My girls started school yesterday. Where has the summer gone? I was sure we had at least one more week at the beach coming! Oh well. I must have missed it. The little man is a Kindergardener this year, and is at school today for his one day this week. He will start full time on Monday. That leaves me in a house all by myself. All. Day. Long.

While I do miss their laughter, I need the time to catch up on work stuffs. Ew. I know. But fun, photo-filled blog posts coming up as a result! And as a little tease, here’s a photo from Sherri and Nathan’s wedding that I will soon cover in more detail:

Here’s to catching up! Cheers!

They met in their college library. Both in line to return books. They talked a bit while waiting, then he turned to leave. He got to the door, turned back and rushed back over to her to ask her out. She accepted. Years later, Alaina accepted Tyler’s hand. Fate? Yes, I think so.

It was literally pouring when we met in downtown Memphis to begin their engagement session. We waited for the rain to subside, then ran down the street, snapping as many photos as we could before the clouds released their deluge on us once again. We were lucky enough to find an empty trolley to take us back toward the parking garage, and captured these:

Unfortunately, it was pouring again by the time we dismounted. You can see it coming down here behind Alaina:

But it only lasted a couple minutes, then we were at it again.

I love a good rooftop with the Memphis cityscape behind. And the clouds and rain made for lovely lighting.

What’s a good downpour without puddle jumping??

A change of clothes, then out to Shelby Farms. Luckily it had not rained there yet.

Alaina and Tyler, you guys got it in spades!

Ah, shoes. I love shoes. Always gotta have my shoe…er… boot shots.

And the final, and perhaps my favorite, from the day. It’s so hard to decide!

Alaina, you are gorgeous. Tyler, you are one lucky man. Thank you for letting me share your love! Cheers!

Squeeeee! I’m so excited, I can’t stand myself. Seriously. Coming soon to a camera bag near me:

I love new toys. And equipment that will let me take even better photos. Did I mention squee?

Here’s to new toys and professional growth. Cheers!

My Jessie Girl loves to dance. Loves. It. And I love that she loves it! The girl is a true performer, let me tell you. Yes, she gets nervous. Yes, she blushes and giggles. Yes, she’s always worried about making a mistake. But she gets out there and does it anyway. I adore that about her! And, oh yeah, she is so very good at it!

She was a munchkin in the Wizard of Oz ballet production. How completely, totally, and absolutely adorable is that costume???

Not only does she do ballet, but tap as well:

Not only does she do ballet and tap, but jazz as well:

Not only does she do ballet, tap, and jazz, but hip hop as well:

The girl can dance, I tell ya! I am one proud parent. I also took a few shots of some of Morgan’s friends who were also in the recital.

Thanks, Jessie, for making sure that we all get our culture on! Here’s to dancing, whether or not someone is watching. Cheers!

For weddings, I always list the bride’s name first. Always. A wedding is all about the bride, right? My job is to follow the bride around for the duration of her special day and make sure I capture how beautiful she is. And snap a few photos of the groom if I have time! I’m kidding, of course. Mostly.

Marianne was a gorgeous bride, and made my job super easy. She was glowing and excited, and her laughter was contagious. Everyone around her had a great time.

The day began at the Memphis Hilton, where the ladies were getting ready for the big event.

Mom helped buckle the shoes.

See? Gorgeous. Does anyone else see a little Marilyn Monroe here?

The wedding was held in an airplane hangar, and we used the backdrop for some cool wedding party photos. These girls knew how to do sass!

I just love calla lilies. Le sigh…

Michael was pretty dapper himself, and just as excited as Marianne. I love an excited groom!

He and they guys had started partying early. My kind of wedding!

Michael and Marianne had agreed to do their first look before the ceremony. I just love it when I can capture photos like this!

We were then able to take advantage of the grounds for some uber unique wedding photos.

How fun is this photo? All the guys and girls were such good sports.

Time to get down to business…

Mr. and Mrs!

The hangar was decorated to the nines. I bet the airplanes never get it this good!

These just make me happy.

I’ll end with this sweet one of the first dance. Marianne’s face says it all.

Congratulations, Marianne and Michael! Thank you for letting me share your special day. Cheers!

I am a last minute kinda gal. I work well under pressure. I always get my stuff done, but I don’t always do it in the most orderly fashion. So, in an effort to make my life more organized, I started this massive to-do list. And it keeps growing! This thing is the monster of to-do lists. You know what else? I add completed items to it, just so that I can see that coveted checkmark on paper. Oh yeah, babe. That’s right. At least it looks like I’m getting my stuff done!

