This photo was pretty obvious since it was -21 degrees when I woke up this morning.Luckily, I don't have any frost like this on my actual house, but I ventured out to the garage for some lovely ice crystal imagery. I love taking macro shots of this stuff because it always looks like feathers to me. Or branches. Quite lovely, regardless!Luckily, my actual weekend was nice and warm. I'm still fighting off my head cold, so we stayed indoors almost all weekend (save for a date out for dinner and to see the new Star Wars -- which is FANTASTIC). We baked tons of cookies and a loaf of bread, we made lots of homemade meals and we wrapped presents and finally addressed our holiday cards. It was exactly what the doctor ordered.For your internet shares of the day:+ This SNL skit made me snort with laughter.+ If you need a last-minute gift for someone who is hard to shop for, this stuff is DIVINE. I don't own any myself (sadly), but we use it as a prop on set all the time, and one time I grabbed it to slather on my hands when they were super dry and OMG it was like heaven. I've wanted a tube ever since.+ I love this story about a boarding house for career-minded women that is still in operation in Manhattan.+ Here are some lovely photos of places both in summer and winter. Needless to say, I prefer the winter imagery, so I guess I'm living in the exact right place after all.

Yesterday, I was scouting a location for next week's shoot, and I adored these holiday decorations that I spied. I like to keep things simple, and this spoke to me.Since it's Friday, I'm light on words and long on links. I hope you all have a wonderful, warm weekend. The high for us on Sunday is MINUS NINE. Since I've been fighting a head cold all week, I plan on staying inside and keeping things cozy. Except for tonight when I have a date with my man to see Star Wars! Eeeeek!And speaking of movies, some good trailers are in this roundup of internet shares!+ I hope this movie is grand, but the choice of release date scares me a little.+ Same for this film. But I'm such a Hermoine fan that I'll be there no matter what. + One of my favorite bloggers went to Europe and only took photos from her iPhone. Amazing work.+ I need this item in my life.+ If you are still needing gift ideas for your lady (or man! no judgement!), this jewelry is fantastic.

I had my last holiday family photo shoot this week, and it was so much fun! This little girl is just the cutest, and so is her sister (below).While I do love taking family photos at the holidays SO much, I cannot lie -- it is a wonderful feeling to know I have two weeks at a little bit of a slower pace. Well... actually, make that one week. Next week I'm booked solid working on a big commercial shoot, but the week between the holidays? I plan on slowing down and enjoying my own family.I am planning on sitting by the fire, reading books with my kid, and baking cookies. In fact, for your internet share, here are some cookie recipes I'm thinking would be good for the family to make together. If you have your own favorites, please share them in the comments!+ Chocolate and peppermint? Yes, please!+ I've never made these wreaths before, but I think they look easy and I think Ezra will be fascinated by food coloring.+ And then if I get more ambitious, I think these cookies with jam look super tasty.

Well, I'm sort of a mess over here... pushing procrastination to the extremes. Blogging for the day at 11 pm? It's like 2012 over here!Tonight I met up with some of my girl friends from the newspaper (see? it really IS like 2012!) for drinks after work. We got some Korean BBQ takeout (yum!) and headed to this new(ish) distillery, where we drank amazing hot toddies and caught up on life. And you guys? Warm drinks on days like this are essential.I was just thinking today that for being in the single digits, temperature wise, the cold really wasn't bothering me much, and I must now be a true Minnesotan. But then walking to our cars this evening was brutal and I wanted to curl up in a ball and die. When I turned on the car, the announcer was saying the windchill was twenty one degrees below zero. So yeah. I guess that's where my breaking point is. Jesus.For your internet share, I only have one.+ This. It's important.

Um, so it's 8:30 pm, and I just realized I haven't blogged yet today.Welcome to my week.I am I.N.S.A.N.E. with last-minute holiday family shoots right now, and while I'm doing that I'm prepping for a big commercial shoot next week and I'm organizing/delivering a TON of donations from my charity drive (thanks all you awesome people who donated to the Jeremiah Program with me!), and I'm trying to, you know, do some Christmas shopping. And plan a trip to see Santa. And figuring out when to make cookies. And trying to get my packages all in order for the mail. And, and, and, and!You get the drift. We are all like this right now, I suspect.So you are getting bonus photos from this weekend, when I stepped away from all the madness and went sledding with the family. Oh, how I love my boys (and my dog). Enjoy!

What a weekend!Of course, I had some photo shoots, but those were fun because: SNOW! But I also had a ton of time with the family cooking meals, organizing our charity drive for Jeremiah House, sledding, throwing snowballs, getting a Christmas tree, decorating the tree, making hot cocoa and watching movies on TV. It was GLORIOUS.Overall, I would say it was cozy, and that's how I love my weekends.I snapped this image of Ezra watching his dad snow blow the sidewalks during the storm. I, just like the kid, love sitting on the warm radiators while watching the cold outside.For your internet shares of the day:+ This video of the Obamas answering kids' questions is awesome. I will miss this so much. We have done a complete 180 when it comes to kindness and warmth in The White House, and it makes me sick to my stomach.+ On that topic, if you liked Breaking Bad, you will get a kick out of this.+ I think I need these socks.+ This seems like an easy dinner that the kid might like.

Of course I had to post more parade photos! How could I not?This was such a fun thing to photograph. But also? It was hard. I carried all of my gear in my bag on my back while running along side the parade (and running in front of it, falling into it, then sprinting back to the front). My back might still be recovering. I feel old.But I wouldn't do it any other way.I hope you enjoy these images on a wonderful Friday.  Internet shares:+ Inspiration for aging gracefully.+ This basement bathroom remodel has sucked me in.+ Some pretty art for your house.+ Oh that James Corden is the best.+ Feathered dinosaurs? YOU ARE BLOWING MY MIND, SCIENCE.

Yesterday I had a shoot with this little buddy! Isn't he adorable? I photographed him back when he was 9 days old, and to see him 11 weeks later sure was fun! Plus? That smile! For your internet shares of the day:+ A note to Breitbart. About publishing lies. Remember, the guy who runs it is up for Trump's cabinet. Unfuckingbelievable.+ A great stocking stuffer for your local music fan.+ I like the idea of this cook book.