Dear exciting weekend plans,

Dear Caleb, thanks for not thinking I'm crazy and letting a blogger friend you've never met stay with us for an entire weekend. I promise Becky isn't plotting to kill us :)

Dear Becky...we are MEETING tonight! Eek! Cannot believe how much fun we'll be having in a few short hours!

Dear Mexico...can we come back?! I'm craving you like crazy lately!

Dear Friday... this Friday in particular! I've been waiting for you for an awfully long time it seems!

Dear chips and queso...get ready to be attacked tonight.

Dear 5 miles tomorrow...I'm not scared of you anymore.

Dear Reese Witherspoon's hair... I want you. Why, oh why, will my hair never be that cute?!

Dear apartment...I worked on you forever last night. Cleaning is so therapeutic to me, and it finally feels like I can relax. You are great!

Dear entire weekend...hello girl talk, Redbox, pasta, and laughter.

Here's to hoping everyone will have a blast this weekend. I couldn't be more excited. Becky and I have been chatting for a couple months about this weekend and its finally here, it seems crazy (and and PS, Dear diet, you're not going to be perfect this weekend...sorry in advance)!  If you want to follow along with our weekend shenanigans, follow me on instagram! Happy Friday!

Making girl time.

Last night after work, I was meeting with some of my best friends, Lyndsie and Angie, for dinner to celebrate Angie's birthday (which is today!! HAY GIRL, HAAYY!!)!! The drive from work to get there was long, and the drive back home after was even longer...but you know what? Time with my girls is time I will never regret.

It brought me to this post idea. How much time do you spend with your friends, intentionally? Not for big events, birthdays, what have you, but just because? Just because their presence in your life makes you a happier person...because having amazing friends who would do anything for you makes you want to be a better person in general...& just because you love the crap out of them.

I love that after a two and a half hour dinner with these ladies last night, that one of them called me and we talked for almost another hour. About anything and everything, and also absolutely nothing at all. It's a great thing when you can have not only one amazing friend to count on whenever you need them...I've got about 5.

It also makes me happy that my husband can be respectful and know that I NEED time with my girls every now and then...because every girl, needs her girls.

I guess my ladies have just been on my mind lately because I'm squeezing in more girlfriend time this week than I probably ever have, well, ever. Last Friday night, one of my best friends (she's also my SIL), Erin, asked Caleb and I to come over and just hang...it had almost been a month since we'd seen them, which seems insane for us...as we're like always together. Anyway, long story short. Erin and I email...like...a LOT. We email (and text and talk and all that jazz) about everything and nothing, and if I didn't have her to motivate me, and love me, I just don't know what I'd do.

I'm lucky enough to have a few best friends that I know will be with me for the rest of forever. I don't ever want to take them for granted! If you're lucky enough to have some amazing friends, please don't forget to be intentional with them. They are your girls, they get you. You can be crazy-freaking-weird with them, and they won't ever judge you.

Happy omg-its-almost-fridayyyy day ;)

One little rubber band.

Thank goodness, we are a day closer to Friday! I'm so excited for my weekend I can hardly stand it. In the mean time, I also have some fun birthday plans the next two nights...so to say I'm a busy bee this week is an understatement! Then I just remind myself, yes...this week is busy, but its full of amazing friends and there are so many memories to be made. I can't wait to let the festivities begin!!

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A few weeks ago, Caleb challenged us to wear a thick rubber band around our wrists, and anytime we complained about something, we had to "snap" it. Yikes! I found myself at work, complaining about who knows what...its so cold, its so hot,  and just went about my day...then I got home and Caleb asked me the question.

"How many times did you snap yourself today??"...I hadn't. Shoot! How many times had I complained without even thinking twice about it? I swore to myself I'd pay more attention the next day.

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It was insane that very next day when I became intentional about watching what I say, or even what I thought. I found myself about to say something rude about a co worker I didn't care for, or to simply complain about my car or the weather. It was insane how one little flick on the wrist changed my mindset.

What used to be "ugh I really don't like our loud, screaming, fighting neighbors" became "I need to pray for them tonight". What was "I'm so sick of Winter!!" became "at least I have a coat to keep me warm in this snow", & what was once "our apartment is SO not organized..." turned into "at least we have a loving home to live in".

I challenge you to take the next few days and try this out on yourself. Maybe you've done something like this before, how did you like it?? 

Tuesday brain dump.

Hey Tuesday, I see you. I am FINALLY able to wear a dress with no tights today...you win, Ohio weather!! Thanks to everyone for your sweet comments on yesterday's post. Caleb and I are so blessed to get do something we love! Have I mentioned lately how sexy it is to have a husband that has a new love for something I love?!? Well, it is.

I have too much on my mind so today, you get the ultimate brain dump.

I'm way too excited about this weekend. My girl Becky will be here come Friday evening! I got way too excited at work yesterday and sent her a hilarious, totally ridiculous "itinerary" for our weekend. Full of Mexican food, queso, laughter, Skyline Chli, Downtown Cincy adventures, Cheez-its and two sleepovers in my living room. To say I'm excited is an understatement!

Did I mention we're going on a run this weekend?! I don't know how I'll be able to keep up with miss 9 miler up there, but I'm going to try for 4 or 5 this Saturday!

