The Hostetler Extended Family Session at Potawatomi Conservatories
Enjoy the Hostetler Extended Family Session at Potawatomi Conservatory!
Confession: I get extra nervous when I have sessions with personal friends and family for the first time.
Luckily this was far from my first experience with this rowdy crew.
The whole darn family!
Travel back in time with me for a moment…
It’s the fall of 2006. Another beautiful evening on the campus of Ball State University. A bashful freshman gal from a small town is finding her way in the world (er…Muncie, Indiana) and stepping out of her comfort zone to meet new people. Having already built a foundation of friendship with a young man named Brandon over a bowl of mashed potatoes, I was now ready to become friends with his quiet roommate, Eric.
I knocked on their dorm room door. Eric answered.
“Hi, Eric! I’m Sheri. You have really nice eyes! Also your shirt is inside out. And backwards.”
Nailed it. And we’ve been buddies ever since.
Enjoy this grainy digital camera image from the college days featuring Brandon, myself, and Eric.
So Eric and I have been friends for quite some time. When his baby brother Alex came to Ball State I was still around for grad school followed by working for the University so I was luckily able to rope him into dog sitting for me here and there. Years later I was able to photograph Matty’s wedding and I believe that legally makes me some version of adopted family. And after a handful of reschedules due to schedule conflicts, illnesses, weather and what nots, I have now photographed the entirety of the Hostetler family and these boys made good on their Christmas gift to their mama.
Darla and her baby boys.
And luckily those baby boys married some wonderful women.
The beautiful thing about sessions at the Potawatomi Conservatory is that you’re not impacted by weather. You’re not tossed by wind, drenched by rain, frozen by snow, etc. However, you can get a little warm in the greenhouse. Or perhaps it was chasing after six little ones to win them over and get their best smiles and giggles. Regardless, it was worth it because these kids are the cutest and definitely earned some Sour Patch Kids! Darla is one lucky grandma to have such beautiful grand babies!
You can tell there’s a real lack of personality from these six…not an ounce of ornery in the lot… (just to be clear that is sarcasm.)
Thank you to the whole crew for hanging in there for a crazy morning of photos!
It was so much fun to see you all once again and capture your entire family!
Back behind the lens!
A few months and a baby later and I’m back!
Goodness!
If you’re following me on social media you probably noticed my page(s) have been a bit quiet, and were practically silent for a stretch. I owe you all a little update!
In March of this year I stopped scheduling sessions as I headed into the last leg of a physically draining pregnancy. My body was angry with every step I took and there just was no way I could physically carry my gear, chase kids, and maneuver the way I wanted to in order to provide the family sessions I strive for. I “coasted” (crawled…awkwardly rolled….collapsed) into maternity leave.
And in early April we welcomed our second son, Cal Anthony, into our family.
At 10.1lb, 22in….we were once again the talk of the L&D floor!
We ended up in emergent c-section and I had no idea what recovery was like after laboring and then a CS. It was tough! My dreams of a maternity leave filled with family outings and play dates quickly changed into a lot of time focusing on physical recovery. But Cal was a great baby and big bro Hatcher was smitten with his baby brother.
And four months later Cal is still a great baby and Hatcher is still smitten.
We are trying to figure out what this next chapter of life looks like, and how our “new normal” functions. Like morning routines? Still working on that one. Bedtime routines? Eventually we are all passed out. Does that count as a routine?
But the boys are great and we feel doubly blessed. Hatcher is a master at alerting us to the blue line on diapers and fetching burp rags. He has put his dancing skills to use entertaining Cal with rump shaking hip wiggles. Every morning he races down the stairs to greet his little brother with a “Good morning little guy! How did you sleep? Did you miss me, were you looking for me? Here I am!” and a hug and a kiss.
Melts me every time.
Cal smiles pretty much from the moment he wakes up until he goes back to bed. Unless he’s hungry. Then he’s got some big feelings…just like his mama. His bright blue eyes, little dimple, and sweet snuggles have been such a wonderful addition to our family.
So here we are! I charged the camera back up and slowly started scheduling sessions again.
And it feels so good to be clicking away! I’m so grateful for loyal and loving clients who were patient and encouraging through the pregnancy and maternity leave. I have loved catching up with so many of you while also meeting new clients that I am excited to work with. I truly cherish getting to know you, seeing your families grow, and sharing my own growing family with you.
You all are the best.
Hope to see you on the other side of the camera soon <3
Conrad Family Lifestyle Session in Syracuse, Indiana
Two beautiful people with two beautiful children in one beautiful home? Let’s do this!
