Fabulous Friday: Clouds

So, I'm "snowed" in and not going anywhere today. And that's when i realized that yesterday was Friday and I forgot to post about something fabulous! The morning was a little stressful and then I was heading to a friend's house to help them unload/unpack in their new house and I was leaving there to come home to go to dinner with some other friends. So while I love mingling with you, dear internet, you were kind of at the back of my mind yesterday... so sorry! Hopefully, even though it's a day late, you'll still enjoy this Fab Friday post.

Every photographer's dream, when shooting outside, are dramatic clouds. A couple of weeks ago I walked out of work and the clouds were amazing. Luckily I had my camera in the trunk of my car! I got a few funny looks as others were leaving the office because they had no idea what I was taking a picture of... but I don't care because the clouds were fabulous!

Family = Love

I have family all over the place. Which means I may have one of the largest families ever. Granted, I'm not blood related to most of them but I may as well be! And I love it. I'm so blessed to have so many amazing people in my life that love me as much as they do. Butch and Nell are two of those such people. In 2004 I moved to Brussels, Belgium to work with them and teach English. As missionaries, they had already lived in a variety of places and had been in Brussels for 7 or 8 years by the time I got there. Their daughter was getting ready to graduate high school and attend college at the University of South Carolina (tragic, I know) and their son was just starting high school.

A couple of years after I came home, their assignment in Brussels was up and they moved back to the states. The best news? They were going to be less than 2 hours away from me! And I have fully taken advantage of them being so close and have been lucky to see them (and both of their children!) many many times, which has only brought us all closer.

Butch and Nell were passing through Greenville this weekend so I emailed them earlier in the week to see if they would want to do pictures while they were here. Their next assignment is going to be in Montreal, which means I'm not going to get to see them anywhere near as much as I've been lucky enough to. But, now I have a few pictures to remember them by. And holy cow... y'all photograph SO well! Seriously, Nell you are gorgeous and Butch... you were joking but you really worked it!

Butch & Nell, I'm going to miss both of you SO much. Thank you for everything you have done for me over the past 6 years and for loving me as much as you do. I don't know that I'll ever be able to thank you enough. Je vous aime. Que Dieu vous bénisse. Bisous!

The lighting in here was delicious. You may laugh, but it's SO true. It was amazing.

If you know Nell, you can't look at this next picture and NOT hear her laugh! I love it.

They could be in a magazine...

This is so them!! I love it.

Fabulous Friday: Cherry Coke

There are many things that I love about this world. And if you know me, you could probably spout off a few things without even thinking. But since the five of you that read this blog may or may not know me, I've decided to do a weekly or bi-weekly post called Fabulous Friday. Because let's face it, Fridays are fabulous without even trying. So why not make them better by highlighting other fabulous things?? Plus, I just like the word "fabulous". Although I think I like writing more than actually saying it. I may have to test that out though...

So, here it goes. Clearly from the title of the post, cherry coke is the subject of today's Fabulous Friday. I remember going to Greenville when I was younger (we lived oh so far away in Spartanburg at the time) and going to Ruby Tuesdays in the mall and ordering a cherry coke. Not only did the waitress bring me a cherry coke but it had real cherries in it! It may have been at that very moment that I fell in love with its deliciousness. So much so that I've been in awe of the designs that Coca-Cola has put on the cherry coke cans over the years. I used to have the purple can with red cherries on it but it passed away (aka devlopped a leak or something) and ruined the flash I used on my old Nikon N50 in the process. It was sad because it was one of my favorites - the can, not the flash. But so was the red and black edgy one. And that one I was able to find in London back in 1996 in this funky size. How cool is that??

And then... low and behold, I found it. The most amazing thing for a cherry coke obsessed person in the 21st century. Food Lion had the 100 calorie cans of cherry coke!!! Heaven. That must be where I ventured that evening. Unfortunately I only bought one pack of eight. I didn't want to look too silly going to the check out with the last three cases they had of the 100 calorie packs of cherry coke. Sheesh! I would like to keep whatever dignity I have left in tact. Besides, I was too giddy over finding them. I was losing any dignity points I had by jumping up and down and screaming for joy in the aisle.

Here's to a Fabulous Friday!

Courtney... DON'T Smile!

So, I'm kind of behind on blogging. And it's funny how I seem to say that a lot. Oops...! I promise that I don't do it on purpose. And I could give you an excellent list of excuses. But I will spare you because you're here for the pictures, not to read my most awesome list of reasons why I'm behind on blogging. Maybe I'll post that list later. Like, next year. When I'm behind again. ha!

So here they are... this was one of my last Christmas sessions and this family was so fun! I work with Bill at Upward so I've known these guys for a few years now and love being able to hang out with them and get to know them some outside of "work". And no, not all of them work with us! But you don't always get to see co-workers and families outside of the office.

Courtney had the hardest time with the "look off in the distance and look pensive" request. Which made for some awesome laughing pictures! And, photographer's secret regardless of how well you handle a camera, that's sometimes the best way to get the most genuine smiles. Try it!