Lovelies in my Life

Winter Casual

2018-01-13T08:05:00.000-06:00

Hello friends! I may have shot this look pre-snow but the outfit is one I'm still wearing in the January cold (plus my cocoon of a puffer coat for any outside speed walking from car to building). Black denim becomes my favorite go-to for winter ... perhaps it's that slimming effect after all the holiday cookies? Regardless, black feels more wintry and chic after all the lighter blues and sweatshirts reign supreme in comfort. A little off the shoulder number is fun as an alternative and bonus for me, works just as nicely over a leotard in my dance classes. A very 80's high hip leotard and off the shoulder sweatshirt sort of image is likely coming to mind right now, right? Lots of hip rolls and headbands. Ha! Yeah, it's exactly like that. 😉

Jacket - Zara

Jeans and scarf - Madewell

Sweatshirt - J. Crew

Thank you to Erin Jean Photo for the beautiful photography. 💗

Christmas Day Jammies

2017-12-31T16:56:00.001-06:00

As is our tradition, we spent the night at my sister's home on Christmas Eve. Though the first set of pictures were taken the day before when we were still at home, we planned to all have on our plaid jammies on Christmas morning as well.

The rest of the pictures are from Christmas morn, of the kids crowding around the tree to take in all the goodness that Santa left for them. And the rest of the pictures are back at home, opening our Christmas crackers, another little tradition carried on from our South Africa days.

Happy New Year everyone!

Christmas morn ...

And back home, having some fun with the Christmas crackers.

And a picture from Christmas Eve day at church.

More December Magic

2017-12-29T21:04:00.000-06:00

Here's a look at one picturesque Sunday afternoon in December, with Scarlet and her cousin dressed in their Christmas best, tree ornaments turning them into glittering magical unicorns.

And fort building turning into nap time.

Hello again friends. It's been a little while.

I have a little bit of our December to share here, mostly because I want to have these photos to look back on in years to come as I'm becoming worse and worse at making my family photo albums and desperately need to catch up. So I hope to squeeze in a couple more posts.

But honestly, December was a really hard month for us and so I'm left completely deflated actually. We lost our beloved Ouma, best known as Debbie, my beautiful mother-in-law and our kids incredibly dear grandmother. I did terribly, handling all of that, maybe even worse as this little bit of time has passed. I think I'd like to write something eventually, but we'll see. It won't be an easy post ... It was really hard.

But mixed into the sadness and the tears, there were some wonderfully sweet moments over Christmas-time, as the season so easily brings. It's impossible to miss the beauty, as it's so sweetly joyous. I wanted to share some of those, as there were many. Not all carefully photographed this year, but still etched into my memory.

Oh, Sweet Christmas Tree

2017-11-26T22:07:00.000-06:00

As Thanksgiving weekend draws to a close, I've found a few quiet moments to myself on the couch, a rare opportunity to take in the new twinkling prettiness of our family room. It was a wonderful long weekend with the kids, celebrating Thanksgiving with family and finally allowing ourselves to go completely Christmas-y all over the house. Ahhhh, I love it so.

My first post of Christmas is all about the morning we went to chop down our Christmas tree. We road tripped out to Whispering Pines and ventured out into the woods to find our favorite tree for the job of decorating our home this season. The kids were all really eager to have a tree of their own to decorate, so we let them each pick out a smaller one too. And after the hunt was finished they fed a few alpacas (cause why not? ;) and warmed up to cups of steamy hot cocoa and bags of popcorn. So here it is, our day in pictures.

Summer Dress into Fall

2017-11-09T11:15:00.000-06:00

Hello lovelies! We shot this look before the temps dropped and quite dramatically too. Today it's a cool 30 degrees and if I was wearing this right now it would be a much cozier look, perhaps a pair of cream cabled tights and a big warm sweater in the same hue. Something a little more snow bunny-esque.

But for this warmer fall day, this autumn floral jacket was all it needed. It's a moto fit in a very 90's tapestry, reminding me all too well of a vest I wore for my senior pictures in '95 - haha! A floral tapestry vest, fashionably (?) warn with pleated Bermuda shorts thankyouverymuch. Those senior pictures are something else, you guys. Wow.

