Adventures in California

March 6, 2014

welcome

Thanks for stopping by my blog- a place where I post some of my professional and personal photography. Happy browsing!

INSTA-Jammin'

Every couple is different, with different aspects of their relationship that stand out to me on their wedding day. Scotty and Mary Anna are the most unique match of joy and excitement and visible delight in each other - I’ve never seen a first look where both bride and groom had equally excited and in awe faces with each other! This matched expressive joy stayed the whole night even to the dance floor where they BOTH had amazing dance moves. So happy for these two, so glad I got to be a part of their day, and so thankful for their families and all the love the Reeces have shown me over the years. ❤️ @scottytillery @mary_anna_reece

GIFT IDEA 💡 that is amazing, meaningful, and helps fight human trafficking in Atlanta! I’m so so excited for the official launch of @shopquoin today and believe so much in their mission and work. I had the privilege of photographing these necklaces for their website (and fun fact @mattietiegreen designed the site! besties like to work together:) and today they are on sale for the launch! Swipe to see more product photos and fall in the love even with names of the pieces! and anyone know these hot model friends of mine?? ❤️

Christmas decorating has begun!! i found these great felt mistletoes at @westelm and made this garland, and i have some wreath goals that may or may not happen. also isn’t that hand model cool?? A fun @ikea find. Operation Christmas decor is on. #mywestelm #modernchristmasdecor

You can’t make an old friend. I just heard that quote and it took me a second 🤔 but i realized its basic. Old friends take time and a back story that is shared. This friend started out as a student my husband taught in high school. We talked about photography, who she might marry, where to go to college, what profession seemed appealing. She left for college, and we would shoot weddings together randomly and catch up. She met a boy that was different than the other boys. She married the man, and I saw her give vows of faithfulness to him. And then she became a mom. I don’t have sisters, but I imagine being an older sister is a lot like this. My eyes filled up when I saw her holding her baby, and watching her care selflessly for this new little life. Baby Linus is blessed to have two amazing parents like Christina and Andrew, and I’m just thankful for old friends. Love you @christinamarie.photography and motherhood looks really good on you ❤️

I am on an animal kick because of my farm visit on Sunday - turns out animals are some of the best therapist out there. I had such a sense of peace being in an open field and big sky and looking at all sorts of creatures. I need the outdoors more and more as life is busy and chaotic. I think someday when kids are grown I want to hike for a few months (or maybe just 2 nights 😉) and pull a Thoreau and find my own Walden Pond.

I had the best time with my kiddos at a fall festival on a farm nearby - they had more Clydesdale horses than Budweiser has ever seen! We also saw some of the most interesting rams and highland cows and piglets and possibly even Lil Sebastian from Pawnee. I might just have been in farm heaven.

7 years ago I took this photo of my kiddo sleeping. He was 3 and this face becomes more and more precious to me each year. Parenthood is hard stuff, stretching me beyond my resources and emptying me in more ways than I knew possible. But the joys are that deep and rich too- even if it feels like there are seasons of dryness. Press on mamas of young ones and challenging spirited personalities. You are being weathered and you might as well work with the waves.

It is finally here!!! “Well Known: Enneagram Edition” is officially for sale on our website (@knownproject ) and we couldn’t be more excited to get this into the world. This is a joint project between me and my Enneagram Guru teacher of the last 15 years, Karen Heintzman (see her work @thespiralseries ) and the questions are rich in this book. We are giving 20% off with the code “Enneagram” for our first days of sales! Also, if you or someone you know might enjoy this, comment or tag them below and we will pick someone for a free copy! Thanks for joining us in our journey:)

To have 250 friends and family travel to your destination wedding is a good sign that your are a special couple that is really loved. These two are salt of the earth rich people who are officially married and it couldn’t have been a more beautiful and meaningful and fun day! Congratulations to Lolly and Wallace and thanks for to my fantastic friend and second shooter @stevenwallacephoto for making my job so fun. #lollstothewall

Admittedly one of my strangest creative projects. I have been wanting to do some mash ups of photographs and try out my drawing skills- it’s easy to get bored doing predictable work so I’m trying out some not so predictable things. This is called “heart eyes” because christina’s expression makes me happy 😍 thanks for being my muse @christinamarie.photography !!!

I confessed at my small group tonight that I can easily be obsessed with Poshmark and cross a line of looking too much at clothes. Maybe it’s how easy it is to find things with these apps and shopping ads everywhere (that know what I’m thinking and read our minds!!!) part of me wishes I could be a personal shopper for the world, and the other part of me is fighting materialism and the constant desire for new and more. Sometimes i picture myself selling everything and taking some sort of vow of poverty, but then i’m distracted mid vow by some awesome shoes that popped up on my screen. i took this photo for a house your a few years ago and i think i love it so much because it’s simple and beautiful (unlike having drawers of way too many shirts and shoes...)

This photo brings me a lot of joy. my talented friend @latetiajunebird took photos of a special event for us on Sunday and caught these moments of my kids (Ethan, 10, and Andy, 7), and I can’t stop looking at them. you can’t force kids to smile and look natural (as most of our school pictures prove 😂) so these smiles make my heart melt and are such a gift. Toothless grins and all.

Cheers to the weekend! But in the life of a parent, the weekend is not much different than a weekday. So more appropriate would be a few chocolate milk cups in this photo too! Here’s to parenting and spilled milk and doing good enough:) and a throwback to time in Brooklyn with @mattietiegreen 💃💃

october 11, 1982 this brunette mama gave birth to me. she made this romper among many others and i still like wearing rompers and overalls. and that very Volvo was the car i had until I gave birth to Ethan. RIP Victor the Volvo. happy birthday self and happy birthing day mama ❤️

Excited to be a part of @chosenforlifeministries Fine Art exhibit and auction this year with so many great artists i admire! It’s Thursday (tomorrow) night and I couldn’t love this ministry more and the work they do for precious kiddos. Check out @chosenforlifeministries for all the details! #ktbarchitectureseries

a much much needed break with the family at @greatwolflodge - where has this place been all my life???? A little piece of unexpected joy in Lagrange, Georgia. I just needed to see both my kids smile again. family life is complicated for so many reasons, some “normal” and some more specific, but i cherish any time that i can see my kids happy and carefree.

if i take a selfie, it has to be with my favorite sunglasses and red or pink lipstick. and bonus that i took this in my van. I got my hair cut and it’s not really official until you post a selfie, so here it is. and much thanks to my enneagram friend @molliebhair for the hair cut and making me feel fab.i love change and it was time to say goodbye to the locks.

probably one of my favorite groom photos of all time. i love laughing but i love photos of laughing even more!