Blythe K Photography Blog

Motivations

2013-05-20T10:00:00.000-04:00

for the week ahead.

This past weekend the weather was warm, a little rainy, and my sister-in-law graduated from Creighton! She is going on to Law school in the fall and we are all very excited for her. So this weekend there was a party and I, of course, brought my camera to capture some photos of all the family and friends!

I love having my camera with me when I get outside and being able to actually carry it around now that my weight limit has increased is helpful! I can't believe how quickly 10lbs added up while recovering. Walking the dogs was and sometimes still is painful especially with all the rabbits that are living around our complex. I was also able to get in the pool yesterday! It was a short swim but it felt so good to do a full body workout!

So this week I'm really looking forward to:

More time with my in-laws! Since I'm not working and Joe works 13+ hour days it's nice to have people around.
Swimming! I'm able to submerge myself in water and since walking was great but I ended up pushing a bit too hard before I am going to swim for a while to get my heart rate back up without any impact to my body.
Pool time! The outdoor pool opens at the gym TODAY, which means sunshine and lots of vitamin D! THEN the public pools open next Monday! I cannot wait!
Interviewing. I've been called back for one company to come in for a second interview and I'm hopeful to hear from another this week.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Monday!

Congratulations again to my sister-in-law!

Unemployed & Inactive

2013-05-17T13:11:00.001-04:00

For Me Friday

I knew being inactive would be tough for me. I don't sleep well and I'm constantly watching what goes in my mouth to avoid weight gain as I spend most of my time on the couch - chocolate is still a tough one but I TRY! What I didn't expect for this time in my life was that I wouldn't have a job and I have to say that being inactive is nothing compared to the boredom, frustration, and constant concern that comes with applying for jobs and going to interviews. I have always worked. In high school I worked year round and in college I worked full time in the summers, during the year I was taking classes and too active in groups/activities but did have a part time internship my senior year. I haven't had more than two weeks off in YEARS.

I know I'm fortunate for having interviews within two weeks but the time seems to go so slowly by as I sit, apply, wait, interview, and wait some more.

My parents and Joe are encouraging and I can't express how incredibly thankful I am for their support and encouragement despite my sometimes negative or discouraged attitude. What I'm trying to learn and take away from this is thankfulness that Joe and I budget, thankfulness that I've had this perfect opportunity to recover (today I'm feeling much better than this time last week), and I'm learning to rest/relax/enjoy my life.

Needless to say that without a job we aren't going out or spending much money but we've almost completed season two of Mad Men, I've figured out how to make chocolate ice cream with just bananas and cocoa, and I've had the chance to spend more time with my sister-in-law since she'll be moving away at the end of the month after she graduates this weekend!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Happy Friday!

The Last Wedding Detail

2013-05-16T10:49:00.002-04:00

THE Wedding Album

Do you ever take a picture, load it on your computer, share it with your friends/family via email or other social media, and then forget it's there a few years later? Well, I absolutely didn't want our wedding pictures to be lost on a computer or hard drive that could possibly crash for ANY reason.

Back when my parents got married, my grandmother put together a wedding album for my mother by printing pictures and carefully laying out each photo on very special archival pages. Those pictures are still in great condition and in an album my parents still have, no matter what happened to the original photos that were taken. Preserving our wedding day for my kids and their children to look through was really important to me so of course I jumped on a professionally done album by our photographer. My album is quite different from my mothers since the pictures are printed onto the pages, not slid into corners and behind a protective cover but The quality is amazing!

Katelyn did an AMAZING job on our album and honestly it took me forever to take these pictures because it just doesn't do the album justice! So know that the pictures look slightly off sometimes because of the light bouncing off the pages. I guess I need to work on taking pictures of pictures.

Our album is 38 pages, it's massive and heavy!

I just love our album, it's definitely going to be one that stays out for everyone to see!

Spring in Full bloom

2013-05-14T00:00:00.000-04:00

Flowers!

Spring has FINALLY showed up here in Omaha and I took the chance to run out and take some pictures of flowers. I LOVE fresh flowers and practicing. I'm sure the pups were thankful they didn't have to sit and stay for 20 mins until I finally capture the picture I want of them. Flowers are a great subject, they are pretty and if the light comes through the trees right, I get really giddy!! You'll see a few of these pictures below!

Enjoy! Happy Spring (finally)!

And finally, I had to retake this photo. This winter I took this exact photo when it was dark, gloomy, and cold. Now that it's spring the picture just looks happier, the construction is an amphitheater that they are putting in for Jazz on the Green! I'm so excited!

Motivations

2013-05-13T08:30:00.000-04:00

for the week ahead.

