Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas! Hope you have an amazing time with your family and friends celebrating the birth of Jesus the Messiah! :)

The Cheney Family | Family Portrait

Meet the Cheney's! This is a sweet, sweet family - I love them! :) We met the Cheney's this past July - in fact, they were some of the first people we met here in Arizona when we moved! When I first met their son, Josiah, he was only three months old - it's crazy how fast time flies and how fast babies grow. :)

So Anna and I have been in contact and I knew they wanted pictures and we finally got together to make it happen. We went to a random area right between the store "Buffalo Exchange" and a Farmer's Market, where there are some interesting walls and some rail road tracks - we had a great time. I love family portraits, because after the initial awkwardness of taking pictures ends, they just play together. So, I hope that you can see the love and warmth of this family through these pictures. :) I know that I smiled practically the entire time I edited them! :) :)

I love this next picture! :) :) :)

Mmm...tasty rock. (yuck!)

Josiah got some air on the next shot! :)

Anna - you are so beautiful! Your eyes just stand out so much!

I asked Anna to come up behind Scott and tickle him...and apparently he's really ticklish! :) haha

Had a great time Cheney's! :)

Stephanie | Christmas Mini Session

Everyone, meet Steph - the girl that never stops smiling! :) 

Steph and I met here in Arizona and she's become one of my closest friends here. She is such an awesome person - I'm so glad that I've been able to get to know her in my time in Arizona. 

So, since we see each other a lot, she told me that she really wanted to get some pictures with a cactus. Being from the west side of the states, cacti is not something you see very much! So we went hunting and found a few. We had a lot of fun! 

Thanks for looking - enjoy and leave Steph some love! :)

This next one to the right is my FAVORITE from the shoot! :) I love her smile! You're so cute Steph!

We found some cacti! :) Yea!

You always have to do the jumping pose! ha! :)

It's not too late to get your mini-session for $75! I'll be doing them through the end of December, so send me a message! Be looking for two more family sessions soon! There are some adorable kiddo's that will be gracing the presence of this website!

Have a great week! :)

Welcome, 2010! | Personal

So...I haven't died or forgotten about the blog. I haven't posted in a while (8 days now?) and there are good reasons. :)

I've been spending time with my family since the evening of the 23rd, actually. It's been such a great time.

The first part of our vacation, we saw my family and had Christmas with them, and we are now with Josh's family. It has been so nice to relax and enjoy the company around us at both places. Unfortunately, our vacation is coming to an end really soon and I'll have to go back to work on Monday. :( That's okay though, at least I'll feel relaxed.

So it's 2010! Wow! Can you believe it?? 2010 really crept up on me. I can't believe it.

I have some awesome pictures to still post from 2009 - a wedding, a portrait of an awesome girl who is an amazing pianist, and more! I can't wait to post those soon. I also want to post my favorite pictures of 2009, so be waiting for that post, too. :)

I often think of the word 'change' when I think of the New Year. I have a few changes I want to make, and a few aspirations for this next year. What about you? Do you have any?

I think my top 'change' I want to make in my life is to not over-commit. I don't know about you, but I often fill up my schedule so much that I have no time for anything else. Since Josh and I will be leaving to go on a trip in March overseas, we have a lot of planning to do. I really want to have the time to do it. If I continue in my past habits, my problem with saying 'no' will keep me from planning and getting ready...so, my goal is to say no a little more. :) We'll see what unfolds in the next few months.

Unfortunately I can't accompany this post with a picture because I lack my computer with all my pictures, but be looking for new posts next week!

I hope you have a happy and beautiful New Year! Enjoy 2010!

The Williams Family | Family Portrait - Holiday Portrait

Meet the Williams Family. This couple is inspiring to me. In fact, I left this shoot so thankful I was able to meet them. They have been married now for 23 years! That is a long time in our world today. And as you see in these pictures, they have SO much love for each other still. I couldn't help but pray while I was editing these pictures that my marriage would be as vibrant as theirs in 20 years.

I received an email from Sharon a few weeks ago, inquiring about a family portrait. I was more than delighted to do this for them.  After settling on what they wanted, we set a date, time and place and these pictures document what came of it.

Just like Melissa (from a previous post) both Dave and Sharon work for GAiN (Global Aid Network). They just made a transition to this organization, actually. They are really excited to see what is going to happen in the near future as they become acclimated with their new positions.

Dave and Sharon, it was a pleasure! I really hope that you and your kids enjoy these pictures for years to come. Thanks for being an encouragement to me and keep encouraging others by the unity and beauty of your marriage!!

   

The next few pictures, you can't help but smile! The way that Dave and Sharon look at each other melt my heart. It's so sweet. :) If you're married, or have a close significant other, you know that 'look' that other person gives you when he/she is totally in love with you. When Josh (my hubs) gives me that look, I just melt on the floor. The next few shots are that way. :) 

This next one is probably one of my favorites from the shoot. I just love it for some reason! 

 

I loved the 'love' that overflowed from this shoot. :) :)

Well, HAPPY THANKSGIVING! I hope that yours is filled with much love and joy as you are with your family and friends.

Have a good one!