10 Happy Things for June
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HAPPY JUNE
(AND HAPPY PRIDE)!
I am so excited for summer vacations and fireflies! How about everyone else?
10 HAPPY THINGS
As always, this list is pretty random, but hopefully something on it will bring you joy!
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1. Random cooking items that make a big difference:
- I know it sounds odd, but this salt tastes SO GOOD!
- Also, I usually buy the bottled pizza sauce at Trader Joes, but this week I splurged on the fresh sauce and it is SO MUCH BETTER.
- Further, I'm loving this cookware set (I also really like their dinnerware).
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2. Looking for summer reading recs? A new Reading, Watching, Listening post is up on my blog.
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3. Soothing things for whoever might need them.
Also, I know this mask is somewhat ridiculous but it makes me oddly happy.
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4. The essential Alice Munro RIP to the English language's Chekhov.
"It turns out that Alice Munro — Nobel laureate, Author Most Likely to Endure, object of universal writerly reverence and envy — is not just important, but fun. Her books don’t belong on a high shelf; they belong in the passenger seat of your car, in the tote bag you bring to the grocery store.
. . . . The prerequisites for appreciating Vladimir Nabokov, for example, include an appreciation for cryptography, a rudimentary knowledge of chess and a passing familiarity with Pushkin. The prerequisites for reading Munro are: having lived."
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5. How did it take me this long to discover that Trader Joes has a very fun recipe page?
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6. Swimming with My Daughters. Wow, this hit home.
"I guess I wanted Sue to come into the water because I so wanted to give it to her, the experience of it, just as years before I’d held four-month-old Val up to the plane window to show her the Rocky Mountains, to give them to her. They had seemed close, close enough that we could see the green pine trees against the backdrop of ruffled layers of cloud. In the same way, I wanted to give Sue the lake, and also the three of us in it. Here is the lake, I wanted to say, and it is deep and murky. Its dark greenness stretches to where it meets the sky. It’s unknowable, but still we know it."
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7. Just listened to this podcast and I can't stop thinking about it.
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8. I love the colors and composition of Daniel Casson's landscape photos.
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9. I finally blogged some recent family and engagement sessions (plus a super cute surprise proposal!) Click here to check them out.
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10. Tonight we die as a family (not happy, but beautifully expressed).
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BUSINESS UPDATE!
COUPLES & FAMILIES - I’M NOW BOOKING INTO FALL!
My oldest daughter is graduating high school this month (she'll soon be a Connecticut College Camel!!), so I'm not taking on much new work until fall, as I'm trying to spend a lot of time with my family this summer (it all goes so fast!!)
But I do have the following weekend dates available in July & August, as well as some weekdays:
Sunday, July 14
Saturday, July 20
Sunday, August 10
Saturday, August 24
Also, please note that my family rates increase on September 16th, so if you're thinking about fall photos now is a great time to schedule.
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For info on my family rates, click here.
And for info on my couples rates, click here.
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FOR WEDDINGS, I'M BOOKING 2024 & 2025.
If you're thinking of eloping or planning a mirco-wedding, please get in touch - I have lots of advice/suggestions!
Also, if you're interested in wedding venues/locations, here are some of my favorites.
RECENT REVIEWS
As cliched as it sounds, reviews mean the world to small businesses like mine - so THANK YOU again to everyone who wrote one!!
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As planning goes, I had a last-minute idea for a proposal in the Arlington area. I wanted to make the moment unforgettable and capture it forever. I reached out to Darcy from a web search and asked if it was possible for her to capture the moment with only 24 hours' notice. To my delight, she responded promptly and was an absolute joy to work with. The weather in the area was unpredictable, but Darcy reassured me with multiple options and provided beautiful examples of what we could do. She went above and beyond just being a photographer—she became my guide and planner, giving me invaluable advice and even helping me scout the perfect location. When the big moment came, she gave me clear instructions on where she would be and positioned herself perfectly so that I knew exactly when to pop the question. My now-fiancée was completely surprised, and our friends and family were blown away by the photos. They turned out so beautifully that people thought they were a staged reenactment because of how perfect they looked. Darcy captured the magic of our proposal in a way that exceeded all my expectations. Her dedication, creativity, and genuine care for making our moment special made all the difference. I highly recommend her for any photo needs in the area—she is truly a master of her craft and made our special moment even more memorable. - Dan
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We had an absolutely AMAZING experience!! Darcy has made us feel so comfortable and ourselves, and the photos definitely reflected that. She knows all of the best photography spots in Alexandria.
We most definitely recommend Darcy for all your wedding/engagement /family photos. You won’t regret it!!! - Cathy
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Darcy was a pleasure to work with! She was so accommodating and informative throughout the process. I did a lot of our wedding planning at the last minute and I have never had professional photos done so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect but Darcy walked me through the wedding day and made sure that we had a clear plan. She was also very patient with all of my last minute changes to the schedule. I originally reached out to Darcy because I loved the style of her photos and I was incredibly pleased when I saw our photos. I would definitely reach out to her for future events/family photos! - Jane
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Want to see more reviews? Please click these links for google and zola testimonials.
HAVE A WONDERFUL MONTH!
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE MORE FAMILY SESSIONS? Then please click below.
Darcy Troutman Photography is a Northern VA/Washington DC/Maryland documentary-style family photographer, who believes in capturing real moments. Interested in learning more? Please click here to sign up for my newsletter or schedule a session.