Slight Change Of Plans...

I've been meaning to write this post for a while but I was waiting until I had more solid details to share. Well, the solid details still aren't able to be shared but I'm writing it anyway...

So, remember this post? The one where I sounded so confident and self-assured in my perfect little plan? The one titled Third Time's A Charm? Well, it turns out that was just a big, fat pump-fake. It turns out fourth time's a charm. And really, it turns out God has a sense of humor that doesn't always align with mine. At least not in the heat of the moment.

After I wrote the post about going back to school to get my Masters in Teaching, I was approached with an amazing volleyball coaching opportunity at the high school level. Unfortunately, I can't really discuss the details until all of the technicalities are sorted through (not that it's really that top secret or anything.) I was completely stoked about the possibility of coaching, partly because I really enjoy coaching volleyball but also due in part to the idea of getting a foot in the door for a teaching job once I'm done with school! Don't get me wrong, I'm not dumb enough to think that having a coaching position will automatically get me a teaching job, but in this economy I truly think every little bit of a connection helps.

To make sure my bases were covered, I met with the contact at Whitworth... you know, just to double-check coaching would be doable with my school schedule and what not. Truly thinking there would be no issues and giving myself a silent pat-on-the-back for being so responsible and considerate to bring the situation up at all, I awaited my "yes, of course, no problem" answer.

I didn't get it.

To make a long story short, he said "no" and there were a few reasons why. To make another long story short, I was pissed and didn't like his answer.

In true pissed-off-Whitney style, I walked out of his office, sat in my car for about 10 minutes, drove back to work, and emailed Gonzaga. The cool part? They were amazing and completely willing to work with my coaching situation. I think his exact words were, "That's life. Things come up and you make it work. And not to mention you're an adult and can make the decision whether or not you want to do both." Thankfully this conversation took place over the phone because I probably would've kissed him.

Don't you just love people who get it?

Anyway... The last couple months of my life have consisted of jumping through about a million hoops, doing paperwork, emailing a million people, and making a ton of phone calls. There is finally a spec of light at the end of the tunnel. It's faint, but it's there. And I'm excited to say that I'm going to be a Bulldog!

The irony of the picture above is that I tried on this shirt at Old Navy and texted Jordan this picture about two weeks before the whole thing with Whitworth came crashing down. Just for the record, I am not one of those girls who texts my husband pictures of myself on a regular basis -- this was actually the first time that's ever happened! I'm sure he was really turned on by the hat line on my forehead and my greasy hair...

So there it is. My plans have changed, yet again. I know this may not sound like a big, earth-shattering change and if I was honest with myself, I'd probably agree that it's not a huge deal. I think it was just one more (and hopefully one LAST) big curve-ball and, well, it threw me off. And it made life complicated. And it made me question this plan, again. But the weight of everything is beginning to lift and I am feeling like maybe I was supposed to be at Gonzaga all along.

I'll keep you posted on the coaching details as they come, but for now, GO ZAGS! :)

Changes

I have been absent from the blog lately. I know. I could bore you with a list of legitimate excuses, but whatever. You get it. And if you don't? Well, maybe we shouldn't be friends. ;)

We are revamping our blog to make it better. There are reasons behind this, I promise. I'm really not that into myself to need a bigger and better blog without a purpose. :) More to come on that. Anyway, please be patient because there will be some changes (and probably some trial and error) to occur in the next couple weeks.

Until we get a real, cool post up, here is something pretty to look at...

A Few Fantastic Finds

This might be the most random post to hit our blog, so fasten your seatbelts...

I hate January. I apologize for the bluntness of that comment or if your birthday is in January. It's just a dreary, depressing, nothing-to-look-forward-to month for me. Christmas is over. There's a strange pressure of starting a new year. Spring is still far away. It's STILL cold. I could go on and on but I will stop there and move on to a few things I discovered over the last month that I just couldn't help but share and made January suck less. :)

And it's February now. Praise the Lord!

Discovery #1: Crockpot Lasagna

I have become completely consumed and obsessed with crockpot and casserole recipes lately. It's partly due to the fact that I get home at 6:30PM, which doesn't leave any time to actually cook a meal (other than Mac & Cheese, chili out of a can, or eggs and toast, which to most people don't qualify as "cooked meals" anyway.) But let's be honest, it's also due in part to me just wanting pure, good ol' comfort food during this gray season. :) I have found numerous recipes that my three-year-old nephew could probably make successfully -- they are that easy -- but that are also GOOD! We made this one and it turned out awesome... and who the heck knew you could make lasagna in a crockpot?! Not this girl!

