Last weekend I had the pleasure of taking Indy’s one year photos and today I have the added pleasure of photographing her first birthday….how lucky am I! Here are just a quick preview for Indy’s family and friends…and you will later see more from this absolutely adorable little girl who is a VERY fun little one!
Happy Birthday, Indy…I wish you many, many more wonderful celebrations of love, joy and family in your lifetime!
This handsome little guy had turned one the month before our session and I had the pleasure of meeting him while he was in town visiting his grandparents. He’s the youngest of four and he certainly was not shy and was quite inquisitive! As you can see by his smile, he’s a very happy little guy and when he smiles, his eyes just lit up…and boy did those “baby blues” shine with some great lashes to boot! Gus kept me on my toes and made me work, but that is JUST what I love about photographing children…it’s the unexpected and challenge that makes it so rewarding! Meet sweet Gus….he’s a real cutie!!
Boy, this smiles looks a bit mischievous….I’m guessing his parents have seen this and it might just come along with getting into something he possibly shouldn’t…but how could you resist this face!?!!!
It was so sweet to see Gus reading this book…it was obvious he really enjoys books and what a great thing for a little one to be interested in books….it’s one thing that would open many doors for a lifetime of learning!
What can I say, isn’t this a great looking family?!! I am so blessed to be able to photography this great family AND to live next door to them! It’s hard to believe that when they moved in next to us, nearly 6 years ago, it was just Greg and Leah….and how they have two beautiful children and are and even better looking group than 6 years ago! It hardly seems possible, but little Amelia, is now three….I well remember the day (EARLY) that they called to say it was time so I could come over and stay with Luke while they headed to the hospital and now, she’s this beautiful little girl with eyes that will melt your heart! And, there’s Luke who will turn five this fall…I recall seeing them at the hospital the day he was born…where has the time gone?! With this session, we were fortunate enough to have Leah’ mom, Granny (aka Lois) join us as she was in town visiting and celebrating Amelia’s birthday. It’s always special to have a grandparent join the family for photos, what wonderful memories that will last beyond a lifetime…for generations to come! Our session was fast, busy and tons of fun…let me tell you, Luke and Amelia certainly kept me on my toes, but it wouldn’t be a true Borgerding session, if I wasn’t running to keep up with them…that’s half the fun!
Beautiful Amelia…becoming such a beautiful little girl and the smile and eyes will certainly keep her parents on their toes during the teenage years!
Dad joined us a bit late for the session and as you can see, the kids were very excited when he joined us….what a heartwarming scene.
Luke….becoming quite the boy…he’s about the only boy right around our corner of the neighborhood and he is pretty good about being patient with the girls, but there are times when he just has to be a BOY….and it’s great!
Fun times with Granny….you can see they loved having her visit them!
Amelia is teasing her daddy…not quite sure she’s going to give him a kiss….at least I know it’s not just me she teases…I know I’ve been good when I get a hug and kiss from her!
Such a great looking family….the only thing missing is their dog, Max, who might not have been so sure about the park and the ducks…
What…hold my sister’s hand…Luke was a great sport about it, but was happy when we were done…Amelia is quite content and gave me a great smile!
As promised, here is part two to Celina and Phil’s wedding….it was such a fabulous evening that it seemed as though just one post wasn’t enough to share with you all the great happenings of that day! So, here goes with the ceremony and then on to the reception….such a FUN event….they definitely had every detail planned out and it all came together perfectly! Here goes:
The smile on Phil’s face says it all…
What proud parents Celina has….so happy to see their daughter on this very special day…and with the happiness comes a bit of sad, but knowing she’s chosen a fantastic man to share her life with, makes it easier to “give her away!”
How could I not share another photo of the CUTEST ring “bears” ever…if it hadn’t been for an amazingly beautiful bride, they would have stolen the show that day!
Mr. and Mrs. Phil Pierce….happily ever after!
The official paperwork…now it’s legal!
Maid of honor and best man…so proud and happy to share this day with the bride and groom.
Ahh, the toasts…love and fun, all in honor of a great couple!
The FIRST dance…is this not a stunning couple!!
Pride is definitely evident on both the father of the bride and mother of the groom’s faces….what a wonderful time for all of them!
Even the little ones had fun dancing…
Fun and games were available as well…what a perfect location for the event!
Grandmother of the groom and the best man (brother of the groom) show the others how it’s done on the dance floor!
