a long long time ago (two months ago) i rallied our troops for what might be our last session of family photos for...at least a few years. i'm just not sure i can keep up the stamina required.

a while back i did a poll on instagram asking if you all loved or did not love family photos. the vast majority said love...and i ask you - how?

maybe it's because i was in four inch heeled booties. maybe it's because i was in a giant-sleeved, pirate shirt. maybe it's because i was sweating...and if i'm sweating - buh-bye hair. top it off with a near 80ยบ degree day in late october...it was a recipe for yikes.

so, it's very safe to say, family picture day is not my favorite. and then waiting the time after pictures in anticipation wondering how they turned out - also not my favorite.

my favorite? finally getting my hands on the images so i can ooh and ahh over just how much my girls have grown and how handsome my farmer looks. i do love that.

give me a hot second to brag on our photographer. her name is stephanie mballo and she's snapped our family photos a handful of times starting with my maternity photo session with sawyer. on this particular occasion kaye literally came at her with a stick down by the river, but stephanie held strong and got the shot before letting her precious camera get hit. she's so good!

a few months later she came down to the farm to snap family photos for us after sawyer had arrived. she captured sawyer's sweetest newborn self and kaye's full of it self. and then, of course, the very raw moment that found it's way onto our christmas card that year. go have a look.


the next year (2015 - when sawyer was one and kaye was three) may have been our best session...ever. sawyer still loved me. kaye was completely cooperative. i loved my dress...probably because it was super short. in fact...i loved these photos so much i needed three blog posts to share them all.
2016 came way too quickly. it was the year of my broken elbow. at less than a month out from breaking it we still had to get family pictures done. so...i have it bent awkwardly all over the place. however...i do cherish these photos, even though sawyer wouldn't let me touch her. kaye was an absolute doll and sawyer and our farmer sure do look cute together. again...multiple blog posts to share them all...

and here we are finishing up 2017. we've added a baby to our family pictures. our gals have added inches to their heights and  a little length to their hair. my farmer continues to get better looking and i...am a few pounds heavier. but c'mon! i just had a baby. i can also blame the pirate shirt...not my best fashion decision.

what i'm saying is this - stephanie mballo has been there for so so many precious years! she's captured my sweet family at it's best and i couldn't be more grateful! if you're in the boise area i can't recommend her enough. but...like all good things, she comes in high demand, so don't wait until the last minute. she does family photos, newborns, weddings (swoon for her wedding photography), and styled shoots! she's so so good.

thank you stephanie for another wonderful year. i know i said i hate family photos and you won't see us next year...but...you probably will. (have a look at her instagram as well!)

and come back tomorrow! much to my farmer's chagrin - i'll be posting no fewer than 1092348 family photos to round out 2017. i just can't help myself.