Independence Day!

Soooo much to update. Where do I actually begin? It's been a whirlwind July, that's for sure. But while the first half of the month flew by, the second half is going to drag. I have finally given myself some time off!

Aside from working & being caught up in wedding shooting, what's been going on? Backing up the the holiday weekend...

4th of July was of course, fabulous with the family. Salem was visiting us this year, so we got some great Sasa time in! We really did nothing but have a great cookout by the pool, with our family & John's family.

Love my kiddos! Paige had to work - our first year of not having her around for a holiday! She was none too pleased to miss our annual fireworks, but things change when you join the working world!

and obviously, sis & I had to snapchat the twincousin. 

Because what else would we do out by the pool?

The boys did the usual firework show...giving us heart attacks. Well, I say us but it was mom, Salem (ah, thank goodness my niece is a smart one!) & I that kept panicking as Kadin kept helping with the fireworks. And we worried for good reason, since Kadin set one off on uneven surface, it tipped & shot out at us! Enter panic mode hahaha. Salem, Mom & I were the wusses that stood off to the side of the house & held our  breath everytime Kadin chimed in to help with the fireworks.

But, we had some really really beautiful fireworks! I've had little time to actually work on many of my firework pics, but a couple faves were:

New meaning to lit up the sky!

Sparklers with my Sasa! 

Mom & I went to Hurricane Mills on Saturday to see the Loretta Lynn show again - this time to see the Conway Twitty tribute. It was a great trip & a pretty great day with Mom. Since the bestie was handling things after her mother's sad passing that week, she didn't get to come with us this time around. So weird to be there without her, and given the circumstances, I certainly appreciated time with my mom a little more. 

Happy Tuesday--- can this week fly by now? Because I actually have a free weekend to do NOTHING, or even go hang out with my friends! Not only do I have this weekend, I gave myself THREE WEEKENDS in a row! Go me!

The House that Built Me

Occasionally, a song comes on the radio that really hits a nerve.

It’s really no secret I loathe today’s country music, so I really don’t listen to the radio much. There’s an occasional song I discover that’s amazing, but in today’s country – that doesn’t happen often. But it DID happen with Miranda Lambert’s “The House that Built Me”. I don’t care much for most of Miranda’s stuff (I still say Tammy Wynette must be rolling over in her grave at stuff like “Fastest Girl in Town”…sigh.), but this absolutely has to be the best song she ever cut.

My Granny lived in the same apartment complex my entire life. A few years before she passed, they moved her to the bottom floor to make it easier to get around. But most of my life, she lived in the same apartment. My sister and I loved going to Granny’s, running up the stairs to the door – grabbing the wobbly rail in the stairs with Mom yelling to slow down because of that wobbly rail, carving drawings in the little wooden peephole.  The apartment never changed. The back bedroom my sister & I “claimed”, and where we spent so many nights playing together  - but rarely actually slept in.  Because at bedtime, it was ALWAYS one of us in the other end of the couch in the living room with Granny and the other one on the floor.

When Granny passed away in 2010, we had the week to clean out the new apartment & sell her car. The man who moved into her old apartment was the man that bought it, and as Samantha & I went over to give him the paperwork, we were overwhelmed with emotions as we opened the door.  How was it that 26 years later, it had the same significant scent? That the rail in the stairwell was still wobbly? That our drawings were still carved into the door? I’m not sure how we composed ourselves as he opened the door and we were greeted in the kitchen that we spent so much time in. I immediately felt like the 6 year old again as I looked at my sister, and half expected Granny to come walking in and get onto us for playing with her lipstick stash she always had in the other room.

sitting on those steps for the last time with my sister

It was beyond overwhelming to leave that apartment for the last time, to walk down the stairs for the last time. I’ve never been so thankful for it to be just me and my sister. Samantha & I had to run an errand and as we got in the car, “The House that Built Me” came on the radio, the first time I had ever heard it.

“I just had to come back one last time. Ma’am I know you don’t know me from Adam, but these hand prints on the front steps are mine. Up those stairs in that little back bedroom is where I did my homework and I learned to play guitar.”

It was like I’d been hit with a ton of bricks, and literally had to catch my breath.

It came on the radio this morning as I was about to pull in the office, and I literally had to pull over.  I have no idea what about it hit me today.  But this is the sign of a seriously good song. THESE are the songs artists are going to be remembered for. 

The Weekend...

So, I can totally appreciate companies that feel the need to go door to door. I loathe solicitors, so I'm not going to be overly PLEASED that you're at my door, but I get it.

