Investing in the finished.product

I've always believed in the value of photography. And I've always believed in printing, framing, and displaying the images you create in your camera. But I have a confession. Up until last week, all the framed images in our home were printed via a lovely little company called Snapfish. Even our wedding photos. Photographers, please insert your gasps here ______.

Let me preface this by saying that there's absolutely nothing wrong with Snapfish. I printed through Snapfish for many many years and all the images in my scrapbooks (also printed through Snapfish) look just fine. However, now that I've learned just a thing or two about photography, I'm beginning to recognize the difference between a Snapfish print and a really good quality print.

You see, companies like Snapfish aren't the kind of companies professional photographers typically use. Why? One reason is because companies like Snapfish computer enhance the images they print. Which wouldn't be such a big deal, if I weren't already making my own adjustments to the images I shoot.

When I was just starting out as a photographer, I shot some images of my family at my grandpa's funeral, perfected them in photoshop, and then ordered online via Snapfish. I wanted to frame them and give them as gifts for Christmas. When they came in the mail, I couldn't wait to open that Snapfish envelope and see the finished products. Because even when you already know exactly which photos you ordered ahead of time, seeing them in print is always a thrill. But when I saw the prints I'd ordered, the thrill was gone. Because they all looked horrible. Like really, really horrible. Especially on skin that I lightly retouched.

"Snapfish has really lost their touch...maybe their machine was broken" I said to J. And the next day I took my disk of images to Target. Because Target is always good at everything, right? Wrong. The prints looked just as bad if not worse than the Snapfish prints. Especially because they were glossy. I'm not a fan of glossy. And it was then that I figured it out.

I took those same images to a printing company that one of my photographer friends recommended, spent a little more per print, and guess what- all the images looked exactly the way they did on my computer screen. And they didn't look horrible anymore. They looked amazing. And it was at that moment that I figured out the difference between a 9 cent print and a good quality print.

Last week I finally revamped all the framed prints in our home. And boy does it feel good! It looks pretty good too if I do say so myself. And I reselected and reprinted all our framed wedding images. Because Snapfish just wasn't doing them justice.

We'd been saving this empty wall for all our favs from our rebranding photo session and I'm in love with the finished product!

If you've ever invested or plan on investing in the services of a professional photographer, especially for your wedding, don't discount the importance of good quality prints! It's not worth it to spend good money on a service, if you're not going to invest in the finished product as well.

Check out my portfolio here. Contact me here.

Brand.name shoes are a photographer's best friend

No, I'm not talking about Louboutins or Manolos. Although I do appreciate a good looking shoe every now and then. Okay, more than every now and then.

Ever since our car accident last year, my eyes have really been opened up to the world of chiropractic health. A good friend of ours offered his services shortly after the accident, knowing very well that had certain issues not been addressed, I might have had back problems for the rest of my life. I had never seen a chiropractor previous to our accident, nor had I ever suffered from chronic back pain, and now, 8 months later, I can honestly say that I'm now a believer!

But this post isn't about my newfound love of chiropractic/applied kinesiology. It's about shoes. Brand name shoes to be exact. You see, the biggest take home lesson I learned from our chiropractor friend, is that wearing good shoes is ridiculously important! No, he's not a fashionista. But he's educated me about the role that good quality shoes play in one's health.

As a wedding photographer, I spend many of my weekends on my feet for 8-12 hours at a time. Standing, running around, rolling on the ground, squatting, you name it. Weddings are workouts! And at the end of the day I'm not only exhausted, but complaining to J about my aching back and aching feet and aching everything else. And while I've always worn flats when I shoot weddings, I recently learned that not just any flats are the right kind of shoes to be wearing. Especially when you're shooting a wedding.

"Heel support. You should be wearing shoes with good heel support." That's what he kept telling me. But I could never seem to find good looking shoes with good heel support. That is until I visited The Walking Company at SCP. I had passed by this store hundreds of times before, but it wasn't until I had a reason to actually search for shoes with good heel support, that I stopped to take a closer look. And folks, what I found has changed everything.

The first time I wore these shoes to shoot a wedding, I experienced an entire day free of aches. No aching back, no aching feet, no aching anything. I was absolutely shocked. And ecstatic. All at the same time.

Good heel support. That's the key my friends.

I spent quite a bit more money on these than I normally do on shoes. But I don't just wear them to shoot weddings. I wear them all.the.time. And now I want to buy another pair!

