traces of love

i've moved!

2010-08-01T18:14:00.001-07:00

hello!
i'm glad to say that i've moved to a new site!! its tracesofloveblog.wordpress.com
come check it out!

[lindsay & tony] a simi valley wedding

2010-07-26T19:29:00.000-07:00

on july 17, lindsay and tony became one. their love was radiant. and their love was simple. they looked at each other with thoughtful glances, and they were the best couple to photograph. and under the beautiful golden california sun, they glowed.

here are some pictures from the wedding, and you can check out sharon's and kenzie's as well.

klash.

2010-07-23T21:34:00.000-07:00

i had another post planned, but i decided this one deserved it all by itself. you see, my youth leaders Cody & Michelle are going back to Iraq soon. Cody, the junior high youth leader in the valley, started a non-profit organization called the Preemptive Love Coalition. And in their organization they have a company where people from Iraq who make shoes called Klash. There shoes look like this-

aren't they the cutest things you have ever seen?! these are the little girl shoes.

and these are the men's and woman's shoes.

each pair is made by hand, and up to 40 hours is spent to make these one of a kind shoes. and the best part, all of the proceeds go to heart surgeries for children with heart problems!

reading and tea. not as lovely as it sounds.

2010-07-23T13:35:00.000-07:00

this is what my week has been like. summer reading for school and iced tea. oh and ahhmazing coconut macaroons!

sad news.

2010-07-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

remember a long time ago, i said i would be home from camp with tons of pictures to share? sad news. i only took 14 pictures at camp. and they were all from the bus. and they were all blurry. so i sadly tell you i have one decent picture to share with you..

this is colton, morgan, and i in the middle of some brown city on the way to the best week of our lives :)

just a hint of my weekend!

2010-07-19T15:37:00.000-07:00

so.. the bucket list is making another apperence. this time, its full of memories that i could never forget, and its almost half way done! and sense it is MY bucket list, i think that its okay to add more and more things to it whenever i feel like it :) so. if you already haven't heard. i met sharon clark this weekend. i seriously SQUEALED when i saw her at marie calendars. we talked over steaming food, and laughed until our bellies ached. sharon made us feel like we had know her our entire lives, and she wasn't even freaked out over our insane obsession over her!! we went over to the wedding location. oh yeah.. did i mention that? we shot a WEDDING with her. thanks to a gorgeous bride who was so kind to let us come! we got there before the wedding party, so we had about an hour of sharon teaching us to use our cameras the technical way. seriously both kenzie and i's pictures have never looked so good! sharon also let me use her dreamy lense. sound to be good to be true? just wait. after a beautiful ceremony and family pictures we had a quick 5 minutes to shoot with the bride and groom. and that 5 minutes produced the best pictures ever! with golf balls strewn in the background,gorgeous desert mountains behind, and the most beautiful sunshine ever, we got amazing pictures to say the least. and like the ceremony, the reception was insanely beautiful. with hot pink and black? i mean come on... SO good! and to end the best day of my life, we sat outside at in and out chatting away until 11:30 :) SO. back to the bucketlist.. here it is-

{Bucket List}

~~Meet Sharon Clark.~~ Accomplished july 17^th, 2010 (pretty much best day of my life)

Read the entire Bible.

Read all of Nicolas Spark’s Books.

~~Make someone laugh.~~

~~Buy something at Anthropologie.~~

~~Shoot a wedding.~~ Accomplished july 17^th, 2010 lindsay & tony’s wedding in simi valley, ca.

Write down a dream.

~~Go to a Jasmine Star Workshop/ Smitten Photography Workshop.~~ No longer necessary. Sharon gave kenzie and i our own 2 hour lesson completely free. While letting me use her lense the entire day!

Fly a kite.

Have a picnic.

~~Scream praises to God at the top of my lungs.~~ Hume lake 2010

Use a Polaroid camera.

Take silly pictures in a Photo Booth.

Go to Africa.

~~Finnish a scrapbook.~~ dc scrapbook

Write letters more often than emails.

Finnish a book in 2 days.

Do my own pedicure that looks decent.

Deliver a letter by owl-post.

Start my own photography business.

Be involved with a non-profit.

Spend a whole day at the beach.

Dance in the pouring rain.

~~Go to Hogwarts.~~ Accomplished july 12, 2010

Not worry.

Plan a wedding.

