I finally did a session for my own babies this year! ??I thought a summer patriotic theme would be sweet and I wanted to shoot it in the desert. ??The AZ desert has been so picturesque post monsoons! ??Desert shoots can have their challenges but also a very unique beauty. ?? Mosquitoes have been out in full force (and we are lucky that us desert dwellers don’t typically have to fight with bugs very much) so that was a bit of a nuisance but other than that…pretty smooth sailin’.

 

My four precious ones. ??Tanner age 13, Ty age 10, Tori age 6 and Troy age 3.

 

 

Two great things about this spot. ??It’s walking distance from Papa and Sweetie’s house and our home is in the foothills of those mountains.

 

He’s growing up before my eyes. ??So beautiful and so sad for mama.

 

Always gigglin’.

 

Good view of a six year old smile. ??:)

 

 

 

I did the above session at sunset but decided to get the kids up really early the next day and do a couple more at sunrise in a different spot. ??We had to walk up a hill for the view I wanted. ??By the time we got to the top, we were so swarmed with mosquitoes that we were miserable. ??The kids were doing a frenetic mosquito dance as was I making pictures impossible. ??I took this first shot:

And then seconds later…

I don’t like to be bested by much but the mosquitoes won and I called it quits. ??I giggle every time I look at above shot though because that is a great representation of my daughter’s pout. ??Perfect.

And my nephew reciting the Pledge seems a good way to end this post. ??:) ?? I love this!