Monday Vacation Confessions

We all know the feeling when you pull into your driveway after a long drive home from vacation...it's a nice mixture of it's good to be home and an awful dread of "back to reality". Even the best vacations always come to an end!

1. Driving over 9 hours 9 months pregnant wasn't great but it was worth the destination! We loved where we got to stay in Emerald Isle, NC.

2. The house we stayed in was actually for sale, only $2.8 million - anyone want to spot me a loan? You can visit of course :) It was beach front, 6 bed/6bath, with a pool on a deck overlooking the ocean.

3. I only used my hairdryer once on vacation..I embrace my natural hair texture in that kind of humidity :)

4.My kids were up every day at 6:30am ready to start the fun! It definitely is a different kind of vacation with toddlers.

5. I pretty much ate a dilly bar from Dairy Queen every day at 3pm....and sometimes repeated at 9pm! I think the dilly bars by the pool had an extra yumminess to them!

6. I read two books, Beachcombers by Nancy Thayer and Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks. (Yes you can read a couple books during naptime hours sitting by the pool). They were definitely both good beach/summer reads. Beachcombers was set in Nantucket and had some great poignant family dynamics. Safe Haven was much more of an intense -don't-want-to-put-down book with some twists and turns. As many of Nicholas Sparks books are, it was set in his native state of North Carolina. I always feel like I need to read one of his books when I am visiting an NC beach, just feels right!

7. I decided it was time to see what all the fuss was about Glee, so I borrowed season one from the library and asked my sis Ashley to get into watching it with me. Needless to say, we were sucked in right away and need to get our hands on season two! Lets hope the library has that one too...

8. We got to NC on the night before Easter, knowing we wouldn't be joining our church families to celebrate Easter we decided to do it a little differently this year. We watched the Passion of the Christ which I must say is extremely powerful. I haven't been able to bring myself to watch it since I saw it in the theater years ago. I think it was the perfect way to remind me of Christ's sacrifice and truly contemplate Easter.

9. My kids absolutely loved every minute of being at the beach with the whole family. Our week was full of precious memories togeteher. I did take a good amount of pics and will post some soon. There were many moments when I found myself just watching and getting a little emotional because I know these memories are already fleeting. M & D are growing so fast. Sometimes when I take a snapshot I know that years down the road I will look at it with longing for these sweet days. (I remind myself of that when the terrible twos rear it's ugly head!). It was also precious to see them experiencing such great love from family - they have great relationships with their grandparents and aunts and uncles. It's wonderful to grow up in such a web of love and support!

10. Last but not least..I am having a baby in 26 days (if all goes according to plan)! holy cow! Coming home to that reality is even more of a wake up call than most post-vacation depressions. It's more like a post-vacation freak out to get ready for number three :) Just taking it one day at a time!

Dean LOVED the ocean, no fear at all (which of course made Mommy nervous!). Daddy loved having a mini-playmate at the beach. Matt even has a small surfboard he is saving to teach the kids on when they're ready :)

Macy loved walking on the sand but it took her some getting used to. I couldn't get enough of her cuteness and pretty much think she was the Coppertone baby come to life :)

For those who have wanted to see some belly pics, Matt offered to take a few our last night at the beach. 
It's funny, I love to take maternity photos but sort of shudder at the idea of getting them taken! Thanks Matt for making me feel pretty despite the triple chin :) 

How the heck to choose a Wedding Photographer?!

    Other than a spouse and rings, the photos last the longest from your wedding day! I joke with friends that your wedding day and honeymoon is really the best you will ever look! You will certainly not get any younger and most likely not any thinner… at least that’s the case for most of us!

    It is important how you go about choosing your wedding photographer. Unless you are one of the fortunate girls with an unlimited budget, I think a lot of brides start out thinking “What can I get for the least amount of money?” with almost every aspect of the wedding. I have to say, that’s probably the worst way to approach most things, especially photography.

    I personally went through this experience planning my own wedding, I got down to two photographers that I had met with and had personal references for. First guy was a gentleman who I knew would do “fine” and was inexpensive. As for number two his work was way more my style, current in wedding photography, and I could imagine treasuring the images he would create. He did cost 3 times the amount of the first guy but I have learned that “you always get what you pay for.” I didn’t want to walk away from my wedding with images I felt “blah” about….I wanted pictures to capture my day specifically to my own style and aesthetic. I also considered who I could imagine being my literal shadow on my wedding day and photographer number two fit the bill much better than number one.  Do not underestimate the importance of getting along with all of your vendors you choose for your big day, after all they are creating your wedding experience. With all that said, we chose to invest into the more expensive photographer and are so glad we did!

