Have a great senior year Grace! You are going to do amazing things in life, and it will all start with your personality! 

Make sure to follow the circle around and see what my friends were up to last month. First up is the very talented  Carrie Bayless and her stunning shots of MPLS.

I love working with small business and other artists to really showcase their brand through lifestyle images. Here is what working with Chelsea looks like... and yes, you want a custom gown.. I know I do!!! Make sure to look at all the images in the post, you also get to see how great a Modehaus gown would look on your wedding day. Hair and make up done by the fabulous Steph from SM Makeup Inc , seriously, she is your girl if you need hair and makeup! 

Don't forget to follow the circle around to see what my fellow Minnesota photographers were up to this month. First up is Carrie Bayless and you will love seeing where she visited. 

Make sure to follow the rest of the circle to see where they explored this month. First up is my very talented friend Lori at Lori Dozier Photography. Click here to see what she was up to this last month. 

Don't forget to follow the link around to see where my friends and fellow photographers explored this month, you may see some more apple orchards! First up is Erin make sure to see where she explored last month

In August we took a vacation to Ely, Minnesota, where we spent the week day tripping into the Boundary Waters along the Echo Trail. One evening we stopped at Fenske Lake, and took the very short hike down to a little beach. My husband always begs that we please not the kids get soaked when we stop at these on fly roadside places, which of course happens each time. Is that just my family that can't be near water, with out getting completely soaked?  

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Don't forget to follow the circle around and see what Minnesota looked like through these talented ladies eyes. First up is Melissa Rowley,  I just love following her work! Find her link here, and don't forget to follow the circle around, it's a good one! 

In January in Minnesota it's pretty common that the temps sit below 0 many days, and some days with the wind chill it drops to -30, so when it's above that we get outside and play and enjoy the winter wonderland. Here is my little guy and his best buddy exploring and just wandering through our back yard in fresh fallen snow on a mild January day. 

Don't forget to follow the circle around and see what my friends are up to. I'm so lucky to have this group of talented ladies in my life. They are pretty awesome. First up is the incredibly talented Lori of Lori Dozier Photography .  

Feeling like a 365 was out of reach, I knew something would need to change if I was ever going to attempt again. I needed to set a goal for my self, a purpose for doing this. I picked intent and growth.  Intent being the main motivator and growth being the outcome. I couldn't allow my self to continually snap random things all day in hopes of creating something worthwhile. I'm not knocking that, I learned so much about myself from that method. This time I just knew I needed to shoot with intent, and be forgiving of myself if the image isn't portfolio worthy, or perfect even. I don't put pressure on myself to capture a certain thing, but I do put thought into what I want to capture, if nothing is grabbing me that day I look for inspiration elsewhere, sometimes it's a technique that challenges me, and sometimes it's as simple as a word. Of course when good old fashioned inspiration comes knocking, I do my best to drop everything else and pick up my camera and answer. 

Here is my January, while I shot daily and stayed caught up on editing, I'm not ready to call this a 365 (366). We'll see what the year brings 

1.1 Getting Leia ready for bed 1.2 breakfast face 1.3 Look of Terror

She left today in a blur of excitement and energy, running out to meet the bus hand in hand with one of her best friends. Screams of laughter filled our neighbors driveway. It's hard to feel sad with so much excitement in the air, and the giggles of a day that has been anticipated. I was doing great riding on that excitement but then the thoughts that I have been pushing away all summer started creeping up. 'Did I do enough?' 'Did I appreciate all of this enough?' 'Did we have fun?' 'Did I give her the early childhood she deserved?' I know deep down the answer is yes, just as I know there are things I probably could have done to make it even better. And while that first bus ride seems so final, at 3:30 she will return with a smile on her face and all sorts of new tales to tell me. I know there are more adventures to be had, and I'm not losing her to school, I'm just sharing her.

Along with Kindergarten today she turned six yesterday. Why does that number sound so big?! I put together a little collage for her from the last year. It's funny but looking at that this morning is what put the smile on my face. All those pictures, All those memories, reminding me that yes, we had fun, yes, we appreciated life together, and yes, there is so, so, so much more to come. Kindergarten is just another adventure on our long list. 

Don't forget to see what the rest of her classmates are up to this week.  Next up is Tiffany Erb and you can check out her post here.

Well I guess that was a introduction to my parenting style, not to worry though everything will be done, and I won't accidentally miss the first day of school. :) So what have we been doing to get ready for school? Being out side, exploring, swimming, and finding adventures. My middle child and my only daughter would be happiest if she could be outside all day. She doesn't mind playing in the dirt and loves to keep up with her older brother. I'm a little worried about her being in a classroom all day, but I know that she will do amazing. Here is what our school prep has looked like the last two weeks and a visual introduction to her.  Make sure to follow the circle around to see what the class of 2028 looks like elsewhere first up is Paige Wilks and you can find her post here 

After another surgery at 7 months old, I finally took him in for professional pictures. They were cute, and the place did a great job. They put him in a little bathtub, lots of other props and he is smiling,  All our family ooohed and ahhhed. The whole process left me a little underwhelmed. They didn't feel real to me. They didn't seem to represent him and who he was. He was so, so, so much more than a smile in a bathtub.  While I already liked taking pictures at that point (really, what mom doesn't) my love grew after that. I wanted so much more from a picture, I wanted all of his personality. 

Along came 2 more kids, multiple camera upgrades, new lenses, a facebook page, clients, a website. I won't deny that a lot has changed, but I still believe that children, all of us really, are so much more than a smile. 

This year we celebrate him turning 10, 10 years since his first surgery and 5 years since his last surgery.

This is him then... (I didn't take the 2 pictures that I am in, my husband took those)

Here is now...  ​

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Lady Bug Girl books are read non stop in our house, so when this little girl showed up to her session with a costume, wings and wand in case their was time at the end, I couldn't say no. If you aren't Lady Bug Girl fans, you probably should be, Lady Bug Girl meets life's trials head on with her trusty dog by her side, no job is too big for her and Bingo. If you are as big of fans as my family is you will see the resemblance right away. Watertown MN Photographer   Family Photographer  Child Photographer Delano MN Photographer Minnesota Photographer

Thanks for checking out My Minnesota, now follow the blog circle around and see what December looked like with Tim and Madie Photography. They recently switched to all Fuji gear and their images are seriously gorgeous!!!

I love frost on windows, and a rare (no-makeup) selfie with me and my kids on our first snow day of the school year! I would have loved to have gotten more than one so I could have had more options, but I got one and I'll take it, imperfections and all. And then lastly, how I spend my winter months, inside with my youngest, who hates clothes! 

Next up is the very talented Tina Fisher at Tina Fisher Photography . Head on over and see what October looks like right down the road!  Then follow the rest of the circle around to see what these other talented Minnesota girls are up to! 

After you've checked our what "My Minnesota" looks like, I'd love it if you head on over to Allyson Wasmund Phototography to see what Minnesota looks like through her eyes this month!