A little one on the way...

My beautiful friend Jacqueline came to visit me to celebrate our 30th birthdays! This was her second trip to the Pacific Northwest and she came at the most beauitful time of the year. The leaves were gorgeous and for those of us born and bred in CA, the colors are delightful and unusual. I really wanted to take some maternity photos of her, but 1. her adorable daughter wasn't here and of course she needed to be in the photos kissing her momma's belly and 2. it RAINED the whole darn time!!!

The last day the sun made a small appearance just before heading up to Seattle, so I quickly snapped a few pics of this beautiful mommy-to-be (for the 2nd time!) I can't wait to meet this lil one at Christmas!

 

 

BOY! It's been a while...

It's been a while since I have posted any photos! Why? You ask....because I got knocked up! That crazy/amazing/wonderful experience truly occupied the last year of my life. I found out I was pregnant Thanksgiving weekend, 2011. I was so THANKFUL! Now I am the mommy of a beautiful baby boy named Brady!
Even though I have not posted any new photos, I sure have been busy taking them. Over the last year, I was able to take photos at my very first wedding locally in Olympia (see the Nate and Maddie post), I was a second shooter with my sister-in-law at a Tacoma wedding (pictures to come), I did some boudair photos for a close friend (her husband was very pleased with the results), and I have of course taken family photos, including those of my new baby boy!

First, let me brag! This post is dedicated to my precious baby boy! Here are just a few of my favorites from the first few days of his life!



We call this to "whooo" face! My lil birdie!

 

Nate and Maddie Wedding

This was a post back from Novemember 2011!!! Shortly after writing the draft, I found out I was pregnant and never posted this or had the time to post more photos. Here is Nate and Maddie's story! P.S. They also got pregnant a month after their wedding and just had a beautiful little girl named Naomi!

I had the great pleasure of taking some wedding photos for my dear friends Maddie and Nathan. My sister-in-law, Erin, accompanied me on this adventure. (Thanks, Erin!)

Their wedding took place on 11-11-11. And if memory serves me right, the nuptials actually began at 1:11 pm. Is that fun or what? Before the Bride was given away, it all started with a movie clip from "THE PRINCESS BRIDE." (One of my favorites!) It was classic! The wedding and the reception was inside a local church because...well we live in WA...and it rains here! The lights were low and the mood was casual. The bride and groom were probably THE most casual- laid-back bride and groom that EVER was or will be!!! So, that was nice for me, considering it was my first wedding. The bride wore a short white dress and hot pink flowered shoes! After the ceremony we moved one room over and the bride and groom put on their aprons and served their guests Texas style BBQ that they cooked themselves! Everyone loved it! Talk about a fun day!

Thanks Nate and Maddie for allowing me to snap some photos of your special day! And for taking a chance on this amateur! I wish you and your precious girls a happy life! Remember, Nathan, Happy Wife = Happy Life!
 

  

The Porter Family

Let me introduce the Porter Family of Four... 

This adorable family of four joined me on a cold and rainy day to take some photos while the beautiful fall  leaves still covered the ground. Really, this was such a fun shoot for me! As you can tell by the boy's t-shirts, they are proud to be brothers. They were quite photogenic, as well, smiling left and right for me! Big Brother is very diligent in looking after his lil bro! It was adorable to watch them interact. We had such a blast     climbing rocks and getting our boots muddy. Mom and Dad were great sports and even came up with some great ideas for photos themselves. 
Thank you Porter Family for a fun day of photos! I hope that you enjoy these memories of your precious family!

Aren't these guys adorable?!

Maternity/Family Photos: "P" Family

        The miracle of life is such a beautiful thing...

Let me introduce to you the "P" Family! Words cannot describe how genuine and sincere this couple is. They have a precious little boy (with excellent manners, I must say!) and a baby girl on the way. God has chosen this family for a very special purpose. Their miracle baby girl, Anna Joy, has a severe heart condition which may not allow her to thrive on this earth outside her mother's womb. Her parents have chosen to live by FAITH and not by sight! This couple's testimony of courage AND strength AND faith is encouraging to those around them. So of course I was so honored and humbled when they asked me to snap some photos of their little family. Regardless of the circumstance, it is amazing the JOY a lil baby can bring!

Thank you Matt and Alissa SO much for allowing me to share your story through photos! I 'm thankful to catch a glimpse of God's grace in your life story! My prayers are with you!


                                  

pink lil shoes for pink lil feet

                           

God is good... (a personal post)

I'm seeing a pattern here. I often find myself truly experiencing God through the dark times of my life. When others go through heart ache I find myself praying and drawing closer to God in hope that he will come through. I wonder why it is when things are so easy, I forget his goodness. It takes the difficult times in life for me to see his hand continuously working in all situations. And it never ceases to amaze me. I am thankful that I see him at all and wonder how people can go through the dark times in life without him by their side. I pray that regardless of where I am in life, whether good or bad, that I see him in ALL THINGS!

Portrait: The Lovely Laura (Part 1)

Last week my gracious and adventurous friend, Laura, allowed me to take some photos of her! This girl is stunning! Not only is she absolutely beautiful, she is also so fun to be around! This was a last minute shoot and we had about 20 minutes of day light! She was a good sport, while I drove around like a crazy California driver- looking for some sun! Around this time of the year, it is very hard to find some sunshine--but we did it!! As soon as we found it, we ran towards it! I threw down my bag and began to shoot! Laura was a natural, as you will see below! It was my first time using a new lens, so I was adjusting to it-- but am please with the results and I can't wait to use it again! So for now, here's what we got! Thanks Laura for your time and your enthusiasm about something that is important to me! You look beautiful! Enjoy....

Only friends can make friends laugh like this...

This photo makes me want to go line dancin...