~~Visit~~ England. Work in progress. Went to epcot!

Drive to Seattle.

hopefully i will be able to put up pictures from the wedding soon!

home from florida!

2010-07-14T20:44:00.000-07:00

finally home from vacation..

right now i'm over at my friend sam's house with demari and jackson! but i must say, florida was amazing! harry potter world, epcot, beaches, turtles and so on made the trip SO fun! thanks for being so flexible and bearing with the ugly blog header!

3 days until the wedding with Sharon! AH!!

here are some pictures from the trip-

we made so many british friends!

suessland!

harry potter world!!

shampoo & conditioner?

2010-07-08T19:07:00.000-07:00

okay, so i'm still not crazzyyy about this new design for my blog, but i'm going to leave it for just a while! so.. today in the shower i had an epiphany, washing hair can kind of be like our spiritual life.. shampoo is like reading the bible, and conditioner like prayer. neither of them is better than the other, and by themselves, they just aren't good enough. you can tell that something is missing. now this is the kind of stuff i'm thinking about when i'm taking a shower, so if it makes NO sense at all, please forgive my congested foggy brain! yes. i have a cold on vacation. but- good news, I'm going to Harry Potter World in 4 days!! AH. SO stoked!

this is a picture of heather and i on the lovely island of Sanibel, and why yes, we are wearing our pajama's on the beach, and that is thunder in the background!

under construction [again?]

2010-07-07T11:47:00.000-07:00

so i've lost count of the numbers of times i have changed this blog, and the number of hours i have sat by my computer trying to figure out how to use design things!! and right now i'm in florida, and i started freaking out about my blog. so i tried to change it, but sadly i couldnt figure it out nor did i have the time! SO. i'm sorry to leave you with this ugly mess to look at, but please excuse me for a couple days! i dont have enough time at the moment to fix this!

thanks for understanding

2010-06-26T22:17:00.001-07:00

hello there!!

i'm so sorry i havent been posting this week, i've had a ton of stuff to get done! but the highlight of my summer (besides florida, weddings, camping, beach trips, and so on) is happening TOMORROW! okay. so this might be my favorite week of the year!! i get to spend 5 days with my favorite people, in a place that is surrounded by God! and we get to eat the best recees peanut butter shakes, sing awe-dropping worship songs, listen to fantastic speakers, rustic cabins, and supppeerrr intense games. thats right, none other than HUME LAKE. sooooo much fun! and i am SO excited to spend the week with my youth group! oh- and i'm going with the high school youth group, whom i am super close with but its going to be great to grow ever closer!!

sorry my writing is so choppy/ not making any sense at all! i'm just kinda freaking out :)i'll be back with pictures to share (sadly, they wont be the normal good quality, but they will be taken on my moms little digital.. but pictures are pictures!)

i will hopefully see you in a week! if not, it will be because i'm leaving for florida with heather and my mom the day AFTER we get home from camp! hopefully i get some sleep at camp!

2010-06-18T15:17:00.000-07:00

i live in a VERY small town you see. and what do we do when we're bored? we play fireball :)

add toilet paper, lighter fluid, and a lighter, and you get a firey ball of paper that doesn't burn your hand if you hold it for a couple seconds!

so last night after watched the celtics vs. lakers game (so incredibly close by the way! the first game i've actually gotten into..) we went to my friends house and threw this flaming toilet paper everywhere.

soo fun!

just some thoughts.

2010-06-18T11:57:00.001-07:00

Last Sunday at Church, one of my youth leaders talked about serving and not serving. did you know that not serving is a sin? I didn't. seeing someone in need and ignoring that urge to go help is a sin. when i think about it deeper, its ignoring God's call to go help someone! i'm not sure if this is 100% correct, but this is just my brainstorming, thinking back on the times when i didn't pick up the fallen papers for my teacher but let someone else... it's being apathetic. just some thoughts.

happy friday my friends!

come on celtics!

2010-06-16T21:37:00.000-07:00

i've been relaxing and resting all week long, trying to recover from the flu, which i had on monday.. not the best way to start out summer!

But last night i was super excited to get out of my home and watch the lakers vs. celtics game at one of my best friends house! And although we watched very little of the game due to harry potter re-enactments and having our own basketball game, i was very disappointed by the celtics!

by the way.. the celtics are SO going to win tomorrow!