Dress - Free People

Sneakers - Zara

Thank you Erin for the beautiful photography. 💗 Erin Jean Photography

Halloween with the Kids

2017-11-01T17:23:00.002-05:00

Hello friends! We had a wonderful evening trick or treating with the kids yesterday and I wanted to share some of my favorite shots of them hard at work. From left to right, presenting... Master Chief, Mason Crosby, watermelon (later morphed into a banana), swat team, Lego Batman, unicorn and Miranda Sings. 😉

(Kit Kat and Sour Patch Kids tend to be the ongoing faves)

I got into the spirit by channeling my inner Frenchie. 💝

Till next time!

All Those Sweet Fall Feelings ...

2017-10-24T14:49:00.000-05:00

Hello friends! This October has been so incredibly beautiful. We've had amazing weather and as a result, spent lots of time soaking up the autumn sunshine and taking in the goodness of the stunning outdoors. The colors are gorgeous right now and I'm overdoing it with fall decor, with pumpkins around every corner and all the smelly candles and yummy fall foods. My husband had a good laugh when he saw how many massive pumpkins I'd obviously carried up our stairs to place at the front door. Whatevs dude, whatevs.

So Scarlet and I have these matching dresses from Zara and this is the first time I've tried a matching dress with her. I've had so many ladies ask about it already that I'm thinking this is a much "cooler" idea than I imagined and that there are other (crazy just like me) moms who would happily wear matching looks with their littles. Matchy moms unite!

And because so many have asked, I have a Zara hack. Ha! A size 13-14 girls is about the same as a small adult. And for me, they work best when they're a relaxed fit like this dress is. So voila, an entire girl's section to shop!

Dresses - Zara
Scarlet's boots - Zara
My boots - Free People from Besselli

Thank you to Erin Jean Photography for the beautiful pictures!

Nutcracker Snow Fittings

2017-10-19T08:18:00.000-05:00

So as many of you already know, I own a dance studio in Green Bay called Celebration Dance (website/Facebook) and it's a job that has my whole heart. As we've grown over these past few years, more and more of my time is spent at the studio and with my dancers. This is one of the biggest reasons why I have much less free time to blog these days. 😌 I spend a lot of time teaching and nurturing these girls and their love for dance, and one of the avenues I've encouraged is other performance opportunities. This is our second year to audition for a local and incredibly beautiful Nutcracker Ballet presented through the Northeastern Wisconsin Dance Organization each year. We are so lucky to have this opportunity in our community, allowing our dancers a chance to be a part of something much bigger than their respective studios with a devoted community of dancers from around the city. It also gives them that audition experience, which is unique and a little nerve wrecking, but an important part of the dance life. They have the chance to study something extraordinary, a ballet that's an integral piece of our dance culture and the opportunity to learn from a choreographer and instructor that I have great respect for, Mr. Timothy Josephs. And finally, the chance to dance with professional ballerinas from around the country, who come to Green Bay and teach master classes and then perform with them. Honestly the happy list goes on and on for me (the gorgeous Meyer Theater, the backstage flurry, that feeling when watching a dance from the wings and then stepping into the bright lights, the grand applause!).

So on this occasion, I captured a few photos at a fitting. This is for Snow, my personal favorite dance in the show. The Nutcracker was my first big American ballet experience when I moved to the US with my family in 1993 and Snow and Waltz of the Flowers were the dances I was cast in. Flowers was beautiful but Snow had my heart. It still gets me teary eyed to this day!

If you're interested in attending a performance of NEWDO's The Nutcracker Ballet over Thanksgiving weekend, you'll find all the details HERE. Celebration Dance has 10 of our dancers in the show this year!

A Styled Shoot {with Luke and Emily}

2017-10-12T09:21:00.001-05:00

This sweet pair will be married at the end of the month! Congrats to Luke and Emily! It's the perfect time to share this styled session with you with their wedding day just around the corner now. Since leaving the magazine in the spring and all those gorgeous fashion shoots, I've done nothing quite like it again these past few months. Plus Wisconsin's magnificent summer gives us the most incredible opportunities for photography and I was in the mood to capture something really romantic and windblown out at the water's edge. This couple gave me the perfect chance to have a little fun with styling again and shoot during summer's golden hour at a beautifully dreamy spot tucked between trees and waves. Enjoy!