But when I tell you three weeks in a row to please stop coming to my door and trying to get me to come to your church, I'm going to become unpleasant. Sigh. It's not that hard people. I say this as a church leaves my front door, seemingly aggravated I've asked them to leave.

Moving along, I couldn't have asked for a better weekend than this past weekend! It was probably time for a girls weekend in Georgia with the bestie. I'm super fortunate my best friend is only 2.5 hours away, making our Girls weekends so easy to do. I hesitated to go on Friday instead of Saturday, because I felt so overwhelmed and swamped with client work, but decided I needed a break. Best decision ever, to have three total stress-free days! Friday we literally did nothing but sat around drinking wine while gossiping.

Saturday though, we road tripped down to Cartersville (okay, so it's only really an hour and a half from Rita's house, but....still. We are ALL ABOUT some road tripping!) to see Steve Wariner!

Somehow, even after being in and out of this city sooo many times a year to see my friends  - I had never been to this theater! It's BEYOND fabulous, super small and amazing for an acoustic show. I am so bummed PL has never played here, this would have been a DREAM venue to see a Mountain Soul show in. (I'm going to make this happen.)

And of course, for a photo nerd like me - it a gorgeous piece of art that looks amazing in B&W. Yes, I really do inspect every building I see and envision them in a photograph. 

and of course, no girls weekend is complete without six million selfies, right?! literally, after we touched up our make up, it was a "we need a selfie!" moment. 

Steve really put on a fabulous acoustic show - I kind of thought he'd play a little longer than he did, but....I got my song, so I have zero complaints. We were amused we each had a specific song we wanted - and he did them as bookends, hers opened the show (If I Didn't Love You) and mine closed the show (Some Fools Never Learn), and of course one of our anthems (Life's Highway - it leads every road trip set list we have!) was in the midst of the set list too, along with some great hits like Lynda,   The Weekend, etc. He also did Holes in the Floor of Heaven, a song I struggle so desperately with since Granny passed away. 

Side note: Steve doesn't live terribly far from me and I ran into him at the post office a few months ago. I immediately thought to text my best friend and all I could say was I was in line with him at the PO & had this incredible urge to burst out into Lynda! 

Steve Wariner is STILL super handsome.  Totally old enough to be my Dad, but whatever. He has aged pretty fabulously.

Also, what kind of photographer forgets their favorite concert lens? Sigh....Somehow I only brought my 50mm f1.8 lens with me. Not exactly what I use for concerts from 4th row, but whatever.

Oh hey, another selfie bestie! Yes we purposely color coordinated our outfits. 

I suppose what might (okay, not might...WAS) be the best moment of the night was Patty & Emory decided to come out to the show as well! Steve briefly thanked her during the show for coming by mentioning when he thinks of "Greatest Country Female Vocalist", he thinks of her. So not only is he super talented, he's freaking SMART. After the show, we stuck around so Rita could get her pic from the HOF signed, so we also ran into P&E as they left. It was fabulous to hear "Nicole, I thought I saw you in there....do I get my hug?" --  I love that girl.

All this....and I beat the storms home! I win at life this weekend!

But I'm alive & well in Tennessee.....

First and foremost - who heads to the Sweet Sixteen for the 4th time in 5 seasons!?

My CATS, that's who! Go Big Blue!! WHAT a nail biter - it truly could have gone either way in that last minute & I was sure biting my nails. But my Cats pulled it off!!

In other news, the bestie & I spent the weekend with George Strait. King freaking George. No big deal. It was so hard to contain our happiness about seeing him, we've literally been counting down the days since November. 

King George bound!

It was aaaamaaaazing. 2 1/2 hours & 34 songs - which didn't even begin to cover all his massive hits! You could close your eyes and it was as if you had the record going on the turntable - his voice was so amazing. I went in with hopes of hearing my 3 favorite songs, but knew if I heard "Marina Del Ray" live, I would die happy. 

However, George must've heard me...because I got all three of my songs!

this is the result of a quick run to different seats with an iPhone!

We got so so teary eyed to 'Troubador' & 'The Cowboy Rides Away'. I hate this is his last tour, but can't blame him! I'm so happy he'll still be recording. 

Another thing that I loved was the crowd reactions. The true sing along to EVERY SINGLE SONG, no matter if they were singles or not. The massive freak out to "Unwound" - folks, it's hard to get countrier than that song! It's no secret Country Music was my first true love, so it's the little things like this that warm my heart. The want for genuine country music - and not the silly pop crap from today - is still there!