Another week filled with networking, job hunting, and interviews ahead and I have to say that I'm hopeful that this week is a bit better than the last when it comes to hearing back from companies. I've heard from a few, today is my second interview but I really would like to hear from more to at least have a chance. The more the better!

This weekend the weather was much nicer than it has been in a while. The mornings were chilly but lead into warmer afternoons with a light breeze. It's supposed to be 80 today and 90 tomorrow! Talk about finally feeling like summer is on the way! Since spring has FINALLY arrived the trees are starting to bloom and I have a fun few pictures to share with you tomorrow!

This week I'm looking forward to:

My interview this afternoon
Warm/Hot weather that is finally joining us!
My doctor's appointment later this week to (hopefully) clear me, though I'm not sure that will be happening after all the trouble I've had the past few days
Relaxing. This is a big one. I've had trouble relaxing the past few days and I really hope that I can do a little bit of this soon so that I heal faster.

Meet the cute little bunny that Joe's cousin saved from a mean hawk and hungry dog.

May Goals

2013-05-10T12:10:00.003-04:00

Goals

Better late than never, right? I feel like that's been the theme this month already. I cannot believe we are already 10 days into May. These past two weeks have been a complete whirlwind. I have always been one to work and I as nice as it is to sleep in and not have many responsibilities I can't say it's restful in any way. I really want to give my sincerest apologies. Between recovery and job hunting I have been neglecting my blog. Add it to my list for this month!

Personal Goals

find a new job
recover completely from my surgery
walk 6-7 days per week, working my way up to an hour+ (carefully!) so I can being marathon training in June

Photography Goals

It's certainly hard to focus on photography and my blog during this time but maybe it's also a good time for me to put MORE focus on it
Vendors: meet 2-3 local wedding vendors (florists, etc)
Business Cards: print a new set of cards to pass out to vendors
Get outside and practice, any takers on hanging out to take some photos?

There really aren't a lot of goals for this month but hopefully I can find a job and re-evaluate before the month is up!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Grace Not Perfection

2013-05-08T11:22:00.003-04:00

Newlywed Wednesday

I'm sure many of you have heard the saying, hold yourself to a standard of grace, not perfection. This week has certainly been a challenging one for me and this morning I was reminded, yet again that I shouldn't be bending, pushing, pulling, lifting, etc to avoid overexerting myself since my surgery. This is supposed to go on for about 2 weeks...at least until I'm cleared by my doctor.

It's REALLY hard for me not to clean this apartment, dishes after dinner, vacuuming, dusting, making the bed, laundry - I hold myself to a high standard. Especially when I dont have much else to do besides go online and apply for jobs. I would feel silly if Joe came home to a messy apartment. So against doctor's orders, I've been cleaning and making the bed. As if I'm invincible and what the doctor said is just a guide line and won't affect my health or that Joe will be upset if he comes home and the bed isn't made and dishes aren't put away. Neither of which are true.

I'm not invincible and Joe actually hates that I'm so crazy about making the bed and he's been offering to the dishes since I've been home so that I can rest.

So starting today, I'm going to try to let go. It's only about another week and my husband won't love me any less if the apartment isn't perfect. I'm sure him and my doctor would rather see me recover faster than slowly with a perfectly clean apartment.

So watch out couch you're about to be my best friend. (Except for my daily 45 mins on the treadmill - they said I should be walking.)

Happy Wednesday!

Motivations

2013-05-06T15:47:00.000-04:00

for the week ahead.

This week has been a bit rougher than a normal week. This post is going out late because I've been running around, when I should be resting job hunting and ironing my old business clothes from college.

Yup, you read that right. I'm job hunting. It came as a bit of a shock as I layed in my grandmother's living room trying to maintain a level head as the anesthesia finally wore off and the ibuprofen and vicodin kicked in to take the edge off my surgery just the day before. Despite the bad news I can only think that there is a plan for me and that there is something out there for me. I just hope it's sooner rather than later. Even though I'm supposed to be resting all I can feel is useless and lazy without responsibility.

So this week I'm extremely motivated and also thankful for many things!

My health! My surgery went well and smooth, there were no complications and the extent of the issue was low, stage 1 endo! I couldn't have asked for better odds or news.
My husband...Joe kept an extremely level head when I broke the news to him that I had been let go on Friday. These past few days, as I walk as slow as a 90-year old woman and hunt for a job here in Omaha, I reminded Joe that he promised to love me: "...for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health..." - who would have thought he'd have to do both at the same time so young ;)
Supportive family! Joe and I are extremely blessed to have an amazing family. My mother flew in and with the help of my aunt and grandmother cared for me for the past few days until I could fly back to Omaha.
Supportive network. My newly previous coworkers are amazingly supportive and helpful as I begin the job hunt. This is a blessing and a motivation. The last time I was unemployed it only lasted about a week before I had signed a contract for my most recent position. I can only hope and pray that history repeats itself. I have no reason to hang my head and I don't think they would ever let me.
On the plane yesterday I read the Runner's World Complete Guide to Running. Since I can't do much besides walk for the next few weeks I decided to take the time to do my research before I being marathon training in June. This book was REALLY insightful and filled with many great tips and a training plan.