Thank you L+E for the pleasure of working with you!

Visit www.kirstygungorphotography.com to see more of my work.

The End of Summer

2017-10-10T14:36:00.000-05:00

Hello lovelies! I found some sweet photos of the kids, captured on one of those end of summer day trips to a beach in Door County. Thought I'd share them while the house still smells of my spiced pumpkin candle and the leaves color outside. Just a month out, that's not too bad. ;)

Our Family Photos with Abby Roses

2017-09-18T21:30:00.001-05:00

Hello friends! I'm back, for just a bit. ;)

I have this awesome family shoot to share with you today. These photos were taken by the incredible Abby Roses (check her out HERE) when our family was visiting little Leo in Tulsa. I've known Abby since she was tiny and went to school with her beautiful mom Olivia! Abby was even the flower girl in our wedding. 💗And now she's a crazy unbelievable talent and I knew she would capture our family just perfectly. Thank you Abby, we love our pictures so much!

We started at the Tulsa Garden Center and then went out for desserts afterwards. I really wanted something at a greenhouse (have so much love for spaces like these) and then a little lifestyle moment with our family just enjoying ourselves together in an environment we're all about, good eats!

Enjoy lovelies.

And sweets!

Hello Leo!

2017-09-06T12:16:00.000-05:00

Meet little Leo! He's the newest member of our family, the 11th grandchild for my parents and the 7th boy. But most importantly, he is absolutely adored by all who have welcomed him into this world. Our family went to Tulsa about 3 weeks ago to meet him and steal some snuggling time with this precious newborn. He's one of those content little babes, the third born child who's already used to all that big family noise and is happy to nap right through it. Warm, soft and with that wonderful newborn smell that gets any mama's heart all weepy again.

A huge congrats to you Bomar family! We love him so much and can't wait to watch his life unfold.

And here he is with his proud family.

As you can see, hanging out in a greenhouse during a Tulsa August is HOT! Scarlet looks like a boiling tomato, sweet girl. But anything for some pictures in this incredible spot, right?! Melt away.

(Would love for you to visit my website www.kirstygungorphotography.com to see more of my work.😊 )

Rainy Rompers

2017-08-30T17:28:00.000-05:00

Hello friends! I'm here to share some photos from an early evening spent with a lovely friend, playing around in a shiny parking lot near Bay Beach after the rain. We met up at a spot I've driven passed with the kids a million times this summer on our way to the pool, with a cute red staircase and the name of that much loved road in bold black. After taking our pictures we grabbed some dinner at the new Copper State Brewing Company. If you visit you MUST try the Smores dessert.

I love that these pics feel so end of summer happy, as today the kids were all officially back at school and I'm just a little giddy about it. So there you have it!

Thank you Nichole for the photos. 💗

Outfit: romper - Target, oxfords - Zara

Checkered Jumpsuit

2017-08-08T19:53:00.000-05:00

Hello friends! Ahhhh, our beautiful summer is quickly winding down and I'm just not ready for it. Do you feel the same way? Sure we have all that fall yumminess to look forward to ... Wisconsin sure makes it hard not to love the change of seasons, even the inevitable sad cooling down is made bare-able (maybe even sweet?) by autumn's stunning transformation. We'll all be googly eyed over pumpkins and ciders soon. Okay I'll stop. 😉

We're racing through August, on the final summer stretch now, and I just don't want to say goodbye to our beautifully unstructured lives and lazy togetherness. All of my favorite memories have been created in one summer or another. Oh the unfettered life!

Anyway, I rarely feel sure of what to say in style posts these days. "Here's a checkered jumpsuit. So cute. I love them. Etcetera, etcetera." You already know and I think I'll just let the pictures speak for the clothes. I adore clothes and I can't help but share that with the world! Hah! But I'll let you fill in the blanks?

Jumpsuit - Free People

#greenbaymidsummermingle

2017-08-01T21:06:00.001-05:00

Hi lovelies!

