Sleeman Photography

My Family

2011-12-02T14:39:00.008-06:00

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

2011-10-24T12:37:00.003-05:00

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

2011-10-10T14:05:00.003-05:00

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

2011-09-20T10:37:00.002-05:00

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

2011-09-15T14:50:00.003-05:00

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

2011-09-06T10:00:00.003-05:00

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

2011-08-24T11:25:00.002-05:00

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

2011-08-19T16:02:00.002-05:00

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

2011-08-11T13:36:00.003-05:00

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

2011-08-03T13:54:00.004-05:00

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

2011-07-29T08:44:00.000-05:00

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

2011-07-27T09:12:00.004-05:00

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

2011-07-12T10:03:00.002-05:00

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

2011-07-07T08:33:00.004-05:00

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

2011-07-05T13:48:00.004-05:00

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.

Right Now ~ Irving Texas Child and Family Photographer

2011-06-21T08:29:00.001-05:00

I took these pictures for another one of my workshop assignments. We were supposed to interact more with our subjects and not worry so much about technical perfection.

A lot of these I took while holding the camera at about my waist and not looking through the viewfinder at all. I love the pictures I got. They're obviously not perfect, but they show my boys as they are right now. And that, to me, is priceless!

Booking Update ~ Northern Utah Child and Family Photographer

2011-06-17T08:13:00.001-05:00

Hey all! I just wanted to let everyone know that I only have 2 sessions remaining while I'm in Utah next month. I've had a few people contact me about information or mention pictures in passing and I just want to make sure everyone that wants a session gets scheduled. So if you are interested in one of the sessions PLEASE email, text or call me to book ASAP.

We have a lot going on with a wedding, missionary homecoming and trying to squeeze in all the family activities. In order to make the most of our time, as keep things as stress free as possible, I will not be taking any sessions that haven't been scheduled prior to our trip. Even family, if you want a session while I'm there, please let me know now.

And if you just want to get together and hang out while we're in town let me know! I'm so excited to see everyone :)

Happy Friday! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

The Man of My Dreams

2011-06-16T07:25:00.001-05:00

Six years ago today I married the man of my dreams.

I had no idea how wonderful my life would be. And honestly, it gets better every day.

Matt

Thanks for loving me and all my quirks. You're everything I never knew I always wanted.

Happy Anniversary! I love you :)

Packaging ~ Dallas Fort Worth Texas Newborn and Family Photographer

2011-06-09T13:41:00.003-05:00

I delivered an order to a client the other day and thought I would snap a few pictures of my packaging. There are a few things that I'm still going to tweak, but I always love seeing pictures of what others are doing for packaging so I thought I would post these pictures.

Who wouldn't love to receive pictures and freshly baked cookies? I know I would!

Wow! ~ Irving Texas Portrait Photographer

2011-06-03T09:22:00.002-05:00

I realized the other day that I totally skipped my usual Tuesday post! Oops :) Holidays just throw me off a little. After having a Monday "off" I can never really get a grasp on what day it is for the rest of the week. So it was Thursday before I realized I had totally missed Tuesday...since it was kind of Monday. See? Confusing! Now you know how things are processed (or not processed) in this head of mine :)

Since Friday came so fast and I didn't really have anything else planned I'll just leave you with a picture from my session last night. It was such a fun session! We just talked and laughed and took some pictures :) You're gorgeous Kalli! Thanks so much for helping me out :)

One More Year ~ Dallas Fort Worth Texas Newborn and Family Photographer

2011-05-27T09:05:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow's my birthday. I'll be the big 29. This is my last year in my 20's. Wow! That just sounds so old. I was going to do a post all about birthdays and stuff, but I think maybe I'll just take the day off. So have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. I'm off to get a massage, maybe treat myself to a cupcake :) I like to get a jump start on my birthday!

Rain ~ Dallas Fort Worth Texas Child and Family Photographer

2011-05-24T07:57:00.000-05:00

I'm taking an online lighting workshop and one of our assignments was to take some pictures right before or after the rain. I was really happy with how mine turned out and Cohen had the best time jumping in the puddles! He was so surprised that I was actually letting him jump in them. It took him a couple minutes but he really got into it :) I love his facial expression in the first one.

Things I Love Texas Edition ~ Dallas Fort Worth Newborn & Family Photographer

2011-05-20T15:30:00.000-05:00

Lately I've been noticing a lot more all the things I love about Texas. Even though my husband's graduation is still 7 months away, I just can't help thinking about how fast it's going to come. We're not 100% sure where we will end up after that, but most likely it will not be in Texas. I don't know if I've really mentioned it on this blog before, but I LOVE Texas. I couldn't have even imagined when we moved here how quickly I would fall in love with everything, but I did. Hook, line and sinker. I'm not going to lie, there are things about Texas I don't love, like the hot humid summers, the fire ants, & all the bugs. But for the most part I have really enjoyed our time here. Now with the prospect of leaving on the horizon I find myself noticing and appreciating all the little things that I love about Texas a lot more.

Here are just a few...

Texas thunder storms - AMAZING...what more can I say?

Wild flowers - I love how they just bloom on the side of freeways and random roads. They make my drive so happy and scenic.

The Big sky - Don't get me wrong, I love the mountains but the sky here just seems so massive.

Sunsets - It seems like every sunset here is just breathtaking.

Gorgeous light - I think Texas has some of the most beautiful golden light I have even seen.

A Fun Evening ~ Irving Texas Child and Family Photographer

2011-05-17T07:41:00.003-05:00

I love, love, LOVE this family! I know I say this every time, but seriously aren't they just gorgeous?

