life and death

Pastor Ryan's sermon last weekend was a well-timed reminder of our tendency to take time for granted. We all assume there will be another day, another month, another year. His admonition was to stop procrastinating - take care of what needs to be taken care of TODAY because the inevitable reality of life, includes death.

It had me thinking all week. How am I spending my time? What really matters to me? Does the way I spend my time reflect that? And then something horrible happened. A wonderful young man passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday and many are grieving in the wake of his loss. I had the privilege of photographing his wedding last summer and have been reflecting on the very precious nature of time. And of living and loving with intention.

Because that reality Pastor Ryan spoke of last weekend.

Is sadly unavoidable.

Pastor Ryan told us he'd been working on his sermon as if it were the last sermon he would ever preach; there was a sense of urgency as he spoke, his words were filled passion and conviction.

I want to live what is left of my life with that same sort of urgency, passion, and conviction. I don't want to merely go through the motions. I want to seek God's purpose for my life and find beauty in it every day. I want to own up to what I need to immediately, forgive quickly, and play with my kids more. How about you? Have you ever taken a moment to think about what you want your life to reflect? What really matters to you in the big scheme of things? Does yours need an adjustment like mine does? I think the key isn't getting caught up in the past or future - it is living for TODAY.

basement remodel :: weeks 12 & 13

Now that we're getting close to the end, it's becoming difficult to post weekly. Mainly because there's barely anything left to do! I'd been waiting [what felt like] forever for the blinds and one last decorative piece.

I'm happy to say... THEY ARRIVED!!!! The office is now 100% complete, I even spent an entire week at work in it. (Which was so much more fun than at the kitchen island.)

Here it is, in all of its colorful splendor:

I've posted bits and pieces along the way and while I'm sure you've caught a good view of the artwork from a distance...

I thought I'd zoom in to show a bit more detail (BTW, the collages you see in this post and HERE are available for ordering by past and present photography clients):

I have a thing for words and wanted the office to reflect that as well.

For those of you who may be interested - the Madison desk and chair are available at Target (online only), the Billy bookcase and bridge are from IKEA, the silver magnetic board is also from IKEA, the client chairs and coffee table also from IKEA, and the Effektiv storage cabinets that house my scrapbook albums (you guessed it)... IKEA [pictured below].

The little "hello" sign was crafted by Minnesota artist William Dohman (his Etsy shop is called "Oh Dier"; you can find it HERE). The small camera painting is from PaintMeAPicture, you can find that Etsy shop HERE.

I am SOOOO happy with the end result :) Until next time...

5 Fun Things Friday

1. Check out these sweet notebook covers:

2. Just discovered designer Kayce Hughes... love her vintage-inspired clothing! Check out this killer dress:

3. Sew Cute by Lindsay.

Love this Etsy shop; love it so much in fact, that I purchased THIS CRITTER for my office. It arrived in a cute little package, colorfully wrapped with tissue and a fabric scrap (I'm a pushover for thoughtful, handcrafted packaging).

4. These are THE CUTEST HAIR CLIPS EVER!

They are on Etsy as well (of course!), the shop - called "SunDrop Clips" - is HERE.

5. While these are WAAAAAAY out of my budget:

I absolutely LOVE these boots!

Happy Friday!!!

a happy, happy birthday

We've been celebrating the tween's birthday in a big way.

Nickelodeon Universe, a sleepover, an ENTIRE PAN of brownies from Pippy (his mom's TO DIE FOR recipe), cake and lots of presents, a special breakfast, measuring him in the garage, a walk down memory lane via his baby scrapbook... how quickly the time flies!

Happy Birthday, Ren!!!!!!!

pssst... there's a CM sale going on right now!

In case you haven't been following my Tweets (Twitter is THE BEST WAY to stay in touch with all of your favorite blogs, stores & websites with up-to-the-minute updates on sales and specials - you'll often find promo codes there as well), I received an email over the weekend about an unexpected Creative Memories sale. Many popular items are on sale up to 40% off, including basic refill pages! You can check out all of their products by clicking HERE. If you have any questions, let me know!

5 Fun Things Friday

1. I just made these last night [Double White Chocolate & Pretzel Peanut Butter Cookies].

Source: picky-palate.com via Tina_Vega on Pinterest

And they are every bit as good you'd imagine they'd be.

2. I love this idea and would love to capture a similar weekly shot for some momma-to-be:

Source: simplybloomphotography.com via Tina_Vega on Pinterest

3. This mother/daughter letter book:

What a beautiful way to stay connected and it would make for a priceless keepsake.

4. This custom fingerprint necklace could make for a very special gift:

Precious.

5. I think my husband would really appreciate this Tube-Wringer:

Let me rephrase... I think he'd appreciate ME having this Tube-Wringer ;)

Happy Friday!!!

this week's edition of 5 Fun Things Friday

I've been cramming to finish up a few sessions this week and haven't had a second to crank out this week's edition of 5 Fun Things Friday. It will be posted but it will be late (technically, it already IS late... I mean later than normal). Until then, feel free to browse through previous editions by clicking on the button below:

Be back soon!

sunshine on a rainy day | Minnesota Family Lifestyle Photography Session

This family was...

TOTAL sunshine on a rainy day :) I can't even tell you how many times these pics made me smile over the course of the last month.

While many ooze with super cuteness...

My favorites are images like these:

And these:

Watching them embrace life...

And each other :)

It was a joy spending time with your family again, Carley! Thank you so much!!!