While Preston and I don’t have children yet, it has been a truly heartwarming experience for me as I’ve started to have opportunities to document some of my closest friends’ newly budding families. It’s always so amusing to me, as I’m photographing their children and seeing bits and pieces of them in those little, impressionable lives. In fact, documenting my friends’ children has truly opened my eyes to what I can only imagine are tiny inklings of the beautiful journey it is to bring a child into the world and watch them grow into their own person. From experiencing personality in the photo session, through hours of the editing process, and then putting the final product to the perfect song, becomes a beautiful journey for me, one that I hope carries some of the same sentiments my clients feel when they view that gallery for the first time.

Kinsley’s session was surely one of these experiences for me. Every time I document someone through photographs from the planning process onto the final product, I feel different, yet personal sentiments that truly show me the most breathtaking parts of life. Since childhood — I’m talking about when I was only a few months old childhood here — Kinsley’s mother Laken and I have been around each other and throughout our schooling, close friends. Laken’s mother, her home, and her family were comforting and like a second home.

With that being said, I’ve had truly special sentiments in documenting Kinsley. While I documented Laken and Ryan through the maternity stages, then Kinsley when she was newborn, there’s just something about the toddler stages that is so rewarding. This was absolutely the most fun, enlightening documentation of Laken’s sweet, young family from my perspective. Laken and I have always been very similar in personality, and for some reason, Kinsley’s session truly hit home as I finished up editing and viewing her gallery.

I thought about Laken and Ryan’s sentiments towards this precious baby girl — a toddler growing into so much of her own personality. I thought about how I’ll see my own child at these stages, just wanting to savor the moment, to protect them from the world, from growing up, from all of those adult experiences that every child eventually grows into. I thought about these things, and I’m not lying to you guys (and risking what some of you will take as a totally cheesy), I sat there and cried. I cried happy tears for Laken, Ryan, and their beautiful little girl. I cried tears of fear thinking about bringing my own child into this world and wanting to protect them from life’s harsh experiences. I thought about the beautiful, crazy ride that just simply makes up this life.

I love the shot above, because it was Little Miss Kinsley being ultra indpendent, just like her momma has been since she was little. She had not a care in the world about the camera. She was a woman on a mission to find her rocking chair and listen to her “Wagon Wheel” song. (:

Oh sweet, independent Kinsley, don’t you ever grow up. That’s silly, I know you will. And I know your momma and daddy, and the beautiful, independent, successful woman they are going to raise you to be. But for now, we will savor these sweet, entertaining toddler years.

If Gap’s looking for some baby models, I found one. Here’s a peek of my long-time friends, Laken and Ryan’s sweet Kinsley. This little girl is an INDEPENDENT WOMAN. Laken, I’d expect nothing less from your child — she’s going to be a leader, of course. (:

Here are a few of my favorite shots from her session…

Expect a full post of all of Miss Kinsley’s independence and adventures during her photoshoot later this week!

Sometimes, when I really love something, I start to get a bit obsessive over it. This is precisely what happened when I got my hands on Jessica Alba’s book The Honest Life. I came across her book as I was looking more into her newly founded Honest Company and could not put it down once I opened it. Since we’ve really made a concerted effort to eat clean over the past few months, I’ve been educating myself a little at a time on how to create a clean, healthy environment as well. As I was researching the realm of clean eating, I started coming across information here and there on the toxicity of products used in daily life far beyond the realm of just food. The information I started finding was mind-boggling, but also super overwhelming. I started learning that there’s so much information out there and I was hungry to educate myself on all of it.

That’s when I found The Honest Life and it has become my go-to for the answers to almost all of my questions regarding the safety and health of foods, home cleaning products, beauty products, and just creating a healthy home environment. She breaks everything down perfectly, explaining the harm in certain ingredients and what they do to the body. What’s even better? She explains how to avoid using toxic chemicals in daily life as much as possible and gives tons of suggestions for improvement and healthy alternatives. She presents ideas in such a managable way and doesn’t claim to be perfect at it, both of which I admire. For food, she breaks down the most and least toxic non-organic choices and also throws in tons of healthy recipes and quick meal ideas. I highly recommend this book ASAP for anyone looking to live a less toxic life.

I’m always looking for new shows to get into that we can watch at our own pace. When Preston suggested we should watch Game of Thrones, I kept putting it off–for reasons I now cannot even comprehend. The fantasy drama is based on author George R.R. Martin’s series of novels A Song of Ice and Fire. The story takes place in fictional kingdoms of the continent Westeros and the content follows several houses and the battles for the throne of the Seven Kingdoms. Although the show is most certainly fictional, Martin puts a fantasy spin on dramatic periods of governing, corruption, and scandal in European history. I must warn you, like many HBO offerings, there’s questionable content, but if you’re not easily offended, it’s a MUST watch.

As I mentioned previously, I have given up the majority of wheat, pasta, and breads within my diet and have noticed countless benefits of mind and body from doing so. With that, I’ve adopted the custom of replacing pasta dishes with spaghetti squash and LOVE IT! It’s a much healthier alternative to pasta, not to mention way less carbs and super easy to cook! Each cup contains only 42 calories, 10 carbs, and 2.2 grams of fiber…whoa momma! Because it’s a plant, you’re of course additionally getting way more vitamins and minerals than consuming pasta.

To cook it, cut it in half, hotdog style, and pop it in the oven in the oven on 375 for about an hour, then scoop it into your pot to use as pasta. People say you can cook it in the microwave, for those of you looking for a quicker method. I cook it as a “Garlic Pasta” side dish sometimes, other times it’s the main meal. The possibilities are endless! Anything I would normally do with pasta, I do with spaghetti squash instead.

My most recent favorite recipe with it is this:

Garlic & Carmelized Onion “Pasta”

1 Small Spaghetti Squash, cooked

2 TBSP Stonewall Kitchen Carmelized Onion Jam

1/4 Cup Chives

2 Cloves Garlic (chopped finely)

1 TBSP Dried Basil, crumbled finely (I prefer to dry out fresh basil for best taste)

3-4 TBSP Grapeseed or Coconut Oil

Seasonings: Sea Salt, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Cayenne

I hope you’ve been inspired to try out one of my August loves soon — you won’t regret it!

I love the 6 month marker photos because it’s the first set where a little personality really starts seeping through. Plus, we can still play dress-up with very little fuss! Maybe you remember my sweet Godchild, Isla, from her last set of photos. She’s gracing us with her ruffles, pearls, and bows, once again. Enjoy!

Isla, I cannot wait to see you grow into each milestone, my sweet girl.

Just in case you wanted to start your weekend out with an overload of cuteness, Isla says “Hi.”

More of ruffles, pearls, and her pretty blue eyes in a full post next week! Now, go do the Friday dance. (: