Upper Management: Tulsa Photographer

It was European History, she said.  That's the class that started it all for them.  He was older and she, well, she was the girl the professor hated.  Not because it was her, but more along the lines that this professor inparticular despised most females.  Fallon didn't have a chance. 

Y knew there was something about this girl that peaked his interest.  Every time she walked in it's as if his attention gravitated towards her, but he couldn't bring himself to actually make a converstaion wtih her.  European History, that'll be it.  And that's how it started.  A small conversation about European History and their friendship stuck.  Although, it turned out to be much more than a friendship.

Fallon and Yves worked for the same company, only... he turned out to be her boss.  He was called in and told there was a problem with one of his employees and he needed to address it, immediately.  Rumor was, she was dating another employee which was strictly against company policy.  His heart sank.  HE was the fellow employee she was in a relationship with.  HE was her boss.  And now HE was in charge of taking care of the issue.  Not a good combination...but he knew what he had to do.

Six years later these two are happily married and with much thanks to one particular mean professor.  And a particular interest in European History.

You may remember Fallon from a previous wedding this summer.  She is an absolute treat!

To view Fallon & Yves complete session click here.

A One Year Wedding Anniversary/First Date: Tulsa Wedding Phtographer

Please? Can you please get me in touch with Sallie, he said to her best friend. I’m leaving to fly back to Oklahoma tomorrow and I desperately need my hair cut by her. The night before he saw her amongst friends and was fascinated. By her grace. Her laughter. And simply put, her presence. It didn’t go his way though. Sallie was off the market and showed no interest in Heath. So what’s a guy to do? It’s 2010. He, like any other normal person, stalked her Facebook. He waited for that infamous moment when her relationship status changed from ‘in a relationship’ to ‘single’. And that was his chance to make his move. So instantly, he contacted her and pleaded for their first date.


Fast forward.

He knew he wanted to impress this girl. He knew he had to do something spectacular. So he called the most prestigious restaurant he could think of, and in Heath’s own words, “… you know those restaurants you want to go to but you know they next morning your bank account will be crying…” that’s where he took Sallie. Heath called the restaurant to make reservations and told the hostess he would be celebrating his one year wedding anniversary with his wife. Why? Because that’s the only possible way to get into places like that, he thought. It worked. But now that dilemma. According to his own words, he was supposed to be married to this girl, but in fact it was only their first date.

On the way to the restaurant he decided he had to confess. I have something to tell you, and she turned slowly towards him. They had only known each other a few short weeks, so this statement made her a little nervous. “I told the hostess it was our one year wedding anniversary. I’m sorry. It was the only way to get a reservation.” She busted up laughing and this is when he knew. He knew this girl was the one God created specifically to complete him. The one he wanted. The one he had to have.

As they sat at the fancy restaurant they were continuously greeted with a ‘Congratulations on your one year anniversary’ by all those that passed by, and now a year later Heath & Sallie have completed the circle and can begin their journey towards that one year wedding anniversary.

So, to Heath & Sallie. You two are amazing and I can honestly say you complete each other. For every time you laugh, the other one is smiling an endearing smile, and every time you look at one another we are all reminded of what true love is. Together you are perfect. Thank you for opening your lives and allowing me to glimpse into your special day. Oh, and thanks for letting me pretend your reception was a huge birthday party. That rocked!



I think it is a bride's right to wear a birdcage veil.  Honestly, they just make me excited.

Heath & Sallie chose to do a first look, which I love love love. Did I mention I love this? From this moment on the nerves were gone for these two and they got to relax on their wedding day!

 

 
They are a sassy group.  Let me just tell you.  Fabulous.

 
 

 
 

Big Deal. Big. Huge!

I promise I don't avoid my blog for long periods of time.  It's just that me and Mr. Blog have been on the fritz lately.  I'm sure we'll work it out, but it's touch and go at the moment.  Once we work out our issues this blog's gonna blow up like nothin you've ever seen.  I've got them all laid out - all I have to do is hit publish and you'll be on overload!  That is, if Mr. Blog and I ever work out our differences.  Let's pray that we do.

So on a completely other note.  Tomorrow's my birthday.  I get to turn another year older.  The big 2-6.  Yep.  26 my friends.  and if you know me at all you know that birthday's are a huge deal to me.  Like Tyrannosaurus Rex huge.  Ginormous.  Colossal.  Ok I'll stop.  But I love them.  Not just mine, but I equally love everyone else's too.  Probably even if I don't know you - I still love your day.  Because it's your birthday.  What's not to love?  I believe birthdays should be filled with so much celebration that whomever is having the birthday is overcome with love.  That's how it should be done.  Cake, balloons, gifts, phone calls, surprise parties ( these are the best) and pedicures.  Fine, you can leave off the pedicure if you want, but you don't know what you're missin!

