A Mill Creek Family Session

May 18, 2012 by Sara | Leave a comment

First, let’s just get this out of the way, shall we? The Tabers are an incredibly good looking family. In an it’s-not-fair-to-the-rest-of-us kind of way. And if that weren’t bad enough, they’re all incredibly sweet! I know, the nerve. Ryan and Dana invited me up to their beautiful home in beautiful Mill Creek, WA on an exceptionally beautiful day for a family session. Dana and I also used to work together, so it was especially nice to be able to catch up a bit (for reference, I haven’t seen Dana since her daughter was brand spankin’ new).

We met up at their house and then walked around to some of the many parks in their neighborhood. Everyone was on their best behavior, which was impressive given our close proximity to brightly colored, super-fun play structures. I had a wonderful afternoon with these four, and I think we ended up with some really great pictures!

First, mom and dad. Seriously, Dana? So stunning. Maybe you could have one day a week where you dress a little bit frumpy and don’t wear make up, just to make the rest of us feel a little bit better about ourselves… just throwing that out there.

And their beautiful children, Addison and Conner.

And lastly, what would some family portraits be without at least one of their dog, Turbo?

Posted in Family

Lilacs and Tulips

May 8, 2012 by Sara | 1 Comment

A couple of weeks ago my mom and I headed out for a day full of flowers. It seemed like the perfect mom date and I wanted to get outside and take pictures of pretty things. Well, and to spend quality time with my mom, of course…but mostly the pictures.

First, we went to the Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens in Woodland, WA for their annual “Lilac Days.” I won’t go into too many details, for fear of putting some of you to sleep, but the history behind Hulda and her lilac hybridization is pretty darn fascinating – she was quite an impressive woman. As you’d expect, her garden is absolutely beautiful, and during Lilac Days you can actually tour the inside of her farmhouse, which was built by her father in 1889. Also? It’s only a $2 entry fee for the whole shebang. So there you have it, a perfect mom date for only $2 (plus the cost of gas to get there, which probably equates to eleventy billion dollars given its distance from Portland and fuel costs these days, but I digress). I then had lots of leftover dollars to buy a lilac bush of my very own. One that I will probably dig up and take with me if we ever move because I love it so much.

After a nice (read also: huge, greasy) lunch we headed the opposite direction down to Woodburn, OR for the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm annual Tulip Festival. This is a much bigger ordeal and quite popular ’round these parts. Needless to say, it was probably the most stunning display of flowers and color I’ve ever gotten to witness in person. It can get a bit crowded on weekends, but it’s absolutely worth the trip if you ever get the chance.

Today, I encourage you to stop and smell the flowers. But don’t do it here…people might judge you for sniffing your monitor. You’ll just have to wander outside for your happy nose hugs.

The gorgeous wedding dress below was handmade by Hulda for one of her daughters. It reminds me a lot of the styles brides are wearing now!

For those of you wondering, yes I did try to get a picture of my super-awesome mom, but she politely declined. I can’t really blame her, I tend to do the same thing. Usually because I’m pretty convinced that every picture of me makes it appear as though I have a serious medical issue.

Anyway, happy Tuesday!

Posted in Personal, Places

The Cat

April 20, 2012 by Sara | Leave a comment

This is Keela. She’s usually very reclusive and afraid of cameras/people/everything, so it’s nearly impossible to get a decent picture of her. However, on this particularly nice day, the allure of an open window and singing spring birds was just too irresistible for her. So I managed to sneak in these shots before she noticed I was lurking in the hallway and quickly scurried back under the bed.

It was like seeing a more adorable Loch Ness monster.

Posted in Personal

The Marten Family

April 13, 2012 by Sara | Leave a comment

This family is near and dear to my heart. Jenn (on the right) has been my best friend since our freshman year of high school and we’ve essentially grown up together. We’ve been through a lot over the years and I couldn’t have asked for a better person to share adolescent (and adult) shenanigans with. So when her mom asked if I could snap a few family photos so she could replace Jenn’s prom pictures on the living room wall (Jenn turns 30 this year, it’s time) I was happy to help. It also didn’t hurt that I was told I’d be fed for my hard work. Jenn and her mom are both amazing cooks, so I never turn down a meal offer from them. Or anyone, really. Let’s be real…I love food.

Anyway, Shawn and I headed up to Vancouver (WA, not Canada) for the evening, and had a wonderful time catching up. Nothing beats a home cooked meal with friends. Additionally, Jenn and her mom had spent some time rummaging through the attic, so we got to re-live some great and embarrassing moments from Jenn’s past.

Not to be left out, we’ll kick off this series of photos with their dog Chubbs. She’s a 12 year old Corgie/Chow mix and an absolute sweetheart…once she’s determined you’re not an intruder.