For a family portrait session! This family was such a change of pace for me! It’s usually little ones, bribed with smarties, lollipops or stickers. Getting to work with grown-ups is a refreshing break and keeps you on your toes! There is an entirely different line of talking with grown ups than kids! It’s funny how sometimes behind the camera I catch myself reverting back to “kid talk” out of pure habit! Not only were they tons of fun to work with, but they are quite gorgeous too

These kids are certainly that to their parents, and I can see why! We had a fabulous time hanging out at the Botanical Gardens on Tuesday! I enjoyed the age differences in these kids as it very much reminded me of my own! Mom and Dad were laid back and went right along with all the craziness I suggested. You know, like, “all three of you hold hands”. I know they had to be thinking…WHAT!? SERIOUSLY!? You want the two year old to even sort of hold hands!? Bwahahhahahaha. I know, I was CRAZY. But, you’d never know it by looking at these photos, now would you

Not only is this guy a blast to take pictures of, but super fun to hang out with! He’s in the school band and is an awesome soccer player from what I hear. Unfortunately, his instrument was broken so he couldn’t bring it in for the pictures, but we still got some rockin’ ones nonetheless

Oh Kenzie Kenzie Kenzie!!! How much fun did *I* have last night. I hope you had a blast too I enjoyed every minute of our session and totally thought you were the coolest 10 year old EVER.

Kenzie was the Manic Monday winner from last week and we got to hang out last night up at the studio. I seriously love this age….5th grade is such an AWESOME year….big man on campus at the school, a little attitude starting to pop up, and they also start to express themselves with a style all their own. Trust me when I say after this year, things WILL CHANGE….6th grade is a huge transition, both school wise and socially! I love that I was able to capture the innocent sassiness that Kenzie has. Now, I make no promises that in 3 years her sassiness will be still be cute, probably quite the opposite. But, for now, for THIS moment….you can’t help but appreciate the fact that they are no longer your needy babies anymore, and are moving toward the independent teenage years

And….at some point, they start to walk away from their childhood….

But they never truly leave it behind…

Thanks Kenzie for reminding me why it is I love my job so much!

and hers too! This mom contacted us a while ago to get a CA session for her youngest daughter. She later wanted to turn it in to an urban session for the whole family…well…my respones…HECK YEAH!

Talk about getting down with my inner grunge…today was all about brick and texture and grittiness. I loved every minute of it, and I hope they did too! 

is good for something!

Met up with Kaitlin and her mom at the Botanical Gardens here in Athens this afternoon. We got rained out two weeks ago and I was seriously stressin’ what today was going to bring. But, the cloud coverage was PERFECT for today’s session. I could not have asked for better diffusion. I also couldn’t have asked for a cooler model! Looking to go into broadcast journalism, Caitlin was totally CHILL! We had a fabulous time walking all over the gardens.

You all know how I LOVE to make the same spot look totally different. Well, I am thinking that you  might look at these and say…HUH? Botanical Gardens? I think not…..alas…..I think SO!

So, it truly doesn’t happen very often. Getting my kids into the studio is much like getting them to eat exotic foods. Lots and lots of complaining….until FINALLY….they try a little and they end up LOVING it.  

On this day, the goal was originally a family photo. But, I realized quickly, that there was NOTHING in any of their closets that would remotely match each other. Preparing for a family photo truly is a shopping event as I am sure many of our clients know! Well, I didn’t have time to shop…I had willing participants, so we scratch the family idea and went with individual shots.

I can’t complain really….They are each their own person, and we all know…getting the 5 of them in one shot, looking at ME, while not touching each other or arguing would have been nothing short of a miracle. So, here they are…meet The Wylies! 

Alexis: 
7th Grade
Sax Player
“The Helper”

She is starting to really grow up, and these photos are proof of that. Lexi has turned into an incredible young lady! She is very thoughtful, and is always thinking of others. She will be our child that lives at home forever….and we are TOTALLY OK with that! 

Aiden:
3rd grade
First year Tae-Kwon-Do student
“The Thinker”

 Ohhhhh, yes. And I truly mean thinker. Always thinking about a way to make a dollar…..thinking about a way to bother his siblings to their wits end. Some of the stuff Aiden comes up with is just freakin’ hilarious. His thought process is so fast that at times his mouth can’t keep up. His logic and rational arguments keep us on our toes. He will be our first child to move out. And, the first one to have saved up enough money to probably buy his own home by age 20, LOL! 

Kieran 
Pre-K
The video game pro
“The  Lover Boy”

 
This child is nothing short of sweet. Watching him interact with others truly makes us proud. He is so sensitive to the needs of the people around him that it is ALMOST to a fault. Even at the age of 5 he has such a mature way of handling situations involving things that are unfair to him and can always see the bright side of it. His laugh is infectious, and his smile can light up a room. The things that fly out of his mouth are nothing short of hilarious. Though you can’t really tell from these photos….he is a lover at heart. The first one to come snuggle in the bed, the first one to give kisses for no reason…..the last one to go to bed because he needs “just a little more mommy lovin’ ”  

Kelsey
10th Grade
Guitar Player and Vocalist
“The  Artist” 

Ohhhhh, this one. I could write an entire blog dedicated to this one, LOL! Talented isn’t a strong enough word to describe her musical skill. She can write a song in minutes….music, verses, bridges, refrains and all. 9 times out of 10 that song is directly related to something in her life. She has a way with words that is almost magical. You WANT to hear her sing…you WANT to know what comes next. And, after only one listen, that song is stuck in your head for days on end. Her talents don’t end with music. She is also a fabulous drawer….whether a project for school or just doodles on the paper, you wonder how someone with no training can create such things with something we all use everyday….a pencil. At 16 she is finally figuring out who it is she really is…..and LIKING it!!! If dealing with her is what life is like dealing with most teenagers, then we truly have it MADE! I never thought raising a teenager could be this….dare I say…..”easy”……but because of her ability to hear what we say to her, and actually apply it, she has made us proud to be her parents!  

 

Ella
3.5yo
Bug lover and Princess of all things WILD
“The One” 

The one….you know….the ONE….that ONE child….that reap what you sow child. She is the one. Every ounce of trouble Greg and I ever gave our parents will be handed back to us 10 fold in this one little spitfire of a girl. She’s feisty, scrappy, resourceful…. and doesn’t put up with anyone’s crap! Being the youngest of 5 can’t be easy, but it has sure helped her grow wise beyond her years. Talk about not knowing what will come out of your kid’s mouth….yeah….we always hold our breath when she starts a conversation with people. Ella meets no stranger. She’ll talk to anyone….anywhere…..anytime. And, will likely talk about anything! Her feisty, independent attitude is what makes us love her even that much more. We would never try to break her spirit, make her any less of who she is, but she does often need some reminding that she is in fact, only THREE years old. Three going on 30! 

 

So, there they are…..my 5 little bundles of joy. Bundles of nerve, bundles of exhaustion, excitement, attitude, and love. The bundles that I love so much it hurts sometimes….the same bundles that I want to duct tape to the ceiling fan at least twice a week. So very very different, but so very much the same. Life in the Wylie house wouldn’t make any sense without them.