It is my joy and honor to share this fun family with you again! I've been taking their portraits for a number of years now. It is always a joy to watch the kids play and have a special relationship from year-to-year and this year they shared another fun relationship with me by bringing along their puppy to their mini session at Hastings' Lock and Dam 2.

Sometimes, the best way to capture the stage of life in a child's life is to allow them to just play and enjoy life. After a few attempts at getting these three to sit still, mom and dad wisely agreed that maybe we should just let them play on the shore of the Mississippi River in Hastings near the Lock & Dam Two. I find kids come alive in play, so capturing their curiosity and wonder for life in this stage of life sometimes documents them better than any other way. It's not just about capturing the moment this way, but creating a special moment as well.

Meet the Hanson family -- more specifically mom & dad plus they're two youngest kids, who aren't so little anymore. Leah here graduated last year and Brandon is entering into his senior year this next year at Park High School. We met up on a beautiful summer night as the sun was setting and laughed a lot as we walked along the path at Highlands Park in Cottage Grove.

I always love the chance to capture the special relationships in a family and an extended family? Just that much more special! It is always so fun to photograph the kids playing, capture the stage of mom and adult daughters, and the other sweet moments that happen amidst a beautiful summer night. The Stretz extended family were one such fun portrait session!

Have a blast as you wrap up the final days of summer and head back towards the school year!