“Nothing fancy. Just us and a blanket” the email read.

“No props?  What do you mean not fancy?  No lugging out an entire living room to a field?”  My heart started to race.  My palms were sweaty.  My hands started to shake. My head swirled with confusion. “I don’t understand.”

She wanted to capture JUST THEM.  Up close, personal, and just having fun, laughing, snuggling, loving, and just being THEM. No props.  No concern for the background.  Just them on a blanket being them. This wouldn’t shock me from a lot of families, but something that Kristy and I have swooned over in the past years are photographs from  photographers who lug all sorts of things into fields.  Not to mention that Kristy has incredible taste and style…so this simplicity caught me off guard.

But I was in.  Totally and completely.

Just blanket.  Up close.  Capturing all they are as a family.  Capturing all that makes their hearts overflow….

I love this family and I know that if you remember them from here or here, you already love them too (how could you not?!)  It is funny how each of their photo shoots with me have been so different, but I would still say totally them.

I did sneak in a book or two to encourage some close family time and snuggling….and we did end up climbing in some near-by trees, but I have to say that I love the simplicity of Kristy’s request. I love that we went simple this time; such a reflection of tearing away all the fluff in life and just concentrating on what matters truly: loving your family and your kids….something Kristy and Jeff do so well and I admire about them completely.

And of course part of capturing who they are right now was capturing the family member on the way…

…which did quickly turn into two sisters who excitedly wanted to share their affection with baby brother.

…and if you didn’t see the sweet sisters giving me a laugh last week (here)…make haste to check it out!

Jeff and Kristy, you know how much I adore you and how much I am so humbled by your trust in me as a photographer. Thank you so much! I can’t wait to meet your sweet family member #5 in just a few months and see how we will capture you all next year!

A sister is someone who will put on a grumpy face with you when you are feeling upset.

A sister is someone who will keep giving kisses even while the first one is getting wiped off.

A sister is someone who will try to make you laugh when the kisses are unsuccessful.

Is there anything like a sister?

I have actually been pretty grumpy today (chalk it up to pregnancy hormones and an obstinate 4 year old that lives with me) but then I imported this photo shoot, saw this series of photos, and laughed out loud.  What you see is pretty much how it went down.  There is nothing like a sister, is there?

This blog post was totally un-planned and is really a sneak peak to this family’s sneak peak….but I couldn’t help myself.   Stop by on Monday to see more!

“Your hands sure are full!”

One of my favorite things about Alyson is that she will answer this with: “Yes, but so is my heart.”

Sometimes you meet someone who is just so good at putting words to things you have struggled to express for so long.  Alyson is one of those women with the gift of whit and words.  I love her view on life, and more than anything, her outlook on being a mom.  Every time I see a post of hers on Facebook, I am reminded to take a deep breath and just laugh it off. Or as she said to me, “If it can be fixed with soap and water, then it is not worth freaking out about.  So many things can be fixed with just a little bit of soap and water.  Just say to yourself, SOAP AND WATER.”

She reminds me that being a good mom isn’t about the “perfect”…but about embracing and enjoying the imperfect. Being a good mom is laughing at the days when you walk out of the house with mismatched shoes.  Being a good mom is realizing, even on the hardest of days when you want to lock yourself in the bathroom and cry….that being a mother is still a blessing and a gift of God.

I wish you wanted to read a novel instead of reading (or skimming) this blog post, cause I could write so much more about this family.  There is Alyson, but there is also an incredibly brave man (who can grow the best mustaches I have ever seen).  There is the remarkably smart Jack who will amaze you with his power to out-whit you, even though he is only 5.  There is the silly, funny, ham-it-up-make-you-laugh-until-the-cows-come-home Finley.  And last but not least, the toughest AND sweetest little girl I have ever seen, Claire.

And of course, by now you have may have noticed that this family’s attire is not your usual photo shoot wear.  I haven’t introduced you to the other member of the family, the member that although it has caused a lot of heartache, is the reason behind this photo shoot:  THE HOUSE.   This family has a phenomenal house with character and charm beyond belief.  (Although I am pretty sure the family would say as of right now it is a thorn in their side, and anyone who has remodeled knows what I am talking about) Any visionary can see that it WAS a stunning home from 1909 and WILL BE again spectacular and the envy of the neighborhood when it is finished being remodeled.  And I have to say, I love that Alyson wanted to capture the house even though it is still in the midst of change (and with 1900′s attire!!)

Under construction. A reminder that nothing is perfect.  Just like life as a mom, life as a family, life as a Christian; we really are all just under construction.   So just sit back, laugh, and remember the good moments along the way while you wait for the final product to come to fruition (and don’t be afraid to take a picture of it all before it is where you want it).

With so much love and excitement….I can’t wait to introduce you.  The “P” family:

(serious for the vintage look of course, but don’t worry, there are plenty of smiles to go around…)

Alyson brought some of the coolest props for the kids to play with. On of my favorites was this beautiful vintage book that brought on family reading time.

