Epic St. Patrick's Day Adventure

For St. Patrick's Day, two friends and I headed out the beach. 

It was a beautiful day with lots of laughter which proved for some really fun pictures!

Happy Monday!

I Heart Faces: Jump For Joy!

And for my first I Heart Faces entry..
"Jump for Joy!"

Go visit I Heart Faces for more wonderfully joyful jumping photos!

What Would You Tell Yourself?

Have you ever looked back at your life and said to yourself, 

"I wish that I had known this earlier in my life."?

Up to this point I've learned some important lessons. 

Some of them include:

1. Don't "Kill Time." Time is precious, embrace every moment.

2. Growing up, you think your high school sweetheart is going to be the person you'll be with forever. Chances are, you're not. Each relationship is an experience. 

3. Don't be afraid of experiences.

4. Scratch that, don't be afraid. Don't let fear stop you from taking chances. Don't be afraid to trust.

5. It may feel like the end of the world. It's not. Life will go on.

6. When life gets the hardest, call up your best friend. Laughter is the best medicine.

7. Hold on tight to real friendships.

8. Don't spend all your energy on friendships and relationships that are one sided. You deserve better.

9. Don't cry over someone who's not willing to cry over you.

10. Forever is a long time to be without someone, don't walk away angry.

11. Don't regret. Past experiences have made you who you are today and led you to have so many wonderful experiences.

12. The only power that someone has over you is the power that you give them.

13. It's not what happens. No one can make you feel one way or another. No one can make you do anything. It's not the action, it's your reaction. You have the power to choose how you react.

14. Put yourself in their shoes. Where are they coming from? Do you feel any differently about that person now? 

15. It's not your place to judge. You are not responsible for judging anyone or their actions.

16. Don't accept things you don't think are right. You can affect change.

17. Hold yourself accountable when you are.

18. Allow others the space to hold themselves accountable when need be.

19. Don't blame.

20. Hugs, kisses and cuddling are wonderful things.

21. Love without bounds.

22. Find out what makes your light shine and do it. 

23. Don't do the things that make you miserable. Life's too short.

24. Don't fall into old patterns, figure out how to bring positive change to your life. If something had a negative outcome in the past, change it for the future. Don't fall back on habit.

25. Be happy, smile, it's a chain reaction.

If you could go back in time and tell your eighteen year old self anything, something you know now that you wish you'd known then, what would it be?

Rainy Day Vineyards

In honor of my friend Sean Scott and the one year anniversary of his passing, I wanted to show you all the mustard flowers that are beginning to pop up here in the wine country!

It's Christmas Eve!

It's Christmas Eve already!

The tree's lit...

(and presents will be wrapped today!)

Decorations all over town have been admired...

Gingerbread houses created...

Everyone's dressed in holiday cheer...

and

Cookies have been baked for Santa's arrival!

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas Eve and Happy Holidays!

Our Holiday Card! (Also to be known as things aren't always as easy as they look!)

Happy Holidays bloggy friends!!

(both old and new!)

May I present to you our first holiday picture since...well I don't think we've ever sent out a holiday picture..

Gorgeous right?

I've wanted to do a holiday photo card forever and this year I was determined to get a family photo and make a card.

Back at the end of November, we had to get the family, my camera and my tripod to the park so I could use my self-timer on my camera and then run into the picture.

Easy right? I mean really, look how great this photo came out!

(So I guess I won't tell you about EVERY single one of the other 42 shots that came out something like this...)

I think there may be a reason we havn't taken a family portrait in over nine years...

(To my real life family who's reading out there-you and who happen to appear in these pictures, you all did great. Thank you for letting me get the ONE good shot. It worked. Thank you for also giving me the much appreciated reminder that things aren't always as easy as they look, I wouldn't trade you guys for the world. Love you!)

I also love YOU bloggy friends!

Hope your week is filled with Holly Jolly Holiday spirit!

Headshots

I had the privilege of shooting some headshots for my gorgeous sister yesterday. We headed out to the local park and I think we came out with some great shots.

(These are only a couple of the close to 200 shots we got!)

What do you think?

My Best Shot Monday - #11

This is one of the pictures I took when I was back at school in Virginia.

I miss the gorgeous scenery of the blue ridge mountains.

My Snowflake Angel

I had to share the excitement in my discovery of photoshop stamps.

This picture came out a little rough but I think anything would make my little snowflake look adorable so I'm content with it.

Friend Makin' Monday -#4- Fourth of July Style!

So I know that it's now Tuesday but as I am so into holidays I couldn't pass this Friend Makin' Monday up!

What are you doing this July 4th?

I am heading up to South Lake Tahoe where I'll be helping my mom and my dad pack up the house where my dad is still currently living so the renters can move in come the following Monday.

On the evening of the 4th, we'll head on down to the lake to watch the spectacular explosion of fireworks.

What is your favorite dish to pass when attending a 4th of July party or summer barbecue?

Last year was the first Fourth of July barbecue I'd ever been to and I havn't been to many other barbecues either (as much as I love them!) So I really don't have a favorite dish that I bring.

Do you have any July 4th traditions?

Every year I've watched fireworks. Years ago I even went to the extreme of making my mom drive out and sit on the side of the freeway just so we could watch some.

The past 4 years though (this will be the 5th) we've watched fireworks on Lake Tahoe. It is the biggest fireworks display on the west coast that lasts about 30 minutes and is orchestrated to music on the local radio station. It's incredible! It's been recognized in sunset magazine(along with many others, in newspapers across the country and all over the internet as one of the top 5 fireworks displays in the country. Thousands of people come (it, along with New Years are the two biggest and most crowded days in South Lake Tahoe.)

Share your favorite July 4th picture.

Along with my stolen camera were all my Fourth of July pictures from numerous past years including the entire set of pictures I took of the fireworks last Fourth of July for my digital photography class. I luckily saved a couple on a USB that I still have.

These are a few pictures from July 4th, 2008 that I took over Lake Tahoe.

(The boat in the pictures is the Tahoe Queen.)

Creative Photography

This slideshow of portrait shots of two little girls is stunning and incredibly creative! 

Watch it here - trust me, it's worth it!