Excuses, excuses.

I have been busy, and distracted and completely procrastinating about posting on here. But, as my grandma says: Enough is enough. (Ok, I lied, my grandma doesn't really say that..)

With summer school well on its way to becoming overwhelming, I am still making time to enjoy my summer. The sunshine is brighter than before, the sweating more intense, but what goodness it is to be able to enjoy late nights, friends coming home, and eating veggie burgers on the grill.

I haven't taken the time to mention details of my INCREDIBLE trip to Africa, but one of the many things that changed me when I returned home was my eating habit. I no longer am eating meat! Surprisingly it is actually going quite well, and as I explore the ins and outs of this lifestyle I will share some recipes that have worked well for me. Starting with my veggie burger dish from last night!

Dillon and I headed to our local Whole Foods market, bought eggplant and black bean packaged burgers, tomatoes, avocados, buns, brown eggs, and onions. We fried the eggs, cheesed and grilled the burgers, sautéed the onions, spread the toasted buns with avocado, layered the tomatoes.

Best. Burger. Ever.

I highly recommend substituting your meat one day this week with one of these. Yum!

The patty I ate was made from gardenburger, black bean chipotle flavor.

Have you had a veggie burger? If so, what was your thought? If not, try it and please tell me how you liked it in comparison!

Let your light shine.

This is the start of something new...

So, for about a year now I have had a desire to begin a collection. This thought has pondered my mind continually. It wasn't until I was shopping for work in Atlanta last January that what i would begin collecting finally hit me.

I had thought about collecting everything from aprons to teapots, and broaches to coffee mugs. I knew that whatever I decided to acquire I wanted it to resemble me in some way. I wanted it to reflect my passions and relate to my personality. I wanted my combination of goodies to be original as well as easy and trendy to display.

After much thought, like I said, I dedicated my collection to the finding of retro cameras. The rules of this process are simple: 1) only add to your collection through gifts and 2) tangible purchases. The reason I limited my collection to these two rules is because I want to eliminate the ease of purchasing online. I feel like a collection is divine through one's accumulation process. I want my collection to take time and be priceless to me individually.

For this reason my accumulation of treasures has been minimal. Spring of 2010 I received an older film camera from my uncle and that was the only piece to my wishful display. But yesterday, in the midst of scrummaging through used clothing for my Zimbabwe mission... I found it.

This old Kodak camera is the coolest. I found it - disclaimer: my roommate actually showed it to me - and I knew it had to make it to my shelves. It has a little case and strap to go with it and it just looks so nifty!

Here's a snapshot of it sitting on my desk's bookshelf. Let me know what you think.

What is it that you collect? Or what do you dream of collecting?

Happy days ahead

This summer shall be jam packed with recipes and adventure.

I am ready, are you?

Captured

I found this "Type Design" source via Pintrest tonight, and I am so happy to announce someone understands my addiction to taking pictures. Personally, I have a strong desire to capture every moment of our lives. Day by day life seems to move faster and faster, and I yearn to remember it visually - through photography.

It's not rare for me to get made fun for always having my camera out.  I have even been told I need to attend rehab for my consistent need to snapshot the life that surrounds me. But despite the jokes, I have no desire to stop.

And this design only helps to fuel my itch to click.

Sean Wes

So I urge you to take more pictures and be open to being in more pictures. Days, months or years down the road you won't regret it - even if you do regret cutting your hair a certain way or whatever fashion trend you submitted to.

Photograph your life, and let your light shine.

Breakfast of Champions

I believe that food is a staple to our lives. Not simply because the substance is something our body needs to survive, but it is a consistent feature in almost all bonding experiences. First dates typically involve a dinner, family get-togethers have snacks of some sort, and holidays always end with a home-cooked meal and lots of conversation.

So often you see married couples of many years eating silently across the table with "nothing to talk about." But I find it hard not to converse when someone so handsome is sitting directly in front of me.

I'm talking about Dillon.

Not too long ago we decided to clear our morning schedules and get breakfast in a place I had never gone before. If you know nothing about me, here's one valuable fact: I love breakfast. Dillon knows the way to my heart, and after already dining at this small local downtown diner, he immediately decided that I had to go, and he was going to take me.

I'm so glad he did.

Longhorn is like an upscale Waffle House - except with pancakes and they don't call you by a pet-name. Dillon and I were so intrigued by all the menu choices we decided to each get a meal, as well as share a plate of pancakes.

Needless to say our table was so full we had to remove extra condiments so everything would fit.

You may say gluttony, but I say it is memories.

With bellies full of lots of food and our hearts full of love, our entire morning was priceless. 

Let my experience be an inspiration to you. Add some valuable conversation to your life over a meal this week, and fall in love with the intimacy food shares. Be even more daring and go to a restaurant you've never been before.

