The color everywhere is so fantastic right now, but today is so windy that I fear it will be gone tomorrow. So here's yet another image from a family shoot by a lake. Sunsets by lakes in the fall are not a bad place to call your office each year, I've got to admit.I wish I had more to share today, but maybe tomorrow. I promise to find some juicy internet shares for you then!

This morning, we awoke to the sound of very large trucks on our street. Just out of frame (to the right) were enormous bulldozers (excavators, my son would correct).The were tearing down the house just to the right of the white one there. They are building a new home in its place, and the machinery they were dropping off was blowing my son's mind.Two hours later, the entire house was gone.I don't have any internet shares today -- I was shooting for a magazine about an hour south of the metro area today and have been out of pocket. But I will tell you about this.Last summer, when I was taking all those photos out at Colorado State University, I was teamed up with an amazing student intern who wrangled all of the models. She was about to start her last year of school, and was a tireless worker. She made me laugh and was so fun to be around. This is her.Last Wednesday, on her birthday, she was gunned down and died at the scene. She had turned 22. She was not what I would call a "friend," as we barely knew each other, so there's no need to send condolences. But she was a colleague who made and impression and I am so angry about the state of mental health care in this country I could spit.I am also pissed as all hell about gun control, but since she was killed by a military man, I realize many will argue that tougher laws wouldn't have stopped this. Those arguments are valid, but I still am fed up with the types of weapons everyday people can get their hands on.If you'd like to read more about her, here you go. She was lovely.

You might think our eldest child is excited for Halloween, but you would be mistaken.Rather, she is a little angry that I won't head out with her to enjoy this lovely fall weather, so she keeps barking at me from the bedroom. I finally threw this blanket on top of her (she loves to sleep under covers, like the princess she is) and she mellowed out. But I took a few photos first.I hope you guys have a wonderful weekend ahead! I only have one shoot this weekend, so we're planning lots of fun things with Ezra and I'm pondering all kinds of fall meals to make for next week. What are you guys up to?For your internet shares of the day:+ Neil Patrick Harris and his family go ALL OUT for Halloween, and I love it!+ I love this art project relating museum patrons to the artwork they examine, but I would never have the patience!+ I am coveting these sneakers.

This week has been a little bit nuts.Ezra came down with a 24-hour fever Monday evening, and we kept him home until today. That put a bit of a kink in our schedules as I had some meetings I was looking forward to (some Jamie covered me for, some I rescheduled) and then there was just a lot of quietly playing with/entertaining the toddler. We drew, we read and yes, we watched TV.We don't watch hardly any television with Ezra. Not because we are high and mighty and think all television is bad. I mean, we all know how addicted Jamie and I are to such classics as Buffy, right?No, we have found that when Ezra watches television, he turns into a zombie who will not listen to (or mind) his parents. We noticed this pretty early on, and just decided the nightmare it brought on the rest of the day wasn't worth the 30 min. of bliss it brought us in the morning.But that said, when the kid is sick and needs to rest, a movie is the best way to accomplish that. And luckily for us, when Ezra is sick he is pretty well behaved anyway. So we watched Robin Hood (which he adores) and The Incredibles (which I loved).Today the squirt is back at school and I am diving into the backlog of work. And you guys, it is so quiet in this house. It is glorious.Oh! The photo up there! I should mention that, eh? Well, even though I've been home during the days with Ezra, Jamie has been (wonderfully) coming home early from work so I can keep my fall shooting schedule. And of course, besides the amazing color, I'm drawn to the birds in the sky. Last night was lovely.Now! For your internet shares of the day!+ I don't want to own a cabin. I mean, I would take one if it were gifted to me, don't get me wrong, but I prefer to not have the added mortgage/headaches. That said, this blog post is so inspiring that I might someday change my mind.+ You know how much I love paper art. Such creativity!+ These photos of wildlife on an arctic island. Wow.

