This time of year the weather and leaf colors are amazing! These two are so in love and I can't wait to be a part of their Windmill Winery Wedding next fall!

The Elopement of Kelly and Michelle 

Some of my favorites from this session at the White Tank Mountains. This mama is pregnant with her 11th child and wow does she still look so young!  This was her first maternity session ever and she absolutely rocked it!  

One of our favorite maternity sessions overlooking skull valley near Prescott Arizona. It was freezing cold fall weather but McKenna was such a trooper and we couldn't be more pleased with how stunning everything was.. from her perfect baby bump, long hair, the colors, the aspens and the gorgeous overlook and views. This is why I love my job. Creating beauty and memories that these families will cherish forever! 

We love shooting in the fall and winter early in the morning (when the days are shorter and early isn't too early :) 

Denielle looked stunning and fierce in front of this epic morning light. The sky was on fire! 

I love hanging out with this fun family! Sessions like this make me LOVE my job!

I was so blessed to attend the natural birth of this beautiful little girl and capture her entrance into the world.  The staff at "The Birth Nest" was amazing and I absolutely enjoyed working with midwife Pamela! I hope you enjoy this short video and photos from such a special day! Every single birth is such a beautiful miracle. I am still in awww of our bodies and what they are capable of doing. It was so amazing to watch Ashley bring her daughter into her arms with such amazing strength and power! 

http://www.azbirthnest.com/

Khalil Domonick was 6 lbs 12 oz and 19 1/2 inches long. 

Congratulations to Byllie and David on your beautiful son! 

We almost had to reschedule this session due to rain in the area. We chanced it.. and started 2 hours before we had planned.  We literally started shooting while it was sprinkling and then it stopped... we shot for close to 2 hours and as we were driving back to town it started pouring, wow.... thank you LORD for timing the rain just right! 

Some of my favorites :) 

The Aldrich family is in town from Oregon through Thanksgiving weekend. We have known Will for many years,  I was blessed with finally meeting his beautiful wife  Kayla just a few months ago!  Such a great couple and we look forward to many years of friendship. 

Random photos from this summer.....

I had a lot of fun visiting family in July.  I didn't schedule too many sessions back home since I have such a huge family.  I really wanted to make sure I visited everyone that I could.  Scheduling these were so much fun though because all of these families are old friends of mine. It was great to see everyone and catch up. It's crazy how after moving away from home, time just seems to fly by... the families just keep on growing and all the babies are big kids now!  It's so much fun though- so thankful my job allows me to spend extra time with friends <3  My next trip will be planned for April 2017! 

Little Sophie is always so much fun, with her adorable brown eyes and long curly hair--I could photograph her all day long <3

What a hard session to narrow down for my blog post! Every.Single.One.Rocked!

I have known the Moore family for a little over year.  Recently they returned home from India after finally completing the long process of adopting little Haddie!  Though there were a ton of obstacles along the way, God proved himself over and over again-- with what seemed impossible to accomplish.  I thought of this verse when I thought of the Moore family and their willingness to adopt an orphan.  

Mark 9:36-37
He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

I look forward to seeing what God has in store for this beautiful and loving family!

God Bless you all <3   

Brandy was one of the most beautiful brides-- not only was she stunning in every way, she was beaming with excitement from the moment I saw her.  Jesse and Brandy both have a strong love and you could tell by all the toasts and stories that their family told, they were truly meant to be together forever.   The stories of how God had molded their lives and brought them together brought tears to my eyes.  A match made in heaven <3

Thank you to Angelina Cox from Shots by Angie for second shooting- I had so much fun with her and hope to work with her again in the future.

Other Vendors you should check out

Venue:  Van Dickson Ranch

Flowers: Allen's Flowers- Prescott

Cake: Sugar and Ice

Wedding Dress: Luvs Bridal

Tuxes: Men's Warehouse

Mallori was awaken by labor pains on the morning of July 31st. I took my time getting there, as I know first time babies can take their sweet time. When I arrived she was just beginning to have to really concentrate to get through the hard contractions. She handled transition like a champ and enjoyed being in the birthing tub. When he finally decided to come, he flew out!  What a beautiful and emotional moment that was, to watch my little sister become a Mommy for the very first time!  I hope you enjoy watching this recap of that beautiful day. Scroll down to see a few more photos as well.  And make sure to leave Mallori and Daniel some well wishes and comments at the bottom. Isn't he just amazing? I can't wait to see him again soon!
 

