This morning I got to enjoy one of my very most favorite things: waking up much later than normal to my husband quietly stirring as the unseasonably warm sunshine poured in through the window. {Did I mention was had another Willy Wonka Sleepover so this ‘favorite thing’ was made even better by the sound of the creaky springs in our old pull-out couch .} After putting our place back together from our semi-lazy Saturday, our home was greeted with a sweet {and surprise!} guest. Jess- thanks for swingin’ by chez Foote, it was so good to catch-up. {P.S. Check-out Jess’ awesome handmade treasures here}.

To make up for yesterday’s lack-of-fresh-air, J & I made a slight detour on our way to Aldi for our weekly grocery trip. Just a mile up the road from our little grocery store is one of my favorite spots in Manhattan. J had never been {I still have so much to show him in this town} and a couple of minutes on the trails definitely felt good.

J loved the trail view at Linear Park- not often you get to see an old railroad bridge.

Did I mention it was 55 degrees here today? I am absolutely loving whatever is making this winter so mild.

The fresh air was so good, even if we were only out in it for fifteen minutes before errands called.

“He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing. He wraps up the waters in his clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their weight. He covers the face of the full moon, spreading his clouds over it. The pillars of the heavens quake, aghast at his rebuke. By his power he churned up the sea…. By his breath the skies become fair…. And these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! How then can we understand the thunder of his power?” Job 26:7-9, 11-14

Yes, i’m glad we stopped for a little detour today. I’m definitely not complaining!

Hope you all had a blessed Sunday. Enjoy the sunshine !

in Him,

Laura

This month I took the cookie dough part of the cookie dough topped brownie recipe I posted earlier in January and turned them into truffles. Pretty simple, actually (which I was thankful for after a long day, dinner with friends and run to the gym!) If you’d like to try them yourself, take a peak at the directions below. Caution: If you make these for friends, family or co-workers  make sure you save one for yourself because they will be gone in a jiff!

Cookie Dough Truffles

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 package of chocolate almond bark

Directions:

In a small bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. beat in milk and vanilla. Gradually add flower and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. Chill in the refrigerator for two hours. Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator, form the dough into balls. Once all the dough is rolled, melt several squares of almond bark in a small bowl. Dip each ball into the chocolate and place them on a lined cookie sheet. Garnish the top of each truffle with mini chocolate chips and put back inside the refrigerator. After two hours of cooling, the truffles are ready to enjoy! (Be sure to keep them refrigerated when you’re not serving/eating them)

Yum. YUM!

in Him,

Laura

Thank you Sara Bareilles for recording these beautiful lyrics. They’ve been my go-to for encouragement and my motto that pulls me out of the now-and-again funks life has brought throughout the past year and a half. Today (without realizing it) I sat at my desk singing these words out loud as Ms. Bareilles’ songbird voice oozed like butta out of my speakers.

I won’t go as a passenger, no
Waiting for the road to be laid
Though I may be going down,
I’m taking flame over burning out

I’m going down,
Follow if you want, I won’t just hang around,
Like you’ll show me where to go,
I’m already out, foolproof idea, so don’t ask me how
To get started, it’s all uncharted…

As her album rolled into the next track, I smiled 1. because I realized i’d been singing out loud and not in my head (I’ll have to ask my friends K & E who have the privilege/curse of sitting near my desk in the office if this happens more than I know….? ) and 2. I couldn’t help but think about all of the times I’ve sung these words to myself and felt better, stronger, more capable and worth-it afterwards. Words paired with music are secret weapons and let me tell you, they can fight ‘the funk’ that creeps in and out of our lives. Try singing one of your favorite songs/lyrics to yourself next time you feel a funk comin’ on, I guarantee you’ll find yourself feeling better, stronger, more capable and absolutely worth it. Oh, and regardless of whether or not you take my music hippy advice, you are all of those things. I hope you know that.

