Life aspiration. To be as tightly knit as this family right here. I feel so blessed to work with and be surrounded by such amazing families and couples.

One of the last photos I took of Scott and Alexa before he deployed.

 All feels right in the world with this guy back home! Seeing him walk up to us and embrace us for the first time in 6 months felt amazingly unreal. In the photo below you can see that Alexa was shy at the airport but less than an hour later she was snuggling and bringing him books to read. She always was a Daddy's girl. I'm so glad she warmed up to him so quickly. It melts my heart to see my two favorite people reunited again.

It poured, sprinkled, and drizzled all day every day this week. Alexa and I enjoy getting outside so between the energetic rain and her tireless cold, we were both starting to feel cooped up. Luckily the clouds took a break and even parted to give the sunshine time to play on the puddles and dance on our faces. We chose a path above Obernarnbach and it was lovely, but the chilly air refused to be ignored so it was a short one. Even so, it felt wonderful to be out walking, exploring new trails, and enjoying nature again.

Winter months don't guarantee snow in Germany, but regardless of the month it is guaranteed you'll find locals walking the trails trickling the hillsides of Germany. On cold days I'm tempted to stay indoors and snuggle up with a good book or movie, but then I see how the light is touching the hillside and the photographer in me is quickly stuffing on my boots. When it comes to exploring nature Alexa is a very willing companion. Like a true German she embraces the elements and refuses to be kept from going outside. She is not deterred in the slightest by cold or frigid weather and I too find that escaping for a walk during winter in the countryside is exactly what my mind and lungs needed.

Sometimes I plan a hike, but most days Alexa and I never know where we'll go or what we'll see. We just grab our coats and drive until we see an interesting trail or landscape. This week we tried a trail above Queidersbach that we frequently pass on our way to Kaiserslautern. Most of it was paved, but a small stretch turned into dirt and gravel and I enjoyed watching Alexa daintily try, in over-sized boots, to step around every pebble in her path.
Even without snow during the holidays, I find Germany breathtaking. Coming from a very dry place like Idaho it's odd to see everything so green during winter! I don't think anything ever stops growing here and neither it seems, does my fondness for this country.

♥ Tanae

This is the second portion in my Mother - Daughter self-portrait series, inspired by Wherever I am With You.  Every month I'm making the effort to get behind the frame with my daughter. Click here to read my reasons for doing this project and to see last month's getting in the frame moment. It's only been two months, but I'm already seeing how this project is stretching me creatively. Self portrait's in themselves are tricky for me, so adding a toddler to the mix has added a completely new dimension of challenges! Especially today having her in the Ergo carrier. Alexa is happy as long as I'm moving, which meant I had to be very quick while setting up the tripod and making adjustments in the camera. But like always, I'm impressed with my ability to adapt and Alexa's ability to make everything in life more fun. I can't imagine what this deployment would be like without her with me. I'm sure grateful for her sweet disposition and the loving comfort she adds to my life.

If you're joining me in this self-portrait challenge, or you're just dabbling in a photo here and there, I'd love to hear your thoughts! How's it going? What challenges are you facing taking portraits with you and your children in the same frame?