Deanna and Tim

This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of second shooting Deanna and Tim's wedding with the fun and talented Victoria Sprung of Victoria Sprung Photography. Deanna is a former model and Tim's a musician. Their day was full of laughter and tears of joy, gratitude and happiness. Their love for each other, for Deanna's son and for their close-knit families was tangible. Deanna and Tim, I was so honored to be a part of your big day. Congratulations!

Thankful: for cuddles

It's rare that Mike and I have the opportunity to take pictures of our own families. Everyone is spread out across the country and only comes together once or twice a year around the holidays. This year, we took full advantage of so many family members being together for Thanksgiving. We had so much fun on all three of our family photo shoots. Each of them gave us something to be thankful for and filled us with the holiday spirit.

We really miss living close by to Mike's sister and brother-in-law and their two adorable little boys. It's hard to look at these two brothers and not smile. They just radiate happiness, the whole family does. They smile with their eyes. And to take it up a notch on the cuteness scale, these two guys are real cuddlers. They are pros at giving mom, dad, Auntie Jen and Uncle Mike frequent big hugs. Only problem is Auntie Jen and Uncle Mike never want to let go!

Thankful: for laughter

It's amazing how time flies. And it's never more evident just how fast it is flying then when we get to catch up with Mike's oldest brother, his sister-in-law and their three awesome kids. I've known these three squirts since before they were each born and have loved getting to watch them grow up.

The girls are tasked with keeping Aunt Jen and Uncle Mike "hip," always updating us on what's in. We've done it all together: played with the American Girl dolls, competed in "tap, tap revenge" tournaments, learned the intricate High School Musical dance moves and the Jonas Brothers lyrics. And now we get to watch them interact with their little brother. It's amazing to watch their pride as they teach him the ABCs, introduce him to new tastes, toys and traditions. And the best part? Someone is always singing, dancing, laughing. Even through the hardest times, this family pulls each other through with laughter.

Thankful: for never getting too old

As a kid, I could never sleep on Christmas Eve. Oh heck, who am I kidding. I still can't. I still wake up in the middle of the night, wide awake, with that excited tingle in my stomach. Every. Single. Year. Now, at 28-years-old, I groan when I look at the clock and notice it's only 4AM. But then I still smile, thinking of the gifts that are already, magically, under the tree, waiting for us to open. After all of these years, Mom and Dad still wait until we are asleep to sneak downstairs and lay out our presents. And, after all of these years, Becky and I (and now Mike!) love waking up early (it has to still be dark, or it doesn't count!) to peer over the banister to "see if Santa came."

So, as I post this third and final installment of our Thanksgiving family photo sessions, I am thankful to my mom and dad for keeping that magic alive for us. For always making the holidays so special. I already can't wait to come home again in just three weeks!