The days are getting longer and I am appreciating every little bit of sun that I can get. I’m looking foward to having the blue skies last a little longer after I get home from work– but I also can’t complain about getting home in time to walk around in the golden hour.  I love how even the most mundane of things- even dried seed pods on faded stalks that barely held on through the winter- become enchanting during those last few moments of sunset.

I have a small confession to make…

I am ready for spring, so ready for spring, I can’t even tell you. I am ready to take my shoes off in the grass and mud, I am ready for the birds to come back, and for the dandelions to terrorize all of the nice staid landscapers, and being able to roll down the car windows.

But! We are supposed to have sunlight this weekend! And in celebration of that, I am sharing some things that make me happy. May we have more of them soon.

Happy weekend, ducks!

Emily & Joel are friends of ours from Colorado. They are expecting their first baby in May (so exciting!!) We had talked for a while about setting up a maternity session whenever they would be in town a few weeks ago. We tenatively scheduled it for the weekend. And everyone from the east coast knows what came next… twenty+ inches of snow! What fun!

I don’t know if we’re brave or just plain crazy, but we decided to do it anyway. I let my husband drive- he’s the crazy one. :P  We made it, though, and were able to have a fantastic, cozy portrait session, and even stole Joel  before the start of the Super Bowl for a few minutes so that we could get some great sunset shots.

There are so many fantastic shots from this session that I had a really hard time picking which ones to feature. Emily is so beautiful and glowy and serene. Here are some of my favorites:

So gorgeous. Many thanks to Chelsea for assisting me (especially with the scarves, I couldn’t have done it without you!) And many thanks & the best of love to Emily & Joel. I can’t wait to meet your little one!

              A few days late? Maybe. I’ve never been very good at celebrating holidays when you’re actually supposed to. And besides, who says Valentine’s Day has to only be one day a year?

             Kitty has been watching out the window, watching the snow fall and collect heavy in the trees. It’s a lovely cozy evening, perfect for snuggling indoors, staying up late with good books, and not getting up any earlier the next morning than you absolutely have to.  As long as you’re not in any hurry to get anywhere, it is absolutely beautiful outside, nearly as bright as day as the light reflects off of the snow, and so soft and quiet. It seems like ages since we’ve had a snowfall like this. 

             I tried to stay indoors, warm and dry with the kitty, but the lovely night was calling and I had to take at least a short walk. For all of the times where it’s easiest just to sit and wait for something to happen, and be bored by what never changes, it can be the most refreshing thing to just go out and look for yourself- you never know what you’ll find. Tonight is beautiful.

                       Be safe and warm this weekend, and enjoy the beauty around you. :)