I’m pretty certain I’m having at least as much fun as the preschoolers and kids I meet on location. I used to think it was just part of the gig, rolling around on the grass, laughing til my face hurt, chasing little ones around tree trunks in a silly game of tag. But now it’s clear. It’s simply not just the gig. I love laughing like that! I do. I love that kids find me strange. Weird. Even a bit ~ er ~ a LOT crazy. I love it! The laughing from the core of my soul as they find the giggles on the other end of my lens is what I look forward to. I pray on my way to each session, always have. It goes something like this: “Dear God, please help me find the fun and bring out the fun in this lil’ gig you’ve blessed me with. Make it fun! Make it memorable. For them and for me. Amen” And he’s delivered again today.

We love playing tag with 2 and 3 year olds during family sessions. We enjoy blowing bubbles and giggling like a school kid, just to connect with a preschooler. It’s what we do, it’s what we shoot, and we look forward to it every time.

However, sometimes it’s nice just to be an adult. Even if for just an hour. To talk about college, and classes and cameras. To share stories about home renovations, redesigns and dance recitals. And THAT’s what we got to do this week with the Abel family. No babies. No toddlers. Only 2 grown college kids and their parents! What a joy to not talk in a high pitched voice and ramble on about baby dolls and matchbox cars! …. we’ll just hold off on that until NEXT week! Until then… check out our grown up photo time. Thanks Abel family for the laughs!

He’s walking, shooting hoops and all around adorable. Joshua and his family invited us over to play and capture a few images in honor of his turning one. Next time I want to come out and get Joshie’s big sister playing DRUMS! She’s great!

Enjoy your quick peek into your session!

Remember precious Blake and Brennon as newborns?

And then as babies?

Well, now they’re ONE! See if you can see them without smiling. Seriously, it’s impossible!

Congratulations, Cori!

I’ve always lived a life of competition. It was “in the cards” when God decided to make me a twin. It wasn’t something we looked for or hoped for or even desired. Thinner. Prettier. Funnier. More outgoing. Smarter. It was a daily thing and each of us both despised it and somehow, maybe unknowingly, cheered it on. But in the end, all I wanted was a best friend. She looks just like me. Laughs and talks a bit like me. We make heads turn and we make people stare. I love it. She is my identical twin, Cori Lynne Nardello Ashton. My best friend at heart and the genes of my genes. I love her more than she’ll ever know and I am in awe of the person she is. She just graduated with her Masters in Public Administration. But she didn’t just graduate. She took the class by storm in Cori fashion and took it personally. She did the best on every paper, finest on every exam. Not to beat those in her class. But to prove to each and every person she has ever known that she, Cori Nardello Ashton CAN. And she did. She recently said to me she wanted the astricks in front of her name, like people got in our undergraduate program. I asked, “did I get an asterick??” and she calmly stated, “NO, you’d KNOW if you got an asterick in front of your name!” So she held nothing back. She missed weekends playing with her then 3 year old for 3 long years. Alex is 6 now and just graduated from Kindergarten and at her party she both thanked and apologized to him for having missed so much to become so much for both their benefit. It was moving. And I’m impressed with the amount of effort my twin sister applied to complete this amazing task. She earned her asterick by earning the top award in her class, being placed on the Dean’s list and she earned a summa cum laude award with highest honors. And I’m not feeling competitive, only proud of my sister. And happy she reached her goals and fulfilled her dreams. Congratulations, Cori!

The mayor came. The Chief of Police took our picture. Matt was on a wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling screen telling his life-saving story of a local teen. Tears, family, friends and moments we’ll cherish forever. I hope the images can tell the story as words may never convey the pride, the emotion, the fabulous night. Thank you all who were there to support Matt and for God who carries us through such moments in life. And blessings and best wishes to the family who’s son made it out of his vehicle alive that night. We’re continuing to pray for you and your family, Tom.

I used to spit fruit seeds and pits all over my New York backyard when I was a kid. I thought the idea that one of those would grow up to be a tree that created sweet, divine fruit was beyond believable! And I’d wish on shooting stars and wish bones that one day I’d have one of those trees in my very own backyard. Danny and Mickey next door had a bing cherry tree next door to that Long Island home and they’d spend a week or two in the early summer hanging from the branches, sucking down red juicy cherries while we watched with our chins pressed up against the wooden fence. One day. One day, I’d think.

Almost seven years ago, Matt and I moved to the foothills to a nice family home, away from the city and back in the foothills we both loved as teens. Lo and behold, this house had not one, but TWO amazing cherry trees. I guess the one needs the other to actually MAKE cherries. Who knew… So June each year is an amazing time as we watch the kids reach over the balcony to grab their very own sweet cherries. This year was our best “crop” yet and we’ve been taking advantage of it every day. Just need to hire a professional to come clean the cherry stains out of the carpets, but we’ll wait another week or two for that! Cherry crisp anyone?

All of the images are sorted and selected. The full slideshow will be posted soon but here are a few of our favorites to give you a quick glimpse of Rachael and Tim’s spectacular day.