Paul & Krystal TAGGED ME!!! So, now it’s my turn I guess….

THE RULES:
1. Post these rules before you give the facts.
2. List eight (8) random facts about yourself.
3. At the end of your post, choose (tag) someone and list their name (linking to their page.)
4. Leave them a comment on their blog letting them know they’ve been tagged!

1. I tried snowboarding last winter for the first time ever (first snow sport ever) and thought I broke my butt! Even though I was hurting real bad for a few weeks afterward, I do plan to try again this winter.

2. I’m extremely stubborn! (See above!)

3. I’ve been known to do some crazy things just to get the right angle for a photo. I have climbed trees, waded through streams at the base of a waterfall (and slipped on the slippery rocks, but kept my camera dry!), laid down in the middle of the road and once I had a close call with some sort of wild animal when I invaded it’s home by creeping down into some tall brush.

4. I’m learning to rock climb. I’ve been going to indoor gyms recently, but my husband is planning to get me outdoors on the big cliffs soon! I’ve got to get ready for our trip to The Gunks this October!

5. I’m an only child but I was never lonely! Four of my cousins lived with me at different times of my childhood and I also acquired a step sister (who lived with me) and two step brothers (who didn’t).

6. I love arts and crafts of pretty much any kind and my daughter is taking after me in that respect!

7. When I lived in Chicago I decided to have a little fun… I dyed my hair so that it blended between (from top to bottom) magenta, purple, royal blue, aqua and lime green. One day while walking to the L, a school bus drove by me and some kid yelled out the window “Hey Skittles!!! Taste the rainbow!!”. When I went to Florida to visit my parents (whom I had already warned), my Mom looked like she was going to faint and just couldn’t stop starting at my hair and shaking her head the whole time I was there. I loved it, but my friends and family still bring it up like it’s something I’m embarrassed by. I am more embarrassed by the terrible shape my hair was in for the next year and a half after I fried it with all that bleach! It was really disgusting and looked and felt like straw.

8. I love the water and was born and raised in Florida, but I’m freaked out by going IN oceans or lakes. This is only in the last 10 years or so and I just can’t explain it. I have forced myself to go in oceans and lakes in the last few years but I still get a lump in my throat.

Now it’s my turn to tag someone, so I pick……..

Vicki, Matt & Sarah, Sandra, Alisha and Luke!

Next month I’m photographing Mark & Peter’s civil union (my first!) and last weekend we went out and did an engagement/casual session before the big day! Thankfully, we bumped up the time a bit, because it started raining about 20 minutes after our originally scheduled time! Whew! First we headed over to picturesque Binney Park in Greenwich and walked around for a while. Getting these two to relax and forget about me was tough at first (as it usually is), but then they relaxed, opened up and we actually drew some onlookers! Of course, like most people, they got a little embarrassed that everyone was watching them, but I told them my philosophy - “well, let’s give them something to look at and talk about in their boring little lives!”. After a great time and lots of laughs at the park, we headed back to their place for a change of clothes and to pick up their adorable dogs for some more photos. We got yelled at by the lifeguard for bringing the dogs on the beach… come on… it was the tiniest little corner of sand no where near anything or anyone! Oh well… at least we managed to get a few great shots before being booted out of there! I can’t wait for their civil union next month - knowing these two, I’m sure it’s going to be a LOT of fun!

Ever heard someone sing so beautifully that it gave you chills and goosebumps? Nichola has one of those voices! We had so much fun hanging out and creating some great images for her first CD! She is so warm and funny and has the most amazing voice… she’s going places fast - keep an eye out for her! By the way, if you go to my site, the third song in the jukebox is my favorite of Nichola’s - it’s called “Beside Me”. I had the honor of listening to her perform this song live in front of me while we hung out at the cascades taking photos. All I can say is WOW. My eyes actually teared up listening to her. While we were out she actually started “writing” a new song which she was working on during our session! I can’t wait to hear the final result! The photos above are the ones Nichola chose to use… I think she made some great choices!

I called my Dad (who lives in FL) around 4:20 this afternoon and my Uncle answered and informed me that there was an ambulance there taking my Dad to the hospital. He’s a brittle diabetic and his blood sugar had dropped into the teens… I haven’t gotten any updates yet, but I would really appreciate if you’d all keep my Dad in your prayers! Thanks in advance… I’ll update when I know something more.

What a super fun couple! Tim and Lizabeth were cracking us up all day with their awesome sense of humor and willingness to have a little fun with their photos! Their friends and families were great too and their bridal party was no exception - I actually asked one of the bridesmaids if it was a requirement that they all take dance classes to be part of the wedding because man, could they dance! Everyone was laughing and having a great time all day, including Vicki and I! We did the photos before the ceremony and it was so nice to be able to attend the cocktail hour! Photos were at Elizabeth Park and the reception was at The Pond House Cafe in Elizabeth Park. The ceremony was held at the Kingdom Hall in Berlin.

Congratulations, Liz & Tim! Thanks for the non stop laughs!

Shawna and I met at work in Michigan back in 1999… she was a bridesmaid in my wedding almost 5 years ago and brought Jimmy as her date… so you can imagine how happy I was for these two when they tied the knot on July 28th! Their wedding was down on Long Island and Vicki and I attended the rehearsal dinner and after party as well. It was a little bit weird to me - being a guest as well as the photographer, but it sure was fun! I got a little bit spoiled sitting at a guest table next to one of my best friends, getting served all of the courses, having a waiter to bring me beverages and getting to play games for the centerpiece giveaway! Vicki loved that she got to capture me being a guest as well! Vicki was such a huge help and I can’t thank her enough for working so hard so that I could at times just be a guest as well. It was such a treat for me as Shawna, Ginger and I had not all been together since my wedding in 2002. Ginger lives in Michigan, Shawna is in Long Island and I’m here in Connecticut - funny that we all met in Michigan! After a Mediterranean cruise and a visit to Croatia, my friends are back home and enjoying married life.

