The last hour at Kirk Park Beach, Grand Haven, MI

After almost a month with no sun, when we saw there was sun in store for almost an entire day - we took advantage! We went to the playground, played outside in the yard, and just before sunset, drove the 10 minutes to this glorious place! We are so lucky to live here.

And garbage pick up - we all just have to do it. Even more so if it’s not our own…

Halloween 2018 - Raptor Blue, Starry Eyed Witch, and Cinderella.

Halloween around here is always loads of fun, and this year the kids had something extra special to look forward to. Trick or treating in our OWN neighborhood!! Handing out candy to loads of glorious children!! Decorating our home!! It was an absolute blast, and I’m so grateful.

Ilana was very adamant about being a witch this year, and I love her choice. She’s so expressive and beautiful and wonderful <3. She has always been in love with books that are other worldly and magical, and it’s such a joy to see her imagination come to life.

Autumn is our princess of a daughter, through and through. She is the most beautiful Cinderella I know.. (I know, mushy mom stuff - but hey, it’s true right?) Watching her run from house to house with her hair flowing in the wind and her dress waving behind her was such a glorious sight. I was seriously in awe of her.

And my little Oran Joseph… My sweet boy who’s whole world right now is legos, dinosaurs, tractors, and his family. Such an innocent sweetness that I love to watch in him. Of course, he chose raptor blue from Jurassic World, and already there is a plan for next year: Owen Grady.

Selfies with the big camera don’t always work out, but I want to be in their photos, no matter what. I want them to know and remember me there. I don’t care if they’re blurry or if I don’t like my face that day. Any photo with me and my kids is an absolute treasure.

From top to bottom, Oran’s, Autumn’s and Ilana’s. We had the most beautiful weather on Halloween and the kids and I decided to skip going to the gym, and sit outside on the front porch, soaking up the sun and carving these up. Everyone was very messy, and it was lovely.. :).

Thanks for being here, friends..! And Happy Halloween!!

An evening at Rosy Mound Natural Area, Grand Haven, MI

Rosy Mound Natural Area has quickly become one of our family’s go to favorites for an amazing workout. Because oh, those stairs! And oh, that beach..! And oh, That SUN…! And to be honest, I usually don’t take my camera with me because I’m usually huffing and puffing, trying to keep up with the rest of my family, which I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. Thanks for being here! <3.

Believe it or not, our littlest Autumn is the one to keep up with!

Thank you for being here, friends! <3

Sunset, and Moonrise - Full Blood Moon

We took the kiddos to the beach on July 27th to watch the sunset and the moonrise. They were only a few minutes apart that evening and it also happened to be a full blood moon. Ty grabbed the 300L (here), and although it makes the most sense to photograph the moon with that lens because it's our longest lens, I just do not enjoy shooting with it. It's an f/4, and it's very heavy - so hand holding with slow shutter speeds it very difficult for me. But here's what I got!

The sunset over the beach was stunning through the clouds, and the moonrise was so very beautiful. I've been so interested in the moon cycle lately, and I'd love to learn more about the moon and it's effect on our lives and moods. The top photo below, where the moon looks orange, was at 9:30pm, just after rising at 9:15pm. The bottom image below was around 12:30am right outside of our house!

The full moon was shining so brightly through our bedroom window, and I couldn't help myself! I jumped out of bed to grab our beloved 200mm (here), and stood outside looking up in awe for about ten minutes. The clouds were out in force and moving fast. It was an incredible sight.

Thanks for visiting, friends <3!

Sunset at Windsnest Park, West Olive, MI

As many of you know, my family has relocated to Grand Haven, Michigan, this summer. So far, it's been a beautiful few weeks full of sunshine, beaches, hiking, dunes, and general exploration! I've decided not to take clients until spring of 2019, in an effort to take care of my family and myself. Instead, I am going to make the endeavour to document our family life once again, and hopefully I'll motivate myself to share it with you as well! Thank you for being here <3.

Being 4 miles from the lake-shore, we are definitely spoiled by choice.. But this beach was recommended to us by a friend, and it's quickly become one of our favorites.