Annie is quiet, but strong. She's incredibly easy to be around. She's a wonderful example to those around her. And she's an amazing mother. We'd lost touch for a few years, but (most fortunate for me), she's again living back in my hometown, and I had the joy of being able to photograph her with her beautiful family last month.
Friend, here are just a few of your pictures. Big hugs to you and those sweet little people!
It was loud, to be sure. 7 kids, ages 7 months to 7 years. Yikes. But through all of the commotion, the screeching, the laughter, the tears, and then (after bedtime) the silence, we got to hang out, and just chat. And just enjoy being together. Today I made her go outside for 3 minutes with her littlest one and take their pictures, because she doesn't have any images of the two of them together. I'm glad she indulged me. :)
Thank you to JT for being so helpful, for being patient, and allowing us to go out in the evenings. Thank you, Jen, for coming. I love you, I miss you already, and I'm counting down the days til we play again next month.
Aww! She is as beautiful outside as she is on the inside....and so very lucky you "made" her do this! Your post made me all teary eyed.....you two share such a beautiful bond and friendship and that is a rare thing to come by. So glad you got to spend time together. I can only imagine how crazy things got with 7 kids!!
(07.11.10 @ 06:06 PM)Sheer magic - so happy you two have found such a close connection in each other and that you are able to spend so much time together this summer. Truly a gift!
You are an incredible pair! (next time I would love to see pics of the two of you TOGETHER!)
And congrats to you all for surviving 7 excited kids under 7! That deserves an award!
(07.11.10 @ 08:41 PM)Sooo sweet! I love the story of your friendship, too. Thanks for forcing her out to get her pictures taken! I love seeing Jen with her babe!
(07.11.10 @ 08:47 PM)Such a sweetnstory and bond you guys have. These images are priceless!! How about some of the two of you together??
(07.11.10 @ 08:59 PM)Dana & Helene, we already have big plans for a photo session together. We just have to formulate when and where we're going to have Ms. Tara Whitney shoot us!
(07.11.10 @ 09:23 PM)These are so precious - love the last one! Did you guys venture to get one of all 7 kids together??!! That would have been a challenge!! :)
(07.11.10 @ 10:02 PM)you two are brave, hilarious, sweet and gorgeous. your amazing story and beautiful images make my heart sing...love you both! :)
(07.12.10 @ 08:16 AM)yay!!!! Jen!!!! She is so pretty. Rachel, I'm so glad you got photos of her and her little guy together.
(07.12.10 @ 08:17 AM)Sniffle....I love you dear friend. Thank you SO MUCH for these. I'm so so soooo happy we took those few minutes, even if I did feel sweaty & gross. Gosh my baby is cute. :P I so wanna buy that house for sale next door so we can sit out on your porch & talk each night. I miss you so much already & I too am counting the days for our next "playdate". Thank you for putting up with my crazy crew. Telll JT I owe him one...or a million. :) xoxo
(07.12.10 @ 12:10 PM)Fabulous images Rachel and my goodnes Jen you are gorgeous and that little man of yours is SOOOO cute! Thanks for sharing ladies (Rachel -your talent and Jen - your gorgeousness!!)
(07.12.10 @ 02:12 PM)Beautiful photos Rachel!! And beautiful Jen and her little boy! Sounds like your weekend together was wonderful!
(07.13.10 @ 03:48 PM)Oh my goodness these images are so sweet! Jen, you are GORGEOUS and your little man could not be cuter!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!!
(07.15.10 @ 11:14 AM)Oh gosh....love it! Can't wait for our photo shoot and some Rach time!!
(07.19.10 @ 12:07 PM)LOVE these - what a great gift!!! This makes me want to have a reunion of all the great people who spent $1000 to meet each other. :)
(08.14.10 @ 04:34 PM)Jackie is the mastermind behind Northwest New Mexico's chic new wedding boutique, Silk. She's been a long-time client, and has become a good friend. While at home last week, we had a fun family session with her little clan out on the sandstone. The kids never stopped moving, and I loved watching Jackie and Brian just roll with things. They've got a beautiful family and I loved spending the evening with them.
Way to get those fingerprints all over Daddy's Ray Bans buddy! ;)
This is the out-take of the night: the look you get when you say, "Hey guys! Look right here.... riiiiight here.... right into my lens.... do you see the dragon? Huh? Can you see him?" Hahaha! 
What a beautiful family! The ones of the little guy in the sunglasses slay me. Super cute.
