Okay, holiday season is literally in full swing and I have not been able to blog every family photo session as of late, but I really, really, really wanted to take a few minutes to share this one. I’ve had so many wonderful times with this family, starting back when that baby girl was just a few days old. Each session has had its own unique story, but this one might be my favorite one to date because it was held at one of their favorite places to play as a family: The Thinkery – the children’s museum in Austin. As creative and energetic and playful as this entire family is, The Thinkery is quite perfectly suited for the not-so-typical family portrait session. The kids absolutely LOVED showing off all of their favorite things to do when they visit and though I had a tough time keeping up with their excited activity, their authentic joy and enthusiasm was 100% worth it! How lucky are these kids to have a mom and dad completely willing (if not actually excited) to get on the floor and play and explore and build and create right beside their children?!?!? My favity fav from this session, though it’s tough to pick, is probably THIS ONE.

I don’t know if I’ll have a chance to get back to the blog this week as I’m gearing up for the FINAL WEEKEND of the Kids-Only Holiday Mini sessions starting Friday and running through Saturday (I’ll be seeing these guys this weekend, as a matter of fact). We have a handful of openings left and I can squeeze you in if you want your kiddos to play in Santa’s Workshop! The session + one digital file of your choice is FREE to all clients who book a full session for 2016. Please message us for more details and do so quickly before all the spaces are gone!

I’ve been working with this family since big sister was first born (I find myself saying that a lot when blogging, but it’s true!) and each session has been wonderful. But this time, walking up to the house took my breath away because it was the first time I had ever seen it decked out for Christmas! Everything looked so magical and absolutely beautiful! It was a perfect opportunity to capture the children’s wonderment in addition to the love and incredible bond they share as a family. My favorite little holiday moment is HERE.

After I was treated to the sweetest little piano recital and after we finished ooohing and ahhhhing over all of the lovely lights, we braved the slightly chilly temps to check out the children’s awesome new playscape. How blessed they are to have these two loving parents willing and excited to play with them outside and spin them on the tire swing and cheer them on as they fly down the slide! I know these memories will stay with them all of their lives.

To close the session, the kiddos wanted to flip through each of their First Year photo albums and I just couldn’t help but to get emotional. I remember each of those sessions very, very well, but still looking through those images, more memories came flooding back. I still see so much of their baby features but I also see those baby features melting away year after year (especially with big sister’s first tooth lost). It made my heart burst with joy to see the children enjoying the photos of their babyhood so much! It was the perfect way to end our annual photo session!

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One quick note about holiday photos, by the way. I just finished the first weekend of the 5th annual Pinkle Toes Kids-Only Holiday Minis and it was a blast! We have just a few openings left for the final weekend (Dec 4-6), so if you’d like info on how to snag your FREE mini for the kiddos, please drop us a line. If you missed it, you’ll want to check out some of the images from this weekend HERE ;-).

It took us a little while to solidify a concept for this session (we’ve had so many wonderful times in the past), but once the wardrobe was planned out, it was a no-brainer. I’ve been wanting to do a chic, classy, city-inspired session at night in downtown Austin for some time and this was the PERFECT family to convey this vibe. And they absolutely NAILED it! I loved the personality that just couldn’t be contained in their kiddos. I loved the contrast of chic, classy, wardrobe and the silly faces they couldn’t help but to make. I loved the plush interior of the hotel and the sparkling lights at dusk. It was just all-around perfection and such a blast! Fav moment right over HERE.

Okay, so my two boys are about the same age difference as these two brothers, but I gotta say how LUCKY this family is that those brothers love each other as much as a they do! I mean I don’t know if I’ve ever seen my boys get along like this…not now and certainly not 9 years ago either. And it’s not forced at all…they are buds…”Nano” worships his older brother and his older brother dotes right back. I also have to admit I never dressed my boys this hip. Not now and certainly not 9 years ago either ;-). My favity fav family pic can be found HERE.

NOTE: If you are a past client of Pinkle Toes Photography, you should have received an e-mail about some pretty special things going on next year. If you didn’t get that e-mail, let me know and I’ll be sure to pass it along to you. If aren’t a Pinkle Toes client yet, you might want to be. 2016 is going to be a super year for Pinkle Toes and everyone with which I get to work ;-).

I get choked up to think that I’ve been working with him since he was in his mommy’s tummy. I remember each of our sessions together in great detail, but this one really struck me. He was ON for this session…so engaged, so charming, so much fun. He was such a little ham! I feel pretty honored to get to work with this dapper little dude! My FAV HERE!

