Feeling inspired...

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Suess

Last night I attended an event at West High which featured the talents of a special group of students, one of whom holds a very important place in my heart. This event allows the students to show their friends and family the powerpoint presentations they've been working on for months, and this year's theme was Heroes. It was very interesting to see who/what all the students chose to feature, which was everything from service dogs to military personnel. The students also perform several songs, and it was great to see them singing (and kazoo-ing) proudly for everyone (I admit it, I got teary-eyed when they sang Imagine...something about that song just gets me every time).

I was sitting there last night watching the kids singing and enjoying themselves and I couldn't help but be reminded of how inspiring they all are. Every day these kids face challenges that most of us have never had to overcome, and they do it all with a smile on their face, loving life, and never complaining. Wouldn't it be great if we could all be more like them? It's definitely something we can all (myself included) work on. Stand up and be proud of who you are, love your life despite the challenges that may come your way, and above all don't worry so much about what others think of you. Be yourself.

And because a picture of Einstein makes every post better, here's a sunny picture on this rainy Friday... (and also HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my dad!! Hope it's a great one!)

Hanna and Joey

When you first see these pictures of Hanna and Joey, you might think they are a head over heels in love newly engaged couple...or maybe even newlyweds. You'd be wrong. This gorgeous couple has actually been married for 4 years and are still as much (maybe more) in love as they were the day they tied the knot.

I met Hanna and Joey back when I was planning my own wedding, and their marriage reminded me of what I had to look forward to when I wanted to pull my hair out with all of the pre-wedding stress. Hanna was there to lend an ear when I needed to vent about table arrangements or flowers, and Joey was there to remind Josh that it would all be over soon.

Hanna and Joey have the kind of love that everyone wants in their relationships, but not everyone is lucky enough to find. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure they would say their relationship isn't perfect (and really, is there such a thing?) but they have the ability to laugh with (and at) each other, which in my opinion makes all the difference in the world. My session with them was incredible, partly because they're so gorgeous, but mainly because they have an undeniable chemistry that really shines through in these photos.

Hanna & Joey - I hope you like the rest of your preview! Thanks again for a fantastic session.

This one is a little more "artsy" (according to Josh) but there's something about it that I just love...

Taken by Josh:

Taken by Josh:

Investment in my future

"I can't do it. Will you?" I ask, looking over at my husband Josh as my hand hovered precariously above the "purchase" button.

"Sure", he said, taking over the mouse and clicking as I looked away.

You may be wondering what I was having such a hard time purchasing (especially coming from this seasoned online shopper - clicking the purchase button is usually no problem for me!), so I'll tell you. It was the Canon 5D Mark II camera body. It was something I'd saved up for, but it's price tag was staring me in the face, taunting me and making me wonder if I was worth it. I'd never purchased something so pricey (besides my house and my car, and somehow the financial burden of those seem so much easier when you only pay so much per month...), and was worried I wouldn't like it, or I would break it, or worse. I read review after review until finally Josh asked how long I was going to read more good reviews and would I just buy it already??

So I did, well...Josh did, since he was the one that finally pushed the purchase button. We bought it together, I guess you could say.

When the box finally arrived, I was still a little intimidated. What if it was more camera than I could handle? The box sat unopened on the table for a couple of days (I used the excuse that my fingers were painfully swollen - which they were *story on that to come at a later date, gee thanks Jimmy John's sprouts!*- to avoid opening it and diving right in). Finally I took it out of the box, and started messing with it, reading the manual, changing the settings, and taking some photos - we slowly started to become friends. This past weekend, I used my new camera at both of my photo sessions (bringing along my old one "just in case"). Now I absolutely adore this camera and it has moved from being ignored on the table to having a sweet home in my new camera bag (see below). So, I wanted to share a photo of my new friend (I think I'll name him Mark)...


I also bought a Kelly Moore camera bag back in February but finally got the chance to use it on Sunday (I could have used it on Saturday but forgot it at home and took my other bag instead). If you are looking for the perfect camera bag that doesn't really look like a camera bag, this is the one for you - trust me. I love it because I can keep all of my lenses in there while I'm shooting and I don't have to run back to where my bag is sitting every time I need a new lens. I just put all of the lenses in without caps and could easily switch them throughout the shoot with no problem. I also like the little pockets in front (and a zip pocket in the back) which can hold my cell phone or keys and I'm not worried about them falling out as I'm running around. If you don't like the grey, it comes in other colors too, so definitely check out Kelly Moore's site if you're in the market for a new camera bag (I just saw that they added a new style, which I also love!)


I've also recently revamped my "About Me" page, so check it out!