I get hired to take pictures of other families, or important events- like weddings, birthday parties, restaurant openings, reunions, etc. As I go through my client galleries it makes me smile that I was able to give these people documentation of their event that they can keep forever. And I am always honored to be chosen as the photographer. For my own family, I pretty much have my cameras around all the time. I alternate between the big guns: 5D Mark II and III, but also love my Fuji Instax Mini instant film camera, and even my iPhone. You can bet that all major events have been captured on a combination of cameras, yielding thousands of images.

One of the most important things I've learned as a mother and a photographer, is that the little everyday things are just as important (if not more) as the big life events and holidays. A lot of you will remember the 'finger paint war' pictures of Liam. That was just a normal afternoon for us. I love capturing my family on a Sunday afternoon when we have no particular agenda. I photograph Liam's toys and books, my husband washing his motorcycles, our dog laying in the sun. Some of my favorite images are ones that I took on the fly, just for the heck of it.

That all being said, the photos below perfectly illustrate my point. I didn't stage anything, didn't clean up the mess, didn't direct. I just stood there and took it in. Every moment is precious. These are some of my favorite images. Enjoy.

Haircut. Liam and daddy.