A toast to the bride and groom…it’s time to celebrate and let loose!
As I said before, the weather could not have been better….a perfectly clear day and evening!
The cake…they were both so nice to each other…I was hoping for a bit of “fun” with the cake…guess this is the first test of trust for them!
Grandparents of the bride, who also were the last standing on the dance floor for the anniversary dance, what a lovely couple, I thoroughly enjoyed visiting with them!
And, the wedding party and guests are ready to rock and roll….
I’m sure that this little girl is dreaming of someday when she will be a bride…and just as beautiful as Celina!
So BEAUTIFUL….Celina is one of those natural and classic beauties….what a perfect bride she was!!
So, Phil wasn’t seen on the dance floor, and as you can see his buddies made sure he made his way out there, in style!!
What a fun group, all of these had worked together at The Spaghetti Factory…they were SO funny, it made it hard to take a picture!
Dancing the night away…..
Believe it or not this group all graduated with Celina from high school in Klamath Falls, Oregon, what a great show of the test of time and friendship!
Ahh, finally, Phil shows everyone the style he has….love this!
The smiles on their faces say it all, we saw this all night long, so happy and madly in love, what an amazing couple….I will be excited to follow their journey together and hope to someday add to their story with more news of their life and adventures!
A bit of a secret….the groom is my nephew and I’m SO very proud of him….he’s a great guy, hardworking and he loves his family! He had us all wondering at some point, if he’d ever get married, and when he found Celina and finally proposed, it was an exciting time as everyone knew that they were meant for one another! I was blessed with the opportunity to capture this special day for them along with being part of the family…it was awesome, they are great, the wedding party was fun and welcoming and the families so proud and happy to see their loved ones join together. Here’s to you Celina and Phil….so proud and excited for both of you!
This post is long overdue….it’s been a few weeks since this gorgeous couple took their wedding vows on a splendid July afternoon in Spokane, WA. Let me tell you, they are GREAT, AWESOME and so deserving of each other and “happily ever after!” This couple was so much fun and game for just about anything and everything…as were the wedding party…I couldn’t have asked for a better group – and we were blessed with a nearly perfect day. The week of the wedding, the weather was not so great and had everyone a tad nervous, considering that it was all outside. There were tents, but boy, that didn’t sound like much fun if you HAD to be under them because of the weather. When we met them Phil and Celina in June to go over some of the details, I told them to just trust that it would all be fine and that everything would work out…the details and the weather! And, guess what, it did, it couldn’t have been a more perfect temperature and the skies were a glorious blue…and of course, they had every detail taken care of and it all came off without a hitch…oh, wait, there was one hitch…the fact that they are now hitched!! These two are so darn cute together and were very easy to photograph! We “played” a couple of hours before the wedding in downtown Spokane and had Phil’s dad as our chauffeur to take us from location to locations…boy, was that ever nice and allowed us to stop at a couple of extra spots. The wedding was held at the Spokane Polo Club’s grounds…which were wonderful and offered a little bit of everything…I must say that was a great venue for a wedding…one I never would have thought of!
Without further ado…here are some highlights of their day…or at least the first part, I’ll break this into two posts, so keep you eyes peeled for the second part in a few days!
Celina was a STUNNING bride and honestly, she is so beautiful that even without all the prep of hair and makeup…she is beautiful….and was just glowing that day!
LOVED her shoes…and I quickly learned that she too LOVES color…and that reflects in her life….
Very special additions to her attire on this special day, gifts from her grandmothers.
A proud mom helps Celina with her necklace, which the two of them made together…talk about talent!!!
The first look…I must admit, this moment always brings tears to my eyes (good thing there is auto focus on the camera for times like this!)…so special and memorable for the two of them.
I can’t say enough about how beautiful Celina looked on this day…very classy with some vintage mixed in…and every detail blended together perfectly!
Color…besides her shoes, you can see that Phil also likes color and threw in his “spice” to the attire for the wedding day….love this shot!
One word….WOW!!!!!!!
These two met while working at The Old Spaghetti Factory…so it seemed only right that we should stop by for a photo or two!
This was a test for Celina…to trust that Phil wouldn’t let her go and would be sure to keep her safe and secure…as you can see, he passed, or is it she that passed, in trusting!!
The eyes say it all!
