Red Bluff Engagement: Sean and Nicole

Sean and NicoleRed Bluff, California Engagement, July 2013

A Rice Farm Engagement: Matt and Katie

Matt and KatieThe Rice Farms, Northern California Engagement, August 2013

Northern California Engagement: Cody and Katie

Cody and KatieThe fields of Northern California Engagement, August 2013

A Shaffer Ranch Wedding: Kyle and Denny

Kyle and DennyAugust 3, 2013 Shaffer Ranch "Where there is love, there is life." -Ghandi Kyle and Denny are kind and thoughtful, so mature and love people well. We are so honored to know them.

Denny, you are beautiful!

Loved all these girls...

This was such a special moment right as Denny prepared to walk down the aisle with her Dad.

Long Creek Winery Wedding: Austin and Emily

Austin and EmilyJuly 7th, 2013 Long Creek Winery "This is my beloved and this is my friend." Song of Solomon Austin and Emily, you are beautiful people, and we just know that together you will inspire the world. Thank you, thank you for letting us capture your amazing day.

Emily, you are beautiful.

Their first look was perfect...

Wedding Ceremony and Reception: Long Creek Winery Wedding Photographers: K Stone Photography DJ: Elite Sounds Floral Design: Flowers by Rachelle

Malibu Engagement: Spencer and Shirley

Spencer and ShirleyJuly 2013 Engagement Photography, Malibu, California "Love would never leave us alone." - Bob Marley Spencer and Shirley are so great -- just the kindest and most authentic people. We admire so much about them and are extremely honored to be a part of their upcoming wedding.

Happy Birthday Kenny

Dear Kenny,

Thank you so much for working harder than anyone I know. Thank you for taking out the garbage and the dirty diapers. You are the best. Thank you for making me laugh all the time. Thank you for letting me beat you in one on one. (I think that happened once). Thank you for not choosing the easy path in life -- although sometimes I kind of wish you would ;) Thank you for letting me drink your Starbucks. That's real love. Thank you for being so patient. Thank you for being the kindest person I know. Thank you for keeping my car clean. I know there are a lot of other things you could be doing with your very little spare time. Thank you for accepting the fact that we are both terrible dancers. Thank you for introducing me to the new One Republic Album. Thank you for never judging my cooking skills. And eating salad all the time. Thank you for making the little things in life the best. I love our runs in the park and watching your basketball games. Thank you for taking me to Cannon Beach every year. Road trips with you are the best. Thank you for dreaming with me -- for always wanting to do great things for Jesus. Thank you for never being complacent. For challenging me and helping me become more resilient.

Thank you for  adopting Parker. Thank you for loving us more than we deserve. Thank you for making both of our lives the best.

Happy Birthday Stone! You are an incredible, incredible husband and amazing father. We love you so much K and P

Fridays are for Fun

Well another week has come and gone, and my blogging is definitely lacking. I am so sorry for any of you who follow this blog. Wedding season and a very full life, has made for an emptier blog.

I thought I would write a quick Friday post today...

*Indulged in a box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese on Sunday evening. Yes, we were that tired and that hungry. *Parker had a bout with a little bug last week -- not good times. Poor little man. Don't worry though, he has made a full, happy recovery. *Watched a movie from start to finish last weekend. First time since April. Parker slept like a baby through the whole thing ;) *They tell me that the Treat Receipt is back at Starbucks. I haven't been able to take them up on this offer yet. Maybe today... *Kenny taught at church on Sunday. He is amazing. Seriously. If you have time, you can hear his sermon here. *Enjoyed a walk on one of the cooler evenings this week. I think it was one of my more favorite moments of the summer. *Working up the nerve to watch my sister drive away on Tuesday. They will be moving back to Washington. Not sure what I will do without her here. *Been editing like crazy. Staring at a computer for hours at a time is not for the faint at heart. I promise. I have to get up and run laps around my office with Parker, in order to stay productive. *Headed to Napa for a wedding on Saturday. *Headed to LA for an E Session on Sunday. *It's going to be an incredible weekend.

We sure hope you are blessed. Have a great weekend friends. Much Love, K and K and P

Featured: A Paper Proposal

We are so excited to have Ryan and Ashlee's Engagement Session featured on A Paper Proposal today.  Such a gorgeous couple, with a lot of love. Many thanks to the editors at a Paper Proposal for choosing to publish this session.

Much Love friends and congratulations to Ryan and Ashlee! K and K

And just because we love photos...

