Overwhelmed to Excited in 1 hour...

So Jasmine Star (aka my idol) did a free workshop live online. it was 5 days long and she actually taught how to shoot a (real) wedding live for anyone and everyone one to see. it was to say the least amazing. i was feeling so cool taking notes and gaining all this valuable knowledge... then i watched jasmine shoot... and i seriously almost had a panic attack. i started feeling sooo ill prepared for my upcoming wedding in October. i seriously almost had a break down. my chest was tight i couldn't breathe it was awful! i thought "i will never be able to do this like she does" i felt sooo defeated. and to make matters worse i had to do a family shoot yesterday right in the middle of my break down! but then i got to the park, i met this amazing family, and i remembered everything jasmine taught me. and ya know what? the Keyes family and i rocked it out! so thanks to them and Jasmine for rebuilding my confidence and getting me excited to shoot again! :) here is a tiny preview. i will do a whole post on this wonderful group of people once i have all the pictures edited.

Flab to Fab... or How I Got My Life Back... or How I Lost 40 lbs..

ok... so this post is probably going to kill me.... i knew i needed to talk about it sooner or later... but i've been putting it off...
i had a long post written out explaining how this extra weight came to be and how i found hope and lost it all. but i'll just give you the short version.
i had a baby.
i couldn't stick to any calorie counting diet.
i couldn't lose any weight doing my moms aerobics tapes.
i ate a lot of comfort food.
i. was. miserable.
my relationships were all suffering because i was angry and mean and sad.
i started working out and eating clean and did my hair stylist's magic diet
and in six months i have lost a total of 40 pounds

now... i can't believe i'm even putting this picture on because it makes me sick to look at it... blah. but it has to be done. the after picture is from july and i have actually lost another 10 pounds since then. juuust so you know : )



aggghhh! it's painful to look at

but man

it is good to be back!

Summer Skin..

summer is coming to an end.. the days are getting shorter.. and cooler (kind of)..
it went by waaay too fast!
hannah's wedding is in three weeks... yup.. only.three.weeks...... yikes.
so those next three weeks are going to be a huge blur.. i don't know if i'll be getting around to blogging until after the wedding so i thought i'd better get on and post a few pictures to tide you over until then. i've been keeping a fairly busy. working on that book list i posted a while back.. hanging out with eden-baby.. going to the zoo.. watching Lost :)... booking shoots.. spending time with my awesome family.... you know the usual..

this little goat was trying to eat my hair at the zoo

see?


me and eden went to visit steve in lacrosse this past week and we went out to eat at this uh-mazing italian place! stephen begged that i not take my "nerd bag" aka my giant camera bag into the restaurant this time... soo i didn't... which is a huge bummer because i wish i could show you pictures of the food so you could try to imagine just how delicious it was... instead you'll have to deal with pictures of my left overs (chicken carbonara.. spinach, sun dried tomatoes, bacon?? yes please) is it wrong to eat pasta at 9:30 in the morning? if so i don't want to be right!


the brothers were home this weekend. so eden got to hang with her super cool cousin elias. they played in the water and ate ice cream and had loads of fun. they are the two coolest kids i have ever met... hands down.

Riley-Sweetie plus her Mom and Dad

This was an awesome shoot! Riley is such a little sweet heart. so well behaved and a great mini model! I have known Courtney forever. our moms went to high school together so we've done everything from camping in hurricanes, to sleeping on trampolines, to meeting young british creepsters, to making our own teletubbie costumes.... ok i better stop before i say something embarrassing... anyway Courtney, Matt, and Riley you guys are the best! hope you enjoy your pictures!




i love that look. that loving motherly look :)


riley's eyes are to diiie for!



love this one


(pssst! you can get riley's headband from little dandelion studios!)






by the end of the shoot riley had had enough! i love this one though.