Changes....

If you've been reading my photography blog, you know where I'm going with this. If you haven't I just wanted to say that I am so excited about the changes I've been making with my photography business. In the last year, I've been realizing my goals aren't to make a million dollars, or be a crazy business woman. But to simply give people great photographs they can be proud of, and preserve their memories from those moments in life! I hope in the last year, as I've been getting things off the ground I've been able to do that for the people I've worked with so far.

I'm realizing sometimes to make money (not that I want to make a fortune) you have to spend money! Which brings me to the changes: this past month I did a web redesign. I went with a different host and provider, designed it myself, and now the new site is up and running! Hope you all have had a chance to view it and give your feedback.

Next up are the promo cards. My friend Courtney designed them...she's pretty good! Here's a preview:

If you want to see more click here.

Needless to say I am excited about the changes I am making and the possibilities that await! I'm excited to spend the next year expanding and growing! It's going to be a good year!!!

about last night...

Some random ramblings from this past weekend:
- Friday Orion and I chilled, picked up my much awaited Bridesmaid dress from David's, bought a shower gift, and I finished planning my games for Jessie's shower, wrapped shower gifts, put all my stuff together for Saturday, and had coffee with our Pastor!
- Saturday Orion worked at the hotel, I got myself together and headed to the shower. Saturday afternoon was Jessie's shower. It was such fun! I'm so excited to spend this time with her as she plans her big day! She had a great turn out, people love her and it was good to see it and be apart of it all. (more to come on this later)
Saturday night we all headed to Celebration to hear Jimmy preach! He did great! Then we all headed to "our" spot Chili's in B'ville for some chips n salsa and conversation! So much fun, great food, with great friends! I am thankful for the great friends we have in our lives.
- Sunday, we went to church, headed to the picnic. Brought Bentley to meet everyone! He's a hit, they love him and so do we! Came home Sunday afternoon and hit the garage to clean. Now, we haven't really cleaned the garage since we moved into our house. Other than putting shelves up and throwing stuff on them. But we tackled the garage on Sunday. We're a good team. I loved it. One pile for throw away, one for Good Will and another for Orion to go threw and pitch! I also organized my closets, made fresh salsa per the request of Hubby, and we watch the closing ceremonies. Such a good day, tiring by the end of the weekend. But I am so glad we got stuff done that we'd been putting off for weeks.
Next weekend it's off to Wisconsin for my much awaited girls weekend! I can't wait.

These are Great!

One of the things I love about churches is their random church sign out front, you never know what it's going to say. I have a friend who's one job for a while was to change the church sign every week. I am often driving by churches and the hi light for me is the sign. People come up with some crazy and inventive things for their sign. I found this lovely delight on my way home from work one day on Hwy 110 in Minneapolis:This one came from my co-work Rhiannon. She's from Wisconsin, her Dad sent it to her and then it made it's way to my desk. I've never laughed so hard in my life! But it's true, God will never leave you!And I love when beauty queens come to church and visit! Some sweet illustrations can come from having a crown on your head:

She's Preggo!!!

My BFF is preggo with baby #2 on the way due in April!!! I can't believe it, I'm beyond excited for them. They just found out they are having baby Breit #2 just a few days ago. Their baby girl Ellie turned 1 this past July. You may have heard me talk about her in this post. When I saw her in August she was with child, she didn't know it, and neither did I. But after that visit her, Ben and Ellie jetted off to Cali for a vacay with family, and came home and it was appearant something was going on. She found out a few days later she was pregnant!! I had to read the text she sent me like 3 different times, in a matter of minutes before calling her to get the scoop on all this baby making! She was going to wait till out BESA weekend to tell all of us, but word travels fast when you're expecting this kind of news. I'm glad she told us, even though my Hubby knew before I did! He didn't even say a word, he kept her little secret well. I'm so happy. Now all morning I've been thinking thoughts of blues, pinks, and planning a baby shower! I can't wait. Ben & Sara make great kids.... I can't wait to meet another one of their creations!

Stephanie & Brian

This past weekend I traveled home for a wedding. I love weddings, and I especially when they are for two amazing people. That was Stephanie & Brian! I've known Stephanie since high school, we were best of friends, were in cheerleading together, shared a love for Brueggers Bagels, and spent Friday game night shopping before cheering. We've had so many fun memories together. Brian and Steph have been together for what seems like forever, and through all of their ups and downs, they finally have their happily ever after, and it couldn't have happened to two better people.
It was so fun to see her so happy and so in love. They had the most adorable wedding. The ceremony alone was beautiful, and they pulled out all the stops at the reception. Every cute detail you can imagine having at your wedding they did. Everything from a kids dinner table with hot dogs, apple sauce and juice packs, complete with individual cakes at each table with different flavors to get guest mingling.

Here's a few pictures from the day!

Mr. & Mrs.

congrats to the newlyweds!

the cute little cakes at each table

he did smash cake in her face..so cute.

boquet toss.

garter toss.

high school reunion

me and my sister
me and the beautiful bride

Funnel Cakes, Beauty Queens, and the Butter Cow!

You guessed it, this passed weekend I spent some time in Iowa at the State Fair with the family. Iowa really has the best fair around, and for as long as I can remember my family has been going. So many good memories have come from fair time. I haven't been to the fair in a few years so it was so good to go home for the weekend and spend all day Saturday with the fam, at the fair! Here's a few pictures from the day:My Mom and Kirk our friend Marcia's prize winning cows.
taking a break from the heat. the butter cow; one of my fave exhibits. I've been enjoying it since i was a kid. one of the reasons i make it to the fair.one again; the rents.

supporting my team! Go Hawks!

my brother; workin' on his 3rd corn dog of the day!

sibs; my brother & I.

