The Nehil Wedding

A couple of weeks ago I had the distinct honor of capturing the wedding of Dave & Katie Nehil.  I've know Katie since she was in elementary school, she's now all grown up and is a nurse.  She was living her life on purpose doing what she loved not ever intending to find that special someone. She works at a hospital, that's where she and Dave met.  They'd been friends for a bit and then the love bug bit them!   Their wedding was actually on Dave's birthday, no one knew that except family and close friends. Dave never thought he'd meet someone like Katie, but he knew from the minute they met that she was special.  Choosing his birthday as their wedding day was the icing on the cake and the best gift ever for Dave! 

             

 The ceremony was at a lovely park in Traverse City and was small and intimate with only about 30 in attendance. 

 

Their reception was big and included family, friends and co-workers and a was a dance fest.  I've never taken so many dancing photos at a reception before but because I knew they'd mean a lot to Dave & Katie I took a ton of them.  The next three photos are of Katie dancing with Pastor Steve, he officiated the wedding and is a close family friend.  She danced him dizzy, literally! 

 These final photos are of Katie and her handsome groom, they had some smooth moves! 

Not only did they have smooth moves but they sure had fun together and with all of their guests! They we're the perfect hosts!   Congrats Dave & Katie I know you'll be so very happy for as long as you both shall live! 

The Harrell Family...

Say "Hello" to the Harrell Family! They're a happy, fun and super cute bunch! 

This is the first grandbaby for Mike and Kathy and they are loving it! 

The grand baby lives in Texas with her super cute parents

so Mike & Kathy don't get to see her / them very often, 
since they were all able to be together we did the photo shoot.

How could you not love this little bug...

 See I told you they were a super cute bunch, I wasn't even lying...

 More cuteness happening...

 We had to take a break to feed the little bug, meanwhile brothers and sisters 
always bug each other, no matter how old they are...see here's proof! 

 As the baby feeding continues, the jump fest begins...nicely done too! 

 As you may or may not already know I am a foot photo lover...

 More super cuteness going on...

 The lovely ladies...

 We'll call these "The Lion King!"

What's not to love about baby feet...

Steve & Cheryl

Meet some friends of mine Steve & Cheryl.  I've known them for almost 27 years.  I wrote in an earlier post about moving to Gaylord Michigan 27 years ago.  I met them shortly after I moved there, we've been friends ever since.  Steve recently celebrated being in ministry for 30 years. He's a Pastor in Gaylord, has been for 30 years.  He's really good at his job / calling...it's in his heart, he can't get away from it, he doesn't want to either in-spite of some major hurtles that have come his way in the last few years. He keeps making the same decision every day, to follow Jesus. He's friends with Jesus too, longer than we've been friends!   I'm really proud of both of them, they've weathered some tumultuous times recently and guess what? They're still standing! God has brought them to a new chapter in their lives and I'm super excited for them.


Not only are we friends but Steve was my boss for a long time.  He was as good a boss as he is a friend.  He may not know this but he was also a mentor of mine.  As a new Christian I sure didn't know what to expect or how it was supposed to work, he was a great example of loving God and others. One of his greatest gifts is mercy, which he gives freely to all and even to me when stupid took over and I messed up (just being honest).  He also has the gift of healing, if I needed healing he'd be the first one I'd call. 


Congratulations to both of them on being in ministry for 30 years!  Well done! Keep up the good work!  I love you friends! 

I'm a smelly girl...

That's right I said "Smelly," not "Smiley" although I do think I'm both, most days.  Recently during my morning prayer time I read a verse that I really liked, due to the fact the I seem to notice good smelling things, which is why "I'm a smelly girl," not that I smell bad but that I have the ability to sniff out good smells around me.  I do like to smell good too, don't most people?  The verse is 2 Corinthians 2:14 & 15 which say's that "We diffuse the fragrance of God everywhere we go and  to everyone around us (Julie Translation)."  I love that!

Here's some of my favorite smells: Coffee, Cinnamon,  Coffee with Cinnamon especially,  Citrus: oranges, lemons and limes, homemade bread, cookies baking, turkey cooking, pine trees, the smell of the ocean, my friend Peggy at work (she wears CoCo channel and it smells so good on her), Gaine Detergent & fabric softener (I put the dryer sheets in my clothing drawers) lavender, roses, musky vanilla, patchouly (I have a perfume that has patchouly in it, I like it but don't wear it much because honestly most people don't enjoy it,  especially men), Acqua Di Gio for men by Giorgio Armani and Fierce for men, I love the way the health food store I shop in smells (not sure what it is but it smells good to me) good pipe tobacco (my dad smoked a pipe from time to time and I loved the smell of it),  and this is weird but I kind of like a slight skunk smell...I know weird!  I also like the way gas smells when you pump it into your car and I like the way hair salons smell and hair perms...I know super weird! Last but not least is one of my all time favorite smells Popcorn popping!!!!   

