So I’ve decided to do a monthly family series on the blog called “Schaefer Family Adventures”. It will highlight things we do each month as well as photos I’ve taken that month.

We celebrated Grace’s baptism when she was 3 weeks old. Friends and family came into town, even though the weather was calling for a CRAZY snow storm. Luckily it wasn’t as bad as they were predicting and everyone made it safely to Ohio.

On a chilly December morning, right before Christmas, I met Katie and Jorge for their sunrise engagement session. They had just driven up the day before from Georgia to celebrate Christmas with Katie’s family. They were such troopers for getting up so early to brave the cold morning air, but it was all worth it!

I think it’s safe to say that I laughed through the majority of this shoot. The Herrmann family is SO MUCH FUN and they had a great idea to take photos together for their mom for Christmas!

Teresa and I met in college. We were RA’s together throughout our time at Franciscan University. I hadn’t seen her since graduation so I was so excited when she reached out to me about shooting her wedding this summer! She and John drove up from DC for their engagement shoot.

Kayla and Paul and their three BEAUTIFUL children took advantage of an unseasonably warm December day to take some family photos! The golden light was ahhhh-mazing!!! Incredible light plus a family that looks like models…..perfection!

This sweet little family from Pittsburgh is on today’s blog! I went to college with Julie and I was excited when she messaged me about doing a family shoot for her Christmas cards. Fall is a great time to update your family photos and use them for Christmas cards.

Rachel and Cody are a wonderful couple who have four adorable kids. When Rachel was talking with Cody about when they wanted to do family photos, he suggested they do them in the fall. They began dating in the fall and they both love the nostalgia of it.

I had the pleasure of photographing a fellow photographer’s family a few days ago. Caitlin and Alex have two adorable sons and I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know their family and talking photography with Caitlin. She took our maternity photos and I had a blast taking their fall family photos.

When we found out we were pregnant again, I knew I wanted maternity photos taken this time around. I had visions of John kissing my belly and precious interactions between the three of us. The actual shoot did capture those interactions but the story behind these photos is hilarious and not at all what I had planned.