black tag diaries

thankful thursday {link up}

2012-02-15T23:00:00.003-05:00

{Link up your own Thankful Thursday post below...}

This Thursday I am thankful for...

1) Snow. It finally snowed a little here in Louisville. I mean, we have had a few flurries here and there... but we finally had a enough to stick on the ground the other day. Still, it was nothing compared to all of the snow we had last year... but it was nice to wake up to this week.

2) OXO containers. Quite possibly one of the best inventions ever. These things are brilliant. I've been doing a little pantry organizing recently and the OXO containers make the whole thing look awesome. Oh... and so do those labels (love). Don't fret... I plan on doing a full pantry organization update next week!

3) An awesome Valentine's Day. I've mentioned before how Valentine's Day is just different for married couples... the expectations are just totally different. But I knew I was going to have an awesome day the moment Lance brought me a breakfast burrito, a giant Dr. Pepper, and a box of chocolate. Best.morning.ever. Then we enjoyed a super low-key evening with wings at our favorite local pub and an uuhhhmaaazing dance party with our community group. We'll be doing a fancy-schmancy dinner date next week with some Valentine's cash that showed up in our mailbox this week;)

I always love reading all of the Thankful Thursday link-ups each week... they encourage me, and sometimes even challenge me. Jamie's blog, over at Living in the Light, is always one that does both... encourages and challenges. I loved the last paragraph in her post... it was a beautiful reminder that our life here on earth is temporary. Always inspiring Jamie, thank you.

What are you thankful for this week? Grab the Thankful Thursday button from the right sidebar and link up your own post below. Be sure to visit the other Thankful Thursday participants and share the love!!

Also linking up with:

Kate Says Stuff

The Fontenot Four

top 10 :: valentine's day projects

2012-02-14T00:00:00.002-05:00

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Happy Valentine's Day! All of the red and pink floating around blogland today makes my heart happy. ...everything's all lovey dovey and mushy and junk.

Here are my top 10 Valentine's Day projects that I've been pinning on Pinterest. And seeing how today IS valentine's day and all, most of these will have to wait until next year. But that's okay.

you have my heart

{bird & banner, via anna on pinterest}

paint chip love notes

{via shonda on pinterest}

doily wrapped packages

{a lady's findings, via candy on pinterest}

deck of love

{papervine, via dayna on pinterest}

ps... you can read papervine's guest post for black tag diaries here.

you & me locket

{unbeaujour, via jessica on pinterest}

light of my life

{design sponge, via janell on pinterest}

fabric heart banner

{victorian station, via melissa on pinterest}

ps... just got my very own awesome banner in the mail from lani!!

hanging hearts

{tiny white daisies, via ashlee on pinterest}

red velvet cookies

{bakerella, via kyla on pinterest}

so good together mugs

{wanelo, via jacci on pinterest}

Happy Valentine's Day people!! Hope you get to celebrate with lots of red and pink... and maybe even some glitter if you are super awesome.

Linking this up to Oh Amanda.

oh snap... tomorrow is valentine's day.

2012-02-13T09:50:00.000-05:00

Wait... what? Tomorrow is February 14th? Sheesh... where did the rest of February go? I swear... I turn around for 5 seconds and February is dang gone.

I guess I better get a move on with my Valentine's Day gifts... and when I say gifts, I really mean super simple stamped love tags... with a little bit of glitter... for good measure, of course.

I'm still trying to decide what to do for my man tomorrow. Valentine's Day for married couples is just different... I mean, we acknowledge the holiday and all, but try not to spend loads of money or anything. I'm trying to get creative, but just realized I'm kinda running out of time.

Any suggestions? What are your thoughts on the big mushy holiday? Do you celebrate?

sweet little jovie {louisville newborn photographer}

2012-02-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

Meet sweet little Jovie.

Isn't she just scrumptious?!? You might remember Jovie's mom, Shaelyne, from here or here... She and I have traded photography services a few times now... She is an incredibly gifted photographer... an amazing artist... and she makes beautiful babies... a woman of many talents, I tell ya.

Let's get on to the newborn pics, shall we?

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I had a hard time picking my favorite from this session... but I love #6... so sweet. Which one is your favorite??

thankful thursday {link up}

2012-02-09T09:00:00.001-05:00

{Link up your own Thankful Thursday post below...}

This Thursday I am thankful for...

1) My husband. Lance is amazing. Our time in Louisville has been so beautiful for our marriage. I love watching him minister... and even more, I love ministering with him. He cares for me and encourages me every day. I am so grateful that I am married to a man that is constantly seeking the Lord and challenges me in my walk. I love you, Lance.

2) Crystal Light packets. Specifically the wild strawberry flavor... that has caffeine in it... the caffeine part is crucial. In the mornings I have been substituting Crystal Light in place of my usual morning Dr. Pepper. And I have to say... the Crystal Light is actually doing the trick... the wild strawberry flavor is for "energy," so it includes caffeine and vitamin B. It perks up my morning just right... without the sugar crash that normally accompanies my typical Dr. Pepper.

3) Gummy Vitamins. And speaking of vitamins... whoever thought of gummy vitamins is pure genius. Especially whoever thought of branding gummy vitamins to adults. They are almost as awesome as the Flintstone vitamins. I'm taking prenatal vitamins these days, and the ones I used to take were freakin' horse pills... you can imagine my excitement when I saw that I could get my prenatals in gummy form!!

I always love reading all of the Thankful Thursday link-ups each week... they always make me smile. I especially loved this quote that Maria from Lil Mys Ninja posted last week...

Also linking up with:

Kate Says Stuff

The Fontenot Four

First Day of My Life

dear diary :: lessons in gossiping

2012-02-08T08:00:00.001-05:00

Dear Diary,

Gossip. It's that one little character flaw that I am constantly trying to justify... Convincing myself that it's not really gossip if I'm just responding... As long as I'm not the one that initiates the conversation... Constantly teetering the fine line between true concern and just plain-old-curiosity... And of course, it doesn't count if I'm talking to someone that doesn't actually know the other person... right? And, I mean, what if I'm funny about it? Surely that doesn't count.

Clarify funny.

Let's say you're at work... and you work a pretty professional 9-to-5 job... and let's just say you occasionally get annoyed with some of the vendors that you deal with. And just as an example, let's say that you sometimes send emails to some of your co-workers to "vent" about how annoying the previously mentioned vendors are. And you get more points from your co-workers if the emails are clever and funny.

Well... the emails are only funny if they are sent to the correct person.

Not quite as funny if they are sent to the above mentioned annoying vendor by accident. Yeah... not funny at all, actually.

Of course... this is all just a hypothetical scenario. This totally didn't happen to me two weeks ago...

Okay... so yes. This did in fact happen to me.

This may have been one of the most mortifying moments of my entire professional career. I called my co-worker (the one that was actually supposed to receive my "funny" email) and tried to simply laugh the whole thing off... "Can you believe what I did?? OMG... blah, blah, blah..." But here's the thing... initially, my response was to just pretend it never happened. Never.happened.

But it did. Why was it okay for me to say what I said to my co-worker... yet I would have never (purposely) said what I did directly to the person that actually received my email?? What makes a statement funny when said to one person... but just plain hurtful when said to another? I began thinking about how many things I say so carelessly... not realizing how ugly and hurtful my words would be if heard by the wrong person.

This, my friends, is gossip.

And the lessons learned in gossiping can be hard to swallow.

I did end up sending an apology email to the vendor that "accidentally" received my not-so-funny email. And although I felt better after apologizing, there wasn't really much to say... my words could not be retracted. I also made the decision to confess my email blip to my boss... a decision that was not easy to make.

Although this was a painful lesson to learn... and one that I still have a LOT to grow in... I pray that my lesson in gossiping is one that I hold onto.

Love,

Julia

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you..."

-Matthew 7:12

Linking this up to Capturing Motherhood's Picture Me {Im}perfectly

top 10 :: things i love about my erin condren planner

2012-02-07T10:00:00.001-05:00

Okay, okay... I have been talking about this new Erin Condren planner long enough. My fabulous cousin gave me an Erin Condren gift card for Christmas and I knew immediately that I would be using it to purchase the weekly planner. And so far... I'm pretty much in love. Some of you have asked what is so special about this so-called-amazing-planner...

Well, I'll tell you.

How about a full-blown planner review?? ...Top 10 style...

1) It arrives in the happiest box.

Any box that is this pretty is more than welcome to sit on my doorstep.

2) It is SPIRAL bound.

Spiral bound means your planner can lay flat and open on your desk all day long... and makes it much easier to write in. I can't even begin to explain how happy this small, little detail makes me.

3) It has tabs.

Another small detail that makes life just that much better.

4) It has month-at-glance AND week-at-a-glance views.

When I shopped for a new planner each year, this was the one criteria I always looked for... but it became harder and harder to find... so many planners are just one or the other.

5) It comes personalized.

I'm pretty sure this is the Erin Condren claim-to-fame. There are countless planner designs to choose from... you can even add your own family photo.

6) It has to-do lists.

And let's just be honest here... I.love.lists. There are "to-do lists" and "goal lists" sprinkled all throughout this planner.

7) It comes with stickers.

Who doesn't love stickers? In the back of the planner there are pre-labeled stickers (birthdays, dr. appts, vacations, etc), as well as sheets and sheets of blank stickers for you to label yourself.

8) It follows a "Morning... Day... Night" weekly view.

I love this layout... it works for me. It makes it super-easy to plan our evenings and my lunch dates:)

9) It has pockets and pouches.

The planner has a pocket in the back as well as a sealed plastic pouch... perfect for stationary and stamps:)

10) It comes with excellent customer service (and free personalized labels!).

