Life in the View Finder

Boots and Baby (Hampton Roads Lifestyle Photographer)

This past Saturday afternoon I walked all around the marsh with the most beautiful couple:  inside and out!

They are eagerly awaiting their son who is due in just a few short weeks.  I mean seriously, doesn't L look gorgeous for 9 months pregnant!!!

It was a quick and chilly session but they were such great troopers!  We chatted about baby things as I snapped and the two of them cuddled and laughed at the whole thing I think!

M and L are going to be such amazing parents.  They have such a great bond between the two of them;  you can just feel how much love and comfort and compassion they have for each other!  Baby G is one lucky little babe!  

 

Here are some of my favorite from the session:

Seriously... isn't she stunning!!!!

(probably my most favorite from the entire afternoon right above!)

And L's favorite below!

Classic GQ look for M!  He told us that the best way to achieve this look... stare off like your looking for a phone booth!  Good Advice M!!!

I had the best time and Thank you both for braving the cold!  I can't wait to meet baby G and see you both as parents!  It's a love like no other and it will be a beautiful thing to see you with him!

xoxo

 

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day friends!  

There is one tiny little bachelor over here who's agreed to be my valentine!  Best part about being his valentine is the gifts he keeps giving:  excess drool, wet open mouth kisses on your head or cheek, and bouncy hugs that turn into head butts!

And I SWORE I would never do this...ever!  But I just can't help it.  I said I would never be the mom that posted these type of pictures just in case later on in life it would seem inappropriate.  The web can be a scary scary place...

But I am going to eat my words... and do it anyway.  

I adore this shot!  I love it because it shows his teeth that we have been working so hard over here for.  I love it because this is my happy little houdini (who took off his own diaper)!

He also likes to magically get out of his bumbo (with the tray attached) and then somehow set it all up again.  Houdini my friends, houdini!

singing, slacking and some pink!

I've been slacking... and away and not in the mood at all to pick up the computer and blog.  

I've been hunkering down and spending time with my little family and it's been wonderful... and overwhelming too!

We are getting some teeth over here.  Not one but three!  And as much as I'd love to say our little man is one tough little cookie... I can't imagine what it feels like.  But I wish I could do it for him.

There's nothing worse than playing happily with your little one at one minute and then watching him wail, pop his own mouth and yell "mama".  P.S. it's the only time he says mama or anything that resembles a real word!  

BUT despite the ugly teething monster that has reared it's head over at our house, we have had some really wonderful moments too!

Here are some things we've been doing lately...

• Singing in the car but only to Taylor Swift (dad is super excited about that one let me tell you)  
• Bouncing and bouncing and bouncing and then wait... bouncing some more!
• Crawling ALL OVER the place
• Banging on pots and pans with wooden spoons and Tupperware containers (we might have a drummer in our future)
• Playing in the snow
• Visiting the aquarium and watching the fish (slash that, all the other people and the lights)
• Grabbing at momma's newly done hair (he only wants to grab the pink sections)
• And rocking (thank gosh for that rocking chair).  We've spent many days in that rocking chair this babe and I for naps that last anywhere between 15 minutes to an hour!
• We have a new fascination for spoons, cups, straws and anything that mom is holding is now baby's!  

I promise to post more (or try).  

S Family At home session coming soon!!

 

Ode to mommy-dom (6 months)

I am a mommy and I am not perfect!

I strive to do the best that I can... each day, as it is!

I begin each day brand new.  With new patience, with new excitement, with new appreciation!

With drool bibs galore, burp cloths on hand and extra lovies that can wipe up what can only be described as bombs of slobber; I go about my day wanting extra kisses that leave my face looking like I applied lip gloss in the style of a face mask.  And. I. Adore. It.

I am the mom that goes into my closet every morning choosing an outfit based on the best shirt that will taste the best for my baby because he is teething! (and you know you know... come on now!)

The laundry is on constant run with orange crusted bibs from butternut squash and parsnip roast food. 

My hair is constantly smelling of apples and pears, sometimes it even has the bonus of dried bits of bananas or avocado's (it's good for conditioning I hear).

I sing silly songs that make no sense to turn the wiggles into giggles during diaper changes!

I clap as loudly and wildly as possible when a tumble takes place so the crocodile tears don't make an appearance and yet I swoop and scoop when they do.

