Top 12 of 2012 - personal {Terre Haute photographer}

This next one is actually one I had forgotten about until I started going through this year's files looking for something else. When I saw it, I smiled...it makes me think of how sweet Jack can be. He is the sweetest little boy. He tells me I'm pretty about 50 times a day, he gives the best hugs and he loves to cuddle.


I love this shot because I remember the exact moment I took it and it was a great moment. Daniel and I were on a weekend trip to Chicago, riding on a boat at Navy Pier. It was our first ever trip alone (we didn't even take a honeymoon) and we were celebrating our 10th anniversary. The day was perfect, the weather was perfect, the view was awesome, and my best friend in the whole world was there sharing it with me.


This is another shot from our little weekend away. This shot is just....us. Holding hands, ready for whatever life brings, together. I want to be one of those cute 90-year-old couples holding hands.


This next one pretty much sums up our summer...well, the beginning of summer, before the drought hit and made it way too hot to be outside much. We got a great deal on a Power Wheels Jeep for the kids and they all had SO much fun on it! Even Jonah loved to ride in it and sometimes pretend to drive. You can't really see much of the Jeep in this photo, but that's what they were doing and I just love how happy they look.


This image is maybe my favorite of all 4 of the kids together. It was taken on our first night of vacation this year, a little long weekend trip up to Lake Michigan. I have a thing for silhouettes and I'm working on a series of them of my kids. Last year, they were all up on top of a hill with a wagon, then this is this year's, and I think next year we might do something with bikes. I plan to do one every year and then hang them all up together.

This next one was taken at Abbie and Jack's birthday party. Their birthdays are only 13 days apart so we've been having one big party for both of them. That was the last time we'll be doing that. From now on instead of a party we'll do something special with each kid around their birthday. I'd rather spend the money making a fun memory with them instead of on decorations and stuff. But I'm super glad we had this party. It was a Dr. Seuss theme and SO much fun!

Abbie is an amazing big sister. She might fight like cats and dogs with Joey, but she is super sweet to Jack and Jonah and they both adore her. And just look at how tight Jack is squeezing her...I told you he gives the best hugs!


This image of Joey is from a session I did with him in June. I did a session with the other kids in the spring, but by the time it was time for his, he had a broken arm that ended up needing surgery, and he didn't want the cast in his photos, so we waited. Joey is quite the artist and was super proud of his first zentangle and wanted to show it off. He had lots of his own ideas for these photos, so that was a lot of fun.


I love this one of Jonah because it shows his expressive eyebrows. Ever since he was a newborn, he's always done funny things with his eyebrows and it makes me laugh. He's a silly little guy.


This photo is from the spring, right after Jack got this cape. He's been a little obsessed with superheroes this year, so this one image pretty much sums up the year with him.


It happens to be Jack in this last image, but it could have been Joey or Abbie. Those yellow boots have been the object of obsession with each of them around age 2 or 3. All three of them insisted on wearing them everywhere for months at that age. I'm pretty sure that if they survive months on Jonah's feet in a year or two, they'll be displayed on a shelf or something. The only other thing that all the kids have worn (and Jonah is almost big enough for it now) is a t-shirt that says "my dad rocks".

2012 has been a pretty great year, and I'm so excited for 2013. Joey will turn 10, which just seems crazy to me, Abbie will have her 3rd dance recital, Jack will (maybe) go to preschool, and Jonah will be talking more and more. We'll probably take another trip to Indiana Dunes, and hopefully buy a house, or at least start the process, later in the year. I can't wait to see what the year brings!