Not only does The Walking Company stand by this brand of shoes (Ecco), our chiropractor friend does as well. Not to mention that J wore this same brand of shoes while serving a 2 year mission for our church in NY, walked long distances every day, and never ever got a single blister. They're not the most fashion forward shoes, nor are they my absolute favorite pair in terms of the way they look. But there's something to be said about not only healing from chronic injuries (thank you nasty car accident), but eliminating every day aches and pains. And when I'm not wearing these fabulous shoes, I wear a special pair of custom inserts so I can still be fashion friendly without re-injuring myself.

Note: It took me at least a week or two to fully break in this pair of shoes. They felt really rigid at first and I purchased heel liners to make them a bit more comfortable right off the bat. But that aside, even during the breaking in process when I thought I'd end up with blisters, I never got any from these shoes.

All you photogs out there! Even if you're not a wedding photographer per se. I dare you to try donning a pair of good quality shoes while you shoot. I dare you to see how you feel when you're done shooting. And I dare you to thank me profusely the next day. And the day after that and the day after that! I'm starting to sound like an infomercial now. Nope, no one is paying me to endorse shoes with good heel support. But man, they probably should be paying me, shouldn't they? Free pairs of Ecco's are always welcome here (:

Check out my portfolio here. Contact me here.

A cup of tea.with extra sugar

Like my new "cup of tea" feature header? I've been in the process of creating it for a while now and since this cup is long over due, I thought I'd add an extra dose of sugar. Aka items on my list. Here goes.

1. There have been soooo many good shows on TV lately. And since J is in tax season at the moment, everything we watch is tivo'd and every time we actually sit down to watch something, it's always after 9p. Depressing, I know. Too many good shows. Too little time.


One show we've been staying up extra late to watch on Monday nights is Life Unexpected. Maybe it's because I adore the music they play. Maybe it's because I haven't seen Shiri Appleby in a long time and she takes me back to my Roswell days. Maybe it's because the actress that plays Lux was in Dan in Real Life and is famous around our house for saying "You're a murderer of love!". Or maybe it's because I like how realistically they portray the foster care system. That's another story for another day my friends. Whatever the reason, I'm loving this show and I hope it stays around for a while.

2.

Someone told me I look like Zooey Deschanel a few weeks ago. And then someone else told me the same thing! It's only because I have brown hair, bangs, and green eyes. But I'm okay with that. Biggest compliment. Ever.

3. I got a check in the mail from my car insurance company and while I was stoked about it, J decided to call to see why they were sending me money all of a sudden. Evidently when we moved back in November, we moved to an infinitely cooler part of OC because rates are lower in our current city! But I wasn't surprised. Stoked, but not surprised.

After 2 accidents with 2 different cars in our previous city of residence, my hate for the city just kept growing. Hate is a strong word, I know. And I would always tell J that people just didn't know how to drive in said city. I'm obviously not going to say which city so as not to give out too much personal info or offend anyone. But if you're curious, ask me and I'll sit on my soap box for a while. Cuz I like doing it when people want to hear it. I can be both stubborn and opinionated.

4.

I've always been a wheat thins kind of girl. Reduced fat to be exact. I try my best to eat healthy food, but I will never give up my carb addiction. Mainly in the form of crackers. And while I do keep my cupboard stocked with Cheez-Its and Goldfish (the whole grain kind of course, even though they're still just as bad), I try to eat "healthy" crackers the majority of the time.

Enter Special K Mulitgrain Crackers. Not only do I like the nutrition facts on the side of the box, I actually like what's in the box as well. Now if only they give you more bang for your buck with how many crackers they put in each box. I could easily eat an entire box in one sitting. True story.

5. But this list would not be complete without a junk food item, would it?

The Lizard is to blame for my love of Skittles Crazy Cores. Because she just had to share a big bag with me when she was in town. The fat cells in my lower abs thank you, Lizard. But my taste buds thank you even more (:

6. Have you guys been keeping up with The Bachelor? It's extra dramatic and fabulous this season. And I won a bet because one of my picks is one of the last two left! Seriously, if he picks Vienna, I don't even know. J said he'd stop watching if that happened. But he won't. Don't tell him I told you that he watches it.

