There is nothing I love more than arriving at a family home on a Saturday morning to find someone twirling around in their pajamas.  With three busy kids and a thriving interior design business keeping her on her toes, Nancy invited me into her home to capture what family life looks like right now.  Because she knows how good it is.  And because she knows the kids and their daily family routines will change overnight.

Before long, we were making treats for an impending slumber party and, because they were sweet enough to send me home with some, I can say with certainty that those girls were in for a good night.

When their early-bird Dad arrived home from his a.m. workout and daily coffee meet-up at Peet’s with his friends (how cool is that?) the kitchen was in full swing.  He got busy making his usual breakfast and the kids finally got to the best party of baking.

After some quick clean-up……the kids were eager to show me their rooms so we headed upstairs to see their little corners of the world.  Their energy was infectious!This guy wanted nothing more than to show me all of his hard-earned trophies… and to play hoops. I loved seeing how comfortable they each were on their own but also with their siblings.  When I asked Nancy how she might describe her family she carefully chose the words “balanced” and “happy”.  Yep, this was definitely evident.

Nancy described her middle as “feisty & fun” and I saw all of that goodness and more.  

Okay, I seriously could have hung out with this one in her room for hours, she just sparkles in the sweetest 6-year-old way.  Although my tea party days are over with my girl, this moment was such a good reminder for me to stop and soak in what her version of tea parties are these days.

We finally did make our way back downstairs, with a brief pause for her to proudly point out some her awesome artwork along the way.  There is nothing cooler than a kid pointing to a framed piece of art on the wall and saying “I made that”.

As I spoke with Nancy leading up to this morning, she shared with me some of the choices they made in designing and building their “forever home”.  A window seat for her girl who loves to read and snuggle with stuffed animals (see above), a fun basement area for the kids to hangout with friends (see below).  Oh, and color, lots of color.

An outdoor area was also important to them as sports and coaching are such a big part of her husband and kids lives.  Not to mention the desire to enjoy our beautiful California weather year-round.  Can you tell these girls have dad wrapped around their finger?! One of their favorite family traditions is roasting marshmallows in the backyard.  Nancy won the Cool Mom award by not letting the small detail that it was 10am deter us from capturing this fun routine.  It was morning snack time, right?

As we eased into the day, the boys played basketball while their youngest crafted a birthday card and then headed off to the party.

Their middle climbed her favorite tree and then was off to visit a friend across the street.

And their oldest kept doing what he loved, with a few water breaks along the way.

As the house quieted down, I was able to capture a few moments with Nancy, in the beautiful home she lovingly created.  Her attention to the details and the love she pours into this family is evident in every inch of their home.  I’m always grateful and humbled when someone has the courage to invite me in to capture their family moments, big and small, and today was no different.

As I was leaving, this sweet one reappeared and settled down for a few moments of rest, before it all began again.

To see a few more Day in the Life sessions please click here!