One Camera. One Lens. One Photo a Day.

Bugsy…

Today I headed down to Chicago — tomorrow will be the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner for Berkley and Bob’s wedding, so I was taking advantage of the trip to see old friends and family.

This afternoon I got to meet Sharon and John’s little guy (actually named Bennett) who is barely two weeks old.

I’ll see them more after the wedding, but it was great to see meet this little one and his grandparents.

A new house…

My sister Mary and her husband Scott and the kids (Stef and Jake) moved into their brand new home in Lake Mills today.

Scott is the development director at Lakeside H.S. there and he and the kids have been doing an 80 mile round trip commute to school from their former home in Beaver Dam for years.

Jake, a sophomore in school and really active on the football team (starting right guard) was the one who pushed them over the edge when he simply said:  “Why can’t we move?”

So they did.  They packed up their home in Beaver Dam and made the commitment to a new subdivision in the same town as their school.

Mary runs her own Mary Kay business so she can work basically anywhere, so the decision saved them a lot of time and a lot of money for gas.

Jake will make his room down in the large basement, which will be finished in time, but for now it’s still down to the studs and concrete, but Scott was sure to hang Jake’s three Northern Pikes that he has caught in his young life.

High Five!

My mom has been bowling for a long time.  A long time (68 years).

This year she’s hanging up the shoes in a few weeks, so my sister Peggy and I went to watch her bowl at the lanes in Columbus (quite a step up from the lanes we grew up playing).

Mom will still be a substitute bowler but is giving up the weekly commitment of league bowling.

I’m glad I happened to be around to witness her doing what she has loved doing for so long.

Cornfield, Hwy 89 at sunset, north of Waterloo, WI…

Heading back from a day that included a trip to Madison, a trip over to Lake Mills to watch Mary and Scott go through the walk-through of their new home (which is beautiful and they’ll take possession on Wednesday), I witnessed a gorgeous sunset that cast a glow on the corn waiting for harvest along Hwy 89, the road that goes between the towns.

Ironic that Mary and Scott are now going to be living in Lake Mills.

That town was our arch-rival in all sports throughout my time in high school, surviving a change of conferences midway through my years there (it preserved a great little rivalry).  (My brother in law  Scott works at the private Lutheran School where my nephew Jake attends it resides in the same town as the old rival, The Lake Mills L-Cats.  Both the Lake Mills schools — the public and the private — are now in the same conference as my former high school)

I remember nights driving back from here and the Friday night football game and it would seem that the taillights would light up the road all the way from Lake Mills to Columbus.  Not West Texas football, but still our version of “Friday Night Lights” — Cheesehead style.

Unfortunately I’ll miss this Friday’s game where Jake will play (a starter on the offensive line, as a sophomore).  I’ll be in Chicago for a great wedding rehearsal dinner — the big day on Saturday.

Seeing the landscape brought back some many memories.  They lie dormant until something — like a visit — triggers them and then you remember them in waves.

It feels familiar, it feels like home and it’s great to be back here.

Illinois Sky, north of Chicago…

Today I flew into Chicago for a trip back to the old haunts — I’ve got a wedding here next weekend, and in the meantime, I’ll do some family visiting during the week up in Wisconsin.

Flying into Midway was a breeze today, though landing was a bit bumpy as we were on the line of a front passing through the area.

Dark and moody on the southside, the further north I got, the sunnier it got.

And the blue skies and clouds that seem very familiar as I drove north on the Tri-State Tollroad heading north to Milwaukee.

It was a crisp fall evening and with the geese flying in Wisconsin a bit later, you just have the sense that summer is over (all the while back at home in CA the weather is practically melting everything, especially Nicki’s patience as the a/c went on the fritz).

Kate, Walk of Fame…

She doesn’t have a star….yet.

A trip to Hollywood to take Stefanie and Jeremy to the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame.

A scorcher of a day but luckily we found a star in the shade…

My niece Stefanie and her fiance…

Today I did a very special engagement portrait session.

They’re all very special, though this one is EXTRA special since it’s family.

Stefanie, from Wisconsin, is getting married next summer and we got to meet her fiance Jeremy on this past week’s trip to CA.

He’s a gentleman, generous, and we’ve spent alot of time together during the family visit week.

It’s been so nice getting to know him and see them both as a couple.

We marvel at their youth and their commitment so clear at such a young age.

I’ve known Stef since a baby, but really got to know her just after her fourth birthday.  That was when her brother Jake was being born and I was with the family as I documented the events around the birth and his arrival (at their request).

I got to know her by being around and watching her spunk.  I’ve followed her documenting her at school during her first week of kindergarten, to her ice skating, and even in high school as she became a competitive runner.

Next summer I’ll continue this family documentation by photographing the wedding and I am so looking forward to it!

It’s been a joy getting to know her over the years, watch her grow and now take a huge adult step.  In some ways I feel like I’m almost reliving her life a bit as I watch our Kate grow up too.  Seeing how Kate and Stef and Jeremy have bonded has been super sweet, one of those things that you love to see as a Dad.  Kate just idolizes and adores Stefanie.

Congratulations you too and wishing you both a lifetime of happiness (and hopefully the cranky, tired, and hungry kids don’t scare you off — trust me, they’re worth it)!

Jaden, almost two…

This portrait of this little guy was made this morning.  Last year he was just sitting up when I photographed the kids for the Book Project.

His older and exuberant sister Alexis was out of the frame on this one.

The session ended with Alexis getting positively drenched in the sprinklers at the Town Green.

Sparky’s First Haircut…

Administered by his cousin Stefanie visiting from Wisconsin.

Stef recently completed her studies at the Paul Mitchell Academy outside of Milwaukee and is working in the suburbs now as well, and is not only loving it, she’s already gaining a loyal following.

The little guy has been transformed by the haircut.

No longer does he look like a baby, he instantly looks like a bigger boy.

Kate also had her long locks cut into a sweet bob and Mom could not be happier.  It has been too long for entirely too long, but we were waiting so Stef could cut her hair while on the trip.

It’s been a wonderful couple of days, watching as Kate has just bonded so much with Stef and herfiance Jeremy.

There is something about that familial bond that can’t quite be explained.  She was this way with her cousins Liz, Pat and James while visiting South Africa in March and it’s the same way with Stef.

Listening to her laugh – so filled with shear joy —  as they were playing tag running between the front yard, through the living room, and then watching her give them hugs after her bath and before bed just did my heart good.

That’s what family is all about.

Stef and Kate making banana bread…

My niece Stefanie arrived this afternoon for a visit with her fiance, Jeremy (arriving from Wisconsin).

Kate just idolizes Stef and couldn’t wait for her to arrive, going so far as having Mom create a calendar that we counted down the days.

At four a.m. this morning she woke up, all excited that Stefanie and Jeremy were coming to visit.

They arrived and were beat due to an early call to make the flight from Milwaukee (up at 4:30!).

They’re already asleep, catching up, and getting ready for an action packed few days.

It’s great to have them here and to meet Jeremy.  He proposed to Stef about three weeks ago and we’ll be doing an engagement session this week (I’ll be photographing their wedding in June too.  Stef, btw, stood up in our wedding back in 2001 when she was almost 11!!!!)