Maternity: Matt + Amanda

The first flutter you feel inside,
The first kick the dad can feel,
The first movement you watch roll across your belly,
The feeling you first feel the moment you give birth,
The love you have before you even meet!

Pregnancy is probably by far the most amazing thing a woman can ever go through. There are so many pivotal moments during the 9 1/2 months a mother carries the special creation that only her and the father could create. For Amanda and Matt they are soaking up every minute. They both are so excited to finally meet their first child together.

Matt and Amanda's session was a blast! I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them, and hearing the excitement they have for someone they have yet to meet. They both are just so anxious. Amanda was a little nervous at the beginning of our time together that Matt wouldn't enjoy pictures and wouldn't behave himself, but Matt was more than a trooper. He told me he was a team player and was happy to do everything I asked of him. He kept a smile on his face and a warming presence surrounding him our entire time together.  Amanda was a true natural in front of the camera, but honestly I didn't think it would be anything less considering she has Lacey, the picture queen, as a best friend.  They both were absolutely adorable, and I can't wait to meet their new precious little girl. Soak up every minute of pregnancy you guys because once she comes your whole life will change!

I think this moment screams hot mama!

















Amanda and Lacey are BFF's for life. Lacey, that was the sweetest thing ever to pay for Amanda's session; she is one very lucky girl to have such a great friend!



Belly comparison! Now it's Amanda's turn to feel huge and Lacey gets to suck in all the skinniness ;)



Congratulations Matt and Amanda! I look forward to meeting your new beautiful girl!

Family Vacation Portraits 2012

This year my husband and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary. From the day we got married we promised ourselves that for our 10th anniversary we would take our honeymoon. Well, when last year rolled around and we began planning for our "big" trip we decided what we wanted to do the most is enjoy a nice vacation as a family with some great friends. We could not have made a better decision. We enjoyed every single minute of pure pampering and relaxation and feel so blessed to have friends that would allow us to take a trip with them.

Carrie and I watched the most amazing sunsets every night we were at our resort. They were this amazing gold, yellow, and purple colors that overtook the sky. We decided we had to take an opportunity to have this amazing backdrop in our photos. After much pleading with the men we finally talked them into a photo session the last night we were there. The men allowed us a whopping 15 minutes per family. Do they not realize how hard it will be to pull out some amazing shots in only that amount of time. We counted our blessings though, got ready, and figured we would do what we could with our 15 minutes. When we walked down on the beach we were so disappointed, after 6 nights of the most amazing sunsets ever, the one day we decided to take advantage of it, it looked nothing like what the previous nights had. We were so bummed, but it was still beautiful and we made the best of it.

I didn't have my work camera with me on this trip (eventhough it was so hard not to hide it in my suitcase) so I knew the quality wouldn't be there but I think my old rebel was able to handle it well enough. I wanted to share a few photos from our short mini sessions that were my favorite.

The kids were being total goofballs, but those capturing the moment pictures always seem to be my absolute favorites!

The wind was ridiculous that night because it was suppose to storm so I gave up on trying to keep my hair out of my face. Oh well!

My son finds it so funny to cross his eyes in pretty much every picture we take of him. Makes me crazy but I guess that's who he is...plus I will have some great blackmail for when he gets older and has girlfriends over!

Metro Gallery: Alex + Valerie

“A smile starts on the lips, A grin spreads to the eyes, A chuckle comes from the belly; But a good laugh bursts forth from the soul, Overflows, and bubbles all around” -- Carolyn Birmingham


He smiled anxiously as we walked through the door of the Padre Hotel. You could tell Alex was so excited for this day to finally be here. After months of hectic planning he finally would be marrying his best friend.

She answered the door with a smile on her face and a calmness through her body. The day was finally here and she couldn't believe her nerves hadn't taken completely over her yet. In only a few short hours she would be walking down the aisle as a Ms. and leaving as a Mrs., the very thing every little girl dreams of.

Alex and Valerie chose to have a nice small intimate gathering of their closest family and friends to celebrate their new life together. Their wedding party was a complete blast and so enjoyable to be around. They were full of fun ideas and willing to do anything we asked. They were all full of smiles and laughter that made for a very memorable occasion. Both Alex and Valerie have warm hearts and are a complete pleasure to be around. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend the day with you guys. I wish you guys the best and look forward to seeing your marriage grow into a family. Thank you guys for the wonderful experience!






Zach ready for some picture time!




Aren't Valerie's shoes to die for!



Down, set, hike!


Thank you Lucky Club Tattoo for offering us a few minutes in your shop to cool down and take some fun photos! You guys rock!