lovely party of four

a couple of weekends ago i had the pleasure of capturing this family of four at a local lakeside park. this was the first time i had shot at this location and i fell in love as soon as i drove up. there was water, a beach, some oaks, a play park...a little bit of everything. and that night there was some gorgeous sun.  this family was such fun to be around. i just loved the playfulness of the brother and sister and how close they were...it was neat.  i have a few images of our afternoon together that i hope you enjoy...

finding the light workshop-week 1 & 2

wow.....i don't know if there is another appropriate word for my feelings on this workshop i am currently in.  i signed up for the finding the light workshop back in december after i'd heard about it the past year on the bloom forum from many photographers.     this workshop has really changed the way i look at light and want to shoot.   i have always been a lover of good dreamy light, but this workshop gives me a drive to be able to make light magical in any instance i am in.  it is amazing what the teachers and fellow students have already taught me.   they are all so inspiring.  i am thrilled to be a part of it. the past two weeks we have covered dramatic light and midday full sun/back light. i thought i'd share a few of the images i've captured while working on the past two week's assignments...many of these were not the ones i finally nailed the technique in, but nonetheless, got images i cherished of my precious babies.  stay tuned in the upcoming weeks as i learn more about finding the light...

project 52 l week 10 l memories

memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.  ~

From the television show The Wonder Years

this week our theme for project 52 is memories.  its really the every day moments that become the memories that last a lifetime.  it certainly doesn't take fancy vacations, elaborate toys or anything crazy.....just simple times with people you love.  i am so grateful for all the memories i have over my lifetime. they bring me laughter, tears, hope, peace....so many emotions.

as i reflect on the past week, i realize how many fun memories we make as a family on a daily basis. and what is so special when i look at the past week (and months)  is that my children's' "memories" now get to include their grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who they see all the time.  such a treasure!  this week some of our memories included gardening with mita, sharing some quiet time with pito, helping celebrate two very special cousins' birthdays, water gun fights with each other, dr.Seuss's' birthday week celebrations and some fun in the lake....

now head on over to the blog of Clara from Heart Inspired Photography | Adelaide Photographer and see what memories she has captured....

project 52 l week 9 l alone

thanks for joining me for another week of project 52 with this fabulous group of ladies from the bloom forum.   we've had fun already this year exploring lots of fun themes like love, newness, and refreshing. this week our theme is alone.   i am in the process of taking an 8 week workshop called finding the light.  and it is truly amazing. in one week i've learned so much and i am so grateful to the teachers already!   they are each such talented photographers and teachers.  i wanted to use some of the techniques/pictures for this week's theme.

i love when i capture my children alone and content.   to find them in their own world and happy is a picture worth a thousand words. during my workshop this week we covered dramatic light shooting indoors.   after much trial and error I got a few I fell in love with.   and for all of these, i just loved them in black and white, vs. my usual color and sun filled images:)

next up is the super talented mary schannen of Melange Photography---go see what she has captured for alone

project 52 l week 8 l pretend

welcome back for week 8 of project 52 with my group of friends from the bloom forum.  this week our theme is : pretend.  i had lots of ideas for this theme.  doesn't it seem children spend much of their time in their "own pretend" world?  i know mine do.    daily, i watch super mario run around our yard.   i see store being played and meals being cooked in the kitchen.  and of course, with two little ladies in my house, i see itty bitty mamas, tending to their little babes.    its fun watching my children and seeing where their imaginations take them.   oh, how blessed i feel to be a part of their daily world...

i  hope you have a super fun weekend.  be sure to follow our blog circle and see what the very creative  mary schannen of Melange Photography has caputred for pretend.

pretty in pink...

i have to admit i was so excited when i got a message from elizabeth to photograph these adorable little ladies.  i was even more excited to capture HER in some of the pictures with her girls.   they are one of the sweetest families i know and it was such fun to hang out and visit during our shoot. elizabeth and i have shared a love of cute clothing and sewing over the years, but this was the first time i  got to meet her girls in person....adorable.   i hope you enjoy the moments i captured of them together.  elizabeth, safe travels back to Mississippi...

as if time stood still...

