an overwhelming sense of good

 

We signed a lease yesterday for a 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom house with a front porch. We move in April 1. My therapist told me today that she is so excited for us and now she can retire in peace without worrying about me. Justin got a new job paying 50% more than what he's making now and I'm so proud of him. I'm working on Spring Mini Sessions with my friends at Next Stop Kids Shop. Wedding season starts April 17. I have an engagement session in Kenosha this weekend, which means my first trip to Burlington for the year. Adrian's opens on Friday. I am so excited to see my family and friends.

After the hellscape that was February, March feels like rebirth and renewal and growth and that's exactly what Spring is all about.

these are a few of my favorite things

 

mondaze.

 Good things: a giant cup of coffee out of my new Rachel Allene holiday mug, redoing my website from top to bottom for 2021, I got a new job(!), my therapist is so proud of me, we're gonna find a new place to live, 2021 is looking so fucking bright and I cannot wait to see what it has in store for us.

little october things.

 

A perfect October Sunday: driving to get Justin with the heat on, coming. home to hot coffee, a glorious Sunday nap, Turner's for family pictures + pumpkin patch hangs with Cristin and her fam, quick switcheroo of vehicles and went to Brainard's for pictures with Cristin + David and the pups, home to edit wedding photos from last weekend and start going through photos from yesterday.

I love fall, y'all.

something worth celebrating

Little wins lately: I kicked my anxiety to the curb and drove to Green Bay for an engagement session on Saturday and had so much fun running around in the snow with one of my wedding couples for this year. I'm sharing their sneak peeks tomorrow and I'm so excited to finish editing this session this week. I feel like I'm really getting back into the groove with photography again... I'm starting to feel comfortable behind the camera again, which I truthfully haven't felt since before I worked at the studio and started photographing there in 2012. I'm coming back to myself, bit by glorious bit, and I couldn't be more thankful for where I am right now.

something new

My beloved owl air freshener that Noelle got for when I first got my license finally bit the dust. I got a new one from the same company. This one makes me happy. Sunshine makes me happy. The colors make me happy. The gold tassel makes me happy. And it came in a two pack, which meant I got to carry on the tradition and give one to Noelle too. It's the little things.

good things

Good things: resuming morning walks around the yard. a hot cup of coffee. a good night’s sleep. planning for Justin’s birthday next week. getting an engagement session from the weekend edited. stretching. yesterday I called my primary doc for a therapist rec and that feels like a big step. feeling really really grateful for everything in my life right now. 

it's monday

It's Monday and I've been behind my computer since 8:30 this morning, getting my weekly blog post published and shared, importing photos from my session last night and doing my beginning round of edits for sneak peeks on Thursday. In my culling process, I found this photo and I just needed to share because it makes me laugh every time I look at it. Happy Monday!

bits and pieces

Tara Whitney once said, "I know that, perhaps, no one would enlarge a photo of their daughter's hair resting on a plastic chair, or a photo of them hazy behind a window screen. My hope is that they see the beauty in those small simple details because I did, and can be a tiny bit surprised about what I paid attention to."

That kinda sums it up pretty perfectly. Details will always have my heart. They always encompass that quiet magic that I am constantly trying to document. You forget how small your kiddo's hands are until one day, they're the same size as yours. You forget how little you baby's toes are when they're still fresh, one week new. You forget how much joy a simple bouquet of flowers and summer sunlight can bring to your life. You forget that these moments won't last forever, and it's my job to capture them for you so that they have a fighting chance to never be forgotten.

That's the magic at work. You have to fall in love with the every day to notice it. Fall in love with your life at every turn, through the good, the bad, and the ugly. Romanticizing the little things in life is what has always gotten me through suffering, without fail. It's my favorite form of magic and the best pick me up to realize that you have the power to turn your life around. You just have to fall in love with everything in your life and never stop changing until you do.

good things

This morning, taking a walk around the yard and seeing a rabbit. Rabbits mean good luck, magical power and success. I’m taking it as a good sign the day before my Spring Portrait Day with Next Stop Kids Shop tomorrow. I sat on the front steps with my coffee and sat in the sunshine this morning, still in my pajamas with bed head and all. Take 5 minutes today to do something that’s good for your soul. Your future self will thank you later. 

small business wins

Mercury went into retrograde, which naturally meant that I had to get my taxes done for last year. It took two appointments and about twenty hours of me tracking down receipts and PayPal statements looking at my expenses, but they're almost done. 2018 was my first full year in business, and I have been working for myself for 9 months now. Sometimes I still can't believe it.

Small business win #1: Minus me having to upgrade my camera, I made enough money from photography last year to cover my expenses.

Small business win #2: I sat down a couple of days ago to plan out my editorial calendar for Spring, and realized that between a few recurring series I have once a month, and sessions I have booked between now and the end of May, I have enough content to post one blog a week through MID-JULY. UM, WHAT?!

Small business win #3: While I was filling out my editorial calendar, I also sat down with my scheduling calendar and I have 9 sessions booked through the end of May. After a rough fall with my flop of an event with Next Stop Kids Shop, plus being sick all winter, I am blown away that I have received enough support from my community to be able to pursue this passion of mine.

