Grace.

Every once in a while I try to grab my camera and shoot life just as it is. Especially our kids.

So today we were all outside enjoying the weather, playing ball, picking up bugs, etc.

I decided to snag some snapshots of each of the kids to just sort of remember just what they looked like on an ordinary day, like it was.

So these are Grace's shots. More to come all week for my memory archiving enjoyment.

Grace.

She is getting older. She works really, really hard on perfecting a mature, beautiful, "picture look".

Sometimes it's a hit. Sometimes it's a miss. But I do admire her perseverance.




Whoa dog...

What do you think Grace? About time to be done??

Love you lady.

Booking

Here's what I've read this month:

A lot of William Wordsworth.

The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith, by Timothy Keller

Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery, by Eric Metaxas, which was, Stunning.

Intoxicated.

I know. I've not blogged lately.

It's May.

May is a flurry of birthdays, end of the school year activities, and the introduction of a-ma-zing weather.

After being banished to the indoors from October through Mid-April, warm and breezy late spring days, fresh-cut grass, and birdsong just intoxicates you. It's hard to get anything done but nothing when warm and even hot days produce an outdoor-beauty-induced laziness about you. Think the scene in Bambi, when everyone gets twitterpated. That's what it's like for South Dakotans in May. We just don't know how to take so much good stuff in. There's an adjustment period. It ends when it gets blistering hot and nasty humid in July.

Oh, and:

With the weather comes neighborhood kids by the bunches, at my house near-daily. The biggest event so far had a ratio of 4 adults to 20+ kids for a smores party.

We've been enjoying the freedom of far less commitments with school, and taking things easy and fun. It's nice to just relax in to it without plans to follow.

Jim and I have had some great time alone together, and have, in one month, had two dates that involved leaving the house and seeing 2 movies in-theatre, newly released. I know. Crazy.

BY THE WAY- One of those movies was extremely traumatic for me. Seeing a much-beloved version of Mr. Darcy play the Sheriff of Nottingham shocked and repulsed me. I looked away when he was on screen like we were viewing Saw 4 and asked Jim to tell me when he was gone. He mostly just laughed at me. See, the reverse happened with my other beloved Darcy, who was this creepy guy to me first, then he was the slighted husband in The English Patient, then Mr. Darcy , Fitzwilliam and Mark, forever in my heart. That was much easier. (Robin Hood, itself, I thought was great.)

I've been reading and reading, recently arrested by one amazing book, that I just finished yesterday. Wow. And, having near-daily long afternoons sitting outside while my kids play in the sand has left me with hours of extra time for reading. I'm not complaining.

By the way. Did you know I am allergic to the sun? For real. Not only do I have the whitest most purely Scandinavian and Irish skin imaginable (it's true- that's all I am- white and freckled) but, since my youth every year for about the first 2 weeks I'm regularly in the sun, I break out into horrible, itchy, painful, hot hives. Not pleasant. But the only cure is to stay in the sun regularly until it passes.

So now you know that about me.

Oh, and TV is very exciting this time of year. I'm typically an Internet after-the-fact-when-I-get-time-I'll-see-it watcher. But this season, there's just so much fun TV to catch before it's over. The Office (sad depleted season, but with promise for next year- I'm faithful to you Office, but, please, for mercy's sake, let next year be the last), Greys (bunch of ridiculous stuff through the regular seasons, but the finales are always really well-written and usually worth watching the rest of the year, especially to those looongly devoted to the usually stupid plot). Dancing with the Stars was awesome this season. Glee was also awesome as ever. LOVED that version of Poker Face. And of course we were mad about catching every second of the last episode of Chuck. I'm so proud of them. The line has come along so nicely this third, reborn season. Next year promises to be awesome.

Oh yes. Now I should mention that 2 GREAT friends from the way back days who've lived several hours away since the end of college moved to town, to our STREET. More on that, I'm sure later. They deserve more than just a mention in a long rambling about nothing post.

I've been working a lot, and have all the details finalized for the upcoming June and July classes. I am getting so excited for these- if you're on the fence, get a spot! This is going to be all the core basics, very hands-on, and fun. I promise.

Oh yes, and I was really into Celebrity Apprentice this year too. I have to say, this Snapple is fantastic, and worth the sugar.

7.

We stepped outside while everyone was napping and reading to take some birthday shots together. We'd been outside all afternoon, but, somehow forgot how windy it was. How crazy, crazy windy it was. So, we stayed on the porch. Which was only a little better than the alternatives.

But this was important. We needed to do this. Because it was the day before the day you turned 7.


You are tall. Blond. Extremely mature.

It's true. But, you know when to let loose.


(Yes that was your idea.)

