how special is luke?

SO SPECIAL!                                

 luke is turning 1-watch the slideshow here

a first love

i've been waiting for colt's newborn session to complete his slideshow-and i kind of wish i wasn't done with the 3 sessions- just because i really enjoy working with this family.  as i was watching and re-watching the slideshow i kept being struck by how much joy was in their eyes and how much love is communicated with their hands. matthew's hand around ashley, ashley's mom's hand offering comfort, the tiny hand grasping his family for the first time. the love is so new and intense and just beautiful to watch.

watch the slideshow here

sweet sweet addalyn

erin and dustin are so good to me. they have allowed me to capture their family as it grows and transforms since i started this photography business. they are gracious with referrals and wonderfully laid back during sessions. i could have tucked this little girl in my pocket-she is such a petite, darling and perfect little girl.  the challenge of getting an 18 month old and a newborn together in a shot was daunting. we resorted to bribes (of grapes). i love the shot we got-with both of them looking for a treat with their mouths open in the exact same position.

5 little monkeys jumping on the bed

luckily no one fell off and bumped their head-but the bed did fall down! these 5 really couldn't be any cuter-i really wish i would have gotten the shot when the bed fell down, but i knew i had the perfect name for the post.

as you can see-the support board on the rail came unscrewed-making the boxsprings and mattress crash down and create a lopsided bed. we didn't let it stop us from having a great time.

a family gathering

when i think about what i love- this is one. i love watching families together. this is a family i have been privileged to know for several years and i was overjoyed that they asked me to come to their home to photograph this family gathering. 

i was carlie's OT for over 5 years-her laugh is a reward and when she looks right at you-you feel your day is complete. love you carlie!

royal family

the dads in these families are brothers-i had the opportunity to photograph their sisters last december. these guys decided for an opposite temperature month. we toughed the heat and were rewarded by awesome sunlight. all the boys have such individual personalities and i loved working with them :)

a golden morning

my usual golden hours for photography are in the evening..as the sun is low in the sky, but families with toddlers who go to bed at this time would rather have happy then golden. however, the sun is also in that great spot early in the morning. and tom and abby's parents claim that 8am feels a little more like noon to them :) so we met at antioch park in the early golden hours and had great fun with balloons and swings and  it worked out perfectly.

the well timed colt

this title is a bit selfish-because i was grateful to be present when colt made his entrance into the world. when i did the maternity session we talked about all the days when i would be out of town and how we would just hope that his birthday would not fall on those dates. we drove home from colorado on the 4th-pulled in the driveway around 1030pm. at 430am i got a text saying that they were headed to the hospital. i was beyond excited and so giddy that his timing was working out perfectly. i loved how they had so many friends and family there to support them-the love just spilled out of that room. they brought him into the world with courage and strength-he was 9.6lbs!
soon i will have the slideshow ready-but here is a glimpse into that rainy, wonderful morning on the 5th of august.

the waiting...

his chest was bigger around than his head-ashley is an amazing mama!

 i loved watching matthew with his niece and nephew-he is going to be one great daddy.

a boy and his puppies

there are so many great combinations in the world and this is one of them. i had so much fun working with these 3-and capturing their uniqueness at this point in time- because we know how fast they will all grow. i was even getting flash forwards to him as a senior with his older, mature dogs-but let's not get ahead of ourselves.