This past weekend we had the opportunity to have our own family photographed. It was so exciting picking the outfits for MY family!  Planning location for ME!  Oh, and stressing about how the kids were going to act, how the weather was going to be, if I was going to have a bad hair day or not…

Never underestimate the power of being on the OTHER side of the camera.  Each year I gain a whole new respect for those mothers that book photography sessions.  It is a major commitment, I know.  Not only are you investing a lot of money, but the amount of time that is involved with planning and prepping is crazy.  And really, it all comes down to if your kids are having a good day or not.  I also learned that you can never underestimate the faith you have in your photographer.  With all the time and energy involved with getting the kiddos in picture taking style and mood, the faith you have in your photographer, to get the images you will love, is what makes all the stress worth it.

And without further adieu, never try to hem your child’s onesie into a shirt the night before your shoot.  At least make your first attempt on a shirt that is not BRAND NEW.  Cutting into that beautiful, new-smelling cotton was painful.  Seeing my handiwork after it was all said and done was excruciating.

And don’t even try to cross your fingers.  Your stubborn two year old will STILL be stubborn during a photoshoot.

And never underestimate the power of a secret and a surprise all wrapped up into one for a preschooler.  These images that Elise was able to capture are priceless!

And this picture of Nate and Zack may or may not be after we found blood all over Zack’s hand.  And his shirt.  And subsequently on Nate’s shirt.  That he hated and wanted to take back to the store immediately following our shoot.  But now he gets to keep!

Merry Christmas all!  And I think I might have saved the best for our Holiday Cards we are sending out this year.  Can’t wait!!  And thanks again, Elise for being a wonderful photographer and an even better friend.  We had a great time!

And as a side note, I know that women are super critical when they view themselves in photographs.  But this year I am quite happy.  Not super happy, mind you, but I was able to lose 11 lbs these past few months and seeing that it has paid off, at least a little bit, in our family pictures feels great!

This sweet family have lived in our area for the past two years and in about a month they will be moving.  Elise’s husband is finishing school and will soon go from Regular Matt to Dr. Matt.  (And Mackay and I couldn’t be more sad.)  But it was wonderful to get together to photograph their family one last time.  Elise is also a photographer in the area, and photographing a photographer can be a funny thing.  I don’t have to do anything as far as location scouting (which can be quite nice), but things can get a tad bit more complicated.  You would think wardrobe and location planning would be easier for a photographer who does it ALL THE TIME.  But for some reason it is quite the opposite.  I think we probably think about things to much.  For instance, their entire wardrobe and location?  Planned around the Holiday card!  Love it.  But I don’t think regular people think that detailed.  And therefore, regular people don’t go so crazy.    Enjoy your sneak peek!

A local photographer friend of mine had a special photoshoot in mind a few months ago and asked if I would be willing to help.  And of course I said yes!  She recently found out she was expecting baby #3 and wanted a creative way to share the good news with family and friends:
We  had this photoshoot close to home, complete with chalk and a stucco wall and had such a fun time!  Here’s to hoping she doesn’t get more outnumbered by boys!