Lily's 1st Birthday Party

That's right, this little lady just turned one!  Can you believe it?  It's hard to believe that I've been photographing Lily for a year now.  She has grown faster than I could have believed.  It was so much fun to celebrate with this little girl and her family.

Lily's parents threw a Lady Bug themed party and it was ADORABLE.  They had everything from Lady Bug cake to a color coordinated tutu for the birthday girl.

The party was an intimate gathering of family and close friends.  You could just feel the love coming out of that room!  Freddie, Lily's Dad, smoked the pork bbq himself and we had a small feast.  Instead of cards for Lily, they had everyone sign one of her Cat in the Hat books so that as she grows up she will be able to know everyone who was at her first birthday party.  So sweet!  However my favorite moment had to be watching Lily discover her cake.  I say "discover" because she didn't smash it, she just investigated it more and more.

Happy Birthday Lily!  You are a beautiful and sweet little girl.  I can't wait to see you grow more!

March Mischief

Last weekend was Speed Racer's birthday!  The Padre, Mr and Mrs Hokie, and even Mrs Miami and Little Miss came down for the weekend.  Our house was chock full of people but we wouldn't have had it any other way. Everyone got in on Friday and we had a great time staying up late and catching up.  Saturday the boys went off for a manly pancake breakfast, and we ladies slept in and started on cooking the desert for that evening...delicious delicious banana pudding!  Mrs Hokie brought the double boiler and stand mixer (so jealous!) needed for the recipe, apparently it's a Paula Deane recipe and I highly recommend it.

Yum!

Little Miss helped out a lot and was a good sport because all the ladies did was talk, talk, and then talk a little more.

But we enjoyed catching up, it had been awhile since we had all been together.

Once we got all the cooking prepped and the pudding was in the fridge, we headed into town for a ladies lunch.

With all that girl time I think Little Miss was ready for the boys return.  She hung out with them outside while they got the brats and hamburgers ready.  She had them wrapped around her little finger though.  These next pictures of Little Miss and The Padre were all taken by Speed Racer.  I saw this out the window but was mashing up ALOT of potatoes for dinner, when Speed Racer walked by with his camera and starting shooting.  Great minds think alike, huh?

They were feeding this stray that has been around our house a lot.  She's suffered some abuse and we keep trying to get her to come to us.  She only will if you have food, and even then very hesitantly.  She's very sweet and I wish we could find her a good home.

Unfortunately, this is the last picture for the night though.  I had my hands pretty full for the rest of it.  So after this we dug in.  Speed Racer's special hamburgers, brats with sauerkraut, creamy mashed potatoes, and of course...banana pudding.  The girls and I put candles in the banana pudding and had Speed Racer blow them out.  Classic.  Soon after that Little Miss fell asleep on the couch, while the rest of us sat around the bonfire and enjoyed just being together.  All in all I think it was a good birthday, I know I had fun, and hopefully there will be many more like that to come.

Momma K

Last Friday evening we celebrated my Mother-in-Law, Momma K's birthday.  It was such a great time, and I really enjoyed just being able to relax and goof off with these ladies.

Even though it may not look like it right at this moment, we were having a great time.  People just got shy around my awesome lens.

We even corrupted some youth with scary tales of our early childhood.

There were more incriminating photos later, but I was too busy wrestling my sister-in-law...she had it coming.Have I mentioned that I love red hair on this blog? Once? Twice? Too many times?  But I do.

I love September

It's hard to believe that today is the first day of September.  Fall is upon us and I don't feel quite ready.  I love September.  It's my favorite month...also because it's my birthday month, and well, quite frankly I LOVE birthdays.  Especially mine.  But this year it has snuck up on me, and I'm not quite sure what to do with September. I woke up Saturday morning at my parents house, to a foggy field view.  (Thus all the pictures.)  To me, it's a magical time when the seasons begin to transition.  Everything changes, and seems full of mystery...and there is fog.  I love fog, it reminds me of fairy tale books for some reason.

But I woke up, eyes still blood shot and exhausted from the day before to this beautiful view.  I stumbled out of bed...found my shoes...mumbled something about photos as I passed my Mom and went out the back door.  While I shot, I began to wake up.  The cool crisp air made me realize that summer is gone...and somehow I feel like I missed it.

I am determined not to do the same with September.  Don't get me wrong, it's going to be a busy month.  I have two, possibly three, weddings to do with Rebecca Claire Photography.  I have to get my tonsils removed.  And I have several senior portraits lined up.  Not to mention just the day to day working.  Speed Racer also has a ton of travel ahead of him this month, so that just makes us busy.  So I already feel like I'm letting it slip by.

Usually by now I already have my birthday list sent out (at times I have sent it out in July...yeah, I'm that kid).  But I haven't done it yet, and each time I try to I just seem to get discouraged.  Speed Racer wistfully asked what I wanted for my birthday this year, and for once I said, "I just don't know."

Unlike most people who say that who are modest and not greedy people, I did not say it because I don't want presents, I think I said it out of exhaustion.  There are MANY things that I want, but none of them seem to come in gift form...or affordable gifts at that.  I want time away.  Just for me and Speed Racer.  I want to buy practical things that make dumb presents.  I want to figure out things.  I want to be surprised.  Stuff like that.

But the great thing about fall is that it always seems full of new prospects to me.  Unlike Spring, fall to me is a time to hunker down with a good book outside, and spend some quality time.  Even if this fall is busy, I know it's going to be a good one.  I'm taking fall back.

Friday Escape

Today I'm going back to the land that I love.   The land where I fell in love with Speed Racer, and where magical things can happen.  To dramatic of a start?  It's true though, that's how I feel about this place.  Speed Racer and I are going back for a fun filled weekend of canoeing, hiking, camping, girl talk (for me), meeting up with old friends, and celebrating my Father's Birthday and Father's Day!  It's going to be a packed weekend, but much needed.  We're literally about to get on the road, so have a fabulous weekend fair readers, and get out and enjoy the sun.