MK & Joe's Blog

Latest Album

2011-04-13T17:56:00.000-07:00

love this one :)

New.

2010-06-09T11:59:00.000-07:00

Just in time, with 10 days left...
New blog is up and ready to go.

It's very cute :)

Need the address? Send me an e-mail or text.

kthnx.

Proud.

2010-06-06T10:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I drove to PA to watch Joe graduate from Warrior Leadership training. This is the last thing he needs to do before becoming a noncommissioned officer.

After two weeks of him gone, I was sooooo happy to have him home. At the same time, I am so proud that he worked so hard at this training school and did so well. I am so proud of my soldier.

He also got a special little award after the ceremony with two other soldiers. Yeah, I'm a proud girl :)

Married!

2010-05-31T20:05:00.000-07:00

SUCH an amazing weekend. Couldn't imagine a better day.

So honored to have been a part of it.

Love you, Kate + Nic!

Two Weeks.

2010-05-23T17:38:00.000-07:00

Well, Joe is gone for two whole weeks doing "warrior training" for the Army... whatever that is. While I am super sad I won't see him for 15 days and he can't come with me to Kate's wedding (which is this coming weekend! I can't believe it!) I know it's only going to lead to good things for him to do this course. Plus, it's giving me some time to do things I don't normally get to do...

+ Working extra. I went in to the office from 10-4 today. Joe wouldn't be happy that I worked on a Sunday if he was home. But I finished editing my last wedding. I am completely caught up!

+ Being girly. I've been doing masks at night, going tanning (I got a month unlimited so I don't burn in Hawaii),

+ Extra work outs. Aside from my training 4 days a week, I'm also doing extra cardio on my own. It feels good, gets my mind off all of the things I have to do, plus I can be a buffer bride ;)

+ Eating Clean. I've been reading about it for a long time, and my trainer has been pushing me to try it, but I haven't done it yet. I've only been doing it for 2.5 days. It's not a diet, it's just a different way of eating. Even though Joe and I don't eat junk food or fast food (only with Jessi in TN!) and I haven't had soda in three months, there's still some things I can change in my diet. Eating Clean is big on drinking your coffee black- that's been the hardest. Also, I never drink enough water, and I have to drink a lot of water for this. So we'll see how this goes. Tonight for dinner I grilled up some red peppers and zucchini and had a sweet potato. I'm going to do it for two weeks and see what happens.

+ Sleeping more. Joe gets up at the crack of dawn (4:15am) so it's been nice to "sleep in" till 6.

+ Get weddings stuff done! I have a lot of little things to wrap up, so this quiet time has been great for that. Escort cards, table seating, programs... all getting done. I'm happy about that. :)

+ Reading magazines. I have a HUGE stack of magazines to read- Real Simple, local Frederick/Maryland magazines, Psychology Today, Harper's Bazaar... so so many. I've been reading them in the evenings while lounging with the pups :)

Yep, that's my life for the next two weeks. Keeping it simple and quiet... I hope :)

ONE MONTH!

2010-05-19T11:21:00.001-07:00

One month till the wedding!

AH!

My office!

2010-05-13T13:27:00.000-07:00

I've worked in my office all week and I've LOVED it! It's so nice to have creative people around all day! I also get a lot more done because I'm not stopping to do laundry, dishes, play with the dogs, etc.

It's been and adjustment, but it's great. It was a good move. I feel comfortable and happy when I work here. I'm going to have a lot more free time because I will come here and work, and then just relax at home. Joe is thrilled with that- he hates that I'm on my computer 24/7.

It's not done yet- I need some shelves, my light still has to be installed, and I need to do some things with my walls, but it's a great place to work and I'm giddy about it :)

I'm so glad I'm done painting and spray painting things! If I never see another can of paint, I'll be happy!

My 30x30 canvas wrap! Looks awesome!

And my light that needs to be hung.

My desk with my Macs. I have a lot of work still to do in this corner

My favorite area! Storage for business stuff (labels, paper, DVD cases, etc)

and on the walls are some of the thank you notes I've received in the past few years-

I love seeing them every day- lets me know I'm doing something right :)

I'm off to Knoxville this weekend to shoot a wedding- excited to shoot with one of my dearest friends, Jessi! Not only is she an amazing photographer (and self taught and only shooting for two years!) but she's a momma of three incredible kids- she's a super mom and I am happy to see her in action (at home and at the wedding!) in her hometown- I always see her here in Maryland. It's going to be a really fun weekend. I'm sure there will be wine involved :)

Finally, all our RSVP's are in! Final count: 74 adults, 4 kids, 3 babies. Love it! That's a perfect number. With just about a MONTH to go (OMG!) things are happening quickly. I have a lot of little things to do- make programs, order a few little things, put together the welcome bags, make escort cards.... just little things. Oh, and pay vendors. UGH. Weddings are expensive!

Hoping next week I finish editing the last wedding I have on my plate and then can focus a bit more on our wedding. I have SIX shoots next week, so uhm, that might not happen! Then the week after is Kate's wedding! YAY! So pumped! I'm keeping that whole week wide open, though, so I can get caught up on editing and work on wedding stuff. Excited :)

Wedding Mail

2010-05-06T12:58:00.000-07:00

LOTS of great wedding stuff came in the mail today. It really is around the corner now. A little nervous , but excited that this is all actually happening :)

Cute totes I ordered on Etsy for our ring bearer and two flower girls- how cute are these?!

10 piece pot and pan set from our registry! YAY YAY!

THE MIXER!!! Ahhh! So pumped.

2010-05-04T14:54:00.000-07:00

Even after a rough day, in which he gets a concussion and breaks a toe, he is wonderful and kind.

I love this guy. :)

It's Happening...

2010-05-04T06:04:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to say that even if everyone who hasn't RSVP'd yet says 'yes' we'll still be under 100 people. I am pretty happy about that!

I've always wanted a wedding with 75 guests, and I might just get it! Every wedding I've ever been to with 75-90 guests has just been awesome. You get to talk to everyone and everyone feels like they are a part of the celebration.

If I don't hear back from people this week, I'm going to have to start bugging them for their RSVP, which I'm not looking forward to, but hey, it has to be done. They were due on May 1st, people!

Shower!

2010-05-03T11:11:00.000-07:00

A few photos I've stolen from friends off Facebook :) I was so happy to see so many of my dear friends on Saturday. My photog friends all had weddings, so they couldn't make it, but I was glad my other friends good. SO grateful to have them in my life! Thank you, thank you!

And a huge thank you to Kate for putting this together and making some delicious food! Especially that lemon cake with strawberry sauce! YUM!

Joe came and brought me flowers :)

Me and Christine! I've been on many adventures with her,

including traveling to Thailand and Burma.

American University Alum! Christine, Kate + Nic, me and Haley!

Everyone! Thank you for coming!

Joe's mom, Christine, Haley, Kate, Marissa, Quinn, me, Joe

Shannon, Anne, and my momma!

Wedding-Palooza!

2010-04-30T14:23:00.000-07:00

Goodness!

Now with less than 50 days to go, things are all-wedding all the time! Some things to report...

According to MarthaStewartWeddings.com and the great guest list manager they have:

40 guests said yes
14 guests said no
90 guets haven't responded

Also, my shower is tomorrow! Joe's sisters couldn't make it but they got me some great gifts! Julie got me the Battles family cookbook, Andrea got me a beautiful serving tray, and Sara got me a set of our dishes. So fun to get all these presents in the mail :)

I'm excited to see my mom, mother in law, and a bunch of friends tomorrow- should be so much fun. I'm humbled that people flew in for this event. And thankful to Kate for throwing the shower! :)

We even got a wedding gift yesterday from someone who can't come to the wedding- so sweet!

Keeping track of everything (vendor lists, guest lists, hotel lists, gift lists...) is getting increasingly more difficult by the day, but I like the online organizers and I hope that keeps me from forgetting something.

The next thing I need to do is figure out details for the rehearsal + rehearsal dinner. It's going to be immediate family only, but we'll have drinks with anyone who is in town afterwards.

Oh, and look what my good friend made for me! SO CUTE! I love it!

