I remember, before I ever had kids, I said I wanted to take his/her picture every day for the first year. I figured it would be neat to sort of  ’see’ them change and grow in pictures. But once I had kids, I decided that idea was a bit ambitious and decided to try getting one good shot once a week for the first year. (Translation: I decided not to put myself through the hassle and work it would take to get a picture every.single.day. Turns out, it was a good decision, since I probably would’ve failed at the every day thing!)

I try to do these pictures on the same day each week, and eventually I make a hardcover book showing these pictures. (So far, only Kennedy has a book…opps. But, never fear… I plan to get Bristol’s done soon!) Honestly, it is not always easy to make these little weekly shoots happen. Sometimes I have to make it happen, and I only end up with one or two good shots. Other times, it is easy and I have so many good shots I will have a hard time choosing one for her book. As we come up on her first Birthday (how did a year go by so fast?!) I am so happy to have these pictures, and I’m so happy I stuck with it

A few recent shots that caught my eye.. I thought I’d share them here today…

Okay, so this was my first shoot of 2013 and it was wonderful. For January, it was warm! I had a great couple to work with, and with the holidays recently over, it felt good to get back behind the camera and shoot a session again.
I love shooting engagement sessions, but don’t get to often since that is normally part of the wedding package…(currently, I do not shoot weddings)…and so I am really happy that it worked out for me to shoot Dustin and Meghan’s engagement pictures..

Dustin and Meghan…Thank you!! Congrats on your engagement and I wish you all the best together

On Easter Sunday, as we ran out of the house to go to church, I tried to get a picture of all three girls with my iphone… this is what I got:

I decided it is kinda perfect. It is real and so them!

Another shot at my parents house after church with a couple of cousins… (not all the cousins could be there at the same time)

and a few more random pictures from our Easter Sunday…

Bristol singing in the car…

Monday was gorgeous here in North Carolina. Nearly perfect weather! We stayed outside a lot, and I took a few pictures…

I posted a feet/swing shot in my last blog post that I just looove…here are a couple more :)

Thanks for looking!

Today, we welcome another sweet baby girl in our family…my sister and her husband have a brand new baby (as of this morning!) Meet Karis Giana; 8 pounds 4 ounces and so so sweet!

Karis is grand-daughter #5 for my parents… we seem to have an “all girls” club going on! We are totally in love with this sweet girl…

I had planned to get a few blog posts up this week, but with her arrival, I have gotten a little side-tracked…. and this weather? Well, I don’t wanna be inside at all! So we’ve been doing a lot of this:

More to come. Thanks for looking

Well, two of my girlies

Often, I find that some of my most favorite pictures I get of my girls are the un-planned, spur of the moment pictures. Maybe because I am not stressed and planning a shoot with certain expectation and visions…then they just not be into it at all, and I am disappointed. Or, maybe it’s because I love capturing the everyday. The real life. The moments that just happen.

Last week, these moments happened, and I love the images I got.

First, Kennedy actually asked me if I wanted a photoshoot of her when she saw me taking pictures of Tenley for her weekly shot… I was all “Of course!” since she is not always willing. I don’t think her hair had seen a brush that day (in fact, I know it hadn’t!) but truth is, I love them more than if I had fixed her up

Next, Tenley at naptime… I adore these so much.

Thanks for looking and Happy Monday!

Oh this little girl… three short years ago they placed her in my arms. And as I told her last night; she said “Waaa Waaaa Waaaaaaa”. And she didn’t stop for a long time. Oh, the days seemed long. I felt exhausted. I remember one Doctors visit when she had been screaming, and I had been walking and bouncing and soothing, when the doctor finally walked in and after a good report of “she is healthy!” he asked “does she do this all the time?” My reply: “YES!” Then, he simply said that sometimes the babies who cry and scream so much have big personalities and as babies have no other way of expressing themselves.
Well, now that she is three years old, I am happy to say that this girl does have a big personality. She keeps us laughing all the time. She is feisty and loving and caring (and trouble and stubborn) and so so much more

Goodness we love her so much.