Okay, the fun begins…as you can see, we had some fun with the wedding party…I must tell a quick story! When Phil got up there, Celina told him that he had better not fall, but if he did, she wasn’t worried about him getting hurt, but said he had better not rip the pants (rented!) He didn’t fall or get hurt and no rips…I was amazed he could get up there, let alone in what he was wearing!!
These guys were great…full of humor, lots of laughs and pranks and maybe a tad bit of alcohol!
Such beautiful women…every single one of them, I thoroughly enjoyed spending the day with them and getting to know them!
When I first saw this snag across the field the night of rehearsal, I knew that we’d be over there for some photos…it was so cool, oh, how I wish I had something like that closer to where I live, the fun that could be had with photos around it!
Oh my, look what Celina and Phil caught….some BEARS….oh wait, they are little kids dressed up as bears!
Aren’t these two SUPER cute…meet Hayden and Xander…the “ring bears” for the wedding! How clever is that and how much fun did they have in their outfits for the wedding!
A little story behind the “ring bears” – when Phil was young, he was a ring bearer in a wedding, only he thought he was suppose to be a “ring bear” and when he walked down the aisle, he growled at everyone, like a bear would do…so, it seem appropriate that they had “bears” at their wedding!
The “adult” flower girl basket!! The flower girls was a friend of the bride (mom of one of the “bears”) who had never been a flower girl, so she finally got her wish…which is one of the things I loved about this wedding, they made it unique to who they are and what they love….and it was just perfect! Of course, once the precession for the wedding began, the champagne bottles were replaced with the traditional flower petals, but before hand, it was ready if anyone need something to drink!
Okay, so you’ve met the bride and groom and the wedding party…in the next few days there will another post with the wedding and reception…and I guarantee, they are as fun as these photos are…it was such a great day, everything about it was just right!!
It is with great joy and great sadness that I’m typing this post, about our beloved dog, Aussie, who we lost 3 weeks ago. If you have had a pet for any length of time, you know how they become a family member and part of your lives and are a companion and friend, no matter what! Our sweet Aussie was with us for almost 16 years and yes, I know that is a very long time, but selfishly, it wasn’t long enough and we wanted more time, more memories and more wags and licks from her. It had been about 2 1/2 years since Aussie first had some sort of problem, whether it was a seizure or stroke and we feared our time with her was coming to an end. I well remember the day after that episode when I took her to the vet and cried the whole way there and back and not knowing just how long we’d have, it was scary! But, she amazed us and bounced back and seemed to be back to normal most of the time. Sure, there were some times she had a problem or two, but mostly she was her old self, full of life and enthusiasm for whatever she encountered each day.
It was 16 years ago this coming October when our family took a trip to visit my parents at their cabin on Hayden Lake…we had moved from Tennessee the summer before and had lost our other dog of 13 years before the move and the kids were continually asking when could we get another dog! The day we “found” Aussie, my husband and dad were golfing and my mom and I took the kids into town and stopped by the humane society “just to look” and guess what a litter of pups had come in an hour before! We drove to the golf course so the kids could ask their dad if it was okay to get a puppy, saying we’d found the perfect one! Well, my dad instantly said, “YEP and I’ll pay for it!” My dad LOVED dogs and with his answer we had no choice, but to get the puppy…and it was truly love at first sight! She was the runt of the litter and just under 3 pounds…oh, I can see that sweet face and smell that puppy breath as I think of it! The rest is history…and in the years with her, we created so many memories and have some wonderful photos of her.
