Mommy & Me Session: Mooresville, NC

Having never met Christi and her little girl Addi, I wasn't quite sure what to expect as I arrived for our recent fall shoot in Mooresville, but I was so relieved to get to know this mommy-daughter duo. Addi was so full of ideas..."let's do this. Can we try it this way? Watch what I can do" (such a good helper!) & I couldn't have any more fun than I did with this blonde cutie. And of course as with any shoot, I brought along some typical fall goodies (pumpkins, gourds, the usual)...we played around with them but as you can tell from my favorite images below, that innocent little face with that sweet smile were perfect with no props at all. Addi did bring along a small wooden cross as a reminder that her daddy was with her in spirit during the session, & the images of her with that cross truly touched my heart. Thanks Addi (and Christi) for brightening my day as I look at these portraits again!

Long Family - Davidson, NC Family Session

Fall is my all time favorite time of year to shoot families, and when I get a family as sweet and easy going as the Longs, it's even more of a joy. Full of personality & love for one another, I could shoot this family 20x a year, & never get tired of them....look at little miss Reece's baby blues - couldn't you just eat her up. 

Be sure look for a follow up post in the next couple days for a before & after image of the editing used for this session.

Fall lovin' & first steps

Owen's first pumpkin - Mommy, look what I foundFall is in the air with the cool breezes of late October setting in. This has always been my favorite time of year, but this year even more so. It's not just a season of change for the outside world...colorful trees, leaves on the ground, the refreshing chill of the air, but also a season of change for Marty & I, & for our little family. The past few weeks have been full of so much growth for us, so much realization...having a new outlook on the family unit, our duties personally as husband & wife, & growing stronger in our daily walk spiritually. It's a welcomed change, one of those that you don't see coming, that pains you when it hits, but once it's here, is so invigorating & so surprisingly perfect.

So Fall is here for now. I know the leaves will soon be brown, the trees soon bare, & the cool breeze soon bitter cold, but for now at least I'm going to stand back & just enjoy the beauties of today...the 'painted' mountains in the distance, the soft kiss of mr. wind on my face, & the sight of our little boy toddling around without the help of mommy & daddy, exploring the piles of crispy leaves & fallen acorns. Hello Fall, welcome back

Look who's walking

The Good, the Bad, & the Unwavering Hope of Christ

Life is a funny thing. One minute everything seems perfect and the next you're thrown a curveball out of nowhere and the glass house you live in comes crashing down around you. It may be a call from the doctor with news of cancer, a spouse who reveals they've been unfaithful, or the sudden loss of a job. Your life can be turned upside-down in an instance.

We live in a fallen world, one of much darkness, sadness, & pain, and I've come to realize that no one is pardoned from the heartache of this world, not even me. So much can go wrong in our journey here on this Earth, whether it be our fault or the fault of others, but the key, I think, is to find hope in knowing that no matter how bad the situation, no matter how much it hurts, that we are never alone. Our Heavenly Father is always there with us, not necessarily to remove the situation or even to take the pain away, but to comfort us through it all. I believe it's not God who causes bad things to happen, that's the fault of the freewill and sin of man,  but it is He who takes those bad things that happen and uses them for our own growth, to mold us into a more Christ-like person, to shape who we are and to help us in ways we may not even understand until we are standing before God himself.

Life is a journey. There are many paths you can choose to take & there are plenty of bumps along the road. You just have to take it one baby step at a time, learning to walk in the path of healing, forgiveness, and love. Hmm, I guess I better find my walking shoes.

A party for Owen

First birthdays are so bittersweet. I was so excited for Owen to turn one...he made it through his firstyear healthy & happy, & has had so many milestone moments. Isn't it funny how excited you get as a parent for such small accomplishments for your child...I still remember the first time he smiled, the first time he picked up his ball on his own, the first time he finally was able to put those tiny fingers together to grasp a crumb of food, and his first moments of crawling across the floor & that big smile as he reached the other side. Those times are worth so much to me and I hope I never forget them. But for me, the end of the first year also means that my sweet little baby is now a toddler, with each day bringing him closer & closer to independence from mommy & daddy. He is growing up so fast and I'm trying my best to hold on to every moment before it passes me by. So here's to Owen, whose little toothy grin and big blue eyes, long eyelashes and tiny little fingers & toes just make my day, my week, my whole life. Don't grow up too fast please, hold on to my finger & toddle around just a little while longer, don't quit giving me those slobbery open mouth kisses quite yet & just let me rock you to sleep in my arms & sing you a few more lullabies...please stay mommy's little boy as long as you can.

