Brittany Defrehn Photography

Taking a social media break to reset and focus on some important things during the month of October. If you need any photography bookings check the link in my bio. Here’s to focusing on what’s in front of me 💕💕 And thanks for these amazing flowers 💐

I don’t take this photo for granted. After a year of little harvest, both literally and figuratively, we have such an abundance this summer. I’m so excited to fill our veggie stand, the neighbors porches, and our own bellies. Everything just tastes extra sweet right now. 💕

Oh I am so lucky to be theirs ❤️ A long sweet day at church, walks around the monastery, meaningful conversations, planting flowers, and these beautiful faces…they are more than I ever could have asked for. Happy Mothers Day friends 🌸

I’m ready for this spring season!! Such a lame winter…bring in the warm. The Cherry Blossoms are peaking this weekend and I am still getting requests for sessions down at the Tidal Basin. If anyone else is interested I am opening up a few slots for Tuesday! Just pm me 🌸

March 21st marks one year since our family experienced a medical emergency that changed us. That night as my husband was taken away in an ambulance, I ran upstairs to find my kids. In my hysteria I had screamed at my oldest to get the little ones in our bedroom so they didn’t see anything. When I opened the door, the four of them were holding hands praying. One week later we walked into our church. We have always raised our kids in church. They know our beliefs as parents and how to pray. But that night changed them. It changed me. It changed our family. That image of the four of them and that sense of peace and faith they had is one I never want to forget. We are a different family than we were a year ago. We see and feel things differently. We have new scars, but we also have new strength. We have deep fears, but also renewed faith. We have been loved on and surrounded by people we didn’t even know when needed it most. I am deeply grateful. While documenting an ordination service at church a few weeks ago, Sean and I had several moments where we stood in awe of where we were and where we are in the last 12 months. God can turn winter into spring, life to death, and beauty from ashes and for DeFrehns this year is proof of that. Thank God ☦️

Photographed some amazing things this weekend. Personally and professionally the entire weekend was one that made my heart full.

Beautiful morning at a beautiful place with this guy. Merry Christmas to all those celebrating tonight 🎄 შობას გილოცავთ 🎄

You can do it and when you can’t, God can. That’s the only way I have made it through this year and what I am bringing in 2023. A little over a year ago I met my friend Heather while hiking. It’s a laughable story, but it led her to inviting us to church and the most beautiful part of our 2022. Amidst some of our most grueling life events, we found a home…A place where we were poured into, wrapped in love, fed (amazing food), and our children were blown kisses to when we left. A place our kids drew closer to each other, made new friends, learned more than we perhaps did, and ran towards their faith without question. When the nuns called the day before Christmas Eve and asked for help rebuilding their chicken coop in frigid temperatures…it was just the most fitting thing for 2022. This was the most beautiful part of our year. If we had to endure this year to end up here then so be it. I hope in the year ahead you find the things that matter and cling to them tightly no matter what life throws at you. And I hope you find a place like this.

A goal of 2022 was to challenge myself to not just shoot for work, but to shoot for me. So many years into this you can forget this was once just a hobby I dreamed of being a career. I wanted to push my limits beyond what I was used to shooting and beyond the way I have always shot it. I wanted to shoot for fun...to be creative...to love this again. Our trip was the perfect chance to push those boundaries. Looking forward to more of this in 2023.

Somehow in the last year I haven't shared many photography sessions. Full transparency...I just realized that my instagram was even sharing to this page. This session though...it warranted being shared on here. Lake Linganore you were really good to us that night. Lots of love to this sweet family.

What’s poppin? These four! We had a mini fall break for the oldest and boy did we need it! For all the cute photos of homeschooling…this adjustment to middle school and a new program has been…a LOT. But here we are. In the words of giving it 6 weeks and praying through it all. Life is so strange this year but so grateful to do life with this crew and their dad. Also shout out to and this cute sign!

