Living in a small town has its perks. One of them is having the opportunity to attend school with the same group of kids from Kindergarten to High School. It's a unique experience that allows you to build strong relationships and get to know almost everyone in town. As an adult, I can appreciate how special it is to have grown up with the same people for 13 years. While some of us couldn't wait to graduate and leave town, many of us eventually found our way back home. Though I do not live in the same town I grew up in, I'm still minutes away and find ways my family and I can connect and stay involved with the community as much as possible.

Melissa is one of those awesome people I had the privilege of spending my formative years with. Though we had different interests in school, she was much more involved with clubs, band, and various sports, and I, well... wasn't; we still got along and knew each other well. When she contacted me about a family portrait session, I was excited to reconnect with her and meet her beautiful family. Her girls are spitting images of her - it's uncanny!

Melissa and Dan, it was so great spending the evening with you and your sweet kiddos last week as we ran around downtown Wauconda! I had such a great time with you all and LOVE the final images we got! Now, grab some snacks and get comfy; your sneak peek is LIVE!