Those free personalized labels were such a fun surprise! I've already used them on a gift... and my pretty package became the talk of the shower! Erin Condren still has a small business feel to it... which I love.

So, there you have it. My Erin Condren planner review. If you are a little behind for 2012 and haven't found your perfect planner yet... I say, go for it... you won't be disappointed. One of my resolutions for this year was to use a planner (for the whole year)... and I firmly believe a pretty, happy planner is the key to success for consistent planning:)

Linking this up to Oh Amanda.

right now...

2012-02-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

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Right now, I am...

...hearing Dave Matthews streaming on my Pandora station.

...adoring the photos I have been editing from this wedding.

...organizing our newly created pantry shelves.

...enjoying the space heater that I have hidden under my desk.

...contemplating a trip to Nashville in a few weeks.

...reading The Happiness Project.

...wishing that I made more time to read.

...savoring the large Dr. Pepper that Lance brought me from McDonalds this morning.

...planning up a storm in my new Erin Condren planner.

...missing the weekend.

Happy Monday peeps. What are you up to right now??

thirty & fabulous {louisville photographer}

2012-02-04T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Courtney.

She just might be one of my favorite people ever. We work together and she keeps me sane some days... we have countless inside jokes and nicknames... she can make me giggle at the slightest glance... and I can make her snort if I try hard enough.

Well... Courtney just turned the big 3-0 a few weeks ago!! And what better way to celebrate her fabulousness than with a photo session?!? Not only did I get to capture Courtney in all her thirty-year-old-glory... but I was able to sneak in a few shots of Miss Hayley too! You may remember this adorable mother/daughter duo from their last photo shoot... well, they are still lovely as ever...

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Which one is your favorite?? Personally, I think #10 is pretty spectacular...

But everyone knows that all photos are a hundred-bazillion-times better as silhouette puppets...

I mean, really... makes me laugh every.single.time...

happy friday!

2012-02-03T10:00:00.000-05:00

{image source}

thankful thursday {link up}

2012-02-01T23:00:00.001-05:00

{Link up your own Thankful Thursday post below}

This Thursday I am thankful for...

1) My new Erin Condren planner. I.love.this.planner. I just got it last week, so I'm starting to fill it up with appointments and weekend plans. Each day has a "morning, day & night" section which works nicely for my schedule. There are stickers in the back to use for birthdays and appointments... and the best part are the free personalized label stickers that they sent with my planner... they are so cute and I can't wait to use the gift labels:)

2) Chicken pot pie. I've been on this chicken pot pie kick lately... specifically the Marie Callender's brand... What? Did you think I meant like a chicken pot pie from scratch?? Then you obviously do not know me well... I am a girl of ramen noodles and frozen dinners... thankfully my husband can cook, so we don't starve. Regardless... the Marie Callender frozen chicken pot pies are delicious... promise.

3) My Community Group. I know my community group has been on my Thankful Thursday list before... but they are totally worth mentioning again (and again). Our community group is our family here in Louisville. This group of men and women both challenge me and encourage me all at the same time. They encourage my walk with the Lord and for that I am very grateful.

I always love reading all of the Thankful Thursday link-ups each week... they always make me smile. Sometimes I feel like you guys can read my mind when I read your Thankful Thursday posts... which is exactly how I felt when I read the verse that Sugar & Spice posted about last week. It was as if she wrote that entire post just for me. I love when that happens.

What are you thankful for this week? Grab the Thankful Thursday button from the right sidebar and link up your own post below. Be sure to visit the other THankful Thursday participants and share the love!!

Also linking up with:

Kate Says Stuff

The Fontenot Four

dear january...

2012-02-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Dear January,

You came and went as fast as I could say "Happy New Year." And as usual, you arrived with your routines and schedules... with your clean calendars and unmarked planners... just how I like it.

And although the calendar didn't stay clean for long... you are always a breath of fresh air, with your untarnished goals and resolutions.

Not to be outdone by 2011, you decided to make a statement early in the year for 2012... filling up the calendar with a mix of business and pleasure... audit work... back-and-forth trips to Atlanta... new counseling classes at church... doctor appointments... hotel stays... company dinners... new goals... lunches with girlfriends... a new sofa... lots of packing... rental cars... less soda... and big life lessons...

January, thank you for being awesome.

Love,

Julia

love and strawberries... and such

2012-01-31T08:00:00.002-05:00

Today I'm hanging out over at Mackenzie's blog, Friday Night Date Night... you know... just chit-chatting away about boys and love and stuff. If you haven't ever visited Mackenzie's blog, then shame on you... you are seriously missing out. She and her husband are absolutely adorable and are always thinking of the most creative date night ideas. No really... these two love birds are brilliant when it comes to affordable date night ideas.

Well, today Mackenzie invited me over to her blog and asked me to share a mushy-gushy-lovey-dovey story about me and Mr. Lance. Sure... no problem. Yep... so I can be found over here today talking about love and strawberries and such...

weekend in review

2012-01-30T11:00:00.001-05:00

My weekend started with an evening flight home... Atlanta to Louisville. It's a short flight... but one I'm always ready to make. I'm always ready to get home and see Lance. Five days feels longer than it sounds... Lance picked me up from the airport and we grabbed a quick bite to eat before heading home.

My new Erin Condren planner was waiting for me at the door. I cannot even begin to describe how awesome this thing is. I'm really hoping this planner will be the motivation I need to accomplish resolution #9... Use a planner (for the whole year). I'll keep you posted.

I had a lovely newborn photo session scheduled on Saturday with sweet little Jovie. I hope to post more photos soon. She was an absolute doll and slept right through most of the session.

Lance went with me to the new Paper Source store that recently opened up nearby (I know... amazing husband).

Sigh... I wanted everything in the entire store. Beautiful papers and stationary galore. We did end up buying a really awesome scratch-off map that allows you to scratch-off all of the countries you've traveled to... totally cool.

Saturday night Lance and I went to see The Descendants. It was good... but way heavier than I expected. Not quite sure what I had in mind... but I was thinking something a little less intense.

Yesterday was pretty low key... church... laundry... afternoon nap... more laundry... spaghetti with friends... preparations for Monday... and the last load of laundry...

No complaints here though. A fabulous weekend at home... always feels good to be home.

meadows family... plus one. {louisville maternity photographer}

2012-01-28T12:00:00.000-05:00

Meet the Meadows family.

Shaelyne and I share a love for photography and crafts. Last year we did our first ever photog-swap... where I took a few pictures of her family and she snapped a few of me and Lance. It was such a brilliant idea that we decided to do it again this year. Except this year the Meadows family is growing:) Baby Jovie Meadows was actually born a few weeks ago and lucky me... I'm on my way to their house for a little newborn shoot right now!!

So I thought today would be a good day to finally show you the fun shots we took this past fall before Baby Jovie arrived. Hope you enjoy!!

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Which one is your favorite?? I'll be sure to share the photos from today's newborn shoot soon... promise. I've already heard that little Jovie is a heart-breaker.

thankful thursday {link up}

2012-01-25T23:00:00.001-05:00

{Link up your own Thankful Thursday post below}

This Thursday I am thankful for...

1) The men & women that fight for our country. When I was waiting to board my flight to Atlanta this past Sunday, I had the privilege of witnessing a sweet, sweet reunion. A mom and her 3 boys were allowed to wait at the gate for their soldier to return home from Iraq. The look of excited anticipation on their faces was beyond contagious. Almost anyone that passed by the gate paused in hopes of witnessing the reunion. Once the returning soldier stepped off the plane the entire airport erupted in applause, while his 3 boys ran to tackle him with hugs and kisses. It was such a moving moment. I so often forget about the men and women that fight everyday for my freedom... but this was a beautiful reminder... and I am so, so thankful.

2) Grown up coloring books. For Christmas one of my girlfriends sent me this amazing grown-up coloring book that she put together herself just for me. I love it. Brilliant idea if you ask me. Coloring ranks right up with doing puzzles for me... it's a guilty pleasure. It's therapeutic... and the perfect opportunity for me to use my collection of Stampin' Up markers.

3) This birthday girl. Who just happens to be turning the big 3-0 this weekend!! I am so thankful that I'm able to be in the office this week so we can celebrate:) I've already obnoxiously decorated her desk and we're planning lots of cake and presents for the day! Happy birthday Courtney! I love you baldface!

I always love reading all of the Thankful Thursday link ups every week... I had lots of favorites from last week's link ups... especially enjoyed reading Momma of Dos' list, where she reminded me to be thankful for those "slow days."

Also linking up with:

Kate Says Stuff

The Fontenot Four

a nature walk... with my camera

2012-01-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

Last Wednesday I spent my lunch break on a little nature walk with a girlfriend of mine. It was fabulous... just what I needed last week. My friend recently got a new camera for Christmas and wanted to get familiar with it. So we set a date to hang out... just the 2 of us... and our cameras. It was so, so great.

I wanted to play with my 60 mm Macro lens, so I set out to take a lot of close-up and detail shots...

I was mainly looking for texture and repeated patterns...

Since it is winter in Louisville, I wasn't expecting to find much color... but I was surprised a couple of times by a few mossy patches and these vibrant berries...

Isn't my friend Shelby just adorable??

I love how having my camera with me forces me to look at things that I would normally pass right by or step on...

I encourage you to take your camera with you on your next walk... I bet you'll be surprised at what you see through the lens...

top 10 :: advantages of traveling for work...

2012-01-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

Initially I thought I would do a top 10 list of things I don't like about traveling for work... because, believe me... I can rattle off that list pretty quick. But the truth is, I work for an amazing company that provides me with a tremendous opportunity to be able to work from home the majority of the time. So, the fact is, I have nothing to complain about, and there are some pretty awesome perks to traveling for work... like...