In other news, I finished painting my office today- thank the lord. A coat of primer, three coats of paint, painting the ceiling, and painting the trim. I hate painting. The floors get resurfaced tomorrow and I can move in all my stuff on Monday! So excited and giddy about that :)

So yeah, things are awesome right now. Crazy, busy, sometimes stressful, but awesome. Also, according to the scale this morning, I'm down 21 pounds from November 18th. Booyah!

Happy Friday, friends!

Bridal Shower

2010-04-29T16:24:00.000-07:00

Got a dress today for my wedding shower. $150, marked down to $50, then with my Macy's card + a coupon it was $37. Awesome :)

Can't find it on the website, but it's cute :)

Hair + Makeup Trial!

2010-04-29T10:20:00.001-07:00

love love LOVE it!

Getting so excited now :)

The Office: Before

2010-04-28T10:03:00.000-07:00

Some before photos... working really hard on my office and will have more photos soon! Painted yesterday and today. I need to finish up a few things so I'll take some photos then. It's all so exciting! :)

Things ordered for the office...

I *love* this light! I'm going to spray paint it white. From Overstock.com

Don't know if this will go behind my desk or somewhere else, but I love it :) From Target.com

Storage cubes from West Elm (on sale!) for under the console table

Console table... from Target.com

And I have an awesome antique hutch! I'm hoping the only other thing I'll have to buy is a rug. Since they are hardwood floors (from the late 1800's!) I need to cover them, especially because they are being resurfaced on Saturday- so exciting! Other than that, I'm using my desk from home

They power washed the outside yesterday and are painting the outside of the building for us soon. Painting has sucked. I primed the walls and have done two coats of paint already. It's gray and I love it! But, I have to do one more coat, paint the ceiling (the worst part) and then paint the trim. Oi. It's a lot of work but it's worth it!

I cannot wait to move in! Hopefully after the floors are sealed on Saturday and dry on Sunday, we'll be able to move the rest of our stuff in. I'm hoping to move my iMac over there on Thursday or Friday- hooray!

Been a busy week, but I love it :)

Happy Happy Birthday

2010-04-24T06:12:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday to my Joe, who is 27 today.

I'm sad I don't get to spend the day with him, but that's how it goes sometimes.

In 55 days we'll be celebrating all the good things in life... and then a day later we'll be off to KONA HAWAII for a WEEK where we'll float down the lazy river at our hotel, climb lava formations, drive our rental car all over the island, swim with the dolphins (cannot wait for this one!), sleep in, take lots of goofy photos, eat amazing fresh fruit, and just be together.

I love you.

mwah.

My Birthday Boy Joe!

2010-04-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

It's Joe's birthday tomorrow! We're both working tomorrow, so I got him a teeny little cake and a present for him to open tonight :)

But in honor of Joe's birthday, here's a little survey about him!

tell us about the first time you met and your first impression of him/her:
Well, in high school he was a goof ball. In college he was a frat boy, but still my good friend :)

what’s a weird habit or quirk that he has?:
He will not drink or let others (even me!) drink from a cup he has- he will freak out.

what makes him/her happy?:
Sunny days, walks with the dogs, playing video games, enjoying a beer, watching a movie

what makes him/her sad?:
cold + rainy days, not being able to fix something

what makes him/her angry?:
not understanding something, bad drivers

what excites him/her?
A good meal, vacations, presents

tell us something funny about him/her:
Joe absolutely adores our 10 ten pound mini doxie, Gordon. They are ridiculous together. Joe is always snuggling up with him, carrying him around the house, giving him little kisses. It is hilarious and super cute at the same time. :)

what’s s/he like at home?:
Depends. Mostly he just likes to relax after his 12 hour shifts and watch TV and play video games. But he also gets in these crazy clean moods (I chalk this up to the Army) and has to clean up and pick up everything.

what’s s/he like at work/school?:
In school he never tried, but was super smart. He could ace a test and never study. Jealous. At work I'm told he's one of the only guys who knows what he's doing.

describe his/her room:
Well, his "man cave" is very plain but he likes it

what’s his/her best friend like?:
His friend Chris is a hilarious goofball but very kind and sweet, as is his other good friend, Cameron. They both are very thoughtful and nice, but also very "hooah" and Army.

do you know who s/he hates the most?: He's like me- dislikes more people than he likes :)

have you met his/her exes?:
Nope.

do his/her parents like you?:
Yes and I like him- woo hoo!

what would s/he do in an emergency situation with other people involved?:
He usually can take control quickly and deal with it

which shop would s/he spend the most time at in a shopping mall?:
Best Buy

what would s/he have for a typical breakfast?:
Raisin Bran and OJ

where would s/he want to go for dinner?:
He loves this hole in the wall Mexican place near our house and would probably eat every meal there if he could.

what kind of movie would s/he choose at the cinema?:
He likes a mix, but anything military-related and he's hooked

describe his/her taste in music: Stoner music. Led Zeppelin, Dave Matthews, etc.

what item in his/her wardrobe would you like to burn:
He has this ugly blue t-shirt that I call his "homeless shirt" yeah. that one.

what is s/he good at?:
winning conversations. :)

what is s/he totally horrible at?
golf! :)

what’s something about him/her that is annoying/infuriating?:
he's great at thinking on his feet- even in arguments. Grr. :)

what’s something that you two fundamentally disagree on?:
karma- I believe it hardcore, he doesn't.

what’s something that you two agree whole-heartedly on?:
nothing is more important than family.

is s/he possessive?: sometimes.

what is the coolest gift that s/he has ever given you?: some bling :)

what is s/he obsessed with?: Call of Duty and Survivor. Ugh.

what does s/he avoid at all costs?: seafood

what does s/he spend the most money on?: going out to eat + to the bar. he also loves iTunes.

describe his/her typical sunday: depends on if he's working or not. but usually video games, video games, video games.

tell us about a time s/he looked absolutely gorgeous:
When we first went to go look at suits he tried one on that fit him perfectly. My heart was flipping out! I couldn't believe how amazing he looked. I was surprised that I was so taken by him putting it on, but man, I was a happy lady :)

what’s something about him/her that would surprise all of his/her friends?:
he is not as quote as he pretends to be!

what do you love most about him/her?: The way he gives in to me. The way he treats little kids and animals. The way that he doesn't complain about doing extra things because my job is crazy.

the biggest lesson you have learnt from loving your partner: listening is good and sometimes there isn't a wrong or right answer.

Joe!

2010-04-22T06:44:00.000-07:00

We went to pick up Joe's suit the other night- he looks SO GOOD! So proud of him- he's lost almost 40 pounds. The tie looks great with his suit. Now the pants need to be hemmed and he'll be all set!

Ow ow! :)

Update...

2010-04-21T13:29:00.000-07:00

Things are NUTS here. It's been a busy and rough week. Lots of editing and wedding stuff. Very tired.

But one of my March couples (and my photo!) were in the Washington Post on Sunday!

And- I sent out our invites! On exactly 2 months before- whew!

The office downtown is coming along! They are going to seal + re-sand the wood floors for us (over 100+ year old!) and we are painting on Friday! They are also painting the outside of the building, putting in new flooring in the kitchen + bathroom, and we get to pick our own lighting for our offices- helllloo pretty chandelier! :) So that's exciting!

And I'm teaching a class! Last Sunday went really well- can't wait for this coming week!

Other things... May 1st is my bridal shower! Both my mom and Joe's mom are flying in! Wow, so nice. A few other friends are flying in, too. I even got a shower present in the mail today- so sweet! There will be NO games or silliness. Making a bouquet out of the ribbons? Noooo. But I hear there will be cake! Thanks, Kate! :) I'm sort of excited about that now :)

Other than that, just returning tons of e-mails, editing weddings (I have one this weekend, too) and prepping for my new office space. So many things going on at once! It's very overwhelming, but it's all good things, so I can't complain.

I've also had a few weird dreams. I've had one wedding nightmare and another dream where it was all in Japanese. After taking classes for 8 years (but haven't studied it since May of '06) I thought that was funny. Guess I've still retained some of it. :) But my dreams are getting wackier and more strange as June 19th approaches.

Time to edit.

Garter Launch Party!

