{Lifestyle Portraiture} Easter and St.Patty's Day all rolled into one | Naperville Pet Photographer

Canine fun for Easter and St.Patty's Day! - All proceeds were donated to A.D.O.P.T

This one broke my heart. She had such a sad story but with the happiest ending. For the first 10 years of her life, she was know as "Dog 22". She was a puppy mill mama who had not know carpeting, stairs or even human contact. Now she lives with her adoptive mom and gets so much love and affection! - She loves running down stairs and gives timid kisses :). Needless to say, we all showered so much attention on her for the brief 10mts she stopped by for pictures with bunny.

{Travel Log} Hiking the Appalachian Trail | Great Smokies Family Outdoor Travel

After spending a week in the mountains of North Carolina, I was not ready to go home! - North Carolina is green, hilly and so beautiful. I was eager to get in one more hike before heading back to the grind of work and day to day routine.

The area in and around the Great Smoky mountains has a lot to offer in terms of outdoor activities (more to come on that in another post). On our last day there, we visited some of the more touristy sites within the national park. After rubbing elbows with a few hundred people, I was itching for some fresh air and solitude. Recognizing the uneasiness in me, my husband suggested I hike the Appalachian trail. I looked at him like he was drunk! Sure I can hike the 2000 mile journey in my dreams in the blink of an eye! – Don’t we have to go back in a few hours :)

But he had something else up his sleeve. He told me of a section of the Appalachian Trail that runs through the national park that was a perfect starter hike. It was only about 2 miles in length with a moderate elevation gain. I nodded yes, but then almost had to do a double take. Had I heard him clearly? He wanted me to hike ALONE with the kids! Me alone is one thing, me alone with the kids is another. My 6 year old is an experienced hiker having hiked several strenuous hikes in Glacier National Park when she was 4 and is game for anything. But my 2 year old – how is he going to handle the trail? What if he falls, What if he wants to be carried, What if we get lost, What if we see a bear! – The list of What If's was slowly becoming as long as the stretch of the Appalachian Trail that he wanted me to hike.

But then something magical happened. My sense of adventure and love for nature got the better of me! (Not to mention the chicken noises that was coming from my husband!!) Why am I being such a baby when my kids are not even complaining. So armed with a bottle of water and my camera, the three of us set off to hike the Appalachian Trail – well, a section of it at least.

As they say, hindsight is better that foresight. I am so proud that a 2 year old & a 6 year old hiked the Appalachian Trail. The experience was amazing.
We skipped over puddles and crossed fields and fields of wildflowers. We had to stop to observe and smell them up close.

We saw huge uprooted tree stumps and made up stories on how fallen trees could be bear dens. Good thing we did not find out that it is indeed a possible fact in the Smokies after our hike! Thanks Ranger Mike!

Can you almost see mama bear and her three little cubs peeking out of this tree stump?? :)

We saw a few other hikers on the trail and talked about what it means to go backcountry camping and hiking. I was so proud when both my kids in unison said ‘Let’s go do that tomorrow’.

The trail was not easy. It was uneven - gaining elevation gradually and in some areas it was very narrow. Yet, the ease with which the kids walked and hiked it, was truly inspirational. The 2 year old walked the entire 2 mile journey! And the 6 year old watched out for him, helping him climb rocks and huge stones on the path!

We took a few breaks but in general kept good pace since we knew dad was waiting at the other end. All in all, I have to admit that the experience was well worth the effort. I survived my first solo hike and am eager for more!

Some interesting facts about the Appalachian Trail, should you be so inclined to try it yourself

1) The Appalachian Trail is one of the longest continuously marked footpath in the world
2) It measures roughly 2,180 miles in length
3) Over 2-3 million people visit the Trail every year exploring its magnificent landscapes and experiencing its stunning views
4) It crosses 13 states in the US
5) It is the most multi generational trail every – every year you will find hardcore trail enthusiasts as well as grandmas and kids hiking the trail
6) You can either section hike or complete the entire 2000+ miles in one shot (a long one at that!)

