Make A Wish Fundraiser Event

Last week, well, I guess two weeks ago now (darn me for too much working and not enough posting), I had the opportunity to photograph a Make A Wish fundraiser event. Can I first just say that Make A Wish is the best non-profit. I mean there are a lot of great organizations, but I love that Make A Wish focuses on giving the opportunity for kids to just live, to be a regular kid, and to forget about any medical conditions for a while.

During the event, Make A Wish announced that Geanna (pictured second from the right below) and her family would be given the opportunity to go on a trip to Hershey Park in Hershey, PA. Can't you just imagine all that chocolate?!? It's going to be a-mazing!

What an amazing girl and an incredibly strong and supportive family. Her dad is in the back scoping out the candy-YUMMY!

Deb Knapp is one of the anchors for local news stations. She is very active with the Make A Wish foundation in Oregon and was there to speak and show her support.

The man below was one of my favorite speakers at the event. His son was the first kid in Oregon to get his wish granted! While he would have much preferred his son to choose going to Hawaii with the family (admittedly so), his son decided he wanted to meet Erik Estrada from the hit television show CHiPS. (insert audience giggle).

The next speaker had an amazing story, as well. She is a cancer survivor (twice) and she was granted a wish when she was younger. She wished for a horse. She loved and rode her horse and ended up surviving cancer. All grown up, she decided to hike from one end of Spain to the other. On her trip, she met her (now) husband, and they recently had a beautiful baby. In her speech she said she holds Make A Wish personably responsible for giving her the strength to push past her disease and survive. It's incredible what a few days of freedom (i.e. being able to ride your new horse) can do for the soul.

Also, remember my good friend Andrew? I took photos of him and his wife when they were pregnant and then again when baby Gracie was born. His sister was a Make-A-Wish kid. She actually did wish for a trip to Hawaii for their family. Unfortunately, his sister passed away a few years back, but Andrew still donates so much time and resources to the organization. He even planned and raised enough money this year to pass on a wish to another wish kid. It is truly astounding how community members contribute to this organization!

Below is Geanna up on stage when they announced her wish was being granted. You can see her excitement through her lit up face. Such a sweet girl!

A celebratory chocolate vase. 

Here's some behind the scenes action of the staff hard at work. I went to school with Jessica (far left). :)

At the end of the event, they brought many of the people up on stage who are actively involved in helping these wishes come true. Alaskan Airlines has played a huge part in flying families all over the country.

This group of people who attended the event came from all over the country. They are responsible for starting the entire Make a Wish organization by granting the first wish in Arizona.

And that's about it. It was a great event. It went incredibly smooth and I had such a great time hearing the stories and meeting everyone involved. Thanks again Make A Wish. Keep up the good work.

Until next time...

Meredith and Andrew's Engagement Session

A few weeks ago, I met up with Meredith and Andrew for a mini engagement photoshoot. I love working with these two. They are all giggles. I mean, I'm sure it was mostly the awkwardness of being in front of a camera, but I love it when couples start laughing instead of standing there staring like a deer in the headlights (maybe a bit of an dramatization). Laughing always makes for great, playful photos.

The more I shot with these two, the more excited I got for their wedding. It's so fun working with engaged couples because they are still in that, lovey-dovey, hands all over each other phase. Don't get me wrong, I love being married, but it's always fun to be around young love.

Seriously, I don't think you can get any cuter. I love that they just love to be around each and make each other laugh.

Andrew and Meredith, thanks so much for letting me shoot such an incredible and fun milestone in your life. I can not wait for the big day! Amazing, backyard, barn weddings are my fave.

Until next time...

Sister Sydney, All Grown Up

You may remember my very sweet sister Sydney from one of my posts about a year ago when she just got back from her study abroad trip to Tanzania. Well, believe it or not, this girl is about ready to graduate college. Yup, you heard read correctly. Sydney is all grown up and ready to face the big bad world. ...well not quite yet. She will graduate in a few short months, and then in August she will move onto grad school. Syd was smarter than I was (or maybe she just learned from my mistakes) and she is putting off the real world for another couple years. That's right children, learn vicariously from us older folk, and avoid the real world for as long as possible. It's a deep, dark hole.

But back to my sister. I can't even express how excited and proud I am for her. This may have happened to me too, maybe it happens to every college student, but it's amazing to see how much she has blossomed in college. She went into college as a fun, charismatic young lady that was ready for a new adventure and the get out of Wyoming. She has come out as an incredibly intelligent, active woman that is ready to take on the world. I mean that literally. Syd is going on to get her master's degree in social change. She is going to be one of those people that helps form the programs that make a dramatic impact on the entire world. Her specific interest lies in working with refugees and victims of trafficking. Pretty intense stuff, but she is so good at it. I'm not sure how someone could manage to still be sweet and funny while taking on the world's problems, but Syd has managed to do it. In other words, she is pretty damn cool.

A few weeks ago, Syd came to town for her spring break. We did a lot of fun things around town, but I also got a chance to shove her in front of my lens and take some photos. Our mom really wanted some photos for Syd's graduation announcements, and I really wanted to bust out my brand new camera.

We took an afternoon to visit Cannon Beach. After practicing our Truffle Shuffle for a bit (a little Goonies movie reference for ya), and scarfing down a bread bowl of clam chowder at Mo's, we hit haystack rock for our second photo-op.

