Almost a year ago exactly, I met this mommy when she attended my lifestyle photography workshop in Toronto, Canada. She didn’t even live in Canada…she was from Minnesota. But just a short time after that workshop, she learned she would be moving to Seattle, WA. We decided to get together when I was there to do another workshop this summer. It was so surreal because as I was messaging her regarding our photo session location in Seattle, I noticed the last texts we had were from a year ago talking about our visit to Niagara Falls! I mean, how crazy is that???

What a JOY to experience this incredible beach in Seattle with their family! The views at Discovery Park are simply incredible and if the traffic/parking wasn’t such a beast, I would probably go there every night to watch the sunset behind the lighthouse. And these little doll babies! They have such a wonderful sense of adventure and explored every nook and cranny we could find at the beach that night. Don’t miss this image not pictured.

You might notice a pretty gnarly strawberry on baby girl up there. Man…she took quite the tumble and I was worried that was going to be the end of our session right then and there. But she sucked it up (for a little bit) and let us finish the night out working in some of the most romantic, perfect, lovely dresses EVER! And then, Jennifer happened to notice me looking longingly at the sunset, that dress, and my little girl and SO graciously told me I could borrow the dress for a couple of shots with Amry (here’s one with my iphone). It might seem like such a simple thing, but I think only a fellow photographer like her would truly understand that kind of longing and read my mind before I even knew to ask. Thank you for that, my friend. That will go down as one of my favorite memories from the trip.

And so now, back in Austin, I gotta say I quite enjoyed proofing this photo session because not only did I get to revisit this family, but I also got to relive one of the many awe-inspiring sunsets we experienced this summer on the west coast.

Austin kids photography

Austin Kids Photographer

I just did a quick search for old posts about her and I had to stop looking through them lest I force myself into the rabbit hole of nostalgia and melancholy. She started Kindergarten this week. Her first year of school. This is not a new thing to many parents. It’s not even a new thing to me. I’ve been there, done that. But this time, it was different. This is my baby. My baby isn’t a baby. This is not something my heart is willing to accept. And as if to add insult to injury, she lost her very first tooth the day after we did this photo session. And to further rub salt in my wounds, she is happy. How dare she????? No tears. No, “Mommy…I miss you! Stay with me!” Nope. I’m old news. My poor little mommy heart was not made to handle all of this “growing up” business. I am not properly equipped. It has been admittedly difficult for me to accept this week. Don’t even get me started on when any one of my kids decides to leave the next in just a few short summers. But I’m still proud. I’m still joyful. I still feel blessed beyond words that I am one of the lucky few that actually gets to experience these bittersweet gems in life. So I’ll quit my whining. For now 😉

You know those kinds of parents who are able to just chill out and let their kids be kids? Well, I was never really that kind of parent, but these two are AMAZING! I LOVED walking through their home and seeing all of the great nooks set up for the boys to play and do their artwork. I also LOVED that they actually were willing to do the majority of their family photo session in and under the water! Their pool was beautiful, but how about those beach balls adding such incredible color? Can’t decide if THIS is still my fav or if THIS one took it’s place…

I left their photo session that morning feeling joyful and refreshed (in spite of having to get up at 5 a.m. to be there). I feel as though I met lifeline friends and I probably could have hung out with them all day at the hotel. They were bright and fun and funny and enthusiastic and loving and wonderful. I very much look forward to following these girls as they grow up in such an amazing family unit. (Still my FAV!)

Once again, AWESOME hair and makeup by my friend Katie with Modern Muse Beauty. I’m serious. Make your life so much easier and just hire her to get you ready for your family photo session. Even if I’m not your photographer ;-). It just takes SO much pressure off, especially when you have several other people to get ready for the session. Katie is dependable and does a fantastic job of making everyone look their best! And, she’s kinda awesome. Mama insisted that we took a pic that included Katie:

I mean seriously, look at all of that cuteness and personality! But of course, it’s not surprising since her big brother is just as charming! We could not have had more perfect weather for their family session in at my greenhouse at the studio. Actually, the spoiled me and fooled me into thinking the weather would still be as kind to me in June. Not so ;-).

Mom’s beautiful hair and makeup by my pal Katie with Modern Muse Beauty in good ol’ Austin, TX.

Super fun outfits styled by Shelley with Shell Styling!

Another session fav on the Pinkle Toes Facebook Page!