1 lb. ground beef

29 oz. can tomato sauce

8 oz. package lasagna noodles, uncooked

4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 cups cottage cheese

1. Spray the interior of the cooker with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Brown the ground beef in a large non-stick skillet (add seasoning if desired.) Drain off drippings.

3. Stir in tomato sauce. Mix well.

4. Spread 1/4 of the meat sauce on the bottom of the slow cooker.

5. Arrange 1/3 of the uncooked noodles over the sauce. You can break them up to fit better.

6. Combine the cheeses in a bowl. Spoon 1/3 of the cheese over the noodles.

7. Repeat these layers twice.

8. Top with remaining sauce.

9. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

BOOM! Done! Easy peasy! Yummmmmmyy.....

Discovery #2: The King's Speech

We don't go see movies in the theater very often since it's so expensive, but every once in a while there will be a flick that sparks my curiosity enough to bite the bullet. I planned our date night this week and made dinner and went and saw The King's Speech. Brilliant, I tell you! When a movie can combine history, culture, and humor with an interesting story line and phenomenal acting, I am an instant fan. There are too many movies out there lately where you feel dumber after watching them and it feels like you just wasted two hours of your life -- so annoying, right?! If you need a great movie to watch or a date night to plan, welp, here you go!

Discovery #3: Unconventional Ways to Save Money

I am not a huge coupon queen, although I wish I was better at it. I know people who are crazy about it and save hundreds (and even thousands) of dollars. Maybe one day I'll get there...

This one is kind of cheating because I discovered this a few months ago, but if you have not yet heard of Groupon, I suggest you look into it and sign up! Here is the rundown: you get a daily email with a local deal of up to 90% off a product or service, you can either purchase it or delete it, and that's it. I end up deleting them more often than not, but I have purchased quite a few that were just too good to pass up. Examples:

• I spent $25 to get $50 to Nordstrom Rack.
• I spent $12 to get $25 at Fringe & Fray (vintage clothing store).
• I spent $5 to get $10 to Kalico Kitchen.

You get the idea...

And another quick discovery I made was finding discounts/coupons for monthly prescriptions, completely unrelated to Groupon. I can't take credit for this one -- my Mom told me about it because I was whining about how much my birth control (sorry it that's too much information, but whatever) costs me each month. Even with insurance, I pay $50 every month. It's a conspiracy, I tell you!

I digress...

By simply typing "NuvaRing Coupon" into Google, I found a legitimate $15 off coupon through the first website that came up. So every month I am now paying $35 instead of $50. Not earth-shattering, but still better than nothing! My Mom got one prescription down from $50 to zero each month.

Discovery #4: Another Great Blog to Read

I am really weird when it comes to my daily routine. Almost every single morning I will check my email and then check the list of all the blogs I keep up with and read new entries if I have time. Most of the blogs I read are authored by people I know, but some aren't. I think this totally freaks my husband out. "Why are you reading about someone's life when you don't even know them? Isn't that creepy?" Well, baby, in sickness and in health, right?! :)

I randomly came across a blog called Enjoying The Small Things which is written by a gal down in Florida with two little girls. Her second daughter is a year old and was born with Down Syndrome. Kelle, the author of the blog, is so real and genuine with her story and her day-to-day life... it's so inspiring to hear someone be that open and honest and REAL about being a mom. And let's be honest, we've all asked ourselves and talked about it with our spouses: What if you had a child with Down Syndrome? Or special needs? How would you deal? Or another fun question: Are you a horrible person if you want to know beforehand whether or not your unborn baby has any of these issues? Kelle wrote the most unbelievable birth story of her second daughter -- read it here -- that actually brought me to tears. TEARS, people. Unbelievable. So unbelievable, in fact, it made me think about wanting to be a mom someday. If you know me at all, that is a monumental statement.

I am a sucker for a blog with excellent photographs, but an even bigger sucker for a blog with real, talented writing. Kelle's blog has both. And seeing that the blog is close to reaching 7 million views, I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in this new obsession. If you need something beautifully authentic to read and view (or you're just bored at work), you must check out this blog.

