Challenge #8 / A bad habit

According to ehow.com, drinking a glass-maybe two-of red wine a day is healthy. It helps with memory, bone health and weight control, and may even prevent some kinds of cancer. It's also a calming drink for some and possesses other health benefits such as improved circulation and relaxation.


So what was I thinking....a bad habit? pshhhht...more like one of the many steps I take toward a better, healthier life! ; ) smiles to all my fellow wine-o's...and I say that oh so affectionately. Happy Tuesday my friends.

Jake & Tara Engagement Shoot Final Installment!

Okay ladies & gents, I finally got ALL of the photos edited and am happy with them. I have a problem when editing though...I go overboard. I'd like to hear what you think about these shots. In some cases there are several versions of the same photo; I'd like to know if the editing I chose to do works...or which version is the best. Help me to improve! I appreciate it.
Again, what a beautiful couple they are and I was honored to be able to do their engagement photos!
Wahooo! TGIF ! : )

100 Days until Christmas

100 days from now we will wake up with a gleam in our eye, warmth in our heart, and a trail of cookie crumbs down the stairs from ol' Santy Clause.
If you are like me, every year you silently vow that you will be more prepared for the holiday season. And that's coming from someone whose a bit anal! This year is no different and I am ready to start my preparations.........

We've got 100 days until the big one. And several occasions before then that will demand our attention!

I am a list person, as far as I can remember, I always have been. I like sticky notes A LOT.
I've already started making my lists for the upcoming holiday events. My Thanksgiving dinner/day list is well underway...which will be modified several times in the next couple of months. I absolutely LOVE Thanksgiving - the atmosphere, the decor, the smells, the memories, and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade most of all.

But before that even, we've got Halloween.

Holidays in your twenties bring a whole new level of expectations, I think - mainly that you put on yourself. It's no longer just about dressing up and going door to door for candy while mom and dad have to put up with your sugar high, you can't just show up on Turkey Day without having spent at least half a day making the dish you now have to contribute to dinner, and now on Christmas eve...you kinda want to sleep in!
Nope, now there's that feeling that maybe its your turn to host something, anything; the fact that you have to plan everything around your J-O-B, 'Christmas break' is no longer weeks long, and there's the added stress of budgeting. Wasn't it just too easy when we were younger!?
Easy, yes. Exciting, definitely. At least we can keep one of the two in the mix.
A lot of our family members live in different towns now, so it's getting harder to get everyone together for these events. Celebrating early is always an option! We can basically come up with any excuse for a party in my family. Oh, what's that you say, Halloween is in 5 weeks, better have a pre-all-hallows-eve get together!
We have managed nicely the past few years, and it's awesome to have us all in the same state finally! With my sisters and I working our way through college the past 10 years combined or so, it seemed like one of all was always gone. All of us finally living in the same city again...now that's exciting! What are your plans for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas? Are you hosting parties, are you attending parties, are you avoiding all of it at any cost??

My mom was and is a very artistic, artsy crafty kind of gal - and growing up we were always making things and decorating the house and I love her for exposing us to that! I also appreciate my dad for amusing us four gals year after year, saying "oooh" "ahhhh" "nice" "looks good" "can I have some egg nog?"
All three of us sisters still enjoy decorating our houses and dare I say go overboard sometimes?? (is that possible?)
I feel sorry for our husbands sometimes, although I think they secretly enjoy setting up the tree we just spent $100 on and took two hours picking out, and then finding pine needles the next four weeks in places that just aren't right. Who am I kidding, they love us, and therefore they do what we ask them to (so that we will feel inclined to let them watch football all hours of every Sunday and Monday for the next five months.) So, I take it back, I don't feel sorry for them. In fact, they are lucky that they have such enthusiastic wives/girlfriends who make the holiday season fun and enjoyable! and LET THEM watch football! right?! :)
Okay, that's a bit much. We like watching football too. In fact, decorating for the holidays wouldn't be the same without the game on in the background. <Insert husband's comment here> such as "See, you should actually be thanking ME!"
puuuuulease.
ANYways...
So the countdown has begun....'but it's only mid-September' you say... well I say, this beautiful, wonderful time of year will only last a few months! Because realistically, if you try listening to Christmas music in January, you start getting weird looks.