The wind kept blowing hair and dust in your face, but we still had fun. Red eyes and all.



You love taking photographs. And being in them.

You practice your picture faces in the mirror. You've got quite the portfolio of expressions.


You also have the cutest teeth. They remind me every day that you're not a little kid anymore. And you're not quite a grown up one either.



You are so creative. You're a prolific creator. Pieces of art (especially mixing found items and smaller projects together to create a grander masterpiece), songs, poems, stories, and more and more and more drawings of your life, your things, your people, your feelings than I can count are born from your creative mind in any given week.

You have very big feelings. Very big thoughts. Very deep intuition and communication with animals. You make amazing associations as we go through our days. You're always, always thinking.

And you're very, very generous. Every occasion is a wonderful time to give a gift. And, when you are the receiver, you keep your treasures safe, and for good. Gifts mean so much to you.

You sing along with the radio in the car almost constantly.

You feel the pull of being bigger, older, more mature, and yet living with younger siblings that need your maturity, your guidance, your help, and your time to play. And you do it all so well.

Today is the day you are 7.

Happiness.

I got these for Mother's Day.



Well, I heavy-hinted to Grace how much I wanted them about 2 months ago. Every time we passed Starbucks, she'd sort of wink at me.

A few days before Mother's Day (see how I'm not commenting on his timing? Nope, I'm not commenting) Jim stopped in to pick them up. They weren't there anymore. All that time, and that week Starbucks pulled them off the shelves to make room for new summer merch.

On the day itself, Grace and Patie let me know how sad they were Daddy didn't take them to get them sooner. We checked three Starbucks. No luck.

But, they were online. So of course I made the situation right. And it made the girls so happy. Who am I to keep them from happiness?

The patterns are perfect.
They're bone china.
They're a lovely way to make daily rituals special daily rituals.

Iced tea...

Hot tea...

Afternoon coffee...

Eleven.

His name is Pippen.
He is 9 months old.
Orphaned twice, and now ours for good.
Unbelievably sweet, loving, and all the right kinds of riff raff that a great Westie should be.

And more than happy to share the burden of guarding house and kin from all threats foreign and domestic.






It's a duty Bebo takes very seriously, and he has been happy to mentor in a new partner.

After just over a week, he's nicely settled in, he's now securely sure that a car trip is always just a fun ride and not a trip back to the shelter, and we're all (even the cats) happy to have such a phenomenal guy join the crew.

Yes, we got just one more.

And that makes us a house of eleven.

It's a Don't Miss

I'm excited to announce I'll be partnering with the Museum of Visual Materials this summer, introducing people just like you to their cameras!

Wait. You say you've already met your camera? There may be all kinds of amazing things within it that you've never formally met- and I'm thrilled to walk you through them step by step.

Here's the lowdown on the Workshops:

Ages 13+
Dates available are June 8 and 15 OR July 13 and 20
Max. Participants for each set of sessions is just 8 people, peeps! This means we'll have lots of relaxed one on one time- but it also means you need to register fast!

If you own a DSLR and are not yet comfortably shooting in Manual, this class will be a POWERHOUSE of incredibly useful information for you.

If you're a lover of photography, whether you've taken the DSLR plunge or not, you'll leave these classes with tons of amazing skills to put to practice right now.

We'll cover all the basics of getting control of your camera, and shooting interesting subjects with technical skill and artistic vision- And a large portion of our second night will be spent in fantastic downtown Sioux Falls working our portraiture skills with a fun and wonderful model who I know you will love working with.

These classes will be fun. They'll be chocked full of information, but we'll take it one step at a time. We'll work right there in class with your camera, hands-on. I'm not going to hold anything back. You can ask anything. We're all, including me, there to learn, grow, and enjoy photography together. The environment will be casual, fun, and judgement-free.

If you're a lover of photography that's been dying to get their feet wet, this. is. for. you.

If you're ready to step forward but don't think a group is right for you, personal mentoring time with me is always available. We talk through your goals, we set up a plan, and we work, hands-on, one-on-one, on the skills you'd love to master. It's a wealth of help and information. It's also a ton of fun. But if you're not sure even where to start, this class is an excellent choice. You'll cover the basics, and move forward from there.

What can you learn? For instance, below is a photograph of an amazing sunset, straight out of camera, as my camera saw it in Auto Mode.


The same camera created this exposure directly afterward, using skills you'll gain in the basics workshop.

This is Chelsea. The sunset above was photographed during her recent Anytime Session. If I had been shooting in Auto, she would have been as dark as the field in the first photograph. You'll learn how to avoid that, too.

These, and all the other techniques we share are all achieved with your DSLR alone (many even with your Point and Shoot). You won't need expensive equipment or software to put these core techniques into practice right away.

