August Catch Up

When I started this blog last year with the intention of keeping it up to date with my life's activities so I could look back and remember (since my memory sucks)...I am pretty sure that meant blogging about things other than photography more than once every other month. I stink at it lately.

I have a whole bunch of pictures from our own personal adventures (non-photography business related) and it took me til today to even get them off my point and shoot camera and put them on my computer. That's just sad.

Jason has been busy working and so have I. The photo business is very steady and I have a lot of sessions scheduled for the Fall (so thankful and excited). For the time being, I can safely say I am caught up with photo editing. I have one disc in the mail and another order waiting to be sent and then I will officially be 100% caught up. This is good because I am going to be a busy gal come next week.

August was spent working, boating, and other normal summer stuff. We went up to Arrowwood Resort in August for a law conference which was a nice little mini vacation. I stopped by Albertville on the way up of course and did some minor damage. I hope to post some pictures soon from that little trip.

I shot two weddings (my first big weddings) in August and had an awesome time. You can see the first photos here, and for the second wedding click here. It was so much more fun and less stressful than I expected. I am sure it didn't hurt that both brides were laid back and pretty ''go with the flow''. I kind of fell in love with doing weddings. I realized how much I love weddings and love love in general : ) It's so uplifting.

Jason turned 30 in August and we celebrated by going to Fogo de Chao which was delicious. We also went downtown last weekend to Rosa Mexicano and stayed at the Graves for a little romantic getaway. Sometimes we go several days or longer without seeing much of each other. Being ships passing in the night is not cool and after awhile I get sad so we have to find a way to reconnect and doing something like spending a night downtown, getting a nice buzz, and just talking always does the trick. We had a great time.

Sometimes I get overwhelmed with everything I have to get done. My regular job and then the photography business on top of normal life responsibilities like cooking and cleaning sometimes seem impossible to balance. However, recent (hospital) work events have left me feeling extra thankful lately and have given me a reality check. Jason and I are happy and healthy and lead a comfortable, blessed life. I am lucky to have a job that reminds me constantly to step back and appreciate what I have. I have two jobs I love, one that is growing fast (photography) and the other that I still love just as much as I did when I started 5 years ago (nursing). I have nothing to complain about. Life right now is as it should be and I cannot take that for granted. And of course I am always thankful for Jason. He is awesome, hilarious, so weird. He makes me laugh to the point of tears almost everyday. I don't know what I would do without him. He rocks. (That's why I miss him so much when we are so busy!)

Starting today I have 7 days off from my nursing job and purposefully did not schedule any photo sessions between now and then. I am focusing on my to-do list which includes all sorts of random things. Fall cleaning, organizing, etc. I also plan on making some good home-cooked meals this week and am planning to bring back appetizer Friday. Hopefully I will have some good recipes to blog about by the end of this week! I also have scheduled myself for a bunch of different work out classes. It will feel good to get moving and be able to work out several days in a row : )

Something else I am super pumped about is that I blocked off a week in October where I am going to Portland, OR to visit my friend Lydia from college. I know it will be a much needed vacay in the middle of photography and nursing madness. I can't wait! : )

Well..I better get started on that to-do list. I only have 168 hours to accomplish these things and I have to sleep at some point ; )

Here are some of the photos from our August fun. As usual, they are taken with my point and shoot camera. Still too afraid to bring my big camera on the boat...haha!

Hanging out on the island, they had a Caribbean Night celebration with jerk chicken (so yummy) and a reggae band!

centerpieces at Caribbean Night

the delicious jerk chicken!

hanging out with some new friends we met on the island

relaxing on the boat

it was an awesome turnout!

The next weekend, we went to Alexandria for Jason's law conference. I asked him to take a picture of my new outfit/cowboy boots. This is what I got. Men...

For real this time

at the winery welcome party...it was so fun! and I got buzzed-->drunk

my chauffeur back to the hotel

Jason's all business...I, clearly, am not

classic

there we go!

one of my post night shift sleepless nights up north was made better by seeing this sunrise in the morning!

the next night...this is Jason's picture of my outfit.....ugh

the following weekend...at Jason's cousin's wedding. my hair looked like poo due to hotness and rain but we had an awesome time hanging out with all his cousins!

Jason's cousin Jessie

the next weekend, out on the lake again at Lord Fletcher's listening to a band all afternoon...they were awesome!

It was a gorgeous night!

That sky!!!

The end of that weekend...I didn't want to forget how peaceful, serene, and warm it was that day. I will have to look at this picture frequently during the winter to get me through!

Hope everyone has a great rest of their week!! : )