beth - family session

it all started with a simple facebook message.  do you travel for sessions?  700 miles, 5 sessions, and somewhere around 1,000 shutter clicks later, i had enjoyed one of the most fantastic weekends i've had in a while. 

i spent most of my younger years in a tiny blurp on the map of south georgia -- moultrie.  i had an excellent circle of friends that i spent years with there.  they were the girls i went to church with, attended school with, acted in plays, carpooled, attended music camps, studied, and took trips with. 

it's simple, really.  we grew up together.

so when the opportunity arose to go back to my hometown and spend the weekend shooting sessions with them and their families, i jumped on it with delight!  here's an idea of what we might have looked like back in 1996:



and here's the new and improved version of our lives in 2010 (minus the husbands who all got stuck holding the cameras):



we've kept up with each other since our time together back at colquitt county high school, and it was a joy to pick right back up where we left off all those years ago.  and the kids?  it's like they had known one another for years.  our friend, beth, arranged the whole weekend.  from that first facebook message to the multi-family gathering at her house on saturday night, every detail was coordinated by this sweet girl.  and with that said, i want to lead off the upcoming barrage of sneak peeks with her wonderful family.

one of the sad side-effects of moving six hours away is that i don't know some of these womens' children.  in fact, most of them i had never even met.  and that's the case with beth's beautiful girls...

josie, maggie rae, and bailey could not have been any more enjoyable to hang out with for the evening.  they were sweet, spunky, witty, and fun.



and their family farm was a dream!



the last half of a session is usually when everybody really starts to loosen up and have fun.  with most families, the first part is spent with us each getting comfortable with one another and figuring out what exactly we're all looking for.  but the last half...  oh, that's where the good stuff really happens.  i think the girls warmed up to me ok.  ;-)



before i go, i have to tell a story.  i was in moultrie on friday, saturday, and sunday and somehow i managed to pull off some boneheaded move on each of my days there.  poor bailey was the recipient of my first blunder. 
bailey, look at those gorgeous yellow flowers over there.  go take a look.  smell them.  really stick your whole face right in them.  that's not exactly what i said, but within two minutes of my encouragement to investigate the "yellow flowers", little bailey was a red-eyed, runny-nosed, coughing mess.



who knew that's what ragweed looked like?  i'm clearly not a momma of babies with allergies.

beth, thank you so, so, so much for putting together such a fantastic weekend and for bringing me down to moultrie for all these wonderful sessions.  i love you all (and you each have a turn coming up soon)!