{valentine's for your kiddos!}

Now offering custom Valentine's Day cards for your kiddos. Designed with images from previous sessions. Very affordable and perfect for classmates, teachers, family and friends! Now, wouldn't they just swoon over these? Contact me before January 18th if you're intersted! angieclaysonphoto@yahoo.com

{shannon, garrett and family}

I love when you meet a client for the first time and you can't help but love them! That is Shannon. Seriously... so sweet and genuine. Not to mention, drop dead gorgeous! Loved our session with her cute little family. Beautiful girls and a chubby cheeked little baby boy to wrap it up. Seriously, aren't they too cute?

{New Sister-in-Law for me!}

So, these photos aren't anything planned. We just snapped a few shots of the happy couple the other night, because they got {ENGAGED} on New Years! We have an Engagement Session planned for later. But, I couldn't help posting a few pics of them.

If you know me... you know that I absolutely adore my brother-in-law, Steve. We've been friends since junior high. We spent almost everyday of our teen years together. He is one of my closest friends. I happen to be married to his very handsome older brother, Mike! He is "Super Uncle" to my children. And... now, I couldn't be more happy for him, he's {finally} engaged to be married this year! And, I'm trying to convince them to marry on our 16th anniversay, February 29th! Which also happens to be Steve's birthday. Why not? lol.

Here's the best news. His bride-to-be is one of my very good friends. I met her a couple of years ago. And, well... I never, ever expected this to happen back then. {long story!} But, now... I see that these two are truly happy together. And, how perfect for me? I get one of my friends as a sister-in-law! I couldn't be happier!

I love these little snapshots of them... you can see just how happy they are. I'm so excited to do their engagement session in a few weeks. I'll post more when I do!

Love you Steve and "SuSu"!

{tiffany + matt}

This day was bitter cold... but, we managed to enjoy ourselves anyway. Meet this darling little family. Do little girls get any cuter than her? She is seriously gorgeous and her little personality was so fun. This is one of my favorite sessions of 2011.

{Utah Baptism Photography}

Mini-sessions for darling, sweet little 8-year-olds, have to be one of my favorite sessions! We have so much fun! Your collection comes complete with a collage and 8x10 to display at your child's baptism, plus the CUTEST baptism invitations you've ever seen! :) This is such a special event in your child's life, you don't want to miss out on documenting your little 8-year-old at this time in their life. Meet this handsome litte boy, Jacob. His personality is as big as life. We really had a lot of fun. I can't get enough of his perfect lips!

{New Year's Resolutions}

New Year's Eve is always a dreaded day for me. I do not like saying goodbye to another year. It means my kids are getting older. (Ahhh... I'll have a teenager in 2012!) It means their mother is getting older. (We won't discuss that number!) It means saying goodbye to another year.

However, I do look forward to a fresh start, making new resolutions and hopefully making improvements in my life! I want to share my resolutions, so that I'll be more accountable for them. Nothing too major, but little things that I know I need to work on.

1. Weekly Random Acts of Kindness. This year, I want to plan and act out a random act of service for someone. Not just the usual mom and wife stuff that I do everyday, but something bigger than that. Either for a friend, neighbor, family member or even a complete stranger. Something that takes some time to come up with and plan out. :)

2. Dedicate a set amount of time each day to sit down with each child and visit or play with them. This is HUGE. October-December I get so busy with my business, that my kids get seriously neglected. And, I'm tired of it. My kids are MY LIFE! So, each day... I will find time to spend with each child. It may only be 10 mins reading a book, or a quick conversation about their day, but I will give each child one on one time. And, I will have 5 children in 2012... so, this will be challenging. I spend all day with my children... but setting aside time for each one, individually, will be the goal. :)

3. Lose weight! Of course... it's my resolution every year. Some years I have been very successful and others... not so successful. But, I really want to focus on a couple of things. One: More water, less Diet Coke! I really don't drink enough water. I need to kick that up a notch. Also, I need to get back to the gym every day again. I've blamed pregnancy on my lack of exercise. Which.. I am sick. So, until this baby is born, I'll do what I can. But, after he is born... it's back in the gym and no more excuses!

4. More regular Family Home Evenings and Scripture study with my family. It is becoming more and more evident to me that this needs to be a priority in my life. My kids are growing faster than ever. I want to prepare them for this brutal world they have to live in. I want my kids to know who they are and where they came from. I want them to face life's adversities with complete confidence in who they are.

5. Not to fear failure. To follow my wishes and dreams and do it with confidence. As I look to the future, sometimes fear of failing at something holds me back from trying. But, I have many things I want to accomplish this year and I'm simply giving fear the boot! Watch out... here I come! ;)

Keeping it simple this year. But... these are most important to me right now.

Hope you all have a Happy New Year!

{now and then}

Baby Parker, one year ago, December 2010

Baby Parker now, a happy, fun 1-year-old. December 2011

I know I say this ALL of THE TIME... but I love that a lot of my clients become my friends. I met the mom of this cutie many years ago, when she was pregnant with her first daughter. Over the years, we have done lots of photo sessions! Meeting new people and making new friends is absolutely the best part of being a photographer, for me anyways! This little one, Miss Parker Belle, is absolutely adorable! She's a little bit different than her sister. Her sister, Hayden {loves} the camera. Parker was a little more hesitant. But, we finally got her to lighten up a bit when we played the song, "Love You Like a Love Song" by Selena Gomez. Cracked me right up. She was shaking it and even mumbling the lyrics. Hehe. She is so unbelievably gorgeous! Thanks Ali for letting me capture the milestones of your girls. I have loved every single moment!