Bristol Lynn Brown ~ 7 pounds, 15 ounces

Going back through these first pictures, I get all sentimental. I have come to love these moments captured right after my babies are born. Stuart is good at grabbing the camera and snapping away. He often gets pictures of me, and honestly, I look rough! I am not one for ’fixing up’ before allowing my picture to be taken, I am too busy soaking in those sweet first moments…and really, I just gave birth so I think it is only fitting to look like I’ve been through it! Ha!
Since this one does not show my face, it isn’t so bad… and I love it

Here she is now…well, back in September:
(I think I’ve shared this picture before, but I love it so I wanted to share it again today)

And here are a few more recent shots, taken this week…

Bristol, we love you sweet girl… so very much!

Thanks for looking and Happy Weekend!

They love their dogs and coke, so we included both in their shoot

This brother/sister pair had these pictures done for their Dad for Christmas ( well, their Mom too… but she knew about it!) These are a few of my fav’s….

I really love this shot in color, b&w and sepia… So I am posting all three!

I feel like a dork posting this…since it is all about me…oh well, here goes

As a Momma and a photographer, I have found that pictures of me are few and far between. I am always the one behind the camera. And when I do see a picture of myself, I am critical (who isn’t?). But, I am probably a little extra critical… you know, looking at angles, and negative space (or lack thereof), background, focus, etc.
But, I do try to get in front of the camera every once in a while, and after finding these two shots of me over the weekend, I am going to try harder

This is me… on Halloween last year, holding one baby and kissing another. (I think Kennedy refused to get in the picture) And truth is, I love it. Yes, I am critical of my hair in it’s half-bun/half-pony-tail state of messiness – but that’s me, it is real and I love real.

this one was also taken back in October… and while my hair may be down, I smiled so big my eyes turned to little slits! Oh well, again, I kinda like it

Thanks for looking and Happy Monday!

I call these ”the Christmas Card shots”. That was the reason for getting these pictures, so they could be put on a Christmas card. We didn’t do full shoots, in fact, one of these I promise lasted all of 2 minutes!

First up, adorable little Brooklyn.

Hairpiece was made by Monica at Lil Twings…

Here is the two-minutes-or-less-shoot… Jesse Ray, he started out looking like this:

but thankfully we got this after about 10 seconds!

My niece Mya… Okay, this girl smiles almost anytime you give her attention, but on this day, she was very serious.

Got one smile!

These three brothers are cuties for sure… first up, Silas:

Canyon was not happy about having his picture taken, but I still love this one shot we got of him… and then baby Branson…

Last up, Claire, Piper and Baine…

Okay, there ya go… some Christmas Card shots in March   Hey, what can I say? I get slack on blogging and just have to play catch-up sometimes.
Thanks for looking!

Happy Monday! Seriously, this time change has got me sleepy and excited! More excited, the sleepiness will improve.  I love love love the fact that it will be light later in the day. It just feels better!

Here goes some more rambling this Monday morn, uh, afternoon…  These ramblings of mine may not always make a lot of sense, or tie in together well (or at all actually), but maybe you’ll get something out of it anyway (a laugh… a new recipe… inspiration…)

One of my fav Pinterest recipes: Sweet and Spicy Bacon Chicken. It’s delicious ya’ll. (do you have a favorite Pinterest recipe? if so, please share in the comments!)

I just started watching Downton Abbey…. only two episodes in and I am hooked!

Speaking of TV shows… I fear that anyone who gets in front of my camera might feel the same way Phil (on Duck Dynasty) felt about his pet photographer: (and I quote) “He acted kinda funny, but he’s a good photographer” Haha! Maybe I should not fear…as long as they think I’m good I guess it’s okay to act “kinda funny”…

After a ‘show’ from Kennedy and Bristol, Bristol took a bow and face-planted. She got up and kept on going…like she had planned it that way! haha! I laughed so hard

Lunch time around here is often crazy. Typically all three girls want something different, well, Tenley does not choose…but Kennedy and Bristol do. Chicken nuggets for one, jelly sandwich for another, and ham and cheese for yet another… Chips or pretzels? Carrots or not?…… Bristol is not a good eater, but she sure does love her some ketchup. And one day back in December I noticed the sun coming in through the window and decided to pull out my camera and capture her…ketchup all over her mouth, and I love it… also, that little hand on her hip? That is so her!

Thanks for looking  Hope you got something out of the ramblings – even if it was simply inspiration to just pull your camera out and capture your kids – as they are. Or, you know, you could always hire me to do it