I help crawling and constantly kiss chapped knees and calloused toes.  

I am the one that steamrolls on the floor and plays with toys.

I am the master of the nap routine who has a worn in place in the rocker that is slowly beginning to feel like home!

And I am the mom that is holding on tightly to the sleeping baby rocking in that rocking chair. The one that wants just a few moments more before placing him ever so gently in his crib.  The one that is trying desperately not to giggle as he snores for fear of waking him.

But it's in these moments, in the stillness that I realize I only have these moments for so long!  How many more rocks off to sleep will he let me have?  

And that's when every time... good day or bad day my reset button gets hit!

Its easy for us moms to feel guilty, or helpless or lose our patience!  Especially when our little ones can't talk or tell us what's wrong!  It feels so sad seeing them cry and after all our tricks and little games and techniques nothing seems to work.  

But no matter what it always hits me at nap time.  When my little man is sleeping so soundly and so peacefully... snoring.  These moments happen so fast: the beautiful, the exciting, the messy, the snuggly, and the rough ones.  Each are important and each should be cherished for exactly what they are.

I try to remember that each morning as we get up and begin our day.. for goodness knows you just don't know what the day might bring ;)  

 

At home...

Tomorrow I'm super excited!  I get to wake up and head on over to Kim's house to finally shoot their at home session.

Kim was the winner of a contest I ran a while back!  She was submitted and received some amazingly kind words that make me just incredibly excited to meet her and her family!

 

These sessions are so dear to my heart! 

So often we get dressed in our best clothes.  We pick the best and prettiest locations and we wait for the best weather!  But we forget that sometimes the most cherished moments (the ones that we will want to remember when we are older and our children have children of their own) are those moments in our own home!  The everyday moments.

The ones where we all have bed head and our children have sweet sleepy eyes.  Those moments where our children are still in footie pj's jumping wildly on our bed!  We will want to remember the Saturday morning cartoon with pancake breakfast;  messy kitchen with little floured finger prints all over from tiny helpers!

We might want to remember the coffee cups that pile in the sink because we need them from sleepless nights of book reading and rocking and late night water requests.  

These are why these sessions mean so much to me.  Because sometimes we forget that the everyday moments are sometimes and most often the most dear and most special!  

So tomorrow I get to wake up and spend my morning with Kim capturing just these moments for her...

At Home!

 

Dear January...

Dear January...

I miss summer!  I know it's not something you want to hear and I realize we live in an area with mild winters compared to some!  

I enjoy your first few days where you breath renewal and excitement and new beginnings.  But let's face it, after that you're toast!  

So I apologize for my frankness, but I'm ready for you to transition into longer daylight hours.  I'm ready for the cold breeze that stings and burns my face to blow warm and sweet.

I'm ready for sand between my toes that is sometimes so hot that I silently curse under my breath!  

I'm ready to take my babe down to the ocean to feel the rushing water come and go on his bare feet and legs!

I'm ready for orange and purple sunsets, long walks until 8 pm when the sun is still shining and I'm ready to take off all these extra layer of clothes I'm having to wear.

Dear January:  Thank you for letting me wear a few of my scarves and some of my boots (and my cute boot socks). Thank you for letting me put my baby in an adorable warm bear suit.  

But now... it's time we break up!

xoxo

B

(just thinking about spring and summer over here this morning)

Resolve

The babe woke up at 4 am this morning.  (I'm typing this Monday evening)

He was ready to play and greet the day.

Lucky for me I have insomnia!  But I also have an amazing husband who happens to get up at 4 am to go work out!  He (thankfully) chose to stay home instead of hitting the gym so this insomniac could try and get an hours worth of sleep before tackling the day with the wild thing we call Link!

But in my sleepless slumber, I lay in my warm bed thinking about resolutions.

I hate making resolutions at the beginning of each new year.  In fact the word resolution somewhere deep down signals my brain to somehow start thinking of ways to break or undo what it is I set forth to do!

But as the new year begins, I just can't help but think of new beginnings and new dreams and new wishes for myself, my family... 

And I realize that they are more like hopes!  So I resolve this year to have some hopes for myself!

(And please excuse this random muttering that is a blog post because the baby DID wake at 4 am!  He did NOT nap today, and we have been playing like it's our J.O.B. today!)

So here's to some of the bright and shiny new hopes I have for myself and for my family this year...