Since I was with my sister, and not a paying client, I forced her to get her feet in the water. Bahaha! What are sisters for if not to get photos like this?

But, I like to think I then made up for it, by getting some "better" ones too.

So, that's all she wrote. In just about a month and a half, I will have some actual graduation photos to share with you all. Now, please excuse me while I go cry in the corner because my cute, obnoxious, embarrassing  and weird, little sister is all grown up and is now only a few of those things.

Until next time...

Welcome to the World Arlo Erickson!

Remember about a month ago when I showed you all my BFF's super cute pregnant belly photos? Well, as most pregnant ladies tend to do, Brooke had her sweet little son just a little over three weeks ago. I'd like to introduce you all to the very handsome Arlo Erickson!

Isn't he just the cutest?! Brooke and Luke are our first really close friends (that we live near) to have a baby. It's so much fun to see him and be around him during the first couple weeks of his life. Ten years from now, I'll be able to be that annoying aunt/friend that can say "I was there on the day you were born!" while he just rolls his eyes and thinks "She says this all the time! Can I just have my birthday present?" Now I know why all my parents friends would always say "I remember when you were this big..." My how the tables have turned.

I need to start honing in my trailing off... Back to little Arlo. These photos were taken when he was only a week old. Look at all that hair!

I love this photo of Brooke and Arlo (below). I like to call Brooke "Martha" because she is just so good at everything. Her food is always the best. Her house and yard are incredible, and have you seen her nursery (if not, you can check it out here)? Being a new mom fits her so well too. He may not know it yet, but this guy is one lucky kid because he has an incredible mom.

I love this photo too ( I mean I love them all, but especially this one). You can see where he gets all that hair.

And the best part of a newborn are all the little details ...and yawns ...and squirms ...and the smell (most of the time).

We were only able to get a few pictures of Olive and Arlo. Olive was a little nervous around Arlo, which is probably a good thing. It was funny though because she wanted to be in the room, but would keep a wary eye on what he was doing.

What a perfect little face and a perfect little addition to the Erickson family. Thanks Brooke and Luke for letting me in to capture this amazing moment in your life. And also for letting me hold him and snuggle him up, but then give him back when he starts crying. :)

I'm sure I will have some follow-up for you guys from month to month and year to year. I can't help but photograph such a handsome face.

Until next time...

Future Baby Brandski

Last weekend I had the opportunity to photograph Laurie and Mike. Ya, these two are probably the funniest couple I have ever met. Seriously, they were cracking me (and themselves) up the whole time. There were some tears that had to be wiped a way. ...and maybe a little pee too. TMI?

Anyway, one of the things that Laurie told me is that ever since she got pregnant she has had a tendency to randomly get a case of the giggles. Not a bad symptom if you ask me, and apparently Mike knows the secret button to push, because once he got her going, she just couldn't stop. Hilarious.

In addition to all the giggles and good times, Mike and Laurie are one of those couples that you can just tell by being around them that they absolutely and completely love each other. They had a hard time keeping their hands off each other, but it was in the way that just screams that they are each still crazy excited to be with the other. It was fun to be around, and I can tell you that this kid is going to grow into an amazing family.

I have this crazy premonition that may or may not ever come true (let's face it, I have a tendency to get carried away from time to time...). I can just see Mike and Laurie's kid(s) looking back at the photos above maybe in twenty five years and loving that sense of nostalgia they get from seeing what their parents were like when they were young, before their life began. Now that I am in my mid-twenties I find myself wondering what my parents were like when they were my age. That's my favorite thing about doing maternity photos. I love having couples that will let me in enough to capture that honest sense of who they are at this specific point in there life. It's so much fun to be in that moment and freeze it for their kids to find and feel later. These two are probably the perfect couple for this because they are always on point.

And seriously, look at Laurie. She's eight months pregnant and looks amazing. She wears "mom to be" so well.

Thanks again Mike and Laurie. I had such a great time. I can't wait to meet your little guy in just a few short weeks! Stay tuned everyone else, because there will be baby Brandski pictures coming up soon!

Until next time...

Baby Erickson is almost here!

Guess what everyone?! My BFF Brooke and her hubby are expecting!! Well, she is 40 weeks pregger now, so not only is she expecting, she is about ready to pop. A few weeks ago, they let me shove them in front of my lens to take some fun maternity shots. ...and soon, I'll be able to show you some little baby boy pictures!

Seriously, a pretty good looking family don't ya think?

It's funny, because since I've known these two, they have always been a super cute couple. Now that they have a little bun baking, they are cute to the enth degree. Really, this is what they're like all the time. One lucky kid if you ask me.

The Erickson family photos wouldn't be complete without some highlights of sweet little Olive.

And here's Luke sneaking a little listen to his soon to be son.

This is one of my favorite shots:

Brooke might punch me for posting these two photos of her, but I LOVE them. You hear about the pregnant lady glow, and Brooke is just about the cutest little pregnant lady you have ever seen. These are one of those pictures that I think her kids will look at in twenty years and adore how their mom looked and smiled before their life even began.

Okay that is enough of me getting all emotional and serious up in here. Baby E is coming soon, so check back for some adorable baby photos.

Until next time...