMILY – WAITING ON BABY

Filed under: . babies . babies . babies .,expecting,family,just because,portraits — admin at 10:58 am on Monday, May 21, 2018

Shanadel contacted me MONTHS ago on FACEBOOK! After seeing Myrana’s maternity photos – she KNEW she needed to get IN THE WATER for hers!

OH MY HEART!! I LOVE THOSE SHOTS!!

AND THOSE!! MY FAVORITE!!

That dress – GORGEOUS!!

THOSE TREES!!

I have a problem. I tend to say – okay. NOW you can change outfits. OH WAIT! There’s THIS spot I JUST saw – let’s do THIS first!

The light wasn’t exactly right for what I wanted right here – but I’m kind of loving this harsh light lately. Because. It’s just how LIFE is!

Sometimes I can’t decide if I LOVE the black and white or the color better – SO YOU GET BOTH!

And AGAIN!! And NOW you can change!

LOVE!!

That shot on the right – MIGHT BE MY FAVORITE!!

I said – okay – go ahead and change! WAIT – this bridge! Let’s do THIS first!

And the REASON they drove over an hour – THE WATER!!

GORGEOUS!!! The water was high for this spot – so I scoped it out a few days before – just to make sure it would be SAFE to get in!

OH MY WORD!!

PERFECTION!!

ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!!

Shanadel – thank you SO MUCH for making the drive to me!

It was quite the ordeal finding a beautiful and rain-free evening to fit this in BEFORE their baby makes his appearance!

I hope to see you guys again SOON!

 

*K* FAMILY

Filed under: . babies . babies . babies .,babes,family,just because,kiddos,lifestyle,portraits — admin at 10:30 am on Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Carie and I have been WAITING and WAITING for warm weather!

Have I mentioned that I LOVE when families come back to me year after year to document them!?

This is the first time I met little *J* – he’s SO GORGEOUS!!

And that little sweetie – she’s such a doll baby! I love those imperfect pictures!

Aren’t they ADORABLE!!

You can send me all the perfectly posed pictures you want – but sometimes – MOST times – kids are kids – and when a 2 year old doesn’t want to lay down and get the perfect picture – you improvise!

WHO? ME? Could you possibly be talking about me?!

THE SWEETEST!

And sometimes you have to break out the BUBBLES! Because sometimes the only way to get the 2 year old to stop screaming and squirming is to break out the bubbles!

And I LOVE how those turned out!

DARLING!!

Sometimes you need to see behind the scenes to truly appreciate what goes into a photo session!

HE IS SO BEAUTIFUL!

AHHHH!!!

We were really hoping for a group picture with these outfits – but that little sweetie was DONE!

I happen to like these shots better than any perfectly posed smiles!

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

Also – WHERE ARE THE BUBBLES!?

Carie & Michael – thank you SO MUCH for asking me to capture your family year after year!

*B* FAMILY – DOTERRA

Filed under: . babies . babies . babies .,babes,DoTERRA,family,just because,kiddos,lifestyle,newsworthy,portraits — admin at 10:30 am on Tuesday, May 15, 2018

I met Carrie through our MOPS group AND her daughter goes to preschool with E!

She needed some photos for an article in an upcoming DoTerra publication about her success within the company!

MY FAVORITE SHOTS – the unexpected ones!

SISTERS!

I LOVE THOSE!!

SNACK BREAK!!

I LOVE THOSE SHOTS!!

ADORABLE!!

SO SWEET!!!

ADORABLE!!

SO ADORABLE!!

Those are my FAVORITE!!

ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL! SWEET SWEET SISTERS!!

BALANCE!!

Carrie – I CANNOT wait to photograph your family this summer! Thank you SO MUCH for asking me to capture this EXCITING time in your lives!!

FITZY TURNS SEVEN

Filed under: baby barden,family,just because,kiddos,lifestyle,my family,parties — admin at 10:53 am on Monday, May 14, 2018

Typically we have a BIG party with all the people but this year he asked me if a few friends from school could come over for a NERF gun fight!

OH – and mom – can we invite people over from 1 to 4 so that we don’t have to do lunch or dinner? Just cake?

OH SWEET BOY! ALL THE YES!!

Did you know that I wanted to put EAT BEFORE YOU COME on my wedding invitations!? SO – this whole “we don’t have to feed people” was speaking my language!!

And THANK YOU ERICA for the AMAZING cake!!

WHERE DID THE LAST SEVEN YEARS GO?!

Fitzy – you are kind and sensitive. You are sympathetic and caring. You are SO silly and SO helpful.

I tell you this often – but I’ll say it again and again – you are more than my momma heart could have ever dreamt!

They had a GREAT time!

