Newborn Photos:Elijah

I can’t wait to get the full post of handsome little Elijah up for you, but I thought I’d better give you a preview.  This afternoon was a fun day full of newborns photos and big sisters photos.  I only got peed on once (thank you to every newborn client I’ve had to prepare me for motherhood!) and got to dance with a two year old.  It doesn’t get better than this.  Check in soon for more of Eli and his big sis Grace.

Walla Walla: Wine Tasting

The swirl of the glass lifted the aroma of the bouquet up from the wine.  The legs thick with flavor slowly slid back down to the bottom of the glass.  I looked at Mike.  He smiled.  Our good friends, Jim and Kari, also enjoyed their wine just down the tasting bar.  This was the beginning of a very good adventure.

We had taken the 4.5 hour drive to Walla Walla, Washington for wine tasting, not sure what we would find.  To our hearts delight, we drove into the quant town that has become a booming wine region.  Over 100 wineries sit beautifully within a short drive of each other.  It has become a mini vacation that must be repeated.   And nothing is better than good wine, good friends and good adventures.

Underestimated pictures

The first time I saw this picture I burst into tears.  Seriously.  Someone handed me a copy of it, and I walked into my office and cried for 15 minutes.  I can’t put words to the emotions that the crippled bridge somehow managed to capture, but it had a choke hold on me and wasn’t letting go.

Unpacking my feelings about the picture is definitely a different blog post, so don’t worry about that.  The reason I share it is that there are days I want to quit photography.  There are days that I feel  a picture is just a picture, and a lousy one at that.  Then I look at an image like this, and I feel the wings of 10,000 baby butterflies taking flight lessons in my stomach.   I realize that there is purpose to art.  There is purpose to creativity.  I know that if you’re an artist or someone who feels they have a creative flair, you know the ups and downs that I do.  And they are paralyzing.  But don’t let that side track you.  There is purpose.  There is meaning.  You are able to give people the gift of unlocking nameless or forgotten emotions. Giving them the gift of living more fully with the beauty of their heart realized.

(Picture taken from the University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections, UW21414)

Newborn photos: A little miracle

It doesn’t matter the year.  It doesn’t matter the child.  In every nursery you hear the hush of a whisper “what a little miracle”.  And that whisper is right.

In Breanna’s case, the whisper is not only right, it’s the only way to describe her.  33 weeks into her mommy’s pregnancy, there were complications.  My cousin, Julie, had HELLP syndrome and the situation was life threatening.  Breanna needed to come early, but there was concern at how young she was.  In God’s good grace, Breanna was born perfectly healthy, never needing oxygen or spending the beginning of her life in an incubator.  After three weeks of scary ups and downs for her mommy, both a healthy daughter and mother were able to come home.  Many thanks to all of our friends and family who have relentlessly prayed for both girls.  We have a good God, and he has miraculously brought Breanna safely into this world.

Welcome Baby Anna!

Here’s looking at you, Cupcake

This last week Mike and I did a series of daycations.  At first I was feeling bummed to not get out of the area, but quickly lost my disappointment as we found adventure at our doorstep.  We were all over the place, Woodinville for wine tasting, Seattle for lunch and coffee, watching Inception (yes, I am in love with it), etc, etc.

The last day we decided to go a bit further off the grid.  Neither of us had been up to Sunrise at Mt Rainier, at least in our known memory, so we headed out.  The day before an extremely thoughtful and loving friend, knowing I am in love with cupcakes and quite enchanted with Cupcake Royal,  had picked up the darling bundles for us at that very place. So we packed those little babies gently in the back seat and headed for the mountain.  I had wanted to take pictures of my precious on our hike, but the mosquitoes were on a rampage that day, and the sugar got their little taste buds blazing.  So, here is my delicate fresh strawberry cupcake overlooking the majestic view at Sunrise lookout.

The summer may feel as if it’s coming to a close, but my love for cupcakes lives on strong within my heart.  There is always summer in the bite of a cupcake (or something corny like that).  🙂

A ferry ride away

When Emily told me they were going to live on Vashon Island for the summer, my heart sank.  Everything inside of me screamed ” That’s a whole ferry ride away!”.  After composing myself, I realized that I better start behaving like the Washingtonian that I am.  If my blood ran pure, my heart would have sang “Ferry ride!  I live for ferries!”  (please read the last half of that sentence in context only).  🙂

I was free last Monday, and took the advantage to go and see my good friend.  And even if it was just seeing her and her awesome son Ethan, it would have been worth it.  She had more planned for us though, and she took me to the very first Seattle’s Best Coffee house.

The bright sun made it hard to adjust to the coffee house’s light.  Blinking slowly, the room came into focus.  I looked around and realized I was surround by coffee roasters, general store items, and, hold your breath…orange and lavender mochas!  Emily leaned over and said that lavender was an island favorite.  We decided then and there that we would need to go to the island’s lavender farms.

Lavender fields have the enchantment of intoxicating fragrance.  We decided to not let it go to waste and quickly took a few pictures.  I know you will all agree when I tell you that my friend Emily is one hot mama!  Thanks for such a beautiful day Emma, you are wonderful!

 

I love chair.

And a few from our coffee adventures

My orange mocha…

And there’s no better way to end than a crazy face from Ethan.  He’s a hoot!