Congratulations, Shawna & Jimmy and thank you so much for everything!

Ginger and Shawn- likely to be the next wedding I’ll attend as a guest! =)

Yeah, they kiss a lot!

My crazy girls!

Sad that the wedding is over!

Ginger and I at the after party

Me and my girls!

I have had this crazy electronic charge surrounding me or something - my friend Nichola says it’s a positive charge causing things around me to short out - I told her it sure feels negative, but I like her take on it! I’ve somehow managed to cause my phone, computer, car and the fan switch in my daughter’s bedroom some major grief! Everything seems to be in working order now, but I had to buy a new phone (the delicious BlackBerry 8830 World Edition!), had my car serviced 5 times in the last month - mostly for them to tell me it’s a happy car and basically that I’m crazy - and I bought some more RAM for my computer to make the horribly gut wrenching “fatal system error” messages stop and get my programs to start running smoothly again! I think I may have missed some phone messages in the last week or two due to my phone issues, so if you left me a message and did not hear back from me, I sincerely apologize but I did not receive them!

I will be posting lots of new stuff later today and tomorrow - now that I cured my computer’s awful hiccups!

It’s been a really crazy and busy couple of weeks around here! Last Friday Vicki and I headed down to Smithtown on Long Island to photograph my old friend Shawna’s wedding (to Jimmy - can’t leave him out!) and started off with the rehearsal dinner. The next morning, bright and EEEEAAAARRRRLLLLYYYY we were with the girls getting ready for the ceremony that was to take place at 10 AM - the earliest wedding I’ve ever heard of much less photographed! Guys - did you know that the female half of the bridal party typically takes 4+ hours to get ready? These girls started getting ready at 4:00 AM - that’s right, I said four o’clock in the morning and weren’t ready until a few minutes before the scheduled 10 AM ceremony! Wow… I have tell my husband that next time he complains about me taking so long to get ready! Seriously - any future brides reading this, please listen to this advice - however long you *think* it’s going to take to get ready (after consulting with your stylist and make-up artist), add an hour and a half! The day started immediately with delays, but we chugged along and I actually got to play guest a little bit too! The reception ended at 5:30 and an after party followed… it was a long, long day! I finally got back to my hotel around 11:30 PM and still had to prepare for the next day! Sunday I had the pleasure of second shooting for the fabulous Sandra at Eau Claire Photographics for a super cool couple, Cynthia & Ian, in Setauket (also on Long Island). We had a great time, despite the rain!

After my stay in Long Island I came home for a session with one of my favorite clients and her newest addition to the family, followed by a session for my husband’s Aunt and her best friend (which has inspired me to get photos with my best friend!). Thursday I met with an awesome and fun loving couple to discuss their September 2008 wedding and there were even talks of me doing a free-fall to get some great shots! They totally cracked me up and I hope to be seeing them again soon! Note: I will do *just about* anything for an awesome shot, but a free fall….. with my camera? That would be a negative. So don’t expect to be seeing photos taken by me from 10,000 feet unless I’m in a commercial plane photographing from my window seat! =)

Today was yet another incredibly relaxed and fun wedding - Lizabeth and Tim rocked and I can’t wait to share their wedding images! This is two weddings in a row that the bride and groom chose to do photos together before the ceremony and let me just tell you… both weddings were so laid back and stress-free! If you’re worried about traditions and superstitions, let me just add that my in-laws did their photos before their ceremony and they have been married for over 30 years (I think it’s 32)! Just do it - you’ll be glad you did! =)

Whew! So, there’s the update… look for some evidence this coming week!

Not too long ago, I posted Kelli & Todd’s engagement photos… well, they were married July 21st after being together for 10 years! Believe me, that was the one of the key points during the best man’s fantastically funny toast! Kelli was stunning in her gorgeous gown and the (SO my style) white flip flops that donned their monogram, wedding date and signatures of her bridesmaids on the soles! What a cute touch! We had such a great time and I can’t tell you how much fun the (not so) “formal” portraits were! The whole bridal party was rockin’, having fun and totally working the camera! The brick wall and perfect lighting outside of the church was to die for… and we weren’t eaten alive by bugs this time around - what more could you ask for?! I’m telling you, the stars aligned for this one! The reception was held at The Amber Room Colonnade in Danbury and man, was that party jumping - literally! What an awesome time… thanks so much Kelli & Todd for allowing us to capture your wedding story and a huge congratulations again!!

Kelli’s engagement ring in a flower from their back yard

Kelli’s sister Jill writing the date on the bottom of Kelli’s flip flops - so cute!

The awesome needlepoint monogram being pinned to the inside hem of Kelli’s gown for her “something blue”

An emotional hug between Mother- and Daughter- in-law

Seriously, could they look any happier? I just love moments like these…..

Yeah, we decided to play in traffic a bit! Okay, there really wasn’t any traffic, which was a very good thing since I was on my belly in the middle of the road, but it sure was fun!

Gazebos… not my thing… but I loved the sweet lens flare from the sun that spiced this baby up!