Right when I start to get overwhelmed with this photography journey I am on, this monthly blog circle I am part of  comes along and reminds me of where my love of photography began.  It reminds me that capturing our everyday, our family, and our memories  is where it all began.  And when I have only picked up my camera to capture "sessions" for other amazing families...I can tell.  So I am thankful that somehow, naturally, when I have stopped picking up my camera to capture us, a holiday or something comes along and gives me time to turn the lens on capturing our "now".

Whenever we go "up north" to my husband's hometown the time flies because we are having so much fun.  But it also slows down because I get to breathe, relax, and enjoy family time without the to do lists, house stuff, and life that keeps us going, going, going.  We get a break from our house and easily feel at home at Grandma Charlie's house.  

As a parent I have always had this tiny stress that I wouldn't be able to build traditions that our children would always remember.  And as I have become a more veteran parent I am realizing that traditions often happen on their own.  Some traditions can be for a stage in their growing up journey and may change or fade ...but will still be remembered (how we do bedtime, bath time, where we sit at dinner or our after school routine).  And some traditions are the big things (holidays, extended family, trips, birthdays, first/last days of school etc.)  Realizing that traditions often start naturally and only have to be acknowledged and loved has been a huge relief, no longer do I lay awake worried they won't look back and remember our family traditions.  

One tradition is an easy one to share...Every year since Charley was born we have trekked up north for a small town Fourth of July.  And each year is a little different as new little people are added to the mix...

My children now look forward to the cousin time, grandma's pancakes, fishing, walks to the park, playing in the woods, candy at the parade, s'mores on the fire, beach time at Lake Superior, ice cream before the fireworks, and SO much more.  For this month's blog circle I focused on sharing moments in collages.  My love of photography is grounded on capturing moments and often one picture doesn't always capture or tell the story.  Sometimes pictures build off of each other...probably why clients often feel a tad overwhelmed when they get their gallery from me...because, I love telling stories and sharing pictures that build off of each other which often means larger galleries when their session is planned as a storytelling adventure.    So here is a glimpse of our Fourth of July weekend story.  

Fishing...

Parade....

Below is the parade pout that Sydney mastered when we wouldn't let her eat the candy.

Playtime at Grandma's house with cousins

Don't forget to continue on with the photography circle and visit Denise Button's blog, a photographer from Michigan, to see what she has been capturing!  And once again, I am so grateful for this journey that I would not be on without the support of friends, family, clients, and strangers that hire me, like my pictures, comment, and send thoughts that put a skip in my step and another reason to keep snapping up moments!