| Thu, Jul 26, 2007 |
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| Weird, Wacky, and Fun |
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I have to apologize for the lack of updates this week, but I think this post will give away what I've been doing in my spare time. I had every intention of posting this adventure on Monday, and all of a sudden it's Thursday! Brian and I headed to Portland for the release of the last Harry Potter book. It seems that Brian's coworkers were perplexed about him traveling for such an event, saying things like, "Um, you know you can get it in Ashland, right?" Portland was worth the drive though, because not only does it have that exiting air of being somewhere new, it also has a wonderful supply of all-night babysitters (grandparents). I really wasn't going to have a replay of the iPhone extravaganza this time around, so we decided that a bookstore in the middle of the night was no place for a babe.
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When we got there they had already begun a long list of events. We didn't participate in any - it was much easier to delude ourselves into thinking we weren't complete dorks if we just watched things from the sidelines.
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| The costume contest was definitely the most entertaining portion of the evening. I was kind of surprised that all of the kids were holding it together so well at 11:00 pm. |
This was my favorite little girl there. I mean how cute is she? I told her she looked IDENTICAL to Ginny Weasley and I've never seen a kid smile so big.
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| Of course, the contest wasn't limited to just kids... |
| By far the star of the show was, of course, a tiny Harry Potter. |
| Borders gave us color-coded bracelets so that we could no doubt walk around for three hours and find things to spend more money on. This DVD was on an endcap and I thought it was bizarre for two reasons. 1) Why would a DVD from 1996 be on an endcap, and 2) Why would something like this cost 20 bucks? |
| As 1:30 approached, my photo skills inevitably started to decline: |
| With nothing else to do, I gave Brian a crash course in how to use an SLR. I was beyond impressed with this picture that he took of me. I've been trying to talk him into quitting his job to become my second shooter, but he isn't interested. |
| I crept up to the front at midnight to get a first glimpse, but people did not like that much, and I was very quickly pushed out of the way. |
| So, I snuck behind the counter instead. |
| Finally, a little after 2:20 AM we had it, and our adventure was over. It was later than we have been up since Brendan was a newborn and I found the delirium to be quite enjoyable. |
| Mon, Jul 16, 2007 |
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| Weekend at the Beach |
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This weekend my dad came from Oklahoma to visit. We had such a blast. He really wanted to see the coast again, so we decided that a quick trip up the 101 would be just the ticket.
Our first stop was the ever fabulous Burl-Esque. It is a never-ending wonderland of chairs, mirrors, treehouses and everything in between made out of burl.
The Burling Man has got to be over six feet tall. And I'm pretty sure that the pun was intended. |
| Someday I would love to have something like this arbor in my backyard. |
| Everytime I go to Burl-Esque, I find something that I missed last time. This little guy was hiding behind a building. Sure, he isn't made of Burl, but he's interesting just the same. |
| When we got to the coast I was delighted to find that it was just thick with fog and at least 30 degrees cooler than in Ashland. My dad was very taken with this hostel. I'll have to go back to stay sometime. It looked like it had one killer view of the Pacific. |
We made our way into Port Orford to stay for the night. It was quite the sleepy beach town and I loved that it gave me that feeling that we were the only ones there. It is the oldest townsite on the Oregon coast, and it sure felt like it. There wasn't a bit of a touristy air there - just men out of their boats, doing their jobs.
