A Cold Duluth Morning

Nicole braved the icy Lake Superior wind and snowdrifts with me on the morning of December 31st. I would have loved to have spent more time on the bridges, harbor and shoreline, but we only had a few minutes to spare before I had to get ready to get on my plane back home. And it was pretty hazy (and freezing!) anyway. I can't wait to go back this spring!

Beautiful: encore.

Because she just looks so amazing...

Beautiful

"A mother's joy begins when new life is stirring inside... when a tiny heartbeat is heard for the very first time, and a playful kick reminds her that she is never alone." - Author Unknown






Thanks again, to two (three!) of my very favorite girls. Love you!

Water Droplets

Happy Birthday, Jamie!

I had lots of cool ideas for Jamie's birthday gift, but as we walked through Home Depot, his eyes lit up like the glittering lights on a Christmas tree... I threw all other ideas out and got him what he REALLY wanted. A miter saw. It's only been a few weeks, and he's already gotten good use of it... he's been working hard on finishing our lower level, which will include a family room, kitchen area, bathroom, storage, my office and a studio space. We're both really excited, we've been flipping through various cabinet and trim samples, and countless paint color fans. Hmm, I guess the miter saw wasn't just a gift for him ;)

Night Lightning

Crazy weather we're having...


Above, this is me trying to capture lightning before reading about how to do it. Still kinda cool, but not really a "good" photo, it's pretty blurry. Below, after reading, and after the lightning stopped (how convenient!), this is me using a muuuuuch slower shutter speed and my new tripod (Thanks again, Liz & Paul!!) It's no lightning, but still pretty cool, I think. The color is from the orangey city lights off in the distance, filtering through the clouds.


Back to the weather: Yes, we're having a thunderstorm, and even a tornado warning. On January 7th. In Michigan, where the average temperature for Jan 7th is 29. We had weather in the 60's today! It was wonderful, we were out walking around the neighborhood at 5:30pm and again at 7:30pm, and it was still 62 degrees! I love it :) I did some research online, and if the data is correct, we beat our previous record high of 52 F in 1989! Pretty awesome. I could go for an early spring!

North Country

If you're in West Michigan, this is a sight you may not have seen in awhile... snow! (Can you believe we're going to have a few more days of this 50+ degree weather and rain?!) Anyway, it's been a very long time since my last post - just trying to adjust back to real life after having such a wonderful time in Minnesota with my family and closest friends.

Enjoy these wintery images - this is a lovely and common scene in Northern Minnesota, the land of sky-blue waters, pine trees, frigid temperatures, and ever-changing landscapes due to the mining industry.