a very merry un-fourth

First of all, I make no apologies for how woefully late I am at posting these pictures.

B) I'm also not too concerned about the way I seem to have lost my words and begun to rely solely on photos when it comes to blog posts as though I'm bent on bringing back hieroglyphics as man's primary form of documentation.

 III. Let's take a moment to focus on how Kirsti, upon lighting her sparkler, immediately struck the pose of a wizarding duel ((see photo three)), thus proving again why we all adore her.

And lastly, the picture of Ryan below is one of my most prized ((and accidental)) captures of all time. I love photography. And Jodi's family.

Also if note: Scott busted out a spool of electrical wire and a detonator to make this the best home fireworks show of my life.

Boom boom.

"steve, methink you got crazy eye"

This photo is an accurate representation of how I've felt lately.

Frazzled, a little spazzed, a tad exhausted, with just a hint of crazy face.

∆∆∆

When I was out on the Clackamas a few weeks ago I was reminded how at once you can feel completely exhilarated and completely terrified at how quickly you get can get caught in the current and rushed along through the water.

Sometimes you float merrily along, sometimes you hit some pretty gnarly rocks ((my bruises have healed by the way)) and sometimes you get lucky and speed through those rapids like a pro. The water is deep enough and you end up catching some air and enjoying the rush when a wave crashes over you, the icy water instantly revitalizing you from the bearing of the hot, hot sun.

Driving back from Seattle the other night after spending two amazing days with two of my dearests and their families ((and snuggling their sweet, sweet babies)), at first all I could think about was how much I wanted to get home and just go. to. sleep. 

I've been burning the candle at both ends ((and maybe the middle, I'm not sure, I think that's possible, who knows, I can't feel my face anymore)) and now here we are at the end of July and I look back to realize I've been caught in these rapids. I landed in the current and have just been speeding along, happily aware of the fact that this is the first time I can remember fully trusting God to get me through the river. And even if I hit a rock or two, I know those bruises will heal and become just another part of the story I'll tell later. And I love that.

Kudos, God.

I like your rivers. 

Where to next?

wilder than any eight second ride

Two years ago, when Jodi took me to the St. Paul Rodeo for the first time, she couldn't believe I'd never been to a rodeo. For crying out loud, I remember watching boys in boots & bluejeans throwing lassos around oil drums outside auto shop back in high school. And I know at least two guys who kept step ladders in their trucks for shorter passengers to haul themselves into the jacked up cab. What's the deal here?

It may have been Napa, but it wasn't exactly hoity-toity city livin'. 

((sorry to burst the misconceptions there... most of us who are from Napa know that the town wasn't much to speak of when we were growing up there))

Now bounce ahead a couple years and a few more rodeos later and waking up the morning of July 3rd was like waking up on Christmas. 

It's RODEO SEASON! was all I could think about all day.

What. Has. Happened. To. Me.

Oh... Ice cold beer, fresh corndogs, good whiskey and gettin' to know some country boys - that's what.

I mostly blame some Oregon girls and Montana boys.

And by blame, I mean forever grateful because this was a damn good time.

The ladies - too bad you can't see our cutoffs and boots, right?

And a Shamoo! This was his first rodeo... Don't think it will be his last.

...Sittin' in a tree...

Then there was that time Shamoo's dad photobombed an already ridiculous picture making it approximately 80,000 times better.

The Shamo clan! More fun with Janet, Bill, Eric and Shamoo to come if and when I ever get that waterproof camera developed...

Seriously, I know it's sacrilege in the microbrew capital of the world, but there is just something deeply satisfying about ice-cold Coors Light on a hot summer night...

And yeah... We got a little silly by the end of the night. Thank goodness we had Caitlyn ((above)) and Kirsti ((bless that girl, she's such a saint... You'll see pictures of her in the 4th of July post!)) to be voices of reason when everyone else was busy offending reason.

Me? I was actually stone-cold sober by the end of the night and was too busy taking pictures to get too ridiculous. But Scott decided to fix that by throwing me over his shoulder. Of course he was feeling pretty groovy and we both went down in the gravel. 

I mean come on, buddy... You know I don't need help falling down. 

I manage just fine on my own.

All in all though, it was a pretty wonderful night.

Yeehaw and all that rot.

Here's to the start of another good year of rodeo.

a portrait of the drag racer as a young woman

A couple weeks ago I tried something new:

senior portrait photography

Jodi's little cousin Emily - who though she looks all sweet can whip anyone's butt on the racetracks and should probably just plan on being the next Danica Patrick - graciously asked me to do the honors of shooting her portraits and I was beyond thrilled to do so.

After a few weddings and having lost track of how many events I've shot in the last year, this could have been a piece of cake ((which I mean, look at this girl, she's adorable... my job was basically done for me)) but being just shy of a decade away from getting my own portraits done, I still remembered just how monumentally important senior photos are for a girl. 

((I still cringe thinking about how mine turned out... I wasn't too happy with myself at 17 and the last thing I wanted was to have those things canonized for the rest of my life and handed out to 2,000 other high school students - DestructiveOverlordOfSelfEsteem: 1, TeenageLauren: -14billion))

But like I said... Emily ((and the incredible grounds at Red Ridge Farms)) made my job easy. Look at the kid: she's stunning.

She was, however, a little nervous about being in front of the camera so her mom, Kelsey, was behind me acting like a total goof so we could get the perfect shot ((not in a Sears Portrait Studio "Look at the birdie!" kind of way but more in a taking flying leaps and thoroughly embarrassing her teenager kind of way - it worked perfectly)). Apparently Emily has a habit of doing a "fake smile" so mom was taking no chances of capturing anything but full-on authentic Emily.

Mission accomplished. 

((and now for a billion photos because I can't choose just a few))

((you're used to this by now, right?))

Thank you so much, Emily, for trusting me with your photos!