I'm Baaaaaack!

Well hello there. Did you miss me? I missed you. No, really, I did. This past year and a half with the twins has been incredible, nerve wracking, amazing, stressful and the biggest blessing to our lives than either myself or Kristian could have imagined. Of course there never seems to be enough hours in the day, and I often find myself happy to make merely one check mark on the old ToDo list(s). However, I've been surprised at how natural it all feels, and how (relatively) smooth everything has gone thus far, what with being a "stay-at-home" mom of twins who runs a photography business and all... I'm very excited about this fall and the 2011 wedding season, I'm definitely back in the saddle and feel strong in my shooting and in my role as mommy. I could not be more grateful for the abundant blessings that fill my world and for the beautiful people that surround me that I get to call my family. My future's so bright I gotta wear shades. :)

And while we're talking about beautiful families, let me get into this post. Meet the Hryszko's. Melissa and Rob are the mamma and daddy, and Weston and Myles are the two gorgeous boys. I have known Mel and Rob since 2004, when I photographed their wedding in Springfield, MO. There wedding has always had a special place in my heart, since it was the very first wedding I shot as Joanna Kleine Photography. I literally fell in love with Mel pretty much from the first phone call, and I'm not exaggerating. We talked, and talked and talked... and then it was official when I went down to shoot their wedding weekend and witnessed her in action - from her interaction with her family (who are one of the most boisterous and loving groups of people I've ever been lucky enough to be welcomed into), to her impeccable eye for detail, to the way she embraced her wedding - a day where she was truly a stunning bride. I don't have to tell you, check her out:

See? I told you. And here are a few more from her wedding, for grins. :)

Pretty, eh? Well, fast forward to July 2010 and the Hryszko family has grown from two to four, with the addition of their two sons, Weston (4) and Myles (2). Melissa and I have been trying to get together ever since her and Rob's wedding, and we finally were able to make it happen while her family was spending time down at their cabin at Tablerock Lake for the summer. It's a little bit of a drive from St. Louis, but since they live in Calgary the rest of the year, and I love to drive, I invited myself down. I was dying to meet these two handsome boys in person, considering I felt like I already knew them through Mel's photos... And it was great to get some time in (even though it wasn't enough) with Melissa and Rob. Anyhow, here are some of my favorites from the weekend, I hope you enjoy them and can't wait until next summer to post the next installment. :)