Evan was fun, up for anything, he was even a good sport while being eaten alive by mosquitos and sweating to death on the river.  He likes hanging out with friends and is passionate about baseball, it is his thing, he plays on a traveling team and hopes to play in college.  Have a great senior year!!

I can’t believe I have two kiddos in “real” school now.  Taylor is in second grade and Hailey started kindergarten, they are growing up way too fast.  I was a mess when Taylor went to kindergarten so I was a little bit nervous.  I was doing well this morning until during the prayer at breakfast,  Hailey said, “please bless us that we can be on time to school, and have a great time, and that mommy won’t cry.”  We haven’t even talked about me crying when she went to kindergarten, I was trying to keep everything positive, but she knows me too well.   After she was done, opened her eyes and unfolded her little arms she saw that I was teary and asked why?  Chris said in a joking voice, ” mom wants you to stop growing and stay home with her forever.”  Hailey informed us that the only way we could keep them from growing was to sit on them and I had Ty at home still so I should be happy.  Thankfully I got it together quickly and to my surprise was totally fine when I said goodbye to her at school.  I’m sure it helped that we didn’t really have a chance to get emotional at school, it was so crazy!!! Her class was up against the wall at the front of the school by the door, so there were older kids trying to get through as well as the kindergarten parents trying to get pics.  I managed to get a couple of pics of her friends standing behind her, she is so excited to have a few familiar faces in her class.  Kindergarten is the worst for me, up until that time in their little lives I had control of who they played with and for the most part what they were exposed to, once they get into big kid school, it’s up in the air but…..I am thrilled to watch her grow, learn, experience new things and make new friends.  Chris called and said that Taylor buzzed right into school, chatting with her friends without any problem.

We took the above pics in the front this morning and rocked the sunflare with no time to spare.  Ty insisted on making his favorite breakfast for the girls, german pancakes.

I love this first shot, these sisters totally worked it, and look like they belong on an Abercrombie ad.  This family shoot didn’t go as planned.  I had been so lucky and avoided all of the downpours last week and was feeling pretty proud.  I jinxed myself right at the beginning of the shoot, “oh, don’t worry the clouds will pass, I haven’t ever been caught in a storm”, these were the famous last words.  We got through the family shoot, and were almost done, just about to photograph the girls and then it started, there was no escaping it, crazy wind, rain and lightening.  The mom was prepared, and had a huge umbrella, so we squished next to a big boulder in the rims and tried to keep the girls dry, if only the storm would have been a few minutes less we would have made it, could have pulled it off, but instead,  I was soaked, I mean wet dog soaked, the rain had splashed the mud up onto our legs and everywhere else, needless to say after being huddled and not looking our best we decided a reshoot was required to finish up the teen sisters.  I am so glad that we got together again, the girls were fresh and happy, delighted to work it and have some fun.  I love the shots that we got that day!  Thanks girls!

This girl is drop dead gorgeous and just as beautiful on the inside, I know it’s cliche, but really, she was so sweet. This shoot was almost called off due to the scary storms, they were at the salon getting hair and makeup done and it was pouring just an hour before the shoot.  When I talked to her stepmom, there was major hesitation, then we decided to just go for it.  Luckily, it only rained on us during one part of the shoot, otherwise we escaped and took advantage of the amazing sky, a huge silver lining.  I’m so glad that we did, Kassidy looks fantastic.  She is a great girl, she plays softball at West High and is on an award winning traveling team.  I have no doubt you have a fabulous life ahead, thanks for the fun evening!

“Summer Afternoon – to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the english language” – Henry James

I can’t believe that summer is almost over!  I am so sad that the kids are going back to school, I think that the last week of summer must be the best week in a kid’s life, moms are going crazy trying to fit in everything fun that they missed and hoped to do in the schedule free months, it just goes by way too quickly.

