February Self Portrait | Personal

This month I began a new journey into fitness. I've tried training for races, I've tried raw food diets, I've tried juice fasts and club swim teams. Nothing has lasted... but nothing started as exciting and full-forced as this one. Crossfit. I'm two weeks in... and two weeks strong. I love it. I look forward to every workout. It is my top priority everyday to get to the box downtown. (Except rest days :)). I'm in... and I'm completely addicted. I really think this is it. I told Tommy the other day "I'm doing this for the rest of my life." I love it. Thus... this month's self portrait:

February 2011 | crossfit chalk hands

check out past 2011 self portraits: january

Gratituesday: Tave | Virginia Wedding Photographer

Gratituesday is a weekly blog post (that I try to keep up with) I got involved with over here. You should join, too! If you do, be sure to let me know in the comments as I would love to read what you write about. Okay, this week has been incredible! I actually have so much I want to write about this morning, but I am going to reserve my huge list for future Gratituesdays. :) For now... I want to talk to my friends in the photography industry.

My friends in real life know that when I find a product, a routine, a business, or even a food that I love and that works for me, I canNOT stop talking about it. I believe in my heart that what I found would be just as great for EVERYONE else in the world as it is for me. (Trust me, I know this is not always a positive thing.) Luckily my friends know how to appease me with their "uh huh's" and "wow Liz, very cool" statements. :) (Whatever they need to say to get me to hush up, haha.)

But for real... this one I KNOW will be super helpful for other photographers! (Much like Lightroom and Photo Mechanic... do yourself a favor and check them out if you aren't already using them.) If you aren't already using a business management program, please stop what you are doing right now and go sign up for the free trial of Tave.

I found Tave a week ago and have since dumped the entire contents of the business-space of my brain into Tave. It is doing the thinking for me. And finally, finally I am able to offer better customer service and have more free time in the process. I cannot tell you how amazing it feels to let go of the stress of remembering my to-do list! In addition, Tave has a great financial area, a space to keep track of vendors (no more googling addresses over and over again!), and a place to upload files for each job (contract, photo lists, etc). You can plug in your workflow (and due dates and reminders!) so that you never miss a step in the process from inquiry to product delivery.

Okay... that is all I am going to say. I know this is more of a commercial than it is a Gratituesday - but this week I am SO incredibly thankful for Tave. If for nothing other than the fact that I can sleep peacefully at night without waking up to jot things down on my to-do list.

Ahhh... so this week I am grateful for Tave and peaceful nights of sleep. :)

What are you grateful for?

Gratituesday: Crossfit

Gratituesday is a weekly blog post (that I try to keep up with) I got involved with over here. You should join, too! If you do, be sure to let me know in the comments as I would love to read what you write about. This week, I am grateful for Crossfit!

I started it this week. And I LOVE it!

A little background: I signed up to participate in the local angel's race sprint triathlon on May 1st (ahhh!) and that wasn't even enough to get me back to the gym. I knew I needed to start a strength-training routine as soon as possible. So, when I heard about crossfit and saw the kind of results my friends were having with it, I started researching online. Strength training, cardio training, accountability, short workouts, a challenge, and a routine? All in one? Amazing!

And amazing it has been! (Well, so far.)

For the first time in a long time, I am excited and motivated to be active. I may have had trouble walking up and down stairs over the weekend... and I may not be able to currently lock my elbows (tiiiight muscles!)... but I know this is just the beginning.

Already just the first few days have been fun, encouraging, and soooo motivating. I am excited to see where the next few months with Crossfit will take me: physically, mentally, emotionally.

So pumped!

What are you grateful for this week?

Gratituesday: Spring is in the air| and I'm late

Gratituesday is a weekly blog post (that I try to keep up with) I got involved with over here. You should join, too! If you do, be sure to let me know in the comments as I would love to read what you write about. So I promised myself that I would complete 52 consecutive weeks of Graitutesday posts this year.

I really, really want to do this. But even just seven weeks in I've already had a few that were posted a day or two late. Honestly, I am okay with that. However, the last thing I want to do is completely skip a week... that would ruin the whole consecutive idea. So this is just me trying to stay caught up (in a weird, sort of skewed way).

Today's gratitutesday post is 6 days late so I'll be back tomorrow with another one, right on time!

Last week I was especially grateful for the little burst of spring that showed up. It came just in time for me, giving me the opportunity to open all of my windows and doors and let the winter air out of my house!

It was a great pick-me-up for the winter blues I seem to have been experiencing. :)

(Ahhh... and I'm grateful for such a short and sweet gratituesday post.)

What are you grateful for this week?

congratulations sarah & nate! | personal

I was blessed with really great roommates during my college years. Sarah was my first roommate at Liberty University. She was so perfect for me at that time in my life - telling me like it was and not putting up with my drama. She helped teach me to accept the truth while also not being offended by it. She was with me when I went through my first real break up, some of the hardest family times I have dealt with, and during a time of huge change in my own heart/soul. Not to mention she is one of the most patient and accepting girls I know. I love her. :)

So when she let me know earlier this week that she was headed to town with  her boyfriend, I was really looking forward to spending time with them. She has visited a few times the past couple of years, each time to take a class or a test here at Liberty for her master's degree. But when her boyfriend stepped out of the room they were in to ask me (over the phone) when the local florist made their deliveries, I became a little suspicious. This wasn't a special occasion... Sarah was in town to take a test and that was it. It wasn't her birthday and valentine's day had already passed. Was he going to propose tonight? Then, a few hours later, we were once again on the phone making dinner plans and his only request was that we go to "somewhere nice." My suspicion grew.

Fast forward an hour or so and Sarah calls me and says "I'm engaged!!!" Ahhhh!! I totally knew it! I cannot tell you how exciting it was for me to be in the same town with her that very night! We are rarely ever in the same town and this was the first time I was actually meeting Nate. I was so excited and honored to be able to be there to celebrate and share in their joy.

Tommy and I stopped into their room on our way to dinner and I grabbed a few shots of them being oh-so-cute!

Congratulations, guys! I am so very happy for you!