The kids adore their dad. And he adores them. There is a lot of goofing off at our house. Lots of meals cooked together. Lots of playing sports and lots of love. Thanks David for giving me these four beautiful kids and thank you for loving them so much.
I have been going through old photos tonight. To remember why I we love the lake so much. This love affair with Northern Minnesota began the summer after I started dating my husband. We have enjoyed every summer at the lake (except for last year because I was due late July with baby #4) for over 10 years. We even got engaged up at the lake. And I love the lake. I do. Everything about the green trees, the fresh water, the thunderstorms, the time and memories with the family is all the LAKE and screams SUMMER. And I want to go this summer. Even if it means having to drive 4 kids and a dog and a helper up there…..I want to go.
I came across photos from 2006. And they are mainly of my little guy. I think I am feeling reminiscent of how he was 2 and my last baby and I am now bringing another baby up there to enjoy and play like he did. Like his twin brothers have too!
I am in love with the photos from that summer (and other summers too) and want to share them with you!
this one was taken the evening he had just gotten a bite in-between his eyes. poor lil man!
This set I adore because he was my “singleton”, my baby boy that came out of no where and I adore.
Dinner on the deck. (typical guy wanting to eat while a pretty lady is the only one that looks at the camera when she’s supposed to!)
The trips aren’t as much about the beauty - even though in the summer months it’s stunning there (compared to the dry, hot heat of California!) but it’s the memories. The memories of my lil guy and his pure joy over being in nature.
More photos of the lake to come soon. I can’t believe these shots were from 3 years ago. I feel like technically I have gotten so much better but I am uber happy that I got the shots I did to reflect on!
I love connecting people. I really do. I guess I love networking.
But first I have to explain how this “connected” post has come about.
I had Juliet in the summer of 2008. Juliet was squishy. Juliet was 4 days old. And I have some great pro photographer friends wanted to try something different with a “stork” looking mesh material hung in a tree, with Juliet in it. And I was and am thrilled to have images of my sweet baby girl as a little, tiny thing, in all her newness, in photos that I will treasure forever.
And before I explain the rest of the story, I have to post these shots of her getting “posed” in her hammock, stork like thingy……
Here is the crew of (left to right) Amy Boring, Carrie and Brittney adjusting Juliet in her hammock (look at how hilarious J’s face looks in the photo on the right!!!).
and her head adjustment
and her squishy face
and the final result (Bridget’s take on the whole thing but ESPECIALLY NOTED, “stylized” by Carrie and Britt)
and the editing in black and white but funky……”bridget style”
and a close up!!
I want to thank Carrie, Britt and Amy for their time and for taking these photos. J is already 10 months old and these images bring me to tears. I can’t emphasize the importance of having photos when your babies are this little. It’s a time that you can’t take back. I was so, so tired but these photos are so, so worth it! I am tearing up tonight wondering where all the time went in the past 10 months and how quickly it all goes.
*******Ok - so back to the story.**********
A few months ago, I came across the web reading about this really cool chick’s blog named Jodie or “jodified”. She won the PPA awards for the best blog of the year. I think she won 3rd but who gives a crap cause she’s really, really good and I so can relate to her! She has 3 kiddos (I have 4) and she is a fantastic, REAL photographer.
I would read Jodie’s awesome blog and try to keep up to date and then I just subscribed to get her email updates so I know when she has new blog posts.
Then one day Jodie had a tough day. Ironically, she quicly mentioned Carrie’s talent for being the original in “hanging babies”. So I had to write Jodie and share with her that my beautiful daugher Juliet was the first to be “hung” in a tree. (proud mama moment!).
Jodie wrote back.
I then wrote her randomly asking is she’s in Webster Groves (as an aside, I want to live in 3 places in the US - Kansas City, Webster Groves, Martha’s Vineyard It just feels sooooooooo AMERICAN to me!!! Maybe it’s the possiblity of the large front porches??? Plus I bet the historic homes are to die for!).
(okay back to the story!)
Jodie said “yes, she lives in Webster Groves” (thinking back I really don’t know why I asked this question). I guess subconsciously I realized that my close friend Kristen lives there too and it’s a must to connect Kristen and Jodi together.