If I'm by you and you smell good I'll say "You smell good!"   Which reminds me of a show I used to watch with my first grandson, "Bear in the Big Blue House."  The show always started with Bear opening his front door welcoming viewers in, he'd start to talk then stop and sniff, sniff, sniff  around in the air and say "What's that smell? It smells so good!"  sniff, sniff sniff and he move his nose closer to the viewers and smash his nose against the camera, then he'd say "It's you! You smell sweet and so good, You smell good all the time!"   My grandson and I always laughed at that part and repeated it to each other over and over, giggling each time we said it.

It's good to smell good, wherever we go, and to everyone around us diffusing the fragrance of God!

The Bugg Family

 I did this family shoot a week ago...

They're a great group of people...

 The smallest family member, their dog "Riley" 
was always right there strategically placing 
himself in the photos, it was so funny. 

They're a happy bunch,  good  looking too!

It was really a "FUN" shoot, 
topped off with a yummerific meal, 
laughs and great conversation! 

I'm just gonna go ahead and admit 
that I have a crush on the whole family...

The Butterfly Whisperer!

This is my oldest son...he's the "Butterfly Whisperer." 

He and his lovely wife (the sweetest girl I know) and his four kids (the babies)
went on a hunt for monarch caterpillars and  found seven of them. 

The "BW" (butterfly whisperer) made this house for them to live 
and hang in (literally) while they made the metamorphosis  
from caterpillar, to chrysalis, to butterfly. 

Here's one of the butterfly's...it emerged earlier that day.
After they come out of the cocoon they hang like that while their wings dry. 

We had just released one butterfly that was ready to fly. 

This one's wings had dried, which means their wings
open up and they sit around for awhile looking all pretty and butterflish.
It's a great time for the kids to hold them because they really
can't go anywhere just yet, but I'm sure they're thinking about it. 
Thinking about it, but not talking about it, butterflies are very quiet...
quiet and pretty, I love that about them. 

I guess you can tell if they're boys or girls,
 I forget how though , you'd have to ask the "BW" he knows all the facts.
After all he is the "Butterfly Whisperer!"

The "Babies" named each of the seven butterflies...

Here's their names: Pancake, Popsicle, Popcorn  (I'm sure this one was named on my behalf, every Friday I watch a movie and make popcorn with them),
Waffle, Ice Cream, Jerry and Leafy!   

This guy, I think it's Popsicle, is still drying off...

I can't believe that this one didn't get named Pokey...
He kept saying he's pokey, he's pokey.

The last butterfly to make it's appearance had some kind of deformity
on one of it's wings.  The "Butterfly Whisperer" read up on how to fix him up
so he could take off like his brothers and sisters.  He carefully clipped
the deformed part off the one wing and then trimmed up the other wing so they
were the same size. The surgery was successful, when he was ready
"Leafy" was off and  flying and away he went.
Bye, bye butterflies, have fun wintering in Mexico.
When you come back next Spring stop by and say "Hello!"

THE BUTTERFLY WHISPERER...full story coming soon!

SMILES ALL AROUND...

I think we should all smile more...

Even if you have only two teeth...

                                    

Even if you're missing your two front teeth...

Even if you happen to be wearing rubber gloves for who knows what reason. I asked her what she had gloves on for, she just looked at me like "Why wouldn't I?"

And smile especially if you happen to  be a goof ball...
She makes me smile!

Baby cousins gotta smile because they're both so cute 
and happen to be wearing the same outfit.

We can be a blessing to others just by smiling at them!
Smile you'll like it :)

Surrounded by Nuts...

I am literally surrounded by nuts...

Not people who are nuts, but these nuts, Acorns!

All around  my house there are huge Oak Trees, like this one...

It's a constant barrage of nuts falling.
There's a loud ping, ping, ping all around my house 
as they drop and hit stuff, grills, roofs, balconies.
The squirrels run for cover or try to catch them...jokes!
I've got quite a mess on my balcony because of them.
I leave the mess, I like looking at it, makes me feel all woodsey! 

Last Thursday I was surrounded by some people 
that may or may not be a little nuts!
Just kidding!  Some of my kids came for dinner, with hang time after, good times! 
 Baby Ruby was one of them.  This is the toy box she always heads for.  
Toys end up all over the floor, creating  a mess.
 After everyone leaves I like to leave the mess "as is" on the floor for awhile,
much like the acorn mess on my balcony.  Only the toy mess is a reminder that there's some nuts I love more than they'll ever know!
I hope you're surrounded by nuts that you love!