I am always so happy when I hear from Kristan, Ben, Lincoln, and Cormac that they’re back in town visiting, and that we get to make more Missoula summer family photos at the University of Montana for them! I’ve been photographing their family for several years now, and it is always an absolute delight to get to hang out with them, laugh together, and document their wonderful family!

This year we decided to hike up the “M” trail a bit, explore the grasses, and have a blast laughing our heads off as we yelled Lincoln’s favorite funny words. (I’ll let you guess what a five-year-old boy might choose. )

We ventured back down to check out the peonies that were in full, splendid bloom, made ur way onto campus to cool off a bit, and enjoyed some time wandering around, racing each other, exploring cool bike racks that were perfect for 22-month-old Cormac to crawl through, and of course, the check out the wonders of steps and railings around the various buildings.

Cormac was particularly interested in investigating pine cones, Lincoln loved climbing the various rocks and other structures, and both boys are total pro speed racers!

We topped off our session with a visit to the grizzly statue on the Oval. Cormac was intent on holding its paw, while Lincoln performed a drum session for us on the bear’s thighs. Everyone joined in for a good family “roar” together, (again, Lincoln and Cormac are total roaring pros), and that was a wrap on another absolutely wonderful session with their family.

Kristan, Ben, Lincoln, and Cormac! Thank you for being your wonderful selves, for your curiosity and joy, and for always sharing the biggest and best laughs with me! Yay for you all!

On the docket:

Portraits and weddings – stay tuned!

Cheers,

-Kristine

Tim, Courtney, Teddy, Violet, Bill and Lorie’s family session last year was an absolute blast, so I was beyond excited to hear from Courtney again this summer to set up some more summertime family photos at Flathead Lake while everyone was together again at Bill and Lorie’s lake house.

Flathead Lake put on a stunning show that evening, and Teddy, almost 5, was super stoked to show me all the tricks he’d been saving up since our session last summer. Violet, almost 2, motored around everywhere, tiny little pockets full of rocks to throw in the lake at a moment’s notice, and was always interested in what her big brother was up to.

Teddy immediately took me to the dock where he’d set up his minnow-trapping contraption. And my heart just about melted upon seeing it, especially after hearing Teddy tell me that so far, he just hadn’t caught any minnows. But he wasn’t about to give up, and diligently checked it throughout the evening, rigging up even more elaborate minnow traps to catch those sneaky little guys.

At one point as Teddy worked on a mega knot, his grandpa looked at him and said, “If that’s not a knot, I don’t know what is!” which caused Teddy to just crack up and dissolve in a fit of giggles.

And giggling, happiness, and laughter pretty much sums up our entire session that evening. Everyone had a fantastic time tossing rocks into the lake, Teddy showed me how high he could kick his kickball, Violet demonstrated some super stellar somersaults and rolls all around the grass, the kiddos chased each other laughing and squealing with happiness, and then rushed back to dole out kisses to their parents and grandparents, Twizzler treats were a fan favorite, sparkler time was beyond exciting (and Teddy insisted that “picture lady” had sparklers to play with too – how sweet!), and before we knew it the sun was setting, and it was time for Teddy’s favorite thing – to fly into the air alongside his sister, Violet. And fly they did! Laughing and giggling and completely delighted as their parents tossed them, over and over, all silhouetted by a beautiful sunset on the lake.

But before we said our goodbyes, Teddy and Violet wanted to show me a few more of their moves on the swing set, swinging as high as they could into the sky, pure joy on their faces. After one last cool move down the slide, it was time to bid them farewell, and Teddy gave me the ultimate compliment, a high-five foot five with his feet – haha!

It completely goes without saying, but Tim, Courtney, Teddy, Violet, Bill and Lorie – thank you again, tenfold, for another fabulous session. The joy and love in your family is so beautiful, and I just feel completely honored getting to capture it for you, and having the opportunity to document your kiddos as they grow. What an absolute treat! Here’s to another wonderful evening on the lake and many more in the future!

On the Docket:

Weddings, portraits and elopements! Stay posted!

Cheers,

-Kristine