I just love repeat clients!  One of the most awesome parts about being a photographer is seeing and capturing the changes of children as they grow up.  From a sleeping newborn, to a smiley six month old, to a walking one year old.  From a busy and curious three year old to a mature five year old heading off to kindergarten.  I’ve seen so many changes in my repeat clients, but this one is a bit different, and a first for me.  I had the pleasure of photographing Michelle when she was 15.  Now, nearly two years later, she is getting ready to start her senior year!

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I’ll admit, I was totally nervous when her mom told me they wanted photos of her with their boat. What do you do with a boat? There’s not going to be any shade!? I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, but I loved what we came up with. Michelle totally rocked it! And me? Well, I was completely soaked from the hips down. LOL!

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And nothing says Bismarck like a photo in the Missouri River…

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Be sure to “like” Everyday Art on Facebook!

Jasmine: You rocked it Megan! Love the water shots!

Jessica W: These are great!

Erin: Amazing photos Megan, such a gift you have:)!

our little monster

July 19, 2010

He’s pretty much been called Cohen Monster by the whole family since he came home with us, so a monster party was only fitting.  The poor guy is dealing with a cold, and a nose that has been running like a faucet, so he was a little out of it for part of the day, especially after not much of a morning nap, but I think he had a great birthday.  It was so nice to have all of our family and friends there, so thank you all for helping us celebrate!  I was worried it was going to be unbearably hot, but we had plenty of shade, and it seemed the weather was perfect!

I hardly saw Rory the entire time.  She was having so much fun at the playground with all of her friends.  She came out for the pinata and treats, though!

I loved how the invites turned out…

Lots of little monsters and polka dots!  Cohen LOVED the big balloons!

It was a great way to end a great year!

Katie Dobraska: Oh sooo cute!! I can't believe he is one!!! Megan you are amazing!! Everything looks awesome!! =]

sarah: So stinkin' adorable! I can't believe you set all that up in a park -- I couldn't get that organized in my own home!

Tessa: LOVE everything about the party! So cute! What a lucky little guy. And a big happy belated birthday to the Cohen Monster!

Jessica W: It turned out sooooooooooo cute! Beautiful job!!

Ashley: Oh wow - this looks like such a fun party. Great shots.

Jasmine: You are one creative mama!

Jules: oh my ... what a beautiful party! look at all of those gorgeous details ... love the balloons, invitations, the hat, treats, everything! and that cake, oh that cake... was it totally delish?!

admin: Thanks, girls. Jules...you'll have to ask Cohen how the cake tasted? :o) I did have one tiny bite, and I ate enough of that fondant while making it to account for my sugar intake for the rest of the year. It was yummy!

Cori: What a fun idea. Love his cake. Good job (as always!)

Erin: oh Seriously! I LOVE THIS ALL! So cute....you are too much!!

Lindsey: Sorry we missed the party, looks like he had a great time! Great pics!

Paula S.: Love it all. So cute. Happy Birthday Cohen!

Brandy: This is the cutest boy theme! Where did you get the paper supplies? (invites, tags, cupcake toppers...)

You’re sweet, snuggly, funny, mischevious, smart, busy, and best of all…mine.  Here’s to one of the fastest years of my life.  I feel like there is no way it was already a year ago that I met you, and even though you’ve grown and changed so much, when I’m rocking you to sleep and I look at you, to me, you are the same tiny baby we brought home.  I love you! 

Erin: Ahhh, so sweet! He certainly is a handsome little man!

Kayla: Happy Birthday again, Mr. Monster!

Jessica W: What a sweet collage! Happy Birthday precious boy!!

Jen Best: So cute-love it!

no words

July 13, 2010

It’s late, and I don’t have much else to say but that I LOVE these babies.  So, so much.  Looking through these as I post them, I get tears in my eyes because I am just so grateful to be their mother and so grateful for our family.  Sometimes stress and sleep deprivation get the best of me, and I have a hard time keeping it all in perspective, but at the end of the day, I love them more than I did the day before.  How that’s even possible, I don’t know.

KaCee: Oh Megan! They're too adorable! Rory is such a little lady, and Cohen oh he just makes me smile, he's too darn adorable! These are all so wonderful, LOVE THEM! Once again fabulous work!