And because I have the best friends around, they've decided to start celebrating with me early!  Today has been filled with flowers, gifts & cupcakes!  Watch out tomorrow.  You're gonna be awesome!

Oh, and for my innocent bride and groom tomorrow?  You watch out too.  Getting married on my birthday is flippin fantastic!  I may or may not pretend all your friends gathered at the reception are really there to help celebrate my birthday.  And I may or may not pretend that your gorgeous wedding cake is in fact my extra large birthday cake.  Where are my candles?  Oh, you want to cut my birthday cake now?  Excuuuuse me?  I think it shall be the bride.  groom.  and photographer cutting the cake tomorrow!

Here's to great friends.  birthdays.  and other people wedding celebrations that I secretly turn into my birthday parties!

Here's to you 26!

And thank you iPhone for always being there to snap a quick pic when I need one.

Dear Jesus, Thank you for this food.

All of the food had been prepared... much like in every other family.  The women gathered in the kitchen, well, because that's where most of us do our best thinking.  Not all of us... but most of us.  The grumbles of hungry tummies began to fill the room and it was declared time to eat.  Everyone gathered in the new house and formed a smashed circle in the kitchen to bless the food.  She leaned over to oldest brother and wispered, "do you want to say the prayer" and he shook his head eagerly.  "Dear Jesus, Thank you for this food.  Amen".

That's all it took.  It doesn't have to be elaborate, just heart-felt.  Our Thanksgiving prayer wasn't long.  It wasn't filled with all of the things we are utterly grateful for.  It wasn't scripted.  It was said by a 2-year-old little boy who, from the bottom of his tiny heart, was thankful to our God.

And that was my Thanksgiving.  It was simple yet filled with so many people that gut-wrenchingly loved one another.

Mr. Blog & the Chic Galleria

I apologize.  I've been a little M.I.A. these last few weeks... and I blame it all on my blog.  I've tried several times to post new things for you guys... and well, Mr. Blog just wasn't havin' it.  He didn't like the images I was trying to load - rude- so I broke up with him for a few weeks.  And looky there, I sign in this morning and load some images... he decided to pull up his big boy panties and accept them!  Hooray!  So for the moment, we're back on.  Mr. Blog and I that is.

This is the beautiful Beth Anderson, Editor and Chief for Chic Galleria and more fashionable than I could ever dream of being.  Now, I try.  Don't get me wrong.  But my 'trying' doesn't cut it half the time.  My parents did not breed me with the 'looking really trendy' genes.  Thanks guys.  Appreciatte that one.  But Miss Beth, well her parents poured the trendy genes all over her.  And I'm way jealous. 

For this session she popped out of her car wearing some brown over the knee boots we all drool over.  And let's face it.  As a photographer I drooled over her fall outfit mixed with these gorgeous Oklahoma leaves.  If there are two things we can actually brag about here in Oklahoma it's our fall colors (pending that we actually get fall that year... so that only get's half a brag point) and our Oklahoma sunsets.  You can't get those anywhere else. 

Alright- averting ramble session.  I'll let you get on to the good stuff.  Meet my beautiful new friend, Beth Anderson.  Not only is she gorgeous, but she's got an amazing successful fashion/style business that would make any girl jealous.

Here's to my Mr. Blog and I continuing our friendship, or if I disappear again, at least you have an explanation!

Being Great & Oklahoma Sunsets

I want to love until my heart explodes.



I want to be great.


I want my work appreciated for what it is rather than a price tag.


Oh, and I want my nephew to not be scared of Halloween. He’s 2 and he’s deathly afraid. Poor guy.

This is why I love Oklahoma.  You can't get sunsets like this anywhere else.

Today

I sit here as the Hubs watches the Dallas Cowboys.  Lame-O.

I got some new gear last week that I'm super pumped to share!  My bag is now riding a little heavier with my two new lenses.  Let's face it.  I sat on my couch in silence waiting to hear the roar of the UPS truck come down my street.  Then the doorbell rang and it was all over!  I almost hugged the UPS lady I was so excited.

