“Fall is the season when we send our children off to new classrooms, when we pull jackets out of the closet only to discover that they barely reach past elbows anymore, a season full of both the poignancy of passing time and the excitement of a new season ahead.”

A couple weeks ago I sent Ethan off to his first day in his preschool class. He didn’t want to hold my hand and chattered all the way up the stairs to the classroom, his new lunch box swinging from his hand. The following week with celebrated his third birthday with a move to a twin “big boy” bed. All these transitions had me feeling a little nostalgic for his infant days, for those hours cuddled up in the rocking chair as he nursed and those first toothless baby smiles. But at the same time, I’m finding so many joyful things about this new season: his blossoming curiosity about the world around him, his current obsession with lawn mowers, and the excitement about our upcoming move to a new house.

How about you? Does fall blow in with a bit of nostalgia and a sense of time passing quickly? If so, consider embracing the beauty of this season right now with a fall photo session. I’m now booking a limited number of fall dates (thanks to the aforementioned move!), so if you’re looking to schedule one, send me a message to get on my calendar!

Do you want a way to make updated family photos even easier? Sign up for one of my fall mini sessions and get a head start on your Christmas card photos (plus you’ll receive a matted 8x10 fine art print that’s ready to pop in your favorite frame).

Find all the details here!

“There’s no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one.” – Jill Churchill

I am a perfectionist by nature and that tendency definitely extends into my role as a mother. I have high ideals for myself (ideals mostly created before I had a child, of course, or while he was still an infant content to snuggle peacefully in my arms!) but those ideals often come crashing into the reality of my life right now. So in this real life wrestle of motherhood, I sometimes need that reminder that while I will never be a perfect mother, I can be a good mother (and that sometimes being a good mother just means focusing on being present in the moment in simple ways).

Do you need that reminder, too? Here are just a few simple ways that you can connect one-on-one with your child and be present in the moment:

• Read a book together
• Listen to your child
• Take a walk together
• Push them on a swing
• Cook something together
• Sit down and play a game together
• Dance together (even if you look silly!)
• Invite them to help you with whatever chore you’re working on
•  Just snuggle for a little bit

What are your favorite ways to connect one-on-one with your child? Share them in the comments below!

(Do you want to set up a custom mommy and me photo session to intentionally connect with your child, be present in the moment, and remember the beauty of motherhood? Send me a message to start the conversation!)

Spring holds so much beauty, like a gift the earth unwraps after the cold gray of winter. There are the crocuses that push through the snows of early spring. The soft warmth of the sun coaxing us out of our houses. Trees laden with fragrant blossoms. And tiny leaves unfurling from every branch and thawing patch of ground.

But there is also rain. And mud. There is wind and cold drizzle and sometimes unexpected frost or snows that wipe out the flowers and seem to push us back into winter.

The beauty of spring is mixed with messiness and mud.

Yet somehow the mud and rain highlight those spring blossoms and make them feel that much more lovely and welcome.

Sometimes I think new seasons of our lives are like that, with mud and mess framing the beauty unfolding. It takes a conscious effort to lift our eyes from the mud and fix our gaze on the beauty and new life.

It was such a privilege to watch the Alderson family do just that, to fix their eyes on the sweetness of their new baby, on the wonder of their older son’s curiosity and energy, on the goodness of their love for one another through the ups and downs of these seasons, and on the abundant beauty of this season of their family.

It might be the introvert in me, but I have a special fondness for sunrise. Whenever we’re on vacation, I try to set aside at least one morning where I set my alarm a little earlier than normal so I can creep out and appreciate the sunrise over whatever lovely place we’re visiting. And I am beyond excited whenever someone agrees to a sunrise photo session.

Because there is something uniquely intimate about sunrise sessions.

