Ben + Michelle 9.4.10

I adore Leavenworth. If you haven't been there, go. If you have been there, go again. I just cannot get enough of this Bavarian town surrounded by the most magnificent mountains. It is one of Jordan and my favorite places to escape to. So when Michelle called me to photograph her and Ben's wedding and have our Photo Booth at their reception, I was thrilled!

Ben and Michelle actually live in Montana, but since their families are scattered in different cities and states, they decided to do a "mini destination wedding" in Leavenworth. They got married at Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church and had their reception at the Icicle Inn. There were so many unique, memorable things about this wedding... the horse and buggy that drove Michelle and Ben from the church to their reception, Michelle being the ONLY girl in the wedding party (we had some fun with this for pictures!), the traditional Scottish toast Ben's sister gave at the reception since she's currently living in Scotland, Ben's parents sharing their anniversary with Ben and Michelle, having the guests wear our Photo Booth props all night at the reception... I could go on and on! And I didn't even mention the perfect wheat field and amazing red crates that just happened to be down the street from the church for pictures. :)

Oh yes, Ben and Michelle... we just love them. I am not exaggerating when I say that Michelle is probably the nicest person I've EVER met. And hands down the most calm bride on the planet. And Ben kept us laughing the whole day. :) They are just one of those couples consisting of two genuinely nice people. I love couples like that. And they were game for anything with pictures! I also love couples like that! Without further ado, check out the slideshow below from Ben and Michelle's beautiful wedding in Leavenworth!

As usual, the Photo Booth was a hit at the reception! CLICK HERE to see the Photo Booth pictures taken at Ben and Michelle's wedding.

Thankful

I have been bitter lately. And I know I shouldn't be. Okay, maybe "bitter" isn't the best word to use, but given the 8 inches of snow and subzero temperatures we've had this week, it just seemed appropriate. Ever since we got back from our vacation at the beginning of the month, an overwhelming amount of things just haven't gone our way... I know that's life, but sometimes it gets hard to focus on the positive things after taking so many hits in a row.

But it's Thanksgiving tomorrow, and I know I have way too many things to be thankful for. And even after all the hits and downers, at the end of the day I am still blessed beyond belief.

I love this picture. My mom took it at the lake a couple years ago and it is just so peaceful, beautiful, and authentically serene. I wanted to add it to this blog post because I am currently in a "I hate snow and want to move somewhere warm" mode... but this picture is perfect despite the snow; well, it's actually perfect because of the snow.

It makes me think of how I should be looking at things, even if those things seem negative in the moment.

I know it's cliché, but I wanted to make a list of all the things I am thankful for. It's really more for me than anyone else; I realize that. Without fail, every time I sit down and really think of everything I'm thankful for, the list goes on and on and I usually choke up at some point.

So here is the short version, off-the-top-of-my-head list. Of course I'm eternally grateful for my friends and family, so just assume that is always at the top of my list...

~ I am thankful to have a job in this economy that has so many incredible benefits. Being able to work with my Dad, having our health insurance paid for, and not getting fired when I'm late are just a few that come to mind... :)

~ I am thankful that both of our cars have 4-wheel drive! I love feeling safe when I'm on the road in this crazy weather.

~ I am thankful that Jordan doesn't think it's gross when I eat half of a pan of Rice Krispie treats in one night... and that he's sitting next to me finishing the other half. ;)

~ I am thankful that Max seems to be getting over the "chewing couches and peeing indoors" phase.

~ I am thankful that I get to spend the holidays (and every day, really) with my husband and my family. I know not everyone is so lucky.

~ I am thankful for our little house and to have a warm place to go home to. We rag on it sometimes and laugh at how small it is, but it's ours. And I love the home we've created there.

~ I am thankful for our hot tub. It might sound superficial, but we honestly sit in it almost every night and there's nothing better than getting warmed up before going to bed and spending some quality time with my hubby without interruptions.

