This weekend was lovely in that the weather was fantastic enough to where we spent the days outside wrapped up in layers, playing in the sunshine, and the evenings sitting by fires, sipping tea and reading. We also went to the zoo, had our own family photo session, went out for breakfast, raked leaves and watched our new favorite show on PBS. Oh! And on Saturday, Jamie and I got a sitter and celebrated our seventeenth wedding anniversary with a fancy dinner and a bonfire with friends. SEVENTEEN YEARS. I feel ancient.Anyway,  back to the photo. I loved the color coming in through the windows this weekend, and you guys know I love the steam off of hot tea or warm food. This image feels like fall mornings or early evenings to me. The best.For your internet share, please go read this story about a rapist who took forever to prosecute. This enrages me. I'm glad he was finally punished, but I would hope attacking and raping three women would call for more than six years in prison. And when I think about his fraternity brothers helping to cover up his crimes, my blood boils.

Thursday morning I had a session with a 20-month old, and after playing in the leaves, we wandered into the woods and just look who was waiting for us! Hello, cutie! I see doe in the woods all the time, but this is the first buck I've seen in the city.What are you guys up to this weekend? I'm gonna do some cooking and try to enjoy the weather (sunny! sixties!). Get out there!OK, internet shares!+ This toddler's parents let her pick her own outfit for the school photo, and it is AMAZING.+ Add wolves back into nature and watch how things change.+ I am making this gnocchi chicken soup for SURE.+ Here are some pretty fall photos.+ The difference between mineral water, seltzer water and club soda.

There is nothing quite like being woken up by crying in the middle of the night and opening your child's bedroom door to see him puking (and crying) over the side of the crib. Oh, and let's not forget the smell.So Ezra stayed home with Mom yesterday, and lucky for both of us he seemed fine. No fever, no more puking and great spirits. Because he had puked, I was too gun shy to take him out in public (a serious fear of mine is having my kid puke all over a public place -- ew), and he didn't want to even leave the house. So we watched Shawn the Sheep all morning, and then later I busted out this train I was saving for Christmas. It did the trick and he was happy all day long.In other hilarious news, for about the last six months, I keep getting contacted through my web form by actors in NYC who need head shots in the next day or two. The second or third person who reached out, said that their agent had sent them to me. I was completely baffled as, clearly, I cannot fly to NYC for a small headshot session on a day or two's notice. I kept emailing these nice folks back explaining I lived in Minnesota, and then I never heard a word back.Until today! An actress emailed me back, apologizing for the mix up, and said she had typed in the url wrong. Her agent was sending her here. HOW HILARIOUS IS THAT?!? SHUTTER. SCHMACK! I nearly died. Hysterical!Ok, and now for your internet shares of the day:+ This interview with one of the Black Keys made me laugh.+ So the local PBS station had a photo contest, and they are putting out a book containing winning photos that showcase the seasons of Minnesota. One of my photos was chosen, but I seriously don't know which one (I entered a handful). Anyway! If that sounds like something that might interest you, you can buy the book here.  Also, there is an event planned to showcase the photos and the book, and if you're into that, you can go here. (Confession, I will not be there as I am already booked that night.)

I snapped this photo while shooting a family session this weekend at a lake. Sidebar: The fall color right now is so damn gorgeous right now! Everyone who likes this color, real quick shoot me an email and let's book a session for the second week of October 2017. Deal?Ok, back to business. So I love looking at pebbles in the water, but it had just started to sprinkle a little, and I loooooooove it when water ripples and distorts an image. I don't know why, but it pleases me to no end. I wish this image would have had a few more ripples in it, but beggars can't be choosers.So how are you guys doing this week? It's kinda nuts over here with the many, many, many photo shoots going on. But they make me happy, so that's not really a complaint. I did go to the doctor today for my physical and I got the flu shot and holy hell did it hurt bad this year. I actually sucked in my breath out of pain and the nurse commented that a lot of people were finding this year's shot more painful. It's not the needle, but it's the sting of feeling the magic medicine entering your bloodstream. Yikes. Is that graphic enough for you? Sorry. And yes, my arm is sore. That said, please get your flu shot. I need a world-wide effort to keep my family healthy this winter.For your internet shares today:+ This sort of bullshit makes me hate America. PEOPLE! It is common sense to want SMART PEOPLE protecting your money. The idea of a redneck bank is ridiculous and reminds me of those stupid, red Make America Great Again ball caps. Get it together.+ Bon Appetit tells us the best cheeses sold at Trader Joe's and I keep meaning to try them. + The secret to solving a rubix cube! I've never been able to do this.+ You had me at French secret society, but sure, throw the terms "cake" and "cookies" in there and I'm even more sold.