Jessica W: They are just absolutely adorable! I LOVE these photos! And, they are starting to look a lot alike, I think!

Erin: I LOVE these! I really adore the first two and the last one.....so sweet!

Jules: these are perfection! what smiles and joy! you've got two adorable kiddos!

Cori: Adorable! They grow up so fast.

Jasmine: These are too cute! Your kids are just adorable!

Tammy: These are all wonderful pictures. Just love the one of Rory with her hands on her face and looks like she is yelling. So funny! The one of Cohen and Rory together where he looks like he is trying to make a mad dash getaway. They always seize to amaze every time.

Tessa: Cute! Love those pink fingernails - Reagan would be jealous. :) I can't believe how big Cohen is!!

Anne: So precious!

Courtney: I love these kids!! They make me smile everytime I look at them!

Paula S.: Your family home must be plastered in pics of cutie pies! Although I can't imagine affording to print everything as big as it deserves.

Jen Best: They are adorable and what great memories you've captured!

Well, last July was booming with babies in our family.  I just really don’t believe it has been a year, and the past few weeks I have gone from denial, to an emotional mess at the thought of it, back to denial.  First Blake, then Cohen, then Emma.  Oh, Emma.

I just love this girl to death.  I always know that when I see her, she will have a smile waiting for me, and I had so much fun last Saturday during our little session because she is just the sweetest thing.  She is definitely a girl, which is a bit of a change compared to those two boys!  And I love it.  She will always hold a special place in my heart, and I love her as if she is my own.  How could I not?  Just look at her!

KaCee: Love them ALL <3 as well as you! We are so grateful for these beautiful photos Megan :D

Jessica W: So sweet! And, I can definitely see a family resemblance!

Jasmine: Just gorgeous Megan!

jennifer: OH MY she has gotten big! CUTE! <~~pin

Paula: I don't mean to sound like a broken record but these are gorgeous, as is all your work. My love affair with your skills is inspiring....my lack of time to practice and gain my own skills is MADDENING! Rock on Megan!

Jules: what a cutie! love her dresses ... but the tutu and pearls is just darling!

Holly Radke: Great pics Megan...she has the most beautiful eyes...they sparkle...just stunning!

jeannette: Megan, these are beautiful!! (I might need to steal your adorable idea of pearls when Eliza turns 1!) I don't even know Emma, but these pictures just ooze of complete cuteness! I love all of them.

Erin: Once again beautiful photos! How will they decide:)

Kateri Meier: Megan, Emma is absolutely beautiful. I always love to look at your pictures.

Colleen: She is beautiful! I so wish I lived near you. You take such beautiful pics!

Well, almost!  Only a few more days.  I remember last year on the 4th of July, his mom and I were very swollen, very round, very excited, and very nervous.  Blake was going to be making his grand entrance in only two days, and we spent most of the day in the comfort of air conditioning, talking about what labor and delivery would be like.  Now, looking back, it seems strange that either of us was ever worried.

It has been a fast first year, and all I can say about all of the years to come is..we’re in for some trouble, I think.  Blake and Cohen are going to keep us busy, no doubt!  We can blame their dads for that.

Jessica W: LOVE.THEM.ALL!!

Erin: Awesome Megan! I love the red highchair too!

Paula: Great photos! He looks like one happy little guy.

Jules: so sweet! that last one needs to be printed up BIG!!!

friday flashback

July 2, 2010

As I was editing those images from Father’s Day, this one came up on my monitor, and I instantly remembered a shot from a  couple years ago that was nearly identical.  Ironically, these were both taken on June 20th, only two years apart.

When I look at these, the fact that things have changed pretty much smacked me alongside the head!  Obviously she has changed in too many ways to list.  Her hair is longer; face is slimmer.  But I also see how I have changed.  I see a handful of things that are technically wrong with this image, yet I remember the day I took it and how perfect I thought it was.  It’s kind of fun to see where you’ve come from and where you are now. 

Ashley: Either way, I'm inspired...both Rory and your photographs are simply beautiful (but I've told you that already.)

