camera + nieces, nephews, and cousins = lots of good practice

Huge thanks to all these gorgeous kids (and teenagers) for letting me get some portrait practice on them. Thanks to their moms too. Maybe one day I'll feel confident enough to charge people for sessions. :)

Brooke & Elliott's:
*Ellee*

*Emelyn*

*Echo*


Jordan & Kaitlynn's:
_Beck_


Britt and Marnie loving on new cousin, Beck.


Brandi & Tim's:
~Jensen~

~Jayden~

~Jillen~

~Jorden~



Spencer's:
{Haylee}

Ashlie's:
:Brynn:

[Haylee & Brynn together, for Grandma Traci]

tiptoe

I love that Marnie interrupted this picture of her new cousin, Beck. She loves him too much to stay away. :)

new pictures

I took advantage of Marnie wearing clothes, and Britt actually wanting me to take his picture, and had a mini (we're talking less than 7 minutes) photo shoot in our back yard.
{by the way, there are 2 other new posts under this. shocking, i know...}

via iPhone

I have my iPhone handy a LOT more often than I have my camera handy. The pictures may be much {much} better with my Nikon, but I have to say, these iPhone snapshots are priceless. Who would have thought (ten years ago) that one day we'd have technology like this that can fit in our pockets. Amazing.

Princess Marnie helping her daddy mow the back yard.

Britt watching fireworks from daddy's shoulders.


Mar-Mar twirling her little heart out.

Look how long this girl's hair is getting! It looks so different when I straighten it.

she's complex

When your big brother offers to let you wear one of his ninja costumes, but you'd rather be playing with your baby doll, you make it work.

Mommy by day:
ninja by night:
she is...

Ninja Mom!

like a lightbulb over my head

Yesterday I made a discovery.
Every five and a half years, a gorgeous baby boy joins our family.

It started in 1995, with my sister Brandi's first baby, Jorden...

then in 2000, when he was 5 1/2, his brother Jayden came along...

5.5 years after that, Britt joined us...

and now (any day!) we get to welcome another gorgeous boy!
This glowing girlie is my Kaitlynn. My gal pal. My sister-in-law. My lady. And in that adorable, perfectly round belly of hers is my sweet baby nephew (who Marnie has temporarily named, Frodo). As of 3 days ago, it's been 11 years since I got a new nephew. We're so excited to have another handsome boy join the family! :)