Leslie, they're in the mail.

One of my favorite things about newborn photo shoots are capturing the family all together at home. This picture above makes me very happy. Mom changing the baby and sister playing, and vying for attention. To me, that is so important to document. It is a thing of beauty. I love it! I hope you do too!

So funny to see little one try and hold a baby, and they last about 20 seconds too, and they're done.

Ella, dancing for us.

Could this little girl get any cuter?

I love this one!

As always, I posted too many. I just can't help myself.

Well, we are off to Utah to be with family for Thanksgiving.

I know I have had some emails enquiring about when I would be in Utah and could do pictures. I wish I could, but I won't have time this trip. It is pretty short, and I am going to photograph my sibling's families, and Kelly is going to do our Christmas picture as well. Fun Fun.

Hope everyone has a fantabulous holiday!

Hands down, my favorite.

Tonight I photographed Dan and Brooke at the LDS temple in Mesa. I love when I get to the end of a photo session. Finally everyone is relaxed in front of the camera and I can get them to do anything. You guys ROCK!

A day at the zoo.

First things first. Dave sits down with the map to make his plan of attack.lots of female help.

First thing I noticed was how wonderful it was to be surrounded with so much greenery. The Phoenix Zoo has done a great job with creating such a beautiful and lush environment in this desert of ours. I loved these flowers. You gotta love winter in Arizona. The weather was so perfect!

We are always too cheap to do something like this, but we got in for only four dollars a piece so we splurged. We even bought kettle corn. It was a banner day!

We spent the most time watching these little monkeys above and the primates below. They are so awesome!Look at that wing span!This made me totally laugh. Shall I start doing this to Dave to recognize him as the dominate male in our home. My hemorrhoids aren't quite as bad though. Ok, that was going too far.

Here are my little monkeys. I think they are the cutest.

WE hung with the Astons all day. Little miss penny was given the royal treatment by all us Ives. Notice the football helmet in the cart. Jeff had to bring it in the zoo with him but never wore it. Don't worry though it was still put to good use. There was always someone wearing it.

Rachel wore it for like an hour straight. But Grant, she didn't get us on anything free! ha ha. (inside joke). Rachel definitely doesn't care what other people think. She thought she looked cool.

Lizzie found the perfect spot to enjoy her popcorn.

Look at that happy smiling face. I love it. Lizzie kept saying all day about the animals, "they look fake, but they are real." Poor thing. That's what happens when you are the youngest and are stuck doing older kid stuff all the time. Jacob and Rachel were at the zoo every week when they were little.

Dave just couldn't get over how cool the giraffes are. His dream is to go to Africa.

It was the perfect fun family day, despite BYU losing to University of Utah.

I'm home.

I got home after midnight last night and found this note placed strategically on the floor right as I walked in. When I went to "tuc" Lizzie in, she woke up a little and asked sleepily, "Did you get my note?" I love that little girl.

OK, I just had an incredible three days! The "love affair workshop" was everything I hoped for and more. I learned so so much and I feel so empowered, motivated, and excited. Now I just need to put into practice everything that I learned. The four photographers that put it on were... Davina Fear, Kelly Moore, Millie Holloman, and Lauren Clark. You can google them if you want. I am too lazy to look up the links right now. They were fabulous!

Here are some pictures I took while there. I have a million more, but they will have to wait.

They were the cutest couple! I loved them! Both were 20 and going to school in San Diego. They aren't professional models, but I think they could be!

practicing motion

They were short on people to model and a girl that worked at the hotel said she would fill in! She did great!Trying different lighting.


This place was amazing! I wanted to buy every dessert in there. But I was good.

My favorite part about this place was the front door. Isn't it awesome! If I ever have a photography studio, it will have this door! LOVE IT!

and here is for you Kelly. They had the cutest hand made baby shoes. You have to make these!

Here I am in my favorite spot. Cozy in my hotel room bed and practicing doing manual exposure. This hotel was really awesome. It is called the "W" hotel. So everything went along with the theme of starting with a "W". The details of this hotel were so great. I should have take more pictures of them all. I was pretty wasted and tired though.

WEll, now I am off to my bed. We are going to the zoo in the morning, and than going to friends to watch the BYU game. GO COUGARS!!!!!!

Off to learn!

Well, I fly out tomorrow morning to San Diego for a photography workshop by four amazing women photographers from all over the country. I can't wait to fill my brain up with new ideas and information. Can't wait to show you what I've learned!

I am so sorry Leslie, but I wasn't able to finish your pictures in time to mail before I leave. But here is a scrumptious sampling of your beautiful family.

I'm off to bed. I need to leave around 4:30 a.m. yucky!