I am attacking my to-do list with a vengeance. One of the listed items is to blog my unblogged photo shoots. Um. Yeah. Well, I’m not quite that ready yet. But here’s a sneak peek of Marianne and Michael’s wedding, coming soon to a blog post near you!

Here’s to staying organized. And being okay with it when you’re not. Cheers!

I’m a photographer. I take photos. LOTS of photos. There is nothing more meaningful to me than capturing the important memories. Forever. For myself. For my clients. For my family. For future generations. Sometimes this responsibility gets a bit stressful. Sometimes I place too much emphasis on the art aspect of the process, rather than the memories. Sometimes I have to reel myself in.

Not every photo will be perfect. But every photo is a memory. Good or bad. My own family photos aren’t usually as technically or as artistically “good” as those that I do for clients. But they are just as important to me. They are real life. They are MY life. They are glimpses into a moment that I will want to remember. Forever.

I want to remember forever the beautiful eyes of my daughter, and the cheeseball grin of my son. This is real life.

I want to remember forever simple things, like sitting outside while waiting for a table at a restaurant. And the way my kids look at me with that uh-oh-mom’s-taking-photos-again look. This is real life.

I want to remember forever the simple joy on my nephew’s face when he didn’t know I had the camera pointed at him. This is real life.

Some call it photojournalistic. And it is. It’s a photo representation of life. And I love it. Here’s to real life. Cheers!

17 years ago, I gave birth to the most amazing, creative, talented, and beautiful little girl. To me, she will always be a little girl. But she’s also my very best friend. She has been there for me when no one else has, and we have been through a lot together. Now that she’s almost an adult, I can see the rambunctious girl that she was, the live-for-the-moment teenager she is now, and the stunning woman that she will become. Yes, stunning.

All Morgan wanted for her birthday was a trip to Chicago to see one of her favorite Japanese music artists, Miyavi. So, mom and daughter made a two day road trip out of it, and we both had a blast! I agreed to take her to the concert and put up with her eccentric music tastes (which actually turned out to be so. amazing. More on that to come in a later post), if she would agree to let me take photos. And take photos I did!

We walked all over downtown Chicago, had some amazing pizza, and window shopped all day on Michigan Ave. We took a break for some Starbucks and snapped these:

These pigeons were not scared of anything, so I got Morgan to walk over to them and spook them to make them fly.

Normally I would not put a subject in direct sunlight, but this wall mural was too cool!

We went into Tiffany’s, just to say we did, and took this not far from it.

Morgan, you inspire me.

Morgan was in heaven when she found The. Biggest. Rue 21. Evah. We almost got kicked out for taking this photo inside the store. Really? Seriously, people. I’m not stealing ideas for the fall line, I swear.

The many faces of my daughter. While waiting for Chicago-style pizza. In Chicago.

And my favorite from the day. THIS is my Morgan. Every bit of it. Down to the Hello Kitty bag.

Happy birthday, baby. You have graced the last 17 years of my life. Beyond belief. Cheers!

I’ve just returned from a most lovely vacation on Anna Maria Island, FL. I am worn out, but my skin is bronze and glowing, and misses the sun already. I love the acronym for this beautiful place because it sounds like my name when pronounced. A sign that I am meant to be there? Yes, I do believe so!

AMI has the most gorgeous beach I have ever been to. There may be more beautiful beaches somewhere, but I have never seen them with my eyes. Soft, warm sand, lots of shells for the taking, and very few tourists. And no oil. Yet. It’s a tiny town with no huge resorts and over-commercialized attractions. And the food? Yum.

This was the view from our bungalow, directly on the beach. I just love oat grass.

A summer storm blew over the ocean the first afternoon we were there. No rain, but lots of beautiful dark clouds. The sun peeked through and made the most beautiful sparkles on the water. Le sigh.

Did I mention that I love oat grass? I love oat grass. Like, love it.

Just a little detail I loved…

And, of course, sunset. Beautiful? Not even a worthy word.

A picture of my Morgan, taking a picture of me, taking a picture of her, taking a picture….

The boys. My Alex on the left, with his cheesy smile and ocean hair, and my nephew Dylan on the right, with his sandy, cheetos grin.

And the kids at sunset…

Here’s to warm water, sun, and beautiful sand. Cheers!

Seriously. If you’re reading this, and you like burgers, you must go to the store and get the ingredients to make these burgers. Now. Go ahead, I’ll wait. I love a good burger, but these take the… well… burger.

Sweet and Savory Burgers: Click here for wonderous recipe

And because I was way too eager to bite into my burger last night instead of taking a picture of the masterpiece, this photo is from Southern Living, from whence came the cherished recipe.