Mount Peak: Scott and Jaclyn’s wedding

Their first date was to Mount Peak.  Their engagement was at Mount Peak.  It seemed only right that their wedding should be at Mount Peak.  And it was beautiful.  They didn’t need a single decoration or back drop; the valley and Mt. Rainer took care of that. 

The sun blazed to try and match Scott and Jac’s excitement.  The flowers all bloomed as if they were there just for the ceremony.  And nothing beats wild flowers.  Well, except a beaming bride.  That will out do just about anything.  And Jaclyn was the perfect beauty. 

I love love LOVE this one!! 

Handsome, yeah?  Yeah.

Ah, she melts me.

Gotta love the orange

Beautiful.

Rawr…

Oh Jac, you are exquisit!

Ok, last one of the bouquet…

Isn’t her ring fabulous?

After the mountain top ceremony, Scott and Jac made their enterance into the reception by boat. And yes, I got to ride with them.  We had to kill a few minutes, so we boated around Lake Tapps for a bit.  The view of Mount Rainer was stunning, and the breeze felt wonderful.  The reception was done wonderfully overlooking the lake.  Adults mingled and dined, while the kids took to the lake for more adventureous entertainment.

Flowers lined the pathway through the terraced garden.

Jaclyn’s mom is a graphic designer, and had romantic details throughout the reception.  (And I was thrilled to see that they used their engagment pictures in such a fun way!)

And my most favorite part of all?  The wedding favors.  They had canisters of assorted candy for their guest to dig into.  I couldn’t hold back when they told me to grab a bag.  I thought I would just put a few of my favs in there, but soon I had a full bag.  Ah Candy.  I do love you.

And after partying and celebrating to their hearts content, Scott and Jac left under a banner of bubbles.

Congratulations you two!  Know that Mike and I love you and thoroughly enjoyed photographing your wedding!

A Preview: Scott and Jac’s Wedding

This weekend was the perfect weekend of weather and beauty for a wedding.  I’m going to tell you more about this fabulous couple next week, but wanted their guests to get a quick look at of at least one picture from the wedding.  More to come!!

Seattle: Searching for the best burger

I nonchalantly glanced over the titles on the magazines while standing in line at the grocery store.  Movie stars, reality tv stars, burgers, how to lose 20 pounds in two weeks, WAIT! Was that burgers?!  Of all the titles of all the magazines, could one really be featuring Seattle’s best burgers?  It was a must buy.  A must do.  The list was a challenge that needed to be accomplished.  A savory delight that was begging for a champion. 

Over the last year Mike and I have been working through the list in the article and have found some exceptional places.  The most recent spot we’ve been to was also by far the best.  I must tell you friends, The Palace Kitchen in Seattle has the most amazing, juicy, flavorful burgers that I’ve ever laid my teeth on.  Everything is local, which makes the taste even more intense from the freshness.  It’s a simple burger, but it packs a punch.  The Beecher’s Flagship cheese from the market tops it off fabulously. 

So, this really has nothing to do with photography, except the fact that you better go and get one and take a picture of yourself.  You won’t be disappointed.

(picture is taken from the Seattle Met…I’m offsight tonight and not able to access my own picture)

Happy Independence Day!: Washington DC

The air hung heavy around my face and shoulders as I wandered through Jamestown.  I wondered what the first English to try and live in such a climate thought.  I know that my thoughts weren’t necessarily, shall we say, positive.  I tried imagining wearing a corset and heavy skirt.  My tank top and capris weren’t giving me enough air, how could a thick long skirt have been bearable?

Hours later I stood on the battlefields of Yorktown.  How could such a small, ragtag army actually defend, let alone find victory, against the world’s greatest army of the day?  Courage?  A dream?  Providence.

Throughout the rest of the week, we were in the District of Columbia.  It’s always amazing to me to see the buildings, the history, the beauty.   At every turn I was struck with wonder at our country, so new and young.  Other countries I’ve been to boast histories of hundreds of years of story, while we just sit at a handful of years.  The journey was amazing to see, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to have relived our history right before the 4th of July.

Here are a few random pictures from my week.   They don’t all go together per say, but I do like the story they tell.

These are church benches at the chapel at Jamestown.  I couldn’t imagine sitting here for an hour each week, let alone all day on Sunday and evening services every other day.

The oddity and beauty of Williamsburg, the Colonies’ capital

This is at one of my favorite places, Mount Vernon, our first president’s home

Arlington National Cemetery.  The idea of placing a stone on a grave comes from the book of Joshua in the Bible, where the Israelites were instructed to put up large stones in order to remember what God had done.  To place a stone on a grave means “I remember”.  It brought tears to my eyes to see pebbles on top of  loved ones graves.  They are gone, but not forgotten.

Another of my favorite places is the World War II Monument.  My grandfather served in the war, and was forever changed by it.  I am so thankful that the memory of all who served is now peacefully resting in this beautiful monument.

Looking back at the Lincoln monument from the WWII monument.

The Vietnam monument

The camera of a photographer that captured the moments of 9/11, and then died in the disaster

Our Capital building, crowned by the statue “Freedom.”  She looks East, because the sun never sets on Freedom

There is joy and sadness in our story.  nonetheless, it is a great story.

Happy Independence Day.