Your skills and your passion will grow.

You'll meet lots of awesome people.

And it will be fun.

I can't wait!

Contact the Museum of Visual Materials today to reserve your spot! You can contact them by phone (605) 271-9500, or stop by and visit the museum at 500 N Main St.

Jack Johnson for Ray Charles

Our friends Lissa and Jesse throw out of this world backyard movie nights.

They hosted one Saturday night. Basically, it was the sizzle.

Just a bunch of people getting together, eating some snacks, chilling out, and enjoying the general old school backyard ambiance.

Honestly, all night long I was drunk on the ambiance. Picture that sequence in The Sandlot when the boys are running through their neighborhood under the Fourth of July sky. The neighborhood. The nostalgia.

These movie nights are like that. But they traded Jack Johnson for Ray Charles... And frisbee for baseball.

It's also exactly like this movie-themed party featured in Martha Stewart's magazine forever ago that was lodged in my brain somewhere far back. But, this was for real.


Concessions were a steal.

Everyone hung out for a while, talking, playing, having fun.

The homemade screen worked really, really well. If you want tips from Lissa on setting this thang up, click on her link up there and drop her a line.

This is Lissa...

Invites are simple. Just invite every facebook friend you have and let them RSVP for an idea of who's going to make it.

They used our church's equipment. Simple. Worked SO well- the sound was amazing, even outdoors. See? You can do this.

And when the sun got low, it was show time.

This was so much fun. And, we have good word there's more to come this summer.

Thanks Murawskis! You really know how to throw down an awesome cinematic fiesta.

Double Down

As I write this, this slide show of Jim devouring a S'more has been viewed 1,199 times. Sorry, honey.

In good spirit, as we displayed in this post, Jim and I don't mind paying good money to mock fast food chains.

Well, ever since we listened to this, the photo you see below has been in my mind.

That's right. He did it. THE DOUBLE DOWN.

I held back a laugh when I actually heard him order it. It was expensive. He got the Down, and a small drink. The total was like $7.

Then I shot the entire event. But I'll just keep it to one image this time, OK Jim? Love you.

Oh, and the scoop on the DD?

Jim said it was greasy. And the sauce was gross. But, he'd eat it again.

Well, probably not. But, he would.

Sensory

We've been busy with life this week. And it's been good. And today has, thus far, been good.

But today is the day we change winter for summer.

And one by one we sort through all the things that are just a thing, but each one with memories, days, conversations, photographs attached.

Some are handed over to a new owner, some are given away, some are gone forever, and a precious few are so dear they are kept in the one special tub reserved for those things that my mother heart just can't bear to lose.

I don't keep them for my children to use in the future, or for any useful purpose, other than as a gift to me, in around 25 years, when everyone is gone, and I feel like taking a trip back through their childhoods.

Some things I don't mind passing on. Some things are sweet, but I know I can't keep them. Some things, just a handful of things, upon touching, my heart is cut in half and I'm hit with a sensory overload of vivid memories, frozen moments, warm emotions, and a presence of a piece of their youth so real I swear I can smell their tiny baby heads, their skin just after a bath, or their hair after a sweaty and awesome day at the park.

Each one is a piece of something I can't get back, and the nearest I'll get is a memory, and, if I'm lucky, an archived photograph.

And it's those few things I keep.

The Terrier and I

We make a great team. It's a win-win.

I take him out, and because there's no one around and he's got great manners and he's good about doing his business right away and I'm a softie, I let him run off-leash. He gets to run ahead (though he always stays in-sight) and smell every tree, hole, rock, animal track he finds.

I get a walking buddy, and protection if anyone or anything tries to attack me. He's tiny, but mighty, and he'd fight for me to the death. I know it. Mostly, I like getting a buddy.

If you've ever walked a terrier, you know. You know how they buzz around and stop to smell everything.

If you've ever walked with a photographer who happens to have a camera handy, you know. You know how they stop and photograph everything.

He wants to stop the walk all the time to sniff out rabbit holes and funky tree stumps.

I want to stop the walk all the time to photograph random stuff like trees, who have eyes, and some of them are crying.


It's like nature walk ADD.

And we love it.

Like I said. We make a great team.

Loving On

As Christians, we use the words "Love On" a lot. We own it. It's ours. In fact, now that I am writing this, this comes to mind.

I guess it's natural it'd be passed on to our children, who are still fleshing out how and when to best use it. Yesterday Lily told me she was going to go "Love on Bella". And she did. Lots of cuddling and sweet talking. The cat was totally done being loved on after that.

We've been loving on the outdoors a lot lately. I have nothing to post about.