My sister and I had the great pleasure of throwing a HUGE party on Sunday night, with 120 ladies in attendance. This was our second annual Midsummer Mingle and a tradition we plan on keeping as it's one of the sweetest evenings of our summer. Our goal with this event is to offer something really unique and special here in Green Bay, a relaxing evening that offers all local ladies a chance to dine with old friends and new and to experience all sorts of things that girls just love. What can we say, we love life and making it beautiful! The evening includes delicious food al fresco, with live music playing and everyone dressed in something that makes them feel pretty. And then we add as much romantic whimsy as we can on a budget, with flowers, watercolor painting, twinkling lights, and sparklers to name a few. All in all, it ends up being a party that I dearly love and I hope all that attend do too!

And really, thank you to all of the wonderful women that came this year. It's so heart warming to see you there, laughing and chatting and taking your selfies. We are so chuffed when these events attract so many sweet faces and especially when we see you all connecting and cheering each other on. You are the best. 😍

xx Kirsty and Daena

Enjoy a few of the photos I snapped that evening and a quick video at the end ...

My dear father-in-law couldn't resist stopping by in his whites too. 😉 We love you Papi!

Ahhhhh .... so perfect girls. Wish I could also share all the boomerangs that were taken that night. Hah!

To see even more, check out a little highlight video from our mingle HERE!

Special thanks to:

Greg McMonagle - live music

Rustique food truck - dinner, desserts and wine

Floral installations - Ebb and Flow Flowers

Nichole Garcia - photo booth

Elizabeth Schommer - polaroids

And the many volunteers who helped us set that up. You are appreciated!

Keeping it Simple

2017-07-26T09:34:00.000-05:00

Hello friends! We've had such a beautiful month, hanging outside with a pool just steps away as often as possible and creating as many adventures as we can manage. Days are spend with cousins, playing, swimming, bike riding and chilling and the moment the little ones wake up each morning they inquire, "What will we do with our cousins today?"

The first month of summer tends to be a bumpy transition into newly unscheduled days and less time alone than we're all really comfortable with. So it takes a little bit to find that happy summer rhythm. By July it's sunk in and we begin to dread that moment when everything changes again and we no longer have unlimited togetherness. Hah!

Some of our favorite July moments? Well, my sister and I took all of the kids (8 between us) on a 10 mile bike ride last week, a scenic peddle with ice cream at the halfway point. It went surprisingly well for such a serious distance, particularly for the younger ones! 😊 The kids also spent a week at a fine arts camp at our church - Celebration Church - and that was seriously awesome. Always a summer highlight. We spent a day in Door County, taking a little tour of some of our favorite kid friendly spots in Bailey's Harbor ... sunbathing at Murphy Beach, food and go carts at PC Junction, lavender lattes at Bearded Heart, ice cream sundaes (with a gorgeous view) at Yum Yum Tree. There's so much more fun to be had in Door County but this is what we manage to squeeze into one day trip. And then if we're not at the pool you'll find us at soccer, cheering big brother on.

But my original intention was to share a little style today! So here's some of my favorite, simpler summer pieces combined into one look. Easy tanks pair well with faded denim for chill Wisconsin evenings and Madewell continues to be my top pick for most comfortable/flattering jeans and tees. I dressed these up for an evening out with ankle wrap wedges but slim gold sandals worked perfectly for day.

Our shoot ended with a little rain! Thank you to Erin Jean Photography for the beautiful photos. 💗

Tank, denim, cap - Madewell (jeans - HERE, cap HERE) Hint, get on their mailing list and wait for their sales/coupons which come often.
Wedges - Old Navy

Zach and Abby's Engagement Session

2017-07-23T21:26:00.000-05:00

Hello lovelies!

I am so excited to share Zach and Abby's engagement photos with you today. I've asked this beautiful lady to model in my styled shoots over and over again these past 3 years and in addition to that, I've had the chance of photographing her, Zach, and their dog Lena from the time that divalicious dog (with her massive social following!) was a little pup. My portfolio is filled with Abby pictures! And so, I was over the moon to hear that Zach had popped the question and these two were finally engaged. YAS! It's always such a pleasure capturing your sweet moments Abby and I am absolutely honored to be a part of your Wisco celebrations. 💗 Can't wait to see your wedding day!

For bookings or more info, check out my photography website at www.kirstygungorphotography.com. You can also send me a note to kirstyloug@gmail.com or simply click HERE. I'd love to meet you and be your photog for all your most cherished moments, big and small. xoxo.