In other news my weekend consisted of OSU homecoming which suffered a not-so-fun loss to Nebraska.  Stinkin Huskers!  On the bright side though I got to spend some much needed quality time with my best friend.  I haven't seen her since the wedding a few months ago, so it was so nice to get to sit with she and her hubby at an old college favorite, Red Rock Bakery.  Yumm-O!

I promise I took lots of pictures of the infamous Homecoming House Decorations that I'll post soon.  Stay tuned!

Friday Night Lights

This weekend is the weekend we wait for all year... If you're an Oklahoma State person that is.  It's Homecoming!!!  I know what you're thinking.  Lame-O!  And that's fine.  If you've never been to our homecoming you have absolutely no idea what you're missing.  OSU is known for having the largest homecoming celebration in the nation, and we're darn proud of it!  As a part of the Greek community you spend hours pushing tiny pieces of tissue paper through chicken wire to create what we like to call, House Decs.  They are ginormous. Complete with moving parts, sound and the most visually appealing pieces of art you'd ever see.  Thursday night the greek community will pull an all-nighter in order to finish the last screens that need to be pomped and also for the guys to start hanging the screens on the decs outside.  See, there are lots of rules associated with the house dec competitions.  There is a certain time frame set as to when you can actually start the pomping process... this was back in August... then you can't actually start hanging screens outside until 5:00 the night of the all-nighter which is always the Thursday night before walk-arounds.  As a Greek, you hate Homecoming, but you love it at the same time.

So, Friday night is when all the fun starts.  I have participated in homecoming since I was a Freshman at OSU, and now it's just fun to go back and see the tradition carried on.  The streets around the Greek houses will shut down around 4:00 Friday afternoon and the streets will begin to flood with people.  You think I'm kidding?  I'm not.  You have to push your way through the people there are so many of them!  Concession stands start filling the streets and bands set up along Greek Row - all in the spirit of OSU Homecoming.  It's HUGE internet.  I kid you not.

And now it's our tradition that my best friends and I come together for Homecoming every year.  It doesn't matter where life has taken us, we travel to Stillwater, Oklahoma to celebrate together and love on one another.  This year we've got friends coming from Texas and two from Kansas, so I'm filled to the brim with excitement to see these girls!  It's gonna be a fun one!

Once Homecoming has come and gone I'll post again and give you a glimpse into just how amazingly huge our Homecoming Celebration truly is!

And in the nature of homecoming comes fall.  Here are a few shots from around our house these days.  I love, love love decorating for holidays and obviously fall and Christmas rank up there pretty high!!!  I'm just loving my mandle decor this year.

Tuesday Morning Pick-Me-Up

This lady is amazing. Kari Jobe. Simply amazing. I remember when I found her a few years ago while digging through the music portion of MySpace. I found her around Christmas time and have been a huge fan ever since. So much so that I had my mothers walk down to one song of hers at my wedding and my bridesmaids come down to another. Now everytime I hear either of these songs it immediately takes me back to the moment I was standing in the back of the church waiting for my entrance music to start. Take a moment to listen to her. Hopefully you're as blown away as I was. She sings with such passion and praise for the Lord.

The Importance of Strangers: Tulsa Wedding Photographer

I had kind of a strange thing happen to me Friday night.  Caleb and I went to the mall where I decided to try on some super cute boots at Bakers.  The worker went to the back to retrieve my size and came back with my boots, simply in the wrong color because they were out of the black in my size.  I though, no big deal, I'll try them on for size and can order the black if I really like them - which I did!  So Caleb and I are thinking, Great!  Shoe's bought, now we can go on our merry way.  Nope.  Out from the back comes the manager holding several boxes of boots in my size.  You see, she's has a thing for shoes (who doesn't ladies!) and she told me because I am tall she really wanted to see these boots on me.  So I obliged, well, because I love shoes too!  and I didn't want to let her down.... Pair 1, cute.  Pair 2, cute.  Pair 3... let's just say I tried putting the boot on and ended up taking it off immediately because I thought I was three and had put the shoe on the wrong foot.  Nope, I was right... it was just THAT uncomfortable!  Again, I'm thinking we're done.  Nope, she comes out with more boots.  OK, I oblige again... and again... and again.  So, then I'm thinking we're done.  I put my shoes back on, stand up, grab my purse and this is where it gets funny.  She sits down in a chair in front of us and says, "You know, I just feel really blessed."  I thought to myself, huh, I guess we're not done.  So I slowly sit back down and listen to her.