Jessica W: Such a fun picture of a fun girl! It's so funny you mention the technical differences because I totally look for that kind of stuff now...and who am I?! lol

Katie Dobraska: Different picture...Same perfect little smile!!! =)

Oh boy.  I am so behind on my blogging.  These photos were actually taken on Father’s Day, so right around the time Cohen turned 11 months.  In the last month he has reached two huge milestone.  Four teeth have FINALLY made their way through.  I never thought this would happen, I really didn’t.  The poor guy has been struggling with those teeth for so long.  For over three months, his gums have been white, puffy, and swollen.  Practically every day, one of us has said, “Any day now!” and that day never seemed to come.  Just this past Sunday night, before I put him to bed, that forth tooth was not yet through.  That night, he was up at 11:00, 12:00, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00 when he finally was able to sleep until 7:00 when I had to wake the poor kid up, but the next morning…the tooth was there!

The next big piece of news is that he is walking!  The kid was holding out on us for this one, too.  For several weeks, he could stand in the middle of the room.  Play around, almost fall, catch his balance, squat down, stand back up.  He could do it all, but he would not take a step.  Finally, one night I bribed him with the suncreen bottle that he is so attached to, and he did it.  Rory and I both let out a simultaneous “YAY COHEN!”  We were both so excited, and I was so happy that I was home this time around.  When Rory took her first steps, of course, I was gone.

So, here we are in the eleventh month, gearing up for a big first birthday party, and wondering where in the world the time has gone.  I love rocking him to sleep and looking at his little profile.  He still looks exactly the same as the day he was born.  And looking back on photos and videos of Rory at this age, I see a ton of similarities that I don’t see every day. Mostly in their expressions.

He’s much too busy to pay much attention to me these days.  But I love those sweet little lips.  The purple eye lids that are a sure sign that he’s tired.  The slightest red tint to his hair that only shows up in certain light.  And that middle finger. 

This girl loves playing outside and loves the water.  No doubt about that.

jennifer: WHEN did they get so big?!?! Beautiful as always!

Erin: Beautiful Kiddos Megan! I LOVE Rory's sunglasses-so sweet! Her hair is getting so long!

Katie Dobraska: Oh my goodness!!! They are so big!! He is too cute and those sunglasses are so her! haha! Love them!! =]

Jessica W: Aw, look at how cute they are! So glad that those crazy teeth finally came through! And I had to laugh out loud at the middle finger!

Jules: so much fun in the sun! sweet set!

What a beautiful day!  I really can’t say much more than that about this wedding.  The night before, Josey and I were sitting in the very back of the church watching the rehersal, and I made a comment that they seemed SO young.  Then it dawned on me…we were that young when we got married, too.  Wow, how so much can change in such a short period of time.  David and Courtney, I wish you both the very best, and I hope in five years you are sitting in the position I was in that night.  Thinking about how much this day changed your life, and wondering how you could be so blessed.

Jasmine: Gorgeous. Just gorgeous!

Paula S.: Very nice! I love the photo of just the bride (third pic). She looks so happy and relaxed!

Kateri Meier: I love all the pictures. You did a great job! One of my favorites is of Courtney and David sitting in the church both looking so intent on what the priest is saying.

are these not…

June 9, 2010

the most beautiful children you’ve ever seen?  I know I certainly think so!

Courtney & David got married this past weekend, and as I had mentioned before, Rory got to be the flowergirl.  I think she did a great job, and of course, she was beautiful!  Cohen was looking pretty handsome, too.  Rory had waited all day for the dance to start, and when it was finally time, and she was able to get out there, I put my camera down and went out to the dance floor with her.  The pure excitement and happiness on her face…I will never forget that!  Oh, to be four again.

It was such a nice day, and I am just getting to sorting through the tons of photos I took that day.  I can’t wait to share.  Courtney was such a beautiful bride!

Paula S.: GORGEOUS!!! They are both so cute. That 1st picture of Rory, oh my goodness, her expression and stance is just too beautiful. She looks so confident, pretty and happy.

Kateri Meier: Yes, Rory was absolutely beautiful! She was perfect throughout the whole ceremony and did a wonderful job!

Jessica W: Such gorgeous kids, can't wait to see more!!

Jules: you're right ... they are too cute for words!

Colleen: They are adorable! I love Cohen's tie.

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