We had a hard time choosing a location. They had so many great ideas, but none of them really worked out for one reason or another. These canals are just a block or so away from where they live and they go for family walks there all the time. I love that they were able to incorporate a little part of their daily life into our session. I think it makes these pictures so much more special.

I had such a great time with these guys. Lindsey is the nicest, most friendly person ever. She's one of those people who is friends with everyone. She also has amazing style. I was seriously in awe over her living room. If I weren't moving at the end of the year I would hire her to decorate my apartment. Dan is hilarious. I honestly felt like I laughed our entire session. He also writes for SideDish Magazine and a great food blog all while attending medical school. Talk about busy! But if you want to know where to eat in Dallas, he's your man.

And don't they just have the cutest little man ever? Those eyes just make me melt!

Relay for Life ~ Coppell Texas Photographer

2011-05-13T12:43:00.002-05:00

A couple weeks ago I was able to photograph the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life in Coppell. It was an amazing event and it was so inspiring to see all of the people that came together to raise money for such a great charity that gives so many hope for the future.

On the Relay for Life website it says "Our goal is to create a world where more people survive cancer – so they can celebrate another birthday." I love that. My Grandpa lost his battle with cancer years before I was born and my amazing mother is a breast cancer survivor. So this is close to my heart as I know it is for many of you.

Here are a few pictures.

If you were a participant in the Relay in Coppell this year and are interested in seeing the rest of the pictures, there is a link on the left side of my blog to the gallery that they will be posted in at the beginning of next week.

Happy ~ Dallas Fort Worth Child and Family Photographer

2011-05-11T08:44:00.003-05:00

Here's another of my bluebonnet sessions. I had such a great time with this family! They are just so happy. And aren't they just gorgeous? I get some amazing families.

I loved that they had Grandma join us at the end. She almost didn't make it! The location that we were shooting at was little out of the way and hard to find and she ended up getting there just a few minutes before the sun was gone. Luckily there was a few minutes of light left and it was absolutely breathtaking. She was giving this session to her daughter as a birthday gift. What a great idea! I really don't know any gift that is as personal or lasts longer than capturing these special moments in a family's life.

My Boys ~ Irving Texas Child and Family Photographer

2011-05-03T17:16:00.007-05:00

This is the first year I've taken pictures of my boys in the bluebonnets. I realized that this will most likely be our last bluebonnet season here in Texas and I really wanted to have some bluebonnet pictures to remember our time in Texas.

We went out one morning with my friend Erin (who writes an amazing blog) and her two cute girls, but it was overcast and the light was just dull and ugly but I was determined to get some good pictures so I dressed the boys up in their Easter shirts again a few evenings later and went out again. This time we were able to get some really good shots!

It makes me a little sad though because I am just loving the bluebonnet pictures this year and I keep catching myself thinking about next years' bluebonnets and I have to stop and remind myself that I won't be around for next years' bluebonnets.

Oh Baby! ~ Coppell Texas Newborn Photographer

2011-04-20T16:09:00.002-05:00

This little guy made his parents wait an extra 2 weeks before he decided to make his grand entrance! Needless to say, his parents were definitely ready to get him here, but look at him... he's completely worth the wait. What a sweet precious boy.

It's really so sweet to be in someone's home right after a new baby has arrived. The love is so strong that you can practically reach out and touch it. It was no exception here, it's evident that this little one is so very loved. I just love seeing how devoted new parents are and I'm so honored that this family let me into their home and their lives at such a precious, fleeting time.

At the beginning of our session he was VERY alert and did NOT enjoy us messing with him, so we took a little different approach and took more pictures with Mom and Dad. Luckily, once we were near the end of the session he did get a little sleepy for us.

Utah, here we come! Northern Utah Child and Family Photographer

2011-04-12T08:46:00.001-05:00

I just booked my tickets to Utah for my brother's wedding in July! I'm SO excited :) I'm going to be there for a couple weeks and will have some time available for sessions. If you're interested in booking call, text or email me.

<----------------My info is over there on the side

And here's an image from my newborn session last week

My Brothers ~ Irving Texas Portrait Photographer

2011-04-08T08:35:00.008-05:00

I'm pretty sure that I tormented them to no end when we were younger. In fact I seem to remember specifically dressing them up in dresses, sitting them on the couch and taking pictures. I mean what are little brothers good for if not to use as live dolls? Right? But they caught on really quick, and they weren't too old before they could dish out a fair amount of torment in return.

I'm certain we drove our mom crazy. But even if we thought we didn't like each other when we were younger I'm glad that things change and that they never held any of the mean sister things that I did to them against me.

Here are a few pictures I snapped while two of my brothers were here visiting a few months ago. My youngest brother is in New Zealand on a two year mission for our church. He will be getting back in July! I can't wait to see him!!

This one's engaged and is going to be getting married in July, a few days after my youngest brother gets home. I'm so excited for him and that I get an adorable new sister in law :)

And this one is loving the bachelor's life in southern Utah at Dixie State College.

Would you ever guess that they're twins?

Silly ~ Grapevine Child and Family Photographer

2011-04-05T14:32:00.002-05:00

Just a little bit of silliness from a few weeks ago. I don't know what it is about dads, but little boys just think they're hilarious :)

Bucket ~ Grapevine Child and Family Photographer

2011-03-30T11:01:00.004-05:00

Beckett. It's a big name for a little guy, but he's grown into it quite well. I think it can be a confusing name for little kids to understand sometimes. My three year old called him bucket for the first few days of his life and even now that he knows his name I hear Becky, Becko and Beckitty a lot.