[graduation]

2010-06-10T21:32:00.000-07:00

the best friend :)

we made these chairs in class. i think

they are pretty amazing eh? mines the

blue one in the center :)

mrs. endy. my favorite teacher,

and one of my favorite friends!

mrs.knott. SUCH an amazing lady!

gettin my deploma!

we're graduates!

what a ladies man! [and he's only a

6th grader!!]

this little moterhome was WAY better than a

party bus!

yeah, this is my teacher right here. :)

and to keep ourselves entertained at 12 o'clock at night,

we decided to have a talent show. although no one else

participated besides heather, morgan, and i in our

"like a prayer" re-inactment of GLEE (the best show

on the face of the earth)

if it has to end..

2010-06-08T16:56:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I graduate junior high. to most, it doesn't seem like a big deal, high school and college those matter, but to my little class, junior high matters. These 3 years were the years were we bonded and made our foundations for what will come in the next years of our lives. We are sad to leave, but excited to start the next chapter.

{We have had the time of our lives

And now the page is turned

The stories we will write

We have had the time of our lives

And I will not forget the faces left behind

It's hard to walk away from the best of days

But if it has to end, I'm glad you have been my friend

In the time of our lives.}

this song (Time of Our Lives, by Mr. Tyrone Wells, whom heather, michelle, kelli, and i got to see live in SB!!) clearly portrays what our class is feeling.

i'm not sure if i will have a post tomorrow, due to hair curling, homemade pizza eating, family pictures, partiying, and the actual cerimony! But i promise there WILL be pictures of this day, because. well this day we will be leaving our school. and if we don't have pictures to remember this buy, i will shoot myself. Totally kidding!! BUT i would be very upset!! Anywho. Thanks for taking time to read my blog, i really do appriecate it!

happy day!

2010-06-03T16:05:00.000-07:00

hello there!

i'm super sorry that I've been missing lately!

so many things have been happening this week- I'm graduating in six days. SIX DAYS! ah.. I'm leaving my beloved school where I've contently resided for 9 years. I'm living in a new house, that finally feels like home. I'm madly obsessed with Glee. like really! It's sad. My two best friends and I constantly sing it all day long. teachers aren't liking that all the time.. but anywho!

I hope you are having an amazing week!

xoxo

new home!

2010-05-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

if you can see, these are some pictures from the new house! i'll have more soon.

2010-05-26T21:23:00.000-07:00

Hi friends!

the next couple days are super busy for me. so if i abandon this blog, please understand! I am moving into my new house!! its a lovely little home, and I am SO excited for the great things that are going to come from it!

I will hope to bring you bunches and bunches of pictures, and hey maybe a total room remodel? My interier design dreams are coming true!

2010-05-24T18:56:00.000-07:00

I just love etsy. heres why:

This recycled wooden sign from WilliamDohman

this lovely poster from rollandtumblepress

and these simple little notecards from missive

happy monday friends!

seeking.

2010-05-23T18:49:00.000-07:00

11:00ish may 22, 2010

i'm sitting at pismo. the wind is blowing crazy hard and our tents are breaking down. but i am so thankful God brought me here. i glad my cold went away. i'm so thankful for Jesus' love and goodness. i look around me... the warm beige sand with black freckles, the mighty waves crashing in the sea, and the lush mountains. God knows the exact number of grains of sand that lie on this beach. and although our eyes, ears, and tents are full of sand, and our food tasted a bit like lighter fluid, i am so thankful for this great trip and loving every second of it. it's crazy to think that God made the whole ocean. the whole thing! i can't even see over 50 miles of it, and he made it with his hands, and those same hands hold my heart, and care about my feelings. he loves ME. we talked about Eden and the new heaven, and God's Kingdom. everything was perfect in Eden. but sin corrupted the world. and now there are beer bottles spread across this beach. there's achy bones. there's sore throats andgoosebumbs. can you image a world without that? it's coming back. soon.

I wrote this on the beach. sitting in a sandy little chair. listening to the waves. and listening to God's voice. we talked earlier that morning about seeking and bringing God's kingdom. if you've read harry potter, you'll understand this comparison. seeking the kingdom of God is kind of like being a seeker in quidditch. it's a risky job, you usually get hurt and you face a bunch of trails, but in the end, its the most rewarding.