Sorting Out Some Site Issues

2017-07-19T21:38:00.003-05:00

Ugh! Stay tuned friends. My site had some crazy issues pop up and I'm working on getting everything back to normal again. In the meantime, please excuse the mess and instead, have yourself a little glass of bubbly. I know I will. 😉

Poppy Red Skirt

2017-07-12T17:26:00.002-05:00

It's time for a little fashion fun again and today is dedicated to this poppy red, paper bag waist skirt. It's an older favorite that I love season after season as it's the happiest of colors and includes a mama's greatest secret (style) weapon, hidden pockets! Hello chapstick and cell phone and band aids!

I love dressing down a skirt with a tank, that mix of pretty and tomboy. Read: brunching on the bottom and errands on the top. I want to dress like I'm off to brunch in a sundress everyday but what I need to wear, realistically, is something that allows me to keep cool as I bake in the sun while the kids ride on scooters and then also hides the sweat pouring down my back. Win!

I love adding something unexpected to an outfit, a touch that makes it unique to me. This ladybug brooch was a gift from my grandfather and the sweetest tiny accessory for clipping on a jacket in the fall or the waistband of a skirt in summer. I think I might've inherited my love for tiny trinkets from our grandfather, a man who loved buying little thoughtful treasures for his grand children. (Another example, I also have a tiny pirouetting ballerina frozen in a case of glass, so small it fits in the palm of my hand.) 😍

tank - Madewell HERE
skirt - old H&M (cute denim one HERE)
sandals - Madewell HERE

Photos by the lovely Erin Jean Photography. 💗

4th of July

2017-07-06T09:24:00.000-05:00

Hello friends!

Here's a little look at how we spent our 4th of July. Boating, parties, and fireworks! All the best the day can bring, hand in hand with our favorite people.

As we set out that morning for Long Tail Island this little lady played captain. She fully believed she was sailing that boat entirely on her own and did so with every bit of concentration and confidence she could muster, sending a couple of freaked out big brothers below deck.

And then off to my sister's sweet 4th of July party, where we ate plenty of red, white and blue yumminess (plus some BBQ) and enjoyed a mini fireworks show with lots of friends.

And finally, bellies full, we went back to the boat to head out one last time to watch the downtown Green Bay fireworks from the river.

Lots to love about this beautiful place we live. Happy Birthday America!

The Wedding of Eric and Robyn

2017-07-03T20:06:00.000-05:00

Hello friends! So excited to be sharing Eric and Robyn's wedding day with you. It was so incredibly romantic, set in Spencer Lake at a picturesque campground and decorated with a magnificent chandelier, oodles of twinkling lights and flickering candles. The details were just beautiful! And you'll notice that we had loads of rain on their big day, which ultimately made for all the more cuddling and some very sweet pictures in the glistening outdoors. Here's a look at their day, from start to finish.

A huge congrats on your big day, Eric and Robyn! It was such a wonderful pleasure to be a part of.

And friends, you can check out more of my work at www.kirstygungorphotography.com. Feel free to get in touch at kirstyloug@gmail.com for any photography inquiries.

Princess Makeovers - Disney Style

2017-06-27T19:20:00.000-05:00

Hello friends! Here's a peek at our afternoon at Disney Springs' Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, a little princess makeover spent with the cousins. Scarlet was finally convinced to give the makeover a try (after an unsuccessful attempt at Magic Kingdom) only after I stepped away to buy her a snack from a nearby shop. When I came back she had been swept into this room alongside her very eager cousins, introduced to her very own fairy godmother-in-training, and was happily listening to this very animated young lady who talked and talked about everything and nothing (all completely make believe), as if she had been perfectly fine all along. Whew, huge run on there! But I'm so glad she put on a brave face and gave it a try cause it was seriously adorable.

Here we go!

(hee hee)

And they lived happily ever after. 💖

Lilac and Lace

2017-06-20T10:20:00.002-05:00

Hello lovelies! I've teamed up with one of my dear and beautiful friends, Erin of Erin Jean Photography, to create several swoon-y style posts for you. Her photography makes everything look that much more gorgeous, so I think you'll love these posts as much as I do. Plus if we discuss the "real life" actuality of me creating style content over here in my little world, it's basically come to me begging my husband to take my photos and then complaining that he didn't get the shot I wanted. Hah! You'd think we have twitches with the amount of eye rolling we do during our photos sessions. So in the most round about way ever, I'd like to thank Erin for her inspired collab-ing with me and her gift for turning my outfits into so much more with her remarkable eye for beauty.