It starts with the early morning drive in the dark, with only a few other headlights piercing the dark streets around you and (if you’re like me) the scent of coffee still lingering in the car. Then there’s that faint whisper of light creeping across the landscape, the silvery blue of the not-yet dawn as the morning dew brushes against your feet. Then, as the bird songs rise around you, the gentle pinks and golds spread across the horizon and a blush of light wraps around your face. And then finally, that burst of golden sunlight crests the horizon and bathes everything in a warm light. There’s a breathtaking beauty in the whole process that invites you to hush your words, close your eyes, breathe deep, and draw close to the ones you love.

Of course, there is still the blare of your alarm breaking your early morning slumber, not to mention the daunting task of getting yourself (and potentially several small children) picture-ready before the sun is even up. But believe me, this magic is worth it (and getting your outfits – and coffee – ready and set out the night before can go a long way in making that morning scramble a little smoother).

So why should you consider scheduling a sunrise photo session?

1) Even the most popular locations are rarely crowded at sunrise, so you can enjoy the quiet intimacy of these moments together.

2) The softness of that dawn light allows you to use some wide open locations without any shade (like beaches and open fields) where the light quickly becomes too harsh later in the day.

3) Sometimes you even catch some fog or mist rising in those early morning hours (especially if you choose a location with water). The golden sun shining through morning mist is one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen in my life.

4) Your portrait session starts and finishes early in the day before most people are up, so you have the rest of the day to relax and enjoy. You can even make a full outing out of it and treat yourself to breakfast out afterwards.

5) The light and colors in that sunrise progression, from the cool blues of dawn, to the soft pinks just before sunrise, to the rich golds as the sun crests the horizon, are really unparalleled. And that soft light is far more flattering than the light you’ll find even an hour or two later.

And if you need any more convincing, check out some favorites from the Gripka family’s sweet sunrise session last October. I was so glad they braved the early morning drive, even with two littles, to spend some time cuddling (and dancing!) by the edge of the lake at Shawnee Mission Park.

This morning I managed to wash all the dishes and clean the kitchen counters. I immediately felt a surge of self-accomplishment….until I stepped into the bedroom and remembered the mountain of clean laundry waiting for me to fold. You guys, I’m not sure if I’m ever going to get caught up on all this. With a job and a toddler and a business to run, I feel pulled in so many directions at any given time and as soon as I finish one task, I discover another ten waiting for me still. Can anyone relate?

I think I’m realizing more and more lately, though, that as a mom (especially as a working mom) there will always be tasks left on that to-do list, no matter how hard I work. There will always be emails to write, goals to set and push towards, updates to make. And the housework….there will always, ALWAYS be dishes to wash, mountains of laundry tackle, bills to pay, and random chores that I keep pushing off until I find a free moment. There will always be something left on that list to do, and if I wait to rest until I’ve finished everything, I will never rest.

But there won’t always be time with family. Your kids won’t always be little. Your baby won’t always want to fall asleep curled up on your shoulder. Your son won’t always wrap his little hands around your legs and beg, “Up mommy?” Your daughter won’t always lean her head against your shoulder as you read her a story. These moments are so fleeting and if you wait to enjoy them until after you’ve finished all your work, you’ll miss it. There will always be more work to do, but there won’t always be this.

So if scheduling a photo session has been on your to-do list, pushed aside under all the other urgent day-to-day tasks, I want to help you make it happen this spring. I’m opening up one day of mini sessions at the end of the month, with just five openings (these will probably be the last mini sessions I offer until fall). And because I know how busy your life is, I’m including a complementary matted fine art print with each session, ready to put in your favorite frame (because chances are that printing and hanging your photos is also on that never-ending to-do list).

So take twenty minutes this spring to slow down and take in those fleeting moments. Close your eyes and let your infant nestle close. Pick your son up and swing him up in the air to hear his giggle erupt. Cuddle close with your daughter and read one more story. You will never regret spending these moments with them. And you will never regret capturing these moments in photographs that you can treasure. Do you want to know more? Click the button below to get all the practical details!