We are overjoyed to introduce our little Leo:

We love you, sweet boy! xoxo, Mommy, Daddy, and proud big brother Asher

I am almost 6 months along, and have been loving pregnancy just as much as the first time. There is just nothing in the world like growing a tiny human, feeling those gentle little baby movements, and sometimes surprisingly strong kicks! We feel incredibly lucky that we get to be the parents of another awesome BOY! Yeee!

Asher, who is now 4, (ah! remember when he was just like this?!) is VERY excited to be a big brother.

“A baby BROTHER?! It’s all I ever wanted in the whole world!!” -A  (heartmelt!)

He has even taken it upon himself to name the baby:

On or around January 17 2016, we will be welcoming Little Dorsal Fin! 

“…and then when he turns into a kid, we’ll call him Big Dorsal Fin.” -A

Obviously.

In addition to naming the baby, helping me paint the nursery, and telling everyone he meets that “mommy has a baby in her belly”, he’s also taken the initiative to choose a large selection of his own toys and books that baby brother can have. He loves to talk to the baby through my belly button, and he REALLY loves to blow raspberries on my belly and feel him wiggle. I don’t know how the reality of his expiring Only Child status will actually hit him when it happens, but we’re definitely enjoying his sweetness at the moment. As of now, he’s the most thoughtful and caring big brother a little one could hope for. :)

Now, I’m sure many of you, especially those of you who were with us when that sweet big brother was a tiny terror newborn monster, are wondering whether baby #2 was a surprise or not. Fair enough inquiry, considering we swore up and down that we were One and Done. Family of Three. Our Little Trio. Well, life happens, parents grow up with their babies, and sometimes, they even soften up. It took about a year of conversations, and a very amusing campaign by big brother to decide that we were finally ready to do this again. We haven’t forgotten how hard it was the first time, but we feel much more prepared and equipped than the first time around. I don’t know if anyone can be truly ready for these kinds of life changes, but we’re excited for this next chapter. A Family of Four!

On an (even more) personal note, I just have to talk for a minute about how magical this feels. I know people have babies and grow their families all the time, but I never thought it would happen for us. Over the past 4 years, I often would feel a little urge for another baby, but knew that we had already made our decision to have our one and only. We are/were very happy as a trio, but there was always that feeling there for me. Living far from family, and after moving even further to California, the desire to have more of us became stronger. I never said anything, but Jamie recognized it in me a long time ago. He waited until he knew he was ready as well to bring up the subject. When he DID bring it up, I melted into a puddle of tears. I don’t think I even realized how much I wanted it. I had gotten used to brushing off the feeling as hormonal, or normal doubts everyone has. At every milestone of Asher’s life so far, I had celebrated and savored it that much more, knowing we would only get to do it once. So now that we’re welcoming another family member, and get to experience all of these wondrous moments for a second time… I feel a profound sense of appreciation, gratitude, and pure bliss.  It’s nothing short of magic.

We can’t wait to meet you, sweet baby boy. You are loved, and awaited for, beyond measure.

~ Love, Mama, Daddy, Asher, and Lexi

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k.holly  |  bay area lifestyle photographer and blogger

2014 has been a wondrous year. Lots of traveling, gardening, mountain climbing, and soul-searching. I’ve photographed 7 California weddings, 6 Michigan weddings, 26 sessions/projects, been on 22 flights, driven countless miles, and hiked every terrain I could get my feet on. I took on less weddings than usual this year to leave room for life and experimentation. I’ve photographed new things, new people, new places, and explored different avenues of photography and art. It’s been incredibly energizing and renewing.

2013 was a little crazy with the big move and all of the changes and challenges that came along with it. After renting for just 5 months, we purchased and moved into our new home last December. I wanted time and space to lay down new roots, let my family settle into a new rhythm, listen to my heart, and discover what makes us thrive and grow as a family. Since that move almost exactly a year ago, we’ve hosted 13 out of state houseguests, met tons of incredibly wonderful industry friends, and welcomed a perfect little handful of close friends into our hearts.

This year we’ve built gardens, planted lovely flowers, and grown delicious nutritious food. I’ve smiled in the sunshine and blissfully brushed dirt off my knees and hands. As life is always in balance, we’ve also had a few failed gardening attempts, pulled lots of weeds, and squashed a few poisonous spiders. Same with life. We’ve nourished that which feeds us and gives us joy, and let go of toxic things and habits that were poisonous to us. It’s hard work to clean things out and some lessons are harder than others. It will always be a work in progress. But I’m pretty happy to report that we are healthy, happy, and thriving here.

So for 2015: Onward! With another 12 months of seasoning and a newfound perspective, I’m excited to shake out the last of the remaining dust and welcome in new practices and philosophies. Personal rejuvenation fuels creativity and sparks imagination. My work is personal, and my couples and clients are very dear to me. I want to make sure they (you) know it. I tell stories from my heart, not just my camera. I can’t wait to dig into a new year.

