how it is...

Most of my photography sessions with kids end up with parents exhausted and frustrated. Kids have little or no attention span for getting their pictures taken and the parents - well, the moms - do so much work to make the photo shoot actually happen (baths, clothes, hair, snacks, promises) and then it all seems to go wrong during the actual shoot. I calmly tell parents things like "this happens all the time" and "it only takes one good picture to make it worth it." But mostly I tell them that the greatest thing is to capture the moment - what your family is really like. To find beauty in the imperfections. I love when kids are not smiling or being silly or throwing fits. It's what life is really like and I think that is worth capturing on film forever.

Except with my kids.

I pull out my camera so much that the automatic response is whining and grumpiness. Layla still has moments where she brings out her inner model, but Jack and Isaac are impossible. I still love to capture the imperfect moments. But lately it just seems like there are a lot of them. Can't I get one picture where everyone is smiling and happy?!!

Here is a photo sampling of our Sunday afternoon drive up the canyon. Layla had a fever and a seemingly permanent wedgie (random, but she complained about it multiple times). Jack had a sick stomach, a heel blister, and an attitude. And Isaac just wanted to play with rocks and wear his shoes. In all this chaos, my camera wasn't set right and most of the pictures came out blurry and pixelated. It happens sometimes when I focus all my energy on getting my kids to look at me and smile.

There are a few smiles but overall...this is our life. This is what it's really like.

And I really do love it.


This is Layla about to throw up.

This is Jack forcing a smile after I bribed him with cookies.

Good one of Layla.

Good one of Jack.

Jack's stomach hurts.

It really hurts.

Jack's done.

Jack squeezing Isaac to death.

So cute.

Expressing how he feels.

Seriously, so cute.

The only way I can get my kids to look in the direction of the camera.

Not my best angle but I still love it.