WEDDING PORTFOLIO

WEDDING PORTFOLIO, a set on Flickr.

Wedding season is upon us. If you're planning a wedding I'd love to talk to you about your photography needs. It's important to me that I capture what my clients are about.  My style is "Fun, Creative, and Beautiful."  If that's what you're wedding photography needs include, then I'm your girl! I promise to work within your budget!

Oh Tuesday you're here and almost gone...

Tuesday night and here I am a belly full of roasted veggies and organic sour cream...oh me, oh my, the goodness! The smell, the taste! The roasted veggies BROUGHT IT! 


I took some photos of my co-worker Fabian.  He has his own  t-shirt company.  He made a business card that I think it SUPER CUTE. It's folded paper, like origami, and looks like a little shirt. I had to take a photo of it. Everybody, meet Fabian and his super cute business card! Check out his website (which he also designed and built). If you need T-shirts, a website or graphic design for something give him a shout, he'll hook you up! 

My other cowork, Cindy, or Cynthia as I like to call her, took a photo of me. 

I think it's funny! We laughed. 

We had freezing rain recently. It iced all the trees in the most beautiful way. It was like icing on a cake, so nice to look at. On my way into the parking lot at work I had to stop and take some photos of this tree. The bokeh (circle spots of light) are actually the light reflecting on the ice. 

I'll admit I was kinda of mean today, if you saw me you probably wouldn't even know it, but it was in there, just below the surface, bubbling away. I got home and had a good workout to sweat out the mean!  Honestly, I feel better!

Exercise, for me, is more for my mental health than anything else! 

Hope your Tuesday was a great one! 

Don't forget to put yourself first! You're worth it! 

What's Up With Me...

Have you heard the Jennifer Hudson song, "Feeling Good?" I'm posting a video of it here, be sure to check it out (be sure to pause the music on my blog so you can hear Jennifer sing her guts out). I am not really a Hudson fan, but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this song and her version of it! It's from a Weight Watcher's commercial.  She got on board with WW and lost an undisclosed amount of weight. I've heard her talk about it and all she wanted to say was that she's now a size 8. Kudos to her, really, this weight thing is a b.... and it gets worse the older you get. If you struggle with losing weight and keeping it off I know you totally get it.

I'm being honest and real here and will confess that I've struggled with my weight for major portions of my adult life. I'm an honest to goodness emotional eater, throw in hormone loss, lack of exercise and you have a depressed, out of shape mess who prays daily for victory, freedom and help, which I feel has finally arrived!  I recently had a doctors appointment and some testing done and am awaiting the results. The doctor started me immediately on bio-idendical hormones and some supplements. Upon starting what she gave me I started feeling better the next day! I also recently bought a recumbent bike and have been doing Peak 8 workouts. Sweating and oxygen to the brain makes a significant difference in your outlook on life, I know this to be true. God has brought this all together, it's my time, it's my season, it's a new day and  I am "Feeling Good!" I have an undisclosed amount of weight I am going to leave behind. I'll just say that I'm going to be a size 8. 

Currently I'm reading the latest book by Suzanne Somers, "Sexy Forever," it's good and worth a read if you're forty or over.   


Shout out to Tinney Automotive!  I recently got a new car, they hooked me UP with a beautiful new Chevrolet Cruze, which has been amazing on gas. If you need a new or used car go to "Tinney Automotive," ask for Randy Bugg, or Vince Swift, be sure to tell them that Julie O'Dell sent you.


I should be working on my taxes so I can mail them to my tax man, I'm not, I'm bloggin!!!!


I'm loving my job! There's two Graphic Designers in my office that I oversee and we have big fun! I love them both so very much, they're good peeps!


Had "Knitting Night," at my house last night with some friends at work. It was such a great night, these are lovely ladies. We laughed, we cried, well at least I did, I always do. 


I'm looking forward to date night on Thursday night with some of my kids, I cook, we eat, watch our favorite shows and hopefully eat some chocolate. Some good chats, laughs, good eats, good times! 


Last but not least check out "Joss & Main." It's a site that you can join, for free, they have daily sales on unique home items.  I love it! Check it out! 

I'm still feeling citrusey (not a word but I'm taking a stand and using it). For "Knitting Night," I made some water with lemons, limes and oranges in it. May the force of citrus be with you...and I pray your "Feeling Good!"

FACT: We Have A Winner!

Like: The fact that it stays lighter longer in the evening.  

Like: Spring starts next week! 

