Family of 2....... then 5...........

These kids were so excited about having their picture taken........

Aren't they all adorable?

This was a new location for me so finding good spots was on the fly....... I stumbled across a section in the creek/river that had rocks you could walk out to with a shallow pool of water in front.  My first thought when I seen it was REFLECTION..... but how am I going to get on the other side of it.  Sun was behind them and a fun building in the background as well.  I had the oldest boy walk out there and I climbed through the woods to find a location to stand..... Yep it was going to work just like I envisioned in my head.  So the rest of the family got to the location and I swatted bugs, and prayed for no wood ticks to crawl up my pants leg.  The efforts on their part and mine were totally worth it.

Another location that made me squeal when I seen it.... I've been loving the sun kissed backgrounds and couldn't be more pleased with it.

Here's another version on the sun kissed background....

By the time we got to the end all three of them were ready to run and play.  

The story in short.... girl finds boyfriend she wants to marry, he asked her to marry him, they make plans for their wedding, they took on all three children at the same time a year and half ago.... wedding got delayed....... instant family and they are rocking it.

She is amazing for her momma skills with instant family but he's just as amazing for sharing her with them and being a great role model.  I could have listened to her all night long.

Flowers and more flowers

Spring has sprung and flowers happened.  

Last year in a wind storm we lost 2 of our flowering crab apple trees, which happen to be a favorite of mine even though my nose and eyes feel differently.  The only one left is the one the kids gave me a few years ago for my birthday and mothers day.  It couldn't be more beautiful so of course I needed to get some pictures and bokeh.  

The worst flower for mine and John's allergies is the lilac, they must stay outside.  But they certainly are very pretty.

The tulips are just about done, they may be one of my favorites.

Pink forget me knots - The start out pink and turn to blue.

Last fall I got some of the gardens cleaned up and this Sunday I got them mulched.  So happy with the results even though it hurts me to throw all those flowers away.   I still have many more to go so if you need flowers come on over I am throwing them away by the wheelbarrows full.  

Globe Flower makes a dramatic yellow appearance.  This is the one of the only flowers that stayed where I planted it and didn't have babies everywhere..... just for that I love you globeflower, you are a good plant.

More pictures of the crab apple tree, it's hardly showing any leaves.

With my walk around the yard for color I just had to capture the orange pot lid that I found at a second hand store.  When you find color that fits in the garden you have to buy it, even if it's a pot lid.  Think outside the box :)

Bleeding heart being all cute and stuff.....

Saturday mornings are for bringing flowers in the house.  Spring must be pink in my gardens.

A few dramatic clouds with a bright sun peeking through.

A little sunburst to make a fun photo with my lanterns hanging in the tree.  

Even though I've showed you these flowers a million times I hope you enjoy them again as they make their 2015 appearance.  Every spring as the flowers start to appear it makes me think of my mother in her last months.  She was very sick and couldn't go outside anymore so when us girls would come to sit with her one of our jobs was to walk around her gardens and bring in whatever flower was blooming so she could see them. This was something we had to do daily because mom insisted that things were changing and new flowers were blooming....  I was pretty young and didn't have the garden itch yet so to me when I would bring them in it was fun for me to hear her name them off like one of her kids.  She loved to see her flowers, she knew that someday we all would be loving them as much as her.  One of the days when we were all called home "because it was time" we all stood around her bed waiting for everyone to get there, mom was not very verbal anymore but she would cry for who or what she was going to miss.  I remember her saying she couldn't leave her flowers.... she loved her flower beds and she spent many hours making them perfect.  What I wouldn't give for those days again.... being able to pick flowers for my mother.  

Henry Marvin

Henry Marvin...... love his name..... was in front of my lens.  He did a great job being cute and all.  

We had a hard time getting him to zone out but in small burst we got a lot of great photos.

My favorite.... needs to be HUGE on the wall.

Henry's great grandfather is wrapped around him and he's looking up to the heavens just like he can see him.  

Great Grandpa Marv and Grandpa Al's helmets.

Henry is almost a month old so fitting in this basket was quite the job but I love his arms being crossed and his wrinkled up face.

It was nice to have a newborn again and he let me snuggle just a bit and smell him.  Nothing like the smell of a newborn baby that makes all the worries of your day disappear.  

