Home Sweet Home

New home...new look!

Jessica {Class of 2011}

I had such a great time hanging out with Jessica last evening. This is the third time I've been able to work with her, but this time it was all about her as we celebrated her Senior year!! Whooo-hoooo! Between her busy schedule (volleyball, planning an awesome murder-mystery themed homecoming dance, mathletes....} and my upcoming move I was beyond thrilled when there was actually a date that worked for both of us to link up. I would have been so bummed to not be the one to get her a rockin' yearbook pic!

We hit the Harvey House in Barstow as the main location for her Senior Portraits. {and met some cute little dogs ... one makes a cameo appearance in one the pics going in her gallery hehehe} There was also a funky purply-pink building I'd been eyeing for some photos that we took advantage of ... and of course the Drive-In!

It took me forever today to try to go through and pick out which ones I wanted to use for the sneek peek {obviously! This is a big one!} so now I'm finally getting full-force into the gallery :-) Jessica-hope you love 'em! You were -as always- so great to work with. Have a BLAST this year, and be sure to keep in touch. I can't wait to hear which school you pick {my vote goes for the funky eclectic campus...but you'll do great no matter where you decide to go!} Thanks again!

Carla's two loves {OpLove Photography}

OpLove DOD disclaimer: "The photos and other content of this publication do not constitute or imply any endorsement or recommendation by the Department of Defense."

OpLove sessions are always such special sessions; military families sacrifice so much for our country, and being able to give them some precious moments to hold on to throughout a deployment is truly a honor. They deserve so much more, but it's nice to think in some way you're contributing to making time apart just that little bit more "bearable." This particular OpLove session is especially heartfelt for me as I've had the  pleasure of getting to work with this family several times over the past few years. I first met them when I did their engagement session, and have been able to follow their love story out to D.C. and back, leading up to this - the birth of their first little one, and now a deployment.

I can't lie...I spent a long time surfing the web for the perfect words to accompany this sneak peek. But there aren't any words, in my opinion, that can truly take the emotions of a deployment and make them less raw or any easier to swallow.

Thank you for the sacrafices you are ALL making for this nation. I look forward to getting a carepackage full of photos and cookies out to you, but certainly more look forward to getting the note saying you're home safe and sound. I can't wait to work with you again! Much love to you all, and many congratulations on your completely perfect little man!

Gettin' Carried Away {With the Jeppsons}

wow, the reality didn't hit me until we were back at my house {and I was making waterballons for the girls  hehehe} that this was my last official Ft Irwin family session before I move!! I have a studio OpLove session this week, but then all my sessions after that are off-post....crazy! {sigh....I will miss this door on post...but looking online I've noticed some awesome little parks and murals around my soon-to-be-neighborhood!score!} Anyway....I'm so thrilled I got to meet the Jeppson family before my time in the desert comes to a close. How sweet they are!

I really enjoyed getting to work with you guys...thank you! {and I'm glad we made it through this session without the MPs pulling me over again! whew!} Your gallery will be up soon :-) Hope you love the sneek peek....the last three on here I've added a "watermelon" haze to...I'm lovin' it! Your gallery will have these with and without the haze so I'm excited to get your opinion on which versions you like; I kept clicking back and forth between them trying to decide!

Me n' my Battle Buddies

Every military spouse knows the deal: you PCS to a new post, meet amazing new people, form beautiful friendships, and then before you know it it's time to repeat the process. Sometimes you get each other through deployments, sometimes it's through growing pains in a marriage...sometimes it's finding humor and sanity in being stuck out in the middle of the Mojave desert. Sometimes life throws at you a really crappy series of unfortunete events ... but always- ALWAYS- you know that those friends you've made are there for you. They're your home away from home, your strength, your laughter & tears, the reason that you know that -no matter what - it's all gonna be OK.

I've mentioned before my two great friends, Sandy & Liz...both of whom my hubby & I couldn't have survived the horrors of last year without. We could honestly try for the rest of our lives to find ways to thank them for all they did for us, and I don't think we'd ever find a way great enough. So, needless to say, these two have been my "battle buddies" for the past two years. This week  Liz gets to start an exciting new chapter in her life. She and her cute little pregnant belly got to "kiss the coyote" goodbye...leaving Sandy & I feeling the blues. But before she left I passed the camera to my awesome hubby and had him snap a few silly pics "photobooth" style for us. so...had to share :-)

And speaking of winds of change....yesterday I got the call from the hubby that we'll soon be blowing outta here as well! Very soon, actually! As an Army wife, "Bloom where you are planted" and "Home is where the Army sends you" are two quotes you kinda gotta just live by. Mike and I are excited to be heading back east to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. I've got a lot of blooming to do!! So please stay tuned as I figure everything out...this is gonna be fun!

{At Home} with the Williams Fam!

