LIFESTYLE
Welcome to the lifestyle section. All the things that help me live a life recovered from anxiety, depression and being captive to negativity. Let’s carve out some space for your mind to breathe.
Coming Home {return from deployment}
I'm so glad I was invited to capture a homecoming. Photographing this magical event was my honor and privilege. There is really no way to describe what it's like to see husbands and wives; kids and parents reunited after months of separation. So happy Fourth...
Lauren & Ricky {a maternity sneak peek}
The first time I met Lauren and Ricky I knew we'd get along. They are avid DIY-ers who love a good yard sale, auction or thrifting expedition. We chatted at length about their knack for picking {yep, like "American Pickers"} and all the treasured they have...
The Glass Half Empty
When I was in elementary school we had a weird school counselor. Things about her are a little blurry. So for all I know she really wasn't that weird. But at the time she seemed like an odd duck. I don't remember much about her, not even her name. There are four...
Heavy Lifting
So, I' bet you are just dying to know how the patio is shaping up. Let me tell you. It's great. I'm totally in love with it and cannot wait to have it done. But I'll tell you this: There's a reason last time I did this, it wasn't alone. Patios are super heavy. ...
Ava & Aiden {Just a Peek}
Let's all say hello to a doubly adorable session! Ava and Aiden are twins that I recently had the pleasure of photographing. I've never shot two babies at once, so this was quite a treat. It was adorable how the crying stopped when they were moved closer together...
Build Some Window Boxes
A few weeks ago I told you that I was going to try my hand at building some window boxes. I showed you a round up of good tutorials and inspiration. Now I've gone and done it...and I'm super please with how they turned out. Here's an updated photo of the house. ...
Who’s Your Sandy Metcalf?
Summertime tends to make me a bit nostalgic. It's like Christmas to some extent. The smells, the trips, the food...they all remind me of happy times gone by. Being off of school, sleeping late, days at Lake Michigan, watermelon on the patio. I spend a lot of...
My Mele Kalikimaka Moment
You've seen "Christmas Vacation", right? The one with Chevy Chase. Around my house it's pretty much a holiday tradition to watch it at least once during the Christmas season. In the movie Clark Griswold has a daydream about what he'll do with his Christmas bonus. ...
How to hang a gallery wall without making your husband angry.
Did you know that I was formerly banned from hanging things on the walls of my house? Yes, me. The girl who can rip out a wall, tear up carpet, wire a light and texture dry wall. I can make over a room like the best on HGTV, but I was banned from putting nails in...
Triple Shot {three awesome sessions}
I cannot explain in words what a fun working weekend I had. I'll have sneak peeks of everything up next week...but in the mean time I just couldn't wait another minute to show you what I've been up to. I have a hard time picking a favorite, but here is one of my...
Bedroom Breakdown {The DIY Nitty Gritty}
Hey all! I have had such a fun, fun week. My family has been in town and we have been running all day seeing the North Dakota Practically Canada sights. Highlights from our visit will be up here on the blog soon...but in the meantime, I want to give you a full...
The Summer’s Best Salad
Today I'm revisiting a post that I ran over a year ago. Now, I wouldn't rerun unless I really thought you should see it. This is the best salad you'll eat all summer. It's so amazing, so fresh, so summer. The beauty of this salad is that it comes together quickly...