I've been a long time Bachelor fan. Me and Trista and Ryan go way back. And on Monday night, I'm hosting a little Bachelor party for the finale. No pun intended. And guess what, J might not be the only guy there! For real. I'm excited. And I might do it again if Ali really is the next Bachelorette. Don't tempt me ABC!

Check out my portfolio here. Contact me here.

7.things

The wonderful Miss JJ tagged me in a recent post and while I don't respond to everything I'm tagged in, I thought I would oblige her request. Cuz I like to use words like oblige in every day speech. And besides, you don't say no to Miss JJ. Here goes.

7 things you don't know about me. Or maybe you do...

1.

I somehow end up putting ketchup on various food items people don't always eat with ketchup. Mashed potatoes, bbq'd chicken - the kind without bbq sauce, frittatas (thank you Giada), etc. While those things may not sound so odd, I know there's more but I just can't think of anything right now. Oh and Heinz ketchup is my preferred brand.

2.

I never grew out of my childhood love for the Disney Channel. In fact, when I'm in control of the remote, the channel is often changed to allow free viewing of shows like Hannah Montana and Wizards of Waverly Place. Seriously. But it's more Wizards than it is Hannah.

3. I have a completely irrational fear (phobia) of needles, surgery, appendicitis, and now thanks to JJ, the potential of having to get my gall bladder removed. Basically all things medical. Please don't ever tell about something crazy that's happened to you that required surgery that could potentially happen to me. I'm not talking about freak accidents or self inflicted injuries because sometimes I like to hear about that kind of stuff, but more typical stuff that might be likely to afflict me. Yep. Told ya it was irrational.

4. I still have all of my wisdom teeth. Please refer to #3 in regards to needles and surgery. My grandpa is a dentist and I haven't had any problems with them thus far, so we're going to let sleeping dogs lie. Only one actually came in and gramps says that the likelihood of the other 3 coming in is very slim at my age. Cuz when you're 25, clearly, you've outgrown things like that (:

5.

And speaking of teeth, I'm just as obsessive about flossing every day as I am about keeping my house clean and organized. I can't remember the last time I skipped that step in my evening routine. In fact, it's probably never ever happened. Ever. And guess what - I've never ever had a cavity. Knocking on wood right now. Okay, actually, I'm not.

6. I've never gotten a traffic ticket. At least not technically. You see, I used to speed. Cuz I was a cool teen driver and my 88 Honda actually had enough power to hit 100 mph. But I only did that once and I think I was 18 and there weren't any other cars on the highway. A few years ago I got stopped for the first time ever. And he claimed I was speeding. In a construction zone. With only one lane open and other cars around. He also wrote wrong information on the ticket. It was the one time I knew I actually wasn't speeding. I've been known to drive like a grandma in my old age. True story.

So I went to court to fight it. I had pictures of the area (evidence) and I was ready to make my point. When it was my turn to stand up, the cop who pulled me over told the judge that he didn't have the radar gun with him and he wanted to reschedule the court date. The judge told the cop that it was stupid to make everyone come back because he forgot his equipment, so he dismissed it, with my approval of course (: Okay, so the judge didn't say the word -stupid- but clearly, that's what he meant. That's what you get for pulling me over Mr. Policeman!

7. That's 7 already? Man, I was on a roll after that ticket story.

I don't eat beef. Here's another story. Just because I'm on a roll.

In hs I was teeny tiny and I could eat whatever I wanted without any consequences. Every day after school, I would eat fast food. And most of the time it was...get ready for it...McDonald's kid's meals. Shocking, I know. During my junior year of hs, I finally hit 100 lbs. and I realized that my hips we're signaling to me that 1) I could no longer eat mass amounts of crap without any consequences and 2) I should probably eat healthier. So as a result, I stopped eating fast food and because of that, I wasn't consuming quite as much beef. When I finally did eat beef again (Macaroni Grill), I got totally sick. So I decided it just wasn't something I needed in my diet and I haven't had any since.

Well that was enlightening and random, wasn't it? We'll be back to our regularly scheduled posting next week. It's been a very long week my friends and I'm definitely ready to get the weekend started and end the week. Happy Friday!

Check out my portfolio here. Contact me here.

Heart.

I think I jinxed myself. You know, when I said that J and I were cursed on valentine's day. And I've been trying to get up the courage to actually type this out ever since.

