Miller Family

How awesome is it to have cool neighbors?! Super awesome! I am so lucky to have had the opporotunity to capture some family photos for our photogenic neighbors. I found a great fun & random location not too far from our house, and drug them out in their coordinating outfits and fancy shoes. Dale and Renee made that chic bench out of an old head and footboard from a bed. I gotta have one!

 They wanted to kind of center a few pictures around their oldest son Jesse, and celebrate the fact that he is graduating high school this year, and just a few days away from his 18th birthday. Their beautiful daughters Cheyenne and Corrie could not take a bad picture! What fun and loving family they are. Thank you guys!!!

Hall Family

Searching for some volunteers, my lovely friends Martha and Justin let me take some holiday pictures of their family. I've known them both since high school, and we still play in the pipe band together. I absolutely love their darling girls Rachel & Noelle. It was a nice warm day outside, perfect to hide the fact that I was not only sweating from the heat, but my nerves were driving me crazy. 

I love how Rachel loves being a big sister, even helping little Noelle "smile". What a gorgeous family!!!!  

   

The Terry Family

I was so thankful and then incredibly nervous when my co-worker Matt agreed to let me take their family photos. This would be my VERY FIRST photo session all on my own.

Matt and Michelle's youngest son Trenten was just barely two months old, and big sister Camden is almost two years old. Being my very first session, I didn't realize how much work this was going to be. I had such a great time trying to place people, chase little running feet around the park, and working my camera. Really!  

Thank you again for being my first test subjects! 

a new adventure

So, photography has been a huge passion of mine for as long as I could remember. I admire everything about it, yet know nothing. I fell in love with our photographers Erin & Louis Palos, and I finally found the courage to ask them a few questions on what sort of equipment I should look into getting. To my absolute surprise, they both emailed me right away and told me that they were looking to get an "assistant" and were even thinking of ME! wow! How awesome is it that they are willing to put me under their wing and train me from absolute scratch. Believe me.. absolute scratch!

 So before I could even get my very own professional camera, Erin handed me her backup  and put me to work shooting a wedding. Of course I had no idea what I was doing, shaking the entire time, but had absolute blast. Since that day I have purchased my own fancy camera, a couple lenses, and have tagged alongside Erin & Louis. I have assisted in a handful of weddings and am learning something every time I go out with them. 

I have recruited a few friends and co-workers to take their family photos so I could get some practice. Holy moly. I didn't realize how difficult it would be to place people, work my camera, talk to them, seem somewhat compitent, and do it all on my own. YIKES! I'm so thankful to these people for agreeing to be my "test" subjects. I can't wait to share with you what I have been up to. And most of all,  looking forward to seeing my work improve :)  

    

i heart faces photo challenge {pet faces}

Thought I would give the I Heart Faces Photo Challenge a try. This week it's pet faces!

Meet Sister Mary Ginger

My B.F.F.

It's been over a year since I have seen my B.F.F. Jennie. We have been friends since we met while in the Jr. High School band. She moved to South Dakota about 6 years ago {I believe}, and has created the most adorable family. 

This was going to be a special visit because Jennie just gave birth to her 4th son, and MY Godson! What an incredible honor. He is just absolutely precious. 

I flew out the day after Thanksgiving, still lagging from Turkey hangover, but I made it. We had the best 4 days possible. It was absolutely perfect. We hung out!!!! Like we did growing up. Chit-chatted, laughed, gossiped (not really), went to lunch, Jennie even tought me how to sew.

Not only is she a fantastic mother & wife,

Jennie can create anything! She is so crafty, I can't wait to show you a few things she's made.

But first, I must share with you her sweet boys.

Ethan {almost 5} is just a ball of energy! I wish I could just take some of it and use it to my advantage. He is a great big brother, and such the ladie's man in the making. He loves his video games.

Samuel is about to turn 2, and he is just the funniest man ever. He makes me laugh with his innocent face, and his sneaky little ways. I love how he sits on the counter and places his tiny little feet in the drawer to keep steady.

Little Griffin is just 2 months old, and I want to just bundle him up and carry him everywhere. What a sweet baby. He was just starting to smile when I was visiting, and I tried to capture each moment. What a great honor I have of being this sweet man's Godmother. Thank you Nick & Jennie!

And now I would like to share some goodies that Jennie has made! She is so incredibly talented, and has created her very own Etsy shop! I'm so proud of her. While I was visiting, Jennie and I both made scarves. She makes baby blankets, burp cloths, crayon roll-ups, headbands, wreaths & many other fun things!

I finally got the snow I was hoping for, as I was leaving :( I had a little bit of time to run outside and snap a few photos before it was time to catch the plane home. Unfortuanately, I missed the big snow just as I was taking off. Too bad because I would have loved to make a snowball with the boys.

I can't wait to come back! {hopefully next fall} I'm beginning this photography thing, and I would love to capture some family photos for the Howard family. I just love them all dearly and appreciate each minute I get to spend with them.

So, until next year Jennie and I will remain email & phone buddies :) love you girl!

I'm Thankful

It's definitely been way too long since the last blog post! wow. With that said, I'd like to share how we spent our Thanksgiving this year.

I MADE A TURKEY!!! Yes, my very own first.turkey.ever. And, it was yummy! I got the recipe from a nurse at work. She said to stuff it full of things that would let off moisture. So, I cut up celery, carrots, an apple, orange, a lemon, and threw it all in. Added some vegetable oil, pepper & spices to the top, then I draped it with BACON! It was the most moist turkey I've ever had. I hope to be in charge of the turkey every year! Seriously.

the only picture I got of the turkey was before it was cooked. Better luck next year with an "after" photo

And this is how Daddy & Ginger prepared for Thanksgiving dinner

Shannon and I grabbed the turkey & Ginger, loaded up the car, and went over to my mom's house to spend the evening with her and my sister, Erin. My mom made all the sides and dessert. It was really nice & relaxing... and holy moly I was miserably full when we left. 

I was able to snap a few photos of my mom, who chose to stay behind Ginger in efforts to hide the fact she wasn't wearing any makeup. Nice try :)  Yes, she will probably kill me for posting these.

I'm so thankful for my life. I'm thankful for my HUSBAND Shannon, and all the love he gives me.  I'm thankful for my family, friends, job (even though I can't stand it most of the time), pets, home, car, talents, and especially chapstick! haha. Had to throw that one in there.

Seriously,

if you would have asked me 5 years ago how I thought my life would be, I would have never dreamed this reality. I'm so blessed.