~ I am thankful that my migraines seem to be slightly fewer and farther between lately.

~ I am thankful that my husband doesn't care that I go to Starbucks for a latte pretty much every morning and spend way more money than a 16 oz. beverage should ever cost.

~ I am thankful for all the amazing, big things we've been able to do in the short time we've been married. (Coming up on 4 years!)

I really could go on and on; big things and small things alike. I really don't know what I've done to deserve the life I've been given. But I am thankful, nonetheless.

Elf Yourself!

If you haven't figured it out already, I am a huge nerd. I've come to terms with this fact, so it's okay.

For whatever reason, I still find the whole "Elf Yourself" phenomenon really funny... I realize I among the .05% of the population who laughs at people ELFing themselves, but whatever. I will admit, it is WAY funnier to add dogs into our Elf-pack. :) You know you're curious to watch Maggie and Max dance while dressed as elves...

I'm not excited about the snow, but 'tis the season for ELVES!

Jacob + Allison 8.21.10

I have to admit, I love farm weddings. Seriously, love them. Something about them is just so relaxed, personal, and charming. Jacob and Allison's wedding was all of those things, and so much more!

They got married at Trezzi Farm at Green Bluff, which is the perfect mix between a little Italian winery and a classic Green Bluff farm. And all the DETAILS of this wedding... oh my word! Jacob and Allison had personalized cups and water bottles, fabulous summer flowers, our Photo Booth for their reception, and the most amazing coloring books as wedding favors since many of their guests were kiddos. Allison's sister owns Little Bee Coloring Books; they do personalized coloring books for weddings and events, which I thought was such a cool idea and not to mention a great way to keep kids busy during the ceremony! The illustrations were of Allison and Jacob and the details matched the wedding perfectly -- one page even had our Photo Booth on it!

Like I mentioned, the day was just so relaxed and really reflected Allison and Jacob. They did not want to see each other before the wedding and really just wanted casual, candid shots throughout the day -- so that's what we did! Allison and Jacob are both so laid-back and always smiling... seriously, always! You can just tell they are meant to be together. Oh, and a random side note, I actually worked with Allison as a hostess for about a month at Tomato Street when we were in college. We didn't really figure that out until we met up before the wedding... such a small world!

Anyway, check out the slideshow below to see some Flat 4 favorites of Jacob + Allison!

Like I mentioned, Jacob and Allison had our Photo Booth at their reception, which was definitely a hit! Click here to check out their Photo Both pictures!

I also have to give props to my awesome second shooter, Bethan Contabile, of Just a Glimpse Photography. Not only is she an incredibly talented photographer, she also happens to be my cousin. :)

McMurray Family

The McMurray family is near and dear to my heart. Aaron and Darcy have both played such a huge role in my life and their friendship means the world to me! I did photos for them last year as well -- click here to see last year's post, which has more details on how I know this beautiful family! And it's fun to see how much their four kids have grown and changed since last year. The twins, Keagan and Kinkade just turned 8, Lucia is 3 (and a half), and Emery will be two in March. The McMurray kids are just as awesome as their parents, and not surprisingly just as beautiful! Darcy has a great blog called "McMurray Mania" if you want to check out the life of the McMurrays.

We didn't have quite as much time for this year's photo session, but it was just as fun and I think we got some great shots! So check out a few Flat 4 favorites of the McMurrays!

Wideman Family

Stephanie was one of my volleyball coaches for a few years of club volleyball when I was in high school, and I always looked up to her and respected her so much. Then I was able to coach a U-14 team with her when I was in college, which was a blast! I love how Stephanie and my relationship has come full circle -- from coach-player, to coach-assistant coach, to FRIENDS! Stephanie is one of the most thoughtful people I know. She always sends me sweet messages of encouragement about my photography and life in general; and although she's a busy lady, I know she would always be there for me if I asked. One of the things I have always admired most about Stephanie is her amazing work ethic. Not only does she work full-time and have a great career, she also is a mom to two adorable kiddos, Gavin and Lexi. She makes being a career woman, a mom, and a wife look SO easy!

