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When I was a little girl I remember visiting my dad and he works on the fields harvesting. On the drive home the other night, I couldn’t help myself from feeling nostalgic as we passed field upon field and saw the lights of the combines sparking through the dust.
Then, as we continued to drive, we saw this near Wessington. Truly. We are lucky to get to enjoy such things.
Holy cow, two weddings in one day!
First, we went to the fantastically beautiful Hemingway House. It was a shorty, just an hour, with just a few guests. The home itself is beautiful. I love how the homes are all open and light and airy inside.
Here’s a few from that wedding…
Julie left me in charge of formals. Here’s me testing the light, and here’s Julie…
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The House
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Yet another thing in Key West that can kill you, a Crab Spider. Add this too giant frogs, jellyfish and man-o-wars. And Julie complained about the “cold” 68 degrees.
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Shoes.
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Tiles around the house. Beautiful work.
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Then we went on to another wedding. It was at the uber fabulous Beachside Resort. It’s only been open a couple months, but you’d never know. The staff was fantastic. The scene, food and service was impecible.
I started with the guys at the hotel, while Julie went with the girls.
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Then off to the ceremony.
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Then the reception.[photopress:room1.jpg,full,pp_image][photopress:room2.jpg,full,pp_image]
Then Dancing.
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Our version of Where’s Waldo? Where’s Julie!
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A year ago today I quit my job. For the previous two years before that I wanted to quit my job, but that was one year ago today.
Talk about scared. It’s weird to think of all that’s happened in one year, and all that wouldn’t if I still “worked”. That’s so funny, as if I don’t “work” now.
I had been wanting to do that, quit, for so long, that at the time, it was like I had talked about it and thought about it so much, that it really wasn’t something that was every actually going to occur. The day it happened I went into shock. I didn’t really know what I was doing, how I was going to do it, or IF I could do it. I kept telling myself I was prepared, but I don’t know if I really was.
I have learned SO MUCH in the past year. More than I had learned in the previous 5 years combined. I learned about being my boss, being someone else’s boss, made mistakes, took risks, made new friends, had new opportunities, did things I’d yearned to do, my art improved, my creativity flowed, and I could look at my family again without being totally exhausted and guilty because I was working more at home than at work. I could spend more time and energy being who I wanted to be, instead of just getting by as a glimpse of what I wanted to be.
It’s been a truly amazing year. 41 weddings, 180 portrait sessions, some teams, lots of mothers and their children, and countless other people through this place. I am excited to see what the next year brings.
Very cool site.
http://www.freerice.com/
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We had an impromptu portrait party last night. It was fun. Can you tell?
I have famous friends! Well, sort of.
Our friend Kevin Marsh of Parker grows the best pumpkins. A couple years ago his pumpkins was as tall as our oldest child! (she was eight)
This weekend we met up with him and some friends and learned not only did his pumpkin break the state record by nearly 300 lbs, but he was also on the Today show! How cool is that?
Of course, we did make some fun of him too. (Real Man of Genius, we salute you, Mr. Giant Pumpkin Grower Guy)
The link is dead now on the news channel, but here is an exerpt from the google cache
Kevin Marsh says, “The first 4 days in August it averaged 43 pounds a day. Then the next 4 days it averaged 35, then the 4 days following it went back up to 39.”
This giant of a pumpkin is 186 inches around and is estimated at 1,298 pounds. The current state record is just slightly more than 1000 pounds.
I actually think it’s pretty cool. Way to go Kevin - and Taran on his 125 lbs watermelon.
So, the game…
So, the Buffs didn’t do so well. It stinks, but it happens. What I found really amazing though, was the amount of people at the game, the awesome spirit for the teams, and the good sportsmanship on part of the SC fans. My husband and I stopped in to All Around Graphix’s to get some shirts, and we had slim pickings… the town had cleaned out their supply. The slidelines were full of purple and gold, and even quite a bit of very welcome, Governor green. Despite the stomping we got, it was a lot of fun and great to see the community out supporting the players.
Some people really went all out. This is my neice Danielle, an SC 7th grader… and she was one of the “lesser” displays of spirit.
Today while Dad, Somer, and Kenedi played a mean game of Dodgeball against the neighborhood kids, Pryce and I played in the yard a bit. Of course, on a beautiful day like today, I had my camera.
Then Somer took a break to give her baby brother a ride.
Well, then Dad decided to give Somer a ride.
Everyone survived!
In our hurried lives, we sometimes only see the bad in a situation, like detours. Who actually likes detours? They are usually long and unplanned for. You never know what gifts may be disguised behind what seems intially as an inconvience.
I travel so often for photography, that I don’t get a lot of time to travel for leisure. Friday night I drove to Mobridge to watch the Stanley County Football game vs. Mobrigde. I ran a little late that evening, and got to parallel the gorgeous South Dakota sunset for most of the way. Highway 83 is under major construction so you either face a 30 mile detour to the east, or you can take gravel to the west. I opted for the good ol’ gravel way via Akaska.
This shot was about 10 miles south of Akaska. Beautiful sunsets are commonplace around here, but it’s rare that I can be out in the open country to experience the entire progression.
By the way, Stanley County stomped Mobridge, bringing them to 5 and O. GO BUFFALOS!!!