2010-04-19T10:54:00.001-07:00

A photo of all the people who made the Garter Launch Party happen! Woo! That was a FUN night!

(also, I am very, very short! LOL)

TWO MONTHS

2010-04-19T07:05:00.001-07:00

Two months from TODAY the celebration will be here- whew!

And when we can go to KONA HAWAII! We've got our honeymoon tickets and we are ready to rock 'n' roll!

Today I'm planning on putting together the invites... hopefully getting them mailed on Wednesday!

Woo!

Hutch

2010-04-16T13:07:00.000-07:00

Went to an amazing tag sale today- it was outta control awesome- I could have been there ALL day! I bought this hutch and a chair for the new office space. Together they were $250. I am SO excited!

I don't think I'm going to be buying much else for the space. The rest of the things will be what I already have- my desk in my home office, knick knacks I have here (and I have so many!), etc. I might have to buy a rug or two for the space, but we'll see.

Looks like we're going to paint on Wednesday! WOO!

Sample

2010-04-13T08:18:00.000-07:00

Our calligrapher sent a sample photo to me last night- LOVE IT! Woo!

Things are really happening now- so crazy!

I Can Spill the Beans Now!

2010-04-12T09:41:00.000-07:00

I GOT AN OFFICE DOWNTOWN FREDERICK! :)

I am sooo excited! I went "in" with a few of my fave ladies who also own their own business (two own a PR firm, one is an awesome graphic designer) to get a building right downtown- there are 4 offices, a kitchenette, and a full bathroom. It was built in the late 1800's. It's awesome.

We get keys TOMORROW. Ahhh :)

I can't wait to get decorating and moved in. We should be "open" on May 1st, in time for my bridal shower! :)

Welcome/Hotel Bags

2010-04-09T11:53:00.000-07:00

While I wait for our wedding invitation envelopes to come back from the calligrapher (sometime next week!) I've started to think and get stuff for our Hotel/Welcome bags.

I think I've thought about them waaaaaaay too much lately, but since everyone is from out of town and staying in the hotel, we want to make sure they are comfortable and have some goodies and knowledge of Frederick. Since most guests haven't ever been to Maryland I tried to get lots of MD stuff.

So far I have:

-bottled water
-Baltimore's famous caramel creams (so good!)
-Utz's Crab chips
-MD postcards (to tie onto the bags)
-Destination Frederick Magazine (they were so nice and gave me 50 copies for free!)
-Downtown Frederick maps + brochures
-personalized playing cards (Joe's family loves playing cards)

That's what's sitting in the guestroom right now... it's starting to get cramped in there. I'm thinking of getting some other local goodies- like Catoctin Mountain Orchard's apple butter and Ralph's Cookies to finish off the bags... anything else I should include?

Time get get a move-on.. headshots in an hour and a wedding tomorrow- busy busy!

Plus, next week I get to make an exciting announcement :) Probably on WEDNESDAY :)

MK

Things I'm working On...

2010-04-06T15:58:00.000-07:00

I made these CD cases today for two of my wedding clients and I think they turned out awesome :) I ordered them this afternoon and I can't wait to see how they look printed up... I did them in their wedding colors. Should have them by Friday :)

I really never learned how to use photoshop so this was a feat. Time and patience!

When work + home collide...

2010-04-05T15:23:00.000-07:00

While doing a fun product shoot this weekend in my backyard, Gordon just had to explore. I love working from home, and this is why :)

Buuut that's all changing soooooon.... (now there's a big hint! Having a baby was WAY off the mark!)

Hint...

2010-04-01T15:33:00.000-07:00

Workin' it

2010-03-31T13:17:00.000-07:00

This week because of schedule things, I'm working out 4 days in a row- I am so sore and I still have tomorrow. But it's good.

They measured me for the first time since I started going there in late November- I've lost FIVE inches in my waist. That's kind of amazing to me! I'm very happy with that. I still have some time to lose more weight + inches, so hopefully I do. Joe has been kicking my butt with his working out- he's been going twice a day! He's hardcore :)

In other news... I have a secret "project." :) I am excited to officially announce it in a few weeks, but I'm not supposed to say anything just yet. My friends + family know, though. :)

Other than that, I have just been super busy. I edited a wedding this week, but I have two others to go. Not complaining, because working is good! I love being busy.

Proud :)

2010-03-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

Joe is getting promoted.

So proud of him and how hard he's worked!

:)

WHEW!

2010-03-26T13:26:00.000-07:00

My laptop bit the dust earlier this week- ahh! So it was time to get the iMac I planned on getting at the end of June... so I just got it a tad earlier than we expected. My laptop may not be completely dead- Apple sent it in and it is possible that they may fix it, so we'll see.

Luckily I back up my stuff religiously so I didn't lose anything, just a lot of headaches- downloading everything again, remembering all my passwords and log-ins, loading up all my photos back into Lightroom, getting all my bookmarks back together, etc etc.

My iMac came this morning- she's a beauty! 27 inch screen! Holy cow. Going from a 17" laptop to this is quite a change... but a change I can totally get used to :)

I have it set up downstairs while I get everything on there, but next week I'll put it up in my office- that will be a change, too.

The Dress I Didn't Pick...

2010-03-17T13:42:00.000-07:00

I can't show you the photo of the dress I picked, but here's the one I didn't... please ignore the very silly look on my face ;)

I showed this to Joe and he really liked it... I hope he likes my actual dress even more! :)

Wedding Ties

2010-03-16T17:31:00.000-07:00

So we're not having a bridal party, but we are having the guys in our immediate families (dads, my brother, Joe's nephew and brother-in-laws) wear the same tie. It was Joe's idea and I think it's great. I love that they will all have something that's the same but wear different jackets/outfits.

So I wrote a silly little poem, printed it out on peach paper and they will all be shipped out tomorrow, except one, since we still have to find a tie for Ethan. We looked for one today when we stopped by the outlet mall in Leesburg, but Joe and I were so uncomfortable in the kid's stores! It was kind of funny. Guess that's another sign we're just not ready for that yet! :)

So I think we'll go to Macy's tomorrow and go in the boy's section there to find one.

One more thing off the list. Oh, and we had a meeting with our officiant today to go over what we wanted for the ceremony- went well. It will be short and sweet and perfect for us :)

The McConnell Family Joins Us Again On the really Big Island :)

2010-03-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

It was soooooo great to see Deanna and Tom on Friday! Aaaand, their newest edition, little miss Maggie! Oh man, she is CUTE! And sweet. And has the best demeanor. I could go on and on. I love that kid!

I hadn't been able to meet their baby (or see them for that matter) in YEARS because they live in Hawaii now. I am slightly/terribly jealous that the North Shore is a short drive away for them, but glad they are doing so well.

They came up to Frederick on Friday and sadly, it was mucho sucko raino, but we did get some pretty good photos despite the weather. I haven't gone through them all yet, but here are a few that caught my eye...

Wedding Crafting...

2010-03-12T17:48:00.000-08:00

Started working on table numbers today... things are coming along...

Also, I bought a DRESS! I love it! :)

Invatations!

2010-03-11T07:17:00.000-08:00

Our invites came last week and they look awesome! I have a few things that I had to order (Outer envelopes, an envelopement for each invite) after I got them so I was sure they fit and matched- those should be coming tomorrow- woo!

I still have a few things to make including getting the wedding photo card printed (we want everyone to e-mail their wedding photo to display at the wedding) and have the map printed. I actually won a free custom wedding map on a wedding blog I read- sweet! I just have to get it printed.

Once I have all that, it's time to assemble them. I bought some beautiful 1930's vintage French lace to close the cards and it is gorgeous! I can't wait to start working on that.

I also bought vintage stamps to use as postage on the envelopes. I think the current postage is ugly, so I decided this would be better :)

So things are coming along!

Countdown

2010-03-10T14:51:00.000-08:00

100 days till the wedding!

Omg! So much to do!

But it will all get done and it will all be beautiful.

Had some major dress drama this week, but it seems like it's all going to be just fine. :)

Excited for it to get here!

Kate's Bridal Shower

2010-03-09T08:54:00.000-08:00

Has a great time on Saturday at Kate's bridal shower. I made the invites, but other than that, it was all her MOH's great work that brought this together- fab job, Taylor!