A friend and I took my little guy out a couple weeks ago to take some pictures. She had a cute bucket that she wanted to use as a prop for a baby and needed a model and I had a knit hat that I had been waiting to use. I, of course, am completely biased because I think he is the cutest little chunk in the world. But I think we got some pretty adorable images.

The funniest thing, that my friend told me a few days later, is that when she pulled her images up on her computer her little girl looked at them and said "Oh I get it! Bucket in a bucket!" So funny! But not quite :)

Adorable Boys ~ Grapevine Texas Children's Photographer

2011-03-25T09:53:00.002-05:00

Here is just a quick sneak peek of my session last weekend. Aren't they just adorable?

And I actually got some smiles out of the big brother this time!

Blue Bonnets ~ Dallas Texas Child and Family Photographer

2011-03-22T14:50:00.002-05:00

I was driving home from the grocery store this morning and was surprised to see patches of bluebonnets popping up all over! I wasn't expecting them for another few weeks, but I guess with all the warm weather we've been having they came a little earlier than last year.

If you want a session in the bluebonnets contact me now so that I can get you scheduled in the next few weeks before the bluebonnets are all gone. If there is enough interest I may open up some mini sessions so that I can get everyone in. Email me at sleemanphotography@gmail.com or call or text 435.730.2186

Playing Catch Up - Dallas Fort Worth Family Photographer

2011-03-18T08:52:00.003-05:00

I was looking back through some sessions from last fall as I was making tweaks to my blog header and realized there were a couple sessions that never got posted! I guess in the craziness that was the holiday rush and trying to get my family ready for our trip to Utah for Christmas and a wedding all by myself (I seriously picked my husband up at school from his last final and we went straight to the airport) that they just got overlooked. But even though it's late I didn't want to miss posting them because they were such great families. Here's the first. This little guy definitely gave me a run (literally) for my money!

Perfect Little Angel ~ Coppell Texas Newborn Photographer

2011-03-15T15:54:00.003-05:00

This adorable little girl was the perfect angel for our session a couple of weeks ago. Her mom told me that she was worried because she had been a little fussy that morning. It actually ended up working out perfectly for us because she slept so well for me. She stirred one or two times, but other than that she just slept and let me move her around and basically do whatever I wanted.

I know I say this every time I post a newborn session, but I absolutely LOVE newborns. They're teeny tiny and so sleepy and perfect for such a short time. I love being able to document that fleeting time for families. Because, let's face it, when you look back later everything just seems like a blur those first few weeks with a new baby if you don't have the pictures to remind you.

Those Cheeks! ~ Dallas Texas Child and Family Photographer

2011-02-17T22:09:00.004-06:00

These are some of the 6 month pictures I took of my baby. He's 7 1/2 months now...so I guess you could say I'm a little behind!

I took these at the beginning of the year, right after he turned 6 months. I thought time went by fast with my oldest, but I swear it's at like warp speed now! Where did the last 7 1/2 months go? He's growing up so fast. And it doesn't really help that he is the size of an 18 month old! Seriously...the kid's HUGE. His growth is tapering off a little. Like he is now in the 90th percentile for weight compared to the 99th percentile 2 months ago :) Let me just tell you, it is not fun lugging that carseat around all of the time. But the payoff is definitely worth it. I mean, do you see those cheeks? I can't resist them. I kiss them and squish them and nibble them ALL DAY LONG. And that's not the only thing. You should see all the rolls! They're delicious. Rolls on his ankles, thighs, wrists, arms. Mmmm. I just love them.

My Grandma

2011-02-01T09:07:00.007-06:00

I don't really know where to start. I've written and rewritten the first line of this post so many times I've lost count. Nothing really seems right. Or enough. This post really deserves an amazing writer. But I'm not an amazing writer. I'm just me. And I as inadequate as I feel as I sit at the computer and type this, I guess that will just have to be enough.

I don't usually do posts this personal. I guess I have a hard time opening up to the world. But for some reason I just couldn't "not" write this post. Maybe it's because there are pictures to go along with the story. Maybe it's because I was planning on posting these pictures before. Before everything. And even though it's all different now, and this is not the post that I ever wanted to write, it's the post that needs to be written now.

My Grandma is amazing. She's an inspiration to everyone I know. I have so many wonderful, perfect memories of her. And for that I am grateful.

When my family went home for Christmas I really felt like I needed to go up to Idaho to Grandma's house. I hadn't been to her house in almost 3 years. So I convinced my mom that we needed to go up for a day to see her and let the boys meet her. Luckily we went to Utah pretty early for my sister-in-law's wedding, so there was time before Christmas to go up.

I really wanted to take some pictures of what I remember from Grandma's house. I took these pictures while we were there. I wish I would have taken more. That I would have changed my lens and taken some different angles. I wanted to get a picture of just her hands while she was cooking in the kitchen. But I'm forever grateful that I have these pictures. That I went up to visit her that one last time.

Because my Grandma passed away Monday morning.

My heart hurts a little as I type that. I'm sad for a few very selfish reasons. I wasn't ready for her to go and I miss her a lot. But I can only imagine how sweet her reunion with my Grandpa was after being apart for 38 years. And I'm so glad that I KNOW. That I know that I will see her again. And that brings me so much peace.

I know that technically these images are far from perfect. Some are even out of focus. But every single one of them is precious to me.

I Love My Family! ~ Dallas Texas Family Photographer

2011-01-27T15:38:00.003-06:00

I come from a pretty large family. I'm the oldest of six kids. We kind of have a Brady Bunch thing going on, because my mom had three girls and then three boys. Growing up we didn't all get along, and I wasn't really sure how I felt about having so many siblings. But luckily as we grew older we actually started to like doing things together. Now one of my favorite things is to be together with my whole family. It doesn't happen very often since we are spread across the country now and we've added a few spouses and a couple kids so it can get a little crazy when we're all together but that's what makes it fun.

