um…ashley is so stinking beautiful!!

meet her little man Dillon

he wasnt so sure about waking up from a nap and being in front of the camera…

sweet lil miss Brynn

and her doll of a sister Avery…

such awesome kiddos!!!

they sure love their handsome daddy Rob…

Jacqueline had specifically requested to work on backlighting together…so we headed out to a nearby field in hopes the clouds would open to let a little light in…LOVED this part of the shoot!!!

it was the first project I got to take on after getting over all that horrible morning sickness!!!

Thought a sweet valentine styled shoot was a must with valentines day just around the corner…

a little fun fact about ashley’s skirt…it is actually 2 skirts I found on clearance for 10 bucks at forever 21…they were sooooo short…so I sewed them together to make this adorable tea length skirt! love me a good deal!

you guys are so so so beautiful!

rawr!

thank you so much to Jacqueline, Katrina, and Ashley and Fam for making this day so much fun!!!

scroll down for a sweet little slideshow of more images!!!

xoxo

Tonya

once upon a time…there were 3 beautiful little girls…their momma was feeling a tugging on her heart because life seemed to be a little tough at the moment…

so she took her sleeping beauties out for a special shoot to remind them all of how very blessed they all were…to do fun and girly things…

they put on beautiful dresses, painted their eyes with delicate gold makeup, and giggled together…and then they feel into a beautiful dream…

they found themselves in a beautiful wilderness…

they looked around to see the beauty that was everywhere around them…

they danced…

laughed and played in the warm sunlight…


their momma told each and every one of them how beautiful and special they were…

they wondered what was in this beautiful place…

so they explored…

they enjoyed being in such a beautiful place…they sat and warmed in the sun…talked…and played a little….

but then they remembered the secrets they had giggled about the other day…

so momma asked them about their secrets.. what they dream about?

mia must dream about all the fun letters and words she is learning to write in preschool…

ava is catching on to technology…

girl you better marry a stock broker

and ella is dreaming of…what??? BOYS!

oh no…we have to have a talk girl!

so i thought it was only fair to share something I have been dreaming about lately!!!

Heaven help me!  We are expecting a baby!!!

I will admit…I have been a bit blue…

I have been so sick, been having such a rough time getting through this hard first trimester…

but I am almost through it and I know that the thing that pulls me through is to focus on the little person who will change all our lives in about 6 months!

how could I not be filled with such joy…

look at these angels that bless my life…

you kids all inspire me to find the magic in everyday…

…we are excited and I know I will be feeling better soon!

We are keeping this one a mystery and will find out whether we are having a girl or a boy join our family on its birthday!

Baby is coming in July!

thanks for letting me share my little dream with you…click on the slideshow to see a few more of our little shoot!!!

happy dreaming!

I decided after dolling them up…that my little girls reminded me again…of the reality of the women that lived with in them that they would all too soon be…

mia reminds me of a sweet little hollywood starlet here…

this pic of ella is exactly what I mean…she is only 7…yet looks so sophisticated and mature here…


oh where do our babes go?
a little behind the scenes of our getting ready fun…


the girls were all ready, but we didn’t dare invite a boy on this outing…so while we waited for his babysitter (and best buddy daddy), we allowed adam into a couple shots

he stayed for about 4 shots and then was outta here…way too much sequin and tulle for one little guy to face alone!!!

“where are we going?” they ask…

I tell them “it is a secret…

we are off to shoot a dream.”

there are just times in life that you have to put the dreamy, most wonderful, beautiful things front and center…to see them…take notice…breath lighter and know the world is a pretty darn amazing place…and today we were gonna do that…

they giggle and start secrets of their own…things that little girls seem best at …

and this is ava’s “no really! this is a SECRET..face”

remember the gold sequin mini my last model wore?…it has been happily up-cycled into a ball-gown and a halter top for my little ladies!

up next…what my little girls dream of…

until then…sweet dreams…

xoxo

Tonya

you can imagine a sneak for 13 kiddos…i decided to make a little slideshow in lieu of a blogpost to display these little cuties…hope you enjoy!

happy tuesday!
xoxo
Tonya

we started out at the cute little railroad station…

these boys just shine…such little loves…

there oldest little guy…joey…

and his little bro, Elliott…

i could seriously just walk around here everyday…so beautiful…

love these done in the Shakespeare gardens…

and when the light was just buttery and right…we found this really pretty little open grassy area…

mom was super smart and brought a change of clothes for little Elliott…just moments before this…he tumbled into a little stream and was soaking wet…can’t tell from these smiles…

a few of mom and dad looking beautiful in the gorgeous light…

and this tree…only to be upstaged by Melissa..such a timeless beauty…something so incredible about your smile girl….




we finished the session off with this cute little gazebo…





and yes…these shoes from anthro deserved one front and center…LOVE them!!!






it was so nice to see you again…thank you for sharing your little family with me again…

wishing you a beautiful holiday season, much health and happiness, and just more of that goodness that comes from those little ones that really are the best parts of our lives!

xoxo

tonya joy

So i share with you this halloween season…my supers!

