Check back soon and I'll share my little project with you! It's a fun gift idea. I might even do a giveaway too.
- For permission to reproduce content or images from this site, please email me at lonileah@yahoo.com
so cute & cuddly.
My nephew and 3 nieces on Sunday...
They're laughing at ME. You catch that, right? I believe they think I'm crazy... WHICH I AM OBVIOUSLY NOT. ;)
grateful for family.
I received a text message from my older brother last week stating that I was missed very much and needed to come visit them. So, I wrapped up some stuff I was working on, packed my bags a couple days later and headed out of town to spend some time with him and his family. (Look who I spotted on the way out of town! Good ol' Chewbacca. Waving a sign.)
I love the drive to my brother's home. It's just under 3 hours and the scenery is amazing. I got a late start so I drove most the way in the dark, but while it was light I really appreciated my amazing surroundings. What I love most about Utah.
I drove most of the way with the radio off, in complete silence, until the last 30 minutes of the drive. I spent a lot of time thinking. Thinking of all the creative projects I'd love to do but haven't gotten around to. It was nice. I felt inspired. Then, I started to feel like I needed a zap of energy towards the end so I turned on my ipod and cranked that sucker up! Sung my little heart out until I reached their driveway. If you could have only heard.
First night we went and saw New Moon. Me, my sister-in-law and her friend (my sister-in-law being the one on the right in the photo below). Having walked out of Twilight last year rolling my eyes, I went in with extremely low expectations and found myself walking out of this one pleasantly surprised. I really liked it. Now can we only redo the first one? Please? Pretty please? I'm asking nicely.
I brought an umbrella of mine here for a Christmas card photo shoot and yesterday afternoon as I was walking pass my nieces room, I back-tracked a couple steps when I realized the insanely cute scene I had just stumbled upon...
She found my umbrella, opened it up on her bed and created this inviting little spot for her to eat her oranges and watch a movie. Made me smile. I snuck back to get my camera and got this shot before she even noticed I was there. Then I went in and finished watching the movie with her... and fell asleep on her bed. Vacations are so nice.
Last night, as my sister-in-law and I were getting ready to leave the house, I observed this as I was walking down the stairs. All of the boys (my 2 brothers & 2 nephews in the living room)...
Nothing abnormal about it, but it's real. That's what I love about it. I might have just passed by and not thought to take a picture, but lately, the feeling of documenting everyday living (the scrapbooker in me!) is in high-gear so I went back and grabbed my camera and snapped this from the stairs. They were watching the History channel, by the way. A documentary on the Spartans. The first night I was there my oldest brother & I watched a 2+ hour documentary together on World War II. We both love that time period, and history in general, so it' was fun to kick back with him and pick his brain when I have questions. He's a pretty smart dude.
Anyway, enough ramblings from me. Just wanted to drop in, share a couple photos that have made me happy this week and wish my U.S. friends a happy Thanksgiving, while letting you all know one of the things I am most grateful for. My family.
I feel so lucky and blessed to have the family that I do. We are a highly dysfunctional (and lovable!) group of people that would do anything for each other. The older I get, the more and more I appreciate them and the role they play in my life. Don't know what I'd do without them. Love you guys!
Now I'm headed off to see my sisters for Thankgsiving. Looking forward to some nice, warm weather! I hear it's suppose to be in the 70's. Can we say "yay!" to that?
mom + dad + 4 cute boys
I have known these two forever and could not love them any more than I do. They are pure awesome-ness; with a capital A!
Kim is one of my very best friends from my early teenage/young adult years (who I cannot believe has a son who is only a year or two away from being my heighth!) and someone who has lovingly (or, maybe naively?) trusted me to take photos of her family a couple times around this time of year. I hope they are getting better than that first time I made you pull out the bean bag from your basement, lol. ;)
You are beautiful, friend. And surrounded by some pretty handsome boys.
SOME INDIVIDUAL SHOTS...
GOTTA END ON A SWEET NOTE. LOVE IT.
Just call me Pocahontas
Don't you just love Halloween? I do.
I wish I would've taken more photos this year at a Halloween party with friends. I missed getting photos of everyone and their clever costumes.
Barmaid Raquel & Myself, Pocahontas.
The mad scientist and our host.
Scarecrow, a super-duper awesome basketball player & wolverine.
The sweet, old couple. With a really scary hike-of-the-pants. lol
Me & Grandma Rebekah
hee-haw!
Went to Hee-Haw Farms last night for FHE with my church branch and just about FROZE TO DEATH. I am such a wimp when it comes to the cold. At one point I was tempted to throw myself IN the fire rather than sit beside it. I could not get warm. I struggled to text or hold my phone for about 30 minutes after leaving. I had to de-thaw! No joke.
I need the chair above. How insane would that be in your home? Rad.
Speaking of insane... these were incredible! Carved pumpkins with the most amazing detail.
And, this is the cold I speak of! The wind was a bit out of control. BRRR...
Off the subject, but not...
Any suggestions for a Halloween costume? Need one for a party this weekend.
Yep, another one.
Ahhh, Monday's. Another night of Dancing with the Stars (go Donny... it's your birthday...) and other equally exciting television shows in the days that follow. So much to look forward to, friends. So much.
I have this drop dead gorgeous cousin, Emily, who I photographed her and her cute little family the other day. I just had to post a couple sneaks from this session. I love that Emily wasn't afraid to wear color. Note to the people! Do not be afraid of color, especially unique color combos & different textures, when you are photographed next. Trust me. They photography really well and are a lot fun against different backdrops.
