in the orchard, in the rain....

dwight + rochelle

two beautiful people from some beautiful families on a perfect night.....

*more to come*

dimples and whiskers

can't get over it! so cute!!

love in north dakota

let's just say this wedding made me giddy.

*more to come*

yes, please.

"mom? can you put your snuggle jammies on?"

"why?"

"cause i am gonna snuggle your face off."

well, all right then :)

two and a half.....a long time in the making.

Remember her? My beautiful best friend? Yep. Still annoying that she looks this good when she's THIS pregnant. Isn't she foxy? I love her love her.

Smooches Foxy.

{camera specs:

canon 5d

85mm f/1.8

shot at f/2.8

1/640 sec

ISO 100

perfect overcast day :)}

and that husband of hers isn't half bad either ("lookin like Shaft....")

we had about 5 1/2 minutes to get some pics with Steve. partly because I had to pick up my family, and partly because we weren't interested in getting creamed by the oncoming train. both seemed important. good thing these two can strike a wicked-awesome pose or two.

{camera specs:

canon 5d

85mm f/1.8

shot at f/3.2

1/100 sec

ISO 160}

these two pictures have very different looks, but we like both.

what do you think?

what i'm craving

sidewalks warm to the touch

crickets (but not cicadas)

long glimmery light

the smell of bananas and coconut and sunscreen

. . . . . .

anyone else dreaming of summer?

she's just that kind of girl. the kind that always loves you no matter what, no matter how long it's been or how things have changed. she's that girl with all the spunk and all the talent. she's a joy, an inspiration, and she's wild as a goose.

and i think her daughter may be catching on.

i love you kimmers.

well good morning to YOU sir!

it's so worth it.

it started out innocent enough.

"mom, what are you doing?" he waddles out from his bedroom to me- bleary eyed at the computer at 1:00 am.

"hey bud, what's going on sweetie?"

he snuggles into my shoulder, his cheeks flushed with sleep.

"i think i need to go to the bathroom."

1, missisippi, 2 missisippi.

explosion.

yeah, his assumption was accurate. two more times and his dinner is EVERYWHERE.

we run.

"nate" I call from the bathroom, "we need you."

he came, we cleaned, miles lay down on the floor. it was 3:30 before i lay down next to him.

every 45 minutes, we start again.

he's on the couch, i lay on the ottoman next to him, my calves hanging off the end, my hand on his back. with every twitch, i lunge for the bowl. three times, he doesn't make it, and i'm covered in mommy-responsibility.

at 6:10 am, he grabbs the bowl, i hand him a sip of water, he collapses backwards onto the floor. i tuck a blanket around his face.

"sank you mamma."

i smile.

anytime...

remember them....

their slideshow is ready.

go HERE to check it out.

Daniel and Miriam, you are the best of the best. I just love you both!

oh canada......

in honor of the olympics, here is my little maple leaf.

(so this makes sense, that is a Canadian toque on his noggin......just to be clear :)

Hey Jude!

These are two (and now three!) of my favorite people. Whenever I see them, no matter how long it's been, or how uncool I've become, I still always feel that, for whatever reason, they still love me. They just exude happiness. They laugh easily and love each other completely. It is a JOY to be around.

Kim and Lebeau, thanks for always being so kind and accepting of me and so completely selfless and giving. I love you guys oodles.

(and thanks for making my life soooo much easier ;)

Here is one beautiful little family......

and introducing the next generation......

and, yes, I AM jealous that straight from heaven he already has a better tan than I do. Ah, long gone are the days of non-pasty-gangsta-legs. Wo is me...

i love her

that is all.

lovey dovey

here's what my little gentleman did for me this year.....

they surprised me by decorating our sweet ride with all sorts of party decor. so cute. they also got me some self-help books (what are you suggesting sweets?) and Miles took a much needed picture of my Schmoopy and me. i'm super impressed! and now i'm looking over my shoulder cause i'm not quite ready to pass the family business on just yet! i do have some critique however. maybe next time let's not shoot from the double-chin angle, and let your poor mother change out of her jammies and put her makeup on. we don't need any more documenting of my sleep face. oh well, what can you expect from a 4 year old?

nothing like love paired with swashbuckling :)

observe the sweet duds on the Chancho (aka Miles). choose your battles right?

a little Alfalfa action

my handsome little devils

LOVE YOU BOYS!!!

sneak peek....

the cool kids

The Lakes have been intertwined with my life for as long as I can remember. Jessica was my babysitter and would make up dances to Cyndi Lauper songs in our living room. She also comforted me as I lay in her lap as a 5th grader crying because I was sure no one liked me. Margaret took me to an Ani Difranco concert when I was 12 with her much older friends and thought it was awesome that I wore tights covered in fruit. John built an ice rink in their back yard and loved to fart on me while I slept. But to his credit, he also hugged me in the halls of East High as a Freshman when he was the much cooler Senior. Meredith and I bonded in the "No-Boyfriend Club" and ooogled over the very delicious Polys at school like Jason Kafusi (secret's out, sorry). She giggled infectiously and loved to call me Kops. Stuart and I were the closest of little buddies until boys got cooties and girls got crazy. We bought matching Airwalks and spent a summer sitting in trees singing Eternal Flame by the Bangles. And another summer amazed that we barely escaped our attic clubhouse before the crazy neighbor set it on fire.

With the Lakes I attended my first Guinea Pig wedding, complete with real wedding invitations and formal attire. Susan's perfect pink frosted cookies and fragile little hors d'oeuvres were served on silver platters. Their dad Randall taught me about the beauty of art and acceptance. I spent time outside of his studio examining Stauzie (sp?) the dogs' teeth and fighting hard against the urge to eat the sugar cubes from his still life set up.

Their mom Susan introduced me to German pancakes and wheat toast with tomatoes and minced onion. She was my beloved English teacher in High School and allowed our class to have a treat bucket my senior year, and we dined on things like pizza and candy necklaces every Friday.

Now, we are all grown. Some of us with kids of our own. Some of us still in Utah, some in Chicago, some in the Lake's second home of Balboa. But one thing stays the same. No matter how far we go, or how much time passes, with the Lakes I always feel at home. I always feel 100% loved and I always feel way cooler than I really am. Because the Lakes are the kind of people you want to be around. They are beautiful and natural and hilarious and eternally young. Like the cool group you wish you could hate but secretly kill to be a part of. And through all the ups and downs that life has thrown at them they still love (and fight :) and laugh fiercely and you get the sense that there's no one they would rather be with than each other. It's inspiring.

I am one lucky girl to know them.

I wanted to include some pictures of Randall's studio where we did the session. The entire place is like a piece of art. It really shows what an amazing artist he is.

I could stay there all day.

for some more Lake fun go here.