1) I actually watch the news.

...and listen to it. Only when I'm traveling do I actually watch the morning news... or listen to the radio on my short commute. I mean, heck, I actually watched the Republican debate last night.

2) I eat really, really well.

As in a company steak dinner tonight... woop, woop.

3) I get to see some of my favorite co-workers.

Probably my favorite part of traveling to the office is that I get to see 2 of my favorite girls!

4) I have learned how to pack a suitcase in 30 minutes.

Seriously... I am a packing machine.

5) I actually talk to people during the day.

...instead of my cat. This is pretty exciting for someone that spends the majority of their day working alone.

6) I can shamelessly read my favorite gossip magazine on the airplane.

Usually just People Style Watch... or maybe US Weekly if I'm feeling really scandalous...

7) I have become a master at airport security.

I can go through security with 2 laptops, a giant camera bag, and my ziplock bag of travel-size liquids like nobody's business.

8) I actually read books.

...like full chapters at a time. I just started The Happiness Project on this trip... so far, so good.

9) I know the Atlanta airport like the back of my hand.

I'm pretty sure I could walk from the terminal... to the baggage claim... then to the car rental station... all with my eyes closed.

10) Oh yeah... I get a lot of work done.

I get face-time at the office... with my boss and co-workers... which is always a good thing when you typically work from home.

Linking this up to Oh Amanda.

little cat's holding down the fort...

2012-01-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

I'm in Atlanta this week... a full week at the office... doing audit work... fun times, I know.

Even though I am in Atlanta all week, there is still a lot to be done at the house. Lance and I talked and decided it would be best to let Little Cat share in the responsibilities while I'm gone. Since Little Cat's recent promotion, we figured he was up for the job. There is a lot to be done while I'm gone... but I think he'll manage...

...he'll be reviewing a few documents...

...running some budget numbers...

...paying some bills...

...doing a few loads of laundry...

...sending some wires to the bank...

...making a few shipments...

...taking a few water breaks...

It's a tough job... but I think he's up for it....

double trouble {louisville children's photographer}

2012-01-22T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Jocelyn and Gabbie.

They might just be the cutest little things in the whole wide world. Well, I guess I am a little partial... since they are my nieces and all. But, I mean, just look at at them... cutest things ever, right?

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Cutest things ever, right? Which one is your favorite??

accountant by day...

2012-01-20T09:00:00.001-05:00

There's one thing I don't talk about a whole lot on this blog... my day-job.

Mainly because I'm an accountant... and let's be honest... there aren't many people out there dying to read about general ledgers and payables and receivables. And the last time I checked, accounting blogs aren't exactly winning the popularity polls in the blogosphere.

But yes. I am an accountant. An accountant by day... and a photographer/scrapbooker by night (well, and weekends). Somehow both sides of my brain have learned how to work peacefully together. The left side of my brain works hard during the day... crunching numbers and analyzing spreadsheets... while the right side of my brain takes over at night... cutting scraps of paper and editing photos.

It works for me. There is this super weird side of me that enjoys the spreadsheets and numbers (I guess that's just the making of a true accountant). I am thankful that I pushed through and finished my accounting degree and MBA all those years ago, even on the many days I felt like quitting. And I am so, so thankful for my job. My current job has provided me with experiences and training that I never imagined possible at a "desk job."

So, there you have it... that's my 9 to 5 (well, actually it's 8 to 5)... I can be found working on reconciliations and balance sheets... at least when I'm not daydreaming of my next craft project;)

thankful thursday {link up}

2012-01-19T20:30:00.000-05:00

{link up your own Thankful Thursday post below}

This Thursday I'm thankful for...

1) Photography lunch date. Yesterday on my lunch break I met up with a friend for a photography date. We basically just hung out at the park for an hour and played with our cameras until our fingers were numb from the cold. It was awesome. I played around with my 60mm macro lens and got some really neat nature shots that I hope to share eventually.

2) Project Life. Anyone even kinda-sorta involved in the scrapbooking community has probably heard about Project Life. Big time scrapbookers and paper-crafters all over are jumping on the Project Life bandwagon this year. And who can blame them... it basically allows you to make scrapbooking as easy or involved as you want. I'm not entirely sure what this project will look like for me, but I would love to incorporate this memory-keeping method into my life. I'll let you know more later... but until then, if you're interested in learning more about Project Life, go here. {image}

3) Creative date nights. Lance and I are learning to get creative in the ways that we spend time with one another... partly because of our schedules and partly because of our pocketbooks. We are learning that time together on the car ride home from community group can be just as valuable as a dinner date. Or a date night at the seminary school library can be pretty awesome too. It's all about what we make of it. If you're wanting some awesome (but affordable) date night ideas you should really check out the Friday Night Date Night blog... Mackenzie has tons of brilliant ideas.

I loved reading all of the Thankful Thursday link ups from last week... this one especially made me smile... I mean, who isn't thankful for hotdogs?? :)

What are you thankful for this week? Grab the Thankful Thursday button on the right sidebar and link up your own post below. Be sure to visit the other Thankful Thursday participants and share the love!!

Also linking up with:

Kate Says Stuff

The Fontenot Four

why i blog

2012-01-17T11:00:00.001-05:00

Today I'm celebrating 2 years of blogging. I started this blog not entirely sure if I could or would maintain it... but here I am. 2 years and 530 posts later... I'm still here.

The Blogosphere is a funny place. You can feel strangely connected to people you've never met... or you can feel incredibly disconnected to real people. Blogging can leave you feeling completely inspired... or extremely discouraged. Blogging can help you relate to others... or leave you feeling like everyone has it together except you.

I desire to use blogging as a positive tool in my life... and the day it starts to feel like a chore or something I need to maintain to keep up with everyone else, is the day I will stop blogging. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely times I struggle with my motivations for blogging (which could probably be an entirely different post on it's own), but at the end of the day, blogging has taught me so much... and stretched me in more ways than I thought possible... for example...

1) Blogging makes me to step out of my comfort zone.

I have done things over the past couple of years that I probably would have never done otherwise if it weren't for blogging. I have gone on trips... slept in a tent... painted some furniture... expanded my photography skills... many due to the fact that I had already promised to blog about such-and-such.

2) Blogging holds me accountable.

This one goes hand-in-hand with item #1. Blogging makes me follow-through. If I say I'm going to blog about something, I usually do... instant accountability. Blogging forces me to put my thoughts and goals on "paper" ...instantly turning the simple ideas in my head into real action items.

3) Blogging makes me write.

I've never considered myself a writer... or even really liked writing. But jotting down a little post 4-5 times a week has helped me to enjoy writing. And I like that.

4) Blogging challenges me to step away from the computer.

Ummm, but don't you need to be on the computer to blog?? Well, yes. But if you don't step away from the computer and actually go out and LIVE your life, then you don't really have much to blog about, now do you??

5) Blogging has introduced me to new friends.

I have "met" several amazing women in the blogosphere... some that share my love for crafting... some that teach me about home design... some that challenge me creatively... and some that encourage me in my walk with the Lord. As strange as it may sound, I often feel as though I truly know some of these women, and genuinely hope I get to meet some of them eventually.

6) Blogging helps me appreciate real-life (in-the-flesh) friends.

While #5 is very much true, blogging has made me appreciate and value the real-life friendships I have. Interaction with real-in-the-flesh human beings cannot be replaced.

7) Blogging encourages me to finish my DIY projects.

I mean, who wants to read a blog post about an almost finished scrapbook or a half-painted table?? If I'm going to blog about it, then I need to finish it. This is a big deal for me. I am queen of half-finished crap.

8) Blogging allows me to relate.

For me this has been evident through some of my Dear Diary posts. I have been completely overwhelmed by the amount of "me too" comments and emails that I received when I was brave enough to share my fears and struggles honestly. This is probably my favorite part of blogging... how the Lord can use your words to greatly encourage someone on the other side of the world... making it feel a little less lonely out there.

9) Blogging encourages me to capture the little things.

I mean, I take pictures of food people! Since I have started blogging, I've noticed I'm much more likely to pick up my camera or my pen to help me capture those little things in life... Whether it's a picture of my favorite boots... a top 10 list of things I miss from the 80's... or a weekly thankful post... blogging forces me to remember the little things.

10) Blogging is a source of inspiration and encouragement.

The blogging world constantly inspires me and encourages me. Sometimes challenging me to do something different and sometimes just encouraging me to be where I am. To me, that is what this blogging stuff is all about.

What about you? Why do you blog?

Linking this up to Oh Amanda.

tactfully late christmas cards

2012-01-16T08:00:00.001-05:00

January cards. Our version of holiday greeting cards.

I love them. They're like that last trickle of holiday goodness... Kind of like getting a birthday card a month late from Grandma... except our January cards don't have money in them... sorry.

I think this is about the 6th year we've sent out January cards... it's become quite a tradition for us. I'd really like to round up all of the January cards from year's past and put them all together... (hmmm, that would be a good project idea...)

We print a ridiculous amount... and every year I talk about cutting our list down... but then I think, "You know what? This is the one form of communication I have with some of these people for an entire year... forget it... I'm just going to send them all..."

And they're hitting mailboxes around the nation as we speak... be expecting your tactfully late Christmas card soon!!

my $12 alaska wall art

2012-01-13T10:00:00.000-05:00

Several months ago I purchased a vintage school map of Alaska for $10 at my local antique mall. At the time, I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do with the massive map, but after our most-amazing-trip-ever to Alaska this summer I thought it would be cool to incorporate the giant state into our home somehow.

Then, as I was sorting through some crap in the garage, I saw it. I knew exactly what I would do with the giant Alaska map. I would frame it. With a frame I already had...

