Social But Alone.

Social media is like gas – it expands to fill whatever space you give it. The questions become:

1. Are we so busy blogging about our families that we’re actually ignoring them?

2. Are we so consumed with sharing our experiences that we’re actually missing out on our lives.

Here’s what I’ve learned (and desperately struggle to practice):

We don't need to apologize to our children for working. They don’t need us to be sorry, they need us to be present.

It doesn’t matter if we engage with technology and social media to feed our families or to feed our souls; it’s our work. It’s important and it’s not the problem.

The problem is being constantly distracted and never fully present.

Just Because.

TGIF.

Happy TGIF!

What are you trusting, grateful for, and inspired by?

I am trusting that its ok to be vulnerable sometimes and let yourself go..Instead of counting and thinking about every step we take, its better to be yourself...

I am grateful that I have learnt to see the good things in whatever happens...

I am inspired by the kindness of others...

New Tresses.

SoulHappy.

Designing for my Soul...this may just be my book cover...

2" Forward

Have your friendships ever turned out to be 'pretendships?' Sometimes it's harder to make amends with an offended friend than to capture a fortified city. Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with iron bars. Any story sounds true from a friend until someone sets the record straight. I have no problem letting my feelings be known, in my time.

Although I've become a much better friend, I realized that is not the key to friendship. I've always tried to be aware of what I do and what others to do to me. My entire life, I have gone in and out of being available. I think many of my friends thought I was being flaky. Everyone in life has friends, but nobody truly can teach you how to be a good friend. I just learned through experiences. I had "friends" who did things to me that was not very friend-like. I vowed not to treat my friends like that. I am there when my friends need me and I listen.

I want to love my friends through the hard times + not judge them. I want to be a selfless +  humble friend, one that is willing to accept the fact that friends are, indeed, flawed. And I want to confront my friends when they are doing harmful things to themselves; not stand idly by after just “mentioning” it and leave them to their own devices.

It starts with my own two feet!  My best friends are truly my sisters.  They got my back, through thick and thin!  And my bro too! Love and miss ya!

Pennies From Heaven.

Definitions are dangerous. 

They can incite passionate debate and heated discussion. That's OK. I'm not afraid of debate and discussion. I am afraid, however, of having no common language to talk about the most important experiences of our lives.

Love will never be certain, but it's a  A deep sense of love and belonging that is an irreducible need of all men, women, and children. We are biologically, cognitively, physically, and spiritually wired to love, to be loved, and to belong.

When these needs are not met, we don’t function as we were meant to. We break. We fall apart. We grow numb. We ache. We hurt others. We get sick. There are certainly other causes of illness, numbness, and hurt, but the absence of love and belonging will always lead to suffering.

Love people. LOVE.

TGIF.

Trusting. Gratitude. Inspiration. Friday.

Today I am:...trusting myself to balance.

...grateful for sunny summer days,  mother nature's wink at me.
...inspired by the recognition of beauty as something soulful, deep and ever-present.

Holy Cute.

Maintain Happy.

I keep remembering one of my Guru's teachings about happiness. She says that people universally tend to think that happiness is a stroke of luck, something that will maybe descend upon you like fine weather if you're fortunate enough. But that's not how happiness works. Happiness is the consequence of personal effort.

You fight for it

strive for it

insist upon it

and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations for your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it, you must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it. If you don't you will leak away your innate contentment. It's easy enough to pray when you're in distress but continuing to pray even when your crisis has passed is like a sealing process, helping your soul hold tight to its good attainments.

-Eat, Pray, Love

Cake.

One word, CAKE. Alannah is a true TREI gal! Just a short post as I am loving the time with the fam bam!

Cute As A Cupcake.

How cute is she!  Her name is Molly and she reminds me of my niece Alannah, very photogenic!  She shoot with my in the mugly, ugly weather + was an awesome sport!  She was only disappointed that my wheelchair was not pink! LOL Her reward for a terrific shoot, the cute cupcakes I give people! Yum-O!  To see more from the session, click the photo!  Happy Blog Stalking....

Lily.

Lily, or as Alannah calls here, Lila, before a much needed hair cut! LOL Poor thing!

Ordinary Courage.

Today I am...


Trusting...that if I remain patient + transparent, the next "right thing" will show up in my life
Grateful...for brief windows of peace + serenity. They give me hope amid the chaos.
Inspired...by my decision to follow my own spiritual path. After years of trying to fit the mold, I've finally started honoring my own personal journey

RePurpose.

Last night, I saw a commercial for Samuel Adams celebrating that they hold a mere 0.9% of the brewery market share. The ad clearly stated that they were dedicated to creating an artisan brew for people who love a beer that is truly spectacular, and that they’re not particularly worried about the rest of the market. This message is very different from the beer makers who want the majority of the market but may not be as dedicated to the art of brewing.

This commercial couldn’t have come at a better time.  Even though in my head I know I am not for every client . . . that realistically I don’t even have the time to photograph every client, I am still disappointed when someone decides not to book. It is like the nervous, starting-out-photographer I was six months ago takes control of my emotions + forgets that I have a target market!

The message from Sam Adams reminded me that I am an artisan photographer. I am a portrait lifestyle photographer focusing on finding connections inside the everyday.  It’s the small moments in life that hold all the deep meaning that I’m searching for, one click at a time.  I’m a creative person who has a special niche for my portraits.  I’m for people who want to preserve memories + document journeys+ tell stories.  I do not need the majority of the market to feel good about my business. It’s doing beautifully even with it’s minority share.

So go crack open a cold one (or if you’re like me, really, pour a glass of vino) and have a great night everyone!

Welcome June.

If you know me, you know that I HATE, with a capital H, shopping for groceries!  It is just a pain shopping for one person and planning out weekly meals.  Don't get me wrong, I love Hen House + love the people that work at the one that I go to!  It's just a big ordeal for me to hail all theses items around.  I really don't mind, my legs do!  I do love that Hen House helps to employe people with all different kinds of disabilities,  I am all over that!  To my surprise, I forgot my bags and had to use the paper ones they provide this evening.  This is what I found after zooming down the isles and heading home!  It's pretty refreshing!  Happy June!

The Lord is my strength and shield.  My heart trusts in Him and I am helped. -Psalm 27:8

Things.

These are some of my favorite things right now...