Last night I had a wonderful maternity session where the couple brought their *amazing* dog, Hudson. She was the sweetest, best-behaved girl, and I had so much fun working with her. I mean, her parents were great as well, but we all know my heart belongs to the dogs. Also? I'm not sure I've ever seen a dog with a coat this shiny. It was stunning.For your internet shares of the day:+ This piece, telling the stories of clothing from New York, sucked me in. Probably because it starts with a story from King Ad Rock, himself!+ This cake sounds amazing for the holidays.+ A dictionary explaining all the Ikea names! 

I'm out shooting tons of families this week, and we are soaking up the color. Just look at that lake shore!It's hard to be away from home each night when Ezra gets home from school, but I can't argue that all of the photos this week (and next) have the absolute best backdrops. Also? If you want next year's family photos in this color? Get at me. There's no limit on how far ahead you can book your shoots!For your internet shares of the day:+ Confession: I am a Minnesotan, and I've never made Chicken Wild Rice Soup. Maybe I should start here?+ Art made out of cassette tapes. Wow.+ Did you know you can buy pre-fab homes on Amazon? Me neither!

This weekend was busy, but with all the good things an October weekend should have.There was a birthday party, some decorating for Halloween, roasting of vegetables, cooking of soup, coffee with friends, fires in the fireplace, gathering provisions (grocery shopping) and a little yard work. We also had swim lessons, a few photo shoots and a lot of laundry -- those are not the most glamorous, but still necessary.The next 3 weeks are crazy busy for both Jamie and I on the work fronts, and then I feel like we can take a breath and settle in for winter. But even as we're slammed with work, we're doing our best to slow down at night, enjoy some soup and spend a few minutes as a family in front of the fire. I hope you all are able to take a few moments for yourselves as well!For your internet shares of the day:+ I'm starting to think about Thanksgiving and the table decor. Ezra loves blowing out candles, so I pondered this and this, but then realized he also knocks things over left and right. So maybe this or this? Oh, and look what I found at Target! Thoughts?+ Weird animal facts that made me laugh. I had no idea any creature could reproduce without sex.+ In case you missed this story, this couple survived the California fires by submerging themselves in a pool for 6 hours. This is an amazing story.

In case you haven't noticed, I go to the North Shore a lot.It is my happy place, and I want to share it with the world. Well... not literally. I like that it's quiet and not very crowded and still relatively cheap, so maybe I don't want to share it with anyone. Nevermind. Move a long.Just kidding.But anyway, I get a lot of questions from people about what to see and where to eat and where to stay when they visit. I've been extremely pushy when it comes to telling people about Scenic Cafe, as you know. (Sidenote, when I was there last week I ate brioche toast with soft bleu cheese spread on it and then figs and toasted walnuts on top and then drizzled in brown butter maple sauce. NOW do you see why you need to visit?)And I'm thrilled to report that I've found another must visit spot, and it's called fika. It is a divine coffee shop  just north of Lutsen. I found this spot on a trip last fall, and kept telling Jamie about it. Then this time I brought him there and he, too, is preaching the gospel.The beans are delicious, the mochas are unrivaled and the staff is super friendly and chill. And the pastries.... there is not a huge variety, but I promise you will love whatever you decide on.And for those of you with small children? They have a fantastic basket with wonderful toys that will occupy the kid for about an hour. When your child wakes up in the morning and is asking you to please go to the coffee shop, you know you are winning at life.They are open year round, so if you're heading up to Lutsen this winter, drive just 1 mile further north past the mountain and enjoy this amazing spot. And if you're not going to the north shore soon (what is wrong with you?), then you can order their coffee and such online.I need to promise you that I'm not being paid in any way or form for this post, I just wanted to share the info with you because if this spot doesn't thrive and stay in business for all of my visits I will be VERY upset. Now go forth and enjoy good coffee. For your internet shares of the day:+ I might need a pair of pink velvet converse high tops...+ Women are sexually harassed ALL THE TIME. I can think of 3 horrifying instances off the very top of my head that affected me, the first at age 7 or 8. The only thing that surprises me about this Weinstein mess is that anyone is even surprised.+ These ariel photographs are lovely.