Well, back to the job hunt! Enjoy a few Instagrams from my past few days! Happy Monday!!

See You Monday

2013-05-01T11:28:00.000-04:00

From Atlanta

This morning I flew from omaha to Atlanta for my first ever surgery. I guess technically wisdom teeth count but for some reason I'm much less nervous about having my teeth pulled. My mother flew in to meet me and care for me while I'm here and I couldn't be more grateful for her support and love through all of this.

I will be away from my computer for a few days as I prep and recover before my return to omaha on Sunday night.

My full recovery should take about four weeks but I'm hopeful I won't be out of it for too long. Walking will hopefully grow on me as I start slow and get ready to train for the Omaha Marathon.

For those of you curious about my surgery, I will refer you to the blog of a wonderful lady who had shared her story and her insight through a documentary, here.

I hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the week and see you on Monday!

Our Recent Visitors

2013-04-30T08:30:00.000-04:00

Personal

Like I said yesterday, my dad and aunt drove my car to Omaha for me! How awesome is that?! We squeezed in quite a few activities for the >24 hour period they were here but I really think we made the most of our time! It really helped that we had a BEAUTIFUL weekend for walking downtown and exploring the city.

Omaha has quite a bit of history and is filled with corners that you wouldn't think existed. As Omaha has grown they have consumed several of the towns surrounding the area which makes for unique areas, each with their own personalities and characteristics. Joe and I often talk about visiting one in particular Dundee, we drove through the main street and it was ADORABLE! I really look forward to a dinner out there at one of the cute little restaurants.

Anyways, we didn't get to go to all the neat areas but we took them to the main ones that Omaha has that we thought they would really enjoy.

We started after dinner on the patio in midtown, just outside our apartment building. From midtown you can look downtown, it's a neat view but not the best one we have for sure.

After dinner we headed downtown to walk the old market, ball park, and walking bridge. A few of my favorite spaces. The old market has some really adorable boutiques and interesting restaurants. If they would only make it pedestrian only it would be easier to walk around.

It was hard to get a picture of the bridge at night...but here is a picture of the ball park from the bridge!

The next morning we had a wonderful breakfast (if I do say so myself) and then headed out to walk around Creighton University and Boys Town.

We had a great lunch and then dropped my dad at the airport. The rest of Sunday was spent outside, we took the dogs to the park and enjoyed the sunshine before my Aunt needed to catch her flight back to Chicago.

It really was a great weekend and I'm so incredibly thankful for such supportive and loving family members that will make that drive to bring me my car!

Anyone else want to come visit!? We love entertaining and having people over!

Motivations

2013-04-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

for the week ahead.

This weekend my dad and aunt were super family members. My dad drove my car from DC to Chicago, stayed the night and picked up my aunt, then they continued together on to Omaha. They arrived here Saturday just before dinner time and both flew out late afternoon the next day, spending less than 24 hours with us! Talk about a treat! Saturday night we had dinner by our apartment then drove downtown to walk around old market, over to the new baseball stadium, and finally to see the walking bridge. Sunday was another hectic few hours as we squeezed in a good breakfast, Creighton's campus, boys town, and lunch - all before dropping my dad off at the airport! They couldn't have come for a most perfect weekend.

For the first time this spring the weather was actually warm enough to only need a light jacket when the sun went down or sitting in the shade and Sunday was even warmer, hitting almost 80 degrees! It was the perfect weather for open doors, baking, cleaning, and taking the dogs to the park. It made me all around happy!

This week is going to be crazy but also exciting. My car is finally here and I have some errands to run before I leave on Wednesday morning for Georgia. The weather isn't looking so great for our visit, which is really disappointing but hopefully it's just a normal Georgia spring with bright sun, scattered clouds, and an afternoon rain shower lasting 30 mins at most.

A few motivations that have me excited about the week ahead:

My car is finally here! This is really more for next week since I fly out on Wednesday morning but at least it's here and looking good!
I have some big cooking plans! Bison chili in my slow cooker for Joe! Easy and delicious food for him to take to work or eat when he gets home - while I'm gone.
Wednesday I get to see my mom, not the greatest of circumstances, surgery isn't fun, but I'm thankful that she'll be there.
Thursday morning is my surgery and that afternoon I begin recovery.
Thursday afternoon and through the weekend I am spending with my mom, grandma, and aunt in sunny/warm Columbus Georgia and I'm really excited for walks around the lake (slow walks) and afternoons by the pool, laying in the sun!

