This sweet boy is 2 and I cannot believe it. It feels like just yesterday that his Momma was breaking the baby news and now, he is a walking, talking Energizer Bunny! What an amazing adventure it has been watching this crazy little guy grow up. His momma and I are quite the comrades so I have had the pleasure of witnessing Harper in all his stages. As a baby, Tiff & I would have our girl’s nights while Harp Dog would crawl around on my kitchen floor with his cow printed blanket and my sweet puppy dog, Reyna. And when he started walking, we would head to the park and practice his milk drunken stumble. Now, he just runs circles around me all the while yelling, “Nina, come on.”
Harper is no stranger to having me shove the camera in his face. I have shot his First Birthday, Halloween, Easter & Christmas photos and now his 2nd Birthday. He’s getting quite good at being the ham, a quality I am sure that he gets from his Momma. This go around would be no different. We headed to downtown Keller to check out a Dr Pepper mural and decided it was the perfect backdrop for this little dude’s shoot. Tiff, bring the supergenius that she is, made sure to bring a bribe. We had a plan. For every giggle, Harp Dog gets an M&M. Once we got him all hopped up on sugar, the smiles came pouring out. He was singing and dancing in front of the wall. Twirling and laughing at the “big trucks” that kept flying by. He was having a ball, to say the least.
We wrapped up at the wall and headed towards a huge open field so we could play a little tag and watch the sunset. When we let him run wild, boy did he. This guy was posing behind trees playing peek a boo and waving a stick around like he was Harry Potter. It was hilarious listening to him try and yell “expelliarmus”. This boy has a way of keeping me in stitches. As the sun went down, Tiff softly sang a few lullabies in his ear to calm him down for the ride home. It worked like a charm. Shortly after dark, we made our way back to the car and called it a night. Sometimes, this job doesn’t even feel like work. Shoots like this are a grateful reminder of how joyful work can be.
The Pierce Family is making another appearance on the Blog! Over the summer, I had the opportunity to meet with them at White Rock Lake and capture a few photos of them while they were still a family of 3. Though 8 months pregnant with their second child, Lori waddled around the Filter Building with her 2 favorite guys! We made sure to capture both Mark & Lori with their little guy, Xander, and we managed to get a ton of Lori’s adorable bump! To check out our day in Dallas shoot, head here. This session would be totally different! In the months since our first shoot, the Pierce Family has welcomed a baby girl, Lainey Ruth Pierce! Since I was itching to see this tiny princess, my husband and I made our way down to Austin over Labor Day Weekend to catch up with our favorite blonde headed little boy and his baby sister.
After stopping in Hico, Texas at the Koffee Kup Kafe for a few slices of pie, Russ and I meandered our way into the Live Music Capital of the World. We took our time getting through the hill country before arriving at the Pierce Family Home. First thing on our list of to-dos, give their bundle of joy as many hugs and kisses as possible and man oh man, is she a beauty or what? I was kind of glad that we had waited until she was 3 weeks old to do the shoot because I love seeing how active and alert newborns can be at that age. Lainey just kept looking up at me with those big blue eyes and giving me the sweetest smiles! Words seriously cannot describe how much I love snuggling this little bug! She looks so much like her big brother and you can tell that Mark & Lori are just smitten every time they glance her way.
Xander, though preoccupied with books and toys and dogs, is so in love with his baby sister. He was proudly showing her to me and kept giving her kisses on the cheek! We started the shoot indoors, keeping it fun and fresh while Xander played in his room. We read books and sang “pop-goes-the-weasel” and once Mommy was done feeding baby, we worked our way into Lainey’s adorable nursery. After raiding her closet, Lori explained that so many of the outfits were actually her own. Even the dress that she had brought her home in had been the dress Lori herself wore home from the hospital. I loved this little tidbit and thought how sweet of Lori’s mom to hold onto all those dresses for her! After we played dress-up with my new favorite cousin, we decided to head to the park next to their house for their Family Portrait. The cacti and bright yellow lantana were the perfect backdrop for this newly-branded Family of Four.