a couple weeks ago i had the opportunity to capture megan and her beautiful family.  megan and i were the best of friends our last few years of high school and i had not seen her in many years.  when i saw her that day it was as if time had stood still in many ways.  how wonderful it was to catch up and see her adorable children.  i am so grateful for the opportunity photography has given me to reconnect with so many people.  it is such a neat thing.   thank you megan for making the trip over here.  it meant so much to me.  you have a very special family and i hope you enjoy the pictures...

project 52 l week 7 l love

"the greatest gift that you can give to others is the gift of unconditional love and acceptance" brian tracy

welcome to week 7 of project 52.  i am enjoying discovering this year's themes with this great group of ladies from the bloom forum.  this week our theme is love.  i feel very blessed to be surrounded by so much love in my life.  ultimately it isn't the things we have in life, but the people we share our lives with.  i am so blessed to have loving parents and in laws, a loving husband of almost 13 years and three amazing children that have taught me so much about unconditional love.  not to mention the love i have of my siblings and dear friends.    my life is very full and for that i am thankful. 

as i was thinking of love i thought about unconditional love. i don't know if i truly felt this extraordinary feeling until i became a mother,  but i certainly know it very well now.   it tugs at your heart and no words can really explain the magnitude of it.   this led me to think of our dog buster brown.  our loyal companion for almost 13 years as well.    i have written about our buster before.  and it just amazes me the love our pets bestow on us.   over the years buster has certainly seen his "spotlight" dim,  so to speak, as we have had more children, taken on more responsibilities, and just become busy raising our family.  but his love for us is unchanging and always faithful.  it's beautiful.   so for this week i dedicated my love session to him and my oldest daughter.   to me there is something so warming about seeing these two together. both, continue to teach me so much about unconditional love..

please continue on with our circle and see what the super talented mary schannen of Melange Photography captured for love...

almost 1 and almost due...

this weekend i was delighted to spend the afternoon with this family.   this sweet little girl is turning 1 this month and they are expecting a baby brother in April.   what fun they are going to have with these two.  both mama and daddy are doctors so i am most certain it already makes for a very busy family.   chris and i grew up together and were the best of friends all through high school.   it was so wonderful to see him and his growing family and get to catch up on the years that have passed.   i loved seeing them all interact and can't wait to see them again with baby number two.  i wish you guys all the best and hope you enjoy a peak into our afternoon...

10 on 10: the february edition

welcome back to the third month of 10 on 10.  if this is your first time here, please read about our project.   i am so glad that you have joined us.  this month for my "10 on 10" photographs i decided to capture my youngest child for the day.   she is 2 years and 5 months old.   she is changing much too quickly for my liking...every day brings something new.  i used my iphone this month for one of my pictures and i also have included one that is fairly abstract.   i was dancing with my precious baby girl and we had it on the timer and it didn't quite focus us.   i thought it turned out sort of neat!   for this month i have included a letter to my sweet C. my sweet Caroline,

you are growing so quickly these days.  you try so hard to keep up with your big brother and sister.   you amaze me with all you can do at such a young age.  you have a fascination with the ipad and refer to it as "MY PAD"   and lately your game of choice has been to find Barbie Fashion and dance with the theme song (not my proudest accomplishment of yours).   you love to eat and you eat well...all sorts of great foods.  we love that you are so open to trying everything we give you (and for that matter things we don't give you).  you love your baby dolls and to play pretend.   it is so sweet to hear you talk to them and to play in your kitchen and "make things".   you love the beach and playing daily at the lake.    i love watching you run up and down the sand and dive into the water, without a care in the world.  you are very strong willed.   this makes some moments of the day a little harder than i'd choose:)  you were our fighter from day 1 though, being born almost two months early and only spending 10 days in the NICU..you proved early on, you would carry your own!    you love dancing and singing and tutus and all things girl.  daddy and you both love the mornings when he is home.  he will come into your room when we hear you wake up for the day.   and you will spend time together; just the two of you, snuggled up, quiet, in your own little world.  you are no where near being potty trained....and well, that's just fine by mama.   i will be ready when you are ready. but in the meantime, you love your elmo potty (not that you really use it, but sit on it).  you are a dream sleeper.  you go to bed without a fuss.  you sleep in late (until 9 or later most days) and you nap a couple hours each afternoon.   and then you wake up with the sweetest of all smiles.  i love this time.  i love everything about you.  the many things that make you so precious to us all.   your little sayings and sweet kisses.  OR when i ask you if you love me and you say NO in this crazy voice, with the cutest giggle.   oh, sweet Caroline, we all adore you and are so thankful for you as our baby girl. 

