"Let the Memories Begin" - Disneyland

I used to hate beach sessions. It seemed there was one point where everyone was either taking their pictures at the beach or requesting a beach session. I'll be honest, it made me roll my eyes.

I have to say that I kinda felt the same way when I was planning this previous session, but it was for a special reason so I went with what they wanted. I came home, uploaded the images and FELL IN LOVE with the beach all over again. I don't know what it was. It just made me feel happy looking at those images with that family and Seal Beach was just so beautiful in the background. I love, love, love Seal Beach - the town (in fact, I would LOVE to live there at some point in my life), but I could take or leave the beach part - it was just so overdone. Not anymore. I love, love, love Seal Beach - the beach. I can't believe I used to feel so differently about it.

Anyway, this session was also at Seal Beach and again, I love looking at the images. Seal Beach is just so beautiful in the background. It also helps that I have warm feelings for this family. I met Mom through my MOMS Club. So sweet and so easy to talk to, not to mention that her little girl and Riley love seeing each other too. In fact, her little girl is in a couple of pictures on Riley's last 'birthday month' entry. This is also another military family. God bless them.



Mom mentioned at one point that she wished this little one would put Mickey down for some of the shots. I told her that years down the line, she may not remember Mickey there until she looks at some of the pictures. Her daughter will probably only know these memories with Mickey through these pictures. I believe that images should show every part of the memory that day. My heart is happy when I see Mickey in these images...I don't think I would feel the same about some of the images if he hadn't been there. It just seems that he was meant to be part of the story. Not to mention, Disneyland's new slogan is "Let the Memories Begin"...so there you have it. :)

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Caroline & Matt - Maternity

I am sooooo behind in blogging that this little bun in the oven has already been born!

I went to high school with Caroline and we reconnected on Facebook so it was so nice to see her again after all these years. She just looked beautiful AND adorable being pregnant! I loved that she wanted to take some pictures of the nursery and the things that made it special. Matt had some Spanish books for the baby (love it!), the monkey that is in the pictures was Matt's when he was a little boy(!) and a friend of theirs let them use the pram (or buggy) while the baby is little. It is vintage and in perfect condition and lots of other babies have used it while they were newborns. It will be a very special piece of their new little one's story.

Here are a few of my personal favorites. Wishing this new little family the best!!

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10K...apable!

Tomorrow's the big day...my second 10K. Like I said before, I'm not as prepared as I was last year (weight-wise or training-wise), but I would have let myself down signing up for the 5K just because I knew I wasn't as ready. To combat that, I challenged myself to try it again, even if I am 'worse off" than before. I like to reach back to that old saying, "If it was easy, everyone would be doing it."

To say that I'm looking forward to it would be a total lie. I'm scared. Or anxious. Or a little of both, but there's no excitement in there at all. I let myself down by not completely preparing for it but I'm hoping that's it's going to be easier than I am remembering and trying to remember that I will feel so proud after. I can't even comprehend that moment yet. It's a looooooonnnnngggg way from right now until that finish line tomorrow morning sometime.

I have everything on my play list from PINK to Blake Shelton to Train to Eminem. Not everything has a fast tempo like I usually prefer while running, but most of the songs really speak to me in some way and I hope that is going to help push me through.

Justin (the founder of this race) says there are more than 6,000 walkers/runners from more than 18 states participating tomorrow. 62% are doing the 5K, 24% are walkers. What do I think when I read this? That I hope I'm not one of the slowest 10K'rs out there. But what if I am? I certainly wouldn't judge another 10K'r or 5K'r whether they were one of the slowest. Why do I feel I need to judge myself? I'm running 6.2 miles on Thanksgiving morning, fast or slow, there's something to be said for that and I need to keep that positive thinking in the front of my mind.

