Christmas Smiles

This little sweetie looked ADORABLE in her first Christmas outfit and her smile was the icing on the cake. She was all smiles until her visit with Santa but I don't blame her...funny hat and big beard would scare me too. I hope the family has fond memories of their daughter's first Christmas.

Another beautiful fall day

I had so much fun with this shoot from start to finish. First, the weather was amazing, second the location was beautiful, third the family was so sweet and last but no least, this adorable five month old. He had the sweetest pouty lips and how cute does he look in his little hat?

Dayton Daily News Interview

A couple of weeks ago, I was asked to do an interview for a Dayton Daily News article on tips for taking great holiday photos. Here are the results. One misprint states that the image I provided was my daughter, but is actually a client, not my daughter. Anyways, it is a great article with some great tips. I apologize the font is small but the image is as big as I can make it. The photo I submitted is the toddler with the white hat and denim jacket.

Farewell Session

This session is of a dear friend who will be moving back to her home country in a couple of weeks. It was such an honor to photograph them before the big move. They are such an amazingly beautiful and loving family and we will miss them dearly. I know they have fond memories of their time here and I hope these photos will help to keep the memories fresh. I wish them all the best and hope they visit soon.

Life is to be fortified by many friendships. To love and to be loved is the greatest happiness of existence~Sydney Smith

One little monkey jumping on the bed

So much energy...it makes me tired just watching.

This cutie pie is one!

This family was so sweet and such a pleasure to work with. What a cutie pie!

This little guy is two!

This little guy turned two and his mom warned me that he was busy. She wasn't kidding. He was everywhere...chasing ducks, looking for alligators and throwing leaves. Needless to say, we got lots of "action" shots and I got my workout.

Family Love

This little guy is one! This family was so sweet and the love was obvious. He cuddled up to mom and dad which made for some very adorable shots. I wish them luck on their new adventure.

Fall is Here

Fall is here...or so we thought. This was a very chilly morning, perfect for some fall photos, but I am pretty sure we were wearing shorts the next day. This sweetie was dressed absolutely adorable and daddy was the one who could make her smile.

Apple Picking at Tuken's Orchard

Some other moms and I took the kiddos apple picking for the first time. I had no idea what to expect. I figured the trees would be tall and I would have to do all the picking but they were just baby trees and the kids were able to pick their own apples. They were so proud. Of course us moms had to play "quality control" analysts because the kids would pretty much put any and every rotten apple into their bag. The kids found the animal to be quite amusing especially this little dude. And of course no apple picking session would be complete without sipping some cider, but this wasn't just any cider, it was an apple cider slushie! So appropriate considering the weather was anything but cool.

Taste of the Miami Valley

Being huge fans of festivals and the hubby's spur of the moment idea to run a 5k, we ended up at the Taste of the Miami Valley at Riverscape. The food was super yummy, the weather was beautiful and the hubby did good in the race, considering he had done no training. Had a fantastic time and we will be returning next year. Maybe I will be brave enough to enter the 5k.

Little Sweetie

This beautiful little girl was just about six months old and was such a sweetie. She had the most amazing eyes. She was such a joy to photograph.

Rocks, sticks and dirt

Rocks, sticks and dirt...how could any little boy resist? This little guy was no exception. He did amazingly well considering he hadn't slept much the night before. He took a few diggers in his new shoes but got right up and kept going. What a little tropper!

Urban Shoot

We found this great location in downtown St. Louis where you could easily see the arch from between the building. Some of the others were taken in the park at the base of the Gateway Arch. I LOVED the original cobblestone roads downtown.

Where has the time gone?

It is so hard to believe it has been a year and a half since the love of my life was born. When I look at her, the baby is gone and everyday she does something more grown up. I am anxious to see what she will become but sad that she is growing so fast. I try not to be too busy with "stuff" that I miss all the important little things.

My Other Children

These are my other children, Bruce (a pug and boston terrier mix) and Lola (a french and english bulldog mix). Had them since they were pups and they could not be more polar opposites. One is messy, the other clean, one is rambunctious and the other could quite possibly be the worlds laziest dog. Both snore terribly and Lola wears diapers. What can I say, they are not perfect but we love them dearly.

Children's Discovery Garden

Dayton has the most amazing metroparks and Wegerzyn Gardens has this wonderful Children's Discovery Garden. It has a waterfall, stream and pond, plant specimens from all parts of the country, and tons of educational things for kids. It is really beautiful and one of my favorite places for pictures.

Birthday Boy

This little guy turned one and a little food bribe was all we needed to keep him focused. What a cutie pie.

Butterfly Galoshes

Every girl needs a pair of galoshes but there were hardly any puddles left after nap time.

Little Guy's One Year Photos

This little guy just turned one and was full of smiles and giggles.

Monkey Friend

Monkey just always seems to be hanging around but she doesn't mind because there is way too much excitement...horses, bands, people, and fire trucks.

Grandma and her first Grandbaby

The image of my mother and daughter is so precious to me. Distance keeps us apart so when we are able to get together I don't want to forget a moment.

Finding Treasures at the Lake

Sandcastles and sea shells...oh, the memories of childhood. Fun was had by all. There is nothing better than a family get together, especially when family lives all over the country. Campfires, boardgames and of course the afternoons on the boat, doesn't get much better than that.