Ashley, Joe, Waverly & Avalon!

Sometimes there are just people that come into your lives at just the right time and although they may start out as a client or someone who at first might only believe they are coming into your life for a brief moment;  they actually are truly meant to BE in your life!  They are just kindred spirits meant to be a solid foundation growing with you, laughing with you and sharing the wonderful adventure of life!

Ashley and her family are just these people for me!  I met them a few years ago for a quick mini session (or so we thought)~!  That mini session turned into a long walk and afternoon spent together bonding over motherhood, growing up in this town which is actually pretty big but can often times feel so incredibly small, and also dreaming big dreams!

She is an amazing encourager and inspiring woman!  She is my rock when it comes to motherhood!  There are many nights when I have thought about her with her two girls while I have been home with Linc and Tuck has been away!  If she can do it with two, I can do it with one!!!

Our play dates are the most fun with two super strong willed littles who LOVE to play together but are often more like husband and wife than two little toddlers playing…”NO LINC, it’s a DUCK DONUT…”  “It’s a DOOONNNUTTTTT”  Talk about the difference between men and women, women are specific and men don’t care about the details… they just want to eat the donut!  It was like watching tiny versions of Tuck and myself! 😉

Ashley has always shared her heart and her story openly!  She is kind and generous and her love for her family is incredible!  Joe and Ashley have a marriage that is unconditionally strong and beautifully comfortable in the best way!  They are beyond best friends and true high school sweethearts!  They know each other to the moon and back and because of this, they parent with such real love and relaxed ease it’s mesmerizing to watch!

Joe and Ashley allow their littles ones the freedom to grow and be who they are: wild and free and imaginative!  It’s a joy to watch and it’s something I hope I have learned to do with my own little Linc since having known them!

Knowing this family has been such a gift for me and my family and being able to be with them to help document all their memories and their family moments and milestones is such an honor that I could never describe!

I write and pride myself on The Lifetime Experience!  This is exactly what I mean by that!  Meeting a family for the first time as clients and then walking away that same day as friends only to realize years later that they have become a part of your family!  Where the e mails and texts are never more than a week in between and usually the conversation can span anything from hey, let’s get together for our yearly photo session to hey I dealt with a poop smear today sooo bad you wouldn’t believe or GIRL I need a mom date ASAP because life is happening!!! 

These images that we capture aren’t just REAL images, they are true to this family 100% and I can say that because I have built a strong relationship and foundation with them!  I know them and I know what drives and fuels them heart, mind and soul!  They also know what inspires me!

This is the beauty of having a photographer you love and trust!  I not only get to capture moments for some of my favorite people but I also get to hug and squeeze and play with some of my favorite friends!

I hope everyone is a blessed as I am with all my wonderful clients!

For this year’s holiday session, we decided to meet at the same location we shot Ashley’s snowy session! It’s one of my favorite little spots because not only does it offers a beautiful landscape; but it also allows for all our littles ones to run free, explore and be adventurous without parents having to worry!

Waverly couldn’t wait as you could see by the images above with her jumping in and exploring all the dirt and the holes and the water!

She was ready to jump right in, literally, and didn’t want to waste any of the warm weather we were having that day!  Daddy was ready to fly her high and her dress (OMG) was amazing for flying… am I right?!!!

We explored and roamed around for a while while I snapped away!  I chatted with Ashley and sang songs with Waverly!

We ended up wandering to a nice little patch of clean white sand and so we settled down and made ourselves a little cozy picnic place of sorts!  Avalon is just now sitting up (she’s such a big girl!!!) and so we caught a few of mom and baby just chatting together quietly while big sister and daddy were playing tag around the corner!

^ SHHHHHH Waverly’s hunting a bear!!!!

One of my most favorite moments in any session is when the “in-between” moments happen! When real life just takes place and everyone forgets that the camera is there!  Parenting never stops!  It doesn’t stop for special holidays, it doesn’t stop for date nights and it absolutely doesn’t stop just because your all dressed up and there is a camera in front of you waiting to capture “THE” family portrait!  This is exactly why I love family lifestyle and photographing children!  It’s the beauty of those moments in the land of the “and” and the “in-between” that show us how life truly is that will one day become sacred!

Those are the images that years and years from now your children are going to want in a big way!

This moment below is that perfect moment for me!  That moment when you are having a blast because you are running free but you run into daddy’s arms because your shoe needs fixing!  The light is amazing here and although most photographers would toss it out because it’s not a canvas style family portrait of everyone perfectly being perfect… I think it’s amazing!  It’s Joe doing exactly what a daddy is supposed to do!

Joe and Ashley had thought we were all finished with the session so they started to pack it up and head back!  Joe decided to let Waverly have a little bit of last minute fun and I was lucky enough to capture it through the trees!

There is something magical about tossing rocks into the water at this age!  I think anything that makes a splash or a goosh or a mess at the age of 3 is just plain awesome!  I adore the look on both of their faces and I am so happy that I always keep my camera ready!  One day I hope Waverly will look back and see how giddy Joe was and realize how cool her dad was!  I also wonder who might have had more fun throwing rocks… Joe or Waverly!!!