Yearly Archives: 2013

It was the perfect day!  It was sunny and beautiful with just the hint of fall in the air all day long!  I picked up Elizabeth at her house and we headed down to Sandbridge with the perfect spot in mind.

The two of us had just photographed a wedding together not too long before where we saw the most amazing piece of driftwood just positioned perfectly in the dunes!  Unfortunately the day of that wedding the weather didn’t cooperate for us well enough to use it then, but this day was perfection and that spot was calling our name!

The clouds were rolling in as we walked out onto the sand and it was perfectly quiet and calm!

I know I’ve said it like a million times before but I’ve known Elizabeth for a long time now!  She has become one of my very best friends and as each month goes by I feel we get closer and closer.  I felt honored and touched that she asked me to stand beside her on her wedding day; and I was the one that was so over joyed for her and RJ that I was spouting a wealth of tears from the second she walked down the aisle!  I wasn’t the only one either… so at least I was in good company!

Elizabeth is stunning and she is breath-taking!  She is extremely genuine and good natured and her beauty comes from the inside out! She’s the kind of person that will show up at 530 am on week day when your fire alarm is going off because of a faulty wire, go to work and then have her new hubby show up after his shift at the fire station to fix it for you!

It’s rare these days to meet someone who really embodies compassion and a beautiful heart so much on the inside that it can’t help but shine on the outside, especially when Elizabeth smiles!  She has the BEST smile!  And I’ve never seen a more beautiful bride than Elizabeth on her wedding day… a second runner up would be when we did these bridals!

Elizabeth had about 10 minutes to get ready and hardly a stitch of make up on and still she’s amazing!

Here are some of my favorites from our shoot!  There’s nothing better than a gorgeous girl in an incredible dress on the beach with sand in her toes!

One of my most favorite shots of the day! I love when she’s just herself… goofy and silly!

Beautiful girl… amazing driftwood!

If you couldn’t already tell, she used to be quite the dancer! You get it girl!

” We’re all a little weird.  And life is a little weird.  And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into a mutually satisfying weirdness-and call it love-true love.”  –Robert Fulghum, True Love

We met on that cold weekend!  You know the one, that first cold weekend we had where we all had to break out the hats and gloves and we silently groaned a bit (come on you know you did!)  We had planned to do so many different little things for our session but as sessions usually go (and the weather) it was just too darn cold!

But I have to admit…I kind of like it when it happens that way because then sessions tend to unfold how they should.  They are left open to truly represent the family and I think that is EXACTLY what happened for our family session with J and K and K on that cold Saturday afternoon!

Sometimes you just meet people that are truly 100 percent comfortable with who they are and where they are and whatever turns life may take them on.  Kat is that way and so is Jason!  They are so completely comfortable with their lives and their love for one another and for K that they have created a family bond that is truly incredible!  Their love is goofy and silly!  It is laughter and tickle fights mixed in with a little rock and a little laid back surfing!  It’s that kind of love that is unconditional in every way possible… because it comfortable and weird and amazing!  True love just embraces and accepts with open arms and loving smile!

This is a family where anyone who enters their home and stays for a while will be considered family!  After spending just a half hour with them you feel like you’ve known them for years and you too feel comfortable and warm at heart!

They embrace their weirdness… flaunt it and love it!  They embrace everyone with that kind of love that blows you away a little bit.

Here are some of my favorites from our time together… from bike rides to posing for their band cover 😉  Even to running from the law (and I think the law’s name might have been K).  We even made a pit stop to re-fuel at their favorite spot!

Thank you guys for opening up your home to me!  I had a blast spending time with you!  I laughed during the session and I couldn’t stop smiling while I was working on these at home!  You warmed my heart and  I hope you enjoy these!

xo

 

Yesterday was a day to be extremely thankful!  We watched the parade together as a family, we ate a LOT of delicious food, we sat around and laughed with family and marveled at the changes in our little man from last year to this year (baby to little boy!)