I hope everyone has a wonderful start to their week!

Here's a peek into our weekend!

Random Thoughts

2013-04-26T13:01:00.003-04:00

For Me Friday

This has probably been one of the slowest weeks of all time. Could be because work just had me running crazy, working late nights, and busy busy busy or it could be because I know by this time next week I will be sitting by the pool at my grandmother's house. I love Georgia a lot, the people are nice, the weather is warm, it almost always rains in the afternoon while I'm there (mother nature's way to remind me to eat lunch), and spending time with family is always so enjoyable, regardless of the circumstances. So today's post is just a few random thoughts I've had this week between working like crazy and trying to remember to take care of myself.

Next week won't be much of a relaxing vacation, though there will be a lot of relaxing. If you're going to be uncomfortable and forced to recover from surgery I would have to say that the best place to do that is by your family pool. Sounds much better than being inside stuck on a couch or in bed. Agree? Awesome. Happy weekend & enjoy a few of my thoughts!

This past week I FINALLY finished all of our thank you cards! They are off, in the mail, and I am so incredibly thankful to have that tedious task done. This sounds really unappreciative but honestly I don't mean it that way. My hand was cramping and I swear my pen almost stopped writing even thought it wasn't out of ink. It's truly exhausting. A few things kept me going though, my awesome return address stamp, the pretty-ness of our thank you cards, and the fact that I meant to have this dont by the end of February and checking this off my to-do list is like lifting an elephant off my shoulders.

You know that feeling where you are staring at an entire closet of clothing but still cannot find something to wear. I'm starting to have that same feeling and frustration with my cookbooks. I have many cookbooks, everything from easy 3 ingredient to vegan cookbooks yet I still can't "find anything to cook." How ridiculous is that!? Probably just as ridiculous that feeling I get EVERY time Joe calls and wants to pick me up for dinner with his coworkers...WHAT AM I GOING TO WEAR!? When you live/work in yoga pants all day putting on jeans just seems like a chore. Sundress weather, where are you?!

I've been counting down the days until Wednesday. That's day 1 of no working out. I probably COULD workout but I can't eat ANYTHING that day so I'm not sure how good of an idea that is...I'll just be starving MORE all day. Anyways, The first week of June is going to be a rough one for me and to get me through I've already started my research on walking. If I can't do any "intense running" I'll be in the gym walking on the treadmill, maybe I'll take a few laps around our park outside but if I can't take the dogs I will feel guilty. So I set myself a plan for keeping myself moving, every day! I'm determined to kick of training for the Omaha marathon come June 30th and not moving certainly won't get me there.

Mad Men is a great show! I know I'm about, a lot of seasons behind but where have I been!? This show is wonderful. I just love the way they have portrayed the era, the characters seem to have quite a bit of substance and background. Joe and I started watching it on netflix and are about half way through the first season. I'm addicted! I look forward to just hanging out watching this great show and even discussing some of the traits of the era. If you haven't, you should, watch it!

My daddy and aunt are visiting this weekend! My car is FINALLY on it's way across the country. Right now my dad is somewhere in the middle of Ohio making his way to Chicago to stay with my aunt, his sister, before they set out for the last leg of the trip tomorrow! I'm so thankful for such amazing parents and family. I mean really, what a great dad! Driving MY car to Nebraska for me!

image by Katelyn James Photography

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!

Lessons from Our First Apartment

2013-04-24T14:05:00.000-04:00

Newlywed Wednesday

Renting and sharing a space with Joe is MUCH different from renting an apartment in college with roommates.

It's amazing the little things we overlooked and will definitely keep our eyes peeled for next time!

I always thoroughly read contracts and our apartment contract was no exception. We absolutely needed to be sure we agreed with all of their terms. Thankfully I did this because there have been several issues that have arisen over the last 4/5 months that they have needed to come and fix and thankfully they cover everything, we don't owe them.

What I didn't look for when we came to look at the apartment were things that seem important but we take for granted. So next time, I'm making lists and checking for these things, they definitely aren't deal breakers but it's always nice to know...

