Hello there, bloggettes! Sorry this post is coming so late in the day- I had my first Skype mentoring session with a sweet photographer from Chicago this morning so I was running around trying to prep! You know the lateness is noticeable though when your husband texts you to ask if you’re going to blog a Monday Mash-Up post :).

How the heck was everyone’s weekend? Mine was AMAZING. I’ve decided that non-wedding Saturdays are henceforth to be spent doing something I really love, and lately, that’s involved spending a lot of time in the kitchen. I’ve never been an inventive cook, but I AM good at following directions, meaning I can usually avoid making a total disaster in the oven as long as I have a recipe to follow.

• Mashed parsnips are declious- who knew? I really thought parsnips were one of those legendarily disgusting vegetables that parents force their kids to eat, like turnips, but dang. They’re delicious! It’s like a more fibrous version of mashed potatoes, but with a sweet aroma kind of like cinnamon. Totally making those again!
• There’s a HUGE spider the side of a quarter that’s built a web outside our front door and I really want to kill it. The problem is, it’s so big that I’m pretty were I to take the can of Raid to little miss (or mister) web spinner, I’m pretty sure he/she would set a curse over our household and have their thousands of arachnid children avenge his/her death by invading our home.
• I finally gave in a bought a thing of dry shampoo and I gotta say, I don’t hate it! I held out for a while because I was sure dry shampoo was just some sort of mousse and that it’d make my hair weirdly textured, but so far it’s great!
• This week I’ll say goodbye to my first iMac to make room for a newer, more updated one- just another purchase in a long line of Apple loyalty. They should have some sort of incentive program. Like… buy four Apple products, get the fifth free! Like one of those punch cards you’d get at a local coffee shop? Yeah, that would be AWESOME.

I am SO thankful for all of you guys that provided feedback on last Thursday’s post- I have so many new ideas for blog posts for the future! The randomly generated winner of the $30 Movie Theater-or Starbucks giftcard is Kerith! Shoot me an email with whichever card you want and I’ll get it sent your way, girl. Also, I like picking winners, so let’s pick a second one for a $15 Starbucks giftcard: Mary! Same deal- shoot me an email to claim your prize :).

Explanation of this photograph: there’s this field on the side of the road that I pass every time I drive out west for an engagement session, and every time I think to myself as I drive by “I REALLY want to shoot there some time!” (it’s STUNNING on a clear morning with the sunlight streaming in!) But it’s someone’s private property (in plain view of the owner’s house), and I really didn’t want to encounter one of those awkward “get off my property” moments, so I’ve always continued to drive past. Last week, as I was planning for Justin & Katie’s anniversary session, I tried to think of a way to get in contact with the owner to ask for permission to use their field for a shoot. As I came upon the field on my way out to meet Justin & Katie, the owner himself was sitting on the front porch of his home (hallelujah!) so I pulled a U-turn and parked in their driveway, and marched right up to ask him permission. Turns out he was totally fine with the idea and was thankful I’d asked in advance! So instead of the original location where we’d planned to shoot, Justin & Katie & I headed back down the road to my dream shooting spot and captured some of my favorite images to date. Just one of those really, really cool occasions that makes me thankful for a God who loves me and delights in finding little ways to bring me joy!

Happy Monday!