All Dogs go to Heaven ...

Friday was a sad day, Friday my parents had to make a very hard decision and send Pele up to dog heaven. We found out a few months ago that he had cancer, and even then the vet said he only had a few months to live. We hoped for the best, hoped he would beat it, hope he would live a much fuller life. My mom did everything in her power to make that happen, it was like Pele joined her in battling this terrible disease that keeps taking away the best of our family. It's taken me two days to write this, but I realized I needed to write this and blogging always help me in the same way keeping a journal would. From the minute we first saw him Pele was a part of our family. I remember going to the farm to see some puppies and out of the whole bunch of him I liked him the most. He was much darker than the rest of the pack and I knew my mom and dad were looking for more of an aussie look alike from our first dog. But he quickly became our favorite when he followed us all the way to the back of the farm to check out the adult dogs who were in a different kennel. The whole ride back to West Palm I rode in the back with him as we tried to think of a good name for him. I don't quite remember how Pele stuck but it sure was a great name since he quickly became obsessed with tennis balls, soccer balls ... okay basically anything round and soon later frisbees. He was really our first aussie who was coordinated enough to do the frisbee and he was awesome at it. Awesome and obsessed! I know he lived a really happy and loved life at my mom and dads house ... as there sign says "Spoiled Aussies Live Here". No one will ever replace him in my heart and just like other family members before him I'll miss him everyday because my mom put it best today when she said he wasn't just a dog he was my friend.

Pele I know you're chasing frisbees and squeeky orange balls all day long in heaven with no one to share with ... because I know thats what your heaven would be. I love you buddy ..

Beach Day ...

I am the worst decision maker ever! I take forever to make them and I often second guess myself. When I searched for a camera strap a few years ago I found a cute custom one on etsy.com. I had to search between 2 pages of camera straps and finally after debating for a week I decided. Yesterday I went online to search for a new camera strap, went to the same website and almost died when I saw 77 pages come up. Really? 77 pages of custom camera straps. This is going to take me months to decide! I was waiting for one to just jump out and scream ... Melissa Buy Me! Finally on page 76 there it was ... hearts and these cute little crystals on the end. Totally me and I was sold. Hopefully in a week I'll have a brand new, custom camera strap! Yay :)

Goodbye 2009

With 45 minutes left in 2009 and I think its only fair that I spend this time reflecting on the year and wow on the decade.

Hmmm first the decade. It's crazy to think its been 10 years since everyone was terrified over the millenium. I mentioned to Phil on the way home from dinner tonight that the last time it was New Years for a new decade neither of us had met each other, and who would of guessed what the future held. In 10 years, I graduated highschool, spread my wings and traveled to North Carolina where I went to college on a scholarship, played team tennis, met Phil, met some amazing friends, got a cat, graduated college, moved to Atlanta, bought a townhome, got my first real job, settled in and made friends, got engaged, got married, got a dog, got sick of the cold weather, missed my family, spread those wings again and flew back home, got my second and third real job, moved into my grandparents house, found myself again ... and here we are. It doesn't seem like its been 10 years that all of that happened, but wow it has. 10 years ago my mom didn't have cancer, I had never had a boyfriend, and I had no idea what I wanted to be when I "grew up".

Now 2009 ... it was another year we lived in Florida. I went to Holland twice, once with my dad and the other with everyone. I learned dutch which I have to start practicing again because I actually got good at it! Phil got laid off, which turned out I think to be a blessing in disguise. It made him rethink his passion and career and he opted to go back to school to get his MBA in healthcare administration. I can tell that he's really passionate about it when he talks about class and his eyes light up. I always knew he could accomplish great things and I think healthcare is a field he'll strive in. I grew in my career as well, but the added duties and stress has taken its toll. It's hard when you work so hard for something only to have the people you're helping grow their business not value or appreciate you. But alas so is life. However, a recent turn of events has forced me to take a look at myself and what I'm passionate about and what makes me happy. Life is too short to be anything but happy you know! I did get to travel to the Ukraine, Mexico, Chicago, and Los Angeles with my job which was pretty neat.

For 2010 ...

At the end of 2010 I hope to look back and have accomplished a few things ... I guess you'd call them New Year's Resolutions but more like goals ...