As J and I were driving home from Saturday's wedding reception, I got word that my favorite childhood pet passed away that morning. I'm so glad I didn't get that news at the beginning of the day. And it was such a wonderful day too. And it was then that I knew valentine's day 2010 (the next day) would definitely not be the normal and uneventful day I'd hoped for. And yesterday, J's grandma had to put her 14 year old dog to sleep. Needless to say, it's been kind of a sad weekend.

I didn't have many pets growing up. Just goldfish. As in one at a time. And as we all know, goldfish don't have a very long shelf life. But when I was 8 years old, I got my first real pet. She was a white rabbit and I named her Alice Mae Cottontail. I loved Alice in Wonderland and I loved the movie A League of Their Own. And the cottontail part was just obvious. Don't hate. I thought it was cool.

A few years later, I got my first and only cat. I can't remember exactly how old I was, but we estimate I was about 10 years old. The neighbors cat had kittens, in a suitcase no less, and I got to hold the runt of the litter when she was just 3 minutes old. I remember how she fit in my palm and seeing as how I have small hands now, I can only imagine how small my hands were then. Our neighbors named her "Heart" because they said she had a good heart. And it was then that I formed a special bond with a little black and white kitten named Heart.

I remember begging my mom to let me bring her home and keep her. And since we already had a very large white rabbit, my mom said no. So I began bringing her over to "visit". She used to sit under our rocking chair. One night she spent the night and I remember how scared I was of her. I wanted her to sleep next to me, but instead she wanted to sleep at the foot of the bed. Every time I'd move my feet she would try to pounce on them. And even though she was just a tiny little kitten, I was scared of her!

I can't remember all the details, but mom eventually stopped saying no and she became mine. And just like that, she became a member of our family. Alice Mae Cottontail wasn't so fond of her though. Because even though she was much larger, Heart used to smack her around. We thought it was funny even though we'd yell at her to stop.

We always had a lot of fun with our animals. My mom and I would always try to see what kind of "human food" we could get them to eat. Alice would eat Sweetarts and Heart would pretty much eat anything. And I mean anything. Cool Ranch Doritos, cottage cheese, any and every kind of meat, cheese, the leftover milk from our cereal, you name it. And one time Heart even got married. Full on doll size white dress and everything. And her groom to be? Well, I think he was actually her cousin. And he donned a shirt and tie for the event. I still have a picture of her in that dress. And she looks so ticked off. It's awesome.

I can't remember how old I was when we lost Alice, but I was pretty upset. I think I was 13 or 14 years old. And I feel like that's kind of a long time to have a rabbit. But I Heart there to comfort me. And even when I moved away from home while college, I'd always look forward to the times I'd be able to come home and visit her. She was there to see me grow up and experience all that one experiences growing up. From elementary school to middle school to high school to college to grad school. When I had my first crush and my first heartbreak. When I met J and when I married J. Everything. She's always been a constant in my life.

I know it sounds silly to be going on and on about a cat, but she was way more than just a cat. Anyone that knows my family will tell you how obsessed we all were with her. Especially my mom. Ironic, isn't it? And I feel like you become even more enamored with your animals when you grow up as an only child. I've had Heart for more than half my life and now my life just feels weird now that she's not in it. She was honestly the most loving cat I've ever seen. And as impossible as it sounds, I think she loved us even more than we loved her.

She died of old age. Simple as that. She was just slowing down. She was walking a little slower and sleeping more and more. She was losing weight, even though she was still eating. And for the past few years, I've been really afraid of the call I would eventually get where my mom would tell me she passed away. Because I know that as much as we want them to, animals don't live forever. I just didn't think it would happen now. I thought we had a little more time left. I'm just so glad it was peaceful and she didn't have cancer or some illness that required us to put her to sleep. I've been fortunate enough to never have to do that to an animal. And seeing as how I shed tears during Marley & Me, it just would have been more than I could handle.

My mom said she just looked so peaceful. We think she just simply fell asleep. And I think that comforts me. Last month when J and I were visiting, I took a bunch of pictures of Heart. Because at that age, you just never know. I can't tell you how glad I am that I did that. I have billions of pictures of her when she was younger. I think she was actually my first photography subject and I didn't even realize it until now. That's all I would do is take pictures of her. But I wanted to make sure I had some of her now. Just in case. I'm glad I followed my instincts.

