before i say anything about anything, Brayden is darling with his biggg ole smiles. 

little Brayden (as opposed to when he is big and is big Brayden) turned one year old the other day.  i went over to my sister's house to make some fotografs on his birthday, oh boy, what a treat.  he was happy, running around, not crying, playing, happy, getting snot everywhere, really happy, and he participated in all foto activities marvelously!  we also saw so lamas at the nearby farm.  who doesn't like lamas?

we also went to a field.  put your self in Brayden's place.  can you imagine being a child in a new world with things and smells you've never experienced?  the grass is overwhelmingly taller than you.  there is so much to touch.  everything but that one blade of grass is filling your attention.  as adults can we even do that? the cares, the worries are all for a moment hidden.  when you have the opportunity to go somewhere new or experience something all entirely different, remember to truly explore it like a one year old in a field of grass.  because not one bit of worrying about all the things in our lives will add any years to our life, and life is a gift from God.

for his birthday party -- which was before his actual birthday -- we all headed over to stony creek farm out in nobletucky.  there were pumpkins, hayrides, lots of crying, kids everywhere -- a real zoo (of kids, not animals) --, and presents, cakes, and friends.  i loved it, i doubt he'll remember much, because, i mean c'mon, he's only one.  well, anyway, this post is slightly ridiculous and i feel like i can get away with it because Brayden is my nephew, and that's what uncles are/do: be/act ridiculous. 

do you have crazy aunts and uncles? 

p.s. if you don't find this boy incredible cute, you're probably a robot, not capable of affection!!!

p.p.s there is a second post of Brayden.  glass and shadows.

there were too many wonderful fotos of Brayden to put on one post.

thus! a second post about glass and shadows.

i present to you, glass and shadows.

ooo.  this wedding was fun (well, they all are fun but this one was really fun [well, they all are really fun, but this one was really really fun]).
i met Amber and Travis the night before the wedding at the rehearsal.  nothing like meeting someone(s) for the first time and being immediately thrown into the mix of their family and friends.  it kind of felt like a blind date where i went to their house to pick them up except the date was in their living room and chaperoned by their entire family.  it was terrific; i think the date was dang successful.  Amber, Travis, your thoughts?
the wedding day was spectacular.  i didn't know you could rent out monument circle/soldier's stadium for a wedding, evidently you can!  we showed up at around 3:00pm to make fotos and during the process i think about four-five other bridal party's showed up.  ordinarily i would have felt bad taking my sweet little time fotografing, while other fotografers had to wait.  but i really didn't care because we owned rented the place.
Amber and Travis are two incredible people.  very quick witted, but that's not why they made the day spectacular.  they demonstrated true love -- but not the kind of 'true love' fatigued in Princess Bride* -- if you don't know what i'm talking about re-watch that movie, assuming of course you grew up on that movie like my family did, and notice how many times they say true love, it's quite redonkulous.  rather, it's tender people who deeply love one another that make for spectacular days.  it's not about keeping schedules, nor about making sure every flower pedal is arranged perfectly.  it's about getting married.  plain and simple.  what's your take?
all i can say is CONGRATULATIONS, Travis and Amber!!

p.s. Amber made all of her bridesmaids' hair pieces and her own.  plus! she put together her bouquet the day of (which looked fantastic).

*i love this movie. 

growing up i thought that our family had invented applebutter.  no other families talked about applebutter nor did i see it explicitly sold in the stores.  and no one knew what i was talking about what i said our family makes applebutter every year.  "applebutter?  what's that?"  applebutter, in fact, is not butter nor is there any butter within the mixture.  i can tell you that it has apples and some other stuff (not sure if the family recipe is a secret, but i'm pretty sure).  think of applebutter as a yummy/delightful spread like strawberry jelly -- something my grandparents make also from their strawberry patch.
the apples come from the apple trees on my grandparents property out in millersbug, indiana, which is just outside of paoli, indiana.  come to think of it, i don't think millersburg is a town anymore.  if it is, it's too small to be on the census.  to continue with my topic sentence, the apples are collected and then sliced and diced and then frozen.  come applebutter day, we add them to the huge kettle and cook them with assorted ingredients for about seven hours. 
i woke up at around 5:45 with my uncle and step-dad, which was, suprisingly before grandad.  the fire started at 6:15, apples added at 7:30.  applebutter jarred around 2:30.  licked kettle clean with homemade rolls at 2:35.
in the exuberant amount of fotos you'll notice the stars, grandad and nanny, the shed/house that my grandad built to cook the applebutter (the process used take place completely outside way back in the day), jd the dog, nieces, cousins, uncles, nephews, siblings, aunts, kettles, paddles, the farm, and whatever else i could fotograf.  in case you're wondering, i did quite a bit of work and not just make fotos.

what tradition(s) does your family have?

well, enjoy the series.