back from the adks

I'm back from the Adirondack mountains and blissfully exhausted….a little too exhausted to edit pictures. Here's a very quick sneak peek and hopefully I'll get my act together and have more to post tomorrow!

painting with lila

I'm up in Saratoga Springs, NY right now enjoying another visit with my nieces and sister and working on a bunch of art projects for their home. We had all done a collaborative painting a month back and wanted to do 4 more small ones to create a gallery wall for the playroom. I'm thoroughly enjoying all the art time I've been able to spend with my niece this summer! It's amazing being able to nurture a young artist and watch her explore painting and I'm so excited that it's become a daily activity for her. 

ADK rewind

We are currently nestled amongst the High Peaks in the Adirondack Park….ahhh, heaven! I am sure that at this very moment I am thinking to myself "I never want to leave!" and my brain is scheming up ways to build a log cabin so I can say "goodbye civilization!" Whether I am in the Adirondacks, the Green Mountains of Vermont, the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, basically any mountain range in Northern Cali or Tahoe….I am thinking this same thing. And while I'm quite pleased to be moving to the Berkshires later this month (to an area dubbed the "hill towns" given the small size of its mountains) I will still dream of someday being among higher peaks.

In honor of our camping trip, a few highlights from last summer's ADK adventure…..

on the road: the adirondack mountains

We are off to the Adirondack Mountains (in Upstate New York) for a few days of camping, followed by a few days in Saratoga Springs. I will be in complete bliss breathing in that crisp mountain air, waking up and falling asleep on the banks of a peaceful lake, hiking to the top of one of many mountains to take in the breathtaking view of the High Peaks….and simply enjoying being away from the noisy, polluted city. I really was born to live in the mountains…..sigh.

happiness is...

Lila, Olivia and mama Nicole

It is a true honor every time I get the opportunity to photograph families. And there is nothing more precious than capturing the love and natural interactions between small children. Sigh. This is the stuff of life, the real beauty to be seen. It is also quite exciting to photograph a family throughout the many stages of their life together, such as the first child, second pregnancy, second child, etc. I look forward to many more photo sessions with these beautiful girls over the years….

Sisterly love is so sweet.

The beautiful connection between mother and daughter.

I will always be there, waiting with a hug for you little sister.

It's as if the heavens shine upon her face every time she smiles that angelic smile.

The glow of a mother is pure beauty.

Olivia.

Portrait of a mother…burp cloth in hand.

Sweet Lila kisses for mama.

Seeing the world through her brand new eyes can fill you with curiosity and wonder in an instant.

Snuggles.

Thank you Van Zandt girls for bearing the 95 degree heat and inspiring me beyond belief! xoxo

trampoline fun

Despite the 95 degree heat, a cranky toddler who missed her nap, and an uncontainable infant who just learned to crawl, I was able to snap quite a few beautiful shots of my sister and her two little girls this weekend. I will post the photo session in its entirety tomorrow. For today, I'll leave you with what happened after the photo session….