Whew!

Goodness. I can't believe I haven't blogged in almost a week. I've just been so busy - you know, going to the pool, reading, baking, redecorating. I just don't know if I'm gonna make it through the summer; it's such a hard time of year for us teachers. We sleep too late, our schedule gets all out of whack, and we just can't decide which book to start with! What's a girl to do?

How about march down to the courthouse for a business license! Sarah C. Photography is now official!

This weekend I've been in the booming metropolis of Osceola, Arkansas doing a photo fundraiser for the museum Nana supports. I have had a blast meeting all kinds of sweet families, couples and babies, but I must mention that yesterday and today have been unbelievably hot. Come on, I know I didn't get your sympathy before, so a little now won't hurt!

We woke this morning to yet another day of heat advisories and temperatures over 100 degrees. Funny that I don't even notice the sweat pouring down my back and my dirt-caked feet until I'm finished taking pictures. My mind must have no room for complaints while I'm working, but as soon as my subjects (My subjects? I guess that means you can call me Queen Sarah. Or is that Queen Sarah C.? I digress...) drove away in their car, I realized how hot and tired I was. Mom and Nana were ready with a cold bottle of water after every session, and they have spoiled me with my favorite blueberry salad and my new indulgence, fried pickles. Someone please tell me where I can find these in Knoxville. My life and, if I may be so bold to assume, my mom's life just won't be complete without these as part of our weekly menu.

Back to Normal

Sarah C. has had a blast taking pictures this week.  Just kidding.  I'm not gonna go all third person on you.  Saturday morning in the blazing heat of the Tennessee summer, I did an engagement session for the wedding I have coming up in November.  Like most people, they were a bit nervous about being in front of the camera, but they are so in love that they quickly forgot about me and the big black camera in front of my face!

This picture ended up being one of my favorites even though it's a bit blurry.  Sometimes the imperfect ones (not that there ever are any perfect ones!) end up conveying more emotion.  Chris was whispering something to Burke, and it was such a sweet moment.

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With all the photo editing I've been doing, okay and some wasted time on Facebook, Milly probably doesn't even realize it's summer.  

It was fun pretending to be a full-time photographer last week, but this week I just have one session.  I will be catching up on a few things though - playing tennis, sunbathing (or is that sunburning?) at the pool, cooking, cleaning, and finishing all the redecorating I started two weeks ago.  I found this cool local artist at the Farmer's Market in Market Square yesterday and hope to buy a couple of her prints to freshen up our walls.  

**Special thanks to Becky Cole of Blue Luna Photography for the new watermark.  Strangely enough, we're kind of related, she works with Dad, and Andrew now works for her brother - no more sorting coupons!  Powell sure does makes this world feel like a smaller place!  And the watermark makes me feel even more like a real photographer!

Say Hello To My Little Friend

I was so excited to take this family's maternity pictures because I grew up with Rebekah.  I even named one of my dolls after her.  I'm glad I didn't scare her off at four years old - that is some pretty creepy behavior!  Our families went camping together several times, so we share some pretty funny memories.  Anybody remember gravy butt?  Okay, it's just rude of me to hint at a funny story without sharing, so here goes.... (Hopefully Bekah won't kill me for this!)

Both of our families are sitting around the campfire at Cumberland Mountain State Park, probably listening to the Vols or the Braves on the radio, and we are just about to eat the breakfast that our Moms likely spent an hour preparing.  Bekah forgot something - a fork, a knife, a napkin, I don't know - I don't remember because the next few moments are the ones that became sealed in my memory for eternity.  She walks back by the fire, sits down in her comfy camping chair, and prompty asks, "Where did I leave my plate?"  About that time, she realized she was, in fact, sitting on her plate - her plate of biscuits and gravy nonetheless.  It couldn't have been the morning for dry toast or scrambled eggs.  She had to plop her tail down in a plate of warm, thick, greasy southern-style gravy.  In that moment, she earned the nickname "gravy butt."  If you're not laughing your head off right now, I must have not done the story justice because to this day, it is one of the funniest moments of my life.