Seriously, this trip was SO fun. we ran up and down the dunes, ate un-camper like food, listened to great songs,fellowshipped, loved each other, sang songs about marshmallows, ate amazing clam chowder, ate about 2 pounds of sand, and lived in the middle of God's beauty. it was an incredable trip, and it was the people we were with and the God we love that made it so fun.

here are some pictures from the happy weekend :)

Sweaters.

2010-05-20T20:31:00.000-07:00

I just love sweaters. Cozy and warm, or lightweight and flowy, sweaters make me happy. They are beautiful no matter the style, simple or intricate. I think I might be a sweaterholic.

These are just a few of some sweaters I'm currently loving.

{from nordstrom}

{from anthropologie}

I'm not sure if I will be able to post tomorrow, because I will be leaving for the weekend to go to pismo beach with my best friends! But I'll be back with bunches and bunches of pictures! :)

2010-05-18T18:21:00.000-07:00

It's raining here. what the heck?! its supposed to be summer!

I just hope the rain is gone by this weekend, because my favorite people in the world and i are going to down to pismo to camp! Ah! It's going to be SO much fun.

here are some pictures. because i love photobooth.

this is SUPER old, but this is what my school is like :)

i love this girl so incredibly much!

back in the day.

okay. just to make it clear. i dont own this iphone in my hand.

i'm not THAT cool.

okay. dorky picture I know, but you must meet my dog pete. he is the best dog you will ever meet.

chloe and i are the spazz queens

2010-05-17T18:15:00.001-07:00

in·spired 1. to breath life into 2. daughter of Bill and Barbara Porcher 3. photographer of happy people, singer in the shower, dancer in the rain, lover of Jesus Christ.

just a hint of a project that we're working on at school. I seriously have THEE coolest teachers ever!

2010-05-15T08:50:00.001-07:00

Hello Again!

Super sorry I have blogged in what feels like 8 months (a week)But I was grownded from blogs.. It was a nice break, and I am glad to say I'm back and inspired!

Heres some lovely news:

1. DC SCRAPBOOKS ARE DONE! my brain can function again!!

2. 18 days until I graduate

3. Camping trip next weekend with my favorite people ever!

4. I got a lovely little book from anthropologie :) and it gives me SO many lovely ideas!!

5. I got my graduation dress :)

yippeeeee!

p.s. i live here. how could that not make you happy every day?

2010-05-09T08:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Mothers Day!

I must say, my mom is one of the most patient, caring, selfless, loving people in the world. She loves without end and is slow to get angry. She is SUCH a biblical woman, and she inspires me daily. Oh how I love her!

Heres some pictures of us goofing around :)

ps. we don't really look like this normally! Remember that crazy film camera I had? well turns out it takes pretty bad pictures.. :( But here are some of us... with four eyes and crazy weird smiles that make us look like we have mustaches (okay, maybe thats just me)

Happy Mothers Day { someone loves you :) }

insipre

2010-05-08T17:09:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago Heather and I got our AMAZING teacher a lovely little book from anthropologie! it's just dreamy :)

The book is SO inspiring!

this is what the book inspired me to make....

I hope you're having a wonderful saturday!

Happy-almost-Mother's Day!

change change change

2010-05-08T15:16:00.000-07:00

okay!

So I'm super sorry that I keep changing the title and design of my blog. I just wasn't content with those before. I'm liking this one much better, and I would love to know your thoughts about it too!

thanks for being flexible!

dear blogs.

2010-05-06T16:38:00.000-07:00

dear wonderful, amazing, beautiful blogs.

I love you so much. but I'm sad to say it's your fault i'm failing math. you must stop tempting me with your lovely goodness.

love you much,

lauren.

Ok. So i'm not really failing math, but i think that blogs are the reason that i have no clue what

this means-

I mean really? is that ever going to help me in life?! ok.. i'm not complaining. but i am SO excited for summer.

would you like to hear why?

1. im graduating from 8th grade. okayy. so this one is kinda bittersweet. I've never attended another school. and in 6 weeks I will be leaving my perfect little Christian school for the big high school. lets just say there are going to be some major changes!

2. i might be moving :) its like a 70% i'm moving to a beautiful little home sometime soon. but another bittersweet moment. i don't remember living anywhere else than my beautiful little ranch. and i'm not a big fan of change, but thats pretty much what all of my year has been, lots and lots of change. hey, i think its good for me!

3. HUME LAKE! seriously best week of my life. Ahhhhhh! Hume is like the happiest place on the face of the earth next to Disneyland.