i love you (and i know you love me too, even if you say no),

mama

now head on over to the blog of my friend ElizabethJane Photo and see what 10 she has captured for us this month...

project 52 l week 6 l letting go of perfect

"the imperfections of a man, his frailties, his faults, are just as important as his virtues.  you can't separate them.  they're wedded"  ~Henry Miller

welcome to week 6 of project 52, with my group of friends at the bloom forum.   i thank you for continuing to follow our fun project.   if you are new this week, please read a little about this idea. we've already done some great themes like homemade, newness, and refreshing.

this week our theme is : letting go of perfect.  i have struggled my whole life with perfectionism.  with wanting others to be happy.  pleasing people.   as i've gotten older i am starting to intentionally let go of some of this.  i want to know perfect isn't something i have or need to be.  it really isn't something God even designed me to be.   we were designed to need God and i need to realize all of my faults and shortcomings, make me the person He created.  

 i love the art of photography, because what may be someone else's mess up, is someone else's art.  its a beautiful thing that way.  i love that as artists we all see things in our own special way. and i cannot wait to see this week how my group each decided to capture this theme.   my pictures evolved as the week went on.  surely there were many things in my life i could do to "let go of perfect."    we were making valentine's day cards and of course before we ever started i had seen many oh, so cute designs on pinterest.   i had ideas flowing through my head.  but somehow things changed.  my children wanted to do something without direction. something that was just theirs.  their own ideas, their own creations.  mom not telling or showing them what they needed to do.  so i let go of my picture perfect ideas...and let them do their own.  it was messy and glitter was just about everywhere.  AND they loved it!!! they were proud of what they created.  i am so glad i did this...

now head on over to my dear friend Gretchen Ceranic's blog Little Life Photography and see how she has captured letting go of perfect...

all the family together...

nothing is better than having your family all together. it truly is one of life's greatest blessings.  this past weekend i had the pleasure of capturing 5 daughters, their parents, their husbands, and children. they are all gorgeous inside and out and i hope i will have this honor again. this family is very special to me, as i've known them most of my life.  we lived next door to each other many years and also grew up in the same church. it was so neat to be in their house and see them all interacting with children of their own. they remind me of my own family in so many ways. i hope you all enjoy this extra large preview of our short time together... 

almost two...

this morning i had the pleasure of capturing this precious little girl.   she is about to celebrate her second birthday and was so cute to watch.   i am sure her parents did not have in mind quite how our session turned out as she soaked two dresses in the lake by the time we were done.  but she had such fun and got to explore and be herself.  meanwhile, i tried my best to capture her for her parents to remember her at this special point in her life.   i hope you enjoy this preview of our morning at the lake... it sure was a fun time!

project 52 l week 4 l homemade

thanks for joining us for another week of project 52.   we are a group of photographers who are all members of the bloom forum.    we will be challenged each week to photograph a new theme.  last week's theme was refreshing.  this week our theme is homemade.   once again, this week we have been enjoying the amazing weather and have spent a lot of time outdoors.  the kids and i were going to make homemade boats and have boat races in the lake.  here's a neat link to making boats i found on Pinterest.  we ended up buying plastic boats and the kids made sand castles along the raceway and dug out a "victory spot"  for their boats to float in after the race. (we will try to make these cute paper boats eventually). hope you enjoy a glimpse into our afternoon..

continue with our blog circle and see what the everso talented Mary Schannen of Melange Photography has this week for homemade...

me and mine l january

  “enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” – robert brault

i read this quote recently on my dear friend gretchen's blog.  and how true it is.  i can hardly believe my oldest child is now almost 8 years old.   it seems like yesterday we were just finding out we were going to have a precious baby.   the years simply pass by so quickly with our children.  many have said that the days are long; but the years are fast.  and that is true also.  as we go through each phase of  life raising our children, some days we are just in survival mode. but somewhere within each day there are those moments you just want to grasp and hold on to forever.  the moments that make your realize just how precious the gift of motherhood is.  and really its a combination of all these moments so small each day, that we will realize were so big.