If you managed to make it through the random vomit-of-thoughts I just had, well, good for you. That is one fine accomplishment! I promise my next post will have some structure and meaning to it. I've just been feeling like life is much more enjoyable lately when I find a great deal, a thought-provoking movie, an inspiring read, or an easy recipe that doesn't taste like feet. So I thought I'd share those glimpses of sunshine in case February is to you as January was to me. :)

Bekah + Matt

I'd been dying to visit my good friend, Bekah, in Atlanta ever since she moved there for PA school three years ago. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to make it work and then... BAM! It happened! The stars aligned and Jordan and I spent an awesome few days hanging out with Bekah and her fiance, Matt, exploring Atlanta, eating great food, and doing their engagement photos all over the city!

Bekah and I have been through life together... literally. We went to pre-school through college together, always playing on the same volleyball team and even living together for two years in college. This girl is my sister and I truly cannot imagine my life without her in it! She also happens to be crazy smart (she is officially a doctor now... a DOCTOR, people!), an amazing volleyball player, the funniest person you will ever meet, she is a beautiful singer... I could go on and on. Truly, Bekah is the full package deal and one of those girls who everyone just loves. And then she met Matt who is SO perfect for her in every way and just an all-around solid guy.

I was a little unsure of what their engagement photos would turn out like because these two are always laughing and being silly together, so I figured we would have some crazy, off-the-wall photos... I WAS WRONG. Don't get me wrong, we laughed and had fun with the pictures, but the second my camera came out Bekah and Matt both turned into foxy, smokin' hot models. Seriously. And the funky backgrounds in Atlanta only enhanced the sexiness. :)

Check out some Flat 4 favorites of Bekah and Matt in Atlanta! Click on any of the photos to make them bigger.

Third Time's A Charm

The older (and supposedly wiser) I get, the more I realize how many times in life things come full circle. It's a strange but comforting phenomenon.

I have decided to go back to school to get my Masters in Teaching.

You are probably thinking to yourself, "Wait, haven't I read this post before?" To answer your question, yes, you have. Maybe twice. Like I said, life has come full circle.

There's the short version. If you want the long version, keep reading.

I was originally going to start the Masters in Teaching program at Whitworth in June 2008. Yes, I realize that is a whopping three years ago. Full circle, I tell you! I deferred my acceptance when we decided to live in London because I obviously couldn't do both... and who chooses school over living in London for five months? Maybe some scholarly, responsible, goal-oriented person. In other words, not me. :) The plan was to begin when we got back just in time for June 2009. I actually applied to Gonzaga's MIT program that spring because I found out it was a part-time program, allowing me to still work full-time. At that point my income was our only income with Jordan still in law school. It was the perfect plan until Gonzaga decided to completely change the schedule, making it impossible to work while doing the program. I just didn't feel comfortable having both of us in school without any income (responsible, right?!); so alas, I deferred my acceptance to BOTH Whitworth and Gonzaga that year... again.

At that point, my confidence in my plan to get my Masters in Teaching was completely shaken. Was this really what I was supposed to do? Too many things just weren't falling into place. About a month or two later, I had the epiphany of starting our photography business and I ran with it while the school idea fell by the wayside. Little did I know it would actually be pretty successful... and then came the Photo Booth... and, well, let's just say we haven't really come up for air until now.

It was at some point late this last summer when I realized that I just could not make wedding photography my full-time career. And let's be honest, besides the Photo Booth, that's the only thing around this area you can make money doing in the photography world. Logistically I could do it, but emotionally and physically I was hanging on by a thread. It got easier and I began to really enjoy it, but the thought of doing it FOREVER as my career was daunting. And not to mention my summers and weekends would be gone and I would be on a completely opposite schedule than Jordan.

That's when it all came full circle...

The Masters in Teaching programs that had fallen through twice led us to start Flat 4 Photography, which has opened up so many doors for us and really been a huge blessing in so many ways. At the same time, the stress of photographing ten weddings this year while working full-time and running the Photo Booth too... well, it brought me right back to square one.

