I had just got done running with the dogs. My mind was clear and I felt refreshed. I was ready to work. On the way in I decided to check my mail. Bills, bills, and yea....

T-mobile was one of them. My usual bill is somewhere around a 100 dollars with my faves and unlimited texting. Well imagine my surprise when this bill was 237 dollars. And 54 cents. What the?

So I call T-mobile bound and determined to be tough ( I was a CSR for dish network in college so sometimes i melt under the pressure and stop being mean because I know what its like to be on the other end of the call) anyways.... so the plan was to be tough and threaten to cancel my service if they don't explain to me why my bill is so high and don't offer to help me...

and Joe answered. And he was getting married in October and has a fifteen month old. Him and his finance are getting married at a ski lodge in the mountains. And he does photography in his spare time. He was really nice...

and I lost my meanness and ended up joking around with him ..

and I still have a bill of 237. and 54 cents.

Suck.

My kind of healthy:

I bought the m & m's for the good of my health. Seriously, I did.

In previous weeks I've tried to develop a healthy alternatives to candy while editing pictures since I've been known to eat through an entire (BIG) box of hot tamels in a nano second. {and goodness knows hot tamels do nothing to help my waist line} I tried fruit but it proved to be too messy. Carrots worked well for about a day and then I was tired of them. I recently switched to Banana chips as a snack. And I was happy. They were tasty, sweet and nutritious. Low and behold the other day I turn the package over and find that my little 8 oz container holds a whopping 1200 calories. Sneaky packaging company. I mean, common a 1 oz serving? Please. I go through the 8 oz container and I'm still hungry.

So, obviously, today, at the grocery store I bought the bag of m & m's. At least they have calcium. Here's a toast to strong bones. ;)



{On a side note, today I finished my first sample album. Cheers! }

{Breath}ing deeply

On days like today,
when I feel especially broke,
i have to remind myself to take a step back.
To breathe.

I remind myself on these kind of days that money doesn't equal happiness. Mac and cheese for dinner or not, I have a husband who loves me . Unconditionally and always. For better or worse. And while we may not be in the forbes top 20, these are the days we will look back on and cherish someday. The days of our youth, when we were young and free. No children, no ties. Open to possibilities. Open to adventure.

If I were in a different time and place with boatloads of money, there is no guarantee I would be happy. I may, in my alternate world, have a closet stuffed to the brim with Jimmy Choo and Chanel purses and be amazingly stylish but I may be in love with an idiot. Or not in love at all.

So today, I am making a concious choice to be thankful for what I do have. Even as frustrated as I am with the now. While my 30D isn't the 5D, I do have a camera that I was so longing for a year ago. I may not have my branding, or my custom blog that i want so desperately that I've actually dreamt about it, but I do have a website. All the greats took it one day at a time too. And while I may not have all the answers, at least I'm beginning to understand.

I'm frustrated with album designing, but I'm learning. I'm frustrated with my work flow process but it will come with practice. I'm frustrated with learning how to use the TRA mix, but I do have them. And when I figure out my own unique look it will be a glorious, glorious day. {And there will be free ice cream for all.}

It's all about the learning process in this thing called life. One foot in front of the other. {Breathe} Getting up and trying again. {Breathe} The joy of discovery. And all the glorious possibilities tomorrow may hold...

Brandon & Jessie I May 17, 2008

They wed on the lawn overlooking the lake at five in the evening. Brandon stood flanked by his groomsmen, nervously awaiting his bride. On the balconies of the resort, overlooking the ceremony lawn people watched for her entry. The music started and Jessie apeared, glorious to behold. She was beaming from head to toe, excited to marry her love. So excited in fact that when the minister started with "Jessie do you take-" she interjected an emphatic "I do!" before he had even finished. The friends and family attending laughed along with the couple at her eagerness and Brandon beamed at his bride, delighted to be wanted so much.

The flowers were beautiful. The Bride and Groom were all smiles. The lake glistened. The bridal party was full of disko divas who stayed on the dance floor all night long. And the favors were boxes of gourmet chocolate. Does it get any better then this?

Brandon and Jessie, thank you for allowing me to be apart of your celebration. And thank you for letting me steal more then one box of chocolate for the ride home! ;) Have a blast in costa rica! ~A

Love letter

My love,
I'd do anything for you. I love you more then I did two years ago.. and less then I will in thirty years. You are my other half, my soul. I love you. Happy anniversary. Better late then never, right? ;) Always, Me



Our wedding anniversary was on Wednesday. We spent the day in San Juan Capistrano, wandering around the old mission, exploring the fabulous antique stores and walking the town. The mission was absolutely breathtaking and very romantic. In a tragic titanic kind of way. Afterwards, we drove PCH up the coast to Laguna beach and spent the sunset hour on the rocks watching the tide come in... and we ate the most glorious ice cream cones ever invented. Grape flavored. With nerds mixed in. Seriously, life changing and a very close second to watermelon...

May 21 is by far my favorite day of the year.


2 years ago...

Liberty Anna

I still remember the first day I held her. She was the prettiest baby I'd ever seen. Gorgeous brown eyes. Wisps of curly hair. When Liberty was born I was sixteen and I thought she was perfect. Nine years have passed since then. And I still think she's pretty much, well, perfect. Lib is a bundle of energy..a tomboy who can run with the best of em. While wearing lip gloss, of course. She is absolutely breathtaking and I love being able to bust my camera out and photograph her.