Caroline and Kate...

This family was super sweet, so very good to me for this shoot.  And I love their girls' names!  (Caroline and Kate were the top two middle names we'd chosen for our own daughter!  You might remember, Parker purposefully called his little sister "Ava Caroline" instead of "Lila Kate" for the first two weeks of her life.  LOL!) 

I just wanted to put them in my pocket and take them home with me.  (Much to Parker's dismay, I'm sure... "Ewww, more girly stuff!"  LOL!)

Aren't they absolutely beautiful??  I loved Baby Kate's sweet expressions.... 

And I LOVED this outtake!!  Caroline was just too cute.  While proofing this session, I giggled every time I would scroll past this shot.  So I just HAD to include it in their gallery!  (I wonder if Mom and Dad see this same face from time to time?)  ;)

And who could resist a sleepy girl with a tiny thumb in her mouth?  Oh, be still my heart....

Huge thanks to this family.... I had a blast with y'all, and I hope you enjoy your gallery!  :)

So this was my weekend...

My parents flew into town on Friday to visit us, and to see how much the kids have grown.  Gosh, what a shock they got when they saw how monstrous Lila's chunky thighs are, lol!  Ahh, she's such a good eater.  :)  Anyhow, we visited, laughed, played, loved, and cried.  For three days.  And Parker sobbed when we dropped them off at the airport today, love his heart.  I thought I'd share a few "snapshots" with you from our short time together....  

Popaw Pat and his "little man" watching Christmas movies together, of all things!  ;)  Told ya we were in the Christmas spirit here at the Woods house!  lol

Love her expression here.... she makes this face a lot!  And it melts me of course.

"Nammie" (one of the grandkids couldn't say "Grammy" so it stuck) and her 5th granddaughter... Can you believe Parker is the only son/grandson on my side of the family?  Just my boy and a bunch of girly-girls, blech!  ;) 

Right before leaving for the airport.... at least he held it together until they were out of sight!  (Ahem, same goes for me, as always....)

And we took Parker into the backyard this afternoon for a little "mini-session"...  it's for a project that my Mom is working on.  I couldn't help but adore these!!

Apparently he was LOVING my knock-knock jokes today.  Thank goodness!  I thought I'd run out of tricks with this one....  ;)  And last one.... "Progression of a Laugh" I call it.  Now, I dare you not to smile.  :)

I'm back in the office as of this morning (Tuesday).  I've got a slew of emails and voice messages to return, so if you need me, no worries..... I'll be glued to my office chair for the entire day!!!!  :) 

A delight.

Meet the fabulous Jill Somers, owner of the equally fabulous Somers Salon and Spa in Clearwater, and her sweet, adorable family.  (You MUST pay her spa a visit, by the way.  Her Stylists and Spa Staff are all incredibly amazing, and you will leave her spa rejuvenated, refreshed, and relaxed, I PROMISE!  I always do!  ;)  Her mantra at the Spa is to bring "Beauty, Style, and Relaxation to the World, One Person at a Time".  And wow, does she ever!  Check out Jill's blog as well, to get salon updates and promotion details, spa information, as well as "hot tips"!) Anyhow, Jill and her family (including their ever-charming terrier Rex!!) are always such a delight to photograph.  (Check out how much little Ella has grown since our session last year!)  A few weeks back, we headed to Phillippe Park again and played in the sand, hiked up the stairs of the Indian Mound (and back down... and back up... and back down), relaxed under the shady trees, and even made friends with a spider.....

Loved the way she was telling Rex to "stop!"  :)  That chubby little hand, oh my goodness.

I just love-love-love the image above.  :)  Totally makes me smile!  

What a gorgeous little girl she is.  Just absolutely precious in every way.  And wouldn't you know it, she has the best hair.  :)  (Thanks, Mom!)   

Shhh, don't tell Daddy....

