Disney Aulani Character Breakfast!

Here in Hawaii, we don't get a ton of new things to do. Yeah, sure, we live in Hawaii but after eight years of living here, I'm a tad jaded. Don't get me wrong, I adore the soft sand and swimming with dolphins as much as the next bloke, but I personally crave....never mind. Not today! Today is about MICKEY! My husband, who is of the thirty years old category, has never seen Mickey. Has never been to Disneyland. Or Disney World. Or anything.

Yes, gasp, if you will.

So today, because he's been incredibly support of my workaholic ways, I treated him to breakfast and forced him to A) stand next to Mickey and B) let me blog about it. Okay, maybe he doesn't know this is being blogged, so SHHHH. Just enjoy the pictures!

p.s. He actually really enjoyed himself, so I don't feel so bad about blogging this!

I present to you:

Oatmeal with Brown Sugar
Bread pudding
French Toast
Portuguese Sausage
Omelette with spinach, bell peppers, sausage and bacon. Oh yeah. And Cheese.


You can't see it clearly, but there is a samba line of children walking by, dancing and singing. These mimosas? Were required.




Excuse my husband, he is quite "miserable" in this photo. ;)







I tried to bring a mimosa into the photo, to really emphasize that I'm uber cool and well, Minnie isn't allowed to photograph with alcohol. I wonder if Mickey has a problem she needs to be supportive of?

For Realz: I used to be a cheerleader

Yes, you read the subject correctly, I used to be a cheerleader.

Okay, first, let me start by saying I was an awkward teenager.

√ skinny and flat chested
√ Knobby knees
√ never had a boyfriend
√ had an extreme inability to style my hair in anything but ugly.

Well, in eighth grade, I thought that it would be smart to join the cheerleading squad. I wasn't popular and honestly, I had limited friends. I had zero confidence. And I wanted to do a herky in a skirt.

Genius.

So, I did it. I went to practice. I learned how to do a herky (or a laughing example of one), I cheered at football games and always caused a ruckus, because they always chose to put a popular girl on the top of the pyramid. I weighed 80 pounds. Why couldn't I get tossed up in the air?

Finally, my bitching got through to the coach and they got ready to put me up in the pyramid. I ain't skurred, I've been wanting this for ages! I put my foot in one girls palm, hoisted myself to place my other foot in the other girls palm, bring my arms up, they begin to lift me up and up and up

and BAM

They dropped me.

On my head.

I blacked out for a good 5-10 seconds and went to the nurse after.

And never asked to be tossed again. Those chicks knew what they were doing and taught me a valuable lesson: trying to fit in will get you hurt. It's far more fun to do things on your own.

Just for giggles, here's a photo of me...during that bleak time period.

Charlie in Chinatown!

This past Saturday morning, I had the pleasure of working with one of the most adorable little girls ever! Charlie is her name and being photogenic is her game! Her mom, Steffani, loved the idea of doing a session in Chinatown, because that is where she had her maternity session. I was delighted, because Chinatown is such a unique and beautiful place, especially in the morning!

Charlie wasn't feeling too pleased about the early morning session, but the small smiles I did get, were soooo worth it. I love working with kids, mainly because the images are worth the difficulty and work that is involved in getting toddlers to giggle. Enjoy the photos of this cutie, because I adored working with her!

Jessica's Beautiful Waimanalo Beach Portraits

I first spoke with Jessica in September, when my Living Social deal first ran. She originally booked for an a couple session in February, but imagine my dismay when she told me a few days before the session that she would no longer with that guy, but still wanted some awesome portrait images! Well, I've been the single chick before and gosh, breakups would have been hella easier if I some fabulous images to show that dude what the heck he was missing!

So that was my goal when I was working with Jessica. She is probably one of the most down to earth women I've ever met, sweet southern twang and all! Her smile was infectious and honestly, I don't know if she realizes how gorgeous she is! If I could photograph her all day, I'd be one happy photographer! I think I was also jealous of her hair, but that is neither here nor there!

I believe everyone should get portraits for themselves, because really...this day? This day you're reading this? Is the only day like it you'll ever have. Why not capture it?

Kristen & Chad's Engagements

When Kristen asked me to meet with her to discuss her Hawaii wedding, I was naturally stoked but never did I think that I would have so much FUN working with a couple! First, I adore them because they think I'm funny, which totally strokes my ego. They get along so well and they POSE so well! I raved to Kristen on how amazing her hands are, because she just puts them perfectly wherever they are! Anyone need a hand model?

We used My Pinterest Board for posing and portrait ideas and I whipped out my ipad to create some great ideas. When Kristen posted on her pinterest that she wanted horses, naturally, I had to try and make it happen!

Enter Charlie! Charlie is a horse I ride at Dillingham Ranch during the week, a sweet pony who has a sordid past but was a gracious model for us, despite it being dinner time!

