I am so excited to share our 2013 Christmas card!   After last year, Joe and I(well mostly me, but Joe some, too) thought so much about what to do for our card this year.  There are just a few things in my life I go a little psycho/obsessive over and our card is one of them (it runs in the family- Christmas cards were my mom's thing as well- we just take it to a different level).  It was such a fun and busy fall- I'm just glad we got it together in time and that my vision was pulled off exactly as I had hoped.  The week we were supposed to shoot the card photos Sharpe had a fever for 5 days and just wasn't himself, so on the afternoon we managed to make it happen it was FREEZING cold, but both of our little bears were such troopers.  And Darby...someone said to me that she is the most long-suffering dog, and it's sorta true;)  The funny part is she tolerates my shenanigans a lot of times better than Sharpe does:)  Next year will be interesting with a three year old and an almost 1 year old...better let the brainstorming begin now!  Hope you love it as much as we do! Look below for more shots from our Christmas card shoot.

Merry Christmas!  Joe and I hope the days ahead are filled with much love and laughter and the true meaning of Christmas.  Love to you all!

Top pic front of card-Below back of card:)

Above is one of my most favorites shots ever.  Of all times.  Just couldn't bring myself to choose it for the card though because Sharpe wasn't smiling.  But this picture truly sums up these two- they are just the best of friends!  Yes, see how long my 2 year old's legs are!  Tall boy!

 Outfit change, you know, for variety:)

 Flannel:  it's all the rage.

 

Here are the pics I snapped yesterday of our sweet Super Sharpe and Super Darby.  I know they are mine, but seriously, their cuteness is off the charts!!!!  Darby was the best sport as usual.  She is so good to let us do ridiculous things to her!  We didn't do "real" trick or treating, but visited the grandparents and hung out on our Halloween.  And funny that I thought making their costumes might save us some money, whelp, that wasn't the case either!  Hobby Lobby was happy to see me coming!  Nonetheless, I think they turned out adorable!  Love how much these two love each other!  We also taught Sharpe to say "Suuuuuper Sharpe!" and he was so cute running around saying it!  Even now as he looks at these pictures he says "Super Sharpe".  He kills me!  Hope everyone has a great weekend!

 
  1. Owen Ross:

    Oh. my. word. Can I have them both? If ever you need a break I will be happy to take them off your hands ;) I DIE OVER THESE PICS! xoxox

  2. They are precious Lindsey!:

    I love your creativity Lindsey! They are adorable and I know you had a blast taking their pictures!! Cindy Barrow

We are in the busiest wedding season we have ever had- that is, the most weddings we have ever shot in a row with little to no breaks.  Add in all the 2014 engagement sessions, bridals that can only be shot just before each wedding, families needing fall portraits and the remaining seniors I have still left to shoot, and it's just been a REALLY crazy fall.  We are doing "ok".  That's the truth of it.  Not great, or not horrible, but "ok".  Surviving.  Our small army of helpers is really the only reason any of it is happening without totally falling apart.  Sharpe staying with my parents nearly every weekend, a father in law that helps me every week and on my parents off weekends, my sweet friend Peggy that sits with Sharpe when I have to run out for a shoot before Joe is home, and my mom who has official taken over the title of "life manager"(it's crazy ya'll, this woman's productivity level is just through the roof-it's uncanny and we would DEFINITELY not be making it without her).  She gets the things done I didn't even know I wanted done- and better than I would do it.  A nap for Sharpe and this woman goes to work managing our life and home(and yard!).  Joe a lunch in the fridge for the next day, Sharpe new fun foods to eat, a washed load of towels...and that's not even scratching the surface.  It does not go unnoticed, even though I may be too glassy-eyed by the time I get home to say so.

It is very easy for me to just get overwhelmed in my workload...burning the midnight oil too much...simply surviving and getting things done and out the door that I sometimes forget the WHY behind this crazy job and lifestyle:  I get to capture the most precious moments of people's lives!  I am invited into moments that happen once in a lifetime for my clients and they treat Joe and I like family.  Even though I get stressed out and my eyes hurt from looking at the computer, and I just want to take Sharpe out to play, or read a book, or just be fat and pregnant and sit on the couch and eat ice-cream for an hour watching netflix(if we're being real)- I get an email from a bride "doing a happy dance at her desk" because she just saw her wedding images.  A senior mom telling me I made her daughter feel so loved and special.  Another email from a mom of littles expressing that the photos of her and her kids remind her WHY she became a mom- in the midst of just surviving motherhood and the daily chaos- that her family is incredibly beautiful.  I am not just culling a wedding and managing files and creating hard drive space and worrying about upload speeds, but sorting through someone's memories.  It is VERY easy for me to get lost in my "tasks".  It's more than just taking pretty pictures of pretty people- or getting published, or notoriety within the industry, or shooting something "blog worthy".  I mean yes, I beg to say my clientele is the most beautiful on the planet and make my job VERY easy- but it's the memories that will last a lifetime.  And that's WHY I do this job and tread water the month of October and November(and this year: Aug, Sept, and the first part of Dec).  I have the MOST INCREDIBLE clients that trust me with their moments, and that, is really really special to me.  I am thankful to each and every one of you!  And one day soon I will look fresh and showered and cute again, and my eyes won't look tired and my brain won't hurt from thinking too much- and it will be amazing.  And to my friends in real life- I will reemerge from this abyss.  And then, at some point, I will have this baby and not be fatigued, and that will be amazing, too! So just hang in there with me!  Keep following this blog and seeing how our fall is progressing.