(06.29.10 @ 12:49 AM)these are GORGEOUS, rachel! so full of light, beauty and relaxed fun. they must be beyond thrilled! :D
(06.29.10 @ 07:23 AM)haha! I love that last shot! These are are all gorgeous... when ya coming to shot my family???
(06.29.10 @ 09:18 AM)Beautiful family and photos!! And that last shot is PRICELESS! HA!! Great work, once again Rach!
(06.30.10 @ 08:34 AM)Beautiful, adorable photographs! I love the colors, and the scenery is just awesome. The cute kids don't hurt either. Great work!
(07.01.10 @ 10:47 AM)So off we went, to sit with our new congregation at church, the first Sunday we were in our new location. At one point, I was walking the halls with Maura, trying to get her to fall asleep. Up walked this beautiful, vivacious, friendly woman named Kristen. We chatted for a minute and realized we lived in the same neighborhood. She swooned over my baby, she asked if there was anything she could do to help us settle in, she asked for my phone number. With my hands full, and no pen in sight, I handed her a business card which has my number on it. She promised to get in touch. How excited I was about my new friend!!
She contacted me that very day- gave me her address, her cell and home numbers, and then asked if we could please do a session of her and her two kiddos for her husband for Father's Day. Absolutely we could!! So we arranged it.... she slipped out of the house with the kids one evening last week, we had a quick session, and what emerged from it was magic.
Her sweet children were comfortable in front of the camera, Kristen herself is gorgeous, and we had such a great time.
And now I share some of those images with you.... but if you see Mr. Carlos, MUM'S THE WORD! He has no idea about these, and I think he'll be thrilled, come Father's Day.
Oh! And, if Kristen gets 25 comments here, she gets a little something extra from me... ;)
Mr. C got a little silly.........
Miss S. did some dancing.......
My dear friend, you are a BOMBSHELL!
Kristen, thank you for introducing yourself. Thank you for being my first friend in our new area. I think you're wonderful, I think you're children are gorgeous, and I'm grateful to know you!
WOW! What a gorgeous family! Stunning images as always! He will love them!
(06.08.10 @ 10:24 AM)Yay for new friendships and fabulous photographs!!! These are gorgeous pictures :-)
(06.08.10 @ 02:36 PM)These are great pictures! I love to take pictures, but these are awesome PHOTOS! Carlos will love them! You captured fabulous real life moments, they aren't just posed pictures! I totally understand the feelings that come with a move and I'm so glad that Kristen as been able to help you settle in.
(06.08.10 @ 02:51 PM)What a cute story and a cute family!
(06.08.10 @ 03:02 PM)absolutely GORGEOUS images. what a great father's day present. these are just priceless...
(06.08.10 @ 03:46 PM)terrific images! beautiful woman and mother, adorable kids. she must be so happy with these. great work!
(06.08.10 @ 03:47 PM)these are absolutely Gourgeous. i Love them, But then again its Mrs.Vasquez and her Babies :]
(06.08.10 @ 03:52 PM)What an awesome Father's Day surprise this will be! I LOVE the girl in her twirly dress....so fresh and fun! What a beautiful family!!
(06.08.10 @ 05:23 PM)What a gorgeous mama! You can totally see where her kids got their looks from! These are photos to treasure forever.
(06.08.10 @ 08:00 PM)Beautiful pics! Kristen was sooooooo excited to do these. I may be next!
(06.08.10 @ 08:10 PM)Oh my gosh these pictures are beautiful! Cover magazine status:)
(06.08.10 @ 10:12 PM)Oh my goodness! These are fantastic. Carlos is going to LOVE them! Kristen always looks gorgeous, and her kids are adorable. Love the pictures.
(06.08.10 @ 11:22 PM)The pictures are absolutely adorable!
(06.08.10 @ 11:43 PM)I love them, Rach! The kids are adorable and I really love the one of Kristen laying on the grass- she is gorgeous! Amazing eyes.
(06.09.10 @ 05:23 AM)Wow! These are so gorgeous! I think their Dad is gonna love these!! Really beautiful images of a beautiful family!
(06.09.10 @ 06:21 AM)These are absolutely beautiful. The color is perfect, the location is great.....the models are gorgeous! Amazingly photogenic kids picked up a thing or two from their mama ;)
(06.09.10 @ 06:26 AM)What a beautiful gift!!!!