   

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By the way, this old beat up truck is my new best friend! Anyone with a photo shoot in the near future should expect to see this in their pictures. I stumbled on it the other day, and I'm already so worried that it won't be around very long, so I plan to use it as much as possible!

Sarah C.

Hooray for the biggest week so far for Sarah C. Photography!  (My family totally makes fun of me for the Sarah C. thing so I figure I'll just use it as much as I can - so there!)  I have had three sessions scheduled this week, and I've had a blast with the first two and am looking forward to the third.  Here's a sneak peek of Haylee M.

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Well, I better get off here and say goodnight to Andrew L.  Sheila B., hope you have fun at your conference tomorrow.  I'm not sure what I'll do all day with you out of town and no babies to follow around!

Wedding Pictures

While I wish I could blame Photoshop for the delay with these pictures, I'm positive it was something I did while trying to navigate my way around labyrinth that is Photoshop.  Before my trip I worked for hours trying to fix the problem with no success, and when I returned the problem had disappeared.  I feel only slightly ignorant about the fact that the computer probably just needed to be restarted.  Anyway, it's fixed now!  I don't really count this as my first wedding because I was just the second shooter, but I as of last week I booked my first official wedding at Church Street United Methodist in November!  

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Which is Which?

I just can't get enough of these two!  Sadly my house holds plenty of evidence for that- I haven't cleaned in longer than I am willing to admit.  I am spending all day and night at Mom's just following their every move.  Who would choose dusting and sweeping over crawling on the floor and changing poopy diapers that, for the record Mom, did not fall away when you took the diaper off.  It's okay; I'm learning.  

The raised eyebrow expression is another clue for Sofie.

I captured this rare moment where Sofie actually let a man hold her.  I hate that for Papaw, Dad, Matt and Andrew, but it's worked out really well for Mom and me.  More baby time!

Uh-oh.  More Sofie.  I hope Izzy doesn't hold this against me.  She had more face time yesterday though.  Where is Izzy anyway?

Here she is!  Playing a little peek-a-boo with Mom.

These girls love their Aunt Melissa, 

but you better stay out of their way when Cristina walks into the room.  Nobody can substitute for this Mom.  She really has it under control.  

Papaw's had a special request last night - a picture of all his grandkids for Father's Day.

And here we are!

Based on the clues you have been given, can you guess which is which?

I'm a sucker for the eyelash picture.  

I'm off to kiss these little cheeks.  Tomorrow is their last day, so I've got to get my Izzy and Sofie fix!

Little Feet

Whose toes could these be?  Katelyn and Emma Grace?  Lucy or Avery?

Nope.  It's none other than Isabella and Sofia.  We're so glad Cristina and Melissa are here too, but I'm afraid these babies are getting most of the attention!

Now you know the toes belong to the twins, but which of the twins is this?  (Clue: Izzy is usually in pink and her cheeks are fuller, so this is Sofie.)

Here's Izzy!  She's content to crawl around, but Sofie is walking all over the place!

Uh oh!  No pink bathing suits to clue us in, but notice those cheeks.  Definitely Izzy.

Okay, so this one looks a little scary, but the water is only inches deep and Mom was standing just out of the frame! 

Nearly impossible to get them both in a picture.

Hey, Mom!  Looks like you've got your hands full.  I'll be right there.

Too bad I don't have any video of them - yet!  The cutest thing is listening to their little noises.  Yesterday afternoon Papaw took Matt, Cristina, and Melissa to the lake, and Mom and I kept the girls.  They took a nap for a couple hours, and we thought we heard something so we went upstairs to check on them (hoping they would finally wake up!), and they were just chatting away in their pack'n'plays!  Seems like they have their own little communication system.

Izzy is imitating Betsy, their bulldog, by snorting and scrunching up her nose.  Hilarious! 

The girls with great-great grandmother, Mama Ese.  This one's a framer for sure.

Lady Cheetahs

Last night Andrew and I went to see our neice Audrey's last softball game.  We haven't been out to see her before, and let's just say, I was surprised to see this side of her.  I have only been privy to the girly, Disney princess, Hannah Montana side of her in the past, but I now understand the real Audrey.

Don't get me wrong, though, she is still the ultimate girly girl.  That is, in fact, mascara smudged under her eyes.

