meet grayson joseph!

Ahh, thank God he is here! We finally met our little man, Grayson Joseph, on April 2, 2013, at 7:03 pm. He was born after an induction I chose to have because I was beyond my due date, swollen beyond any level of comfort whatsoever, and emotionally and physically spent. I truly wanted labor to happen on its own, but after some medical questions were answered, and after my doctor and I had come to the conclusion that my body simply needed a little nudge after contracting for weeks without progress, it was decision time. We chose April 2nd for the induction, and arrived to the hospital at 7:30 that morning. So as to not bore you with too many details, the Pitocin was started at 9:00, my epidural was placed around noon, and at 5:30 I was feeling the heat. I pushed for not even 30 minutes, and when that baby was placed on my chest, my emotions let loose. Even knowing your baby is looking to be healthy, and even after an uncomplicated pregnancy, there is nothing more amazing than looking at your beautiful, healthy, screaming baby for the first time. It was a moment I will never forget . . . a delivery that was truly amazing. Since then, we’ve been moving through the motions in a sleep-deprived state. He is a wonderful baby, adored by everyone who meets him, and especially adored by his father and sisters. I fall more and more in love with my husband each day, watching him love Grayson, and I know making promises to him of which I can’t hear the words, but I know are being said. I feel a little emotional myself at times, feeling the pressure of being a mother now of three. Three little creatures who depend on me emotionally, physically, financially, spiritually. This baby has given me the opportunity to view them as my little teachers now . . . and I am striving each day to be the kind of mother my children simply adore. I promise to share many more photos of this handsome devil, beyond Instagram and Facebook, but feel free to follow me on those sites for little snippets of our days together!

no baby . . . yet!

Waiting for a baby is a funny thing . . . for myself, I feel wonderful up until 37 weeks, and then boom! I feel like if the baby isn’t here by 37 weeks, 1 day, I’m late. I get so anxious, excited, nervous and a bit impatient. I know, people who know me would be so surprised. ;) This time, I am better because life is so full. 7 and 5 year old daughters, a wonderful husband who I love to spend time with, an amazing network of friends to entertain, a beautiful home to keep in working order, a business to run, and my husband’s business to collaborate on, are all keeping my days very, very busy. There have been days I’ve even wished to not go into labor because it just didn’t fit in with my other plans. But it’s funny how the timing of things seems to work out exactly as it should. This past week, the little ones were on spring break, and since they are too young to complain about not being able to go somewhere warm or to the beach, they happily enjoyed their time at home, sleeping in, staying up late, and enjoying some one-on-one with me before they meet their little brother. We had a day of lunch, nails and shopping, an afternoon bowling the 6-lane bowling alley in Ennis with one of their favorite shorties, two birthday parties to enjoy, they spent an afternoon at Norris Hot Springs, and the weather cooperated enough that they hula-hooped to their hearts’ content, along with bike rides and trampoline jumps. It was an important week for me to spend loving, patient time with them, and they happily ventured off to school this morning knowing Grayson’s arrival is imminent, and feeling happy and excited to meet him. As for myself, my toes are polished, my bag is packed, and I may squeeze in one more prenatal massage if I can this week. I am going to enjoy each day and not rush this little guy’s arrival, not because I absolutely cannot wait to meet him, but because I want him to come when nature calls, not Pitocin. And I am so grateful for this space to share everything with you . . . thank you for your emails, texts, and support as always!

welcome to march!

I know we have a long ways to go until spring is officially here, but I wanted to welcome everyone to the wonderful month of March . . . the gateway to spring, the month we get teased the most with warmer days, sunshine on your face, and can kick the kids outside to enjoy the fresh air a bit more. It is also baby month for me! My due date is March 31st, and next week I begin my weekly checkups to see what kind of progress little G is making in there. I am excited, anxious, nervous, and sometimes feeling a bit impatient, but I remind myself that when I'm barely able to focus on the hook of my nursing bra at 3:00 in the morning due to exhaustion, I will recall these days that I can sleep in with fondness. ;) And of course, within hours of meeting him, we will never understand how there was a time we were as happy without having him here. I still have lots and lots of shoots to share with you, among other things, and am excited to lay it all out this weekend for a fun few weeks of blogging before I pop. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the love, attention, excitement and warmth you all give to me, my family and my business. I wouldn't be as happy without you all in my world!

the most lovely baby shower!

