BUSTED...

BUSTED...

My sister and niece left today. I was so sad, but I'm getting back into action. I got the house straightened up, un-kid proofed our house, filled the candy bowl back up, went to my photo shoot, caught up on emails, etc... I had another appointment later in the day and came home gave Maddox some loving and got dinner ready for when Todd got home. Todd arrived really late, and we chatted for a few, came into the living room to finally sit down. Something in transit caught my eye... the freshly filled bowl of candy was more than half empty with a few strays on the floor and next to the bowl. I couldn't believe it... I know I didn't eat it and Todd wasn't home, so the only other person that could have done it.... MADDOX. That little stinker! How can you be mad at something like that. Poor pup probably has a huge stomach ache!



Happy Thursday!

Visitors Galore...

What a busy couple weeks to add to this summer!

It just so happened that I have had some special visitors all within the last two weeks, and I have been soooo soooo happy!

My dear friend, Abbey, was in town for a few days, while she was here, another friend of ours came for to visit her family up here as well. We planned to meet up and it was absolutely fabulous! I loved every minute of it! We hit up the cider mill, ran a few routes, great long talks, lots of laughs... it has been over 2 years since I've seen either of them. We decided it was going to have to be more often then that...





Then a few days later, my lovely sister and niece came here and are still here as we speak! Yay! It has been so great! We are enjoying the time here together since it has been awhile since seeing them and we won't get to see them again until mid-November. It's been super fun to see them both and play with miss Izzy B, she's so big and I'm sure going to get some photos of her before they leave on Thursday. Once things for sure, we have hit up a lot of parks as Izzy looooves the slides and we even got caught playing on them with her. Haha!





Happy Tuesday... I will totally get caught up when I get an extra minute.

A long, but GREAT story...

I'm not really even sure how to begin this, other than to tell you the story of how it all went down....

Last year, I met this girl. She was super cool, and I knew right off the bat that we would soon enough become good friends. I even told Todd after the first night meeting her, that I could see us as good friends. A few months later her and her husband had a baby. After visiting her in the hospital and then when she came home, I had such a great time with her. Sure enough another month later they moved in a house just right down the street from us. I couldn't believe it! I always wanted a friend that lived so close, that I could just walk down the road, come in without knocking, and hang out. That is exactly how it has been.

Well in that time and our many long talks, I mentioned to her about how I always have wanted to go somewhere to be useful. I think sometimes we get caught up in our own little world that we forget about what else is going on outside of it. I mean, I have felt terrible this summer because of our huge remodel project, that I even forget that some people do not even have a roof over their head, food to eat, a dog to love, a family to hug. I have complained about it all summer long, somewhat being serious, somewhat being funny, but all in all it is a blessing that we are able to do it.

Well in those talks, she had mentioned that her and her husband have went to Haiti for years with an organization called Raincatchers, they helps build gutter systems for the locals to provide them with clean drinking water. I thought to myself, now that would be so cool to do. Why didn't I ever do something like that? She gave me the contact information, and I went home and emailed the guy in charge right away. I talked to Todd about it and asked if he'd want to come with me. He was going to think about it, but I never heard back from the organizer. I kept talking to her about it and it made me want to go even more. But I knew if I was going to go, it would all work out.

A couple months later, I got an email from the guy in charge. I was stoked! I couldn't believe that I actually heard back. I guess in a way I did, but since I had never done anything like this before, I was in shock. It felt so surreal!

It all has progressed rather quickly, but I'm glad to say that both Todd and I are planning on going on this trip. We are so excited, yet extremely nervous. But in preparation for this big adventure that I'm sure will be life changing, I am figuring out ways to raise money for our trip, which is no easy task. But I know that 'it will all work out' as all of it has thus far.

I thought to myself, I could send out letters, which I still might do, but why not use this as a way to benifit not only us, but you as well. So from now until December 15, which is when our money is due, since our trip is January 16-23, I am offering Portrait Sessions for Haiti.

So if you are wanting a session for your newborn baby, senior, family, dog, Christmas Card, anniversary, just for fun, etc... contact me and we will get you all set up, and 100% of all session and print purchase proceeds will be going directly to our trip. This is the "perfect" time of year for this, so don't let this pass you by or the fact that you will be helping so many people through your contribution.

Looking forward and will be keeping you all updated through the next couple months.

Emily :: Yoga Star

I love yoga...

I mean LOVEEEEE yoga. I don't know how all those years of playing sports, lifting weights, running miles and miles could ever compare to the feeling I get from a nice hot yoga class. Mmmm... it makes my heart melt. There is something about it that is so addicting whether it is the atmosphere, the way my body feels afterwards (which right now, not much makes it feel good), or the people I have met through it. It's a WIN-WIN situation, that's for sure!

Ever since I started doing yoga, I always thought it would be cool to take some photos of people doing yoga. Everyone has a different body, some super flexible, some super strong, some can balance like no other... it's amazing how everyone has their own nitch. Plus yoga is fun... so I knew it would be really fun!

Well recently, a friend from my studio asked me to get some cool shots of her for her new website. I was so stinkin' excited, I think I might have ripped my jeans from the high cheerleader kick I did in excitement!!! Ha... not really, but that did happen before. Haha!

Emily is a personal trainer/fitness instructor out in L.A. She is such a great instructor, I know because my arms are still feeling the workout she gave another friend and I on how to do a down dog CORRECTLY! Wowwwzzzaaa! It's a lot harder than you thought. But she not only is a great instructor, her body does some pretty incredible things. She has an amazing yoga practice and the photos below prove that. Not only is Emily great at what she does, she's super sweet and so fun to hang out with! We had some MAJOR laughs and even scary moments in our session. Well she more than I, but I would have been responsible. I think her life flashed before her eyes when I asked her to go out on the ledge of the parking structure. She survived and we got some amazing shots!

Thanks for being so easy going and a dare devil, Em... you were awesome!

Namaste!!!



(What was I thinking asking her to do this... THIS photo is what I was thinking!- AWESOME!)





(Yes, that was a moving train! Sooo cool!)

AJ & Abby :: Engagements

It's all in the name...

Seriously, I'm not sure I have ever met a bad Abby. I played soccer with FIVE girls that all had the name Abby (that's what started my longtime nickname Chachi, but no one in Michigan knows that... I'll save that for another day), my roommate in college was an Abbey, I've met a few dogs that have been Abby, (you all know how I feel about dogs... LOVE THEM!), and then there is Abby who is getting married here in just over a month. I have to say, when I first met with her, that we totally clicked right away, it was as though we were old friends just "catching up."

Well... I met with her and her fiance, AJ, just last week for some pre-wedding photos. They were so sweet and so stinkin' cute together, even despite the 90 degree weather. Yes, it was one of those two hot days that snuck in on us. They were awesome and we had quite a few good laughs... what a day that was! It's a shame they will be moving off to sunny California after the wedding, I saw some more good times in our future... but that's what vacation is for right?!

So excited for you two and sooo excited for next month for the big day!

Here are a few of my favorites from the HOT day...

Ummm... can we say adorable!!!



LOVE THIS...



The couple, the lighting, the background is so beautiful in this one...



Love these next two...





Rarrr...



Love the bridge... makes it seem so intimate...