{Little Visit From Rachel G.Personal}

Well we just had a little visit from Rachel from Hello, Gorgeous. Photography:) She flew in after her visit in Las Vegas and before she headed back to New Jersey and then she is heading to Kansas. And yes, I'm a little jealous of her;) We had a blast and I think my little man Luckas is now smitten with two of my photographer friends. He was just glued to her hip the whole time she was here!!! I also learned that in New Jersey it is illegal to pump your own gas. That you just hand them your card, tell them regular and the person at the pump does it for you! I wouldn't know what to do if that happened to me. I learned about Wawa. That one of their McDonald's closes in the winter and re-opens in the summer!! That her New Jersey ISN'T like Snooki/The Jersey Shore and The Real Housewives of New Jersey:D haha That her New Jersey ISN'T about the poof like Snooki or hair like on Jerseylicious!! OH YES..I went there!!:) Trust me, Rachel got some good laughs from my questions!!

It was just really nice to relax talk a little shop, bounce things off of each other, just hang out and relax. I swear it felt like we had been friends forever and we just picked up where we left off. Rachel is the sweetest lady ever, I am so blessed to have her in my life as an amazing friend! We are already planning for her to come visit us again in a few months:) YAY!!! But while she was visiting, she let me photograph her while we had a little desert play time. She was all down for helping me mark off something off my 101 in 1001:) She ROCKED it and is just so stunning! I can't wait to shoot her again...Rachel if your reading this..get ready for San Diego;)lol

Here is some shots from her visit via Instagram and her mini desert session:) Enjoy!!

Megan+DJ.Couple

Excited to finally be able to blog this session of these two:) Megan has been wanting to have a session done for a while now, so when I got the chance to have her in front of my lens...I was so excited and couldn't wait for their session! Megan and DJ were just so adorable and I loved how they flirted with each other! These two just clicked like to pieces and I had a blast at their session. I know they liked my jokes since I had them cracking up!! {Yes, my jokes are lame..I will not lie!haha} Even when we had to go on a little hike to get to the location, they were good sports about it!!



Landon.6 months

I had the privilege to photograph this CUTIE. Landon has those "kiss me" cheeks and that sweet red hair. He had the best poker face around, he wasn't giving me a smile for anything! But towards the end of his session he was just giving me a little smirk. So I was going to take that and run with it:) I also couldn't get over his little outfit and that tie!! Just look for yourself...

{Business Momma.Personal}

Who here is an entrepreneur and runs their own business? Do you have some cute little ones as well? I think these days mother's want to be able to stay home with their cute little ones, wanting to spend as much time with them before they head off to school. It is an amazing thing and I know I'm very lucky I get to the chance to stay home with my two handsome little boys:)

 

 

Have you ever felt "How can I ever get this done, when I have this to do?", "When will I have time to answer emails/messages..with a cranky teething baby?", "I need to fold this mountain of laundry, but I really need to finish this order or session!!". Instead of you running your sweet business, is your business running you? I know that I'm guilty of having these thoughts run through my mind a few times and having my business run me. It's nothing to feel bad about, it happens when you're trying to run your own business and have a sweet family at the same time. The thing that I have been learning about is trying to find the BALANCE of it all!

 

 

Yes, I'm guilty of this!! I have been trying to find the balance between my business and my sweet family!! I know that a lot of mothers struggle with this whether it's family/business or business/family. I get asked how do I do it all? That I'm a busy woman all the time. And to be honest I like it that way {sometimes}. I am the type of person, who likes to get things done! So I either like to get things done in my business, get things done around our home or do a fun activity with my two little men! This year, I promised myself that I would try to step a little back and try to find my balance so that my family doesn't suffer and I don't drive myself bonkers. I really got to thinking once I heard about Karen Stott's story, in her story I realized I'm not the only one going through this, it made me feel a little better about everything!

 

 

I think we all need to find a nice balance, between being a momma and running our own business! I have to keep telling myself "Can this wait an hour?", "Will the world end if I don't get this done right now?", "Can this get done after we get some fresh air at the park?". And the answer that I usually get is, "Yes, it can wait an hour!!", "No, the world will not end and take that nap!" So know there is BALANCE that CAN be made, you just have to find the balance that fits best for you and your family!!

{Moments like this are what makes being a mother the best thing on the PLANET!!}

{This+That.Personal}

Holy Moly it has been awhile since I have written a This+That post:/
I know, I know I have been slacking, but I have had my little hands full with all the sweet things going on in our life and with TMP!! I'm so excited that this weekend we will be heading down to Northern San Diego to soak up some time at the beach, catch some sun, play in the sand and maybe build a sand castle. Someone needs to pinch me that we will be moving next month down that way and will be living somewhere else besides the desert;)

I hope you all have a great Thursday and enjoy the blog post!

 

{Chapstick before bed!}

Chapstick before bed?!?! I never really noticed that I had a routine that every night before I go to bed, I have to put on my chapstick. And the chapstick of choice is Burt's Bee Honey Lip Balm!! I never really noticed I had this "silly routine" until checking out my new sweet friend's new website. She does the same thing, which got me to thinking that I have a serious chapstick problem!haha But atleast my sweet lips feel fine in the morning and aren't chapped;)

{Dresses}

I think if you would have asked my mom maybe say 8 years ago if I would love to wear dresses, she might have told "NO!" I was a t-shirt and jeans/capri kinda girl. But recently I have just fallen in love with wearing them this year a lot more then I have in the past. Right now I have fallen in love with wearing maxi dresses!! Talk about comfy and very cute all in one:):)

{August 2012!!}

YAHOO....August is when I will start getting back behind the camera down in the San Diego area!! I will take a few session in late July, but August is when everything will be a go:) I'm so excited to see what San Diego County and the surrounding area has to offer. I can't wait to meet some amazing new faces and photograph some stunning people!!!

See You Soon Rieger!

I think that as Marine Wives or any wife that has a husband in any military branch. We know that feeling of a lump in your throat, where the wind is knocked out of you and your heart was just ripped from your chest! We know that feeling of saying "see you soon," as our man in uniform is sent off for a deployment on those white buses! Your reaching for his hand, for that last touch from him. Or your being lifted up for that LAST kiss. Where your just standing there in the dust as the white buses drive off. Your crying, mascara is running, you feel like the wind has been knocked out of you and your trying to collect yourself again so you can drive home to the empty house!

Andréa asked me to photograph Chase's departure for their 4th..yes their 4th deployment!! And I was very honored to be asked to photograph this moment since it's a day that some woman wouldn't want a photographer in their face, snapping away. Andréa kept it together until formation happened and they started calling off names and bus numbers. It really hit her that she was about to say goodbye to Chase again, for another deployment! She wouldn't let go of his hand as they walked to his bus. They said their goodbyes and he headed up those bus stairs. Time was going so slow, but yet so fast waiting for the buses in front to leave. Chase got off the bus to give Andréa ONE LAST kiss and hug goodbye before the buses rolled out. Then the buses started up and those wheels started turning!

I hope this deployment goes by super fast for them and that Chase has a safe return home to Andréa!! Please say an extra prayer for the men and women who deployed over seas fighting, don't ever forget them!!

{Getting off the bus to give her one last kiss and hug!}