A Little Frustrated

So I'm having trouble getting consistent colors in my photos.  I took photos of some friends and their kids today and I loved the colors of the kid photos but the family photos turned out very reddish and darker then the others.  Could it have something to do with having more faces in front of the background, changing the exposure?  I have a hard time telling how the photos are turning out when I look at them on the camera so it isn't until later that I realize how I've gone wrong.  I just wish I could get consistently good pictures.  I feel like it's so hit or miss.  Like it's pure luck if I get a good shot.  Anyway, below are a couple of the family photos and then my favorite of the kid shots.  Oh, I did edit some of the red color out but I'm still not happy with how they turned out.  I wish I knew how to get softer skin tones especially.

Direction of Light

So I've been taking most of my protraits with my big windows at the side and a reflector on the other side but I've been reading lately that with portraits, a nice shot is with the subject facing the window and a reflector underneath to shoot up some fill lights.

I went back and looked at a few of the photos I took of S on my kitchen table, which is right in front of a big window and I realized that I do love the lighting and catchlights in her eyes.  I'm going to be shooting two children this week so I'm thinking I'll have to try this out again with them and see how it goes.

The picture below was taken on my table, facing the window with a black sheet behind her.