If you don’t know what this project is about, CLICK HERE to find out!  Otherwise, keep reading, enjoy the images and remember to click the link at the end of the post to continue to the next blog!  It’s a big ol’ circle of awesomeness.

Think back to when you were a little kid.  Really little.  Do you remember how you felt when you got a fancy new outfit for a big event?  Do you remember spinning around and around until you were so dizzy the entire room spun circles once you stopped; all because that new skirt was so perfectly twirly?  I was always a shoe girl.  The memories are fading a bit, but I still remember the ride to the shoe store as a little kid.  I was always on my best behavior because there was NO way I was going to risk the possibility of leaving that store without a new pair of fancy dress shoes.  I loved the smell of the shoe store: new leather and cardboard.  I would suffer the pinching and scraping of an ill-fitting pair if they were beautiful.  I’d smile and nod and tell my mom they were just perfect.  Today, I let my little girls try on the dress clothes they’ll be wearing to an event this weekend.  Their eyes lit up.  There were smiles.  There was much twirling.  There was tap dancing across the floor in brand new Mary Janes.  I wish I still got excited over something so small.  Like dandelions.  Weeds.  Pests.  Things that need to be pulled and destroyed.  To my girls though, they may as well be roses.  They pick them by the handful and when they wilt and bend over the side of the Mason jar, they pick me more.  They love the sunny yellow petals and are so proud when they bring new a new bunch.  Today, I looked at one very closely.  You know what?  Those dang weeds are actually beautiful when you look at the little details that are so easily overlooked.

Now, please keep clicking through our circle and visit Jen Reif Photography!  She’s pretty amazing.

Last Saturday was an amazing day.  We had something called, S-U-N.  Have you heard of it!?  All kidding aside, after weeks of awful, rainy weather, our Saturday session was bathed in glorious sunshine!  I was blessed to have another local photographer with me, Dawn of Fly a Kite Photography.  She’s the sweetest and most adorable person.  LOVE her!  Loved this couple too.  They were so fun and quirky and up for anything.  I absolutely live for shooting couples who aren’t afraid to get silly, weird or romantic!

Okay, so I know I always gush on and on about how incredibly awesome my couples are, but I swear to you, I get the BEST couples ever.  I’m sure you already know what I’m going to say about these two, but here it is anyway.  As you scroll through images, do you see what I see?  Because I see happiness.  And isn’t that what this is all about?  Finding that one person who will share the happiness with you for the rest of your lives together…  After weeks of solid rain, we were blessed with a sunny, 70* day for their session.  I’m taking that as a sign of a sunny, happy future for these two beautiful people.  Now, on to what you came here for:

If you don’t know what this project is about, CLICK HERE to find out!  Otherwise, keep reading, enjoy the images and remember to click the link at the end of the post to continue to the next blog!  It’s a big ol’ circle of awesomeness.

We took our first actual family vacation last week; the kind that includes FLYING!  It was glorious.  My children are incredible travelers.  In fact, I believe I may have whined more than them.  Hey, mama needs her Starbucks when flying at 6am, okay?  Things get all cranky up in this place.  My girls loved everything about traveling.  It was amazing seeing things from their perspectives: the tall ceilings in the airport, the moving sidewalks, the extreme turbulence on our flight that induced giggles.  All things I don’t notice (or really, really hate about flying).  We began the week in Palm Springs with family and ended at the Happiest Place on Earth.  I won’t lie, I teared up seeing the absolute joy on my children’s faces.  It was amazing.  It’s late and I’m full of emotion as I look through these photos again!  I’ll end now, but I have to tell you that I, the photographer, left her camera at HOME for this trip.  That’s right.  I did.  Each of these images were shot with my iPhone 4, with the exception of the underwater shot!  Please don’t go taking your iPhone for a swim, mkay?  You won’t get any ‘purdy underwater shots with it.  At least, I don’t think so?  I’ll let YOU test that one out and report back to me (btw, not responsible for damages to any iPhones submerged in the name of getting underwater pics)

**Disclaimer #1, all shot with my iPhone 4.

***Disclaimer #2, all pics by me with exception of the 3 pics with me in them.  The husband gave me the what-for over not crediting his mad snap-shot skills in this post. SO, photo credit:  Mr Amber Anderson for any pic of me with the girls, with ONE exception   Photo credit: random Disneyland stranger for the cheesiest pic of all four of us in front of the castle.  There ya go.  All nice and legal-like.

It’s not vacation without swimming.  A LOT of swimming.  I think pool time made up about 98% of our days.  I have fish-children.

This Teacup photo solidifies for me again why my husband and I are MFEO (<if you don’t know what that means, you’re old. HA!)  #1, the thought of turning to look behind me makes me dizzy.  Amber + teacups = NO GO.  He was happy to take the girls on the one ride they chattered on and on about for MONTHS.  #2, as they were led onto the ride platform, I focused my energy into this thought: “DUDE, pick the purple teacup in the LIGHT, man!  Purple teacup! Purple teacup!  PURPLE TEACUP!!”  People were looking at me like I was insane, I may have said it aloud?  …   Regardless, he led the girls to the one purple teacup that was gloriously bathed in a natural spotlight and I quickly got into position and fired off a shot before they started spinning.  I love that man.

Now please, click along and enjoy the beauty of all the other photographers in this circle!  Next up, Anelle Richardson!  She’s superwoman.  No lie.

You know what I love more than anything?  I love watching a kid be a kid.  I don’t know if it’s because it makes me feel like a kid again myself or because I’m now a mother and realize how incredible kids are?  I don’t think the why’s really matter though.  Seeing the world through a child’s eyes, even if it’s just for a minute, reminds me to take time to enjoy the small things.  The pride of catching sweet air while jumping on their bed, the explosion of giggles over silly knock-knock jokes, the way a little girl actually feels like a real ballerina with a few twirls across the living room floor…it’s all quite magical.  Lifestyle sessions are very special to me.  I’m invited in as a guest and get the opportunity to capture a little of that childhood magic through my lens.  I get to play, be silly and make new little friends.  I feel very blessed to have been a part of this family’s day.  These kiddos are full of energy and life and MANY giggles!  Their parents must be very proud of these three.

I love how tiny he looks on that bed.  What this sweet, little dude lacks in size right now, he definitely makes up for in personality.  If he stopped smiling and laughing, it wasn’t for very long!

I asked if he knew how to be serious.  He thought for about…3 seconds, then he broke out into giggles.  And really, when you have a smile that can light an entire room, why be serious?  It’s WAY overrated anyway.

Every once in awhile, big sis would go quiet and serious.  I really wondered what she was thinking about?  Each time though, the silence was abruptly ended with a burst of all-consuming, full-body laughter: you know, the kind where you have NO idea what the heck is so funny, but you’re too caught up in the moment to care why you’re laughing along!

Little sister.  She really is the perfect addition to this amazing little family.  She rolled with the craziness, she ignored the chaos, she fit right into the sweet moments, she ate up the affection her bigger siblings poured upon her… yes, the perfect addition, for sure.