I loved this....waiting for his encore, everyone pulled out their cell phones and used the flashlight app to glow & get him to come back. It looked so awesome. (Glad my phone had SOME use - thanks Bridgestone Arena for not having WIFI and having the worst signals ever. Not being able to use our phones for pretty much anything the entire night was terrible, hahaha) 

"Oh the last goodbye's the hardest one to say....this is where the Cowboy Rides Away...
 Thanks for the memories, King George! 

Saturday was spent in Kentucky, celebrating the sis' birthday! Dolphie's was pretty packed, and we didn't get to sing as much as we normally do. But, we still had a blast and most importantly, Samantha had a great birthday! 

We totally told Metcalf to get his Strait on, we had a full set list of songs we wanted him to sing for us. Apparently, he took us literally - and showed up in his best button up plaid shirt.

The birthday girl brought red solo cup shot glasses (is this one of those "you know you're a southern girl if....you own both red solo cup shot glasses and mason jar shot glasses" things?) and wanted us all to do a shot for her birthday. To make it cuter....we popped out the sharpie and wrote our names on it. Well, kind of our names. Rita & I decided to continue channeling our inner country stars, sooooo everyone took lead from our other names.

with the birthday girl & the bestie! 

After that whirlwind weekend, I need sleep. Happy Monday y'all!

Step right up....come on in...

Happy Friday! I'm so happy to have a low-key weekend ahead....save for a session on Sunday morning, I have a nice weekend in. Considering I just bought a big stack of more vinyl, I fully intend on spending my Saturday with my record player.

It's Five on Friday time, and I'm totally theme-ing it this week. I had to pick out 5 songs for a friend this week to add to a playlist, and quite frankly: picking 5 of my favorite songs was a lot harder than I thought it would be! It should be no surprise to anyone that the 5 I picked were all "real" Country Music, and were mostly from artists I rave about daily. With that said....5 songs I can't live without, by 5 artists I can't live without:

one. The Grand Tour - George Jones 

Not only is this my fave Jones song, this is my all time favorite song by anyone.  This song is breathtaking. If this song doesn't hit you or bring tears to your eyes, I'm not sure you have a soul. "As you leave, you'll see the nursery, oh she left me without mercy..." I promise you no one but George Jones can deliver that line with that pain. Sigh. I'm so fortunate I had the chance to hear him do this live multiple times before his passing.


two. Till I Can Make it On My Own - Tammy WynetteI say it was hard to rank a top 5 songs, but it certainly isn't hard to rank my top 2. This vies sooo close to my #1 spot for favorite song. I love Tammy. I still cite getting the chance to see her live as one of the highlights of my life. I was eleven years old when she came to my hometown of Sebastian, Florida. My mother refused to buy me tickets, so thank goodness the DJ's at our local station took pity on the kid who so desperately wanted to go & handed me two tickets. Bless her heart, a rough life she led - she was pretty frail by the time I had the chance to see her. But boy was it magical - and I can still remember every single moment of that show. Hearing this live was one of the greatest moments of my life.
three. Jeannie's Afraid of the Dark - Dolly Parton/Porter Wagoner
Jeannie's Afraid of the Dark has always been my favorite Dolly song....and goodness knows it's hard to pick one, because that girl knows how to write a good song. I could have thought of 100 songs off the top of my head that she wrote that I can't live without. Anyway, I love this one --- I miss the days of Country Music songs telling a story. I almost miss the days of a good duet!


four.  It's Only Make Believe - Conway TwittyOh how I love, love, love this man. Talk about a huge loss -- waaaay too soon for Country Music. I was 9 years old when Conway died....I still remember where & when I was when my Mom told me he was gone. I often think about what an even bigger impact he would have made on Country Music if he had lived a little longer. This song is incredible live..

five. My Old Friend the Blues - Patty LovelessYou didn't think I'd actually leave P out of this list, did you? Goodness knows my top fave songs are peppered with probably almost every song P has ever cut. This song absolutely slays me. (And even more so live) Multiple artists have cut this, and not a damn one of them has put an ounce of the emotion that P has in her version. 

'Till things are brighter, I'm the Man In Black....

As a 18 year resident, I'm not one for all the touristy stuff in Nashville anymore. However, country music is one of my first loves -- and not that crap that's on radio today, the classic stuff that  will break your heart. So, I'm a frequent visitor to places like the Country Music Hall of Fame....places that help preserve the history of Country Music.

