celeste, herb, izaiah and idinah: family LOVE.

i remember the first time i met celeste. she is one of the owners of an amazing hair salon that a couple of my best friends work at. the first thing i noticed about her was that she was always laughing. it is one of those infectious laughs where you can't help but smile and feel at ease around her. she has a genuine spirit and she just radiates positivity. i met herb awhile later and remember imagining that the balance they struck together was perfect. he is one of the most laid back people i've ever met, but funny and full of life and energy too. at one of my friend's weddings people actually asked if he was hired to be the entertainer because he got everyone out on the dance floor. i've always been impressed by their charisma and love and had heard through the grapevine that they make some of the cutest kids ever but i'd never really met either of them. i can truly say it was such a pleasure. izaiah is this warm hearted sweet wise little man with an innocent imagination and such a fun spirit. idinah is a bright beautiful bundle of energy who feels so safe and free to be exactly who she is. i love that both celeste and herb really LIKE their kids. they laugh with them and enjoy their company and hold them with tender emotion. they have fun together and they shine as a family. and as one of our mutual friends would say, "...and it all just fits together like cake."

meet isaiah, he's perfect.

& idinah! she's perfect too.

and the people who made it all happen... :) & one of the best couples i've ever known. 

thanks for hanging out in front of my camera :) you guys are the best.

kelly & jackson: a mama and her boy.

i was so excited when i was contacted to do this shoot. the grandmother of a cute little boy named jackson and mother of a beautiful bright girl named kelly emailed me saying that for mother's day she wanted to give her daughter the gift of a photo session with her son. "she takes lots of pictures, but she's never in any of them." i can totally relate to that feeling, realizing how fast your baby is growing and knowing that although you spend almost all of your waking hours with this little person you're in love with, there are hardly any photos of you two together in the same frame. i was so happy to meet this beautiful little family, and grandma too :) jackson was hands-down the happiest baby i've ever met. expressive, SMILEY, and the love between all of them was just palpable.

this face cracks me up.

love this.

daddy jumped in for a couple & livened things up a bit...

how cute is their little family?!

& grandma!

he is SO precious!

it was so wonderful meeting all of you! i hope i get to see that sweet little smile again :)

abigail: senior session.

when we moved to to fauquier over 10 years ago (wow, that makes me feel old) abby was one of the first people i met. she was a bright eyed, red haired little kid and she was almost exactly my younger sister's age. she was also our neighbor. her and my sister became fast friends and have stayed that way over the years. their family has also become like family to us, never hesitating to lend a helping hand WHENEVER we've needed anything. and the kids were no exception to that rule... whether we were moving, spring cleaning, when i had zoe, they were there with a hot meal and always to help - smiling the whole time. that's how i'll always remember their sweet family and i can't believe abby is graduating from high school. it's been awesome watching her evolve from a child into a woman - an amazing artist, a kind hearted person, and a good friend.

i love how the cow is sticking his tongue out at me.

congratulations abby, i wish you nothing but the best!