Tag Archives: Chicago Family

Brunch at Kevin’s Place | Family Photography Chicago

Our family has many little rituals that make up our day. And while I know I will always have my memories, I like to document our stories with photos so I can look back and see the sweet little moments that make up our lives.

One of our favorite weekend traditions is having brunch at Kevin’s Place in Deerfield. We started going here years ago because I heard it was a good place to take kids. No one would give you a funny look if your children laughed too loud, ate with their fingers, or even melted into the dreaded tantrum. Now that my children can safely make it through a meal without these issues, it’s still one of our favorite places.

Lynn, Matt and Freddie always greet us with a smile. Matt always inquires about what we have been up to lately and tells me of his latest adventures. And the best part, he always tells me I look pretty. Now, this may not sound like much, but from a lady in her 40’s, I don’t hear this from anyone but my husband these days …

When Kevin comes to the table to get our order, he usually sits down and digs in for a good pre-ordering chat. The girls can’t wait to share with him. From dance performances, to plays, to school achievements, he gets to hear it all. They love to talk to him because he listens so intently. He focuses on each child and always gives the best reactions.

Thank you Kevin, for being a bright spot in our crazy, busy lives. You slow us down and remind us that good food, good friends, and connecting with each other is what life is all about.

Having a Chicago Adventure with the Girls| Family Photography

I love being on holiday break with my kids. During regular school time, it just doesn’t feel like we have time to breathe. I feel like we are constantly rushing to school, hurrying to after school activities, shoehorning in homework time, and then jamming in dinner before showers and bedtime.

I am cherishing lazy mornings and afternoon adventures.

Yesterday, my mother-in-law and I decided to take my girls and nieces to downtown Chicago.

The girls loved riding on the train, chitty-chatting, taking pictures of each other and playing games on their itouchs. This was a big improvement on the two-hour drive we took to the city last week. (Why do I always forget that a little rain can add an hour to our drive in a flash?!)

We started our afternoon in the city by collecting a dizzying array of colorful food a the French Market at Ogilvie Train Station. We then went to visit Daddy at his high-rise office and ate our wacky smorgasbord in one of his conference rooms. (Anyone care for a crepe? Or a Vietnamese spring roll? How about a lobster roll or butternut squash soup? And don’t forget the French macarons for dessert! )

Next was a quick hello to Auntie Amy before wandering the halls of the Art Institute.

And then back on the train for more silliness and selflies.

We had a glorious day of exploring different tastes, beautiful art, lots of hugs, and almost no bickering. A glorious day!

Deerfield Christmas Tree Shopping

I love the holiday season, but no matter how much I try to stay organized, it always seems so hectic. Between band and choral concerts, cookie baking, decorating and shopping for the holidays, there never seems to be enough time. I really wanted to go to a tree farm this year and cut down our own tree. It sounds like one of those idyllic, Norman Rockwell-style days – taking a hay ride through the forest, picking the perfect tree, sipping steaming hot chocolate by a bonfire while we wait for the tree to be prepared to put on top of the car… Alas, there just wasn’t enough time this year for that leisurely day. So, between photo shoots, tennis classes, Sunday school and a family dinner with cousins, we headed to our Deerfield Home Depot and picked our favorite conifer. A little less romantic than I envisioned, but still so much fun to spend an afternoon with my family. As usual, I love to document these little moments with my family. I cherish my photos of our little adventures together.

Do you have a holiday ritual you would like me to document? Baking cookies? Decorating the tree? I love doing storytelling sessions with families. Please contact me if you are interested in preserving your memories.

Chicago Boys in the Forest Preserve

Can you believe how fast the beautiful fall leaves are quickly falling to the ground? Soon enough, it will be nothing but bare trees staring back at us from the Chicago landscape!

This Saturday, October 25, the weather is supposed to be a gorgeous and sunny. In honor of what might be one of the last nice Saturdays of the fall season, I am offering limited edition mini-shoots for the day. A $75 sitting fee guarantees you a 20 minute shoot. $175 check or cash secures your spot, with $100 in credit going toward purchases of prints, canvases or downloadable images for personal use.

Mini-shoots are for immediate family only. We can do up to three poses for the session. Ten images will be shared in an online gallery. Orders are due within two weeks of images being posted online.

And just to give you a sense of what lovely Chicago family photos look like on a gorgeous, fall day, I would like to share a photo shoot of my nephews from last weekend. Since I have three girls, it is always an exciting adventure to hang out with a family of boys.

Max and Duncan are funny, silly, inquisitive boys. One minute they are chasing each other around, the next they are examining a leaf, the next they are trying to break free to run through the forest.

My problem solver Max was a big helper when it came to coming up with new ideas for photos.

Welcome to My Blog!

While I have enjoyed spending the last few years honing my skills as a “playful posed” photographer, I am so excited to bring lifestyle photography to families in the Chicago area. I have worked as a photographer at the St. Louis Magazine, The Prague Post and The Sunday Tribune in Dublin, Ireland. I have been a director of photography at the Naples Daily News in Florida, assistant director of photography at The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and most recently a photo editor at The Chicago Tribune.

And now, I want to take all that experience and bring you the most amazing, authentic photos of your family at this moment in time. I want to show you how you feel about each other in photos. I want you to look at your storytelling album years from now and remember what your days felt like. I want to capture and crystallize your memories as they are happening.

I had the pleasure of photographing this family right before their oldest left for his first year of college. When I look at these images, I can still hear the kids joking and laughing with each other. I was struck by how sweet all the boys were with their little sister. I loved capturing them hanging out on a gorgeous summer evening in a beautiful forest preserve, enjoying an impromptu game of touch (and occasionally tackle 😉 ) football.