Some of you may recall the horrible bathroom mirror tragedy. It was terrible. The mirror I had purchased for our old bathroom fell to the ground an shattered to a billion pieces just one day shy of me taking it off the wall for our move. It was awful. But... being the resourceful person that I am, I made Lance keep the frame... you know... just in case.

So. Back to the story at hand... Once I decided how to proceed, I just needed to gather a few simple supplies and get to work on my Alaska wall art...

My supplies were pretty simple... the Alaska map, the salvaged mirror frame, a piece of $2 plywood (cut to size by the nice man at Lowes)...

...oh, and spray adhesive.

This map was huge. What did I expect?? Alaska is a ginormous state, so obviously it needs a ginormous map... it only makes sense.

I needed to decide in advance what portion I wanted to include in the frame. Once I had that all figured out, I trimmed away at the edges.

Then I used the good ol' spray adhesive to glue the map in place. This was perfect for this project. But... someone asked about this glue in yesterday's thankful thursday comments... about possibly letting their kids use this for some art projects. Probably not the best idea... unless of course, you want every.single.surface in your home to be sticky... including your kids. Anytime I use this product, I always get it all over my hands somehow... and usually everywhere else.

Once I sprayed the map in place, I just used my hands to smooth out any air bubbles.

Then I slipped the plywood piece into place and used the existing staples to secure everything. This was probably the hardest step, only because I had to basically pull out the staples half way then press them into back of the plywood.

Then, tah-dah!!! My $12 wall art is finished! And this literally took me all of 20 minutes to do. I love it! I love the colors and I love that it brings back memories of our Alaskan cruise from last summer.

So, there you have it... our $12 wall art... I love it.

thankful thursday {link up} & embrace the camera

2012-01-12T09:00:00.001-05:00

{Link up your own Thankful Thursday post below}

This Thursday I am thankful for...

1) Routine. Routine is a huge reason why I love January so much. I love the schedules and new calendars. Once the holidays are over, I'm always so ready to get back into a routine of some sort. I feel like this is even more true this year since I've been traveling more and more for work. I find myself getting giddy with excitement about consistency and monotony... sad, I know... the true signs of a control freak.

2) Kid's meals. Specifically ones that come with crowns. Kid's meals are the bomb diggity (yes, I just said bomb diggity)... you get a decent size portion of food for under $5 bucks... and a toy. You just can't beat it. (here is this week's embrace the camera photo... and also proof that you always look cooler with a crown, no matter what kind of weird face you are making.)

3) Craft projects. I have been itching to do some major crafting lately. I have a handful of projects that I am excited to finish and, of course, several more that I can't wait to start. But... I keep reminding myself that one of my new year's resolution is to finish more projects... not just start more. Oh, and don't worry... I'll be posting about this spray adhesive craft project very soon:)

Also linking up with:

The Anderson Crew

Kate Says Stuff

The Fontenot Four

dear diary :: waiting

2012-01-11T10:00:00.003-05:00

Dear Diary,

Recently I have started selecting one little word at the beginning of every year to help define and shape my upcoming year. Last year I chose delight. This year I chose the word wait.

Waiting. It's an odd selection for a motivational word. And it wasn't my first choice either. I tried to choose something different... really, I did. At first I wanted to go with the word hope... then I thought I'd use the word trust... And while those are both great options and I'm sure will hold meaning for me this year... I still kept coming back to the word wait.

Waiting... what does it even mean?

To stay in place in expectation of... To delay... To remain stationary in readiness or expectation... To look forward expectantly... To hold back expectantly... To be ready and available...

I've begun to realize how "waiting" normally has a negative connotation for me. Waiting means something is being withheld... my need for instant gratification isn't being fulfilled... or I am waiting for something that everyone else already has.

Sure, a big part of this word for me is waiting for a child... but it's much, much more than that... I often find myself waiting for acceptance... waiting for approval... waiting for comfort... waiting for answers... and yes, waiting for a child. But I've been asking myself some hard questions recently... Am I okay with waiting? What if I never receive the things I am waiting for? Do I feel that I need those things to be happy? Am I okay waiting for God? Or am I even waiting for God at all? Do I trust that His timing is better than my own?

But that's when it hit me. I'm not merely waiting for God... I'm waiting WITH God. Thankfully, He doesn't leave me high and dry to wait alone... He waits with me... gently reminding me that His plan is better. And I trust that. Some days it's hard to remember... but that's why I chose this word wait... not to remind me what I am waiting for, but rather Who I am waiting with.

Love,

Julia

......................................

I really loved this article on waiting on the Lord.

"Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord."

-Psalm 27:14

Linking this post up to:

Capturing Motherhood's Picture Me {Im}Perfectly

Jennifer Dawn McLucas' Memoir Mondays

The Lettered Cottage Word of the Year

my work week wardrobe

2012-01-09T11:00:00.001-05:00

One of the many advantages to working from home is that you get to work in your sweats. It's a beautiful, beautiful thing. No one cares how greasy your hair is or if you still have last night's makeup on... and nevermind the fact that you've had the same sweatshirt on for the past 5 days...

But about once a month, I travel to Atlanta for a week in the office. Unfortunately, my company policy does not classify sweats as office-appropriate-attire... crazy, I know. So, for about 5 days out of the month I am forced to remember how to coordinate outfits, wear tights, brush my hair, and make sure I can still walk in heels.

My 5-day outfit selection usually incorporates some kind of color theme... mainly to cut down on the number of shoes I need to travel with. It seems black is usually the color-theme of choice as my black heels seem to always be office appropriate. And last week was no different...

Tuesday...

shirt: Forever 21

pants: Banana Republic (probably 5+ years old)

amazing necklace: pyrrah

amazing ring: james avery

Wednesday...

top: TJ Maxx

skirt: Express

necklace: Ann Taylor LOFT

Thursday...

top: TJ Maxx

skinny pants: GAP

cardigan: GAP

belt: Lucky Brand

Friday...

top: Michael Kors

jeans: Joe Jeans

shoes: Buddah

All photos compliments of my iPhone and hotel bathroom mirror:)

It was a great week at the office, but it always feels good to be working from home again... in sweats.

Linking this post up to The Pleated Poppy.

abi & jordan tied the knot!! {louisville wedding photographer}

2012-01-07T22:00:00.001-05:00

Last weekend I photographed a beautiful New Year's Eve wedding in Louisville. The weather was absolutely perfect... as were the bride and groom.

My first time meeting Abi and Jordan was just days before the wedding... and I knew instantly their wedding was going to be special. I can't even begin to tell you the number of conversations I overheard from family and friends during the wedding... all talking about how kind-hearted Abi and Jordan are... they are perfect for each other and I can't wait to see how the Lord uses them together.

The entire day was magical. See for yourself...

We had perfect weather... you would have never guessed it was December 31st.

The church was stunning.

Abi lost her voice the day before the wedding, so she spent the morning sipping on vitamin C while getting ready for the big day.

I loved the detail on Abi's dress... it looked even more amazing once she slipped it on...

I think the bridesmaids agreed:)

I loved the simple wedding shoes...

Oh... and that bouquet!

You could practically see Abi glowing.

Abi had an amazing fur shawl that we used for some of her portraits... it's the only way you could tell it was a winter wedding!

The bridesmaids were a blast... such a beautiful group of girls. I loved the different styles of navy dresses.

And here's the handsome groom...

The rest of the guys cleaned up pretty nice too!

Jordan and the guys looked awesome rocking their shades:)

The inside of this church was amazing... just look at those intricate beams.

And the stained glass windows were absolutely gorgeous!!

The ceremony was so beautiful. Jordan and Abi wrote their own vows and I found myself tearing up behind my camera... seriously.

Oh, and did I mention that they had the cutest ring bearers and flower girl ever!?!

They look pretty good as a Mr. & Mrs... don't you think?

This is one of my favorite shots... precious.

Jordan could not keep his eyes off his beautiful bride... but I mean, can you blame him?

Another happily ever after...

This was one of the sweetest weddings I have ever photographed. It was such a beautiful day with a truly special couple. Be sure to show the newlyweds some love and tell them congratulations!!

Best wishes Abi and Jordan! Thank you for letting me be a part of your big day!

the art of journaling

2012-01-06T08:00:00.001-05:00

In yesterday's thankful thursday post I talked about my new journal and my resolve to pick up the pen more often. There is just something so exciting about a new journal... the crisp clean pages... the smell of new paper... the possibilities within the empty lines. In college I was an avid journaler... but the habit slowly faded and it's something I truly miss.

There's just something so powerful about putting pen to paper... something therapeutic about giving your thoughts a permanent home. There is no right or wrong way to collect your thoughts... there are many different types of journalers out there...

...some are list-makers....

...some are artistic...

...some are colorful...

...some are prayerful...

...some are classic...

...some are creative...

Are you a journaler?? What kind of journaler are you? Or maybe you're like me, and you're finally dusting off the pages and reuniting with your pen?

thankful thursday {link up} & embrace the camera

2012-01-05T00:00:00.001-05:00

{link up your own Thankful Thursday post below}

This Thursday I am thankful for...

1) Friends & food. Last night I went to Nava in Atlanta with some very dear friends. We laughed and chatted over delicious food and wine. It was my first time eating at Nava and it.was.delicious. But the company was even better:) (This is my embrace the camera photo this week too!)

2) A new journal. I recently bought a new journal and I'm excited about breaking it open and writing on those first few pages. There is just something about putting pen-to-paper... something therapeutic... but more on this later.

3) Newness. All this talk about the new year... new goals... new journal... all this newness. I can't help but feel motivated. I've been thinking a lot about my recent resolutions and I'm eager to see what the newness of the new year brings.

