Wednesday, December 9

What's the Best Thing You've Ever Given?

I've given a lot of presents in my day.  Giving is actually my favorite.  Getting is magical, too, but I REFUSE to give an unispired gift, so everytime I give a gift I feel like I'm passing a piece of my heart along with it.

Johnny's birthday was last Sunday.  I got to give him one of the coolest presents I've ever had the pleasure of watching him open.  (Please note:  blogger tends to darken and distort my photos a bit.)



Yep.  It was the greatest.  Hope and I have never had a professional shoot before, just the photos that I've taken.  I never wanted to pay someone to make us look completely stiff and dorky.  So, I contacted Erin Sunday (who also my dearest friend) and asked her if she could do a photo shoot, complete with short notice and short time frame, and a high level of out-of-town secrecy.  She complied.  She is the best.  The end.

Well, not the end.  Johnny opened his gift on Sunday and loved it as much as I thought he would.  These are SO SPECIAL and SO GOOD.  Erin has quite the future ahead of her, if you ask me.  :)   xoxo Katie

41 comments:

  1. AnonymousDecember 9, 2009 at 4:07 PM

    Aww, I love you kiddos! I would hang out with you every day if I could. :)

    I am really happy Johnny loves them as well. It makes my heart happy.

    Sooooooo.... does this mean... I can post these to Flickr? ;)

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  2. skunkboyDecember 9, 2009 at 4:10 PM

    Yes!

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  3. StinaDecember 9, 2009 at 4:12 PM

    aw, how magical! i would love to spend my day there! these photos are going straight to my inspiration map.

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  4. AnonymousDecember 9, 2009 at 4:18 PM

    YESSSS! By the way, when I am pregnant, you have to send some of your magic my way so I can have a kid as adorable as Hope. Just sayin'

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  5. JamieDecember 9, 2009 at 4:25 PM

    We got a peek at these over the weekend and I love these so much! You can see the love you two share and it's sooo magical! Absolutely beautiful! Erin did an awesome job!

    I love this post...."I REFUSE to give an unispired gift, so everytime I give a gift I feel like I'm passing a piece of my heart along with it." I wholeheartedly agree.

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  6. AnonymousDecember 9, 2009 at 4:43 PM

    oh my goodness

    this makes me want to go to someplace with a forest and have a picnic ^_^

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  7. RachelDenbowDecember 9, 2009 at 4:52 PM

    OMG! What a great concept shoot and great shots! I'm impressed with Erin's mad skills!

    Fantastic.

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  8. Luzmaría AlamDecember 9, 2009 at 4:58 PM

    awwww cute shoots!! ^^ happy B-day.
    i love forest, and the place look magical

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  9. Monster GirlDecember 9, 2009 at 4:59 PM

    You are both so beautiful and happy, you make me want to be a mum. What a lovely present!

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  10. LovelyLorDecember 9, 2009 at 5:24 PM

    Cutest photos ever!

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  11. JamieDecember 9, 2009 at 5:26 PM

    sooo cute!!! i love LOVE this photo shoot! missouri must be a cool place...

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  12. TashDecember 9, 2009 at 6:50 PM

    This is the best thing I have seen all day and I am smiling so hard right now. You are both so beautiful together!

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  13. Emilie LynneDecember 9, 2009 at 6:53 PM

    Aww you guys look so cute :) I love how these photos turned out!

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  14. Good Girls StudioDecember 9, 2009 at 7:05 PM

    Looove them ! I bet you are thee most fun mom ever!

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  15. UnknownDecember 9, 2009 at 7:21 PM

    How cool are those :)

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  16. Jessica / Lola VintageDecember 9, 2009 at 7:57 PM

    seriously SWEET. How fun your day looks! :)

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  17. TraceyDecember 9, 2009 at 9:20 PM

    Wonderful photos!!!

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  18. Vintage Love & PhotographsDecember 9, 2009 at 9:28 PM

    Those are SOOOO cute! Good job!

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  19. KatieDecember 9, 2009 at 10:05 PM

    Those pictures are too precious! I love your whole theme there.

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  20. ashley lynnDecember 9, 2009 at 10:43 PM

    i think you're so beautiful !