This past weekend my very dear friends gave me just the most beautiful little baby shower you ever did see . . . Those desserts you see were absolutely wonderful! They were prepared by Cakes by Jenn, a local pastry chef who is one of the most talented in the wedding industry as well. She is our go-to girl for all things delightful and delicious . . . and all of those other gorgeous details were thought of by my dearest friends. It was intimate, stunning, personal, and so enjoyable. We ended the soiree with a few photographs outside, and this one is our signature "maternity" shot. We have this same photograph for all of us who have had a baby since we became such wonderful friends, so it was only natural to re-create. I love you girls! I have been taking up a lot of time and attention of these ladies in the last few months. They were there when Joe and I got engaged, gave me the most beautiful bridal shower, planned every last detail of our incredible wedding with me, celebrated my 33rd birthday on New Year's Eve with a sit-down dinner of my most favorite foods, moved into this beautiful shower three weeks later . . . and I know for a fact Elsa escaped to Florida for two weeks with her family to recover from it all. ;) We are all as different as night and day, but our friendship is rare and wonderful, and I can't wait to bring little Grayson into a world where he is already loved so very much.

feeling spring!

I am craving spring like no other . . . delightful evenings in my backyard with wonderful friends, the green grass, the way the sun sets so warm and beautifully every evening across a glass of Chardonnay with my little family near and dear. I know it will be here quick, and this spring I get to enjoy the gift of another little one to love and snuggle and cuddle on a picnic blanket . . . I hope the last of this winter season has you all dreaming big, planning all of those beautiful wedding details that will be here before you know it, and staying warm with one another every cozy evening you get . . .

that's a wrap!

This past weekend I finished editing my last full wedding of 2012, the wedding of Amy and Paul, whose engagement session you can view here. It was such a wonderful wedding to go back and relive through the photographs . . . it reminded me of what an incredibly blessed year I have had, in so many ways. Not only were all of my couples truly so lovely to work with, and many of them became friends, but I have come to such a place of confidence and trust in myself as a photographer and a business woman. It takes time to learn all of this, and many mistakes are made along the way, but I write this with awareness of knowing what works, what doesn’t work, and what my max is that allows me to be successful and enjoy this wonderful path. My boudoir clients were a remarkable group of women who showed so much appreciation, joy and excitement towards me . . . and while it is up to them to have the confidence to be a part of something that is so far outside most people’s comfort zone, to be able to make the experience fun and memorable for them is invaluable to me. And while I don’t shoot a whole ton of other portraits throughout the year, the families and individuals I did get the opportunity to work with on this front make me feel so honored in that they trust my ability to capture them being exactly as they are - candid, funny, romantic, silly. So as I move into the off-season and enjoy some time behind the computer, revamping the business and opening myself up to a new creativity for 2013, please know how grateful I am for what you’ve all given me this past year . . . it’s been an amazing season!

oh, christmas tree!

Before the fierce wind moved in this weekend, my little family and I ventured deep into the Bridger Mountains for what was the beginning of the annual cutting-of-the-Christmas-tree tradition. I know we probably should have implemented this earlier, but it was definitely much more enjoyable with the girls being the ages they are. They were in snow up to their thighs, giddy with excitement, and when we got back into the truck after the perfect tree had been found, Stella looked at me and said, "Best. Day. Ever." :) Next year I better be in good shape . . . there will be a little man on my back, and if he takes after his Daddy, he isn't going to be a peanut! I'm not sure why I'm asking everyone to wave lately in photos . . .Hi, Stella! She surprised me with how ambitious she was to hike up the hills in the deep snow. Stella is probably very typically the "babied" one - she's a little munchkin, has soft curly blonde hair, and very, fair, smooth baby skin. She is 5 years old and probably weighs 35 pounds, so she's easily scoopable and quite a snuggler. Miss Ava, taking a rest . . . this is pretty accurate for this little beauty queen. Ava prefers dancing and applying lipgloss to being active, but she is one hell of a little baseball player, and a super fast runner. However, breaks were needed on this little adventure. :) I hope you are making beautiful holiday memories with your families this year, staying warm, listening to LOTS of Christmas music, and enjoying the spirit of the season!