Stephanie recently wanted to do some family pictures, and I was so excited to spend some time with her and her adorable family! She wanted to take advantage of the fall colors in Spokane, so we did something a little out of my normal routine of locations and went to the Finch Aboretum. Check out a few Flat 4 favorites of the Wideman Family!

Stephanie also hired us/referred us for the Photo Booth for her company holiday party in December at the CDA Resort -- thank you, Steph! You are the best!!

Our Vacay!

We got back from our vacation late Saturday night and as much as there was a little added stress from getting home and having to catch up on everything, I think we finally felt rested. I don't think either of us have felt that way for a long time.

We flew into Atlanta and it was so great to finally be reunited with Bekah! Once we got settled in their cute apartment, we went out to a great restaurant bordering a huge park that has a great skyline view of the city...

Bekah and I have always been able to pick up right where we left off, no matter how long it's been since we've talked. I love it. I guess that's what happens when you've gone to pre-school through college together. :)

The main reason we went to Atlanta was so I could take Bekah and Matt's engagement pictures. We did that the next day and it was a great way to hang out and see Atlanta -- stay tuned for their AWESOME photos, coming soon! Or check out the "Sneak Peek" album on the Flat 4 Photography Facebook fan page for a preview. :)

One of the main highlights of the Atlanta trip was eating at Mary Mac's Tea Room, a famous restaurant in Atlanta known for their traditional southern cooking! If you have a minute, you've got to check out their menu... dirty good!

Just to give you an idea, my meal consisted of the best fried chicken I've ever had, whipped potatoes, macaroni & cheese, and a roll that I might trade one of our dogs for. Yummmmmmmm!!!!

On our last day in Atlanta, we went downtown and decided on a whim to ride the 80-story glass elevator to the top of the Westin to overlook the whole city. Bekah is not a huge fan of heights (okay, she HATES them!), but we all made it and it was a beautiful view. Atlanta is huge and really spread out!

It was definitely hard to say goodbye to Bekah and Matt (and their two cats, Ralph and Hank), but they are moving to Seattle soon and we are excited for them to be much closer! They were such great hosts while we were there -- thanks guys!

We flew into South Padre Island (the second leg of our trip) on Sunday night. One of Jordan's co-workers graciously let us stay in her condo for free while we were there! It was a block from the beach and gave us a great "home base," allowing us to cook some meals and just have a great place to hang out.

We didn't waste much time... day one we were out to the beach!

It was usually between 78-85 degrees most days we were there, which felt so amazing! It's hurricane season down there right now, and although we didn't experience any hurricanes or much rain, it was pretty windy most of the time. A positive side to it being hurricane season was that we pretty much had the whole island to ourselves! :)

The first day was really hard for me to wind down and just relax... I know it sounds crazy but I was having some serious anxiety at first with not having anything specific to do! Weird, I know. After the second day, I was finally able to let go and just RELAX and enjoy doing nothing, which is exactly what we needed.

A few highlights from our week in South Padre Island include:

- a lot of long walks on the beach

- sleeping in every morning and even taking some naps during the day!

- opting out of deep sea fishing (mostly because of the crazy wind) and deciding to use that money toward 90-minute massages instead :)

- being able to make our own breakfasts and lunches -- banana and Nutella pancakes and BLT with avacados for lunch... Yummmmmy!

- reading in the sun/laying in the sun/the sun in general :)

- eating at some fabulous restaurants, one of which we saw dolphins in the ocean from our table!

- enjoying many amazing sunsets

All in all, it was just good to finally let ourselves relax and be in a place that was not only warm but was "away from it all."

By the end of our trip, we were ready to come home and see the pups. The 40 degree drop in temperature wasn't that exciting, but nothing beats the feeling of being home. :)