©2015 Suzanne Gipson Photography. All Rights Reserved.
10 on 10
Saturday we celebrated Grey's 2nd birthday. It was a great party full of music and sparklers and dancing kids. naptime and serious daddy's boy
you mean if I try and pick up the cake it will fall apart?!!
icing
grey got a banjo but she quickly took over
tire swing
mason and the shoes
happy birthday bear!! and I don't care that it's not in focus although it would be nice if it was
banjo cake
cooper
all night long
then there were 8 hot waving marshmellows
now head on over to emily robinson!
the light is coming earlier and earlier 7:05 am
already filthy
first chore-taking out the compost
northstar lunch
a walk back and a nap
you know you have an older sister if you have rainbow tatoos
green bean delivery. this company has changed my life!! if you are in the area check it out!
having a younger brother who smashes worms is devastating to a worm lover
grandpa worm!!!!
now head on over to Cherish and her 10 on 10
woke up not feeling well piano practice
doing laps until grey makes her mad by ramming his stroller into hers
new shoes
my kids are obsessed with worms. this was grandpa worm.
my girl
dirt and popsicle
she requested her own this year
she can open the door but screaming for mom and making her open the door is way more fun.
bathtime
and now check out the awesome emily robinson!!
march is a very exciting month this year. I have two really great shoots coming up and I am going to the Don't Give Up Project with one of my favorite photographers and friend Deanna McCasland. here is our day in March! morning boys
grey being grey
my little pony
to school we go
this boys smile gets him away with a lot
2 more days of not complaining about gong potty before bed scores you a princess bike. I have held out on this as long as possible lol!!
snack time
she is not into me taking her photo right now. obviously.
grey just started speech because he only has a vocab of about 5 words. she says grey we need to work on your words and reads to him
grey what does a cow say
now head on over to Emily Robinson and her crazy cute girls
waffle eyes getting dressed
brushin teef
jesse
mac and cheese
naptime
an entry in her self portrait project
stacking
evening walk
bear
and now head on over to see Emily Robinson!
it was my daughter's fourth birthday on the darkest dreariest days of December. all day she asked me-Mom it's still my birthday right?! Having a birthday 5 days before Christmas means she usually gets a party of some sort. this year we decided against it and I was just going to meet up with our friends for ice cream. she kept saying-Mom when all the people come over I want open my presents and so on. I finally told her no one was coming-it was just going to be us. she looked at me confused and then got a little sad. I called he closest friend and scheduled an emergency sleepover. my very early riser
4 pancake for the 4 year old
rain rain rain
get it all in there grey
a special morning for ice cream with very special friends
someone got a record player
it's still my birthday right mom?
wanting just a little taste
we blew out candles 4 times
a surprise sleep over
I keep expecting my life to slow down but it just keeps getting faster and faster and the to do list longer and longer. This month we lost our family dog, Jack. He was 12 years old and we found out he was sick and three days later had to have him put down. I feel like since there is little time for reflection in my life right now, defining moments like this force me to reflect. When the doctor told me he wasn't going to make it my early 20's flashed like photographs before my eyes. Jack's head hanging out the car window, the day I got him, countless morning park dates with coffee in hand. When I was 24 a friend and I got our tents and hit the road for 2 weeks not having a clue where we were going. My parents were horrified. My excuse for making them feel better was I had Jack.So that thing I don't know I would miss until it was gone? It's the sense of security I had with him. Now don't get me wrong Jack was the sweetest dog, almost to a fault. But even the tiniest of grandmas that walked past our house got barked at. I can't bring myself to put away his food bowl.
This is our third year going to this tree farm. It's a quaint little place and I have photos of my daughter at 11 months being held by the owner. The kids fell asleep on the way and still were when we got there. We shut the car off and sat and listened to music for an hour. And talked. Without getting interrupted 50 times. It was amazing.
*and I cheated in and put one more in-because crying over not getting a third cup of hot cocoa is just silly.
Now head on over to Emily Robinson!