Don't like: That when the time change happens we lose an hour of sleep. I feel like I'm still adjusting, but never fear I've taken a big girl pill and will carry on! 

Fact: We have a winner for the $40 CSN Store coupon. Drrrrruuuuurummmmmmmm rollllllllllllllllllllllllllll pppppppplease..........................................and the winner is CARLY SHOEMAKER!!!!!!   Carly I'll be contacting you with the coupon code to use for some fun stuff on the CSN Stores website. Congrats and enjoy! 

Fact: I recently purchased a recumbent bike, and more importantly have been actually riding it! Feels great to get the oxygen flowing. 

Fact: I have an appointment at The Born Clinic in the morning to have some blood work for my hormone levels.  I'm excited about it. I have wanted to have my hormone levels checked for a long time, I think it's going to be a key for getting my mojo back. 

Fact: My favorite Yo Gabba Gabba song is "Keep Trying." For those of you who don't know what Yo Gabba Gabba is;  it's a Preschool show with some great characters and guest band and artist appearances. I watch it with the grand babies on Friday night popcorn movie nights. 

Fact: I'm still loving citrus! Saturday I was doing a bit of a fast, I made a smoothie with these ingredients; the juice of one lemon, juice of three oranges, juice of one lime, frozen raspberries, frozen blueberries, half a banana, frozen strawberries, a handful of organic baby spinach and a teaspoon of coconut oil.  Blend the crap out of it and drink!   AWESOME!!!!!!    

Don't stop, don't stop

Don't give up, don't give up

Keep trying, keep trying

Don't give up, don't give up

Keep trying, keep trying 

You'll get it right, you'll get it right

Don't stop, don't stop

You'll get it right, you'll get it right

Keep trying, keep trying

Don't give up, don't give up

You'll get it right, you'll get it right! 

(sung to the tune of Keep Trying)

Simple message and oh so repetitive. 

For those reasons it gets stuck in your head, and is good for your soul! 

An Art Form and a Giveaway!

Today on the way home from work, driving through the fog, and wet roads in my apartment complex I was going slow just incase anyone was on the street walking their dog. On a street to my left I noticed a guy on a bike turning out onto the main road. This in and of itself doesn't sound very interesting but he was riding his bike and holding in one hand about eight plastic bags stuffed full of what looked like bottles and cans. I watched him ride down the road with ease and said to myself out loud,"That's an art form right there!" I've seen this guy before, he rides through my apartment complex on a regular basis looking through dumpsters for bottles and can's. Today it looked like he'd had a good day. It made me think back to a time about twenty five years ago when my dad would go around his town and look for bottles and cans and cash them in. He'd save all the money and then send it to me in the mail. It was something he did for me to help me out financially, how endearing is that? It meant so much to me because it sure wasn't glamourous for him to do that. He'd wear a one piece jumpsuit and would on occasion actually get into dumpsters if he saw bottles or cans in there. What a guy, what a character he was, what love for me he was exhibiting. I hadn't thought of this in years, such a nice memory. 


On to other things:I mentioned that I started a new position recently. I am loving it. I have two coworkers in my office that I'm having a ton of fun with, and yes we are getting work done. Lately we've been talking about how we want to rearrange our office to create creative work flow (at least that's what we're calling it), we're just ready to change it up a bit. We've been drawing diagrams and ideas on a huge whiteboard (thank you Betty for the hook up). One of the things we want to do is switch up our office desks.  


This leads me to my March Giveaway! Starting today, Wednesday, March 9th, 8:00 pm, and ending on Sunday, March 13th at 8:00 pm. To enter just leave me one comment a day, any kind of comment, just one per day one per person. I will randomly choose a winner on Sunday night and announce it on Monday.  The winner will get a $40.00 gift certificate to CSN Stores.  If you haven't checked them out you should, they've got everything, seriously everything, except they don't have a guy riding on a bike holding multiple bags of bottles and cans with style and finesse, but that's a good thing. 

The photo has nothing to do with anything about today's post...I just like it! 

It's my work boyfriend in his cowboy boots! ;)

Quiet mornings...

This morning is like most of my mornings, me propped up in bed with pillows, my journal, bible, prayer notebook and my coffee. My quiet mornings started when I was a brand new Christian, my kids were little and to say my day's were busy would be an understatement. Just to find the time to be with God I would have to get up early in the morning while my kids were still sleeping. I have such fond memories of those day's, which over time have had a profound influence on my life. It's my quiet mornings that get me anchored in for the day. It's my time to say "hold me," grab His hand and hold on tightly. It's my way of saddling up and getting the strength I need to face what the day will bring. It's my time to put God first, which activates the principle "What you do with the first blesses the rest."