COUSINS

Filed under: . babies . babies . babies .,babes,bardenisms,family,just because,kiddos,lifestyle,my family,my town — admin at 10:55 am on Sunday, May 13, 2018

We visited my grandparents last time we were home and Vanessa brought up that sweet baby of hers!

That sweet little thing!

Speaking of sweet little things – when we walked in the house – I assumed my uncle was there chatting with grandpa in the kitchen.

NOPE! Just Zach being all grown-up and deep-voiced! It’s so strange when you aren’t there to watch them grow up.

We spent so much time with Vanessa & Zach when they were little tots – and then college came and marriage and not living in the same town.

In my head – they are the little guys that were in my wedding. When I hear Zach talk or really think about the fact that Vanessa now has a baby of her own – it’s SO WEIRD!

THAT HAIR!!

OH BLACK & WHITE – HOW I LOVE YOU!

She LOVES my dad!

Some of my first photographs were taken RIGHT HERE ON THIS LAWN! When Vanessa & Zach were Kinley’s age! ALL THE FEELINGS!!

Now that little chubby baby girl has her own little chubby baby girl and I have a successful photography business! SO CRAZY!

Vanessa – I love watching you with your daughter! It was so great to see you!

 

FARM LIFE

Filed under: bardenisms,family,farmlife,just because,kiddos,lifestyle,my family — admin at 11:32 am on Saturday, May 12, 2018

I have to remind myself to take pictures of MY family sometimes!

Pa ALWAYS pulls his pants up WAY TOO HIGH!

He also thinks it’s funny to put his GROSS feet on people!

OH GOOD! ANOTHER NERF GUN!

Do you SEE the look on his face?! It almost makes me want to get him a kitten. ALMOST.

That little hand holding that big hand – his favorite guy!

Red is getting old! We are hoping for some new babies on the farm SOON!

She’s really the BEST cow out there!

E wanted to go on a bear hunt – but PA mentioned that he has a LOT to learn until he can actually go hunting. He talks non-stop and NOT quietly!

Enoch LOVES jellybeans! And he REALLY loves bean-boozled! But he almost always eats the gross ones! YUCK!

We brought the cousins in for the gross “test-your-luck” game!

THAT CHEESY SMILE!!

Those crazy boys! They are growing WAY TOO FAST!

WHAT’S IN A NAME

Filed under: baby barden,bardenisms,family,just because,my family,word of God — admin at 11:18 am on Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Over the weekend – Dave Fitzgerald was visiting!

And I don’t think I’ve gotten a REAL picture with my REAL camera of Fitzy and his namesake!

I had to make sure to get at least ONE! Of course – Enoch wanted in on the photo too!

People have said to me – I can’t believe you let your husband name your child after his friend.

Why did you name your kids what you did?

When I was in middle school – I knew what I would name my kids – Christopher and Sierra and Bailey  – I know I had another boy name – but I can’t remember it right now – certainly NOT Fitzgerald and Enoch.

When we were pregnant the first time we talked about Clark for a boy since that is Jared’s mom’s maiden name. I LOVE Clark for a girl too!

But then we miscarried that baby and decided to name him Enoch – because –

When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch. After he became the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 20 Altogether, Jared lived a total of 962 years, and then he died. When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. – Genesis 5

We named the baby we lost Enoch – because God took him away – he was no more.

And then we waited and tried and cried and gave up hope – and really 18 months isn’t all that long at all – except when you’re waiting and hoping for a baby.

So when we got pregnant with Fitzy – we waited to talk about names and dreams and hopes.

We flew to Florida to visit Dave and his wife Christy for Thanksgiving that year – and I felt Fitzy move for the first time sitting on their couch. We got talking about names and I said – if it’s a boy we were thinking Fitzgerald – and Dave said something like – okay. right.

When we found out he was indeed a boy – I thought for sure we would have a girl – we decided that YES – let’s name him Fitzgerald Derek Douglas – and call him Fitzy.

If we had a girl – we would have named her Fitzie Samantha.

And I can’t IMAGINE him being named anything other than Fitzy!

Six months before we got pregnant with Enoch – Dave told us that God had given him a Word for us. That we would have a baby to complete our family. He would be a boy. We would name him Enoch.

Call me crazy. Call Dave crazy. HOWEVER – I believe that God speaks to people – and right when we were about to give up – we got pregnant – with a boy – and while Enoch was not the name I would have picked – God told us to. And how many times in life do we ask God for direction. A sign. SOMETHING. This was one of those times.

I love their names (now) and what they mean and the stories behind them! I love that God impressed it upon us to name him Fitzy and then used Dave to share His promise for our family in the birth AND naming of Enoch.

So – I ask you again – why did you name your kids what you did?!

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