Back to my roots: South Dakota in the summertime! (portraits)

Last week my family made our yearly trip to Aberdeen, South Dakota, to celebrate my Grandmother Lolly's 80th birthday! The whole extended family was there, as was all my camera gear. These are the best mint fudge brownies in the western hemisphere, made by my Aunt Becky::



Grandpa Bob & Grandma Lolly, two of the the happiest people I know::


What's great about family reunions is the rare chance to connect with my younger cousins, who are about to become actual adults! I want you to meet the quirkiest kid in the whole lot, Chandler::


The star of the whole bunch is the ultra-cute Lucas. I spent half my trip photographing this guy. Bob owns a successful dairy farm in Aberdeen, so we visited the calves. "Hi, cow!" Way, way cute. You should have been there.



The most precocious boy I've ever met. He played tour guide to a T at the farm.


My father! Not from South Dakota, but from nearby Mexico::


Lucas is really curious everywhere he goes::


He LOVES trains. And he loves that they're all his! His father Bill says, "Okay Lucas, let's go home." "Nnnnoooooooo!!!" Freakin. hilarious.



He likes to play with his new sister, Lindsay, my youngest cousin. That's 28 years between oldest and youngest. Yikes.



Kids and more kids!





During the birthday open house at my Aunt Becky's amazing country house, my dad played a violin recital to a bunch of Midwesterners he hardly knew. Love it!




Girl talk.


The weather wasn't that bad. I have nightmares of humid atmospheres, as I live in humid-free Denver. But it wasn't too bad when I was there. Except for the mosquitoes. I don't like mosquitoes.

Coming up next week, another wedding! Co-shooting with my photog-friend Nicole Roche. Stay tuned...