thankful

Happy Monday, everyone! Today kicks off Thanksgiving week, one of my favorite times of year . . . I've always had fond memories of this holiday. I grew up with a large, close extended family who were all in the same town, and so the holidays were always a guarantee that we would be together. As we grew up, wandered, got lost, left home, stayed in New York, etc., we still always tried our hardest to get back home for the holidays. Now, I celebrate Thanksgiving in Montana with my husband, daughters, the blessings of a little BOY growing happy and active inside me, and our wonderful extended family. The shorties make it all the more fun, and I hope that no matter where they end up, they always wander home for the holidays . . .

a change is gonna come . . .

Ah, I just love, love, love this time of year for so many wonderful reasons. It is not only my favorite season, but it always feels like such a fresh start for me, as this is my quiet time of year . . . lots of reflection takes place on the past wedding season, marketing ideas come to life and are made real, new communications begin with excited brides-to-be, and our Halloween candy bowl remains overflowing with the joys and highs of chocolate, peanut butter, nuts and caramel. In the next few weeks, I will be wrapping up the final post-production on my September and October weddings, hanging Christmas lights, and listening to Bing Crosby every chance I get. It's a beautiful life . . . :) We have lots of changes coming our way in the next couple of months, so stay tuned for 1) a new baby! We will find out boy or girl on November 12th!! and 2) a new logo! This means big things for me, even though that phrase doesn't make a lick of grammatical sense. In a sense, a new logo is kind of a new baby for my business (right?!) Some of these big things include a more simple, organic look. It includes the ability to stamp my images that go on Facebook and my blog with my logo (tastefully). It means dividing two new redesigned logos for both wedding and boudoir photography, so that I can better market that ever-growing part of my business. It means the ability to customize flash drives, DVD cases, print boxes and other marketing materials with ease and elegance. And it means a ton more things that help me to better brand my business. 2013 will be a reinventing year for me . . . so many blessings, both personally and in business, are coming my way . . . and a heartfelt thank you to the amazing clients, vendors, friends and families who help me make it all happen!

let's meet!