Here are some important things to consider when choosing –

1. Style is a great place to start. Start looking at photographers in your area and get a feeling for what types of images you are drawn to. What type of end result do you want when all is said and done? You cannot hire a JCPenney Portrait photographer to try to take Annie Leibowitz type images. This is just a research phase, where you learn what you like and don't stress about budget.
2. Reputation and references go hand in hand with researching style. Start asking friends who did their weddings. Ask if they were happy with not only photographer’s final product but their personality? Was he or she an asset to the day?  If you find a photographer that you love but no one you know has used him or her, feel free to ask him or her for a few references you could contact. Any photographer with professional services will be willing to give you a reference. I cannot tell you how many wedding photographer horror stories I have heard & witnessed but I will save those for another blog post!
3. Budget is of course essential to consider as you start to narrow down. You might love a photographer that starts at $10k but have a $2k budget, this is when you can get realistic about who might start to fit the bill. The average wedding photographer cost or package now in the US starts at $3k. There are certainly options under this, as mine even start below this point but please be realistic with your starting point. If something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Someone offering to do your entire wedding for $399 is definitely suspect...they might be extremely inexperienced and therefore unprepared for what might come on wedding day or they might turn up so-so images.
4. Product options are important once you narrow down who might fit your style, personality, and budget.  If you know you are only interested in buying the digital files, make sure that’s an option for you to purchase. Every photographer will have options, just make sure you can see some samples and you like what they offer. I know that I keep my product line fairly simple so if someone wants something very elaborate, I might not be their best fit.
5. Availability, of course you would need to find out who is available for your date so once you get narrowed down to a few, see who is even available! Due to my baby coming this summer, I had to say no to a lot of people unfortunately asking for weddings around my due date. More popular photographers book quickly as well as prime dates like Saturdays in June fill up quickly!

These five things are just a few suggestions on how to go about who to work with on your wedding day. I am making these suggestions in relationship to photography but they actually work fairly well with all the vendors you will choose for the day! Make sure you will love the people, love their work, and feel like they are worth the investment you are making in them, as well as being trustworthy to deliver!

Sweet Charlie

Sometimes expressions are weird like, "I could just eat you up," but then there are times they just make sense! I met my sweet new friend Charlie for a little spring photo shoot. When he showed up dapper in his little khakis and sailor sweater vest, I could literally...EAT HIM UP! His smiles, his cheeks, and his energy all made my job fun. Having two almost 2 years olds myself certainly helps me when meeting a new toddler, we have lots to talk about like Elmo, going on easter egg hunt,s and airplanes in the sky... you know... the good stuff! I had a lot of fun on a pretty spring day capturing this little boy's spirit. Charlie of course had his pretty mommy along for the adventure too and we of course managed to get some shots with her too!

Charlie and Mommy, she can look at these pictures when he leaves for his senior prom and doesn't even want to hug her in public anymore! :)

Love the tongue, I swear it always helps a person concentrate!

I mean REALLY? He probably gets away with everything because of this cheeky smile!

An airplane flew over head and it was major cause for excitement as we tried to spot it in the sky. 

Charlie decided he could stand to sit for a few more frames with Mommy included. 

He was glad to hear when we were almost done picture time...

Thanks Charlie and Melanie for making me remember why I love my job! 

For those of you who are still interested in booking a spring shoot, my schedule is tight but don't be afraid to inquire! emily@emilytroutmanphoto.com

Kickin' it with Kamee, NYC style

Spring sunshine, the energy of New York, and joining up with other creatives to go on a styled photo shoot...I literally had to pinch myself last Friday. When I originally heard about this workshop, I didn't know what April 15th would hold for me being between 7 & 8 months pregnant so I decided not try to sign up. I got introduced to the work of Kamee June Photography through my friend Rhonda. Well Rhonda heard some spots opened up and invited me along, boy am I glad she did! I knew that I might get tired after walking lots or have to make ridiculous amounts of potty stops but I was game as long as everyone else didn't mind having a prego along. The experience was even better than I imagined... getting to shoot all over the streets of NYC on a beautiful spring day while being inspired by all the creativity around me was such a refreshing change from my daily mommy life!