This has been the busiest 2 months of my life! I have been photographing lots of beautiful families these past few months so I loved dedicating a whole day to my two rascals. And I went with one of our boring ol' days. My family was photographed by Best Day Ever and it was really different being behind the lens. I feel like I learned so much from Amy and Aaron. I have followed their work for months now and am currently obsessed with this project of theirs. I get lost in it and can't help but feel inspired walking away from it.
And I just have to say the second photo is quite possibly my favorite ever. I use my istagram a lot and don't carry my camera everywhere except for days I have 10 on 10's so I am so grateful I did on this this day. Grey had just ripped her picture off the door and of course she was devastated and burst into tears. I was talking to her about how we could fix it and Grey ran up and hugged her. Her red, tear stained face is the most genuine I have ever captured of her.
Have a great weekend!! xoxoxo
Now go check to see what Emily Robinson is up to!
This past month came and went. Fall is here. Change of seasons might be my favorite time. Everything is different and new again. serious morning bedhead
new game of throwing everything down the chute
morning at Jeni's
probably why I see a chiropractor
nap-time
snack-time
fall is here
familiar scene
last of the harvest
eating a stick and running
Now on to Emily Robinson
Glen Arbor, Michigan D.H. Day Campround
I am going to start off saying I'm not a wimp. I have done my fair share of camping. And even my fair share of backpacking. Before kids Brant and I ended our summers up north. One last trip in August when it was nice and warm. We were ready to jump back into that tradition so we planned a big camping trip for the family. We could handle 4 nights in a tent right? A three year old and one year old...pshhh piece of cake. We've hiked across the entire state of Georgia in 7 days, we can do this.
I wish we would have had a secret camera man to tape all the "highlights" through out the trip....
Grey's uncontrollable urge to run towards the fire, the unexpected cold weather, crawling out of the tent in the morning because every part of your body is not a happy camper, Falon's obvious hatred toward the porta potty, the campsite that was SURROUNDED by poison ivy, the 50 degree nights in our summer tent, the night sleep screaming from Falon in middle of the night.
But those are the time we remember right? In 20 years sitting around the table..hey dad, remember when all 4 of us were squeezed in that tiny shower at the campground and you got soap in your eyes and the water ran out and mom couldn't find more coins to start the shower again....that was sooo funny!!
I could go on but I won't. Because it was fun. It really was. We drank a lot of beer.
Using a camper is still camping right?
breakfast:jelly toast
hike up crocodile trail
swimming
trip into town
running: he's gotten really good at it
hide seek next to our favorite cottage bookstore
heading to the beach
singing his heart out
practice running towards the fire pit
sunset on Lake Michigan
And now visit the uber talented Emily Robinson
Right after I finished July's 10 on 10 I was so excited to move on to August. I looked through the calendar for exciting things happening to photograph. But after some thought I went with one of my regular ordinary days.
Our ordinary. Our day to day ordinary. The in between moments.
Long ago when Falon was a baby I watched this video called the The Gift of an Ordinary Day. A woman talked about raising her two sons and the stages each age brought. The boys grew up and left home. She spoke how she would find herself looking at old albums. But she didn't want to see pictures of little league games or piano recitals. She wanted to see pictures of their ordinary days. Bedhead and peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. Sprinklers on a hot afternoon.
This essay has stayed with me. It is a driving force of why I take the pictures I do. This life I live can be all consuming.
While there are days I look forward to adult conversation and sleeping without a foot in my back
I know I will miss these days greatly. The ordinary of every day.
Rise and shine
Busted. Again.
New bracelet
Playdate in the sweetest attic playroom
Naptime
Art on the front porch
He wears most of it
After dinner popsicle
Winding down
A bath is nightmare for skinned knees and a band aid addict
And now venture over to the seriously talented Emily Robinson!
I joined an amazing group of 12 photographers on a monthly project called 10 on 10. The idea is to choose one day out of the month, take 10 pictures, and then post on the 10th of every month. This day looks like everyday to me. Lots of messes, lots of chalk and a lot of dancing.
breakfast with a backpack
morning nap
always at my heels
first day of nature camp
lunch out with my boy
trashing his sister's room while she's at camp
bike race
mmm...chalk
we have too many bikes
evening ritual
And now go check out the amazingly talented~