Feel free to contact us if these pictures motivate you to try a solo hike. We will be happy to put together a custom travel package for an unforgettable adventure!

{Lifestyle Portraiture} Sneak Peek - Ready to take on the world! | Geneva Seniors Photographer

What can I say about a session that was scheduled four months ago and awaited eagerly by all parties concerned! - Perfect location - perfect lighting - perfect subject!

Thanks T for totally trusting me and putting up with all my crazy requests. Good luck with cullinary school!

Enjoy your sneak peak! :)

The handsome future pastry chef! :)

I love this pensive look - probably contemplating what I was going to ask him to do next...lol :)

T, blue does really suit you very well! :)

This one has to be one of my favorites!

{Travel Log} Traveler's Storyteller Contest Entry - Great Sand Dunes NP | Colorado Outdoor Travel with kids

When we think about Colorado, USA, the most common image that the mind conjugates is that of the rugged Rocky Mountains, pristine alpine lakes and willfully refreshing rivers. Now for a moment, add to that image a dune field with the highest sand dunes in North America. This combination is the hidden gem of Southwest Colorado. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is 150,000 acres of grasslands, wetlands, dunes, forests, alpine lakes, and rugged 13,000' peaks.

My family and I first stumbled upon this Park in 2007 while driving across from the well known Grand Canyon to another well known Rocky Mountain National Park. In my search for a campground, I perused the Colorado State Park map and found a park with a queer picture of what looked like high dunes in the background. With nightfall approaching and tired kids in the car, I decided to choose the closest one and not be too picky regarding the vicinity. I mean, sand dunes in Colorado? Surely someone made an honest mistake with that picture.

Imagine our surprise when we awoke the next morning and realized the treasure we had uncovered. Right in front of us stood a huge sand dune field with a river flowing on one side and the snow capped mountains in the background. Being the last leg of our three-week road trip, we promised ourselves that we would come back and explore it inside out. And that is exactly what we did four years later in May 2011 when we spent a week in and around this National Park. The following write-up is a first hand experience of the multitude of activities that you can choose from while exploring Great Sand Dunes National Park. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Please visit www.nps.gov/grsa for planning your adventure.

Dunes Exploration

Start your day early with a brisk visit to the Visitor Center and engaging the informative rangers, and exploring the interactive exhibits. Then cross Medano Creek and explore the huge 30 square mile dunefield as you wish - there are no designated trails in the sand. To get a 360 degree view that is truly inspirational and that gives you an idea of just how big the dunefield is, hike to the “High Dune” and/or the “Star Dune”.

Splashing in Medano Creek

This was an instant winner with our entire clan especially after the dune hike. It’s refreshing to splash about in this ankle-deep stream. Watch for waves in the water, a phenomenon called "surge flow”. However, this is a seasonal and snowpack dependent creek which is typically best experienced in mid-to-late May. Furthermore, the water flow increases as you get away from the visitor center and closer to the mountains. Drive to Castle Creek Picnic Area which offers an impressively tall, steep dune face and access to Medano Creek.

Driving the Medano Pass Road

Spend a day on a scenic backcountry drive on Medano Pass Road, going east to west. This gut wrenching, yet exhilarating drive is anything but typical. The rugged road takes you over the rocky 10,000’ Medano Pass, through a forested mountain canyon, and then through two miles of soft sand around the eastern side of the dunefield. The highlight for our family were the nine creek crossings.

Backcountry hike to Medano Lake

During your drive on Medano Pass Road, take a break with a hike to an alpine lake. This 3.7 mile one-way hike will have you climb 2000’ through lush meadows and forests, ending at an alpine lake. We had lunch at the lake and then turned around to complete our scenic backcountry drive.

Overnight Camping in Pinyon Flats Campground

The fun isn’t over when the sun goes down. The pinnacle of solitude is experienced by watching the night sky which illuminates with a million light bulbs thanks to the minimal levels of light pollution in and around the park.

Great Sand Dunes NP is off the beaten path and appeasing to a wide spectrum of adventurers. The icing on the cake is that it is one of the few pet friendly National Parks in the USA.