Anyway, here are a few photos from it. :)

Honeymoon...

2010-03-08T08:10:00.000-08:00

The honeymoon is BOOKED! The hotel, flight and rental car! SO EXCITED!

The Big Island is going to be amazing. Hot lava flows, rain forests, black sand beaches, snorkeling...

oh, and two days in Oahu (Where Honolulu is), too. :)

SO EXCITED!

My latest travel books on our shelf...

More Florida

2010-03-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

Gator tour, shopping, and antique shopping. I hafta take photos of my awesome purchases!

Florida! Part 1: Disney

2010-03-04T12:07:00.000-08:00

Good times. :)

a cloudy but great day for Epcot

I just liked this :)

Awwh :)

We made Mr. and Mrs. Potato Heads! So much fun.

Finding Nemo ride

I don't know which ride... just playing with my camers at ISO 5000... awesome :)

Lego store

Joe's parents tried out some segways

I loved all the plant sculptures out at Disney!

TOMORROW!

2010-02-25T05:53:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow verrrrrry early in the morning we leave for Florida! And just in time to miss more snow.

SO EXCITED.

Need to rest, even if it's just for a few days.

Jewelry by LuShae

2010-02-24T19:21:00.000-08:00

I was contacted by a jewelry company a few weeks ago and asked to review some of their offerings. The company, LuShae (http://www.jewelryartdesigns.com/) is not really my style at all, but I did see something I was interested in so that's what I ordered. :)

When I travel I don't like wearing my "bling." Being flashy, especially abroad, is always a bad idea. So I thought it would be nice to have a nice, simple sweet band to wear when I leave my nice stuff at home.

It came in the mail super fast, in a cute box (I took the photo above in my macro class on Saturday) and I was actually surprised how nice the ring was. It was correctly sized (6) and well made. I really like it! (in fact, I'm still wearing it!)

So there's my review. Thanks so much to LuShae for the opportunity to review your product and for letting me keep it!

Invite Sneak Peek

2010-02-23T08:02:00.000-08:00

I got the proof for our invites today- I did a little happy dance. They are gorgeous. :)

Can't show the invites since I want everyone to see them in the mail, but here's a sneak... the return address label :)

By Popular Demand

2010-02-22T19:48:00.000-08:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce you to... my bangs.

Nearly a month later, I'm *still* getting used to them. It's an adjustment. But I like them. I think ;)

Random Tuesday

2010-02-16T14:40:00.000-08:00

1. Four feet of snow is soooo ugly when it's dirty.
2. Wedding invites are ordered.
3. Florida next week.
4. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday are insanely busy.
5. Schools here haven't been in session since Feb. 1st and aren't going back until Thursday.
6. I decorated a small nook of our house on a whim today and it looks good.
7. The music from the movie Out of Africa is amazing.
8. Eating only 1200 calories a day and not feeling hungry is nearly impossible.
9. Having a clean house makes me waaaay more productive.
10. My friends are smart and awesome.

V-Day

2010-02-14T18:46:00.000-08:00

We're not into v-day stuff, but we do have one little tradition that I think is pretty fun...

a heart shaped pizza :) I didn't feel bad eating it because Joe dragged my butt to the gym this morning and I ran three miles.

We started looking at tickets for Hawaii today and also finished our registry at Macy's. Yay. :)

So Happy Valentine's Day :)

10 Things That Make Me Happy

2010-02-13T04:39:00.000-08:00

1. When Joe comes home from work at 6am and we snuggle up for an hour before I get up and go to the gym... it's just what I need to start my day.

2. Finishing a huge project. I've finished a few in the past week (thanks, snow!) and I love wrapping them up. Always a sense of accomplishment, and I'm always happy to check something off my to-do list.

3. Quiet moments with my dogs. I love when I'm on the couch and I have a sleeping puppy on each side of me. They are so trusting and loyal.

4. Making lunch + dinner with Joe. It's really a small thing, but it's a big thing to me.

5. E-mailing with friends all over the world. Just this week I've e-mailed with friends in Ireland, Egypt, Australia, Samoa, Kenya and even someone visiting Antarctica!

6. Spending some time with just myself. I love curling up on my "editing chair" in my office and making to-do lists, reading magazines, and finishing my business plan. It's always energizing for me to turn everything else off and focusing on one thing at a time.

7. Getting on the scale every morning and watching the number go down :)

8. Reading a book... just for fun.

9. A date day- like today- starting our registry at Macy's, lunch, a movie, running errands, and just spending time together

10. writing thank you notes and giving good gifts

Traveling

2010-02-11T01:00:00.000-08:00

I have passion for a lot of things- my family, my animals, design, decorating... many, many things. But none of them add up to my passion of using photography to instill international social change. It's been a long time since I've really "traveled." Yes, I love traveling the US and Mexico, etc etc., but it's just not the same. Not even close. Going to vacation spots is different than traveling to non-tourist spots.

Don't get me wrong- I love the touristy spots. And hopefully someday I'll make it to all the places I'd like to see- Paris, Prague, Tuscany.... but I think it's more important, for me, anyway, to go to different spots

One of my dearest friends has taken a job with the Jane Goodall Institute in Tanzania. She e-mailed me recently and told me to plan my trip. Well, I'm that girl- the one where a friend says, "hey, you should come visit sometime!" And I do. I so do. Kate knows this well- I totally bunked at her place and went to Egypt! :)

So I'm going. And Jaime is coming, too! I miss Africa. It's different there. Hard to explain, but once you go, you know. I haven't been there since Zambia in 2003! I'm so excited.

We're headed there sometime in September, probably for three weeks. Joe will hate it, I know. And it will be tough on him. But he also knows how important things like this are to me, and what an amazing opportunity I have. I'm a lucky girl.

So many things to do in Tanzania, but the big one- KILAMANJARO!!! OMG. How incredible. And Zanzibar! The Serengeti!

My head is spinning.

Me in Zambia in 2003... and about ohhhhhh 20 pounds lighter- tee hee:)

One of the craziest things I've ever done! And it was a blast!

Flying in a single engine plane over Victoria Falls, one of the 7 Wonders of the World

...MORE snow.

2010-02-10T06:28:00.000-08:00

I don't even want to discuss the snow anymore. In fact, I don't remember what I even used to talk about pre-snOMG. It's ridiculous. Now we're at blizzard status- 25+ mph winds and snow coming down harder than ever. Four feet of snow in our yard right now. Not supposed to stop until tomorrow morning at 7am.

...when will spring be here?!

Anyway, one thing the storm has done is make Joe and I cook lunch + dinner every day. While I'm no cook, I really enjoy being in the kitchen with Joe. We made turkey burgers and baked potatoes the other day for dinner. I loved getting everything ready, mixing up the millions of spices for the burgers (ok, maybe 12, but it was a lot) and just listening to music. It was fun and the meal was great. I love those little moments. :)

The dogs, bless their little hearts, are still doing all their business outside. They are troopers! I can't imagine what Gordon thinks of this blizzard!

Florida in 15 days!

SNOpocalypse, SNOmg, Snowmaggedon... 2010

2010-02-08T16:37:00.000-08:00

After 30+ inches... we're getting more! Tomorrow afternoon/evening we're supposed to get another 10-20 inches. OMG. This is just nuts. I've never seen anything like this.

Some photos of all the snow... I can hardly look at them anymore, though, because thinking about the possibility of *more* snow freaks me out.

At least Joe is home and off duty for the next few days. I love making lunch and dinner with him. :)

INSANE SNOW!

2010-02-06T08:19:00.000-08:00

UHM- at 9:30am we had 30 inches... it's STILL coming down. Not supposed to stop until this evening! Joe is stuck at work until 6pm and might have to stay ANOTHER night at work since no one can get in. Snowstorms can be fun, but not without your family.... I know he's safe but I'd like him home!

On a happier note, here's the pups in the backyard!

Maryland Snowstorm from Mary Kate Battles on Vimeo.

Cake Topper

2010-02-05T13:26:00.000-08:00

So... we were NOT going to have one, but this woman who sells these is awesome and I really like her stuff.