(this is mia’s supergirl face)

she keeps asking to cut it…oh but it is soooo beautiful…

i about died when we put this costume on him…such a little stud…

he wanted to do. his. own. thing. whenever anyone tried to slow this kid down he was not having it! so glad I caught of few of him…

serious cute below…

such a blessing you kiddos are!  I love you and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday…enjoy your little ones!

xoxo
Tonya

I will be candid with sharing that often this day is the MOST stressful day of the year and it is pretty much a given that the session will feel like a complete flop:) especially when more than one or two kiddos are involved.  Which is why the text always leaves my phone about 30 mins before the session that basically reads…”i know today feels like torture, but everything will turn out wonderful…so just come, smile pretty, and leave the work up to me!”.  I am pretty sure you know what I am talking about…but no matter how hard it may seem…it is always worth it!

A few days ago, I met up with my sweet friend tanya and her gorgeous people…she has 4 very beautiful a kiddos.

meet her oldest miss Taylor
mom sytled this shoot so perfectly…she wanted to fashion a vintage nautical theme and I love how it came together…taylor’s dress was handmade for the session and I adore it!!!
and little miss ashlyn…she is the same age as my mia and just the same little spitfire personality comes through in her…

her adorable dress was also handmade for the session…loved it!

ashlyn and andy came as a pair…so meet the handsome twin

these smiles were awesome!!!

and their youngest…sweet baby chase…oh man this kid is so so so cute…he has the BEST smile…just such a happy affect with this kid!  He just came to his mom and dad knowing how lucky and blessed he is and is pure joy!

and the momma to these handsome creatures…

miss tanya…

looking absolutely gorgeous! I LOVE what she wore…and adore the pops of red…so nicely done! (shout out to kitsch by kat for her gorgeous hair and makeup!)

loved stealing away a few minutes to shoot tanya and her man, tyler…

there is no way you guys have 4 babies…no way…way too gorgeous!!!

love your smiles…

we always work for a few with everyone looking at the camera…

and then we play…i love capture families just being themselves…

little chase in this last one is killing me…so cute!

a couple more of momma front and center…

sisters are just plain rad. the end.

deep sigh…have i mentioned how cute chase is?

every family needs a shoe shot…it tells such a story…

(handsome little guy. stylish daddy. ready to run toddler. HOT momma, sassy 2nd grader, and darling little sister…)

thanks so much for sharing some time with me!  you guys have your hands full…you are so blessed!!!

xoxo

Tonya

mom brought along this great wagon…which not only added a fun pop of color, but is genius for keeping a bunch of youngsters all in one place!

and these two girl cousins are just too cute!

and who are the lucky grandparents of these dolls…the two smiling with all their hearts below!!!

i was contacted by Allison to hold the session and it was so fun to get my camera on their adorable family again and see how these kiddos have grown!

I really liked the wardrobe selection…simple and clean and just a few basic colors threaded together…works really well with combined family sessions…

Jeff brought along his surfboard for a fun prop (this patch of beach is basically grandma’s backyard…I would have been at grandma’s house all summer!)

after the kiddos were “done” (wink) smiling for posed groupings…I followed them down to the water to just catch them in their element at grandma’s house…just playing…

such beautiful summer light…

it was so fun to meet you all (and see you again)…

xoxo

Tonya

often life just steps in and stops you…

and sometimes it is the people who need us in our lives that cause that screeching halt…

my little ava was sick last week…she was sick with a fever and I just kinda thought it was another little virus going around…

until I went to check on her late monday night and she was having a seizure in her bed…she then had a brief period of hallucinating and I was scared…

we actually visited 2 ers and one urgent care over the coarse of 24 hours and finally the doc at St Jo’s Er ordered a chest X-ray after ava told me her ribs hurt…

in the complete absence of any respiratory symptoms, we were all shocked to learn that she had bacterial pneumonia in her right lung…

but i was so thankful that there was finally an answer to her near 104.00 temperatures that were persisting even with tylenol…

I am not gonna lie…that week was a long one…very little sleep and spending 3 days in the hospital with my little one was tiring…

it was really hard on her too…she missed home so much…

the doctors were really great and made sure everything about Ava was ok…and it was a scary week for her and she was brave…i was so proud of her…

i was so tired…wore the same clothes for 3 days…but quickly was reminded that my most important role is the supportor and caregiver of my children…

i feel very blessed to be able to dedicate myself to that…

so thankful for all the well wishes and thoughts for ava…it meant so much to her…

we are finally starting to get back to normal…and now all of it is just a memory..

so thankful for the health of my children…

you are all the most complete and utter happiness in my life…

you are a strong girl vava…we love you so very much!

now take your medicine!!!

xoxo momma!

The shoot was primarily for her little guy, Vann, to document him at his 1 year(ish) age…BUT i am so glad big brothers came along and were ready to ROCK it out! Jill always has to CUTEST clothes and details for her little boys…so I knew this little shoot was gonna be so much fun!

We started out with her little one, Vann, whose name is so cute and he could be a long lost twin brother for my little adam…i swear…they look alike!

so here is the oh so adorable…Little Vann…

we did a few classic shots (loving his little sailor shoot)

(loving this vintage toy momma found at the Rose Bowl Swap meet…such a cool touch for the shoot..and Vann loved it!)

and little baby Tom’s…so stinkin cute! (and don’t worry…mamma was holding him so he wouldn’t fall)

then we did a little wardrobe change and headed to this rad barber shop…

kinda loved this floor and how it matched his suspenders!

then to rock out the ice wall!!!

his expression here cracks me up!

big brother Jackson!

and Mr. kyle…(aren’t all her boys gorgeous!!)

loved our quick little mini session Jill!  Thanks for sharing your boys with me!