Working with your honey

This is the look Matt gives me when he's pretty much DONE with me being the boss. A husband can only take so much direction from his wife prior to making this face, which I think really says it all. Matt and I are a great couple, we do lots of activities together in perfect harmony including mountain biking, hiking, cooking, ah hem...watching baseball (new one) and lately we shoot weddings together. 99% of all of our time spent together is fun and easy. Then there is that 1% of the time where you just get sick of the other person. It's mutual, I ASSURE you. I'm sure every married couple experiences this breaking point. The funny part (to me) is when it happens and we are supposed to be a "team" and one player just sat his/her self on the bench. Every husband-wife wedding photographer team knows what I'm talking about here... but give it up for this photo, because it really made me laugh when I saw it as I was editing today...I was asking him to stand there so I could test my off camera flash... see how excited he was about the test?

Pumpkin Carving Party

This year was our 9th annual pumpkin carving party. A tradition started before I met Matt which skipped a year and is looking forward to the 10th annual in 2008.
I had HAD to put a censor over the porno pumpkins because, well, I don't know what you can post on the internet these days and still be considered a classy lady. I'm sure you get the idea. Some of our friends came with their own creative stencils (ah hem). Mine is the one on the far right top shelf...Matt's is bottom left 1st shelf.

Rebeca & Ruth + Rubén = triplets celebrate 15th birthday

TRIPLETS! The word is enough to send me into a dizzy spell. How about a Quinceañera for triplets! Well, good thing they are fraternal and only two are girls. That's about the only break their parents have gotten in 15 years. Rubén decided to lay low, enjoy the party and let his sisters and mom do all the planning. Meanwhile, Rebeca and Ruth celebrated their fifteenth birthday with Mexican style! A fantastic ceremony at the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany gave this right of passage meaning and grace. The minister allowed me to be on the alter during the ceremony but required that I wear a white robe as all the other church attendants do. Being the photojournalist that I am, I said, sure, and donned this white itchy garment (see photo) and was even part of the official processional into the church. Hey, whatever I need to do to get a great angle and keep the church happy. It was a serious party complete with DJ, food, cake, a mini skit, presentation of shoes, waltzing, dancing and MORE dancing. These fifteen year olds didn't leave the dance floor the entire evening. Everyone was having a blast. Slideshow here.

my 30th Birthday

Can one blog about one's own birthday? I guess I can-- here goes: I'm 30 today. Finally getting older, but still feel like I'm 25. Wait, no, I'm not the one that gets carded, Matt is... but I digress. This weekend we are headed to beautiful Boulder, Utah to eat at my favorite restaurant, Hells Backbone Grill. A small group of friends are also attending the "party" and we hope to hike some great trails in Escalante National Monument. I promise to bring my camera and take some photos. I think Matt got me an ice cream cake (my favorite) for my birthday.

iPhones are rad

What can I say? After watching the video of Steve Jobs relay all the cool features of the iPhone back in early 2007, I was practically salivating at the thought of one. I refrained from purchasing one because 1) they were $500 and 2) I use Verizon. I pondered, I wondered, I fought it. Finally when my sister Kate got one for her birthday and my best guy friend John got one, I HAD to have one. So I got one for MY birthday (THANKS MOM). I just plugged it in tonight and in 5 minutes I was switched over from Verizon to Cingular BAM! Done. So easy. Ridiculously easy, actually. If you know me, you know that I'm a HUGE Apple dork. I should probably work at the store. Anywhoo, I'm loving my new gadget and bluetooth headset. Too bad I frequently only use about 150 minutes a month --- but it's not the phone part that I wanted, it's the syncing to my computer I wanted, my contacts, the google maps, the mini computer, and well, it's cool. :) Plus it's a video iPod. Hello all in one device that fits in my pocket. Kudos to Apple. Photo to follow of me and my iPhone.

Abby and Dave

Oh Sedona! Sunny everyday with blue skies, well, it seems like every day, but not September 22! This; however, did not phase our heros, Abby and Dave. They were champs! "On with the show," the bride said, and moved her ceremony from a quaint creekside spot into a covered porch. She traded her cocktail hour and dinner under the beautiful canopy of trees and lights for the indoor ballroom. It rained, it poured. Earlier in the day, I said, they could kill me if it rained all day because it doesn't rain all day in Sedona--EVER (except September 22, 2007). Lucky for me, they opted out of that verbal agreement. It let up for a few moments all day but mostly it was torrential downpour. The pinnacle of this storm happened during the vows where Abby's grandmother (and Dave's grandparents) decided to give them a "sign" that they approved and a large clap of thunder resounded just after their vows were done. It was hilarious! Congrats to Abby and Dave -- and a bonus: for your incredible attitude and fun-loving personalities, I'm going to upgrade your album as a complimentary gift from me to you. If you are in Sedona again (or if I come to New Mexico) I'm also offering a complimentary photo session. Good for all eternity. Our photo session got cut short due to weather and it seemed to be dark everywhere we looked. I want you guys to have some steller red rock photos, because I know that's why you came to Sedona, after all... so be my guest and let's shoot it! Call me to schedule.

Kassi and Scott

Kassi and Scott were married at Tlaquepaque in Sedona. They called in late July to ask about Friday the 31st of August. It was a very small intimate wedding with a cake reception directly afterwards. Kassi and Scott's family were gracious, fun and flexible. My kind of folks! Of course, I love Kassi's dress-- it's almost identical to my own wedding gown. Love her hair too!