Every single time I get her e-mails about having them for sale and in stock in her store, about 10 minutes later they ALL sell out. She has 30 different variations of her bird cake toppers.

Well, I happened to get the e-mail, get to her site in time, find my favorite one, and I got one! It's a silly splurge, maybe, but I adore it and I think it's perfect! The girlie bird even has a peach flower!

This one of those things that I know I will keep forever. I love handmade things and this will always remind me of our special day. :)

Catching Up

2010-02-04T18:45:00.000-08:00

So much going on here! All good, but we're so busy!

On the wedding front... we've booked our rehearsal dinner, decided on a menu for the wedding, my dress is done, I have shoes, blocked off rooms at a local hotel, and I'm making some signs in my woodworking class. We've got about four months to go!

Also, I've been making things for Kate's wedding- so much fun! I made her bridal shower invites and finished addressing them this afternoon. They will go out tomorrow. I'm also making a few other things, but those are secrets for now :) Since Kate's a big runner (she qualified for the Boston, people!) we're running a 5K on the morning of their wedding- fun! Joe and I are actually looking forward to it! It's been awhile since I ran a "race."

On the business front, work is jammed. I am booking lots and lots of weddings. I've decided to only do 15 this year and I already have 12. Kind of crazy. I have THREE next month. Wow. I really thought February would be a quiet month, but it's totally not. I have sessions and meetings and will be designing a ton of albums. In the past week I've designed three guest books and two coffee table books. I also started accepting credit cards and while I was told that it would increase my business, I had no idea how much. Awesome. I also got a few more sample albums in- I'm in love! I'm still very behind on blogging, but otherwise I seem to have everything under control. I got this new booking software that really does a lot of work for me- the inquiries, e-mails, contracts, payments... all done quickly and effectively now... no one has to wait on me for a PDF, etc., so my business is more streamlined. Loving it so far.

It was nice being home for a few days last week. Got to see lots of my friends, lots of babies, and it was nice to spend some time with my family. The Indie Wed bridal show went REALLY well and I was so happy that so many of my friends came! One of my couples came all the way from Indianapolis just to see me- how sweet is that?! I have good friends. I met some of the nicest vendors there. It was a really good wedding show and I'm glad I did it, even though the prep-work was mega stressful.

Aaaand while I was home I got my hair cut and colored. I even got BANGS. While it's a huge change, I think I like it. I always enjoy changing it up a bit.

On the homefront, we're gearing up for ANOTHER huge snowstorm tomorrow afternoon. Like, 16-24 inches. We've been slammed so much this year- winters in Maryland just aren't this harsh typically. Everything in Frederick has been cancelled for the weekend, including the awesome conference I was supposed to photograph tomorrow and my small business class at the local college. Oh well. I'm hoping to just relax, read a huge stack of magazines, watch some movies we have piling up, and organize our closets, which are totally out of control (all my fault!)

With all this snow, I'm glad we're headed to Florida at the end of the month. Should be a nice trip. Will be happy to be in a warmer climate for five days and take a little vacation before all my weddings in March.

And, maybe the most exciting news for Joe and I... he lost 11 pounds last month and I lost 9. We're really proud of that because we're working super hard! The big thing has been planning out meals, getting all the ingredients at the beginning of the week, and sticking to that plan. Of course, we both work out 5 times a week, which helps a lot too. We're determined to live healthier lives, and I think we're making a lot of progress.

Joe started a new schedule- 6pm to 6am. He leaves at 4:30, though, to go work out before his shift. It's a crazy schedule, and I hate it, but what can you do? The Army is the Army. He's on this for two months. Oof. I'm just now getting the hang of *my* schedule- it's hard when he's sleeping and I'm working at home, but for now it's OK. And the local arts center gave me an office three days a week (I'm doing all their website photography in exchange) so I always have a place to get work done if it really needs to be quiet here.

Wow, wrote a lot more than I thought I would, but there's a lot going on here!

Love My Friends

2010-01-19T14:31:00.000-08:00

Jessi, Quinn, Jaime, Cassidy, and me

Love love love all these crazy photogs (and one doodler!)

More Wedding Stuff

2010-01-12T15:22:00.000-08:00

Just ordered 25 postcards to send out to our married (or soon-to-be-married) guests! We want to display the wedding photos of those in attendance (and the ones who couldn't make it, too) to honor their marriage. It's a big deal for us!

I made these in about an hour, not my best work, but I think they look pretty good!

Wedding Wedding Wedding

2010-01-07T13:52:00.000-08:00

One thing I'm learning through this wedding planning process is that you can only do so much.

I never wanted a big, lavish wedding with insane centerpieces, etc etc. When it comes down to little things, you have to make decisions- if we splurge on photography (which we did), where can we cut back? I thought for a long time I would just do my own flowers and that would be where we saved a lot. To be honest, flowers don't matter all that much to me.

And as I've gone through this journey so far I've seen some awesome DIY bouquets and centerpieces. But I've also seen some really, really bad ones. I went as far as to purchase (it was 10 bucks) a wholesale flower license, which means I could buy them wholesale from specific vendors in DC. I started pricing things out. I was blown away by the prices when you're buying a small amount- SO EXPENSIVE. I got super bummed.

I also started getting this image in my head of me, my mom, Joe's mom and a few of my good friends sitting at our table making flower arrangements a night or two before the wedding and getting super stressed about it. And the last thing I want is for *anyone* to be stressed about this wedding. It should be fun and a nice day, and the fear of not having the expertise made me nervous.

But then a florist in DC I met on Twitter asked me to meet her and I did that today. She showed me what she could do for me on my budget. Since she does 4-6 weddings a weekend she can buy in super bulk. And so when she added everything up, even with her design and delivery fee, it was still cheaper than the prices I'd pay for just the flowers. So, now I have a florist, even though I never thought I would. Aaaand, I am going to get to have the flowers I really want- peach peonies, which I couldn't ever have afforded on my own.

these are pink peonies, but you get the idea... love them!

Since we're not having groomsmen/bridesmaids, we're saving A LOT of money on flowers. But I still wanted to do something for the moms. The florist had the wonderful idea of doing lavender bouquets for the moms, which I love! I know they'll love it too.

they will be smaller than this, but similar.

Then for ceremony decor, I wanted to use the vintage jars we bought. I love this idea. I think we decided one of these will go on each outside aisle chair. We'll be using similar flowers but in different colors.

And... my very very VERY favorite part of the ceremony decor! I have wanted to do this since the very first time I saw one. The groom made it and I almost died! Soooo beautiful! Well, the florist's husband is a master carpenter and is GOING TO MAKE THIS! Ahhh! I want to stand under it right this minute! :)

And then one more floral detail... centerpieces. I want these simple and sweet. Using the jars, we're going to have a mish-mash of summer flowers on the table, something like this:

But my favorite part is that I'm making the boxes! I am taking a woodworking class (starts in two weeks!) and am going to make these and a few other projects for the wedding. I'm thinking of maybe painting the table numbers on the boxes, or maybe our names? Any other ideas?

going to make something like this in the class as well

I like the idea of this as well... maybe?!

So, maybe I'm turning around a bit on this planning... this was sort of fun and enjoyable. We booked the transportation earlier this week. Next is hotels and rehearsal dinner.

Maybe I'm getting excited...

The New Year is Here.

2010-01-05T10:15:00.000-08:00

2010. Whoa.

A lot of great things are going to happen this year! I'm very excited about the next twelve months and beyond. So much to be grateful for.

New Years resolutions have always bothered me. There was a study published in the WaPo yesterday that 99.9% of people never stick to what they promise to do. (main ones from the article: relax more, eat healthy, stop smoking, exercise, keep in touch with family/friends) So I don't make them. Instead I make changes in my life when I see a need. And I started this October.

In October, my laptop and I had become inseparable. I was replying to client e-mails at midnight. At 6am. I was editing during movies on the couch with Joe. While he was patient about it, I knew he wasn't happy. But at the same time, I run a business by myself and no one else is going to do the work that needs to get done. It's tough. So I decided to do a few things: set "office hours" for clients (9am to 5pm for e-mails, calls, etc) and 8pm for all work. We also got a small desk from IKEA to put in the living room. My laptop, if it's downstairs, is to stay on that table and not migrate to the couch. It's been a great solution so far.

