Hot Summer Days, Part 2

More of that fun afternoon with my two sisters, Joanna and Mary, and my two girlies, Elizabeth and Evangeline!

This beautiful old red fire engine was parked off to the side of the same stone building you see the girls standing in front of at the bottom of this post (the crumbling stone wall in the background behind the engine is the same structure). If you look close, you can see the date 1859 carved in stone on the top of the wall! When I asked Evangeline to check out the fire truck and let me take some pictures of her, she asked me if she should do her "normal" face... so here you go! Evangeline's normal expressions! :)










ln~

Hot Summer Days

Her little voice tumbled out the words as fast as she could sing them, "Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world, red, brown, yellow, black, and white, they are precious...." BEEP. The little phonics toy with a recording option was too short for her. Again, this time a little faster, she sang like an auctioneer trying desperately to get the whole song recorded. Over and over she sang her heart out, each time getting more and more flustered. She started making mistakes in her hurry and would start over at the beginning. My new little four-year old persevered for FIVE MINUTES before throwing her hands up in the air and crying "Oh dear, I can't do it!" with a fountain of tears gushing down her cheeks. It was so adorable that I couldn't help but laugh (inwardly!) at her sweet little face that was so sad and heartbroken. I came and sat with her on the couch and while we cuddled I encouraged her to take a breath and sing calmly and stop at a good spot in the song so it would all fit on the little recorder. Once she calmed down she gave it another go and did marvelously! Evangeline beamed through her tear streaked face with glowing triumph - She had won!

In other news, here are some photos I've been meaning to share.... One hot summer afternoon a few months ago I asked my sisters Joanna and Mary if they would be willing to join the the girlies and I for some photo fun. Joanna had just returned home from being in Sweden for 9 months and I had a few places and ideas stirring in my head I wanted to play around with. These images are from the first location we stopped at... an old gas station that is no longer in service. Enjoy!

ln~

Real People

His twinkling eyes betray the laughter living inside and her huge ready grin that spreads all the way up to squeeze her eyes almost shut are some of the greatest reasons I love to hang out with Mike and Debi Pearl! They have the greatest sense of humor, and I love all the hilarious (and true!) stories they both come up with!

Their daughter Shoshanna and I met years ago, at what some would call a "chance meeting" - both of us over a thousand miles from our homes... but it was kindred spirits from the first moment! Debi actually met me first and called Shoshanna over to introduce us, sensing that we would be a great match for friendship. Since that day over 11 years ago, Shoshanna and I have traded visits, gone on cross country road trips, and had a whole ton of fun doing it all!

I love that their family is genuine, real, and down-to-earth... not changing their way of life with the opportunities of ease they could have chosen with their busy schedule heading up their large ministry, No Greater Joy. Instead they have delegated, and have a wonderful team of people who do much of the business side, which enables them to direct and write articles while still living a "real" life... using their own hands to do gardening (to eat, not just to look at), build things (such as houses and wood mills), clean house, and spend time together.

While visiting this Spring to do some photography work for Shoshanna and her husband James' business, the Bulk Herb Store, we crammed in some time one Sunday morning before church to do some relaxed photos of her family with her parents. They also wanted to document the amazing house that Mike is currently building for his bride at the top of their property... with almost a 360 degree view! Mike hauled all the rock up there with James, after digging each one out of an old abandoned quarry; he is cutting each one to fit in it's special place. Each portion of the foundation is amazing and custom fitted to showcase the beauty of each rock. It is beautiful, and it is being built by a big old mountain man, who lives his life for real and won't slow down!

And William is One

His squishy baby chub is soooo perfect and soft, his smile filled with 6 teeth flashes all day long, and his newly perfected art of screaming is filling the air with his presence! William turned a whole year old last month ( I know, I know, I'm more than late... third child syndrome?) on the 16th. He has brought much joy to our home this past year and we were all excited to celebrate him!

I took the little man out into the yard and snapped these photos on the run - literally - one afternoon to document his adorableness, and then whipped up this little card to invite the family to his party. And boy did we party! :) We cooled off in the pool and ate our fill of the most adorable monkey cake that Auntie Robin made. William loved it! I know people say the first few birthdays are for the parents, not the child, but this little man disproved that theory. He had a blast with all the attention, water, cake, and toys!