DaGoshen was a healthy 7 lbs 2 oz,  20 and 3/4 inch long perfect little boy :)
 

This beautiful girl posed for a mentoring session I had back in March.  She was stunning and both Monica and I had fun posing her, thank goodness she was patient with us for a whole 2 hours :)

The Ihrke Family was adventure as are most of my clients- They loved the desert drive and what fun it was to photograph their love of their new addition! We will be getting together again in the near future when their daughter is able to join us for more family photos! I look forward to our next adventure!

We also had a studio session with one month old baby, Jason Ihrke. He was so precious and such a joy!

A special birthday party for a special little girl we know :) I was shooting video for a wedding and had to miss the fun.. so These are some photos Sean snapped while he was there with our kiddos. They obviously had a blast! ​

My sillies at the Maricopa County Fair..... They make my heart smile!

Baby Macilyn was an angel! I'm beginning to really love newborn session. There is nothing sweeter than a cuddly, sleepy newborn :)

My Dad and sister Whitney came down for a few days to pick up a new vehicle and drive it back to Minnesota. We had to take them to the desert and show them some cool scenery and old mines.

In a recent post I blogged this fun Brother/Sister Senior session!

​And also in a recent Wedding Post,  I blogged this fun Beach Wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Austin Porter! Check it out HERE

Chandler and Jarod are the type of siblings and best friends that I hope my children become one day.  They are mature, kind, genuine and most of all.. they have the hearts of servants. I have known them for about 3 years and have seen the way they treat others. They never cease the opportunity to jump in and help someone.  We could use more people like Chandler and Jarod in this world. Chandler is going to school for Nursing and Jaron for Business. Their love of the Lord and His light just shines from with in. God bless you both and I pray you have a wonderful journey through college- may you find new friends that build you up and push you to do the things that even you believe are impossible. 

Congratulations on your graduation- I can't wait to see where the Lord leads you!

Engagement sessions are one of my all time favorite photo sessions! I love capturing love! Maybe it's because I'm a romantic at heart... being in love is one of the best feelings in the world and watching others love bloom and grow brings me much joy.  Sean and I are so excited to be shooting their wedding in Skull Valley this October. The weather should be amazing and the location is absolutely stunning! 

Brandy and Jessie's engagement session in Wickenburg was a blast and I know their wedding day will be even more amazing! 

Enjoy a few of my favs <3

​Not only did I get to spend a whole week on the coast, I was blessed by my mother-in-law watching my children so that my best friend and photography partner could join me for the whole week! So, while we were there for work, my husband and I also got some much needed R&R.

​Two days before the wedding we picked up my friend Angela, who was the Videographer. It was such a pleasure working with her. We had worked together on video in the past, but never as a videographer/photographer team. I definitely look forward to referring her in the future and working with her again.

​​Before the wedding began, we were a little worried about the weather. The rain never came and it worked out perfectly! My favorite part was that we all got to kick off our shoes and enjoy the sand between our toes :)  We really couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day. ​

​Congratulations Austin and Jen- Sean and I wish you many great years together as husband and wife!

Sean and I had fun with the Bailey Family while we were in California this winter.  I love being able to shoot in the trees now and then. It was a little chilly but the sun was shining and the light was lovely! I also had fun testing out a new lens on this session. I was extremely pleased with the outcome. 
 

I can't believe little Gavin, he isn't so little anymore. He was born the year Sean and I got married and now he and our son Colton are best of buddies even though they don't see each other very often.  
 

I love this time of year and can hardly believe Christmas is only 10 days away!  I have a few more families to share and hopefully I'll have time before Christmas to get them all posted.   But I wanted to say, thank you so much for stopping by my blog, even though I have been horrible about keeping up with it. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New year, filled with joy and love. Remember Jesus is the reason for the season!
 

I had the pleasure of capturing the family of another photographer a couple nights ago while she captured photos of my family! We decided to make an evening of it and combine our two sessions! It worked out perfectly and everyone had fun.    I met Angela over breakfast at Cracker Barrel a year and a half ago after meeting through a local FB group for photographers. Angela and I have become great friends, we encourage and inspire each other in more ways than just Photography. She is a woman of great Faith and has an abundance of love in her heart for her beautiful family! Our children even hit it off the other day and I can see them becoming good friends as well. Thankful the Lord brings people like her into my life.  Check out their beautiful family!
 