bowling with bottles                          (1) Discovery bottles for little kiddos (2) Owen's first finger painting (3) Lollipops for big kidsSpecial Thanks to photography student Kate Charde for taking these pics

Our Story

Marty & I were high school sweethearts. Not the kind who have known each other since elementary school and grew up together, having the same classes and groups of friends. No, we went to separate schools, I was one grade younger than Marty, and we didn't start dating until halfway through Marty's senior year, but regardless still high school sweethearts. We were introduced by mutual friends (thanks S & G) and spent practically every weekend together from that first winter day we met until we were married four years later.

Looking back at those times is sort of surreal. Oh how our lives have changed in only five years of marriage. I'm still doing photography & Marty is still nursing but we have certainly added many new hats to the juggling act of our daily lives. I've taken up event planning, teaching, a boutique on Etsy, and Marty has added event catering, antique truck restoration and a home bake shop to the mix (not to mention that we are in the process of adding on to our home & the everyday life of being mommy & daddy to a one-year-old little boy). We have come so far since first getting married...we've had our good times and a few hiccups along the way, lessons have been learned, but this journey continues to be one of growth for our small family of three.

My hope is that this blog will be an outlet for us to share these everyday adventures in parenthood, business, and personal growth; a way to capture the small moments in our life and reflect on them. We shall see I suppose ♥

The loves of my life

New Blog, New Content - The Oh So Sweet Life

As you all know, one year ago, Marty & I welcomed Baby Owen into our lives. With his arrival came a worldwind of new responsibility & a new lease on life for us as parents. Time once spent updating websites, our blogs, & pretty much everything else un-baby related fell to the wayside & being mommy & daddy took over. It's amazing how such a small person can make your world turn upside-down...in a good way, an awesome way, a way that you'd never want to change. For me, my interests have taken  a whole new direction. Thoughts of weddings, hand-crafted favors and invitations, & all those ellaborate ideas for creating a do-it-yourself reception have been replaced with more family-oriented visions... foods for baby, birthday parties, handmade toys, home organization, nursery decor, fun weekend getaways, & most of all, ways to just slow down and appreciate the small moments in our busy life.

So with this new season of life comes a new blog, one about our everyday life as parents as well as ventures in photography & our new bakery business. My hope is not to turn readers away but to focus more on our family, sharing our life's most precious moments. So here's to The Oh So Sweet Life ♥

You rock our world little cutie

Etsy Finds: Brooch Bouquets

Ok, so I love beautiful floral bouquets but these Brooch Bouquets are amazing! What a neat idea especially if  traditional flower arrangements just aren't for you. And what's even better is that you could make these yourself using a collection of vintage brooches or even include a brooch that was your great-great-grandmothers.

From top left: (1) Etsy (2) Etsy (3) Etsy (4) Last FortyPercent (5) Canlasphotography

  I do (Sammy & Shelly)

I had such a wonderful time photographing Shelly and Sammy's wedding. Shelly was a such a sweet & down-to-Earth bride & her attention to detail in handmade touches throughout the wedding amazed me...what southern charm! From the bouquets made from hand-picked flowers by Shelly's sister and the rustic wedding cake topped with fresh flowers and berries made by the bride's aunt to the reception meal of home-cooked beef brisket, chicken wings, green beans, broccoli salad, creamed corn, squash casserole, and fresh fruit, every detail of this wedding showcased Sammy & Shelly's down-home country spirit.

      

 

2011 Wedding Trend #4 - Vintage Style

Topping our 2011 trends list at #4 is Vintage-themed weddings. This year’s weddings will be more low-key with lots of retro details that feature a modern twist. Emphasis will be placed on beautiful textures, ornate details, classic but simple natural settings (think outdoor & backyard receptions), old-school transportation, photo booths, and even vintage portraits.

Depression era glass, tea lights, 1920s-style table linens, vintage china, and tea-length dresses will be making an appearance, creating a perfectly romantic atmosphere. And I just love these vintage ideas…

Typewriter Guestbook - Have guests type Bride & groom a message

Throwback Soda Bottles

 Classy Vintage Cake

Vintage Capelet for Wedding DressVintage Rosette Hairpiece

For more vintage finds, visit etsy.com