Small business win #4: I'm finally (finally) getting back into my routine again after blastomycosis kinda flipped my world upside down. One thing I've started to do is write down pose ideas for photos I want to create during my sessions. This is something I dabbled in when I worked in a studio (stand, kneel, sit, eyelash pose, repeat) but never really felt like I had the time or the energy to commit to in my own business. Since taking this gig full time, I have heard time and time again to "only post what you want to shoot" and realized the importance of planning in order to make those ideas I have in my head into reality.

Small business win #5: Mama bought a new macro lens with her tax return, and it's supposed to be here on Tuesday. Being able to invest back into my business is the best feeling. And, tbh, I mostly ordered it so I can get bomb ring shots during wedding season. I free-lensed that necklace photo above!

Speaking of wedding season, the countdown is officially on! Three weeks from today, Steve and Emily will be Mr. and Mrs. and I could not be more excited for my 2019 season to start. Cheers to small business wins, and another year of business under my belt.

good things

Coffee in bed under my childhood quilt, gerbera daisies at the grocery store, the sun was out today and it’s not dark til 7, we had pizza for dinner tonight, and I’m watching Daria for the first time in forever. It’s always the little things, friends. 

me? swear? never.

My swear word coloring book brings me an overwhelming sense of joy. In a good way. The kind that makes you smile when you can absolutely make a glittery rubber duck and a pink owl. The phrases are pretty fun too. I’m getting a pretty good use out of my Christmas presents already. I love the nights that I spend with Justin’s sister coloring in the kitchen. They’re so good for the soul. 

magic sky

I had a mentoring call with Jenni Maroney this morning and they always leave me feeling inspired and ready to get out there and do the damn thing. I've been beating myself up for taking the last couple of weeks off to rest and recuperate from my blastomycosis, but today I realized that beating myself up won't get me that time back. The best thing that I can do is just move forward. Keep getting better physically so that I have the energy to really put my best foot forward and serve my clients the best way that I can in this business of mine. The cotton candy sunset tonight proved it. Keep the glass half-full and you'll get magic in return.

she's on her way

Signs that fall is coming: the ground cover in the backyard starting to turn at the end of August. it's raining a lot. watching the "flickr plant" we were all obsessed with as teenagers this time of year start to pop up. actually wanting to wear jeans and leggings again, even though the humidity thinks it's still summer. savoring those first few sips of coffee every morning. sleeping with a comforter at night with the fan blowing on high. my friends are messaging me about fall pictures. today is the first day of school. high school sports are on the radio again. dollar general has their Halloween section fully stocked. pumpkin spice is back at the grocery store. all I want to buy are cardigans and "back to school" clothes. Grey's Anatomy comes back in 23 days. I'm feeling restless with inspiration and creative energy, despite how the last few days have made me feel. There is change in the air. Can you feel it?

take yourself on a date

I found a candle at Good Will today that says “filled with joy.” I got The Virgin Suicides and Gone Girl for $1.50 a piece. Three tank-tops and a new t-shirt to add some more color into my wardrobe. A plaque with an “A” on it that I can hopefully paint and use it to hang my camera from when we move. And a star shaped box that says “twinkle, twinkle.” And then the sky looked like THIS when I came out after wandering around for an hour. Take yourself on a date. It might be the most fun you’ve had all week. 

little things

Today was one of those slow, ease yourself into it kind of days. Go back to bed for an hour after your alarm goes off. Linger on the back deck until you finish your coffee because the sunshine is warm and you have no other plans for the day. Run errands and marvel at the cloudscapes across the strip mall, and that the shelves at Pick N Save were actually fully stocked. Knit a couple more rows on the blanket you're making. Message some friends and get the ground broken for an upcoming photography event. Savor these moments when you can feel big changes in the air.

monday gratitude

Grateful for... getting up early, coffee, a hot shower, the good morning light that I usually miss because I am too busy sleeping, mid-morning naps, clean laundry, the act of folding laundry, this poem that I analyzed in my AP English class senior year, Grey's Anatomy, knitting to keep my hands busy, old friends, Kevin Devine sing-alongs, all the music I used to listen to in high school and drive with the windows down to, fresh starts, a trip to Burlington this weekend, Coffee House dates with a wedding couple, the inevitable Adrian's run, having the ability to invest in my business, the sun, golden hour, Come Matter Here by Hannah Brencher, this season of change and welcoming the unknown.

good things:

spring has officially sprung! I wore shorts today! flowers are popping up everywhere and I am in heaven. my wedding season starts in 11 days. today I scored a cute coffee mug, the perfect birthday present for my mom, and a little black dress at good will for $13. Justin and I are building our dvd collection again.

life is so good. 

good things

My camera is about get a work out! I booked three, maybe four shoots for when I go home for Christmas. 

I went grocery shopping today and made homemade Chex Mix by myself for the first time. It didn’t turn out as good as my moms always does, but it’s still good. 

The sky tonight was perfect. I will always be in love with pink skies. 

A perfect Tuesday.