Gene + Rosette's Day After!

Gene contacted me a few weeks ago, wanting simple ceremony coverage for him and his fiance. I was stoked! Alas, spring break put a crimp in our style and the beach we were going to shoot at was going to be crawling with half naked military folk and frankly, no one wants a half naked person in their wedding images!

So we planned a "day after" session, bright and early at 6am! I love Haleiwa in the morning, because it's so empty in the morning and on this particular day, the sun was kind to us! It was truly stunning out and I really enjoyed taking a couple hours with Gene and Rosette, to enjoy the day!

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?

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.

{April + Andrew} Wedding Sneaks!

I just got started in the wedding business and had fiercely prayed that the perfect bride would come along, swoop me up with the knowledge that I wouldn't let her down and kickstart my goal to get into the wedding industry.

Enter April, who is so sweet and kind and her now husband Andrew, who loves her to death and is incredibly fun to be around. They met at Crossfit classes and it's been history since! I had such an amazing time capturing all of their emotions, meeting friends and family and running around the Hale Koa like my life depended on it. I can't wait until my next wedding! Thanks April for believing in me...