Whew – this heat is brutal – Summer is here!   Just a quick reminder that I will be in Fl August 6-13th and I still have a couple of spots open!  Details on FL sessions here .

Tomatoes, mozzarella, lamb… perhaps unusual subjects for me but there is beauty in their colors, simplicity and textures and they are way easier to shoot than running kiddos!

Such an easy summer dinner – kids loved it!   Recipes here & here .  Maybe I should implement a foodie fridays blog entry?

Another adorable baby planner and his gorgeous sister – The summer heat can’t stop these two from looking way too cute!

nothing makes me happier than a sitting baby full of rolls!

love her curls! 

perfect moment captured here – such a sweet big sister!

We are going to be booking limited sessions in Watercolor,  Rosemary Beach, Seaside, Destin, FL area during August 6-13th.  Please call us ASAP to book if you will be in the area during those dates as we will have limited availability.

One more as I am finishing this session – LOVED this crop so much.  Daddy’s are special!

I love seeing little ones go from being tiny sweet babies like this to fun, energetic and full of life toddlers!   Loved our session at the Arboretum a few weeks back miss Addison!

Isn’t she a doll?!

Wheeeew long blog hiatus….. guilty!   I have sessions to share that I have been dragging my feet on putting up on the blog.  I am not sharing photo sessions today …  today I am something more valuable for all of us with small kids….  and it is easy and cute in case you are feeling crafty or in case you are as desperate as I was for something to help the kids get along!

Back in the days when I had only one child at home it was so easy to feel like a great parent – our house was picked up and peaceful!  Add a little fiery girl into the mix and I became a little more humble.  Turns out it wasn’t that we were great parents – we just happened to have a very happy and easy first child – Jack.   When Grace started to get a personality and some mobility the Williams sibling wars started.

I know how much my kids love each other but how could I help them to show that love to one another?  The idea came from the pros – the teachers at Jack’s school!   In his class they all can earn marbles for good behavior and once the jar is filled they have a marble party – this seems so simple but I know how it motivates all those first graders so well.   In our house we call it the love jar and now my kids earn marbles when they are showing love towards one another.  We have also started offering extra marbles for getting ready quickly in the AM (jack!), potty training sucess (grace!) and for doing extra special things around the house or going above and beyond.  When the jar gets a set amount of marbles – they get a reward that they can do together – an outing, a game etc… It is working so well that I thought I would share it.  Not rocket science at all but we always forgot to print charts, keep track of stars, etc… this is working!

We already had the marbles which sit in a tin can so we just added the jar from walmart, some ribbon and cute paper from Hobby Lobby and we were in business.  The best part is that the picture reminds them of what it is all about and the cuteness factor seems to be a further motivator.  With a photographer mommy I think my kids are highly visual but in general I think ALL kids love and respond better to beautiful things!  Don’t we all?

My blog has been sorely neglected over the last few weeks while I worked to get everybody’s Christmas prints and cards ready!  I have so much to share, so many new favorite images but I am officially on vacation now.  Wohoo!  I love this time of year so much and I am so excited to have a few weeks off to celebrate Jesus’s birth with my family.  I could not go on vacation without first sharing these sweet images though!

A Christmas baby – such a sweet little one!   I have been talking to his mommy about a session for over a year now so I was thrilled to meet him and his family.  I think this was just the right way to finish 2010.   Merry Christmas to this family and to all my wonderful clients!

Wheeeeewww  - I am working non stop trying to wrap everybody’s proofs, orders, card designs and Christmas presents!  Feeling a bit like a little elf around here.  I am almost caught up with all my sessions and only a few more to shoot – soon we will officially wrap up 2010!

We have been planning this session for about a year – I think it was worth the wait!  Allison I hope you love them as much as I do!  Can’t wait to show you the rest.

I love these girls!  I cannot.believe.how.much they both have grown.  They are more beautiful everyday!