I thought it would be fun to connect with my community and share the things I'm really diggin' right now. So, let's jump right in! Here's 3 things I am loving right now!

• Nature/Landscape Photography! I've always loved nature and being outside. During our time in Tennessee, I completely and totally found my calling as a barefoot mountain mama. But one thing I haven't always loved is landscape and nature photos. That's a whole other genre of photography and I'm no where near an expert in it, but I've started really digging nature and landscape photography...mostly plants. I mean, during a pandemic, who ISN'T loving plants!? Here are a few recent favorites, the first one was taken at First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach. I'm not quite sure what it is, but those dew drop and that light is just dreamy! The second is my Lamb's Ear that I have in my yard.

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• Also, I feel the need for an honorable mention here- I'm totally, completely loving the tie dye trend coming back. How can you be mad looking at tie dye! It's literally like you are wearing happiness! I also love all the 90's trends that are mainstreaming right now. I can still remember the absolute joy of getting a Delia*s catalog in the mail. 

Who else is with me? What are some things you are loving right now? Any trends or fads? I'm also really loving spaghetti squash right now too! 
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I'm getting a little sappy, a little sentimental. I feel like the summer has flown by. Do I say that every year? Is it something crazy that happens in your 30's where life begins to go at super-sonic speed?
This summer has looked so drastically different for us... and I'm sure it has for ya'll too. While there is a big part of me that sad, I guess hindsight is 20/20 and I'm seeing things in a little bit of a different light now that we are entering the fall season. We've spent all of our time together and I will never, ever regret that. 
You see, I look forward to summer every year. I get so excited. I usually have the kids make a "summer bucket list" and we check their items off one by one. Not only that, but we buy season passes to Busch Gardens and Water Country and we visit the theme parks weekly- even in the blistering heat! We love it! 
But other items include beach days, zoo days, aquarium days, the summer reading challenge at the library, lazy days, walking around Colonial Williamsburg, picnics at the park, splashing around at the Botanical Gardens and walking "the long trail", kayaking, swimming, hiking at the state park, shell hunting, and visiting local ice cream shops. 
I try to jam pack all the fun I possibly can into our summer. They've worked so hard at school and I've missed hanging out with them, so I plan as much family time and family activities as possible. Sadly, we've only been able to do a few of those things. We've spent a lot of time at the beach, riding bikes, and having those lazy days. 
It seems only fitting though that we say farewell in such a sweet way, right? We visited the iconic Lolly's Creamery near the Oceanfront in Virginia Beach. We took in the artwork of the vibe district, ate delicious ice cream, and let the salty ocean breeze whip through our hair. 
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I love supporting local small businesses and it doesn't get much more local than Lolly's. They handmake their ice cream and come up with the most delicious flavors! This evening, we enjoyed Mint Chocolate Chip, Cookie Monster, and their limited edition Blueberry Lemon bar (which may have been the best ice cream flavor I've ever tasted in my whole life!!). 
For a few minutes we experienced something that almost felt normal. Ice cream on a summer evening. Sticky kids sitting at a picnic table, stealing bites of each other's ice cream, smelling the "beach" smell, the setting sun...for a few minutes the pandemic didn't exist and we felt normal. That just doesn't happen much these days- and that's priceless. 

Visit Lolly's at 414 Virginia Beach Blvd. in Virginia Beach, near 17th Street Surf Shop.  Here's Lolly's website if you want to check it out. 

Home means different things for all of us, but one thing is certain, our hearts recognize it when we feel it. 
I love when I see that in a family session. This is their home in Norfolk. This is where they feel comfortable and safe. They allow me to see them. And when I'm able to photograph them in this truly authentic way, the story takes on a life of its own. 
The photos that tell your story are the ones that you will treasure in years to come. 

You're going to want to remember how her hands looked clutching her lovey. 
You're going to want to remember those tiny wisps of hair, baby fine, and how they felt like silk running through your fingers. 
You're going to long to remember the days when it was so easy to hold her on your hip and you could feel the comfortable, safe weight of her little body holding onto you. 
You're even going to want to remember how it looked when you changed her into a different dress and struggled to get shoes on her. 

You may not think your backyard is the most beautiful or whimsical place to take photos, but I assure you, home is home. And to your family, home is just perfect. And what's breathtakingly beautiful about it is YOU. And to a toddler, it's filled with all of the things they love and are familiar with, yet has endless curiosities. It's filled with memories of make believe games and the adventures of imagination. 
It feels like family. It feels like home.

If you are interested in booking your own session for your family or maybe you're getting ready to welcome a new life into the world, please reach out to me. You can click the Contact tab above or simply click here. Fill out the short contact form and I will be in touch within 24 hours and we will start planning your session.