obviously my family, faith, and loved ones top my list…

then there are the simple things…like holiday glitter, chocolate pudding parties & fighting over who will lick the bowl with my girls, making halloween costumes from scratch, early morning runs, spin class, peacock feathers , talking to my Mom on the phone, learning a new trick in photoshop, visits from sisters, great chats with friends, and giggles from my little boy…

and then there are the things that often are overlooked…the things that ironically are some of the greatest blessings of our lives…but sometimes get lost in the everyday…

as I think of the everyday simple pleasures that really make life sweet I think of all the little things…

like having the ones you love with you…everyday…and knowing no matter what…that you are exactly where you belong…

meet vikki…

she is…ummm…stunning

don’t let her perfectly petite form fool you…this hot momma of 2 is fierce…

she is so fun and spunky…

she has one of the best smiles ever! I wish you could hear her laugh too…it is perfect!

and who is this handsome gentleman?

Her Scott…

He works hard to keep his family and our community safe…

I am sure that with him…vikki knows she is…exactly…where she needs to be…

and he the same…

love the connection in this image…

and their youngest little one…Leah…

I remember one day Vikki was holding Leah as she was sharing something really special to her.  Little Leah was hanging out on momma’s hip just being calm and quiet.  When Vikki mentioned something about other babies that would be born into their family, Leah looked at her momma and giggled.  She must have been thinking of her little brother or sister hanging out in Heaven…  It was one of the cutest things I have ever seen…

yes…so far this gorgeous family has 2 beautiful little girls…

The oldest…the little spitfire…Hannah…

She is a strong little girl like Mom and Dad…

and very very sweet…

and loved so much…

(I love how you tied together wardrobe vik…perfect splash of colors and so so so pretty on you)

flawless…

these times are the best of your life…

your love…right there…in those two perfectly beautiful little girls…

and all of you together…forever…

exactly where you need to be…

exactly where you belong…

enjoy each other…

xoxo

Tonya

love is…our greatest gift…so awesome to see the people you love find it…

mark and alana have been so blessed to find eachother…and to love eachother…their life together is pretty beautiful…

my sisters have all been blessed to have found incredible men to share their lives with…and I admire how mark has been, is, and will always be the love of alana’s life…

and she the love of his…

to finish off the evening of her 30th birthday…(yes, she is 30…next to impossible to believe…i need some of that anti-aging serum lana) …we headed out for some family pics…

(I totally was in sweats and flip-flops in the middle of this field…i kept my eyes on the ground for rattlesnakes and prayed one wouldn’t end up in my path)

I couldn’t help myself…the light was just so gorgeous…

(they are working it here)

these two seriously have so much fun together…

alana brought her kiddos to california for the summer to visit at grandma’s…we loved getting to see so much of them…mark was awesome and drove 18 hours to and from their home so alana could have her car out here while they were visiting…pretty awesome!

love these…

Alana totally scored these pair of stinkin cute vintage frye boots from my Mom’s closet…I am so jealous…

(I was like cinderella’s evil step-sister trying to squeeze my size 10 feet in them…but couldn’t cram my way into snagging them…argg…I love that they were Mom’s…)

these two have been together for almost 10 years…

and have been blessed with a beautiful family…

connor, cameron, and calleigh

love this series…the kids are so cute in all of them…

love you guys!

we miss you all so much!

xoxo

Tonya

be back soon with more of this beautiful family…
xoxo
Tonya

like how important it is to leave your mark…my kids seem to have that down pat these days…

I was making beds and I came across these little “marks” on the wall and guess who bounced up on the bed to giveaway the owner of those little dentines…

yup..the same owner as those sweet sweet little curls…

I am officially at the stage in my life where I am getting the theme of motherhood and appreciation…these little bodies only bounce around this house for so long…so I am really trying hard not to sweat the small stuff…or writing on couches and chewing into the drywall…

yup, life is teachiing me a lot these days…and one theme that is very big on the lesson plan is appreciation… 

like…appreciating how cool it is that my kids great grandpa sports puffy paint, rhinestone adorned, glitter hats like these ones just to show grandkids how much he loves them…

My girls love all their grandparents, but I have been thinking about my grandpa Joe lately…

everytime I look out and see this little flag blowing in the wind I think of how much my girls love him to come over and visit…how much they appreciate the fun things they do with him and my grandma…

(the girls love their sweet big wheel…thank you grandma and grandpa!)

