It’s that time again!!! :-) Welcome to the April edition of ‘laura loves…’ I am SO excited to share my new favorite things with you!

1. Victoria’s Secret’s Daily Glow Gradual Tan Moisturizer – it’s like summertime in a bottle. It smells good compared to other sunless tanning lotions I’ve used in the past AND it gives me some color while I wait patiently for summer to arrive.

2. Yankee Candle Samplers – I get tired of smelling the same candle all the time, so I like to use these small ones so I can move on to a different scent after a while! I recently purchased the Pineapple Cilantro scent. It smells like Tropical Starburst. Which is good because I like Tropical Starburst, but bad because my mouth waters for Tropical Starburst every time I burn my candle. :-)

3. Despicable Me – yes, I know I’m behind on the bandwagon. My bff Jill made me watch this movie a few weeks ago and I HAD to buy it immediately. It hasn’t left my DVD player since and I find myself saying things like “oh yeah!!!” “pause for effect…” “you’ve got to be pulling on my leg,” and, of course, “it’s so FLUFFY!!” all. the. time.

4. bobbi+mike – are pretty much the most amazing photographers EVER. I have been following their work for over a year now and….

5. I’m going to be at their WORKSHOP in FIVE DAYS!!!! I can’t wait to rub elbows, meet new photographer friends and learn some new tricks!!

6. Photoshelter – speaking of learning new tricks, this winter I have been doing a lot of independent ‘continuing education.’ When I’m not photographing weddings or engagement sessions or newborns, I am working on improving my business. Photoshelter has some great resources in the ‘free reports’ section of their website, so all you photographers out there, check it out!

You know how I know it’s spring?

The mountain bluebirds are back in Custer State Park.

:-)

Sometimes I wonder where I get my quirkiness from. The puns and quick wit are definitely from mom. My ears are from my dad. But why do I care about the number on my car’s odometer?

Grandpa Braun.

On one of Grandpa’s trips to town, his odometer hit a really cool number. I don’t know what it was, but you can believe he pulled over and waited for someone to drive by to show it off. (He must not have had his videocamera with him… he videotaped EVERYTHING!) The first person to drive past was my cousin, so thankfully Grandpa’s silly ways were only known to the family and those who heard the story.

Until now. Because I’m sharing it with the whole wide web. And because I had to somehow segway into my latest odometer excitement:

Mmkay so maybe I’m just as ‘cool’ as my grandpa was, but if you can’t find joy and entertainment in the little things in life, when can you? :-)

My parents make some pretty amazing homemade pizza.

Mom has the homemade sauce canned from the previous summer.

Dad starts making the dough hours before it’s pizza time.

Back in high school, whenever I had Cora and Emily over, Dad would ALWAYS make pizza. It might be the reason they came over so often. :-)

This past weekend when I was at my parents’ I invited Cora and Emily to come over – and asked what they wanted on their pizza.

We talked all afternoon. About life, about their husbands, about work. It was just like being in high school, the way we were talking and laughing for hours straight. Except they are both married women now and we all live different places and have grown-up responsibilities. :-)

Today is Grandma’s birthday!! I have been saving these images of my nephews from this weekend to share with Grandma (and everyone else) for her birthday!

Jonas is interested in everything Grandma does. From quilting….

To playing Wii Fit! Jonas is really good at navigating the Wii – except for this particular day. He logged in, started the body test (with Grandma’s help) and then the screen announced “you’ve lost 100 pounds!!” Jonas was signed in as Grandma instead of Jonas. :-)

Birthday kisses for Grandma!!

This is Isaac’s signature look – tongue sticking out and curled up. :-)

For anyone who knows my family – does this look familiar?? :-)

For everyone who doesn’t know my family – my brother (Jonas and Isaac’s dad grew up playing LEGOs. All the time.)

He’s three!!

Please, don’t judge my hair/outfit/lack of makeup. But when I have my baby nephew falling asleep in my arms, I am NOT going to get up and out of my pajamas!

Me with both my sweet nephews!

Grandpa got some holding time in, too!