I'm also linking up to Emily's blog this week for Embrace the Camera:)

new year... new goals... (or some might call them resolutions)

2012-01-03T08:00:00.002-05:00

I love the newness that the new year brings... the fresh start... the clean calendar... new goals... untarnished resolutions. I kept debating if I should even bother with new year's resolutions this year... especially after last year's half-ass attempt.

But here's the thing... I like goals... and I like lists. So, I caved. I made resolutions... again. But this year, I tried my best to make my resolutions attainable (and enjoyable)... so hopefully I'm not writing a "failure-follow-up post" like last year... but no promises. My resolutions are all things I want to do... many of them things I'm excited about doing... well, all except for #4.

So, here you have it... in 2012, I resolve to:

1) be a better listener.

2) start journaling again.

3) read a classic (or two).

4) drink less soda.

5) organize my photos.

6) write more real letters.

7) finish more projects.

8) talk to God more.

9) use a planner (for the whole year).

10) pay off credit card debt.

There you have it. I hope to elaborate on all of these a little more in the coming months. What about you? Did you make resolutions this year?

Linking this up to Oh Amanda.

2011... a year in review

2012-01-02T10:30:00.000-05:00

2011 literally flew by. Like on a plane... or on any number of the planes we traveled on this year. This year shall be called the year-of-travel. Some months were a blur of exciting trips and experiences, while others were filled with trips to the office, and others were spent photographing weddings in various states. It was a little chaotic at times and definitely exhausting... but.I.wouldn't.trade.it.for.the.world.

In January Lance took me to a Colts game so I could cross off one of my 30 by 30 list items.

We experienced LOTS and LOTS of snow.

In March Jenna came to visit for another closet swap.

I set up a tent and slept under the stars in March to cross off another 30 by 30 item.

We also had a bit of rain in March and April... just a tad... enough to flood the Ohio River right by our house.

In April I hosted my first-ever craft party. It.was.awesome.

In April we also had our first Thunder Over Louisville experience.

I also experienced my first ever Balloon Glow in April. Sadly this was the closest I came to a hot air balloon ride before my 30th birthday.

In May I entered my dreaded thirties... okay, okay... they're not quite as bad as I thought they would be. I received lots of sweet wishes from loved ones near and far helping to soften the blow.

In June I flew out to Houston for a wedding weekend extravaganza... with bridal showers and bachelorette parties galore. (woop! woop!)

Then Lance's brother and his wife came to visit us in Kentucky and we took them out for a tour at the Woodford Reserve bourbon distillery.

In July we went on an amazing Alaskan cruise with 16 family members...

There were mountains and glaciers galore... Alaska is GINORMOUS, people.

We made the move into our new (old) rental house as soon as we returned from our cruise.

At the end of July we headed to Georgia for the Black family reunion... which never disappoints.

In August I stood by my little sister as she said her vows and tied the knot with the handsome Mr. Chris McAnnally.

Then I hosted my second craft night... this time with an 80's theme. (think puff paint and friendship bracelets:)

In September we went on an incredible trip to Aachen, Germany to attend the wedding of a very dear friend.

Lance's mom and her husband Hayward came to visit us in September too. We toured the Jim Beam distillery and showed them some of our favorite Louisville spots.

In October I headed to Columbus, GA to spend a weekend with my favorite college girlfriends.

In November we celebrated Thanksgiving with Lance's family in Georgia.

And finally, in December we spent time in Houston with my family.

2011 was a whirlwind of a year for us... with LOTS and LOTS of travel. I eventually lost track of the number of planes I've been on this year. 2011 was nothing short of AMAZING, but we are looking forward to all that 2012 has to offer...

TWENTY-TWELVE... bring it...

new day... new year...

2012-01-01T08:00:00.001-05:00

what are you doin'... new year's eve?

2011-12-30T08:00:00.001-05:00

I'll be photographing a beautiful wedding here in Louisville tomorrow, so my New Year's plans are pretty limited... especially seeing that my New Year's date is already in Georgia (insert major sad face here).

But here's what I would be doing New Year Eve... you know, if I had a big night on the town planned... with a big fancy party... and my handsome New Year's date...

I'd be wearing this perfect outfit.

I'd paint my nails something like this.

I'd serve my guests pretty drinks with a little magic in them.

I'd ask my guests to share their New Year's resolutions on these clever coasters.

I'd fill up a time capsule to open at next year's party.

I'd have my midnight kiss under shimmery lights.

But this year, a Facetime kiss will be just as magical:)

thankful thursday {link up}

2011-12-29T00:00:00.001-05:00

{link up your own Thankful Thursday post below}

This Thursday I am thankful for...

1) Little Bailey boo. Over the holidays I got to meet my cousin's adorable baby girl, Bailey. She.is.precious. My cousin Melissa and I are just 2 weeks apart and have practically grown up as sisters. It was so sweet to get to hold her beautiful little girl.

2) Puzzles. Does anyone else still love a good puzzle? I can't help it... it's a weakness I have. A puzzle-difficiency. My sister and I do one almost every Christmas, and if I had an extra table in the house I'm pretty sure I'd have a puzzle out year-round. Good thing I don't... I would get absolutely nothing done... ever.

3) My camera. I'm so thankful that I have a way to capture our memories... the big events and everyday moments. After participating in Help-Portrait a few weeks ago, I realized that something as simple as a photo is a true blessing, not to be taken advantage of.

top 10 :: favorite christmas gifts

2011-12-27T11:30:00.003-05:00

I can't believe that Christmas has come and gone... again. It always seems to fly by. I'm still listening to Christmas music for a few more days... just trying to stretch it out a little bit longer. My holiday was frantic, but fabulous. We were in Houston and had a whirlwind weekend of Christmas celebration. I received some super awesome gifts this year... a lot of stuff from my wish list and a lot of surprises too. Here are a few of my favorites...

1) My Pyrrah necklace.

This is what Lance got me this year. I was way excited about it... 1) because I had no idea what he was getting me, and he can rarely keep surprises to himself... and 2) because these necklaces are so flippin' cool. Have you heard of Pyrrah before?? Basically this awesome couple started designing jewelry from 19th century wax seals. Lance picked out the Five Fleur de Lis necklace for me to represent our time here in Louisville (the fleur de lis is the city symbol for Louisville).

2) My James Avery ring.

I had this amazingly beautiful smokey quartz ring on my wish list this year... fully expecting not to receive it. I needed one last thing for my top 10 wish list and I have always loved anything from James Avery... but this one was a tad pricey. My dad always gets "his girls" (my mom, sister and me) a little something special just from him. Well this year, he completely surprised us by giving all 3 of us the gorgeous smokey quartz ring. I love it.

3) My Lulu Lemon pants.

Not all of my gifts were jewelry... I also snagged the awesome Lulu Lemon pants that were on my wish list. I'm hoping these pants are just what I needed to get me motivated to work out again. And... if all else fails, at least I can look like I've been working out... Lulu can always help with that;)

4) My (I mean, our) fancy decorative tray.

This year my grandparents got everyone something for their home. Lance and I lucked out with this beautiful decorative tray. It's huge. I'm already daydreaming about where it will go and what purpose it will serve in our house... I'm thinking breakfast in bed for Julia...

5) My Erin Condren gift card.

I have been eyeing the Erin Condren planner for quite a few months now... trying to decide if that would be my twenty-twelve planner for next year. I am still new to the Erin Condren fan club, but basically everything on her website is amazing. Well, I visited my cousin (and her precious new little baby girl) over the holidays and she let me flip through her planner... and that was all it took... I'm hooked. Lucky for me, my cousin happened to give me an EC gift card... which I will be using shortly to order my new planner!!

6) Our state prints.

Specifically Kentucky and Georgia. I am waaaayyyy excited about these. My sister discovered the B&A Prints shop on Etsy, and we both instantly added these clever state maps to our wish lists. I think it would be really cool to have a little collection for every state that was meaningful to you. We are hoping to eventually add Alabama and Texas to our state wall.

7) My blue Gap jeans.

Well... they're really more like jeggings, I guess. But they are the most awesome jeggings ever. I love the color and I love how comfortable they are. I will definitely be seeing if they have any other colors...

8) My Happiness Project book.

Santa brought me The Happiness Project book by Gretchen Rubin. I have heard really great things about this little book... the subtitle on the cover was all I needed... "The Happiness Project... Or, why I spent a year trying to sing in the morning, clean my closets, fight right, read aristotle, and generally have more fun." Okay, I'm in. It reminded me of my 30 by 30 list... and makes me want to go ahead and create a 40 by 40 list. If this kind of stuff leaves you feeling inspired, then you really need to go over here and read about how this girl celebrated her 38th birthday... amazing.

9) My new watch.

Compliments of my rad sister. I was wanting a new watch for Christmas this year... and my sister totally pulled through for me. I love the tortoise band and the gold details. Love. Love. Love.

10) Mulah. Cash money. Dollar bills.

I mean, who doesn't like a little bit of Christmas cash?!? Lance and I have already agreed to use a portion for some fun spending cash for each of us, while the rest is going straight to savings... well actually, it will probably be used to knock out some more debt. But hey, that is one heck of a Christmas gift if you ask me.

What about you? Did you receive a special gift this year? Or were you able to give a special gift this year? I'd love to hear...

Linking this up to Oh Amanda.

wishing you a sparkly christmas...

2011-12-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas to you and yours! Posts will probably be light over the next few days, but I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas filled with the love of our Savior!

PS... if you are interested in taking a photo of your tree like the one above, there is an awesome tutorial here.

thankful thursday {link up}

2011-12-22T00:00:00.001-05:00

{link up your own Thankful Thursday post below}

This Thursday I am thankful for...

