...Seattle!

Last Wednesday I got a call from a friend of mine in Seattle asking me to come up. Her hubby is a wedding photographer, and needed a second shooter on Sat, AND we've been wanting to hang out for a long time! So I booked a ticket to Seattle Thurs morning around 2, and left Thurs afternoon about 4.

It was a fantastic weekend, and it only solidified my desire to move to the pacific northwest!

I spent the weekend with Jeff LaPlante, his wife, Sara, and their two little ones, Cameron-5 and Paige-3. We had soooo much fun! I loved hanging out with the kids, and Sara is a total blast. Jeff and I shot (I seconded) a wedding in Chelan on Saturday the 22nd. I'll post a few from that after Jeff does. Anyway, here are a few shots from the flight up there...


This was a first...this dude was reading a John Grisham novel "King of Torts," and over the course of the two and a half hour flight went through two cigars! No, he didn't smoke them on the plane...just chewed on them...lol. GROSS!




This was out the window as we descended into Seattle.


I sat in the middle seat, generally a detested on any plane, and had an college student from Seattle next to me on the window side and a sweet older gentleman from Seattle area named Ted. He was very intriguing, and full of wisdom. I gave him an education in the photography world, and he in turn shared with me his life experiences. Thank you Ted, for making the flight such a great trip!


Practicing my "widow light" assignment...lol..for all you non-brookies, that was an assignment in our first 6 months of school.


I'll write again soon!

...10 rows back?

At the end of August, Gav and I had the chance to get to an Angels game...but this wasn't just ANY Angel's game. For one thing, it was the opening night of the series against the New York Yankees (and they definitely kicked some Yankee butt!)...for another, we were only about 10 rows back from the third-baseline! It was officially the BEST game I have ever been to! We scored these awesome tickets from a friend of Gav's who works with him at The Sports Club/LA. Here are a few shots from my PS from the night...

Awww...he's adorable!


The fun couple we went with! (our connection for the tickets)


Awesomely close!!


GA hangin between innings




Right after Ryan Budde hit his first ever RBI in the majors...a walk-off homer at that! (I think it went 16 innings or something like that!)

...Still Feels Good...

There’s a place in your heart, nobody's been,
Take me there.
Things nobody knows,
Not even your friends,
Take me there.
Tell me bout your momma, your daddy, your hometown,
Show me around,
I want see it all, don't leave anything out

I want to know, everything about you.
And I want to go, down every road you've been.
Where your hopes and dreams, and wishes live,
Where you keep the rest of your life hid,
I want to know the girl behind that pretty stare,
Take me there.

Your first real kiss, your first true love, DR
You were scared.
Show me where,
You learned about life, spent your summer nights, without a care.
I want to roll down main street, the back roads,
Like you did when you were a kid
What made you who you are,
Tell me what your story is.

I want to know, everything about you.
And I want to go, down every road you've been.
Where your hopes and dreams, and wishes live,
Where you keep the rest of your life hid,
I want to know the girl behind that pretty stare
Take me there.

I want to know, everything about you.
Yeah, everything about you baby.
I want to go, down every road you've been.
Where your hopes and dreams and wishes live,
Where you keep the rest of Your life hid,
I want to know the girl behind that pretty stare.
Take me, take me, take me there.
Take me there.

How awesome is that song? Those are the lyrics to the new Rascal Flatts single "Take Me There." Contrary to popular belief, country music isn't all twang, broken down tractors, run-away dogs, and home-wrecking women (although there definitely is that part of it). One of the reasons I love country is because I can close my eyes while listening to a song, and picture myself in that scene, as if the melody was composed with my life in mind. Another reason I LOVE country is that unlike all the pop "artists," and teenie-boppers, country artist can really sing. They made their way to the top by performing live, acoustically, and genuinely putting their heart and soul into their craft. Even the drummer from RF can break into an a capella version of any song, totally randomly, and blow everyone away. You won't find any lip-syncing here!

Anyway, off my soap box...Saturday Sept 15 my good friend Christy Samson and I were fortunate enough to get tickets to the latest Rascal Flatts tour! "Still Feels Good" Tour (the new album title too) at Blockbuster Pavilion in Devore was a sell-out crowd, and your typical Cali country concert. It was oh so much fun. Here are a few shots I managed to grab with my PS...

cowgirls @ <3!!



at the end of their first songs a lil fire for the pyros in the crowd...


Performing "Life is a Highway" at the end of their encore


we didn't want them to leave...ok, maybe we're just dorks...


don't go!


sweet stage huh?


Thank you Christy!! A great way to celebrate our birthday month, don't ya think?

...real quickly...check this!

i dont have time to enter much...just really excited about these new pics! Gav and I modeled again for a Mike Colón workshop. these are the first pics ive had the chance to see...and i LOVE them!!

Taken by Kansas photographer Jeff Wendling of T&J Studios

Here's their blog...BLOG

but...click here to see a SLIDESHOW of the pics. there are some of all 3 couples taken over the course of a couple days. what do you think?