Well, I still feel a bit bad about Monday's post not showing emotion or what something really feels like. I think for those photos to have done what I wanted, I needed fog coming off water or something like that.So I'm going to try to make up for it today with SO MUCH EMOTION.This little girl turned one last week, and to say she did not like the texture of frosting stuck to her fingers is a complete understatement (and sadly hilarious at the same time).Oh, toddlers and their feelings.For your internet shares:+ I don't normally read "treehugger.com," but this was shared in my Facebook feed and I love the idea of retiring here with a commune of friends. Who's in?+ Do you feel old? Because look who's on the cover of the AARP magazine. Yeah. I feel old, too. Also? I'm stunned that man still has hair.+ What a family struggling with Zika looks like. In case you didn't know, Zika scares the hell out of me, and I'm not even trying to ever procreate again. But it's straight out of a sci-fi novel and it makes me afraid for the future. However, that article gave me a glimmer of hope.

I feel like this week is a bit of a cop out because I'm not showing any emotion (or even alluding to it) but rather I'm showing weather. But you guys! The fall color is AMAZING right now! And we have crisp mornings and cool evenings and trees that are on fire with color. So that's what I'm showing you.Sure I could show a thousand other things that represent fall (blankets, tea, books -- I love to read in the fall), but it's a short window when I can show you the amazing color, so I'm grabbing it by the horns.I am shooting a bazillion families right now for their holiday cards, and the scenery this week is out of control, don't you think? Man I love this time of year!And you better believe I took photos of families frolicking in those tall grasses up there. But if I show you those images, you look at the people. And I want you to look at the nature. Just gorgeous.

So! How is YOUR day going?Yesterday morning, this sweet, sweet 9-week-old Vizsla came into the studio for some pictures. Her name is (Pap)Rika Rey (after this Rey), and that might be the sweetest name ever.Honestly, I about fell over when I heard she was named after Paprika! You guys remember that Magda was a tough name for us to come up with because we wanted something Hungarian. But Paprika is PERFECT! (Is it too late to change? I want to call her Pappy!) Also, remember that Mags is a vizsla mix -- which you can totally see when you compare Rika's ears to Magda's)Oh this little girl melted my heart! Look at those wrinkles!!!And those toenails!!!And she looks like her ears could maybe help her to fly, don't they? SO DANG CUTE!I only have two internet shares today, so if you have any, please add them in the comments!+ These photos of things under the microscope are FASCINATING. I adore the butterfly wings, the spider eyes scare the crap out of me and does anyone else see the human face between the wasp eyes? My oh my!+ I bet some lawyer had the best day of his working career when he got to write this letter in response to being sued. I would have loved the hell out of it.

How much fun did I have on Wednesday out at the farm? SO! MUCH! FUN! Except for the freezing-ass cold (I know come January, I will kill for these temps, but for now it's chilly!). But even the 37 degrees didn't bug me too much! Because I got to photograph cows and sheep and chickens and those guys up there! And kids! And fields! And it was an amazing day.I would love to show you one of these images in color, but I want to save that for my client. So you just get this sneak peek in black and white. I'll be sure to tell you later when you can see them out in the real world though.And speaking of "out in the real world," I need some winter coats! I need one that is super warm and long and handles the February days, and I need one that is cuter, a bit lighter, and handles the December/March days. Right now, I'm drawn to the cuter ones (of course). So which of these three would you get if money were no object?

1. Oh Anthropologie, you really get me.
2. And yeah, you really do get me because here's another one I love.
3. And this one would be super sporty and cute (and warm) from the Gap.

Tell me what you think!