Kip and Brenna’s Central Washington Wedding

I got a text from my friend Brenna a couple weeks before her wedding…she had a favor to ask me. Her wedding photographer was not going to be available anymore for her wedding and she was hoping I would be up for the task. I happily brought along my camera to take pictures for them.

Kip and Brenna’s relationship started out as a prank phone call…a text message with a picture of a creepy guy with a mullet and a mustache and some story about modeling for her. And what started out a little strange turned into lots of text messages and phone calls across the country and then a visit down to Georgia. He was a friend of her friend and this friend was right in thinking they’d hit it off. He’s now moved to central Washington to join her and they began their life as husband and wife on June 15.

Here are some of my favorites from their day.

This was my first time shooting a “First Look” moment where the bride and groom have a private moment before the ceremony to see each other. I love the look on Kip’s face when he turns around. So proud to be marrying her.

This wedding party was just a blast! Brenna’s sister Abi and I have been friends for years and Chris and I were actually in her wedding back in 2009. So this almost felt like a reunion! It was a blast to see old friends and meet new ones from Georgia. We had a lot of fun.

The ceremony was held at a local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. One of the best parts of this location is that its set up for meetings in ASL so there are cameras in the ceiling and large TV screens at the front. Kip and Brenna utilized these during their ceremony and it was so neat to be able to see their faces and expressions throughout even though they had their backs to the audience. Such a great idea!

This gorgeous day is one of the best days of my summer so far. I was so honored to be asked to photograph the wedding. They are such a special and beautiful couple.

Congratulations my dear friends. May your life be full of love and happiness. Thanks for asking me to be behind the camera for your special day.

Friday’s Letters

Dear Gibson: You got your summer haircut finished up today and you look like a totally different puppy now…almost like a teddy bear actually. It will take a little getting used to, but you’re still my little dog. You love to play and chew on towels and eat as much fruit as we’ll give you. I love having you in my life. Dear Chris: This weight-loss journey that we’ve been on together has brought us so much closer that we’ve ever been and I’m grateful for it on so many levels. I’ve never felt better physically and I know that my emotional health is getting better too. Thank you for being my partner in this…and in life. I love you to life. Dear Kacy (my credit union boss): Thank you for seeing the good in me that I sometimes have a hard time seeing for myself and for making me acknowledge it. Our conversation was more powerful than you’ll know.  Dear Summertime: I am so glad you’re here and I hope to embrace you and enjoy you to the full. Dear Jillian Michaels: Your 30 day shred is kicking my butt! And I love it! Dear Dad: I am so sorry that you are in so much pain from your shoulder surgery. I hope that you heal well and heal fast. We’ll come visit soon. Miss you! Peace. Dear Lime-a-Ritas: You are my newest summer treat with a kick. So bad, but so good. Dear Russian class: you are going to be sooo hard, but I’m glad we’ve begun and I’m grateful for all I’ve already learned. Dear Project Life: this is my new favorite way to chronical our life and I am so enjoying it. I haven’t been able to take pictures of my pages to share yet, but I am working hard at creating pages. Love this style of documentation. Hoping to share more soon! Dear Kris: I just totally love working for you. I hope we can keep this going for a long, long time. Thanks for letting me write my first article for our website! Dear Readers: Can you believe its almost August already? I am looking forward to blogging more this month and sharing more inspiring ways to celebrate the everyday. I hope you all have a great weekend!

Our 2013 Summer Manifesto

Last year Chris and came up with 15 things that we wanted to do and accomplish during the summer and created a manifesto or “a public declaration of intentions” …we weren’t that successful at crossing things off of our list, but the ones that were crossed off were done so while making some of our best memories.

Naturally we thought we’d give it a try again. We have some specific ones, some a little bit more broad and all of them we picked in the hopes of making this summer a memorable one.

Here is our Summer Manifesto for 2013.

1. Write a song together.
2. Complete a house project.
3. Go on a night-time picnic.
4. Try a new restaurant and/or food.
5. Take our puppy to the lake.
6. Complete an art project each.
7. Get a couple’s massage.
8. Pick fresh fruit somewhere local.
9. Go to a concert.
10. Paint pottery together at a local art gallery.

