technical difficulties

my website has decided to throw a temper tantrum. And I have thrown my hands up in the air. Go Daddy is on the case, and hopefully it will be up and running by the beginning of next week. ANNOYING! Have I mentioned how I love technology!?!


well, if you can't laugh, you cry...so what the heck!?!
BTW, the wedding went great! Thats all I got now, I am too mad about my website ;)

the big day!

Today is Jon & Amanda's wedding day. We got down here yesterday morning. We drove through rain most of the way...I sat in the way back of my car. Dean & my dad had the 1st class section, Matt & my mom had the coach section, and I was in the cargo section. Actually there was a seat and regulation seat belt, but there was suitcases higher than my head directly to my right. Think very cramped!

We got down here and the guys went golfing and we picked up my grandma got a bite to eat, and went to the hotel. Hung out here and then ran a few errands. Went to the church and had the rehearsal and then to the hotel for the grooms dinner. It all went really well. The room is very nice...big king sized bed. see pix below.
My mom, Heidi & I are going to get our hair done at noon, and the guys are all out golfing. pictures start at 4:30, and the wedding is at 7pm. I will post pix of the rehearsal, groom's dinner, and wedding when I get home! Have a great weekend!

random thoughts

Ok, I realized that often I either blog with lots of pictures and no thoughts, or no pictures and just my thoughts.

so, since I already posted some pictures today, here are some random thoughts...

when making mimosas, use "pulp-free" orange juice...trust me!

if you have burned your "delicate" skin in a tanning bed, it's probably a good idea to take a break from tanning till the burn heals a bit...unless you have a wedding to tan for, then by all means burn baby, burn!

Speaking of the wedding, we are at T minus 3 days and counting. I think most everything is done...now it is just making sure everyone gets to where they need to be and at the right time. For those that need to be there for pictures or the grooms dinner, watch for an email letting you know the specific details. I am confident that everything will go smoothly and that Amanda and Jon will have a beautiful wedding! Yeah!

We are just making a "pit stop" at home for the next couple days...then down to the cities! I feel like all I have been doing is packing/unpacking/laundry:repeat.

2 weeks ago, we went for Amanda's shower, last weekend Dean & I were in Perham for a chilly Memorial Day weekend, and on Thursday morning we are heading out again. I haven't even planted any flowers for fear that they will be dead when we come home. Next week, that is my goal.

I am working on some pictures of Kathy today...we did a shoot last Thursday. I met her through a friend, she has a very inspiring story, not to mention super pretty. She reminds me of that song Flower in the Rain.



there...a blog entry with words and a picture. Yeah me! :)
keep an eye on the photo blog for more previews of our session.

addyson's ONE!

Addy liked her cake until everyone was watching her, then she wanted nothing to do with it! :)


it's my party and I'll cry if I want to!


Happy birthday Addyson!
One year old...you are such a sweet little girl. I had lots of fun at your birthday party.


YUMMY chicken for dinner!


Big sister Kennedy, wishing that Addy would check out her new toy.


After the party we went out on the pontoon. Aaron was happy to pose for a fun pic on the boat.

sorry matt!

It was my younger brother Matt's birthday yesterday. 22 years old! isn't he just so cute! look at those eyes! Happy Birthday Matt! Love you and see you soon! Sorry I forgot to put you on my blog on your "GOLDEN" birthday!

so sad

a couple months ago I blogged about our experience going to the Steven Curtis Chapman concert. Today, I heard that in a tragic accident his youngest daughter, Maria Sue was killed. This video is first the beautiful song written about his girls, but the second part of the song is the story behind the song. I encourage you to listen to it, and hug your kids an extra time or two today. And for those of you that believe in the power of prayer like I do...say a few prayers for the Champman family in this tough time.

heres what dr. j had to say

a picture is worth a few words anyways.
The bleed wasn't really a bleed...more of a "suspicious area" this time, so he actually left it up to me. So I turned the tables and said, what would you do? he said if it were his family he would treat it so that it doesn't get out of control...so that's what we did. Of course, nothing is that simple...they had run out of the medication, so I had to go back today to get the injection.
hmmm...I hope the "bruising" goes away before the wedding!!! thank goodness for photoshop!

love

last night Dean & I went to the "Bonnie Hanney" school of dance spring recital. Our little neighbor girl Bailey was out selling tickets, and Dean bought us two tickets. It was kindof fun to get out and do something besides go to a movie or go out to eat. Bailey did a great job. But, more than that, it reminded me of all the memories I have of being in dance when I was little. I loved ballet class...at least I remember loving it. After a couple years, I quit and started ice skating instead. But I have always loved the grace and beauty of ballet. It was a fun date night, but both of us were yawning at 10pm (when the recital got over). Dean has been sick the last few days...cold/sinus type thing...and I worked the past 3 days at 6am. So we were tired. But we managed to get a little bit of our bible read...(we try to read a little every night).

