Showered in babylove!

On family vacation this year my cousin Elizabeth and her husband Kevin had to skip because they had a family wedding. I remember pouting when I found out Elizabeth wouldn't be coming and being bummed about it on the drive to the beach. However, that evening when Jason and I finally arrived to the beach house in the Outer Banks we all sat down to eat pasta and drink wine. My Aunt Sue (E's Mom) slipped away from the table for a few minutes. When she came back she had this sneaky little look in her eye. Like she was trying not to cry but knew that it was a lost cause because as she began to speak her voice was already cracking. She pulled out a letter from Elizabeth and read aloud. The extent of the letter was that Elizabeth was preggo! In our family, simply put-- tears of joy all around the table! Elizabeth closed the letter with something along the lines of "Hopefully next summer Kevin and I will be bringing the littlest beach bum to the Outer Banks for family vacation!" Is it weird I am tearing up just reminiscing about finding out that my cousin is having a baby? I tell ya, we are a happy go lucky bunch that gets teary eyed at the happy and strong and determined at the sad. I can't express how excited I am for Elizabeth and Kevin. I figured since tomorrow is their Maternity session, I had better post baby shower pictures first! Now, part of this weeks mission is to dissect my photographs and determine what they are worth to me. These photographs aren't worth money, they aren't great works of art. They aren't my best and craftiest work. However, they are something that I know I will get to show my cousins daughter{did I mention that she is having a girl! yesssss! take that boy cousins, Elizabeth brings us girls back into the ball park of balancing the girl/boy ratio that we have been fighting since we were kids!} all of the photographs of the shower that was planned to help welcome her into the world. I will get to snuggle up with this little baby girl and think back to the shower day when so many people gathered to join in the celebration and joy of Kevin and Elizabeth. I hope that I can also share with baby girl the story of her Grandma reading a letter and how many teary eyed ladies there were in dining room of a big huge beach house in Corolla. My cousin has always been someone that I looked up to and seeing her so incredibly happy makes my heart happy. I'm SO happy for you Elizabeth! Love you! 

 Oakmont Bakery....yessss please! 

 Sometimes, I have to pinch myself. My Aunts and Momma are so creative. Check this out. baby foot sugar cookies....

 Floral design, simple. elegant and Gorgeous! Not to mention, my Grandmother had 5 daughters. Apparently, when the 5th daughter was born my Grandpa brought my Grandma pink roses to the hospital to say, "Thanks for Daughter number 5!" Then, Jason brought me Pink roses when Joey was born. Might go against the having a daughter thing, but still meant the world to me that Jason remembered me telling him that my Grandpa did this for my Gram! 

 Clothes line with little girl outfits!

 Just missing Anna Banana here! 

 WHO GAVE MY MOM THIS BABY? She's going to catch the baby fever! Oh no... look at her face. Think she already caught it!

 Proud Papa! 

 How Gorgeous is my cousin? :)

A picture is worth...

Renee and I had planned to take part in Help Portrait this year. We were so excited about it and had this great plan to partake in the DC event. Of course, being such a close family and sharing so much...we shared germs! Joey shared the germs with Jason, who shared them with me. Then, this Auntie shared germs with the rest of the crew. The worst part is that I got my sweet baby nephew sick too. Talk about the germs that keep on giving. Just as we were all getting well, there was another round of germs to share. Ugh! Hellllllooooo Winter! Long story short, we never made the event. Instead we snuggled up with dayquil and kleenex! The Help Portrait event is an event based on giving someone a photograph. Not to build your portfolio but to give someone that wouldn't otherwise be able to have a professional photograph taken a gift of photography. The slogans of the event are "A Picture is Worth..." & "A Picture is hope." This got me thinking. What is a picture worth to me? It's my income. So that alone is worth something. It's worth braving the cold or the heat to get a great shot. It's worth...a lot. But really, what if the last photograph I had of my son was the one that the hospital takes when babies are born? Or what if our last family photograph was 10 years ago and we couldn't afford to capture the day to day or holiday or milestone? For me, I would be heartbroken. Yes, I know there are more important things in life than pictures but they are easily taken for granted. {Last year when our neighbors had a house fire and the fire chief knocked on my door and said, "get the three most important things and get out" I practically kicked my son out the door and went for my camera, Joey's baby book and a box of old prints.} This holiday season, I know I will take hundreds of photographs but they all mean something to me. In the spirit of Help Portrait I decided to take a look at my family photographs for the next week and really dissect what they mean to me. Focus on what they are worth. So after a quick 30 minute{yes, that's quick. I could drag our sessions out for hours!} holiday family session with my boys, Joey was a bit restless from all the cheesin. Knowing that he would be a ball of crazy energy after this I decided to have a game plan for when we got home. So we set up this canvas aka white flat sheet and laid a drop cloth. We grabbed containers of {WASHABLE} paint and went to work. Of course there was more to this plan than to paint a little greeting and clean it up. Jason and I had aplan of AtTaCk!! We were going to surprise Joey with a giant paint fight!! After we painted and had our greeting complete, Jason and I started the countdown. 3, 2, 1!! Attack! We got Joey so good! We each slapped one of his cheeks with our paint brushes and the look on his face...priceless. I really don't have words to describe it! He was so totally shocked and completely dumbfounded that his ol' parents would do something like this at 8pm. His face said so much! After a giant paint fight that ended with an amazing family memory and paint in our eyes and ears we had a really cool mural hanging in the basement. Best part of the plan? Having my little sister around to photograph the entire thing! :) Capturing the look on Joey's face-- well I guess I don't need words to describe it because this picture is worth a thousand words! It's worth so much to me! I might not have the words to describe the event to my Grandmother in California but she will know exactly how it felt to be there from the series of photographs. What is your family photograph worth to you?

