Let's just say weekends have been good lately. It's no lie, and this weekend is no different. I write this from Lincoln, NE where I'm hanging out with my best friend, her husband and son before I photograph there lovely little family tomorrow morning (Saturday).

ADVENTURES WITH JAKE AND 8° MORNINGS IN MINNESOTA
Jake, my climbing partner and classmate, had some photos to take for another class, and he asked me if I'd like to join him on a trip to West Bend, IA to visit the Grotto of the Redemption, and maybe explore some climbing up at Blue Mounds State Park in Luverne, MN. I, being a sucker for an adventure and new places, gleefully agreed to go. We slept in the car and when we woke up it was 8°. In my excitement to go on a road trip, I forgot to pack a warm way to sleep. Before we headed back south, we explored climbing at Blue Mounds, attempted to climb, and visited a trinket shop that had some interesting statues (headless lawn gnome and a badly stuffed cat. I needed both.).

When we arrived in West Bend, we went straight to the Grotto of the Redemption. It was much more interesting than I thought and a lot more interactive. From what I'd heard about it, I thought it was basically a crystal/rock.... statue. Thing. I don't even know what I would call what I expected to see. Really was a delightful surprise, including different nooks, staircases and symbolism. One of the most purposeful things I saw there was through out the site was the Stations of the Cross, depicting and guiding visitors through the events of the Crucifixion. I imagine this place is popular around Easter.

Our last stops on our adventure were a museum, schoolhouse and post office. The museum seemed to be a collection of antiques from different time periods. Two things fascinated me: tintype photography, and an old switchboard (my dad used to work in telecommunications). I am always captivated by the way people in my profession used to work  so seeing old prints and old cameras is always exciting for me.

Jake and I ended the day, and the almost 24 hours on two hours of sleep at the only place fitting for two climbers: Climb Iowa. Our climbing game wasn't nearly as strong, but we still had fun and it was a great way to finish our adventure.

DAD'S CAMERAS
As I mentioned above, I have a thing for old cameras and camera equipment. My dad has been digging through his old negatives and old slides, seeking a way to digitize his old negatives/slides. In the process he found his old Minolta SRT101, and his old Voigtlander. After dinking around with them, we discovered that both of them still work, and the Minolta just needs a new battery for the light meter. Now that we are working on getting both cameras working, Perhaps I will just have to try my hand at film! Next step, building a stash of Tri-X and Portra!

FAMILY PHOTOS
Ahhh, the reason I was in Nebraska this weekend! I'm starting to enjoy photographing families. After photographing Jenny and Jeff's family and now Jess and Derek's sweet little family, I've realized I somewhat enjoy doing family sessions! It's always a joy to watch the kids be kids, and take a moment to connect the parents with each other. I never mind kids making goofy faces or running around. They're kids; that's what they do. I'm also never bothered by parents wrangling their kids in for a few "nice" photos (no tongues hanging out, everyone is posed nicely, etc.). Family is so important to me, and I always wish I had more photos with my family, not just of them. Being apart of creating those images for other families is always a joy, and a comfort.

MADE IN DSM
This past week, I made another hefty purchase when I replaced my 2008 Macbook with a brand new MacBook Pro. (Totally worth it kids. I'm kickin' it at 14% battery remaining on YESTERDAY'S charge. My 2008 couldn't even boot up with 14%.) When I went to do the deed, I was connected with a wonderful gentleman named Derek. Over the course of our conversation, I realized that I recognized him. I mentioned it and we discovered that he is one of the minds behind Made In DSM. I follow Made In DSM on Instagram (and you should too). I've been following their work for awhile. Made In DSM is a community project that celebrates all the wonderful people who create and make our city what it is. I think I was just as excited about connecting with Derek as I was about buying my new laptop! You can check out all the ways they contribute and build up Des Moines at www.madeindsm.com.

NEW AVENUES TO LOVE MY COMMUNITY
My main goal in my business is to build up, love and empower the community around me. When I started my company, I committed to being a positive part of my city. I believe in celebrating and collaborating with others, celebrating our accomplishments, our work, and working with them to make Des Moines a better place to live. One idea I've been toying with is making things to sell on my website. I've considered designed prints, photos, buttons, tiny notebooks, and mugs (maybe later on). I've been inspired by local places like Domestica and Raygun, as well as places in other parts of the country, like Hellcats, Inc. in Orlando, FL. I believe in  I think it might be something fun to try, and I see it as another avenue through which I can love my community, and impart my company values into my community.

This is getting long, so I'll spare you another paragraph. Next week, I will try to get back to doing this on a weekly basis, and I'll be talking about some of the things that have been inspiring me lately! Hope you all have a great rest of your week!

happy trails,
emma