During Samantha & Sanford’s Engagement pictures, I was able to get in a few shots of her adorable nephew Ethan.
World meet Ethan!
KF Photography
Samantha + Sanford
Engagement pt.2
Samantha & Sanford met in high school and dated for a year. They went their separate ways for college but always kept in touch. In May, they reconnected and decided to rekindle their romance. They liked each other so much that they decided to get married in late August.
Samantha and I have been friends since middle school so when she asked me to do their engagement and wedding pictures, I was so excited. Even though it was hot outside, we had a great time. Being around a couple that loves each other so much and being able to capture that is such a joy!
Samantha + Sanford
Engagement pt.1
Samantha & Sanford met in high school and dated for a year. They went their separate ways for college but always kept in touch. In May, they reconnected and decided to rekindle their romance. They liked each other so much that they decided to get married in late August.
Samantha and I have been friends since middle school so when she asked me to do their engagement and wedding pictures, I was so excited. Even though it was hot outside, we had a great time. Being around a couple that loves each other so much and being able to capture that is such a joy!
Geoff & Morgan
Wedding Day 7.2.11
Cheekwood Botanical Gardens
Geoff & Morgan
Rehearsal Dinner 7.1.11
Geoff & Morgan
Rehearsal Dinner 7.1.11
Mambu: Site of the Rehearsal Dinner
07.01.11
Geoff & Morgan Benson
Geoff and Morgan are officially hitched! I was graciously invited to attend the weekend wedding festivities and happened to snap a couple of photos (of course). And I’ll be sharing some of those with you awesome people (again.. of course).
Enjoy!
I’m writing this in celebration of the day I decided to get in shape about this time last year. It has been a difficult, emotional, extremely rewarding journey that will pay itself forward for years to come. I can’t promise that what worked for me will work for you but I’ll tell you how I did it.
First step: Why am I doing this?
I know, this seems like a no-brainer but, hear me out. Not only do you have to ask yourself this question but you have to give yourself a really good, detailed answer. Trust me when I say that you’ll get to a place where you are so tired, you’re not seeing the results you want, and you just don’t feel like caring anymore. And when that happens, you’ll need to be able to give yourself a PowerPoint presentation full of cute emoticons and fade effects to get through that tough season. Here are mine: 1) I want to have a flat stomach 2) I want to be able to run around my house without being winded 3) I don’t want to be overweight 4) I want to be healthy for my future family … Just to name a few. I encourage you to figure this out, write your responses down and look at them everyday.
Second Step: Set a goal
I’m a goal-setter. Why? Because I would never get anything in my life done if I didn’t set a goal. Maybe you’re like that too or maybe you’re not. Either way, weight loss is something you definitely need to set a goal for. I’m not talking about the elusive ten or twenty pounds everyone wants to lose. I mean something that raises the stakes a little bit but is also tangible. There’s nothing that will get you off the wagon faster than setting an unrealistic goal. My goal? To run a 5K ( a 3 mile race). Keep in mind, I still couldn’t run 100 feet before I felt the need to throw up when I set this goal. Nevertheless I convinced some friends to run with me and we shelled out the money to race it. Those actions alone catapulted my brain into “get fit” mode because there’s nothing like committing your hard-earned money to something to get yourself motivated. I jogged/walked that 5k and crossing that finish line was one of the proudest moments of my life. I’m still running and still setting goals to get better and better.
*A lot of the time, the reasons that you’ve decided to lose weight coincide or are the same as the goals you set. Feel free to repeat yourself on this step if necessary.
Third Step: Watch what you bring into your temple
God refers to our bodies as temples, as sacred works of art and we are to treat them as such. You wouldn’t allow rodents and trash in a place you consider sacred so why do you fill yourself (your sacred gift) with junk that shouldn’t even be classified as food. I’m not saying you have to be a vegan or vegetarian or whatever. That’s a huge decision/ commitment that only you can make about your body. What I am saying is watch your portions, eat more fruits and vegetables, cut out the fried foods (Paula Deen just got really offended and doesn’t know why), and for the love of Pete quit drinking soda.
The first step I took in this process was to quit drinking soda.This was a big choice for me to make because I was a heavy consumer, drinking 4 or 5 cans of soda a day. I can’t even begin to explain to you how that one decision has changed my life. I didn’t realize it at the time but consuming all that poison caused me to have at least 3 headaches a week (I would then use tylenol which can cause liver damage if you use it too much), hot flashes, moments where I broke out into a cold sweat, dizzy spells so bad I had to sit down, my heart would randomly race while I was inactive, bad sleep quality, and I got some gnarly cavities I have to get filled. All of that stopped when I gave up soda. It was amazing how much more energy I had and how my quality of life improved tenfold. This also helped me make healthier eating choices. I’m not a fad-dieter, I don’t believe in depriving yourself of your favorite foods, and I’m definitely not a calorie counter. I did stop eating sweets, watched my portions carefully, cut out most of the fast food I was eating, watched my carb intake and fell in love with fruits and vegetables. By the way, I still need caffeine so I drink one cup of coffee a day or two cups of hot tea and that does the trick.
Step 4: Exercise
Exercise is so great because it comes in so many forms and it’s awesome for you. Personally, I like it all. Going to the gym, running outside, going to a class, it’s all great for me. You may not be like that and that’s ok. You need to get at least 30 minutes of cardio everyday. Walking, jogging, running, dancing, swimming and bike riding are just a few options. Find what works for you and stick to it. Don’t do anything that makes you feel miserable otherwise you’ll give it up and soon as you hit a rough spot. A lot of places have Zumba which is a high-energy dance class that works everything you’ve got and you don’t even have to have rhythm to go. It’s imperative that you are eating healthier when you exercise because your body will need good nutrients to keep it going. I like to think of it this way, exercising and not eating right is like mopping your floor with muddy shoes on. It just doesn’t work.
Step 5: Call a Friend
As I mentioned above, I had friends run with me in the first 5K I did. I honestly believe that if I had not had them there to drag me to the gym or run the trails then I never would have done that race. You know that saying “Misery loves company”? It’s so true! Besides, your friend will be forever grateful that you helped them get in shape. It’s a win win. You will need the encouragement, the accountability, and that shoulder to cry on. A year later, I still depend on my friends to help me accomplish the new goals I’ve set for myself.
I hope this has helped you or at least entertained you in some way.
Would you add anything to this list?
Want to talk about your weight-loss journey?
Share your thoughts in the comment section.
Need a little bit more encouragement?
Shoot me a message and we’ll talk it out.
We deserve better villains.
-Whip It
