Sunday, January 31, 2010

Havin some fun!



Today we went on a little adventure to downtown PHX for a mini shoot with my dear friend & fellow photography, Stacy. I had the opportunity to shoot Stacy & her hubby, Joe & she took some of us. It was so much fun to let loose and be in the shoes of my clients! I realized I like being behind the lens WAY more than in front of it but I must admit, it was fun playing model for a bit:)

Saturday, January 30, 2010

gotta love those palms!


These beautiful trees lured me to move to Arizona when I was 18 & they are still one of my favorite things about this place! I recently found out they aren't native here, in fact they have all been imported but that doesn't change the fact that they are still one of the first things that comes to mind when I think about the gorgeous state I live in...after all aren't we all imported in one way or another!?

Friday, January 29, 2010

Mr. Handy in the making...


Today's image is a tribute to my oh so amazing husband! He has been working so hard on our home to make it more organized & comfortable. His most recent project was organizing our pit of a garage. Him and grandpa Jack spent an evening on it and let me tell you, it is the cleanest garage around! Now if only it would stay that way!?

Thank honey for all you do around here...you're definitely earning your keep;)

Thursday, January 28, 2010

LOVE & MARRIAGE...


I met up with my best friend from childhood today for lunch. She got engaged Tuesday & I couldn't help but reminisce over the hours & hours we've spent talking about our future husbands. Since the 6th grade we began dreaming about the guy that would someday come into our lives and sweep us off our feet. Of course we had to go through a few "testers" to realize what we wanted in our future mate. We would call each other late at night while in high school balling our( heavily made-up) eyes out, we took turns driving across Bismarck, ND to comfort each other when we thought the world was over because our boyfriend broke up with us or even worse, when we decided to break up with them only to realize we just made the worst decision of our life...or so we thought at the time!

Well I think Jess would agree that all those tears and heart breaks were well worth it, we have both found the perfect mates & for this I could not be more grateful. Jess & Cory are one of those couples you love to be around because they share a fun, charismatic, love for one another and anyone can tell by looking at them that they are head over heels in love.

I can't wait to be your Matron (sounds really old & frumpy) of honor my dear friend! Congratulations on the beginning of a great journey!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Sneaks


Gotta give a shout out to Pay Less for providing me with my new $4 pair of shoes:)

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

2010 Grad!



Emily & I had a fun shoot today! Her smile is one of the most warm & flawless I've ever seen. Her mom accompanied her to her senior shoot & now I know where she gets her good looks!

Monday, January 25, 2010

Light


Snapped this image while I was checking out the venue of an upcoming wedding I'm photographing. Gotta love God's gift to the world...us photographers especially appreciate it!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Charlie


Meet our little "ragamuffin". He captured my heart the moment I laid eyes on him and I still am unbelievably biased in thinking he's the most amazing dog on the planet. He doesn't know any tricks (unless you count the occasional sit when I have a treat visible), he barks too much, and he is overly codependent BUT he is my little ball of fluff and I happen to find him charming. It's amazing how much joy our four legged friends add to our life...along with an occasional accident, and a chewed pair of underwear!

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Meet Tiffany & BABY!


I experienced my very first maternity shoot today and LOVED every second of it! I mean could there be a more stunning mama-to-be than this girl!? I didn't think so either...Thanks Tiffany & George, can't wait to meet the little man:) More images to come later.

Friday, January 22, 2010

My YEAR in photos...Yes folks, that's 365 days meaning 365 images!




I had this crazy idea the other day to capture at least one image everyday for the next year. Welp! I'm going for it! You may be asking yourself "why the heck would she want to lug her camera bag around with her everywhere for the next year"... okay, you probably weren't asking yourself that but I'm going to answer it anyways...

Some of you know that I started a photography business which launched in June of 2009. Since then I have been all work and NO play! I have been shooting for others (which don't get me wrong I love, and I love how it helps pay the bills) but neglecting the reason I started shooting in the first place, because I love photography and the memories it captures! I was saddened when I realized after we hosted our entire family for Thanksgiving that I didn't take a SINGLE picture, NADA!! Why?! Because I put photography in the "business" section of my brain instead of the "Leisure" side (it's a known fact these are the actual names of the parts of your brain;)) and I guess I've had a difficult time balancing the two!

