My Family

Well, I've been MIA on the for a while. I always seem to get behind on blogging during the holiday season. Obviously adding family visiting every month and trying to pack up for our move across the country to this already crazy time of year didn't do much for my goal to update the blog regularly. We're moving in a little less than two weeks, so although I'd love to promise that I'll get caught up on all the sessions that I need to blog, I'm pretty sure it's not going to happen ;) Please be patient with me! I promise I'll get back to regular updates soon.

For now enjoy some of our own family pictures that a great friend took for us. I'm SO happy with these pictures. She did such a great job and got exactly what I wanted! I have to admit we almost didn't do family pictures this year. I'm pretty picky about pictures of myself (who isn't, right?) and I was worried that having family pictures taken while I was pregnant was just setting myself up to hate them. But honestly I'm in LOVE with all of them. It was so hard to narrow them down. Thanks so much Kalli!

Photos taken by Kalli, edited by me

Graduation is Coming! ~ Las Colinas Texas Portrait Photographer

My husband left last Sunday for a week to go to Guadalajara, Mexico and treat athletes at the Pan American Games. What an exciting experience. He had such a great time and learned so much from the doctors that were down there. Needless to say, we missed him quite a bit here at home. It was especially hard because his phone wouldn't work and we only got to talk to him once (for a total of 3 minutes). Aside from our coveted phone call we relied on 1 to 2 line emails sent as he was heading out the door for the day or after a long day working at the sporting venues.

One night as I was missing him I decided to edit a few of the graduation pictures that I took for him the day before he left for Mexico. When I say I took them for him, it sounds like I did him a favor and took some graduation pictures for him. It was more like he was a REALLY good sport and put up with me dressing him up and dragging him out in the middle of him trying to pack so that I could take some pictures of him.

Matt is graduating in 8 weeks and I can't believe that we're to the point that we're taking graduation pictures! These last 3 years have FLOWN by. I'm so proud of Matt and all his hard work and everything that he's accomplished and sacrificed to get to this point.

Here are a few pictures of my very handsome husband :)

Surprise! ~ Irving Texas Family Photographer

We're so excited to announce that we'll be adding another little one to our family in March! And before you ask, no the pink writing doesn't mean that we're having a girl...I was just trying to match the color of the chalk in photoshop :)

My Sweet Boy ~ Grapevine Texas Child Photographer

Well the weather FINALLY cooled down so we headed out on Labor Day to take Beckett's one year old pictures. He's at such a fun age and I feel like I really captured "him" in these pictures. Isn't he just the cutest thing ever? I just love those chubby cheeks, big lips, and toothy grin :)

Holiday Mini Sessions ~ Coppell Texas Child & Family Photographer

Holiday Mini Sessions are back and better than ever! These are perfect for an updated picture for your Christmas card and I have LOTS of Holiday cards to choose from this year. I'm so excited for them all. I'll be posting some next week. So check back :)

This year there are two package options to choose from so there's something for everyone. Check out the details below, choose your date and your package and call or email me to schedule your appointment today.

If a mini session isn't what you're looking for I would love to discuss a full session with you. I've revamped my sessions and I'm so excited to now offer Session Premiers to my clients! The Session Premiers are amazing. One to two weeks after your session I'll come to your home with the dessert of your choice and together we'll view a custom slideshow of images from your session. I'm very excited to offer this new feature for my clients!

I'm moving at the beginning of December so make sure you schedule your session soon so you can get your images and order before I leave. Call of email me for session availability.

Memories ~ Dallas Fort Worth Child and Family Photographer

This post was actually supposed to go up on Friday, but with both boys and I waking up with colds I had a really hard time getting anything done. So I'm sorry for not posting last week.

I hate to admit this, but I'm really bad at taking pictures of my own kids. Not like the yearly birthday pictures or anything, but just the day to day pictures of stuff we do. Part of my problem is that I have the hardest time taking my big bulky camera anywhere when I have a huge diaper bag and my one year old to carry plus trying to keep track of my three year old. It just never sounds that appealing to carry my camera bag too. Luckily Matt's parents gave us a small point and shoot at the beginning of the year. It has been SO nice to be able to keep it in the little side pocket of the diaper bag and have it with me where ever I go. I'm still not the best at remembering to pull it out all the time but I'm working on getting better. And although they may not be the same quality pictures as my big camera takes, at least I have those memories. Because the memories are priceless. So pull your camera out and capture those little everyday memories. They may not seem like much now but you won't regret having them.

These are just a few pictures I took of my Grandma's house when we went to Idaho for her funeral in February. Her house is one of my favorite places in the world and I have so many wonderful memories there. I wanted to remember it exactly as it was. I know these pictures don't mean anything to most of you, but I am so glad I have them.

It's That Time of Year Again! ~ Dallas Fort Worth Child and Family Photographer

Yep, that's right! It's time to start thinking about family pictures once again :) I know it's hard to think about scheduling family pictures when it doesn't feel like fall will EVER get here (seriously, can't we please at least dip down into the 90's sometime soon?) but if you're anything like me the holidays always come WAY too fast and then I'm scrambling to get my Christmas cards out in addition to all the other stuff I have to do.

So book now and save yourself from the headache of last minute family pictures and Christmas cards. I promise you'll thank me when December comes and you don't have to worry about family pictures or Christmas cards because you had your session early!

As an added incentive, if you book a full session during the month of September, you'll receive a set of 15 custom designed folded press printed gift tags with your Christmas card order!

The Great Cookie Experiment ~ Coppell Texas Child and Family Photographer

With all this heat I've been spending a lot of time inside avoiding some sessions that I need to do, like taking one year old pictures of my 14 month old! So since I'm avoiding my motherly/photographer related duties and don't have much exciting to post about I thought I would do a fun little experiment. I decided to try baking cookies on the dash of my car.