So whether or not you're an animal lover like me, hug your pets a little tighter today. Because they really are so much more than just pets. Many thanks to those who have expressed love and support at this time. It really means a lot and you'll never know how much I appreciate it! Happier posts to resume shortly (:

Check out my portfolio here. Contact me here.

My 2nd.favorite holiday (but very close behind #1)

This is a very long post. Don't say I didn't warn you!

It's no secret that I love holidays. Especially halloween, which currently occupies the #1 spot on my favorite holiday list. Then comes valentine's day. Which is soooo close to being in the #1 spot it's not even funny. They're almost equal but I'd feel really guilty if they were tied for #1 when fall finally rolls around. Oh the guilt!

What always gets me every year is the decorations. Sure, Christmas and easter always mean cute stuff at Target, but it's always the halloween and valentine's day decorations that get me. Like really get me. But we're not talking about halloween anymore in this post. Because it's just not fair. Sure, I've curbed my purchasing of decorations significantly in more recent years, but perhaps that's because I stocked up on decorations early in our marriage (:

This year I only got suckered into buying one. single. item. Candy doesn't count by the way. It's amazing how something worth $5 brings me so much joy! Kashi understood when she saw it for the first time. She even asserted that I'd be able to keep it out even after valentine's day...

I had a good idea for this year's valentine's post. And then I read last year's post and realized that things were going to be somewhat redundant if I went ahead with the idea. So this time, I'll try to keep it brief (try) and tell you some things I didn't tell you last year. Elaborations on last year's concepts if you will.

Let me preface this by echoing the same idea that I alluded to last year. The idea that valentine's day (for me) is always "eventful". Or at least it has been that way since J and I have been together. Sure there were somewhat eventful Feb. 14th's before J came around, but a weird pattern has crept up since he's been in my life. And sometimes I feel like he and I are cursed. Seriously. And not seriously.

Here's a quick & dirty history of eventful valentine's days past. Including old photos! Cuz you know you wanna see em and you know I want to not only embarrass J, but myself as well.

1952: My grandparents were married. (I always include this one in my own history because it's too romantic not to and it makes me feel cool)

2006: Okay, so this one wasn't soooo eventful. J and I had been dating about 2 months, I'd recently returned from my study abroad in Paris (another story for another post) and that day we were just happy to be together. Except that we weren't because he had class that night. And we had a little misunderstanding about our plans. And when I say little, I really do mean little. Looking back, I can't believe how little it was. Don't you love the awkward moments that occur when you're newly dating and don't want to be blunt?

P.S. J did come through earlier that day by doing something that one one has ever done for me. On each heart he wrote a reason why he loved me. And I still have every single one of those hearts. By the way, J cringed when he saw me posting this so don't make fun of him too much, okay? Seriously. You are allowed to make fun of him bc of his hair though.

2007: We were engaged and what promised to be an amazing valentine's because J had put a ring on it went bad. Like really, really baaaad. J bought me a Muse CD as my gift. Not flowers, not chocolate, a CD. Because nothing says romance like Black Holes and Revelations. And I flipped out. I'd like to note that I'm not as high maintenance as I used to be and we've since made a rule that since flowers are double in expensiveness this time of year, he's not required to buy them for this particular holiday. But I didn't know what had hit me. I'd never really had a legit boyfriend, let alone fiance, and I was devastated. Just in case you read last year's post, this is the "misunderstanding" I was referring to. And clearly, it was merely a misunderstanding. J fixed it the next day.

This is before I knew what was in the bag. Cute bag though.

2008: Our first year of marriage, and yet another misunderstanding occurred. It was totally unrelated to valentine's day and something that spilled over from the day before. We both had class that night, I had a big test, and just after we finished a nice dinner at an overpriced restaurant (we had figured out our differences earlier that day), we got the news that J's sister was in labor with the baby love! It was the most exhausting and emotional and amazing 24 hours of my life. Witnessing a live birth changed me forever. I'm so grateful I got to be a part of that. Not exactly "romantic" but definitely one of the most clear examples of love one can find.

Edited to add: J wanted me to note that in 2008, he made up for 2007 and did an entire week of valentine's surprises for me. Valentine's week if you will. See's candy one day, flowers the next, and little gifts and heartfelt notes here and there. In addition to good gifts for the actual day. Are you happy now J? He set himself up for that one!