Lighting. You wouldn't believe that I didn't even check for overhead lighting. We visited the apartment during the day and the entire back wall is covered in windows so I didn't even think about lights, I was just so in love with all of the natural light pooring in during the day. DUH Blythe, night time is dark and it would be nice to flip a switch and see. Instead we had to run out and buy a bunch of lamps, we have 4 lamps in our living space and 2 in the bedroom - I still feel it's a bit dark. Thankfully the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry rooms have overhead lighting.
Closet space! We THOUGHT there was enough storage, our apartment is almsot 1000 square feet and we have a entry closet, storage space in the laundry, and a walkin closet in our bedroom... unfortunately we now realize that we definitely need WAY more closet space. I really would like to buy some type of storage cabinet to hold things but we haven't really gotten around to that yet.
Wall studs. Our apartment around the wall of windows has steel studs. Joe and I could not for the life of us figure out why our screws wouldn't hold the rods for our drapes. Then a few weeks ago I had some people in our apartment running tests for a condensation issue we've been having and I overhead them discussing that we had STEEL STUDS. How disappointing and frustrating!
"Stainless" Steel appliances. Our appliances look nice...when they haven't been touched. I swear I have to wipe them down regularly to keep them clean. This wouldn't be an issue if it wasn't for the fact that they provided cleaner for stainless steel appliances that only made them look worse! I haven't asked but I don't think it's real steel. Not a deal breaker but something to think about for sure.

Anyways, some of those things are kind of nit-pickly...I mean who really cares if your rental has faux stainless steel appliances. I just find it frustrating to clean. Thankfully my mother heard windex works well and it REALLY does!

I'd love to hear what you look for when you are looking at a potential new home, we will be apartment hunting again soon!

A Few of My Favorite Things

2013-04-23T15:17:00.001-04:00

Personal

Honest moment: photography life in Nebraska is slooooooow. Last night I was thinking about how much I missed that time with people/friends. I always walked away excited, happy, giddy, and anxious to edit and share the images I had taken. So I'll be honest again, a favorite things post is both a way for you to get to know me and a little bit of a cop-out for me to photograph things indoors, away from the cold, and still have something to share on my blog. A kind of filler, if you will.

Anyways, there are items around our apartment that just make me happy and I wanted to share them with you today!

1. my bird cage from the wedding! I love this bird cage, it's the smaller of the two that we had and I put in 2 of the mason jars we had straws our straws in and a few of our paper products, menus, programs, etc, and finally topped it off with a piece of the ribbon from my bouquets. It's just a little snapshot of our wedding that sits on my dresser.

2. my iPad! I love apple products. I'm a total nerd and obsess over my iphone, imac, and ipad but my ipad is one of my favorite things because it's like a giant version of my phone and makes mobile Pinterest, web browsing, and blogging that much easier. (bonus! I found a Lilly Pulitzer cover to a little bit of my personality!)

3. my monogram! Joe gave me this necklace for our wedding and I just love it. I've never had a monogram and even though my last initial wasn't changing I waited until our wedding to get one. The chain has already broken once but thankfully a jeweler fixed it up for me good as new!

4. our albums! We don't have our big official Katelyn James wedding album yet but these three brighten my day every time I flip through them. Notes from our photo booth our guest book, and our new wedding reception album. A fun way to relive and create a keepsake of our engagement pictures and wedding day activities!

Have a wonderful rest of your day!

Motivations

2013-04-22T12:42:00.003-04:00

for the week ahead.

This weekend was slightly chilly but BEAUTIFUL!! The sun was shining and Sunday was actually kind of warm!

Next weekend is looking even nicer, Joe and I are both hopeful that the weather starts to level out at the end of this week. We have MORE snow in the forecast for tonight and rain through tomorrow evening. As the end of April comes closer we are really wondering where spring is and if it will EVER make an appearance here in Omaha. I'm starting to wonder if spring exists or if the midwest just makes a giant leap from winter into summer. Snowing one day and the next we'll all wake up and it will be 80 degrees! I can hope right!? I think so!

There are so many things to look forward to this week! I'm really excited about this week and weekend!

This is my last full week of running and working out until almost June. This is actually a sad thing but I'm excited because I have so many plans to go running and take spin classes, yoga, pilates, and barre burn this week! (see why, here)
My car is coming this weekend! My dad was awesome and decided he would help out by driving my car out this weekend instead of me needing to figure out how to ship my car! Which means I'll have my car and my dad is coming for a visit! He might even bring along my aunt after his stop overnight at her house in Chicago!
Vitamins! I've never been a huge fan of taking vitamins. I have always been determined and aware of eating to get all of my nutrients. With surgery coming up and the lack of sun I've been taking high levels of vitamin D (since the sun barely is shining here in Omaha), vitamin B-12 (for energy), and vitamin C (for help in recovery after my surgery next week). I even bought a daily pill box to keep me on track! I'm proud of myself for not missing a single day in over almost a week so far!

