Ashford Family - Raleigh, NC

Teran and I have known Lauren for years, for over 10 years in fact. We all grew up in the mountains of North Carolina and attended high school together. We spent much of our time dominating the soccer field with our high school team (and by dominate, I mean we lost almost every game, but who is counting!?) Our friendship has continued over the years and has contained many milestones! I don't think any of us would have imagined 10 years ago that one day we would all be living in Raleigh and within a mile of each other! Watching Lauren get married and begin her own family has been a blessing and joy! Her and Bruce have raised three of the sweetest little ones that we always enjoy spending time with! After shooting a few photos of the kids earlier this year, we were thrilled for the opportunity to capture some sweet memories of the Ashford family all together! Thanks guys! We look forward to doing it again next year!

Salisbury Family - Raleigh, NC

We love the Salisbury family! Hannah, their oldest daughter, is one of Aiden's best friends. They love being around each other and it's a lot of fun to watch them grow up together. Hannah's younger sister, Carolina - or Ro-Ro as they call her, is full of life! Jen and Jeff wanted to do family pictures for Jeff's mom for a Christmas gift. So on a beautiful afternoon we met Jen, Jeff, the girls, Jeff's sister, and Jeff's Mom and step-dad. It was fun to watch the family interact and to see how much fun they all have together. We had a beautiful afternoon to shoot and it even inspired grandpa Bruce to get up on the play set with Hannah.  Ro-Ro was as smiley as ever and as a bonus, we had a fun photo bomb from the resident horses.

Gibbs Family

Let's just say... Gibbs family = FUN! Kendra, also known as "mom" of the Gibbs crew, is one of those people that no matter what the situation, if you're with Kendra, you are going to have a fun time! After spending a few hours with the Gibbs during their session, I can see now that the entire family is the same way! Even with 3 men in the family and it being a fairly chilly afternoon, we still had a lot of fun... well most of us did, we won't name names!

We've been so privileged to work with all of our families throughout this past year and the Gibbs family was no exception!

Ashford Family - Sneak Peek - Raleigh, NC

Powell Family - Raleigh, NC

I have known the Powell family for a few years now, and it has been a pleasure to watch George and Lilly grow up. Gary and Alison are so much fun to hang out with and George and Lilly, both hold a special place in my heart. Lilly is full of spunk and reminds me of myself when I was her age and George is a total sweet heart. A few months ago we were at a friends cook out and Aiden wanted to hang with the big boys even though they were all twice his size and three times his age. George came along beside him and followed him around making sure he didn't get into too much trouble, while allowing him to think he was just as big as the rest of them. We met them on a beautiful afternoon at the NC Arboretum. Gary wasn't all that excited about the idea of pictures, but he was a great team player! Glad we could capture just a glimpse of the love this family has for each other!

Sellek Family - Wake Forest, NC

We had a great time with the Sellek Family in Wake Forest, NC. We couldn't have asked for a better session, it was full of beautiful light, good weather, and lots of love! There is something special about the excitement of new parents and it was a privilege to be able capture the joy of Chris and Stephanie as they loved on sweet Audrey!

Sneak Peek - The Sellek Family

The Lee Family - Raleigh, NC

I am so glad we had the opportunity to do some family photos for Nate & Lane. I spent the past year together with them in a small group - from Lane's pregnancy through Anna Kate's birth and now these first few months, I have been able to watch this sweet couple go through this season of life together! They're sweet little girl was cute as could be and a real trooper throughout the whole session. Always grateful for a happy baby! Nate and Lane, you guys are awesome and I am so glad we could capture these memories for you! - Paige

Emma - Baby Session - Raleigh, NC

When Ashely contacted us about taking one-year photos of her sweet niece, Emma, we were happy to help out! We were even more thrilled that she found us through a referral! We had a great time taking photos of Emma - who was accompanied by her mom, aunt, and grandmother! It was a beautiful, though warm, morning over at the NC Arboretum. Though Emma would prefer to wear as little as possible, we were in love with the lovely dress Aunt Ashley picked out for her! Thanks guys - we had a great time meeting up with you all!

Project 52 - Brothers [3:52]

Newborn - Grant Alexander

I can remember when Aiden was born, it was a very surreal moment. I had been around plenty of babies, but there was something very unique and special about meeting Aiden for the first time - after growing up with my sister for 26 years - sharing a childhood and many seasons of life together - witnessing the moment she became more than a daughter, wife and sister but now mother was a memory I won't forget. To be honest, I wasn't sure what to do with Aiden - it all being so new, I just knew I loved him. That being said, meeting my second nephew for the first time did not disappoint. Unlike Aiden, I was actually there for Grant's delivery. Watching him as he took his first breath, let out his first cry and met his mom and dad for the very first time. It was a priceless moment and an exciting one at that - it was also a bit more relaxed as I think we all felt a little more experienced this time around! Mr. Grant, just like his brother, has already won over our hearts. Easy enough, considering he favors Aiden so much. The two could be twins. But this one it seems already has his own personality. I may be a bit biased, but as a second child myself, I think this little man is going to take after me!

