What Three Looks Like

Remember before when I said One Year Olds were the hardest to photograph? I retract my previous statement. 

This is my Evelyn- she turned three on Monday. 

And this is my Georgia. She turned three on Tuesday. 

They have different birthdays. Evie was born at 11:59 on the 11th and Georgie was born at 12:05 on the 12th. It's a fun little quirk that we enjoy- you can read their birth story on my old blog.

They are cray cray bananas, but oh so much fun to have around. Evie is sweet and Georgie is spicy and I wouldn't trade them for all the pennies in the wishing wells.

It's Friday! Hip Hip Hooray!

It's a pretty exciting day over here. First off, it's my sister's birthday

Happy Happy Birthday Ashly!

Secondly, it's pouring rain here, which is always an event in the desert. My most favorite days are cozy, rainy ones - eating soup & watching movies or reading books.

AND it's the first day of the mother of all Photography Classes- 28 days With Sue Bryce!


I cannot even tell you how stoked I am for this. I know it's kind of geeky to be so obsessed with education, but honestly taking these online classes is the biggest motivator for me. Hearing the most successful people in the industry sharing their experiences, knowledge, and business strategies is so so exciting and uplifting and makes me want to work even harder and become better.

Sue Bryce is the reason I started a Glamour Photography line and it is quickly becoming my favorite genre to photograph. You not only produce beautiful work, you get to make women feel amazing, and in turn, you feel amazing. It's a real gift to have been introduced to Glamour Photography and I know that after this class I am going to do big big things this year.

Now I'm off to make some tea and some soup and settle into my class on this drizzley day <3

The Best Part About Photographing Women

My most favorite thing about launching into Glamour Photography, is the connections I get to make with other women. Girls I've known since high school, that all have families of their own and go through the same day to day struggles as I do- juggling their kids and their own dreams, their husbands, their homes, their parents, their sanity. Everyone has grown up a bit but deep down, everyone longs to rediscover the beauty and life that sometimes we let slip away because of how busy we are. 

I was so so happy to reconnect with Jen. We danced together in high school, and now she has two kids that have crazy schedules and an amazing husband who works full time and goes to school; so needless to say her life is insane. We had the best time getting her all dolled up and playing for a couple hours in front of the camera where all she had to worry about was "chin down, bring in your shoulder, stick your booty waaaay out....blah blah blah". Isn't she just a sassy pants?

Creative Team Tuesday: A Procrastinator's Prayers Answered

So, the twins are turning three on the 11th & 12th of this month. They decided on a Ballerina Party, and I noticed that Sunday was two weeks before the date of their party. AHHHHHHH!!!! I obviously don't have invites out. Or a design. Or anything.

I suck.

But, wait! Rhonna Designs to the rescue!

I remembered Rhonna's Party Pack Kit and loved the palette for a modern ballerina party!

Here is the fabulous digital invite I used on the Facebook Event since I wanted to let people know about it asap. I've ordered the paper invites from Persnickety Prints for those family members that don't have Facebook.

It's going to be a simple little family party since March is a crazy busy month for us, but it will be filled with the twins most favorite things: tutus, ballet slippers, and sugar. What else could a three year old ask for?

If you can't stop the train, at least slow it down

When I met Kim, I knew that I had a glimpse of my life in about 10 years. She has two amazing kids, Erin & Brandon, and they are all so close. Her son has a love of baseball, and her daughter has a love of dance. We made sure we took photos of them with the things that they love, so she wouldn't remember the little things like her son tossing the baseball throughout the day, and her  daughter lovingly holding her pointe shoes.

There were other photographs I wanted to make sure I took. I wanted her to remember her kids being as close as they are now; both living at home with her. Before she knows it, her kids will be graduating, going to college, getting married, and starting families of their own. This precious time she has with them will be a happy memory and she will look at these photographs and remember. Remember how tight her daughter holds on to her arm, how her son laughs with her, and how her kids have the best time together even at a photoshoot with a stranger. 

