It was several years ago when I first began working with these guys…getting to old to remember when, but I know mr. man with the glasses up there was only about 4-5 months old. I will always remember that session…how amazing his big brother and sister were with him. There were just three kiddos back then. Hmmmm…I only had two kids back then…

And when we met up last year, one more baby had been added to the broode. A family of 6.

But then…I got an e-mail earlier this year and surprise! Another baby girl had decided to join the fam! And so this fall, they were a family of 7. It was wonderful to get to see them all and to tour their new home (they designed themselves). She is probably one of the most organized, patient mommies that I know and the house radiates equal parts energy and love. I didn’t want to leave that night. So fun to be part of all the activity there.

{Fav image from this session HERE}

Here’s why Weight Watchers has been so easy for me: toddlers ;-). Seriously, the last time we were together, they weren’t nearly so speedy. This session totally reminded me of my days chasing after my older boys when they were this age (19 mos apart). It’s like oil and water…you set them down and they repel and go in opposite directions, LOL. So, I’d like to thank these beauties for keeping me on my toes and earning me those extra activity points. And again, what is it with kids and being upside down that makes them so gleefully happy??? Go figure.

I am originally from VA and I gotta say, man I miss fall and the foliage up there. So, I tend to get just a teensy bit excited when we have some semblance of fall here in TX, like these stunning golden leaves. We were actually wrapping up the session when the wind picked up and swirled these leaves all over the place. It was so magical…I wish you could have been there to dance in them with us.

FYI: We only have a few openings left for the 2nd Annual Holiday Mini Sessions! Wow! That’s amazing! So looking forward to starting these next week!

I am SO excited to have partnered up with Gro Boutique to bring back the 2nd Annual Pinkle Toes Holiday Mini Sessions! This year’s theme is Candy Land and I’ve been working day and night to pull together this magical, sweet set. The *only* way to score one of these FREE exclusive kids-only mini sessions is by booking a full session for 2013. I just announced these a few days ago and the openings are already more than half full, so don’t wait around.  And yes, if you bring in an unwrapped toy/gift to your mini, you’ll receive a special surprise ;-0. Please contact me ASAP to get the full details.

I just loved the way mom’s dress popped against the deep greens and golds in this session. And her children were amazing…they basically did every single thing asked of them. A miracle!!!!

P.S. Do you see what I see in this pic?

Finally, finally, finally, I can show you the rest of the Halloween images from this session I was telling you about. These two are characters, I tell ya. When Mr. Wolf leaned ever-so-casually up against the tree like that, I thought his mommy and I would pass out! And the candy sharing…priceless…absolutely priceless!

With all of the excitement and running around from last week (and someday, I promise to do a big ol’ post about that), my body just finally gave out. I’ve literally been in bed all day trying to get better and get some energy back and I *really* did not want to do Halloween tonight. But, Halloween doesn’t stop for sick mommies, so we went out for a short Trick-or-treat session tonight. After a few pics, of course, because I’ve taken pictures of them *every* Halloween and it would be sad not to continue the tradition. Fortunately for me, the kids were very good and very quick for the pics, and even faster at Trick-or-treating. What a great age! What nice weather for a change (usually the kids are too hot in their costumes). Hope you all had a very happy and safe Halloween!

To me, this image completely sums up their family: full of energy, life, and utter joy! It’s always been a blast getting together with them and this fall was no exception. I can’t help but to smile when I look a the pics from any of their sessions. See what I mean?

And my personal fav HERE.

I truly believe the home is too often overlooked as the perfect session location. Sometimes we get so caught up in the idea of getting gussied up and going downtown to shoot, we forget that it’s not necessarily the location that makes the images, but the feelings and connections created in those images that make them so special. And your home is probably the most ideal place to relax and get true feelings and connections. This is especially true when a session involves little ones and here’s why:

1. It’s safer. Your home has been lived in…by you and by your children and you’ve already eliminated things (traffic, bugs, etc.) that might get in the way of safe play.

2. You have what you need. When out and about with little ones, there’s often so much stuff to carry around and we tend to bring even more stuff to a photo session. And invariably, you will forget something at home or realize mid-shoot that the perfect toy that will calm your child down is resting peacefully on his bed right now. When working at home, we can take breaks (snack, bathroom, etc.) as often as we need to and we don’t have to worry about disrupting the flow of the session. Spill something on a shirt? No problem…we can change it! Your baby is getting hungry? Great…let’s eat and even better, we can take advantage of that time to capture some truly candid images of your family life.

3. Memories. There is no way to predict what will trigger an important memory for your child years down the road, but by having a photo session in your home, you are much more likely to capture some things that will become invaluable to your children later on. For me personally, I moved around to several different homes as a young child and so I just love pouring through pictures taken in those homes because it helps me to remember what they were like.

4. You can relax. This is the biggest reason to consider your home for at least one family photo session for your kids. You don’t have to worry about fighting traffic or bad weather or packing or planning around potty breaks or other people watching you (this is often a big one for dad, LOL). We can take our time and let the photo session develop organically. We can work in several places in and around your home and photograph you all doing the kinds of things you like to do together as a family. You (and your children) are more likely to be calm and relaxed in your own cozy little environment.

…maybe, juuuuuuust maybe, I pulled a few too many “favs” from this session to blog. Oh, well. Too bad. It was a rockin’, relaxed, family photo session at home doing family-like things. I can’t help it. Those are the kinds of things that float my boat. Another heart-fluttering fav for me HERE.