It seems like I’m always a little behind.

This year, I’m really behind.

I do a portrait session for the kids every year around their birthdays, and I’m usually pretty good about staying on top of it, even with four kids. But, this year, time keeps running along and I chase it. I still need to do both the boys’ sessions from their birthdays in November and December, and now March has slipped away without getting Lydia’s session done.

The one request Lydia had was to have a few photographs done in the snow. Luckily, we had a beautiful snow storm roll through in February. So, while it was still snowing and they were advising everyone to stay home and off the roads, we tromped out into the snow for a few quick shots. I decided to take full advantage of it and made all the kids join in. We even had friends visiting that I made come outside for the session.

Lydia was happy with her photographs, but she asked that the rest of her session be done either inside or when it was warmer outside. I quickly agreed. I swear I’ll be caught up soon.

Emma and Sam were married last summer in Madison. They were such a sweet couple. Emma carried herself in such a dignified way that she had this royal, elegant air about her. She really seemed like a princess on her wedding day. Their families were so nice and loving, it was wonderful to see them celebrate Emma and Sam’s marriage. And the Greek dancing was entertaining and exciting to watch.

Emma and Sam’s wedding album was finished up this week. I love wedding albums because they are a wonderful way to share your favorite images from the day, while telling the story of the wedding.

I have always loved old buildings. That was why we picked an old, downtown location when we had the store-front for the studio in the “aughts.” And I especially love run-down and neglected buildings, as anyone might know from my favorite photo locations. The photo essays of “urban decay” and abandoned buildings, in places like Detroit, are fascinating to me. The history and stories that they cling to holds my imagination.

So, as I strip wallpaper from my living room walls, finding rough, scarred walls that have to be repaired underneath, I can’t help but see a little bit of beauty in the chaos around me. And, of course, my own “urban decay” just calls out to be documented.

I feel a little responsible for this weather. So, I’m sorry.

You know the thinking that if you wash your car, it will rain? Well, the sun had been shining and I tempted fate as I cleaned the kitchen. I put away all of our winter coats, snowpants, boots, hats, and mittens. I was so tired of having them clutter up my kitchen, where the kids come in from the garage.

I wanted to reclaim my space. I wanted to have order. I wanted winter to be done.

When the calendar says it’s spring, it feels like a mean joke to see fresh snow on the ground. But I’m not going to let winter win. I’m just going to bury my head in the snow and pretend spring is already here….

A fine beer may be judged with only one sip, but it’s better to be thoroughly sure. – Czech Proverb

Now that your green beer is gone, are you ready to drink some red beer?

Having a Catholic Czech-Bohemian grandmother, it seemed natural to celebrate St. Joseph’s Day, a prominent and predominately Czech holiday for those that lived in Cedar Rapids’ Czech village area, on March 19th. It’s now sometimes likened to a milder St. Patrick’s Day. So, while we wore green on St. Patty’s day, we also wore red two days later.

Our family has always enjoyed a party with food and drink, maybe from our Catholic-Czech heritage (Czech Republic has the highest beer consumption per person in the world). Far from being teetotalers, when my sisters and I were kids, we were allowed to drink Slow Screws (an alcoholic drink made with orange juice and Slow Gin) at family get-togethers with no one getting uppity. We always knew we were getting away with something, but it didn’t feel like that big of a deal at grandma’s house. That was our family culture.

As a kid, we didn’t think too much about our Czech ancestry, even though I don’t remember other kids wearing “Kiss Me- I’m Czech!” buttons. I do remember my father making kolaches, fruit-filled pastries, for my grandmother. I also remember my father flipping on the radio to a Sunday morning polka station to tease and annoy my mother. “You’re Bohemian, you’re suppose to love this,” he would tell her as accordion notes filled the car. I was probably the only kid to secretly have a favorite polka song, Mickey Mouse Polka by Marv Herzog. And maybe that’s why I now enjoy when a wedding reception dance starts up with “Beer Barrel Polka.” I think it adds a festive atmosphere to the dance.

The Marriott offers a bi-annual event to the couples that have booked their receptions at the hotel. At these events, they cook and serve all the options on their catering menu. This is a great opportunity for couples to bring their parents and check out which dishes they might like to serve their wedding guests.

We took the Cheeky Booth photo booth to this tasting. The couples had fun using the props and checking out how the booth worked. The photo strips were a great way to remember their wedding-planning night, too!

“A party without cake is just a meeting,” are wise words from Julia Child.

Henry, my Wisconsin-born 7-year-old, has always been a connoisseur of cheese. When offered a regular Kraft “sharp” cheddar cheese from the grocery store, he declined it since it wasn’t aged at least 18 months. And right now, he says his favorite cheese is a 5-year smoked cheddar, followed by a fudge cheddar, which he says is “yummy.”

So I wasn’t surprised when he decided his first cake needed to look like cheese.

Henry made his very first cake for a Cub Scouts auction. Henry’s Cub Scouts pack uses this cake auction as a fundraiser, with the proceeds to be used within the pack. Each boy makes a cake for the event and then they are able to bid on each others’ cakes.

He discussed a few ideas, including using black frosting to make swiss-looking holes or writing around the edges, like a stamped cheese rind. In the end, we decided the cut wedge with some circle impressions looked best. Henry made a sign that read, “100% Wisconsin cheese” to put on top.

The vivid yellow frosting made us think of Green Bay Packers cheese head hats, which was totally a bonus for Henry.

Sometimes there are so many great images from a session that you don’t know what to do with them all. You only have so many blank spaces on your walls or desk. And no matter how many portraits you hang up, it’s not always the easiest way to show off your favorites from the session, unless you throw a big party to invite everyone you know to your house.

The answer to the “I-Love-Them-All!!!” dilemma  is to get an album. Portrait albums start with 20-30 images, so you are sure to have all the ones you can’t live without. Also, the popular 8×8 album is a wonderful size to carry with you everywhere. It’s easy to take to work, school, family get-togethers or anywhere you want to show off your beautiful photographs!

Featured above is Morgan, a high school senior session. These sessions are especially great for albums because we often use multiple locations and outfits, so there are many amazing shots to choose from! When you get an album, you don’t have to say no to favorites just because you decided on a different image for your living room wall. It feels so much better to say yes to all the ones you love!

It’s nice to have high school seniors that want to personalize their sessions. Collin, like his dad, is a car-enthusist. Including the restored Shelby Mustang in the session made perfect sense. Collin has been running cross country throughout high school. We used Wickiup Hill Natural Area, a location he often goes to run, for some of his session. The fall colors made a perfect backdrop!