I♥ Faces Photo Challenge!: Wedding Bells

Jasmine Star is a photographer who's work I admire-- and more importantly, I admire her as
a person! There are a list of photographers' blogs who I have bookmarked and check on daily--
her blog is one of them. For my clients, and fellow blog readers, if you have not checked out
her Blog, it is sure to entertain. Click HERE!


Jasmine announced on her blog this week that she will be the judge of the i(heart)faces contest.
I had not heard of this website before, so I'm really glad I got a chance to check it
out HERE! I encourage all of you to check it out weekly-- I'll be doing the same!



There are a TON of people who entered the contest this week, and there is a lot of great work out there! Thought I'd give it a whirl anyhow!

My entry for this week's Wedding Bells contest:



This is one of my all-time favorite photos! The bridesmaids are the bride's sisters,
and one is a cousin. They were giggling and laughing the whole day... One thing I
learned about this family-- they absolutely have true joy in life.

Hot and Cold.

OH.

MY.

LANDS.


Current weather:




Heat wave in Minnesota!! Happens a couple of times a year, typically. In Minnesota, we never know what to expect for weather. One day it's 80, and the next day it snows... or 85 degrees on day, and then 40 and rainy the next. (For real! That's how it is sometimes!)

I prefer it to be 65-69 if I have to be inside all day (then I can have the windows open!) Or, 75-80 degrees and sunny with a slight breeze if I'm going to be outside:)



On Friday, I photographed Ashley and Nick's wedding in Maple Grove. It was a beautiful day, but pretty humid. We got to the reception, then the HUGE and pretty scary cloud rolled in. Stretched across the sky for miles. Everyone was a bit concerned for severe weather of some sort. Dinner at the reception started... heavy rain, some lightning, spinny clouds...warm and cold air swirling around... then the storm passed... then the sun came out.. there was a rainbow... and shortly after, a gorgeous warm-glowing sunset! Crazy how weather is sometimes.


What's your favorite weather??



Funny... right now I have Katy Perry's song in my head...
Cause you're hot then you're cold
You're yes then you're no
You're in and you're out
You're up and you're down
You're wrong when it's right
It's black and it's white
We fight, we break up
We kiss, we make up

Testing, 1.2.3.

I am just testing some things out with a mock-up border. In the meantime, please enjoy some photos from my May 2nd and May 9th weddings.

My schedule! FYI:

I will be away from my office for a few days.

Tonight: Rehearsal for best bud's wedding.
Saturday: Wedding day!
Sunday: Photos for Food non-profit event.
Sunday night - Wednesday: Flying out to Chicago for Dane Sanders' workshop! I am super pumped.
Wednesday night: I'll be flying back home.


I am not positive I will have email access (although I think the hotel has free wi-fi.... maybe?). You can always text me or call me, too.

Next Friday I will be shooting the wedding of Ashley and Nicholas!
Next Saturday, I will be shooting a reception in Stillwater.

Not sick, buuuut.....

Ok, I promise not to always update you on my health issues, but it's really all I have to write about at the moment, and...I could use some prayers.

I haven't been feeling 100% Tuesday/Wed/and Today. I thought I was feeling better when I wrote the last post... but I was dealing with a weird stomach feeling that i thought, "Hey, this will go away-- no big deal-- I'm better!" Finally went to Walgreens tonight at 10:30pm to figure out if there's something I could take to relieve the pain I've been having... I couldn't figure out why i was having this constant burning feeling in my stomach and esophagus. My worse fear was that it was cancer (because naturally, that's what I always fear anyway even with the smallest symptom!). My second worst (and more logical) fear was that it was an ulcer. I've had h-Pylori in my stomach before (it's this bacteria that they've found is the cause of ulcers). That was when I was 20 years old. A possible ulcer at 20? I know, crazy, right? When I had that bacteria I had to take 2 weeks worth of this REALLY not fun medicine. And a week through one of the medicines, I realized I was taking too small of a dose, so I had to continue with that med for an additional 3rd week. I remember crying on the phone with a nurse at the clinic, asking if there wasn't ANYTHING else they could prescribe, or if MAYBE it would just go away on it's own. It was just a very unpleasant 3 weeks. But, I did get rid of the little jerks in my stomach. HOWEVER, they can come back, apparently?

So, when I was having this burning, I was concerned I had an ulcer. I couldn't take it tonight anymore, so I stopped at Walgreens, and didn't know what med to get for relief, so I talked with the pharmacist. I have pretty regular acid reflux (but have not been officially diagnosed with acid reflux disease, as I have not been to the doctor about that yet...and probably should soon). So, I was telling the pharmacist about the type of burning I was feeling, and told him that it's not really even like acid reflux-- because that isn't usually constant... but this burning... this was constant. I told him that I had been sick on Monday and Tuesday, and that on Tuesday I threw up 2 times--blood and stomach acid only-- I hadn't had anything in my stomach. According to a nurse I talked to, the blood was because my stomach was empty both times-- which made sense. So, the pharmacist tonight asked me how hard my stomach was working to throw up on Tuesday(which was very much, for quite some time-- it wasn't fun at all), and he guessed that I had an acid burn in part of my stomach(the entrance) and up my esophagus. Ahh--makes perfect sense again... and that's what it feels like... that it's all burned. AND, it completely sucks.

