What a Wonderful Year...

Little Liam

When I first arrived at Ilana and Dominic's home, I was immediately drawn to the heart shaped decor they had outside the door. It is a mezuzah. And in Jewish tradition, it provides blessings to those who live in the home.

After spending more than an hour with the Torres family, I wholeheartedly believe in the power of their mezuzah. This home is oozing with good blessing, mostly brought on by their amazing little boy Liam.


Liam was one of the friendliest and smiliest not quite one year old I have ever met. He looked straight in to my camera, smiled, laughed and I SWEAR at one point, he tilted his head. Such a pro! The whole time, he had his parents in hysterics!

We took these photos for the holidays, but an even bigger celebration is on its way. Liam will be turning one in January and his parents are already thinking Birthday Bash. We talked about using some of these images for his birthday invitations and possibly a First Birthday Guest Book so that friends and family can write a birthday message for Liam.

Ilana has a a great talent for decorating cakes, and she is planning away so that she can create a masterpiece for her little prince.

I can guarantee 2 things...his first birthday will be spectacular and Liam will be SMILING the entire time!

The Perfect 10

For any couple, a lot can change in 10 years....
You can change jobs
You can change homes
You can change the roles you play from being a married couple to a FAMILY.


When Karen and John celebrated their 10 year anniversary by renewing their vows, they were celebrating all the changes, the blessings, in their lives since they first said their I DO's.

But what I found most fascinating about this day were the things that remained the same for these 2.

Karen was still "nervous" on her big day.

Their voices softly broke as they said their vows.

And when I directed them to "keep looking at each other" during a picture, they still teared up in each others gaze.

Karen and John, it was an honor and an inspiration to share this day with your family...and to celebrate all the things that have remained constant in your 10 years together...your crazy...head over heels...LOVE for each other.

Cherished

I packed my camera, 2 lenses, a massive flash and lightstand into my mini van and a neighbor asked what special occasion I was going to photograph. A wedding? no I answered... A birthday party? No...Finally I let her in on the secret...It's Leaf Jumping Day.
She looked puzzle and I did not have time to explain this festivity...but now I do.

The Wols family consists of Barb and Jack..their 4 children and spouses..and their 10grandchildren. This family is nothing short of amazing. Whereas most families celebrate your token Holidays, (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Birthdays..). Barb and Jack create custom Holidays for their family. And Leaf Jumping Day was truly an event!

The entire family drove out to Jack and Barb's home and the kids took turns not just jumping in the leaves, but being LAUNCHED and CATAPULTED by their dads and uncles. Afterwards, there was hot cocoa and snacks and playtime. It was nothing short of a storybook day.

After witnessing this day, marveling at this family, and talking to the grandchildren, I know this much is true....
"Children will not remember you for the material things you provided but for the feeling that you cherished them."
Barb and Jack create these moments to make sure that their children..their grandchildren...their legacy know that they are loved beyond measure.
Truly cherished.

The Lucky Ones

Cari Plachy Dinglasan has one of the most amazing voices I have ever heard. If you don't believe me, you can check it out here on her youtube video of Chicago a cappella. Her husband Raymond Dinglasan doesn't sing professionally, but I have a good feeling that he can find his groove with a karaoke machine...afterall he IS Filipino and karaoke is in our blood.
Their home is filled with music. iTunes is a constant in this household and it played everything from Glee to Sandra Boynton to Katy Perry. But the soundtrack to their lives is heard in the perfect voice of their 2 year old daughter Penelope.
I first heard Penelope's voice when she woke up from her nap and the monitor boomed with her sweet soprano. She didn't cry or yell ..she was talking to herself or perhaps an imaginary friend..."You're done sleeping..You're not tired anymore...Time to wake up now". Her language astonished me and I couldn't get enough of the stories she told, the songs she sang or the way she kept saying my name for no apparent reason..."Lara...Lara...Lyra".