I just heard geese flying over my house, headed north, which is a good sign. I hear birds outside tweeting happily greeting the morning light. It's funny I can't see the sunrise from my quiet morning post but I can tell that light is arriving because the birds announce it and then are quiet again. One of my favorite verses is, 'When darkness comes light will come busting in, for the upright." Psalm 112:2. Day and night, dark and light, God is faithful through it all. I learned this from my quiet mornings!

I love my quiet mornings, if I'm running late for work it's because I don't want to leave the trysting place. The reality of my quiet mornings is that it's "Our time together!" Good morning everybody!

Citrus Love...

I recently started a new job, and it's keeping me a lot busier.  Photography and blogging have taken a hit, sorry for the very sparse updates on here. As I settle into my new normal I'm sure I'll get back to taking photos and blogging.I just thought an update would be a good thing.


Lately I have been loving all things citrus...eating oranges like nobody's business, lemon juice in water, yummo! 

 

If life is giving you lemons right now,
just know that everything is gonna be alright!
I truly believe that the best is yet to come,
I'm counting on it! 

Happy Friday!

Do you want to go to the seaside...

During my morning Bible reading time this morning the very first thing I read was about Jesus and the sea, two of my favorite things! 


Mark 4: 1 & 2, And again He began to teach by the sea.  And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea.  Then He taught them many things by parables.


The part that got my attention was, "And again He began to teach by the sea."  It indicates that Jesus spent a lot of time by the sea, I LOVE THIS!   The creator of the sea enjoyed being by  the sea.  The creator created something that He enjoyed being by.  Friends and neighbors I'm here to tell you that He feels the same way about YOU!  He created you and loves to be by you, to be with you.

You may not feel lovable today, but, you are! 

The lover of your soul wants to be by you!

The giver of life wants to be with you! 

You are loved more than you will ever know! 


None of us can comprehend how deeply His love for us is, it's bigger than the sea.  

Do you want to go to the seaside? I fell in love by the seaside,  ~ the Kooks

Finally they're here...

I live on the third floor of my apartment building, my apartment faces woods and there's always a lot of bird activity, so I decided to feed the birds.  Growing up my parents fed the birds, it was always highly entertaining, so just after Christmas I bought a hanging bird feeder and some seed, brought it home, filled the feeder and hung it up.  It's been over two months and finally the birds have found my feeder! I'm so excited they've finally found my feeder. It's now a flurry of activity and I am so enjoying these fine feathered friends.

Happy Sunday! 

I've been thinking about...

I've been working on weeding out some of my photos, in my editing program, because I need more room so I can add new photos.  This is hard, first off to delete some photos then to put ones I want to keep on CD's, and load some to my flickr.   While doing this I came across some photos from numerous trips I made last Spring, Summer and  Fall,  to what I affectionately call, "The Secret Beach."  I'll admit I forgot (out of sight out of mind) how lovely it is there, how much I love it, and how I'm looking forward to being able to go there soon. It's a small public beach on Lake Michigan situated neatly between Holland and Saugatuck.  It's never busy because you have to haul up all these stairs and down to get to the beach.  It's a real work out, no really, a for real hard core workout, at least in my mind it is. Once when I was there a guy was running up and down the stairs, as he huffed past me I said, "Good job, I'm proud of you," I was sitting down.   When I mention to my kids that we should go to the Secret Beach for our annual family photo shoot they all roll their eyes. For me those stairs are part of the charm of the beach. You pull in the parking lot which faces a huge sand dune hill, you can't see or hear the water. You walk up the first set of steps to a wood walkway, then to the huge section of stairs leading up to the top of the sand dune hill, at which point you can see the lake in all it's glory.  Then down, down, down, down lot's and ton's and multiple upon multiple steps to finally arrive on "The Beach."  Getting to the beach is easier than getting out, because the climb up the stairs is harder going up than going down.  You can opt out altogether and use a path on the sand dune hill, but in my opinion this is way harder. I said all of that to say,  "I miss the Secret Beach, the smell, the sound and yes even those stairs." 

You know I've said it a ton before that I love Snow, but, the Secret Beach I love it too! 

Happy Wednesday Everyone! 

Happy Valentine's Day...

Happy Valentine's Day to all my children. This love greeting includes their spouses (and soon to be spouse), because I consider you all my children too.  You've all  such amazing, witty, cool, creative, fun, weird (different is good) great looking people.  I'd like you and want to hang out with you even if you weren't my kids! For real! 

