Lindsay's Sneak Peak...: PROMISE

Today Heather and I spent the afternoon with Lyndsay & Corey - they were married on Saturday and today we had a special session with just them. No pressure from anything like there was on the wedding day, just them being able to relax with each other and allow us to capture the moments. I followed Heather around in my usual style, and wanted to post these pictures so that they could get a taste of what's coming. I do NOT envy Heather - she has a TON of pictures to go through when she gets home . . . both of us shot so many pictures at the wedding that we ran out of memory cards (oops!!) and then there was the PILE we shot today!!! Needless to say, there are a LOT of beautiful pictures for Heather to edit and I can't wait to see them!!

Heather, thanks for letting me tag along behind you, and Lyndsay & Corey, thanks so much for letting me be a part of your special day!

Lydia: FLY

Heather (my cousin's wife, who is visiting from Canada right now) and I had a last minute session with Lydia (my sister) and her friend Mindy. Mindy is a senior this year and we had so much fun shooting her senior pics. Lydia was looking gorgeous (as usual!) and while Heather was busy with Mindy I made Lydia sit for me while I played. :) Thanks to both of them for being good sports and you can check out some of Mindy's senior pics here: http://lucidimaging.blogspot.com/ - this is Heather's blog. She did a BEAUTIFUL job with Mindy's pictures. :) Here are some of Lydia - thank you lydia for putting up with me!

Beach Beach Beach

So we've been insanely busy here . . . but it's SO fun! My cousin and his wife are visiting us from Canada and it's been a BLAST! Staying up WAY too late, tons of pictures (Heather is a photographer as well so we can't help ourselves), SHOPPING!!!....all the important "florida" stuff, you know?

So yesterday we went to the beach. Unfortunately it didn't go QUITE as planned. Heather and I hit the mall around lunch time and managed to stay too long. (shocker, eh?) My parents headed over to the beach around 4pm and the people riding with us (meaning the kids and us) managed to get in the car around 5. THEN, we realized we had no gas in the truck - which is the only car that all 6 of us could get in. :) That took some time - and Dave nominated Heather to go in the gas station to get some drinks because we'd managed to hammer back half a bag of chips in the 3 minutes it took to GET to the gas station. :)

An hour later we got to the beach (along with some rousing renditions of "peanut, peanut butter...JELLY!" curtesy of Ella & Micah in the back seat - Oh and some Great Big Sea as well...) - it was already getting cool out and we immediately set into taking some pictures. (I realize I look like a FOOL most of the time, which is why I try to stay BEHIND my lens!!) Mom was kind enough to play with Ella and Dave was sweet enough to dig Micah a BIG hole in the sand.

Unfortunately, "somebody" had put me in charge of getting us ready for the beach. I had remembered the charcoal (one point for me!) but I'd forgotten the lighter AND the lighter fluid. (minus two points for me.) Matthew headed to the grocery store - THANKS Matthew!! :) About 10 minutes after he'd left my dad realized that while I HAD remembered the meat & condiments (two points for me!!) I had also FORGOTTEN the buns. OH and the plates. (minus two more points). For anyone keeping track I'm still at -1..... Anyways, Matthew got back from the store (he'd left his phone at home so we couldn't call him to tell him to add buns to the list) - and then he went out AGAIN to get the buns. (thanks again Matthew!!)

Needless to say, I did not make any friends last night. BUT, the burgers and hot dogs were great, company was awesome, and we got some fun pictures out of it. Here are some of Dave and Heather - I won't lie, I have a little "thing" for lens flare . . . and I should also tell the truth - Matthew is better at it than me. Someday if I get up the nerve I might post HIS pictures next to mine because he TOTALLY kicked my butt last night with the TWO pictures he shot of Dave & Heather . . . but as of right now, my confidence isn't up to par for that kind of hit. :)

Happy Easter!

We had a really REALLY lovely day today, celebrating Easter with our family and friends. We had about 27 people at our house today - both sides of our family came (the grandparents, great-grandparents, aunties, great-aunts) and we also had friends from all over the world with us. :) The "Norwegians," as they are fondly called, were with us as well as friends from our own area.

Turkey with gravy, ham with ham sauce, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, baked beans, corn bread pudding (YUM-MEE!), macaroni and cheese, "green stuff", cranberry jello salad - SERIOUSLY it was a FEAST! Everyone brought something to share and yummy food was a-plenty!