Anyway, there will be more to come soon from this session, plus, I've got other family shoots to post too!
tres chic
Don't you hate when you wake up unnaturally early and can't get your brain to shut off and fall back asleep? Argh. Happens to me too much. Guess I'll take advantage of it this morning and blog. And daydream about the sleep I wish I were having right now. Sigh.
I did this shoot with my friend Erin a couple weeks ago that I've been meaning to post. We were trying out a new location in SLC, using her beautiful friend as our model. Wish we had more time to shoot because this was a great area. We were in a race against the sun though with only about 45 minutes of shooting time. Darn it.
Okay... is this not the coolest double-decker bus? I love the reflections in the windows.
OUT IN THE COUNTRY
...past the city limit sign, well there's a honky-tonk near the county line...
You want to keep singing, don't you? It's cool.
I spent last week in small-town-Utah (waaaaay out in the country!) with my cute dad and his sister working on a family history project together. 3 hours there, 3 hours back. We spent this time yapping, laughing, telling stories and listening to a talk on CD as we drove.
We stayed at my grandparents home, where we photographed my Great Grandma's oil paintings (collected from family members), and then my Aunt and I stayed up late many nights working on the design of a poem book we're putting together and printing of my grandma's poetry. It's amazing all that she wrote.
And of course, we made time to play a little. With these two kids. The gray hair is really a ploy. You get two siblings together, at any age, and they become silly & adolescent. It's true.
My grandparents have both been gone for over ten years. Grandpa in 1997 and Grandma a year later, in 1998. They were the cutest. True lovebirds. Always so affectionate and caring towards one another and the most adoring parents & grandparents you could ask for. Being in their home without them there is still so strange for me. I've only been back a couple times since their passing, but I kept visualizing my Grandpa in his trademark suspenders at the kitchen sink doing dishes, out in his garden, or near the corral with his horses. I could visualize Grandma sitting in her chair facing the front door (with a collection of stationary on the desk by her side for writing) anxious to hug & squeeze us as we walked in. She was often found working in the kitchen too, on the phone with her sister, Aunt Aggie, who lived just down the path, or leaning on her cane and yelling "please slow down!" from the front porch as we made circles around the house in their golf cart.
(circa 1996)
I can still remember my grandparents both waiting at the end of the walkway, after long goodbyes, waving to us (Grandma waving with her cane as we got further away) until we were out of sight. My parents have picked up on this tradition and do the same thing with their kids as they come and go. Waving until we're out of sight. Always long goodbyes.
Last week I walked out under the stars a couple nights just to soak in the fresh air and look at the stars. It's incredible how many more stars you can see when you remove that layer of gross pollution you see in the city!
My dad told me he use to climb atop the hay stacks when he was there visiting as an adult and lay on his back just thinking & looking at the stars. Sometimes falling asleep. I'm thinking that is a pretty great idea and that I need a haystack now and an awesome country setting. Don't you think?
This is my dad, below, totally in his element at a little hometown cafe down the road we went to for breakfast. The owners were an Aunt & Uncle of Lane Frost, the bull-rider they based the movie 8-Seconds on. There was even a live band in the back! Two old men playing guitars. Rad.
We also went to our first cornfest, in an equally small town, next to where my grandparents lived. We ended up purchasing over 10 dozen ears of corn on our way out of town. Yum. So de-lish!
And then there is this photo. What happens when you spend the week with two girls. Sorry, dad...
beautiful sister + kids
Holy snap, it's been cold lately! Oy. Not loving it. Not one bit.
Last night I did a session with my oldest sister and her kids at rapid speed as we raced against the cold air & diminishing light. Poor kids. They did so great though. No major complaints from any of them. I haven't gone through them all, but these are a couple that stuck out to me.
Interested in a photo shoot? Drop me a line at lonileah@yahoo.com for more information. I'll be offering some Christmas card designs, so it's a great time to get it all done before the holiday season begins, so you can sit back & relax. Ahh... wouldn't that be great?
More photos to come...
Just not right this second, but, soon. :)
Isn't she pretty? I think she has a little bit of a Keira Knightly thing going on.
I *heart* photography
My uber-funny & talented friend, Erin, invited me to one of her photography workshops last night on lighting (which I loved). I'm trying to talk her into doing more this year if she's got time, which you should quickly sign up for if you can! She's an awesome teacher and very knowledgeable. I am hoping to take her Photoshop workshop tonight, which I know I will learn a lot from too.
These are my favorite shots from last night. I have a thing for hearts...
Thank you, Erin, for inviting me last night and teaching me. Love your guts.
Check out her photography and workshop schedule when you've got a second!
--
Now, a belated shout out. Yesterday was two very good friends birthday's; Kim & Kerri. Hope it was a good one for both of you! Such cool people are born on September 16th.
Kristy, Lisa, Me and Kerri a couple weeks ago.
Kim yesterday. We've been friends for over 16 years. Time goes by so fast.
More wedding photos...
My photography blog is a work in progress, but I've got more of this beautiful couple posted on there if you'd like to check them out!
- "The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spiders web." Picasso
- Ali Edwards
- Amy
- Becky Higgins
- Cathy Zielske
- Elizabeth Kartchner
- Elsie Flannigan
- Jenni Bowlin
- Jennifer McGuire
- Jessi Stringham
- Jessica Kettle
- Karen Russell
- Karla Dudley
- Kelly Purkey
- Kerri Bradford
- Lisa Bearnson
- Maggie Holmes
- Maria Grace Abuzman
- Mary MacAskill
- Rebecca Cooper
- Rebecca Cooper Photography
- Tara Painter
- Tara Whitney