• To get OUTSIDE more!  To breath in the fresh air, yes please!

• To learn that saying No means saying YES to something else in return!  (and that it's OK, it's acceptable every once and a while!)

• Take more time to sit and be still, to take time for prayer and meditation to just BE!

• Go where life leads us this year and appreciate the ride.  Capture it as it is and recognize the light where it shines!

• Laugh, play, read, tickle, rock, snuggle, teach and explore as much as possible with Link

• Family... then everything else

• And make the time... (no excuses)

These are my hopes!  In my own deliriously tired words.  Words that have not seen sound sleep in more than 6 months!  Words that would be slurred probably if spoken out loud ;)

There are a few other hopes that I have on my list but those are the most important to me!

Here's hoping for a wonderful 2013... it's already a pretty exciting year so far and we haven't even made double digits yet.

I'm off to try and get some sleep so that by the time this is posted in the morning maybe just maybe every one of us over here will have had a good night of rest... we can add that hope to the list too!

 

Balance & some business practices

Balance.

I've been searching for it.  

I think we all search for it in some way or another.  

And honestly this should probably be two entirely different blog posts (especially if I'm trying to BE a better business woman.)  But let's face it, I am who I am who I am... who I am! ;)  So it's one.

And if we are being honest here... truth be told... sometimes I strike a balance but most often I don't.  (I think most of us are this way!)  I get overwhelmed.  I'm sitting here in a house that is clean but not CLEAN clean... it's cluttered and things are stashed in the corners.  There is a laundry basket full of clean clothes sitting underneath our bar begging to be taken upstairs.  Ya'll.... I HATE leaving things undone and not put away.  I can't work like that.  Ever since I was pregnant and had the nesting bug, things need to be put away or I just can't fully concentrate!

But tomorrow morning I know Lincoln will wake up, and I will come downstairs and we will play on the floor. Toys will be out and scattered around.  The dogs will come to play and their toys will be strewn about as well.  Bottles from tonight will mix in with bottles from tomorrow morning and our breakfast of pureed peaches will sit in the sink until his morning nap.  So I'm taking a breath and letting it go.  I'm turning my back to that laundry basket, to the boppy that I want to put away in the closet, to the decorations that I want to take down because I want to finish writing this blog!  So I breathe.... Balance!

Balance is hard.

Between taking care of my boys, running Brooke Tucker Photography, teaching Body Flow, blogging (and yea I know I don't do it that much anymore and it's not all that often but still it's time consuming although cathartic), doing a few design projects here and there.... not to mention everything else in between...it's hard.  Sometimes, it's really hard!

And this past summer/fall it kind of hit me like a semi- truck!  Trying to build a business while having a baby- GAH not for the weak or faint of heart!  Um, trying to build a business at ALL is not for the weak!  It takes some serious elbow grease and determination!

But at the end of the day I try to remember that my family is what's most important!  Time is FLYING by so fast with Link and I need to remember to take time to document our family moments as well as those of my clients!  I am so fortunate to be able to stay home with him... I want to cherish these moments and relish them!

That's why I've decided to implement (really implement and stick to it this time) some new business practices this year!

• Take one photo shoot a week.  (one and only one)

• Carve out time just for editing once a week and just for a few hours that allows me to still get the images back to my clients in a time frame that is acceptable to me (which is quick and efficient but still allows me time for family dinners.)

• Set office hours for clients to contact me: e mail, phone etc.  4-5 pm M-Friday.  You can be 100 percent sure that I will be available to answer e mail, answer phone or text at that specific time!

• Concentrate on Family & Children Photography!  (Family sessions, Children portraits, cake smashes, maternity, A day in the life and an occasional couple or boudoir session thrown in!)  I'm honing in on what I love to do and I think I've really found my niche!

I want my photography clients to have a GREAT experience and I've realized that in order for that to really happen I can only do so much!  

I want to be GREAT at everything I am choosing to do... and in order for me to do this, be a GREAT mom, be a GREAT photographer I need to carve out the time!  So I'm saying YES to those projects that excite me.  I'm saying YES to more family time.  I'm saying YES to developing myself in a more specialized way!  

I'm getting more organized!  I'm getting my calendar in gear and my ducks in a row and I'm breathing in balance one deep inhalation at a time!

I'm a work in progress and probably always will be!  