Katie Conrad and I became friends in the grad school bullpen at Ball State University. So I’ve known her infectious smile and keen attention to detail for a few years now. I was more than thrilled when she reached out asking if I would capture her beautiful family last summer. It felt a little bit like shopping with an old girlfriend as we sent links back and forth via text of potential outfits and color schemes for their session. What I think I was most excited about is that Katie was totally down to break their session into two segments, one of which would feature her family at home doing their thing, prior to them getting dressed up and heading out the door for part two.
Where do they spend time at home?
In the kitchen, which is where they especially enjoy having quiet coffee before the kids are up and the day begins. Life can be busy, but this is their place to slow down and enjoy each other.
And anywhere else they can get cozy.
I love seeing this family of four pile into bed together for tickle fights and stories, or snuggled up on the couch giggling.
After these sweet family snuggles, it was time for everyone to get dolled up and to head out! We chose a nature reserve just around the corner to catch a sweet summer sunset. This gorgeous family did not disappoint with finding grasshoppers, dancing, and sweet little secrets for their mama.
Honestly, does it get cuter? I know Katie was a little nervous about making sure the kids were “on their best behavior,” but I told her what I told every mom who feels that way. The more relaxed and in the moment you can be, the more enjoyable it will be for everyone! Kids can definitely pick up on any tension so I want to be able to joke with them and ask them to dance and talk about macaroni and cheese and look at bugs, all while catching those sweet smiles in-between! If I ever need a mom to jump in I promise I will let them know!
Thank you, Conrad family, for letting me spend a beautiful summer evening with you all! I can’t wait to do it again!
Busenbark Extended Family Session at Cobus Creek Park
The Busenbark family enjoyed a summer morning together for their Extended Family Session at Cobus Creek Park this August!
What a lovely family! I so enjoyed my time with the Busenbark’s this summer for their session at one of my favorite locations. It was my honor to capture this strong, loving family as they link arms together in support of recent health issues being faced by the patriarch of the family, Rick. It certainly made for emotional moments, but this family shows their love for one another with every ounce of their being and it was so beautiful to capture.
As a mama of one boy, it was a fun glimpse into the life of a mama of three (grown) boys. These brothers were so funny and willing to fulfill their mom’s nostalgic request to reenact a photo she still carries in her wallet from years ago. She had instructed them in that moment to “strike a pose,” and all these years later they still know their poses!
These sister-in-laws have basically become sisters and are able to keep everyone in line! I loved how hands on they were to be sure the guys knew how to pose and juggled the little ones like pros.
How sweet are these little girls? These sisters are the cutest and miss Ella was basically my best friend at the end of the shoot! I don’t want to brag too much but her reviews of me included “I want to hug her” and “I love her” and the feeling was very mutual.
This family will continue to be on my heart daily and please join me in sending them all of the positive vibes and well wishes for health and peace as they continue to push forward and fight against cancer.
The Wang Family Session at University of Notre Dame
The Wang family strolled Notre Dame’s campus on a warm evening this summer for some beautiful family portraits!
I first met the Wang family when they moved from Michigan to join the Notre Dame family. Our session that summer took place at their home, and featured Yichun’s sweet mother who was living with their family as they transition into their new place.
It was so nice to catch up with this family to learn how they were settling in and adjusting to the area. What a crazy time it has been for them to move into new jobs and neighborhood as things began to close down due to the pandemic. But these three are making it home and jumping right in as the “new normal” begins and are just the sweetest family to capture!
It seemed fitting to capture their family on campus since that is what brought them to the area. We were able to set a date prior to students coming back for the academic year, so it was peaceful on this sunny summer evening and we nearly had it all to ourselves!
I’ve shared before that one of my favorite parts of being a family photographer is clients who come back each year and I get to catch up with them and to see their little ones grow! Our first session together, I had to pull every trick out of the bag to win over Alex. That included running around in his backyard kicking soccer balls while juggling my camera! He is definitely coming out of his shell and is such a sweet, ornery, silly little guy! He was starting school shortly after this session, so he will have fresh family photos to bring with him for his cubby!
We hit many of the typical landmarks across campus, but I tried to mostly give them some space to be a family and enjoy each other’s company on a gorgeous campus on a gorgeous evening. I loved hearing them laugh together!
Thank you Yichun, Philip, and Alex for a fun session at Notre Dame!
Angela and Warren’s Vow Renewal in South Bend, Indiana
Angela and Warren were able to say “I still do,” in the historic Oliver Mansion Gardens this July! This blog post is long overdue, but hopefully I can do their day justice!