I have many beautiful wedding images to share with you still from the rest of the summer, but I thought before I do just that, it would be fun to share with you a few things about me that you probably already know (my love for food and cooking), and a few things that may surprise you (we are going to have a baby in March! - surprise!). It's a good way to re-introduce myself, since I've decided to keep on blogging on! Without further ado . . . 1) Yes, I love, love, love to cook and eat. Since this pregnancy began and I haven't been feeling all that well, I've definitely slowed down on the cooking front, and have had to watch like a hawk what I crave and give in to on the eating front, but it is a passion of mine to make a wonderful meal for my family and friends! 2) About a month before Joe and I had our amazing wedding celebration, we found out (again . . . surprise!) that we were expecting a little one. Holy smokes! In all honesty, we shouldn't have been too surprised. We planned on getting started shortly after our wedding, but apparently we are quite irresistible to one another. We have a March 31, 2013 due date, we will find out the baby's sex, and it will NOT affect my summer work schedule (in case you were wondering). This is my third baby and to be honest, but hopefully not sound like a complainer, I don't feel all that well most of the time. I had ZERO energy for about the first 10 weeks, and once I came out of that phase, I started experiencing nausea randomly throughout the day. Boo. I have to eat every two hours on the dot or I turn into a hot mess. Poor Joe. Love you, sweetie. 3) I put mustard on my pizza. I know that is totally random, but thought it was a fun fact to fit in next to that little pregnancy detail. :) It's delicious! You should try it . . . 4) I am going into my 6th year as a wedding photographer in southwest Montana. Before that, I worked as a paralegal at a wonderful medical malpractice law firm in Bozeman. I love being able to work from home, and in the past couple of years I have traveled to shoot weddings in Mexico, Jamaica, Malibu, South Carolina, and in my home state of upstate New York. It is quite an honor to be asked to journey so far to be a part of someone's big day! 5) I am a fierce list-maker! Nothing satisfies me more than crossing off those to-dos. 6) I love being a girl! My everyday favorites are Bare Minerals, Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier makeup, Bumble & Bumble and Moroccon Oil hair products, and Narciso Rodriquez perfume. I do, however, have a horrible habit of going to bed with my makeup on. 7) I love to read, and oh, how I have missed it so! This past year I finally made some serious time for it to be back in my life, due in part to keeping a stricter work schedule during the days and a leisure and family schedule during the nights. I recently finished Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and oh. my. goodness. What a phenomenal writer is she! I majored in English and Writing in college, so a poorly-written book is the equivalent of spoiled food to me. I won't touch it. 8) I am a sucker for celebrity news and photos - probably because I always wanted to be an actress! 9) My girls don't let me microwave their popcorn because I burn it almost every single time. I'm really not sure how, with that handy "Popcorn" button and all, but it's a hot mess when I open that bag! Joe is Popcorn Maker Extraordinaire. 10) I have the most generous, loving husband a woman could ask for. Joe puts me and the girls 100% above and beyond anything else in his world. It's very important to me to take our marriage one day at a time, show appreciation and love constantly, and let those days add up to many, many years. Since I met and fell in love with him, got engaged and had a wedding, I have had so much more excitement and passion for my brides and grooms embarking on the same journey. There's nothing better than finding your lobster, is there? :)

keep on bloggin' on . . .

In one of my latest attempts at becoming secure with the answers to how should I be marketing my business?, I almost gave up this blog. It was a bittersweet thought, because it has so hugely and importantly become such a large part of my business, and for so long it WAS my business . . . the feedback was constant and plentiful, and I didn’t even have a website. My clients got to know everything they ever wanted to know about me, my business, and much, much more because of this blog. Fast forward to the Facebook scene. Fast forward even further to when we realized how amazing Facebook was for marketing our work, and sharing photos not only with our clients who were anxious to see a sneak peek, but their friends and families as well. I wasn’t sure that it made sense to keep on blogging, when people seemed to be spending their mornings leisurely scrolling their News Feed instead of their Google Reader. I hesitated, because I enjoy sharing more of myself than the few lines that Facebook gives me. I swayed, because coming up with blog topics aside from showcasing weddings became harder and harder as I became so accustomed to those one-liners, and my personal life became busier and busier. And it seemed the only thing I was making the time to blog about was what I was going to blog about. And as much as I appreciate my mom’s endearing comments on how proud of me she is at the end of each blog post, I wanted to be sharing my work with people in a place where I could reach them, day in and day out, and get feedback almost immediately. When my beautiful bride from this past weekend walked me out to say goodbye late Saturday evening, in the midst of sharing a million thoughts with one another about her wedding, her photographs, and how amazing their honeymoon in Maui will be, it slipped somewhere that she still read my blog. You still read that thing? I asked her, a bit incredulously. I’ve been thinking of giving it up. I explained my reasons, of reading a blog versus browsing social media, and finding the time to do both if one simply didn't have an audience anymore. She shook her head furiously at me. No, no, no, do not give it up. I understand what you’re saying, but do not give it up. It’s how your clients get to know you. It’s what makes you real. And that’s all I needed to hear, almost 6 years after my very first post, that the reason I started it is the reason it is still being read. So I’m going to keep on bloggin’ on. I’m sure at some point it may seem more obvious than it is now that it isn’t reaching others the way other internet shenanigans can and will, with social media and all of the what-have-yous of technology. But today, I’m going to blog. And tomorrow, I’m going to blog. And I’m going to share myself with my clients, because that’s just what I do. And now you get to keep reading about these beautiful Montana weddings I get to be a part of, and how my daughters are going to have a sister or brother next year, and how Fall is my favorite time of year, and how much I continue to love, love, love that evening sunlight. So thank you, beautiful Katie, for your insight, for reading, and for sharing with me. If my blog is important to just one of my clients, it is worth keeping . . .

