Higbee Family | Ventura, CA

Its a good thing hazy beach sessions are always so beautiful because I get to shoot a lot of them! This cute family belongs to my cousin Katie, who I got to vacation with in a dreamy beach house in Ventura last month. She was my idol growing up... the mature, talented, pretty (and totally bossy) one who I wanted to be just like. And now she has a wonderful family that I would be lucky to be just like. So glad you asked me to photograph you all! Love you guys!

Frost Family | Pacific Beach, CA

I wish I had audio from this session because sweet Baby Milo was making some of the most amazing cooing and giggling sounds I've ever heard. This shoot was the day before Ian's first day of law school. As the wife of a Juris Doctorate I know what an exciting and nerve-wracking time this is and I love that we were able to commemorate it! Good Luck Sara and Ian!

Westwood Family | La Jolla, CA

Did you think I forgot about you, Blogosphere? Summertime has been luring me away from my computer with all of her wonderful distractions, but I have lots of great photos to catch you up on... Starting with these pretty pictures from a family reunion I recently shot for the Westwood family! They came from all over to spend time together before Adrian and Katarina left for their wedding in Sweden (I'm not jealous at all). I loved that the pre-teens were playing Bieber to get everyone smiling and that their grandpa was making them laugh the whole time. Its such a special thing when extended families get together, I'm glad I got to memorialize their reunion. Thanks, Westwoods!

I also had the world's cutest assistant with me that day. Andrea, if you weren't already on your way to BYU, I'd be trying to convince you to move to San Diego! (photo from my Instagram stream)

Alycia & Randahl | Coronado, CA

This was one of those great shoots thats hard to narrow down to just a few images to post. Alycia is so photogenic and it was such a lovely evening on Coronado Island, talking about babies and treating ourselves to some ice cream. They were due to have their baby boy yesterday (and I know how hard it is to pass that due date!) so good luck, Alycia, I hope it happens soon and that all goes smoothly. It was wonderful getting to know you both, I hope I'll get to meet baby James soon!

Cockapoochis

You must be wondering what a Cockapoochi is. Its what happens when a Cockapoo and a Chi-Spaniel make babies. Still confused? Me too. I snapped these of my mom's 8-week-old litter the day before they all went to their new homes. We were all a little sad to see them go, especially my own little pups, Juniper and Everett. Theres nothing in the world quite like puppy breath!

Sister Heap | Balboa Park, CA

This was a special shoot. Lindsey was leaving the following day to serve an 18-month-long mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Forth Worth, Texas area. Some of her brothers were out of town so her sweet mom, Amy, booked me to shoot just the girls in the family (obviously, beauty runs in the family). Their excitement and love for Lindsey as she embarked on this adventure was so contagious I got a little teary as we were talking and laughing and traipsing around Balboa Park. I've told her this before but I'll say it again, Amy knows how to raise truly incredible kids, and I would like her to please teach me everything she knows! Thank you for inviting me to take these special photos, and thank you all for being so incredibly photogenic!