I had my husband get some refrigerated cookie dough at the grocery store when he went grocery shopping for me last week. I didn't want to do too much work in case they didn't turn out ;)

Here they are straight from the fridge ready to be put in the car. I waited until late afternoon since that's the hottest part of the day. It was 105 outside at 4:30 when I put them in the car. And really, who wants to turn the oven on and heat up the house just to bake cookies when it's 105 outside? Not me, that's for sure.

I checked them about an hour later. You can't really tell from the picture, but they're just barely to the melty stage and definitely NOT ready.

Three hours later, at 7:30, I took them out and brought them inside to put on the cooling rack. They look a little flat and weird, but other than that they seemed normal. They were a little soft in the middle still, but these cookies have a caramel center, so I think that was a big part of the reason.

People kept asking me if I was actually going to eat them...OF COURSE! They may look a little different, but they still taste great. Add a little bit of Blue Bell ice cream and they're perfect. Although I don't know what isn't perfect with Blue Bell.

Mmm, I think Blue Bell ice cream is one of the main things I'm going to miss about living in Texas!

And now I can say I baked cookies on the dash of my car. Am I the only one who does things just so I can later say that I've done it?

Although, I think next time I want cookies I'll just stick to the oven. Three hours is kind of a long wait for me :)

Things I Love Utah Edition ~ Dallas Fort Worth Child and Family Photographer

Since I did a post a couple months ago all about the things I love about Texas, I figured it's only fair to do a post with all the things I love about Utah. And this record breaking heat wave has definitely made me remember the things I love about Utah. So here it goes:

• The fact that they're NOT going through a record breaking heat wave right now ;)

• 4 Seasons - Although I'm not the biggest fan of a super long, super cold winter I really have missed fall. It seems to just last a week here in Texas!

• The mountains - I have such an easier time knowing which direction I'm going when I just have to look and see where the mountains are.

• Only 3 freeways - If I lived in Texas for the rest of my life I would NEVER be able to keep all the freeways straight. Seriously, I-635, I-35, 161, 121, 114, 183, US 75, Dallas North Tollway and, I kid you not, 20 more. I don't know how anyone can keep them straight. Give me I-15, I-215 and Legacy Highway any day. That I can handle!

• Family - This is definitely the best thing about Utah. I especially love being able to see my boys playing with their Grandmas, grandpas, aunts and uncles. I just wish all of my family lived there :)

Sneak Peek ~ Northern Utah Portrait Photographer

I took a break from editing wedding pictures to give my gorgeous sister a little sneak peek. Usually I edit my sessions in the same order that I shoot them, but Stephanie was nice enough to let me work on Jonathan & Holli's wedding before I edited hers.

So here's one for Stephanie. I love taking pictures of her. She is the BEST model! She poses herself, takes direction well and we always have such a fun time :)

Perfection ~ Northern Utah Portrait Photographer

My little brother got married almost two weeks ago. I wasn't supposed to be their wedding photographer but due to some unforeseen circumstances they asked me to help out with pictures and I was more than happy to!

Although I'm not a wedding photographer I absolutely LOVE weddings. There is so much emotion to capture and it's such a fun, happy time for the couple and their families. It made it even better that the couple was my little brother and his beautiful new bride. I am so glad that Jonathan & Holli found each other. They are so perfect together and we are absolutely thrilled to have Holli in our family. She is one of the sweetest people that I know and my boys completely ADORE her.

Jonathan and Holli, your day was amazing! I'm so happy for you. I can't imagine two people more perfect for each other. Thanks for allowing me to document the beginning of your journey as husband and wife. I love you guys :)

Featured ~ Dallas Fort Worth Newborn and Family Photographer

When I was little I heard my aunt say that unless you go somewhere without your kids it's a trip and not a vacation. I remember being more than a little offended by that statement. Now... I completely agree! So here I am, back from my trip ;) I wasn't very good at keeping up on things like this blog, but it was a nice break from technology.

While I was away I was featured in an article on the Fort Worth edition of Examiner.com! Check it out here!

I'll leave you with a picture from my brother's wedding. Aren't they a gorgeous couple?

Welcome Home ~ Dallas Fort Worth Portrait Photographer

Ten hours from now we get to welcome my baby brother home! He's been living in New Zealand for 2 years serving a mission for our church.

I'm so excited to see him and for him to meet my youngest. This will be the first time in 3 1/2 years that my whole family has been together! So crazy & exciting :) I tried to be on top of things and schedule a lot of blog posts, but that just didn't happen ;) So I may be posting a bit less for the next couple weeks. Just know that I'm still here and I'm enjoying a lot of family time.

Just For You ~ Irving Texas Portrait Photographer

My friend Kalli was nice enough to help me out last month and be a model for one of my workshop assignments. It was HEAVEN not having to use my 3 year old as my model. I almost didn't know what to do when I didn't have to ask her to look in my camera every 20 seconds!

I firmly believe that every woman should have pictures taken of themselves. Everyone deserves to get dressed up and feel beautiful once in a while. I know that I get caught up in all the mommy stuff and sometimes feel like "Elise" gets lost in the shuffle or I forget that there's more to me than just being the mommy.

Looking at these makes me wish my mom had pictures like this taken when I was younger. Yes I'd probably laugh at them a little, I mean it was the 80's :) But they would be priceless to me.

So whatever your excuse is for not getting pictures taken, let go of it. Go get dressed up and feel beautiful even just for an evening. Do something for yourself. I promise it will be worth it. And you'll always have those pictures to remind you that you are more than your job, or your kids.

Happy 4th! ~ Coppell Texas Child and Family Photographer

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July! We all know how long weekends confuse me to no end :) But I'll be back on Thursday with a session I did last month.