Waffles and Coffee...

Well this is the last week of Colorado vacation time till I head back to New Mexico.  I've enjoyed some quiet snowy evenings and some great family game nights and have this week to explore some of the outdoors of Colorado and be with my boyfriend who is finally here too! Life is a little more complete.

I want to get out into the wilderness areas and take some amazing pictures but this windy weather might just keep me inside for a little while longer. I'm up a little earlier than usual this morning on the account that I went to bed at 11:00 instead of the usual 1:00 or 2:00 that I have been keeping myself up at. I'm planning on some coffee and some waffles to get me through my day.  mmm! very yummy!

Well nothing quite as interesting to post today, more pictures hopefully to come soon!

what I love, my ode to weddings

Throughout my break I've been looking throughout different wedding websites and such because deep down within me it's one of my passions in life, not only the photography aspect of weddings but just seeing two people in love and making that beautiful commitment.  I discovered all sorts of beautiful pictures that I just think is so artistic and inspiring and helps me as maybe a "potential" artist get inspiration. don't worry i'm far from getting married... but This is my ode to weddings... love love love...

lighting is the essence of weddings! 

Invitations and such!

simplicity

I thought this was super clever, the bride made her groom a picture of all the things that she loved about her groom in words.

Love the hair!

love the colors!

loveee the shoes! 

I know this is simple but how can you not love the romantic and rustic feel it has! 

The grand finale... the dress I just absolutely love!! 

watching...

Do you ever feel like you are just stuck in one phase of your life and watching others get to experience the joys of the next phases of their lives?  I feel that way often, and lately I feel like I am just stuck watching and not being able to truly grasp the stage of life I'm in.   I need God to really guide my heart sometimes in being content where I am at and really seeing all the blessings I have in my life.   I find myself wishing to be at a different stage and I know that is not the best thing to do by wishing my life away. I feel like I just want to keep my heart busy so I won't feel disappointed.  It's a hard concept to fully grasp on my own and I felt like pouring these words out.

 I need to pray these things and make God the focus more than me.  Sometimes I want to be superwoman and just do it all on my own,  but lately God is showing me that alone I can't be happy and people can never fully satisfy love, it's God that fills the aches of humans and God who fills the wishes.  I just "wish" I could take that advice more often than I do...

Maybe it's the end of an intense stage in my life as far as volleyball or being in a low key setting right now, but I find myself a little sad at night and pondering what I should do to make things light up again for me.  It seems a new adventure is in need for my life... or maybe I need to embrace the stillness of life and maybe, just maybe, I'll hear the whisper of a powerful God trying to speak to me.

Photo I took in Albuquerque, NM  finding God's stillness 

Free time pictures...

I've been looking over some of my old pictures and picked some of my favorite from my very attractive boyfriend.. I keep wanting to get more photo shoots under my belt and  I might ask him to pose again  :-)

Colorado Time

I've been thoroughly enjoying my time in Colorado and Christmas has come and gone once again. I still have another Christmas to celebrate with my sister and brother n law coming up on New Years eve so it's not quite time to wish away the Christmas holiday quite yet. I had a mini Christmas with my wonderful parents and got some amazing new things for my camera, a new blender, and some other fun things. It was fun feeling like a kid again! Christmas eve church service was equally wonderful and so awe inspiring to believe in the real reason for Christmas, which was indeed JESUS!

It's been quite a different Christmas having a quiet time with just me mom dad and grandma, and I've spent many hours catching my body up on rest and relaxation as well as reading! I can't wait to have it busy again with my sister though, and I miss Lloyd immensely and the sad thing is he lost his phone and there is no way to communicate consistently.  I'm one for constant communication so this might be a longer Christmas break for me in that sense. Missing my I love you and good night messages by the day.

Well in my free time I have taken a few pictures around my house and quite enjoy the new equipment I have. This is a random assortment of pictures.

Not the white Christmas I had expected for Colorado 

The bench on our front porch 

Christmas decor, if you look closely you might see me...

Gotta love being at home sweet home

View outside my window

the Sun was just blazing

yes rocks... but they might be deemed beautiful rocks! :-)

More pictures....

So I think I've finally come to believe that I LOVE taking pictures of people.  I just wanted to share some more pictures of my future nephew.... I secretly love saying that. So here are some more of my gorgeous subjects and their baby.  These ones I created just in black and white and I like how they turned out!

Back in Colorado!

Well it's been a lovely Christmas break so far. It started back in New Mexico where I stayed with the Merino family for a couple days before heading off to Colorado. I had a nice time and enjoyed game nights, Christmas gifts, good food, and of course just being with Lloyd.  Lloyd and I did our own exchanging of gifts and I got him some nice stretchy bike pants so he can look like a professional riding his bike. And he got me something I just absolutely love~ a diamond heart necklace.  He is so sweet to me and I loved it! So Christmas definitely got started off right seeing how I already got what I wanted.


Well then the festivities included Jades graduation party and I could hardly hold back tears saying good bye to Jade.  She has been in every one of my classes this semester, on my volleyball team, senior and captain with me, as well as just being one of my best friends.  I will miss her dearly and just love her! She is headed off to Tuscon to join the real world as they call it.  But I love my Jade!

Jade and I at her Graduation party. 

Now I am back in Colorado and missing my friends, but totally happy to be with my family for some time. I got to attend a dinner party at my aunt and uncles to celebrate my uncle and little cousin's birthday.  We ate Chicago style pizza and played the fun game of "Things"... and it was quite enjoyable.  Then we watched the Jim Carey version of the Christmas carol and while it was close to the book and a good movie, I just didn't like it as much and totally love my Muppet Christmas Carol WAY better.  My sister and brother in love are going to be leaving for Texas today so I am off to just have a nice quiet little Christmas till they get back and we can celebrate on New Years Eve.  They are officially enjoying their first Christmas were they had to adjust to both families. It will be quite the time when I have to adjust my schedule as well.  But for now I will enjoy my simplicity as it comes.

Yesterday my mom and I battled the huge wind of Colorado trying to do some last minute Christmas shopping for my dad.  We got him some cool little things I think he will enjoy.  But we enjoyed a nice Einsteins bagel and some coffee then got some presents for Lloyd and his mom (which they are going to love) and then raced around Colorado Springs searching for little things.  I do love mindless days of shopping with my mom, it's some of the greatest times.

Well now I must remove from my bed even though that's the last thing I would like to do today but the world of Colorado Springs awaits.