no explanation

So um yeah. That's all I have to say about my lack of bloginess. No good explanation. Not only have I not finished my Yellowstone report (I know, you're dying for it), but I've also added stuff to my Etsy shop (baby announcements here, Christmas printables here, more Christmas cards here), and we up and went to Zion (and left our kids for a night!) - all these things I haven't reported on yet! We're also knee deep in red tape (mixed metaphors happen to be my favorite thing, right there with mixed chocolate) with our new house, and packing, and cleaning. And then there's the not packing and the not cleaning that I've gotten really good at. Like I said, no explanation for the lack of bloginess. And so I shall start here:

My youngest sister, the shining hope of the Christensen clan (as we call her, as she's good at ev.ery.thing she does) is a budding photographer. Girlfriend is good. When we visited a month or two ago, I asked if she wouldn't mind snapping some of me and the girls for Jess for his birthday. She very kindly obliged, even in the crappy light I made her take them in. But seriously guys, she worked some mighty miracles that day.

 

 

 

Because taking photos of my children together is kind of like taking pictures of a cat and a mouse. Literally. Lou runs like a wild banshee, Belle chases laughing.

Belle will stop and pose, but Lou? Um yeah right. Girlfriend is nuts and bolts. So not only are these photos amazing (and I love them so much), but she defied the impossible. She captured my girls. Together. Looking cute.

 

I know, right? I don't know if she knows how much these photos mean to me. These photos make me so very happy, down to my tippy toes. They capture the joy and love and happiness that are my girls. These photos make me so proud and in love all at once. I don't know if she knows that when she's taking photos, she's literally capturing life. Bottling it up for me and for others. Preserving moments that cannot be repeated. Because things change and babies grow. But not in her photos. And I think that's pretty amazing.

You can find my sister's photography (dc photography) here and here. If you're in SLC, I really think you need her to take your photos (because that means she visits us!). :)

These last two were per my request. Every day I wear around my neck an A for Annabelle, an L for Lydia Lou, the pendant that reads "every day i love you," and that little redheaded baby. That's right - Jess. Jess' mom gave it to Jess' grandma when he was born, her first grand baby (and her husband's namesake). Just last year, Gram gave it to me.