4. i'm going to florida with heather to enjoy a week with my family!

5. it's going to be a summer of relaxing, living, laughing, and loving :)

Operation Freedom Shoot One {Withrows}

2010-05-04T20:18:00.000-07:00

Kenzie and I joined together on Monday for an amazing shoot with this beautiful family!

Goodies for Good!

2010-05-01T09:11:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!

I stumbled upon this great cause. A six year old boy is living with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2, a neuromuscular disorder, and to raise money to remodel his bathroom, they are having a fabulous giveaway!

Here's what's happening!

click here for more information and how you can get involved!

Getty!

2010-04-30T13:08:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, my school went to the Getty. It was seriously one of the most beautiful places ever! There were so many lovely gardens, paintings, and photographs scattered about the place. It was such a fun day of fellowship, learning, and loving God. One of the main parts of our tour was focused on seeing God through the paintings and how the artists either wanted to reflect God's presence or deny him. SUPER INTERESTING.

so. here are some pictures from the beautiful day :)

Love

2010-04-26T17:07:00.000-07:00

I love making lists of things. and for some reason I ENJOY making lists of things that I'll never get. Weird huh?

Here is a list of things I love and hey, maybe we can droll over them together.

1. Carmel Baby & Child

It's like a children's anthropologie. yeah. its like a complete dream by what I've seen of there little cardigans and mary janes.

SO STINKIN CUTE!

2. Letter Press Word Blocks

Ok. so. how can you not love these simple little blocks of lovelyness?!

3. Hazy by Rosi Golan

SUCH a beautiful little song. It's so peaceful and soft.

4. Goober

Who ever thought to mix peanut butter and jelly in a jar?! Goober did :) It's a bit.. interesting to me, but heather seemed to enjoy it! SO. props to Goober, for making a innovative product with a weird name!

have a spectacular day :)

ps. i'm super sorry i've been lagging with pictures!! I've had NO time to take any! BUT i got a new film camera and the pictures will be ready by tomorrow (hopefully!) so i can share them with you!

A bit about me.

2010-04-25T19:12:00.000-07:00

I love learning about people. A couple years back, my teacher gave us a quiz, to learn what our Personal Intelligences were (sounds confusing/thinky, they aren't!) and my answer was- People/Visual. meaning I love to be with people, and i love to be creative! Pretty much the mind of a photographer! Kenzie and I believe that all photographers have the same mind!! Its CRAZY! but anywhoo. heres a bit about me-

1. When do you feel happiest?

When I'm with my friends and worshipping God. These things often go hand in hand. I've got AMAZING friends! Seriously. one time we were sitting on my friends trampoline at her New Moon party, and we just started praying for our unsaved friends. Do most eighth grade girls do that? probably not. :)

2. How do you take care of yourself?

I sleep a lot. Like 10 hours a night. ha. I'm pretty bad when it comes toexercise, but I think smiling counts right?

3. Are you internally (by yourself) or externally (by others) motivated?

Mainly externally, but there are moments when my creative brain peaks through and gives me some wacky ideas!

4. What do you do for fun?

Watch movies with friends, go to youth group, eat, edit pictures, go on photoshoots, play with my puppies, talk to Jesus, love people.

5. What intimidates you?

old grumpy people and deadlines.

6. What is something you're proud of?

a couple of my photos. they make me happy :)

7. Finish this sentence. I never _____________ do one thing at one time. I love to multi task!!

8. Favorite vacation spot.

my backyard

9. Today is a (rate from 1 - 10).

8. Heather and I sucessfully talked at church. Although the whole thing we had planned went out the window, it was even better than planned! Gotta love the Holy Spirit! Then we had a brunch for fundraising for Hume Lake, and we got to have yummy sausage and strawberries. Finally I had to come home and scrapbook for DC, thats when the day lost a couple of points..

10. Finish this sentence. If you knew me really well you'd know_____________ I eat frozen peas,frozen waffles, and other weird frozen food other people don't like.

this is my friend morgan's

amazingly cute

little kitten!

2010-04-25T07:19:00.000-07:00

I'm not a big fan of talking infront of people. I stutter and my stomach gets all knotty. But some how I always get myself in the situations where I do have to talk infront of people. Today heather and i will be talking infront of the WHOLE church body to share what God has been doing in our lives, for youth sunday. Please pray for us!!

