Transformation Tuesday

This past weekend we had family photos taken and I am seriously in love with them.  Maybe because it has been so long since we've done it (5 years).  Or maybe because I'm pausing to remember every morsel and milestone as Noah is on the countdown to graduation.  Or maybe because the photographer was super special and captured JOY in the photos.

I shared about our experience today, on my monthly post at Still Standing Magazine.  You can read more about it here.

In the meantime, how about the transformation...
What a difference five years makes.

2011

2016

Noah...

   

Mom & Son...

Dad & Son...

    

Faithful Friday: Fall Fotos

You'd think having a week off would allow me to write a FF post on time...

I'd say I was sorry but from the start of this blessed vacation I decided to live in the moment.
Be spontaneous.  Make the most it.

Usually fall break is a mix of productivity and relaxation.  I normally deep clean, swap out the closets for cooler weather, and begin sprucing up the house for fall. 

My closet at least got weeded out.  The kids rooms got cleaned (by them!).  We did pull out what was salvageable for fall decor.  And the deep cleaning...well, I decided that would be a good "productive" project for unemployment.

Although we never did make it out with my kids to do some fall photos, I did get to spend an afternoon with three of my favorite littles.  Capturing the essence of these sweeties is never an easy task but thanks to my sister and momma, as well as prop master Noah, we made it through.

And have this to show for it...

 

and this...

and these sweet spots you just wanna kiss...

 

and these...

three kids all cooperating at once....puhleez!

Miss Rae was having NO part of this basket.

And she "kicked" Allen, 

which he later told me was the reason he didn't want to pose like that again.

Through the tantrums, posings, juggling, outfit changes, breaks for snacks, 

and all the cute chaos in between, 

we caught more than a few extra special moments.  

Snapshots in time of the blessings and JOY these babies are.

 

  "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above." James 1:17

A Thousand Words

Day 2 and 3 of Fall Break can best be summed up with this...

and this...

and a little of this...

Taking & Making

Family Memories!

“Sometimes I arrive just when God's ready to have someone click the shutter.” ― Ansel Adams

My day began at my sister's house, capturing little grins and giggles and attempting a family photo or two.  It isn't an easy task getting three toddlers to look and smile in the same direction with mom and dad but we caught a few good ones.  I loved the babies expressions in this shot, taken under a shade tree in their yard.

I spent the rest of the afternoon shooting my niece for her Senior pics.  She better love her aunt, because I don't even want to guess what a six hour, unlimited mile, and full day of editing would cost from an average photographer! 

Honestly, I enjoyed every moment with my nearly grown oldest niece.  We shared laughs, walked through creek beds and mud, drove back roads and made dozens of memorable moments I hope she treasures for years.

Such a beautiful girl, inside and out, and I wish her future nothing but the best!

Part of our shoot included a trip to one of my old stompin' grounds.  A tunnel under  a bridge, down a long gravel road, called the wagonbox.  We also referred to it as "the movies" and I had my nieces puzzled as we took off in a direction they weren't expecting.  When we pulled up to the entrance and I told them to grab the spray paint, they were even more confused.  They snickered and whispered, "we feel like such bad girls" as they added their names to the hundreds of signatures.

We ended the day with Haylea on the four wheeler on the farm. 

It was the best reflection of who she is. 

Noah hopped on for a candid shot,

which ended up being one of my favorites.