I also want my business to grow. I want to a part of my new city. While I've done that pretty well so far, I want to do it even better. So I've been going to more community activities and really using the groups I'm a part of (Chamber of Commerce, GFAF, BNI, TweetUpFrederick, etc) to make great connections. I've started some great lists using Bento (it's awesome!) and hope to continue growing them. This can only lead to better business partnerships and new friends... nothing wrong with that!

For the past few months I have truly been aching to go to classes, learn, and be a student again. While I'm not interested in a full-fledged degree program (at least not right now) I really want to continue learning. So I've signed up for THREE classes. One is in art class at the local community arts center, and the other two are lecture classes at the local community college. I'm super excited about all the classes!

In mid-November I started with a trainer. I know myself. I loathe working out. It's not fun for me. If I wanted to make a big change, I was going to have to enlist some help. I signed up for three months of one-on-one training. It was a huge investment, but honestly, what's more important than your health? It's an investment in my well-being, mental health, and even my business. I train three times a week for an hour, and then I do an hour of cardio. So far I've lost 14 pounds. While I'm pretty happy with that, there's more to go. Recently, on days I don't train, I've started to go to the gym with Joe when he goes to PT. Losing weight is not about a number for me. I don't have a goal weight. I just want to feel comfortable with myself again and be excited to wear a wedding dress. (fat brides are the worst!) Since I started working out, I haven't been sick, haven't had a migraine, and have had more energy. I hope to continue this trend!

And the wedding. I never thought I could do everything myself. I knew that. But it seemed crazy to pay someone to help me. But I finally decided to get a planner. I know so many great ones so it was tough. But now that I've made a decision, it feels good to know that someone else is helping me and guiding me. I also found out quickly that planners SAVE you money- they have great connections and know where the best prices are. They do the research for you. Plus there can be so much family drama involved in these things, and it's nice to know that someone is there to tell me "this happens all the time!" and get me through it unscathed. And Joe and I have been doing a great job of sticking to our budget (except for the photography, but I mean, COME ON! ;) ) and making good, solid decisions that aren't dragged out. I even booked the guest transportation this morning. In the next two weeks I have my final dress fitting, meeting for invitations, catering tasting, and flowers. That only leaves a few things to go and that makes me happy.

So while most of these changes aren't earth-shattering and weren't made on January 1st, I'm pleased with them. The key is to be consistent and have support.

2010

2010-01-01T09:24:00.000-08:00

I am: a wife, daughter, best friend, business owner, photographer, artist, dreamer, bride, pet owner.

I think: positively.

I know: that I am a lucky, lucky girl.

I have: an amazing life with my little family.

I wish: for 2010 to be even better than 2009.

I hate: negative people, negative thinking, and complainers.

I miss: college and taking classes.

I fear: not living up to my potential.

I hear: so many good ideas and need to start implementing them.

I smell: sleepy dogs on each side of me :)

I crave: a simple, beautiful life.

I search: for creative outlets.

I wonder: what 2010 will bring.

I regret: not spending more time with friends.

I love: the flexibility and passion I have for my job.

I ache: for a day when I can feel completely relaxed.

I am not: very good at telling people "no."

I try: to see how lucky and blessed I am every day.

I believe: in using your talents to help others and make your community a better place to live.

I dance: with Joe in the kitchen almost every day :)

I sing: in the car.

I cry: at movies.

I fight: to help those who cannot fight for the rights they deserve.

I lose: my keys and phone. Every single day.

I never: go a day without working on some aspect of my business.

I always: enjoy doing something unexpected.

I confuse: the Army rankings and everything military-related.

I listen: to This American Life on road trips and LOVE every minute of it.

I can usually be found: in my office or on the couch downstairs on my laptop.

I need: to workout more than three days a week.

I am happy: when I'm settled in for the night with Joe and the pups.

I imagine: how crazy 2010 will be. All the weddings: our wedding, photographing weddings, and Kate's wedding. I imagine the dogs not being puppies anymore (amen!) and really getting their personalities. I imagine all the people I will meet this year and how each one will affect my life and my business. I imagine my 5th year in business and how far I've come and where I'll be going. I imagine our travels- the ones already planned (Florida in Feb, Hawaii on our honeymoon) and all the ones yet to be planned.

Christmas

2009-12-31T19:02:00.000-08:00

Almost didn't get to go home, but luckily we got to Chesterton. Thanks, Army.

Got to meet my newest Cousin, Gia, and watch a Bulls game in an awesome skybox.

Blizzard!

2009-12-31T18:37:00.000-08:00

We got TWO FEET of snow before Christmas. That is A LOT for the DC area.

iPhone wrap-up...

2009-12-22T16:57:00.000-08:00

Here we go ;)

wrapped 25+ gifts on Sunday.

Broke down yesterday and made a wedding binder... ugh.

Wedding planning isn't my thing.

Organized my office closet. This is just one side, but it's lookin' good!

Two days after the big snow storm that dumped 24 inches of snow

backyard was a mess

mini 4x4 leather albums came in the mail today! So cute!

Already sent them to my clients :)

Marissa made us cookies!!!

Gordon on his way to the vet- he sprained his paw :( But he's OK now.

Business Christmas cards- over 120 went out!

This guy, a Congressman, ordered 4,500 Christmas cards!

My bookshelf lookin' cleaned up

Sent out 30+ packages in the past week!

Cake!

2009-12-06T12:22:00.000-08:00

Our cake tasting was yummy. I've pretty much hated all the wedding planning so far, so this was a nice treat :)

The bottom layer: white chiffon with buttercream + fresh strawberries
The top layer: chocolate with chocolate mousse filling.

One more thing off our list. Whew.

SNOW!

2009-12-05T05:59:00.000-08:00

The dogs loved the first snow of the year. It was Maggie's first.

Molly is the cutest! :)

Gordon didn't really want to be out here at first

moving closer to the snow...

OK, not so bad!

Yay Gordon! :)

Some Holiday Cheer

2009-12-02T16:02:00.000-08:00

Our decorations.

We don't have a chimney in our new house, so this will have to do- I actually love it :)

Joe picked this up at Cracker Barrel- I love it.

Hey! It's Frankie! He loves this holiday basket.

The tree. Those frames are now filled with holiday photos... just don't have a photo of it.

The ornaments

One of Joe's childhood ornaments

Joe really wanted this (at Cracker Barrel) so I gave in :)

One of our shelves

Thanksgiving

2009-11-29T19:09:00.000-08:00

We're Back Home!

We got back yesterday from Thanksgiving in Cincinnati.

It was great to spend time with Joe's sister Andi and her family. And we got to meet our newest niece, Kaityln!

Kylar and baby Kaitlyn!

Uncle Joe and the girls :)

Cute Kylar

Joe and the baby- sooo sweet :)

Yes, I let Kylar use my camera. Kind of scary, but she loved it.

Me and the baby :)

I like this one Joe took :)

We went to the Air Force Musem- got to see all the retired Air Force One's

Joe was in HEAVEN. This is the "Sacred Cow." So cool!

Photo Wrap Up

2009-11-11T16:43:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos I've taken lately on my iPhone...

sent out the save the dates!!!

where I worked while in Florida last week

driving here in the mountains is beautiful!

the pups doing what they do best :)

today was rainy... so the dogs like to lick the water off the table :)

A Year Ago!

2009-11-04T06:33:00.000-08:00

We love you, Gordie-B!

sporting my Obama shirt :)

Joe the first night we got Gordon :)

Wedding Website

2009-11-03T14:51:00.000-08:00

Halloween!

2009-11-02T09:57:00.000-08:00

Gordon and Molly Playing

2009-11-01T07:47:00.001-08:00

Gordon + Molly Play from Mary Kate Battles on Vimeo.

Christmas Cards!

2009-10-29T09:22:00.000-07:00

Puppy Class

2009-10-28T05:33:00.000-07:00

She's 26 pounds now! Vet thinks she'll be 60 full-grown... oh my! On Monday she started her puppy training class. She did really well! She's excellent about keeping eye contact with us.