We were given a little story to go with our shoot... girl meets boy... girl and boy are supposed to be meeting up for special tryst...girl leaves apartment ready and beautiful ready to meet up with her love...heads to the train station...waits, waits, and waits some more....realizes boy isn't coming...heartbreak.

Special thanks to Kamee June for hosting the workshop, Katrina Kirk for styling and Gentry for modeling for us! both Kamee and Katrina have fun blogs you should check out after you look at mine :)

Enjoy the eye candy from the day! 

Gentry works it on the steps of a beautiful brownstone and I loved how this guy walked by at the perfect time with the perfect tie to play off Gentry's pretty blouse. 

Ahh youth and beauty! Only to be a college freshman again! This California girl has been braving the streets of NYC to get her education at NYU and I have to say she was a good sport with the chill in the air!

Loved her boots...

Great Styling by Kat...

The Famous Grand Central...

Loved how the light wrapped around her stiletto to create a perfect silhouette. 

Monday..time to confess

1. Totally just ate a hot dog with coke for lunch at Costco...hit the spot..remember don't judge me :)

2. Got a free $20 gift card today from target just for creating a baby registry!

3. Ants are attacking at our house, is this happening to anyone else?!

4. I had an amazing experience on Friday being a part of a workshop in NYC with Kamee June Photography. We had a model and stylist with us to create a fun atmosphere to photography on the NYC streets. If you haven't ever been to NYC in spring, you really should go! Trees were in bloom and everything was picturesque. Thanks to NYC Freshman, Gentry, for being our model and to Katrina Kirk for styling. It was a great day of shooting and friends! Plan to blog some shots from the shoot later this week for those who haven't already peeked on facebook!

5. I was suprised beyond belief yesterday when some friends threw me a baby shower for number 3! I REALLY was not expecting a thing because I am having 3 kids in two years and people were already SO generous when the twins came! I was SO TOUCHED and everything was beautiful - the theme of the shower was diapers, which was perfect because we will definitely need them with 3 booties in diapers at once! My awesome aunt tallied and we landed somewhere over 2100 diapers for our family! Thanks friends!

6. We are going on vaction Saturday, I have a ton of work to do but have vacation brain! It dawned on me this morning as I was peeling my eyes open that I now have to pack for this wonderful beach vacation. We are heading south with my hubby & his family for a last little getaway before baby arrives!

And on that note I am going to get back to other photography related tasks while the kids nap, I like to leave for a trip with all those loose ends tied up!

Beautiful Rockwood Wedding

Jon-Mikel and Jackie bonded over a love of the outdoors and sports, and the rest as they say, was history! When a bride chooses the end of March for her wedding date, she can hope for a gorgeous spring day but unfortunately there was still quite a winter chill in the air for this wedding day. That didn't stop this great bride and groom from braving the chill to get some outdoor portraits. All the details fell together perfectly for this Rockwood Mansion wedding event. As far as a place with charm and character, this is place defines that.     Jon-Mike and Jackie, thanks again for having me capture your day and congrats again!

(For those of you that follow regularly, forgive my growing pains on how to best display images on my blog. I am keeping it simple but still want to give the best viewing experience for you!)

Jackie made such a beautiful bride!

 Loved these florals but you know I am a sucker for a cala lily! I was also smitten with this gorgeous red antique chair that was perfect for some bridal shots!

I think this is one of my favs of the day!

Jon-Mikel worked it too!

This last shot was from my wingman for the day, Rhonda Bowman, who did a great job as second shooter!

Monday Confessions

Today I will have to keep it "like a midget made out of sugar" - short & sweet!

1. I am swamped in a good way this week, lots of editing and more shoots coming later in the week.

2. Most exciting?! I am going to be a park of workshop in NYC on Friday with the fabulous Kamee, check her out if you haven't! Great west coast photographer heading up a styled wedding shoot in NYC that I get to participate in along with a few friends...REALLY EXCITED! Just imagine me waddling through NYC for this opportunity...praying now for great weather!

3. Still a crazy mom trying to hold it all together. Smack in the middle of reading Don't Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Plowman. It's a good read so far, tying together scripture and discipline. Hope I can learn how to implement it well.

4. Finished Water for Elephants last week, really enjoyed it. There of course was some vulgarity but hey - it's a story about a carnival in the depression..what do you expect?! It had a lot of fun as well as drama...good read and I am ready to watch RPatz & Reese Witherspoon bring it alive on the big screen when it comes out!