2008 Iowa State Fair Queen these queens hold a special place in my heart. once upon a time I was in their shoes.

Me & Mom.

Shawn

Shawn is my little brother, who doesn't seem quite so little anymore. He's graduating this year, he's the last of us kids to make our way out of our parents house. It's hard to believe that in May he'll already be done with high school. This past weekend I traveled home to be with family, and take the 1st batch of Shawn's senior pictures. He'll travel to Minneapolis in the next couple weeks to take more. I don't know about your brothers, but mine they aren't to talkative, they are boys through and through. Don't ask to many questions, you only get like 5 they will answer per day. He has his quirks, and in the last year has discovered girls and texting! But I love him, and he's my little brother. To see more of Shawn's shoot click here.

Date Night!

I know you've heard me talk about date night before. It's a thing that Orion and I have been doing since we got married. It's the best part of the whole week, and has really been very rewarding for us to have that 1 night alone for us. Sometimes we go out to eat, other times we trade off weeks planning "date night", and sometimes it's low key right at home. But either way it's free of cell phones, t.v. and other ditractions. Just us, and so great!Last night was date night, at one of our favorite places. Rudy's Red Eye Grill in Rosemount. We discovered this little gem while out shopping for gifts for our wedding party. Loved it ever since, and everytime we go, we think of people we know who would love this place as well.

Orion got a massive burger, and I was happy to sit and watch him try and eat it. He managed! I got cherry coke, and tried something new! We laughed and talked, and had a great time. All things that you should have on date night. It's been an especially long, difficult week for us, so this was very much needed!

Inspiring

I want to unload here.
I want to get beautiful here.

I want to cook here.

I want to read here.

I want throw dinner parties here.

Just a Reminder!

I just wanted to remind all of you that it's coming..... Iowa College Football that is! Don't worry if you forgot, I am here to remind you that it starts in 08.30.08! If you know me, you know I love them, I bleed black & gold I am pretty sure! They play MN this year at MN, I will be sure to say a cheer for you while I'm at the game!

Real Simple: Life made easier

Don't you wish that was the slogan of your life? Maybe it already is! This is actually to slogan from Real Simple magazine. And how perfect is that?

I'm a real big believer in simple. I don't like drama in my life, I try to stay as far as it as possible, I don't mind that I lead a fairly normal and simple life, I am not extravagant (except for maybe when I dawn my pageant attire) but for the most part I love my simple life.

While I've realized that my life maybe simple, the problems or people in it may not be. There's drama around all of us from time to time. And sometimes you just want to run away rather than deal right away.

God didn't tell us life would be perfect, or that we would never worry, have stress, or want to pull our hair out sometimes. (or maybe someone Else's)

But he did tell us we could trust him, lean on him and that he would guide us through it. Through him we have an outlet, where there is strength and encouragement. I know that no matter what on my knees is where the road to "simple" begins and "I" end.

This is where I want to be. So when there's chaos in my life, or in the lives around me, when I world seems like it's crumbling around the people I love; prayer is where I find myself. And that my friends is as simple as it gets!

What is Healthy?

What does it take to be healthy? Does that mean work out all the time, eat the right things? What does it take to be an all around healthy person? By nature I am the one who takes care of others, I always have, and probably always will. But I think to myself, and evaluate my life at different points and I think, am I taking care of me?

Am I doing all I can do be healthy?

Am I taking enough time for me?

Am I seeking the will of God, or my own?

Am I making the steps to make it right?

Am I really going through, to get better or just going through it?

These are questions I ask my self often and frequent. Sometimes I don't always know the answer to all of them, but I know it's the direction I need to pray and see God after. We can't have all the answers, don't expect that of yourself, or anyone else. God does though. I've been "going through it" a little bit this past year. I am asking myself all the hard questions, seeking God for the direction, and to find a place of healing.

What do you do when life doesn't turn out the way you thought it would? What do you do when you aren't in the place you want to be? While, I don't have all the answers I do know how to pray. And sometimes when you don't have all the answers, and you don't understand. There is power in the word, and power in prayer. Does it take doing all that we can to be healthy, even if it means that we might now like the outcome, even if it means we might not like the process? I think so, I think God wants to bring us all into that place where we know him more, lean on him more, seek him for the answers, and the direction. It's not always fun, and sometimes we need to be practical and ask for help, talk to others even though it may not be fun.

But the best part of it all is feeling and knowing God's love and peace. That's better than any confusion, and that's a healthy place to be.

Weekend-O-Fun!

Today after work Hubby and I are heading to beautiful Janesville, Wisconsin! For what you might ask? To see my bestie! Her beautiful little girl Ellie Me' turned 1, and we're having a party! Can you think of any better way to spend your weekend? I'm so excited, I haven't seen them since May, so it's going to be a much needed break with some good girl time on the side.

Ellie is one of the most perfect children, let me just brag for a bit. She's adorable! Or coarse she would be, but she's one of the best babies. I can hardly believe that a year has gone by since she came into the world! Isn't God good, and so amazing!?! It's going to be so fun watching her grow up.

It's been pretty fun to walk through these stages of life with my friend. Now, we're older and really coming into our own. We've moved far beyond the days of college. Life is real now! I'm so happy that I get to share it with her. It's so awesome to see your best friend happy, and blessed with an amazing little family. Sara and her hubby Ben are some amazing people!

Ellie was born on her parents anniversary, so we have a lot to celebrate! It's going to be a fun day and a half, and then it's back home to finish off the rest of our weekend.