This is my 6th time working with the Macus family as a family lifestyle photographer! The first time was for their engagement session several years ago. Since then I’ve photographed everything from their wedding to maternity and baby photos to them teaching their little guys how to snowboard!
This session has its own vibe and was at the Trexler Nature Preserve in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. A place near and dear to them and one that I visited frequently as a child.
Why Rhinehart Photography?
Ashley and Joe smile, “We have always loved Lisa’s creativity and vivid pictures! She is fun to work with and always takes the time to learn what we are looking for. Lisa takes that and of course, goes above and beyond our expectations.”
Where the Buffalo Roam
They share, “The boys love the game preserve. They love running, exploring, hiking, and of course, seeing the buffalo. We spend many weekends hiking up the trails that lead to the buffalo, as it gets the kids out of the house, staying active, and just enjoying nature and the little things…rather than competing in WWE round 586 in our living room, haha!”
Why the Trexler Nature Preserve?
They say, “We chose the game preserve because our family spends a lot of time hiking and exploring there. Our youngest, Christian, could watch the buffalo for hours.”
4-Legged Family Members
They share, “The puppies are such an important part of our family. We have had Jake since before we got engaged or had kids, and we added Bella to our family in September. We wanted her to learn from Jake and to help keep him youthful as he ages. The pups have quickly formed a bond between each other and our boys. They are always the happiest members of the family, ready to greet with wagging tails and a whole lot of puppy cuddles and kisses.”
Authentic, Candid Moments
As a family lifestyle photographer, my favorite photos to capture are the candid moments of the family just being together. 🙂
All the Energy!!
They share, “We love keeping our boys super active. We have found that they are happier and that we can really see them loving and embracing childhood when they are outdoors and doing things they love. We spend countless hours hiking, swimming, skating, snowboarding, biking, playing hockey, and just finding anything and everything that keeps us outside and active as a family.”
Who is Walking Who?
Ashley & Joe say, “We are pretty much an outdoorsy, fun-loving family so we just wanted to capture that and embrace the boys, our dogs, and all of the craziness that comes along with raising an active, young family.”
Giving Back Through ISR
Ashley shares, “As a former teacher, lifeguard, and pool manager, I knew that ISR (Infant Swimming Resource) was the perfect way to combine my strengths and give back to my community. It took 8 weeks of dedication, including a 7-week long-distance, family move to Florida, but together we all leaned on each other to make this dream a reality.”
She continues, “I have been able to increase the reach of ISR in the Lehigh Valley and look forward to continuing to improve the lives and safety of my students in and around water.”
Confident Swimmers in the End
Ashley says, “ISR has been such a valuable program for our family. I learned about ISR when Joey was just a baby. I knew that I wanted him to have the skills to save his life should he ever encounter water unattended. Little did I know at the time that he would get so much more from the program.”
She continues, “Joey developed a love of the water that will last a lifetime and most importantly, confidence in himself and his skills. The program was amazing for Christian as well, and I loved that although they both learned differently, they both became confident, skilled swimmers and floaters in the end. ”
The Perfect Family Home
Ashley & Joe share, “We have loved building our home and little-by-little adding to it in order to make it the perfect place for our growing family. We love the outdoor living space as it is something we value as a family and look forward to watching our kids grow into over the years.”
I Want S’more
Ashley shares, “We chose our backyard pool and fire pit because it is where we spend much of our time relaxing as a family when we are not out adventuring. Joe, the former deputy fire chief, enjoys the family time and tending to backyard fires in the fire pit.”
It’s All About the Boys
They share, “As with most couples, parenthood has definitely changed our relationship. We value the importance of each other and prioritize date nights and spending time together, but the majority of the time, it’s all about the boys.”
They continue, “We communicate, plan ahead, and always try to have something going on for them to keep them happy, active, and engaged. We lean on each other’s strengths to lead by example; Ashley with her patience, problem-solving skills, and fun-loving personality, and Joe with his strength, work ethic, and confidence.”
Macus Family Lifestyle Session Slideshow
See even more photos from the Macus Family Lifestyle Session set to music in the slideshow below!
Hungry for More?
- See the Macus family’s winter snowboarding session here
- Check out more of my family lifestyle photographer sessions here
- Click here to book your own family session with me