May 04, 2016

An Engagement Photo Session for Amanda and Jordan.

May 04, 2016/ Kristen Hale

When my friends asked me to take their engagement photos, I was absolutely flattered. I've been taking photos for years, and playing around with my own editing style, but it was always for my own family's photos and, obviously, this little blog of mine. But I very gladly said yes, and I am so pleased with how their session turned out! We spent some time frolicking around Serenbe Farms and I had such a great time capturing their chemistry and obvious love for one another.

Thanks for letting me capture the spirit of your relationship, Amanda and Jordan! I know you have many beautiful decades of blissful marriage ahead of you!

October 06, 2015

My 28th Birthday at Serenbe.

October 06, 2015/ Kristen Hale

I am loved.

I am overwhelmingly thankful for my kinfolk. They love me well and let me in on their feelings. This year on my birthday, I felt vastly different from a year ago, when I turned 27. I was so mixed up after Everett was born - I was processing his birth and feeling super hormonal and kind of, I don't know, crazed. Sleep-deprived. Void of identity. This year I feel like a completely new woman. I feel strong. Confident. Full. I am working on me and I am poised to give more love than ever, and I am celebrating that feeling. 28 is going to be so so good.

My birthday has come and gone in waves of fun, as I celebrated with Stevie and Everett, then with my parents and sister, and I will keep celebrating into next week with my in-laws and extended family! See what I mean about being a lucky girl? Gosh I could pinch myself. I had such a wonderful dinner date out with Stevie on my actual birthday. We drank wine in the cold September rain at an outdoor restaurant in the city, with just a tiny little canvas umbrella protecting us from the bucketing monsoon, and we laughed and talked and stayed out late and IT WAS THE BEST. I am so grateful for that man, who supports my dreams and lets me talk in loopy circles around him. Who listens to my unedited rants without judgement. Who challenges me, convicts me, laughs with me and gives sound advice, and doesn't question when I order all the desserts. Who sends champagne to the table because he knows its my favorite, and drinks it with me even though it's definitely not his favorite. He's the one guys. After 8 years, I still know that he is SO THE ONE.

I took no pictures from that date. Because I was on a date.

But Serenbe! My parents took us out to The Farmhouse at Serenbe for a birthday lunch, and that place is so picturesque and darling and we really couldn't resist snapping a few shots, especially because Everett was frolicking all over like he owned the place. Friends, Serenbe's southern fried chicken and chocolate brownies are irresistible. But the company of my family, taking turns going around the table and expressing to me the reasons why they loved me? That is the memory, knitted and knotted into the permanent fibers of my heart. My spirits were lifted high on this encouragement, this cornerstone of beautiful souls. These gemstones are my people and I couldn't love them more.

Photos!

This little one is fiercely protective of his Nana.

Ugh, could my sister be MORE of a babe?? I think not. I'm so lucky because I get all her hand me downs! #shesthestylishone #imthecopycat

I met this butterfly. The caterpillar that it used to be is the type that currently feasts on my garden's cauliflower. I almost slapped this thing across the face. If I could find it's face. Does a butterfly have a face? They might be pretty, but th… — I met this butterfly. The caterpillar that it used to be is the type that currently feasts on my garden's cauliflower. I almost slapped this thing across the face. If I could find it's face. Does a butterfly have a face? They might be pretty, but these critters are FIERCE when it comes to roughage.

We are weird people. There's nothing else to really say.

Oh, but these boots. They were my gift to myself :)

These throwing shots never ever get old. I should frame a whole roundup of them, since I've taken so many.

Everett LOVES my dad's Indian motorcycle. He makes the noises. And he always wants to sit on it. But when my dad fires the thing up, he cries.

There you have it. 28 is going to be so good!

P.S. - If you think I hang out at Serenbe a lot, you might be right. You can check out our blustery getaway there last year here and here, and our magical day when Everett was followed by a butterfly. Oh Serenbe.

February 03, 2015

A Blustery Getaway at Serenbe. Part 2.

February 03, 2015/ Kristen Hale

A Blustery Getaway at Serenbe. Part 2.

I just had too many great photos from this fun little getaway. See part 1 HERE.