1) Flying to Houston! Lance and I are off to spend Christmas with my family in Houston today! I'm super excited to hang out with my parents and sister and her husband. It should be a fairly low-key Christmas, which I think we are all looking forward to.

2) Date night! Last night Lance and I enjoyed a fabulous date night at PF Changs. It.was.delicious. It was even more delicious since we got to use a gift card!! (Thanks Portia!!)

3) Christmas! It's only 3 days away people! I can't believe how fast it got here... but I plan to savor every moment of it. Time with friends... time with family... and time remembering the birth of our Savior.

it's beginning to look a lot like chirstmas

2011-12-21T08:00:00.004-05:00

We've decorated the house in bits and pieces this year. A little here and there... basically anytime we stumbled on a Christmas storage box in the garage, we put something new up. We have spent the past 4 Christmas' in 4 different houses... so, yeah... there have been some holiday boxes that haven't been unpacked in a while. This was the first year in a long time that we were actually able to get a real tree... therefore... also the first time in a while that we were able to pull out all of our Christmas ornaments. To say I was excited would be a major understatement.

Everything looks just a little different than last year... but you'll definitely see a few familiar pieces...

I was finally able to pull out my little Snow Village collection again this year... it's been a long time since I've seen the glowing lights on these little buildings... 4 years, I think. We decided this village would be safest on top of the bookshelf... you know, to make sure there weren't any massive catastrophes caused by a certain Little Cat.

Here's how the Christmas tree turned out. I love all of the family ornaments and the general homespun look. I wanted to add more colorful ball ornaments, but Lance literally had to make me stop adding things. Christmas trees are one of the few times that I live by the motto, "the more the merrier." And don't even think about stealing any presents from under the tree... see that angel on top? She'll swoop right down and smack you in the head. I mean, look at her... she is ready.

And because Lance put "ornament restrictions" on the big tree... I decided to put up the two tiny 3 foot trees that we bought last year. This one was in the kitchen and had a little bird theme going on. I think it could benefit from a few blue and green ornaments or something of the sort... you know, for a little color... maybe next year.

But speaking of color... this is the "purple tree." And I love it. This one went up in the guest bedroom... mainly so Lance wouldn't have to stare at it's purple-ness all day. There are purple balls, purple feathery things, purple birds (yes, more birds)... it's hard to see in this picture... but take my word for it... this tree is awesome.

The Christmas card wall is right by the back door this year. I'm still using (and loving) my hand-dandy vertical card holder from Pier One. Christmas cards are yet another reason why December ranks as one of my all-time favorite months. I love the photos of loved ones from both near and far... the simple holiday greetings from friends I may not have heard from since last Christmas... it's a little reminder that we are still connected by those simple annual greetings.

I hung one of our twiggy Christmas stars in the kitchen window (right by the cards). I love these stars... I got them several years ago at Michaels for just a few dollars and they are one of my favorite decorations. I love their simplicity.

I hung the other twiggy star over the mirror in our dinning room... which happens to be right over the nativity set this year. Our Willow Tree nativity set is still one of my favorites. I love this whole little set up right here.

Since I ended up having some red Christmas balls leftover after Lance enforced the "ornament restriction," I decided to fill up a glass display vase that I already had in the kitchen. Loving the pop of red.

Ahem... yes, speaking of red... Let's talk about these giant red cones I have set up by the TV. I guess they are supposed to be Christmas trees... but they are really just GINORMOUS sparkly red cones. I bought them 4 or 5 years ago when we lived in our favorite house... and they never looked quite so ginormous on the fireplace there... but.they.are.huge. I feel like at any point they might simply take over our living room and swallow us whole.

Moving right along... my absolute favorite piece this year is still this sweet little musical figurine. The piece belonged to my grandparents and if you turn the Christmas tree it plays "Here Comes Santa Claus." I used to carefully turn the tree over and over again, just humming and staring at the little scene playing out before me... until eventually, I turned that little tree so much that I snapped the star right off. Oops. That's me in that little picture... pre-star-snappage. After my grandma passed away a few years ago, my mom gave me the beautiful piece, along with the photo. I love it.

We decided to hang these cute little snowmen by the stairs... well, I guess technically it's a snowman and snow-woman. They have a little heart that says, "Love will keep us warm." Which hopefully is true, since we've been trying to keep our thermostat set at 63 degrees this winter...

Our mantel is pretty simple this year... a strand of garland and 3 vases of some amaryllis flowers (fake... compliments of Target). Then of course we have our stockings hung too:) I really like how the mantle turned out, simple... but festive.

Santa is chilling on the dining room table this year. He was on the coffee table last year... but after I removed my white pumpkins from this year's fall decorations, I had this perfect little open spot for Santa in that mossy greenery... nestled him right in. I think he likes it there.

And don't forget the presents under the tree! All of our gifts that are going to Georgia later are sitting pretty under the tree for now. I think they add a nice little touch, don't you? And I'm still digging the red & white paper combo that I went with this year.

So, there you have it... it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas over here... good thing too, since it is only 4 days away and all...

top 10 :: things i hope to do before christmas

2011-12-20T08:00:00.002-05:00

There are a handful of things that I'm hoping to accomplish before Christmas day sneaks up on me in just 5 short days! Some are things that simply have to happen, while others are just to enhance the holiday spirit... Here are the top 10 things I hope to do before Christmas...

1) Try a Starbucks peppermint mocha.

2) Pack my bags for Houston.

3) Work on a puzzel.

4) Finish the Breaking Dawn book.

5) Hold my cousin's precious little baby girl.

6) Mail my last few Christmas packages.

7) Order our January cards.

8) Complete a few pages of my December Daily album (for THIS year).

9) Buy Lance's Christmas present.

10) Slow down and savor the true Spirit of Christmas. {printable}

Linking this up to Oh Amanda for Top Ten Tuesday.

weekend festivities...

2011-12-19T10:00:00.000-05:00

My weekend started Thursday night with a fabulous date night with the hubby. We watched Mission Impossible 4 (which was awesome) while drinking way too much soda for a work night. It was perfect.

Friday night we had a Christmas party with our community group, although this photo is missing our lovely host and hostess, and Lance (he's taking the pic). Christmas parties are the best... if I could eat veggie trays, cookies and peppermint bark for dinner every night, I would be oh-so-happy.

And I mean, come on... any party where you have to wear a name tag is bound to be awesome. Our hosts also had several of their neighbors at their party... so there was lots of different circle groups crossing, hence the name tags.

And any party that ends in karaoke is truly deemed epic, no doubt.

Saturday was a little more low-key with some sleeping in, laundry and house cleaning. Then we headed over to our friend's house, John and Allie, for some yummy chili.

And no dinner at the Crew's would be complete without dessert... so little John Marshall headed into the kitchen to whip us up some cookies.

Sunday was even more low-key than Saturday... I finished the last little bit of my Christmas shopping, actually started on my December Daily book for this year, and made some of our traditional Texas Trash chex mix.

This weekend was the perfect combination of socializing and restoration... absolutely perfect. Can you believe that Christmas is only 6 short days away!?!?

crew family {louisville family photographer}

2011-12-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

Meet the Crew family. Seriously some of my absolute favorite people. Little John Marshall was my very first client here in Louisville... and Lance and I quickly hit it off with his parents. The Crew family has become some of our very best friends over the past few years.

Are you thinking the little man looks familiar? Well, you may remember his cuteness from his very first session here... or how handsome he looked for his 1 year shoot here. I love doing continuous sessions with families... it's so fun to see the little ones grow up right in front of the camera lens.

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I had trouble picking a favorite from this session... too many to choose from. What about you? Which one is your favorite?

a handmade christmas

2011-12-16T11:30:00.002-05:00

Lot's of handmade projects going on this year... handmade gifts... handmade tags... handmade goodies... handmade by me... handmade by others... you get the idea.

I love how my gift tags turned out this year. Simple shipping tags stamped with a green poinsettia and a bit of red sparkle in the middle. Those shipping tags are probably one of the best things I've ever purchased. I ordered them in bulk from Uline about 4 years ago. And when I say bulk, I mean 1,000. Yes. One thousand tags. Crazy, I know, but seriously... best purchase ever. I use them for everything.

I busted out the chalkboard paint for a few gifts this year too. This stuff is addictive... I wanted to paint everything in chalkboard paint. My sister had to put restrictions on me... and I think Lance hid the rest.

I also wanted to order a few handmade gifts this year too... and you can never go wrong in Elise's shop. Or you can just peruse Etsy for all kinds of handmade goodness.

I even pulled out a few of my jewelry designs from a few years ago... hmmm, thinking I should re-open my Etsy shop eventually... maybe in 2012?? Anyhow... I promise to show more pictures after the holidays, but I don't want to spoil anyone's Christmas present. What about you? Are you doing any handmade gifts or decorations this year?

thankful thursday {link up}

2011-12-15T00:00:00.002-05:00

{Link up your own Thankful Thursday post below}

This Thursday I am thankful for...

1) Wrapped (and shipped) presents. The presents are wrapped... the bows are tied... the gift tags are signed. This makes me so happy. And... if all goes as planned, everything will be shipped out to it's various locations today! Keeping my fingers crossed that the post office line isn't too terribly dreadful.

2) Our community group. I love this group. They encourage me, challenge me, and make me laugh. This past Tuesday we volunteered our time for a clean up at the Scarlet Hope house. I'm so grateful for these friends.