With the onset of summer, I am eager to feel sun kissed and freshly made-over again. Wind in my hair, pink glossy lips, sweet sunny dresses and no fuss sandals. Right?! And I'm loving the feminine off the shoulder blouses and dresses summer brings, so romantic and pretty! Everything about this particular blouse is my warm weather fave - the lace, the tiny floral print, the flowy silhouette. Yeah, it's basically my closet soul mate! 😍 We're so lucky to have found each other. 😚

Denim is one of those closet staples I love year round and for summer it's those denim cut offs that become my fave. But this season is all about the come back and reinvention of the jean skirt, something I remember wearing a lot in the 90's. Love them again!

Not every single idea is a great one. Obviously.

Outfit details:

blouse - Zara (this one's pretty HERE, adorable HERE and HERE)

denim dress (worn as skirt) - Madewell (similar HERE)

Photos by Erin Jean Photography

Our 2nd Day at Disney - Magic Kingdom

2017-06-16T17:11:00.002-05:00

Our second day at Disney World was spent at my favorite park, the Magic Kingdom. I think of all the parks, this one has my fondest childhood memories though I actually only went once as a kid and was already 11 years old. :) Everything about Magic Kingdom transports you to another world and what can be better than stepping into a real life storybook. It leaves you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. We love everything about this place, those beautiful lands they've created and the fantastical rides they've placed within them but even more brilliant than Splash Mountain, It's a Small World and Dole Whips is that awesome character parade and Cinderella's castle. Those 2 features are my absolute favorite and it's really hard to miss them, which is a bonus.

We began our day in Adventureland, with pirate and mermaid makeovers at Pirates League. We had missed the opportunity to do the princess makeover at the castle but were not disappointed in this more pirate-y experience. In fact, after visiting Bippidi Boppidi Boutique in Disney Springs the next afternoon for more makeovers (I know!), this one was much, much cuter. So here are loads of pictures of that little adventure. Scarlet was petrified of the idea (have me hug a stranger in a costume instead mama!) so we could not convince her to get her hair and makeup done. But boy did these littles look cute!

And here's a peek at the parade that swept past our doors just as we finished up lunch. S waved and waved, making sure every character was enthusiastically greeted.

Happy rides and happy hand in hand skipping through the park ...

Throwback pic of my sister and I, as we have the same one as an 11 and a 8 year old. :)

Finally, that blazing sun began to soften and set ...

... and we crowded in front of the castle to watch that crazy magic unfold.

(These photos are a grand mix of iPhone and Canon, though those phones keep up well nowadays, don't they?)

Disney World - Hollywood Studios

2017-06-13T08:50:00.000-05:00

Hello lovelies! Well finally (FINALLY) I have some photos from Disney to share. Our first day was spent at Hollywood Studios where we bee-lined for our first ride, the Tower of Terror! Eeeeek! It was awesome ... and I am super duper afraid of heights. But amazingly I was not petrified, only thrilled at the creepiness of it all and then the terrifying lift and drop of our elevator. How on earth do I go from feeling dizzy and faint looking over my mom's upstairs balcony to this? I am awful. And yet I was riding all the highest and wildest rides without a concern in the world. Hah!

Most of my shots from this first day were taken at an incredibly sweet character dinner, our first encounter with them as of yet. The kids, and particularly Scarlet, were completely enamored by Minnie and Donald as they came over to say hi and pose for pictures. Scarlet has never shied away from the larger than life characters, whereas my boys always avoided them at all costs. She was glowing and smiling fiercely, melting our hearts as we watched.

Our boys 💙

So hot and sweaty but she had to keep her blanket on top of her 50% of the time. :)

And dinner!

And that's most of our family posed with Daisy. :) All in Florida together, though minus my little sister Cara's fam in this picture. All 22 of us went to the same Disney park each day, meeting up throughout the day for fast passes, dinner reservations or the evening shows. The cousins were in heaven, having the chance to do this together. What a joy to experience that fantastical world with lots of little ones and their cousins in hand.

Next up, the Magic Kingdom. Stay tuned!