Time

2010-04-20T20:18:00.000-07:00

So I was reading through my Real Simple magazine. And I absolutely fell in love with the couple pages they had about what's worth your time. (the issue was all about time-savers, time-splurges, and how to have more time!)

Here are two of my favorite things in life that are worth the time.

1. Smelling flowers.

{this lovely little lady makes it look all the more enjoyable}

And 2. Curling up with a good book, with a fluffy throw blanket, and a cup of yogi calming tea.

{a bit specific, but this described my night last night! I was determined to finnish Harry Potter 6-mission accomplished.}

Here is one thing I am GOING to make time for in my life this year:

Documenting a week of my life.

in the magazine, a lady talked about how she documented everything that happened for a week, celebrating the "itty-bitty" stuff.

first, she photographed her alarm clock, a empty mug of tea, the few from the kitchen. next, she went into pack-rat mode and collecting receipts, newspaper headlines, lists, candy-bar wrappers, little notes and doodles made while on the phone. then she wrote herself a daily message, about what she loved that day, her emotions, what she was grateful for, what she wanted to throw out. at the end of the week, she printed out all of her photos, and sorted them out with the rest of her daily treasures. she organized them into a beautiful little scrapbook, and remembered a simple week of life. not a week of vacation, or monumental things, just a week that was simple, and without this book, usually forgotten.

{I really want to do this! SO hold me accountable and if you want to too, let me know :) we can be accountability partners!)

Now. What do you make time for in the week?

Life is SO good!

2010-04-19T15:35:00.000-07:00

the tittle pretty much speaks for itself.

Heres the scoop:

1. No homework this week because of SAT's!

2. It getting warm here, and there's a bunch of pretty yellow flowers blooming!

3. Lots of photoshoots scheduled for Operation Freedom!

4. DC scrapbook is almost done! for those of you who don't know- my class is required to make this scrapbook about our trip to DC. It takes up about 3 hours a day, and the creative juices have left my brain (hopefully not permadently!)this scrapbook=death, even to those who like scrapbooking (ok. so I'm being harsh, but really its a PAIN!)

5. I GET TO MEET SHARON CLARK! yeah. One of my biggest dreams is coming true!! not only do we get to meet, ha, we're shooting a wedding with her!! that pretty much can make any day :)

because I'm in a crazy/excited/lovely/happy-dancing mood,

heres a picture of heather and I from crazy hat day

at school :)

right this moment. . .

2010-04-15T16:35:00.000-07:00

I hope you’ll visit:
~the operation freedom photography fan page on facebook!
I’m excited because:
~we get to see Tyrone Wells in concert tomorrow!
~my school girls basketball team made it to the finals, and the tournements to night! GO EAGLES!
~there's an anthropologie bag in my room right now. that just makes everything better.
~my daddy loves Jesus!
I can’t stop thinking about:
~pretty melodies.
~film pictures.
~hearts in the sand.
~perfumed roses.
I’m ready for:
~summer.

Operation {Freedom} Photography.

2010-04-14T15:35:00.000-07:00

As you read this, two children will be caught up in sex slavery.
Although slavery is illegal almost everywhere, there are more slaves than ever before. Girls. The average age is 13, my age, living the most dreadful, and terrifying life. With no way out. Girls are promised a new job, instead they are brought to a Brothel, where they see at least 5 costumers a day. These girls think they have no future, but WE are changing this. Kenzie {kenziekatephoto.blogspot.com} and I have started a small photography business. No, we're not professionals. But we are using our gift, photography, to free these girls from this hopeless lifestyle. Like my post before, our youth group is heading this project, and this is our duty to help.
It costs $500 to free one girl, and for $100 we're doing one-hour photoshoots including many people as you would like, any location, two photographers, and a disc with all of the edited images. Just 5 photoshoots could free one slave. You're help could make all the difference.

Birthday!

2010-04-11T17:55:00.001-07:00

Today Michelle and I had our combined birthday bash!!
We asked everyone to bring money opposed to presents to free one girl from sex slavery. WE RAISED EXACTLY $500!! The cost of one girl's freedom! :) SO exciting!! We played in the rain, ate bunches of food, danced, laughed, and loved eachother!
Heres a couple of shots from the party!

2010-04-10T10:45:00.000-07:00

I have to say, I have some beautiful friends. This is just a glimpse of the last photoshoot I went on a couple weeks ago.

