Oh my, I am excited to share these images! These two precious babes are my twin nieces. I was finally able to meet them for the first time when I was home in Minnesota a month ago, and my heart was filled to overflowing. We decided to do a quick photo session while I was there, and even though it was really simple and short, I am so glad we took the time.
Families
Newborn: Everly Mae
My heart melted a little bit on this day.
Although I have nieces and nephews, I've always lived far away and been unable to see them as newborns, let alone be in the hospital to meet them and see my siblings holding their newborn children. So it was an amazingly special moment to be around these new parents soon after their daughter arrived. Joy absolutely radiated from each of them, and it was very clear that this girl is going to be so well loved.
Welcome to the world, Everly, and congratulations once again, Ben and Katie!
Mount Bierstadt (Documentation Of A Hike)
The final day of our camping trip to Guanella Pass was spent hiking up Mount Bierstadt. It was my second fourteener in two months (which I thought could be the start of a trend, but unfortunately was not), and I was excited to check this peak off my list.
The day started off with an absolutely stunning sunrise, with colors and light that were unreal. We were still in the parking lot at that point, gearing up for the hike, so I grabbed some quick shots before we got started.
The hike itself was a lot different than the other few fourteeners I have hiked/attempted. It begins in an alpine marsh, with tangled willows all around. The light continued to be amazing as the sun rose higher, and the frost melting off the grass caught the light in the most perfect way.
We even walked through a small flock of ptarmagin, which I had never seen before. They were already in full winter mode, with their white coats and feathery legs. Their ability to blend into the alpine landscape is amazing, and they just stood and quietly watched us as we (well, mainly just me; Scott was doing fine) struggled on up.
We reached the summit under great conditions, albeit a little on the cold side. The clouds were amazing, and as is always the case on top of 14,000 foot peaks, the view was spectacular. Unfortunately I was feeling pretty rough at that point, and didn't quite appreciate everything as I wish I would have. In fact, because I was feeling so miserable, I only took a few photos while we were up there. We spent some time at the summit to enjoy the view, and then started the long hike down.
And, last but not least, a photo of me and Scott at the summit! I don't usually post these types of photos here, but I figure getting to the summit of fourteener number two warrants sharing a photograph of us at the top. Mount Bierstadt was a struggle for me, but this guy is so incredibly encouraging and patient, and stuck with me through the end. I am so glad I pushed through it and made it to the top, and cannot wait to check some more off the list this spring/summer!
Next up: something completely different. Last October I traveled to a town on the border of Kansas and Colorado to join a friend in exploring her family's old, and now abandoned, home. We were attacked by birds (sort of), witnessed lots of dead critters, and also documented a really unique and beautiful place. Be sure to check back to see what I'm talking about!
And, don't forget, feel free to share via the links below, and leave a comment to say hello! Thanks everyone!
Flashback Friday: Driveway Creations
How far into the past does something have to be to be considered a flashback? It has been just shy of two months since I had my last day as a nanny in Manhattan, KS, and I still think of that family often. It seemed appropriate then, that this post be dubbed the next "Flashback Friday" post.
I absolutely adored the creativity and imagination these kids have. I would generally have a rough idea for a craft or game, but they always managed to turn it into their own thing. I loved sitting back, and watching them come up with their elaborate games and scenarios.
Unfortunately, these are the last images I have from my summer with these amazing kiddos. It was an incredible summer before moving on to this new adventure I am on, and I will forever be glad I was able to spend that time with them.
Next up, more mountains! My first weekend in Colorado was spent on a grand adventure with my best friend and her puppy, and I cannot wait to share those images. Check back soon!
St. Croix Garden Tour
A few weekends ago I drove up to Minnesota to surprise my mom for her birthday weekend. The surprise was a big success (the look on her face was priceless), and it ended up being a perfect, albeit short, weekend with my family. That Sunday, her actual birthday, we went on the St. Croix Garden Tour. My family generally goes every year, though it has been a while since I was able to join. We saw some beautiful gardens, and it was fun seeing my nephew enjoying it all as well.
This first garden was my favorite from the tour. It was located on a plot of land that used to be a dairy farm, and had massive gardens that sprawled through the woods, and included a perfect little creek, the old dairy barns, and a tennis court tucked in the back. It was stunningly beautiful.
The gardens after that were a bit smaller, but each had their own charm. My family got lots of ideas for their own gardens from the tour, and I kept on dreaming about the home I will have someday.
New posts over the next few weeks may be a bit sporadic, as I get ready to help Scott move to Colorado next week, and then move myself a few weeks after that. I will try to keep things up here, but if it go quiet, trust that I will get caught up again after I am settled in somewhat.