It wasn't what she said necessarily that hit me, but it was more of the fact that she felt as though she could share with me.  That's what hit me and it made me feel a little bad.  See, I had been in Bakers earlier that week looking at the same boots and the sales girls tried talking to me like all sales people do.  "Oh, your purse is so cute!"  ... "Thanks"... and I kept shopping as if to say, don't bother me. So Friday night I'm thinking, what if this girl is the same one that complimented my purse a few days ago.  What if I had blown her off and yet now she's sitting here telling me how blessed she feels.

It taught me something , Internet.  You never know what others are going through, so give everyone a minute and make them feel as though they have your whole attention.  After all, whatever you're doing can wait a single minute.  Nothing is that important.

So as I bought my boots and walked out of the store, she was on to helping a new customer and I waved goodbye to her as though I had just made a new friend.  She put an unexpected joyful smile on my face that night, and taught me a lesson in the mean time.  I bet she didn't even know it.

Now, on to the exciting part.  I was feeling a little domestic during the Oklahoma State game, so I made these little gems... and yes, they are black and orange.  Leave me along, I was in the spirit of the game!  Go Pokes!  Sorry Raiders. (Please excuse the iPhone picture...)

Enjoy your Monday!  It's Fall and it's beautiful.... go sit outside today!

Honeymoon

I'm horrible.  It's been 3 months since the honeymoon and I've yet to post anything about it.  So sorry.


It was the best vacation I've been on - ever.  We decided to wait a day to fly out so we could catch up on sleep and do some last minute packing.  Let me tell you what - I would highly recommend this!  I didn't have to worry about packing before the wedding which was a huge stress relief.  We got up, did a little last-minute laundry, packed and had a leisurely day.  The next day, Monday, we got up and caught our flight out of Oklahoma at 8:30 and were in Mexico by 1:00.


Now, if you know my husband at all, you know he's a planner.  He doesn't make abrupt decisions.... about anything!  He takes his time, researches every possible option about sixteen times, thinks about it for about five months, researches a little bit more and then is forced by yours-truly to make a decision.  The funny thing?  When I make him decide he acts as if he hasn't had enough time and in that Kerbo voice sighs a great big "I don't know..."  The bright side to his OCD decision making is that once a decision is made I know it's gonna be a good one.  Me on the other hand?  I'll jump at the first pretty thing I see.  I think I said "Oh, I wanna go there!" to about twenty-five different resorts.  But who can blame a girl?  Give me a beach, sun and a pallapa and I'm set!


We honeymoon'd down to the Riviera Maya in Mexico and stayed at the most beautiful resort, The Iberostar Grand Paraiso.  The people were so nice, and our butler Victor?  He was my new best friend, but thanks sir... I'll unpack my own suitcase.  


We flew out on Monday then back on Sunday afternoon and had a whole lotta fun in between it all!  There was snorkeling, lots of laying under that Mexican sun, too much food, Diet Cokes on the beach and lemon dusted peanuts every day.  Ever had these?  They're amazing!


So, go on vacation!!  Take a look at a few of our pictures and if you can't dream about another resort, let me know - I'd be happy to give Victor a shout and let him know you're heading his way!

Look at my cute little Scuba Steve!

Enjoy your Thursday!

Do What You Want: Tulsa Photographer

When you're little you just instinctively know what you want to be when you grow up. Me? I wanted to be a checker at a grocery store because you got to play with a cash register all day. Seriously. Who wouldn't want to do that? My brother and I use to play 'grocery store' in my grandma's kitchen. She had a wooden box my grandpa made that held tissues. This was our cash register. We would remove the box if Kleenex and place toy money neatly down into the box. I was usually the cashier and Scott would grab random things out of our grandma's kitchen to buy from me.


Now, Scott. He was going to be a professional athlete. Every time my mother would buy him a new pair of tennis shoes he would immediately head to our backyard and see how fast he could run in them. This never got old, internet. He would call my mother and I outside and have us time his sprints across our large backyard. The dog thought this was great fun too. She thoroughly enjoyed his eight-year-old windsprints across the backyard.

You see. We had great ambitions as kids. A grocery store checker and a professional athlete. My parents were Oh, so proud.

Somewhere along the path of growing up things change though. The world tells us that our dreams of becoming professional athletes are 'unrealistic' and that we should make sure and come up with a back-up plan... just in case. And we believe them. We believe the world when it tells us we can't do something or be somebody. We believe them.

We get the High School diploma. We get a degree in something that souned interesting at one time or another. Then we move on and take the next step the world is telling us to take to be successful. We get some sort of corporate desk job... if you're lucky it does not involve sitting behind a desk all day.

