Every year I make a trip to Minnesota and photograph my siblings and their families. It's a tradition we've upheld since 2008, and every year it gets a little bit more challenging to top the year before! 

My sister Becky and I have been doing photo shoots the longest, and we even have nicknames for some of the previous years; The Perfect Year, The Bitterly Cold Year, The Year At The Parking Garage, and so many more! 

This year is already named as The Mosquito Year. 

Since moving away from Minnesota, I've enjoyed minimal exposure to the infamous deadly mosquitos that terrorize my home-state. Kansas has it's fair share of bugs, but swarms upon swarms of blood-sucking-insects is not one. 

This year starting out great: I found a fabulous new location about two minutes from my parents house (right next to a dump!) that contained beautiful sand, trees, and a Caterpillar Wheel Loader to boot! (And they were wearing yellow! How convenient is that?)

But we had been out of the truck less than 10 seconds before we were viciously attacked by the clouds of blood thirsty insects. (Ok, so it wasn't that gruesome... but BOY were they bad!)

In our best efforts to keep the kids from becoming peppered with bites, we made them take bug breaks in between photos, and decided that brisk walking was the default pose for the evening. 

These two handled the mosquitos like champs (like the responsible adults they are), and you can barely tell they are itching to return to the peaceful indoors! :) 

This one, however, was not so fortunate. His blood is especially tasty and his bites swell up... so I offered my jacket to keep him hidden. Poor miserable, adorable soul. 

Bug breaks outtakes! :)

Since it was impossible to expect the children to keep still, being silly became a necessity. 

Thankfully with all the walking, the jumping, the bug breaks, and the silliness... we managed to find some really lovely photos. :) 

Yay! Becky, we made it another year! Happy 8 year anniversary of our photoshoots, and congratulations on beating those darn mosquitos!! :) Love you!!  

College was where it all started. Charlie was one of the first friends she made that first week of school, and Jessica loved the warm, friendly hugs he always gave her when they ran into each other in the hallways. Charlie couldn't help but notice this seemingly quiet, shy beautiful lady... but quickly realized that Jessica would open up only when she felt safe. Charlie rose to the challenge because he saw what a treasure she is, and the rest is history!!

Jessica and Charlie are such a unique couple to me, because I met them separately a looooong time ago! 

Jessica and I were in Awana together way back in junior high, and Charlie and I met through a Bible study in a neighboring town when I was in high school! I never imagined that these two would meet each other and fall in love, but I'm SO thrilled for them because they're such awesome people! 

We decided to do photos at the college where they met, but when the evening of our scheduled shoot arrived, the rain wouldn't let up. Luckily, I was in the area for more than 24 hours... so we were able to schedule a shoot a few mornings later! They were such troopers to get up early and do a sunrise session with me! 

They might have taken little naps when they thought I wasn't looking... :) 

Jessica gave Charlie free reign when it came to her engagement ring, and I LOVE the ring he picked out for her! It's such a beautiful diamond and setting... gosh, who doesn't love a diamond ring?? 

Crown College has acres and acres of land, and I was so happy that we could explore even a part of it! 

Both of them are such outdoorsy people, that they didn't mind hiking into the woods to appease my creativity.... Just check out those beautiful trees!

Jess and Charlie, I'm so excited for your wedding in October and for the day when you finally get to commit to each other for the rest of your lives!! Marriage is so so fun and I'm so happy that you found each other! Love you guys. :)