Live a little, and let your light shine.

Give me a break

Today marks the end of my last undergrad spring break. My "junior" status in school has been promoted to senior as I project a December graduation. Thus, while writing this blog it came to my attention that having delightful "just because you deserve it" breaks will be coming to a complete end. Unfortuantley, spring break won't happen when I'm a "real person." By real person, I mean an adult.

Ohh, my.... I just cringed a little at the thought.

Nonetheless, I will look back on this week and cherish the little spontaneity I had.  I am well pleased with the extra hours of sleep, the pain in my legs from a decent run and the excitement for the new things that have been introduced into my life.

Instead of giving you a split second recap of my entire break in one blog I decided it'd be best to formulate a few blogs about the days I spent not doing homework.

I will start with the highlight of my entire week.

Wednesday.

On Wednesday I went into the woods with Dillon, my handsome boyfriend, and Gibson, my adventurous pup.

The weather was perfect, the water was cold and the sun was shining. Needless to say, the hike was perfection. That is until Dillon twisted his ankle, but we won't focus on that part.

I have come to terms that the only time my dog ever really behaves is when he's in the woods. I'm not sure why, but I can let him off his leash and pretty much guarantee he'll be nearby rolling in the mud, running the trail or smelling a bush in our path.

It's amazing how good he is.

Gibson climbs rocks like he was born with thumbs and swims in the water as if he were native to it. Ironically, the same goes for Dillon but lucky for him - he was born with thumbs.

I, however, get somewhat prissy when it comes to being dangerous and always sometimes require a piggy-back ride.

On a complete side note, I have lost my red lipstick! It's time to buy a new stick, any suggestions to a "kiss-proof" brand?

Andrew & Kendra - Engagement Shoot

Love makes me happy, and when it is people you adore in love the happiness is enough to make you want to explode. Kendra and Andrew are so madly in love. They've been dating for 4 years, and over Christmas break Andrew finally popped the question.

After seeing them interact as a couple it is so obvious they are best friends. I was so honored to be able to photograph an engagement shoot for them, despite the freezing weather - it was literally snowing that day. For me, the entire experience was a learning one and I can't wait to do it again!

So here's some of what I captured of this God-fearing, forever-loving and continually-laughing couple. Enjoy!

Oh, it is love.

Today I got to go out with one of my best friends and her darling fiancé.

I did my best to capture their priceless love on camera. Here's a sneak peak of what I was so lucky to be a part of!

Sleeps well with dogs...

This weekend I went away, and I arrived late last night.

I took a business trip to Atlanta, where I shopped till I literally dropped buying product for my work.

When I arrived home my dog, Gibson, was exceptionally excited to see me. So much so after a few minutes of jumping, licking, wagging and running he lazily put himself to bed.

My adoration was in fact reciprocated and I too zonked out soon after, but not before I captured a good dozen or so (52 to be exact) pictures of him sleeping.

Here are my favorites!

Is he not precious? Love extra on your pooch today, they deserve every bit of it.

85 mm

I've learned a lot about photography lately:

1. lens are expensive
2. lens make all the difference
3. i desperately want a low-light lens
4. having a lens w a low aperture works wonders

Most of this knowledge was discovered after my dad let me borrow his 85 mm (which I love everything about it except the fact it's so flippin' zoomed in.)

I'm just so impressed how the 85mm takes photos. Everything is exceptionally clear even though the only light offered is that from our dim light-fixtures. I took these pictures late one evening, and it perfectly captured the view.  Enjoy, and if I might add - Gibson, my precious pup, is one of my best models! Isn't he so photogenic?

Since playing with this lens I've been researching what will offer me the same effects with a more wide-angle, close capturing frame, and I seem to be stuck on a 35 mm or a 50 mm - each with an f-stop of around 1.8.

Do y'all have any suggestions? The more budget friendly the better.

Small Town Escapes

This weekend was our much belated fall break, and let me tell you if it wasn't this weekend I'm not sure I'd still be alive. I know for a fact I was suffering from an overload of due dates, midterms, and examinations that fall break couldn't come soon enough.

But instead of spending my break tucked in bed and eating nothing but brownie batter, I drove four hours with my fantabulous roomie, Allie, to visit my old suitemate from my Knoxville dwelling days.

Cara is the girl who lead me to Christ. She is a true woman of God who changed my lifestyle for the better, she's always challenged me, and I appreciate her wisdom and honesty. Despite her intimidating good-looks, she is one of the most down to earth people  I know.

Cara lives in a small town outside Greenville, SC - and since there's nothing to do where she lives, we spent the entire Saturday roaming the streets of the incredible downtown of Greenville.

Oh. MY. I want so badly to buy an overpriced flat and live here for the rest of my life. Here's some moments I capture from this sunshiny visit.