Family photos have been important to Mandi + Jon. Over the years, I have captured their family on a number of milestones including their triplet’s newborn photos and one-year milestone. When Mandi heard about The Legacy Collection last year, she knew immediately they needed to get the whole Holler family together.

As you can imagine, coordinating the schedules of five families with busy lives can be a challenge but we were able to find a day that worked for everyone and all 18 family members gathered at Twisted Creek Farm, the home Jon’s parents and grandparents, for an extended family session.

Like most extended families, each core group is in a different season of life. While Mandi + Jon are chasing almost three-year-old triplets around the house plus a five-year-old, Jon’s siblings have older kids in the midst of their teenage years. His parents are running community favorite, Twisted Creek Farm while his grandparents are basking in 63 years together.

From Jim Sr. + Emilie: We love sitting around the campfire eating s’ mores with the family!!! God has blessed us with this family and we love each and every one of them!!!

Meeting Jon’s grandparents was a highlight of the day for me. His grandfather reminded me so much of my own. He loves his wife dearly and can’t stop smiling when he’s around her. We stayed near the porch when capturing the two of them together, he couldn’t take his eyes off of her and practically before I could even greet them Jim was telling me how long they have been married. It’s beautiful to witness a love that strong after so many years together.

From Nancy: Jim and I celebrated 38 years of marriage in March. It’s just so exciting to see our kids grow and raise families of their own! Now we have Kelly and Chris’s son Chase graduating this year and Jamie and Josh’s son Tyler graduating next year! Alyssa and Maddie won’t be too far behind them. Then we’ll have another whole group of grandkids coming up behind them as Jon and Mandi’s crew start kindergarten and preschool in September! Crazy how time goes by so fast! (Although in the moment it almost seems at times to slow down to a snails pace!) Our babies have babies of their own and before we know it we will be great-grandparents!! We are so very thankful that Jim’s parents have been able to watch their family grow under their strength, love and faith in God. Early summer is such an exciting time on the farm! We have baby calves and a baby chicks in the critter barn, Grandpap is in the garden planting and Jim is gearing up to cut and bale hay. All the kids have played a part in “bringing in the hay!” Jon started when he was little helping drive the tractor while the girls and I threw square bales on the trailer. Tyler followed up when he got old enough and still helps out. Now Jacob looks forward to riding in the tractor with pop and doing the mowing, raking and baling! It’s a family affair. Family dinners on Sundays are an important part of our family and summer just makes them more fun when we can eat outside “picnic style.” It gets a little crazy when the kids get sidetracked and want to run off and play, but we all look forward to those times of sharing!

From Kelly: There is always an easy feeling when you come home to Mom and Dads.  You feel lifted, your soul is almost soothed in a way. We left the area almost two years ago, (about a little more than an hour away) to get closer to Chris’s work.  It’s not just a 10 minute drive to see everyone now, that’s hard, especially for me.  However, I am so blessed with an amazing family and it always makes my heart feel so full when I go “home”.  All our lives are changing and evolving, it’s a stress reliever to be with my incredible family and just be yourself, quirkiness and all.    Always supported, loved and of course welcomed.   

From Jamie: As for our favorite times, it would just be those few random moments when we happen to find ourselves all home at once. Those moments are few and far between anymore and I love them.  Watching the kids interact as they get older just makes my heart smile (most days).

From Mandi: Summer is one of our favorite seasons when we’re able to get outside and do things together as a family and appreciate nature. Now that the girls are almost 3 this is getting a little easier. We love to hike, ride four wheelers, play in our creek, have bonfires and play anything with water. We’re blessed with each other and our extended family who have always been our largest support system. We could never raise four kids without them.

To the Holler gang, I loved spending time with your entire group. I know how challenging it can be to get everyone together at the same time, but I’m so happy we were able to get everyone together!

-xo-

Jamie