Here are a few my favorites from this colorful session! 

Isn't she stunning? I can hardly believe these were taken in Buckeye Arizona.  My friend Amy asked a sweet little old lady if we could shoot in the field next to her house.  It was perfect! I mean, who doesn't love sunflowers!? We found a little furry friend and of course we had to include him :)

My friend Chandler assisted me on this session and Athena Mitchell owner at Bella Voi Salon did Kayla's hair! Please go check her salon out on facebook! Thank you Athena! 

I had a couple students with me on this session and although it was a littler different for me in that I was teaching as I went along, I have to say it was so much fun!  We did miss the sunset as we were down in a wash where we found absolutely amazing light and the rocks around the area posed as a perfect GIANT reflector! It was stunning! We were so caught up in the light and the moment that by the time we left the wash to head to the mountains, it was a little late. But instead of being bummed about the sunset we played around with off camera flash and got some neat evening shots anyway.  

I absolutely love shooting maternity. Please, if you know anyone else in their last trimester, consider sending them my way :)  

Thank you Ashley for being awesome, I hope you enjoy :) 

I can hardly begin to describe how awesome Andrea and Ray's wedding day was! First of all,  I got to shoot it with my best friend and my own love, Sean. I never thought I would be his boss, turns out we work pretty good together and I think we'll keep this up.  

Andrea and Ray- wow, these two people are so meant for each other and actually this was the uniting of not two but three!  I am so impressed with how Andrea has taken Ray's daughter as her own. The love they share is something truly special and it shows a great deal.  I am so happy for the three of them and pray they have a long and happy life together.  

The wedding was held at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Tolleson, Arizona and the reception was held at the American Royal Palace in Phoenix.  

I love the yellow colors and little charm in her bouquet of flowers.... 

Ray had written her a love letter ....... well of course he did!  He's the man! 

a beautiful blessing from both her parents.....  

Mila and Bobby made the cutest pair..... 

The church was stunning...... and the ceremony beautifully laid out... 

Andrea's family surprised her with these classic cars for the day! How cool is that?  We drove them over near the stadium to get some shots and walk around Westgate for some couple photos before heading to the reception....  

So many beautiful details....

then it was time to party!  

Congratulations to all three of you! Sean and I could not be happier for such a sweet and loving family! 

Oh my goodness! I shared quite a few pics of this cute little girl on my facebook page but thought I would include some more from her session with her parents and grandpa here.  This little girl definitely kept me on my toes... but what one year old doesn't?  She was curious about the world around her and of course it was a perfect day to explore and roam around as the Arizona heat hadn't gotten to us yet! It was a perfect evening for an outdoor session.  I had a blast capturing these fun moments of Riley and her family :) 

Brittany and Erik were too much fun! The time totally got away from us and we barely had time to do everything. We spent literally less then five minutes on the sparkler shots because they were going to be late for a Christmas party. So, as you can see they are blurry, but none the less....they LOVE their sparkler shots and the sparklers turned out amazing! My new photography partner and my husband Sean was the bomb! He helped with setting up, reflectors and of course running around the amazing couple with the lit up sparklers to get those two shots, and there were ONLY these two shots!

 I wish them both many many years of happiness together.  Don't they say "Couples that ride together, stay together"? You better get a bike too Brittany! Sounds fun to me :)    

Talk about blending families... try blending cultures! Here's a little back story. Mallori has  been living in Haiti off and on for the past few years.  Mallori volunteers at Ruuska Village in Bon Repos, Haiti,  where Barbara Walker runs her orphanage.   Daniel and Mallori met at church during one of her trips a few years ago.   How God brought these two amazing people together is incredible. I wont go into detail, but I have no doubt in my mind that Mallori found someone who Loves the Lord as much as she does, and who is her best friend!   They will do miraculous things for their Savior. They both have a heart for the lost, and I can only imagine that Daniel is as selfless of a person as Mallori.  I am beyond excited for them and their new life together!  