This afternoon I sent Jordan an e-mail that said:

“When you pick me-up today can you bring my camera and tri-pod? We need to make a detour on the way home. Love you- Lo.”Just a normal Tuesday request, right?

He’s awesome and totally listened to my request, arriving at 5pm with equipment in tow. I love him and I know he knows it but sometimes when the funk is creepin’ around us (school, work, finances, future..) and my songs aren’t enough for him (because let’s face it, I sing to him…A LOT), I pull out my second line of defense- photography. I don’t know whether it’s the teamwork it takes to get the camera and tri-pod set-up while avoiding others passing by or the spontaneity that is required to take place in front of the camera. Either way, it never fails that a ten minute ‘photo date’ makes us both feel better, stronger, more capable and worth-it afterwards.  Today’s photo date was one of my favorites yet. It’s a highlight of 2012 thus far, close on the heels of our ‘Willy Wonka Sleepover’ we had last weekend.

Willy Wonka Sleepover: noun

1.) An instance of sleeping over under special circumstances including but not limited to: sleeping on a pull-out couch, watching movies all day, wearing long t-shirt pajamas and singing everything in a musical format.

Yes, today’s photo date was definitely a close second, and I was singin’ those lyrics to myself the whole time….

I'm going down, follow if you want

I won't just hang around, like you'll show me where to go

I'm already out of foolproof ideas

So don't ask me how to get started

It's all uncharted

Jumpstart my kaleidoscope heart

Love to watch the colors fade

 Ready? Ready? Sing it with me now!

Compare where you are to where you want to be and you'll get nowhere (woo- feels so good!)

So take THAT, funk. Yeah, our Tuesday photo date took you down. Boo-ya.

Here’s to kicking the funk out of life. It’s too good and too short to have funk getting in the way

in His love,

Laura

Seasoned Goldfish-Pretzel-Peanut Mix

Ingredients

• 3 packs of goldfish (I use less goldfish and supplement with pretzels and peanuts)
• 1 envelope ranch dressing mix
• 3 tsp. dill weed
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. lemon pepper
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil ( I only use about 1/3)

5.  Let cool and enjoy! If you keep this snack mix in an air-tight container it will hold for over a week

Baked Tilapia

This was my favorite Pinterest recipe try of the week. If you’d like to follow my boards, please click here!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup soft bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 Tilapia fillets

Directions

• In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, cheese, garlic salt and oregano. Coat fillets in crumb mixture. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
• Bake at 425° for 8-12 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Nutritional Facts: 1 fillet equals 143 calories, 2 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 72 mg cholesterol, 356 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 28 g protein.

J and I paired french cut green beans, sliced cuties and a surprisingly yummy olive oil and garlic couscous (a $1 special at Aldi last week!) with this light and healthy fish. J would’ve liked the fish to have a bit more flavor (I told him sauces and seasonings= calories and were a no). We got some Wham seasoning for Christmas and it’s great on all meats and even eggs. One sprinkle of Wham and his ‘inner college craver’ was doing a lot better I, however, liked the light taste of the meal and appreciated the low calories without any additional seasoning. This will definitely be a meal we make again!

I’ll leave you with a couple of my favorite new images. These were taken at Tuttle Creek State Park in Manhattan, Kansas last weekend when Jordan and I were showing a couple of new international students around town. I don’t make it out to this spot often enough but when I do it never ceases to take my breath away.

Have a great weekend and happy cooking if you decide to give either of these recipes a try!

in His love,

Laura

During her visit to Manhattan we were graced with exceptionally warm weather (the happy trend lately!). It only made sense to venture out for a session to update her headshots in preparation for her upcoming auditions and showcase. We kept it simple, stopping at an empty field in our neighborhood and the K-State Alumni Center and swapping tops here and there. I think that her infectious smile and sparkly eyes will be enough for anyone she performs for to become completely captivated. Although, I may or may not be a bit biased…. Check out her photos to see for yourself!

J came along (he’s learning to use a camera, woo!) and got some neat ‘behind the scene’ shots. Thanks, J!