Happy Valentine's Day to my grandkids who are super cute, creative, share my love of popcorn, and who actually like it when I do dancey dance's and sing silly songs! One of my favorite things to do with you, besides the movies and the popcorn is the privilege of getting to tuck you in bed and say your nighty night prayers.  It's so special to me! 

Happy Valentine's Day to all my co-workers. You're all great people and I enjoy working with such a great team! You make me laugh, you make me cry...just kidding!  Only tears of joy from laughing so hard.  Thanks for loving me, now get to work!

Happy Valentine's Day to my future husband, whoever and where ever you are!  I know you're out there, God's promised me, and He always keeps His promises! 

Happy Valentine's Day relatives and friends!  Love you! Proud of you! Good talk, see you out there! 

Happy Valentine's Day to my blog readers, whoever you are, I appreciate you and would love to hear from you.  If I could reach through my computer screen I'd do that now and give you a fistful of chocolate! 

Happy Valentine's Day to the winner of my February Give Away "BuckBarryFan,"  I'll be contacting you to get your address to mail your prize!   

Don't forget to tell the people that you love that you love them!
 Not just today, but everyday! They need to hear it from you whether they think they do or not.  

While you're at it go ahead and hug it out with them too!

In other news I really wish I had some chocolate right now! 

It's Friday...

Because it's Friday...
Because Valentine's Day is Monday... 
Because I recently started a new job...
Because my car is fixed, and I was reminded that I have a warranty to cover all the repairs, thank you Randy Bugg of Tinney Automotive, to whom I am eternally grateful.   :) 
Because I can, and want to... 
Because I said I would...
I'm having a "Give Away!"   Yeah!!!!!   Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Stuff! 
"What kind of stuff," you  ask.    
"I'm giving away some of my greeting cards!," I excitedly reply. 
Here's how it's going to work, post a comment about something you love, once a day until Valentine's Day, Monday February 14, 2011.  
On Valentine's Day a winner will be randomly chosen.  I'll announce the winner and mail the prize. 
The winner will receive 25 greeting cards, made with love, by me! 
It'll be like getting a box full of love in the mail! 
Here's some example's, just so you know what you're getting yourself into. 

There you have it! Get busy commenting and showing me some love! 

Good news, bad news!

First the good news!  I got my first Etsy order today! 

I was so surprised, and delighted! 

  

The bad news, my car is in for repair,

and I found out that I'll need to have at least 

57 more Etsy orders to pay for the repair bill!  Oh boy! 

In other news, Valentine's Day is on it's way. 

In honor of this special love day I'm going to have 

a give away that will start on Friday and end on Valentines Day, 

So stay tuned for more information about that coming on Friday.

Keep up the good work everybody!

Today...

Today, was a lack luster, ultra relaxed day, and I'm glad, I needed a break from busy, busy, busy.  I'm not feeling fantastic, I feel like my mojo has gone out the window (kind of rhymes, a rap star I'm not). When I'm too busy I get mean. I'm here to tell you that if you were around me when I was mean you probably wouldn't even know I was feeling mean, I internalize it, it's just part of who I am.  Also, part of who I am is a quality time girl, I enjoy people one on one, or in small groups, but to much interaction with people and I need a break. I'm not a fan of parties where you have to mingle, especially if I have to go alone, not a fan.  I don't mind being by myself, in fact I need my alone time, or I get mean.  Sorry if I'm Debbie downer today, don't worry I won't be mean to you.   Here's some flower photos, they always make me happy and not mean! 

I recorded the finale episode of "Lost," and am watching it tonight, the second time through.   I forgot about all the back stories and all the handsome men, Desmond, Jack, Richard, oh boy, now I don't feel so mean. 

Happy Saturday night! 

From the Inside Out...

We had a blizzard last night!!! Multiple exclamation points means I'm SUPER excited about it! I admit I wouldn't love having to be out in it, but it sure is pretty to look at. Makes me feel surrounded by love and secure, not sure why this is the effect it has on me, it just does. I have a friend who is also a blogger, she lives on a farm, her post yesterday was about all the work that blizzards create for her family on the farm.  I felt guilty for loving the adverse weather, and also thankful that I don't have a farm to tend to, or a pet to walk. To each his own right? 

This morning was a winter wonder land...lovely looking at it from the inside out! 

The drive to work, slow going but winter fabulous!

Happy blizzard recovery!!!