It has always been a treat for me to take photos of my sweet nephew, Aiden, and now I'm privileged to twice the fun as Grant will be finding himself on the other side of the lens just as much. Welcome to the world, Grant Alexander!

-Paige

The Lee Family - Sneak Peek - Raleigh, NC

Emma - Sneak Peek - Raleigh, NC

The First Days

Needless to say, we've had our hands full around here! We are looking forward to sharing some of our recent shoots very soon! With Grant being born in early July and our moving day soon after, it feels like the last few weeks have been a blur! That being said, we have been beyond blessed in how smooth everything went with Grant's arrival and the moving process - thank you to all of our friends and family who chipped in! Here's a few shots from Mr. Grant's first few days! -Teran

Wofford Family - Wake Forest, NC

Newborn sessions are always a lot of fun, but when you get to combine that with a fun loving brother and sister and awesome parents it makes for a great session! We had so much fun with Kristen, Jonathan and their three adorable kiddos Eli, Katie, and Liza. Liza was a week and a half old when we did their session and you could just see the love and excitement her brother and sister already had for her. We met the Wofford's at their beautiful home in Wake Forest. Seriously, guys, we love your home! Plenty of natural light and super cute decor - a photographer's happy place! We can't wait to catch up with the Wofford's again a little ways down the road to document the way this family will grow!

We Have a House (again)!

We have a house!! We weren't sure we'd ever be able to say that, but God was faithful and we have a house! This weekend we will be moving with the help of family and friends! JJ and I put our house on the market back in February thinking "we'll just see what happens". A few weeks later we were under contract to sell our house and calling Aunt Paige to see if we could move in with her for "a little while". I don't think any of us thought "a little while" would turn into 4 months, but Paige has graciously opened up her home to us and the past few months have been a lot of fun!

We've definitely used every open spot in her place. We've become our own version of Full House! JJ and I have been in the guest room, Paige moved her office into her bedroom, and Aiden...well now that I think about it, I think he got the best end of the deal. He still has his own room and the majority of his toys came with him!

Grant's recent arrival added a new twist to the situation! We ended up moving into the master so we would have room for the bassinet while Paige (and mom who is here helping) have been sharing the guest room. Aiden, as I mentioned, is still living like a king!

The past few months have been a lot of fun and we have memories that will last forever. Plus, getting to see the way Aiden and Aunt Paige have bonded over the past few months has been really neat to watch. Best of all, we've had the chance to use the pool while we lived here! We are excited and grateful for the new home God has provided but we leave taking with us many precious memories of this sweet season of life!

-Teran

 

A Family Reunion – Hilton Head Island, SC

It's been a few weeks now since we got back from Hilton Head Island, SC for a family reunion celebrating our grandparents 65th wedding anniversary! We had a great time bike riding, golfing, and relaxing by the pool and on the beach. Most of all, we were grateful to spend time with our family that we don't get to see as often as we'd like.

As I've said before, HHI is one of my favorite places and when you combine one of your favorite places with family, it always makes for a great week! We had 4 generations under one roof - cooking, eating, laughing, and simply enjoying time together!

Of all things, we were grateful to spend the week celebrating our amazing grandparents! It's rare these days to see marriages last 50+ years, let alone 65! It's been a blessing to watch my grandparents share life together - to be raised within a family that honors and celebrates commitment, love & loyalty. Our grandparents are a true example of what it means to love and laugh together - through the good and bad times. What a legacy they have left for all of us.

Looking Back at Year One

As we near the end of June we reflect on our first year of business and what an exciting time it was! We are beyond grateful for those who came along with us for the ride and allowed us the honor of taking their photos. It's always fun to take a walk down memory lane so here's just a few shots from our first year. Can't wait to see some of these faces again in the future!

Ashford Kids - Raleigh, NC

It's fitting that this post comes following the USA's World Cup win over Ghana! I have known Lauren since high school. We met and became friends while playing soccer, she was a senior and I was a freshman. We became friends then and have been friends ever since. It has been a blessing to experience many seasons of life together. We both attended NC State, stayed in Raleigh and went to church together for years. I had the honor of standing by Lauren's side as a bridesmaid on her wedding day and I have had the privilege of watching her and Bruce raise three beautiful children since. Teran and I had a great time spending the morning with Riley, Anna Kate, and Kuyper - taking photos of these two adorable sisters and their little brother. It would have been hard to imagine over 10 years ago that I would be photographing Lauren's three kids one day, but I am grateful I was able to do so!

Baby Brother will be here soon!

We are so excited that baby brother will be here soon, sooner than the doctors think, is our guess! At my last appointment we found out that baby brother is making progress, so we decided we needed to get maternity photos in sooner than later. Luckily we had an evening that we were all home and were able to take some family/maternity photos despite the steamy summer night. Of course, the evening that worked for all of us was the first day Raleigh's heat index hit 100 degrees. That being said, we had a nice "glow" to us, and Aiden spent the whole shoot saying "water,water,water" - the boy likes to stay hydrated! Despite the heat, Paige was able to capture some great photos! We can't wait to meet baby brother, until then, we are enjoying the last few weeks (or maybe only days) as a family of three!