My sister and brother in law came to visit us for Thanksgiving. We had the BEST time with them here and my boys were in absolute heaven having so much attention from some of their favorite people. My two brothers came for Thanksgiving too, so needless to say my boys had a LOT of extra attention. And, fun for me, they went through serious attention withdrawals after everyone left. But it's definitely worth having them all here to visit even if I have to deal with the attention withdrawals for a couple weeks afterwards.

Heather and Cam are so much fun and we're always wishing that we lived closer to them so that we could see each other more often.

Long Overdue

2011-01-16T23:45:00.003-06:00

This post is long overdue. Jill has been waiting so patiently to see these pictures. I did this session while I was in Utah for Christmas. There were only a couple days that we could schedule the session since they were leaving for Maryland a few days after we arrived in Utah. It was raining/snowing the afternoon we were supposed to take their pictures but rescheduling wasn't really an option so we improvised a little on the location. With a lot of help from my mom and Jill's mom, I think we got some pretty great images. I know I say this about every family, but I just think they have such an adorable little family. I love the last picture so much. I don't know what it is, but I just can't get enough of pictures of little boys and their dads. Maybe it's because I have two little guys and I get to see that special bond they have with their dad.

I hope you guys love these as much as I do :)

The Year in Review

2011-01-04T03:45:00.000-06:00

I haven't posted in a while because I've been on a blogcation. We went to Utah for a couple weeks for a wedding and for Christmas. We saw lots of friends, spent time with family, ate way too many treats and left before the temperatures got down to the single digits :)

I have a lot to post from my end of the year sessions and a few things I did while I was in Utah, but first I wanted to post some of my favorite images from 2010.

There's my year in review. It's been a pretty great year, but I can already tell that this year is going to be even better!

Fall Families ~ Richardson TX Child and Family Photographer

2010-12-06T15:07:00.003-06:00

Wow! So I've really been neglecting my blog again. I got caught up in the holiday rush of editing, editing, editing and no time for blogging. Now that I have most of the holiday sessions edited, with the exception of my sister's that I'm saving until after Christmas, I have time to blog all of the fun families that I got to take pictures of.

I absolutely LOVED this session. Not only were they so stylish and the nicest people ever, but I also got to try out a new location! I am absolutely in love with this location now. It's like a little piece of the the Utah mountains in a park in the middle of a Richardson neighborhood! Fall is my absolute favorite season and since we've been in Texas I've missed it a little. Fall isn't really a season here, it's more like a week where all of the leave fall at once and then it's finished. So it was nice to feel like I was experiencing a little bit of a Utah fall.

Anyway, enough about the location, check out this adorable little guy. He was the happiest baby ever. I just adored his smile and his huge brown eyes. And I have to say, I don't mind the stage before they crawl when they can't really get away from me :)

My Baby ~ Grapevine Texas Child Photographer

2010-11-18T00:13:00.002-06:00

It's official...my baby is now 3! I know everyone says it, but I honestly can't believe how fast time has flown. I'm sitting here remembering the day he was born and it seems like just yesterday. I knew when I had kids that my life would change, but I never imagined how much it would change, or how much I would love it. I wouldn't trade all the kisses, hugs, "I love you's", giggles and cuddles for anything in the world. Sometimes I look at him and wonder when he got so old. He's such a little person. He says things to me that I have no idea where they came from. He is energetic and funny and loves life. I'm so glad that I get to learn from him everyday, even the difficult days.

We set out on Monday to do his 3 year pictures and after just 5 minutes I wanted to pull my hair out. I definitely think it's easier to take pictures of other people's children. He didn't want to listen to anything I said and pretty much did the exact opposite of anything I wanted him to do. Once in a while he would glance in the direction of my camera, but not for very long. I will admit that I got pretty frustrated. Luckily, the pictures turned out a lot better than I thought they were going to. I love them because they are SO him right now. Here's my little 3 year old!

A Little Intimidating ~ Dallas Texas Child and Family Photographer

2010-11-16T08:26:00.001-06:00

I shot this session at the beginning of October. I really don't know why I am just getting around to posting it. But I'm not going to lie, this session was a little bit intimidating...ok, a lot intimidating. I'm not usually intimidated by a session, but taking pictures for another photographer is pretty scary to think about. Luckily, they're nice and fun and put me at ease pretty quickly.

The other thing that can be intimidating for a photographer is to actually be in front of the camera instead of behind it. I think being in front of the camera took Kalli out of her comfort zone a little. She even told me in an email that she "wasn't very photogenic". Well I didn't believe that for a second, and I'm sure you can see why. I think these guys have such a cute family. Their kids are just adorable, and they're definitely all VERY photogenic.

Our Family Pictures ~ Dallas Child and Family Photographer

2010-11-10T08:11:00.003-06:00

We had our family pictures taken a little over a week ago, and I just have to say family picture day is EXHAUSTING! One of my clients told me that she and her husband had fought more getting ready for family pictures than they had in their entire marriage. And honestly? I believe it!

Of course it seems like EVERYTHING went wrong. Cohen wouldn't nap, I didn't have enough time to do my hair, we forgot to take Halloween candy or anything to bribe Cohen with. Cohen of course wouldn't listen to a word we said once we got to the park and just wanted to run around and throw sticks and rocks in the water. Luckily we had a great photograper that was amazing with Cohen and could get him to do pretty much anything she wanted (I think I might need her to come live with us). And guess what...none of that shows up in the pictures!