Anthropologie Suitcase + Oxfords= LOVE

the AMAZING photographer Kenzie Floyd! check out her site at {kenziekatephoto.blogspot.com}

Obsessions

2010-04-04T19:28:00.000-07:00

So. I change my mind pretty quickly, but when i like something, I REALLY like it. My common saying, "oh! I could marry that!!"
Here is what I'm loving right now, my new obsessions, my lovelies.

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution:
ah man! this guy is pretty amazing! the best part: his little baby girl in the beginning with her English accent saying "I love you daddy"

Little English Baby's:
Like above, oh MAN! Have you heard little English kids talk SO CUTE!! I think my favorite is the little girls in The Holiday {favorite movie right now!} saying... "daddy, aren't you going to take her coat?" if you haven't seen it YOU must watch that movie!!

Hulu:
free tv shows at the click of a mouse. AMAZING.

Jesus:
He DIED for us, and ROSE again :)

Bucket List.

2010-04-02T21:39:00.000-07:00

This is my bucket list. Full of dreams that may never come true {see deliver letter by owl-post}, dreams that I cannot stop thinking about {see meet Sharon Clark}, dreams that mean so much to me {see read the entire Bible}, and dreams that simply make me happy thinking about them {see make someone laugh, go to Africa, go to Hogwarts, work with a non-profit, ect.}
These are things I want to do in my life. They are the little things that make life so much more enjoyable.

Meet Sharon Clark.
Read the entire Bible.
Read all of Nicolas Spark’s Books.
Make someone laugh.
Buy something at Anthropologie.
Write down a dream.
Go to a Jasmine Star Workshop/Smitten Photography Workshop.
Fly a kite.
Have a picnic.
Use a Polaroid camera.
Take silly pictures in a Photo Booth.
Go to Africa.
Finnish a scrapbook.
Write letters more often than emails.
Finnish a book in 2 days.
Do my own pedicure.
Deliver a letter by owl-post.
Start my own photography business.
Be involved with a non-profit.
Spend a whole day at the beach.
Dance in the pouring rain.
Go to Hogwarts.
Not worry.
Plan a wedding.
...and more to come!

Today Michelle Fisher {http://allaboutthememories.com} and I had a free day. Full of little bakeries, sitting without shoes on the pier, girl talks, magazines and books, window shopping, bumping into old friends, grilled cheeses, anthropoligie, and soft doughy pretzels. It was a great day. with no agenda, no responsibilities.

Remember, because Jesus died for YOU today. and He loves YOU more than you can ever image. blows my mind :)

Friends without Homes.

2010-04-01T08:48:00.001-07:00

We do this once a week. We feed, fellowship, and love homeless people in Santa Barbara. We share Jesus with them and laugh together. I think the love we feel is mutual. They enjoy us coming down and we love learning from them.
Here are a couple pictures my friend Sam took yesterday..

Cynthia, Chloe, and I sitting in the Bobb's car. One of the most amazing families ever.

Getting our fellowship on!

This woman is Connie. One of my greatest friends from Pershing. A woman with amazing faith and the kindest heart.

The boy's representing the new Reflection shirts

Want to be part of this? Come to Pershing Park in Santa Barbara on Wednsday Evenings : )

Beauty.

2010-03-31T21:55:00.001-07:00

Okay, again the In the Name of Love blog gives me happy chills!
Oh man do i love this website!! {liveinthenameoflove.blogspot.com}
Yesterday, Bianca (yes I talk about her like we're best friends and have been sense kindergarten) blogged about "holy jobs".
But i completely agree with her saying, a holy job is just a holy person having a job. (sorry about the lack of different words, I'm tired from a long day of spring-breaky-ness!)
She continued adding, "You want to be a photographer, be the most amazing photographer who captures God's beauty."
And this is my goal. To show God's beauty of people and nature, through taking pictures. I hope sometime you will see this, not only through my camera lens, but look outside your window my friend!
Although its black outside mine at 9:59 pm, the stars alone tell me more of Gods AMAZING power, love, creativity, and beauty.
I hope you can notice God's divine love and beauty sometime this week!

although this picture is blurry, i don't think that any thing can display joy better than four girls crammed on a couch, loving, living, and laughing together :)

2010-03-29T16:50:00.000-07:00

When my heart is breaking, I never leave your hands.

Live like David. Not Gideon.

