children [noah + landon]

fall is upon us, that's for sure. and never is that more apparent than here in michigan. where summers are scorching with heat + humidity by the lake, and winters are filled with piles of perfect-to-jump-in lake effect snow + hot cocoa. and fall sits nicely in the middle of the two. a peaceful transition where sweaters and hats can be worn without a bulky coat. and its the perfect temperature to sit out by the campfire and roast s'mores.

last night, the boys, their mama, and i bundled up in sweaters + hats to go on a hike. because that's a staple of fall too, you know. so, we walked. into the fields and through a woods. over a creek where we all held hands and carried toddlers so there were no accidents. and the kids threw stones and smiles all around.

because there's something about the natural flowing water in a creek. the kerplunk of stones, then rocks, then practically boulders being thrown in.

and we tasted a bit of our favorite season. just enough to whet our appetites and get us even more eager for our favorite camping trip of the year in two.short.weeks.

a place where we're family. where we'll tell jokes and roast s'mores around the campfire. go on scary adventures and breakfast at the picnic table in the chilly morning. ride on horseback and hike. holding hands the whole time.

children [noah grant]

noah means business. he always has. luckily, his business is making people smile...or just downright laugh. noah has been dubbed the "joy boy" of my sister's family, and after spending five minutes with him, you'll see why.

on an impulse, i grabbed my camera and drove all the ten minutes it takes to get to my sister's house. she wasn't home, but i snagged my nephews from next door. since my older nephew didn't want to go on a walk, noah & i searched through the closets of his room and through buckets in the garage for what we needed. our supplies? a cowboy hat, two buckets, and a bottle of bubbles.

and we roamed the fields. and by roamed, i mean we first had to make a pathway to said field through a tree with a mess of branches. and by we, i mean i who carried three-year-old noah through to the other side.

and we laughed. and explored. picked flowers for mama that got lost again along the way. and we'd find shade and blow bubbles. because bubbles shine in the sun and dance in the sky. just like sweet noah.

personal [getting to know me]

as a lifestyle photographer, i want my clients to see my as a friend. they need to be able to relax in front of my camera and remember to have fun and laugh -- because when they laugh and smile, they sparkle. and clients who sparkle allow me to capture stunning images. (and for the record, this isn't the edward-cullen-type-of-sparkle. even if i did see the movies & read the books).

of course i want to get know you and would love to read your comments + e-mails. but if you want to get to know me and learn what makes me tick, you can read my personal blog here. its the real me: the silly, the frank, the happy, the bitter. all of it rolled into one website address.

subscribe or leave a comment if you'd like! i will respond one way or another. :)

personal [adam]

my shoulder to cry on. the hand that i hold. the biggest supporter of my dreams.

to the man who picks me up when i fall flat on my face. to the man who reminds me to be optimistic despite my plans going awry. to the man who loves me for my successes & my failures.

adam is my boyfriend of 2 years. i'm not sure he knew exactly what he was getting into when we decided to give a relationship a shot...but i can tell you that i couldn't do what i've been doing without him.

happy birthday, adam, my love.

you, with your giving heart & bright spirit, deserve much more than this world has to offer. you've got riches piling up in heaven, sweetie! but as long as you're here with me, i will love you to the moon & back.