Check out this throw in action.

I sure didn't throw like this for the Orange Crush when I was her age.

She was making Uncle Andrew proud.

She didn't even stop chanting to put her helmet on.  I couldn't ever understand what they were saying, but those little girls were screaming their heads off trying to distract the other batters.  Pretty intense stuff!

Look at that stance!  Dad/Coach Russ has obviously been working with her!

Jake wasn't so into the game...

...as for the Slim Jims, that's a different story.

And the green apple blowpop.

Last weekend this sweet thing even called me by name.  I was afraid he only knew me as "crazy lady with a camera."

Emma Grace wouldn't take her eye of Mama...

...and planned an escape route to get to her.

Not much else to say except they are all growing up way too fast.  I met Audrey, and Melissa for that matter, three days after Audrey was born (I'm still sorry about the horrible timing!) and was lucky enough to witness the birth of Jake and Emma Grace.  It's good for me to see how fast it goes before we have kids, so we can remember to soak in all their little kid ways before they're gone.  Stop by The Lonas 5 to welcome Melissa to the blog world. 

How Could I Forget?

As soon as I hit the publish button on the post yesterday, I realized that I didn't mention going to the Anne Frank House/Museum on our last day.  I don't know how I could have forgotten because it was one of the most moving places we visited.  They didn't allow pictures so I quit beating myself up about the dead camera battery.

The museum is actually in the house or "secret annex" where the Frank family hid for two years while the Nazis occupied Amsterdam.  At the request of Anne's Father, Otto, there is no furniture in the space.  The building conveys an emptiness that is haunting.  The walls are full of quotes from Anne's diary.  It's mystifying to believe she was 13 and 14 when she wrote those words.  The typical teenage angst toward her mother humanizes her, but the wisdom and understanding with which she views her circumstance demonstrates a maturity that defies comprehension.  

'Would anyone, either Jew or non-Jew, understand this about me, that I am simply a young girl badly in need of some rollicking fun?'" 

I was holding myself together just fine until we entered her bedroom with magazine and newspaper clippings all over the wall.  A powerful reminder that she had the same interests and desires as any other teenage girl.  I bought a poster in the gift shop to post in my classroom.  It includes four pictures of Anne as well as the quote below: 

"One day this terrible war will be over. The time will come when we will be people again, and not just Jews! We can never be just Dutch, or just English, or whatever, we will always be Jews as well. But then, we'll want to be."

The final room of the museum heartbreakingly reveals that Anne died just weeks before the concentration camps were liberated.  Her father is the only one from the secret annex who made it out alive.  After reading Anne's diary that was found by a family friend, he published it to fulfill her dreams of becoming an author.  I'd say her words have made quite an impact in the world.

The I amsterdam monument is fabulous but impossible to get in one picture!  What were they thinking?  What good is it if not for a photo?!?

Not being the kind of group to waste any time, we spent the few remaining hours in Amsterdam at the Van Gogh Museum.  Well, except for the few that chose to go shopping.  Of course, I would not be included in such a superficial, consumer-driven group!  And I would never get them lost only hours before takeoff!  As I was panicking only two streets from our meeting place, I learned a lesson.  When asking for directions, the more desperate you act, the better.  I interrupted a man who was cutting someone's hair inside a store, and he stopped what he was doing and walked outside the building to point me in the right direction.  Love those Dutch!

Mark my words:  We're starting a trend in Powell with the Longchamps purse.  All the stylish women in Europe carry one.  I wanted one when I went last year, and since I still wanted it a year later, I decided it was worth the investment!  I talked a few others into it as well!

The plane ride home was perfectly uneventful.  I watched three movies to keep myself awake and get back on the right schedule.  It's four days later and not one bit of jet lag!  

Amsterdam

Our first full day in Amsterdam began with a bus tour of the city with a fabulously stylist guide.  She probably thought we were crazy!  We asked where she got her jacket, felt how soft it was, and asked to take her picture.  Just call us ambassadors for America!  The woman didn't have a stitch of makeup on, had gray in her hair, and wrinkles on her face, but she was one of the most beautiful women I saw on the trip.  Yet another reminder to stay away from plastic surgery.  I wish some of the Real Housewives of New Jersey could have seen her.  Goodness, those women!