So I am on a mission to document this year using photos, I hope you will come along for the ride! I love you all and am so blessed to have your support!

I hope you enjoy the first few photos...I'm posting a few from today to make up for lost time this month (my vision came to me late)...you understand!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Senior's Special




One of my favorite types of shoots are SENIOR portraits! Amy was an absolute gem to hangout with and shoot...she is bubbly, corky, and obviously gorgeous! She wrote in and won a free shoot for being a positive role model at her high school, being a good student and peer does pay off;)

Monday, January 18, 2010

Committed...hmmm


On this rare gray rainy day in AZ I am tempted to sit in my bed all day and read. Nothing is more relaxing to me than being all cozied up with a good book and a hot drink. I am fighting of this temptation by forcing myself to sit in front of the computer and do something "productive"...like writing on my blog...okay so I've accepted the fact that I am getting nothing accomplished in the real world for the next 15 minutes.

The book I'm reading is entitled "Committed" and it is written by the author of "Eat, Pray, Love", Elizabeth Gilbert. She is a gifted writer which is the main reason I picked it up and also because I delight in her wit and charm and somehow feel she is my long lost sister. She challenges the issue of matrimony and has a skeptics take on the whole bit. A recovering divorcee she openly admits she is hardened to the idea of marriage based on her failed experience and she has every right to be.

Well of course she meets a man and falls in love...now what!? Well you can always cohabitate and pretend to be somewhere in the middle of marriage, and casual dating...statistics show this is not always a good decision ( I hate to use stats but my personal feelings on shacking up are a lot more complicated). Well in the author's case the government made the decision for them and they must get married so her lover can move to the U.S. She is beyond scared of the idea and at first hates the idea of being married again. But why!?

This book should be entitled "The Skeptics Guide to Not Only Getting Hitched But Staying". I have been challenged in my own view on marriage and what commitment truly is. One of my favorite comments in the book is "The only thing that is consistent with marriage is change". You will change, your spouse will change, and everyone around you will be in a constant state of change. Even marriage itself will continue to change, but the way people think about marriage is probably the only thing that remains the same. By this I mean the EXPECTATIONS of what marriage should be and look like. We're entering choppy waters folks!

I personally went into my own marriage with the mindset that the sex would be great and that I would always be in the mood to rip John's clothes off...wrong. That my husband would always be romantic and be in constant thought of what he could do for me next...wrong. That a large part of my happiness would come from my husband and he should always try to make me happy...WAY wrong, thankfully. I knew not everyone had marriages like that but I was going to be different and we were going to have a "great marriage", whatever that is!? I realized quickly that my idea of this holy matrimony thing was way off and I couldn't be more relieved! This book has made me dissect these notions I had and why I had them, afterall, that's how you change your way of thinking is to realize why you thought a certain way in the first place.

I am only half way through the book and have soaked the authors raw and realistic view on marriage up! It is important to stay/be independent in a relationship, to be the creator and dictator of your personal happiness (that is too much to put on one person alone and God forbid anyone put that pressure on YOU), and to NOT expect, expect, expect ( this one I've personally struggled with)! I have already noticed a change in my own marriage and I think I've been a lot easier to be around....well you'd have to ask my hubby on that one!? Anyways this is getting way too long and I doubt anyone will ever read this far ( I don't blame them)! I am still trying to figure this whole being a wife thing out and I have a love/hate relationship with being challenged on it. I hate realizing I am a terrible wife in someways but love having the knowledge and opportunity to make changes in myself! My whole notion of being a wife is being completely rocked too...I will save those thoughts for another day! your welcome.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

LOVE this family..;






The Bush boys are two of the most bright eyed, lovable kiddos around! I have had the opportunity to get to know Gina better through our gym and couldn't be more excited about our new found friendship. Here are some pics from their shoot!

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

The case of the missing cat is CLOSED...Java is back!


After being away for a week Java was found at a park nearby by a very thoughtful fella who called to tell us. We rushed over there when we got the call and eventually found her. When we spotted her chillin by the park, she was looking at us like "oh you silly people, of course I was okay...being a stray is in my blood"!




Nick was a lot of fun to shoot and very silly! I didn't mind him laughing because I got some great shots of his natural smile and yes...those heart melting dimples!