Though this shoot was supposed to be all about Lainey, I was excited to capture this special time for them as a whole family. Both Mom & Dad are always so kind to trust my vision and I am so happy that they get to see what we all see when we look their way. Mark and Lori are 2 people who fell in love and continue to do so everyday when they look at their children. They are 2 people who put trust in God’s plan and choose everyday to roll with the punches. Little to no sleep + a rambuncious two year old wildchild + a hungry newborn can make for some pretty crazy days but I am happy to say that these guys are thriving on the chaos. Lori actually said to me at one point, “Watching people go ga-ga over your kids is a whole other kind of joy.” As you can tell, we’re all a little “ga-ga” over these precious babes and I am so glad that they trusted me to capture these first moments with their bundle of joy.
Do you know someone who is expecting or wanting to make that Baby Announcement, send them our way. For more information on how to book your unique Maternity or Newborn Session, shoot me an email at therustienailhead@gmail.com or just give me a call 724 216 8185. We have multiple packages and prices including our Milestone Sessions, a series of photo shoots that captures Baby’s First Year! Currently shooting in Dallas-Fort Worth and the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania but we have lots of travel dates set up for the rest of 2016 and 2017. I cannot wait to fill you all on in where we are heading to next! It’s a doozie! Where would you like to see The Rustie Nail travel to next?
A few weeks back, Pida and her 2 little beauties, Paizlee and Zoee, met me in Keller for their Fall Mini Session. We have had these sweet girls in so many photo shoots now and man were we excited to have them back in front of the lens. Our first shoot with these little princesses was our Easter Minis back in 2015 and then again last Christmas for a few holiday photos! I really do love these little girls. I’ve gotten to know them over the last few years and I am so happy that they are comfortable with me. Every time we meet up, they always come running to me, wanting to fill me in on the little girl drama in the neighborhood. They wanna show me their pretty braids or which color they chose for their nails. They are just so fun to hang out with. I feel VIP when I am around them.
Their mother is a stylist, fashionista and sweetheart who I am so thankful to call my friend. One day, I swear, I’m going to put her in charge of my own wardrobe. Her little girls always show up dressed to impress, just like their gorgeous Mama and this would be no exception. The ladies arrived at the first shoot location in white and pink dresses coordinated with matching twirly bows. They immediately began adorably dancing around the park! I knew that we wanted to snag a few pictures of the girls in the creek bed but we were chasing that sunset. After a few minutes of scaling a hillside and telling secrets, we decided that it was best to head on over to the 2nd shoot location, a secret sunflower field near by.
After a short talk with the girls about the kinds of creatures that they should expect to see in the field, we trucked our way into the heart of the field for those magical sunset photos. The girls had brought letters (P for Paiz, Z for Zoee) and decorated them so we made sure to include them in the shots. After a few minutes, the girls seemed to become a bit skittish about the field we were in. I assumed it was because I freaked them out with the “critter ” talk. Their momma, Pida, assured me that they were fine just being a little dramatic.
Much to our surprise, we were both wrong. These brave little ladies were being attacked by fire ants and chiggers! And now, so were we. It was awful!! We ran screaming and crying from the field. We grabbed some ice and rubbed it on our legs while we all cried on the sidewalk. When the burning didn’t stop, we headed back to my house. We immediately threw them in the tub to scrub them down. After changing into Ranger shirts and rubbing Benadryl cream all over their little legs, we propped them up on the couch next to my hubby, who kindly explained to them that you use clear nail polish to kill chiggers. lol While he watched the Ranger game, Zoee and Paizlee ate pretzels, drank ginger ale and watched videos on the Ipad until the itching stopped and they both fell asleep. We were all finally at peace.
It was a mess and it hurt…bad but overall, we got some really amazing photos of these girls and I got to spend a little extra quality time with some of my all time favorite friends here in Texas. Despite the disastrous end to our shoot, we managed to snag some really magical photos of these gorgeous ladies. I am thankful for their patience , their trust and as promised, we will NEVER EVER EVER do another photoshoot in the sunflower fields!