For me, the beginning of the year is such a cleansing season. Everything is sort of bare, torn away, and a little bit unbeautiful. Almost a little too raw, a bit uncomfortably vulnerable. And yet I really love this wintery season. Of course, it's a lot easier to love it in Georgia than in Boston or New York :) Seeing the dirty sleazy snow turn a million shades of sick can really throw your stomach off for a day. But here, the trees are stripped to their skivvies and tenderly hold up their branches in a "raising the white flag" kind of way. Like, here we are, world. Ready to start fresh. Start over. Dream again.

Am I crazy? That's just what February is to me.

I had to include a few more Serenbe photos from last week. I couldn't possibly choose my favorites so I just pretty much chose them all. Seeing my little boy interact with my strapping husband is making me feel alive and happy in a new way. Maybe it's the whole February thing. Maybe it's a new mom thing. Maybe it's a clear-headed thing. Or a "I've finally slept, booya!" thing. But I'm having a small moment in the sun these past few weeks. Life finally doesn't feel so gosh-darn hard. I don't feel so bare bones tired. Or ragged. This little getaway to Serenbe couldn't have come at a better time. It was cold, but so what? I've had colder winters.

// I love setting up Everett's little bed when we travel. I don't know why. //

// I like to tease him that he's my muse. He. HATES. It. //

// 7.5 years. I'm a lucky lady. //

Happy February to you all!

February 02, 2015

A Blustery Getaway at Serenbe. Part 1.

February 02, 2015/ Kristen Hale

A Blustery Getaway at Serenbe.

We spent last Sunday evening and Monday at the wondrous Serenbe Farm. We had the privilege of staying in one of the cottages at the Inn, enjoying dinner at The Farmhouse and doing some exhilarating hiking/walking around the farm grounds. If you aren't familiar with Serenbe, it's a wonderfully chic, urban-ish farm community (yes, "commune" is perhaps another word for it), located about 45 minutes outside of Atlanta. We enjoyed spending time there in September, and with each season change we find ourselves itching to get back to the farm to bask in the still quiet. Serenbe is the kind of place where you go to dream again, which is exactly why we decided to steal away for an evening.

We got to really dive into some fun imaginings about our goals for the year and how we would like to grow ourselves. That might seem like a funny term, "grow ourselves", but I've learned that unless you attempt something with all sorts of intention, it probably won't just "happen". Like the watercolor painting that I want to do. I bought the supplies! And yet they are still sitting in their plastic Michaels bag, begging me to be played with. But hey, baby steps, right?

We meant for this little getaway to happen over the Christmas/New Years break, but I got some kind of gross bug and we had to cancel. But alas! Nothing could keep us away for too long. Yes, we brought Everett along for the fun, although my sweet mother offered to drive out and babysit for the evening so we could enjoy a dinner date, just the two of us. These are the crazy good benefits of living near family. Thank you, Mom! You're the best!

Dinner at The Farmhouse is such a wholesome, earthy experience, because most everything is grown on the property itself (or at one of the nearby farms in the area), so all the food is locally grown and most is organic. IT'S SO GOOD. If you go on Sundays, get the fried chicken. GET THE FRIED CHICKEN. And the cobbler. Whatever cobbler they're serving up, you will just kick yourself if you don't eat it all. The food is almost holy.

As for the farm yard experience itself, it was really as good as could be expected in the dead of winter. I'm not going to lie to you - it was pretty cold. And really windy. And sort of misty/foggy/wet. So we didn't do as much outdoor frolicking as we hoped, BUT - the goats had just had babies, like a day before we got there - SCORE! Those little baby goats. Seriously guys, you could just die. They are so stinkin' wobbly and CUTE. A slew of pictures to come (because you know that I can't possible edit this batch down any further :)

// Which came first, the chicken or the goat? //

// He's a total dog whisperer, but somehow all the little animals wanted to come to him. They must talk. //

// Um, YEAH. //

// New mama with her baby! This little guy was scampering around and trying to jump atop the haystack. Ah! //

// I was, um, trying to get in some animal love. Connection. Whatever. I didn't grow up on a farm guys. I don't have the animal-whispery tendencies. //