5. I broke my own rule today and let my kids play in the sandbox at the park. I usually refer to it as the "litter box" but after trying to chase them in two directions and Dean taking a big spill off a high playground ladder I thought "hey, they might actually stay in the same place for 5 minutes if I let them play in the sand." It worked like a charm and they played for a good 15 to 20 minutes in there!! I was pretty excited about that and had to dump all the sand off them before putting them back in our cleanly vaccuumed swagger wagon :)

Like I said this morning, going to view this week's to-do list as opportunities to do what I love and make a difference...try not to look at everything as an obligation! Happy Monday friends!

Not too late to confess...

You didn't think I forgot did you?! Today was a gorgeous busy Monday so better late than never!

1. I became an aunt today! Trevor Owen-Elder Frey was born today at 11:27am. He was 8lbs and 20 inches long. I got there in time this afternoon to see his first bath and snuggle him a bit. So happy for my big brother & his new family! As much as "Auntie Em" could sound cheesy, I think it has a nice ring to it!

2. Definitely remembered today that it was free iced coffee Monday at Dunkin! French vanilla on the rocks, yum!

3. It was SOOO nice out! The kids and I did lots of outside things like the park, blowing bubbles with our new bubble wands from walmart, taking a walk in the neighborhood...it was super and did I mention that they watched less than 15 minutes of TV all day..this huge since this winter we were stuck in so much!

4. I am busy with editing and all kinds of good business stuff but I took a time-out for some sunshine on my deck while reading Water for Elephants, I am getting close to done!

5. We went to ChickFila kids night tonight on our way home from visiting the new baby. You can't beat free dinner, balloons, a clown and ice cream :) Again..don't mention the nutritional information.

6. I am learning a lot about parenting lately. It can be so joyful and also so stressful a the same time. Having a boy and a girl of the exact same age is interesting, they are so different. I am having to learn how to love, lead, teach, and discipline them. It's a challenge!

7. I am almost 32 weeks with number 3, can't believe in 8 short weeks we will have another little Troutman! really starting to wonder who is in there :)

8. Got to watch the movie Tanlged this weekend, I thought it was cute and my kids enjoyed it. A girl always loves a good fairy tale that ends happy!

9. Kids got to meet the Easter bunny at the mall...Dean loves bunnies and learned a few weeks ago that they "hop.'  As soon as he saw the large bunny at the mall he was screaming and pointing "Hop, Hop, Hop" and couldn't wait to get over there. Of course Easter has a very significant spiritual meaning in our home that really doesn't have to do with a bunny and our children will learn all about that with each passing year. I just enjoyed seeing them smile while encountering this larger than life bunny! Macy liked him a whole lot better when she wasn't on his lap :)

10. Easter Bunny Photo for your enterainment-

Monday Confessions

Remember those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, so I am not tossing any :) Here's a glimpse inside my glass house today...

1. Almost totally forgot about free iced coffee Monday with my little magical card to Dunkin Donuts, must fix this later today!

2. I let my kids run with sticks.

3. Went shopping at DSW this weekend with my mama (she was crowd control for the twins)... I got one pair of shoes for $34.98 and the other for FREE with my $20 coupon! Both are awesome shoes & both were off the clearance rack. I checked the original prices, got $130 worth of shoes for that $34.98 - don't hate on the coupons!

4. Putting clean sheets on a crib is hard enough, try with a  7 month prego belly...comical!

5. I have raised my voice today with my kids...working on that though. I really love when Dean now "tells on himself" - I hear him saying "no, no" when he's doing something he KNOWS he shouldn't...like when he ripped Macy's barette out of her hair and then shoved it in his mouth so I wouldn't see.

6. I used to love my dog, he was my favorite & first baby...now we are more like former best friends who still have to hang out in the same circle of friends but had a falling out. He looks at me longingly like "will you ever love me again"...it's sad really but I am busy keeping barrettes out of mouths!

7. NOT a fan of the Housewives of Miami - anyone with me on this? Just can't get into it.

8. I just started reading Water for Elephants last night, I will let you know how I like it. I hope to see the movie too but I don't know if I can handle Robert Pattinson as anyone other than Edward Cullen...we shall see! (**Jacob - I accidentally typed "Jacob Cullen" - you can tell who I have on the brain..haha)

9. Just got the  Passion album "Here for You" & the Hillsong United's "Aftermath"  -  I am digging both of them. If you need to pick up your spirit a bit, they will both turn your thoughts and hearts towards the things of God.