Then for the second portion of our session, we went to the beach to have some kool aid enjoy the waves! I'm so blessed and excited to shoot their wedding in July at Kualoa Ranch! Thanks again Kristen and Chad for being awesome clients!

Remember to Giggle

I had a great session with Liann and her daughter not too long ago, at Waimanalo Beach. It was a delight to see her pre-teen daughter giggle when swinging on the swing and having fun with her mother. Reminded me that sometimes, you just have to be silly, despite what society says! I went and had a cupcake right after, but let's be real...I probably would have anyway ;)

This is your brain...

So this week has been insane. Multiple sessions, catching up from the rain we had for almost two weeks, a secret project that went amazingly well, finding out I'll be published, meetings with vendors and clients annnnnd editing WITH school....I haven't been sleeping well. I've been up since 3:30am this mornin, because I couldn't fall back to sleep...and then I had a 6am homecoming and then I had an hour long convo with a vendor...and if you feel overwhelmed by all of this....imagine what my brain feels like.

It's like that commercial Rachel Leigh Cook made for a Drug Free American however long ago that was. "This is your brain...this is your brain on drugs..." except I'm not on drugs, unless coffee constitutes as a drug.



But I love my job, I'm not complaining. The whole point of this post was to show you a sneak from the first portion of an engagement session I had yesterday. Kristen & Chad are getting married in July and I am SO excited to share ALL of these images eventually!!!



So here's to more coffee, stolen naps and my determination to become famous....

I Love Book (Not Lamp)

My love affair started as an ADHD child, stuck in a crib with nothing to do. My mom hated that I would vault over the sides and get into trouble (one day, you'll hear the pool story...) so my mom started sticking books into my crib.

Book are my escape. I have a love affair/obsession with books. I'm in Barnes and Noble as I type this and I literally walked around for twenty minutes, feeling covers, flipping pages, grinning ear to ear. I'm on a budget, but I fantasize about the different worlds and perspectives each book offers.

I judge books by their cover.

100%

I mean, if the cover is lame and is so is the name of the book, I won't pick it up. If it seems interesting, I then read the synopsis, which is the third way I weed out books. If it passes THAT test, then I may contemplate a purchase. I have over 300 books at home and I gave away a ton last year. I can't afford to waste space on a lame book!

I have some obsessions, listed as the following:

- The Hunger Gamers
- His Dark Materials
- Game of Thrones series
- Inheritance Cycle
- Anything written by Greg Bernhardt. That man single-handedly made being single bearable.
- I love Bentley Little. That dude is twisssssted.
- Katie McCalister

I'm not a fan of self help books, unless I feel desperate enough to search out a book. I hate non-fiction. Unless it has to do with the Holocaust. I'm a self proclaimed holocaust bookworm and I've even been to two concentration camps. I secretly think I have a little Jew in me. Although....one of the best biographies I've read was Jenna Jamisons...and Chelsea Handler of course!

I unfortunately don't get to read as much as I wish I could, but I adore finding fantastic books that change my life. If you have suggestions, please share!

A teeny tiny break

So today is a break from the giveaway, more for the sheer fact that it's been raining so much that the day seven scheduled item hasn't been photographed yet. Eek! Whatever, I'll make do and hopefully entertain you!

I, personally, would like to contemplate life with you. Sure, we may have never even met before but so what? The cynic in me thinks, "as if my problems are as unique as I'd like them to be??" so you may be able to relate.

So...what to contemplate. I personally love fritos with cinnamon applesauce. What? I didn't admit that out loud did I? It started in grade school, when I had packed my own lunch and it contained both items and I was bored. Naturally, what any ten year old would do, I combined them and fell in love.

I also remember the first time I was able to work with horses. My mom had finagled a volunteer position for me at an equestrian center in Las Colinas, Texas. I showed up, it was FREEZING and I had never ever handled a horse before, minus the carrots I fed to random ones here and there, or the one that bit me in Boston once. So, towards the end of my shift there, I went into a stall of some horse and pet him/her with a twinkle in my eye and hope in my heart. A few minutes later, after I had left the stall to go clean up poo, this horse proceeds to run out of it's stall. Yep, I left the door unlocked and well...that made for an interesting moment!

You may be asking yourself of the purpose for this blog and well, I don't have one. I just had too much coffee this morning.

But because I love doling out advice and it's hump day and we all need a little pick me up...smile.

Smiling at strangers has been proven to improve not only their lives but yours! Say thank you when someone opens the door for you, because it's incredibly rude when you don't. I'm tired of muttering, "you're welcome!" to some dude who couldn't even smile at me as a thanks.

Last but not least, find a hobby. Seriously. I collect hobbies as a hobby, so if you'd like one of mine, I have plenty. I even have a bow and arrows you can bum! I'm also looking for dive partners, so let me know if you're interested!

Finally, I'd like to include a photo of the best waffle I've had in my life. On my last morning in Athens, Greece, this lovely woman near the Plaka made this for me. Yes, that is chocolate syrup. It was even better than fritos and applesauce.