The kids ran around outside in the water from the hose (Ella's clothes didn't last long - is anyone surprised??), we played soccer for a little bit, bubbles were blown, frisbees thrown, I believe there was some candy eaten. :) My Grandpa brought his mandolin along that he's been working on restoring and it's finished - and GORGEOUS. I'm glad he got a chance to show it off because he's spend HOURS on that thing and he did a REALLY fine job. At one point two of my sisters and I even boogied on the piano for a few minutes to our own rendition of Heart and Soul - something we haven't done in YEARS. :)

Most importantly, we gathered in celebration and remembrance of what our Lord Jesus Christ did for us so many years ago - Romans 5:8-11

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be SAVED BY HIS LIFE. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.


Micah daily talks about Jesus and why He went to the cross - what was His purpose in that. I try not to forget and leave out the VERY important fact that not only did he die on the cross for us, but He did NOT stay dead! Three days later he rose from the tomb and in doing so, conquered sin and death. Because of Him we have hope :)

I'm thankful for the wonderful family and friends we had with us today, and I'm so thankful for the grace of God in my life. :) I hope you all had a blessed Easter this day!

New Baby Boy is here!!

I am so excited that I have to tell SOMEBODY! (so hopefully someone reads this - ANYONE!) One of my best friends in the whole world has had her baby - and I only wish I could be there in person to welcome Benjamin James to this world in person! (I'd do it with a Huge - but gentle - squeeze & a big smooch!)

Kathryn I love you so much and I am praying that I will get to meet Benjamin soon . . . congratulations on your baby boy - I KNOW he's beautiful (how could he NOT be??) - and I hope you are able to rest well and enjoy every minute with that sweet baby boy!! Hugs & all my love to you! :)

Boat Ridin'

I realize it's been a LONG time since I've posted anything, and I'm sorry (to the two people who actually DO read this blog!) :) It's been really busy and we have people coming to visit soon and I'm trying to get everything in order for them to come. (Heather & Dave - can't wait!) We got to spend some time earlier this week with some friends from Norway. (I realize that's not the actual relationship with them BUT it's way more complicated to say it's my sister's husband's sister and her three friends . . . especially when they're all so nice and immediately seem like friends when you meet them!) SO - we were invited to go along with them on a boat ride and we took them up on their offer!

I only have one picture of the "norwegians" - Hopefully they'll have some more pictures to share with our "Norwegian Family" when they get home - but I do have one of Grete and Ella. (Grete is my sister's husband's sister - SEE?!? I told you it was confusing!)

The kids had a blast - Mr. Julian even let the kids drive the boat (which I should have more pictures of sometime, they're on Mr. Julian's camera) and that was the HIGHLIGHT of Micah's trip! He did tell me that "boat rides are really long and boring" (we were on the boat for 1 1/2 hours each way!) and he was also VERY excited to go "fishing" with Grampy Tim. That didn't last long. After about 30 seconds he said, "this is it??" YUP. That's it Micah. Just sit there and WAIT. :) He told Grampy Tim that he decided he wasn't going to be a fisherman anymore, and then he went to sit with his new Norwegian friends. :)

All in all, we've had a nice time visiting with them and hope ANY OTHER of our Nowegian 'family' and their friends that come through here stop and visit - we love to see you!! :)

Ella and me . . . just chillin' :) -- Then Grandma Esther and Ella, hugs and snuggles!

Grampy Tim and Ella - notice a common theme here? Ella is the only one who REALLY wanted to be in pictures. :) Then, Grandma Esther & her "florida" grandkids...too bad the other two weren't with us too!

Busy Day Yesterday!

Had lots of friends come and play, some Easter/Just Because pictures taken . . . and these are the result! :) (You might remember baby Ethan - 6 months old now. Also baby Victor, same age now . . . funny how they were both over the same day!)



Happy Easter :)


Tasty Toes.......



Baby Victor doesn't take me very seriously....

Beautiful Noel: DELIGHT

This is Noel - we had a session together today. I think she has the prettiest eyes I've ever seen - wait that's not true - she and her sister BOTH have the prettiest eyes I've ever seen. (Both have the same incredible color & sparkle!) Anyways, these are some of the many MANY I have to go through and try to pick the "best" . . . It's too hard!! :) I hope you like them, Noel's mommy & daddy!! :)




I like how here she's looking at her mama as if to say - what on EARTh is that crazy lady w/ the camera doing?? :)