Thanksgiving...

So... I am walking through the grocery store today... one of the million crazy people who shopped the day before Thanksgiving for those last min. things... as I am turning the corner, the cold case near the deli got my attention...

...it was filled with every "side" possible... green bean casserole, potatoes, jellos... even stuffing! Maybe this has been around for years and I have missed it... it jogged my memory of some of my best memories growing up and then as a mom preparing dinner for my own family of six. I can remember my mom with her apron on (she still wears an apron and I LOVE IT!)... she was cooking away... so happy to be serving her family and have all of us around. There were dishes in the sink as she cooked, amazing smells in the air, smudges of flour on her face and apron... kids dipping fingers and testing food ahead of the meal... years later, my kids would prob. say the same about me... I am a happy mess while cooking. :)

All of this to say... none of this would have been true if my mom had run to the store and bought all packaged food prepared by someone else. There are lessons to be learned in the kitchen, memories made... it becomes a gathering place to share our lives as we prepare for the meals... Mom gave us a fearless outlook on cooking and trying new things in our own kitchens. Ok... so, yes, there is a time and place for quick fix meals... believe me... i have needed them, too. But Thanksgiving?? Lets boil our own water, mash our own potatoes, make our own stuffing... and all the while lets share what we are thankful for as we gather in kitchens around the nation...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Artwork by our 7 year old son, Flynn.

Mondays...

A glimpse into the past... so many years ago... Daddy and 3 of the kids...




Monday... it is here again...


We wake in our house to the kids groggily (is that a word?) climbing out of bed. Asking if it is really Monday already? Begging me to "turn out the lights... too bright, mom!" By the time I drop them at school... we are saying our "i love you's"... Then it is time for Eva and I to head home and start our week, too.


Sometimes the week ahead can be overwhelming... when will it all get done... I am so tired... was up watching movies with kids and hubby and then editing after that. I am finding that when i begin my Mondays, it is all about perspective... and asking for wisdom in ordering my days.


These days pass so quickly... before I know it I won't be hearing the chatter of 4 kids (although sometimes the chatter could lower a few levels!), see the boys tear through the house with light sabers... All four either laughing or yelling at each other... ok, maybe I won't miss cleaning the toothpaste off the bathroom counter! But, the older I get the more I see and understand the brevity of life... how fast these amazing... and, yes, sometimes"trying" days go with our kiddos... with those we love.

This is the start of a new week... new perspective... fresh outlook... its Monday!

Weddings... Booking for 2010!

I am currently booking weddings for 2010...

I love to capture not only the traditional... but the DETAILS that make your day memorable! I have put together just a small post including a few pictures from weddings that I have recently covered.

You can contact me through my website with questions or to book me to cover YOUR wedding... I can't wait to record your story that will last a lifetime...

Urban downtown shoot!

Angie and kiddos...

Ok... so I have been working on my business plan for a bit now...

What would my ideal shoot look like? What location would I love to shoot at?

This shoot hit it on all levels! These guys were amazing! They checked out the location ahead of time... Angie had much the same creative vision that I had... when they showed up they were excited for the shoot... They allowed me to bring in some of my creativity and I LOVE the results! We had so much fun! The kids were amazing, too! Thanks, guys, for allowing me to photograph your family. I had so much fun!

Here are a few of my favorites...

This may be my fav. from the day... Love the textures!

Beautiful girl!

Oh my! Look at those eyes!

Fab. family!

Mom and her kiddos...

Feel free to leave comments!

It may be November... but Sr. photo shoots are still going strong! I met Nathan by the lake to get some pics and then headed to some urban settings downtown... What a great guy! I had so much fun... when I see these senior guys I think of my own little guys (ages 10 and 7) and know time will fly by and soon I will be doing their sr. shoots... sigh. I hope it slows down a bit as I sooo enjoy their stage of life... each stage is great... I hope my boys grow to be as kind as the young men I have had the honor to shoot!

As usual, here are a few of my fav's!...

I am loving this season of Senior pictures! I am sorry that I haven't been posting often enough... I am trying to catch up between editing many shoots, to taking care of kiddos with chicken pox... yikes! But I wanted to post a couple of recent sessions of some senior guys I just shot. I had so much fun. This session was with Ben... what a nice guy and so much fun!

Here are a few of my fav's!...

Here are just a few more of my fav's of Kayla... what fun we had!!