Our Mac now lets us do edits wherever we feel like it. It's been fun teaching Caleb the ins and outs of the software and also waking him up from a nap to edit in the bright light of our bedroom. Have I mentioned we LOVE daylight savings time?!

Yes, another photo booth picture today. You love it.

Yesterday, I came into work and had a huge box of Entemann's Crumb Donuts on my desk. That was pretty awesome.

I accidentally forgot to log my food into My Fitness Pal on Sunday... there goes my 170+ day streak! Oh well, its all about having the motivation to keep logging, and eating healthier.

I have two birthday celebrations this week for friends, and I'm so excited! Birthdays are awesome and I absolutely love celebrating them!

My husband just rocks. He encourages naps, running, and all things fun.

I'm convinced. Girl Scout Cookies are laced with crack.

I'm looking for the perfect pair of yellow sandals for Spring. Help??!

 Genuine smiles are my favorite things in the whole wide world. I'm so happy that I'm privileged to capture these awesome moments!

I hope your Tuesday is wonderful!

"WE DID IT!"

I hadn't mentioned it on the blog, but I was a nervous nilly all week long. Caleb and I were scheduled to shoot our first wedding as "Innovatory Photography" on Saturday. Why was I nervous? I'd shot plenty of weddings on my own, or with my husband...but this was the first one shooting under someone else's name. Remember this post? Where I announced my dreams had come true and our wedding photographers asked us to join their team??

I asked all my closest friends to say a quick prayer for us, and once the day got started, I have no idea why I was so nervous. It was so much fun, and we had the best time ever. We recently bought new equipment, and was so proud of the shots we took all day.

We laughed, we danced, we ate cake cubes...yeah, they were incredible.
We took our new Mac to back up the pictures day of, and also make a fun slideshow for the bride and groom...so we thought, lets snag a shot of us at our first "official" wedding. :)

I haven't talked much about it, but I seriously love being a part of this business. Caleb and I have already booked about 12 weddings with Innovatory for this year, and I can't even believe that! We even have two weekends with TWO weddings. I'm terrified that I'll get no sleep, but I'm so excited!

I've never written this, or even said it out loud, but its always been my dream to have my photography published in a magazine. Like, to see my work, on display? Ugh, my heart would just swell. I'm also excited to say that we, as Innovatory Photography, are now advertising on The Knot's website. I'm excited to see what kind of doors this opens for us.

Man, I just love love.
Here is an adorable shot that Caleb took from this weekends wedding. Enjoy :)

I was also a happy camper to say that Joe (principal photog of Innovatory) came to shadow us for maybe two hours, and loved what he saw in us.

Have a happy Monday!

Good news on my Monday night.

Well....LAST Monday! Many of you who read my blog day in and day out (thank you, btw!) know by now who that adorable face pictured below is. That would be sweet, sweet Nora. Marie, one of my closest friends, and her husband Josh are Nora's awesome parents. Well, they had us over for dinner last Monday night...and during the prayer right before we began eating... Josh said the words "...and thank you that we're expecting. Amen!"

WHAT?! My eyes instantly welled into tears. My mind was blown. I thought; "they chose US to tell!? OMGAHH! THEY ARE HAVING ANOTHER BABY! What will they tell Nora?! OMGGGGG! BABIES!! Yaaay!!" My heart literally almost exploded.

So yes, this gorgeous little gap model below is going to be a big sister!!!

We bought her that adorable little dress!

I can't even begin to tell you guys how much this family means to us. You ever have a family in your life that impacts you almost daily, and you never really stop to thank them all that much? Well, Josh and Marie (I know you're reading this), we love you guys, more than you'll ever know. Thank you for all you have done, are doing, and will continue to do for us. I only hope that this baby will be as hilarious, and absolutely amazing as our favorite little 3 year old.

Have a good day, friends!!

PS - also a huge thanks to all my friends who are getting pregnant, its not helping my baby fever*

*no, we aren't having them anytime soon! I will just cuddle with yours for now ;)

Hello, Goodbye!

Listen here March, this has been the coldest, ickiest, longest Winter I've ever experienced. I'd really appreciate if you'd do your job and bring Spring to life, already! I want fresh flowers on my table that I just picked outside, I want to hear the birds chirping again, I want cute little ducks on the pond, and I most definitely want to hang up my winter coat for good this month. So, help your girl out...& bring Spring!

Since its a new month, its time for Allison's link up; Hello, Goodbye!

Hello Spring cleaning, goodbye Winter clutter.

Hello Caleb's new hair cut, goodbye long sideburns.

Hello mint Oreo donuts, goodbye self control (I mean seriously, its like Dunkin Donuts knows my weaknesses...but I only had one)!

Hello pavement, goodbye treadmills (if this weather ever lets up)!

Hello 4 miles this morning, goodbye flab (I haven't run 4 miles without stopping in years...you could say I'm very proud of myself this morning)!

This included a little walking at the end I'm excited!!!

Hello season 7 of Dexter, goodbye life.

Hello Erin, I missed you ;) don't leave me for a week ever again.

Hoping you all have a fantastic Tuesday!!

PS- shout out to my baby brother. He called me last night, he got a little alarming news at the docs yesterday that has me a tad worried. He should be fine, but your happy thoughts are more than welcome. Love you, bro!