It’s hard to pick favorite photos from our trip this summer. I have many still to look through. But this has to be one of them because there was so much behind this image. Per my last reel, we had made the decision to buy our RV just 48 hours before we left and before this picture was taken. After 9 months of planning we quickly…and I mean quickly…had to change all of our bookings and plans to accommodate the Harvey the RV. That led us to boondocking on The Wall in and to this photo taken by a total stranger. One of the best parts of the trip wasn’t just the sunrises and amazing sites, but the people we met. Especially in the RV and camping community! Seriously you couldn’t meet a nicer group of people… so present in the moment…so appreciative of nature and family and making memories…so excited for us to be in this adventure. People like the man who took this photo and then tracked me down to make sure I got it because he thought it was an amazing moment to see a family with four kids together doing this and he thought we would want to remember it. The strangers we met blessed us and made our trip more memorable than we anticipated…they were people who would hop in to help us pack-up, check a generator, or chat with a kid while we figured out a meal. So there will be more amazing photos to come but this photo also a reminder of the people we were our surprise cheerleaders and supporters along the way.

In this neck of the woods, public school kiddos started back today. Even though we school year round, the end of late night backyard hang outs and screeches of yellow buses early in the morning is a signal that a new year has begun. My kids have never said it, but I know I feel it…a strange feeling that we are missing out or just missing something when this happens. So my friends and I decided to change that this year for us and our kids and have our own “First Day”. We celebrated with a big breakfast by the lake (complete with teacher appreciation drinks 🍹) and took advantage of the quieter park and opportunity to make our own homeschool magic. We took a “First day” photo and the kids insisted they take one of the “teachers” too. Fellow homeschooling families…I highly recommend this as a tradition for both you and your kids❤️I hope everyone had a great day today and wish everyone public, private, charter, homeschooling a great year ahead❤️

We have hit our “turn around” point and tomorrow head on our southern route home over the next week. So many surprises in this trip have been the highlights. I was prepped for the mountains but this glacier water has been amazing. Peep stories for some 💦 pics. Glacier you have been good to us ❤️

Glacier National Park 🌲 This is one beautiful trip 🌲

We woke up this morning and fished the Mississippi. Yesterday we were in a horse and buggy on Mackinac Island and tomorrow we are watching the sunrise over Badlands. We are on a three week cross country road trip with four kids… send all the prayers, patience, good health, and good vibes. I know so many sweet friends are watching for updates because this is absolutely entertaining… I’ll share in spurts but mostly when we return! Safe travels all!

Our 4th of July celebration consisted of doing lots of “merican” things with our Irish friends. Capped it off with some ice cream 🦀 You know you are jealous 🦀

15 years ago we met on your thirtieth birthday…Never imagined 15 years later we would be fishing with our four kids, planning a cross country trip, and washing the side of the house our three year old tie-dyed for your birthday 😬 Our life is crazy, but so full of love. You teach us all to live and love big and for that I’m grateful. Happy birthday to the best adventure partner there is. You are the best. ❤️

A weekend with Aunt Bri is always a good weekend. Backyard hangs, orange crushes, lots of sunshine, giant dogs swimming, and eating our weight in local ice cream…it’s always an adventure. What a great start to summer. I feel like it’s going to be a good one ☀️

Tell me it’s summer in Maryland without telling me it’s summer in Maryland 🍊 💦 You don’t know what this is…you don’t get to wear our flag 😜

Oh my how much we have grown. April 24th marked two full years of homeschooling for us. (2.5 school years if you count those first few months of covid) In April of 2020 I had a baby, and a toddler, and a kindergartner, and a child with an IEP who was two years “behind”. I had no idea about curriculum or pedagogy, or how on earth this was going to work. I remember feeling terrified I was going to fail them. I didn’t feel brave even though everyone kept saying I was in that “your actually crazy” kind of way. I just knew my family could not make virtual school work and I could not let my kids get lost on a computer or left behind anymore than they already were. Looking at this picture now I see not only how they grown, but I have too. And we were brave…naive possibly…but mostly brave. All six of us. Two years later, I have homeschooled every grade from Pre-K to 5th…the joy of four kids. I know what works for one kid doesn’t for another…the concept of “behind” is just that…a concept. I have confidence most days and while we do have tears, we more often have a ton of fun. If you have ever thought about homeschooling or have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out. So many amazing people have supported us over the last two years and shared from their own trial and errors. We are still figuring it out, but we have most certainly grown in ways I never imagined. We will take everything a year at a time, but we have our sights on continuing this life crazy as we may be. And wish us luck as we tackle the middle school world next year 😜✌️