Fall Mini Session Information
We are currently booking Fall Family Mini Sessions. You choose the location (within DFW), you choose the style and I provide 1 hour of shoot time, 10-15 digital images delivered in an online gallery and a Blog Spotlight for sharing! These make for great Christmas Card photos! The cost is $150 during the months of September and October. if you’re interested in setting up a timeslot just shoot me an email. If not, no worries, just pass this info along to anyone who you think might be interested. I appreciate your time and hope we get the chance to work together soon! Consider following along on Instagram @therustienail or give us a LIKE on our Facebook Page!
Our Fall Mini Sessions are in full swing and I couldn’t be more thankful that little Miss Mia and her Mommy, Brit, made their way out for a photo shoot. Dressed in navy blue and pink, these girls showed up with some pretty amazing props. One of the props consisted of a huge frame lined with multi colored florals. Mia’s aunt had crafted it for this little lady’s upcoming birthday. The other was a letter “M” that Mia had decorated with jewels for her glam shoot! Both props were the perfect additions to this Mommy and Me Session. We started our shoot at Bear Creek Park in Keller and worked our way over to a secret sunflower field for a few shots around sunset.
This wasn’t my first rodeo with little Miss Mia. We met awhile back, around Christmas time. Mia had joined her besties, Zoee and Paizlee for a Holiday Mini Session. They all arrived in dresses with adorable fur vests. They loved posing and playing “ring around the rosie”. The three of them had me cracking up all night. Needless to say, I was really excited at the chance to get Mia in front of the lens again.
I was even more pleased to find out the other girls would be joining the shoot too! Little did I know, this would end up being a very memorable shoot. After trekking through the tall grass, I noticed a shift in the girls’ personalities. They all seemed to be walking on eggshells when just a few minutes ago they had all been giggling together. I couldn’t quite figure it out. I assumed it was because they were getting tired. Their mommas assured me that they would be fine.
After a few minutes of trying to coerce them into smiles, we could tell something else must be going on. We were shocked to learn that these brave little ladies were being attacked by fire ants and chiggers! And now, so were we. It was awful!! We ran screaming and crying from the field. We grabbed some ice and rubbed it on our legs while we all cried on the sidewalk. After more than a few tears had been shed, Mommy managed to convince Mia that ice cream was the only cure. I felt so bad after that and assured Mia that we would never venture into the sunflowers again. Brittney assured me that Mia would be ok. They headed out for chocolate chip cookie dough the minute we all started to feel a little better .
Despite the hiccup in the sunflower field, our girls night turned out to be an adorable affair. With her polite demeanor and precious smile, Mia lights up any room. And, she has the best giggles, especially when Mommy is around! It was a pleasure to finally meet Brittney and spend a little quality time with her pretty princess! I hope I have the chance to work with them again the future!
Fall Mini Session Information
We are currently booking Fall Family Mini Sessions. You choose the location (within DFW), you choose the style and I provide 1 hour of shoot time, 10-15 digital images delivered in an online gallery and a Blog Spotlight for sharing! These make for great Christmas Card photos! The cost is $150 during the months of September and October. if you’re interested in setting up a timeslot just shoot me an email. If not, no worries, just pass this info along to anyone who you think might be interested. I appreciate your time and hope we get the chance to work together soon! Consider following along on Instagram @therustienail or give us a LIKE on our Facebook Page!
During my last visit home to Pennsylvania, I had the great pleasure of meeting Tiffany Jackson, half of the Jackson Signature Photography duo. This husband-wife photography team specializes in Wedding, Engagement, Anniversary and Senior Photography. Based out of Latrobe, PA, their client list is growing daily. I first noticed their work while scrolling through a former classmate’s wedding photos. The images were sharp, clean and so light and airy. After a few months of slightly stalking their social media accounts, I reached out to see if Tiff would be interested in meeting for a Spotlight on the Blog. After a few back and forth emails, I knew that I had chosen the right person to interview.
We met for coffee at The White Rabbit in Greensburg, PA to chat about all things business and what it means to dive headfirst into being a small business owner. Coincidentally, Tiffany just so happens to be the Rising Tide Society Leader in Westmoreland County. She has even hosted her Tuesday Together meetings at the very place we sat down to chat. For those of you who don’t know, The Rising Tide Society is an organization that embraces the differences amongst creatives all across the country. Their business model “community over competition” has inspired and encouraged support and guidance for local businesses nationwide. In fact, our entire Blog Spotlight Series featuring creatives like Carolyn Anderson Photography, Whitney Bowman Photography and Katie Norris of FOTOlanthropy is rooted with the Rising Tide Society’s ideals in mind.
