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It is the biggest honor when friends trust me to take their family photos. It means the world to me…and, as an added bonus, it’s an excuse to hang out! Lila was one of the first friends Eloise made when we moved to the burbs. Since then, Eloise, Mae, Mike, and I have all grown close with Lila, Archer, Gwen, and Tony. Whether it’s playdates at a park or birthday parties at Frozen on Ice, it’s always fun to watch the kids play together. (Mae is absolutely obsessed with Archer!) And we always have a lot of laughs during photo sessions (both real ones and larger-than-life “fake laughs” from Miss Lila!). I can’t get enough of how Archer and Lila styled themselves for this session. And I am so happy it was a nicer weather day this year than it was last year! Thanks Gwen and Tony for coming out for mini sessions again.

How pumped was I when Mae’s teacher, Miss Jessica, asked me to take her family photos? “Over-the-moon” is a complete understatement. Why? Because not only do we LOVE Miss Jessica (Mae literally runs into her classroom when it’s time for school), but this gave me the chance to meet her own sweet family and get to know them. Alex and Libby are awesome! I enjoyed hearing all about Alex’s basketball ventures and Libby’s role in an upcoming play. And they were total stars, doing every crazy pose I asked for with smiles. Jessica, Mike, Alex, and Libby…that was a blast. I am so honored you thought of me to capture these moments for you!

Tate! Oh goodness, it was so much fun to catch up with these three! I had taken photos for them when Tate was just a baby in the city, and I wasn’t prepared for how grown up (and TALL!) Tate has gotten since I last saw him. Sandra, Brad, and Tate are three of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, and I loved catching up with them last weekend. Thanks so much for coming out to Independence Grove!

Next up was another family I have had the pleasure of watching grow over the years. I first met Jennifer and Damon in our old Chicago neighborhood when Samantha was only a baby. It has been so much fun to capture moments for them as their family has grown to include Haley and Nicholas. I can’t believe how big the kids have gotten since the last time I saw them! Haley loved mugging for the camera the most, while Samantha was always ready to tickle Nicky to get him to laugh. Love these three! Thanks for coming out, Jennifer and Damon.

It’s that time of year that everyone is super excited about their photo sessions, so instead of waiting to do one massive sneak peek for all of the mini sessions I shot at Independence Grove last weekend, I’m going to do mini sneak peeks for each family. Because some sessions are just magic…and I really felt like all five of these were. It was a perfect fall day, everyone was early and arrived smiling, the kiddos were all fun and excited and cooperative, and I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to know each of these families.

First up was my friend Kristin and her adorable family. Kristin and I met in a mommy group when I first moved to the burbs, and Mae and Leah became fast friends. I have loved getting to meet Alex and watch their family expand to include little Colin. Leah and Colin are two of the sweetest, cutest kiddos I know, and I can’t stop smiling every time I look at their faces! Thanks so much for braving the early morning chill, Kristin and Alex, to come out. I feel so honored to have captured these moments for you!