I haven't done senior portraits in a couple of years. I recently had started thinking about doing them again when I was contacted by a bride from last year about photographing her cousin. I remembered her cousin from her bride immediately.

My session today with Kaity was so much fun. Most importantly, it didn't rain. (If I kept repeating that somehow it kept the skies from just opening up.)

We went to a fun location I've been dying to try out for a while. These are a couple of her portraits I've started playing with!

 

I'm so sad!!!!

This morning I dropped off my baby girl at kindergarten!!! I'm happy to announce that only one of us cried. I didn't feel too bad since I passed a couple of other moms in the hall wiping away tears too.

I can't believe that she is big enough to go off into the big world now. It was only yesterday that she was this chubby little bald baby. She was the chubbiest little thing you have ever seen and now all the sudden she is tall and lanky and all leg!

She couldn't get her kindergarten shirt on fast enough this morning. The house is so quiet this morning without her sweet little voice. Yesterday she said, "Since today is my last day of freedom, can we have a tea party." So we stopped what we were doing and we had a tea party.

I miss my baby!!

 

So this week I've been pretty much MIA from the business side of things. Somedays it hits you that you are working so much and so hard that you miss life.
Somehow the entire summer has gotten away from me and the kids go back to school this week. Benjamin will be entering 3rd grade and my baby girl is off to kindergarten.

Daddy is out of town so we decided to build a big fort in the living room and watch movies and play games. I can say I'm still the reigning Uno champion.

The kids kept telling me it was the best day ever. Oh how I wish summer break lasted forever. I'm not ready to send my babies back to school.


 

While talking to the husband today he mentioned that I hadn't shared any photos of our newest family member. This is Baxter, aka Buddy. He's our new little Golden Retreiver puppy. Benjamin is so in love with him. Morgan likes him as long as he is being sweet and cuddly. Gideon, well Gideon has some problems with Buddy. Gideon screams if Buddy chases him and he screams if Buddy isn't chasing him.

Here are a few shots of Benjamin and the puppy playing in my studio over the weekend.


 

Beth and Scott got married on August 5th. I think my very favorite part of the day was during the ceremony when the pastor asked Allegra (Beth''s daughter) for her blessing for the marriage. Scott then gave Allegra a locket and said that she was his daughter. It was such a touching moment and I was honored to be present for it.


 

I loved these 2 sweet little boys I had the pleasure to photograph on Friday afternoon. If only all 7 year old boys were as sweet and fun as this one. While changing backdrops he even asked if he could help me!! And not a single cheesy grin!!!
 

 

A couple more from my day with Gideon.


 

My baby recently turned 3!! I can't believe he's such a big boy!! He has only recently started talking a lot and it's so much fun to watch him grow! He is my handful child. He is always up to something and there is never ever a dull moment with him around. He keeps me on my toes. He can have me about to pull my hair out and with one bat of those long eye lashes and a little, "I wub woo Mommy" and I melt.


 

Recently my mom managed to have all 6 of her grandkids together for the afternoon. They are quite the handful when all together. The oldest grandchild is my Benjamin at 8. Then there is Morgan who is 6. The other 4 grandkids are all almost exactly 9 months apart, with the youngest 3 being boys. We are excited to be welcoming another little cousin into the family in the next few weeks as my sister-in-law gives birth to a baby girl!!
With all the kids together for the afternoon I couldn't resist an impromptu session with them eating ice cream cones. What says summer more than messy kids with ice cream dripping all over them!!
 

There are a couple of photos from Jamie and Charlie's engagement session. They introduced me to a new waterfall. I just can't enough of the waterfall now!!!