TOP SECRET STUFF HERE.  :)  If you know Captain Daniel Long of Otherside Charters, then shhhh, don't tell him you saw this post!!!  This session is a sweet surprise for his birthday, from his beautiful wife and two adorable daughters.  I thought it was a fantastic idea!  His wife, Janet, is the owner of Kookie Krums, a yummy coffee shop/boutique in downtown Dunedin.  (Make sure you pop in soon, because I did some commercial work for her this year, and she's ordered a whole slew of my canvases to decorate her boutique!)  Anyhow, back to the surprise.... The gals and I headed up to Honeymoon Island to play.  (All of you with young kids know... that I sometimes call our sessions "playdates" and that I always make a point to play with the kids, make it fun, and let them loose to just RUN at some point in the session (well, some sessions have lots more running than others, I must admit!  Especially with the toddler crowd.  ;))  Well, there was so much to do on this particular playdate.  Like hiding in the sea grapes.... um, do y'all see a little blond-haired girl anywhere?!  Where did she go???  ;)

I must add that I love her nail polish.  LOL!  And after hide-and-seek was over, we made sea-shell castles.  (If any of you have ever been to Honeymoon Island, you'll understand why.  There are more shells on that beach than there are grains of sand!)

Then, there were strolls to take and waves to "kick" of course....

How I *adore* my wide-angle lens at the beach.  :)  This next shot is one of my favorites!!

And of course, there is always time for cuddling and snuggling with Mama.  It just wouldn't be a playdate without a little bit of snuggle-time!

I'm in love with this next shot.  Such adoration from Mama, and that sweet soft backlight gets me every time.  So summery and relaxed.

I loved the graininess, and the soft movement of Janet's hair in this one....  and don't tell me that you CAN'T hear the littlest one laughing!  :)  Love that.

Do you think Daddy will be pleased?  :)  Remember, no spoiling the surprise!  

By the way, I refuse to apologize for showing so many images at a time nowadays!  I'm thrilled that my blog finally shows my photographs nice and HUGE, so I get on a roll sometimes and can't stop adding.  LOL!  Have a great night, everyone!!

I get all mushy when.....

...I photograph Mamas and their baby boys.  Takes me back to when Parker was a little chubby mover and shaker himself.  (His "chubby" days may be long gone, but he is still a mover and a shaker of course!)  Anyways, I loved this session.  Such a gorgeous little boy, and a very beautiful Mama indeed.  I'll let you see for yourself:

I am in love with this moment...... his sweet laugh and closed eyes.... cracks. me. up.

Can you believe Mom painted the giraffe herself??  And the monkey, and the bees, and the rest of the beautiful "jungle" that surrounded this little man.  

Such scrumptiousness... I love my job!

fresh and new

I had the pleasure of photographing this tiny little girl a couple of weeks ago, and oh my, she completely stole my heart.  She was sooo so good for her big photographic debut, and slept almost the entire shoot.  What a sweet little bean she was!  

And of course... I had to photograph those sweet piggies.  :)

Just totally sacked out here....  She was such a great sleeper, although Mom says she has her days and nights a little mixed up right now.  I'm sure that's not so much fun in the middle of the night, as it was for me those couple of hours during the day.  ;)

And I absolutely LOVED the dramatic light here..... 

I have so many amazing images from this session.... but I don't want to spoil the surprise for Mom and Dad!  So hang on guys, your gallery will be posted NEXT!  :)

19 weeks....

And my girl's still got it.  The "newborn curl", that is.  ;)

Can you believe those rolls??  She's just a bundle of squishy goodness to me.  This kid hasn't missed a meal, I can promise you that.  ;)

And for those clients out there who have ever apologized to me for their newborns "going potty" on my blankets or backdrops... let me just tell you again:  It's normal.  Don't worry, it happens.  (Almost every single session!)  It's really okay.  But, if it makes you feel better.... Lila peed on my bed just three seconds after I shot this frame.  LOL!

Two lovelies.