...good to remember...

so i totally stole this from DJ's blog but I thought it was pretty powerful...

Thanks DJ!!!

Watch your thoughts because your thoughts become your words.
Watch your words because your words become your actions.
Watch your actions because your actions become your habits.
Watch your habits because your habits become your character.
Watch your character because your character becomes your destiny.

...the details...the chicago trip!

sooo...after graduation we met Gav's mom and grandma & grandpa B, and a couple others for dinner at a Tapas (no no...not TOPLESS) Bar in Wheaton. It was really good! We bolted early from dinner to say goodbye to Paul, who headed back to St Louis. Then met back up with the gang for dessert at this adorable little ice cream shoppe in Wheaton!

it was sooo small town cute! of course I had to grab a shot. (unfortunately, I elected to leave my real camera at home due to limited space on the drive back, so all i had the WHOLE trip was my Powershot...which takes great pics! but not quite perfect quality.)

Monday, we went Downtown Chicago with Jay and Cath to just hang out. We had a great laugh on the way there out of the "POSTAL POLICE" lol...anyone heard of THAT before? And the poor "postal policeman" he looked so serious! I wonder how many people laugh out loud in amazement as he drives by...

It was nice to relax a little bit after the craziness of the weekend! A few days earlier they had found this amazing little chocolate lounge in one of the malls...(Cath and I are very much the dark chocolate connoisseurs, and found the little truffles to die for!) ethel's chocolate is perfect for anyone that loves fun chocolate and appreciates unique, charming presentation....they can't be beat! We headed into the Bentley Dealership (being the car nuts that we all are, we were in the mood to drool over some serious metal but, of course they were in the processes of renovating, and only had a few lambos to show) and Gav decided this was the car he wants...lol...
We even made it to the place where we had our first "real" date a little over a year earlier! We had lunch, and again, it was wonderful!

teehee...this picture makes me smile..."a true likeness..." wouldn't you agree? :P

As we were strolling around I remembered to grab a shot of the John Hancock building...we were alllll the way at the top a few nights earlier..and, as you can imagine, the view was AMAZING!

One of the many things I absolutely LOVE about Chicago is how well kept the grounds are! As far as big cities go it seems fairly clean, and the tulips in spring are breathtaking!


The white ones by the old water tower look like snow! I loved it! why can't LA be this nice!?

Ok, so I have to preface this pic by saying..."Gavin James...i love you with all my heart...please dont kill me!"
This was just tooo great to pass up.
those are MY jeans!!! lol. by FAR this is my favorite pic of the WHOLE trip!!! hehehehehhe... O:)

On our way out of town, Handsome Rob (Gav's MINI is a he) loaded to the brim with everything coming home, I made Gav stop in front of school, don his very loud royal blue cap and gown (over his shorts and tshirt...hehe) and pose in front of the sign! Not too much to ask...right? lol.. :P



ok, more to come about the drive home and the events since then...im catching up! slowly but surely! but its bed time for now. night night all! sweet dreams!

...the details...the graduation...

This is going to come in several posts, but I'm going to attempt to do it all in the next hour or so...we'll see how successful I am! :P

At the end of last session I was SWAMPED with work. All of a sudden I had 2 papers to write, and like 3 finals all in a matter of a couple days. Now of course I could have started at least one of the papers a couple weeks earlier, but alas, i have this nasty little habit called PROCRASTINATION. That being said, my last couple weeks of the session, consisting of flailing to keep my head above water....was all my fault. lol.

Anyway, the middle of the break I flew out to Chicago to be with Gav, my prince charming, for his graduation from Wheaton College.



Blanchard Hall...the oldest building on campus!! isn't it beautiful!?

13 of his family members arrived over the next couple days, and by friday night everyone was in town (totaled 13 people from the two different sides). Then we began the juggling of spending enough time with people so neither side would get upset. (let me tell you...this is definitely an art form!) Gav officially became a Wheaton Grad Sunday May 6!! I'm so proud of him! While I was out there, we went to some wonderful dinners! We had dinner at the Signature Room on the 95th floor of the John Hancock Tower (unfortunately my camera battery died, and I dont have any pics from that one), we had Maggiano's (which is always yummy!), we went to Wildfire, an AWESOME bbq place....it was sooo wonderful! We also went to Gino's for pizza, a great Tapas place in downtown Wheaton. I had the salmon at the Signature Room, and a Parmesean Crusted Filet at Wildfire.






Grandma & Grandpa B...pretending they are us...the "velcro couple" :P


The Graduate and me.


Grandpa & Theo ordered the sundae for dessert...and wouldn't let anyone else touch it! haha.


At brunch @ Saga (the caf) before grad....so proud!


555 grads...can you find mine? :)


all about the details! O:)


Proud Daddy!


Jay (Dad) and Cath


Pam (Mom)


Chelsea and Cam (sister and bro)


G&G B (moms parents)


haha...now he's well aware of what we women have to deal with with long hair! :P


...the guys...


...a couple of great roomies...and lifelong friends


...i am so grateful for Paul's friendship with gav!! such an awesome friend!