Who knows if years from now we will remember that by the time we got home at 8:00 both Matt and I were completely worn out, both physically and mentally, and that we crashed pretty much as soon as we got the boys to bed. But we will have these pictures that help us remember our life. Right now. Isn't that what pictures are all about? Yep, it was a hard day. But it was definitely worth it. And really, who can't handle a hard day once a year?

All pictures taken by Kalli, edited by me.

Some From Saturday ~ Grapevine Child and Family Photographer

2010-11-02T14:42:00.006-05:00

I almost died when I saw the morning light as I was driving to this session on Saturday. It was THAT gorgeous. There is just something about the light in the morning that is amazing. I really don't think evening light can even compare.

It's a good thing the light was so beautiful because it was pretty cold this morning (for Texas) and the field that we were at was a little wet and muddy. But these guys were troopers and I think we got some great pictures. I just love how the morning light looks as it comes through the hay or wheat, or whatever was in this field.

What More Could I Ask For? ~ Las Colinas Child and Family Photographer

2010-10-29T14:40:00.006-05:00

Gorgeous family, beautiful location, and the best behaved toddler I've ever seen. He honestly did just about anything I asked.

This was one of my mini sessions at Las Colinas and I loved everything about it. I had a great time with these guys.

Oh, and don't you just LOVE her hair?

We're having our family pictures taken tomorrow and I'm super excited! I have the outfits all laid out. Hopefully all goes well and I have some cute pictures to post next week!

Things I Love

2010-10-01T13:54:00.005-05:00

Green Smoothies. Good for me, but more importantly, just plain GOOD!

Sore muscles after my workout. Jillian Michaels is totally kicking my trash...in a good way.

A desperately needed haircut.

Looking forward to dinner at Costa Vida. I'm SO excited, and a little upset that I didn't know there was one in Texas until last week!

Fall! It's always been my favorite season. Cooler weather, sweaters, college football, the list goes on and on.

Mmm, doesn't it look so good? If you haven't tried green smoothies, you should. I just kind of throw in whatever I have and whatever sounds good. This one has:

Small can of madarin oranges

About a cup of water

A couple handfuls of spinach

1 Ripe banana

Frozen peaches

Frozen mangoes

Milled flax seed

Another thing you can use that is really good is red cabbage, just make sure you blend it really good with the liquid before adding anything else so that the texture isn't weird.

My 2 year old loves these smoothies too and it's a great way to get him to eat some veggies. I just love how pretty they are :)

Holiday Mini Sessions

2010-09-29T09:22:00.003-05:00

I'm a little late posting this but for those of you that were interested, here is all the information about the holiday mini sessions.

Itty Bitty ~ Vally Ranch Newborn Photographer

2010-09-17T17:54:00.004-05:00

I absolutely LOVE newborn sessions. They take a lot longer than most sessions, but they are just so precious. This little guy was only 6 days old, and seemed SO tiny to me. I can't believe that my 2 1/2 month old was ever this small, especially considering the fact that he now weighs double what this cutie weighed.

This little guy was 9 days late and they still had to work pretty hard to get him here. But once things got started he came pretty quickly and his mom said she had such and easy delivery and recovery! I don't know many women who can say they had an easy recovery at 6 days postpartum.

He, his mom, and his brother moved to Utah on Saturday, and his dad is leaving for a Columbia, South America on Wednesday! So they were really glad when he decided to finally make his grand entrace.

Here are a few images. We got so many good images that I'm still trying to narrow them all down. But honestly, how could you not get great images with such an adorable baby?

The List

2010-09-10T17:29:00.002-05:00

Today is one of those days. You know those days. The days where the "To Do" list grows exponentially and despite my best efforts, minimal check marks are added to the little boxes next to each item.

I had planned on posting all the details about my Holiday Mini Sessions today, but somewhere between a crying baby, a screaming toddler, being spit on and spit up on those plans went out the window. So that will have to wait until tomorrow...or Monday.

Luckily tomorrow is a fresh start with a new list.

And yes, I draw little boxes next to each item on my list just so I can check them off. It makes me feel like I've accomplished something.

Blog. Check.

Beauty

2010-09-08T06:44:00.003-05:00

I've never really been the outdoors type. I'm definitely more of an inside girl. I prefer shopping to hiking and resorts to camp grounds. However, one thing about the great outdoors that I absolutely love is the beauty that can be found.

I remember going on family vacations to Bryce, Zions and Yellowstone National Parks and marveling at the beauty all around. I dreamed that one day I would travel around capturing breathtaking scenes like Ansel Adams. While I'm definitely no Ansel Adams, and my focus in photography has shifted just a bit, I still enjoy all the beauty nature has to offer.

I no longer live near the stunning red arches and hoodoos of Zions and Bryce, or the gorgeous hot springs and geysers of Yellowstone. (I promise I didn't make the word hoodoo up, that's really what they're called...I had to look it up). I now live in a very suburban area. There's not much in the way of large open areas that are undeveloped.

But I've found that I can find beauty in the most unlikely places. All I have to do is slow down and be more observant. Whether it's a prickly pink weed in the field next to my apartment or the way the light hits the overgrown grass at the edge of the parking lot, there is beauty where ever we go.

An old friend from high school recently mentioned "The More You Know" TV campaign on his blog. You know the ones. With the shooting star, the catchy jingle you can't get out of your head and a celebrity with a message to share. He posted what his message would be if he were to do one of those commercials and it got me thinking what mine might be.

I think I would have to go with this: "Beauty can be found in the most unexpected places. Take a minute, slow down and see the beauty that is around you. You might be surprised by what you find."

