Pennsylvania Just Because | Cousins

"28? 29?...she's not even near 30!...oh wait, I did guess 29..."

Because my mom is the youngest child in her family with a 15 year age gap between she and her oldest sibling, there is a definite age gap between me and my cousins. They're all growed up and married with children and seriously, some of the best people I know!

I love my cousins. The only sad thing about living in California is that I am half the country away from the nearest ones. So when two years are past and we meet again, a highlight is having the second cousins guess my age. As you can tell, they were a bit off, but that just made it all the more fun! Between the wiener roast, hike to the falls, sleepover, bbqs, hair cuts, big hugs, atv rides, and pictures, I think we made the most of our short time together!

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A Wedding Workshop From My Bed

For the past three days, when not traveling in the car, I've been spending my time being sick in bed in various towns and hotels. Thank goodness for creativeLIVE! I've been soaking in Jasmine Star's every tip, taking copious notes, and downloading sessions I wasn't able to watch live...all from my bed. Watching Jasmine shoot a wedding live was a dream come true! It's not too late to join in the fun! Tomorrow is the last day to watch live online for free, and then each session is being posted for download. Through Sunday you can even purchase these downloads at a discount--it's worth every penny! Thanks Jasmine, Chase, live audience, and crew for making this sick bed that much better!

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Homemade Grilled Pizza

After tweeting last week to say I was making dough for homemade grilled pizza, I'm here to say it was a success! Relatively, that is. For me, meals seem to take a lot longer than the recipe says, but boy was it worth the wait!

These pizzas had flavor like nothing else. I think the basil olive oil and grilling gave it a unique zing. And while the toppings in the book looked yummy, I used what I already had: olives, pineapple, bacon bits, tomatoes, and spinach. The cheeses were random and varied pizza to pizza--mozzarella, cheddar, parmesan, and fetta--but I think that added to the fun!

This is the pizza dough recipe I used and here are the grilling directions. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!

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Nevada City Just Because | Blount Family

Tears spilled down my face as I viewed my friends' last family pictures. With the passing of their mom, each picture with her took on new meaning. This is why I believe in family portraits.


As for the Blounts, I'm guessing their last official family portrait was over 10 years ago. With a couple of births and a marriage, this session was long overdue!

My goal is to capture them having fun. It's all about bringing back memories not only of that session, but also of real life. Think I got it?

To see the rest of their pictures, click here to view the gallery!


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The Thorns Which Reveal His Face

I was at 4th grade science camp, and living in the horse barn was a litter of kittens. We didn't expect him to, but when we called my dad at work to ask if we could take one home, by some miracle, he said yes. The kitten we picked was white with big blue eyes. Sapphire was just the name for her. Over the years we made so many memories--good and not as good.

-sleeping on top of our dollhouse and sometimes climbing inside to stick her paws out the windows and catch our fingers
-ramming herself into my parents' window screen and break it to escape outside
-waiting in the garage for my dad to come home so she could slip outside
-after escaping, running to the dirt to roll in it
-snuggling up on my bed in her favorite blanket
-thinking pieces of black paper taped to the wall were bugs and jumping to get them
-rubbing herself against my hair
-laying down and refusing to move when we put her in a harness attached to a leash
-biting my dad on the chin because he tried to pet her when she was mad at another cat
-ignoring the toys we bought her and playing with pipe cleaners and ponytails instead
-scratching Elizabeth
-laying in the middle of my parents' bed like she was the queen
-licking the window screen or my backpack and waking me up
-basking in the sun
-throwing up whenever she got near Fortuna in the beginning
-running to us when she heard us tapping her brush
-the way she commanded respect from Fortuna
-finding her sleeping in the oddest places
-perking up when she heard us open a bag of treats
-meowing when she heard us come home from a vacation
-dashing from room to room
-the sound of her purr in my ear when I rested my head against her side

I write this not so much to share as to remember. While the pain of losing her hurts deeply, it's part of life--my life. That doesn't mean I have to like it, but it also doesn't mean I have to push it to some remote part of my mind. I don't want to forget. The good memories, the bad, the happiness, the grief, and feelings I didn't expect. I hate sadness, I hate death and the pain it brings. Yet it has drawn me closer to Jesus. As Sono Harris wrote, "These trials are simultaneously burdens God gives to keep [us] utterly dependent; and thorns which pin back the veil that hides His face. In a fallen world, they are gifts." While Sono is now seeing Him face to face, I long for the day He comes again as King Jesus and wipes away all sin and sadness!

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Fav Picks: My Other Brain

Last fall I did something I never thought I'd do. I laid aside my PC laptop and picked up a shiny new MacBook Pro. And I'll never go back! Although I have a tendency to become a fangirl, I'm going to try to keep this relationship between me and Apple a little lower key. Yes, they're simpler. Yes, they work better. Yes, they're so much more stylish. Yes, everyone should get one. But that's all.