The whole group in front of one of Holland's famous windmills.

My 50mm made it so hard to get a picture of something this size.  I would scoot back, check the view finder, scoot back, check the view finder, etc.  Then I'd just give up and take the shot.

The guide gave us 30 minutes to peruse the flower market.  Too bad we had no reason to buy fresh flowers, but darned if I didn't get some bulbs back to the States!  I can't wait for my purple tulips next Spring!

The Rijksmuseum (pronounced Rikes) houses 17th century Dutch paintings.

This included both Rembrandt and Vermeer.  Angelique gave me quite a lesson on art in this place.  She helped me see the paintings in a new way.  

Rembrandt's "The Night Watch" is massive and fascinating.  It really looks like the captain's hand is extended outside the painting.  

Vermeer's "The Mildmaid" is my favorite painting in the Rijks.  The blue color was created using an expensive pigment called ultramarine.  Our guide said it best - "You can almost hear the milk pouring from the pitcher."  Thanks to the PTA, every year Madame buys a print and they frame it for our hallway.  I chose "The Milkmaid

 for our print this year, and it will be placed right outside my room in the English Hall.  Yay Vermeer!

Knowing my obsession with pearls, you can imagine how much I love Vermeer's painting "Girl With a Pearl Earring."  The book of the same title isn't great but definitely worth reading.  The painting is housed somewhere in The Hague so we didn't get to see this one.

After the Rijksmuseum we stopped at a cafe for lunch and I ordered my third mozzarella, tomato and pesto sandwich.  I just can't get enough of that fresh flavor.  I guess I was so excited I even forgot to snap a picture.  After one bite of our dessert, I knew I had to snap a photo to document the experience.

These mini-pancakes were drenched in powdered sugar.  I don't know if they were really that good, or if anything coated in that much sugar would taste good.  Either way, I'll be making them soon.

Next stop: The Diamond Factory.  

This was almost Happy Anniversary to me. Then I saw the price tag.  1100 euros.  No thanks.  But Andrew, I'm a sucker for sapphires encircled in diamonds.  Nevermind, anything encircled in diamonds will do.

They brought out trays of diamond jewelry for us to play with.

Then my camera died.  I can't prove it, but dinner included bread, salad, an entree I can't remember, and an apple dumplin - though I'm sure they don't call them dumplins in Amsterdam.  I politely asked someone to pass the bread basket after I finished my entree, and Madame politely asked if I would like more salad.  I got the hint from our school health nut, but I definitely went for more bread instead of salad.  Even about five pounds later, I believe it was worth it.  

One of the funniest moments of the trip occurred on the boat ride through the canals of Amsterdam on our last night.  Cindy was looking back through her purchases from the day, and pulled out a magnet of a Coffee Shop.  Sounds innocent, right?  Only in Amsterdam, coffee shops aren't known for the coffee, but rather for the marijuana they sell.  Her magnet had little marijuana leaves all over it!  Our own little Dolly Parton was completely shocked that she bought such a thing.  I laughed harder than I've laughed in weeks.  Still laughing just thinking about it!

We gathered in the hotel lobby for our final celebration.  All the chaperones came up with awards to present to each traveler.  This is such a special night to wrap up our adventures.  I even remember receiving The Coco Chanel Award at a restaurant in Nice when I was 17.  Here are a few we gave out this year:

• The Cinderella Award for the girl who dropped her shoe in the tracks of the Eurostar
• The Fashion Victim Award for the girl who fit right in while walking the streets of Paris
• The French Gentleman Award for the boy that helped load suitcases and hold doors for the 20 women on the trip
• and my personal favorite - The Mrs. Robinson Award for the grandmother who had the hots for the young Dutch cobbler

Here's Angelique in her borrowed American getup.  Put anybody in a NorthFace jacket and they suddenly look American.  She wanted one until she found out how much they cost.

They were worn out, but I hope this trip impacted them as much as it did me when I was their age.  It birthed in me a love of traveling that I hope to never lose.

Most of the trip has now been covered, but tomorrow holds a few final anecdotes from our trip home.