From his Mommy:

1) Tell us a little bit about your family… Happy, grateful, active. We love Henry and he is our entire world. We feel so grateful to have him. He is our everything. Feel blessed beyond measure.
2) What made you decide this was the time to do a photo session? Were you marking any special occasion, etc? We are Pinkletoes through and through!!! Annual shoot around Henry’s birthday starting when I was pregnant and no signs of stopping us! 🙂
3) Where was your session held and why? Hotel Ella. We love the traditional architecture and timelessness of the hotel. We also love the idea of shooting in an iconic ‘Austin’-y location.
4) What did you like about your session location? Everything. Mostly, love the second level balcony area with views of downtown Austin and the gorgeous columns.
5) What was your favorite part of your session? Henry was in a GOOD MOOD! He was photo-ready! And thank Goodness he is finally into it. 🙂
6) Was there anything you were nervous or worried about before the session? Nothing. Michele can use any location and can turn a parking lot into an award-winning photo. Also, we are Pinkletoes trained! I had my wardrobe changes, my accessories, my props, my snacks, nails checked….I was READY!
7) Any funny stories or interesting happenings during your session? When Henry posed by the vintage car (Vogue) and the crazy pigeons. 🙂
8) Any advice to other families before their photo sessions? Come prepared. Engage with the photographer. Relax and be yourselves. Your energy SHOWS in photos. If you are nervous or uncomfortable, it will show. If you are most relaxed in bare feet, then schedule your shoot that way. Be yourself.
9) What made you choose Pinkle Toes Photography? We got LUCKY a long time ago in finding Pinkletoes. We look forward to our annual shoot like it is Christmas.
10) What do you hope your kids/family will say years down the road when looking at these images? “Look at Henry’s smile!”. “How did she get him to do that?” “We look like a happy family”.

Now, the pupster came very close to stealing the show during this awesome family’s downtown Austin photo session, buuuuuut…the girls were so adorable and fun and kept me on my toes so it all evened out in the end. One of my other fav shots HERE and how about this super cool successful HIGH FIVE at the end of the session when mom and dad were congratulating one another on a job well done! Much-deserved, guys!!!!

Feels like I’ve known this family forever. I remember every session I’ve ever had with them in great detail, but I don’t think any other session has ever come this close to being more meaningful and invaluable as this one. I know that they are very thankful for the present…as in the now…as in each day they get to have together as a family (you can read why below). Last year and the months following were an incredibly scary and challenging time for them and it hit me like a ton of bricks after I got home from this session and saw how absolutely LUCKY they are to have their family back together and healthy again. And how impressed I am with this man’s strength and ability to recover. Before I go, that last image up there is my favorite, for sure. Rivaled closely by this one.

From Mom:

1) Tell us a little bit about your family… We missed out on our annual photo shoot in 2014 after Marcus came down with GBS from the flue vaccine and we are coming up on the 1 year anniversary and wanted to document his ongoing recovery.
2) What made you decide this was the time to do a photo session? Were you marking any special occasion, etc? Yes — living in the moment and grateful for each day together.
3) Where was your session held and why? Downtown with a Dia de los Muertos theme to celebrate the living and honor those that have passed.
4) What did you like about your session location? Murals, capturing the morning light and downtown vibe
5) What was your favorite part of your session? Always seeing Michele and the girls getting their annual scratch & sniff stickers 🙂
6) Was there anything you were nervous or worried about before the session? Nope, we are regulars and always trust Pinkle Toes to capture the moment in time in a natural and candid way
7) Any funny stories or interesting happenings during your session? We didn’t get pooped on by the pigeons and the girls didn’t eat any left over pizza off the street from the night before 🙂
8) Any advice to other families before their photo sessions? Plan plan plan, working with Michele on the theme and attire
9) What made you choose Pinkle Toes Photography? No brainer — she’s the best!
10) What do you hope your kids/family will say years down the road when looking at these images? That’s my dad! He’s healthy, happy and alive!

My, oh my, it is crazy to think I’ve quite literally watched these little ones grow up on my camera. And how awesome it is to get to see their baby features melt away and their little personalities shine through–even if it’s with that pretty impressive pouty face Mr. Man is giving me up there ;-0.  It didn’t last long, though. Once we made our way back to their home and he could “grill” for his Papa, all was right with the world again. Of course, the pupster, Troop, always makes an appearance in their family photo sessions and he happens to be in my favorite from this session HERE.

And from the beautiful K, herself:

