Meet sweet miss A. This was a recent newborn session.  I loved this session, I love being around these sweet little bundles! Such a fun family…. we were all joking with each other by the end of the session.

I have to tell you, I had an absolute first at this session. I was working hard to get miss A into a sleepy curl, when all of a sudden I hear snoring. Surely it wasn’t the baby.. ??  Yep, it was Dad!  LOL~ the very first time a parent had fallen asleep during a shoot. I’m positive that it had more to do with recent late nights, rather than my stellar personality. ;)

Recently, I had the privilege of shooting Caitlin & Luke’s wedding day. It was a hot, sunny, but gorgeous day in the beginning of August. They were a fun couple incorporating many personal things into their wedding day to personalize the experience for everyone.

Caitlin & Luke, I wish you a life of happiness together!

this weekend i had a weekend-long birthday-palooza. i turned 30. sshhhh… i just whispered that. actually, you know what? no, i didn’t. i’m going to embrace it… i am 30!

i had a GREAT birthday weekend.

saturday i got a pedicure and my hair blown out.  so nice to get pampered. then we went and dropped off the kids at my mom’s and went on our rainy dinner cruise on the baltimore inner harbor.  it was a lot of fun!  the rain did let up so we did get out on the decks and view the sites.  the food was good, and the dancing was fun.

sunday the 23rd was my actual birthday and we did church at my parents, and then lunch at pf chang’s.  then nate and i went to see time traveler’s wife.  pretty good, and fairly true to story.  they left a couple things out, and the ending wasn’t quite the same, but still OK.

i got a bright and shiny Kindle from nate & kids.  SO excited!  it’s an E Reader.  think iPod, but for books.  it came with Forgotten Garden (Morton) & the White Queen (Gregory) pre-loaded.  no more taking 3 or 4 books on vacation, this kindle holds 1500+ books.  it can purchase and download a new book within seconds, for cheaper than new release price.  i also love that i don’t have to struggle with storage anymore for my book piles.

i’m also checking in from my brand new white desk.  my studio workspace is almost done, and i’m so geeked to finally share that with everyone soon.

happy birthday to me!

the montgomery county fair came into town this week. complete with monster truck mashes and 5 legged goats. nate and i dressed the boys in brightly colored shirts (just in case) and headed on over for some fair fun. there were funnel cakes and candied apples to eat, kiddie rides for the boys, and definitely people to watch.

this is the first “big kid” ride seth rode. do you think he liked it? he liked it so much, he had spectators giggling.

lucas had fun too, he was wide-eyed all night long.  see lucas’ tattoo?  that’s a safety tattoo i had made with my cell number on it, *just in case.”  wouldn’t you know, i left my cell home?  ahhh yes.

miss a just sittin’ pretty. she loved her chili dog. ;) just kiddin’ people!

after the rides we checked out the animals, saw a rabbit the size of my childhood beagle, and played on the tractors. the sun set, and we headed out.

it all started in the 7th grade.  my PE class had regular run built in every so often.   it was usually 7 tenths of a mile, with a smattering of a mile here and there.  I usually alternated my jogging with walking.

until the day i gave it my all.

i ran, and i ran hard.  and came in second overall, and first for girls.  how cool was that?!?

a few years passed and i found myself in college, desperate to not put on the “freshman 15″ with the late night eat-fests.  i started jogging around campus.  nothing too serious.  just me, my walkman with hootie and the blowfish, and the starry skies.

then i started teaching.  and i had a doozy of a first class.  i needed to get out some aggression and decompress after my long day.  i joined the Y and  hit the treadmill.  i was averaging 4 miles a run, 4 times a week.  then nate and i moved to pennsylvania.  we had seth.  i needed to lose baby weight, and as a new stay-at-home mom, needed to get out of the house.  i joined the Y again, and hit the treadmill.  same routine, 4 miles 4 times weekly.  no more, no less.  six months of this routine helped me win my age division in women’s, in my very first 5k race.

look at wee seth. wasn’t he so cute? this photo is from 2005….  accepting my first place medal.  my time was 25:16.

i decided i preferred outdoors running, and have not touched a treadmill since.  lucas was born.  again, managing my weight, i hit a local wooded fitness terrain of one mile… and would circle it 4 times.  the whole time i thought, i wish i could do more, maybe someday i’ll do 10 miles.  someday.

i was pregnant with audrey when my dear girlfriend frannie was training for a marathon.  hearing her story of the training, and then the actual story of marathon day… flipped my switch and lit my fire.  i wanted to do this too!  i could do this too!

audrey was born and i started running again 6 weeks post-partum.  it was painful and slow.  but i continued.  i worked through blisters and bruised toenails.  i ran in cotton.  i bought technical gear… new nike breathable clothes, balega socks, and a garmin fr60 heart rate monitor.  i ran some more.

i ran 7 miles today.

its the furthest i’ve ever gone.  i know i could run 10 tomorrow if i wanted to.  i feel strong and empowered.  i came home and registered for the philadelphia half marathon on november 22.   i am excited, not only for proving to myself i can do something remarkable, but for blowing that 10 mile dream out of the water.

i still have training to accomplish.  and if you see me jogging around gaithersburg, give me a little honk and wave.  i’ll give you a sweaty wave back.

finally, finally, finally!

i have just been waiting and dying to get my hands (err, i mean camera) on this family. this beyond-fabulous family attends church with me, and i have been stalking mom about getting photos of these kids. because these children are so beautiful, they need an agent and a contract asap.

but i have to mention, that this family’s beauty is not only outside… they are tremendously gorgeous on the inside too.

{miss e}

{mr. g}

i’m still holding out in hopes that my seth and miss e get married, oh, in 20 years.

a couple weeks ago i had the pleasure to shoot a family that belongs to howard county’s finest… the drive that day was gorgeous, but as i loomed closer the sky grew ominous.

as soon as i got there we set up in their yard (such lovely peaceful property!) and quickly got to business…

it was as if the sky heard that last shutter click on my camera, and BOOM the sky opened up. we headed inside for some lovely window shooting, while it poured. later i learned there were tornadoes in the area…

w family, it was my pleasure!

i have some recent new found faves i’d love to share with ya’ll…

first up is this special doll baby.   she is made by chickabiddybaby on Etsy.  she is vintage goodness with some lavender stuffing.  she has a sweet bell rattle inside and rene will personalize her at no extra charge.

i love this new scent from Gap.  close.  its a bit citrus-y, and musky, and its very subtle.  so yes, your special one has to get nice and….

what a great novel!  the double bind is a story of a photographer researching some mysterious photos and trying to heal from her own recent attack.  with a huge twist at the end that had me spinning.

nate and i stumbled upon this show just recently, and we can’t get enough.  guy is one funny dude.  and now we both scan for “his ride” outside quirky places in hopes of spotting him.  it’s on monday nights on the food network.  check out “triple d!”

do you have any new found faves?

completely & utterly adorable.    i do love spending my sessions with new little people such as the T kids – who were a treasure to work with.

ahhh… a quick jump, a quick snuggle….

seriously beautiful eyes and faces… thanks T Fam!