So, I took that path. After all, the world was telling me I was on track and going to be successful. It's not that easy. Job's don't just appear. They're not handed to you on silver platters no matter how high your G.P.A. is or the fact that you were president in 17 clubs in highschool and college.

Fast forward about a year and a half. I had the corporate job. I was content. But God had other plans for me. She walked into my office at 7:15 on a Tuesday morning and dropped a bomb. " I'm so sorry, but we're re-organizing the company and we have to cut your position." Numb. That was me. I tried oh, so hard to hold the tears back but wet, drippy tears began to relentlessly make their way from my eyes. I had been laid off. It wasn't until that night when I laid on my couch in a ball still crying from the events that had taken place that day that I realized something. I can't cry over this. I prayed for this. I asked God not even two days ago to remove anything from my life that He didn't want there. And there I was. Jobless. It made me excited because I knew He had something awesome for me, I just didn't know what it was yet.

A few months later I went on a trip to Minnesotta where God revealed to me the direction I was going to take. I had always loved photography in the sense that I could spend hours looking at pictures, organizing them and making photo albums. But really? Make a profession out of it?

I got back home and I remember having the conversation with my parents of my new venture. Much to my surprise they were both on board. My mother has been my number one encourager and now I sit here almost 3 years later to the date, telling my story of how the world can be wrong sometimes. It can tell you the path you have to take or you can take your own path and be successful at what really make YOU happy.

So what makes you happy? If you could do anything without the world telling you no, what would it be? Would you still sit behind that desk at work?

Here are a few of the I took while on my trip to Minnesotta. We took the day and visited Itaska State Park which was beautiful!  All I had was a small HP Point & Shoot, but I still cherish these shots because of what was revealed to me on that trip. I have a few of these framed in my living room as a constant reminder.

Broken Hearts & Little Soldiers

My heart broke last night.  Like split straight down the middle, break.  I guess I've just lived in a pretty bubble my whole life.  But last night my bubble got a pin-hole in it and burst.  I had a world revealed to me that we all know is there, but until you stop you don't realize how real it is.  I'm talking about babies.  Through this blogging world I've been introduced to several women who's babies have 'broken hearts'.  Literally.  These little guys come out fighting and have no choice but to fight to the end.  Some fight and regain strength, while others fight equally as hard and don't quite make it.

So today I'm broken.  I'm broken and praying for all these little guys and their amazingly strong families.

To read the stories of these little soldiers click on the links below.  They will change your world.



Cohen's Story , Brayden's Journey , Team Ewan , Cora's Story

Both Feet On-Board + Senior Session: Tulsa Photographer

So, I'm learning things about myself.  Those things you always thought were just 'normal', but truly... they're not.  And maybe it's not really an abnormal thing.  You see, I think all women are like this.  A subject is brought up and we jump on-board with both feet planted.  It doesn't matter if this subject is real, fictional, or could potentially change how our whole life is played out.. just maybe.  We take to this subject as if it is our whole existance.

Sunday evening Caleb asked if I wanted to go on a little drive with him.  He had found a beautiful side-road and he wanted me to see it too.  We jumped in our pretty little car and started driving.  Up and down twisty roads.  - Now, let's be real, we live in Oklahoma... it's pretty flat and narrow so when I say twisty roads I mean there may have been a bend here and there.  Nothing that will really make your stomach meet your throat. - So we're driving.  I spot a few new locations that will make perfect shooting spots - camera shooting.  not gun shooting people. - After awhile Caleb starts talking about buying land.  And that's when I jumped on-board with both feet planted.  I start dreaming about how it would all look, where I would park my shiny new red car, where I would place the patio furniture and just how much fun Macie dog would have running through all that country.  Then he said it.  "I bet there are a lot of coyotes out here".  What!  I turned to him.  I don't want to live with coyotes!  "Dear, coyotes don't hurt/eat people.  They just like animals - you know, small dogs and things of that nature." 

Now, Internet.  My dog is by no means small.  She is a healthy, beautiful 70 pounds.  I couldn't believe he'd said it.  "They like small dogs!"  I looked over at Caleb as if my whole life had just changed.  "Macie is not going to be eaten by coyotes!  I can't have my dog live out there.  She's got to start coming inside, now!" 

Then he stopped me.  Babe, we don't even live in the country.  We live in the city.  Macie's fine.  She's happy.  There aren't coyotes.  I promise.  I sat back in my seat and jumped back to reality.  Oh yeah... we live in the city.  There are no coyotes.  Macie is fine.... I thought to myself.