Sometimes one image steals my heart and this next one is it. It was a candid moment where Alyson was fixing her hair….and two of her little ones admiring their mama from afar. Alyson couldn’t be more beautiful and the moment was so sweet….

Then we headed inside to frost some cupcakes……

…and to give everyone a little sugar boost….

…and cupcakes of COURSE….have to be washed off in the pool….

But not before we got a couple last portraits…

And because I have said so much already….I will just end with a THANK YOU “P”family…it was just as epic…just like you!  ;)

Why is the third time a charm?  I can’t help but wonder where that came from….as I realize that in many cases it is completely true.  (And of course my belief in this truth is in no way swayed by the fact that I am the “third” of “the youngest three” in my family either….really….)

This photo shoot is a great example of this strange wives’ tale “truth”.  We attempted to make this photo shoot happen 2 other times, but the first time I had inadvertently scheduled a downtown photo session on the same weekend as the biggest convention in San Diego: Comic-con (um, duh!) and then the second time sickness won out.  The L family showed up to our third attempt just as the grey clouds came rolling in and droplets of rain started to hit my head.  Although only moments before I had thought to myself, “YES, the third time is a charm!“, now as the cold rain tickled my nose, my heart started to sink.  I couldn’t help but wonder:  will we have to reschedule again?

Then L Family all looked at my worried, furrowed brow and replied with, “This is nothing….we love the rain….and the lighting is great isn’t it!? Third time is the charm!”

Yes.  Oh yes.  I couldn’t have been more excited to hear those words…and couldn’t have said it better myself.

I love this family.

You have actually met this family before, here and and even way back when here, but I can’t help but tell you again how great they are!  The first time we did a photo shoot, I am sure we were equally nervous, them and I.  But as I have grown as a photographer, they continue to grow into not only some of the best “models”, but also one of the loveliest families I know.  My favorite thing about the L family is that they don’t actually just “model” for me.  Just like I tell all my clients, “just be YOU, do what you do at home with your kids, and have fun”, I have told them the same thing, and I am here to say that this family has mastered just that.

Every smile, laugh, tickle you see in these pictures is completely un-prompted by me.

It is just how they are….loving each other….loving their kids….loving life in the most beautiful and inspirational of ways.

I love this family.

And I especially love this family, cause this is what they do for a family picture. I know I have said it before, but I LOVE real family portraits….and I think all family portraits should be like this:

I am not going to even begin to pretend to know all the answers, but I am pretty sure that a family that can be real…and still laugh and love each other in the way the L family does, starts with love like this….

….and turns into joy like this…

…giving two amazing people, two amazing kids like these….

…who love each other like this….

L family, thank you once again for being the family you are…for loving and laughing in a way that inspires me everyday! I LOVE photo shoots with you and can’t wait til our next one!

Some things take guts. For some people it is bungee jumping or cliff diving or eating some sort of disgusting bug….but for me…for me it is getting in FRONT of the camera.  Yep.  Being in front of the camera is my bungee jumping.  What can I say?  But I know I am not alone in this.  Holler if you are out there.

A few months ago I read this blog post on why moms should get in front of the camera, and it made me cry. It just hit so close to home. But I still have yet to take the challenge to get in front of the camera with my kiddo; I still have yet to get the guts.

When Suzanne and I talked on the phone I felt like I was talking to myself.  We laughed over the fact that we both love to take pictures but hate being in front of the camera, and I couldn’t help but think of the blog…that blog post…the one that had been tapping on my heart for months.  And then I walked into Suzanne’s house and I could tell once again that we were kindred spirits; her house covered floor to ceiling in beauitful photos that she had taken of her daughter, but only one of her.

Emily said it so well, better than I ever could:

“whatever you need to do, capture yourself with the little people.

if you are thinking “no thanks…i don’t want my crusty self in the photograph, thankyouverymuch” then you are going to get a swift kick in the shins for that.  {and trust my bruised shins…that hurts}

do you honestly look at a picture of your mom from back in the day and think “man, she was {insert your horrible adjective that you use to describe yourself}”

no.

we don’t think that about our moms.

and neither do your kids think that about you.”

Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to my current hero: Suzanne. Suzanne is beautiful.  Suzanne is a mom.  Suzanne loves to take beautiful pictures and hates to be in them.  Suzanne knew in her heart what Emily (above) was talking about and called me up because of it.  Suzanne is just like you and I…. but I am the first to stand up and say that Suzanne also has something MORE. Some thing I admire so much: Suzanne has got the guts.  Suzanne, I am so thankful for your foresight to know that one day Lilly will be so thankful that you weren’t afraid to step in FRONT of the camera.  And thank you for the inspiration you are to so many of us moms out there…especially me!

I don’t always tell my favorites, but this next one is my favorite. Doesn’t it look like they are modeling for child friendly hotel or something? I can’t tell you how much I love having beautiful clients with beautiful homes!

More soft sweet moments.

Thank you so much Suzanne for inviting me into your home and your life…and for being such an inspiration to me! *Hugs*