Aussie was a GREAT dog…and I know, I’m biased, but if you ask a lot of our friends, neighbors and even some strangers, they’d agree with me! Aussie was very well behaved (other than the begging at meals, which I full take the blame for since I would feed her my last bite from a meal) and loved people, though she would bark and some occasional solicitors who she didn’t like (which I tend to think there was a reason why…I think she knew they didn’t need to be around!) and made so many friends from people just walking by our home. When we first got Aussie, we put in the electric fence in the yard and trained her to stay in the yard. It wasn’t a couple of years before that was cut with landscaping and yet, to the day she passed away, she still stayed in the yard (well, maybe with the occasional wandering to say hello to a neighbor on either side!). People would walk by with dogs and she’d go to the end of the driveway and stand right there and just watch or a cat would wander through the yard, she’d run after it until the property line and then stop…and when people would walk by and we were outside, they’d comment how friendly and well behaved she was. There was a couple who the past couple of years walked by nearly ever day ( with their dog) and would always stop and give her a treat after making her sit or shake, or rollover (which was harder for her the past year)….they were so good to her! Aussie would literally go to the end of driveway and check the curbing EVERY time she’d go out to see if she missed them…which she would find a treat, if she wasn’t out when they would leave a treat for her. She never forgot and if she saw them a couple of blocks down the street, she’d stand and wait for them, almost at attention! Oh, and I can’t forget to share the story of the UPS driver. When we first got Aussie, the UPS driver would come and bring her a treat with a package and then she began to recognize the connection and whenever she saw the truck, she stood on the end of the driveway, waiting for the treat! The driver was awesome…he stopped every day and gave her a treat and said he would even stop at the store to by more, if he knew he would be in our neighborhood! After a few years, the driver was given a new route, but came by to say “goodbye” to Aussie and told us that if we ever needed to find a new home for her, to call him, that he’d take her in a heartbeat! Obviously, that never happened, but the funny part, we had to “train” all the new UPS drivers to be sure to bring treats, otherwise, she’d be sniffing their pockets all the way to and from the door if they didn’t bring something! Fed Ex drivers never fell into the same category and some wouldn’t even deliver because she was “scary!” Yeah, right! Oh well, their loss in getting to meet a great and friendly dog!
Playing with the kids, chasing balls or frisbees, swimming, playing tug of war or lounging in the sunshine were Aussie’s favorite activities and I’m so thankful that most of her life she was able to do that and she truly loved each day. I think the routine is one of the things I miss the most…seeing her sweet face each morning and getting the wags and licks when I’d say good morning…or the hug and kiss I gave her each night just before I’d crawl into bed. Of course, there were days when she wanted to go in and out ALL the time you know I’d give anything for that to return to our lives!! Oh, I miss her so much and I know it’s been just a few weeks and that the sadness of missing her will get easier to bear all the time, but I sure miss her!
Today we are formally saying goodbye to her and sprinkling her ashes in Hayden Lake…at the place where she first joined our family and a place that she LOVED…so we felt it was where she should be, her final resting spot. We have family together for the weekend and it’s comforting to have them with us as we say goodbye…and I know that she’s doing great now…running, jumping, swimming and having a grand time with my dad and our other family’s four legged friends who have since passed away… So with sadness and pride, here are some photos of our beautiful Aussie, who we dearly miss….rest in peace!
Aussie LOVED playing ball…and as you can see, was patiently waiting for me to throw it!
My two very favorite “Aussie’s” – obviously, Aussie and my good friend, Kate, who is an Australian!
Aussie, trying to be patient with her new nephew, Angus, when he joined Jess and Sean’s family!
LOVE this photo of Jess and Aussie….two of my favorite girls!!
As you can see, Jayden and Aussie became good friends early on and shared their toys…they were so good and cute together…
The lake…whenever we would arrive, the VERY first thing Aussie would do is run and jump into the lake…and she continued this up until the last year!
So patient and a good sport about the costume…but look at how darn cute she was!! Santa Aussie!
Brand new to our family and she quickly stole our hearts!! This was the first week with us! Just 3 pounds!!!
Love this photo…of my dad and Aussie…he always spoiled her rotten whenever he visited us or we visit him….she loved him as much as he loved her!!!
Aussie could always be found beneath a cutting board whenever getting ready for a family meal…this started early on!
Crazy sleeper!
Checking the basket to make sure the kids got all the candy out!
Aussie was such a good sport about the kids dressing her up…you can tell by her smile!
Another lake favorite….riding in the boat!
Always a part of the “first day of school” pictures!
Taken this past January when we had some snow…even though she didn’t play like she used to, she was still happy to be outside with us!
You can tell how close Aussie and Jayden were…she was always there for Jayden!
The kisses were often, wet and slimy….and Jayden never tired of them (nor did I!).
Just this past April when Aussie met a new cousin, Enzo who was just a couple months old and she even played a bit with him!
Ahhh, from a walk that Aussie and I took last fall…one of my favorites from the past year.
More kisses!!
Once Angus got older, Aussie and he had a good time playing.
These photos were taken two years ago by my other favorite Aussie, Kate, of Kate Hunter Photography! I am SO thankful I have them and ever grateful to her for doing this for us!
