A little Wind couldn't stop Us!
I know Rhonda and Mindy from church and they, like I, do our best, each Sunday to educate little one's minds about the love that God and Jesus has for us. Mindy teaches one of my children this year, and Rhonda taught one last year, so I know they both have extra large stars on their crowns waiting for them when they get to heaven!
The Sisters asked me to do some family photos for them, and in coincided with a beautifully sunny day... with 9 gazillion mph winds! But despite the wind, I think I captured the love and goofiness that these families have!
Mr. L
I was contacted to do some newborn pictures. Since it was already October, and cool outside, I was not sure exactly how or if I could do it, since I'm not into any fancy lighting other than that provided by the big ol' sun. But Newborns are teeny tiny and my living room has good windows and Mr. L's Momma and Grandma were more than willing to deal with my 3 "assistants" and furry helpers, so it was a go!
I can't tell you how much I am in love with some of these photos. He was only 11 days old. He was awake for most of it and SO content! Towards the end, he fell into a milk coma and we got some precious sleeping photos. I'm telling you, these photos made my ovaries hurt... for a while. Then someone spilled goldfish all over the couch and someone pinched her brother and the feeling went away.
THANK YOU Patti and Tania for pushing me outside my comfort zone! I couldn't be more happy with how these turned out!!
My open letter to Taylor Swift
Dear Taylor,
I have to admit, before 1989, I was pretty much "Meh... Taylor Swift. She's fine. Blonde, gorgeous, amazing legs and lips and writes about breakups." Let's just call it ambivalence. You had already won like 9 gazillion awards, but I wasn't swayed. My husband wasn't really a fan either, but don't take that personally. He also doesn't care much for Miranda, Madonna, Kelly Pickler, or the Gwens.. (Stephani and Sebastian.) It think his issue with amazing blonde singers may need some in depth counseling sessions.... But even he, after a listen through of 1989, was like, "Wow. Not bad!"
Then SNL did that amazeballs Swiftamine skit and I perked up. What was this hoopla? And then as if I was not in control of my body, I found myself at the local Shopko (It's like a bit better than Walmart, but not as cool as Target.) purchasing 1989 in some Stepford Wives trance.
1:31 into Welcome to New York, I hear "Took our broken hearts put them in a drawer" and I was HOOKED. Who writes that? Because it is brilliant and perfect! And in my mind, it is 1997, and I just dropped the bags (boxes and boxes) in my first apartment. It was not New York, but Fargo, which is almost the same thing, right? I was in a new city, a new job, a new start. Old heartache but a new beginning.
After about the 22nd time All You Had To Do Was Stay was on repeat I found myself wondering how you were behind me as I was staring down the hallway in my apartment building as the late summer sun engulfed him as he walked out the door. All he had to do was stay. But he didn't.
And then you uttered, Just because you're clean don't mean you miss it. Dang Girl!!! Where do pull this from? It cemented myself into the elder "Swiftie" tribe.
Shamelessly I purchased all your other CDs and devoured the lyrics. Here's the thing Tay Tay, (I can call you that right?) you wrote ALL those things that I WISH I could have said in those days. I'm 17 years past painful breakups/mind-games/whirlwind lust... but I still remember it all. The ups and downs, you write about, I get it. We really aren't that different, save for the part that you are a multi-platinum singer/songwriter with two cats, and I'm a Mom/Wife/Artist with four cats, a dog and a goat. But like your songs imply, I am that kind of person that fell fast, hot and deep. And at 41, I don't regret it. I know that now those same qualities have been transferred to the love of my children, my family and framily and to the one that was observant enough to see it and hold on to it, 17 years ago.
So you love, and you lose, and you write about it and some will call you what ever they want... I would rather have a world filled with those that aren't afraid to have their love burn hot and bright, even it flickers and dies, than to never have a desire or courage to burn at all.
On Monday night, my 8 year old daughter will be looking up to you. No literally, we are on the floor level, so she will be looking up to you. I am happy that she will be seeing an artist, a human, that shows you can be strong, yet vulnerable. Powerful yet empathetic. Beautiful, yet tasteful. Someone who loves her Momma. And cats.
And someday, in a future that will be too soon for my liking, she may find herself in the lyrics of your songs. Upset and hurt by some boy or friend, and she will know that her pain isn't unique and it has been felt by many before her, and maybe it will not only lessen the blow a bit, but will encourage her to write out and process her own feelings... because she has already set her sights on winning more music awards than you have won. But don't worry, you still have a few years to earn a few more. She has to finish learning cursive first.
See you Monday Night!
Diane
Changing the perception of beauty, one Pin Up at a time.
This past weekend I attended, for the fourth time, a women's only event called Pinup on the Plains. Hosted by Yvonne Denault and her best friend/right arm, Nadine Swee, what once started as an intimate "thank you" party for clients has morphed into a sold out, 600+ women's event. When asked "What is it?" I find it hard to explain. "It is a women's only event, for women, by women, empowering women.... you just need to go and then you will get it."
I am lucky to call Yvonne a friend. She is a true artist, not only with her photography, but her visions, her painting and her creations of couture outfits for her shoots and the runway. She has this unbelievable God-given gift to allow women to see themselves, through her photography, how we want to see ourselves, but usually can not see because of the filters we create on our own eyes. The filters of rejection, body image issues, insecurity, and "not enough." But she has the ability to peel back those negative self filters and capture us as we are. A shoot with her has literally changed some womens' lives.
The last few years, as part of the event, Yvonne and Nadine have added a runway fashion show. Originally created to give ideas about what to wear to a shoot, it has expanded to highlight the clothing and lingerie she has in her newly opened boutique Vivies, in Moorhead, MN. The most amazing part of this runway show are the models. They are us. Women. Every Woman. I was fortunate enough to be part of last year's runway show and met a tribe of AMAZING women. We came in all sizes, shapes, ages and backgrounds. There were Moms, college students, teachers, pastors, business women. This years fantastic tribe were no different. Gorgeous women of all ages, races, backgrounds and sizes. To see one of these models strut their stuff, in front of a screaming brood of women, is nothing less than chill inducing.
This year I treated my niece to tickets to the event. She and her lovely roommate attended and I have to honestly admit I was a wee bit nervous they may not "get it." They are young, early 20's before their metabolism has downshifted or their body has been used as housing by fetuses, leaving it feel as beat up and run down as a bad frat house. And they have grown up in the information age and the age of air-brushed perfection. They have never known any difference than the fallacy of edited-magazine standards of beauty.
The future of Strong Confident Women.... My gorgeous Niece.
So my heart SOARED with joy when they found me after the runway show and were ecstatic!
"Did you SEE those LADIES??? They ROCKED it! It was SO amazing! This is SO GREAT!!"
YES!!!! YES, YES, YES!!!!!
Little by little, tweak by tweak, this event is changing the perception of beauty. And these girls got it. At a young age.
I have no doubt that at the end of this night, 600 women's lives were ever so slightly changed by the models that stepped outside their comfort zone and positively displayed what IS true beauty.
Confidence.
Risk Taking.
Laughter.
Self Love.