We found hands down the best seafood restuarant (Griff's) that I've ever encountered. We drove down to the dock twice and kept missing it because it was so well hidden by the boats, warehouses, and crabpots. There were only 6 tables in the whole place and it was just perfect. I really haven't stopped thinking about their shrimp for three days now. |
| I thought the door looked like an anime face. |
| Not only did we get a great meal out of the evening, but we got to snoop around the boats as well. |
| I thought this one was just beautiful. I think it's because the Cinderella blue reminds me of my first car. |
| I couldn't resist this rusty old tire. |
| The next day Bandon was our final destination. I think it is the prettiest beach on the west coast. The constant fog only added to its beauty. |
| This beach has it all. Gorgeous piles of driftwood, ocean caves, and majestic rocks. |
| For some reason I got really preoccupied with this flower. I think I have 30 pictures of it. |
| Thanks for the awesome adventure, Dad! Can't wait to do it again soon. |
| Thu, Jul 12, 2007 |
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| Holly and Robert's Engagement Session |
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| Holly and Robert are getting married next month at Holly's family's ranch. She wanted to shoot their engagement session there as well, and I couldn't be more happy that she did! It was such a perfect backdrop and I really think that it accentuated their personalities. |
| A delightful moment, under a plum tree. |
| This picture proves that Holly is going to be one stunning and blushing bride. |
| The ranch is surrounded by vineyards. They also have one of the best mountain views I've ever seen from a backyard. |
| This is Ranger, he was my deligent assistant for the shoot. |
| Everyone knows that I'm a sucker for the Kissy Shots, well after this session, I have to admit that I have a new obsession... |
| Romantic horse shots! I know, I know- am I like seven years-old or something? |
| We had to crawl under an electric fence to get this shot, and they got tons of thorns and stickers from only having sandals on. But like I told them, it was totally worth it. Don't you think? |
Holly and Robert are really laid back and down to earth. We had a fun and easygoing shoot. Robert has a pretty dry sense of humor and I found myself cracking up most of the time. My favorite interaction;
Robert: That wasn't me, that was the horse.
Me: Oh, I thought it was someone's shoe.
Holly: (laughing) What?
This picture is unrelated to that anecdote: |
| Thanks so much for the fantastic Engagement Session, guys (including Ranger). Can't wait until next month! |
| Wed, Jul 11, 2007 |
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| Largesse |
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| Over the past few months I've been deliberating over which charity I want to affiliate my business with. There seem to be more and more popping up each day, and the decision-making process was becoming daunting. When I found myself unable to choose, I even considered just having a handful of different ones that I cycled through each month. However, I'm a "go big or go home" kind of lady and I like the idea of everything going to one place so that I feel that I'm making a real difference. Out of all the teriffic options Thirst Relief and The Smile Train are the final contenders. |
Through the photography industry, I was introduced to Thirst Relief a little over a year ago, and I've been a supporter ever since. I like that it is so simple and elegant, everyone understands the need for clean water.
The The Smile Train jumped out at me because it seems like such an obvious choice for a photographer. Helping children being able to smile, eat, breathe...Well, that is a tough one to turn down. |
| So, since I am still feeling pulled in both ways, I've decided to just make it YOUR decision. 10% of all revenue will go to the charity of your choice (you'll be asked during your booking session if you have a preference for either organization.) All online orders will also give you the option to choose. |
| Tue, Jul 10, 2007 |
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| First Haircut |
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| After the twentieth person mistook Bren for a girl, I decided that it was time for the first haircut. I had a grand plan of taking him to the barber, sitting him in the chair, and possibly giving him a piece of candy afterwards. But when the time came, I couldn't bear to let someone else cut his hair. So, in true southern fashion, I just did it myself on the front porch with a pair of suprisingly sharp safety scissors. It was the quintessential way to celebrate a hot July afternoon. We even had lemonade afterwards! |
| I think I did a relatively good job, considering his near constant state of wigglyness. |
| Thu, Jul 5, 2007 |
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| Independent Festivities |
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| I just love the 4th of July, but I suppose that I love ALL holidays. I'm a bit of a traditionalist, which is really what holidays are all about- doing the same thing, the same way. So, just like last year, we walked a few blocks to the parade downtown. Brendan seemed more interested in dog watching than the parade itself. He was a little hesitant to show his new walking skills in public, but we (and the hot sidewalks) pretty much forced him into it. |
| It was crazy hot, so we kept ducking back to our house, derobing in front of the AC, and then heading back out to the party downtown. There were lots of bands playing, sidewalk sales, and tents selling the typical fair fare. |
| After bbq chicken and a late nap it was time to walk to the fireworks at the park! |
| I think we should have fireworks every weekend in the summer. The shimmery ones are my favorite. |
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