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  21. Dorothee-MariaDecember 10, 2009 at 3:04 AM

    Oh, these shots are amazingly heartwarming. Crazyly heartwarming.
    And: I totally know what you mean, when you say: "everytime I give a gift I feel like I'm passing a piece of my heart along with it".
    Same with me.
    Right know I am pregnant, and I can't wait to have that much fun with our child, like you have with your gorgeous little daughter.

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  22. AnonymousDecember 10, 2009 at 4:10 AM

    WOW!! I'm in love with these shots <3

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  23. supercursiDecember 10, 2009 at 4:45 AM

    What a wonderful photo shoot and gift!

    I love your blog, it's full of beauty and positive energy :D

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  24. AnonymousDecember 10, 2009 at 7:23 AM

    Wow those photos are fantastic! It looks like the most fun tea party ever!

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  25. bootsDecember 10, 2009 at 8:58 AM

    that's awesome! i hope he knows he has the coolest girls in his life!

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  26. AnonymousDecember 10, 2009 at 11:22 AM

    What an AMAZING photo shoot! I absolutely LOVE everything about every photo. Wow!

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  27. Saving CapuletDecember 10, 2009 at 11:28 AM

    Those photos are wonderful! simply wonderful, the setting, the outfit, you girls, and the camera woman too! AMAZING! <3

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  28. JenCoenDecember 10, 2009 at 11:58 AM

    These are the freakin'stinkin' cutest photos I think I have ever seen!!! They look like soooo much fun, and when I saw them this weekend they made me miss my daughter sooooooo much!! You two are absolutely beautiful!

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  29. Kateri MortonDecember 10, 2009 at 12:18 PM

    magical in every way, lovely girls!

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  30. EvaDecember 10, 2009 at 12:25 PM

    What a super photo shoot! I love those pics :) They remind me of a children's book story or Alice in Wonderland. Very magical & lovely.

    I think people would buy prints of these!

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  31. skunkboyDecember 10, 2009 at 12:32 PM

    Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! We were so happy with them, and all of this photo love just makes my day!!! <3

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  32. JaymeDecember 10, 2009 at 12:35 PM

    These are amazing!! The matching hair bows and striped stockings are the cutest! I love the last one of you two howling at the sky (or whatever is going on there...) ;-) Definitely a 'best gift ever'.

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  33. katieDecember 10, 2009 at 12:44 PM

    awwww! these are gorgeous! erin is so talented! this really *is* the best gift ever!!! i looove when photos have "sets" to make them all cozy. and i love that you took your blythes!

    <3katie

    ps-these make me sooooo happy i have a girl! [even though i've always been happy to have a girl.] ;)

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  34. AlliTDecember 10, 2009 at 3:28 PM

    All I have to say is this reminds me how much I LOVE and miss my mom... Thanks for that reminder...

    These memories are the greatest gift you could ever give Hope... Congrats on making her memories so special!!

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  35. CurlywigglesDecember 10, 2009 at 4:27 PM

    Gorgeous magical photos! i love your outfits too, so cute!

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  36. AnonymousDecember 10, 2009 at 4:39 PM

    These are adorable!

    I hope one day I can have a daughter and we can do cute things like this too. :-)

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  37. Natalie DuckettDecember 10, 2009 at 11:23 PM

    Oh my word.
    Those are SO adorable! What a beautiful gift! :)
    <3 natalie

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  38. AnonymousDecember 11, 2009 at 12:20 AM

    Wow! What a magical little universe...love love the howling pic!

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  39. SummerStormDecember 11, 2009 at 4:18 PM

    Wow! The photographer is really amazing. I love how the tea party is located in the forest! I am really good at taking pictures and these are most likely going to be my inspiration! I still haven't even taken a photo class in high school!

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  40. AnonymousDecember 11, 2009 at 5:20 PM

    Amazing, dreamy, darling photoshoot.
    You guys rock. And you three are the sweetest family. Lucky ! Sweet !
    x x x
    ___mathyld___

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  41. UnknownDecember 18, 2009 at 4:55 PM

    FABULOUS! Just beautiful in so many ways. You are such gorgeous girls, and these are such magical pictures! Lucky!

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