Dear Parker

Dear Parker,

You are three months old today. Three months ago, my life changed forever. Three months ago, I held you for the first time. I felt your little heartbeat near mine. And I still can't believe it.

I will never forget the three days we spent holding you, praying for your future, wondering if you would be our son.

I will never forget the hospital waiting rooms, riding the elevator up to the fourth floor, every day, so many times.

I will never forget your birth parents. They are the most brave people I've ever met. We love them deeply.

I will never forget the nurses, especially the ones in the nursery. They took such good care of you and welcomed us in.

I will never forget the kindness of our family:  On Wednesday morning we walked into a waiting room full of support. Most of them driving lengths to be with us, no matter what.

I will never forget holding hands with Kenny as we walked into the hospital for the last time. This time, to hear the best news of our life.

I will never forget signing the adoption paperwork, in the nursery, late in the evening.

And I will never forget walking out of the hospital in the rain, with you; a new life awaiting us all.

There's days when I still can't believe it. Your story. Our story. God bringing it all together to create something beautiful. Our little family of three. As I finish writing this, I am holding you in my arms and can't even begin to express how humbled I am to be your mom. It's a gift.

I love you more than you might ever know.

Parker William Stone, you are the sweetest.

A Lord Hill Farms Wedding: Brett and Devon

Brett and DevonMarch 25, 2013 Lord Hill Farms, Snohomish, Washington "This is my beloved, this is my friend." Song of Solomon Brett and Devon are authentic and FULL of joy. Together, they will change the world for Jesus. We love these two so much!

These two are super special people; our grandparents. They have left a legacy bigger than themselves. 

Brett and Devon chose to serve communion to their guests, a very special moment.

This is just the start of so much laughter and fun. What an awesome reception...

Fridays are for Fun

Well, since it is already Friday again, and I am waist deep in editing, I thought I would leave you all with another classic photo that I discovered while culling last weekend's wedding:Oh dear, I  just love him so much.

Although, it's also further proof that neither of us should be on the dance floor. As if my dance moves weren't bad enough, Kenny took it to a whole new level: Doing the "fish reel" with a wedding guest, in the middle of the reception. Wow, what can I say? We think we are great dancers.

Reality check number two: We must stay off the dance floor OR seriously consider some dance lessons. This is getting out of control.

Well happy Friday to everyone. Have some fun for us because we will be at home, practicing our dance moves, all weekend ;) And one can only hope that Parker has better rhythm than us. Cheers! K and K and P

Tyler and Charlotte: A White Ranch Wedding

Tyler and CharlotteJune 1, 2013 White Ranch, Chico "It was love at first sight, at last sight, at ever and ever sight..." -Vladimir Nabokov Tyler and Charlotte have the kind of joy and love that lights up a room. We are so blessed to know them.

A Beautiful Mess

God has ordained these days for me:

The chaotic moments. The beautiful moments. The unsure moments. The mundane  laundry and cleaning, dishes and diapers. The spontaneous times with my boys, that brings me more joy than I could ever imagine. I tend to feel overwhelmed often, by all that needs to be done. There have been challenges. The sadness in saying goodbye to my Grandpa as he held Parker for the first and last time. The chance to find resilience when ministry is hard. These days have been full.

But God doesn't look away -- God has placed all of this in my life right now. Not because He knew that I could handle it: He placed all of this in my life, because He knew it would give me a choice: A choice to trust Him for more miracles.

At the end of this season, I will be able to look back and know, without a shadow of a doubt, that God carried me through. It was His strength and joy.

This life is a beautiful, beautiful mess...

Fridays are for Fun

It's funny how quickly minutes turn into hours. It seems like every day is so full, and just like that, another week has come and gone.

*Currently writing this post very early in the morning. Apparently Parker loves the early mornings too much to sleep. *Went to Toys R Us for the first time since I was a child. I think the store may have overwhelmed me both as a child and an adult :) *We all went for a run at sunset last night with. It's my new favorite thing. *Went to dinner with the greatest friends on Tuesday. Like always, we were the last ones out of the restaurant. *Trying not to be jealous of my sister who is currently basking in the Hawaiian sunshine. Next time, I must go with her. *Went to Kenny's basketball game on Wednesday night to cheer him on. Parker fell asleep. *Love that Kenny still plays basketball because he's seriously a stud. Probably should have played for the NBA :) *Working to finish Parker's little bedroom which turned out to be inspired by some burlap curtains. *Continually amazed by all of Parker's expressions and movement. His laugh might be the cutest thing ever. *Finished a book for the first time since Parker was born. I almost forgot how much I love a good book. *And hoping to take the rest of today off to spend some much needed quality time with my boys. I think we will eat scones and drink coffee.