Here are a few Instagrams from the past few days!

Have a wonderful Monday!

Squeezing in Workouts

2013-04-19T10:42:00.000-04:00

For Me Friday

Running is my "me time." I enjoy at lot of activities including yoga, pilates, and spin/cycle classes. But running is that one activity that is for me, owned my me, and purely controlled by me. You could call me a little bit of a control freak but the pace is mine and he distance/route are mine. It's really just relaxing and fulfilling.

Earlier this week I signed up for the Omaha Marathon! I am so excited to be doing something so big for my 26th birthday! Marathons are fulfilling challenging, and so full with energy. It's running in any race setting, be it a 10k, 10-miler, half marathon, or full marathon is incredible. The energy around you and the excitement each time you pass over that timing pad at every mile marker is just wonderful.

As excited as I am for the marathon and to begin training I know training won't be easy. That challenge has only been made a bit more difficult recently - I will be undergoing surgery on May 2nd and have been told to avoid intense running for 4 weeks and I can't carry more than 10 pounds for 2 of those weeks. Thankfully, based on the training program I chose I don't NEED to start training until May 20th and I can walk and do light activity for the 4 weeks after surgery.

The last time I ran a marathon, the Marine Corps Marathon in October 2010, I just didn't train well. I was so tired with work and commuting that training just wasn't practical. I ended up with stress fractures in my foot and was told I couldn't run for at least a month or two. That really sucked! It put a huge damper on my running, and made me scared to try a marathon again, I may even remember saying...never again!

This time, I work from home and have no commute which means NO EXCUSES! Ok, the heat might be a bit offsetting BUT I just have to be prepared and with the way spring is going so far the summer months may not be THAT bad. I found a great beginner Marathon Training schedule through POPSugar Fitness. Their 18-week training program is perfect for me since my mileage won't be very high after 4 weeks of no intense running.

In the mean time, I have 12 days to workout and you can bet I'm not letting any of them go to waste! I have all of my workouts planned, I have at least 2-3 options per day, mixing it up with running, pilates, spin, barre burn, and yoga. That should keep me on my toes, motivated, and not bored! I can only imagine how hard it will be to not be able to workout most of May, there's definitely a huge difference between unable and "I don't feel like working out." Unable always makes me really anxious to get back on the road.

Have a WONDERFUL weekend!

An Apology & Warm Weather Wishes

2013-04-18T12:16:00.000-04:00

Pretty Scenes

I wanted to use my blog post to apologize for the severe lack of new images, actual images from my camera, and lack of pretty couples and pictures. Moving to a new location has forced a reset button to be hit. Without too many local friends or a car it's been difficult to get my name out there.

Some good news? I have a few shoots lined up for you and I promise to have at least a few wonderful people for you to meet within the coming months!!

In new-ish photo news, I seem to ALWAYS forget that I do try to take scenery shots, or detail shots during my sessions (wedding or engagement). This helps me with a few things, filler photos for verticals, capturing the pretty area that my lovely people have chosen, and sometimes they are just nice to have - I mean let's be real, you can imagine I have plans for a few of my hawaii shots!

Since Spring won't join me here in Omaha (it's actually snowing outside right now with expected ACCUMULATION of 1-2 inches), I want to share some pretty warm weather photos with you!

It doesn't get much warmer than a Hawaiian winter!

I'm not usually a silhouette person but how beautiful is this!? I love a good sunset and those trees were just PERFECT!

(side note, I always give my scene shots and details to my clients/couples)

Happy Thursday - I don't know about one else but I'm SO glad it's almost Friday!

A Birthday Goal

2013-04-16T12:18:00.001-04:00

Celebrating 26 Years

I like to run 1 race per year, minimally, and in DC this is super easy. The Army 10-miler, the MCM half, the MCM marathon, the Cherry Blossom 10-miler...I could go on but I won't. Moving to a new city I was determined to continue my trend and was certainly challenged.

Finding the Omaha Marathon certainly wasn't the easiest thing to do. In early January I found the Omaha Marathon, unlike the Marine Corps Marathon this race doesn't seem to fill up or become sold out within minutes. So instead of registering right away I took some time to debate on what I wanted to do. Do I want to go all out and register for the full marathon or stick to my comfortable level of 13 miles?

I don't know if it was watching the tragedy at the Boston Marathon that gave me that extra push or the fact that the race is 2 days after my 26th birthday and it's one way to tell my age that if I feel younger than that number than that's all that matters but either way I registered for the FULL MARATHON!

I've decided to push it a little bit harder and run 26 miles for my 26th birthday! Talk about an awesome way to kick off my 26th year of life!

