my happy little life

madison ann + good news

my niece needed some senior portraits, so coco and i set to work. coco did her make-up and hair, we blasted some music to get in the mood while driving to utah lake, flirted our way into the state park for free (nine bucks?!) and then i started clicking the camera while coco yelled art direction behind me. we gave ourselves 20 minutes. result: 200 gorgeous images of this gorgeous girl. TWO IMPORTANT THINGS:

1. coco is back in town and taking appointments for hair cuts, colors, brazilian blow outs, lash extensions, eyebrows, etc. she is still working from her home right now, so she can schedule any day/ time that works for you. just email her:  nicolereneer[at]hotmail[dot]com.

2. maddy, i love you. you are gorgeous and unique and creative in ways i've never dreamed of. i can't wait to see who you become as a woman, because you're already the coolest teenager i know. you are firmly holding the iron rod while rocking life and i love it. i'm so happy for you. you've already checked off one of the hardest tasks for a girl in the world today: knowing and being true to who you are. the world is your oyster!

cate and spring and my camera

we checked photo shoot off our spring to-do list. these are a few of my favorites. i love that girl. i wanted a pensive yet wild and natural look. she nailed it, meaning, she didn't pose at all.

also checked off: slumber party, movies, friends play, thrifting, taking daddy to lunch, painting nails, and a reading picnic. two days left, gotta make them count!

be. still. my. heart.

i love: this girl, rock music, and that shirt.

had to HAD TO have this shirt the second i saw it- a childhood play on one of my fave old school bands.

had to HAD TO take pictures of her today because she just looked so scrumptious, and the sun was shining in the crispy weather.

good times.

you can buy this and other rad shirts or onesies here.

it's my sort-of sis-in-laws shop. it rocks.

there's a vw bus baby onesie. for real, check it out.

my beauty of a girl

family pictures by tara whitney, my idol and friend.

   

there are so so many more i love, but i have to stop somewhere! oh TARA i love you! i felt too chubby to be photographed and grant will avoid photo shoots at all costs and cate hasn't let us brush her hair in two years...but she said WE ARE DOIN THIS and truly by the end of the shoot, grant had a crush on her, cate was in the palm of her hand, and every picture she took made me feel beautiful just as i am. these images are PRICELESS to me. thank you thank you amazing tara! more of her brilliance can be found at tarawhitney.com.

golden

we were driving home yesterday and decided to pull over because the sun looked so pretty on this open field and my camera sat on my car seat calling me. cate started picking all the dandelions, which she declared the prettiest "flower" in the world and then insisted on delivering them to granny's house "because they mean i love you". she was running and playing and looking so beautiful, i took 175 pictures! and i love them all! they warm my heart, because she warms my heart, and she won't be four forever. my challenge: drop what you're doing and take some pictures of your kids today! don't brush their hair or change their clothes, just get outside and start snapping! weeds, blurry pics, and dirty faces are beautiful when they remind you of a happy moment. :)