finally coming up for air

I'm down to roughly eight sessions left to edit. And a wedding. (At this rate, life will be back to "normal" by the first of the year.) While it's been a blast being able to work with so many different families, kids, and seniors - I've learned a thing or two about scheduling. And workflow. And deadlines.

Needless to say, I'll be making a few changes as to how I do things next year.

In the blur, I nearly forgot to share these:

Ren made his First Communion earlier this month.

After the service, we had family over for a little celebration.

And Ren received his long-sought-after Snuggie.

Life is now complete :)

I hope to post some Thanksgiving Day pictures soon. (As you can see, I'm a bit behind.) Getting ready for a scrapbooking retreat (i.e. eating all of the candy which should be going into the treat bags) and finishing up some order and prize drawing loose ends. Also had a couple of other quick things to share:

1. THIS BOOK. Yes, I know... I share it every year at this time. It's that good.

2. Looking for something different to do over the holidays? Be sure to check out Village Holidays at Dakota City the first two weekends in December. Details are HERE.

3. Perhaps you heard me raving about my latest lens rentals. The place to go is West Photo. (For those outside of the Twin Cities metro area, you might want to look into online lens rental.)

4. Chocolatey Triple Delight... TO DIE FOR.

5. A cute Valentine's Day mini album on clearance for $8.00!

6. Great decorating ideas for the holidays HERE and HERE.

7. This sweet advent calendar made from mismatched little socks.

8. Love these adorable wrist warmers. Know how to knit? Then you could make your own using the pattern HERE. Oh, how I wish I could knit.

9. And my new favorite toy photo prop store... HERE.

10. If I had one of THESE, I might cook a little more.

Have a great night!

Photo Challenge Themes for December

Here are the weekly themes for December:

November 29-December 5, 2009: Windows
December 6-12, 2009: Rough Cuts (unedited images that somehow include the photographer)... after receiving a heads-up from Tilly, I realized that the style of photography I first referenced could be seriously misconstrued.
December 13-19, 2009: Over the Top
December 20-26, 2009: Signs of Christmas
December 27, 2009-January 2, 2010: Young or New

If you'd like to join our Flickr group for ideas and inspiration, just let me know!

a love story | Minnesota Lifestyle Wedding Photographer

Consider the nearly impossible task of summing up 10+ hours in one short bloggy post. It just ain't gonna happen. Suffice it to say, it was one beautiful day.

And this is November. In Minnesota. Never would have guessed it.

You might remember the bride and groom from an engagement session earlier this year. They were just as fun this time around, and brought a few friends along for the ride ;)

The reception was overflowing with fun; among other things, the evening included a game of Survivor, a rockin' Conga line, and a serenade to the bride. The groom and many of his friends are DJs for Complete Music, the same company used for our wedding many, many years ago. And let me tell you, they certainly know how to throw a party.

Thanks again for allowing me to be part of your special day!

a dapper young fella | Minnesota Children's Portrait Session

Meet J, a preschooler with a thing for ties. He may only be four years old, but he could easily pass for a second grader... at least, that's what I told him :) When his mom called to set up the session, she informed me of his tie-loving ways. "He wears one almost every day," she said.

FOR CUTE!!

He also has a thing for airplanes and guitars.

And very much looks up to his daddy, modeling him in all sorts of ways.

It was a charming session with my new favorite rental lens. The day was stormy - tough for a typical natural light session... effortless for THIS ONE. Guess I'd better start saving my pennies!

Thanks again, Heidi, for sharing your adorable son.

got another one around the corner...

A sneak peek, that is. The sickness has slowed me down a bit :( I'll have more from this one and the wedding very soon!

Hope to have a sneak peek up soon!

It was a lovely day for a November wedding. There were so many fun shots captured, I'm not even sure where to begin! Unfortunately, I not only left the wedding with some great images but a hefty cold as well. Not sure when I'll be back with more but I'll keep you posted via Twitter.

my high school BFF...

HAS ENTERED THE BLOGOSPHERE!

(I liked the centered, two-part title so much from my LAST POST I just had to do it again.) You might remember her from THIS POST (along with another amazing God Moment story) and THIS POST (with another neat story).

Jan wrote a beautiful post that tugged at my heart, especially with all that's been on my mind. She lost her mom to cancer five years ago and wrote a post that really speaks to the gaping hole left behind after loss. Grab a couple of tissues and click HERE.