3) Encouragement. A thoughtful text... a kind phone call... a sweet gift in the mail... a perfect quote... I swear, it's like all of these things happened simultaneously all by different girlfriends... none of them even remotely aware how much their simple act of kindness encouraged me at just the right moment.

he & she... lately

2011-12-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

he is so ready for class to be over for the semester.

she is so ready for Christmas to be here.

he takes out the trash and picks up the mail.

she washes the dishes and folds their laundry.

they both hate cleaning out the litter box.

he is finally done with all of his reading for the semester.

she is finally reading the last book in the Twilight saga.

he has a closet the size of a shoe box.

she has a closet for all of her shoes.

they love their new neighborhood.

he spends most of his time working at the church.

she spends most of her time working in the upstairs office.

he has been building relationships with our neighbors.

she has been taking photos with our neighbors.

they have been learning how to counsel and love others.

he has recently started bow hunting as a hobby.

she has been turning her photography hobby into a business.

he set up their beautiful Christmas tree.

she has been wrapping presents like a mad woman.

they are hopeful this holiday season.

a help-portrait weekend...

2011-12-12T10:00:00.002-05:00

I can't even begin to describe how awesome this weekend was. I spent all day Saturday volunteering for an event called HELP-PORTRAIT. This is an incredible event that happens annually all over the world.

So, you may be asking, what is HELP-PORTRAIT?? Basically, it's an annual event where photographers and volunteers all over the world donate their time and talent to provide portraits to those in need. Some of these people have never had their photo made... some are new mothers that might have never had a portrait with their newborn... some are married couples that have never had a formal photo of the two of them... the list goes on. I knew this event would touch my heart, but I had no idea...

We had photographers everywhere. No, really, everywhere. But it was so cool to see all of these incredibly talented people work together.

We had three photo stations set up, all complete with their own editing and printing tables.

It was so fabulous to get to know so many wonderful people through this event. Many of us started this adventure as complete strangers, but left on Saturday feeling more like family.

I'm pretty sure no one worked as hard as Melissa... our hair stylist for the day. She.was.amazing. Not only did she make people look beautiful for their photos... but most importantly, she made them feel loved and valued.

And this is Connie. She's the one responsible for making this happen in Louisville this year. Her dedication and hard work made all of this a reality. And... fun fact... she's my next door neighbor!

And while all of the photographers and volunteers were amazing... it's the people and stories that walked through those doors that really made this event spectacular.

We had young and old... This little cutie pie made all of us smile.

This couple was one of my favorites. They patiently waited for hours. This was one of the first photos they have had made together in years.

To see the smiles that spread across faces as they saw their images come alive on the cameras and computer screens was simply contagious.

I saw several people take their photograph out of their envelope over and over again, just simply to look at it. I can't explain how much this moved me.

Some were moved to tears after seeing their pictures. We heard so many stories about families that have never owned a photo of them all together. Trust me, there were tears all around.

We printed 2 photos for each person that came through. One was for them to take with them and the other was for them to write on... several people wrote simple words of thanks and others wrote beautiful stories of where they came from and where they are today. These stories touched my heart in so many ways.

This was our Louisville group of volunteers... such an amazing group of people!

This event seemed simple enough... but sometimes we don't realize how much we can bless others with the gifts God has given us.

You can learn more about HELP-PORTRAIT here...

villacampa family {louisville family photographer}

2011-12-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

While I am out volunteering for this year's HELP-PORTRAIT, I thought I would leave you guys with a few photos of one of my recent family sessions...

Meet the Villacampa family. I love this family. Nick was Lance's roommate in college and then Robyn and I shared a room together one summer in Panama City Beach, Florida... trust me, there are plenty of stories to go around... But then you throw in those two adorable girlies! Here are a few of my favorites from our time together...

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Which one is your favorite??

thankful thursday {link up}

2011-12-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

{Link up your own Thankful Thursday post below}

This Thursday I am thankful for...

1) Caroling. On Tuesday night our community group went Christmas caroling in our neighborhood. I am realizing that the holidays can be a very lonely time for some people, and it's amazing how something as simple as a song can touch a stranger's heart. There was one woman that came out of her house to sing with us... and as we finished the song, she looked at me with tears in her eyes, and gave me a hug. Me. A stranger. The woman started crying and thanked us through her tears... I'll never know what exactly was going on in her life... but for that moment we were able to share the love of Christ with her through a simple song.

2) Christmas lights. Specifically Christmas lights outside. When Lance and I came home from caroling, we decided we were already freezing and dressed for the outdoors... we might as well go ahead and put some Christmas lights up. I can't even tell you the last time we put outdoor lights up. I mean... we didn't go all crazy or anything... just a few lights on the front porch columns... but none-the-less this is exciting stuff.

3) HELP Portrait. This is what I will be doing this Saturday. HELP-Portrait is a worldwide event where tons of photographers volunteer their time and provide beautiful portraits to those in need... people that may have never had their photo made before. It's an incredible event that will be happening literally all over the world. My words don't do this project justice... go here and watch the video... amazing... promise.

confession: i am a wrapping paper snob.

2011-12-07T09:30:00.001-05:00

It's true. I am a total wrapping paper snob. What can I say? I have high standards for my wrapping paper. But not to worry... Hobby Lobby has come through once again...

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Hobby Lobby, hands down, has the best wrapping paper selection available. I love that they have tons of patterned papers. I typically purchase the non-Christmas-ey prints, such as polka dots or damask, that way I can use the paper year round for birthdays and such.

And HobLob don't mess around... let me tell ya. Each roll of wrapping paper includes 100 square feet of paper. That is a lot of wrapping. I always have plenty left over to use through out the year.

A couple of years ago I used this green and white patterned paper and it was by far one of my favorite prints. For Christmas I mixed it with some red polka dot paper, which resulted in a festive red and green combo. For birthdays I still use the green and white paper... it looks adorable tied up with pink ribbon:)

Last year I wanted to use the red polka dot paper again, so I bought this fun ho ho ho kraft paper to throw in the mix. I used raffia as ribbon for a simple homespun look, I love how it turned out.

Okay, okay... so why do I really love the Hobby Lobby paper? Truth be told, it's not just the beautiful patterns and festive options... It's the grid lines.

This paper has GRID LINES on the inside. Brilliant. Maybe I'm the only one that appreciates a good straight line? Or maybe I'm just scissor-challenged? Because, let's be honest... without those grid lines, my wrapping job looks more like Edward Scissor Hands got a hold of my Christmas presents. I also love how durable this paper is... It is thick. I feel like other wrapping papers tear if you simply look at it wrong. Not this stuff.

This year, I'm pulling out the red polka dot paper... once again (I told you this stuff lasts forever). And some red paisley printed paper that I've had even longer than the polka dots. Then I went to Hobby Lobby yesterday and picked out a fun red and white Christmas word print paper to throw in the mix. I'm thinking raffia and tiffany blue ribbon might be fun... or maybe a sage green? My goal is to get rid of the paisley paper this year.

Happy wrapping!!

top 10 :: things i love about christmas

2011-12-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

This list could easily stretch beyond the standard top 10, but for the sake of self-control, I'll limit myself.

Here are the top 10 things I love about Christmas...

1) The sparkle of Christmas lights.

That magical twinkle gets me every time.

2) Wrapping presents.

Call me crazy... but I love wrapping presents. And I'm talking boxes, wrapping paper and ribbon... none of that gift bag crap. I think it has something to do with my obsession for paper and scissors.

3) Hot chocolate.

With marshmallows. Or a Starbucks salted caramel mocha will do... or a caramel apple spice... hmmm... or eggnog.

4) Watching Christmas movies.

Really, any Christmas movie will do... but Home Alone, Christmas Vacation and Elf are my top picks.

5) Visiting family.

I realize that for some, Christmas can be a very lonely time... I am grateful that Lance and I are able to spend Christmas with those that we love. But I also want to share that love with those that might not have family and friends nearby.

6) Traditions.

Old and new. There are certain traditions I cherish from my own childhood and then there are new traditions I'm looking forward to starting with my own family one day.

7) Christmas caroling.

Which I will be doing tonight, thankyouverymuch. I love to see the faces of neighbors as they stand in their doors and listen.

8) Making Texas Trash.

Don't know what that is? Then you're missing out. It's basically a homemade, glorified batch of chex mix. We make a ginormous batch to divi up and give to friends and neighbors.

9) Giving gifts.

I love giving gifts... everything about it. Wrapping them all pretty (see #2)... mailing them to far away friends... seeing the joy on the face of the recipient... all of it.

10) The birth of Christ.

Recently I have been thinking a lot about the True Gift... the reason why we celebrate Christmas to begin with. And while my top 10 list could extend forever, all of these things mean nothing without the birth of Christ.

What do you love about Christmas?

Linking this up to Oh Amanda's Top Ten Tuesday... which I noticed she has a Christmas themed list this week too... with some really great links.

weekend festivities...

2011-12-05T10:00:00.001-05:00

This weekend was a whirlwind... but a good one...

Friday was a crazy day at the office... but nothing a little Starbucks caramel apple spice can't fix.

Friday night I finally flew home to Louisville. After 10 days away, to say I was excited about seeing my husband and sleeping in my own bed would be a major understatement.

This was my view of the city as I flew into Louisville... right over the waterfront by the Ohio River... I always love the sparkle of city lights.

I spent Saturday morning at a women's gift exchange at our church... this thing is a serious event... 200 women scrambling to get first dibs on gifts is a sight to see, let me tell ya. Oh, what's that? You like my scarf? Oh, why thank you... me too... My mother-in-law brought it back from South Africa for me... it has this lacey-vintage-feel to it... and I'm in love, just in case you can't tell.

On Sunday afternoon I did some major photo editing... trying to get all caught up before my next wedding on New Year's Eve. I'm getting close...