Kristen and I go back to Cal State Fullerton days. I met her in a jazz class. She was and still is a phenomenal dancer. Years later, Kristen and I got reunited through my cousin Kelly after graduating because Kristen had a set of twins 6 months before I did. If it wasn’t for Kristen, I couldn’t have gotten through the first 6 months of being a mommy to twins as smoothly. There were very important things to discuss being a first time mommy. Let alone a FIRST time mommy to a set of twins!!! Yikes! So, Kristen was unbelievably patient in helping me through the process of firsts with my little set of kiddos! And I love her for it!
**************again, back to the story*****************
From what I understand, Kristen’s hubby liked Jodie’s work so much he has all kinds of things lined up for her (I LOVE THIS ABOUT connecting people) and they worked out a date, 3 hours later to take photos at their house.
Oh wait - I forgot to mention that Kristen and family are expecting baby #4 (just like our little family) and this was another HUGE reason to have Jodie come and take photos, asap since K is due with her baby within the next 2 weeks.
Here’s the shot from Jodie’s session that I adore the most.
and the dancer in me…. just gets giddy with this shot.
I just want to say that “connecting” friends and family together is what means the most to me. Truly. I love making things work. I am also being a bit selfish here. Now that Jodie and Kristen are together. I get to look at Lara and Kristen’s beautiful growing family through Jodie’s lens because it’s just right now impossible for me to physically be there. And through Jodie, I feel closer. And I feel their love. And I love that.
xo.
And lastly - HAVE TO MENTION this!!! That you have to blog, blog, blog. Because it makes you “connected”.
We got the fortunate call to meet up with my hubby’s Uncle to hang out in San Diego because they had an extra room for us to stay in. So our crew of 6 hoped in the minivan to cruise down to San Diego to enjoy some fun in the sun with a great family!
Here’s a sneak peek at part of our weekend at the pool. Had to have a retro finished photo in the lot. This one cracks me up because of J’s tongue and how babies sometimes can be right next to each other and barely interact at all. At this time the cement wall was a bit more interesting!
I just want to pinch her thighs! (Em - you guys make such a cute baby!!!)
And Emily, this is for you. Your two loves, kissin each other. (I told you I would get a shot of her smiling!!!) And look how she has the duck in the same spot, in the nook of her arm. Tell your mom and dad that we said thank you for reviving us and hanging with us and being so great!
And my crazy crew. (note the ham with the noodles and the fact that daddy’s little girl is the spittin image of him!)
This past month I had my flickr anniversary and it’s been 4 years since I joined. I was introduced to posting online by a good friend to join and start sharing photography. I was inspired. I was connecting. I was addicted! It was a place for me to check out others work and also post my own. The ride in the beginning was breathtaking. It was also a fun place to meet others who had the same passion I did for creating images.
One person in particular has photos that make you stop and think and want more. And then go back to the same photo again and have different feelings happen all at once and then again want more. This artist was living at the beaches south of San Franscisco when I met her on flickr and this one image in particular grabbed me. Deborah Lattimore.
Deborah has experience. Deb has a vision and she shares it. Deb is an original artist. Deb doesn’t hold back.
Back in the beginning days of flickr I started a group with a friend called “So, You Want to be a Professional Photographer” and it was the first of it’s kind on flickr with other members that joined wanting to start up a photog business. In this group we decided to have interviews of inspirational photographers to give us advice. I contacted Deborah and she kindly agreed and from then on we were friends. Her advice was simple and straight to the point and I like that about her!
This past year has been a unbelievable ride for Deborah. She was diganosed with breast cancer. Had a double masectomy and after countless chemo treatments, she is now in radiation treatments and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Although a crazy, bumpy ride she not only inspires me through her writings and fabulous photography carrying the readers through her journey - SHE IS POSITIVE ABOUT LIFE and shares her joy for it!
You can read more about her story with cancer here and you can see her photography here and here.
Deborah - here’s my apple for you. It represents life, youth and inspiration all wrapped together with a little beach bokeh. Which in my opinion SUMS you up.
xo.
A couple of friends and I finally got to hang out and it was so much fun! Carrie and Britt , Amy and Jen. I rarely get to hang out with them so when I got home this week it got me motivated to dig through older files to look at some pics from the last times we were together! Since having the baby it’s left very little time to go through files of friends and family. And now I am digging in deep to get through old, good stuff. And these make me happy.
Here is Carrie’s lil one. Pretty Lily letting her hair down. The most photographed baby (besides Juliet). And there is not a photo she looks bad in even when she’s not looking.
Love you Lily. xo.
by
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