1 Corinthinans 13 (from the Message)
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

I love the message, especially for these very "well known" passages. It gives me a fresh way to look at the Word.
I especially love the line...love doesn't want what it doesn't have. That is sometimes tough for me. I see other people have different relationships with their spouse, and I wish Dean and I had this or that...but real love, Godly love doesn't want what it doesn't have. I like that.

I have an appointment with Dr. J. this morning. I really have not a feeling about what will happen, but I suppose if I plan that I will have to get an injection, and I don't end up needing one that would be better that not expecting it and then I need one. Hmm...did that make sense?

We are going to the cities this weekend for the last shower for A. It should be fun!

new program

this new program that I got, takes a sort of ok picture, and makes you look hot. ok, it improves on what you've got. it can be a subtle as smoothing out your skin tone/texture, to changing the shape of your face. I tried it on several pictures but the only one I will show you is this pretty bad picture of me from Heidi's wedding last summer. 1st off, yes, I am wearing clothes. I hate when you are wearing a strapless dress and they shoot you from the shoulders up. So anyhow, now this is pretty extreme the work to my picture. But you can see the potential. I hope it doesn't freak you out. This is just an extreme example...and I know that you won't like it Chelle. :)~ But I think there is a place for retouching! :) At least for my own personal photos (pics of me that is) HA!

before


after

blogging

I know that I haven't been the best about blogging lately...but really not much has been going on in my world. I worked all weekend...it was crazy busy there. Today I have the day off...I have been working on some photo business stuff, and also went for lunch with Dawn...thanks for the break Dawn. And really just doing laundry and stuff. I work T-Th 7-3. Then on Friday, I have an appointment with Dr. Jordan again. Friday night I will be heading to the cities for one last bridal shower for Amanda...and then back on Saturday evening or Sunday morning. I have some photoshoots coming up next week and the week after, so watch the photo blog for some of those previews. Also the wedding is on May 30th...but as I am a bridesmaid and there will be at least 2 other very talented and even published photogs there, I will keep my shooting to a minimum. I really wish that it would just warm up already!

Haven't heard from the VA yet, but that's ok, because I am not sure what I would say anyhow. Hmmm...not much else here going on.

aaron, my BIL

My brother-in-law Aaron Espe just released his 2nd CD and it is really awesome. The music on my blog is all his, so check it out and if you feel like buying some or all of it here is the link to buy the digital media. Enjoy!

thanks for the permission to use your music Aaron...this way I can listen to your music at work! Oh, I could only include 10 songs on my "playlist" so, I will have to rotate the songs...I cut out 'The Key' for now.

p.s. the album cover (which I realize that you cannot see right now, but if you go to the link above to consider purchasing the music) is a photo my very fabulous sister took, it only took a trip to Roseau and a bribe of some DQ :)

my dream

I held it in my hands today and it was incredible!


I am saving up for this camera, it is awesome!!!
I went into Ritz camera today and asked to visit it. Our visit was short but sweet. :)
This thing is a "beast" I love my camera, but I am ready to upgrade, so I am saving my pennies for this baby. The D300. yummy!

I am pretty sure it says somewhere in the bible that I should not feel this excited about an object...something about
idols but just can't help myself!

just around the corner

You know that summer must be around the corner when you hear kids playing outside in the evenings, birds singing, and my "hub-cap" starts planting his garden. Dean tilled up his garden and used some of our beautiful compost to complete his soil before planting some onions, potatoes, and carrots.



notice the cute little labels that I got on the dollar aisle at target...gosh I love that store!!!

interview

I had my interview at the VA today, I think it went pretty well. So those of you that were wishing me luck, thanks! I will find out what they thought sometime next week. We had "surf-n-turf" to celebrate...king crab legs and new york strip steaks were on sale this week at hornbachers. So that was our dinner. YUM-O.

It is clean up week in the FM area, so on my way to a meeting at the hospital, I cruised the residential areas for any discarded treasures. I found a metal chair and an antique trunk that will be very cool for pictures. Maybe I will even post pictures later this week, as I plan to do more "treasure" hunting. :)

have a great week

pumping the pit *WARNING- this post contains graphic photos*

Rian really wanted to help Uncle Dean

Dean went home last weekend to "pump the pit" if you don't know what that is, please don't ask. Anyways he wanted me to share some of these photos with everyone. It's sort of like a car accident, you can't help but look. Thank goodness they haven't invented 'scratch-n-sniff' blogging. :)

*disclaimer* I DID NOT TAKE THESE PICTURES, NOR WAS I INVOLVED IN PUMPING THE PIT IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM!!! :)

nothing to say

I haven't posted in a while, but I just don't really have alot to say right now. I know that may be hard for some of you that know me to believe. I worked the last 3 days and now I have a week off. I will be doing some serious working on pictures for Sarah...and I might go for lunch for Jill today. Dean and I need to go shopping for a new black suit for him (for the wedding) so anyone that knows a good place to get suits for a reasonable price I am open to input! That's all I got for now. Check out my photography blog for the May special.

Happy May day!