Fall is Almost Gone

2009-10-26T18:43:00.000-07:00

So sad. Fall is by far my favorite season, and it seems like the one season all year that goes by too fast. I love the colors, the seasonal food, the smells... I will really miss it. This fall I got to spend a lot of time outside enjoying the weather. We've had the windows open a lot. It's been great.

Catoctin Mountain Orchard

2009-10-16T17:16:00.000-07:00

When Joe and I first moved out to Frederick (almost a year ago!) one of our earliest discoveries was the Catoctin Mountain Orchard. It's full of tasty pies, dressings, and fresh veggies and fruits. When you walk in the door of the store you nearly fall over from the amazing smells.

pick your own flowers.

love their pumpkin display

Closet Re-do

2009-10-14T18:54:00.000-07:00

After a friend on Twitter talked about cleaning out their closet, I got the urge to do the same... I gave away a lot of clothes and sold a lot to a local consignment shop- woo hoo!

Before...

After...

All the hangers from the clothes I got rid of!

Frederick Expo

2009-10-12T06:07:00.000-07:00

At the end of September I had a booth at the Frederick Chamber of Commerce Expo. So much fun! I met a lot of great people and I think it went really well.

My booth... the lighting sucked, but my booth was cute :)

My publishings

I spent an entire day making these tags and tying them to these lollipops :)

Fence!

2009-10-11T05:22:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of October we got a fence! It's a little fence, but we love it and so do the dogs. It's soooo ncie to just open the door and let them outside. I can sit out on the patio and they can run around and when they get tired they come sit by me :)

Maryland State Fair

2009-10-10T05:37:00.000-07:00

Joe and I had fun at the Maryland State Fair a few weeks ago. Joe was making fun of me because I was so in love with all the beautiful Dahlias that were on exhibit.

see, told you he was making fun of me :)

The food is the best part of the fair, isn't it? ;)

Well...

2009-10-09T20:02:00.000-07:00

OK, it's been awhile. A loooong while. Two months! We've been so busy. Joe's work schedule is insane, I am shooting almost every day, and editing and e-mailing on the days I don't, plus I have had a sinus infection for a MONTH. Yes, a MONTH.

But I promise to get back into the blogging habit very soon!

So here' a little catch up... well, one photo. Many more on the way.

First Packers game of the year

Vacation- Lost River, WV and Updates

2009-08-11T17:50:00.000-07:00

Our vaca:

Sooooo much fun. Was sad to see it end. Lost River, WV is a great place to visit.

...and then I shot a gazillion engagement shoots and weddings. And then...

...meet Molly.

Yeah, I found a dog. At a Sheetz gas station near our house at midnight. Only me, right?

Well, she's super cute and lovely and Joe loves her, so we're keeping her. I couldn't be happier- I love her, too! :)

so two puppies, weddings, editing, emails, and keeping this place clean is all I do these days. I'm hoping one day to be a sane, lovely girl. One day!

Our Random Trip :)

2009-07-17T16:59:00.000-07:00

We ended up going to Gettysburg today. :)

lunch lit only by candlelight in a tavern

homemade ice cream in homemade waffle cones

caught in a rainstorm

making fun of baaaadly clothed tourists

stopped at roadside stand for summer goodies

$2 wine tasting in downtown Frederick

movies and (more) wine :)

A good Friday, indeed!

Had SO much fun! :)

Aaaaand, four days till vacation! Awesomenessss.

What we decided...

2009-07-16T16:29:00.000-07:00

So I scratch the other designs and when with something very simple and to our theme... I like these a lot!

VACATION!

2009-07-06T17:13:00.000-07:00

So last night Joe and I decided we needed to go on vacation, just the two of us- about time!

I remembered a great place that I did a wedding once, and what luck, the best room at the lodge is open and we're going! In two weeks! Ahhh! So excited!

It's two hours away and in the middle of nowhere, which I'm very happy about :)

Here are some photos!

THIS IS OUR ROOM! AHHHH! YAY YAY!

it's dorky, but I'm most excited about the bathroom :)

Updates...

2009-07-06T12:56:00.000-07:00

What a week/weekend! My parents were here, Kate was here, and we had a great time. We grilled out, I made lemon pasta, and for dessert we had strawberry & rhubarb pie and apple crumb cake. Oooh so good.

Today I'm attempting to pick up all the pieces and put my life back into some sort of normalcy. I have a lot to get done before I head to Indy on Wednesday or Thursday (haven't decided yet) for Crystal and Matt's wedding.

I've done the laundry & dishes, picked up the house, and put away everything but I have a lot of work-related things still to do. I went to Starbucks today and got A LOT done, but there's still more, of course. I'm hoping I get tons done today and tomorrow- it's possible!

Here's one thing off my list- cute little 5x5 cards for Crystal & Matt's wedding- I'l put them next to their guestbook so guests can see all the images. :)

Off I go!

4th of July

2009-07-04T10:08:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th!

Today we're celebrating by relaxing. My mom and dad are here and we're just enjoying the awesome weather. Kate is coming over later and we'll be grilling out and I'll be making lemon pasta. Life is good, friends! :)

Guests!

2009-07-01T09:59:00.001-07:00

After being home only a few short days, we're having company- my parents!

They haven't seen our new place, so I'm excited to have them come up for the 4th of July. There is lots going on here and I'm glad I finally get to show them around our adorable little town. Plus Kate is coming up on Saturday to grill out with us- yay! I'm also gon

na make lemon pasta again- soooo good!

Anyway, I am frantically cleaning and getting everything ready. It's hard to believe how messy and dirty this place gets so fast. I can't ever keep up.

Aaaand, I get to pick up Frankie from the vet today! Poor kitty has

been there since Friday. He got to come home just for the night last night and then I had to bring him back to continue his IV fluid treatment. But now he should be all good and I can't wait to have all my family back together :)

Other than cleaning and getting ready, I have a lot of things to edit, design and work on. I really hope that after the holiday I can get back into gear, but next weekend I'll be in Indianapolis for a wedding so there goes my schedule again... one day it'll be back to normal... right?

On an ending note, I saw this ceremony shot this weekend and loved it (minus the horses) and think that maybe instead of renting chairs, we could do this! I think it's adorable and perfect for the setting/theme. :)

Battles Family Reunion!

2009-06-28T13:36:00.000-07:00

This past week I've been all around, but mostly in Michigan at Joe's family reunion. It was actually a lot of fun!

Here are a few photos...

The cabins we stayed in

Joe at sunset :)

Joe at the winery... oh man, that place was fun!

the winery was beautiful!

Kylar!

Everyone! I took this on a self-timer :)

Sara playing beer pong... yes, beer pong is played!

Sara and Liz... two of my new sisters :)

Kylar and Dan

cousins!

It got pretty hot, but I got some nice sun and I enjoyed meeting all my new relatives! Our parents even had lunch together, which was really nice. Thank goodness they get along :)

We decided to come home a day early, mostly because we wanted a day of vacation at home. Thank God we did because Frankie was literally on his death bed. He was gasping for air, his eyes were glassy, his nose was stuffed, and he was crying in pain. Needless to say, I was very upset to come home to such a sick kitty! We aren't too sure what's going on just yet, but last night when we got home I whisked him to the Emergency pet hospital and found out he had a temp of 108. Sadly, he's still there :( We have to bring him to our real vet tomorrow morning- we are hoping he is more stable- right now his temp is 103, which is still a fever but not 108! Keep little Frankie in your thoughts- we love him!

Right now I'm just trying to catch up on e-mails (had 50 this morning, down to 6!), facebook, twitter, etsy, and all my rss feeds. I also want to edit my latest wedding this week. Also, my parents are coming this week for 4th of July- so much going on!

Aaaaand, the Washington Post is going to send a reporter and photographer to follow me on a shoot this week- how exciting!!! :)

One Year From Today.

2009-06-19T05:57:00.000-07:00

One year from TODAY: I'll be in a white dress, wearing makeup, dancing with a lot of my closest friends and family...

yup. :)

The Weather

2009-06-18T06:43:00.000-07:00

This weather = not so fun.

This isn't from today, but I took this recently in our backyard. We've had some extremely nice days recently, but today it is so humid and rainy. It makes me feel lazy, and I can't be lazy because there is too much to do before we leave on Monday morning.

