The past two weeks, I've posted photos that show a feeling literally, with either a pensive bride or a tired child. But today, I wanted to post something else -- objects or scenery that expressed how we feel at times.On Sunday, we took Ezra to Stillwater to play at Teddy Bear Park (HUGE hit, by the way -- we will certainly return), and we got home around 1 pm. It was then that I made fourteen batches of pesto with the remaining basil from the garden and froze them all. Then I made Jamie a birthday cake. Then I made buttermilk frosting from scratch. Then I taught Ezra how to frost the cake. Then I made Jamie's favorite dinner. And at 5:30, we sat down to a candle-lit dinner in the dining room, ate a wonderful meal and sang happy birthday and enjoyed a fantastic cake.So today was packed and messy (so, so messy!) and wonderful. And the warmth and happiness I get from cooking for those I love is like nothing else. And when I looked at the kitchen in the midst of the mayhem this afternoon, I bubbled with pride that I was preparing amazing meals for the winter AND making a cake AND making homemade frosting AND making dinner. And you know what made me happiest? That I loved it. That it wasn't hard work. That I was so thrilled to be doing it all.And speaking of cooking for the family, Cooking Light has 100+ slow cooker recipes this month. You can see them here. You're welcome!

Happy Friday everyone! These are some snaps I took while on the many hikes up north. I'm sure you are tiring of the nature shots, and I'll get back to babies and puppies etc next week, I promise. But this place fills my soul, and I want to keep reliving it for now.One thing I am drawn to on walks through the woods is the texture. You'll see lots of fungus, bark, branches etc in this set. I'm also fascinated by some of the color you see, so this will be a mix of color and b/w images.I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! Get out there and enjoy this weather! Oh, and this last shot is just one I found from dusk when we arrived. It makes me feel peaceful. I hope it does the same for you!

Hello! So, obviously, I went to the North Shore this week. And I've written about my love of this region many, many times. But usually, I don't go very far up the coast. Because I'm lazy and I want to stop driving.But this time! This time I drove up to Lutsen, and I stayed in the historical lodge at Lutsen Resort. For non-locals, Lutsen is also a "ski" resort in Minnesota (in quotations because I used to live in Colorado and that hill in Minnesota really doesn't qualify in my book). And so I always pictured this resort as a 1970s ski lodge type place with no character.Guys. I was so wrong.This resort has a ton of newer areas with condos and townhomes and cabins and "sea villas" which might very well meet that description. But the lodge itself is like the most perfectly kitschy Twin Peak-esque place ever. In fact, when I arrived, they gave us keys. Not KEY CARDS. But actual keys. I was charmed.Also! I didn't know this resort was located on a river that feeds into the lake. This makes the scenery even more breathtaking, and offers a few different hikes that keep you on the property. Plus? Who doesn't love the sound of a river? And I guess there's good fishing too or whatever.Below are some photos I took of the lodge and the grounds, and I for sure will be coming back here. And to prove that this resort is not paying me, I will say that the rooms were spotlessly clean, the place full of charm, and I had a smile on my face for most of the time. I will also add that the food was terrible at the resort's main restaurant, and I really suggest heading to Grand Marais for dinner instead. Sorry for that, but you want the truth.Also! If you are a coffee nerd like me, drive 5 more miles north to Fika Coffee and enjoy the best mocha of your life. You're welcome. Oh, and you can see the milky way from right outside the lodge. Now that is a pretty awesome perk.

Last night I slept in a room far from a toddler or a dog who could wake me up at the crack of dawn. I was under a down comforter next to open windows with a crisp breeze and the sound of the lake crashing on the rocks below me. I was free to sleep in like a sloth and enjoy every minute of it.So of course I woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed at 5:57 am.THIS CHILD HAS RUINED ME. But I guess it's all been worth it.Anyway, I threw on some jeans, brushed my teeth, and headed out to take some photos of the sunrise. I mean, what else was I gonna do? Lay in bed checking facebook and playing games on my phone? (Actually, that would have been great as well! But not every day do you have that gorgeous lake outside your door). So I headed out and was completely, one hundred percent thrilled that I did. The sunrise did not disappoint.Then we had breakfast, went for a hike, grabbed some coffee and hit the road. I got back to Minneapolis at 3:45 pm, just in time for my 5 pm family photo shoot down at the lake. Did I mention I barely squeezed this trip in? Yeah. That's an understatement. But again, totally worth it.I don't have much of an internet share today, but I did think this was hysterical, and I would love to see what Magda would do if I tried to carry her in my purse.

Yesterday, my buddy Nyberg and I headed up to the north shore -- further north than I've been in about a decade. And you guys? It was so worth it. The fall colors were amazing (as was the company) and we had a blast. We also had an amazing lunch at our favorite restaurant, and then we took two hikes through state parks to see the views. I'd say we picked the right spots, eh? But I would be lying if I said we weren't beat from all the hiking and fresh air. We're gonna head to bed early with the windows open listening to the waves of Lake Superior rolling in. After we head out to look at the starts, of course.No internet shares today. I'm too busy enjoying nature. Get out there! It's fabulous!

I had a weekend full of photo shoots paired with a serious head cold that hit me hard on Saturday. So when I was taking photos of this adorable two year old, and she was wearing out, I could feel her exhaustion. I could keenly feel how hard it is to keep working for great photos when all you really want to do is eat a delicious snack, laugh with your friends and maybe take a nap. But what I love about this image, besides how tired she clearly is, is the way her mother is looking at her. You can see the love there -- how she's holding this thirty-something pound toddler (carrying her around in the woods, no less) along with a bag, and she is still gazing down with such tenderness. These are the kinds of photos that I sometimes don't deliver to my clients because they aren't smiley -- they aren't the kind of images I'm being hired to take. But I love them nonetheless. They show how after an hour of hiking through the woods for great photos, kids get beat.I'm also going to include an image here of how this sweet girl turned around and turned it on for the camera one more time. Both because I want to show you her sweet smile, and also because I don't want you to think my shoots are miserable! (They're fun! I promise!)Enjoy.