So that's how it happens.  You bring an idea up and we just automatically think it's real.  We jump whole heartedly into the subject as if it's life or death.  But that's just how we do things.  We're passionate people.  We're constantly learning, and if it means we imagine patio furniture on our unbought houses and how our puppies will love running on a new patch of earth, so be it.  It makes us happy.

And because posts are just better with pictures, here are a few sets from a Senior session I did recently.

To view a slideshow of Alex's Sernior Session click HERE.

Fall & Football

It's a great day to be in Oklahoma.  It's 75 degrees outside with a light breeze and Oklahoma State plays Texas A&M tonight in Boone Pickens Stadium.  Caleb and I will be heading to Stillwater in a two short hours to cheer on our Cowboys from some spectacular Club Level seats.  Thanks aunt & uncle, love you!  I'll be sure to take some pictures from my wonderful iPhone camera and let you know how my view is!  Until then, enjoy this image from our last game alongside my beautiful cheery pumpkin that greets me every day.

Happy Thursday!

Super Hero's Posing as Hairstylists: Kisses & Disses

They had gone fishing. My brother was five and I was three. But I remember it like it happened last night. It was early in the morning and my brother, Scott, scurried into my room and got me out of my crib. He told me dad had given him a present and that we were going to play a little game. He lead me to the top step of our very long staircase and told me to sit down.

Now internet, I remind you I am three years old. I love my big brother with my whole being. I look up to him like he is some super-hero dressed in bright blue tights and a red cape. The thing I did not know though was my father had given my brother a small Swiss Army knife on the way home from the lake the night before. As they drove towards our house Scott slumped over in the back seat of our Ford Taurus and drifted immediately into a five-year-olds sleep. When my father reached home, he opened the back door to the car and gingerly lifted my sleeping brother into his arms; the Swiss Army knife freeing itself from his little grip. As my brother woke the next morning his first thoughts were to his Swiss Army knife. He ran down to the garage and found it lying in the back seat. Shiny and red as if it had never been used.

So I sit on the top step. My super hero of a brother opens the scissors on the Swiss Army knife and tells me that every time I hear a snip of the scissors I am to move down a step. Fun game, right internet? Yep! A few minutes later my mother wakes up and walks out of my parents bedroom. I hear a gasp come from within her and I turn around... from the last step of our long staircase. I see horror make a screeching halt across her face as she sees chunks of my blonde hair tracing down each step of our staircase. And with that, I went from having pretty three-year-old blonde hair to somewhat of a boy's haircut.

Thank you brother. I love you too.

So, here's to five-year-olds with Swiss Army knives, Innocent three-year-old girls and super-sweet super hero's.

This week's Kisses go to:

• The Secret Garden Candle Company... because they have simply the most amazing fragrances in candles! I kid you not. I'm in love.
• My new show: I Survived on the Biography Channel. This show tells true stories of horribly awful events that people survive to tell about. Addicting. Come on, you all know I'm easily hookedto television shows. My friends joke about it. 
• The camera on my iPhone. I should be the best about taking pictures of every day life, but I'm not. I don't want to take my big camera with me everywhere.. and well, my dog chewed up my point & shoot... so my iphone camera is my new best friend. Love you iphone camera!

 

 
This week's Disses go to:  

• Early mornings in the fall.  It's so cold in the house and I just want to stay curled up in my warm bubble!  
• Older super-hero brothers posing as hair stylists.

Here's to you Monday

This is simple.  While driving this morning I was arguing with myself about how bad Monday's really are.  They truly upset me because they take away the joy that a Sunday is suppose to bring.  In the fall -in my world- Sundays bring church, warm food, flannel pajama pants, sunday afternoon movies and cuddling up in a ball on the couch.  This shouldn't be too much to ask for.  But it is.  Sundays are suppose to be happy, relaxing time.  But instead I'm plagued with the thought of waking up early that next day.  Monday.  It's a cruel one you see.  But, again, I'm forced to get over it.

So back to the driving part.  I was in my car this morning 'getting over it' and a song came on the radio.  Remember, everywhere I go... music goes too.  And my view changed.  I thought to myself, it's amazing how a little yukalaylee instrument can turn that frown upside down.  Then I thought, ya know - if every song had this little guy in it... the world would be a better place.  Or, at least I could hope anyway.

So here's to my new friend, the yukalaylee.  I'll never play one, but I will smile every time a new song hits the radio with this bright and chipper little sound.  I will feel a smile stretch across my face.

