Beautiful people and a great time so I really couldn’t ask for anything more than that…

Color coding my closet. Loved it, but it continued for about a week.

Wanting to rearrange the entire house. My husband wasn’t a fan for that one nor did it happen.

White Tommy Hilfiger bath towels. Came about when I was pregnant with Owen and is still going strong.

Waking up at 4:45 AM for my new schedule. Surprisingly working out well. More on that later.

My latest kick? Navy Blue. For everything. It’s in the triple digits here in the Arizona desert and I just bought a navy blue and white striped sweater two weeks ago. Honey, I promise. I’m shopping ahead for next season because there are such fabulous deals.

Back to the navy. Walls, furniture, hand bags, wedding inspiration, wardrobe…navy, navy, navy. Maybe it’s the iconic american style that it inspires because we all know how I’m obsessed with that whole area or maybe it just screams sophistication. Not sure. But here are a few things that I have come across for you to browse while we all think about it…

(all images via Pinterest)

Happy Sunday!

Within minutes of meeting everyone I felt comfortable. I felt like family. Documenting these eight was one of the best times I have had behind the camera. And it renewed me once again of my passion for documenting other’s stories.

To the Green Family, thank you. Thank you for being absolutely wonderful…

*DISCLAIMER: photo shoots must be paid in full to receive promo and have to be scheduled within 12 months

promo expires on 5/22/12 

She told me they would be staying at a private estate in the Troon area of North Scottsdale and would be having a small ceremony just a few minutes away at the Grayhawk Golf Club. I was in.

Showing up that evening, I had no idea what to expect, but the few few short hours I had with them dripped with intimacy, personal touches, family and an amazing feeling of love. I was so honored to be a part of such an amazing night.

Miss Kelsy and Mark, I adore the two of you. Thank you for everything and so much love to you both.

Andrea asks, “I am struggling right now with whether or not to give my clients digital negatives. It seems like this is a constant battle within the industry. Where do you stand in this and how did you decide?”

Oh, Miss Andrea. You are so right. This is a CONSTANT battle within the industry between ourselves as individuals and is often the subject of debate. You are asking someone who is severely and completely, downright obsessed with tangible memories. I want to see, touch and feel a photograph. The clients that find me? I’m pretty sure they feel the same way too. However, we live in a digital age and I completely understand the desire for clients to want to pull out their phone or tablet to show off some pictures. For this, every client receives the digital collection of low-res images. Not large enough for any printing, but just large enough to share online and via mobile devices. Everything else is invested in separately.

Lucas asks… “I noticed that you are now back into weddings. It seems as though you weren’t previously and were before that? Did you take a break? And do you feel that this hurt your business? I only ask because I am feeling burned out ;)”

Hahaha, Lucas! So YOU are the one that is going to make me have to talk publicly about this ;) You are right, I was heavily involved with weddings, left and now I’m back. In 2010, I was feeling very much like you. I was burned out. I was trying to do it all and have the perfect family life and kept coming up short on everything. I felt that it had to be one or the other, but I couldn’t make a decision. It seemed overwhelming. So I decided to stop booking weddings while I figured it out. I needed to work through everything. The beginning of 2011, we found out we were expecting and my health took a turn for the worse and lasted for the entire pregnancy. I look back and am SO grateful for that feeling I had of needing a break and to stop booking weddings. Last year would have been a nightmare had I continued to book weddings while dealing with my health. This time off I was also able to work through everything. My husband and I talked a lot and I decided that I loved weddings too much to give them up, but it was up to me to manage. So, here I am in 2012, shooting weddings, booking only two weekends a month and absolutely loving the change. It’s the best of both worlds and I am so grateful for that time to figure it all out.

Do I feel that this hurt my business? Honestly, no. My one “tried and true” form of advertising is by word of mouth and that is still happening. The beginning of this year has been slower than previous only because I didn’t have all of 2011 to be booking for this year, but I haven’t suffered too greatly because of it. Having a clearer head about what I am doing and falling back in love with it is worth more than any amount of weddings.

Burn out comes from exhaustion. So just take a step back, take a vacation, disconnect for a bit and you will find that everything becomes a bit clearer. You know what you want. Sometimes the glass just gets a bit foggy.

