Updates, Good Books & a Wedding... | Cache Valley Photographer

Okay, so I figured before life picks up, or I start reading another really good book, I'd better blog this wedding from December. Tee Hee!  BUT, before I do, there's a few things we need to discuss.

1) This post is going to have A LOT of pictures. & I mean A LOT.

2) For those of you who follow me on instagram, or are friends with me and Facebook, I'm sorry for repeating this story about last week's trip to the ER for Emma's poor eye. BUT those of you who don't, this will be a new quick little mention of it.  :)   When I saw her last Tuesday morning, her eye was nearly swollen shut. I told her, 'Oh, Emma, your poor eye'! and she replied pointing to her left eye, 'it's okay mommy, this one still works'..She's such a good sport. I could really learn something from her. Hmph...Well, her swelling is almost gone and her coloring is almost normal! Wahoo!  She ripped her scab off last night after she 'went to bed'...little stinker!

She's back to dressing herself and being oh so happy! I love that girl more than ANYTHING.  

I don't normally include personal pictures on my photography blog, BUT if you keep reading you'll find out why I'm in a time 'crunch'.

3) Good Books. Oh how I LOVE to read. About this time last year, I did a Rock it or Roll It post on a recent favorite book and I didn't get much time to read again until just the last few weeks. Oh me, Oh my! Need a good book? Touch of Power   AND   The STUDY Series, are absolutely amazing. Touch of Power IS my new favorite book, and it will be hard for any other to top it! Maria Snyder has easily become one of my favorite authors, and I just purchased another one of her series....that is why I do not have time for 2 blog posts..Emma only naps for a limited amount of precious time!!!  ;)

Now, onto the wedding. December 22nd. Also, my anniversary. Also, the best day of the year. AND it's only 3 days away from Christmas. Score right?!  Mandi Marshall was so awesome to come help me with second shooter. She's just starting to venture into the photography business world! So exciting. I LOVE photog friends!!

Gorgeous! Gorgeous flowers!!!

LOVE the back of her dress!!

The bride and her dad broke out into a choreographed routine during their daddy daughter dance. It was pretty fantastic if I do say so myself!!!

The lucky ones who caught the garter and bouquet!

Hands down, one of the most fun weddings I have ever attended. If only I could go back and do mine over, I'd probably steal a few ideas from these guys...they know how to party!  Thanks again to Mandi Marshall for all your great work and help! I really do appreciate it!!

Girls Girls Girls

I used to babysit this little cutie all the time. 

 Although, I don't get to anymore, Emma sure loves when she gets the chance to play with Hayden.  We watched Barney. We danced.  Yes, I said WE, not they. We played with play dough. 

 We made a mess on the driveway and on our clothes with some fancy chalk. We ate Mac N Cheese. & of course, we took a few pictures!  Miss Emma refuses to sit still or look at the camera for a picture anymore. There is a chance I have the camera out A LOT. So, instead of fighting her, I enjoyed taking a few of cutie-pa-tootie Hayden!

P.S. If you love that tutu (which I do, it was a killer $10-I know, seriously, awesome deal) check out them out  at Pink Castle Boutique!

Beginning of Rock 'N Roll

Okay. So, really this has nothing to do with the true beginning of Rock N' Roll. Instead, it's the first segment of my weekly Rock it or Roll it blog series.  Not everyone will like or get the name, & that's fine by me because it fits me perfectly.

Rachel's 'Rock it'- any positive, fun, exciting, cool, or good personal experiences from that week, etc.

Rachel's 'Roll it'- anything opposite of the above.

While most of these will be my pure opinion, I love to hear others' perspectives. Who knows what direction  this segment will go.  One week it may be a serious topic and another something totally random and just fun. Why you ask? Because that's just how I am.

I am hoping 'Rock it or Roll it' will help my clients (past, present & future) understand and get to know ME a little better as a person, because that's what makes me the photographer I am.

Rock it

At a stop light on my way home,, I noticed the girl next to me was very animated singing along to her music. Animated is actually an understatement.  Pretty sure she thought she had a solo on Broadway right then and there. I was extremely tempted to get my cell phone out and snap a picture, before I realized I was singing along, loud and proud to my CD. I love singing in the car. No one can hear me {or so we hope} and I can turn it up as loud as I want to sing to my hearts content. So really I am the loon singing to myself just like the 'crazy' girl next to me. So what? Music is the doorway into the soul. Everyone has some song, some genre,, that speaks to them. So, when you're driving down the road, I encourage you to not give a hoot about the judgmental car next to you, secretly doing the same thing, and sing. Sing loud. Sing Proud. At the stop light, dance a little. Enjoy life. Rock out to what sings to YOU. It really is cool. I promise.  :)

Roll it

Someday I hope this week's 'Roll it'  will make it's way up to the 'Rock it'. Jilian Michaels has been my BFF lately. I decided it's been over a year since I had my baby, it was time to get into serious gear and kick my butt back into shape. If anyone has ever tried her DVDs you know what I mean. I was so proud, thought I did super awesome. I'll keep it short & just say, apparently I gave my right arm, leg, etc the benefit of the doubt and went full throttle - leaving me to wimp out on my left side. It's kinda like when half your face is numb from the dentist, but half of me is sore. Guess I just have to work my way into the no wimp zone!