I've never written on my hand or anything for any race I've been involved in before but I saw it done during the NYC marathon, I think. I thought that was such a great idea. Three quotes will be with me:

While watching Sarah Palin's Alaska rock climbing episode, Sarah said something after a tough trek. I thought it was perfect since I will be outside and 'making the effort and I'll be running on a beautiful path and I know that will make me thankful:

"It's so worth it. Just putting forth some effort. Ya know, you ...just gotta get outside. Breathe in the air, look what's around us."

I also love this from my friend Scotty. When I posted my fears about this 10K he wrote something to encourage me and I absolutely love this part of it. I think it could fit into so many parts of my life - not just a race:

"You are totally capable!"

I love that. Thank you, Scotty. :)

The final thing is a quote that I found the other day. The 10K is on the beach path and sand is literally on either side of you while running. Like I said in my previous blog entry, I'll have two of these - given...hoping to have happy tears at the finish line:

The cure for anything is salt water -- sweat, tears, or the sea.
---Isak Dinesen

And when I get tired, frustrated and mad at myself for putting myself through something that difficult (for me), I'll think about it being Thanksgiving Day. I'll think about how I have so many things to be thankful for. And I'll remember to be thankful that I am able - and CAPABLE - to run.

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Sweat, Tears or the Sea - Sunday Citar

I live very close to the beach. So close that I used to take it for granted. Until I had a baby girl. Last summer we went to the beach sooooo many times and I was so thankful it was so close - we could pick up and go on a whim and when I felt like going back home, I knew it was a short drive away. I also realized last summer what fun, free entertainment it is for children. So many times I sat on the shoreline and thought how lucky Riley was to experience this just about any time and how lucky I was to have sand underneath my feet and the warmth of the sun on my shoulders. It's very therapeutic.







As I was looking for quotes for this week's Sunday Citar, I came across one that really spoke to me. Last year I ran my first 10K on Thankgsiving Day. It was so difficult for me and I swore that I would NEVER do it again. Well, I'm doing it again. I'm not in as good as shape as I was last year and I certainly didn't train like I did last year. In fact, I've missed three days recently due to being sick. :/ But, I felt that if I signed up for the 5K, I'd be letting myself down. I know I can do it, it's just going to be a little more challenging this year. :/

The Turkey Trot 5 and 10K's are held on the beach path, so if you have to run a 10K, there's not too many nicer places to be running one. I have a couple of inspirational sayings that I'm going to write on my palm come Thursday morning and I think I'm going to add this one as well. Two of these things will be a given during my 10K. I'm sure the tears will come at one point, I just hope that they are happy ones at the finish line.

The cure for anything is salt water -- sweat, tears, or the sea.
---Isak Dinesen



If you'd like to join in this week's Sunday Citar, click here!

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Little Baby "N"

I posted a sneak peek to this cutie pie a while ago but I never blogged my favorites. This little angel was so good and so totally adorable! Her parents were so nice and easygoing - makes baby sessions soooo much easier! I hope life has lots of good things in store for this precious baby girl.

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My 15 Minutes of Internet Fame

I was selected as a nominee in Pioneer Woman's Four Legged photo contest. I was in Group 6 - fourth one down! You can see the original post here.



If you follow Pioneer Woman at all, you know what a huge honor that is. She has thousands of readers (if not hundreds of thousands) and there was probably hundreds to thousands of entries into that contest. To be selected in the finalist groups was such an honor - there are soooo many gorgeous images.

Here are my sweet little cows that I photographed in New York. Since they did so well in such a big contest, I may just enter them into the O.C. Fair next year. Maybe they'll push me up from third place. ;)



I didn't make the final finalists group, but I seriously am not disappointed at all - to have been in ANY of the groups was a big deal and I have had 100 something views on my photo on my Flickr page and some nice comments, so all in all it was a fun experience.

And if you've never heard of Pioneer Woman (where have you been?!) you might want to start reading here. She was a city girl who fell in love with a country boy and now lives on a ranch and writes about her adventures. There's even going to be a movie made about her life! I started reading her blog when it was just one page - now there are categories for food/photography/home schooling, etc. She now has a cookbook, she's been on the numerous television news shows and well, she's just a big deal in the blog world. She's come a long way!