I have had so many requests for another round of mini sessions while it still looks summery out there, before the weather is chilly and the leaves are blowing.  The big request has been for the “fall mini package” for those that like the sun kissed look on their holiday cards, it includes 50 custom 5×7 press printed holiday cards, 1- 8×10 and 2 5×7’s, but for the people I know that would like to take advantage of the summer mini to document a certain age and then do a fall session later with the family and get their cards at that time, we can do a substitution and work that as well.  I am taking a limited number of last chance summer minis so please contact me asap if you would like to get in on the fun.

the hot date:  Labor day, Monday, Sept 6. Location: top secret

I am also booking for fall photo sessions right now, hurry, hurry to get on the list!

Jordan is an avid skateboarder and snowboarder, I love that my seniors this year are into such different things, keeps me on my toes!  I have photographed Jordan before, so it was a blast to make this shoot all about him, he was so fun and patient, doing all of his tricks over and over until we got the perfect shot.  Thanks Jordan!

I went a little crazy with this post but I couldn’t help it!  I tried to narrow down the pics but there were so many fun ones I had to share more than usual.  This is the second part of that gorgeous wedding in Flathead that I gave you a preview of earlier.  Trevor and Kelsey were great and the wedding party hilarious.  There is always a little stress on the big day, this one was the case of the missing bride’s shoes.  Once we realized they were lost forever, never to be found again, everyone adjusted and the rest of the day went perfectly.  Kelsey used to be a wedding planner for Gainan’s so of course every detail was accounted for, from the lavender sachets to the custom tree seedlings to give the guests as favors, she did an amazing job.  Jim and his team traveled  from Gainan’s to the festivities and once again did fabulous work!  This wedding had an extra perk for me, my best friend Kim, who is a fab photographer, happened to be visiting her family in area, and generously offered to second shoot.  It was so great to have her there helping me capture this special day!  Thanks Kim xoxoxo!!!

The ceremony took place at their family’s cabin on Flathead lake, it was beyond beautiful.  The guests started with cocktails under white tents and then were seated for the ceremony.  The wedding party looked amazing, only to be joined by the glowing bride on the platform built on the lake.  Vows were made, rings and kisses exchanged and then it was time to party.  The wedding party traveled to the reception across the lake via boat, where they enjoyed a toast and some downtime before the “real” party started.  When the arrived at the dock the eager guests were waiting for them, the wedding party did a choreographed  dance to, “tonight’s gonna be a good night” while Kelsey and Trevor boogied on by and up the ramp with their guests throwing lavender on them as they passed.  The reception venue was beautiful, dinner scrumptious and the toasts emotional.  After the dinner and toasts, everyone sauntered up to the rooftop over looking the lake for dancing.  “Austin Martin and the Dudes of Plenty” were an entertaining band that kept everyone dancing and having fun.  So enjoy the overwhelming visual amount of wedding bliss.  I love the last pic of Grandma with her feet up at the very end of the post.  Looks like a good idea to me.

Amanda was adorable and so fun!  She did everything I asked, and I mean everything, including holding a chicken.  We ran into a chicken coop during the shoot with a very friendly owner who happily let us hold the unique chickens.  I love Montana! I grew up in LA, so shooting a senior with a chicken is beyond anything I could have conjured up,  it was so random and quirky.  I doubt the chicken pic will be the 24×36 canvas hung on their wall for generations but it was fun and offbeat.  I’m sure none of her friends will have a black and white chicken that totally works with the dress in their senior repertoire.  Thanks Amanda for being so fabulous and going with the flow, you were a blast.

Amanda plays golf for Senior High and inspired me to get my girls started.  We also took a shot with her cute boyfriend, since she was included in his senior pics last year.

Of course I fell in love with Ty right away since he has the same name as my little guy!  Ty was great to work with, so fun and willing to do whatever I asked.   I honestly have the best seniors this year, from my senior reps to all of the great seniors I have met in the last few months, they are all fabulous kids, and sooo good looking.  I mean really, I don’t think the girls were this gorgeous and the guys this cute when I was in high school!  If you know of anyone that is wanting a senior shoot, have them contact me asap to get in on the last few spots.

This was an adorable family, the parents are rock stars! 4 kiddos under the age of 5! I was in awe of how relaxed mom was.  I love incorporating things that are important to the family, this vintage baby carriage was the grandmother’s and the gorgeous white blanket was the blanket that mom was blessed in and that little miss would be blessed in a few days later.  Congrats on the cuddly new addition!