I've been taking pictures of my family for years, but when my sister reached out for an actual family session, I could hardly contain my excitement!!

I met Erin and Luke (and their tiny baby who is now almost a foot taller than me) 11 years ago at a family birthday dinner for my husband's bonus mom. I will never forget it. As an only child who rarely visited with extended family, that dinner - my introduction to the family, was loud, crazy, overwhelming, and everything I always wanted. I recall sitting back in my chair, quietly looking around, and taking it all in. To set the scene: the grandkids running around the chairs, five conversations going on all at once, the laughter and joy around the table, and my now husband gently holding my hand to help soothe my nervousness. Just as one of the kids threw a coaster across the table nearly missing my head, Erin turned to me and says, "so, tell me about yourself."

It's incredible to think about how much life has happened since our first meeting: the high highs, tragic lows, and everything in between. As a mom, I'm finding it more and more important to document these passing seasons before we look back and wonder where the time has gone. It was an absolute honor for me to capture these images for Erin, Luke, the boys, and their darling baby girl. 

Grab a blanket and a hot cup of coffee and cozy up as you scroll through these images.