and then there were three.

Come on aren't these kids just gorgeous!? My sister is the luckiest girl in the world to have 3 kids with such completely different personalities and yet they are so alike. I can't help it! I just really believe that they are the most cutest, most tan, (makes me sick!) and most blue eyed kids in the world...at least I got that workin for me! Here they are in all their stunningness!

let's hear it for the boy.

As promised, here is Ashton in all his glory. And here is my funny story of the day. We had been to the apple orchard shooting around and we all 4 had these big cups of apple cider slush. (like an apple juice slurpie!) Everyone was quiet and enjoying this most tasty beverage and as we were driving along I said, "ooohh...cool spot" and we pulled over to jump out for a few more pictures. Because today was Ashton's day, I made him jump out first for a few shots of only him. As we were working it like only a 9 year old can, Charis and Cyli sat in the car. Snap snap and I was done with Ashton. It was hot, so he would run back to the car, and Charis would jump out for her turn. I was testing some light and I heard ..."911. 911. EMERGENCY." Only I can't obsess enough on here at exactly how loud it was. I turned around flung the door open and there was Charis, cider slushy in tact, only it was ALL down the front of her brand new white dress. So we cleaned her up and like the bestest Auntie Darci in the entire world would, I let her have my cider slushy...and the shoot continued...here's what we have to show for it, sans cider slushies.

cinderella. times two.

...She spins and she sways to whatever song plays, without a care in the world..."There's a ball at the castle and I've been invited and I need to practice my dancing"...So I will dance with Cinderella, while she is here in my arms...Cause I know something a prince never knew. Oh I will dance with Cinderella. I don't want to miss even one song. Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight...And she'll be gone... --Stephen Curtis Chapman, Cinderella

I can't get enough of my nieces and nephew who absolutely mean the world to me. Every season we must do some new pictures complete with hair and wardrobe! (yes, I said every season and they just love it!) So over the next few days I'll be showing them off all decked out in their summer attire. We're also working on a top secret project that you will have to stay tuned in to see...coming hopefully this fall! And these 3 are the inspiration behind it all! I'll be showcasing only the girls today, Charis and Cyli (Cyli yes is my assistant if she looks familiar to some of you!) and Ashton will come next, and then you'll get all 3! I'll appologize ahead of time for pouring these images to you in abundance, but they are in my opinion some of the cutest kids around and for now, I'll take pictures of them as much as I can. Besides, all too soon the clock will strike midnight and she'll be gone...

john & emily: slideshow.

So this is what I do at all hours of the night! I make tearjerker slideshows to my favorite songs! And it's not often that I get to throw in my favorite country songs...so this one is for you John! Enjoy!

Special thanks to Darcie of Circle City Planners! You were wonderful to be alongside for the day and it's not every day I meet another fabulous chick with an even cooler name! If any of my brides need a life saver for their wedding day, give Darcie a shout out and let her know the other Darci sent you!

**click on the shopping cart and click on John and Emily's last names to view and order photos from the wedding**

danny & alicia: in love.

Oh you guys! Here are a few more of the ones I really love from our day of laughs and pictures! Seriously I don't think a bag of Funyunns could even compare! (don't laugh I TOTALLY had to look that up to spell it right! See what effect you have on me Alicia! Ha!) On with the "fun" (HAHA! you saw that coming!)...Here is your slideshow and I hope you love it! More bad jokes coming...see you guys in August!

**click on the shopping cart and click on Danny and Alicia to view and order photos**

bowl of cherries.

What would this world be without my most favorite assistant in the world! She is fabulous in every sense of the word, and well, come on, she gets it honest! She is after my niece. I've been toting Cyli around to my shoots for awhile now and I'll hand off my cameras to her to switch lenses or change films. When I least expect it I find her holding the camera to her face with that one eye closed to the world, and later when I'm at home sorting through the images, I am surprised to find such exquisite images! It's not unusual for me to be completely jealous over her picture taking. So it's time she gets the credit that is so deserving upon her...I'll be posting her pictures as the header of the blog with each event she shoots with me. And when you are all admiring her work, just remember, she's only a freshman in high school, I can't wait to see what she's like when she's my age! Until then, I'll just keep on remembering those days at the farm when I would push her fire engine red airplane swing from the towering maple tree, shouting our version of "life is just a big bowl of ... cherries," from the top of our lungs. I love you Cyli!