Anyway, have a great week! Thanks for stopping by. :)

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Happy 22 Months, Baby Girl!

Dear Riley Grace,

Two more months until you are 2! I can't believe it!

Things are about the same. Size 4 diapers. Some 18 month clothes, some 24 month, but those are baggy on you as well. Shoe size is 5 to 5 1/2 depending on the shoe.

I'm happy to report that this month was a bit easier than last month! You're really starting to understand the whole discipline concept so that helps making things easier. You're a really good girl for the most part and we even received a compliment about you from a stranger when we were at dinner one night!

Not sure what to say that hasn't been said in the last 22 months! We love you so much, Riley Grace!

Recap of last month:

We had a fun little Halloween get together with the MOMS Club:


Play time at the park. Love, love, love this photo of you:


You rode a supermarket horse for the first time and you asked Mommy to do it again so we did it again after the store. :)


Play date with the MOMS Club. Your new little friend - so funny that you both wore the same headband. This is also your 'chhhheeeesssseeee' smile. :)


Play time at the park with Daddy. He put your license plate on your wagon!


Lots of library story time. This was on the way home - you put the hat on yourself.


We participated again in Justin Rudd's Haute Dog Halloween parade - for dogs and kids. I was so worried about this costume. I bought it at a consignment sale for $12 when I already had a Raggedy Ann dress for you (but no wig). You hated it when I brought it home and wanted nothing to do with it. Then Daddy had a good idea one night and said we should practice trick or treating. You reluctantly put on the costume but after that night, you wanted to wear it all the time! You even wanted to wear the hat to bed one night and cried because you couldn't! We let you wear it for a little bit and then took it off. :) You LOVED the costume by Halloween and even wore it to a library story time when they told us costumes were welcome that week. Everyone LOVED this costume. It was the best $12 I've ever spent! Daddy was the 'farmer' in the parade with you. :)


And it wouldn't be a month in the life of Riley without a few trips to Disneyland!


I love, love, love you baby girl!

Love,
Mommy

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Print Quality Reminder

About a year ago I did a post about quality of prints. It doesn't make sense to pay for a professional session and get your pictures printed at a discount lab. This week I'm going to do a test of Target and Costco prints compared to ones I order from our lab, but here is the example of one printed by our lab and one by Walmart:


As soon as I get the test prints back from our lab and Target/Costco, I'll post those results, but I cannot say enough about purchasing quality prints. Here's an example of where I took a picture of our pictures printed from the lab and even the picture of the picture looks great! Print quality does make a difference in the final result of your images.

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Sunday Citar - City Girl Gone Country

I'm not sure I believe in other lives, but if I had one, I'm pretty sure I was a cowgirl. I love, love, love all things country. The small towns, the miles and miles of scenery, the farm animals, the music, just about everything. If I won the lottery, I'd love to buy a beautiful home somewhere just outside Nashville. A place where I could be in the country, have a horse or two, a lab and a golden retriever, wear cowgirl boots just about everyday and be close enough to town where we could go have a few beers at the local pub on a Saturday night while watching new artists try to break into the country scene. Sounds just about perfect to me. :)

I took this picture when I visited my husband's hometown last year. I'm in photography Heaven when I visit his old country towns.


While I live in my beautiful home outside of Nashville, I'd keep my Chevy truck - although, I'd probably get a bigger one with a kick-a$$ sound system and I'd blast this oldie but goodie at least once a week. Love, love, love this song.



And I'd have plenty of money to buy these:


or these:


or these:


You can find those boots at either Old Gringo Boots or Sheplers. No, I'm not getting anything for promoting those boots or those websites, but I wish I were! Do you hear that, Old Gringo? Sheplers? Feel free to send me a pair to test! ;)

My Sunday Citar quote is:
There is virtue in country houses, in gardens and orchards, in fields, streams, and groves, in rustic recreations and plain manners, that neither cities nor universities enjoy.
- Amos Bronson Alcott

If you'd like to join in the fun, visit this blog!

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