in the moment

jumping on beds
hotel bound
flying through the crowds
making fun with every turn
looking at each other
knowing life is real
breathing the smells
popcorn and sweetness
balloons carried away with the wind
logging in the miles
waiting for the thrills
lingering and chatting
hoping to see with our imaginations
all the dreams we remember
childlike and determined
ready for the curves,
the dips and the chills
mapping it, scoping it
pushing our way, weaving
ferries and trams
boardwalks and magic
rain and hunger pains
fireworks
memories before we leave this place
the most magical of places
thankful for this time
this place
this family

~family weekend at Disney World before Matt left for Hawaii

sigh

miss you already...

embracing the blur

Typically, blurry photos aren't what you strive for. They're the "oops" photos, the ones where you were just clicking away and your finger on the camera was one step ahead or behind your subject. It's a mistake, technically imperfect. But as I was going through the photos from the weekend, I found a series of shots that were blurry, but I liked them. I thought they didn't have to be perfect to be interesting, to say something, and to capture a moment. Most of the time I will just delete them, or pass them over. But tonight, I decided to play with them. And maybe it's because I'm in a blurry place. I can't really see what's ahead of me, things feel completely imperfect and yet I am learning the more I embrace it, the better I feel, the more optimism I have. So I look at these photos and I see a reflection. A painting, a brushstroke. Undefined, yet still interesting. Imperfect yet it still works in some way. There is still an order, a rhythm in the moment that occurs when you embrace the blur.

logo

Did you see it?! I have a new logo! The past few days have been so exciting to be on the receiving end of such an amazing gift. Gift you say? Well, I actually won this logo. As I was blog surfing recently I came across this blog for Anita Roach Studios. She was celebrating the 11th birthday of her design company in addition to launching a new direction for her work, photography. A girl after my own heart! So I was beyond thrilled to learn that I won, and well now what?!

Anita knows her stuff. She sent me a questionnaire that asked just the right questions and really made me, for the first time, define my business and how I see myself as photographer, as a brand. And it wasn't hard. It was almost like she was asking trick questions, questions you're actually excited to answer but secretly give her a lot of meaning into who you are. After I completed the questions, it wasn't long before I received in return an amazing logo. When I opened it I was like WOW! Really, WOW! A few tweaks later, and she came up with just what I had in my mind (but I didn't even know it myself!). The telling part of it all is that I truly would have been lucky to have any of the designs she presented to me. They were all equally creative, special and somewhat a part of me. But the last one, it was a perfect fit. Kinda like finding the perfect pair of jeans. Which we all know is so hard to do. Thank you Anita, for being such a perfectionist, having an amazing eye for detail, and for really listening to my vision, and actually helping me take what I had in my head and making something concrete and fluid out of it. Forever grateful!

If you have the need for personalized graphic design for your business, whether it's brand I.D., print, web, or even CD design, I highly recommend Anita Roach Studios. Mention my blog and you will receive a new custom designed logo for only $250, which is 75% off her regular price! Thanks Anita for offering a special to all of my blog friends and thank you for creating a logo I can be proud of.

daddies

there's something just so special about a daddy's love. the girls move in phases, and right now they are in a daddy phase- big time. i love it. i love that they want to know when and where daddy is gonna be at all times. and lately they don't have to ask, because he's with them. he's taking them to school, he's practicing volleyball, he's making them dinner. this all means that mommy is in a phase too. as daddy steps into some of these roles, mommy is looking for new parts and ways to define herself. this has been a challenge for mommy, but of the best kind. everyone should have a daddy like this, lucky girls. lucky me.