10. My husband and I had a huge debate yesterday (on the way to church of course) about the usage of helmets on small children. I, of course, as the mother agreed children should definitely wear helmets while riding bikes, skateboarding, and even probably sledding. My argument, why would you ever chance having a child with head trauma?! My husband's argument was something about the government intervening too much in our lives...come again honey?! Love you Matt :) Life's tough, our kids are wearing helmets!

First Day of Spring

After a long winter nothing sounds better than Spring!We got outside to enjoy a little fresh air and sunshine! The kids discovered that they absolutely loved skateboarding with Daddy!  I love a new beginning so here's a few shots to say, "Happy first day of Spring!" 

 

Baby Cayden Newborn Shoot

It's really not fair, some babies are just pretty! Don't tell his Daddy I used that word but Cayden is just a pretty baby! I arrived after he was happily fed the other day and he was wide awake and ready to check out my camera. I do have to say that photographing newborns is not for the faint at heart, they are about as cooperative as a toddler that you tell "no." It's just unpredictable but this little man was a champ while he hung out in his diaper just letting me document all his sweetness :) He is just a week old in this pictures and you can see all the lovely little newborn details...his mama will cry over these someday when he's a teenager and doesn't want to hug her in public! Love getting to photograph these tiny ones! Excuse the plethora of images but I just couldn't choose so enjoy!

 

 

I love me a bargain

So make fun of my coupons ALL you want, they don't call me "coupon queen" for nothing! Want to hear what coupons did for me today? Well lets see, free pair of underwear in Victoria's secret, 30 % off in Gap where I got Macy an adorable spring dress with bloomers for $6.70, a FREE Carters boys summer 2 peice outfit for Deano in JCPenney ($10 JCPenney Cash coupon from mi madre), $10 off in Yankee candle because I needed a new spring sent & a car jar for the swagger wagon... I about broke a sweat today wheeling the twin double trouble stroller around the mall snatching up my bargains. Yes, I did still spend money (some of you like to point that out, thanks Matt) but I was able to do a considerable amount more with the amount I did have. Stretching your dollars with a growing family is a must! And if you saw my twitter last night I am about to get free iced coffee at Dunkin Donuts every Monday from now until April 25th, now if that doesn't deserve the happy dance, what does?!

I won't bore you with my wicked skills at the grocery store or my latest obession with amazon mom but I will also advocate for my good recent craigslist experiences. Two of my recent craigslist purchases turned into "it's a small world party" because both different occasions revealed we have mutual friends. One girl is a neighbor of friends and sold me a lovely unopened box of Huggies Diapers for $10 (this is a $40 box of diaper people!) and then she booked a photo shoot with me - I LOVE IT! Yesterday I had a date to go look at little girls clothing in a nearby neighborhood only to reveal that the mom selling is a good friend of my good friend, we had just never met. I got some GREAT second hand clothes for Macy at a fraction of the price. If you saw her today in her little Nike track suit and pig tails you would never know her whole outfit cost me $3. :)

I say all this to encourage you to try to pinch a penny and find a deal on things that you already need to buy! That's the key...don't just buy to buy...only buy items that are already on your "need" list.

If you are needing any clothing, Gap/OldNavy/BananaRepublic are doing their Give & Get 30% off this weekend! Go here for the coupon! If you are heading to the movies, Regal Cinemas is doing a free small popcorn this weekend!  Coupons are your friend, friend!

News about Mini- Sessions

   So friends, I came to a tough realization this week. I am not super woman :) For those of you who might have already figured this out, thanks for letting me humbly come to this conclusion on my own! No really... I have some dissapointing news that I will not be offering mini sessions this spring. Here's why, I have a pretty solid calendar of regular shoots and 2 weddings between now and May 1. If you are following along with me, you know that I am almost 30 weeks pregnant and chasing my twin 20 month olds. We are also hoping to make an Easter week trip to North Carolina with the family before the baby comes. These factors do not really allow for spare time or extra energy so I am choosing to make the tough decision to honor the clients I already have booked and give them my full attention for now.

   I am still accepting a few more regular shoot slots on both Saturday April 9th and Saturday April 16th. April 16th I am shooting at University of Delaware's campus to catch all the gorgeous foliage in bloom and the always beautiful campus. If you are intersted, please shoot me an email, emily@emilytroutmanphoto.com.