When starting this business, I had so many questions and not many small business owners as friends to ask. So, I started to reach out. I found the Rising Tide, learned their motto and chose to start incorporating their ideals into the foundation of my own business model. I knew that I was never going to see my business evolve if I didn’t get some help and who better to ask than the photogs and the accounts that I had been drooling over since my launch date. Which in turn, brought me to Tiffany. I loved her style, the way she mixed the classic and the contemporary with the traditional and the bohemian. I also loved the way she portrayed her business on social media. In a world filled with so many eyes, Tiff found a method to organize her galleries in a way that would draw your eye to her Blog, her website, her IG, her garden, her gorgeous house, her everything. If you take a look at any of her social media posts, you immediately feel like you know her. You can get a sense for what fills her days and what brings her joy. You shouldn’t be surprised to know that her attitude is contagious. I literally felt like I could tell her my deepest darkest secrets and I had only known her for an hour.
During our meeting, Tiff kept stressing how important the client relationship is. Their business model is founded on the premise of building a lasting relationship with their clients. A huge part of that is just getting to know them. After 8 years in the business, this duo has a good grasp for anticipating the mood of each shoot. More than anything, these two want you to see your “vision” come to life. You can be sure that whatever style or atmosphere you are hoping to convey will most definitely be portrayed if you leave these 2 in charge.
So much of making it in this business is the effort that you put in, the light that you reflect and mark you leave. Tiffany has truly curated a style and personality for their business that keeps their clients coming back. I asked her during our interview if there were any particular IG accounts or Facebook friends that I should check into for inspiration. Her recommendation was @borrowedandblue, a publication full of wedding ideas! She incorporates her love for interior design, her delight in fabulous florals and her passion for joy filled weddings into her everyday life. Which is why I can’t wait to see what she is up to next. Without giving away too many details, I can say that Tiff and Aaron have some BIG news coming up in the next year! So, make sure to keep an eye out for all the details!
If you interested in following along with all of Tiffany and Aaron’s adventures or to book your Wedding or Senior Shoot, head to their website, follow them on IG @jacksonsignaturephotography, Twitter or give them a like on their Facebook page.
If you or you know someone who might be interested in being a part of the next Greensburg Tuesday Together Meeting, head to the White Rabbit Café on September 13th at 7pm. For more information on the Rising Tide Society, head to www.risingtidesociety.com or Join the Facebook Group to see the next upcoming meeting dates, member spotlights and more.
Meet Jackson! The Moreno Family reached out shortly after bringing their baby boy into the world and asked if we might help them capture these first few moments as a family of 4. I’m not gonna lie, Newborn Sessions just might be my favorite kind of shoot. I love snuggling the little ones and capturing those first sweet moments with baby.
I had the pleasure of meeting this family a little over a year ago when I shot their daughter Paton’s First Birthday Shoot . Mom, Dad and I spent a whole morning chasing their little princess all over Bear Creek Park. Paton donned a pink tutu for her “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” themed shoot! And again, in the fall, the Moranos joined us for our Fall Mini Sessions. P kept us on our toes as she danced her way around the ranch in her kitty costume, complete with another tutu, green this time around! It’s no secret that the Mama Bear of this group is a fashionista! Everytime I see Paton, she is dressed in some adorable outfit and matching bow. I was sure that this go around would be no different. Jamie and Christian donned their little ones in Sailor outfits. The navy blue and white were the perfect contrast to their contemporary style!
After timing out feedings and naptime between kiddos, Jamie and I agreed to do a morning shoot! This would be my first time doing a newborn shoot at the client’s home and I was so excited for the chance to meet this little guy. I arrived at the Moranos to find that, like their kids, Jamie and Christian have created a beautiful space to call home. I was blown away by how they had styled their home, specifically Paton’s Fairytale bedroom and Jackson’s adorable nursery! There is something so fresh about doing a photoshoot at home. I was so humbled to be invited into their house and I could tell that they were comfortable with me roaming from room to room for good light.