Here's to you Monday.  I'm over it.

Kisses & Disses: Tulsa Photographer

I was sitting in the back seat of our 1992 Ford Taurus.  The air had a hint of fall and leaves were just beginning to transform into the beautiful colors we've all grown to love.  My dad had just stopped at a gas station to grab my brother and I something to drink before we ventured out on the long road to another sales call he had to make.  I sat in the back seat completely content as I held the warm chocolaty substance between my 8 year old little paws.  I bent my head down and took a long, slow sip of my very hot, hot chocolate.  Through a straw.

I know.  Every one of you just cringed a bit.  Because, well, a person should just know not to drink hot things through straws. I did not.  I had not been privy to that sort of information evidently.  Evidently my parents thought I was smart enough to figure that one out on my own.  Well, I did.  The hard way.

I wound the handle to the back seat window as quickly as I could and stuck my tongue out in the brisk.  Looking back now, I'm quite certain to everyone we passed on the highway I resembled a dog with my head out the window, tongue waving in the wind.  But as you know, it hurt.  Bad.  Little bubbles began forming in my mouth and I cried.  Why had I not been told you don't drink hot chocolate, or hot anything for that matter, with a straw.

Oh, learning life lesson's is hard.  Being young is hard.  And well, drinking hot chocolate through a straw?  That one's really hard.  I suggest you not try it.

And that brings us to this week's edition of Kisses & Disses!

This week's kisses go to:

• 
  
  Premiere Week!  Grey's Anatomy starts tomorrow night!  If you haven't heard about my slight obsession with shows, you can get the history here.
• 
  
  My Cowboy's are 3-0!  No.  Not the Dallas Cowboys.  My Oklahoma State Cowboys!
• 
  
  We're having a family dinner with my parents tonight to celebrate September birthdays ( we have 3).  Big Kiss to family celebrations!
• 
  
  Teen Mom - yes, another amazing show... on MTV I'm ashamed to say.  These girls just pull me in and make me watch every episode.  Oh, that Amber... just really get's my blood boiling.  But Sweet Maci, love her!

And, of course, this weeks disses...

• 
  
  Not truly getting a fall season.  It's almost October and well, frankly, it's still 90 degrees every day.  Yes, I know.  I live in Oklahoma.  But having at least a few short weeks of beautiful fall weather would be nice.  Please?
• 
  
  Wind.  I wore a dress yesterday and every time I walked outside I had to hold the skirt of my dress to keep me from looking like I was trying to pull a Marilyn Monroe.  Big Diss!
• 
  
  Clearly.  Straws in hot chocolate.  Just don't do it.  Learn from this tongue flapping in the wind kid.  It's not worth it. 

Details In The Fabric

There's a song called 'DETAILS IN THE FABRIC' by Jason Mraz.  I was listening to this song last night while going through a set of wedding images and I had an epiphany.  The lyrics in this song are much like a bride planning her own wedding. "All the details in the fabric, Are the things that make you panic...Everything will be fine.  Everything in no time at all.  Everything... Hold your own.  Know your name.  Go your own way." Inspirational, right? That Mraz.  He knows his stuff.

As a bride you spend your time perfecting every last detail.  Do the napkins have our names on them?  Are the centerpieces perfect?  Do all the colors match exactly?  Should my bridesmaids flowers be wrapped in black ribbon or pink?  Because?  Well, we all know if the colors don't match we're being called out on it!  Clearly.

No.  The details matter.  Maybe not to everyone, but they matter to you.  And here's the cool thing.  It's up to us as photographers to capture all the tiny details that you spent countless hours obsessing over.  Why?  Because this is what's important to you as a bride.  Even though Sister Sue doesn't notice that your name is written on that M&M she's putting in her mouth, you know.  You want to remember. 

So do it.  Obsess.  As a photographer I give you the right to spend hours obsessing over the details.  After all, it's the details in the fabric.

Hold your own.  Know your name.  Go your own way.

Music & Earplugs

If you've followed me for any length of time at all, you know God created me to listen to music.  Well, maybe a little more than that, but He wants me to listen to music... a lot.  He wants this!  No, seriously.  My  dad teases me for the fact that every room I enter, the first thing I do is turn on an iPod, stereo, some sort of electronic device that fills the blank air with music.  Maybe I'm fascinated so much because I myself can't sing.  I wouldn't put myself in the 'nails down a chalkboard' category, but I'm no belting diva by any means either.  It's true, I was a choir nerd in high school, but in choir you can act like your singing and still get an A.  But of course, I never did that. Never.