Taken ;) Virginia Beach Couple Photographer

Hot chocolate, marshmallows, Sand spurs and rings OH MY!!!

I had NO idea it was going to happen... neither did she but it makes me giddy even now as I type to say my girlfriend Elizabeth... She's ENGAGED!!!   A MILLION YAY's!!!!!  (and then my head starts bobbing side to side singing he put a ring on it!! He put a ring on it!!) and then I realize how utterly geeky I am and feel like you should just stop reading now at this moment!  

Anyway!!!

Elizabeth and I had been PLANNING and planning and planning and planning this holiday shoot for a while now.  Because you see that's what we DO, we plan!  And that just makes me realize, POOR RJ!  How he must have had to plan and plan and scheme!  At first it was supposed to be at at tree farm, and then it was at the farmers market and then it was going to be this awesome tent idea at the state park and so on and so forth. But it had to be cancelled so many times for so many reasons that makes MY head spin.  And again... all I can think is POOR RJ!!! 

But then I realize... this is probably one of the things that drives RJ insane about Elizabeth but he secretly loves.  We all have that about our loved ones... it's one of those things that make up our significant other that really annoys us but we adore about them... that just wouldn't be our person if it weren't them but we are always shaking our head about.  That's part of Elizabeth... she is a thinker and a crafter and planner (she has pinterest on steroids for a brain seriously like she could have created pinterest if she had the time to think of it... so jealous of her crafty side)!  And the canceling was part my fault part weather so again... poor RJ because he had to be super stealthy and also tap into his "Elizabethness" and think about cool ways to plan how to propose!  

When you think about it, you really have to give him kudo's!  AND even more so because I HAD NO IDEA!  I mean there were times I thoughts and suspected he might be doing something like this.  But then he would totally trip me up too because he was master stealthy and crafty.  And again... it makes me appreciate his planning and just how much he knows Elizabeth and ME as well.  I've only met RJ once before this and he knew me well enough to know that he couldn't let me in on the secret because (and this is a quote from him) he couldn't risk me changing my behavior on the shoot and cluing her in.  SMART MAN... because if I am completely honest with myself, I would actually without realizing it totally act differently in one way or another because I would be just too darn excited!  She would have known something was up.  And he absolutely knows Elizabeth because this was her DREAM proposal... in every single way, shape and form!  GO RJ GO!

ANYWAY...

I want to tell you the story of the day... and know that as I sit here and type I'm already getting overwhelmed with excitement for my friends and teary eyed with happiness.

Before I start though, let me tell you about them...

Elizabeth & RJ have a different kind of love than anyone else that is getting engaged and married within this new year!  Theres is a love that is wiser and a love that isn't as taken for granted or as naive as those that are newly engaged... or like I was with my husby when we were married... or possibly still are even.  I say this with the utmost respect for those that are newly engaged or married... but I'm including myself in with those peeps.  

Elizabeth & RJ have been together for 7 years now and their love is a love that is comfortable in their strength and in their faith in one another.  Their love is defined by the times they've been together and by their steadfast endurance.  Their love has grace and compassion; independence from itself and mutual respect. It has seen growth and change and maturity!  

Their love is true and it has been chosen time and time again.  At husby and my wedding a great friend provided a reading with a passage with a quote that is now framed above our bed that reads "Choose your Love and Love your Choice."  There are 3 couples that I think of that embody this quote for me... 2 of them have been married for more than 10 years, both married very young.  The third couple is Elizabeth & RJ.  They chose each other 7 years ago... and have continued to choose each other no matter what!  For them, it's not about the things, the situations, what everyone else is or isn't doing... they have their world and that is all that matters.  THAT is what makes a great relationship, one to be admired and one that will stand up through everything!  

They have something truly special and unique and breathtaking!

Here's to many more years my friends and many wonderful adventures.

So....here is the story of a very exciting and very wonderful afternoon: (brace yourself for a lot of images)

It all started with a walk at the State Park...

a little hot chocolate and a few laughs...

A walk or two, some exploring and some peaceful moments (long enough only for one breath or two) to himself...