The last 3 days, nothing has tasted good because it doesn't feel good going down, and when it's down, it just burns in my stomach. Now I know it's been because of the normal stomach acids doing their job... but with an acid burn, it doesn't feel so great. :( I am sooo hungry, but nothing sounds good, and everything hurts to eat... so I've been eating so much less the past 3 days. UGH, only God knows how hungry I am right now, and I'm so torn between eating and having pain, or being hungry. Not even a glass of milk feels good.


So, per the pharmacist's request, I picked up some Maalox (strawberry flavor, which really isn't bad--and I typically HATE liquid meds) to settle the current acid goin on and hopefully coat the acid burn, and some Prilosec to start in the morning to help prevent further acid at least for a couple weeks so my stomach and esophagus can heal(I have no idea how long it will take to heal). So, I could definitely use some prayers...
Wedding rehearsal today (Friday), and then the wedding is on Saturday. I don't want to be uncomfortable for the entire day, and I would really love to enjoy my steak dinner... I mean, I would REALLY love to enjoy it. Did I mention I am SO hungry?... Food is my hobby, and one of my true joys in life (as dumb as that may sound, it's very true)... I really hope this doesn't last much longer.

I'm going to go try to eat (I'm just far too hungry) and chug some Maalox...

Sorry for all the medical info, and the Debbie Downer attitude. Things just aren't good the past week! :(

Not so sick anymore.

Feeling a lot better today. Only thing I've still got is some acid reflux, somewhat sensitive stomach, and some sore muscles, but I'm doing so much better. Which is good, considering the big event coming up this weekend! :)
I am going to try to write part of my Matron of Honor speech tonight (worked on bits and pieces of it today), and some tomorrow. Not that it really matters what I write or practice, because I might not make it through anyway, ha:)

Also-- if you haven't already checked out www.photosforfoodmn.com, there are only a few more days to sign up! I'm not positive how many spots are left. I am available to shoot for the 12-2pm slot, and I can shoot no later than 3:30pm, so you can sign up 12-2, or 2-4 pm slot times and put my name in the comment section. There are also many other talented photographers, so if you see their work in the gallery and like it, you can request them, also!

Sick:(

Just an FYI: I haven't been feeling well the past 2 days. My apologies for any lack of communication yesterday, and today. I'm praying it's nothing serious. I'll be going to the doctor or urgent care if my symptoms get any worse, or persist.

Bachelorette Party!

One of my very best friends is getting married in a week!! We had her bachelorette party on Friday night. We first went out to the very fun Loring Pasta Bar, and listened to some jazz/blues music, and ate fabulous pasta. We then headed back to my place for some drinks, gift opening, entertaining conversation, and ice cream. They slept over, and then we went to breakfast in the AM too. We had a blast! I can't wait for Sarah and Dan's wedding in a week... in which I will bawl like crazy.

Steph and I passed the camera around during dinner. Here are some shots! Steph did the editing-- love them!


The gorgeous bride-to-be!:)


Marie and I shared some apps:




The groom's sisters!


Sarah and Cor.


Steph and Sar.


Quick shot before leaving for my place. Kris, Deanna, Sarah, me, Tricia, and Corrie!

SIGN UP TODAY!!!

Sunday, June 14th!!!!!

FANTASTIC opportunity to have your photos taken!! Family, couple, solo... pet photos-- you name it! Sessions start at ONLY $50 (A steal, mind you), and 100% of proceeds go to Second Harvest. Want me to be your photog? Sign up for the 12pm-2pm or 2-4pm (I will be available for slots until 3pm). Or, there are many other amazing photogs too!! Don't wait--
SIGN UP TODAY!
http://www.photosforfoodmn.com/



This photo, and photos on the website by my friends and Dolce. Love you girls!

Sunny Days.

I love it when it's perfect weather so I can work in my office with the window open. Pretty soon, summer will be here and it will be too hot and/or humid to have the window open, but I am enjoying it for now!
So is Spartacus. Here he is enjoying the sunshine and watching the birds:

--taken with my camera phone--

He's my buddy during the week while I work at home. Aaron gets every other Monday off, so we can spend a good chunk of the day together. Today is his Monday off. I think we'll probably go for a bike ride through the park later in the day. It's great that he has the opportunity to have every other Monday off, since I'm busy shooting most weekends.