Happy Mother’s Day from my crazy crew to yours. I jokingly and honestly say that if you want time to slow down…homeschool your kids 😆Sooooo much time together. They are the best kids though. I couldn’t spend day in and out with just anyone. They have made all of our life’s transitions, adventures and hardships that much more fun. They have been so strong the last few months…and it has been one hell of a last few months…I am so blessed by them. The. Best. Kids. Happy Mother’s Day all ❤️❤️❤️❤️

He is risen. 🌸

This wasn’t the spring start we hoped for the last few weeks. Thankfully we live in Maryland and your never too late on starting your garden…you can however be too early…did you know that!? So we are running with that. Tomorrow and Sunday we are stocking our Homegrown Stand with our Garden Map Kits…stop thinking of everything you should or could or wish you would plant and just do it. We have done the thinking for you. And we want to share something that means so much to us and brings our family so much joy. 🍑 Peach trees, Thornless blackberries, and a freezer full of processed chickens ready for YOUR freezer will be available too❤️ If you can’t make it, we have someone on standby for local deliveries that will get them to you in 48 hours. (Standard delivery also available) But we think popping by the veggie stand and giving us a honk is a fun thing too. Can’t wait to see what you grow. Always always grateful for your support ❤️

In the last week we had a scary health emergency in our house. For privacy reasons I’m leaving details out, but it involved bright flashing lights, an ambulance, and still a lot of things up in the air. Over the last few days I have sat in the most random places in my house rocking kids and wiping tears because they want reassurance that nobody is going to die. Today it happened while walking up the stairs, two kiddos and melt downs and all the questions. And I just had to sit down and love them. I wish everything was just over but we still have a lot to navigate. We are ok though. It’s just a lot. I’ve been in a fog and survival mode and I haven’t been able to talk with everyone. Thanks to those that have reached out. If you haven’t heard from me from a call or text or are waiting on a session, or a meat or garden box delivery, they are coming. We have some friends who have swung into help. The garden stand will have veggie boxes and meat pick-up available Friday for anyone local. We all need a little grace right now. Thanks for being part of our community. Hug your family tight. ❤️

There are Livestock Guardian Dogs and there are Human Guardian Dogs. Tilly is both. A weekend of sunshine, and spring chores, catching up with neighbors, and children running in bare feet is making me so excited for the season ahead. There is a lot of work in front of us for our garden boxes and spring planting and animals and school and all the things 🤪 Thankfully Tilly is here to get me through. Tell me what you are excited about this spring!!?? 👩🏻‍🌾 🥕🐷🐰

Happy International Women’s Day to all the amazing women out there. But especially to this kid who is 1000% growing up too fast into a gorgeous young woman. The last two years have brought us so much unexpected time and so many new journeys together. The depth of her questions today regarding International Women’s Day, the connection between women’s health and the war in Ukraine made me pause and feel immense gratitude and pride that I get to navigate life with her. I imagined her childhood very differently, but Miss A you were made for such a time as this ❤️

It’s been almost exactly two years to the day since I returned from a memorable trip in Florida. That means it’s been two years since I have been away from my kiddos and have had time to just myself. And given the last two years…from covid…to work changes…to homeschooling…it was much needed. So grateful for all of the crafting, hiking, soul healing that this weekend brought. Also, I am just so thankful for the friendships the last two years have created. Ones that push you six miles and 1800 elevation gains and you can still laugh with at the end. Your the goat 👏🏻👏🏻