too much... is a good thing

more persons, on the whole, are humbugged by believing nothing, than by believing too much

-p.t. barnum

and isn't it true? we get caught up in who we are too often... or maybe, it is better to say that we get caught up in who we are supposed to be too often. afraid to be naive. afraid to not be what others expectations require. and so we wake in the morning and bathe ourselves in apathy-the indifference of adulthood that gives us the facade we need to protect ourselves from the humbugged world.

sometimes too much is a good thing. too much joy. too much innocence. too much child-like wonder. too much lollipop on the one sunday of the year when the circus came to town. today we reveled in the too much. we caught it on our way downtown and it followed us all the way to section 32, row L, seats 1, 2 and 3...and for three hours three people ages 3 to 34 believed equally, wondered communally, laughed heartily and loved enormously. we grabbed too much by the tail with our trunk and successfully created a memory that we have now promised with our pinkies that we will each year enjoy together.

p.t. barnum wasn't wrong. and today we treasured the greatest show on earth and were humbugged by nothing.

jg.

the first of everything..Karson Little

how do you describe the first moments of life? breath one, hour one, day one? indescribable moments of joy via the tiniest of features. Karson Little provided a canvas of firsts. first breath, first day, first cuddle with big sister Kaitlyn.

hospital moments are usually not photographed. when hospitals are involved, the occasion is typically grim. save one. the happy birth of baby brings joy unimagined. the hospital, sterile and cold, is somehow transformed into the shelter for a mini family reunion.

these pictures were so much fun- standing on the fringe of a happy family and capturing their joy together.

Thank you Ben and Tara, Kaitlyn and of course Karson- and by the way, Happy Birthday!

jg.

where there is a will, there is a way

will loves bubbles... and his bright green ball. he definitely does not like the feel of tiny pebbles beneath his bare feet and he prefers that his hand not be held in the arboretum. on the hottest day of the year, in the sunniest patch of green- we photographed will and his mom and dad. it was hot. it was humid. it was unlike the former summer months with cool breezes and mild temperatures. it was not a good day, really for anything, save a swimming pool or a tall glass of ice water.... and yet, where there is a will, there is always a way. we snapped happy and busy and playful and aside from the occasional reddened cheeks, you would never know that the heat was stifling.

thank you jenny and dan for sharing the hot afternoon with us! you were both a delight and we so enjoyed capturing will.... and his way.

jg.

state fair

grab a tub of popcorn, some cotton candy and surrender your soul to the memory of a happy day. soon the state fair will be here! complete with the tenfold talents of youth and sage. ten days of nostalgia, achievement and sensory overload.

there is something about a fair in general that suspends time. where the advancement of technology and the evolution of intellect pauses briefly, allowing the simplicity of life to shine through. where battles are fought in quart jars of jelly and bragging rights are given to the hand holding the lead of a blue ribbon dairy goat. where the smell of hay and feed and cattle mix with carmel corn and funnel cakes. this is life abundant. this is every grandfather grasping the sticky hand of boyhood and showing him the efforts of a year well-spent.

timeless are these days, as proven by our recent photographs of will. will- whose grandfather wore this very state fair shirt. will- whose reddened cheeks showed evident the hot august day. will- who will no doubt save this piece of legend and give it to his own one day.

thank you will- and thank you to your grandfather- for allowing us to view the essence of happiness, spent in the heat of youth in the greatest state of being.

jg.

taylor and lucian

right smack dab in the middle of rain and clouds and an otherwise disagreeable week, occurred a beautiful Sunday afternoon. i had the fortunate opportunity to photograph some adorable, happy, and busy subjects. attached are taylor and lucian. taylor is nearly three and lucian is soon to be a one year old.

full of energy, vibrant, happy, curious children. the backdrop is a beautiful family garden complete with pebbles and mulch for eating (!), rocks for plopping in the pond, and pathways for running! happy are the days of youth!

enjoy!

jg.

hiatus

hiatus/hahy-ey-tuhs/ noun. a break or interruption in the continuity of a work, series, action, etc.etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. whatever it's defined, we have had it. i suppose as with most, summer means vacation, vacation means beach, beach means sandy laziness, and the return home means a more postive outlook on the routine of our daily lives. unless, that is, when the return home is followed by a feisty attack of appendicitis on a wife who does not like going to the hospital. definite interruption in the continuity of work.

i thought about photographing the whole fiasco, but i didn't imagine it would go over well... especially after my jokes about whether or not she wanted to sign a DNR at the emergency room failed miserably.

nonetheless, our happy little family is back, refreshed, renewed, and less one cranky appendix. (thank you Dr. Rogers!)

and so i begin again. now thinking thoughts of august. the majestic month that brings backpacks, new tennis shoes, sharpened pencils, new beginnings, and big adventures....

it's a great time for grabbing your own camera and catching those first day of school jitters and excitement... you remember... that picture on the front porch, school bag in hand, new shoes, new clothes, new everything. snap away august. or call me.... i'm always up by at least 6:30 ... plenty of time to get the wide-eyed excitement of a brand new year.

pencils ready? the hiatus is over!