Samson Christopher | Newborn

Meet Samson Christopher! This little newborn is seriously one of the most chill babies I've ever known. Sure, all newborns love their beauty sleep, but this little guy seriously wouldn't wake up -- except for the occasional yawn. Not even when we put him in a pumpkin did he bother to let out a squeal of protest. He just snuggled up against the cold and wet rind of the pumpkin and hunkered down in continuation of his nap. Made my job easy! That, and the fact that he is so gosh-darn cute. 

Stephanie | Bridal

I'm not partial or anything, but I'm pretty sure Stephanie makes one of the prettiest brides. Full disclosure, she is my sister. But even so. She recently married her husband, Erik, at the Williamsburg Winery on a cold and rainy day. It was so memorable because she still held the ceremony outside, with all of the guests' umbrellas open in their seats. We then moved inside and enjoyed a rustic reception, full of burlap, lace and flickering candles. Now all three of us sisters are loving wedded bliss! It's fun to have her join the married club. 

I hope you enjoy a few of her bridal portraits, below. Since I was one of two Matrons of Honor in the actual wedding, I didn't snap a single picture on the big day -- just sat back and enjoyed my little sis getting hitched! 

I have to say, this one is my favorite.

Austin & Lillian | Wedding

I loved everything about this wedding. The hot pink high heels, the amazing wedding cake and cupcakes provided by my friend Sarah, and especially the bride and groom -- two very dear friends of mine! Lillian is beautiful inside-and-out, and Austin is one of the most genuine people I've ever known. They're a perfect match and I can't wait to see what is in store for them as a married couple! Looking forward to years of friendship ahead.  

Praying for a lifetime of wedded bliss for these two!

Sandbox or Ricebox?

At the beginning of the summer, I decided to get Nora a sandbox. I wanted her to have something fun to play with outside. I imagined countless hours of fun in the sun... But it was not to be. Mostly because I found out that Nora does not particularly like anything on her feet. It's no wonder, as she asks to wear her shoes at every hour of the day -- even wanting to sleep with them on in her crib, to which I draw the line. In this, she is not her mama's daughter.

But before I filled the sandbox, I did some research and found a lot of people advocating for rice instead of sand. Something about inhaling the tiny particles of sand, and also that it is easier to clean off of a body than sand... I had no reason to doubt their expertise. So, I went out and bought a big bag of rice (cheap rice, at least).

It really was nice that it didn't stick to sweaty arms and legs the same way sand does. And I actually loved it... for all of two weeks.

Then, one day, when I pulled off the lid, I was met with a foul-smell and quickly discovered that the rice had somehow gotten wet and was rotting. A few days before, we'd had a big storm that seemed to send the rain sideways, and I'm pretty sure that's how the rice got wet. And I quickly saw why sand beats out everything else any day of the week. I'm only writing this because some of you may have seen those great ideas on Pinterest of riceboxes (like me), but unless you figure out a way to keep it sealed air tight, don't waste your time or money.

As you can imagine, I had to scoop out the rice and clean the box all up. Thankfully, Nora was content to play in the dirt beside me. It is now full of sand, and she still does not like to get inside. She finds other ways of playing with it -- like carrying handfuls over to the water table. Not quite what I'd envisioned, but if she's happy, then I am too.

         

I'm noticing how terrible the quality of these phone pics are. Gross. 

Derek & Linda | Maternity

Oh, I had the best time with these two! Linda positively glowed with joy and Derek was surprisingly willing to ham it up for the camera. In fact, he directed us around more often than not, looking for places he wanted to take pictures at in DC. I loved it! And every time I told them to "give a good fake laugh for the camera"they were such good sports and, sure enough, the awkwardness turned to genuine amusement. I love it when it works out that way! I tell you, with every shoot that I do, I love more and more the opportunity to catch those sweet moments and freeze them in time to be remembered forever. Priceless. 

And since taking these pictures, Linda and Derek have had a beautiful baby girl. She is a lucky little girl to have such fun-loving parents. Hope you enjoy the pics!