Can I just tell you this was the most stressful thing I have done in a LONG time. I’ll tell you a few secrets I learned and some thoughts about the whole fiasco, because lets face it, its a big production, wouldn’t you agree?!

1. I start out by thinking about the clothing at school shopping time, I mean it makes sense…right?! Especially if you don’t like to shop like me then this is the perfect time…hit 2 birds with one stone. The process started in August…a long time ago.

2. I was complicating it. So, I finally took my own advice, choose 4 colors that you want to incorporate and go with that. Phew! Why did it take me so long to figure that out.

3. I started with an outfit (below) I loved from H&M so I went and bought it and then worked around it.

4.Family photos can be overwhelming for some, if that’s the case I suggest doing it every other year or every 3 years (plus, that gives you plenty of time to save money for the next session…no brainer). I didn’t do it last year, just wasn’t up to it and feeling the same for this year but Beckam is only 2 once. Yeah, one of the hardest ages to photograph but I still wanted it. And yes, he wasn’t really having it this year either.

5. I know this is a major one for so many people. I’m too fat! I know a lot of people don’t do it because of this reason and this reason alone and its pretty much how I was feeling this year and the last…but I made myself do it anyways. I know its an investment and you want your photos to be PERFECT. Well, let me tell you a secret It’s not going to be perfect! Its true. I know the photos may look perfect but they’re not! If I can remember right Bryn has been the devil the last 4 times of photo taking, she is CRAZY…to put it nicely. I had to let go of that “perfect family photo” thought in my mind and go with what we can get.

6. I know that some people just don’t make the time for but I’m telling you, you should. You know how fun it is to walk into someone’s house, the first thing you do is look at photos. Don’t you want to see their family photos? So, why wouldn’t others want to see yours?! I know, I’m a photographer and trying to sell you to get photos. I really do believe you should do it even if you hire someone else. I won’t be offended. I ‘m okay if you do, but let’s face it you’ll wished you hired me.  So, I think the moral of the story is GET YOUR FAMILY PHOTOS DONE. IF ITS GOING TO KILL YOU…your family will want that memory of you anyways…if its going to kill you.

As much as the planning was stressful for me and for some reason I stressed the day of but it all worked out and now its behind me and I now I have fan-tab-ulous memories of my growing family.

We prepped the kids a few days before asking them to be gentle and to leave the devil behind. And they were AMAZING, goofy and the best part is there was NO devil 🙂

My favorite from the session is the one of Greg throwing Beckam up in the air, he needed it to smile 🙂

Thanks to my dear friend Angie of Simplicity photography for taking our photos.