And then... on Sunday evening... by far the highlight of the weekend... WE GOT OUR TREE!!! My amazing husband agreed to go in the pouring rain so we could finally get our tree up and decorated. He's the best.

And in other news... this is my 500th post. I.have.posted.500.bleepin'.times.on.this.blog. Five hundred times in two years. This either means a) I am an awesome dedicated blogger... or b) I need to get out more. I'm going to go with a)...

How was your weekend?

oh, yes we did...

2011-12-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

That's right... we did it again.

We walked through those mall doors on a mission. We headed straight through the main entry... right down the escalator... and directly in line to see Santa (...and then maybe over to Forever 21). But I must say, this year's Santa was much better than last year's Santa. He was jolly and greeted us with a good ol' Santa belly laugh. I'm really loving this new little tradition I have with my favorite work girls.... definitely a perfect photo for day 1 of the December Daily.

thankful thursday {link up}

2011-11-30T22:00:00.001-05:00

{Link up your own Thankful Thursday post below}

Sorry I missed last week... but I figured with it being Thanksgiving and all, you didn't need any reminders from me to be thankful:) But this Thursday I am thankful for...

1) DECEMBER. This month makes me happy. December means Christmas. It means family. It means snow. It means cozy movies. It means cookies. It means traditions. It means celebrating the birth of Christ. I love December.

2) My work girls. I've been at the Atlanta office this week... and there are two super awesome girls that always make my trip worthwhile. These girls are more like family to me than co-workers.

3) Christmas giving. This year we've been a bit more creative with our gift list... trying to give more handmade gifts and really embracing the whole "it's the thought that counts" motto. Don't worry, I didn't make all of my gifts... I know some of my family was getting worried that they were going to get a sweater with 3 sleeves this year:)

What are you thankful this week? Grab the Thankful Thursday button from the right sidebar and link up your own post below. Be sure to visit everyone else in the thankful family and share some love:)

december daily {2010}

2011-11-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

Warning: This is a super Christmasie-scrapbookie-photo-heavy post. Like, really photo heavy. If you don't like Christmas and hate scrapbooking, then this post ain't for you. I apologize in advance... but don't say I didn't warn you.

With December literally right around the corner, I thought today might be a good day to finally show you my December Daily album from last year (nevermind the fact that I just finished it a few weeks ago... minor detail). I seriously love this project. This is my second December Daily album, and you'd better believe I'm doing it again this year. My goal is to finish before Thanksgiving this time around:) You can see my 2009 album here, here, here, and here. You can read more about December Daily straight from the creator (Ali Edwards) herself here.

Rather than bore you with details of every single page, I'm just going to let the photos do the talking. But basically, I document one story for every day in December... sometimes this is a simple photo or story of something I did that day... or sometimes it's a longer story of a memory from the past... or maybe a family holiday recipe... or a picture of my favorite Christmas ornament... you get the idea. Here it goes... December Daily 2010...

Intro page... a simple Christmas tree tag with a bit of writing around the edges.

December 1st... a story of December sneaking up on me and some Starbucks holiday marketing.

December 2nd... possibly one of my favorite pages... hoping this memory will make the book again this year.

December 3rd... a story about our simple Christmas decor and our 3ft tree.

December 4th... a photo of the first official snowfall of the season.

December 5th... the start of advent season, and I wrote the lyrics to a favorite song on the back.

December 6th... a story about Christmas caroling with our church in the snow.

December 7th & 8th... a photo of our snow-covered home and the text from this he & she post.

December 9th... photos and stories of some dear friends that visited us in Louisville.

December 10th... fresh baked chocolate chip cookies (needs no other explanation).

December 11th... movie stubs from a fabulous date day with my hubby.

December 12th... a story about serving communion at church.

December 13th... my super awesome mini-snowman.

December 14th... several photos from around the house... love catching little glimpses of the simple things that make our home feel like Christmas.

December 15th... a story about mine and Lance's ornament for 2010.

December 16th... a quick photo of the menu from our favorite sushi restaurant where we ate dinner.

December 17th... a story about how we went out for ice cream... even though it was 23 degrees outside.

December 18th... the start of our holiday travel madness... and how we made it to Habersham just in time to watch Troy (our alma mater) win their bowl game.

December 19th... a few photos of some sweet time with our nieces before we flew out to Houston.

December 20th... arriving to Houston just in time for my sister's engagement party.

December 21... going wedding dress shopping with my sister!

December 22nd... some photos to show what makes Christmas in Houston so special to me.

December 23rd... photos from the engagement session I shot for my sister and Chris.

December 24th... the craziness of Christmas Eve.

December 25th... Christmas Day!! This year we spent it with my dad's side of the family and everyone was there!

December 26th & 27th... an envelope to slip my thank you list inside and a little story about how our flight was canceled on the 26th, but we finally made it back to Georgia on the 27th.

December 28th... a story of my absolute most favorite Christmas decoration that was passed down to me from my Grandma.

December 29th... a story about post-Christmas depression and my cure for it... a Starbucks caramel apple spice.

December 30th... a day of bowling with the twinsies... so fun.

December 31st... our Christmas celebration with Lance's family.

December 31st (cont)... Happy New Year with some of our favorite people!

The end.

See, that wasn't so bad now, was it? Anyone want to join me this year? I'll start documenting my days tomorrow!!!

top 10 :: items on my wish list

2011-11-29T08:00:00.006-05:00

Here are the top 10 things on my wish list this year... some a little further out of reach than others:) But hey, that's why they call it a WISH list, right?

1) Kate Spade iPhone case.

2) Aveda Hydrating Lotion.

3) The Happiness Project book.

4) Lulu Lemon Wunder Under pants.

5) Olive Canvas TOMS.

6) Cities of Kentucky (and Georgia, and Texas, and Alabama) print.

7) Kenneth Cole watch. (or maybe just a gift card to TJ Maxx so I can get the same watch for practically half the price...)

8) Project Life Clementine edition.

9) J. Crew Matchstick Cords in vibrant flame.

10) James Avery Smokey Quartz ring.

What about you? What's on your wish list this year??

Linking this up to Oh Amanda.

and this is how we did thanksgiving...

2011-11-28T08:00:00.001-05:00

...we helped in the kitchen...

...we deep fried our turkeys (I mean, is there really any other way?)...

...we covered the turkey with "turkey blankets"...

...we played with "uncle wance"...

...we ate... a lot...

...we took a walk outside to let our food settle...

...we explored...

...we enjoyed the sunshine...

...we ate... again...

...we went christmas tree shopping...

...we found the perfect tree for bryan & marcia lynn...

...we did some decorating...

...we hit the holiday jackpot at the in-laws...

...we had garland-galore for everyone...

...we had a quick little photo shoot...

...we (aka, I) checked into a hotel for a week of work in Atlanta...

Back to work... back to reality...

Happy Monday folks.

loyd family {louisville family photographer}

2011-11-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

Meet the Loyd family. Or perhaps you remember meeting them before? This is another adorable blue-eyed family that I enjoy photographing oh-so-much. When they were a little family of three with one on the way... well, their "one on the way" is here now... and he is simply precious. This was another mini session from my trip to Mobile, Alabama last month. Here are a few of my faves from our time together...

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Which one is your favorite??

spivey family {louisville family photographer}

2011-11-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

Meet the Spivey family. Beautiful right? Just look at all of those blue eyes. When I was in Mobile, Alabama last month, I had a chance to schedule a few mini sessions after shooting this wedding. The Spivey's were my first family scheduled and they seriously made my job so easy...practically too easy. I mean... just look at those sweet boys! And... exciting news... this family of four will be adding a sweet little girl to the mix soon:) Here were some of my favorites from our time together...

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Which one is your favorite?

happy thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T14:30:00.000-05:00

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Taking time to enjoy good food and special moments with family... Here's to wishing you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving!

top 10 :: reasons why the closet swap rocks

2011-11-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

Last year my sister and I started doing a closet swap any time either of us were visiting the other. At first it was just a handful of shirts each, but now it has become a full-fledged exchange of awesomeness. My sister lives in Alabama and we have now made the closet swap a semi-annual exchange. We each go through our closets collecting shirts, skirts, purses, etc that we think the other might enjoy. The point is not to just get rid of last season's clothes, but to actually throw in a few nice items. I'm telling you... it's flippin' awesome. So, here's the definition of the Julia/Jenna closet swap...

J&J Closet Swap: a semi-annual exchange of clothing and accessories complete with new styling ideas and tips from one sister to another... aka, most brilliant idea ever. The rules and guidelines have changed a little since our first ever closet swap last year.

Here are the top 10 reasons why the closet swap freakin' rocks...

1) I get to see my sister.

2) It's like a giant shopping spree.

3) It's free.

4) You acquire things you wouldn't normally buy.

5) You finally get to borrow that top you've been dying to wear.

6) It's free.

7) It brings new life to your old clothes.

8) It curbs your need for spending and shopping.

9) You have a new eye for new outfits/styles.

10) Oh... and it's free. Have I said that yet?

Have you tried a closet swap before? If not... you should. Size 8 1/2 shoe... medium tops... long pants... any takers? ;)

Linking this up to Oh Amanda.

gailey family {louisville family photographer}

2011-11-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

I am waaaayyy behind on posting photo sessions on the blog, so I'm attempting to catch up on the weekends. For the next few weekends I'll be posting sneak peeks from some of my recent photography sessions.

Meet the Gailey family. They are some of my favorite people ever. When we lived in Habersham, Amy was always my saving grace during football season. Our husbands coached together, so Amy and I had lots of quality time together and we became fast friends. Tate and Amy have 2 adorable boys that always make my heart smile. You might remember Hudson from here... and little Will from here. My, how they have grown...

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Aren't they adorable? Which one is your favorite?