And, if you haven't noticed, there is everything from Fall/Halloween to Christmas up in the stores right now...so I'm not the only one off my rocker.
We've got 100 days. 100 days to prepare, to enjoy this magical season, to bounce from one awesome holiday to the next, to stress out a little bit for good reason, and best of all we've got several things to celebrate and excuses to get together! So start making those lists and get into the spirit!

*Oh, PS...I started writing this yesterday, so...99 days! And the photos posted are from years past...
Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful weekend!

Lovin Fall

These were taken out at Hatcher's Pass when my friend Kelsey & I went blueberry picking last week. The fall colors were definitely out in full force! What a beautiful evening it ended up being, and what an awesome view! Love love love this time of year...

This week...

Thank goodness this week was a short week because I'm not sure I would have lasted one more day! It's been a busy and productive week for us ~ my friend Kelsey and I went to Hatcher's Pass and picked some blueberries after work on Monday. By the time we got out of town and to our parking spot it was almost 7:00 p.m. We got on our bikes and rode another 15-20 minutes, then finally came upon some berries. At 8:45 we were running out of daylight and we decided to head back. We didn't get as many berries as we'd hoped for -but we left with more than we went there with so... Success! We got home around 10:30 p.m. It was a long day but great to spend time with my friend! 

My loot (above) 

Our spot (below)

Hubs also took Zoe hunting this week (twice)! That a girl, Zoe!

They got 8 ducks this day! Their limit!

And of course, it was my niece Emma's first birthday! So we got to join her for Moose's Tooth pizza and cupcakes! Tomorrow we will have her 'friend' birthday party at my house.

Here she is toward the end of the night thinking "I'm just about birthday'd out!"

I've been making some updates to my blog ~ a new banner, and some formatting updates...I'd love to hear what you think! I got my banner from The Cutest Blog on the Block http://www.thecutestblogontheblock.com/, then added my title to it using Photoshop. Cool stuff!

TGIF to all!

Challenge #7 / Fruit

What an awesome weekend it was. Three days is the perfect amount for a weekend. Enough "doing" time, and enough time for recovery. Below is my photo for challenge #7 - fruit. I hope you have a wonderful Tuesday and enjoy the simple things**

“We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” 

~Cynthia Ozick

Pumpkin Spice

Yes, the leaves changing and falling...the drop in temp...the increasing darkness on an Alaskan evening (morning, night, all day...) means all system's are go for Fall.
However, the real indicator, the drop of a hat, wam bam thank you mam, ready or not FALL IS HERE there's no turning back, hold on to your britches, mark of Fall is the return of the greatest flavor known to man: pumpkin spice.

Challenge #6 / From a low angle

Good Morning!

It's Saturday! What a wonderful day of the week. Quite possibly the best.

My lovely pups got me up at 6:30. I have a love/hate relationship with getting up early on Saturdays. Was bummed when I looked at the clock, but now that it's only 9 am I feel like I've accomplished lots! Niiiiice.

It was CHILLY this morning. After getting me up and insisting she needed to go outside, Zoe stepped outside and I could tell by the look on her face she was thinking "hell no. too cold" and came back in. Now they are napping - GO FIGURE.

There's football on upstairs so every once in a while I hear a whistle. I'm down here with some jazzy tunes taking up my background while working on photos. Time to re-heat my coffee. Anxiously awaiting my parent's and sisters' return from Cali. so I can pick them up this evening! 

What else is in store for today.... hmmmm....

Jake & Tara Engagement Shoot

 Dear Jake & Tara:
Could you be a more gorgeous couple? Go ahead and try. I dare you!

Seriously...It was such an honor to shoot my friends' engagement photos a couple weeks ago. I enjoyed witnessing that there is still real, genuine, true, heart pounding love out there. It's especially great knowing that your friends are going to have a beautiful life, side by side. J&T are a pretty special couple. You can see it when they look in each other's eyes - as cliche as that may sound. I appreciate them being so open to trying anything I asked them to and hope they had as much fun as I did! And of course, it was fun having their fur-kid Rocky join in! :)