I had the pleasure of meeting these two beautiful girls a few weeks ago.  They were so much fun!  And sacrificed themselves to a "sticker bush" (because I can't think of the proper name for those awful prickly things), all for the sake of art.  THANK YOU, GIRLS.  :)

These next two shots just blew me away.  I think I audibly gasped when my finger pressed the shutter.

Sometimes you just *know* you're going to love a particular shot.  And oh my my, how I love these two.  Truly I do.

It's not every day that I'm serenaded by a budding pianist at a photo session.  :)

Aren't they gorgeous?!  And sweet as can be.

Loved the lighting here on their balcony...

Loved this shot of the V-ball star.  :)

I can't tell you how much I love this next shot.....  oh, how I am a total sucker for dramatic lighting... add that to the arched lines of the door, those wonderful tiles, and two amazing girls soaking up all that sunset light.....  this is pure bliss for me and my camera!

I have soooooo many more to show (I know their Mom is patiently waiting for her sneak peek!), but I have an appointment in a few minutes... so I'll come back and add more later on this evening.  Stay tuned!!  :)

**ETA:  I added a few more up there.  Mom, I hope your girls are the envy of the yearbook committee this year!!  ;)

Umm, wow. Thank you!!

I just took a quick look at my calendar and I can't believe how blessed I am.  I've been booked solid for October, and only have about three dates open in November.  Three!  My goodness.  THANK YOU ALL, so very very much, for entrusting your memories to me and this eye of mine.... and for BOOKING EARLY THIS YEAR!!  :)  It has been a very hectic couple of months, I have to admit, as I've come back from maternity leave to a jam-packed calendar.  Christmas sessions, maternity and family sessions, and fresh newborns... I can't even begin to thank you all for your business and for your patience as I continue to crank out galleries as fast as possible.  I've got several orders which have arrived this week that I will be shipping right back out, and lots of orders recently placed which should be back in a couple of weeks as well.  And just as many proofing galleries out, which are hopefully being salivated over by those clients.  ;)   That said, if you wish to book a session with me in November, please remember I have only 3 spots left.  First-come, first-served!  Also remember that THE LAST DAY TO ORDER FOR *GUARANTEED* CHRISTMAS DELIVERY IS NOVEMBER 1.  Orders placed after that date will be processed as quickly as possible, of course, but pre-Christmas delivery cannot be guaranteed at that point.

Okay... enough jabbering.  Now on to some photos!!  

This is one of my favorite families, and I've seen them three times this year already.  They get even more gorgeous each and every time I see them.....

Love the red cast on Brynne's arm....  good thing Daddy's a surgeon and fixed her right up!

I always love the soft pinkish light in her room.  And her sweet expressions do not disappoint!

This next one is a heart-melter...  just love the proud look on big sister's face.  :)  Guess who is 6 months old now?  Gosh how time flies....

Of course I had to grab some detail shots.... you know me and my penchant for photographing baby-toes.  :)

I just loooved all of that chub.......

Some well-deserved snuggle time with Mommy....  who, I just realized while proofing, reminds me a little bit of Carrie Underwood!  (Can you believe this beautiful woman just had a baby 6 months ago?!  Doesn't she look fabulous?)

Aaaaand then it was naptime.  :)  

such a beautiful family, inside and out

I met this super-sweet family a few weeks back at Honeymoon Island, and we had such a fun time together!  

I loved how relaxed these two were the whole session.  I tell ya, it makes my job soooo much easier! 

These beautiful parents have five gorgeous kids.  Who were just about the funniest, most playful, and most well-mannered kids I'd ever seen.  Well, even if a few of them are practically grown-ups themselves.  ;)

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The girls...

Absolutely loved this one.....

And the boys...

And I just loved this one among the sea grapes....  :)

Thanks, guys, for such a fun evening at the beach!  And for playing along with all of my wacky ideas.  :)  I hope you enjoy these!