Saturday AM I got to hit the road and head out to Apple Valley to hang out with this gorgeous family at their new home. It was so fun to have a change of scenary, and I really enjoyed getting to capture them literally feeling "right at home." Princess, their adorable poodle, also got to join in the fun! {and totally cracked me up...what a sweet little bundle of energy!}

I REALLY had a great time getting to know you guys! Thanks so much for the opportunity to work with you! {And oh! That Italian restaurant I was asking about - it's called Mama Carpino's....and it's AWESOME! I recommend it!} Gallery coming soon :-)

The Boyles!

Harry, Amelia & Charlotte got to welcome their new baby sister, Elena, just two weeks ago...and they are just so sweet with her. Mom's little "sausage" slept through all the hubbub of the family portraits and her sibling's photos...and then she decided to tug on every hearstring that I had by waking up and only calming down when she was being held and snuggled. (it was nice to cuddle a newborn again, though! -sigh-so darn sweet! I love newborn sessions) Not even the cozy swaddling made her feel better...but wait! Ah, yes...the thumb! As soon as she found that, she was happy :-)

Mom had a sweet little nursery rhyme she sang (that's the first part I wrote above....only imagine it with an awesome British accent...that just made it ten times sweeter to listen to!) that I'm going to have to remember. My second little niece is due in not too long, and I can't wait to sing it to her and her sister when I go see them. (Thanks for sharing that, Julie!)

Congratulations again to this sweet, sweet family!

Live*Laugh*Love {the Wahl family}

Saturday evening I got to spend a refreshing hour with an incredibly laid-back and sweet family. {well, maybe "energetic" is a better suited word to describe Aaron, their oldest boy! hehehe...I love it!} Surprise bonus! About 20 mins before our session their Poppy made a surprise visit, so he got to join in the fun, too!

Wahls-thank you! Hope you enjoy your sneek peek {hope everyone does?! Had fun playing around with this...my blog needs a facelift so trying this out....} Your gallery will be up SOON!

The Miller Family

Wednesday night I hit Jackrabbit Park with the Miller family. After looking for the desert tortoises, playing around, and goofing off with some blow horns we headed out to Bicycle Lake. We'd had some rare desert rain last week, and thankfully there was still some "puddles" out at the dried lakebed...how fun to get some reflections of Tiefort Mountain! That's certainly something you don't see everyday in the middle of the desert! I couldn't resist adding some texture for this shot of them walking ...

Thanks for letting me hang out with you guys...hope you enjoy your sneek peek! Lots more to come in your gallery :-) Hope you have a fantastic Labor Day weekend!

Pickles n' Ice Cream {Ronnie & Jamie}

Whew! Getting a little carried away with this sneek-peek...I just couldn't decide what to share! Some of these images are the original versions, and some I've added a fun little haze to; I'm loving the colors and the romantic and playful feel they add. I think they're perfect for a desert maternity session for a sweet couple expecting a little girl. Hope you agree!

ha! It was fun standing in line at the commissary holding nothing but a jar of pickles and tub of ice cream...I certainly got a few looks, and I think I left one of my neighbors a little perplexed...but I thought incorporating the little cliche' would be a perfect icebreaker for this couple's maternity session, which was a surprise gift for them from the Mommy-to-be's parents...too fun!

I confess: I was a bit nervous about doing a maternity session without getting to talk to the couple first...but after a few minutes of watching them interact, I knew I had nothing to worry about...they seemed right at ease and able to be themselves. {gotta love the belly comparison!}

{I got the idea for this clothesline shot right before the session...I love how it turned out!}

Just after these desert shots were taken a vigilant someone had called the MPs to report us as "suspicious behaviour." I guess me with my camera gear and a cute couple out in the desert-eventhough we weren't anywhere unauthorized-sent someone's red flag up! {I guess working on a military installation it was bound to happen sometime! hehehe}

after this series of shots we started heading out towards Bicycle Lake; we were unaware that we were apparently "wanted for questioning!"  Long story short, we thankfully had two very nice MPs and obviously no issue lettng them know what we were doing....but even after they did an ID check and verified my vehicle they still stayed on to watch the remainder of the outside part of our session...

...so these pics just go to show how completely in love, at ease, and unphased these two were to still just be able to be themselves while an audience of MPs watches on!

Jamie and Ronnie {my partners in crime}

After these we went back to the studio for some more shots...thankfully without any MPs to watch ;-) I'm sure I'll probably post some of those portraits, too..

Jamie & Ronnie....thank you so much for being such a great couple to work with! And for laughing off the MP experience...whew! It was so wonderful to get to know you...congratulations! Safe journeys back home to the east coast...and I hope you'll keep in touch! You'll have to be sure to send pics of your little Taylor come November. I hope you've enjoyed your sneek peek...your gallery is soon to follow :-) I truly hope our paths cross again someday! {maybe at a repeat performance of the WVU-Georgia Sugarbowl? hehehe...sorry, Ronnie...I had to get that in there.}