I will be starting Whitworth's Masters in Teaching program in June. I am so confident God has led me back to this starting block for a reason and this is where I'm supposed to be. Third time's a charm, right?! :)

Does this mean I'm done with photography? Absolutely NOT. But I will be limiting myself quite a bit. I am only allowing myself to shoot one wedding per month this summer and fall, and I will be outsourcing most of my editing (which is the most time-consuming part of photography anyway.) We are still rocking the Photo Booth and will continue to do so as long as we possibly can! I will definitely have to be more selective with photography sessions due to my schedule, at least until I'm done with school. And that's the beauty of being a teacher -- I will be free every summer and weekends to pick and choose what I want to do with photography. :)

Oh yeah, the details of the MIT program. In case you're interested...

The program is a 14-month, full-time, intensive program that starts this June. I have kicked around the idea of continuing to work at Home Environments (my dad's business, where I work now) on Sundays only, but other than that possibility, I will not be working at all. My goal is to ultimately teach high school English and possibly coach volleyball if it works out that way. I have one class I still have to take to complete my English endorsement before school starts and I have to retake the West-E endorsement test I already took (and already passed) since the state requirements have all changed since 2008. Annoying, but to be expected. After all, Murphy's Law still knows my maiden name. ;)

As much as I'm not looking forward to the "school" part of going back to school, I think it will be worth it in the end and I am finally starting to get excited about it. If you have any advice for me (or tips on how to land a teaching job in Spokane...), please let me know!

Joe + Megan 10.8-9.10

I always get asked if I like photographing weddings. To be honest, there are goods and bads to the job, just like anything else. It wasn't until Joe and Megan's wedding, my last scheduled wedding for 2010, that I realized just how cool it really is...

Not only are you a large part of the biggest day of two peoples' lives, you get to witness so many profoundly emotional moments -- laughter, tears, joy, and above all else, love at its finest. Joe and Megan's wedding captured all of these emotions and was just so intimate, personal, and real. Their two-day wedding celebration began at Beacon Hill and consisted of only their closest friends and family (probably no more than 50 people.) The day was so relaxed and the evening ended with a gourmet, plated dinner for all the guests around one big table with wine pairings for each course. How often can all the guests at a wedding sit around one big table? See, I told you, intimate and beautiful. Besides being two of the kindest people on the planet, Megan and Joe's wedding had so many stand-out features in my mind -- Megan's lovely vintage wedding dress (with pockets!) and her awesome fish net veil, how every detail of this wedding lived and breathed "vintage fall", the perfect Beacon Hill sunset during their ceremony... I could go on and on.

I photographed the entire wedding day and a short part of the reception dinner and then headed out to Lake Coeur d'Alene the next day for the big reception on the Mish-an-Nock boat cruise with all of Megan and Joe's friends and family! It was such a fun celebration with food, drinks, and even some trivia about Megan and Joe. :) Without further ado, check out the slideshow below of Megan and Joe's gorgeous fall wedding and reception...

Ryan + Alli 9.18.10

Planning a wedding can be hard, especially when you're trying to decide on an overall theme for the big event. Classic Bavarian? Rustic farm? In rare cases, a bride can have both...

I think Alli and Ryan chose me as their photographer partly because I'm willing to do just about anything but also because we have a similar love for a certain photo location: Knapps Farm up at Green Bluff. Of course there were other details involved, but from the minute Alli told me she wanted to have her wedding photos taken up at Knapps Farm after seeing some of my previous photo shoots at that location, it was all downhill from there. ;)

Ryan and Alli had their ceremony and reception at the beautiful Bozarth Mansion in north Spokane. We started their "getting ready" pictures at the mansion, then headed up to Green Bluff for Alli and Ryan's first look, their bride & groom pictures, and their wedding party photos. It was a gorgeous fall day and, as always, the owners of Knapps Farm were so gracious and friendly. As a side note, if you haven't been to Knapps Farm, you should take your family and friends and go up there in the summer to pick your own berries -- it's so much fun! From there, we headed back to Bozarth just in time for Alli and Ryan to get hitched! These two were so laid back and down-to-earth and it was such a fun day to be a part of! And I have to give props to my fabulous second shooter, the one and only Jordan Tampien... believe it or not, a lot of these featured shots are his. He's so great! :)

Without further ado, check out the slideshow below of some Flat 4 favorites from Alli and Ryan's beautiful wedding! If you can't tell, we had a hard time narrowing it down...