A suggestion for one more walk and one last spot... a few more shots just on the beach.  Elizabeth laughed... RJ clears his throat begins to speak... she interrupts about a face she made during our last session... she has no clue.  He lets her speak, smiling.... and then... a spin and twirl one final little dance as her boyfriend and then he's down on his knee 

The air was just buzzing with excitement as we headed back to the cars but I was the only one that noticed it.  There was no else on this earth but these two... I don't even think the ground existed...

phone calls were made and the tears began as the news finally started to sink in!  

I am sooo beyond excited and overwhelmed with happiness for you my dear friends!  I was beyond blessed and feel beyond honored to have been able to share in that special day!  

Love you more than I can say!!!

xoxo

B

 

The Y Family- Hampton Roads/North Carolina Family Photographer

I was super excited (and super nervous... I have to admit) for this session.  Husby and Nate work together so I KNEW I had to do a good job, scratch that a great job!  

Not even counting the fact that the Y family... they live in North Carolina!  So B and G were driving down here to meet up with Nate, spend some time all together during the week and as a bonus have some family photos done before G turned the big 1!  

Luckily they drove up when we had a gorgeous spell of warm weather! This was the warm weather day of 70 some degree in December!  I KNOW you all remember that day if you are at all local!  It was awesome.  

We met down at the oceanfront and we couldn't have asked for a more perfect scene.  It was like we were the only ones there!  Baby G (who now isn't so much a baby any more... he's a big boy 1 year old!  Happy Birthday G!!!)  is seriously cute!  He's a super fan of the sand and was ready to get on and get to work!  He's definitely got a future career as a model if he wants one, as long as there are no dogs on set... then it's all gone from there so maybe a model/vet!!

I loved every second of this session with B, N and G!  B is stunning!  Seriously this is one GORGEOUS mama!  She has it all... beautiful, super sweet personality AND she has a southern accent!  In my book that's the golden trifecta!  

We chatted, we danced a little, we played in the sand and to top off what would have already been a great session... baby G decided to take his first assisted steps!  

Here are some of my favorites from our session together! 

(seriously he has that look back face, model in the making!  Look out world!)

 (Hey Dad... I"m down here, grab my hand please!)

And this is where it happened... the first assisted steps!!!!  Documented!!!

Look at that momma's face!

What was even more fun was that I was able to video it!  Camera's these days are amazing and I was so thrilled to be able to get a little clip of video for them of baby G walked down to the ocean hand in hand with them!

I love getting to know the people husby works with but what I love more is getting to LOVE the people husby works with!  I'm looking forward to getting together with the Y family more often and seeing G and Link get into some mischeif together (and boy do I think they are going to cause a little mischief together! ;)

Thank you Y family for letting me walk all over the oceanfront with you!  You guys were troopers!!

 

The W Family: Virginia Beach Family Photographer

I met Jenn and Willy while silently cursing under my breath, sweating, almost puking and swearing my eyes were going to pop out of my head like one of those stress dolls at any second!  And Jenn and Willy were STILL clapping for me and cheering me on as I was the last one (still whining) to finish the WOD that day at the crossfit gym!

It's been about a year from that time now that I was able to meet up with Willy and Jenn again, but this time I found myself still squating crossfit style, still a bit sweaty (because gosh was it beautifully warm out that day) but at least this time I'm in my element!  With my camera in my hand and all of us laughing and sharing stories and walking around on one of the most beautiful days we've had this winter... I was able to spend some time to really get to know Jenn and Willy and their gorgeous family and I realize just how amazingly blessed I am! 

I am so blessed to be able to do this job and to spend time with incredible families like Jenn and Willy's!  

They are a complete family!  A family that truly adores each other and wants to hang out with each other!  They are grounded in one another and full of respect and compassion!

We talked about all kinds of things from how Jenn used to teach body pump, to Zoe's philosophy on make-up (and that all you need is a good moisturizer, so true Zoe, so true!)  We talked about surfing, and some of our favorite shows and I begged them not to fill me on on the newest season of one of husby and my all time favorites!  We laughed about sparkly ugg boots (yes I own them) and I asked about what it was like to be twins.

 We laughed and I soaked up all the good parenting wisdom I could.  If I could have made myself into a sponge I would have tried to be the biggest sponge I could because seriously my friends... these two have the most beautiful, well spoken, humble... and just well beautiful on the inside children!  

Thank you Jenn and Willy for letting me walk around the trails with you that day!  Thank you for letting me spend time with your wonderful family and thank you for letting me capture your family as you are!

Here are some of my favorite from our session!