Summer Portraits, Part 2.

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I finally edited this second set of photos that I took of the boys on a summer day in Somerset, Kentucky. 

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(See the first set: here!)

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I am so in love with these photos. This old wall, the random U hanging on a wire, my little boys.... these just scream childhood to me and fill my heart. I hope you enjoy them as well. :)

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xoxo,

Gillian

Portraits of my boys, Summer 2017.

It's becoming so much harder to get pictures of my boys now that they are a little older. It pains me because they are my muses and my absolute favorite thing to photograph. On the last day of our stay in Somerset, KY I convinced them to let me take some photos in town. It was about 15 minutes of absolute bliss for me. It sounds dramatic, but that is truly how dearly I love to photograph my boys and I'm sure that some of you can relate! I'll have to split the photos up into two photo heavy posts but they just mean everything to me. 

Old painted walls + snapshots of two growing boys in the summertime.

Enjoy. :)

Rome + Ash, June 2017\Then, their true personalities start to come out...

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xoxo,

Gillian

Our Back to School Countdown Bucket List!

*Sponsored Post: This post is sponsored by the Goldfish® brand but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.*

Here's a little video of our night at the Drive-In with Goldfish® brand!

How are we already in the second half of summer? After spending the first half traveling and having visitors, I feel like I'm still recovering and trying to fall into a summer groove. Stores are starting to display back to school everything and I'm trying to hang onto these last weeks with my boys at home the best that I can!

I've realized that just being a working mom while trying to keep my kids fed and alive is honestly enough to exhaust me by the end of the day. It seems like I have to be very deliberate about planning fun things to do with the kids. When my boys were younger we were always out and about but in this busier phase of life, things are different! Heading into the back to school season, things are only about to get busier and crazier.

The boys and I love talking about and brainstorming "bucket lists". We often make one seasonally. It's a tangible way for the kids to see that we are indeed doing fun things and checking them off our list even if our typical days are very simple. The kids' summer has already been packed full of travel, family and new experiences but we put together a "Back to School Bucket List" of 10 things that we want to squeeze in before school starts!

This week we were able to check off the first thing on our list: going to the drive-in! The drive-in is practically in our backyard and it's the perfect, easy way to entertain the kids. I loved watching the sun set over the mountains as the boys' ran around before the movie started. We of course brought along some Goldfish® crackers which the boys snacked on before and during the movie.

Are Goldfish® crackers a staple in your house? We always have them on hand and they are the perfect snack to grab on our way out the door. I also love that Goldfish® crackers have no artificial flavors or preservatives!

Here's our "Back to School Countdown Bucket List!" What things are you hoping to do with your kids before school starts? Let me know in the comments; I'd love some more ideas!

Back to School Countdown Bucket List!

1. Go to the drive-in

2. Check out a new ice cream place in town

3. Go to the trampoline park

4. Vist a museum

5. Stay up late and have a movie night with Roman

6. Plan a special date one-on-one date with each of the boys (one each with Mom and Dad separately!)

7. Make homemade slime

8. Swim at the river

9. Back to school shoe shopping date

10. Several park, splash park + pool trips

Be sure to check out the Goldfish® Pinterest page for lots of other back to school and snacking ideas!

insta-summer and a quick hello!

It's been a while! My kids (yes, both kids! Ah!) are back in school and I'm attempting to get back at blogging! My computer has been gone being fixed most of the summer, and I haven't even touched my camera, *but* I have been keeping up on Instagram so I thought I'd share some of my faves from this summer.
. opening night at my end of the year show for school! i only took one class last year and i worked on a self portrait project called "portraits of motherhood" which pretty much sums up the emotions i've felt over the past year: exhaustion and introspection. i was glad to be chosen for the show and to catch up with my artist friends. the angels seriously sing for me when the weather warms up and i can get these rambunctious little boys out of the house and to the park every evening!colorado summer skies are my absolute favorite. i can't even; they are so special to me.

sillouette shots at the park are also my favorite.weekend trip to breckenridge, a ritzy little ski town.
we spent a good amount of time down at the river this summer. there is nothing more magical that sparkly summer water, especially nestled within the mountains.
lots of splash park nights this summer, and it was so sweet to see asher finally get the courage to play in the water! <3neighborhood bike rides, more park nights... ok we basically *live* at the park.

my sisters came to visit this summer! our trip was perfect. these girls are such a big part of my heart and we had an amazing time being our ridiculous selves as usual! 

we took a little day trip into Cheyenne with my sisters, such a sleepy old town. we went on a carriage ride, had lunch and adventured around. 

with my sisters we also hiked to the top of a waterfall and oh my goodness came across this dreamy pool at the top. 

we ended up taking an impromptu family trip to ohio. these pictures were taken in nebraska/eastern colorado. always nice to see the fam!

the boys and i on our way to a friend's house for a cookout. 

we loved having wednesday night cookouts at adrienne's! summer grass // green tea frapps 

both summer staples.dandelions are forever my favorite flower // my own little flower turned *5* and we had an aboslutely wonderful day celebrating our asher.

we had lunch at a janky little restaurant in ault. there were flies everywhere and sticky syrup dripping on the walls as expected but dang this mural wall - worth it.
this picture was taken the night that the boys and i went back to school shoe shopping at Kohls/Famous Footwear and had dinner at iHop. i'm actually tearing up just looking at this picture. i can honestly say that this night was just perfect.

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i hope you all had a beautiful summer!

i'm excited to get back into this space and also to catch up on reading all of my favorite blogs as well!

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happy friday!

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summer park days.

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i was so not ready to let this summer go. it's hard for me each year to face winter because the season just feels dark and stuffy and lonely to me. looking at these pictures from the end of july, i realize how much has changed since then and those hot sticky days with firey pink sunsets do feel pretty far away now. fall has been okay and i've embraced it pretty well i think. i do like fall because it isn't as miserably hot. the air is fresh and cool and you can still go outside everyday. this past summer the boys and i went through a little phase of driving down the street for a walk and to play at the playground during the sunset. these pictures are from one of those nights. i have so many photos from those quiet, slow summer nights that i'm going to have to share quickly before that feeling of  summer completely fades away.

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happy monday, friends!

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