I adore mini session days. I’m able to see so many of my favorite people all in one day! My summer mini’s this year were very special as I had just had our second daughter Ruth & hadn’t been behind the camera much. Being with these three special families was so uplifting for me & got me all excited & ready for the rest of my 2018 photography season. And our location was a very special & fun one!!! Here’s some of my favorites!!!!
When you’re a mom, you get a front row seat to the best show in town:
watching your kids grow up. – Rebecca
I love that quote from This Is Us. To me it really captures in one sentence motherhood. Course I would also add how I personally can’t do motherhood without the Lord. Or my husband. Or naps. Or…..ok, I think you get the idea 😉
This year’s Mom & Me Mini Sessions was a dream come true. I have envisioned having photography sessions with momma’s & their little’s & big’s in the colorful surroundings of a greenhouse. A friend from church connected me with Anne from Wendell Niepagen Greenhouses & Garden Center. From the very beginning, Anne was so gracious & welcoming when it came to using their grounds for our mini sessions. I felt so at home & so did my momma clients as they were personally greeted by Anne herself. I FIRMLY believe in supporting local businesses & I HIGHLY recommend any gardening needs you have, head to Wendell Niepagen & they will give you all the help & items you need. I just might have to have next year’s Mom & Me Mini’s there 😉
This year’s sessions were very special. I photographed a mom I think of as a friend & it was my 4th or 5th time photographing them (I can’t remember Kymber!). Her precious girls in all their pink just make me smile! Then, a friend I’ve photographed SEVERAL times, brought her baby girl (who I photographed when she was still inside her momma!) & her mother!!! Talk about a treasure- 3 generations of beautiful ladies! And then to make the morning just all around perfect, my friend Amber came with her men & I was able to do a mini maternity session with her just just about 2 weeks before their baby girl was born. My heart was full after this morning happened. I believe your heart will be too as you see these precious images!
Megan & her family is very special to me. We don’t see each other very often or even get to hangout but the Lord connected us about 4 years ago through our mutual love of photography. I think back to that lunch at meeting at Panera & how we are both totally different women & in different phases of life then back then. I was so gung-ho about meeting & connecting with other photographers & growing my business & little did I know the Lord would use our lunch to connect as friends. In the years that have followed, Megan did our newborn pictures with Elizabeth & most recently our maternity pictures with Little Wilcox #2. I in turn have done a family session with her & her in-law family AND now this session that I’m sharing from their youngest’s newborn session after he was a few weeks old. We also exchanged photo session one fall & I just love that I can count on Megan to capture photos I love of our family & I’m SO honored that she in return entrusts me to do that same. I think that is my favorite thing about photography- how it connects people.
Megan & her family have a farm about 45 min from Bloomington-Normal. I loved the weeping willow they have in their yard! Megan has put so much love & charm into their farmhouse & it’s just so inviting & homey! Get ready to melt as you see these images!!!
Sometimes there are families I get to work with where by the end of the session, I feel like I’ve become a part of their family & I felt like that with this foursome. We knew it was going to be a very cold December day when we scheduled their session & so they gladly invited me into their home. I’m SOOO glad they did! I loved their house! Such bright colors & patterns that reflected the brightness of their family’s love & connection. We took many pictures of them smiling at my camera that were portrait style, but I have to say my favorite ones we took were where I got to just sit back, be one of the family & watch them interact & be themselves. You’ll see lots of love & hugs in these photos. And please, if you’re in love with these photos as much as I am, please call me so I can come hangout with your family in your home!
I LOVE this family. Sincerely love them. I love their kids names, each kids personalities, how the Weeks Family does life together & how they love each other. I love how Peter & Lynne have chosen to raise & love their family. My Elizabeth has even been blessed with hand-me-down clothes from their girls! This was my first time doing a session at this fun park & I LOVE how it glowed with color & totally fit their family’s personality. See for yourself as you look through some of my personal favorites!
Kayla & I connected just under 2 years ago when I photographed her brother with his family, Kayla & her family & their parents. Little Gracie was so little! And when Kayla got in touch with me in 2017, it was time to capture the newborn session of Gracie’s coming brother! And here today I’m sharing some of my parents from my time with the Ulrich Family <3 Gunner is just weeks old here & I already good feel the dynamics of the family changing from 3 to fabulous 4. There is such sweetness in these photos! Enjoy friends!
Welcome to the world little guy!!! 
This couple friends, THIS couple! Ah! We have the greatest time together! Or at least I do & they say they do so hopefully they mean it 😉 😉 😉 I had the honor of photographing Robin & Nicole’s engagement pictures (see them here!) & so when Nicole wanted to do another session together I was completely excited to catch-up with them & work with them! Robin is just a goof & super sweet to his wife during pictures so basically I just watch them interact & take pictures! Easiest session ever! We also have an inside joke that if I ever want to be pregnant, I just need to book a session with them because I’m apparently ALWAYS pregnant when I take their pictures hahah!
Robin & Nicole have recently bought & basically completely renovated their entire house. I love that they work together on projects to make their dreams come true. And their dog is just BEAUTIFUL! Here’s some of my favorites from their session!
I know I’ve said it before, but I’m going to say it again 😉 I am SOOO thankful when I get to work with the same client time after time again. Building a relationship through the years is one of my greatest joys as a photographer! Plus, each session with that family just gets better & better because we’ve worked together before & we’re just so relaxed & ready to just hangout & have fun! And that’s what it’s like for me when I get to photograph the Rumley family! And if you know them, you know they’re already a hoot & like to get loud & have fun, so yeah, we just have a great time 😀
I’m sharing some of my favorites from my last session with them! It was a new location for me & they rocked it!!!!!!! Here’s the Rumley Family!!!!
I really LOVE doing Group Family Sessions! I know some photographers don’t prefer them, but to me the more people the better! I love meeting grandparents, aunts, uncles, seeing siblings interact & often seeing parents be all silly with their adult kids & grandkids. Basically, IT’S THE BEST.
The morning we had the Bliese Group Family Session was CHILLY & WINDY & RAINY but we stuck it out! Even running under a pergola from time to time! But we really did have fun! I think you can tell by the expressions in everyone’s faces! And it was super special for me to work with this family since my husband was in the same homeschool activities as the siblings AND I’ve photographed Heidi & Jordan 4 times now!!!! ALWAYS GOOD to see them! Here are a few of my favorites from our time together!
Erin goes to my church & I’ve watched her for the past few years as she’s grown from young girl at church & into a beautiful young woman. When Erin’s mom contacted me about doing Erin’s senior pictures last year I was SUPER excited! Ask anyone who knows Erin & they’ll tell you that she’s got a servant’s heart, enjoys doing all kinds of things & likes to laugh 😉 We laughed a lot during her senior session! Partly because it was FREEZING! But man, the gold in the trees was SO worth it & Erin looked BEAUTIFUL! I wanted to wear her dress myself & LOVED her fun scarf in her second outfit. Here are some of my favorite’s from our time together!
My personal favorite picture! 
She loves to laugh but I love this quiet one of her SO much! 
Oh Erin, I can’t believe you’re graduating THIS May! I’m so excited for you & this new season of life you’re walking into. Never forget what the Lord has done for you & continue to trust in Him. He has your best in mind. Love ya girl!