He coos, he rolls, he laughs deep belly laughs, he eats peas, he smiles... there is some hair grabbing and ear pulling too. He lets everyone hold him, thank God. My baby is 6 months old and very nearly ready to crawl, though he has mastered the art of mobility like an inch worm on his back, so maybe he will skip crawling all together. He's discovered his jumperoo excersaucer and squeals like an excited monkey at the mere sight of it. What a joy! It's faces like these that get us pregnant in the first place, so don't stare too long!



I'm aware that my images are pixelating a little bit on the new blog layout. If you happen to know how I can fix this without changing my blog template please let me know!

I graduated from the University of Arizona without having ever attended a single NCAA sporting event. I loved sports, I just didn't want to sit and watch them, I'd rather be playing myself. I don't think I ever cared about college football until I met my husband, whose love for the game and pride for his school, the beloved University of Michigan, is so infectious you can't help but dress head to toe in Maize and Blue and order chicken wings every Saturday.
Saturday night we were given tickets from a friend and traveled, sans kids, yes you heard me right, we had two different baby sitters and drove an hour from home to attend the game and enjoy a whopping 7 hours of uninterrupted adult conversation!! It was bliss. The game could not have been uglier, flags on nearly every play and no tremendous excitement until the very last minute. I spent most of the game pondering why the WildCats have the words "Bear Down" as their catch phrase... Pardon me, but all I could think about was childbirth. (Insert snicker here.) We were actually walking down out of the stadium to avoid the mass exodus, stopping at each level to peek at the progress of the final 2:46 minutes. When it became clear that there was one final opportunity for something to happen I ran down to the base of the section and looked back at the fans, hoping to get a great shot of the game winning touchdown. I didn't see the touchdown myself, but I saw it through the eyes of some very happy fans:


I always love the faithful fans who come with their padded seats, and headphones for the play by play action.


Just checking out the school spirit on all levels.


In the final minute there was a moment of confusion, a whistle blown and for a moment we all wondered what planet the officiating was coming from.


Relief and joy as we score the game winning touchdown. Go WildCats!

My four year old will do anything to get out of the car... Even if it means posing for my camera on a country road, sitting astride my minivan while my friend Pauline and I play with a variety of lighting equipment. I'm always looking for new ways to photograph my clients in our challenging desert landscape, and as the sun quickly sets as autumn takes over, my daylight hours will also start to disappear. It's those few minutes right after sunset that I love for photography, and maybe this idea will help lengthen my shooting time. I think it's pretty, and that model, well, I think I have a crush....

He has always been referred to as "The Baby" since I don't blog my children's names for safety reasons. But I guess the name has to change. Baby's don't go to school. "I've got school power" he says to me with gusto... Drop off was super, 20 minutes later he was crying and wouldn't have snack with his new friends. The school called. "We just want to let you know that he is having a hard time." In my mind I am thinking "Okay, thanks for the call, I just want you to know that I love him very much but I'm not coming right back to rescue him, and he will be okay." Can you tell I'm not a first time nursery school mom?! I'm sure there are parents out there thinking very bad things about my parenting, but as mother of three boys, I know better than to become a helicopter parent. My Non-Baby needs to do something without Mommy hovering. And I was right, this time; he is doing fine as we roll in to week three. He stumbles here and there, but hey, he's two. Of course, here is the obligatory "first day of school" snap shot on the front stoop, so cheeky.

College sweethearts. It is impossible to keep a secret from her, same goes for surprises; and yet the ring was tucked inside his laptop bag just inches from her sweetly dreaming head until the perfect morning. She knew. The moment he produced the red satin bag, she knew. It was a bag she has coveted her whole life, for inside lays an heirloom set of rings and a story she excitedly paints for everyone who will listen. I listen. My heart is thumping in my chest and my eyes tearing over the details; from Grandmother, to mother, and now to daughter, three generations of beautiful southern style love.
Matt and Shannon were perfection last night as we roamed the property of one of the oldest ranch houses in Cochise County. Easy going, quick to laugh, "engaged" is the perfect title for this pair as they compliment one another whole heartedly. I have no doubt that Shannon will embrace her new role as an Army Wife with pride and grace; she's a planner, a doer, one I'm elated to have joining the Army family. And to Matt, there couldn't be another woman more charming or lovely with whom to face the challenges ahead. My most sincere wishes for a soulful and laughter filled marriage. Thank you for granting my every photographic wish!

No, that isn't a typo. I was up with my youngest son, who at 6 months old still tends to get hungry or in need of a snuggle around 5am. This morning instead of nursing himself back into slumber, he drank himself silly, literally. Instead of allowing him the satisfaction of laughing the whole house awake I quickly grabbed my new camera, the Canon 5D Mark II, (insert sigh here) and loaded my giggling and gurgling assistant into the van for a "sunflowers at sunrise" hunt. I've been driving past abundant fields for a couple of weeks now, but never in the right light. I was handsomely rewarded for my early morning efforts...

This Holiday season I am teaming up with my very talented friend Pauline Fredericks, offering an opportunity for local families to have the stunning holiday portraits they've always wanted featured on their cards and gifts. Read on for more details and call for your appointment soon, spaces are filling up really fast!