things I'm loving :)

Another month has gone by in this busy little life of ours! Tomorrow officially marks the start of our wedding month . . . in 26 days, Joe and I will say "Hell, yes, we do!" in front of our closest family and friends, celebrate with amazing food, wine and music, and be so thankful it's over when we lay our heads down to sleep . . . I'm learning to balance more and more, and summer is always the tricky time of year to achieve this. The girls go to daycare three days a week so I have uninterrupted work time, but those days are also filled with errands, housework, and a leisurely long lunch al fresco with Joe or a girlfriend or two. I am everything to everyone, and while it is so easy to sit at the computer and get lost in photography world, I'm rediscovering my love for a few certain things I thought I'd share with you on this lovely Tuesday morning . . . 1. Shopping! I am not a big spender on myself because I always talk myself out of things I love and want. But two new recent websites have my love for all things beautiful sparked again. Vestique and Ruche. Vestique is a little boutique based in North Carolina that sells gorgeous clothes that are exactly my style, beautiful jewelry, and everything is under $100 - and most things are under $50. Ruche is very similar to Anthropologie without the mongo bongo price tag. It doesn't get much better than that! 2. Food blogging. My food blog is up and active again! I have missed writing, sharing recipes, and blogging in a way that doesn't have any sort of impact whatsoever on my business. It's my pleasure blog, but I promise it's filled with yummy recipes that you MUST try. 3. Reading. Oh, how I have missed reading. It seems since I've had the girls, my only reading has been a few select parenting books, and when I am traveling alone for shoots. I was even ballsy enough to bust out Fifty Shades of Grey, paperback edition, on a flight from New York last month, much to the horror of my kindle-owning friends. :) Here is a shortlist of my favorite recent reads: The Happiness Project is my most recent start, which I picked up over a year ago and never finished. I was craving something inspiring and have recently been reminded of how much I love reading in the bathtub and in bed every night, and the way the author writes will honestly make you want to re-invent your life, make a list of all the ways you want to live, and fly out of bed every morning with determination to make it the best day of your life. It even makes Monday not so bad. :) So simply put, get out there and do things that make you nothing but happy, for nobody but yourself. A happy mother and a happy wife make nothing but a happy home. Cheers!

our summer so far . . .

It is hard to believe it is mid-July already! Where in the world has the summer gone? To be honest, we've done a whole lot of nothing this summer . . . the girls go to daycare on Monday, Wednesday and Friday so that I can get my work done and help Joe out as well. Tuesdays and Thursdays are nice because there is no rush to get out the door, and I can relax a bit and get work done as I need to. Boudoir shoots have been a mad dash for me so far and are now calming down a bit. I'm fairly certain the calm times are a reminder to focus on what you haven't been focusing on as much, to check in with yourself on what it's time to do, and be thankful for the quiet moments. We spend as much time outside as we can and are enjoying our new gardens, the girls' ability to ride their bikes without training wheels, and a handful of new Adirondack chairs. I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful summer!

