Well, it’s getting to be that time of year again where I have lots of photos to share and blog but not a lot of time to write all that I want to say about each session. So, I’m going to let the photos tell the story of this evening at home with this family. Favity fav HERE.

I look forward to working with this family every year for so many reasons: they are relaxed, happy to be together, and they let me get creative. I have been itching to edit these images, anxious to play with the richness of color and the pure, natural expressions of the kiddos, and plus, I can honestly say I’ve never had a session end with throwing corn kernels and that was just so. much. fun! Thank you guys for yet another perfect session and for once again, raising the bar for family photography! One of my favs HERE.

We’ve been working together for years and I have thoroughly enjoyed each session we’ve had for all different reasons. This one may have been one of the most colorful ones and it was great to incorporate a bit of Austin wall art and a gorgeous Austin park in one. My favorite pic from the playground is HERE.

I’ve told mom and dad this before, but their boys get along so incredibly well! They’re about the same age difference as my two boys, but what I wouldn’t give for my sons to be as close as these brothers are. It is always such a pleasure hanging out with these guys…they are so sweet and happy and inquisitive and caring!

I adore this lovely lady and her beautiful family and I was very excited to get to come work with them in their gorgeous new home in Houston. Most of all, I was excited that she thought to invite her mom and grandmother to the session so that we could photograph four generations of women together. That photo they are holding/looking at is the very first picture they took in the United States after immigrating from Russia and that photo speaks volumes of history and bravery and love to me. THIS image also says love to me ;-).

The photos should hopefully speak for themselves, but this is 100% for real what their Sundays look like and that was 100% mom’s intention behind this very special photo session. I’ve been working with these amazing people since before their eldest was born and we’ve done every kind of family photo session under the sun. I know mom has been dreaming of capturing this time when her sons are old enough to play ball in the back yard and young enough to still be tucked in. Oh, I teared up so many times that evening: inspired by how beautifully they work together as a family and wistful for the days when my kids were this little, before homework and after school activities replaced bedtime stories. MK…these moments have now been documented forever and I hope they bring up powerful and happy memories for you and all of your boys each time you see these pics and you never forget that this is what your Sundays look like.

(She’s already seen this one, but my personal fav image can be found HERE.)

This family is like family to me. I find myself saying that about the majority of the people that I work with, but only because it’s true. My career as a photographer has unwittingly allowed me to be privy to some of the most intimate bonds among parents and their children, I see people when they are equally joyful and vulnerable because of that joy. And you don’t spend every year since *before* these little ones were even born photographing those interactions without becoming part of the family. Occupational bonus. I can’t put into words how much of a privilege it has been to watch these girls grow up before my eyes and in the process, become such close friends to their amazing parents. I tear up thinking about the very first phone call I had from Zeke all those years ago and comparing that to the gigantic smiles and huge hugs all around when I saw everyone again in Denver just a few weeks back. And then to get to work with the gorgeous Flatirons outside of Boulder, Colorado as my backdrop??? Blessed? Fortunate? Sublimely grateful? #allthefeels and yeah, definitely going to have to make Denver a repeat destination for family photography every summer from now on ;-). Who’s in?

As per usual, I had a hard time picking a favorite from this family session, so for grins, I’ll just go with THIS one.

The post I’m about to show you is probably one of the most incredible homes/properties I’ve ever had the pleasure of working in in Austin. SO much history with this home and it thrills me to think that there is a modern day family with their two energetic and happy little girls living here and enjoying every little charm this place has to offer. My jaw hit the floor over and over again with each little nook we got to explore and I just kept saying over and over again how lucky these children are to get to grow up in such a magical place.

One of the things that really struck me was how kids are kids, no matter what their environment…zooming down this elegant hallway on a stuffed zebra ride-on. How fun is that??????

And then we went outside…jaw on floor again.

Don’t miss my fav pic by this antique cart HERE.

It’s as if that gorgeous light was there as solely to enhance the magic and beauty of these sweeties and the property.

Once again modern + childlike meets historic + natural.

Even the pupsters put on some fun faces for us!

But the ultimate was this majestic old oak tree. Wow. Just wow!

Love that we got to go fishing ;-).

And also love her cute little face up there 😉

As much as I shared their love for this amazing place, I think what I loved most about this session was how down-to-earth and laid back mom and dad were. They were completely engaged with their kids and were game for getting on the ground to play with them throughout my time there. Sure, these girls are going to have wonderful memories in this home, but those memories will be mostly due to the fact that their parents helped make those memories *with* them!

Earlier this summer, we celebrated the anxious anticipation of the birth of these twins. And then a few weeks ago, I finally got to meet these girls! Any parent of multiples can tell you that raising newborn twins can be quite challenging and when you’re trying to do that while raising a toddler, things can seem pretty crazy at times. But this mommy and daddy were made for the job and they just took everything in stride, which made my job to document their lives with twins + a toddler all that much more fun. #1 bit of advice to anyone juggling life with twins is to maintain your sense of humor, as in exhibit A below:

We really did have to laugh because just as we would get all three kiddos calm and happy and picture ready, inevitably one would need something else. And it was perfectly okay for all of us to take plenty of snack breaks during the photo session ;-).

Oh, look at that perfect little newborn swirl. Sigh…

The two images of dad up there were snapped in quick succession. I didn’t realize I had gotten both of his PERFECT expressions until after I got home and flipped through the images. His face says it all, lol!

Oh, bless their pupster, who just wanted to be in every.single.picture. we took! Loved it!

We were finally able to convince big sister to be in on some of the family photos and truly, she was just as sweet as she could be to her baby sisters. It’s a lot to ask of any new sibling to accept a new baby into their home and she’s working through that times TWO. I saw mom and dad do an amazing job of making sure she was getting plenty of love and affection in spite of us oooohing and ahhhing over the babies and that is pretty spectacular. But personally, my fav big sister picture came at the very beginning of our session HERE.

And wow…how any newborn mommy can look this radiant–let alone a newborn mommy with twins–is beyond me.

I do love that we were able to give mommy some quiet snuggle time with just the babies.

I also love how each parent somehow got a clone ;-).

Everyone in this family of FIVE gets gold stars for doing a fantastic job throughout their photo session for sure!

For one reason or another, we kept having to reschedule his newborn photo session. I actually think it worked out for the better because he was absolutely amazing during his shoot…so incredibly expressive and turning his head and following me with the camera, smiling and cooing and completely wrapping all of us around his cute little baby pinky. His big brother even let us take a few pics with him in between his busy schedule of watching the trucks on TV and playing with his blocks ;-). These boys are both so handsome! Well done! Another fav HERE.

I have been honored enough to follow your journey as a family through so many of the greatest joys and even the toughest times. It made my heart swell with happiness to get to see the fruition of your years of planning and saving and imagining to turn your home into the home of your dreams. You did an incredible job and you deserve ALL the time in the world to bask in the wonderful feel of it all. Enjoy these years as you continue to raise your kids there, relive the countless memories you made for them in this space when they one day move away, and–in the very distant future–create precious new memories while snuggling with your grandchildren on that couch. Welcome home. Again.

(Fav mother-son moment HERE).