2014, thank you. From my whole heart, thank you.

2015, this is going to be so great. I can just feel it :) Here we go!

Cheers!

xoxo, Kristen

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k.holly  |  san francisco bay area wedding and lifestyle photographer

I came across an article yesterday by Stephanie St.Claire, that I knew immediately that I had to share here with you.  I’ve followed her group, Blissbombed, for the past year, and always find a few moments to pause to read her writing. She writes about relationships and love, my favorite subjects! I asked her if I could share her article, and she graciously agreed. It’s a wonderful reminder for all of us in relationships: dating, engaged, recently married, or celebrating decades together. Especially during the stressful moments of the holidays:

//  You two should dance in the kitchen and burn the dinner tonight.

 

The “stuff” of life isn’t as important as the one you’re doing it with. Invest everything you’ve got into your partner. I know you’re busy. I know life is crazy. I know there are bills to pay, kids to tend to, workouts to get in, spiritual practice to keep up, bosses to please, errands, extended family issues, etc. But the person by your side is everything. YOUR everything.

Maybe it doesn’t feel like they’re everything. Maybe that awareness slowly seeped away a long time ago. Now your partner has become just a friendly appendage, a fixture that you depend on. Someone to share the work with. Someone to keep you warm at night. But you are losing him/her if you do not make them the most precious center of your attention right here, right now.

Most of my sessions in December revolve around broken hearts. Hearts that grew cold, tired, and numb out of neglect. Many of my clients are just trying to get through the holidays in one piece. Their marriages have fallen apart, and come January, there will be a tidal wave of separations. There are kids. There are in-laws. There are jobs. There are lovers-on-the-side to think of. It’s sad and jarring and no one thought it would be their story.

Gramma always said: Don’t look where you fell—look where you slipped. You slipped when you started getting complacent and feeling like your man/woman was a “normal” part of your life. You stopped telling them what you found attractive, exciting, beautiful, sexy, intriguing about them. On that day, they started dying on the vine. And you stopped knowing yourself as a lover. Imperceptible at first, but this is death by a thousand paper cuts.

It’s not too late to love who you’re with. Really love them. Show them with your words, your gaze, your questions. Make them the center of your affection. Recalibrate the whole enchilada if you have to. Surprise them. Yes, you may have to be the first to change, but so what? You’re saving your life.

-Stephanie St.Claire, Blissbombed   |  www.facebook.com/blissbombed

So today, take a moment to be the loving partner that you want to be. Remember your wedding day and how you felt holding hands up at the altar. Surprise him with a kiss on the back of the neck, a sly smile and a nose nuzzle. Between carrying loads of luggage or firewood or gifts, give him a long back scratch and rub his strong shoulders. When you find her in the kitchen stressing over dinner, take her by the waist and twirl her around the floor while the pot of potatoes boils over. Pour her a glass of wine. Kiss her until she forgets to put the dinner rolls in. Let the kids giggle. They’ll love to see you being playful together.

Remember who you live for, who makes your heart race.

Enjoy the holidays, you two.

// Kristen

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k.holly  |  bay area wedding and lifestyle photographer  |  photos of us by the lovely Hannah Suh

It’s when you don’t think you can take a break,

         that you need a break the most. 

“Yo, crazypants, you need a break. Go chill for a minute.”

“I CAN’T TAKE A BREAK, CAN’T YOU SEE HOW MUCH THERE IS TO DO?!?!?! I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START!!!! AAAAAAHHHH” ::throws papers and flops into chair::

Rather than escalating your stress and frantically try to plow through it (likely making mistakes or forgetting details), take a 10 minute vacation. Go sit in the sun. Make a cup of tea. Take a shower, go get the mail, take the dog around the block, whatever. My favorite? A couple sun salutations and a 60-second plank, followed by a good downward dog and then luxuriously linger in a child’s pose until you find your slow breath. (That yoga series can be accomplished while waiting for coffee to brew, by the way. Talk about multi-tasking!) Get that blood flowing and give your mind a rest. Our brains need idle time to process what you’re throwing at it, and to calm back down to a place of creativity and ingenuity. After a break, we’re better problem solvers, better task masters, better creators.

So, I know you’re busy today, whether it’s wrapping up projects for your clients, or getting your home ready for company (in my case, both). But promise me you’ll take a few minutes today to breathe.

Or just go run off to the ocean. That’s what I did on Friday. After answering emails, of course ;)

…

If you can’t get away from your desk, get lost for a few moments in these images with me. Relax your shoulders. Rest your hands on your desk. Imagine you’re here. Feel the cool sand on your feet, the warm sun on your skin. Smell the salty air, listen to the sea birds calling and waves crashing. Be still. Breathe. Close your eyes. Smile.