Here's a little of the beauty that I see.

Booking Update ~ Dallas Texas Child and Family Photographer

2010-09-03T12:39:00.005-05:00

I'm back from my "maternity leave" and am gearing up to start into the busy family picture season. I am currently booking through the end of the year. I will not, however, be taking any sessions in Texas in December. If you're in Utah and are interested in setting something up while I'm visiting, let me know and we can try and work something out. I cannot guarantee pictures will be ready for Christmas cards for any sessions held after November 13th, so if you are intersted in sending out Christmas cards please make sure that your session is scheduled before that date. I'm also considering scheduling some mini sessions that would include printed Christmas cards and 3-5 images on a CD. If I have enough interest I will put together some details, so let me know if you're interested in something like that.

My Sweet Little Guy ~ Irving Texas Newborn Photographer

2010-09-01T00:04:00.004-05:00

I did a few different newborn sessions with my new little guy. Here are a few that were taken when he was just 15 days old. It's crazy how much bigger he is already. I loved the ones of his dad holding him. I think grown men are so cute with babies.

Stay tuned for another newborn session soon. We're just waiting for the little guy to make his grand entrance!

Things I Love

2010-08-25T17:26:00.000-05:00

Things I am loving this week are:

Playing Duck, Duck, Goose with Cohen and laughing so hard that I cried.

Going grocery shopping without my children.

Brian Regan. Oh how I wish he was coming back to Dallas soon.

Matt finishing tri 5 of Chiropractic school. One more trimester down, four more to go.

A high not in the triple digits today!!! It's a miracle :)

Baby coos, baby smiles, baby breath and chubby baby thighs.

Cohen calling Matt's basketball shoes "sparkly shoes".

Teaching Cohen the Cougar Fight Song.

Watching Jasmine Star on Creative Live

What do you love?

Light ~ Grapevine Texas Child and Family Photographer

2010-08-19T15:03:00.002-05:00

I usually schedule my sessions in the evening. There are two reasons for this. The first being that my husband is home from school so I don't have to worry about a babysitter. The second reason, and if you know me at all this will not come as a shock, is that I am NOT a morning person. Not by ANY stretch of the imagination. I feel that there are some hours of the day that aren't meant to be experienced awake. Basically anything before the hour of 8 am is included in the "why on EARTH would you want to be awake this early" category. Simply put. I. love. my. sleep. Unfortunately, with a newborn and a 2 1/2 year old that is now sleeping in a toddler bed I am forced to experience these awful early morning hours on a daily basis.

This session was my last session before I started maternity leave. We had to reschedule it multiple times due to illness and weather issues. By the time we finally got around to doing it, it was far enough into summer that the Texas heat was already miserable. We decided the best option was to schedule it at 7:30 in the morning. I got up early, got ready, (although these guys can attest to the fact that in getting ready I only did the bare minimum) and was out the door by 7:00 with my two year old in tow. It was a completely different session than I normally have (I never take my child with me to photo shoots). And I'm SO glad it was. The light was AMAZING! If it weren't for my husband leaving each morning before the sun is even thinking about coming up, I would start scheduling all my sessions in the morning. After looking at these pictures I think you'll understand why.

Things I Love

2010-08-16T07:47:00.002-05:00

Things I love this week...

Having friends over, not only so I'm forced to clean my house, (and I use the term "clean" very loosely) but so the day goes by so much faster.

My baby starting to sleep 5 straight hours at night before waking up to eat.

My 2 year old cleaning his room all by himself after nap/quiet time.

My husband letting me sleep while he got up and made muffins and smoothies because his early class was cancelled.

Finally, after having lived here for a year and a half, having something to hang on my big empty wall.

Watching my 2 year old do Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred with me.

Two Years ~ Grapevine Texas Children's Photographer

2010-08-04T09:14:00.002-05:00

You may remember this little guy from his first year pictures. It was so fun to take his pictures again and see how much he has changed. I see him quite often, he's pretty much my son's BEST friend, so I hadn't really noticed until I compared these pictures with the ones we took last year. I can't believe how grown up he looks in these!

Blue Bonnets ~ Irving Texas Family Photographer

2010-07-18T15:35:00.002-05:00

I promise that I haven't fallen off the face of the planet, but I have obviously been neglecting this blog...big time. I wish I could say that I will be better at posting, but with my new little guy here and trying to figure out this whole two kid thing I can't really make any promises.

Here are a few pictures from the Blue Bonnet sessions I did this year. Anyone who lives in an area where Blue Bonnets bloom will know how far behind I am. These were taken way back in April! I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but until I took these pictures I didn't realize how big Blue Bonnet pictures are down here in Texas. It's almost a rite of passage.

All Boy ~ Grapevine Children's Photographer

2010-04-15T01:12:00.002-05:00

This little guy was SO serious! I asked him to look into my lens to see if there was a bug in it and he got the most concerned look on his face! It was really adorable. Luckily, with a lot of work and A LOT of help from Mom & Dad we got some good smiles. He wasn't about to just give up the smiles, he definitely made me work for them :)

Love ~ Las Colinas Family Photographer

2010-04-12T23:35:00.004-05:00

I am loving these pictures from my session a couple weeks ago so much that I just had to share some more. Not only are these guys such a gorgeous family and THE nicest, most genuine people ever but they have SO much love for each other. Every time I look at these pictures the love just reaches out and pulls at my heart because it's so tangible.

One of the many things I enjoy about taking family pictures is watching how families interact. I think that's why I am in love with the pictures of the little guy and each parent, you can tell that they just ADORE him. What a lucky guy.