i long to capture all of these moments.  but  i also long to capture moments of me in these moments .  i know i've said it before, but it really is so important to preserve memories of  US with our families.  many of you may think how much you dislike being in pictures. others may say you are all just too busy.  or that you don't care for the fuss of  it all.  but your famly will look back on these memories and treasure them one day.   last year i made a commitment to try and be in more pictures with my family.   as a photographer i have thousands of pictures of my own children, but i realized i was the one always taking the pictures.  so, i bought a remote and tried at least once a month to snap a shot.  my husband was overseas at the time and really loved to receive pictures with me in them as well..(since he got a handful a day emailed to him of the kids). 

 this year i am so excited to partner up on a fun project with my sweet friend Lexi Winters, who also happens to be a photographer. last fall the two of us helped each other by taking our family Christmas card pictures.  it worked out so well for both of us that we knew we needed to do this more often now that i have moved back to town. we realized our husbands aren't going to want to be in monthly photo shoots, but Lexi and i both thought it would be such fun to get together monthly and just snap away some fun times with our kiddos ( and we also knew we could sit and visit about photography, motherhood, and most anything else for hours at a time).  

so,  for this month i have a few that she took of me and the kids while we were doing our card pictures.   i am so grateful already for this project because i just love having these to remember me with these special babies, right now, just how we are...

 now , head on over to Greenprint Photography, and see the pictures i captured of lexi and her beautiful family...

project 52 l week 3 l refreshing

we are back for another week of project 52 with my friends from the bloom forum.   thank you for continuing to follow our project this year.    we have so many fun themes ahead and it is so  inspiring to see how our circle of  photographers capture the theme each week.   this week our theme is refreshing. refreshing brought many thoughts to mind.  a tall glass of water after a long run, a glass of lemonade on a hot sunny day,  a nice refreshing shower.   so many moments can portray this word so well.  for my pictures this week i captured my two oldest children out on the dock enjoying popsicles, some laughter, and fun.  we did have a few cold days here in florida last week (cold for us in the 40's and 50's) but this week we were back to our nice 70's in the afternoon and the kids were barefoot and carefree once again (and it is super refreshing to feel the humid free air with such a gentle breeze to it).   it truly is such a wonderful time of the year here.   the kids are so enjoying being able to get their school work done early and have the rest of the day to explore and enjoy life.   it is a true blessing.  i also captured one picture of the clouds and sky reflecting off the lake.   i thought it was so gorgeous.  it really is so relaxing to live on the lake. i have been spending most late afternoons just sitting by the water as my three little ones make sand castles and play till their hearts are content...

please continue with our blog circle and see what Clara from Heart Inspired Photography | Adelaide Photographer caputured this week..

project 52 l week 2 l newness

welcome back to project 52.   it's week two and this week our theme is newness.  you can read more about our project here.  for this week i thought of many ideas for new, especially with it being a new year.   then this sunday in our lifegroup at church we were discussing if we had resolutions.   only two people in our class did.   i mentioned how last year i decided to have a word for the year.  last year my word was glorify.  until sunday i was not sure of my new word or what i would do for my post this week.

but then something kept coming to mind and i couldn't stop thinking about it and that is the newness we find in Christ. 

2 corinthians 5:17:  therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 

that pretty much sums up newness for me. each day, each moment, each breath i take is new in Christ and for that i am forever grateful and honestly quite humbled by...

and this leads me also to my word of 2012.  

