Monday, February 24, 2014

2014 Books I've Read

Another list! This one is all the books I've read in 2014, with my rating. It gets updated regularly. More of a personal post just so I can keep track of my reading.

Last year's total was 25, pretty decent I think. :)

8. The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern 8/10
7. By the Seat of My Pants (Anthology) - edited by Don George 7/10
6. This is Where I Leave You - Jonathan Tropper 8/10
5. An Abundance of Katherines - John Green 8/10
4. The Racketeer - John Grisham 7/10
3. Sharp Objects - Gillian Flynn 8.5/10
2. How to Talk to a Widower - Jonathan Tropper 9.5/10
1. Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn 9.5/10

Monday, February 17, 2014

Catherine & Patrick - 1840s Ballroom Baltimore Wedding Photographer

Catherine and Pat's January 4th wedding was my first of 2014! (That didn't take too long!) They are super cute, and I knew immediately I was going to love photographing them. Everyone was so warm and inviting when I showed up to start the day at Catherine's parents house, and I couldn't be happier with all the fun getting ready shots we took. After a lovely and heartfelt ceremony at Loyola University, we headed outside for a few (freezing!) dusk shots with the chapel as a backdrop. Catherine and Pat's friends and family packed the dance floor at the 1840's Ballroom, and all the energy made for an incredibly entertaining reception!

Cake: Graul's Market
Catering: Rouge Fine Catering
DJ: Touch the Sky Entertainment
Dress & Accessories: The Bridal Boutique
Flowers: Flowers by Judy, Inc.
Hair: About Faces Day Spa and Salon in Towson, MD  
Makeup: Emmey Makeup Artistry
Venues: Alumni Memorial Chapel at Loyola University and 1840s Ballroom


 

 






 




 



 














Friday, February 14, 2014

Birthday Goals!

Happy birthday to me, and happy Valentine's Day to the rest of you!

I'm not much for making New Year's resolutions. Maybe because I find them a bit trite, and cliché, but when my friend Dani started posting a list of things she wanted to do by her next birthday, I found myself really liking the idea. It is far more doable for me to set attainable, quantifiable goals than to just resolve to "be better" or "get in shape" without any sort of plan how to do so. And I liked the idea of doing it by my next birthday. Because isn't that how our calendars should run anyway? With birthdays as our own personal new years? Plus I love lists. So anyway, here are some things I'd like to accomplish before next February 14.

1. Read the Bible at least 6 days a week.
2. Update my Quickbooks. (Why is this so hard?)
3. Get a new computer/phone/life technology.
4. Donate $10,000. (Obviously, not all at once or all to one place.)
5. Travel to Greece.
6. Photograph the Hot Air Balloon Festival in Albuquerque.
7. Read at least 25 books.
8. Cook at least two times per week.
9. Keep my photo turn-around time to three weeks or less.
10. Blog at least once a week. Come on. I can make this happen, right?
11. Submit my work something. Somewhere. To something I've never submitted to before.
12. Send birthday cards to my friends and family. Via snail mail. So they are received BEFORE their actual birthday.
13. Give myself one day off a week / Say "no" more.
14. Learn things. This means watching more Ted talks instead of the Bachelor while I edit.
15. Survive the toast I have to give at my BFF's wedding. Literally survive it. That's my only goal. And to never watch that part of the wedding video.
16. Call people more. Call people back. Basically, I've really sucked at keeping in touch lately.
17. Visit Longwood Gardens at Christmastime.
18. Make myself nice return address labels. Like with cameras on them or something.
19. Learn how to spell boutonniere without spell check. (Strange that I find myself typing this word as often as I do.)
20. (Finally) revamp my blog.