First of all, I’d like to wish all of the dads out there a VERY Happy Father’s Day! It’s a day that we honor the first man in our life, someone who has loved us unconditionally and faithfully…and been there to pick us up when we’ve fallen down! Without so many amazing dads out there, this world would certainly not be the same! My dad was amazing and never doubted my ability to do what I wanted, always encouraged and challenged me and loved me for who I am! It’s been a couple of years now that I’ve not had my dad to share my life with, but I know he’s watching over and is there with me each step of the way…I miss you dad!!! With that being said, another GREAT man in my life is my husband who is an amazing dad and now a “papa” to our beautiful granddaughter…I can’t imagine life without him…he’s been there through thick and thin and has been supportive and encouraging to our two children (both grown!!)…and is part of who they each are! You are amazing my dear…I love you so much!
So…this leads me up to my post today. It’s a special one, with lots of love and a whole lot of bias that I’m sharing a story and some photos from a session with our son and his daughter. Josh is our oldest and certainly challenged and tested our abilities as parents throughout the years…and surprisingly, we made it through, and we both have many gray hairs to prove it! If you ask Josh, I’m not sure he’d agree that we always gave him good advice and were looking out for his best interest at times when he might not have been, but maybe he’s changed his mind about our parenting now that he’s a parent himself! Funny how life sort of turns on you and you realize that your parents did know more than you thought after all! We’ve had ups, downs, tears and laughter….LOTS of laughter with Josh and he’s worked hard to get where he is now and we are so very proud of him and all that he’s done…it’s rewarding to see him become a caring individual, hard working, thoughtful soul and a VERY loving father…it really warms my heart!
Josh became a dad nearly six years ago. It’s not what he thought parenting would be like, he was young and in the Navy and life wasn’t always easy or fun (I’m sure there was fun, but not the work part at the time!)…and he lived all the way across the country for a few years. Honestly, I think being away from family early on is a wonderful way to build character and this certainly helped him…though he did have more “building” to do once he returned to Puyallup. A now divorced dad with a beautiful (see, I’m not prejudiced!!) daughter, Jayden, he would do anything for her and he does…he works hard, loves her, provides for her, plays with her, cares for her, teaches her and disciplines her…and it’s funny because we see so many things he does are things we taught him. Interesting how you don’t think they were paying attention or even noticed and now…it’s coming back around! Being around Josh and Jayden is always fun…the two of them have lots of fun, laugh a LOT and it’s obvious that Jayden loves her daddy…she’s very affectionate and when she runs up and gives him a hug and says “I love you, daddy” it brings tears to my eyes every time! Life isn’t easy for him, he works hard and long hours, doesn’t always have as much time as he’d like to do the fun things with Jayden, but he grabs whatever moments he can get and she knows that he’s there for her…no matter what!
So, I saved this post for today – as a special gift to our son, Josh, and I wanted to say that I love you very much and am so VERY proud of you…you are a great person and an amazing dad!!! Okay, time to see what fun they have together and we had this afternoon….
As you can see above…they have lots of fun and laugh a lot…and Josh is certainly not afraid to wear PINK…although Jayden doesn’t like sharing her sunglasses, especially on a sunny day!
These two were so funny…goofing around and when Jayden wanted to be serious, of course, Josh wasn’t…she kept peeking over to check on him!
Miss Maddie…Jayden LOVES this little dog…she’s a pug and you can’t help but love her scrunched up little face and funny snorting sounds she makes!!
Jayden has had just a “few” photos taken of her in her nearly six years of life – so she certainly knows how to “strike a pose” IF she wants to…which is her choosing, so I never know what I’ll get with her…this time, she worked the camera!
Fun and games, both of them kids, just one big, and one little…these two are always being silly!
This series cracks me up because Jayden was so serious that Josh had to “behave” and do what she was doing …and as you can see, that wasn’t quite the way it worked out, but in my opinion, it was just PERFECT!
Our little princess…she is sugar and spice…and more!
Afterwards, the reward was a trip to Starbucks…enjoyed by both Josh and Jayden! As you can see, she’s pointing out her sliver and Josh is accessing the severity of it!
More fun and games!
Probably my favorite from the session…it’s obvious this “dad and daughter duo” are quite close and have a special bond…and I’m proud to say they are part of my family…we are so blessed to have one another…can’t imagine not having them in our lives! Happy Father’s Day to all the dads, grandfathers, uncles and father figures…you all ROCK!!