Next time, come along with me :)

All images taken with my iPhone. Who has time for lugging around a real camera when there are rocks to be climbed?! :) Have a great week, and even better holiday weekend. Cheers! :) Kristen

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k.holly  |  bay area lifestyle blogger and photographer

I haven’t been talking much, I know. I’ve been posting lots of lovely pictures of sessions and weddings, and dear me, there are lots more that need to be posted. Twenty, to be exact. Twenty! (This is the part where I normally go hide under my white fuzzy blanket with a fresh cup of coffee and start editing the next session instead.) (PS: if you are one of those twenty waiting to be published, you will be. I promise.) So yes, I’ve been photographing lots of amazing events and capturing sweet, lovely moments with the most wonderful people. I’ve been blogging those images as time allows, and shooting and editing my little booty off, but there’s just something missing around here…

I think it’s me.

My voice, I mean. I used to write a lot more, but lately it’s become more visual, more pictures, less words. I’ve been letting the images speak for themselves, which is wonderful in itself. But it’s starting to feel a little impersonal. I’ve been absent.

Truth is, I’ve been out exploring. I’ve been out seeing different things, photographing different things, doing different things. Moving across the country and rebuilding our life and my business has given me the freedom to explore a little more. While Jamie’s been kicking butt at his dream job, I’ve been tiptoeing along the surf of the chilly Pacific, hiking mountains, exploring cities, and sipping California red wine along with my staple Michigan sweet riesling. (Like I’d give up my favorite Riesling. Come on now.) I’ve been photographing not only weddings, but sweet newborns and new moms, big happy extended families, gorgeous interiors of newly built homes, amazing architecture, exquisite gowns, models, horses, everything. One of the most surprising little bits of bliss was spending hours alone in airports and window seats, giving me time to let my imagination wander, a luxury I haven’t given myself in a long time. It’s been glorious. I’ve shared snippets of this new life on instagram, but not as much here. Little pictures and status updates, but not full thoughts or stories.

I want to write more. Talk more, share more, listen more. So here I am, at 11:30pm, writing a silly little post about how I’m going to write more. It’s kinda funny really, but I had to start somewhere :) I don’t even have a proper photo to go with this post, so I’m digging one out that I never shared. It’s from about a year ago, soon after the move, in a moment when I let my guard down, a moment of me just being me. (…with really long hair. I just cut it all off about a week ago, but that’s a story for another day.)

Be ready for more of this, people. Me being me.

So. It’s your turn. Yes, you! You’ve listened to me rambling this far already, and I’d love to know more about you too.  What you’re up to, what’s new, what’s old, what’s good. What’s making you smile these days? :)  Chat with me in the comments below  :)

Thank you Sam, Amber, and Jesh for this awesome moment.  //  xoxo, Kristen

One couple, with one redheaded pup, and one little blonde haired boy who has stolen our hearts and multiplied our love in a way we never could have imagined.

One Beautiful Life.

You and me, baby. You and me.

Happy Anniversary. Here’s to many, many more! xoxo, Kristen

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Kristen and Jamie  |  k.holly  |  bay area husband and wife wedding photographers

I have a delicate little climbing plant that I’ve been diligently watering in the hopes of keeping it alive through these dry days. It recently released a single flower, on my neighbor’s side of the fence. Haha :) First thought is ironic, right?  But I actually really love that it bloomed on that side. It’s a reminder that any and all good that we put out into the world benefits all of us as a whole. While I’ve been purposefully cultivating something good, it’s affected my neighbor in a positive way. I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately, how our own cultivation of happiness can positively affect someone else, which passes onto the next, and so on. That’s pretty powerful.

I pruned my young roses a few weeks ago, and am patiently awaiting those little buds to open up. My neighbor’s older rosebush, however, is in full bloom! At any given time throughout the day, you can find me with my nose stuffed in one of these fragrant beauties :) (Ah, you see? Now his hard work is bringing me joy!)

Ah, and now THIS is just amazing to me. This is not really rain, these droplets on the leaves are from the mist of the early morning fog. I’ve never seen water droplets so delicate.

Have a beautiful weekend! Relish in simple happiness and spread joy!  xoxo, Kristen

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k.holly  |  san francisco bay area lifestyle blogger

What I love about our days together is that we can learn and play at our own pace, and he learns about what interests him. Today, in mama-toddler art class, we made Valentines for Jamie :)  They’re hanging on the fridge drying right now, and he smiles all proud every time he walks by them.  He’s excited for Daddy to get home!

Always so curious about how things work :)

(We got the idea for using tp rolls as heart stamps from Pinterest, and this post. Fun!)

Happy Valentine’s Day to you!  Make it wonderful and enjoy the ones you love!

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k.holly  |  bay area lifestyle photographer and blogger