1) Tell us a little bit about your family… We are a fun but crazy family of 4 (5 including our awesome dog, Troop) trying to juggle it all! With 2 active kiddos, we enjoy the outdoors and exploring Austin.
2) What made you decide this was the time to do a photo session? Were you marking any special occasion, etc? We love our yearly family photo sessions with PT! I cherish all the memories we’ve had Michele capture for our family, dating back to when Kline was just 7 days old.
3) Where was your session held and why? We chose Laguna Gloria this year because their grounds and facilities are so beautiful. We had a session here in the past and absolutely loved it (minus the crazy curator monitoring our every move)! Even though we didn’t get inside this year (their Solarium is my fav), we found some cool spots outside.
4) What did you like about your session location? I loved how it was casual and stress-free this year! We ended the session on our top floor roof deck, eating popcorn and drinking punch while the sun set.
5) What was your favorite part of your session? Just being together as a family on our deck. It was obvious everyone was back in their element and super relaxed. Great way to end the session!
6) Was there anything you were nervous or worried about before the session? I was a little nervous that our youngest was going to get distracted and run the opposite direction or have a pouty-face the entire time. He’s my moody one….
7) Any funny stories or interesting happenings during your session? We had a little run-in with some fire ants by the water at LG. It could’ve been a disaster, but we escaped with only a couple whelps.
8) Any advice to other families before their photo sessions? Don’t stress and HAVE FUN! As easy as that may seem, I’m usually guilty of stressing over outfits, last minute details, are we going to make it there on time?, etc. This year I took a step back and just let it flow …..without any increase in my heart rate. Success on my end!
9) What made you choose Pinkle Toes Photography? Because Michele is truly a genius behind the camera and she loves us for who we are – a real, crazy, wild family.
10) What do you hope your kids/family will say years down the road when looking at these images? Oh man, probably that my kids will look back and say “you dressed me in that?!”.

Words that come to mind when I think of my evening spent with this family:

Busy, bustling, boisterous, creative, reading, books, art, collections, exploring, wonder, amusement, laughter, love, family, home, together, comfortable, at ease, happy, admiration, and peacefully chaotic.

There was so much to capture about this family…they are such a dynamic bunch. This session felt so real to me…so authentic. The little guy holding the frog up there…he was SOOOOO excited we found him in the pool! And THIS look on his sister’s face when she was oh, so curious but a bit timid as well was definitely my fav! The fact that the oldest brother was still holding his book even while snuggling with his mom was priceless. The way baby sister fits into her family so naturally and watching everyone try to win her affections made me smile. They’ve got quite the family here and it was not difficult at all to bring out their bond on camera.

Lucky me, this was my second time getting to work with Courtney and her fam this year. We had our session date planned around the blooming of the “Blazing Star” AKA “Purple Gayfeather” out here by the Pinkle Toes Studio and let me tell you, we had it on the books for what seemed like a very, very long time. But of course, wouldn’t you know? This year, we got like 5 branches of these purple flowers and I was so afraid she would be bummed with the turnout.

Okay, maybe it was more than five ;-).

But the girls totally didn’t care. They were waaaaaaay into my chickens.

And making yellow flower bouquets for their mommy.

And just being all-around adorable.

Those three images of the two of them up there? I love, love, love them. Especially when they got photobombed by their girls. Bwa ha ha!

We also got to introduce everyone to the passion vine, which smelled soooooo delightful!

And then, the Texas version of fall (ie. if you don’t have a fall, you make one ;-). My FAV HERE.

I got apples as props for the girls to play with, but I had no idea how much they LOVED apples. They didn’t last very long as they were gobbled up rather quickly.

And, from Courtney:

1) Tell us a little bit about your family… My husband and I have two amazing little girls. Ava, who is 3.5, is our “princess” who loves to play dress up. She Liv just turned 2 and is our little tomboy who is adventurous and loves to climb on anything.
2) What made you decide this was the time to do a photo session? Were you marking any special occasion, etc? We planned this session close to Liv’s 2 year birthday and are already planning to schedule our next session 🙂
3) Where was your session held and why? We decided to do the session at Michele’s house. She has an amazing property with so many areas to shoot at.
4) What did you like about your session location? It was something different than we have done before and we just loved it out there! It was beautiful and rustic.
5) What was your favorite part of your session? I think my favorite part was when the girls were on the wooden swing. They had been excited about that swing from the moment we got there. The sun was setting at just the right moment and we were just having a good time and laughing.
6) Was there anything you were nervous or worried about before the session? Since working with Michele, I have never been nervous 🙂
7) Any funny stories or interesting happenings during your session? As soon as we showed up to Michele’s house, Ava “LOVED” everything about it. She literally kept telling not only Michele that she loved her, but she loved her “puter”, her camera, her house, her car, anything she saw. She was in la-la land and I loved that.
8) Any advice to other families before their photo sessions? I think Michele does an awesome job at preparing you for your session. I also always talk a lot about the upcoming session and the fun place we are going to go and we talk about what we want to do or see during our session so that once we are there, they are excited about those things.
9) What made you choose Pinkle Toes Photography? I absolutely LOVE Michele. As a photographer, I have admired her work and this is now our second time to shoot with her. I always look forward to the session and working with her. My girls are completely at ease and love playing with her. Michele is fun, laid-back and allows my girls to just be themselves and shoots as natural as possible which makes our time together less stressful and fun.
10) What do you hope your kids/family will say years down the road when looking at these images? I know years down the road we will enjoy these photos as much if not more than we do today. I hope in years to come, we are sitting around our living room looking through them, laughing and telling stories about how much fun we had.