I am so lucky to have been able to photograph this family and remind myself how fleeting the golden age of your children's childhood is. I know that in the blink of an eye, my kids will turn into teenagers, and then in another blink- adults. I have to remember to slow down and soak it all in while I have the chance.

An Ode To My Thirty Year Old Man

Braden's birthday was last Sunday. A month before his birthday, I thought about planning a surprise party for him. I looked around Pinterest for a good theme, I made a Pinboard filled with ideas. I bounced some ideas off my family, and I began to make lists. Then I got frustrated.

I became frustrated because all my ideas and all the things I pinned were more about me than my husband. I had a dessert table planned, a burger bar, a cool creative tablescape, adorable decor, fun games, and a darling photo booth planned. Unfortunately, while Braden would have been a good sport about the whole thing, the truth is he is rather low key. He's not really one to be the center of attention (clearly this is another case of opposites attracting) and he'd much rather our money go to different place than on a party for him. The more I tried to plan the perfect party for him, the less it was about him and became about me. I realized this in the nick of time and out of utter frustration I scrapped the whole thing and settled on making him his favorite breakfast of biscuits and gravy and having burgers with family. There was ice cream cake of course (another one if his favorites) but other than that, it was a pretty basic birthday. It made me kind of sad and a little disappointed in myself to have not made his day more special.

But, when I saw him laugh and laugh at the dinner table, and share his cake with the twins and about die laughing with my dad over a stupid Bud Light commercial I knew that in spite of the lack of grandeur, he had a pretty great day. And that's why my Braden is so wonderful. He is a simple man. He'll never cure cancer, or go to the moon. He'll probably never rescue anyone from a burning building, win a Nobel prize, or be on the Forbes richest list. But he is tied for the best father that's ever lived (tied with my father, obviously) and he has quickly and quietly become the most perfectly crafted companion for me. He fills in all my gaps, doesn't put up with my crap, and forces me to be the best person I can be (usually by teasing the crap out of me). And honestly, lets be real, he is absolutely crazy about me. I'm pretty nuts about him too, so that works out.

Since we're getting all gross around here, I'd like to spill a few of the best things about Braden:

1) He pretends to not like newborns but I always sneak in and catch him talking quietly to Clementine and smooching on her when he thinks no one is watching. That little girl will be the end of him.

2) He loves how spicy Georgia is and always calls her his firecracker. Then they squawk at each other.

3) When Evie couldn't go to sleep tonight he went in a snuggled her in the tiny daybed the twins share until she fell asleep.

4) He always talks to Penelope in her crazy Peepers language ("ah-AH-ah" for those of you that have heard this) and tries to do her crazy eye (for those of you that have seen this) with her

5) Landen is his best buddy. Hands down. And he ALWAYS buys him a new racecar when he goes to the grocery store. We have a thousand cars in this freaking house

6) When Olivia forgot her gymnastics clothes today, he drove all the way out to drop them off so she wouldn't be sad she forgot them. He does all kinds of special things for the kids so they won't feel sad for a minute.

7) He is seriously the funniest. His best talent is singing and changing the words to songs to really inappropriate hilarious new lyrics. I just told him today that its too bad that no one else will be able to hear his songs because they are so freaking hysterical but so so so naughty. He's a riot.

I'm super glad he made it to thirty- lets hope he can survive the next 21 years raising all these crazy kids (and being married to me)

My Beauty Squad: Leah Fitts

As much as I love doing hair & makeup, I love having an AMAZING hair stylist & makeup artist to work with for my clients to look gorgeous for their portraits. 

Leah is my go to hair & makeup guru, and of course she can make herself up to look this fabulous every day. It's funny because she was the most nervous of all my Glamour clients because she was worried she'd be awkward; but honestly, check. her. out. Stone cold fox, that one.

She's also the most fun girl to hang out with ever, and I couldn't be luckier to be able to work with such a talented friend.