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My life just returned to normal.  Like today, like just this morning when I woke up without a fever for the first time in 6 days.  The Flu.  It hit my home like a ton of bricks.  I've never been worked over like that and then to see my kids go down, one by one and realize I just couldn't even help them.  Luckily, we have The Dad.

He took that Flu and kicked its butt.  He doled out tylenol and cough syrup like a real nurse.  He made sure our Puker had a Puke Bowl at all times.  He kept the one healthy kid segregated and germ free.

Dads can be pretty amazing.  And it often shows on the photo shoots.  What Dad actually wants to do family pictures?  Almost none.  But there are a few Dads who can see how much it means to their wife and they do everything they can to make it awesome.  They remember the baby's favorite snacks, they crack jokes with the kids to make sure everyone's laughing.  And they make the best silly faces to get lots of grins and smiles....even from Mom.

Dads.  They can kick The Flu out the door.  And they can make a toddler belly laugh.  Super powers galore.

Watch Your Step

My first photo session of 2016 was a really fun maternity/extended family shoot.  Kayla's cousin had gifted them the session, both for Kayla and her parents.  Photographing families, I can do that in my sleep.  Honestly maternity photography is another ball game.

Frankly your last month of pregnancy is the absolute last time in your life you want someone with a camera in your face.  But the pressure can be intense to document the time "for posterity" as Kayla put it.  But really, when your body has been taken over by another life form and not even taking a deep breath feels easy, it's not hard to just say "oh well" and walk away from that.

But I'm really glad women are able to get over that hurdle and do the maternity pictures anyway.  Because it's all about to change.  Never again will it be just the two of you, you and this man who thinks he loves you now but he's about to realize he had no idea how much he loved you.

And you, mama-to-be, you're on the cusp of change as well.  You're going to become even more amazing, even more compassionate, even more than you ever thought you could be.

Watch your step.  The next one is a doozy.

Downtown Phoenix at Dawn

This Mama told me about how her mom rarely brought out the camera while she was growing up.  So now she has very few photographs of herself at her daughters' ages.  But she finds herself in the same habit.  

She's rightfully very present with her family.  You can tell she's not distracted by the small stuff.  Family pictures was an adventure for her that took one afternoon of gathering clothes and one morning playing in downtown Phoenix.  Her husband works nearby so it was comfortable, easy, and fun.  

I think she's striking a wonderful balance of planning just enough (have someone else worry about the photography stuff) and staying focused on what matters most.  

Luckily the buildings got the memo and coordinated with her colors perfectly.  

Photographer Playtime

The BFF and I heard about a photography conference last January.  Three days in a condo by the ocean, with other fun photogs?  Yes please!!  Well our time was....interesting.  But we did meet some really great peeps.

One of my favorites was The Kelly Popejoy.  Not only do I just love saying her name but it became very clear, very quickly that she is just an awesome person.  Very genuine, very kind, smart, creative and all of that in a very different way than I'm used to.  Michelle said it best, "Hanging out with her makes me use my brain differently and I love it!"

Seriously, just check out her blog and IG feed.  It'll tweak your brain.  Especially the Instagram (@popejoys).  The way she captures architecture is the bomb.

So recently she rolled into town for like a minute, and we squeezed in all the fun we could.  And that morning I had a super fun idea.  Paige is one of my fabulous assistants, she's just amazing, like she seriously glows.  And I figured there was a good chance her buddies were the same way.

And they are!!  With one text, she rounded up 5 of the sweetest, prettiest girls I've ever met.  And Michelle and Popejoy and I just PLAYED.  It was fabulous.  Such a fun thing to do before the busy season hits.

Thank you Kelly, for getting my creativity flowing.  And thank you Paige, for being you.

Superhero Sweetness.

I think of teachers as superheros.  Seriously, they do so much with so little, and for so little in return.  My kids lives pretty much revolve around those men and women who spend so much time with them.  And when I think about teachers who also have little ones at home, that they are trying to love and support and encourage....well, my head starts to hurt.  It's just too much!

So when I got the chance to photograph these two superhero-teachers, and their sweet girls, I jumped on it!  Their girls' cute grins and sparkly eyes were just wonderful.  But when Daddy held that adorable baby girl and her whole face just lit up, that's when I just fell in love with family sweetness all over again.

Thank you S family, for allowing me to step in and document these moments.  It was an absolute treat!

No Joke

When do you meet an 18 year man-child with more self confidence than you?  How often does a senior in high school put you at ease, through his total chillness?  Not too often.

Dan's that kid, and I can only call him that for a few more days so I'll take advantage of it while I can.  He's that kid that laughs easily, at himself and at your corny jokes.  He's an accomplished musician, an Eagle scout, an awesome big brother, we could go on.

But we don't need to.  Because he wears it all out there, he's totally happy to be exactly who he is so the camera loves to capture it.

Meet Dan.  The world is a better place because we have kids like this.

Heroes

A time comes for every creative person when they just get burnt.  And when that happens in the middle of a busy season, with paying clients, that's a recipe for disaster.  And why am I even telling you this??  You, my potential clients?!

Because it's part of my decision to get real.  And real in the middle of fall family picture season, is real burnt.  My creative side can just get fried and then I'm not doing anyone any good at all.  Not myself, not my family, and certainly not you, my clients!

The solution hit me like a brick wall.  Do the most fun photo shoot I could imagine.  With people I love.  But don't let them pay me so I get to tell them where and when and how to dress and what the theme is.  They loved it!  No decisions, just show up.  I loved it!  I could act like a crazy fool and it was so fun!

From start to finish, it took maybe 30 minutes.  The kids were into it the whole time, we laughed every 30 seconds, and even the teenagers had fun.  Hello?!

And it was just what I needed.  It was like nothing I usually do so it felt fun and fresh and totally without expectations.  The whole goal was to fall in love with photographing families again and I did!

Thank you Freedle Family!  You're my heroes!!

Royalty

This was a new family photo location, here in Gilbert AZ that I wanted to add into the rotation last Fall.  And the perfect family signed up for it's first go round.  The R family has one very royal princess and two dashing princes.

As soon as we arrived we took a tour of the castle grounds.  We saw the Round Table for the Knights, we saw the grand ballroom, and then we explained we were here to take the Royal Pictures.  The kids were immediately in on the game and played their parts perfectly.

Anyone can take family pictures.  This family also made a really wonderful family memory.  Thank you Merri!!

Mother's Day gift - Shabang!

When a family hasn't had family pictures taken in well over 10 years, giving Mom the gift of family photographs is a freaking home run.  This husband and daughter knocked it out of the park.  I had worked with their daughter Ava on her senior pictures and we had a really great time.

And frankly, kudos to Mom for jumping on it and making it happen.  When it's not something we do regularly, scheduling the photo shoot, coordinating some decent looking clothes, picking a fun location, and even driving quite a ways to work with a photographer you like, it's all a big deal and a bit stressful.

But she made it happen.  And now this time in their lives is recorded.  Smiles and laughter and a memory made and documented.  There aren't too many Mother's Day gifts that can accomplish all that.