This time of year can be especially challenging for families experiencing loss. The book Decembered Grief would make a wonderful gift for anyone you know who is grieving. (Click HERE for more information.)

Are you struggling right now? If so, I can tell you from personal experience THE BEST cure is reaching out to someone else. Bless someone you don't know. Go out of your way to help an overwhelmed mom at the grocery store. Reach out to a very quiet neighbor. Drop an anonymous gift off at someone's house, choosing a family or person who has experienced difficulty this year.

And in the words of a very wise Tweeter:

Love God. Love others. Regardless. The end.

i'll continue to say it until i'm blue in the face...

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS COINCIDENCE!

I met an old college roommate for lunch last Wednesday, our first visit since her mother passed away a year ago. There had been a long battle with cancer and my friend "Kay" shared the difficulties and pain that came along with it. She recalled a particular night when the grim reality of her mom's situation was almost too much to bear. My friend felt overwhelmed and needed to know God was there. While driving in the rain, she'd asked Him to give her a sign - a cross. She asked to see a cross in the back window. She looked in the rearview mirror and there was no cross. Kay said she wasn't surprised.

The next day after she woke, my friend pulled open the shades on her window and to her amazement, saw a large white cross in her yard. Kay knew in her heart it was from God. She told me she showed the rest of her family, took pictures, and went to investigate. It was made out of some white man-made material that "somehow" found it's way into her yard, smack dab in front of her window, the morning after she'd asked God to reveal His presence to her with a cross.

We talked about remembering God Moments, recalling those times when God made Himself so clearly seen, hanging onto those moments during dark times, and asking God to continue to reveal Himself. I said to Kay, "He is still here."

My friend was very much on my mind as I made my way home from our lunch date. Once home, I was surprised to find a message from someone trying to book a senior session (I thought I'd had my last some time back). I returned the call and explained that my calendar was pretty tight; I wasn't sure if I could swing it. After hemming and hawing into the evening, I called her back and agreed to take it. We scheduled a session for the following day.

Nick and his mom arrived the next day. Mom filled out some paperwork, gave me a check, and eventually made her way back to work. I learned that Nick attended my former high school and also thought that his street name sounded very familiar (let's say, "Harrington Drive"). Interestingly enough, my friend Kay grew up on Harrington... but I couldn't remember whether it was Drive or Street or Lane. Nick said the family name didn't ring a bell. I finished up the session and we parted ways.

While working on edits that same night, the address came to my mind again. I decided to search for Kay's former address using her mom's name because truly, it was her parents' home growing up. I knew her folks had retired and sold their home but I figured I'd be able to find the old address using my mad people-finding skills ;) I ran the search and instantly an address popped up.

I couldn't believe my eyes.

It was THE EXACT SAME ADDRESS. Kay's family home was the very same house Nick lives in! (Did I happen to mention God is big into details?) I shared the story with my friend Kay and again reminded her of God's presence in the midst of this storm.

What are the odds? A woman I've never met heard about my photography business at a hair salon. We don't live in the same city and I've never photographed a senior from that particular high school. I could have said NO to the session - after all, my schedule is pretty tight. It was on the heels of a very specific conversation about God revealing Himself to us when we call out to Him.

It was hope for a friend.

You will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help,

and he will say: Here am I.

- Isaiah 58:9

squishylittlebabycheeks | Minnesota Baby Portrait Session

You might remember THIS maternity session. Well, this little guy happened to be snug inside at the time.

Three month old Baby K and his mom stopped by on Sunday for a quick session. Despite the fact his poor little tummy was making all sorts of air bubble noises, he smiled and cooed and posed like a real trooper.

Don't you just wanna kiss those little cheeks? Here are a few more from our day:

The "happy" series:

Great idea, Lauren! Thanks again for sharing your sweet baby boy.

it was a little bit special | Minnesota Family Portrait Session

We thankfully had a rain-free morning for our session last Saturday. I spent some time with this lovely family on the heels of a very special wedding anniversary (21 years, to be exact). The location was beautiful, as was everything else about this family.

Their family reminded me a bit of my own... or at least where my boys will be in four or so more years!

Here are a few more images from our day:

It was a pleasure working with you and your family, Julie!