the next chapter

Okay, so this is one of those random, super personal posts that I will feel so much better having posted . . . I am getting a little bit of weight off the ol' shoulders, and opening up in a way I haven't in quite a while, and it feels wonderful to do so . . . :) I will tell you my work history in a snapshot . . . in 2003, I moved to Bozeman, Montana. I came from Denver, and from there I came from upstate NY. I visited Bozeman over a Thanksgiving holiday, interviewed with a wonderful law firm, told them I could start the job around Christmas, went back to Denver, got a phone call, and landed the job. Couldn't have been luckier. I began this career the end of that year, happily employed. Fast forward three years later, and I am the mother of two amazing little girls. I have a mad passion for photography. I am paying out the wazoo for day care. I am thinking I can probably make the difference in photography if I just launch my business and throw out a prayer or two. I give my two-week notice, and I start blogging. I am happily home, being a mom, starting each morning on the swingset with a cup of hot coffee in my hand. I go through the motions of waking, working, swinging, blogging, working, walking, napping, blogging, playing, and all of the other fun things us SAHMs do (except crafts - I am a horrible crafter). I begin developing a wonderful photography business, and then life takes a turn and starts a new chapter. I run into my old boss at a wine bar downtown, and let him know of my flexible schedule. The following week, I'm employed again, this time part-time. I think, I'm going to work my ass off. I'm going to work outside of the home, I'm going to work inside of the home, I'm going to schedule shoots left and right, I'm going to just do whatever I have to do to never worry about making it again . . . Along came Joe . . . I continued to work, I continued to run my business, and I began to feel the stress. I was working just three days a week, but that only left me two days and evenings to feed the photography fuel that I needed to keep everyone in the loop that I am, indeed, a full time photographer, legit in what I do, passionate about what I do, and so extremely lucky. And as my schedule developed and became a bit more permanent, I realized the challenges in working part time. Long weekends out of town became an inconvenience, and my super-sensitive persona became stressed. I wanted to be home, sitting here, doing what I'm doing now, doing what I love. Taking photos, writing, menu planning, trying my best to remember that the clothes I washed on Tuesday are sitting in mold in the washer on Thursday. When Joe gets home from work, I'm sitting at my computer, working on the business that deserves my attention during the day, so that I can enjoy my evenings with the ones I love oh so much. On Friday, I said goodbye to an amazing group of people I have been so blessed to work with, on and off, for the past eight years. And today I am so proud of being able to make the choice to be home, to work from home, to help Joe with his practice, and for the love of God to remember the clothes in the washer that is literally six steps from my desk. I had a couple of girlfriends over for dinner recently, and one of them asked me, how did you start your photography business? And I told the story, and by the time I got to the end, I was feeling quite proud of where I have come. When I left the law firm on Friday, I called one of my best friends, also a photographer, and said, I'm coming over to celebrate . . . and we sat there, faces in the sun, talking about everything under it, and I felt so incredibly lucky and loved and blessed and happy. This is a good life. I teared up for sure at the office, not because I was sad to leave and focus on the things that bring our family happiness and satisfaction, but because I am so blessed to have been treated so well for so many years by this amazing group of people. It's a wonderful day when you cry tears of gratitude. I'll be back in the blog-o-sphere in full force, and helping Joe as much as I can to promote his amazing practice, and I can't help but feel, in the pit of my stomach, that amazing things are coming our way. Do not be afraid to follow your dream. Even if you have to backtrack a bit, get right back on board when you can . . . (p.s. - if you didn't quite follow my rambling, here's what happened - I quit my part time job that I went back to about 1 1/2 years ago, and Friday was my last day, and I'm super stoked to have full attention back on my business, and to help Joe at his office, and to try and remember that there are wet clothes in the washer.) And the messy faces that make it all worth it :)

my favorite ladies

You know when you come to my house for dinner, you're going to be fed good food and good wine . . . and if you come and the weather is gorgeous and the sun is setting and the light is just right, you are going to have an impromptu photo shoot! Elsa and Freya are always so incredibly joyous to be around. There's nothing better than a wonderful, inspiring friend, and a baby to snuggle with :)

all about . . . my wedding!

