I adore family heirlooms. The history, the stories, the meaning of it all! I just can’t get enough. Today, I was going through my closet and pulled out this lil’ treasure while memories came flooding back to me. I made this christening gown for my daughter to wear when she was four months old. I spent a lot of time finding the perfect pattern, material and then sewing up the special garment for my lil’ baby girl. I added meaningful embellishments, like the heart pin that was my grandmother’s, the tiny gold buttons that I had used for my wedding and then topped it all off with a bonnet that my grandmother had made for my dad’s own christening when he was an infant. I am so glad that I took the time to make this gown for my daughter as I think it makes it that much more special and can be passed down to my daughter when she has children of her own. In the meantime, I will enjoy it every time I open my closet while envisioning how my lil’ Lily looked like a tiny porcelain doll wearing her gown, how proud Michael and I were to show her off and baptize her,and the memory of her Great Great Aunt holding her just before turning 100.

Thank goodness for clear blue skies and the purity of white linens. I actually don’t have a clothesline in my yard, so I had to create this out in a field, but it was worth it. Brought back memories of growing up and helping my mom hang the laundry outside. I vividly remember the crisp smell of the sheets after they had been dried out on the line. Simple. Pure. Heaven.

Yesterday morning I woke up to fog! I love the dreaminess and mystery that these low clouds evoke in me. I decided to go for a walk and take a few pictures across the street from my house. The pond and few trees over there allowed for some pretty pictures even though it was amid rush hour traffic. I would love to wake up to this scene every day. My little version of heaven.

At the beginning of summer, my family headed to Roaring River for our annual fishing trip. It’s always a relaxing time with loved ones. I love taking in the beauty of mother nature and even though I didn’t pull out the camera too much this trip, I managed to capture a few things that caught my eye. Enjoy and I hope you are having a great summer!

Last week, I was in Utah for a photography workshop and luckily, my mom came to St. Louis to help take care of my sweet lil’ Lily. It  was so nice to know that my daughter was in good hands while my husband and I were working. When I got back, my  mom showed me some of the new clothes she had bought while I was away and I offered to take some portraits of her. To be honest, I wanted these images for myself. As a little girl, I used to look at my mom’s hands in church and memorize the curves, lines and her nail beds. I would stare at her face while she took her daily afternoon naps when I was a little girl. I have always been amazed with her one green eye and one blue eye. Now that I’m older, I can really see certain traits in our appearances that are very much the same and I now wonder if I am aging like her too. Those laugh lines really do show how much joy my mom has for life and when I see the start of those same lines on my face, I don’t try to hide them, as it shows the years of laughter and happiness of my life. I find myself staring at these images of my mom, taking in those little details that tell me so many stories. Miles may keep us apart, but having images like this gives me comfort in knowing that my mom is always there for my family and me. It also gives my daughter a chance to “see” her MeMa on a daily basis!