Jackson is the sweetest. He is tiny with long toes and a mischievous smile when you tickle his chin. Jackson is quiet and very snuggly. You’ll notice in all of the portraits that Jackson goes out of his way to put a hand on his mama. You could tell that he was soothed by her touch. I took turns with each parent, seeing that we had individual shots of Mom with baby and Dad with his little man. Time management was essential seeing that Paton was not very interested in having her picture taken. So while we shot photos of Mommy and Jackson, Daddy watched Frozen with P, and vise versa. It was a pretty clutch system and we ended up snagging a few of Paton reading in her bedroom and coloring on the sidewalk outside. It is crazy to see how big she has gotten over the last few months. She loves her books, Olaf and pretty much, all things pink unless you are talking about her baby brother! She loves to kiss on him and reminds everyone to “shhhh” when baby Jackson is sleeping.
What a great day with such an immensely blessed family. Congrats guys! Sending lots of love and prayers for loads of sleep your way! Thank you Jamie and Christian for inviting me into your home to capture this special time and I hope we get the chance to meet again soon! 🙂
If you are interested in booking your Newborn Session or a Family Portrait Session, shoot us an inquiry at therustienailhead@gmail.com and we’ll chat about how to set up a booking! I hope we get the chance to work together soon!
During my last visit back to Pennsylvania, I managed to sneak in a little time with a few of my favorite people, the Robb family. This fun trio has been featured on our Blog before. Last fall, I had the pleasure of snapping a few pictures of their little guy, Ben. Check out his session here. This go around was a little different. I found out a few weeks before my arrival that this wild and crazy bunch would be growing by two feet. Yep, they would be adding another Robb to the brood. I was jumping for joy at the idea of them bringing another little guy or girl into the picture and even more thrilled when they asked me to take their family portraits. I was under the impression that we were going to be taking Maternity photos. Little did know, they had a surprise for me. This portrait session would double as a gender reveal! I was so touched and beyond excited when I found out I’d be among the first to know what they were expecting.
After a few snafus with the location choice and timing, we managed to meet at Legion Keener Park in Latrobe, PA. I’ve known Derek and Lizzy since we were kids and I wanted to keep our roots intact to the locale of the shoot. With that in mind, I began to dream up some ideas of how to announce their bundle of joy in a fun way. When Derek and I were kids, we spent many a summer night hanging out by those tracks above the Loyalhanna and I knew it’d be the perfect location for their shoot. The graffiti below the bridge and the train tracks following alongside the lush fields of green created the clean backdrop for these photos. We started about an hour before sunset, making our way from the tracks to the bridge that towers over this creek.
This was a totally different shoot than their first for many reasons. Since the last I saw him, Ben has a grown a foot and gained an adult vocabulary. It freaked me out at first. How could he have grown up so much in the short 4 months since I last saw him? He is so smart and kind. Loaded with his mother’s sweet demeanor and his daddy’s gangsta sense of style, this kid is bound to be a lady killer. Honestly, who doesn’t wanna love on him when he is rocking those sweet glasses? He is going to make for a very cool older brother.
Speaking of his soon-to-be younger sibling…these guys are happy to announce, in the most adorable way, that they are expecting…a baby boy! Due a few days after his big brother’s birthday, we are impatiently awaiting the arrival of the newest Baby Robb!
Thank you guys so much for letting me play a small part in your announcement and I look forward to meeting the newest munchkin! See you guys soon!
If you are looking for a photographer to help you document your next big announcement, shoot Angelina an email at therustienailhead@gmail.com. Whether you are expecting your first or third baby or just recently got engaged, Angelina is sure to make your Session a personalized and unique experience! For inquiries about pricing and packaging for Portrait Sessions, send your questions our way! 🙂
Meet Sarah! This girl is a firecracker. She’s got an amazing sense of humor and a even greater sense for adventure. I met this young lady when she wasn’t but knee-high to a grasshopper. Her mom used to bring her into the restaurant I worked at in college. I was that waitress always giving out popsicles to the kids who came in regularly. It was my genius plan to keep business coming back to the Brick. If I gave the kids a treat at the end of the meal, they’d be sure to tell their parents how much they wanted to come back. It’s fair to say that I had Sarah on the hook at a young age.
