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It’s finally summer here in the Twin Cities and that means I’m ready to escape! I grew up spending summers in the mountains in Pennsylvania with lots of outdoor time and adjusting to summers in the city has been a slow process. Another local photographer and I are looking to spend some cabin time lakefront in July. This is where we need your help!

Do you or someone you know have a cabin within five hours of the Twin Cities area? We’d like to barter our photography services in exchange for four nights (preferably July 24-28 but we’re open to other dates) at a cabin. Wedding photography, portraits, events, commercial images of your cabin property…make us an offer!

(See that little ShareThis link below the entry? That’s a handy dandy way to pass this entry on to your cabin-owning friends! )

On Sunday, I photographed the March of Dimes’ March for Babies. Early weather predictions had me a bit nervous as they were calling for rain and storms on Sunday. Then it got colder and colder and snowed on Saturday. Thanks to the craziness that is living in Minnesota, the windchill was below 30 when I was getting ready Sunday morning. But thankfully there was no precipitation of any kind and even a bit of sun here and there.

The St. Paul walk was held at Phalen Park which was quite beautiful despite the colder temps. I arrived at 9 as the volunteers were setting up the registration tables and the sponsors were preparing and the mini-donut truck was smelling oh-so-delicious. (Sadly, I had not brought any cash!) The walkers started arriving around 10, kids and strollers and dogs in tow.

The purpose of the March for Babies is to raise money to fund research to help prevent premature births, birth defects and infant mortality. Many of the families there had heartwarming stories about their NICU graduates and others had heartwrenching stories of little ones that they had lost. This is the daughter of this year’s ambassador family who was born weighing little more than a pound and is now doing quite well.

And a mother who led us in the National Anthem whose daughter had a similar story.

The walk route was around Lake Phalen, 3.1 miles. Most people welcomed the opportunity to warm up. I felt slightly annoyed at the weight of my camera bag until I saw many mothers toting (lugging is probably even a fair word) toddlers in their arms around the lake.

After the walk was more mini-donuts and hot dogs and the hokey pokey and St. Paul Saints mascot Mudonna and lots of playground time. And for me, lots and lots and lots of photos to look through!

If this little guy doesn’t make you smile, then something is wrong with you. I think I probably smiled at him on my monitor the whole time I was editing these. He’d just woken up from his nap when we got there but perked up in no time and was just a smiley little cutie after that.

There was one quick session of tears (standing up is hard work) but Dad was right there to make it better.

Cute even when he’s crying. Thanks to Quinn’s parents for letting me shoot their little one!