backyard mini sessions + the end it movement

sometimes i get to do really fun things

like take pictures of families in my own backyard.

i did two backyard mini-sessions this weekend. it was just an idea that i had been sitting on for quite a while now and i decided to go for it. 

and i'm glad i did.

the best part about these shoots is that they're helping to fight modern day slavery just by showing up and letting me take their pictures. it all started with a little idea that my friend anna contrived: spend it to end it. it's a campaign to fight back against human trafficking -- she plans to raise enough funds to free a slave {which is about $5,000}. anna sells mary kay {remember this post?} and she's using her profits from the month of may to go toward the cause. she's donating the money locally to a charity that works with women trying to find a way out of human slavery. i was so impressed with her initiative that i decided to join with her and donate my photography profits from the month of may as well. my profits and her profits alone would be hardly a drop in the bucket in the fight against human trafficking but God is good, you guys. she's already had several other mary kay directors and other small local businesses ask to team up with her for the campaign! how awesome is that! 

just wanted to give a little plug about my friend & update you on what's going on in our life!

to read more about the end it movement:

www.enditmovement.com

to purchase any items from anna:

www.marykay.com/annawilhelm 

date night: backyard cookout.

we are pretty excited about having a backporch + backyard this summer. granted, they both need a little tlc -- but we'll get to each project in due time. last friday, we decided to have a little cookout on the patio. we knew that lots of yucky weather was headed our way, so we took advantage of clear {well, cloudy but not rainy} skies and had our dinner outside.

i bought a ton of veggies & some turkey sausage at the grocery store to throw on the grill. in my world, grilling in the man's job. so, i let ben take this one over. it's so nice to let your man do the cooking.

we ate lots of yummy food. i especially love grilled food. its something about those crunchy, chargrilled marks on the veggies or maybe it's because i grew up eating grilled food all summer, every summer -- my dad loves cooking on the grill. whatever, the reason i'm a big fan.

the white tank {three ways}: part two

i went a little crazy making skirts this spring. its too hard to pick just one yard of fabric. so, i've got a few too many skirts in my closet. is it even possible to have too many skirts? of course not. especially since i plan on making a few more before the summer is over. 

 loud, colorful skirts are perfect paired with a simple white tank top or tee. it's not super match-y and it lets the skirt shine in all its brightness. i've even cheated and folded down a strapless, elastic smocked dress and worn it as a skirt over a white tank top. see, you've got to have a white tank top on hand. how else are you going to turn a strapless dress into two outfits?

tank: forever 21 // skirt: made by me // belt: target // cardigan: forever 21

i wore this out to lunch with my nana & then i put it on for church last sunday. i then, changed into some jeans after taking these pictures because i definitely didn't realize how cold it was. you win some you lose some.

diy: hat makeover.

i love straw fedoras. i never thought i'd say that but i bought one last spring and ended up buying three more before the summer was over. they're the best cover up for bad hair, the keep the sun from burning your face, and they're just so darn cute.

i'm determined to not buy any more this summer {but i can't make any promises}. however, i did scheme up a way to make one of my favorite hats go with almost any outfit. 

i started with a hat from h&m. it was super cheap, i'm thinking less than $10. and it looked like this:

cute, right? but i wanted more options. so i very carefully snipped some threads on the band and peeled the fabric away from the hat. it was stuck on with some cheap glue, so it wasn't very hard. if you plan on doing this project, inspect your hat really well at the store to see if you'll be able to separate the band & the hat without any damage. luckily, the hat and the band remained in good condition!

 then, i went searching. i looked around my house for headband, ribbon, lace -- anything i could stick around the hat! by the time i finished looking, i had about ten different options for a band around my hat! how easy is that?

{top row, left to right: original band, lace tied in a knot, headband from oh sweet joy!, middle row: forever 21 headband, headband made my me, another oh sweet joy! headband, bottom row: all from oh sweet joy!}

what do you have lying around that you could use to makeover a hat?

date night: frolfing

you may remember from this post, that we are apparently getting into frisbee golf. and when i said "we" i really didn't think that included me. boy, was i wrong.

ben was pretty determined that i needed to hop on the frisbee golf bandwagon. he even went out and bought me some discs. pretty romantic in his own special, twist-your-arm kind of way, right? i'm kidding, there was actually no arm twisting involved, literally or figuratively.

 

sometimes i can be a little sporty. sometimes. meaning, hardly ever. but something about this pretty spring weather and that green, green grass convinced me to change my ways.

 

so i gave it a shot and you know what, i liked it. it was a lot of fun. it's almost like hiking, because you're walking a whole lot, combined with throwing a frisbee. i'm not saying i was good or anything, because i wasn't, but it's one of those sports where you don't have to actually be good at it to have fun.

we headed to a nearby course & played a few rounds one night last week. i packed some sandwiches & we had an impromptu picnic, as well. it was such a fun cheap date. we liked it so much that we went back again with some friends a few nights later.

if you want a cheap sport or hobby to do with your spouse, we totally recommend frolfing. google it, find a course where you live, & go buy some discs. you won't regret it!