I had the joy of spending the morning with the Hutchinson Family taking their family photos in Ault Park.

“At the end of the day, your feet should be dirty, your hair should be messy, and your eyes should be sparkling”

-Shanti

But what if they’re not? What if the mess and the cares of the day weigh on you and your eyes don’t…sparkle…?

I love capturing families at their best, smiling, laughing, enjoying each other. I know that life doesn’t look like this every day, in between carpools and fighting over toys and the messiness of having young children. And I certainly don’t know many mamas whose eyes are sparkling at the end of the day…unless those are from tears of exhaustion. Family Photos don’t always capture the reality of our daily lives.

But what I do know is that I want our time together to be filled with joy. I want it to be a fun memory where we played and we giggled and you hugged your little ones because even though they are strong-willed and frustrating at times, they are yours. And you would give anything for them.

Ault Park provided the perfect backdrop for these family photos.

Friends like Megan, whose sweet family is featured here today, are slowly teaching me that it’s not about perfection. That even at your messiest moments, you can be grateful for everything.