I love to design fun, unique cards of all kinds for my clients, so if you are interested in something that is original and fits your style, e-mail me at LNphotography at juno dot com!

~ln

Nutshells

Don't stop, keep moving, keep sorting/filing/editing photos for friends and clients that are waiting! Keep family first, spend time with Scott, make dinner, keep those 3 little faces in focus, clean the house from top to bottom in preparation of the coming yard sale... Can't stop my mind spinning at high speed with business marketing and design for LNphoto, waking at 4:30 am brimming with amazing clarity for my Game Plan...

In a condensed nutshell, this is what has occupied much of my mind and life as of late! :) I've got a few thousand photos to finish in the next week for different clients, so I'm sorry this blog has been so lonely - I aim to be more faithful to myself in this area.

As the kids get their Vitamin D I have had a few moments here and there to garden, which is something I very much love.

Enjoy a few images of the corner in my yard where I love to lay in the sun and breath deeply of the mixing aromas of damp earth, flowers, and grass as the bees buzz happily amongst the blooms!





PS - If anybody would like a few of those beautiful bright red Flanders Poppy seeds, I've been harvesting them like crazy and would love to spread their happy sunshine to others' gardens! Just shoot me an email (up at the top under my bio photo) with your mailing address and I'll get them out soon!

~ln

Princess Evangeline

"I want to dress up like a real princess, and can I wear some of your make-up too?!" Evangeline's little voice was breathless with excitement, joy, and anticipation. Our little Squeakydink, as her daddy calls her, is turning FOUR this weekend, and in honor of this rite of passage she requested get all fancy for some pictures. Yep, she's my girl!

"When I turn four will I get very tall with my legs and hands?" and, "I want to turn five instead of four, and then next year I will be four, okay?"... these are the sweet little comments that our girlie is spouting this week as she is 100% consumed with the fact that she will no longer be three!

Here's to another great and wonderful year with our beautiful princess!

~len

Missing for twenty years

"I found 'em!! I found 'em!!" My grandmother's voice was bubbling with happiness and joy one morning a few months ago, as she excitedly explained her cause of jubilation.

It turns out, around 20 years ago Grandmary had misplaced a box of her treasured jewelry... not expensive in cost, but valued in beauty and memories. After searching high and low at the time, she had given them up for good, attributing their disappearance possibly to an unpleasant renter who had taken other things and left about that time.

One household move and twenty years passed until one morning this past Spring when Grandmary was getting something out of her rarely used laundry room upper cabinets. She noticed a box at the back of one of the shelves and used a stool to climb up for a closer look. Lo and behold, it was her missing jewelry, lying untouched inside for all that time! In the move, the box had somehow been shuffled to the new home without ever being discovered!

This summer Grandmary treated my siblings John and Mary and my aunt Minda all to 3rd row seats at the visiting Andre Riu concert! They got fancied up for the evening on the town, Grandmary proudly wearing some of her newly discovered jewelry! She looked positively radiant, as did the rest of the group! I am proud to call them my family! :)


When I think of Grandmary, I simultaneously think of roses, as they are one of her greatest joys in life, and she has over 30 different varieties growing in her beautiful rose garden! I think it was fitting to do her portrait with her roses and pretty bling bling!


This is WAM, my one of a kind Wild Aunt Minda! Who else has an aunt who will take all the kids she can fit in her old car to town for ice cream, drive down Main Street with the windows down while everyone yells and waves to all they see... not to mention doing DONUTS IN THE PARKING LOT??!!! My aunt is amazing, and I love her! :)

I can hardly believe this is my youngest brother, John! He is nearly 18, and the most amazing man. He will be quite the catch to the perfect girl someday!

This is Mary, my 15 year old sister... this photo captures the essence of her personality so well! Spunky, happy, full of life, sunshine and giggles! I love how we have become better friends over the past year or so, and have enjoyed our hang out times!


~len