This weekend, we had a porch visitor, and my was he beautiful. Look at that fur! Look at those antennae!

We used this as a teaching moment, and we learned he would only be alive for three days. He has no way to eat or drink after becoming a moth — his only function is to mate at this point. You can read more fascinating facts about him here.

Besides studying insects, we spent the weekend grilling out, reading, watching movies, cleaning, going on bike rides, baking and having dance parties. This all might sound wonderful — and it wasn’t bad — but man, what I wouldn’t give to see a big group of friends right now. Ah well, I’ll enjoy my health in the meantime.

I had another super fun shoot this week with some clients that I’ve been working with for… I think TEN YEARS?!? How is that even possible? But I remember the baby shoots for both kids, so here we are!

And this time, the puppy was the baby! Oh we had fun on this one. It felt so good to laugh and smile this hard (even if it was under a mask).

And we’re back!

This weekend, I started up with my family shoots again, and man did it feel good. Especially with the city in bloom like it is!

I would like to say that things are feeling a little more normal… but I’m not sure how normal I feel having to keep a distance from all my clients while wearing a mask. I guess at home it feels more normal as I have work back on my plate and my child is out of the house again. But the underlying anxiety of it all… that is surely not back to normal.

Anyway, enjoy these cute baby photos! And look at those blooms! What a fun session!

Just a few outtakes from my weekend shoots in the park. Are these tress gorgeous right now or what? I usually hate Minneapolis in the “spring” because that just means snow and dashed hope. But this later part of spring? When it all greens up and blooms? It’s lovely.

But murder on my allergies.

Today is a big day for us. Exciting and scary and all the emotions. Today, Ezra is going to his nanny share.

Ezra’s best friend lives a block down, and their family has been quarantining with their nanny since March. Now that my own shoots are picking up, we realized that either Ezra was going to watch TV all day long (which he is not opposed to, sadly) or we could start his planned summer care plan early. We opted for the latter.

We adore this family more than you know, and we trust them implicitly (obviously). But it’s still a little scary. Yes, our state is opening up, but I’m still very nervous about it. I’ve seen how the numbers are climbing in other states that opened a few weeks ago, and that scares me.

But at the same time, my child has not seen or played with another kid in more than 10 weeks. That has to be affecting his development, and I know it’s affecting his happiness. So today we are taking a big step. Wish us luck.

And yes, I’m starting to shoot again, but I am being extremely cautious — both for the health of my own family and now this other family who has so graciously opened up their home. I’m only shooting outdoors, from 8 feet away while wearing a mask. I had my first sessions this weekend, and they were lovely, so it can be done and we can still have fun while doing it.

I am fitting in the occasional newborn session, but I ask that the families I shoot quarantine for 2 weeks before I arrive, and I do the same (no shopping/errands/etc). It’s a big requirement, but the last thing I want on my conscious is making a baby sick. I wear a mask, and I shoot from much farther away than normal, and the sessions are a bit shorter.

These are such serious and weird times, aren’t they? But this little, tiny bit of normalcy — working again and having a friend for my kid to play with? I am so grateful for them right now. I just hope it doesn’t bite me in the ass.

Well… so the stay at home order is lifted.

I saw a meme on facebook that essentially said “The stay at home order isn’t lifting because the virus is gone, it’s lifting because they have room for you at the hospital now.” And that’s the approach we’re taking.

I am doing family shoots (outside, from a distance with my zoom lenses while wearing a mask), and those will begin tomorrow. And to prepare for the shoots, I forced my little “assistant” to scout spots around the city that had the best flowering trees and that weren’t too crowded.

Here are some of the lovely sites I found and a few shots of the kid “posing” for the camera.

Seven years ago today, we brought this girl home to join our family. And man, that first year? That was tough. But after that? We couldn’t imagine life without her. She is so funny and so smart and so … independent.

To celebrate this Queen, I shot a few images of her playing in the yard today. You guys, my heart just swells when I see her this happy. I tried to narrow down these photos, but I loved them all, so you get a lot today.

I posted a few months back about the tumor in her eye, and because of this quarantine, she still hasn’t been in to see the specialist — but her appointment is tomorrow. Fingers crossed it’s nothing serious.

These two range from being best friends to tears and huffing pretty quick these days. Mostly they are pals,, but … five year olds are not the greatest about personal space. Nor is this collie. For the most, these two kids are side by side and happy about it. But when Ezra steals her toy right outta her mouth? Watch out kid, Hazel is as fast with the snarls as she is with the kisses.