Joe+Kristi+Josie+Lucas

Can I stop for a moment and tell you how lucky I am?

I get to hang out with the absolute neatest families.

...and tonight was no exception.

Meet Joe+Kristi+Josie+Lucas





I'm not going to lie...

everytime before a photoshoot, regardless of whether I know the family or not .. I get rediculously nervous. ESPECIALLY when you factor in kiddos.

It takes some time for younger children to warm up and then if they have a younger sibling that can't quite smile on command yet ... wowsers ... I'm at risk for some really crappy pictures.

I'm a perfectionist when it comes to photographs, especially of other people. I want them to be unique, specific to my style and something that you (as the consumer) will be proud of.

Anyway ... back to the story.

I first met Kristi and Josie a couple of years ago when our girls were in gymnastics together. As the world works, we realized that we had mutual friends. Small world isn't it?

We've been planning a photoshoot for several months and finally - our schedules worked out and we were able to meet this evening.

I had so much fun! After a short amount of time ... Josie warmed up and was giving some really natural smiles. It's a really good thing, because she is seriously so cute!! I love her round face and pretty blue eyes.







Just this year Josie became a big sister to her little brother Lucas.

...and oh Lucas.

From the moment he got out of the van sporting the "baby-hawk", I was ready to let my camera loose on him! I just want to pinch his little cheeks!!!









Lucas is lucky to have such an awesome big sister. Josie was totally into making sure he wasn't eating any kind of leaves, grass and dirt. She is most certainly his protector!











Kristi is lucky enough to be a stay-at-home-mommy after having Lucas. You can tell that she is an awesome mommy because her kids are totally in love with her.













Yea, I think this is one luuuuuucky daddy...

















While Mommy+Daddy+Lucas were together getting Lucas' clothes changed ... Josie and I went to hang out on the swing. She said she can swing really high.

...and after about 2 minutes ... I realized she was absolutely right.





And we can't leave Mr. Lucas out!!

He loves to swing too.

Probably not as much as Josie. He just likes to "hang around"...

oh, and i'm NOT mad at him for being so stinking cute!





I told Josie about half way through that we'd come back and play in the leaves.

Finallllly....



we made it back around to the leaves before leaving for the evening.

This family is so FUN!







Thank you all for giving me the opportunity to share this time with you all. You have such a beautiful family! MUCH LOVE!

~G

Lindsey+Emma+Ethan

While I used to refer to her as my "friend from high school" ... now I refer to her as more of a friend. While we both agree, that we don't spend nearly enough time together (nor do we have any free time to spend together) ... our virtual friendship ... mostly through my blogs ... is something that I do truly appreciate for many reasons.

Lindsey and I met in 3rd Year French in High School. We continued through 4th Year French and eventually went on to college to pretend like we knew Fluent French.

We have a pact. Since we were both rather young when we had our kiddos, once they are graduated and in college (or working, or whatever life brings them...) we are going to travel to France together. We want to sit at the cafe's ... sip on a latte'.... speak as much french as we can remember. Ok, fine - the reality is...

we'll be 40 year old women, walking around France (or if we're still poor, we'll be walking around the French Quarter in New Orleans ...) sipping on a latte just to look cool (because i dont' even like latte's, saying Bonjour and Salut to people and muttering Merci Beaucoup when we're shopping, because that's truly all the dignified French we will be able to remember by this time.

Anyyyyway.

Lindsey has referred some amazing people to me for photography. And I am so thankful for that. So we got together this afternoon and I took pictures of her and the kiddos.

Ethan is a boy.

and he's 8.

So coaxing him into the pictures takes some effort.

Nonetheless. .. we WORKED IT OUT.

Meet my friend Lindsey.. and her beautiful children Emma and Ethan.





We started out at Falls Park in Pendleton and took several pics there. We ended up at the "North 40" of Falls Park, where we proceeded to be nearly eaten alive by Mosquitos.

I was so angry!! I was itching, Emma was itching .. it was a mess.

But that's ok - we got out of the woods quickly and headed for one of my favorite barns.









These kids were some of THE BEST JUMPERS ever!!







Before we headed out to the Farm, we had to grab a rather creative one. Special thanks to Miss Emma, who coordinated the "poses" to depict a familiar old saying ...







So we headed out to the farm to get just a few more pictures before sunset.

Ever since last week when i discovered the Grain bins ... I can't stay away from them!!















Emma is such a good girl.

- and rightfully so.

She's being raised by a father that loves her very much and a mother that provides her with a stellar example of a Woman; beautiful, confident, successful, spiritual and full of happiness and laughter.

It's no wonder Emma thinks her momma is pretty special.







Just before we left, Ethan was losing interest pretty fast. While he entertained himself in the car, me and Lindsey and Emma had some fun with the sunset.

While there are several great pictures from that little sunset session ..

I did get one absolutely amazing shot that I'm pretty sure someday (when I have a lavish studio of my own ) will be on my wall in a biiiiig canvas.

Um.

WOW.







