7

Happy Birthday Addie. 

I love that you never know where your shoes are.

I love how much you love Slurpees.

I love how you skip around the house clapping for joy.

I love how you talk about your birthday party for 364 days of the year.

I love that you can unbuckle Gwenie from the backseat so I don't have to.

I love how you laugh so hard you almost pee.

I love how you share your bed with Big Son so he doesn't have to sleep alone.

I love how you bolt across the yard like Jackie Joyner Kersey, every time Ruthie comes near.

I love how your nose squinches up when you laugh hard.

I love how you beg for a song and for your back to be scratched every night.

And I love how tender hearted you are.  

You were very, very good at being 6.

I guess I'll let you be seven :)

Summer

We wrapped up summer over here about a month ago.  I was going through our family photos and came across this one.  It made me smile so big. I wish it could be summer a little longer.

I love the bare feet, messy hair, warm late nights, and the huge smiles that summers bring.

Unplugged

My computer has been in the worst mood.
It has been away for a week-getting help.
My home phone is missing...
It has been missing so long, it doesn't beep when we page it or ring when we call it.
My cell phone has no internet access.
We got rid of cable TV last month.
My youngest dropped my iPod in the toilet a few days ago.
I feel like Joan Cleaver.
Minus the cool heels and stylish skirts.

Freckles

This sweet girl was a part of a quick photo shoot I did a few months ago.  

I love her smile, happy eyes, and of course she rocks some of the best freckles ever!

Kaitlin: Class of 2012

Kaitlin is a Texan & a high school senior. When she came into town to visit sunny California and some of her old friends, she & her mom shot me an email to set up a photo shoot.  

I was more than pumped!
I love high school seniors and I love Texas....put them together and I had Kaitlin. 

She was game for whatever I wanted to do-so we jumped right into the fun!  

I knew immediately we had fun times ahead. 

Celia discipled Kaitlin, so of course we wanted her to join in on the fun.

Kaitlin & her first pair of fo' real high heels.  You look amazing Kaitlin!

Kaitlin, you are one gorgeous girl inside and out!  I loved seeing you come out of your shell as time unfolded during the shoot-you rocked it by simply being you.  Hang onto Jesus and the love He has for you that is unmatchable.  My girls always need fabulous Christian high school senior, like you, to look up to :)  I can see why you make your momma & dad so proud!  

I can't wait to see where God brings you for college.  One thing I am sure, the prayers of your family will go before and behind you and will blanket you each step of the journey.

But for now, slip on those boots and have a great senior year!!

The Mastrosimone Family

My husband coaches football & football guys refer to each other by their last name or any abbreviation of it.  So, while I would normally introduce a family by their full name or names, for this special family, where football coaching is also a part of life, I will introduce them to you as the Mastro family.

They have been so patient in waiting for their blog post (thank you for hanging in there). I had so much fun putting it together and reliving the afternoon we shared.  Joey (whom I only know as Mastro) and Natalie have their hands full with 2 little girls.  Natalie has the smiliest eyes in the world and Joey has that football coach syndrome of only having all girls.  Daddy's always look best when holding their daughters :) I love the spunk of their oldest Gianna and the sweetness of their youngest Sophia.   

Thank you Mastro family for spending the afternoon with me & running, peek-a-booing, and laughing, swinging, hugging, and tickling. You 4 are so wonderful & 

so blessed to have each other to tackle life with!

Kaitlin: Class of 2012

Love this girl!

Much more of this high school senior to come.

New Blog Header

I made a change for my blog header.  It makes me feel so much better.  I love most things staying the same, but when it comes to anything color I love to mix it up.  Color is huge for me.  I have colorful everything-plates, pillows, artwork, shoes.  I paint my armoirs, dressers, nightstands, garden boxes, and my walls-don't get me started there :)  Color impacts my mood, it makes me feel good,
and well, the last blog header never quite did anything for me. 

So last night I whipped up a new one. 

We'll see how long it sticks :)

Let me know what you think.  

Then go buy a fun pair of colorful shoes....and smile :)

100

Addie made these glasses to celebrate her 100th day of school.  

I thought we could use them to celebrate 100 blog posts!

2 years ago I blogged this: Click.  

1 week later I found out I was pregnant.  

1 week after that news, we moved.  

And 1 week after that I found out I was having twins.

Photography has been a little like parenting.  

The learning curve is huge.

It can be stressful.

It can be hilarious.

One day you think you're pretty good and the next you feel like the worst in the world.

There are many smiles and some tears.
It is humbling.

It can be spontaneous.

I end up carrying a lot of bags & other people's stuff :)

It has transformed me, while challenging me.

I am so thankful to get the opportunity to capture moments in time for amazing people.  I love it.  If have gotten in front of my camera, you know the fun that it is, and while capturing memories, you realize you're making a new one right there with me.  

 

I love photographing people, but my favorite people to photograph remain the 6 sweet faces framing mine above.  That's my team up there sporting their 100 glasses.  They rock and they greet me with cheers when I come home from every photoshoot!  Trust me when I say this, they are just as excited to meet you through your photos, as I was to meet you just hours before.  

 

Thank you for trusting me with your sweet faces, laughter, and moments of love.

God is good & has shown me joy.

Rump Shaker

For my 100th photography blog post, I give you this :) ...

I often look at my kids and wonder if there is any "me" in them.  Now I know.  

There is definitely some "me" in them....just not the "me" Brian would have preferred. 

 I was born in Oakland, CA.  Trust me, this girl has a little "Oaktown" in her. 

Gwen's Moves (beyonce) from Lindsay Willmer Photography on Vimeo

Is she not feelin' the beat or what??

I noticed her moves one day in the kitchen.  I was making dinner & had some hip-hop music playing (b/c that's how my peep's & I groove at around 5pm every night). Then I saw something out of the corner of my eye-it was Gwen shakin' it like a Polaroid picture.
She was. going. to. town.  I describe her as a little bit Elvis & a little Beyonce.

You go girl...shake what your momma gave you!

Taylor: senior portraits

Taylor is graduating in just a few weeks.  This was only my 2nd senior photo shoot ever, but being a former high school teacher, I am always excited to grab a few hours with a high school kid.  I love this stage in life.  It is the first chapter where really you get to start calling the shots and everything your parents have bugged you about, now actually matter and start to make sense :)  

Taylor is awesome.  He is getting into the guitar, getting into photography, and getting ready for college.  His girlfriend came along with us and the 3 of us laughed, made funny faces, made fun of Taylor, and I even stepped on a dead squirrel.
This young man will go on to do great things and more importantly do them for the glory of God.  He loves Jesus. He has an awesome family. He is sharp, good at speaking with adults and doesn't take himself too seriously.  The pleasure, minus the squirrel part, was all mine Taylor!  Thanks for saying cheese over and over again :)

 

May God take you where He wants you to go from this day forward.
I know you have the guts to follow Him !

Teeny-Tiny

These are the itty-bitty feet of itty-bitty Liam. 

I introduced him to you a few weeks ago.

Just wanted to say Happy Weekend.

Good Afternoon...

...my little sleepyhead.

I love sleepy eyes and red cheeks.  I love that she loves sleep.
I can't get enough of her when she wakes up :)

Senior Portraits: Taylor Vincent

Just a sneak peek of a very fun high school senior I got to hang out with last week....it rocked.
More to come very soon....