Little Ones (Nanny Life)
The first summer of my graduate school career I nannied full-time for a precious little family in Manhattan. I came to absolutely adore the kiddos (it didn't take long), so I was extremely excited when they asked me to spend the summer with them again!
They added one more little one to the bunch since the last time I was with them (the one below), and she has quickly stolen a piece of my heart as well.
I'm always trying to think up new things to do that will keep them all occupied, and also burn off some of their energy for their mom and dad. This particular day we used up every last bit of the chalk to draw a massive road all over the driveway. We brought out cars (and a random Barbie), and had a blast "driving" around.
When I first got my camera out they just wanted to pose for me, but after a bit they went back to playing, forgetting about me and my camera for the most part. I love sitting back and watching what their vivid imaginations come up with while they play. They are so creative, and the scenarios they come up with range from hysterical to super sweet, and everything in between.
It was a bit hot, and very humid that afternoon, so even though they weren't running around a ton, everyone was sweaty, dirty, and even a little tired. :)
I will likely be sharing lots more images of these guys throughout the summer, so be sure to check back in the coming weeks to see what we have been up to. In the mean time, have a great Wednesday! And, don't forget to check back on Friday for the Flashback Friday post (hint: more images of the beautiful Red Rive Gorge will be up)!
Christmas in Spearfish (Part 6)
Now that my thesis show is over, I finally have had some time to finish up images from Christmas!
We had planned on leaving December 30th, but that morning the car refused to start. After Scott and my brother suffered through the below zero temperatures while trying to get it started for nearly half a day, which involved a new battery, multiple sets of jumper cables, and a space heater, we ended up having it towed to the dealership in town. They found that the starter needed to be replaced, and so we opted to just leave the next morning and instead spent the rest of the day lounging with my family. I took advantage of it and pulled out my camera to grab some images of my nephews as they wrestled and ran around.
That is (finally) it for the images from our Christmas trip. Stay tuned for photographs of my thesis installation up next!
Christmas in Spearfish (Part 3)
This Christmas was perfect. We woke up while it was still dark, but as it got light we were able to see the snow coming down heavily outside, just like a snow globe. When I picture my ideal Christmas, this was it. Plus, Christmas morning is so much better with little nephews around. The excitement they have is absolutely contagious, and you can't help but smile as they scream with joy while ripping off wrapping paper to discover what is inside. After opening presents and eating too many waffles with whipped cream, we went for a walk in the snow with the boys, which may have been the highlight of the day for me.
Christmas in Spearfish (Part 1)
Happy holidays everyone! This is the first post of a short series documenting this year's Christmas adventure. Last year Scott and I went on a long road trip with his parents to visit his sister and her family in Arizona (you can see images from that here). We spent quite a bit of time climbing, and had hopes of making that one of our Christmas traditions as a couple. This Christmas Scott and I decided to visit my brother and his family in Spearfish, South Dakota, since I hadn't seen them in over a year. As an added bonus, Spearfish has a rather incredible climbing scene, including ice climbing (which I will get into in later posts), which allowed us to continue the tradition.
Our drive out to Spearfish was a bit of a stressful one. It is a long drive (nearly 12 hours), and on top of that we had to deal with some not so pleasant weather. The winds started to pick up midway through Nebraska, and by the time we hit South Dakota we were driving in wind gusts of 60 mph, and sustained winds around 40 mph. The snow and ice picked up in South Dakota as well, though luckily the roads didn't start to freeze until we were less than an hour away from my brother's house. We were quite glad we left as early as we did, or we would have been in a much worse situation.
The day after we arrived involved a pleasantly lazy morning watching the snow slowly fall outside. A perfect little snow flake was stuck on the window, and I couldn't resist attempting to photograph it. We have been lucky (in my opinion) and had some snow every single day of our stay here, and I have been loving every minute.
That evening we went for a ride on an 1880s train with my brother, Kyle, his wife, Michelle, and their twin boys. The train was a Polar Express style ride, complete with sugar cookies, hot chocolate, and a visit from Santa after we picked him up from the North Pole. The boys were great and loved it all, and it was a nice little adventure for us as well. Unfortunately, it was quite dark and since the boys are constantly in motion, the opportunities for photographs were minimal, but I did manage to get a few that are worth sharing (though mostly just ones of Kyle and Belle).
That's all for now, since I have hundreds of images still to sift through and edit. I hope you all had a very merry Christmas, and wonderful New Year's celebrations!
The DePriests
Yesterday I had the pleasure of going out to shoot some family photographs of the DePriest family. I have been babysitting these amazing kiddos since this fall and have come to completely adore the family. Unfortunately, as a result of being a military family, they are moving in just a few short days and so this was really my last chance to spend some time with them. Even though it was a quick shoot, I am so glad I was able to grab some images for them before they head off on their next adventure!