I had such a great time spending an hour with them and taking their family pictures.

Just A Few ~ Irving Family Photographer

2010-03-29T21:58:00.003-05:00

Just a few from my session on Saturday.

This Is Me

2010-03-16T23:08:00.002-05:00

Yep, this is me! I had an impromptu photo shoot while my little guy was napping this afternoon.

We're having another little boy in July! We're SO excited. I'm planning on taking all of July and August off (of taking pictures, not blogging) and I'm just going to play it by ear as far as June goes. So if you're interested in a session for April or May, contact me soon. I'm hoping to be back in the swing of things by September for family pictures!

3 Adorable Boys...And Their Parents! ~ Irving Texas Family Photographer

2010-02-22T15:46:00.004-06:00

Aren't these three boys just adorable? They were SO easy to photograph too. I have to admit I was a little nervous to take pictures of a family with three boys. I guess I was imagining my crazy little boy running all around, times three. But they were SO well behaved (the fact that their parents promised them swords when they got home if they could be good probably helped a lot). I LOVED it, it's such a boy thing. Swords always remind me of my three little brothers who ALWAYS had at least one sword in their hand, or down the back of their shirt...or both!

Getting back on track though, it was pretty cold the day that we took these and we finished in record time...27 minutes from start to finish! WOW! That's definitely my personal best for session time! I can't take all the credit though, it really helps to have such a photogenic family.

Another Gorgeous Family ~ Irving Texas Family Photographer

2010-02-08T14:35:00.003-06:00

I'm not doing the best at getting caught up on the blog posting, but I'm still working on it.

I took these at the beginning of December. It was a really nice day, the weather was great and since we took them on a Monday afternoon we didn't even have to deal with the usual crowds that were at the canals.

Beautiful Family

2010-01-29T13:16:00.001-06:00

These guys were so great, I took these pictures at the beginning of December and it was probably colder than it had been all year. I was bundled up in my sweater, coat and gloves and these guys weren't even wearing jackets! They were such troopers and I think their pictures turned out great.

Heartbreaker

2010-01-27T14:47:00.003-06:00

Like I said before... COULD. NOT. get enough of this little cutie! She is just adorable and was seriously SO easy going. I honestly didn't know that babies came like that! Mine sure didn't. He came out high maintenance and has been high maintenance ever since. I really have no IDEA where he got it ;)

But back to this little girl. Her parents better watch out because she's going to be a HEART BREAKER!

Just One

2010-01-12T15:37:00.003-06:00

This is my best friend's baby girl. I've only edited one picture so far, but I couldn't resist posting it because she is such a doll. I can already tell that there are going to be A LOT of cute pictures. I mean really, with a model like this how could any picture not turn out adorable?

I know I'm so behind on blogging. I have a few more family sessions and a newborn session that I still need to blog. I'm slowly working on getting caught up, so check back for more.

How Lucky Am I?

2009-11-03T00:07:00.003-06:00

A beautiful location, great light and another GORGEOUS family! What more could I ask for? And to think that they were worried that we wouldn't get any good shots!

Dr. Mancini's Roast & Toast

2009-10-18T23:36:00.005-05:00

I'm super behind on blogging this, but 3 weeks ago I had the opportunity to photograph a roast & toast celebration for Dr. Fabrizio Mancini at the Four Seasons. Dr. Mancini is the President of Parker College, and this is his 10 year anniversary of becoming President.

It was an amazing event that many people put a lot of time and effort into. It's very apparent that Dr. Mancini has influenced many people's lives. Here are a few pictures of the event. They had gorgeous decorations and delicious food and everyone there had a great time.

Winner of the Christmas Card Giveaway

2009-10-14T16:25:00.004-05:00

The winner of the Christmas Card Giveaway is....

Entry #5

DangGina!

Congratulations Gina! I will be emailing you with more information.

I am also selling the Christmas cards, if you are interested in purchasing them. They are $15.00 for the digital file that you will be able to print yourself, or $40.00 for a set of 25 printed cards with envelopes. I will have the link up and running within the next couple days (I was hoping to have it done today, but it's taking longer than I planned). Once everything is set, I will post a link on my sidebar that will take you to the page where you can purchase them.

Thanks for the entries, and for those of you that entered and didn't win, I will be emailing you with a discount that can be used if you would like to purchase a Christmas card.

It's Giveaway Time!

2009-10-06T09:06:00.003-05:00

Honestly, who doesn't love a good giveaway? I know I do!

So here's the deal...I want to give someone a Christmas card! I LOVE Christmas cards and have had so much fun designing these that I want to give one away. As you can see, it's quite an eclectic collection, so hopefully there's something for everyone.

There are three ways to enter, which means you have up to three chances of winning!

1. Post about the contest on your blog with a link back to this page. Then come back and leave a comment on this post letting me know that you blogged about the contest. Please also leave me a link to your blog post.

2. Become a follower of this blog, and leave a comment stating that you have become a follower. (If you are already a follower, just leave me a comment letting me know).

3. Become a fan on facebook, and leave a comment letting me know. Again, if you are already a fan, just leave a comment telling me.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

So there you go, you have 3 chances of winning! All entries must be received by midnight CST on Tuesday, October 13. I will be using random.org to choose the winner.

What you will receive: You will receive a high resolution digital file of the Christmas Card of your choice, ready to be printed at a location of your choice. (You will need to provide me with a high resolution picture and proof that you have permission to have the picture printed if applicable).

Well, what are you waiting for? Start entering! You only have a week!