REACH

According to Merriam Webster's dictionary:

transitive verb

1

a : to stretch out : extend b : thrust

2

a : to touch or grasp by extending a part of the body (as a hand) or an object <couldn't reach the apple> b : to pick up and draw toward one : take c (1) : to extend to <the shadow reached the wall> (2) : to get up to or as far as : come to <your letter reached me yesterday> <his voice reached the last rows> <they hoped to reach an agreement> d (1) : encompass (2) : to make an impression on (3) : to communicate with

3

: to hand over : pass

 

our pastor preached on this this sunday.  he spoke of "reaching up, reaching in and reaching out".  I want to remember always to reach up to God for everything...guidance, comfort, forgiveness.  I want to reach in..and serve; to live outside of myself and live for HIM and others.  I want to reach out and share His word with others.

 and here is my daughter, reaching to look out her window and see what's going

 

please continue on with our blog circle and see what Mary Schannen of Melange Photography has for newness.

meet abby l lwhs senior

i am so excited to share with you my first senior session.  it was such an honor to take these pictures of abby.  in our short time together i could tell she is made of intelligence, beauty beyond her years, and compassion.  she and her mother were such fun to be around.  she was a natural behind the camera and i was so impressed with her effortless beauty.  abby, i hope you enjoy this preview of our session and enjoy the last few months of your senior year.  all the best to you!

10 on 10: the january edition

i  can't believe a month has flown by since i first introduced you to this project.  its time for my next 10 on 10.  you can read about this project here if you missed the first one.   this month i decided my 10 on 10 would come from Christmas day.  once again, i went over the 10 pictures. this month,  i also thought i'd write this post as a letter to my little ones... my dearest children,

what a fun time we had getting ready for Christmas. when the morning finally arrived, you were all full of excitement and anticipation.  what fun it is to see the magic and wonder through your eyes.   this was our first Christmas morning waking up in our own home. this was the best gift for mama and daddy.   until this year, we were always travelling home to florida, so living here is such a blessing in more ways than one.  when you woke up yall found the last note of the year that "cute red elf"  left.   bubby was so sad to realize the elf would not be returning for another year.   yall were ready then to run downstairs and see what santa had left.   but you were so patient while we woke up baby sissy.  once downstairs you were all ecstatic about your surprises.  big sissy is loving american girl this year and  you found your double stroller and bitty twins from Santa, and were super excited about your camera that we gave you.  bubby got a cars race track, a new bike, and some more cars goodies and games.  and baby sissy was over the moon with your new pram pink stroller and your very own baby.    we had fun opening gifts at home and then headed over to mimis with all the other cousins.  it was crazy, but such fun being all together.  we are truly blessed to all live here on the same street. i don't think i will ever take that for granted.  after breakfast and more presents we all went home for naps and you guys played with your new toys a bit.   the house was a complete disaster zone.   later in the afternoon we headed back to mimis for lunch.  after lunch we danced on the patio, played outside and just had some wonderful time with the family.  it didn't take long after getting home, that everyone was asleep and pooped out for the day...even Buster.  it was such a wonderful Christmas day.  daddy and i both pray that you always remember how very blessed our family is and the true meaning of why we celebrate Christmas...

i love you all to the moon & back,

mama

 

please continue on with our blog circle and see what Elizabeth Jane photo has for her 10 on 10.

project 52 l week 1 l YOU

hello.  i am excited to begin my first project of 2012....project 52.  i am very thankful to all of my readers that followed me on this journey last year.   it was such a growing experience that i knew i had to participate again.   this year a fellow photographer from my last group, lucy and I have partnered up to lead our group.  i am so excited about the themes and the fun we will have stretching our creative sides. i am so excited to get to know everyone in our group this year.  we have a fantastic group of almost twenty ladies joined together for this fun project. each friday we will post our new theme for the week.  we are all members of the bloom forum .  i highly suggest this amazing forum to any photographer... from hobbyist to professionals you will find so much support and inspiration in this wonderful place. without further ado, this year's first theme is YOU--a self portrait.  i don't imagine any of us love to do these.  last year i decided to do a more abstract version of the self portrait and photograph things that define me;  but this year i used my remote and took my picture.  and indeed it felt awkward and a bit silly taking a picture totally solo, sans any of my babies, but i did it. last year i made it a point to try and shoot myself with the kids as often as possible.   i cherish these pictures now, but i will say it's quite different capturing a picture of yourself..by yourself.   i knew if i was going to do this i wanted to also capture my favorite time to shoot.  i love the golden hour, as you can tell in most of my sessions.  i love sun and flare and warmth. (if you'd like to get to know a little more about me and my love of my family, the Lord, and many other things...head on over here.)

please continue on our blog circle and meet Mary Schannen of Melange Photography...she is a true inspiration!