I am excited for this summer and can’t wait to do the things on our list, document and share them. It should make for a pretty great summer! Lots of content for my Project Life pages and my Summer of Love art journal.

Did you create a Summer Manifesto this year?
I’d love to see what you’re planning on filling your summer with!
Please share a link in the comments.

Just a little bit less…

A few months ago something clicked inside me…it felt like the body that I inhabit wasn’t really mine. It felt like something I was stuck inside and being weighed down by. I knew it had to change…I knew we had to change. Our bad eating habits and lack of exercise had brought us both to this point. As my health started to become a real issue, and Chris was in constant pain we decided to make a change.

With encouragement from a family member we decided to give the HCG program a try. We had seen good results that others were having and thought this might be just the thing to jumpstart our weight loss and be the catalyst to the healthy lifestyle we were desperate for.

And it was exactly what we needed. Using the HCG program we were able to loose 75lbs together and 17.5” total each. And it has completely changed the way we look at food. We still enjoy food and enjoy cooking together, but its not the focus…it’s the fuel that enables us to do everything else we want to do in life together.

We wanted to share some before and after pictures of our journey so far. These are before and after the HCG program. We’ve still have work to reach our goals…but these progress pictures are so encouraging!

We are headed in the right direction now…making better choices about food and what we put into our bodies. We are conscious of what we take in instead of eating without thinking and just because its easy, like before. It is possible for food to be healthy and convenient…it just takes some pre-planning and better shopping. We have discovered some new amazing recipes that I know will remain our favorite meals for a long time.

And the best part of this has been doing it together. We have always been a great team, but to see that teamwork applied to getting healthy has made me cherish it even more. We encourage each other and care for each other and that’s what going to be the most important thing moving forward. Caring for ourselves and each other. I love Chris so much, and I want us both to be healthy together for a long long time.

This is just the beginning…we still have a ways to go to reach our goals, but the difference this time than any other times we’d tried to loose weight in the past, is that its beyond that. Its not just about the weight…its about life. Living better lives; healthier lives. We have altered our approach to life and it feels so good. I’m taking back my body…claiming it as my own again. Making my body do what I want, not being limited by what my body will let me do. Feeling beautiful in my own skin.

Life lately via Instagram

How is it already the 11th of July? Seriously?? This year is just flying by and I’m hanging on as best as I can. So much going on…working lots, visiting friends and family, creating lots, taking pictures, editing pictures, trying to sleep sometimes in the middle of all of that. But life is fun. Gibson is doing great. We’ve got him potty trained now and on a schedule. We just have to work on the barking when people come to the house. Man does that dog have a set of pipes on him. Hehe.

My favorite way to share all that’s been going on? Instagram of course…here are some of my favorite shots from recent weeks.

1) Gibson with his fresh hair cut and new big boy collar. 2) Wearing a scarf as a headband and loving it! 3) The night when I put all of our forks in the dishwasher right before dinner. We almost ate dinner with a serving fork and a little seafood fork. 4) Roses in the neighborhood on my walk with Gibson. 5) A lovely visit with my mom and dad. 6) I am loving mangos recently!

So what’s new with you? What have you been up to? How is your summer going so far?

Recent blog design work

I am so excited to share with you my most recent blog design work. I was connected with Erin when she won the design giveaway I did The Charming blog. I was inspired by her passion for life, the fun everyday life posts she does and I enjoyed reading the “Love Story” about her and her fiancé. Her blog is all about her life and how she approaches it, so her blog name is just perfect: “Living, Laughing and Loving Life.”

We started with a colorful Pinterest board, narrowed down the color scheme and I created this moodboard for the project.

We wanted a little glitz, while being feminine and soft. I was really inspired by the feathers. And this is how her final design came together:

Come see it in action HERE. I was so excited to work with a developer for the first time on this project behind the scenes. Her name is Claudia, and she totally rocked this for me and Erin. I love the mouse-over details in the nav bar and the social media icons. So happy with how everything came together!

I am currently reworking my design packages, but if you’re in the hunt for a new look for your blog, check out my Design page and shoot me an email. I would love to hear from you and see what we can create together.

Go leave Erin some love! Tell her what you like best about her new design. I’m sure she’d love to hear your thoughts!