Family Photoshoot | Spring 2013

It's not as easy to fit these photoshoots in anymore. It was fairly easy when it was just Tim and me, we could grab the camera, go on a picnic, and leisurely snap a few documentary shots. But now life seems to get busier with every month, and trying to shoot with a little boy who wants to collect every stick in the field, is well, a little more challenging. We have to be very purposeful about taking the time to have fun shooting together. I know this is a touchy subject, and I hesitate to even write on it, but it's been on my mind for awhile so I guess I'll just say it. 

Over the 3 years of our marriage and family I've been posting pictures of our house, the food we eat, our Christmas decor, our date nights, family shoots and so on...Although most people that comment on such pictures are very sweet and encouraging, (because we have nice friends like that:) although never really directed at me, I've heard plenty of complaining about 'people that post their perfect little life' all the time.

Our life is NOT perfect, I have dishes piled up in my kitchen, we make each other cry, I have stretch marks, we can't do everything we would like to do all the time, but here are some of the reasons I post about our little life together.  Maybe I'm flawed in my thinking and I'm totally off, but never the less, here they are.

1. We've decided together that part of our purpose as a married couple is to try and strengthen marriage and family. That's one big reason we love to shoot weddings! I know I've been encouraged to have a family, try to stay beautiful for my husband, eat well, train my children right and so many other good things from watching other moms and wives. After all, it's only biblical to learn from the older women in your life. I just hope some of my small attempts at being a good wife and mother inspire those who may come across my blog or facebook.

2. I'm all for grit, dirt, unedited, raw life honesty, and I appreciate genuine people who talk about their real life. I hope to be known as someone who doesn't sugar coat everything I post. But we also have been instructed by God to think and meditate on that which is pure and beautiful. I don't want to ever be a discouragement to others, one who makes everything look perfect all. the. time, because it's not! But I also want what I post to be for the most part, refreshing, and beautiful. This world is filled with so much yucky depressing-ness I don't feel the need to add to it. And I also don't want my children coming back to read how they were such a trial, and how much cleaner my life would be without them around. 

3. I post for myself and my family. I can't tell you how many times I've had a not so motivating day, or Tim and I might not being seeing eye to eye on something, Evin might have had a rough morning and I'm just worn out. In these times I have albums and post full of pictures and words reminding me of all the good times we've had together. They remind me about the times Tim get off work early to take me away for the weekend, or when I just didn't care about laundry and let Evin cover himself in mud. Pictures are powerful, they show Tim's love he has for me in his eyes, they show how fast Evin is growing up and that I need to stay in the moment or I'll miss it. If no one else ever reads my blog or commented, I'd still post, because I believe it's healthy for me. Not only am I remembering all the things I have to be grateful for, it makes me actually sit down from busy life and journal it all. However annoying it might be at the moment, I've never regretted whenever we make time to take the camera, wear clothes that aren't clashing, and snap a few pictures. And of course Tim and I both love shooting, so it always turns out to be fun for us.

I would say these are the main reasons we/I post little snippets of our life. I'm not trying to makes other jealous or convince everyone we have a perfect life. And I hope this is the spirit that comes across whenever I post.

So here's a 'perfect family shoot' for ya, notice Evin won't look at the camera and most of the poses are us trying to get him to stay still.

p.s. 25 weeks pregnant 

What does the Cow say?

Evin is very good at his animal noises now, especially his cow sound.

He was very happy to see some real 'moos' when we went up North for Christmas. It was a happy/sad trip for me, I knew very well it would prolly be the last time I got to visit my grandparent's farm. I had spent months of my childhood here, and it will be so hard to never see it in the same way again. Grandma sold the farm and is moving to town, we can't blame her, it's a lot of work and money to keep up a farm by yourself. In my selfishness I wish she would stay there forever though. I woke up early one day to take a walk one more time in the field. Here are a few of the images that will always be burned in my memory.