(06.09.10 @ 07:07 AM)Wow! What fun pictures. They are gorgeous. You and the kids look like you were having fun taking the pictures. Carlos is going to LOVE them!!
(06.09.10 @ 07:46 AM)wow...what a stunning momma and adorable kiddos! i have no doubt you will have an army of friends before the summer's over, rach. you are a magnet for goodness. :)
(06.09.10 @ 09:46 AM)Your family is so cute!!!!! Carlos is going to love these!!!!
(06.09.10 @ 10:14 AM)Stunning!
(06.09.10 @ 10:44 AM)I know Kristen is so gorgeous. And we are so glad you moved here. Great pictures, Carlos will love them
(06.09.10 @ 11:15 AM)These are amazing pictures...love you guys!
(06.09.10 @ 11:34 AM)These pictures are fantastic! I know Carlos will love them! I will definitely have Rachel do our family photos when the time comes. Thanks for sharing these, Kristen!
(06.09.10 @ 11:38 AM)I love them. They are all so cute!!!!
(06.09.10 @ 01:03 PM)So beautiful! Kristen and the kids look amazing -- as always! I love how Kristen and Sydney's eyes just sparkle!
(06.09.10 @ 01:45 PM)Simply perfect. Gorgeous color and great connections! What a wonderful gift for Dad!
(06.09.10 @ 01:56 PM)Just gorgeous! Congrats on a wonderful new friend as well as a fantastic session.
(06.09.10 @ 02:24 PM)Kristin, they are simply fantastic ! You look like models out of magazine !:)) Carlos is surely going to adore them ! what a lovely idea :)
(06.09.10 @ 02:42 PM)Looks like you owe her ;) Of course, she owes you for capturing these wonderful memories for her!!!
(06.09.10 @ 06:48 PM)The pictures are beautiful and really captured all of your personalities the way you truly are. Simply Beautiful. Carlos will be so thrilled to have these memories forever!
(06.09.10 @ 07:42 PM)Love them all...especially the one of your amazing son meditating!! :-)
(06.09.10 @ 11:45 PM)These are BEAUTIFUL!!!! He is going to LOVE them!
(06.13.10 @ 08:36 PM)HAPPY FATHERS DAY CARLOS! you are so blessed. You continue to amaze me Rachel!
(06.15.10 @ 09:04 AM)What a fabulous session! Beautiful momma and her sweet/adorable children. Yay, for new friends!
(06.26.10 @ 12:06 PM)We'd planned on roasting dogs, making s'mores and enjoying a bonfire, only to find that all the pits had been taken. Instead, we ate chips and cold Hershey's bars, and chatted while
We've already made lovely friends in our new area, and I'm grateful to feel like we belong here. I'm also grateful that no one threw anything at my camera (as a hint to get me to put it away) as I snapped pictures throughout the evening.
Next time, we'll head to the beach at noon. And yes, I'll be taking the camera.
These photos are super cool Rachel...as usual. Wishing I had access to a beach. But no, our sand doesn't come with salty fun-ness. (unless maybe at morgan lake. nasty!)
(05.26.10 @ 11:18 PM)Ooooh I am LOONGING for the beach. Lovely images my friend! I can almost taste the salty air.
(05.27.10 @ 12:46 AM)Elias sure is a handsome boy!
(05.27.10 @ 05:55 AM)Fun times ! We went to the same place for our first beach trip of the year the night before. LOL
(05.27.10 @ 10:50 AM)Those are so cute. You are so talented
(05.27.10 @ 02:36 PM)Wow! These are beautiful, Rachel! I'm always afraid to bring my camera to the beach. Next I'm going to. You captured some really great moments.
(05.28.10 @ 06:57 AM)Looks like a magical evening! I love that you are settling in, making friends and feeling at home!! YAY!!
(06.09.10 @ 06:08 PM)
Oh my goodness! I love them! And I haven't seen her in so long either! I miss her! Her kids are adorable.
(07.18.10 @ 09:30 PM)Gorgeous! Beautiful family and pictures. Such a sweet story, too. :)
(07.18.10 @ 10:15 PM)Rachel...your photography is just incredible! ...it sometimes brings me to tears! I've written you before about possibly taking pics of my girls and grandkids when they are together there in Farmington. They were all there again over the 4th and we are working on all being there at least one more time before school starts. When will you be there next?
(07.19.10 @ 08:02 AM)such a pretty, fun, adorably loving family! absolutely darling. what a joy for you all! :)
(07.20.10 @ 08:29 AM)