I do hope to have more mini session shots either later in the summer or again in the fall. Thanks for understanding! I have a fun photo shoot coming up this weekend to support Children's Variety Network, fill you in on that later :)

Monday Confessions

1. I am right now eating a lunch of leftover tea sandwiches (Go Grandma!) from a baby shower for my soon to be nephew, can't wait to meet him! I am also letting the kids eat while watching a video on the little dvd player.. :)

2. I about had a coronary when I just filled up my gas tank today..even at Wawa prices it was $65 to fill up my swagger wagon. I realize that we are spoiled here in suburban America, I might need to start carpooling to the grocery store!

3. I heard this morning that they are discontinuing Captain Cruch cereal due to it's high sugar content?! FO' REAL?!! Capt' Crunch is a childhood favorite of mine & really...I mean what about Reeses Puffs or Cookie Crunch or the Mini Cinnabon Cereal? One of those HAS to have Capt Crunch beat!

4. I didn't get out of bed until almost 8am today, thanks daylight savings for confusing my children, at least it worked in my favor today.

5. Last week I went a little crazy and decided to redecorate a powder room that I have hated since we moved in over 4 years ago. It was sort of just half done and had no style to it at all! I mostly just shut the door so I didn't have to look at it. We got done the destruction, got one coat of paint on the wall, changed out the cabinet hardware and took down the old mirror and light fixture...then the busy weekend hit. It was ignored and I am going to work this week on getting to a finished project! Will try to post pics of before and after..don't wait to be impressed though, it's just a small spruce up :)

Welcome Cayden Marcus!

One of my closest friends had her first baby this morning! She rocked out labor in less than 6 hours (crazy lady) & a beautiful boy was born! Cayden Marcus was born at 7:09am, 7lbs 13 ozs and just gorgeous! I was trying to hold myself back and wait to visit tomorrow but I couldn't wait...went straight there this afternoon with the excuse to get some pictures of him within his first 24 hours! He is already so loved :) COngrats to Jasalyn & Marcus on their gorgeous son!

the Everyday

I have been once again challenged lately that I slack in taking pictures of my own family! I have also caught myself looking at sweet moments in my everyday life that I was like "wish I had my camera," which usually means we are up stairs and my camera is two flights of stairs down in the office area :) I was determined to overcome that this week and take some snapshots of my every day. I mostly have noticed just how much the twins are growing and changing every day, not to mention that in a few short months our family itself will change entirely! I think the key to these types of images is to really just capture moments and not focus too hard on photographic perfection, which I sometimes get caught up in...go figure!

One day I was checking out a blog I visit sometimes, girltalk, and I read about their 52Home project. I might have been emotional that day but this quote brought me to tears...

"Ordinary is where we all live most of the time. And yet our mundane, repetitive days are full of enduring work. Homes are being built. Families are being knit together. Little souls are being shaped for eternity. The tedious is, in fact, momentous—when done for the sake of Christ: “…so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior” (Titus 2:10).

This truth can get lost in piles of laundry and dirty dishes. We need help to see the glory peaking out from behind the ordinary. Our hope is that you’ll see your own ordinary, yet glorious life in these pictures. That you’ll glimpse the faithfulness of God that undergirds his faithful ones. That you’ll see reflections of the eternal in the everyday." 

So I challenge myself with these words...yes I feel like I live a lot in the mundane but "little souls are being shaped for eternity" and (crying while writing this) "we need to help see the glory peaking out from behind the ordinary"... just so blessed to have the life that I have. 

Disclaimer: I felt brave to photograph anything in the chaos that is usually my bedroom so please disregard any messes, laundry or otherwise...

(Update: passed that glucose test with flying colors! The nurse asked me over the phone "Did you feel like you were going to die when you were leaving though?! Your blood sugar was very low"... well duh :) 

Monday Confessions

1. Today was the dreaded test for a pregnant lady..the glucose test, which involves drinking syrupy orange goop that tastes like a freeze pop gone wrong and then sitting for an hour before getting blood taken. Did I mention that you have to fast before this?! Yes, that might actually be the worst part - a starving pregnant woman.

2. While sitting for an hour in the doc office I was attempting to read a book but I couldn't get into it, instead I listened to the inner office gossip going on and pillaged the waiting room mags for the amazon diaper coupons. Yes, I know I am that serious about good coupons but hey - I left the 15% off baby depot because that would require tearing a page.

