In a few weeks, Kindergarten will officially be over. She’s learned to add and subtract, about other countries and to write sentences. She’s learned to read.
Everyday she gets tickets that say she’s ready for first grade. It’s all very exciting.
It occurred to me though, the other day when she was helping me check out the city library as a location option for a bridal shoot this weekend (the place has AMAZING light), that next year she’ll be in school ALL day.
Which means that when I have an idea for a shot, or need a partner in crime to poke around a place with my camera, I’m on my own. Or I’ll have to wait around until the bell rings.
I might get more housework done, but honestly, this new phase in our lives might cramp my style a little bit (because my kid growing up and passing milestones IS all about me. Ha!).
There will likely be a LOT of eye rolling, but I plan on taking advantage of test subjects being around this Summer OFTEN. I feed the stinkers, they can mug for my camera a few times a week, right?
Prepare yourselves for a three month picture barrage.


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Now I am Six: by A.A. Milne
When I was One,
I had just begun.

When I was Two,
I was nearly new.

When I was Three,
I was hardly me.

When I was Four,
I was not much more.

When I was Five,
I was just alive.

But now I am Six, I’m as clever as clever,
So I think I’ll be six for ever and ever.
Happiest birthday to my bright spot.


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We spent a good 30 minutes putting together her Special Day poster. We sorted. We arranged. We rearranged. We talked about what she was doing when I took this picture and that picture.
She informed me that she “just looks better in color” (which made me smile, but I can’t say I will always agree with her. I do love a good black and white, after all).
“There’s pictures of me and Isaac, and me and Gracie, and me and Daddy. I guess you’re not in any because you took ‘em all.”
“You should be more pictures, Mom.”
And guess what? She’s right.
I admit that I struggle with the idea of being in front of the camera. Like a lot of mothers I know, for whatever reason–weight gain, bad hair day, new wrinkles–I’m far more comfortable behind the lens. Being the family historian.
But she’s right.
So for Mother’s Day this year, I’m accepting Evie’s challenge. Putting myself back into some of the history. I WILL be in the next Special Day poster at least once. Weight gain, wrinkles and all.


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“Weeeeeeds? They’re weeds? They can’t be! They’re so…flowery!”
I know that as an adult who should be keeping my yard up to keep up with the Jones, I should loathe dandelions. Secretly though, I love them.
Dandelions mean warm weather and laying in the grass looking for cloud pictures. They mean wishes and flower crowns and bouquets from chubby, dirty fists.
Not too long from now, she will grow out of loving the fluff from the seeds and gifting me dandelion bunches. Once that happens, perhaps I will learn to dislike them like I’m supposed to.
Until then, I will love every minute of dandelion season.


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On Friday last week, I shot a 5 year old’s birthday party in the morning, and a wedding in the evening.

On Saturday, I shot two family sessions, a bridal session, and the annual gala for The Boy’s and Girl’s Club. I was gone from 9am to 10pm.
On Sunday after church, I did a formals session (or bridals with the groom there–groomals?) and then went straight to shoot a newborn and her parents.
I’m exhausted.
By this point, you’re probably wondering what the flip a bunch of pictures from a track meet have to do with my freakish photography schedule last weekend.
Well, nothing really. Except that we were all there. Our whole little family was there to see Isaac jump and throw and run. And as much as I love what I do…I love coming home to them even more.


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The morning after The Big Show, my little Racoon Lost Kid woke up lamenting that there would be no more rehearsals.
“And Mom! What will I pretend on the trampoline when I’m out there now? I always play The Musical!”
It was a grand experience for them both. They put themselves out there, found their voices and made the kind of backstage memories that they’ll talk about to their own kids someday.
And despite needing the time I spent at the school in rehearsals and at home editing cast pictures freed up right now (I’m heading straight into the busiest photography stretch I’ve had in a long time AND Isaac’s track season), I have to admit, I’ll miss it too.
“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” ― Dr. Seuss


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Last week my lovely and talented friend Leah from Swoon The Moon Photography and Design issued a challenge on her Facebook page: fit ten of the following items into one photograph…
Blue
Sphere
Light/Dark
Necessity
Vintage
Paper
Make Believe
Multiple
Texture
Animal
You
I wrote down the list and handed it to Gracie to brainstorm (which is probably cheating, but whatever). Within ten minutes she was back with sketched mock ups of her ideas. And boy, did she have ideas!!
It took some doing.
Some prop gathering.
Some model bribing.

But I do love seeing Gracie’s creativity come to life.
She can be my creative director any day.


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P.S. Sorry this is up so late. We just got home from the girls’ big musical performance and I am POOPED. The girls however, are on a high and are in the other room Just Dancing like crazy people. Next week’s blog post: Musical The Musical!
It was Friday night. Isaac was hanging out with his Grandma and cousin, the girls were wondering what we were having for dinner, I was brooding over a fairly large blow to our finances that had come earlier that day, and Jon was watching the sky.
“Come on. Grab your camera,” he said.
“We have about 15 minutes before the sun starts to set. We’re eating on the mountain.”
He forgot a blanket and our drinks spilled before we even started, but it was perfect.
Cardboard pizza has never tasted so good.
And I have never been happier to have married a man who instead of wallowing and grumbling, sees the sunset and finds a place on the side of the road so I can see it too.


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