One of the new attractions that has been added to my frequently visited list is the Johnny Cash museum. Today, after a particularly stressful day, I decided to head back to the Cash museum to explore a little more. I know I've mentioned it before briefly, but this place is so so well put together. I swear I find something new every time I visit. It's seriously one of the greatest gems we have in town, and I could probably go every day if I had the time!

The memorabilia is really amazing. I know I've posted the big stuff like photos of his Grammy's or CMA's, but there is so much more than that at the museum.

This greets you when you walk in the museum, and I cannot think of anything more fitting.

The vinyl nerd in me goes crazy over the two walls of records they have up. It's incredible. What I wouldn't give to be able to listen to every single one of those.

And in my infamous "Where I Stand...." -- under one of my fave Cash records! Not only do I have this one hanging in my kitchen & listen to it frequently - PL has this record on the cover of Sleepless Nights!

These posters are all so amazing -- all this stuff from way before my time that I'd never have been able to see if it weren't for the museum.

Serious Country Music history right here....I read every line like I didn't know the lyrics to the song. 

And if this doesn't break your heart, I don't know what will...what Cash wrote after June's burial.

By the time I left, I forgot what I was stressed out about when I walked in.... I love Nashville.

5 on Friday...

This felt like the longest week ever. Maybe because I had 9 days away & this was my first week back at the office? I've been convinced Friday was never going to get here!

I haven't done the 5 on Friday randoms link up in awhile...

one. downton abbey 
I am such a freaking TV junkie -- the whole winter hiatus ABC has on Once Upon a Time & Scandal is driving me crazy!  Thank goodness the ever fabulous Downton Abbey is back! This show is seriously amazing - and Maggie Smith is absolutely brilliant! If you're not watching it - you should be.

two. books, books, books! 
I may have went slightly crazy & ordered a slew of new books on Amazon last week (how would I live without Amazon?) - so says my debit card & packages that keep arriving in my mailbox. I may be one the biggest tech nerds around, and I sure can't live without my iPhone & iPad--- but I can never ever give up my love for books!

In the ones I just ordered, I just finished yesterday reading Bless Your Heart Tramp: And Other Southern Endearments by Celia Rivenbark. The southern girl in me LOOOVED it. (And I love most of Celia's books!) And because I keep adding to my intensely large Vintage Country Music library, I finally picked up Vivian Cash's bio, I Walked the Line: My Life with Johnny, which I'm currently reading -- and can't put down! (If you've watched "Walk the Line", you reeeeally need to read this book to truly have both sides of the story)

three. i miss who i was with you

You can go through Patty's catalogue and you'll find a song for every.single.moment in your life, I swear. Seriously no exaggeration. It's part of what makes her awesome, she doesn't cut BS songs.

This song has always been one of my faves of hers, but holy hell did it hit me like a ton of bricks this week --- I needed this song this week. Every single line of it. 

(Everyone should listen to it....and then purchase the record it's on, because it's better than anything you've heard on radio today. Before P released the Holy Grail that is Mountain Soul, this was my favorite record of hers!) 

four. hello dolly!Our Dolly Parton tickets came today! I'm excited to see her again - I haven't seen her since Chris & I went to Chicago to see her a few years ago (which was also the show we went backstage, my first time getting to meet Dolly!) This time the bestie is going & she's never seen a full Dolly show! 

five. vacations!

I already booked our Thanksgiving Disney World trip, so yesterday I sat down to start working on the rest of this years plans....besides hitting FL for Disney, it's also on the list earlier in the year so I can go home and visit family. Also on the list this year is Baltimore, Ohio, our girls weekend in Gulf Shores, and Canada in the fall. And that's just what's on the list thus far- and doesn't include our concert travel OR the fact that we're going to the Kentucky Derby this year! What would I do if I had to sit at home all the time??

 

Happy Friday y'all!

Happy 2014!

Ringing in the New Year this year was almost identical to last years celebration. We of course, all spent it in Kentucky at Dolphie's! It was busy, but not too busy this year, which meant we had a lot of singing time..

Celebrating with the bestie!

So glad I rang in the past few New Years with these folks!

Metcalf even sang "The Cowboy Rides Away" for us! 

I keep seeing everyone posting about resolutions, and I so hate making a resolution. Mainly because I usually know I won't keep up with it. I suppose my resolution actually this year could be continuing training for my marathon....because I have no choice but to train for it! 

The bestie & I DID, however, make a concert list for this year - artists we want to see - some we've seen 1091202121 times, some we've never seen, so my goal is to make this year even bigger on the concert front than last year. That's a hard feat - we sure hit a lot of great concerts & saw some serious legends. At the top of our list this year:

George Strait - which happens in March!