This was our third year hosting Thanksgiving at the Tucker house.  Our first year was quite the little to do~  I was pregnant, actually had just found out at the beginning of the month.  I was pretty blessed in my pregnancy to not have any morning sickness except on one day out of the entire 9 months!  That one day being Thanksgiving… of ALL days.  We decided to cook two turkey’s that year… fry one and bake one.  Let me just tell you, the smell of that turkey cooking in the oven was making me soo incredibly sick that despite the cold all I wanted to do was live and breathe outdoors!  I didn’t eat any food that year and we swore from that moment on; no more turkey’s in the oven…EVER!  At least in our home!

This year, I think my family was pretty proud of me, at least my husband should have been!  I love to host and while I love having people over to our house I can become an anxious, stress ridden hostess!  It’s not really fun for those closest to me (sorry hubs!)  This year however… I was really relaxed and I actually enjoyed the day!  I didn’t worry about the food or how clean our house was!  I guess having a toddler is helping me let go.

Look at that… maybe I AM learning to give in and bend a bit.  Maybe more so than I thought from my post on Weds!

I think I’m truly coming around now that we have our crazy little man to realize the beauty of all that this day has to bring.  I cooked (and thankfully so did my family!)  They shared the burden of the day almost to the point of cooking the majority of the dishes!  Tuck cleaned, I cooked and prepped in the morning with the helped of my mini little chef; and then the three of us sat on the floor and enjoyed the parade while Linc waved at the floats and danced to all the music.

Our family came over after nap time and thats when all the wonderful eating began!  Little man looked super dapper in his Thanksgiving outfit and he was the best little boy!

We had a wonderful dinner with wonderful conversation, even though little man’s table manners weren’t quite up to par with his feet sneaking up to the table top every now and then for our entertainment (or so he thought).

As we sat eating… I was reminded at how lucky I am to have such an amazing family that lives so close by.  I don’t take advantage of seeing them quite often enough.  Sometimes living just down the road means that our days get filled with the daily tasks of errands and jobs that I don’t just pop over like I often wish I would do.

As I sat at dinner last night, I hoped that maybe in this new year and new season I will do that more often!

Here are some photos of our little dapper dude… Tuck thought we should dub him Henrich for the evening… since he looked like he belonged in the sound of music!

That hair by the way… styled completely by the napping process!  I”m so thankful that this crazy little boy will tolerate me and my camera.  He will smile for me and pose for me and even sometimes ham it all the way up and appease me by giving me his “fabio” look or his “super toothy smile!”

I’m also thankful for Tuck!  He’s our glue around this house and I’m not ashamed to admit that he holds us all together and keeps us from fraying at all the wrong ends.  He’s amazing and he does so much for us each day.  We aren’t one of those couples that are very public about our relationship.  You won’t find us on facebook doting about our spouses did this or that.  Tuck and I aren’t quite the romantic couple, ours is more giggles and snorts and laughter!  Tuck shows his love and appreciation for us every day by his actions and all that he does to take care of us!  It’s the small and subtle things that make such a huge difference and he does them without a second thought!  It might not be flowers, and chocolates and bubble baths over here but it is a love that is amazing and sweet and one that will last!

Tuck’s getting ready to head out for a few days in preparation for a longer working deployment and we are surely going to miss him around here.. even if this time is only a few simple days!  Little man had to soak up some kisses and we are soaking up as much as we can!

He’s got the best kissing little face right now and although he’s picky about when and where… when he does it’s love fest!

Peek a boo game break!  He’s so funny, he knows he is supposed to cover his eyes but he’s such the little comedian he likes to cover his ears instead!  Anything for a giggle!

Last but not least, I had to try and get in to one shot with my boy.  Since I’m home with him the most he’s not one for hanging with momma on the days we have company, company he knows anyway.  If he’s unsure of his situation… it’s ALL mama!  I’ve come to terms with the fact that anytime daddy is home though,, I’m old news and it’s see ya later mama, hence the fact that little man is trying desperately to run away from me and into his daddy’s arms!  The plight of the mom… always there for cuddling when the baby needs but when the mama wants a hug or a kiss its just plain embarrassing! 🙂

Hope your family had a wonderful thanksgiving and that your weekend is filled with nothing but relaxing warmth and holiday cheer!

This week on the blog:  a super rad rocker family session, a gorgeous bridal session, and the tools that helped me this year jump start my business into a legit level where I felt I could truly call myself a professional!

Enjoy your weekend everyone!