Because of my infatuation for the musical angels, when I get hooked on a song... I seriously get hooked.  I play it on repeat everywhere I go.  I'm not kidding.  Everyone around me starts to wear ear plugs because they can't stand to listen to Mariah Carey's remix of Faithfully.  Has that come out yet?

For the past week, I've had THIS BABY on repeat.  Love it.  Love the emotion mixed with the raspy voice. 

how long have I
been in this storm
so overwhelmed by the ocean's shapeless form
water's getting harder to tread
with these waves crashing over my head

if I could just see you
everything will be alright
if I'd see you
the storminess will turn to light

and I will walk on water
and you will catch me if I fall
and I will get lost into your eyes
and everything will be alright
and everything will be alright

I know you didn't
bring me out here to drown
so why am I 10 feet under and upside down
barely surviving has become my purpose
cause I'm so used to living underneath the surface

if I could just see you
everything will be alright
if I see you
the storminess will turn to light

and I will walk on water
and you will catch me if I fall
and I will get lost into your eyes
and everything will be alright

and I will walk on water
you will catch me if I fall
and I will get lost into your eyes
and everything will be alright
I know everything is alright
everything's alright

Everything Bridal: Tulsa Wedding Photographer

When you are a bride everything you surround yourself with has to do with just that, being a bride.  You go to bookstores to leaf through hundreds of bridal magazines.  Pouring yourself over each page looking for the perfect dress.  perfect flowers.  perfect decor.  And I don't think I know the male species thinks we're crazy for this.  Honestly, we don't think there's anything wrong with this though.  We want our day to be the most special event in our lives.  We don't understand why guys don't want to spend their free time breathing in everything wedding.

I can honestly say I had a little advantage when it came to planning my wedding just a few short months ago.  I was a wedding photorapher so I've seen my fair share of weddings.  I've seen the good, the amazing and the blow-my-sox-off beautiful types of receptions.  I am constantly amazed at the creations brides come up with to incorporate into their wedding days... and for not that much money!  Let's face it.  Wedding's are ex-pensive.  So anything you can do as a bride to save a little cash, is clearly a good thing.

So, if you're a bride scouring through everything bridal - have at it!  Here are a few shots from a recent wedding I did.  It was a gorgeous reception held outside at their house with lots of candlelight and pops of color strategically placed throughout.

Kisses & Disses

So if you asked Caleb, he'd tell you it takes me about 4.5 seconds to get attached to a show.  It doesn't matter what it is I just get all warpped up in television extremely easily.  Just like every other individual of the male species, he likes to have the remote.  Always.  And because of this, he controls what is on the tv... most of the time.  So on occasion that it's not locked- into ESPN or one of the other forbidden sports channels it seems to land on something interesting.  Every time.  One problem though friends.  He is merely turning the channel because he doesn't want to watch another set of commercials.  So, I lay there innocently on the couch at his tv control mercy.  And, remember.  I said innocently.  So, while his intentions are pure in his own mind, they throw me for a loop because the second that tv lands on something unsports related, I'm hooked.  We watch about a minute or two and he changes the channel.  No warning.  Just hits that darn button and I'm ripped from whatever new world of a tv show I was exploring.  Absurd.  I get upset because that was clearly the best new show I'd never watched, and now I had to watch it... or go get the laptop, head to the bedroom and watch it on Hulu.  Clearly.

And that brings us to this weeks edition of Kisses & Disses!

This weeks kisses go to:

1. AppBistro - A future groom of mine put a little light on this bad boy last week and I was hooked.  He and a friend started this business in May - and let's just say, it's booming!  Contact him HERE and tell him I referred you!

2. Our Wedding Pictures!  Yes, internet.  We got them.  And they are nothing short of amazing.  My friend Erin with Artsy Phartsy Photography did our pictures and I dont' think I could love her any more!  If you're in the market for little phart pictures (kid) - as she likes to refer to them - give her a shout!  She's out of this world amazing!

3. My little light up pumpkin in my office.  He brings so much joy just by plugging him in.  I just love him.  Nothing like starting the fall season off right!



And this week's disses go to:

1. Tenley losing the Bachelor Pad!  Clearly.  Loved this new show, but not such a fan of the certain individuals that actually won. 

2. Random, but Cats.  these little creatures bring nothing good to the world.  Minus the fact that my dog loves to chase them.

3. The Hills being over.  Premiere week is next week and Caleb is way past dissapointed that The Hills will not be starting over again.