{p.S. Snow=another Roll it for this week. Seriously, let's bring on the spring, and roll that white fluff right on outta here}!

Tera & David

Yesterday was a loo0o0o0ng day for me. Long day. Starting out the day getting {only two} tires changed at Walmart, taking far too long (2+ hours), is not a good start. Thanks to the gentlemen who changed my tires {and didn't even get the automatic sensors working, meaning I have to go back} I was running behind. Okay, so I probably could have planned a little more on my part to get things ready before hand, but I didn't, so I will blame them.

I got home, got everything together with the help of my sister in law, Rachael, headed down to Salt Lake City. We met up just off the highway to follow my parents, who met us there, into the city. Heaven knows I love the city until it comes to directions or finding anything {keep reading-it gets better}. It was such a B*E*A*U*TIFUL day! Believe it or not, I was sweating my buns off in a T-shirt and jeans! We walked around temple square, I don't know how many times. It was gorgeous. We went on the roof of the conference center, which was also amazing. I undoubtedly love days like these!

{Emma giving Grandpa hugs-I just love this one}!

My main reason for the trip to SLC was for my dear friend Tera. Tera and her husband, David, got sealed in the Salt Lake temple. Tera has been a friend of mine for a long long time. We grew up together in Kansas.  Our families were pretty close. You know. Family friends. The parents all liked to get together & so did us kiddos. It seemed to work out pretty well & it left me with a lot of fun memories..Those Brundiges sure have a fun sense of humor!

6 o'clock rolls around (about when pictures were planned to begin) and I have yet to hear from Tera, or any of her family. I wasn't sure which exit they would use. I wasn't sure on a lot really. I walked back and forth,back and forth at least 100 times. Rachael, who was thoroughly annoyed can vouch for that. About an hour and a half later I spot Tera's dad, which was a huge relief. The security working, who I asked numerous times if they spotted "my family" for pictures, probably thought it was a sigh of relief because I was there on the right day and really didn't miss them (as they had suggested).  

The reception was great.                                               

  Food was fabulous.

 Reminiscing with old friends was much needed.

 We got some pictures taken, which I think turned out fairly well for the low light we were given. I really hope they enjoy the pictures, and more importantly, I hope Tera and David enjoyed their day with their families and friends.

{Tera & her sister Amanda. Amanda got married about a month ago. She got back into her dress & we got some picture of them on the same rail that their mom took her wedding pictures}!

Everyone says their good byes, Tera tried to tattle on me to her dad {a whole other story in itself}. My mom, dad, Rachael, Emma & I head back to the parking garage. Typing those last two words really makes me wish I had a font that would mimic those they use for horror movie titles. I honestly think that parking garage went Alice in Wonderland on us. We all knew we parked on good ole L2. We parked right next to each other. Right by the ramp that goes into the door of the building. So, we walked out of that door. The ramp was missing. Literally. There was a tornado ramp, which was not right. BUT, we were on L2. Okay Okay, so maybe we were on the wrong side of L2, even though we came out the same exit we entered? After we walked the ENTIRE level of L2 (poor Emma was on her grandpa's shoulders half way asleep at 11pm walking around a renamed "hell-2" parking garage) four times-not kidding, we decided we needed to go back to where we started and start over. Ha Ha. No bueno. Laughing about it turned into kawing like birds, which turned into stress, which turned into really sore feet {there is a chance I took off my boots and was walking around barefoot}, which led us to asking security for help because our cars were missing.  I'm still 100% confused on what, how, where our cars were. Apparently the parking garage has half levels. Dumb? Yes or yes? Me too. How we went from L1 to L2 to L3 without seeing ANY of their half levels is beyond me. One a.m., I am home in bed with really swollen feet {heels for 10+hours reminds me of my pointe ballet dancing days--OWWWIEEE}.

This is really long, I apologize, but like I said it was a REALLY long day. Congrats to Tera and David on everything, but especially on their bundle of joy due in a few months! I can't wait to see your little baby!

{Mom- the carrier of all things-I think it's like that in every family-Mom's, you rock}!

{I snuck a few of Amanda and her new husband, Blake. What cute newlyweds}!