Which brings me to Morgan and Sam.  I love them and can't wait to shoot their wedding next year in Blowing Rock- I know it will be simply gorgeous- with these two, how can it not be?!  And in front of their family and friends they will pledge to be together forever.  How important is that!?  My job is awesome:) Take a second to look at some of my favorites from our session together- we had a great time exploring uptown near where they live and I couldn't be happier with these moments we created together!  Happy Hump Day everyone!

 

I can't believe it has been so long since a Sharpe update!  Unacceptable!  I've shared lots of photos of him on our instagram, but not a real blog post in a while.  We took some time off this summer to spend time as a family, especially since we have the busiest fall we've ever booked since being in business.  We spent most of our down time on Oak Island, just playing in the sand and not doing much of anything photography related.  Middle of August we hit the ground running again and now here we are at the end of September!  Unbelievable!  Here is a much needed update on "us"!

Our little man is growing like a weed- still taller than most little boys his age, he has really thinned out and continues to shoot up!  Our "quiet" boy (not really one to make much of a racket, babble, or be too noisy) is all of the sudden a total chatterbox!  Repeating everything we say, he is just the cutest!  Big accomplishments are counting to ten and learning new words every single day.  His favorite things to talk about are, of course, Darby, firetrucks, and ambulances.  He is back in school(mothers morning out 2 times a week- it's big stuff), where this year we do a car line as opposed to last year when I had to walk him in.  This has been a pretty big adjustment.  He will spend all morning saying "school" and his friends names only to pitch a Total fit, yup with a capital T, when the teachers try and get him out of the car.  They promise me he is fine as soon as they get him in, but this mama can't help but be a little embarrassed!

At the beach this summer with Darby.  Still looking like our bald little guy.  Darby, well just being Darby.

Sharpe still loves playing with all of his grandparents, who pretty much have him being the world's most spoiled and loved on child.  We are so thankful for all the help we have while shooting weddings.  We do, however, usually need a good detox when mom and dad get home to remind him that he is in fact not the center of the universe;)  He is so incredibly good natured (sleeping and eating for anyone and a happy disposition) that it is understandable how he is smothered in so much love!

More beach fun!  Summer 2013.  Still with the little tufts of hair mostly in the back.

Settling back into our new fall schedule, he FINALLY(not that I was complaining) dropped his first nap so we are learning what our new days look like- playing in the mornings and him napping in the afternoons.  When things get too crazy with work, I have many Sharpe wranglers that help me with him so I can crank out work.  I'm the never home stay at home mom running a full time business.  It can be stressful at times, but thankful I get to see him so much.  Weekends away shooting weddings are enough!

 First day of school this fall.  More hair!  He really wanted to wear his bookbag- I really wanted him to hold it up and show it had his name on it.  He won because this was the holding it up face.

 I'm sorry, but how stinkin' cute is this little boy! And yes, he has perma-skinned knees!

 Life is busy, but we are so thankful.  We have the best family in the world and the best clients that treat us like family.  Although it is crazy around here, we can't wait for it to get even crazier when we have our second little Hartsell BOY around February.  Yup, in case you missed that, we are pregnant!  I kept thinking I would do something cute and take a picture, but so it goes!  You know, I had these grand ideas of Sharpe and Darby and a sonogram pictures, or some crazy pinterest idea like that, but that's just not our life right now.  What I'm learning is it is just OK!  We are so excited to keep growing our family!  Joe is the best dad and I can't wait to have more babies with him!!!  We will celebrate 5 years of marriage this winter and it's been the best 5 years of my life.  How do I get so lucky to have such an amazing husband, dad and leader for our family.  I know I am mostly the "face" of this operation, but trust me he is the backbone.  If you out there in internet land knew exactly how high maintenance my overall personality is;) (+ add pregnant) you would know this man deserves a medal.  I can't wait to see him with our 2!!!!! boys!  And Sharpe, I know he will be the best big brother:)  We keep telling him about it, not sure how much it is actually registering, but he will point to my belly and say "baby".  Our families can't wait, although all worry how we will keep this routine.  I worry, too, but trust my life and business are in the Father's hands and He will help us to make it work.  Can you believe it?! Another Hartsell baby!

Sharpe at the fair this year.  He gets so serious when he is riding the rides!  Couldn't get him to smile although as soon as he got off he wanted to ride again.

If you took the time to hang in there and read this whole post, thanks so much!  And for all of those who already knew about our big news(because there isn't much hiding it these days), thanks for all of the excitement and well wishes.  We are so pumped to keep growing and sharing with you!

 
  1. Leslie Mcclellan Cook:

    Just wanted to say how precious Sharpe is and I know how much Scott and Robin love him. So sorry about your grandmother- she was such a kind, loving, and giving person. She will definitely be missed! Thoughts and prayers for your family during this sad and joyous time.

  2. Owen Ross:

    SO HAPPY for you!!!! Don’t have that baby on December 28 ;) xoxo

We've been plugging along through the end of June and finally got a little bit of down time here around the 4th. We've been enjoying lots of family time and also a break from shooting- and using that opportunity to get all of our June weddings out the door.  Meanwhile, Sharpe is growing like a weed! We love being his parents! He is just a good natured little boy and champion sleeper.  He has loved playing at the beach this summer- be sure to follow me on instagram (lindseyleepics) if you want to see more personal photos.  But total disclaimer- more pics of my child and Darby than you really care about;)

These are some shots I actually took around Memorial Day and just pulled up.  I really wanted to get him in this little sailor outfit on a sailboat, which we did manage to do, but the shoot lasted approximately 4 minutes and we were losing light the whole time. I still might try again later this summer for some more that are a little more my vision, but still, how cute is our little bear??!?! That hair is still coming in best it can;)  Happy Monday! Look for some more wedding goodness on the blog this week:)

 
  1. Owen:

    OMG dying. He is so adorable and growing SO FAST!

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