Their family photoshoot was not typical at all. We weren't in any rush. We did not have a schedule to keep. Cari didn't fuss when Penelope pulled out her barrettes. Instead, I was just invited to observe a day in the life of this adorable family of 3. It was the kind of day that made me realize that I could do this for the rest of my life... To be with a family for a few hours and capture the essence of who they are and what they mean to each other.

To show them the spring in their step when they take a walk together...

To show them what their family dance party looks like...

To show them how lucky they are to have one another...


Cari, Raym and Penelope made that so easy. They just went about their afternoon as if I was not there to impose, but rather to document all the things that make their life so beautiful..so perfect...right now. And of course at the center of that perfection is Penelope Grace.

Penelope told me that one of her favorite artists was Michael Buble...so I pulled some strings and made sure their movie contained his music! Penelope here is MY favorite Michael "Bluebay" song..and it's all for you!

The Promise of Dulces...

I was so excited for this photoshoot that I found myself a little unprepared. I usually have sillybands or some small bribe to keep young kids interested in this event and to keep their parents calm. This time, in the middle of an open field, miles away from the house, I had nothing! Nothing but my word. Vienna is a 5 year old spitfire who LOVES the camera. She was a breeze.


But her little brother Vaughn, barely awake from his afternoon nap, needed something to work for. He made it loud and clear...he wanted DULCES... So for as long as he would let us, Sydney, Alex and I would tell him he could have candy...and then under our breath we would say..."when we are done" or "maybe in the car". Luckily the gorgeous scenery and the Fox river grabbed his attention and bought us a little more time.


Sydney and I have a history. She was my college roommate...not for one year..but for ALL FOUR! We were complete strangers until the fateful day our names got paired together the summer of 1993. And now, I cannot remember my life before I knew her. During their photo shoot Sydney told her daughter..."Lyra and Mommy lived together for 4 years! The only other people who have lived with me for that long have been family." Well Syd, that still holds true. I will always regard you as family and I will always treasure our friendship. You knew me..the REAL me..long before I ever did!

Too Cute...

Brandi and I had been texting, facebooking, and talking for MONTHS regarding this engagement session. We talked about location, outfits and of course her fiance...JUSTIN. Photo sessions are generally not the male's cup of tea. In fact, most would rather get it done and over with. So in the weeks that led up to this fateful day, I made sure to ask Brandi frequently.."How's Justin?". Her response was always a solid..."He's good...he may need some coaching...but he's good."
It turns out Justin was better than good...he was great! He was incredibly relaxed, so up for anything, so willing to give up a Sunday afternoon while the Bears were on! And as for me coaching him? Well, I basically told him where to stand and he gave every smile, look, and pose with very little input from me.

I think I even caught him truly enjoying himself. Look I have proof...you can't fake a smile like this!

Brandi and Justin just have a very natural way with each other and when i asked what the secret to their relationship is Brandi let me in on some pertinent information. She said...
"Justin and I were voted cutest couple in highschool!"
Obviously they take that title seriously! And in between the more posed shots, I got a glimpse of cute..I mean, beyond cute really...
Justin spinning her around when he thought I wasn't looking.
A few glances that I swear were not prompted by me.
And laughter...lots and lots of laughter!

The last time these two were followed around by their own personal papparazzi, it was for prom! Well, it is great practice for the big day in August 2011. And truly..I was honored to be a part of it!

Perfect Moments

When Amy contacted me via facebook to take pictures of her family for their annual Christmas card, I was honored and excited. And when the day finally came...I was honored, excited and nervous. I know that I was not the only one nervous about this occasion because after every few clicks, her husband Matt, would ask me..."Did we get any good ones?"
So I won't write too much more about what "we got"....but I can tell you that we got some GREAT ones! It was easy really...we had gorgeous light, an incredible outdoor backdrop...and 2 of the most camera friendly pre-teens my lens has ever countered!

Matt and Amy, I know you were looking for ONE good shot...but you guys just gave me so much more, so I think the decision for the Christmas Card is going to be painfully difficult! Beyond the perfectly posed pictures, there were some amazing family moments that I got to be a part of and I hope that I documented them in a way that will allow you to remember them forever!

