It’s been quiet here on this blog, I know. But I won’t apologise, because you know what? I’ve had the most marvellous winter hanging out with my tribe. I’ve kept work a little more on the down low and spent more creative energy on my children. I’ve challenged myself to capture more of the everyday beauty that I get to enjoy. I have, after all, been blessed beyond measure with six amazingly beautiful children and a husband who cherishes and supports me in every way. Why would I not record these moments? And so I have. And because we’re all BFFs here, I’ll share just a little glimpse of what my life looks like when I’m not being a photographer, just in case you’d like to see.
This is Sophie and Charlotte, our two littlest girls. They are each other’s greatest friends and totally inseparable.
This is Sam, my only boy and chief fire starter. Growing up with five sisters has got to be challenging, but he’s risen to the occasion and has become a young man I’m super proud of. He’ll also make an exemplary husband!
Georgia is full of fun and personality, beautiful, bright and bubbly, there’s never a dull moment when she’s around! Our cat has to put up with many cuddles, I think she’s mostly resigned to this being her lot in life.
Emily is our budding photographer, and a very good one at that. She works with us in the office during wedding season and is often seen assisting us at weddings. She’s not only beautiful on the outside, but she’s pretty spiffy on the inside too. The little people that live at our house love her to bits!
Kimberly, our stunning firstborn. Being the mother of an adult makes me feel all kinds of old. When I consider that I was married when I was 18 and now have an 18 year old myself, I get kind of weirded out by how quickly time marches on. Still, I couldn’t be prouder of her. She’s both smart and sensible (she gets that from her Dad), and I’ve forbidden her from ever leaving home. I’m not sure how long that’s going to last for…
Paul is my anchor. My best friend, my source of breakfast in bed, my partner in crazy plans, and usually the realist that keeps things in order. He’s had a crush on me since he first saw me when I was 10, and after being pals as teenagers and then almost 20 years of marriage I couldn’t imagine a single day without him. He’s the daddy that has read to the kids pretty well every single night for the last 18 years. This man is a keeper. F’sure.
Oh, and we also have a funny looking dog who looks ridiculous when she’s having a shower.
I’ve been realising for a while, actually, that I haven’t been capturing my own family as well as I should have been. What do they say about the cobbler’s shoes? The builder’s house? I’ve spent so much time capturing precious memories for others, and neglecting my own. Well, I’m doing my best to change that. My poor children have to put up with me and my camera more often now!
It’s amazing how fun a box can be when you have a big brother to push you!
Or a trampoline, for that matter.
We ballet. (Well, I don’t ballet, personally!)
And we wait our turn at ballet.
We get piano lessons, as well as drum, saxophone and violin lessons.
So you can imagine how it can sometimes sound when several people are practising at once.
We get dragged around the floor…
along river beds…
and up hills.
Sometimes we make cupcakes.
And we watch movies on a rainy day.
And so these are the people that are my life. Little pieces of myself living in people that I love as much as the air I breathe. We laugh often, we sometimes hug at the exact moment that someone is about to say something so their words come out all funny. It’s noisy and often messy. I am blessed.
Now that I’ve got the blog moving again, I think I’ll need to be updating some other things we’ve been capturing lately! We’ve got loads lined up, so don’t be a stranger! Come on back.