Here are a few from when Joe and I ran the Marine Corps Marathon! Such a rewarding and amazing race!

**all proof images were pulled from the race sites.

Motivations

2013-04-15T15:03:00.000-04:00

for the week ahead.

Spring? What is Spring? Last week I was all excited about warmer weather and the hope of it being on it's way but unfortunately Nebraska has not blessed us with beautiful weather. Instead, I'm staring at dark grey skies and wind blown trees with the humidity of an overhanging snow/rain storm. The slash exists there because the temperature is SO low that lately it's been a mix of snow and rain and a little bit of hail.

Summer cannot come soon enough (June 21) since Spring doesn't seem to want to make an appearance I'm really hoping this doesn't give us a preview of how the summer will be. At this point I am looking forward to the type of heat and humidity that makes you long for a freezing cold pool.

Despite the gloomy weather there are so many things to still keep me motivated this week!

A new carpet (well, area rug) - Target had a sale going on area rugs and you cannot imagine how excited I was to see the neutral, soft area rug there on the shelf! The last one! I've been looking for an area rug to put in our living space and this one is just perfect!
puppy snuggles - I just don't seem to tire of how adorable our two puppies are, together, playing, and sperate. They each have such different personalities and it's definitely taking time for them to love on each other a bit more but watching them lay together is so wonderful.
Our reception album arrived in the mail last week and I am SO thrilled with it! (photos coming soon)
Our wedding album is being ordered today!! THANK YOU THANK YOU KATELYN JAMES!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Monday!!

Long Weeks & a Quick Eat

2013-04-12T08:41:00.000-04:00

For Me Friday

Fridays this week have seemed further and further away as the weeks pass. A combination of gloomy weather, busy and chaotic to-do lists, and the hope for a warm weekend have really made the weeks difficult and weeks seem like an elusive and fleeting.

One thing I did gain control of this weekend was my food. Meals this week have been yummy and healthy. I have quite the list of things to do today so instead of a long and lengthy post I wanted to share a quick one with a super simple and delicious recipe I've been using for lunch and dinner. (side note: I'm one of those people that can eat the same thing for days on end without getting tired of it)

Maybe I'm one of the few weird people that actually REALLY likes brussel sprouts but I think if they are cooked the right way just about anyone can really enjoy them. This recipe is super easy and only takes about 5-10 minutes to prepare and cook

Brussel Sprouts

Start by warming you pan with olive oil on med-high heat.
Grab 5-10 brussel sprouts (depending on how hungry you are).
Slice them into halves or quarters (depending on their size).
Drop the brussel sprouts in the pan and add the lid, let cook about 5-7 minutes.
Turn off your heat and add pine nuts and sliced almonds, season with salt & pepper.
Shake the pan (holding onto the lid) and let sit with the heat off another 2-3 minutes.
Serve hot over pasta or cous cous (my favorite)

(I tried to add a picture but unfortunately my image hosting isn't working very well...)

Happy Friday!!

Feeling Married

2013-04-10T09:00:00.000-04:00

Newlywed Wednesday

After 3 months we are still asked how it feels to be married. Both of us are totally stumped by this question and even talk about it sometimes since it feels like we should have a "good" or "perfect" answer for this seemingly important question. Yes we are in love, yes we love each other more and more every day, and yes we love that we finally live together and don't have to say good night over the phone. But what we've both agreed on and realized is that we don't really FEEL any different. We are both so comfortable and happy living together we didn't even think about that there might be a different feeling about being married.

Calling him my husband and being known as his wife is still weird but wonderful. Getting used to my new last name is taking some time. Since my maiden name starts with a K and my married name starts with a K I've caught myself slipping into old habits. K L I...I mean, K R Z...you can probably see where I get caught up easily.

Anyways, we have both found that this just feels right and maybe that is the married feeling, maybe that's what we should be telling people when they ask, how does it feel to be married? It feels right. He's my best friend and I get to live with him, sharing the good and the bad, but each night knowing he's by my side and loving me unconditionally.

Happy Wednesday y'all!

photo by Katelyn James Photography

For the Love of PASS

2013-04-09T11:06:00.000-04:00

Lessons Learned

Last week Pass released and you can only imagine my incredible child-like excitement as I uploaded galleries and played with the new BEAUTIFUL layout!! I shared some of those galleries with you all last week, here.

The first gallery I uploaded was Krissy and Graham's engagement session, you probably remember them from early in the year. I shared Krissy and Graham's gallery with the Pass facebook page and received incredible love from the community! I just couldn't think of a better way to thank them than publicly on my blog! I'm so excited about the new pass, the sharing capabilities and the ease that it creates for my clients!