{S}

2009-09-03T15:47:00.004-05:00

{S}tunning
{S}assy
{S}mart
{S}tylish

I really could go on & on, but don't worry I won't! I know no one really cares about what I write, they just come to see the pictures. But I felt that this introduction should be a little special because this is my sister...that may be why I think so highly of her. I seriously love her to death. We went and took these pictures 2 months ago, and she's been EXTRA patient with me while I've taken my time getting them done, so I decided to post extra pictures for her. I know that her boyfriend has been anxiously awaiting these too, so I hope I can make it up to him with this super long sneak peek. Honestly though, isn't it a little unfair how incredibly gorgeous she is?

{P}erfection

2009-08-27T20:52:00.005-05:00

I am honestly IN. LOVE. with this little guy. I wanted to take him home with me, but I think that mom, dad, and both the grandmas that were there might have noticed. He was only 10 days old, so tiny,and he slept almost the entire time. A total dream to photograph.

Check out that little smile, I think he must have really been enjoying himself!

{B} Family

2009-08-24T21:41:00.002-05:00

I'm SO behind on blogging. I have been meaning to post these for about a week now. Here they finally are. I guess better late than never...right?

These guys are some of our really good friends here in Texas. I brought the hubby and my little guy along on this shoot and we all had a lot of fun!

This last one just melted my heart. I just love that special bond between little boys and their dads.

Tonight

2009-08-08T00:38:00.003-05:00

Tonight was hot, sticky, and we were attacked by mosquitos! But we had a fun time and got some great pictures.

{E}

2009-07-24T20:10:00.003-05:00

I LOVED taking pictures of little {E}. He is just adorable. Here are just a few of my favorites. There really were SO many to choose from.

You gotta love that finger point!

{M&M}

2009-07-22T13:17:00.002-05:00

I am so far behind on blogging, but here are a few more pictures of M & M. They were SO fun, I honestly had a blast. Little M gave me a run for my money though. He is just a big ball of energy. I don't know how his mom keeps up with him!

2009-07-10T18:18:00.000-05:00

Here is another quick peek for everyone. I am working on this session too. I had a blast with these two. Little {M} was definitely FULL of energy! Hopefully next time we can get some with Dad as well.

Home

2009-07-10T10:28:00.000-05:00

Well, I am finally home from my vacation and I have TONS to do. I am working on these pics of my beautiful sis, as well as lots of other pics. I will try to get everyone's up soon.

A Little Sneak Peak

2009-06-22T14:18:00.000-05:00

This little guy is turning 1 this week! He is such a cutie and gets SO excited about things. I love it! I just wanted to post a little sneak peak for his mom before we both go out of town for a few weeks.

Isn't he seriously so adorable? And those eyes just KILL me.

18 Months

2009-06-16T13:41:00.001-05:00

I finally took my little guy out for his 18 month pictures (only about a month late)! He wasn't at all interested in looking at me and definitely would not smile for the camera. He was way more interested in the bugs and rocks than cooperating with me. He's definitely 100% boy.

Utah!

2009-05-30T15:41:00.001-05:00

For all of you back in Utah, I have some great news! I am coming to visit! I will be there from June 24 to July 8. If you are interested in booking a session while I am there please contact me soon, because I have a limited number of openings available. You can email me at sleemanphotography@gmail.com if you would like to book, or with any questions that you may have. I am looking forward to seeing everyone!

An Evening in the Field

2009-05-29T15:46:00.000-05:00

Last week I spent the evening in a field by our house photographing the "weeds". I couldn't help but think of the saying "Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder", as I walked around, because I think these flowers are beautiful, even if they are technically weeds.

"B" Family Sneak Peek

2009-05-18T14:32:00.000-05:00

Ok, it wasn't really the whole family, just the kids. But look at how gorgeous these kids are.

The boys were SO much fun to photograph, and they were so good too. They just sat right where I asked them to, and gave me the cutest smiles ever. I hope my little boy is like that one day.

Their little sister was adorable too. She seriously has the bluest eyes I have ever seen. It was so sweet to see how much her brothers love her.

Sisters

2009-05-16T23:13:00.000-05:00

Aren't these sisters adorable? You may recognize the older one from this post from a few months ago. I had such a great time with them.

Photo Contest Entry

2009-04-23T22:43:00.000-05:00

I am entering this photo in the MCP Actions/Color Inc. Win a Gallery Wrap Canvas Photo Contest at http://mcpactions.com/blog. I certify that I took this photo and give both parties permission to use this photograph on their blogs/sites.

Parker Class Pictures

2009-04-13T21:47:00.001-05:00

I took some pictures for my husband's class at school. Only about a third of his class showed up, but I think the picture turned out well.

Trains

2009-04-06T22:17:00.001-05:00

I took my little guy to see the trains last week. He had a great time, loved playing with the rocks, and even smiled once or twice for a picture :) Enjoy!

Little Miss "M"

2008-12-02T00:03:00.000-06:00

Little Miss "M" and her mom came to see me the other day. We had a great time. Isn't she just adorable with that gorgeous red hair and beautiful blue eyes.

Whitney

2008-11-29T15:43:00.000-06:00

Whitney and I had a blast. Isn't she gorgeous? She really knows how to work the camera :)

My Brother In Law

2008-11-25T12:34:00.000-06:00

My awesome BIL needed a few pics for his facebook page.

Did I mention that he is awesome ;)

Pictures with the Car

2008-11-16T00:00:00.000-06:00

I found this great old car in a field and just had to get a few pictures of my little guy with it.

Senior Pics

2008-10-20T16:17:00.000-05:00

Here are some senior pictures I took for my brother. He's the baby in the family, and taking his senior pictures made me feel really old.