Outside

Matthew is trying to work all the energy out of this horse before giving him his daily shot of medicine.

(We obviously forgot to pack any clothes for Ross for this trip.)


We wouldn't be in the 'Martin' bloodline without having a baby tossed way too high in the air.

Ross

He's smiling.
He's happy.
His eyes are beautiful.
It's going on my blog.

'Population' what?

Yes, you're reading the sign correctly... "Population 1,314"

Grandaddy's cowboy hat

Loving Grandaddy's cowboy hat...


Thinking about take off Grandaddy's cowboy hat...


Move quickly before my camera gets hit by Grandaddy's cowboy hat...

Butterflies at Crystal Lake

There were beautiful butterflies all around us at Crystal Lake. Here are two of my favorite new friends.

Joseph

Joseph is only a few months younger than Ross. Even though he doesn't like to be cuddled with or kissed-on, sometimes I just couldn't help myself.

Ross & Joseph

Is Ross naked every chance he gets? Yes.
Is Ross rubbing off on his cousin, Joseph. Looks like it!

Rayna & Matthew

My little baby-girl is breaking my heart! She is crawling and pulling-up on everything. She is such a joy. I love these new stages, but, it makes me sad to think about how quickly she's growing up. (Can I make another remark about how adorable she is? It's my blog, so, technically, I think I can. SHE'S SO ADORABLE!)

Ross

If you know Ross, you know it's very difficult for me to get a decent picture of him. (I guess he's over the camera by now.)
So, if he's actually smiling, I'm posting it on the blog!

I love the warm-tone I added to these photos. It's hard to pull it off on most pictures. But, I think these are good examples of how it can change the feel of the pictures. It reminds me of what summers would have been like a long time ago, before TVs and video games.

Cousins

There's something about this picture I just love. It's so real and unscripted. Maybe it's the way Madison is so sweet and loving to Ross.

Just hanging out..

I've said it before and I'll say it again... I belong on a farm!
There's nothing better than watching fire flies at night by a big fire. Or, playing baseball with all of the kids in the backyard. One of my favorite things are when the horses decide to start running in their pasture in front of the house. That has to be one of the most beautiful sites in the entire world.






Rayna relaxing on the front porch with Matthew

Ross and Nana

Ross loves his Nana. But, why wouldn't he? She spends her entire day doing whatever he wants to do. One morning he told me, "Nana so sweet."

Matthew's Climb

Matthew is super-cool. I don't know what else to say. No matter where we go, he always looks for something out of the ordinary to do.

Time with Austen and Madison

One of my favorite memories from the trip was going down-stream with Madison and Austen. The water was freezing! But, we felt great in our wetsuits! Austen and Madison convinced me to leave my camera on some dry rocks and let the current take us away. It was so much fun. I really miss spending quality time with my niece and nephews.

Time for Family Photos!

We took a few family pictures before our dinner at Shogun on the last night. I have some closer shots of the family together. But, I really like the front of their house.

It can be a challenge to get two little boys, under the age of three, to sit still for ANY picture. Much less, doing one with an automatic timer. (Which required lots of standing still... waiting... and, of course, retakes!)




Dennis and Patricia (Matthew's parents)
...What an incredible looking couple!






Michelle (expecting Kenslee in a few months) with Austen and Joseph.

My Little 'Doll-Baby'

Madison, Rayna's only girl cousin, did Rayna's hair the first day we were in Arkansas. I had to take a some pictures, because, let's face it... Rayna is the prettiest little girl I've ever seen!

I love her cheeks...
I love her dimples...
I love her curly hair...
I love her bright blue eyes...
I love her little teeth...
I love her chubby arms...

I just love my little Rayna-Claire-Bear!

Liam, Seamus & Brooklyn

I am glad I was able to get this family in- just hours before their mom left for Hong Kong.
When I started shooting, Liam didn't seem to be in the mood for photos. I discovered very quickly, he just wanted to play. PERFECT!
We played on the playground together and I got some great shots! (He has so many cute facial expressions!)
His little brother, Seamus, was very laid-back. He tried many positions for us and was sweet the entire time. When Brooklyn arrived, the fun really started as we tried to get them all together for pictures! (She had some great faces too!)

Kenji, Bonnie, Elijah & Kiana

It's no secret... My favorite subjects are little boys! I love how they perk-up when we start looking for bugs or rocks together. (Or, if that doesn't work, talking about Lighting McQueen always does the trick!)
In any case, I got to photograph a CUTIE-PIE (and his pretty little sister), while spending time with an incredibly nice family!

Amanda & Brandon

Although Amanda and Brandon are living in Dallas, we were able to meet in Arkansas for their engagement shoot. Both Amanda and Brandon's mom came along and we had a great time! I look forward to meeting the rest of their families.

And I REALLY look forward to their wedding next year! They are getting married at Pinnacle Country Club in NW Arkansas. They were both already gorgeous-- just in jeans. I can't imagine what they'll look like on their wedding day!

Chandler Public Library

If I'm not shooting (kids + FOOD) for Kids Celebrate Magazine, the next best thing would be (kids + MUSIC)!
I joined lots of parents and kids this morning for stories and songs at the Chandler Public Library. The kids totally got into the music.
It was nice having some time alone before our trip to Arkansas. But, since I normally have Ross on one knee and Rayna on the other during weekly activities just like this, it felt strange not having them there with me. As I watched the kids singing and dancing, I knew Ross would have been right up there in front of the guitar, doing his 'Ross-Dance.' (In case you haven't seen it, he bends his body to a sitting position... while jumping as high as he can... while holding his arms back as far as they can go. It's the cutest thing I've ever seen!)

Kim & Doug

We picked a perfect time to shoot at South Mountain. The lighting was pretty and it really didn't feel that hot (for June in Arizona). I look forward to Kim and Doug's wedding in November. I know it will be beautiful!

Abbey & Valarie

I think I could have photographed these two best friends all day long!
Between the hats, jewelry and tons of laughs, it is no wonder I posted twice as many Sneak Peeks as I usually do!
Thanks for such a fun shoot!