Have a great weekend. We are off to shoot another wedding tomorrow and then I can't wait to celebrate Kenny's first Father's Day on Sunday. Gosh, we are so blessed. Much Love Friends, K and K

Fridays are for Fun

Oh my, I think I blinked and it was Friday again. What a fast week:

*Definitely purchased a grande iced coffee for one dollar today. Thank you Starbucks email offer. *Discovered that Parker likes to get up with the sun each morning. If you know anything about me, this is quite challenging. *Even though my eyes are barely open at that time of the morning, I have been able to notice the gorgeous sunrises. *Went for a run in nearly one hundred degree weather. Two mistakes happened here: a run, and a run in 95 degree weather. *Contrary to what I may say, I actually do enjoy excercise. Nothing like some endorphins to keep me moving. *Sat next to my boys on the couch, while culling photos. Even though I was still working, my heart was full. *Went to the store with my sister. I just love her. so much. *May or may not have read the spoiler for this season's bachelorette. *Learning that laundry and dishes will always be on my to do list. So will cleaning the bathroom. *And Every day, I am learning that joy is a choice. God has blessed us with so much. I really want to be so grateful.

Have a great weekend friends! We will be photographing a wedding tomorrow, and the forecast is 113. I hope we don't melt :) Lots of Love, K and K and P :)

And because we can't get enough of this sweet smile...

Chico Engagement: Kyle and Denny

Kyle & DennyMay 2013 Engagement Photography "True Love isn't found, it's built."  -Anonymous Kyle and Denny are genuine servants, bold, and admired by so many people around them. We are blessed to know them.

Grass Valley Wedding Photography: Jonathan and Gisel

Jonathan and GiselMarried May 26, 2013 Grass Valley, California "Love is patient, Love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." Jonathan and Gisel are authentic, kind and gentle spirited.  It was an absolute honor to be a part of their wedding day.

They were married in the church where Jonathan works as a pastor.

Our Life These Days...

Some people have asked me what our life is really like now. My best answer: It's different; more full and very rich.

From the moment I wake up, there is always something to do. I no longer go into my office undistracted for hours at a time. There aren't many quiet moments. But there are many, many sweet moments. My iphone is full of beautiful moments, mostly pictures of Parker. I used to think I was busy before, but my definition of busy has changed. Right now, I am typing this, with a newborn in my arms. Who knew that you could stare at a child's face for so long. Some people said I might not ever want to work again, but I still love my job. I am more inspired today than I was yesterday. There are days of great awe and amazement. There are days of tears and chaos. There are days of failure. Tomorrow will probably look a lot different than today. My home isn't near as clean as it used to be. We still eat grilled cheese at least once a week. We still laugh a lot and have dance parties often. Kenny is still my best friend, I think our love is stronger now. Every day, I am reminded that I can't do all of this without God's grace. And every night, I go to bed really, really tired, but totally thankful.

Our life has changed, it's different, but I wouldn't go back for a moment. ever. I just know that all of this is a gift.

And here is small glimpse into our latest...

And because he is just the cutest... (thank you iPhone)

Fridays are for Fun

Well it's true, I haven't written a Friday blog post since before Parker was born, which was almost two months ago. I can't believe it... Our life is just one big adventure:

*Shot a gorgeous wedding in Grass Valley on Sunday. Realized how much I love the mountains, cooler weather and beautiful weddings. It was the perfect combination. *Shot the wedding with our sweet friend Emily -- blessed to have such great talent alongside me. *Trying to limit my trips to Target. Turns out, I have only gone twice this week, which is pretty much a record since Parker was born. *Called in my sister for back up today. With the start of wedding season, I either need to clone myself or have a bit of extra help. *Ate an entire package of gummy bears in one day. Wish I could blame that one on Parker's appetite. *Went on two runs through the park with my boys this week. To say I am out of shape, might be an understatement. I'm sure the gummy bears didn't help :) *Decided I don't like cereal as much as I used to. *Decided I still like Starbucks just as much as I used to. *Found out Parker weighs 11.5 pounds. Oh my. *Also discovered that Parker loves music just as much as me. Dance parties in my office all day long. *And at the end of very busy days, Kenny and I can't help, but see God working in our lives -- There is always, always so much to be thankful for.

We are prepping for another beautiful wedding this weekend. So blessed to celebrate marriage with other couples. It's such a gift!