Hands full.... but having a great time with my beautiful sis! (Even though we were hanging out in this obviously barren field, ha!)

Instead of holding Sarah's coat, I resorted to wearing it

I love making portraits of my sissy!

The end of a successful session

I love you sissy and I’m so proud of you!

in Him,

Lo

Last August at the end of one of Bryan’s Kansas visits, he asked Lexi to marry him- right in the middle of Kansas City International Airport! As of a couple of weeks ago Bryan is officially a Kansas resident and he and Lexi are enjoying the time leading up to their August 4th wedding that will be held in Anna Maria Island, Florida (can you say BEAUTIFUL?) This weekend we had the chance to spend some time together for their engagement session. It was evident right away that these two are incredibly comfortable with one another and SO happy just to be together! Their laughter was infectious and I could not get enough of Bryan’s ‘spit smile’ (don’t ask) that had Lexi and I both doubled over throughout the session. OH, and if the afternoon couldn’t get any better, we ended their session at Varsity Donuts in Aggieville. The staff was wonderful and let us take photos around the restaurant. Of course, we also enjoyed their delicious donuts

Lexi & Bryan, I am so excited for you! Thank you for letting me help tell your beautiful story.

in His love,

Laura

After being gone for a week, Jordan and I came home to an apartment that desperately needed groceries and some homemade baked goods. Inspired to try something different, I decided to tackle a brand new recipe last night. The process? Fairly simple and quick. The ingredients? Things you are likely to have in your pantry. The results? Delectable! (or at least my fellow co-workers seemed to think so today). As Jordan and I’s favorite chef judges on “Chopped” would say, “It’s the perfect repurposing of a whimsical childhood dessert!”

Cookie Dough Topped Brownies

Brownie Layer:

1 12 oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup of butter

1 1/2 cups of sugar

1/2 tsp  of salt

4 large eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 cups of flower

Brownie Layer Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt butter and chocolate chips. Stir constantly and remove from heat when chips are fully melted. In the same pot, blend in the sugar. Then add eggs, blending fully one at a time. Add flour and salt and beat until it air bubbles to form the batter. Pour into a greased 9×13 inch pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn heat down to 325 degrees and bake for ten more minutes.

Cookie Dough Layer:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Cookie Dough Layer Directions:

For the cookie dough layer, in a small bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. beat in milk and vanilla. Gradually add flower and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls over cooked (cooled) brownies; carefully spread over top. (This part can be tricky, I found the best way is to wet my fingertips and pat the dough down gently so it doesn’t pull up the brownies. Also, we doubled the cookie dough recipe so that we could have a nice thick layer ontop of the brownies).Cut into squares and store in the refrigerator- but not before you enjoy a piece with a cold glass of milk!

Happy milk and (fun-twist-on) cookie eating, friends!

in His love,

Laura

Before I created this post I read my New Year’s post from last year. At the end, I was left pretty astounded thinking about the changes that can come about in just one year’s time. Beyond the big changes that happened in my 2011 world (move, new job, new house, new car and new marriage to name a few), there were so many subtle changes and experiences that shaped 2011. All I can really say is that I am so thankful for God’s guidance, plan and deep desire to care for all of us, everyday, every year.

Although captured in His image had a bit of a quieter year, the chance to take time to learn, grow and really focus on consistently surrendering this business to God’s plan was an integral part of my 2011. I want to especially thank Chris Hsieh of La Brisa Photography for leading the La Brisa Aspiring Photographer Workshop- an online and in-person community based out of Manhattan where photographers can network, critique, question, explore and create together. This group has given me a healthy & comfortable environment to continue expanding my knowledge, perspective and horizons regarding the photography world and for that I am so thankful.