This sweet girl and I immediately bonded over our love for, don’t judge me, The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Every week, her family would come in and every week, we’d catch up on our preteen TV show drama. It became a bit of ritual and I’m happy to say that all those visits turned into a great relationship. I’ve been lucky enough to see Sarah grow from being a little kid to a beautiful lady. She approached me shortly after starting my business to discuss having her Senior Portraits taken and I was over the moon.
I knew Sarah would show up in the style and I knew she’d be comfortable with me. We laughed and joked around as we strolled through the Park at Indian Lake. Her mother was cracking up as we took off under a bridge and up a huge hill to snag a few photos. I seriously could not have asked for a better session with a more beautiful client. Sarah, you are smart, sweet and kind. Please don’t lose your sense of adventure or that laugh, it’s perfect and so are you sweet girl! Let’s hope we have many more photo shoots in the future.
This family has a lot going on this year. Their firstborn just graduated high school, their middle child is starting her modeling career and the baby, well she isn’t a baby anymore. This may be one of my favorite sessions to date because I can literally remember when each of these kids were born. All their lives, their mom made sure to include a family portrait in every Christmas card. I literally have all their newborn pictures in a box somewhere in my office. It has been a whole other kind of joy watching these 3 grow up. The last time I took their portraits, only Keon and Kiara were involved so you can imagine how happy I was to hear that the whole gang would be joining us for this go-around.
We all met around sunset at Twin Lakes State Park. I was a little nervous at first because when I arrived it was pouring down rain. Luckily, these fashionista sisters took a little longer than anticipated fixing their hair. By the time they arrived, the sun came out and washed up all that rain! Having spent a lot of time playing here as a kid, I had a gameplan in mind. We would start at the boathouse. If we rallied the whole gang in the beginning, we would have more time for individuals as we hiked throughout the park. We managed to find some towering rhodedendron bushes for the ladies to pose nearby and I love that those portraits turned out so fierce. As for the boys, we’ll share a little more of them in the next Blog; keep an eye out for Keon’s Graduation Portraits.
My favorite part about this shoot was that I got to take a few pictures of my cousin and his wife together, alone. For as long as I can remember, Lori has been sending me pictures of the kids but Mom and Dad are never in the photos. It’s become much too common of a thing. When this family of five first started, Nat and Lori were just a few kids. It’s crazy to think that now their kids are almost grown up. It just goes to show how fast time really does fly by. I love that this family set up this shoot right before their firstborn heads off to college. It’s such a great way to capture their bond and the direction this family is moving. I can’t wait to photograph these guys again and look forward to seeing what’s next for this wild and crazy bunch!
To schedule your Family Portrait Session or to inquire about a personalized session, shoot us an email at therustienailhead@gmail.com. And don’t forget to Follow us on Instagram (@therustienail) to stay up to date with our events going on and special deals!
My last Top 5 was based on the Top 5 Parks in the DFW Metroplex for Photographers to set up a photo shoot. This week, I thought I would tackle my hometown and the surrounding area! After all, the Laurel Highlands is where my love for photography began. Even as a tyke, I always had a great appreciation for the area that I grew up in. I spent my childhood playing on farm land in good ole Crabtree, Pennsylvania. I learned to appreciate the natural beauty of a season’s harvest and the picturesque 100 year old farmhouses that grace the countryside of southwestern Pennsylvania. The best of all are the leaves in the fall. Something about all the color that comes to life before that first blanket of snow is just idyllic. I know, I seem a bit melancholy but I really do miss it most days, the changing of the seasons. The air is just different and that’s why I crave the opportunity to set up shoots when I am home. It’s my way of exploring my old stomping grounds.
Lucky for you, I’ve scoped out my favorite places to set up shop and am including a few of the tricks I’ve been stashing up my sleeve. To provide even more inspiration for exploration, a local photographer out of New Alexandria, Carolyn Anderson, has provided some pretty amazing shots of these places for you to really get the feel of how these spaces change annually! Carolyn is a southwestern Pennsylvania native with an active and ongoing love affair with landscape photography. She shares my passion for capturing the people and places that make this particular corner of the world extra special and we’ll definitely be sharing more on how to view her work here on the Blog in the future. Keep an eye out!