We love your visits and the teachers that you and grandma are to my kids is one of the things I appreciate most…

i love the teaching at the kitchen table over construction paper, stickers, and glue…and the fairy tales and book reading…

my babies love you…

love these images…one thing you can always count on…wrigley chewing gum, a ball point pen in the pocket….

hands on his watch…and most of all wisdom…

the kind of wisdom that comes from living your life each day as a hard worker…dedicated to the people around you who you love…

grandpa…we love all the things you build for us…the tables, benches, etc…

but most of all I love the family you have built…and the appreciation you have for all those people who are in your life and that love you…

(there are a lot of us )

we are so thankful for the mark you make in our lives…for the apprecition of the things that matter so much…

(I snuck outside after you showed me that you inscribed your name in the little picnic table you made for the kids…seriously, I think this is the most beautiful part of anything you have made…your name inscribed is a treasure to me…I could not resisit taking a photo of it)

if there is one thing that grandparents teach you it is appreciation…for love, families, youth, eachother…

thank you grandpa (and grandma)!  we love you!

xoxo

Tonya

there is nothing better in this world than family…

I was so blessed to grow up in a large family.  I have 1 fabulous brother and 4 gorgeous sisters…I seriously loved having a big family (even if it meant sometimes I had to borrow the 12 seater van to drive to high school in…talk about embarrassment!).  I love the values that come from sharing and growing with many siblings…I know it taught all of us humility, selflessness, respect for eachother, etc…  I love how growing up in a large family has prepared me to appreciate what a bleesing it is to have the beautiful 4 kiddos that Jason and I have…family is everything…

 Last week, I while visiting my parents, I got to sneak out with my sister, Gena and her family…for some quick portraits…

A few minutes before our session, Jeff stopped in at a local western store and found these pink little boots for miss Emma…

look at her strutting her stuff in them…so cute…

one thing I love about miss Em’ is how excited she gets when we come to visit…she hugs all my girls and gets all talkative…she has an amazing vocabulary and expresses herself so clearly…it is pretty amazing…

these guys are just about one of the most adorable families on the planet…

Gena and Jeff have a beautiful start to a gorgeous family…and have been so blessed with Emma and Gweneth to love and watch over…

little Gwen is one of the cutest, chubbiest, most beautiful little babies…

she had just started making this face all the time…it is so funny!

oh…see, there she is doing it again..stinkin’ cute…

these girls can certainly count their lucky stars they were born to this woman…Gena is a beautiful mother who is both present and aware of her role in their little lives… 

love…

these…

images…

they speak for themselves…

love…family…beautiful babies…

truth is..there isn’t much better…

thanks for sharing your family with me…

xoxo

T
 

 The labor was long and frustrating at times for Tamara, but she managed it with grace, control, and strength.  I loved watching her and her husband Nic interact.  They are such good examples to me!  They are so kind and patient and share such a strong respect and love for eachother…little Andrew is so blessed to join this family.  Tammy and Nic…thanks for letting me come share your incredible experience with you!  It was unforgettable and I am so in love with that little boy of yours!

Andrew was born on October 15th at 12:51 p.m. after momma labored for over 30 hours! 

He weighed 7 lbs 7 oz and was 19.5 inches long… 

he has 10 perfect…

little toes…

and 10 perfect little fingers

(i’ve been dying to a baby/ring shot…kudos to On the Treetop photography for the inspiration)

his first little comb-over compliments of the R.N.s in the nursery… 

he also came with many cute little faces… 

I am sure he is an angel sent straight from Heaven…

my beautiful sister…looking gorgeous after 30 hours of labor and no sleep…

I bet there was nothing like finally getting this little guy in your arms…

Dad has sure fallen in love with this little guy too…

I am sure he will play the role perfectly…

we are glad you are safely here…

(i love you)

xoxo

auntie Tonya