Birthdays in Amish Country :: Personal

Because my mom didn't want to fork out the time nor money to plan an enormous birthday party every year, growing up I was able to have a real fiesta - one with friends and party hats and the limbo - every other year. On the off years I got to choose one friend to do something special with me and my family. One year we went to the circus (totally awesome), once we visited my grandma three hours away, and one time we watched the national tour of Figure Skating Champions on Ice. In other words, whether it was a party year or a Champions on Ice year, my birthdays kinda rocked. So this year it only made sense that we plan something extra fabulous for the weekend. Not so much because I'm especially enthusiastic about my birthday, but more so because we have an opportunity - an excuse, really - to do something we would otherwise have a hard time justifying.

Which is exactly why tomorrow morning Colton, Kate and I will be heading to Lancaster, PA. to check out America's largest farmer's market, eat a lifetime supply of homemade jam, and stay at an Amish bed + breakfast. Horse and buggy may not be the typical idea of a wild and cr-azy birthday party, but let's face it, Mom, neither was the circus.

I'm leaving you with the following shot from last Saturday's wedding in D.C.. It will be the first of two sneak peeks from a wedding that included one church, one reception, and two beautiful couples. Stay tuned.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Michelle

P.S. Judging by how much I loved the circus birthday, there is a pretty huge chance I will be loving my Amish birthday equally as much.

Good Beer + Days Off :: Personal

It's like clockwork. Anytime I get less than five hours of sleep I will, without fail, get sick. So when I woke up at 4:15 to spend time with Colton before he left for work, I knew the day ahead would be a rough one. Fortunately for me, my beautiful friend Kate is spending the week with us and she was ohsohappy to spend an entire day snuggling on the couch watching Anne of Green Gables and drinking chamomile tea with honey. She's a good friend, I know. And because I haven't been able to take a day off for the last three weeks, I have a hunch this was God's magic plan to give me rest. ...And a totally necessary dose of some Green Gables love.

Kate's dad sent his daughter with two {amazing} bottles of Green Lakes Organic Ale from our home town. It's Colton's favorite and it was the most wonderful reminder of where we're from - and who we love.

Happy Day,

Michelle

Chase :: Central Oregon Senior Portraits

His session came on my last day of my trip to Oregon. I was exhausted from shooting a wedding and six other seniors, and I missed Colton - ridiculously so. But something about Chase's session was more like a breath of fresh air than just another job to be done. His easy going nature and ruggedly handsome looks made our time at his grandparent's Central Oregon ranch a sort of reprieve from life. I left Chase's shoot wanting to change the way I structure portrait sessions to something more calm, relaxed, and simple. And maybe something a little more real. Like Chase.

The below right picture is with the chaps Chase's grandma made for him at age three. When Chase had his man-sized chaps custom made earlier this year, he had them designed after that first pair from his grandmother.

I like.

Happy Tuesday,

Michelle