Monday, December 19, 2011

Ella's Newborn Session by Asheville, NC Portrait Photographer

Session Friday or shall we say Tuesday, since it is Tuesday, is now here! Ladies and gentleman I would like you to meet sweet Ella Grace, my niece!  To say I am a proud auntie would be a huge understatement, I love all of my nieces and nephews as if they are my own and the moment I laid eyes on Ella I was wrapped around her cute little fingers.  This is Shane and Melissa's first child and they are already amazing parents! I have no doubt that they will raise Ella up to be an amazing, God-loving, passion filled woman.  I hope you all enjoy these pictures as much as I enjoyed taking/editing them.











 


Thursday, December 15, 2011

Picking out a Fresh North Carolina Christmas Tree by Asheville, NC Portrait Photographer

This week's Happy Wednesday Post is here, although it is a day late (due to being on the road driving to visit family) it is still HAPPY! My dad has owned his own landscaping business for over 25 years now and ever since I was a little girl I can remember going up with him in the Christmas tree field on my grandparent's farm to pick out a Christmas tree, this year was no exception.  After eating an enormous Thanksgiving feast at my grandparent's house in Spruce Pine, North Carolina; me, my dad, sister, nephew, and sister in law loaded up into my dad's four-wheel drive truck and went up the mountain into the Christmas tree field to see if we could find the perfect Christmas tree. What ensued was a search for Christmas trees that were not too fat and not too skinny, we each found our perfect tree and left the Christmas tree field feeling that much merrier! 










Monday, December 12, 2011

A Life Lived for Others by Asheville, NC Portrait Photographer

Today's post is a personal post dedicated to my grandfather (Pappaw). Recently he had a bad fall that landed him in the hospital where he had to undergo major surgery to relieve the pressure on his brain.  Multiple cat scans and prayers later it is looking like he is going to pull through and be ok, but prayers are still greatly appreciated.  Albert Einstein once famously said, "Only a life lived for others is a life worth while." I believe that Albert Einstein was talking about people that are like my grandfather.  For as long as he has been alive my Pappaw has put the needs and wants of others above his own wants and needs.  

I think many of us, including myself, could learn a lesson or two from how he has led his life.  One of the things that Pappaw seems to have a grasp on is that by serving others and making them happy, it makes you happy along the way.  Doing something kind to service another person helps us step back from our own life situations and see that sometimes in the bigger picture our life problems don't seem quite so big anymore, they actually start to look small.  Another thing I think we can learn from my grandfather is to not just focus on making our own "personal," dreams come true, but try to give others a hand and help their dreams come true as well.  Sometimes we get so focused on ourselves and our dreams that we don't aid others in helping their dreams come true.  Offer a helping hand and encouraging word to others and perhaps they will do the same for you and you will see your dreams come true even sooner than you thought they would

I once read a book that talked about if you were able to be at your funeral, what would you want people to say about you? Even though I don't love to reflect on death, I have often thought about this and what I hope that people will one day say about me.  I can definitely tell you that one day when people are looking back on my life, that I want them to say that I lived for others and placed other people before myself.  I also hope that they say that, yes, I went after my dreams, but that I helped make other people's dreams come true as well, I know that one day down the road these are the things that will be said about my grandfather.

Friday, December 9, 2011

Collier's Family Session by Asheville, NC Portrait Photographer

I felt so privileged to do a family session with Sommer Collier from the food blog, "A Spicy Perspective," (http://aspicyperspective.com/) and her beautiful family.  I have known the Collier Family for several years and they are one of the sweetest, most fun-loving families that I have ever gotten the chance to be around.  Dan and Sommer are not only great parents and friends, but they are also hugely inspiring because they are not afraid to go after their dreams and encourage their kids and those around them to do the same!












Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Inanimate Object Love by Asheville, NC Portrait Photographer

When I sat down to write out a blogging schedule I knew that I wanted to be consistent about how often I blogged and the topics I blogged about.  Which is why I chose to take certain days, like today for example, and give them a name and a topic.  Today, in my blogging world, is "Happy Wednesday!"  As a young woman at times I get frustrated with those who are always complaining about something, instead of trying to find the things in their life to be happy about! So here goes......

I am in love with an inanimate object. There, I got it out in the open, I said it.  Recently I purchased a new camera, the canon 5d mark ii.  If you are a photographer you know that this camera is revered among the photography community, it is the "holy grail" of cameras, if you are not a photographer though just think of this camera as the "bentley," of cameras.

How, you may ask, does this tie into Happy Wednesday? Well I am going to tell you. Getting this camera made me extremely happy, but more than anything it made me feel blessed.  I serve a great God who provides not only for my basic needs, but he provides above and beyond that.  He provides for even the small little desires of my heart, like a new camera.  Today I am going to leave you with a little thought; throughout this week, this month, this upcoming new year, when you start counting all of the things you are unhappy about or you start to complain, instead try to think of the things you have in your life to be happy about and count your blessings.