In SEVENTH Heaven

If you have ever flipped through a Pottery Barn catalog and wondered "Whose house really looks like this?", you will need to meet my friend Karen. Karen and her family live a couple miles down the street from me and I have often stopped by unexpectedly with an excuse to drop off small gifts for her children or allergy medicine for herself. But in reality...I just wanted to catch her in a state of clutter. Not the "Hoarders Buried Alive" mess, but good old LIVED in clutter. Shoes at the bottom of the stairs, laundry haphazardly strewn out on the couch, a trail of toys down the front hallway. You know...NORMAL stuff! Well, try as I may, I could never catch her in a moment of weakness. So I just have to reconcile (and secretly hate her for it) that Karen just keeps her home like this all of the time.


Today Karen's daughter Maddie turned 7 years old. And as I read Karen's facebook status honoring her little girl, I could not help but invite myself over to capture the life of Maddie on her first day of being 7. Karen knows me better and she knew that I would not take NO for an answer. And so through a series of instant messages, we planned it and Karen vowed to "whip" something together in the next couple of hours so I could take some images of Maddie celebrating her birthday.
I probably should not have been shocked at the pomp and circumstance that greeted me when I arrived later that afternoon. Karen's last minute, throw it together party was nothing short of an A-List event! Balloons, streamers hanging from the chandelier, a fresh baked cake, personalized confetti sprayed across the table and dozens of presents stylized on the granite countertop.
Madeline wore a permanent grin the entire afternoon knowing that all of the fuss was over her in celebrating the day she entered the world!

We did the token birthday images... blowing out the cake, opening the presents. We even got a change to take some photographs outside. But some of my favorite images came from a 15 minute span when Karen allowed me to take some pictures of Maddie's room. It was fascinating that even though she was playing downstairs, the bedroom was still filled with Maddie. Her favorite toys, her posters, her handwritten notes and doodling...Those tiny details that make this 7 year old uniquel! Sometimes its the little things, like Justin Bieber's pin up on a door, that truly mark the time in someone's life. And I hope I captured that for Karen and Maddie.
Before I left, Maddie agreed to do a video interview with me. As we sat down I asked her what she thought of her birthday so far. She let out a tiny laugh, shrugged her shoulders and sweetly said..."My Mom is kinda crazy." I think that's 7 year old talk for "I am really grateful". And I wanted to tell her that yes her mom is CRAZY! CRAZY in love with her life. CRAZY in love with her family! CRAZY in love with her kids..and especially with her birthday girl!

Jack of all Cakes...

It's something that we have all seen in movies and magazines. A one year old celebrant devouring a first birthday cake as if it were his last. Frosting smeared all over his cheeks and hair, cake crumbs hanging from the corner of his mouth and a barely recognizable cake on his table.
In real life however, most one year olds are barely willing to stick a finger in the cake...maybe he would grab a tiny piece and smoosh it up in his chunky little hands. For many of us who have witnessed this first birthday cake ritual, it is across the board, uneventful. A let down to say the least. I know that I have felt this way...but not anymore. Along came Jack!
Jack attacked his cake with careless abandon. He barely had to take any direction or wait for permission to dive right in and give us the show that we waited to see. The end result in Jack vs. the Cake...clearly the cake did not have a fighting chance. He now holds the title for best Cake Eater in the one year old division...he plans to defend it next year. And we will all be waiting with baited breath!
Taking pictures of this little guy was easy breezy! Even when he wasn't looking at the camera, he gave me the best expresssions. His party was jam packed with friends and family. And where most toddlers would get completely overwhelmed by this kind of attention, Jack welcomed it and bounced from one arm to another...giving every one a chance to get their birthday squeezes in.

All afternoon Jack would let out a series of vocalizations that sounded like this "mmmm....mmmmm...mmmm..." I think he is telling us that his life is delicious...and I couldn't agree more!