Cyli will be off to our church's annual youth summer camp CDYC (www.cdyconline.org) next week and she will be entering one of these prints for competition...we aren't sure which one yet, what do you think? We love comments!

girlfriend and vito.

Alright miss Alicia! Here are your utterly FABULUOS children simply hamming it up for the camera!

Oh where do I begin! It was fathers day on Sunday and since I had spent Friday with my Dad, I was free to photograph Danny and Alicia's engagement session. Through several emails I was soon informed of these most precious little kids of theirs....

Allow me to introduce Kaya and Vito. (and I do hope I'm spelling those both right!) Vito is the handsome little brown baby on the right, and Kaya is the rather hefty oh so happy girly on the left. Now, once we arrived and let them off their leashes, Kaya and Vito were free to roam about and play. Very VERY funny story, allow me,...so there we were at the IMA in a grassy area, I was sprawled out on the ground, camera immersed in the grass. My subjects, the lovely Alicia, the striking Danny, a Vito, and a Kaya, proudly meandering in the grass a few feet in front of me. And Sarah, Alicia's dear mom, was watching from the sidelines. I was about to snap off a few of my famed portraits when suddenly from afar...oh yes folks, another dog! Now when I saw these rather round little doggies I never would have dreamed they could run, let alone run FAST. And I couldn't stop laughing and nearly peed my pants! Both dogs went shooting off like a bullet toward that dog! Poor Danny and Alicia and her mom all tried to stop them, but these little guys are fierce! And they slipped out of their hands like a greased ol pig! You know I was about to die!!! It was the funniest thing I have seen in a long time! The thing is that Vito and Kaya would never have hurt that little preppy "city" doggie, but his mommy was scared to pieces and grabbed that doggie up and they jetted! THAT was even more funny! Even more hilarious, the entire time, Alicia and Danny would both yell, "VITO", and "GIRLFRIEND"...too funny...that's what they call Kaya!

I sincerely fell in love with these two, oh and Alicia and Danny too! And I hope that after a practice run or two, that Girlfriend and Vito make a successful trip down the isle at the wedding! I bet if we found that other dog, and stuck him at the front...! You'll have to wait a few more weeks to hear that story!

More actual engagement photos will come later...I need a minute after all that!

josh & jen.

A long time ago at one of our Thursday night bible study nights my friend Michelle (that's the beautiful Michelle up there in the header!) told me that her brother was getting married to this amazing girl Jennifer. A couple of weeks later I met the most adorable Jen and I just loved her from the first minute! She's so bubbly and kind and sweet and it's no wonder that Josh asked her to marry him. We had the best time on Saturday and they both just made me laugh the entire day. Josh and Jen had one of the most intimate ceremonies that I've seen in awhile with some really special and unnique touches. It's completely apparent how much Josh loves Jen and it was just fun to see the looks they gave each other all day. We did a "first look" so we could get a leg up on some early photos and it was SO cute! I'm admitting I totally had tears and nearly lost it! She just smiles and I think he melts! It was awesome and we ended up with tons of time for pictures and the love they have for each other really shows through them. Have a look at some of my favorites and I'll have a slideshow up in a couple of days.

And a very lovely special thanks to the phenominal ladies of An Affair With Flair! Amy and Laurie did such an amazing job with the coordinating and planning and baking and decorating and flowers and cakes and just EVERYTHING! They are wedding coordinators in a completely different league! If any of my brides need a planner, be sure to give Amy an email at anaffairwithflairllc@yahoo.com. Two of the sweetest ladies ever in the world!

**Jen and Josh oh my sould what a blast we had on Saturday! It was a sincere honor to be a part of your day and it was great to see such expression from everyone. I love that God is a major part of your life and your pictures really show what real love is. You both are beautiful! I loved photographing you! It's so easy to just sit back and shoot you guys just being in love. Thanks for a wonderful day! Good luck while in Vegas you high rollers and enjoy your honey moon!