Downloading, sharing, guest book commenting, and so much more! Who wouldn't love to show off their images with such a wonderful and easy website!

Motivations

2013-04-08T13:01:00.000-04:00

for the week ahead.

Happy Monday y'all! I hope everyone had an amazing weekend! As spring finally starts to pick up here in Nebraska I just want to spend lots and lots of time outside! Our doors and windows are always open in our apartment and the park outside is filled with residents walking and enjoying the benches! Running outside is finally comfortable and refreshing - trading the winter running gear for lighter spring gear!

The sun will be hiding behind clouds for the rest of the week (according to my weather app) which doesn't put a smile on my face BUT at least today will be warm, high of 79 degrees! I don't look forward to snow later this week but that's just part of the unpredictable spring weather, right?

In super sad news, Lilly Pulitzer passed away yesterday. Very sad! Most of you probably know, I LOOOOVE Lilly Pulitzer's brand. Here is a quick tribute, a few of my favorite Instagrams posted (by myself) over the past few months.

In lighter news, I am looking forward to lots of pretty flowers blooming here in Nebraska soon, hopefully! I've been super jealous of all the BEAUTIFUL cherry blossom photos going up from back in DC! It's amazing that I didn't go to the festival even once but at least we got to see the Cherry Blossoms a few times! Now onto a few motivations for the week!

Candles - I love a good candle and I found the most amazing smelling candle at HomeGoods the other day! In fact, I already burned it to the end, kind of sad!
I finally went out to get a basket for our doggy toys! With two dogs, one being a puppy, the toy situation felt like an explosion! I was constantly tripping over toys, now they are all in a spot the dogs seem to appreciate this.
HomeGoods! I found the HomeGoods here in Nebraska, THE ONLY HOMEGOODS! It's not in the most convenient spot but I've found it and it's a glorious placed filled with tons of things I want for our little apartment!
We spend another Saturday afternoon at the cabin this weekend! Despite the wind and Maddie's severe anxiety it was a beautiful day to be outside. Rex enjoyed himself and Joe played with his new Axe, a toy given to him as a wedding gift. You can imagine his excitement!

A few Instagrams from the past week! (sorry for the one repeat!)

Happy Monday! xo

Bad Blogging & Spring Fever

2013-04-05T14:59:00.002-04:00

For Me Friday

I had blog posts set up for Wednesday and Thursday but failed to get them published, bad bad blogger! To be completely honest I've been distracted, tired, and really busy this week with other things non-photographer related.

I promise to work on being better this week and more focused. On the bright side!! The new pass was released this week to the public and I was SO excited that I put up 3 new galleries!!!

Now that it's spring is anyone else going through a bit of spring fever? I LOVE leaving our back door open for the refreshing breeze! Also - can we talk about spring cleaning!? I am just loving the fresh feeling of a clean apartment and an open window and door breeze! After such a long shut-in winter the fresh air is such a relief. I hope it's warming up for everyone else as well!!

Happy Friday y'all!

April Goals

2013-04-02T07:30:00.000-04:00

April Showers Bring May Flowers

IT'S APRIL!! Excuse the super old picture, I just wanted a flower and we don't have any blooming here yet.

I love spring and I cannot express how excited I am about all the warm weather coming our way!! Sundresses, flip flops, outdoor activities, and tanned skin are all on my top favorites list about summer and are truly the highlight of my year.

The flowers have BARELY started blooming here in Omaha, the trees only sparsly are showing buds for the leaves but thankfully the weather forecast for the week shows a steady incline towards 70 degrees!

This morning, despite the chilly-ness, we went on our first spring run outside! Running with two dogs is certainly a different experience but one that I'm sure we'll get used to soon. There's definitely a lot more to look out for when you have two dogs running along side you!

As spring FINALLY makes an appearance I look forward to getting outside with my camera more! Omaha is a totally different city than I'm used to, the vastness and diversity of each corner is incredible. From downtown in the Old Market to out west with the corn fields and beautiful neighborhoods there are so many different areas.

Personal

get outside more! run, walk, weekends at the river or park, and exploring Omaha
keep the apartment CLEAN! I love having my daily to-dos that minimize the amount of work I have to do at the end of the week
take the dogs to the park DAILY
budget budget budget
ship my car to Omaha - FINALLY!
finish wedding thank you cards...I can't believe I'm still working on this. MAJOR apologies
run, get in the gym, and get ready for bathing suit season!
book our honeymoon

Photography

find more topics for lessons learned
blog 4-5 days/week
get outside and shoot more, practice.practice.practice
meet vendors & become more active in the wedding industry of Omaha
really finish the website

Have a wonderful Tuesday! & Happy April!