Desirae asks… “I’m a stay-at-home mom and my husband works full time out of the home. I am trying to build my business and at the same maintain family life and household. How do you do it all? Will you please share your amazing secrets of how to have it all together?”

Miss Desirae, bless your heart. First off, you are not alone. Second, deep breaths. Third, I am the LAST person that has it all together. Trust me. This is an area that myself and my husband are constantly working on and managing. I would suggest figuring out your priorities and what is most important. And being a mom, I can probably guess what number one would be. I am a self-proclaimed burn-out queen and after suffering once again earlier this year, I decided never again. The stress, the chaos…not worth it. I love what I do. And I love my family. However, work ends. I am consistently striving to make sure that I am off the computer when the kids get home and for the rest of the evening. If something HAS to be done or I need to get back to someone, I will once the kids are in bed, but again…really trying to shut down after 4:00 PM. And if I am not working on the weekend, I have been staying off completely and keeping my phone on silent. Out of sight, out of mind. I am in a better mood and my focus is on my family where it should be. I am not a 24 hour service center. I’m a business. With operating hours. I also don’t overbook myself. I only book two weekends each month. This ensures that I am still present for soccer games, family get-togethers and just random fun. Remember that there is no one above you to tell you when to go home or shut the computer down. You are the boss. It is up to you to set limitations. It is up to you to set the boundaries. You will enjoy your family, your husband, your kids, your personal time and your work so much more once you begin to make these small steps. I promise. Keep in touch, let me know how you are doing and remember that you are not the only one.

Happy Monday, friends!

SRP, Wells Fargo, junk mail…”It was good. Some kid made fun of me in the bathroom.”

And just like that I stopped sifting through envelopes and my focus was one hundred percent on the nine words that just spilled out of your mouth. “What?” I could feel my internal body temperature getting warmer and warmer. “What happened?”

“I was in the bathroom and a first grader asked if I knew that I had really big ears. And I told him it didn’t matter.”

My eyes started stinging. This was one of those moments. One of those moments that, as a parent, I couldn’t let on how much I was hurting for you. How much my heart ached. It can’t be explained, but Tanner…please know that I feel every ounce of your pain multiplied by one thousand. I’m your mom. It’s supposed to be that way.

“So, that’s what you said back to him? It didn’t matter?”

“Yeah, because it doesn’t.”

Never have I felt such an intense mix of heart ache and pride. Just like that. So matter-of-factly. It just didn’t bother you. And, once again I was reminded that you were my son.

Kneeling down in front of you, I grabbed your hands in mine and looked you square in the eye…“It doesn’t matter, you’re right. I am so proud of you for being so mature about it and you are perfect. You know that, right?”

Nodding your head, you gave me a big squeeze and went on about your day, playing with Blake and watching your favorite afternoon shows, but you will never know how long I sat there at that kitchen table. I sat there in awe of your confidence and self-assurance. I sat there and thought back to the days when I was your age and was made fun of for the very same thing, and plenty more. I remember not caring all that much either. And although my heart ached for you, I couldn’t help but smile. Tanner, you will be just fine in life.

Today you turn six. For six years, you have blessed my life beyond anything I could have imagined. Your sweet spirit and sensitivity are unlike anything I expected. Your humor and your quick wit are unlike anyone else’s and your ability to make me smile is unmatched.

There have been times that we have come to blows. Yes, already. And you’re only six. You see, Tanner…you and I both have tempers. And we’re passionate. And we’re extroverts. Which means we feel on the outside and extremely hard. This will be difficult in life and this will be good in life. Just remember that you and I are one in the same and that I get you. I get you.

This past year you have grown by leaps and bounds and it has been such an honor to hold your hand through it all. Watching you this next year will be bitter sweet. I will see you grow and mature, but I will watch you slip away just a tiny bit more. Slip away as you learn to do more things on your own and crave your independence. I know this because, remember, you and I are the same.

No matter what life hands you, remember the story above. Remember your self-assurance and that confidence that just oozes from your every pore. Remember that there are things that just simply don’t matter. And there are things that do. And those things that do? Hold tight to them and know that I am doing the same. Happy Birthday, Tanner.

With every part of me, Mom.