Parisienne Farmhouse & Nada Farm Offspring…oh so cute!
What started out as laborious and dull turned into relaxing and
oh-so-very pleasant.
Sunday I had a photo shoot in Naperville. Or what I like to call, “NaperHell.” Why ANYONE would want to live in that vast expanse of keeping up with the Jones’ is beyond me. It just feels like 20 miles of strip malls, ugly million plus dollar McMansions, old corn fields being torn up daily and traffic, traffic, traffic. There are a few Chicago suburbs that I can’t stand to even pass through and NaperHell is one of them! (No offense if you live there! 🙂
The shoot was in a word: dull and managing the clients requests (a list a mile long of group shots that she wanted) was NOT enjoyable. I got paid so I should not complain, but…
My style is more “artistic documentary” or at least I hope it will be someday and lining people up for family portraits isn’t that fun.
The star of the shoot, a darling 2 year old was, well, not having any fun either. She would not crack a smile or mutter a word. I tried, I swear I tried but by the time I left I was about to cry. I simply wanted some shots of this lovely child and I feel like a took 400 photos of her looking off into space with that, “I’d rather be napping.” look. Never mind that there was a step-teen as part of the mix and the step-mom kept whispering in my ear to tell him what to do since he would only roll his eyes at her. Oh, Julie Harris, how did you get where you are today???
The minute the shoot was done I ran out to the car, grabbed a change of clothes (I perspire like an Olympian on the job) threw them on in the Country Club ladies room and raced off…I mean, who wants to go to Anne Marie’s Nada Farm with a pitted blouse???
An hour later, and three hours late for the party I parked my car at the end of a long line of vehicles running along a country road and chocolate cakes in tow met up with my family, the Nada Farm gang and all their guests…
YE HAW!
We got in a little square dancing, a little food and a ton of visiting with wonderful, family-friendly, interesting people! How funny to answer the question, “How do you know Anne?” with, “Well, we met on the internet!” One girl even came up to me and asked, “Are you Parisienne Farmgirl?”
Anne and family had outdone themselves working hard for over a week with country chic decor, harvested prairie flowers from the property, live entertainment, a bonfire as big as my house, a hay ride (pulled by a suburban which made me laugh out loud) and of course the most darling outhouse arrangement!!!
We felt like honored guests being invited to stay in the house instead of camp on the lawn and enjoyed crisp clean sheets and turn down service complete with heavenly Ugandan dark chocolate and Decaf coffee for the next morning for pregnant, yours truly.
I won’t bother to attempt to put too much more into words except to kindly say, move over Mary Jane Butters. The rest I will leave to your imagination and these photographs. If you are not a reader of Anne Marie’s blog and come on…at this point, who isnt? Well, get on over there, ya hear?
Click to enlarge…does anyone know how to make these photos bigger????
I am this close —— to begging to move in. We even checked out a farm for sale two miles away!
Mary & Laura???
Oh, no big deal. Just Mr. & Mrs. pecking around the back door. Did you know chickens (les poules) say, “Cot, Cot, Cot” au francais?
The Prairie.
Morning Jo(el) and Amélie.
We were checking each other out. If I didn’t have a little passenger I would have begged to go for a ride.
Pardon my shoddy Photoshop editing, don’t look too close- I just wanted to get this post up quickly!
Best of friends heading out of the barn for more exploring…
…and good friends trying to recover from a late night with hot java.
I forgot to mention the dancing entertainment! I dream of knowing how to Irish dance and oh my, does her daughter inspire and get the toes tappin’!
Someday.
And last but not least – the loo, complete with washing station. Gentle and genius.
Ha! You must be somewhere near me if you had a photo shoot in Naperville. I’m a little farther west in Sugar Grove (not nearly as much traffic or as many people). Sounds like the weekend turned out pretty darn good!!!
🙂 T
Simply Amazing!
OHhhh……my. I am speechless. I, like you hate McMansions and “posed” and “lined up” shots…
XOXO
Joni
Be still my heart….I would have LOVED to have been there. I am for sure putting this on my calendar for next year!
one of these days we are all going to team up and come for a weekend to your place :)! all of us, nada farm too! HA!
Looks like a great weekend!
move over MJ?
right
in my dreams lady……..
and man oh man – if your cake says anything about YOUR hospitality, then I’m moving into your house….
forever
Oh girly, I am so jealous! I wanna come and visit with you girls! Please oh please!!
I am right there with ya, those city folks don’t know how to entertain!!!
Mary Jane is out of the running now!!!
Lovely post, PF!!!!!!
Kids are soooo cute!
New to your blog and loving it! Is that pudgy little darling girl yours? No matter… she’s irresistible!! I imagine she gets kissed and hugged plenty.
I love your photos! Goodness! Your daughter is a doll.
These are amazing!!!!!!!!!!! you go girl……i just shouldn’t stay away so long from your great place here 🙂
blessings….lylah
la maison et le jardin
Angela,
Your photography is gorgeous. I just the photo of the girl dancing, and of course, I love the photos of your beautiful children. My sister-in-law does family portaits, weddings, etc. and I know she is worn out at the end of any day when there are children involved!!!