Briar 2 years

Briar is 2

This little man is the cutest little guy.  He has such a fun personality and loves his big sister more than anything.  He gave me 2 seconds to snap a photo before he was on the go from where I asked him to sit.  If I couldn't get the photo in 1 second the moment was over, he was on the go.

This week was not good weather for being outside so we had to capture his personality indoors but I think we nailed it........ in 2 second bursts

I might have bribed him to look at me......    but it worked :)

I love this family and as always a pleasure to capture these moments forever.

Joschimsen Family

I didn't realize I forgot to post these pictures, so they are a bit late but still worth the bragging rights to some pretty fine family photos.  

Large family photos during the spring is tough.  You don't know what kind of day you will get.... snow, rain, wind...... oh the wind is horrible and girls with hair do not do well getting pictures taken with lots of twisty wind...

We had a couple calm burst that we snuck in a few.

Moving to a different location was even better.  The lack of leaves and green worked well for these photos, the sun kissing the edges made me squeal with satisfaction.  

Looking into the sun certainly isn't easy for the people in front of the camera so the best way to deal with direct overhead sun is place the sun to their back if possible.  The sun directly on their back would be a background of the road so the next best for me was the sun to the side.  

Cousin LOVE

It was fun to give this family questions to answer as they walked towards me.  The kids might have thought my questions were ridiculous but Tom thought I was totally nuts, and I might be..... but they get more natural smiles and actions when I'm nuts.  

Golden hour

The photography club that I lead or maybe I beg for them to do challenges with me throughout the months so I'm not alone in this addiction of taking hundreds of photos a week...... anyway this month was the golden hour and how it can change the look just by moving your feet.   It might have caused me to burn up a few hundred photos in one night.  

The morning started out like this.  Those clouds were just amazing.

Then fast forward to night time about an hour before sunset.  Looking into the sun and took the photo.

Then moving to the other side of the grass and taking the photo with the sun to my back.   Pretty amazing how it can look so different just by moving my feet.

When I was walking out into the field I noticed the reflection in the soggy field with the farm in the background.   There is a farm to the east of us and the west and I've probably got millions of photos from both of them.

Sun in front of me

Sun behind me

Sun in front of me

and another one

And who can resist photos of an old bike with a dreamy golden hour background..... not me.

Then the sun behind me........ no longer looks as fun

Just a little golden hour practice.....  enjoy.

Tischendorf Family

Teaching photography classes has given me the opportunity to meet some pretty amazing people who have the same passion as I do.  Ability to capture their loved ones and understanding what all those buttons and settings are on their fancy cameras do.  Why have a SLR camera if you're not going to learn what it can do for you.  

During my first class Jennifer was pregnant with Gracie and pretty quiet, I didn't realize I was sweating her out of the room for 6 weeks..... pregnant momma was hot but she was determined to learn her camera.  I slowly got to know Jennifer when she took my 6 week photography course for the 2nd time.  This time she was not pregnant and knowing a little about the settings from the first class she was fired up and challenged me with lots of questions which I absolutely love.  The best part about teaching mommies is when you see them lighten up with the "ah ha" moment.  Jennifer was one of many that took the class twice and when they got it they all got it.  

Jennifer is now a close friend of mine, when she's with me she makes me laugh non-stop.  She makes me think with her many questions but I wouldn't want her any other way.  She makes Photo Club so much fun.  

Jennifer set up a family photo session for when her sister was home and we prayed for a nice day.... and then sickness hit Jennifer's daughters so she had to cancel the shoot.  We tried for a different date but nothing was lining up with our schedules so Jennifer dressed up those girls, did their hair, got herself put together and we did them in the afternoon.  The girls did so well considering they didn't feel so well.

While we set up the girls had jackets and blankets to cover up with and a puke bucket :)  When I was ready they took the coats and blankets off and I ran them to the side.  

Baby Haddie thought everyone else was more interesting to look at than me but that's the chance you take with little ones.  :)

This was a much warmer location so we got to do a few in a row without jackets.  

Jennifer and Stan even found their smiles after fighting sick little girls all weekend.  The girls might not have big smiles but they did so good and the puke bucket stayed empty.  :)

Jennifer I love you and your little family.  You are an amazing mommy and friend.