2009: No misunderstandings this year!!! Hallelujah! But I contracted strep throat for the first time ever. Well, actually I got it earlier that week and by valentine's day I was on antibiotics, but still feeling yucky. J worked that day because he was in the middle of his first tax season, but overall I really can't complain. Except for the strep throat. Seriously awful.

So you're probably wondering why I'm harping on the past and letting all you readers get up in my bidness when it comes to our "misunderstandings", right? Maybe it's because I already wrote about all the sappy stuff last year and my last year's post stole this year's -idea for a post- at the last minute. Maybe it's because I think J and I have finally landed on a good year and I'm hoping that writing this out will rid us of our curse. Or maybe it's because in some way, the past always teaches us something about ourselves. If we let it.

Perhaps it teaches us (me) to be a little more patient with our significant others when they buy you a CD you've been wanting, as your valentine's day gift. Even if it's not exactly what you had in mind. Perhaps it teaches us to cherish the little things that, in the end, matter the most. Perhaps it teaches us to remember that valentine's day is not just about flowers and chocolate and expensive jewelry. Although those things are nice too! Ha ha- I kid, I kid. But not about the chocolate. Or perhaps it teaches us to laugh about all the things that went wrong on the February 14th's of years past. After the wounds have healed, of course.

Because what valentine's day is really about, is expressing love to those YOU love. In whatever form of expression that is.

Happy valentine's day everyone! Here's to a very "uneventful" February 14th, 2010. Or perhaps just another story for me to tell next year...

Check out my portfolio here. Contact me here.

The new face of Ashley.Photographer!

I'm so excited to finally announce that all our "spicing up" is officially complete and we're ready to rock and roll! Changes have been implemented not only on this blog, but on our website as well! The url's are the same and the format is the same, but you're going to notice some obvious changes. I'd like to think of this as more of a polishing than a complete rebrand, mainly because the structure is the same. Things just look a lot more uniform now!

Here are a few of the changes we've made to the site...

And here's something I'm really excited about! The integration of the website into my facebook page! If you're not currently my friend on fb, you won't be able to see it live. But I always welcome new friends so if you send me a request with a personal message, I'll be sure to respond. My grandma once told me that one can never have too many friends and I wholeheartedly agree.

A few of you have been asking me who did our "rebrand" and the answer to that is 80% us! Well, actually, it's more like 50% J and 30% me, but who's counting?

A very talented artist/graphic designer created the new look of our name (Ashley.Photographer) together with our logo (the single dot). I recently learned that a name or title itself is not a logo, and that's why I've made it a point to distinguish our logo from our new font. I was the one who came up with the new font and I really think it represents where I am now. It just goes to show that collaborative efforts often end up in more creative/unique outcomes than solo projects do.

Our website is still a Showit Site, but we were the ones who redesigned the entire site! It's amazing what can happen when one is given so much control when it comes to the look and function of a website! That's why we're big fans of Showit! That's also how we were able to integrate the site into my facebook page.

In terms of designing our paper products, we did all that as well. All of our business cards, thank you cards, disk covers, etc. are all created by us. I'm a big fan of DIY when you can, so that's the route we took and we're really happy with the results! It also helps that I've been known to scrapbook and I have an amazing talented friend who assists in all my creative projects. Thank you Kashi! We could not have done all this without your support, time and input.

Last but certainly not least, a huge thank you goes out to everyone who follows this blog and has supported me as my business has grown! You'll never know how much your emails and comments and tweets mean to me! It's not easy to start a business from scratch, but it sure makes the process easier when you have a great support system. Thank you!

Check out my portfolio here. Contact me here.

Pardon the.dust

Things are starting to look a bit different around here. Most noticeably, the header of this blog! Remember when I announced that we were in the process of spicing things up? I'm excited to announce that the "spicing" is coming in the form of a better defined logo (the single dot you always see in my titles) combined with a new font (as seen in the header above) as well as a slightly different and more polished website! The basic structure will be the same, but the format is a bit different. I'll discuss more of the changes once we officially launch which will hopefully be in the next 24 hours! We're just doing some last minute tweaks to make sure everything is in working order.

I guess you could call all this spicing somewhat of a rebrand! That word gets thrown around a lot and J actually hates using the term -rebrand- but for those who know what it means, that's essentially what we've done. Everything from our business cards to our website to our blog to our disk covers to our paper products will all look uniform! I'm so excited to show you once we officially launch!

