{One Year Session} Ryan is a year old!

It's always an honor -- watching little ones that aren't mine grow right before my eyes. I have to sit back and think that this must be how my old public school teachers felt when they had to send their kids to a new grade at the end of each year -- time goes by, much too quickly. But it's a necessary part of life, and a beautiful part of life.

A couple of weekends ago, precious baby (now toddler) Ryan celebrated his very first year of life. Just a few short days after his first birthday, I got to celebrate with him. Just as I did one year ago, a few short days after his birth....I got to snuggle with him, and welcome him into the world along with his momma, daddy, and big brother. And now a year later, here we are again.

{Homestead Life Series} Spring Time is Coming

Winter has been so hard here in Virginia this year. We've gotten several snow storms, but it hasn't even been a snow factor. It has more so been the fact that everything is completely saturated from the snow and rain that we've received this Winter. Our homestead has been a never ending mud pit, and our poor animals, which are used to being "pasture" raised, have been significantly lacking in the "pasture" area.

Just as we are, the chickens are especially excited now that the ground has dried up almost completely. Their coop got a wonderful cleaning this past weekend, and they enjoyed their free ranging once more. Not only has the Winter weather put a damper on our flocks foraging, but so have hawks and eagles this year. You know it's a bad Winter when hawks and eagles consistently attack your backyard flock through out the season.

There are so many chicken faces on our homestead. So often, now days I seem to only talk about our new breed, Icelandic chickens. But I wanted to take some time to show you just a few of the other faces around here. Our homestead consists of several chicken breeds, simply because we love their beauty. Some of them, in exception to our Icelandics, are Rhode Island Reds (pictured below), Silver Laced Wyandottes (the first photo above), Barred Rocks (the middle photo), Delawares, Easter Eggers, and some barnyard mixes.

Spring is coming, and the very first day of it is to arrive on Friday. We will see if the weather agree's, but until then, we'll enjoy this Spring type weather!

{Maternity Session} The Combs Family | Old Town Remington

One of my all time favorite things to take photos of are momma bellies. The experience of carrying a little soul inside of you is a miracle and a treasure. To think that in just 9 short and back breaking months, a little one will be laying in your arms...it's heartbreaking and joyful all at once.

A couple of weekends ago I meet up with this gorgeous family for their maternity session. We had rescheduled multiple times because of this crazy snow we've been getting here in Virginia. And finally we just gave up and decided on a different location -- Old Town Remington.

It turned out to be a wonderful choice, and the snow gave us some beautiful lighting! The lighting and backgrounds were so pretty that I could never decide if I wanted my regular "matte" finish on the photos or all natural!

Here are a few of my favorites from their session.

Thank you so much, Combs family, for allowing me to photograph your beautiful little family once again! Congratulations on your newest addition!!