Today, our family celebrates another birthday of a very special man. Grandpa Beitler (Tim’s maternal grandfather) turns 94 years young…and I do mean young. At 94 , he continues to amaze us all with his active lifestyle and insanely accurate memory for the most minute details of the last almost-century. We celebrated over the weekend and while the sweet cake was made for Grandpa, it was the rest of us that were treated with his stories of days and years past.
As we lost Grandma this summer and gathered for her funeral over the July 4th holiday, I am thankful that we were, as a family, able to spend so much time together. We all feel so blessed to have had such a wonderful example of a long, happy and faithful marriage.
And for our children to know your love as well…
We live for your stories. Stories of your youth. And of war. The stories seem more frequent lately and we all literally sit at your feet and soak up every detail…and we marvel at your memory of time and place.
Tim and I feel blessed to live near you and see you so often. You come to ball games and sit in the heat. And you take stats on tball and softball like it was a high school game. I wonder if you will ever know how much these little moments mean to us…and to Evie and Trenton.
Happy 94th Grandpa….blow out your candles!
It’s really hard to believe that Cali will be celebrating her first birthday this coming weekend! I will always remember getting the call on Labor Day last year while I was vacationing in Charleston to find out that Cali had made her arrival to our dear friends Stan and Kristen. It’s been quite a wild year for them as they’ve not only added a new member to the clan but also moved back to Indiana from Tennessee, made new friends and started new jobs and adventures along the way. I cannot tell you what a joy it has been to have them only a short hour away! Cali has grown before our eyes…so much better than through pictures!
Kristen is planning a button-themed party for Cali’s birthday and knew this custom shirt and tu-tu (from Maggie Moo’s Mom) would be a great complement to the festivities…and equally perfect for a quick session as well :)
I’m wondering if anyone has noticed the slightly bare spot on this pot of flowers from Cali picking them off…it was for a really good cause!
Cali has the cutest smile and BEST cheeks ever!
Miss Cali, I wish you a very Happy Birthday filled with lots of sugar ;) Kristen and Stan, we are so thankful to be a part of your lives and and share in the celebration of
Cali’s miraculous little life and what she means to all of us!
His given name is Bryan. Everyone who knows him calls him Bubba. He’s the lucky man who gets to call Kiri his wife :)
I was thrilled when their wedding day finally arrived! They are so easy to photograph and after their engagement session, I knew their wedding would be more of the same. They have many times given me full liberty to do anything that came to my mind for the photos…which meant a little more walking in her heels than Kiri may have been expecting. Kiri told me many times, “I trust you.” Seriously, one of the best things to hear from one of my brides.
They were married at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Decatur, a beautiful place on it’s own. With overcast skies and perfect temps, the entire day flowed so easily. Especially since Kiri and Bubba opted for a First Look! I cannot tell you how much that makes a difference in the momentum of the day. With all of the photographs finished pre-ceremony, that means it’s straight to the party after you walk back down the aisle!
Seriously stunning bride. Goodness…and don’t get me started on the peonies. These flowers are the reason Kiri wanted a May wedding.
Just after their First Look :)
Loved the color palette for the bridal party. Simple and Elegant. Classic for sure…but a fun little quirk with each of the girls choosing their own style of shoe in the same color. They all would look good in my own closet!
See, straight to the party! Kiri and Bryan allowed a little time following the ceremony for a few more portraits but I promise, the party kept going :)
While the Dollar Dance has always been a popular reception activity, the Dollar Dash is starting to take over! I loved this picture of Bubba’s brother making sure his pile of money is bigger than Kiri’s…and Kiri looks like she’s scheming to steal it!
And to appear later this year, the wedding of these two :) I think we’ve spent every weekend together for the past year and a half, attending the same weddings!
Kiri and Bryan, you two are the perfect example of why I love what I do. You are yourselves and you welcome me to capture that for you, always trusting me through the process. Thank you so much for letting me a part of your day, it was FABULOUS!!!!!
