Weekend Filled With Emotion

This past weekend held a lot of emotion.

Saturday was the Seattle Brain Cancer Walk, the second that my family has attended. The weather was BEAUTIFUL and the walk was twice as large as last year! The overall total of monies raised was $930,000!! This year I am planning on putting together some fund raising events for next years walk. I will be hosting a Partylite Candle Party at my house in the beginning or middle of November, and trying to donate half of the proceeds to the Seattle Brain Cancer Walk!

My family and I, of course walked with team Heather's Crew! In honor of my dear friend Heather who is still fighting this fight with a massive amount of STRENGTH! Joining her team for the first time this year, was her father whom she has not seen since she was six years old! From what I was told, their reunion was an emotional one...but very good! And if you remember from this post, the Seattle Brain Cancer Walk choose my quote to display on the back of the patient and survivor shirts! Here is a photo from Saturday:

I was able to capture a TON of great photos from the walk, but I will only post a few:

My dedication to my Papa at the Tent of Honor...

My aunt tying up her dedication to my Papa, her father...

Heather and her husband Ryan

Then on Sunday, I had the incredible honor to do a shoot with Heather's family, her father and his wife! Here a few shots from their session:

 
I am so grateful to be able to have been a part of their reunion! 

There is nothing more humbling than seeing what is right in front of you. To really open your eyes and take a look around. To realize what people are fighting for: Their lives.

Catching Up

It's been a busy week! 

Emma started Pre-K, which is three days per week. And can you believe, that I forgot my camera?! MOM FAIL! 

 

I have started back up at a gym again! There is one right down the street from her school, and I figured it would be the PERFECT way for me to kill time while she's there. I have a personal goal in mind, but I will be leaving that personal for now...And since I have not been to a gym since before Emma was born {yes, it really has been that long!}, I obviously need this - BAD! 

So wish me luck?

Also, I was able to score another Nanny job! At the moment, it is for Friday's only, but may switch to Thursday's & Friday's in a month or so. The best part, is that this time the kiddo comes to MY PLACE! I cannot tell you how nice that is! The pay is just enough to take care of Emma's tuition each month, which is exactly what we needed! PHEW!

Now for some little tid-bits:

Recently on Netflix, I found an older show that I have gotten into. I may be a dork, but it has captured my attention on the nights when I can't fall asleep! Some of you out there may remember it: Felicity. 

 

 

Also, I found this article on the most influential cameras of all time, and I find it interesting! Take a look HERE!

 

OK. Well that's all I have for now! Until next time - ARRIVEDERCI!

REMEMBER TO NEVER FORGET.

On a day such as today, it seems almost silly to write about anything else. In fact, it almost doesn't feel right to think about anything else: 9/11/2001.

It feels so strange typing in the year 2001. After all, it was ten years ago. These past 10 years have flown by, literally in the blink of an eye. But every year since, on this day, I along with so many others stop and pause to Remember all of those whom we have lost. Not only during the attacks that forever changed our Nation, our History, and MY Generation, but for all of whom we have lost during this never-ending war. 

I do not know how to Thank these people enough. I wish there was something, on a more personal level, that I could do to display my Appreciation and Thanks. But for now, this is it. For today, this is my Thank You letter....

The past week or so, I have been watching a lot of documentaries on that fateful day. And it always gets my thinking. Thinking about where I was when I heard the news. How I felt, and how I still feel about it all. The emotion that it brings up, even though I have not been personally effected {meaning I did not know anyone in the towers, planes, and so on}. We all know of people who have been to the War and back. And unfortunately, there is such a large number of those who have not.

The attacks have not only effected the victims, survivors, witnesses, emergency and medical workers, and soldiers. It has effected, and will continuously effect, the lives of Military families.  

Take a moment to think of all that they go through on a daily basis. 

For me, that puts everything into perspective. 

 {9/11 crew 2001}

{Iwo Jima 1945}

The date of these attacks just so happens to be the same year that I graduated high school, and believe it or not, I know many people who have their birthday on this day. Which in a way, is a miracle! They get to Celebrate their lives on the same day that they, and our Country, get to Celebrate the lives and Courage of all those who died that day. So in short - this date will always be significant.

I will always REMEMBER TO NEVER FORGET.

Good Day, Sunshine!

Check out this amazing GIVEAWAY from Tatertots and Jello!
It is for a store credit from Barn Owl Primitives....I adore her work!
In fact, here is one of my faves:

Yard Salein'

Between last weekend and yesterday, I have had my fill for organizing our own Yard Sale! 

We did both days last weekend, from 8-4. And just for the heck of it, we did one more day yesterday, to see what {if anything} extra we could make. And quit honestly, we really just wanted to get rid of our stuff! But long story short...we didn't do too bad for living out in the woods! We were able to sell a good 3/4 of our stuff, and make a profit! I would call that a SUCCESS! A HUGE thank you to my in-laws for helping last weekend! They sold some of their stuff as well....

Now for the next step...Goodwill! Today we will be bagging and boxing everything that was left over, and lugging it all on over to the Goodwill! Thank GOODNESS there is one so close to us! But all of the left over baby stuff, I will be taking to a local consignment store, to see if I can get any extra cash. Let's hope! Especially because everything we have has been kept in really good condition! 

But anywho....for neither of us ever having our own yard sale before, we did a pretty good job! Now to clean it all up...BLAH!

 There is a new Blog in the works! Feel free to follow, comment and interact!
 SnapDragon Photography: The Blog

On another note - it is officially the first day of September! Do you know what that means? Fall is on the way! My favorite time of year! And this will be our first whole Fall season in our new home, so I am especially excited!

Fall brings so many things: warm, cozy clothes, Pumpkin Spice Lattes {and all things pumpkin flavored!}, Emma's second year of school {well Pre-K school at any rate}, the beautiful color changing of the leaves, that crisp feeling in the air, pumpkin patch farms, Halloween, evenings by the fire, apple cider, a ton of photo ops, and so much more!

Can you tell I'm excited for my favorite season?!