In the meantime, please pardon the dust! Some of the links in the header will not be in working order until the new site launches, so be patient if you're poking around and checking things out. Stay tuned for our official launch!

Meet.Riley

It's a day I will never forget. February 15th, 2008. The day my nephew was born. It literally changed my world. I know that sounds like a total exaggeration or the words of a parent, but when you witness the birth of a baby, your life changes. And mine did. Even though the baby love is just my nephew, he's had a much larger impact on my life than he realizes.

When I found out that the baby love was going to get a sister some time around February 4th of this year, I was on cloud nine. Because if his sister is anything like the baby love, she's already amazing.

The baby love was born about 3 weeks before his due date, so we all assumed my niece would arrive some time in January. But as the days and weeks went by and January was almost over, we figured she'd be a February baby after all. That is until last Saturday night.

We got word at 2 am that it was go time and J's sister, Kristy was on her way to the hospital. And at that point there was no way I was ever going to get back to sleep! Two hours later J picked up the baby love from the hospital since we were the designated babysitters. And totally stoked about it by the way. And an hour later the baby love arrived and we lulled him (and ourselves) to sleep by watching Toy Story. Two hours after that the baby love decided it was time for everyone to wake up. I remember thinking how grateful I was that we don't have kids who wake us every morning just yet! But it was a good thing he did because 7 minutes before we all woke up, Miss Riley was born weighing exactly 7 pounds, 20.5 inches long, and completely adorable.

I think that's record time for labor. I also think Kristy is a baby making and delivering rock star. I can only hope my future pregnancies go that smoothly. I think I'm going to catch up on sleep before said future pregnancies occur (:

Because it's not an every day occurrence that we get a brand new niece and get to babysit the baby love, I documented the day with my camera. This post is going to be extra image packed. It's not every day these kinds of things happen you know!

Some time around 8:30 am...this kid wakes up with ten billion tons of energy!

He created a tornado in my living room in a matter of minutes and fell in love with all my v-day decorations. Evidently he didn't like where I had put them originally. Because heart shaped coasters are always better when tucked into various nooks and crannies, right?

Then J made us pancakes.

And the baby love had fun trying to figure out how to eat them with non-kid friendly utensils and dishes.

Then it was bath time. This is before I shampooed his hair. Note: he HATES when people pour water on his head. But I already knew that so I was prepared for him to turn into one of the nicknames we created for him many moons ago- Fuster McBuster.

Notice how although he's not screaming in this one, he's refusing to look at my camera.

But J was there to get his attention!

After bath time, the baby love went about his business of hiding toys in various part of our house. His cars were very fond of my printer.

Some play time outside, a nap, and a drive to the hospital later, and it was time for the baby love to meet his sister! I bought this shirt for him because I just couldn't resist. Look at how he was posing for my camera (on the right)!

It was so cute that I wanted to jump in and get a picture with the baby love, but he wouldn't have it. He wanted the camera all to himself! This is him running away. Notice the "ha ha I just punked you" look on his face.

We all thought the baby love would be soooo jealous of his new baby sister, but surprisingly, he was totally interested in her! Even when the family was singing her praises and holding her and giving her all the attention, the baby love just went about his business of running around the hospital room and playing with his cars. We speculate that he hasn't realized that she'll be coming home with them (:

He even shared his "moto" with her!

I love how he's sticking his tongue out here!

The baby love's parents wanted to ease the transition of welcoming a new sibling, so they had Riley buy the baby love some new cars. Folks, she already a shopper! He loved it so much that he wanted to share those with her too!

Then J did something shocking. He was the first to ask to hold baby Riley. Why is this shocking? Because J is super scared of newborns. He loves kids, even little kids, but he always says he's scared he's going to break little babies because they're so tiny. I was so proud of him! Until he made this face...so I stole her away for some Auntie-Riley bonding time.

I think we're the proudest Auntie-Uncle combo on the planet.

And finally, Riley's close up! Isn't she amazing?

She has a really calm and peaceful vibe about her. I know she's sleeping here, but it was different with the baby love. Because he's anything but calm. And when she cries, it's just tiny little squeaks! Riley is already so lady like.

Look at her gorgeous dark hair! I'm in love!

She only opened her big blue eyes for a moment, but when she did it was amazing.

Just before we left, the baby love gave her a kiss goodbye. Cutest. Thing. Ever. Babies are even cuter when there's an older sibling around. So glad I was there to witness it!

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