Angela and Warren’s story started a ways back. These two were teenage lovebirds whose paths went different ways for some time. It took a few rotations of the sun for them to reconnect via social media and rekindle what must’ve always been there from the start. An everlasting love.
I melted a bit when Angela shared that vow renewals were something she would like to do often. And after spending years apart before writing their fairytale, I can’t blame her! She has earned a million “I still do!” moments. Set in the fairytale-like gardens at the Oliver Mansion, Angela was a dream in her beautiful ball gown with elbow length satin gloves, crystal clear heels and a cathedral veil. She was truly a princess as she arrived in a horse drawn carriage before making her entrance through the tunnel of ivy draped tresses to the pergola to join her man.
The bridal party consisted of Angela’s children and grandchildren, whom Warren has treated like his own. An extra special surprise awaited Warren once his bride joined him, and that was the reveal of just who would be officiating the ceremony. Warren’s sister was able to fly out for the special occasion and perform the vow renewal, which brought the biggest smile to Warren’s face when he realized who was making their way towards the pergola for the big moment.
After the ceremony, the crowd got comfy and got loose to tunes provided by D&T Productions. DJ Wayne knew how to keep the evening flowing with just the right music and did a beautiful job transitioning along from the first dance to dinner, cake, and so much more!
And speaking of cake…check out this beautiful three tier cake with cascading fondant drapery, gold lace and pearl trim, and floral accents of teal and ivory to match the days colors. This cake was absolutely beautiful and made by the incredibly talented crew at C’est La Vie Cakes in South Bend!
From bridesmaids rocking tuxes, to a chocolate fountain dream, and a beautiful historic garden….this vow renewal is one for the books. It was an honor to capture this day, this family, and this milestone for Angela and Warren. May your happily ever after continue on!
The Bumgardner Extended Family Session on Simonton Lake in Elkhart, Indiana
Not a bad evening in the office when traveling to session via pontoon boat! The Bumgardner family soaked up some golden hour glow during their summer session on Simonton Lake in Elkhart, Indiana!
I love the very sweet bond amongst all of these cousins! They were so eager to have pictures together, all excited to pose and give hugs and strike a fierce pose. They also were big fans of being able to do a silly face with each new grouping of family members in the picture. It definitely made me think of growing up with so many of my cousins, always begging to have sleepovers and play dates, although ours were on a farm and not on a pontoon boat!
Speaking of pontoons….
Beckie, who first reached out to arrange this session, was able to secure permission for us to shoot on a private island area on Simonton. This land was only accessible via a pontoon ride with the whole family. This gave me an opportunity to get to know the family a little bit and snap some candids as we took our time ‘tooning over to our spot!
Seriously, how lucky am I to have an evening like this on my work calendar?!
Thank you, Bumgardners for letting me be apart of your fun family for an evening and welcoming into your little slice of paradise!
1st Birthday Cake Smash and Family Photos for the Petersen Family at Donnell Lake!
What a busy session! We split time between a morning of family portraits with the Petersen session and met back up in the evening for a special Wild One cake smash for this fun day of pictures!
I had the pleasure of capturing Armi Grace for maternity photos a year ago as a family of three were anxiously awaiting to become a family of four! Much like that session, I truly appreciate that Armi trusts my opinions on color schemes, outfits, and locations. The whole family willingly loaded up onto a Gator and I jumped in back as we headed down a lake path to a nearby country road. And the Petersens once again nailed their family session!
I have to laugh and give you another inside peek to the reality of taking toddler sibling photos. It really does make sessions so fun and special, watching siblings giggle and bond while parents chase and help reset everyone between clicks. Kirkie is 3 years old and Noah is now 1 - the perfect age for craziness!
I also was trusted with a big secret during this session that Baby 3 will be joining this family! I had to check myself every time I saw Armi after this shoot to not dive into a hundred questions about how she’s feeling and doing so as not to give away the exciting news!
In the evening, we set up shop (errr…studio) in the garage for Noah’s cake smash!
Helpful hint to those doing their own cake smash photos, poke a few blueberries (or other small fruit/treats that your little one loves) in the back of the cake to interest the birthday kiddo in grabbing into that cake! We added some blueberries to Noah’s, but overall he still seemed a bit iffy about cake. Fingers crossed he wises up and the next cake is devoured!
Happy 1st Birthday, sweet Noah! So happy I got to capture you both in the belly and now running wild at the lake!