2010-03-24T20:24:00.001-07:00

“I want to be faithful like David, but I'm a sign-seeking Gideon. I want signs for signs. What I really need is faith. More faith.”
This really defines my life right now. Like REALLY. I think that this is something that I truly struggle with. So. I pray today that I have more faith, and God will be patient with my un-patient heart.
{the quote is from Bianca from inthenameoflove.blogspot.com, SUCH an amazing site!}

I hope you have a day full of joy and love, surrounded by the people you love most!
ps. I changed the logo? like it?? eh? bit more personal? thats what I thought. : )

this is heather and i in disneyland! we went for our last time with our season passes on monday. so sad..

Happy Tuesday

2010-03-16T20:18:00.000-07:00

Look to this Day!
For it is life, the very life of life.
In its brief course
Lie all the verities and realities of your existence-
The bliss of growth,
The glory of action,
The splendor of achievement.
For yesterday is already a dream
And tomorrow is only a vision,
But today well lived
Makes every yesterday a dream of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day!
Such is the salutation to the dawn.
~Kalidasa

Happy Happy Tuesday!

Yosemite Trip

2010-03-13T18:21:00.000-08:00

These are UBER old, but really one of my favorite trips. My second family brought me along to Yosemite this winter, and the weather was PERFECT. it wasn't too cold, and the lighting was always to die for, it also helped that I was with one of the most gorgeous families ever.
Anywhoo. here are some pictures from the trip!

Operation {Freedom}

2010-03-10T17:02:00.000-08:00

My youthgroup is attempting to free 50 girls from sex slavery. Each girl costs $500 to free, making our goal $25,000. To some, this may seem impossible, but to us, its just a goal we HAVE to reach. That is our sister. our cousin. our aunt. Bondaged to slavery.
My class has started a t-shirt line where most of the proceeds go to freeing these girls.
If you're interested, check us out at: reflectionclothing.yolasite.com

2010-03-06T19:20:00.000-08:00

Oh the Wonderful Cross. Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live..

You're Beautiful.

2010-03-03T21:02:00.000-08:00

I see Your face in every sunrise
The colors of the morning are inside Your eyes
The world awakens in the light of the day
I look up to the sky and say
You’re beautiful.

I hope your day is full of love, blessings, peace, and joy. Happy Wednesday!

Oh Doodle.

2010-03-02T19:18:00.001-08:00

This is Demari, Doodle, Dookie, Dooks, Dad, Poop.. what ever you want to call her, she's pretty dang amazing. She's hilarious,beautiful, and can lighten any mood. She's been nagging me to put these pictures up on facebook, but I thought I'd share them with you as well :)

Meet Heather.

2010-02-25T15:34:00.001-08:00

This. Is Heather. My giggle partner, the person I tell EVERYTHING to, the girl who is there for anyone in need, and my best friend. I love this girl to death. You will probably see her face on my blog alot, because of her gorgeous face, and her infectious laugh and joy, that makes everyone around her giddy.

Yup. I have the best friends in the world :)

2010-02-22T16:35:00.000-08:00

On friday, my youth group Velocity took 30 junior-highers to Santa Maria to bowl. I gotta say we have some serious skill for 13 year 0lds.

Poodles. Mud. and a Bit of Pixie Dust

2010-02-18T15:24:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago I got a couple of my friends together for a "fairy" inspired shoot. It was oh, so exciting for me to work with my favorite girlies! We ventured through tall grass to find this little forest along with a fluffy poodle. We borrowed the skirts from "This Little Piggy" an amazing child boutique (the owner happens to be the beautiful blonde's mom). This shoot made me jump with joy while editing these pictures! Enjoy :)

2010-02-18T07:46:00.001-08:00

Heres a little more about me {I love life. I love eating.I love taking way to many pictures and learning from amazing photographers. I love praying and worshiping. I love doodling on my homework. I love my parents. I love watching the Notebook over and over again. I love feeding homeless friends...and doing there laundry too. I love watching new movies and the oldies too. I love catching up with friends. I love going to Christian concerts. I love Starbucks, oh so much. I love watching Say Yes To The Dress. I love going to Borders. I love sleeping- in. I love dresses. I love rainbows. I love sweaters and v-necks. I love coloring books. I LOVE LIFE.}

And because posts always seem better with a picture, here is a photo from a shoot I will be posting about soon!