I’ve been so caught up in prepping for the upcoming lifestyle photography workshops (New Jersey, Texas, California, and Washington), I totally forgot I needed to blog some sneaks from this session! And that’s sad, too, because I LOVED this session and the magic and wonder of childhood it seemed to capture. We could not have asked for more beautiful light or temperatures that evening and it’s hard to believe we were able to work in the greenhouse without passing out ;-). I know that will all end soon, but I’m going to enjoy the slightly cooler than normal temps as much as I can right now. See my favorite butterfly image LARGE!

Oh my word! I mean we barely squeezed this session in…between a flight cancellation and upcoming wedding and a huge thunderstorm…let’s just say these kiddos were CHAMPS and pulled off their photo session flawlessly in spite of nature working against us. It would not have been possible without their complete cooperation and willingness to dive in (literally and figuratively) that afternoon to make it happen. Don’t miss this FAV HERE!

If you had told me 8 years ago that I would be in New York City photographing an amazing family, I would have told you no way possible. But a few weeks ago, I had just that experience and the whole time, I felt like someone needed to pinch me to wake me from this dream come true. Now, it wasn’t easy working in such a bustling place, but I am so grateful to one of my best friends Lena with Live, Love, Laugh Photos in Ridgewood, NJ for pushing me to stretch my creative limits and most importantly, for rekindling a love for a city I thought I had lost years ago.

I was planning to be in the area for the 2nd Annual Pinkle Toes Photography Workshop Reunion in the great city of New York (post on that AMAZING time coming soon), and Lena and I had this photo session planned for quite sometime. But of course, the day we were supposed to shoot, it poured…and I mean POURED down rain causing flooding in many areas. So, we nervously pushed the photo session toward the end of my stay in NYC and anxiously eyed the weather for the 4 days leading up to the shoot.

We juggled our schedules as much as we could to dodge the storms, but that caused a bit of a problem because we had to shoot on the Brooklyn Bridge (which was incredible) in FULL sun at one of the busiest times you could imagine. I think we were pretty lucky to get shots without too many “extras” in the scene and I feel fortunate to have survived taking my life into my own hands shooting while standing in the bike lane on the bridge. For those of you who aren’t familiar with traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge, just be warned that you *will* get run over if you stand in the bike lane ;-).

We were armed with plenty of umbrellas and rain boots in case of run, but wouldn’t you know it, when a random storm did blow in during the session, our little umbrellas could do nothing to save us from the crazy winds that came along with it. It was quite comical trying to manage the kids and the umbrellas and my not-waterproof camera equipment.

But in spite of all of the factors working against us that day, there’s one thing that people and traffic and wind gusts couldn’t take away: my friend Lena’s ear-to-ear grin. Let me tell you, she looked so happy. She was completely ecstatic to get to have her family photos taken in places where years and years ago, she and her then fiancée would dream of one day having a family. Their relationship is pure, unabandoned romance that time has only enriched with each year and each adventure they take on together and their twin daughters are incredibly blessed to have such fine examples of what moms and dads can be.

And those girls…oh those little giggle boxes! They embrace their lives with the same joy as their parents and they are so well traveled and well-adjusted to both the suburban and metropolitan lifestyles.

The icing on this cake is that in just a couple of weeks, I get to hang with them AGAIN as Lena is hosting the next Pinkle Toes Photography workshop in her town of Ridgewood, NJ! We actually have one opening that has cropped up recently, so if you want more info on the workshop, send me a note via THIS PAGE. Lena…I feel so fortunate that I get to hang with you and your family again, my dear, and thank you for this unfathomable opportunity to work with you in New York City!

I did have a bit of deja vu coming back to do baby brother’s newborn photo session. Even though we were in a different house, the resemblance to his older brother as a newborn baby was just uncanny! The timing was pretty cool as I happened to show up during a visit from out of town grandparents. Love those side-by-side shots of dad+baby and grandad+baby. Again…those resemblances are uncanny! Baby brother was pretty much unfazed by anything we did that afternoon, lol. Love this shot of his little folded/tucked hand, too. I hope his mommy had a wonderful Mother’s Day snuggling with her two adorable sons!

I cannot believe these beauties are already ONE YEAR old! We celebrated their first birthday in such style and I have to admit it was fun for me to get a glimpse into the future of my twin nieces next year ;-). The girls were so patient as we plopped them down in place after place, surrounded by those adorable pink fluffy tutus. And aren’t those cakes so beautiful???? It has been such a fun journey to watch these girls grow from baby bump to brand new babies to six months all the way to one year! [See this one larger of the pink belles surrounded by bluebonnets.]