A thought for today.

“Refuse to be average. Let your heart soar as high as it will.”

I would like to be...
...the air that inhabits you for a moment only. I would like to be that unnoticed and that necessary. ~ Margaret Atwood

Golden hour.
It was so beautiful out last night. Summer nights are just the best. And, so is this little girl. We have the best times going out for little adventures. Sadly, the bugs were really bitting last night and we had to call it quits early. Ohh...but that evening sun was heavenly.

"Keep your love of nature, for that is the true way to understand art more and more." ~ Vincent van Gogh

Jessica + Matt ~ Maternity
Whoa! It must be baby season. This is the second out of three maternity sessions that I did all in a weeks time. And, I seem to be getting quite the reputation for putting ladies in waiting into labor. Who, incidently, their little baby girl arrived early and only 4 days after these were taken.

Jessica and Matt so graciously invited me into their beautiful, and newly remolded home. And, I am so honored to have been able to capture the awaiting feeling they have of their new little girl.

Jessica's whole baby theme was based all around this painted lady bug rock she received from a special person. And, I love being able to capture special details like this.

Jessica, all I have to say is you are seriously "gorgeous". (If I had only looked as good as you nine months pregnant).

I just have to admit that this next one below is an absolute favorite!! Would it be weird to say I want to blow it up real big and put it on my own wall??? Err, okay, moving on.

You are going to make such a great family.


Thanks Jessica and Matt for allowing me to document such a special time in your life. I can't wait to photo your precious bundle of joy!!

To view ALL the images from Jessica and Matt's session click the link below.

reate your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

This past weekend.
Down at Lake Raystown, there is an area called "the beach". The kids have been wanting to go ever since our boat ride when they spotted the so called "beach".

So this past weekend, Lizzie and I decided to take a drive down to the beach.

It took her a while to get warmed up to the idea of actually getting into the sand and the water.

But once she got in, she loved it.

And, even though this is very far from what I would ever call a "beach". This is as close to beach that we are going to get.

It may not be my kind of "beach", but it still consists of sand and water. Therefore, she liked the "beach". And, I have a feeling we will be going back real soon.

Some recent favorites.

So this post is just totally random, but I just wanted to share some of my favorites lately. But, my favorites do change on a daily basis. It is one of the reasons why I never frame a lot of my images because I am always undecided. It is one of my goals though and I am working on it right now. But I will save that for a later post.

I love the soft evening light on this one and the smell of those liliacs were so lovely.

Love her in this one. Always so carefree.

Love the green heart shaped leaves in this one with the perfect jagged edges.

Love the gold color of wheat fields with a dash of purple through it.

Still loving my rain boots. They are just the best!

Love anything the color purple and this wall of purple flowers were just the best!


Loving last night's sunset.

Mandy + Jason Maternity
The sun shined all day long. I know this because I kept checking out the window all day long an anticipation of meeting up with them later that evening for our photo shoot. But, closer to our meeting time, the skies darkened and turned gray, the clouds rolled in, the thunder sounded in the near distance. I was running late. They were running late. We were crazy texting each other questioning whether we should just reschedule in hopes of better weather.

In the end, we decided to stick it out. We drove to our first location and within minutes, with just a few shots taken, the lighting struck and the raindrops and torrential down pour began. We ran to my car for cover. Waited a few minutes for the rain to let up and drove on to our next location.

Suddenly, the skies opened up and the rain ceased. It could not have been more perfect. I am so in love with just how a few simple clicks of the shutter, I am able to tell their story. And, that is only the beginning of their story. During and after our session, we chatted about labor and delivery and motherhood things to come. I never would have thought in a million years that in a few short minutes of leaving them Mandy would text me to tell me that her water had broken and she was on the way to the hospital.

Mandy you are such a beautiful mama to be. When I look at these images, it truly amazes me that within a few short hours of capturing your "glowing" beauty you would take your journey into motherhood. I am so thankful that we did not cancel and that I was able to capture this special moment in time for the both of you. You guys are going to be great parents. And, thanks for crawling all over the wet grassy fields....I seriously hope that is not what put you into labor!!! Thanks for being such a good sports about it all!!!! I cannot wait to meet your new baby girl!!

To see ALL the images from Mandy and Jason's session click the play button below.

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

The blues.
I always knew the time would come when he would get to big and not want to get his picture taken. That is usually why most of the time he is MIA from my blog. He rarely lets me point the camera at him without making stupid goofy faces, rolling his eyes and sticking his tongue out at me. So when I asked him if I could have a few nice shots of him to update my wall (since, yes, I am a terrible parent and guilty of not buying overpriced, crappy school pictures) he actually agreed.

But don't let this sweet, handsome, cute, freckled, blue eyed almost 10 year old smile fool you in any way. Because in between these shots of him, he grumbled, moaned and complained every minute. It was really painful for him. It was even more painful, when I asked if I could have one with him and is sister together....and that my friends is where our little photo session ended abruptly and he walked the other way.

So, I am taking what I can get when I can get it. But, I am still crying the blues. My once little boy is now too big and he has even reached the point where if you tell him something and he gets mad he pouts the whole way to his bedroom, slams the door and blasts the music really loud (and sadly, that is what I used to do when I didn't get my own way) and now he's doing it. Sigh.....I knew the day would come, but I just didn't think it would be so soon.


So, I am crying the blues. But, he still came in to the room the last night and said "Mom"... "I
love you"! And, that made it all worth it. I love you too Coy boy!!!

Memorial Day Weekend.
Over Memorial Day weekend, friends from camp invited us along out on their boat. And, what better way to kick off summer than hanging out on the Lake? Although, I will be the first to admit, getting in to that water is definetely not for me. That is exactly why all my pictures were taken from above on the boat. Coy on the other hand, had no problem jumping right in.

And, nothing better than the wind blowing through your hair.

Lizzie thought it was so funny and kept trying to tame the maine of hers.

Even Sally enjoyed putting her head off the side and feeling the breeze. She is a chocolate lab and she belongs to the friends of ours that own the boat. Sally is an experienced sailor. (Unlike me. ) And, she is just the sweetest lab you ever want to meet.

She showed the kids exactly how it should be done.

Then we docked the boat along side the lake and went swimming.

Apparently, Sally is an experienced swimmer as well. And, she loves to retrieve sticks (what lab doesn't?) She even has her very own life vest.

I also had more pictures to post, but, Blogger and my internet seems to not want to cooperate this morning and will not upload anymore. So, to save what sanity I have left....I am going to leave it at this right now and try later. Or, I might find my self having to buy a new monitor later because I feel like throwing it out the window right now.

Enjoy the hot summer weather!!!! Even if it's not at the lake. It's going to be a scorcher out there today!!!

Star Student.
Yup, that's her. She was so proud. And, I am a proud Mama. She received this "Star Student" pin for being such a good little helper and listener. She also got an award for PERFECT ATTENDANCE!! Not to mention the coupon for a free ice cream cone!!!! Now that's something great!!!!

And, now she is going to be my big third grader. Yikes!!

Crawling out.
Whew!! It has been a crazy past two weeks. And, I am finally emerging from underneath all the "craziness".
Not that I am making any excuses or anything....*cough*ahem*cough...but between Memorial Day Weekend and kids out of school for the summer it has been busy, busy. A "good" kind of busy though and I have lots to blog about and not enough time in the day to get it all in. So keep checking back because....I promise....I have great things to share!!