It has certainly been an adventure being in the business of weddings, and planning a wedding myself! Here are some facts I thought it would be fun to share with you all on how my planning adventure is coming along . . . I absolutely cannot wait to be Joe's wife. :) 1. We are getting married at the home of my dear friend and fellow wedding photog Lauren Brown. When we were scheming up the where part of the wedding day, we both had her beautiful home and meadow in mind. It was hard for me to picture myself getting married at a venue that I shoot at every weekend from June through September. 2. Pinterest has been the God-send of wedding planning. That site is more brilliant than Facebook! Mason jars wrapped in twine and lace? Yes, please! 3. My girlfriends Leslie Lukas and Angela Klotz are scheming up flowers and being just as much the God-sends when it comes to helping me work out all of those little kinks in the planning department when I'm just not sure what to do. 4. I have totally become that bride. 5. I typically do not like sashes on a wedding dress, and I'm over the strapless look. My wedding dress is strapless with a beautiful sash. Go figure. It is an incredible gown, though, something I did not think I would choose, but when I put it on, I am transformed. It is a Jim Hjelm Blush gown that I got from Avant. Katalin carries the most gorgeous dresses in the valley, hands down! 6. My table linens will be ivory floor-length tablecloths, pewter runners and a slate blue woven napkin. My flowers are all very pastel - pale pink, ivory, greens, some very light peach, etc. My girls know how to make things beautiful! 7. Despite being that bride, all I truly want is a meaningful ceremony, amazing food, a beautiful table to eat it at, good wine in my glass, and lots of dancing! 8. Speaking of food and dancing, Sarah Knecht is preparing her amazing food for us, and Joe Trudgeon is providing his wonderful DJ service! 9. I am in the market for a couple of antique dressers and/or tables for a welcome table, favors table, and cake table. If you see something beautiful, let me know! 10. IT WILL NOT RAIN ON AUGUST 26TH!! ;) Here is a little peak at a part of our invitation . . . my graphic designer is amazing!

winter blues

Does anyone else suffer from a little January blues? Last year at this time I was in Maui with Joe, falling in love with a place that was simply magical, and where I cannot wait to go back. Today, I'm dealing with a 6-year-old who hopefully is wrapping up her fourth day with a fever and nasty cold, and a 4-year-old who may have a urinary tract infection. Funny thing is, the lack of season we are having is getting to me . . . if I can't be in a summer dress on my deck with my face turned toward the sun, I would prefer some snow, please and thank you :)

In my downtime, I am having fun scrolling through photos I don't take the time to revisit after they get on my computer. I came across a series I took last summer of the shorties, and while I started off trying to get them to stand and smile for me, Joe snuck up behind me and demonstrated some poses. Here you have it . . .



I know spring is right around the corner and I'll be dreaming about these lazy winter days soon . . . Happy Tuesday all! Stay healthy!

engaged: me!

What an amazing way to end the 2011 year . . . on December 29th, in front of my best friends and their spouses, Joe got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. Me and the shorties, all three of us, will you spend the rest of your life with me? I am floating on Cloud Nine . . . here is my story because I know you are dying to know : )

We had plans to go to our favorite Italian restaurant, Damascos, for about a month, along with the rest of the Assets and their spouses. We were going to celebrate my birthday, which was on the 31st, and the birthday of Elsa, which was on the 20th. I bought a new dress, done my hair up real good, and enjoyed a wonderful evening of food, wine and my most fabulous company. We had plans after dinner to all come back to our house for drinks and to exchange Christmas and birthday gifts. After opening beautiful, beautiful gifts from my incredible girlfriends, Angela decided it would be fun to start a round of TableTopics, which are these adorable cards with one question on each card that gets conversation stirring among the group . . .

When it was my turn to go, I went to grab a card from the middle of the deck, and Miss Angela, the Asset Joe called upon to help play this out, was very quick to throw her hand over mine and tell me that I had to pick the next card in the set. Whoa, Nelly, excuuuuuuse me. I reached for the next card, which read "If you could ask anyone in the room one question, what would it be?" I know I asked someone something, and then they asked someone something, and then it came to be Joe's turn. I was in the kitchen, and he was standing on the other side of the bar. In some sort of variation of words, he said, Well, I would ask Mo. If I could ask you one question . . . and he slowly walks around the corner into the kitchen . . . it would be . . . pulls out the most amazing ring I have ever seen . . . will you do the honor of spending the rest of your life with me?

And let the sob story begin - I thought he was joking. I lost my breath, and I think I even lost my mind for a few minutes as I rambled on and on about how thank God I had painted my nails, how I thought I was going to throw up, how no one has ever asked me to spend the rest of their life with them before . . . it was truly the most amazing moment I've experienced (next to childbirth, of course). And I became completely enthralled with staring at my ring as much as possible, not just because it is so incredibly beautiful, but because it symbolized the effort, time and funds he has invested to give me something so amazing to ask me something so amazing. He has been planning this for the last five months, sick to his stomach with anxiety and being secretive. And I can happily say that I had absolutely no idea, which thrills him to no end . . .