PL -duh!

Charley Pride

Alan Jackson

Ronnie Milsap

Loretta 

Merle  - which will most likely happen once again on Labor Day weekend, where we'll see him with Loretta again!

Gene Watson

Keith Urban

Emmylou Harris

Steve Wariner

Dolly Parton - we see her in May! I haven't seen a full show of hers since I got to meet her in Chicago! 

Joe Nichols

And I have no doubt we'll hit a gig for every single one of them. 

life is made up of moments....

I feel like I say this every year: It is SO incredibly easy to have photographer burnout every  Christmas season. This year might be the absolute worst I've had it.  I've been so bombarded with client work. The past few weeks I took a nice little break, and now I'm absolutely swimming in client orders. And it seems like Christmas makes so many people go....crazy, some of the calls & emails I've gotten recently have made me literally want to tear my hair out.

This week in particular, I dealt with a few less than pleasant folks & literally wanted to walk outside and start screaming. It's moments like this that make me not enjoy what I do -- and THAT is the worst feeling in the world. And I don't think I've ever felt it as strongly as I did this week.  Every year I say I'm going to make changes the following year so it doesn't happen again, but I've never meant it as much as I did today! (and I really am going to start shooting more for "me" next year!)

Thankfully, one of my very favorite clients text me shortly thereafter to schedule her gender reveal session. It couldn't have come at a better time. I shot this sweet couple's engagement photos, their wedding, anniversary, and now the fun of having their first child. Every big moment in their lives --- she's turned to me to capture it. And THAT reminded me of why I love doing what I do.

I hate to go full nerd on everyone and quote my show, but on Once Upon a Time this week, Charming & Snow both used the line about "Life is made up of moments, good ones, bad ones, but they're all worth living." and I absolutely loved it, because it's so true - and I live for capturing those moments. And with that....favorite shots from this year that I took for ME, that renewed my love for being behind the lens - for every moment, big or small. Images I can look at and immediately be back in the exact incredible moment I was in when I took it.

It's no secret P was a huge inspiration in everything I wanted to do. I discovered my love of design from starting the website, and I learned my love for photography from all the shooting I did at shows. I am convinced my absolute best work happens when I'm taking pictures of her- maybe it has something to do with having spent so much of my life at her concerts.  I love this picture, especially since I'm so obsessed with black & white. 

This one time, for my 30th birthday, the bestie & I went to see Merle Haggard & Loretta Lynn in the same weekend. Most amazing weekend ever. And the moment I look at this picture, I'm taken back to moments like us singing along to "Mama Tried"....you know, with Merle-freaking-Haggard standing in front of us. (PS: I really really really love Merle Haggard) 

I love my babies more than life itself. And how grossed out Kadin is that I asked his sisters to kiss his cheek (yet he can't stop laughing about it!) makes me smile every time I look at this. 

I love baby toes. There's nothing happier than baby toes. Especially when they belong to one of my new baby cousins that is one of the happiest, sweetest babies I've ever seen in my life. 

My 4th of July was full of Bourbon, in my beloved Lexington, with my bestie. What better way to celebrate Independence Day than doing the Kentucky Bourbon Trail? This helps sum up my entire year--- usually on the road with my bestie & Chris.

My nephew, ever the inquisitive one since Granny passed away, asked me out of the blue in the car one day what I thought angels might sound like, and without a single thought, "Emmylou Harris" is what came out of my mouth. I'm pretty sure I'm right.

The bestie & I saw Don Williams(!!!) this year - an artist that was on my "Concert Bucket List"! I completely fan-girled when I heard "Lord I Hope This Day is Good" live. Hello, one of the greatest songs ever written.

This is just one of my favorites.  As I mentioned, Liz Lamoreux's blog of Capturing Where I Stand inspired me to start shooting where I stood. Standing toe to toe with Johnny Cash's boots might be one of the highlights of my year. And capturing where I stand will be prominent in my 2014.

Mango Margaritas on the beach. Because is there a better way to spend Memorial Day weekend than in Pensacola with your best friend, drinking while having an epic Loretta Lynn sing-a-long on the beach? 

And a client shot that was one of my faves from the year --- from the aforementioned client who helped put some things in perspective!

I'm glad 2013 is almost over...my camera is going to stay busy! So many trips & concerts in the works...(unless P decides to do a few shows. Then it's "cancel all things!!!" and go see P!) I think I might be away even more next year than I was this year! (How is that possible!?) Here's to 2014!