Happy Feet

I have an obsession with theater! This is a girl who saw Wicked three times in one year. Who spent a weekend in New York show hopping from one theater to another. And this is a girl who, judge me if you want, took her 6 year old to see RENT and we both belted out the songs from the upper balcony. The costumes, the music, the performers...it is all so magical. And I shall confess, that whenever they do the curtain call and each performer takes their moment of glory on stage, I cry...ok..I BAWL!
I cry because I am in such awe of these talented individuals who work day in and day out to bring art to life for regular folks like me. I cry because they usually have amazing dancer's bodies that no amount of pilates could ever help me achieve. I cry because witnessing them live out their extremely artistic lives only makes me realize how much I long for creativity in my everyday.
My good friend Jessica is part of the amazing Chicago Human Rhythm Project's BAM! on Tour. The company performed at Oakton Community College last Sunday and I was able to have full access to their tech rehearsal. I'm not gonna lie...I barely got ANY pictures of their first dance because I was too busy picking my jaw up off the floor!
These guys are amazing dancers and amazing people! I was able to get on stage, side stage and backstage to take some photographs. I truly had the best seat in the house.
I apologize in advance that some of these images are blurry...it's hard to know what's in focus when ya got tears in your eyes!

Super Sassy

I love Facebook. Those who know me know that I am a little addicted. I like the idea of catching up with people through their one line status updates, their pictures or their videos. What I didn't realize until recently is how powerful this social media outlet truly is. It all happened innocently enough during my facebook nightly ritual. I immediately noticed an uploaded set of pictures of the most gorgeous, vibrant, playful fabrics and clothing I have ever seen. And then when I realized who posted it, I was immediately hooked. It was my friend Lisa Holman, and I remember from her past creations how ridiculously talented this girl is.

Lisa and her friend Nicky are starting up a clothing line, Sassy Lassie Design. They started a facebook page BEFORE an official website and business is already booming. See what I mean, Facebook has power! As soon as I saw their work, not only did I become a fan on facebook..I became an ambassador for them in real life. I told my friends... I told my family and I BEGGED the designers to PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me do a Sassy Lassie photo shoot.

Lisa and Nicky live in Indiana, so making this shoot happen took lots of planning on all our parts. But I couldn't be happier with the images we got when we met up in Geneva, IL.


The hardest part about the shoot..well it was pretty tough to make the clothes the center of attention when we were working with such adorable models. But I think I got a pretty good balance.

The Watsons

The first time I met Bryn it was over a decade ago. We were in college and she was a decked out in camouflage at a sorority rush party event called camp COG. Eventually I joined the COGS and we became became proverbial sorority sisters. We share crazy memories and vow that what happens at Augustana college..stays there! However I can say this, I have never known Bryn without Will. They dated all through college and in a world where we may secretly fantasize about being the characters on Laguna Beach...Bryn and Will's relationship as how I remember it, was virtually drama free. They were just a chillax couple who genuinely enjoyed spending time together and always had a collection of friends.


Fast Forward to over 10 years later, Will and Bryn are married and have gorgeous 4 1/2 year old twins Drew and Avery.

I am not surpised that they are exactly how I remember them. ..so relaxed and so willing to take their time during their family photo shoot. I drove to Lake Genenva and met them at the Abbey Springs Country Club. This little trip made it my first official out of state photo shoot and it gave us lots of great scenery to work with. We hijacked a wedding, trespassed in a resident's driveway, left a trail of Cheez It's wherever we went and may have annoyed a few golfers on the fairway. Through it all, Bryn and Will remained calm and cool...and Drew and Avery followed their lead.



I must say that Drew wasn't feeling it too much with camera at first..but luckily I found a way to his heart... This boy will smile for Silly Bands! Miss Avery, on the other hand, was a little diva and a magnet to my lens! Like mother, like daughter!



I wish I could take credit for this adorable pose. But the artist behind this was 100% Avery. She commanded me to come over and take a picture of her and her brother back to back. It is one of my favorite images. Thanks for having my back girlfriend!