Category Archives: Personal

For a while now, I have been following a wonderfully talented photographer, and I know soon to be friend, Gina Zeidler.  She is a huuge part of an amazing group called Making things happen, which pushes all creative minds to get fired up about what they do and get on a powerful path to helping to make big things happen in life and business.  Today I am piggy-backing on a post Gina did on their blog about choosing joy.  The 5 things that  get me to smile and produce JOY are :

1:  Flowers and warm spring air.  Last night Kevin and I sat out on our patio after the kids had gone to bed and marveled in the spring time air, the moon and the fragrances.  Chatting and just relaxing without the distractions of any media also aided in my Joy!

2: The purple plastic pool.  Every summer we pull out a $10 purchase I made when Lydia was 6 months old and just old enough to splash in the water.  7 years later, we still have that pool and the kids still play in it.  The joyful memories I have from that pool bring a smile to my face.  It is still bringing me joy because now all 3 kids are trying to fit in it at the same time!

3: Morning Coffee.  The small joys, but just sitting at the table with a cup in the morning eating cheerios with my family reminds me how blessed I am.

4: Folding Laundry.  I know this is super crazy, but usually I am able to do it alone and think and pray.  Because it is a relatively mindless process (and because we have piles upon piles!) my mind is usually clear and it is in a way therapeutic.

5: Body Pump.  A class at my gym that I have been doing for over 4 years.  I am never excited to get there, but the feeling of strength and energy that comes after the class is finished is refreshing!

Now you.  Can you continue this?  As Gina asked in her post….What brings you joy today?  Happy Friday!

If you haven’t already guessed… I am taking a break!  From blogging and from work.  Don’t get me wrong, there things to accomplish like taxes, marketing materials, client meetings, etc. But, March is the month where I just breath!!  Deep breath in and then out because once April hits… we are back in full swing again until next winter!!  So please stay tuned to the blog, I will be posting some wonderful couples and families sessions that I have coming up, it just won’t be as frequent this month!  Or you may be getting more of these personal images.

We kicked back the day with NO SCHOOL (who-hoo) and our FIRST official snowstorm of the season, must have been because of the leap year today!!  We all enjoyed it, as well as the sticky wet snow.  Hope you get one of these days to kick back your feet, build a snowman and drink some warm hot chocolate!

I must have been crazy.  I actually said yes.

I had just graduated with my studio art degree a week earlier and wondered “what world have I entered.”  Was I really crazy?  Who goes to college for 4 years, accumulates debt, and walks away with an art degree, a photo degree for that matter?  I had interned with tabletop photographers in exchange for a free lunch and experience in a studio . I had set up on location studios to photograph kids.  I had carried filters, lights, changed film backs, entered taxes, wrote invoices, and  learned business techniques from an amazing mentor.  I had run my butt off, been yelled at, sweated through hot summers carrying bags and props and ladders and anything else wedding photographers wanted.

But to shoot as the main photographer at a wedding was another story. And to shoot a December wedding in Internationl Falls, MN was just plain crazy.

Thankfully after consulting a few individuals and meeting with the couple I was booked.  And scared. Terrified actually.

We made it safely, my boyfriend (now husband!) as my assistant and I made the 6 hour commute in little snow and shot the entire wedding without a hitch.

I was hooked, like the coffee that I much too regularly drink, on weddings.  One referral came after another and before I knew it I had shot 10 weddings in one year.  It continued as I hired a former classmate and friend to design my first website, and as the ball rolled, it continued and still does.  Since 2002, I have gotten married, had 3 kids, lived in 4 different homes, have shot over 200 weddings, and made numerous friends from weddings, photographed their kids and been able to watch them grow.

It is a job that I can’t imagine living without.  A dream that I have had since I was 15 years old.  So the dream continues, and I am happy to be able to share it with all of you.  Stay tuned this year as I have thought through some great specials and promotions to continue to expand the business.  Here’s to 10 years and many more to come!  Thank you to all my clients, friends and family who continue to bless me with your stories and lives each day.  I am a blessed woman.

Photo credit goes to my awesome and wonderful assistant of 5 years, Elena Melling!