I did get two sessions edited yesterday which is good, but I *really* want to get this one wedding edited before we leave. Like, reaaaalllly want to. I have some errands to run with Joe this morning, and then I will hopefully get a lot of work done this afternoon, even though he's not working today. He's in total relax mode already, and I am so not there!

I have a wedding on Saturday, so maybe after that I'll be a bit more relaxed... we'll see.

Off we go!

Here it is.

2009-06-17T10:06:00.000-07:00

so so so excited and humbled by this.
Such an honor to see my work on the glossy pages of a hugely popular magazine.

The Bedroom!

2009-06-14T07:38:00.000-07:00

OK, it's not 100% done, but it's looking good! I'm loving the room so much more now that we painted it- it makes a HUGE difference.

We have to hang a lot of things to hang back up still, but I'm very happy with how much a coat of paint helped this room :)

The man chair :)

I *love* this print! Can't wait to hang it up!

Letterpress poster by Hijirik Studio

A Lilly, enjoying the new zen-like atmosphere :)

Hey Hon! :)

2009-06-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hey Hon! See ya in Hampden! :)

I had so much fun today hanging out in Baltimore with a few of my best friends! Jaime, Jesse, Quinn and Natalie were all at Hon Fest rocking it out!

Jaime is the official photog of Hon Fest and has a booth. We all took turns taking photos at the booth with the FABULOUS life-sized Hon that Quinn doodled! I didn't stay all day, but I did snap a few photos of my own enjoy!

Quinn and her awesome doodle!

A Little Hon!

Lotsa Hons!

Jaime! :)

I loved her shirt- Quinn also designed these

Jessi!

Jaime in action!

All the girls! :)

Gordon's First Birthday

2009-06-09T12:49:00.001-07:00

The other man in my life.

Oh, Gordon.

You are hyper and crazy. Silly and hilarious. Sweet and cuddly. You chew up the mail. You eat our dinner when we turn our backs for one second. You sleep just like us, with your head on the pillow and the rest of your little body under the sheets. You bark whenever a doorbell rings, even if it's on TV. You love to snuggle. You love treats. You love getting a bath and going on long walks.

You have been such a joy to have around since we adopted you in November. We love your puppy antics and your love for us.

And now you're a year old!

Happy birthday, Gordon! We love you!

Sunday

2009-06-08T08:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was so nice. I worked most of the morning and afternoon, then Kate came over to grill out- she's taking the LSAT today at a nearby college and stayed here. She brought with her some yummy stuff to grill and it was very tasty!

We took photos on Joe's camera, but I'll let him post those when he feels up to it :) These are from my iPhone.

More stuff later, maybe. I need to pack for my next road trip- Charlottesville, VA tomorrow till Wednesday! Next week I don't have any traveling, but the next week we'll be home in Indiana for a few days then off to Michigan! :)

Kate chatting with Nic in Cairo and laughing at the e-mail he sent- it was too cute!

Joe grilling out- he will hate this photo, but I don't care :)

this is from Today- Gordon on his way to the vet this morning

Golfing!

2009-06-06T10:17:00.000-07:00

This morning we went an played 9 holes of golf. I haven't played since my last match in high school in 2001... goodness. But I did OK, and I ended up beating Joe! Woo hoo!

Here are a few pics I took with my iPhone!

me winning :)

Tweetup!

2009-06-03T06:58:00.000-07:00

Last night was fun!

I met up with some fellow Frederick Twitter folk at one of my fave places, Brewer's Alley. Most of the people run their own businesses and we had a lot in common. I so very enjoyed being able to talk nerdy with others who also live in my community. One of the guys there actually went to college (a very small, private college) with my high school chemistry partner- it's a small world!

Anyway, so fun. Today is another beautiful day here, and I'm calling it "design" day. I have three books to design and an album! Eeek! Tomorrow is an edit day.

Hanging out with @bethschillaci @DCPhotog @MammaMania @cariegrls @cdigennaro @jesshibb @kevinbruce @cdiaz @danielcoleman at Brewer's Alley

Sunday

2009-06-01T09:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was lovely :)

I did some work, took a nap, cleaned the house, did a bit more work, and made a very yummy dinner... baked lemon pasta... oh man, so tasty :) I splurged on getting a nice block of parmesan (it was like, 8 bucks!) so I could grate it myself- always tastes better! Man, this was so good. Just had it for lunch today, too :)

And just for fun, our living room... when it's clean! :)

I shouldn't even be on here because I need to get ready for my meeting and the headshots I'm doing in DC this afternoon. I won't be back to later tonight, but hey, not complaining :)

A Lovely Saturday

2009-05-30T17:56:00.000-07:00

Today was pretty great. I woke up around 6am and just hopped in the car. With two stops, it takes about 4 hours, 15 minutes to get home from Blacksburg. It was such a beautiful drive this morning- there was fog rising around the Shenandoah Mountains and the sun was folded neatly between the ranges. Soooo gorgeous!

yes, I totally took this while driving- hee!

I loved Blacksburg and the drive, but it was so good to be home!

Tonight we grilled out and I loved seeing the birds at our new feeders :)

And our dinner- YUM!

Wedding Updates

2009-05-28T06:41:00.000-07:00

Lots of stuff is finally happening here on the wedding front. This is what we have done:

+ Venue & Date- The Thorpewood, June 19, 2010

+ Photographer- Azul Photography

+ Deposit down on my dress (yaaaay!)- HK Designs

+ Almost have all the addresses for the Save the Dates (only two are missing)

+ Save the dates are done, just need to be addressed and sent out

+ We booked an officiant who is wonderful- Father Tom

+ We finally have a guest list- about 160 invited, but we're hoping that about 110 come

+ I secured a calligrapher- Swoonoverit

+ We have a day of coordinator- Wish Special Events

+ Wedding website is started, but not finished (I'm making my own, not from a template)-

+ A bridal party- just kidding! No bridal party- not doing this to our friends! :) But we will have Joe's nieces and nephews do the ring bearer/flower girl thing... but they can wear whatever they want, so they don't have to buy something new.

I'm actually not a big fan of all this stuff... I mean, it's fine, I don't hate it, but I'd much rather be doing something else, you know?

I am positive we will have a wonderful and budget-friendly wedding, but man, it takes awhile to plan! :)

And here is a sneak peek of our calligrapher's stuff... I think we're going to use the "London" style, but that's not for sure yet.

MK & Joe's Blog

Latest Album

New.

Proud.

Married!

Two Weeks.

ONE MONTH!

My office!

Wedding Mail

It's Happening...

Shower!

Wedding-Palooza!

Bridal Shower

Hair + Makeup Trial!

The Office: Before

Happy Happy Birthday

My Birthday Boy Joe!

Joe!

Update...

Garter Launch Party!

TWO MONTHS

Hutch

Sample

I Can Spill the Beans Now!

Welcome/Hotel Bags

Things I'm working On...

When work + home collide...

Hint...

Workin' it

Proud :)

WHEW!

The Dress I Didn't Pick...

Wedding Ties

The McConnell Family Joins Us Again On the *really* Big Island :)

Wedding Crafting...

Invatations!

Countdown

Kate's Bridal Shower

Honeymoon...

More Florida

Florida! Part 1: Disney

TOMORROW!

Jewelry by LuShae

Invite Sneak Peek

By Popular Demand

Random Tuesday

V-Day

10 Things That Make Me Happy

Traveling

...MORE snow.

SNOpocalypse, SNOmg, Snowmaggedon... 2010

INSANE SNOW!

Cake Topper

Catching Up

Love My Friends

More Wedding Stuff

Wedding Wedding Wedding

The New Year is Here.

2010

Christmas

Blizzard!

iPhone wrap-up...

Cake!

SNOW!

Some Holiday Cheer

Thanksgiving

Photo Wrap Up

A Year Ago!

Wedding Website

Halloween!

Gordon and Molly Playing

Christmas Cards!

Puppy Class

Fall is Almost Gone

Catoctin Mountain Orchard

Closet Re-do

Frederick Expo

Fence!

Maryland State Fair

Well...

The McConnell Family Joins Us Again On the really Big Island :)