He's more boy than baby, but he'll alway be my little guy. And this kiddo turned 8 in the midst of the holiday crazy.

A year of cottage life: Little Red

A year ago this weekend, we took a large leap of faith. In that year, every fear I've had of cottage livings has come true. And the great news....we lived! (This picture is our first weekend at Big Star.)

March / April / May Recap

Somehow between our last post about winter break and today, both spring and summer have flown by. Actually, summer, isn't technically over. I just know the days are numbered. While I am seeing an increasing amount of Facebook posts lamenting the long drone of summer, I am not one of those parents anxious for the school year to start. In fact, with a coach / teacher in the family, the summer feels squeezed. In other words: two-a-days began this week. End of summer.

Elise turns 4!

Four years ago, I delivered our second child....and was greeted with the news of a girl. The mild delivery drama—broken meconium sack created need for NICU team to be at my delivery and for delayed skin time—forced me to quickly get over the shock of a GIRL and just embrace that she was healthy. A few days later, the panic came.

Senior Portraits: Meet Josie

I'm finally getting along to sharing Josie's senior session...just in time for her graduation. Outside of the opportunity to capture a beautiful soul, the opportunity meant even more to me since I've been shooting her since birth. For 18 years she's been one of my favorite subjects. And now, she's grown and off to start the next chapter in a journey that is sure to be as wonderful as she is.

Winter break: Florida (packing it all in)

I fooled myself into thinking this blog was for our family to stay connected. Truth is, this blog is for me so that I can always look back and remember what angels I have been blessed with. 

Winter break: Florida (with sun)

One of the most special parts of our trip was a family sunset that we caught beachside. It was a perfect night with the ones I love most in the world.

Winter break: Florida (with fish)

This is the face of a weathered fisherman. He has caught every un-edible type of sea creature you can find in Florida....with a "little" help from Captain Mike.

Winter break: Florida (With dad)

Vacation started to feel a bit more like normal life once Max arrived on Tuesday. We split time between the beach and pool, even though it was colder than expected.

Winter break: Florida (without dad)

This year we opted-out of Spring Break. But before we knew it, we had opted-in to a trip to Fort Myers Beach to see my parents for mid-winter break....granted it was more like full-on-winter-Florida style break, aka, it's sunny but only 57º. Somehow we survived.

Newbie session: Meet Clara

When someone who is literally written into your will as an advisor on our children's well-being should something terrible happen, you make sure you get to the hospital when her baby arrives. Thankfully, sweet Clara made her way to us just 24 hours before our family was to catch a plane to Florida. Baby girl already has a great sense of timing. (I'm joking. She was two weeks late.)

Newbie Session: Taylor and Paisley

World, meet Paisley. Look at those eyes! Look at those lips! Has there ever been a sweeter gaze? Even when she's angry, she's pretty darn cute. (Spoiler alert; we've got a few of those shots too.) 

Christmas

I wrote this statement earlier: The smiles say it all. It was a wonderful, wonderful Christmas. And if I am really honest. It was a wonderful Christmas but a tough season and these smiley faces and packages on tell part of the story and how I tried to help compensate for sorrow with two days focused on nothing but joy.

Christmas Eve

Our Christmas Eve tradition continued on this year, kicking off an amazing celebration of our savior's birth. I'd like to pretend that the reason for the holiday was SO front and center in Ryan's mind that his note to Santa featured the typo God instead of Good.  

Our Year in Review. And What a Year it's Been!

I find these "year in review" posts helpful....for me...probably not for anyone else. It is so easy to get swept up in the day-to-day that I miss the retrospective accomplishments and events that have built our lives and are framing my kid's perspectives as they get older.