As 2012 begins, Jordan and I are preparing for him to begin the teaching certification program at K-State in mid-January. We plan to remain in Manhattan for at least the next couple of years while he completes this program. We are excited to have some stability (even though right now, everything feels very new/unknown) in knowing where we are going to be for longer than six months. I’m hopeful that this consistency will help me connect with more of you for sessions in the Manhattan and Kansas City areas! In the meantime, we are looking forward to really engaging with the Manhattan community and building our new marriage and life here. Seeking out a bible study community, serving at a local non-profit and participating in the local community theater are top of our list for the new year!

I hope to see you [especially in front of the camera ] this year. Keep your eyes peeled for a webpage outlining my current pricing and product offerings, coming soon! Also, I will be blogging consistently with both session photos and personal updates. If you have an online writing outlet, please leave the link in a comment on this post as I would love to follow you back! With that, I invite you to take a quick trip down memory lane for captured in His image in 2011. Thank you to all of the wonderful individuals who trusted me with their portraits and invited me into their lives last year, I am so thankful for you!

Marlo & Alex braved snowy streets and cold temperatures for their February 2011 engagement session

The Brown family and I ventured to a neighborhood park to play during their blustery March mini-session!

In April, Bryant, Kevin and I ventured around Stanley for their senior session...

and the Frey family welcomed baby Molly into the world!

May was busy but great! I got to see Katherine and make her college senior portraits before she ventured off to law school...

I had the incredible privelege of meeting the Maxwell twins when they were just a few weeks old...

and I hung out with the whole Goff family and saw lots of faces like this throughout the afternoon

May also introduced me to sweet Christy & Tony during their Manhattan engagement session...

Cody showed me around his high school as he prepared to celebrate his upcoming high school graduation...

and Dana and I ventured around downtown KC to make her senior portraits.

In June I met the beautiful Marr family for portraits with grandma and grandpa!

and assistant shot with my friend Cate for Amelia and Nate's beautiful Kansas City wedding.

In June I also met Miss Amanda for a headshot session at Ironwoods Park in Leawood!

And Jackie and I spent an afternoon together making her senior portraits

In July I moved back to Manhattan and started my new job at K-State, just in time to meet the Moore family before they relocated to Oklahoma!

In August I met the Winegars for a sibling session when I was back in Kansas City...

made senior portraits for Brennan and Natalie...

and spent some quality time with the always beautiful Bauer family for baby b's 1st birthday!

September was busy with wedding planning, but I had the chance to meet the Erb family for a session at Annenberg Park!

and October left no room for photos except for a quick headshot session with my sister

I was thankful that the leaves turned late this year, November made for beautiful portraits!

and the warm temperatures made for an easy and fun session with little Andi and her parents.

The Steinbach kiddos definitly enjoyed the time to run around and goof off outside!

Happy New Year, everyone! Blessings to you & yours.

in His love,

Laura

I made wedding portraits in front of this cool wall last summer. Love the green!

Believe it or not, this photo was take when the girls in front of this store and me across the street- with FOUR LANES of busy traffic running in between us!

Since J was along for this session, we were able to make a portrait of all of us at the end

Thanks for hanging out with me girls! Good luck next semester, you will all do GREAT!

in His love,

Laura

Oh, and I have to tell you that the second Dalton ‘introduced’ Gigi in their official holiday outifts (first photo posted below) I immediately did a time-warp and couldn’t help but think of holiday cards from long ago. Thanks to this split-second ‘ah-ha’!, you’ll see a rustic-aged twinkle in some of their session photos Enjoy!

(Images floating in my head throughout the session- hello 1950's!)

Dalton sweetly 'introducing' Gigi in her Christmas dress

Sister & brother, dressed up in their holiday best!

I love when I captured this D-man smile!

I still cannot believe she will be turning two in just a few weeks!

xoxo!

The beautiful Goff girls!

Mama and her sweet boy

Merry Christmas from the Goff family!

Final shot of the session. Let em' run, play and climb in the campus sculptures

I am so thankful for this family and the opportunity to chase these little ones around with my camera a couple of times each year! Merry Christmas, Goff family!

in His love,

Laura