Last week I posted 12 of my favorite client photos from 2012.  I thought it would also be fun to look back at my personal photos from the year.  The following are 12 photos from 2012 that make my heart go pitter patter.

1.  This was one of those completely unplanned, right place at the right time kind of photographs.  My daughter was at dance class next door and it was an unusually warm February.  My son gets antsy in the studio waiting room so we went outside for some fresh air.  I don’t always have my camera with me, but I did that day.  Turned out to be one of my all time favorite photographs of Max.

2. Wells Beach, Maine.  To me, summer defined.

3. A cherished candid moment of the kids and their Grampie.

4.  I can’t think of a better gift you can give a child than letting them explore the wonders of nature.

5. This photo of Maya was taken at my in law’s home in Geneva, NY.  This is the exact spot my husband learned to play the piano.  It is peaceful and sentimental watching my children discover their love for music in his childhood footsteps.

6. “You’ve gotta dance like there’s nobody watching,
Love like you’ll never be hurt,
Sing like there’s nobody listening,
And live like it’s heaven on earth.”

– William W. Purkey

7.  Messy hair, messy face and an expression that is all Max.

8. Popper’s expression sold me on this one.  There are very few people my kids enjoy being with more than their grandparents.

9. This summer my husband and 3 of our friends participated in the Tough Mudder (our friend, Shane, is pictured here — pretty badass, huh?).  Just about every photo from that day is a 2012 favorite, so if you haven’t seen them before, check out this link!  Electrocution and ice enemas aside, I don’t think I could ever participate in one of these simply because I would miss photographing it too much!

10.  We have 3 step stools in this house.  He still insists on using a trash can to reach the sink.  My favorite slice of life snap of the year.

11.  When I first took this image, I skipped right over it.  I found it when I was going back through images for this post and I’m glad that I did.  Sometimes you have to step away from something to fully appreciate it.  I love how it looks like I’m eavesdropping on them because that is exactly what I was doing!

And finally…

12.  There is no more handsome a man than a good father.