5. Keystone State Park (1150 Keystone Park Rd, Derry Township, PA 15627)
Located in Westmoreland County, this little slice of heaven can be found in the midst of the family-owned farms that make up the community of New Alexandria. With a swim beach and concession stand, this park makes for the perfect family day trip. If you want to make it a whole weekend, they offer campsites and RV hookups too! The boys can fish Keystone Lake while the ladies pick flowers from the adjacent fields. Lastly, photographers be on the lookout for a pretty awesome sunset. This place has been known to provide some really great backdrops! For more information on hours and camping availability, head here.
|Keystone State Park| Photo: Carolyn Anderson|Keystone State Park| Photo: Carolyn Anderson|Keystone State Park| Photo: Carolyn Anderson
4. Twin Lakes (216 Twin Lakes Road Greensburg, PA 15601)
Also located in Westmoreland County, this park just continues to grow. After deciding that an expansion would boost more community involvement, the park added the Franklin Dog Park, David R. Peach Dek Hockey Rink and the Peach Plaza Skate and Action Park. There is even a new Winter Sports Area for the kiddos to sled during those Snow Days! Use the park for fitness on it’s many trails or take the kids fishing on one of the paddleboats! The Boathouse is loaded with lots of goodies for the whole family. And don’t miss out on all the fun of the Arts and Heritage Festival that usually takes place the first weekend of July. The booths boost loads of artitistic crafts, winery tastings, the world’s best Fried Veggies. The Kids Corner is a must for those who wish to have their face painted as a butterfly or a fireman for the day! This place makes for a great day out of the house in any capacity. Let those munchkins run wild and then have a picnic. This place is sure to please. For more information, head to their website.
|Twin Lakes Boathouse| Photo: Carolyn Anderson|Twin Lakes State Park| Photo: Carolyn Anderson
3. Mammoth Park (Blacksmith Rd, Mt Pleasant, PA 15666)
This gorgeous park is located in Mount Pleasant. Within this massive piece of property lies a 24 acre fresh water lake that can be seen from the Observatory Deck. This park is ideal for family picnics in the summer and sled riding in the winter. A skate park, tennis courts, bocci and shuffleboard courts can all be found on this 408 acre piece of property. But my favorite part about this place is the insane 90 foot slide! As a kid, we brought our wax paper and shot our way to the bottom. For more information on how to find this hidden gem, head here.
|Mammoth Park| Photo: Carolyn Anderson|Mammoth Park| Photo: Carolyn Anderson
2. Linn Run State Park (Laughlintown, PA)
Linn Run State Park is hands down my favorite place to hang out in the Laurel Highlands. Bordering Forbes State Forest enables this park to boast 50,000 acres of land for outdoor recreation. As a kid, my family and I would hike our way to Adam’s Falls and Slippery Rock, an area of the park that hosts a natural water slide. Bring your inner tubes! I even had my Senior Portraits taken here way back when and I even spent most of my Senior Skip Days hiking the trails back to Beams Rock with a few of my favorite miscreants. This dog-friendly slice of heaven sits on the outskirts of a hippie town and the best drive to see the colors change in the fall. Check it out. Don’t forget to stop by the Natural Spring and fill up on that fresh mountain spring water!
|Linn Run State Park| Photo: Carolyn Anderson|Linn Run State Park| Photo: Carolyn Anderson|Linn Run State Park| Photo: Carolyn Anderson
1. Ohiopyle (Fayette County, Pennsylvania)
This massive outdoor wonderland covers the expanse of 20,500 acres. There is literally an endless amount of things to see and do in this area. You can hike the various trails, take the kids fishing, head out on a whitewater adventure down the Youghiogheny River Gorge, backpack the 135 mile long Great Allegheny Passage, brave the biking trails, try your hand at rock climbing or just have a picnic and camp out with the family. Make sure to check out Cucumber Run and bring your inner tubes for the natural water slides in Meadow Run. Whether you are in need of a location for your next Portrait Session or just want to take a few pictures of the kids in their element, this is the place to head to. For more information on how to get the most out of your stay in Ohiopyle, check out the state’s website!
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