Prom!

Remember me telling you about my fabulous friend Jalene?  And that we were shooting prom together?  If not, pay attention!

Kidding:c)

Prom was Saturday and I must say, it was so much fun!  I attended the same school but we weren't allowed to have proms because of an old will, a man of many beliefs, and a church.  It's too much to go into now.  We had banquets.  They were fun...but now I know what I was missing. 

Jalene handled the posed pictures and I shot candids.  I fought off and on with my external flash, but finally when all the lights were turned off for dancing (except some strobe lights, don't worry) I got it.  But what I found out about high schoolers dancing is, they dance toward the center of the room.  I have a lot of pictures of behinds.  And the two times I pushed through to the middle?  It was dangerous!  I still got some good shots though.  Jalene on the other hand?  Not many people wanted posed.  Sad really.  Those that did didn't have money with them.  From what we've heard about the previous photographers, people weren't impressed.  Hopefully we can build trust and show them how awesome we are, and by the Fall Ball (that we also get to shoot), they'll know we rock!

I could share some of my favorite pictures from the evening, but instead I wanted to share the most popular one.

This is the picture I put on Facebook to ask which shoe was better. 

It got a lot of comments.  And the results were split almost down the middle.  Luckily I was too distracted after I took the picture to take them off so I picked the bow one based on comfort.  Sadly an hour and a half in they were no longer comfortable.  Thank goodness I'd worn flip flops there to set up and switched into them before the dancing started:) 

And about the dancing.  I'm a good little girl who never really learned how to.  My church didn't condone dancing so I just never did it.  Times have changed and now it's okay.  Sadly it's too late for me.  I can step touch, but that's about it.  But you know what happens when you're taking pictures of dancing teenagers for three hours?  You have to let it out!  I busted out a few step touches every once in a while.  It felt so good!

Don't worry, it was dark and I doubt anyone saw me.

They were blind from my flash:c)

A Day Off!

Do you remember that excitement when you had a day off of school?  You stayed up late the night before and slept in the next day, just because you could?  Well my girls were planning a late night last Thursday.  They were just waiting for Shawn and I to leave the den and the remote to them. 

But they didn't quite make it.

My Curly Hair

My first day back to running didn't start well.  Cold, windy, and drizzling.  But I was going no matter what.  Mainly because I knew Karreen would be waiting on the corner.  That accountability can really come back and bite you in the behind, can't it?  So my straight hair and I started out.  And when I got back I had 'the curls'.  Not the wavy, half curly, have to work really hard on it curls.  'The curls'. 

The pretty/could never make it happen on my own/would pay big bucks for/perfect curls.

Can you see it?  You have to look close because it's only the top layer of my hair!  I've discussed my cursed hair before, but it bears repeating.

Sigh...If only I could make that happen without a cold drizzly run.

My New Love

I know that I am constantly falling in love with things.  New phones, photography things, food...but this is a new love. 

I have found the perfect toenail polish. 

For about three years now I have been completely faithful to OPI's Midnight in Moscow.  It's the perfect black without being black.  That makes sense, don't worry.  I strayed a few times, but always came back. 

My friend Karmen gave me the best tip a few years ago.  Own the color you get when you go for a pedicure.  That way if you get a chip before you're ready to go back you can fix it yourself.  That tip has saved me so many times. 

I had forgotten to take my perfect shade a few months before the San Francisco half marathon so I picked a pretty purple.  I loved it.  It was so TNT purple.  When I went back for my pre-trip pedicure I picked what I thought was the same color and it turned out pink.  Bright pink.  Luckily our Mitchell's Angels shirt were pink so it all worked. 

Since then I haven't had a pedicure.  I'm not in training so I can't justify it.  My feet look bad, yes, but that doesn't matter.  Well, I found a way to make it justifiable.  When you put your feet into bed at night and slip them under the sheets...and the sheets go with them...it's time.  Luckily I started training for my next half marathon a week later. 

When I walked in I knew I wanted purple.  The purple I'd had before.  I picked the darkest one I could find and set in for my time with the massage chair, I mean the pedicure!  But something happened as my lady was shaking my bottle....I saw what the lady next to me had on.  I instantly asked for it.  Five minutes later it was mine. 

So here's to my new love.

It's glittery, but dark, but light. Yes, I know that makes no sense. Let me 'splain.

In indoor light it looks brown.  In outdoor light it looks purple.  And in direct light it sparkles. 

Hello perfect color! 

I'm thinking it's time for another pedicure:c)

And in case you are wondering, I believe it's China Glaze.  I'm pretty sure that's the only brand they have at my place. 

Go forth, paint!

i heart crumbs

I have a sweet friend I met when I joined the Phoenix Mitchell's Angels.  I fell in love with Renee the first time she opened her mouth.  She's hilarious!  And sweet.  And cute.  I could so easily hate her, but she won me over with her humor.  Not only does she run and entertain me with her Facebook status updates, she also bakes.  Amazing things.  And she wanted me to take pictures of her creations so she could start a website and eventually a bakery.

We started with cupcakes.

My newly purchased studio lights and I showed up at her house this morning ready to go.  But the girl wasn't ready!  Her excuse?  She can't do the math to half a recipe so she just made 11 full recipes of cupcakes.  They were everywhere.  Literally. 

As I set up she got started.  6 pounds of butter, 9 bags of powdered sugar, a Prozac, a 5 hour energy drink, and a Red Bull later...she'd made 9 different recipes of icing and frosted enough for me to photograph.

Here are some of my favorites.