1. My number one goal every year is to always be happy and healthy. I know I'm a happier person living back in Florida where its sunny and warm and my family is close, but its def. something you have to work on daily and that is to be happy with you life. Healthy ... well I gotta keep excersising and staying fit and then reduce that stress level. Phil and I both got so stressed this fall ... him starting school and me with my job, it def. took its toll on both of us and we had to stop and realize whats important in life, our family, our animals, and each other. No job should be so stressful that you work all day and the come home and complain about it all night. Then again marriage is def. not a walk in the park and it's good to have those moments where you realize life is not a matter of breaths you take but of moments that take your breath away.

2. Start up my passion .. so my passion has always been photography and so my hope for 2010 is that I can start up my own business. I'm actually starting it up with a friend of mine and hopefully we have our website up in January and I can start blogging our test shoots over there. I'm really excited for it, and for remodeling a room in our house for a new office/study hall. It's something that really makes me happy and if one day I can make a career doing it then really nothing would make me happier.

3. Travel Some more ... phil and I really enjoyed the traveling we got to do this year. It was nice that he was able to come on a few trips that I took for work and we got to experience them together. We hope to go to South Africa with everyone in 2010 and I hope that really happens! :)

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For the decade ...

I could not have guessed what 10 years would have brought 10 years ago, but I hope for a few things, that myself and my family stay happy and healthy, that they find a cure for cancer, and hopefully one day to start my own family (the 2 legged not 4 legged kind) and make more memories.

So as I sit here on my new desk from Ikea, in what I hope to be my new office, listening to the tons of fireworks going off in North Palm Beach I can smile and say goodbye to 2009 because it really was a good year and it was a fun year, and it was a happy year, and I can say bye to the decade and know that I lived each day and I accomplished a lot of things in my life that I never really even dreamt I could do. I'm happy, I have an awesome family, and I'm really fortunate to be exactly where I am right now.

Happy New Year Everyone ...

America's Next Top Model

America's Next Top Model ... well for a few days at least! To say I have enjoyed the week I spent with the Canon 5D Mark 2 would be an understatement. The same as in the quality of a hundred dollar tennis racket so is the quality of a $2500 camera. It's kind of like a dream finally come true to actually take pictures on a camera that good, where the images are so crisp. I really felt my photography skills and passion come alive this week. I had the best equipment at my fingertips and it allowed me to explore other things while shooting. For instance, anyone can take a picture but how do you make your picture unique and spectacular. You can use the sun and reflect it or you can grab an angle thats just right ... its all in how you set up and prepare ... much like an approach shot in tennis. The approach shot can be amazing or hit the fence ... all things have to fall into place ... your footwork, racket preparation, racket head speed, your head down ... same as in a great photograph. You can make it amazing or it can hit the fence. Another challenge for me is in front of the camera. I've read up a lot on photographers and many of them say the hardest part about shooting is making someone feel calm on the other side. Let's face it, 99% of the worlds population are not models. Making someone feel like a model, posing them, well thats a challenge in photography. Many websites found it helpful for photographers to be the subject. To try new poses and get comfortable in front of the camera and not always behind it. I had to subject myself to be a model this week while others took it for a test drive. It was fun at times and well here are a few of my favorites. And yes we did play a little dress up and frolick in the woods :)

Mom & Breezy :)

I pretty much love everything about this picture :)

I Love these pictures :) Mom & her horse :)

Levi & His Frisbee ...

Levi loves his frisbee and frisbee time in the backyard. He often does these flying leaps and acrobatics mid air. I tried to catch some of them while testing the action quality on the camera.

More camera practice around North Palm Beach ...

My little beach model ...

Phil got tired of being my model but thank goodness I have such a photogenic dog that doesn't mind me sticking a big camera lens in his face :)

Merry Christmas 2009!

We had a really nice Christmas this year! Mom, Dad, Grandpa, pat, phil, and I opened gifts at my parents house that morning. Phil got a laptop, tennis clothes, a cutting board, and some other things. I got some gift cards, a WII Fit, some clothes, boots, and some other things. We had a nice morning opening presents and then Phil and I headed to the beach with Levi. We ended Christmas with some of my dads famous ribs ... yum :) Christmas is my all time favorite day of the year and I was once again sad to see it go ...

Christmas Dinner

Baby Reese

My first baby model was our neighbor's baby girl. She was born December 17th and weighed in at 3 pounds, 8 ounces. By far the smallest baby I have ever seen! This was Phil and my second time to the hospital to visit her and she actually has gained a little weight from when we first saw her. I was able to snap a few pictures and put toghether a little baby brag book for our neighbors. Here are a few pictures that I played around in photoshop with ...