A Special Birthday & Bff Session

These photos were so much fun! I have to credit the two girls who were definitely the fun deliverers. They had a blast despite the heat, humidity, bugs, & taller shoes. It is hard to get my daughter to take photos with me {her curse of having a paparazzi mama}, but she didn't seem to mind with her bbf by her side!

This was mostly just a birthday session for the gorgeous Gracie. She is super smart, hilarious, & a total sweet heart! Also, look at those freckles & that hair! So swoon worthy! Such an amazing young lady!

I really want to do more bff sessions in the future, I think it brings out kids' genuine expressions and sparks their own creativity for poses they would like to do. I think it also makes it way more bearable for them.

Bffs, Pool Time, & Sleepovers

This summer has made me realize that pool visits get so much easier when kids get older and they know how to swim. It is amazing how much that brings down the overall stress level! All you have to do as a mom/supervisor is provide friends, sunscreen, & snacks for a relaxing poolside experience. Count me in!

I think when it comes to pool time now in days, I'm more stressful to my daughter than she is to me because I constantly feel like I have to ask her if she is doing okay and if she is hydrated. We have got to the age where I get the eye-roll and the... "Really, Mama? I'm fine."

C'est la vie!

I feel like these are the summers that really count. While they are little and can stand to be around us. We need all the pool time & weekday sleepovers we can get!

All About Those Loom Bracelets

Wonderloom = Best money ever spent.

Seriously.

Our daughter received one for her birthday from us, and lemme tell ya, she rarely puts it down. For summer break, this was an absolutely perfect gift! I would much rather her spend the day making everyone in our family (including the dogs) bracelets, than her having screen time.

& let's be honest. I find it slightly addictive too. I also now have a loom bracelet for every occasion.

Enjoying A Summer Treat

We finally made our way to Pelican SnoBalls in Lexington. It was so good! Aurora and I both got the birthday cake flavor and it was to die for! It was unlike any shaved ice I've ever had, the kind where you end up with just a bunch of hard to eat ice. This really did have the texture of snow.

I loved how colorful it was there! We also took full advantage of the giant tree that covered the tables. Perfect for the relentless summer heat and for photos. We went mid afternoon and picture wise, you would never be able to tell! 

Lights At Saluda Shoals Park

On Saturday we went to go see the lights at Saluda Shoals Park! It was freezing BUT I think that added to the experience. It felt really cozy especially after grabbing a hot chocolate & cider. I wish they provided mulled wine, but then again I'm a gluhwein {German mulled wine} junkie. We were starving after we had gotten there, there weren't too many options for food. I think they would of made a killing if they served stew or chili that night.

Since we were starving we decided smores was the way to go! They had a really neat huge fire pit to roast your marshmallows. It was really cute!

It was fun as a photographer to experience something like this. It was near dark everywhere! Obviously... because you want to be able to see the gorgeous lights! It was fun finding the light to take photos in. Noise {the specks in photos caused by conditions being really dark} in photos has a tendency to make me freak out. Which is utterly ridiculous, because noise is so natural to photography, while you should try to reduce it as much as you can you should also just let it happen so you can bring out details when it is dark outside.

For the bottom pictures I really couldn't decide which I like better, it being in color or not so I added both! For this shot, trying to find light, I put her next to a Christmas decoration haha! I love how it turned out, so moody and gorgeous! 

Seeing Santa at Saluda was amazing, he was amazing! It is always so cute to see all the kiddies nervous to meet the jolly man himself. They said no personal photos, which as a mom sucks, but as a photographer I completely understand. We did end up buying a sheet of Roo looking adorable next to Santa! 

We decided to go on their train through the lights. Which was a great idea...it was just so cold. SO cold. It was fun though. The kids really seemed to enjoy seeing the lights from the train rather from the car window where you kind of have restricted amount of ways to look at the lights.

Overall, it was a fun experience! I definitely miss going to Busch Gardens for their Christmas stuff when we lived up in Virginia, I think that whole experience spoiled me. I miss the shows. The ballet. The hot cocoa. Leftover Thanksgiving sandwiches. Also seeing Santa there. Saluda was definitely something fun to do that was close to home though!