And now, we have a lovely little wedding to plan for late in the summer, which will we share with our closest friends and family. When he asked me what I wanted out of a wedding, it was just that - small, our closest, in a beautiful place, with incredible food, that everyone sits down at a beautifully set table, and our favorite music plays all night long. It is becoming extremely fun to plan this, I might add. I have a whole new excitement for my own brides!

So there's the story in a nutshell . . . I'm sure a whole new section of posts will emerge as we plan the celebration of this day, but that makes it all the more fun for friends and clients to be a part of this with us. We could not be more blessed or happy. Most of the photos from that portion of the night were taken on cell phones, but I promise to share lots and lots . . . we plan on doing an engagement shoot with Lauren very, very soon!

Happy, Happy New Year to you all, and may amazing things happen in 2012 for all of us!

2011 reflections: personal

The original title of this post was 2011 reflections: weddings . . . and it was going to be filled with my favorite images from my wonderful couples of this past year. But I have been diverted. And when I went to write what was on my mind on Facebook, I realized it was far too much, and too long, and so here I am . . . my reflections of a beautiful, inspired, frustrating, amazing year . . . here is what I have learned.

Coming off a night of deep business reflections, the most important thing I know, that I need to remind myself of each and everyday, whether it is a note on my bathroom mirror, or a stamp on my forehead, is that happiness can only be found in the present moment. I am a worrier, I am a planner, and I take things far too personally. I also have a tendency to snowball my thoughts, make assumptions, and react as if what I am thinking about or fearing is actually happening. And I beat my fists and I cry and I get weird looks from Joe and I know in my heart I am being a bit dramatic, but I do it anyway. And in the morning, I wake up and I think, you know better than that. But in the present moment - in the true present moment - all is usually quite well. My children are beautiful and healthy. My partner is supportive, funny and makes me incredibly happy. My friends have been and would be there for me at the drop of a hat. There is money in the bank to keep us warm, fed and clothed, although I wish I could erase the day I was introduced to a pair of Stuart Weitzman shoes . . . in this very moment, life is wonderful.

The biggest business lesson I have learned, as this year comes to an end, is that we are all in this to succeed . . . for some, success comes in the form of seeing a photograph you took in the pages of Martha Stewart Magazine. For some, success comes in the form of simply earning enough money to pay the bills. For me, my own personal success needs to simply be happiness, to be honest with myself about what that means, and to then surround myself with the vendors and clients that help me achieve just that.

I wish you all a beautiful, happy new year, filled with everything you've ever wanted. Take 2012 one day at a time . . . and in each of those days, choose happiness. Choose to be kind, grateful and patient. Choose to be loving and generous. Choose to speak positively. Do not make assumptions. Do not make judgments. Dismiss those who do not support you. Savor every bite, and savor every sip. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

thankful

My belly is still full, but what a wonderful past few days I had spending with Joe's family to celebrate Thanksgiving, and what they call Thanksmas. Joe's parents come from Walla Walla every Thanksgiving holiday, and because we don't get together for Christmas, we exchange gifts under his sister's teeny-tiny Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. Joe's family dubbed the holiday Thanksmas, and I am so happy to be a part of this tradition for the past two years now (and hopefully for the next 80 or so . . . ). We ate amazing food (Joe's mom and sister are phenomenal cooks), and drank beautiful wines, and shared nothing but laughter and hugs. After Friday night's events, the shorties jammed out on Joe's brother-in-law's drum set, and I took this photograph of Stella Bella, patiently waiting her turn with her adorable, squishy, kissable cheeks. This photo reminds me of how much I love being a mom, especially when you get delivered such cute kids . . .



I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and took some good time for yourself. This week I will be wrapping up a few boudoir edits, finalizing client albums, photographing a newborn, and decking the halls! Happy Holidays!