chase | olathe, ks

hey followers! for a while, i was feeling pretty down and began questioning my ability to learn how to be creative and how to grow in photography. but since class started, several people have told me they keep up with my blog and facebook group page. this warms me up from the bottom of my heart! it really gives me such a boost of encouragement and sense of worth to know that even a handful of people are enjoying my work. thank you SO much! learning photography really means a lot to me.

it's more than just a picture. it's about capturing emotion. but instead of bottling up and keeping it forever, the happiness spreads everywhere! when you see a picture full of emotion, you are encompassed by that emotion. you want to spread the love you see when a father wraps his protective arms around his little girl. you want to reach out to the person overcome by grief and tears. you want to know the story beyond the lens.

here's an update on a photo shoot i did in shawnee, ks. my friends asked me to come up to the kc area to do a family portrait session. i was so nervous! but with a beautiful and loving family like this, you just can't go wrong. i have some pictures of the youngest: chase. he will be celebrating his one year in about a month. when i went to photograph his family, he was already walking! he's honestly one of the most adorable little boy you will lay eyes on.

















next up is the rest of the family. I wanted to get these to Jessica so that she could get them printed for chase's birthday.

happy soon to be birthday chase!

Happy first day of class all you K-Staters! I wish I didn't have to be back... One more semester!

On a happier note, here's the 16th hole at Colbert Hills.

Koch 55th Anniversary

this is a looong overdue post, but i was waiting to get all of my pictures from this shoot done before i posted. what with a summer course and work, i didn't seem to have any time for my pictures. but i had a week to myself to just work on pictures, so now i'm very excited to be sharing them with you! here are robert and mary's 55th wedding anniversary party. their whole family came together in st. george, ks to celebrate!



Here are some of their super cute great-grandchildren.









and when all the world is spinning around you... just keep smiling.

Date Night: Blackberry Dumpling

i've been itching to post some pictures up on the blog for quite some time now. right now, i'm working on pictures from some shoots before, but here's a little fun something until i finish up those photo shoots.

scrumptious blackberry dumplings

here's how to make the blackberry sauce:

gather up 1 quart of fresh blackberries.



give them a good rinse.



in a large wide saucepan, add blackberries with:

1 c. water
1 c. sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp lemon extract



bring mixture to a boil. reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.



now let's make the dumplings!

i like to mix the dry ingredients first:

1 1/2 c. flout
2 tsp baking powder
1 T. sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg



then add 2/3 c. milk. stir until well mixed.



oil up a tablespoon and drop into berry mixture. cover tightly and simmer for 15 minutes.



gather up some goodies to accompany the dumplings.



after the 15 minutes are up, take mixture off the heat.



voilá! a romantic night in.

enjoy.