Lindsey - THANK YOU so much for all of the referrals you've sent my way! Not just the referrals, but the relationships that I've built with the people that you've sent my way. It's so easy to capture wonderful photos with you and your kids because the love that you all share for eachother is so real and genuine. You can't pose true love. Love that only a mother knows how to give her children. And not just any mother ... a mother that has risked everything, sacrificed her life and shaped her future around the two children beside her. These pictures capture two beautiful children, who live happy lives because of a woman they call mommy. Saying that you're amazing ... doesn't even come close.

Emma and Ethan ... love your mother. Forever. ...and unconditionally. She's dedicated her life to you.



~G

My New Tripod

I'm like happier than a kid at Christmas.

My mom's friend gave me a brand-spankin-new tripod for my camera.

Do you know what this means???

...Other than Bekah having a "mic-stand" for her microphone when she goes into Taylor Swift mode.....

I can be in my own pictures !!!!!

Um ...excited?

Yes!

And it sorta makes me look really awesome in public. Ok, not really but whatever.

So.

Chaston had his last "regular season" flag football game this morning, so we headed there.

After that, we went and signed Bekah up for Basketball. Whoo hoo! She is so excited to play. I'll be anxious to see how she does. She gets to be on her friend/cousin's team (and her daddy is coaching) so she is super-duper excited.

(..i kinda am too!)

After that, we all headed to the Farm to take some fun pictures and use my tripod. Chaston is rarely agreeable to pictures, so I don't push it. But here lately, he's been an angel about it and I couldn't be more thrilled.

So I set up the tripod and go for it!





...set it on timer and jumped in ...







We went across the street into the field to play with the camera and tripod from across the road. It wasn't until I got the picture cropped that I realized when I zoomed in on Chaston's face ... he was sticking out his tongue!! ..and Bekah was pouting.

Oh wellll .. these are my children afterall!







We attempted to do a pyramid. But Bekah wasn't so much cooperating.

Whatever, Chaston and I were having a blast





Then as we were driving to the actual Pumpkin Patch, I noticed the huge grain bins.

and had to stop.

















I love spending days like this with my kids. Out having fun together... smiling, laughing (threatening to beat their booties a few times...) but nonetheless a great time. We spent some time at the pumpkin patch this afternoon, saw a friend from high school that i haven't seen in about 5 years and his family. That was so nice! We enjoyed the hay ride and beautiful blue skies.

Here are a few candid pics from our day.

...pictures that define "us".



another "family picture" that i jumped into with the timer set on the camera.





Bekah is one silly girl. She's always making some crazy face in the picture.

Wonder where she gets that from ?!?!

This is her "feel-sorry-for-me, but-i'm-not-really-sure-why" face





Followed by her "i-will-make-whatever-face-you-don't-want-me-to-until-you-take-the-picture" face





And after giving in to all of her random "faces" ... she finally cooperates.





Since i had my camera set on a tripod .. she wanted to get behind the lens. So, I let her.



First, Chaston and I had to pose.

Here's her set up. (chins on our fist and all!)

(do i see a photography assistant in my future?!)







Then she wanted Chaston and I to look mean.

So we grabbed a couple of sticks and began lookin Big-Time-Tuff.





You wanna piece of us?!





These children .... are the reason I am where I am today.

There is nothing better.

~G

Electra + Xavier

This weekend I was so so so thankful for the "break" in weather that we got on Saturday.

A few weeks ago, Electra contacted me about taking 4 year old pictures of her little boy Xavier. I was so excited! Xavier has always been such a little cutie-pants, so when I found out I'd be able to hang out with him for a little while ... I couldn't wait!!

Meet Xavier...

soon to be 4 - year old with the absolute cutest smile.

loves Thomas the Train

watching movies

and his mommy.



We started out at the park. Knowing that Xavier was a normal 4 year old BOY ... i brought some treats for his good behavior. Which included fruit snacks, mini-pringles, cookies, etc Absolutely anything to entice him into being a good boy.

Things started off a little rocky...





...but soon enough got under control and that boy was rockin' and rollin!!







G.Q. Magazine... here comes Xavier!

How handsome is he!?!?







SERIOUSLY....

I love it! (...and i'm not mad at you, X-man ... for bein' so darn cute!!)











There was one little rule when I set up Xavier's appointment.

Mommy HAS TO be in at least a few of the pictures.

So many times when you have a single mother (...or single father for that matter) getting pictures taken of their little ones, they never think of themselves and the fact that they have few pictures of them with their kiddo.

Electra is such a good mommy, always putting Xavier first so I wanted to make sure she had some pictures of the two of them.

...and I was so excited when Electra pulled up with the cutest turqoise shirt on ... lookin' SO CUTE for their pictures.

(Thanks Electra!! You made my day!)









He is her world...





After we finished in the park, we headed to the train track to get some pictures there... since this little man LOVES him some trains!









Remember that "bag of goodies" that I brought to try to aide in making Xavier have some fun?

Well ... I knew that he liked Thomas the Train, so I brought him a little Thomas.

...and he insisted on a personal photo of Thomas while we were at the tracks.



So here ya go Xavier.... This one's for you!







I had such a fun afternoon hanging out with these two people!! I was so worried with the weather from Hurricane Ike heading towards Indiana, that our weekend was going to be a lost cause ... but it most certainly was not.

(big thanks to God for answering that prayer)

What's a blog without a silhouette picture?





Love you both!!!



~G