The Capture Sweet Moments Blog

This family holds an extra special place in my heart. I met Kandace at a mom’s night for moms of children who went to Budding Voices for speech therapy and other therapies. I felt an instant connection with Kandace and have been incredibly grateful that our friendship has continued to grow. Last year, I had the honor and privilege to both witness and document the birth of her second sweet little boy, Amos Lee. I was so happy when she asked to have her family photos documented again this October.

That cool fall weather set in quickly here in Maryland, but no one was complaining on a sunny Sunday with a cool breeze as James William Largen was baptized by the Reverend Dr. Peter M. Antoci, at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Parish in Prince George’s County.

When Jennifer told me she wanted to do family photos on the beach during their stay in Bethany Beach, Delaware this June, I was ecstatic. She’s family, so I was already looking forward to spending some time at the beach with her and watching my boys play with their cousins, but being asked to capture her family photos on the beach was the icing on the cake. Beach photos at sunset, of this fun family of seven plus some grandparents, uncles and their cousins (my boys) thrown into a few was a fun adventure that we spread out over two evenings . . .

Victory of the People. The name Cole means Victory of the People, of a triumphant people. I cannot help but think how appropriate it is that Cole’s cake smash was the first session I was able to do after the majority of the world spent a few months staying “safe at home,” trying to shelter ourselves and our families from a global pandemic.

I love having friends that are looking out for me and my small business. I feel incredibly blessed when a stranger posts that they are searching for a photographer, and one of my friends steps in and suggests me. That’s what happened when Katy, who runs Macaroni Kid Pasadena, posted that she was in need of a photographer. My kind friend Tiffany, another small business owner (Budding Voices), recommended me . . .

Kandace has to be one of the sweetest women I know and I feel so blessed to have met her a little over a year ago at a mom’s night out. When we made some time to hang out this summer, I was absolutely delighted when Kandace told me that she was pregnant with her second. And then I was more than honored and elated when she asked if I would consider doing her birth photography . . .

I first heard from Dani in the spring, after she was the highest bidder on the package that I donated as a silent auction item for the Greater Severna Park Mom’s Club annual gala to benefit Sarah’s House. Sarah’s House, established in 1987 through a partnership between Anne Arundel County, Catholic Charities and the U.S. Army, provides shelters, meals and other assistance to families in need in Anne Arundel County. Dani contacted me soon after winning the package, and I was very excited for her as she was about to welcome her third baby girl into their family this past June. She was excited to do fall family photos with her growing family, so we exchanged some messages and had a few phone calls, finally settling on doing a family session in October at Kinder Farm Park in Millersville, Maryland . . .

A year goes by so fast. It feels as if it was just yesterday that Amanda and I were talking about doing Adelyn’s newborn photos. And here we are a year later and Miss Adventure, Miss Personality, the Pilkerton Wild One is smashing her cake and wrapping up her first trip around the sun.

Mike, Emily and Sam are an outdoor family. They will spend most fall weekends, plus a week long vacation, in their camper at various state parks and campsites. Emily’s dream job would be planning hikes and outdoor adventures for others, and the whole family longs to live somewhere they can be surrounded by more open sky, more green and air so clear that you can see all the stars at night.

Family. Generations. These things are very important, and we often don’t think of it until we lose someone who is an integral part of our lives . . .