The beautiful Wennberg family came out together for some four generation photos!  Isn't Grandma adorable?  This group of 14 was so much fun.   There was not a cloud in the sky for our Saturday morning session.  When you live in Arizona,  shooting in the sun is something that us photographers better get used to!  It sure made for some bright and vivid colors!  I think this was the biggest family I've photographed other than the families at weddings.  I am really enjoying this nice fall weather we are having.  It's perfect for outdoor sessions :)  

Welcome Little Corbin, you have awesome parents and they are truly blessed with another wonderful gift from above. 

Good luck on your future endeavors and Congratulations on your coming Graduation! 

It was a super hot day, we packed a lunch and drank lots of water! After messing around in the mud for awhile I took the kids for a hike and let them climb some small mountains. Needless to say, they all slept the whole way home! 

Just wanted to share again some photos of my own family.  They are my pride and joy and I love to see them having fun and getting messy :) 

Thanks to http://www.obsidiandawn.com for the cool Fairy PS brushes! 

I have so many fun photos from the trip but today I just want to highlight and celebrate this awesome man in our life.  Sean is my rock, my better half, my soul mate and my best friend. I am beyond honored and ecstatic to be married to this man that God hand picked to be the father of our children! I am so grateful that he is always there to pick up my slack.  I don't claim to be a great mom but I appreciate the love and support and balance that Sean and I have when parenting together. He is strong when I am weak, he is calm and sweet when I am not!  I do most of the book work with our children when homeschooling but Sean, he is the amazing life skills instructor.  He coaches them in everything they pursue, he guides them to make wise decisions and answers their millions of questions... even the annoying ones!  We love you Sean and hope your Father's Day was one to remember! Thank you for being YOU! 

 Newport Pier,  Father's Day morning.   Cousin Gavin (the boy in white) got to spend the night and half of Sunday with us. We only get to see him a couple times a year but he and Colton have always been good buddies. 

Carley made a cute little home for the crab they found.....

My family and I went to church services and since the mare wasn't waxing up or leaking milk 

we decided that we might have time to go out to lunch and grab some feed at the local Tractor Supply. 

To our surprise when we drove in the yard; there she was was!  

Beautiful and not only a filly but a black and white filly just like her 6 year old sister Sierra Sunspot! 

I love to be present when foals are born but there is something nice about showing up late to see a healthy

foal standing up and nursing on it's own! No stress and no work! 

First thing my husband said when we drove in the yard was "Well, Happy Mothers Day honey!"  

I snapped a few photos of her and our daughter Carley at around 24 hours old. Isn't she just the sweetest? 

If a cute name comes to mind when you scroll her photos.. please post here in my comments section on the blog! 

I"m really bad at names! But I want something with "Sunspot" at the end like her sire.  Her sister was born in the Sierra Nevada Mountains (hence the name) This filly was born in the  Sonoran Desert just West of Pheonix.   Maybe that helps :)  Looking forward to reading some ideas! 

Here are a couple of my favorites of my daughter Carley with her Auntie Jessica.  

Carley LOVED having her Auntie with us for a month this sprint. We can't wait until she comes back! 

Here it is April 1st already!  Where did winter go? At least with summer just around the corner it's the perfect time for some gorgeous spring photo sessions! Hannah is one of the most pretty pregnant women I've ever seen! She is due to have her second son in twelve days from the date of this session.  The lighting was incredible and we had so much fun! After doing a few poses in her beautiful backyard we decided to head about 10 minutes away to some more pretty evening sun.  It was shining nicely over the mountains on the cactus and desert floor which made for some beautiful rim light on her long curly hair.  

It was a nice cool evening to try out this new location. I just LOVE the grass and palm trees!  I am sure I will be returning to this location in the near future! 

We found a nice location that was perfect for their country look, with rustic gates, mountains and even some golden wheat looking grass.

I will definitely be going back to that area since it has so many options and places to go.  Obviously it's a hot spot; we ran into at least 5 other photographers.  Was nice to see so many friendly people sharing the same place :)  Although, I think my models were the BEST! They seriously made my job so easy, I mean look at them!!!

They had the sweetest smiles and were such a joy and to top it off  the weather was gorgeous!

Thanks to the awesome weather we had such a fun evening taking photos and exploring a couple different locations.   We found an area with greenery! If it wasn't for the the second set of photos you never would have known we were in the desert! But I am really liking their bright colors with the rustic rocks and cactus! And aren't those kiddos adorable!?