Heather and George

2/19/2011

That was the day my older sister, Heather and her high school sweetheart George got married!

The wedding couldn't have been more beautiful!

(well if it didn't rain that would have been better but still it was gorgeous)

I had the honor of being the maid of honor and taking their engagement pictures! They were a lot of fun to photograph because I am so close to them and it was no pressure on either side of the camera. Having no pressure was important since this was my first time doing an official photo shoot.

I love the brick wall background! Great for any picture.

I think this is hilarious, because they were doing this pose as a joke and I thought it turned out pretty cute.

We did the photo shoot at the high school where we all graduated. I thought that was very appropriate since it is where they started dating. Marching band was a huge part of their lives then so we took a few pictures in the bleachers and on the football field.

I think this one is George's model pose. Haha I love it!

The Beauty of Arizona!

I have lived in three very different states, New York, Georgia, and Arizona (and California for a very short stint but that is a long story for another time). A lot of times when people find out I have moved a lot they ask which place is my favorite and that used to be a hard question to ask, but it is super easy to answer now. It is most definitely Arizona!

When we first moved to AZ I was not very happy. I did NOT want to live in the desert, I didn't want the 120 degree summers, I didn't want no seasons.....I didn't want to move and especially to Arizona. It was on the other side of the country from all of my friends and family. It was different from everything I knew. I was a kid and clearly had no choice so off I went with my family to Arizona. Fast forward 10 years and I couldn't be happier living in Arizona!!! The whole dry heat thing that everyone talks about is true. Anytime I go to GA or NY I die from the humidity, the dryness is my best friend. Don't get me wrong when it is 120 degrees outside it isn't fun unless you are in the pool or inside, but the rest of the year makes up for it.

Here is a list of my favorite things about ARIZONA:

(1) Monsoon season

(2) Only a 3 hour drive to go skiing

(3) You can drive 1 hour and be in 20 degree cooler weather

(4) No humidity

(5) Best of all the amazing sunsets

Now that I have made you all want to come to Arizona here are a few pictures to make you want to come here more!

This is a very rare occasion, only one of two times that it has snowed in Mesa since I have lived here. Unfortunately it didn't stick, but hey it was snow just the same!

When I said monsoon season this is what I meant....

A monsoon is basically a rainstorm without the rain. It is the best because there is intense wind and AMAZING lightning! These two pictures don't even do it justice, you have to see it to really get the awesomeness of it. The lightning is so magnificent it lights the sky up like it is day time.

No words are needed to explain the beauty of these sunsets!

Nicole and Owen

Nicole is one of my coworkers at Chili's and this past August she gave birth to an adorable baby boy Owen. I knew she hadn't got any professional photos taken of the two of them so I offered to do a shoot of the two of them. We both have crazy busy schedules, but we finally were able to figure out a time and I got to photograph her and her son.

Nicole has beautiful big eyes and Owen definitely inherited those same eyes and one thing is for sure babies with big eyes are ADORABLE!

Owen had the tendency to lean forward when we had him sit by himself so Nicole grabbed his overalls to help him out a little.

Then we pulled out the chair by brother had when he was a little boy and Owen did a great job sitting by himself!!! This picture below is one of my favorites for sure!

Then Owen got curious and was trying to get out of the chair to get in the dirt. Such a little boy.

He did so great for most of the shoot, but when he started getting fussy all it took was his pacifier to make him happy again.

Nicole really loves her baby boy. She is such a good mom.

Again being a boy the grass caught his eye and he tried eating it.

These next two pictures make me laugh. Nicole called it his fishy pose. He was laying on his stomach and lifted his arms and legs like he was in the water. Haha so cute.

This one makes me laugh cause Nicole was checking Owen's diaper and he was just smiling away.

I had so much fun photographing Nicole and Owen! I am so happy we finally were able to get together and do this shoot.