Now to protect my new brain, I had to choose a laptop case befitting of its excellence. Enter the Shootsac's brother, the Hip Slip. It honestly isn't the best looking bag in the world, but it's comfortable, protects well, and can be dressed up with one of my Shootsac covers. I bought it just to test it out and haven't been able to give it up.

The case that does tempt me though is the BookBook. I absolutely love its look and wouldn't mind it for my birthday, Christmas, or any random Friday. It's so me!

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Yosemite

Despite the blazing hot weather and swarms of mosquitoes, Yosemite was gorgeous. Green meadows, blue-green streams of water, and mountains with waterfalls gave us just a glimpse into God's beauty.


The path to Cook's Meadow and upper and lower Yosemite Falls.

Upper Yosemite Falls

What else would I carry but my trusty Shootsac! That and my Black Rapid strap go with me everywhere!

Favorite! Sunset over the valley

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Empire Mine Wedding | Suzan & Shane

"Shane and I aren't nervous at all. We're both just so ready to be married," said Suzan. It's no wonder as their relationship was a long distance one spanning from Grass Valley to Santa Maria, California. And it just seems appropriate that a relationship that began at a random meetup at a wedding should begin anew at another wedding, this time celebrating the two of them. Set in the beautiful gardens of Empire Mine State Park, family and friends gathered to celebrate. Though the distance is something they still have to overcome, and there will be other trials along the way, Suzan and Shane committed to honor, cherish, and love each other--forever. Thanks Michele for inviting me along to shoot with you!

One of the groomsmen gave Shane a special cufflink that represented his heritage.

Suzan and Shane chose a First Look, to see each other before the wedding. Both were so ready to be married!

Love that she chose blue suede heels!

Favorite! Empire Mine is the perfect place for a wedding or bride & groom portraits!

These amazing peonies as well as the other florals were designed by Foothill Flowers.

I usually have a love fest with color, but these just had to black and white! Aren't they a stunning couple?

One of my favorite moments, when the groom sees the bride coming down the aisle...so not diminished by the First Look at all! Shane even had to look away for awhile to regain his composure. ;-)

Finally married!

Christopher's Catering Co began the reception with some delish food while Mountain Event Productions acted as the host and kept the party going late into the night!

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Grass Valley Senior Yearbook | Claire

She may be a 2011 high school senior, but Claire's an old fashioned girl at heart. A cup of chai and a book of Lord Byron's Poems or a seat at a piano is all she needs to keep her company. And maybe add in a few texts to and from her friends and facebooking from her shiny white Macbook...it's still the twenty-first century!

Claire was visiting from Colorado for her cousin's wedding and we managed to snatch a few cute pictures before she left. I wasn't kidding about the chai and book of poems!

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Browns Valley Wedding | Emily & Wayne

She laughed, cried, and couldn't stop smiling. This was the day Emily was getting married. When Wayne asked her to "merry" him, she joyfully agreed, in every way. That word became symbolic of their relationship, she explained in her vows. She can't help but be merry when Wayne's around. The day was just the first of many, many more to come. Through the good times and bad, in sickness and in health, for richer or "probably poorer," Emily and Wayne will continue to be merry together.

The wedding was held at Emily's Grammy and Poppy's home in Browns Valley where she has many happy childhood memories. Friends and family flew in from Virgina and all over the United States to celebrate with them. Atop a hill, it made for some beautiful pictures!

This was truly a friends and family affair. The girls' getting ready room was a constant stream of people going in and out, making sure the bride was properly taken care of, and helping each other out. Lovette did a beautiful job on Emily's hair, just like she did 23 years ago with Emily's mother, Michelle!

Grandma Livingston putting on the beautiful pearls she bought for Emily

Emily and Wayne chose a First Look, to see each other before the ceremony, and it ended up being some of the sweetest moments from the day! Here she is walking up to see her man

Utter bliss!

As a tribute to their parents, we recreated wedding pictures from both sides of the family. Doesn't Emily look so much like her mother?

Tucking in a handkerchief in case of happy tears during the ceremony. I love capturing these precious little details!

Despite the heat and humidity (hello, California, heat is ok, humidity is not!), Emily and Wayne managed to look cool and calm

Isn't she a gorgeous bride?!

One last moment with her girls

One of my favorite shots to get, the groom's first look at his bride walking down the aisle

To symbolize the impact family and friends had on their lives, two candles were passed hand to hand, table to table until they reached the parents. The two candles were used to light two separate tapers that Emily and Wayne would later use to light their unity candle.

Married at last!

Emily's mother, Michelle, did an amazing job coordinating all the details, and the delicious cake was made by Cakes by Nancy

The perfect ending to a perfect day

To view more of their Browns Valley wedding, click here to see the slideshow! Print orders can be done through the gallery!


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