Betsy, Todd and Jack

This family is small, but they have a lot of love to give. Jack is a two-year-old bundle of energy with a smile destine to steal a few hearts. As he sprinted around the quad, Betsy and Todd locked eyes and gave one another a little smirk.

Betsy was a free-spirited college student at NAU with big ambitions, ready to make a difference in the world. In the middle of it all, she met Todd. They spent the rest of their college days hand-in-hand, spending their afternoons in each others' rustically charming dorms and strolling the streets of Flagstaff. At her last year of grad school, the two of them found out they were expecting a little boy that would change their lives.

Now years later they are still remember this little university as the place where it all begin. Betsy works for the school and passes the stage of their first memories together on a daily basis. I wouldn't be surprised if years from now little Jack ends up becoming the next football star of NAU.

Betsy, Todd and Jack- thank you for sharing your memories with me and for taking a little time to go back where it all began! Hope you enjoy the pictures :)

When Todd was Jack's age, his parents bought him this suit. We wanted to recreate an old picture of Todd to share with Jack's grandparents!

Love & Marriage

Every person is following a path in their life that they have created specifically for them. Some paths may look similar or feel the same, but the power of someone's mind seems to make their way truly theirs. That's what makes us unique and feel special. That's why we take pride in our choices, our success, and even our failures.

But then the unexpected happens. We turn right instead of left, we choose wrong over right, we meet our "someone."

He looks at her and suddenly everything changes. Sure, he's still the same person with the same beliefs and same past, but all of a sudden he sees a future with her in it. All the plans he has made for his life now include her. In fact, they're no longer his plans but their plans.

It's the typical boy meets girl story. They meet, fall in love, and then promise to stitch together their "forevers" to turn them into one. But something about this story always tears at my heart strings (and please excuse the terrible cliche.) When someone finds the person they want to spend the rest of their life with, it IS special and oh so beautiful.

As I write this I'm sitting on a tree stump at a dog park watching an elderly couple across from me. His hand gently rests on her shoulder and even after all these years she still can't hide her prideful smile. It's realizations like these that remind me constantly why I want to be a wedding photographer. I think love is the most beautiful thing, and if there's a day where everyone you care about can celebrate your love with you then that memory should be something you can hold on to forever. I want to take pictures that will sit on a persons mantle for the rest of their life. I want to work in the industry of love... And so I will.

Emily and Sydney • Sisters

I spent my weekend with two sisters that wanted to surprise their mom with a pictures of the two of them.

Emily is a junior at NAU studying exercise science. She also works with me in the Academic Transitions Program. Her sister, Sydney, is a senior in high school hoping to someday become a pediatric nurse or veterinarian. Not only are these two girls beautiful, but they were so much fun and easy going. I feel so lucky to constantly be blessed with pretty much perfect models.

Here are some of my favorites from the day. Enjoy!

How cute is it that they decided to match?!

Emily definitely started working it for my camera!

And Sydney? She's a natural.

Our shoot took place just outside of Flagstaff near Sunset Crater. 

 I just love this one.

-J

Making Changes and Growing

In the next couple days, I will officially launch my website. I am so excited to be able to share it and feel like my big, crazy dream is finally coming true!
These past couple weeks have been such a blessing and I have realized how lucky I am as I've watched my business grow. There has been overwhelming support from my close friends and family, as well as from complete strangers. People are amazing, and I love being able to capture their memories for them.

A few more from the maternity shoot! I'm having way too much fun editing;)

Kaelan and Matt • Maternity

They made the big move from Atlanta to California four years ago for Matt's job in the Air Force. When he proposed to Kaelan at the Grand Canyon, their story began... On April 14, 2012, they will be welcoming their first baby to their family (although by the way Kaelan spoke about their chocolate lab, it is more like their second). Since the baby's gender will be a surprise, s/he currently goes by the name "Shadynasty." I can't wait to meet little Shady in a little under a month!

Kaelan is a beautiful person inside and out. When I first met her she told me that she wasn't photogenic. Well, Kaelan, I'd have to say I respectfully disagree. You are absolutely gorge!

The number 8 is very symbolic to Kaelan and Matt. It all started the day they met, when they both happened to be wearing shirts with the number 8 on it. Even on our shoot we ended up choosing Eighth Street to walk down without even noticing! I'm sensing an eight-lettered name in this baby's future...

This is probably my favorite frame of the day.

 Thank you Kaelan and Matt for braving the winds today and sharing such a beautiful experience with me. Baby Shady is very lucky to have such fun and selfless parents!

"Happyness"

Heres a couple things I've come across this past week that I wanted to share :)

Have a happy, colorful and peaceful Sunday!

Monica

Isn't it a great feeling when you reunite with an old friend and nothing has changed? 

Meet Monica. One of my favorite people ever, who also happens to be totally adorable.

I was teaching her about my camera and how to use aperture.

My first successful "timer" picture on this camera!:)

and of course Jackson third-wheeled on our date.

I'm still working on the whole smiling thing! I much prefer the other side of the lens.

"Whether you think you can or your can't, YOU'RE RIGHT."

Getting to know people can be scary, but I'm learning how to make it fun. The photography business seems to be all about networking. Every article and book I've read, or video and online chat I've listened too will push this one thousand times over.

I'm working on a project now where I am trying to meet 100 people in 100 days. And so far it has been hard. The most difficult barrier I've come up against is finding a balance between being outgoing enough to talk to complete strangers and still finding a way to be me. The authentic me, who has energy spurting out of me at 7am and can talk about her dog for an hour straight. But I am in love with the idea of truly putting myself out there. I am someone who thrives being vulnerable because it helps me to grow into the person I want to be. And I'm finally starting to believe in myself and what I can do.

Believe = Be love.

Home, Coffee and Day Dreaming

One of my favorite parts of being home is going to The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Some may call my relationship with "the bean" an addiction, but I like to think of it as encouragement.. and boy does that coffee make me into a go-getter! In fact, I think I'll go again in the morning!

(p.s thats my camera-shy mom!)

I remember a few weeks ago I was day dreaming about coming home for spring break. Now that I am actually here I just feel so relaxed and happy, its absolutely wonderful. You know how sometimes time seems to move at the perfect speed? Thats happening right now. I don't have to be stressed because I have all the time in the world to day dream... but I also don't have to day dream because somehow I'm finding a way to make my dream a reality! Ah, I love life.