 Sneaky parents! 

 Here's the LOOK! 

 Oopps... paint in Joey's ear!

 Finished product!

 Bu Bu even wanted in on it!!!

Family Photography

So many of my sessions lately have been of individuals and of just the kiddos of the family. I'm guilty of this, taking photos of my own son and I so rarely include Jason and I in the photographs. Really though, what could be more important than a family photograph? Don't get me wrong, my favorite sessions are of the newborn variety with just the fresh little baby. So, I finally decided that I wouldn't just do Joey's Christmas photos {little does he know that he will still get his own Christmas session...} but I would do family Christmas photos. So this past weekend we all went out and I had my sweet sister take the family photographs for me. I am so happy with the way that they turned out but honestly--they could have turned out terribly and I would still be happy to have them. In 15 years I might not remember the exact things that I got for Joey this year and I might not remember what kind of cookies I set out for Santa. I hope that I will block out the Christmas Eve meal that I concoct and my ENTIRE family suffers through and eats with a smile. But I will certainly remember hanging out with my boys and my sister for an evening. I will remember how insanely fast it got dark on this particular night. I will remember that Joey kept throwing up Peace signs and saying "Peace to the World" as he wiggled his tushie back and forth. Maybe it's because I am a photographer and other people might think that I am completely crazy, but family pictures are pretty high up there in my list of importance. I look forward to pulling out an album in 20 years and showing Joey's girlfriend or wife pictures of him at age 6! Here's some of the photos that we adore! Maybe this will inspire you to book a FAMILY SESSION of your own! :)

WHO'S Buddy? Buddy the Elf!

Last year Joey started Kindergarten. Which we quickly learned meant that he would be sassy every evening and sleepy every night. He learned to say things like "Whatever" and "Oh, COME ON!" Gone was our little boy and in his place was Joey the sassmaster. Then, I heard about a book called The Elf on the Shelf by Carol V. Aebersold and Chanda A. Bell. The book comes with a plush Elf that you can name and register online (play games with online and create his "story") and in return Santa himself would send the child a letter telling them about their Elf. Joey named his Buddy and as the story goes, Buddy flies back to the North Pole EVERY night to report to Santa about Joey's behavior and of course, Joey's wish list! Then, every morning when Joey wakes up the Elf has moved to a new place in the house. When we bought this little bugger last year, Joey's behavior drastically changed. We went from "Whatever" to "Yes, ma'm" and my sweet little boy was back! Now, I am certain that there is a parenting expert somewhere cringing and evaluating this development but as far as my opinion goes, Aebersold and Bell are the most intelligent women in the world. Buddy, you are my rock. My light. My pint size savior from the North Pole and I absolutely adore you. This week, Poor Buddy was on the living room lamp. I won't mention any names here, but {JASON MATTHEW KRIEG} someone turned the lamp on and Buddy now has a rather large hole in the back of his leg from a small fire incident. Polyester elf and hot light bulb...yeah, well!  Here's our own personal Elf in some of his favorite and sneakiest hiding places! (Yes, I am fully aware that he is creepy as heck and the exact stuff that many nightmares are made of...but as long as Joey believes...I think he is super handsome!) PS--Please, don't touch or feed the elf, he will lose his magic!!! 

 Here's where Buddy burnt his Booty! 

Unsurpassable Kindness

This family and I have been living in the same town for what, like twenty years? In fact, I have childhood memories that involve my sister hanging out with one of their sons. I've know "who" they were for quite sometime. However, I never really knew them. Not that I know them exceptionally well now but I know enough to say that they are without a doubt, the most kind hearted family I've come to know. When Beth asked me to do photos of the three youngest children, I was so excited. I had met the kiddos a few times before and they were all so stinking cute, I couldn't wait! This family has opened their home and their hearts and because of that, they are a family that has certainly grown since my childhood memories. I know that God always has a plan for us and it is so clear that the three little kiddos are certainly exactly where they belong according to His plan. I've been dying to post these photos because I just adore the childlike silliness that we captured. I love the cheesy smiles and funny poses! Most of all, I love the way that God has worked in my life and that he brought this family in front of my camera lens. I feel so compelled  to do more shoots like this. Shoots where I can see God working in families both young and old. I am so in awe of the kindness and love that this family shares with everyone they meet. So, this week I am emailing non-profit companies, adoption agencies, women's shelters and soup kitchens. I want to find out where I can put my God given talent to work and how I can capture His love through my photography. Because, I think it is clear in these photographs just how much these kiddos are feeling the love!! Not only has Beth and her family welcomed these kiddos into their home and hearts, they travel to Honduras quite often on mission trips. (Which I hope that I can join them on sooner rather than later!) They build homes and schools, they donate time, energy and money. They bring the children school supplies and shoes to wear! I know, I told you. Amazing family! You can check out more of the DREAM BIG HONDURAS missions here. Thanks Beth for an AMAZING day! Hug the kiddos for me! 

baby like beckham

Seriously, what is cuter than a baby mohawk? I mean fresh as can be, sweet as pie brand spankin' new baby with a mohawk! Little Caleb was a trooper. He's the kind of baby that gets me thinking Joey could use a sibling... 

Caleb's momma is a teacher and daddy...well daddy is soccer mad! Caleb already has a world cup soccer ball mounted in his nursery! Pretty ironic that he is already sporting the David Beckham hair do! (All natural! he's been rocking the good hair since day one!) I was so happy that I got to capture this little man both IN the belly and after he made his debut!  I just can't get over the adorable blonde mohawk! Which he proudly sports! Whenever he would fuss, his Momma would remain to calm and say "Don't worry Caleb, your hair still looks good!" LOVE  IT!! Such a beautiful and sweet family, thanks for letting me come into your home and meet your beautiful baby boy! :) Many more photos to come!