3. My husband and his father are contractors, so like most contactors they know the best place in town to get a hot, cheap, fast lunch and in our town..it's Costco. We have started making a weekly date to meet at Costco for lunch with the kids :) Hey 5 of us can eat for less than $10 and they've been there so much now they know my father-in-laws order!

4. I ordered some new sample books and albums last week that I am anxiously awaiting! It will be like Christmas when the FED Ex man arrives!

5. Oh and yes...after said glucose test this morning, I drove directly to Pure Bred Deli and got a hot egg & cheese on a bagel. Nothing like a breakfast sandwich to break the fast :)

6. I confess that I am not a huge matchy matchy person but this was in my inbox from gymboree today & I thought "I would love to photograph a family in these outfits!" Any takers for spring?!

Happy Monday friends!

Engaged: George & Stephanie

Snow shoots are elusive like intelligence on an episode of the Real Housewives of Atlanta...they can be hard to achieve! Steph & George are our literal next door neighbors and friends. From the moment they got engaged over Valentines day weekend, Steph had visions of a beautiful engagement shoot in the snow. Just as the rest of us in DE want to kiss that snow goodbye and welcome the sun, she got her wish! When Steph saw the forecast this week, we were hopeful and as fate would have it she got a literal snow day from her job and we were able to work it into my schedule of craziness to make this beautiful shoot happen! As we arrived at the shooting location today, I knew why it snowed (much to the dismay of most of us)...it's because this shoot needed to happen, Stephanie needed these pictures! I am so glad to have been a part of this session, it was a blast! I love it when everything is so pretty and fresh in snow... kind of like fresh love and the excitement of a new engagement! Can't wait to be a part of Steph & George's big day next year! Congrats on your engagement and I REALLY am happy it snowed for you (just not for the rest of us)!

Monday Confessions

Remember...don't judge me ;)

1. 90210 (the new version) is totally on my DVR and yes I LOOK forward to it!

2. My 19 month old son broke an "unbreakable" nalgene bottle last week on the driveway and I dare say I used the word "pi**ed" when it happened - mostly because i had to go back inside and fill up another sippy cup for before our errands. Evidence... hope the replacement gets sent soon!

3. I am a sucker for convenience, my kids love "uncrustables" for lunch and I am happy to give it to them. Yes I can make PB & J but really, why would do that when all I do is open a package?! Oh and my hubby likes them too!

4. I hit up the sales racks at Kohl's yesterday like a champ - scoring christmas shirts for next year for $1.20.

5. I say "no" so much my son was running around this morning saying "no, no, no, no, no" like a song!

6. DEFINITELY don't think it's cool that we are supposed to get another 3 to 6 inches of snow tonight!

7. Saw the new movie "Just Go With it" on valentines night, laughed so hard my face hurt and this pregnant lady was in danger of wetting herself! Seriously, go see it if you need to laugh really hard. The storyline is a stretch, I mean really - is Jennifer Anniston ever frumpy?! But the laughs are totally worth it!

8. Excited about the potential for some upcoming spring mini - sessions....I am working on the details & spots will be limited. As soon as I can confirm dates and locations, you will all be the first to know!

9. This past week I have sang "Under the Sea" at the top of my lungs while rolling down the windows in order to keep my kids from taking a car nap...it totally works!

10. Finally got my hair highlighted and cut for spring, SO MUCH BETTER! If you need a fantastic stylist, head on over to Trilogy and ask for Jen, she's awesome!

Cozy Winter Wedding

At the end of January I had the privilege of photographing a beautiful winter wedding. The setting was the intimate atrium at Deerfield Golf & Tennis club after a gorgeous snowfall. This wedding was a friend of mine who actually was a boss of mine when I was in college ;) She was always wonderful to work for! I was honored when she contacted me to capture her wedding day. The great thing about the setting at Deerfield is that there is beautiful natural light, no matter the weather - every photographers dream. Once Donna & Keith said their sweet "I Do's," we headed into a cozy room with a fire place where a yummy dinner was served. This dinner was complete with a mashed potato bar! If  that sounds crazy to you - YOU HAVE NO IDEA! It was so delish! You could choose between either regular or sweet potatoes and then there were yummy toppings for each. I will definitely keep this in mind for a future event. They also had a beautiful cake from Dana Herbert of Desserts By Dana. If you have never had his lavender cake, you are really missing out! 

If you are engaged and considering a smaller size wedding and want it all at the same place, this was the perfect place with a gorgeous setting and everything close to each other. Congrats Donna & Keith, blessings to you!