My life will never be the same again!

I was making applesaue yesterday .... and was trying out new kitchen gadgets. I was using a new peeler, then decided to give my new gadget a whirl.


This peeler slips over the middle finger ... and it makes peeling apples a DREAM!!!!!!!! I suspect this will change the way I feel about peeling potatoes.

These little jewels are available at target. Check it out by CLICKING HERE.

Confession ...

Mike lauded me for not photographing on our wedding day (except for a few self portraits).

Weeeeeeeeeeell, I *did* take a few detail photos ... just for kicks. BUT I will say Mike and Heather had waaaaaaaay better light for their detial pix, so I'll let you know when they're all up!









ps-the dress was brand spankin' new ... it wasn't a vintage dress, but doesn't it LOOK vintage????

Gifts!

Shortly after the wedding, we attacked the monster pile of gifts!


They're all open ... now we have to find homes for all of our awesome gifts. Today, I hung a new shower curtain ... I've NEVER had a matching shower curtain and bath mat before! (yes, I'm a dork!)

The BEST part about the gifts is that ALL of the thank you cards are written!!!!!!!

Need a nice cat?

My friend and business partner, Mike, has been trying to find a home for a cat for awhile ... if you are willing to give a loving home to a 10-year-old cat named Pumpkin, cruise on over to Mike and Angie's blog....

And I know some of you are thinking "why don't you just take the cat, Karen? Well, if you've ever met Esse, you would understand her jealousy and disdain for any other 4-legged creature. She lived with another cat for almost a year and a half and they STILL got into cat fights and hissing matches ... so we can't bring poor Pumpkin into our home. :-(

Crossover — Classic!

Mike's been AWESOME about posting sneak peeks on the Heartland blog of our wedding.

For all of the posts about Erik and I, CLICK HERE. (And DO be sure to leave blog love!)

Erik was telling me as we tooled around in the car how he remembered riding in the back seat as a boy. Interestingly enough, our wedding was his first big driving experience in the car. He "learned the ropes" from papa Vern Friday, then Vern turned us loose. Thanks for loaning us the car, Vern! It's such an awesome visual element and has some very personal meaning to your awesome "sonny boy!" ;-)~

The yin and yang of Erik and Karen

I LOVE that Erik and I are opposite in many ways. The opposites make us a killer team.

Latest case in point: thank you cards.


I don't so much mind writing them ... but I loathe addressing more than 5 at a time.

Erik, on the other hand, would rather address cards than write thank yous .... so our system works out quite nicely. :-)

Of course, after writing dozens of cards, I am getting a little creative. Saying things such as: "Thanks for the gift card to Lowes. Erik and I are excited to get a storm door, but we're hoping Vern will come install it." ;-) (don't worry Bonar parents, we're having the Lowes boys come and do all of the hard work. We'll sit, drink Arnie Palmers and watch).

My creative writing has been momentarily halted because we've run out of cards. Perhaps I'll get some more soon. And stamps. Sheesh! I know what the next wedding gift I'm giving is — thank you cards + stamps! Seriously, it's the most practical gift EVER!

Bye bye empty walls!

It's SO exciting to get our OWN art on the walls of Erik's ... er ... our house!


I ordered a nice 24x30 image of our e-session, as well as some detail shots of the pressroom to go along with it. Evidently, I didn't mention to Erik I got other photos, too. Oh well, he *gets* my vision and we both think it turned out AMAZINGLY!

I even cleaned the junk off the dining room table for the photo! If you're in the neighborhood, DO drop by! I am excited to show off our awesome walls!

Next up: painting. Erik and I have FINALLY agreed on a wall color for the master bedroom. YAY! But I think before it gets painted, the guest room is up. I need to get a sample to be 100% sure I like it. Hopefully, I'll get around to painting the guest room by the end of the month ... then the master bedroom by Thanksgiving! THEN I get to attack the master closet!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, I'm SO jazzed to install a closet shelving system — one for E and one for K! Also, some extra shelf space and of course some drawers and MORE drawers!

A *few* people have asked if there's anything we still need ... and our answer is TARGET GIFT CARDS!!!!!!!!! We're getting ready to install our dream closet and any/all help is appreciated! Of course, once it's in, we'll never want to move (you'll see once you see the finished product!).

Movie night!

Erik and I headed to see Eagle Eye this week.

WOW!

Loved it! If you haven't seen it, DO!



Sort of an interesting backstory ... Steven Spielberg wrote this script a dozen years ago, but never got around to making it.

Entertainment story is HERE. It's all action ... not too bloody and isn't a skin snow either.

YOWSAS!!!! — part 2

SO, I posted photos from Joyce and Billy's engagement session with Nicole and Brandon Parigo about a month ago.

Joyce and I went to high school together, and we have many, many fond memories. She and Billy were married two weeks before Erik and I. It worked out amazingly well, because we were both able to attend the other's wedding. AND Joyce helped Cousin Jen rock the guest book table for us!

On Saturday, I found the top photo as the sneak peek on the Parigo's blog. WOW! Niiiiice image! (I viewed the double rainbow from the ground).

I enjoyed Joyce and Billy's wedding on SO MANY levels:

Firstly, it was fantastic to see an old friend marry someone who's been an important part of her life for years.

Secondly, it was an amazing reunion with some high school friends who I don't often see.

Thirdly, I got to wear my killer gardening galoshes (it'd spent the previous 5 days raining, and the wedding was in Joyce and Billy's big, beautiful backyard). I was in HEAVEN!

Finally, I was able to totally kick back and BE A GUEST AT A WEDDING!!!!!!! I drank wine, chatted with friends, drank more wine, enjoyed the lovely afternoon, had more wine and shared many laughs with Joyce's family. And then more wine was consumed. ;-)

But seriously ... Nicole and Brandon totally rocked it! I enjoy watching other photographers work. It's interesting to see the similarities and differences. It was such a joy to watch this duo work their booties off to produce killer images for Joyce and Billy. Seriously!!!!!!!! My mom always said she enjoyed dinner more if someone else made it; I guess I can understand that more now. I LOVE documenting weddings, but there were SO MANY friends around, I would have missed out on catching up if I had to actually work. It was awesome to watch someone else do all of the hard work! :-) Plus, they did an AMAZING JOB! I'm not pumping hot air, either. Even though I'm a wedding guest, I totally have to admit I watch the photogs. I've seen some who ... didn't shoot the way I feel is appropriate and I felt *bad* for the couple because I saw the photographer miss so many nice moments. This is SO NOT THE CASE for Joyce and Billy.


I'll start to wind down now. But not before I talk about Joyce's dad. I <3 Dr. Barba!!!!! He's just the sweetest man EVER!


He has 5 daughters, and it is SO clear his girls respect and adore him! (I know *I* sure do!)


Ok, I'll stop rambling now. But DO cruise over and check out the post of Joyce and Billy's wedding on the Parigo's blog!

Sexy & Sassy!!!!!!!

Sexy.


Sassy.

To check out more of our wedding images on the Heartland blog, CLICK HERE!!!!!!

A GARGANTUAN THANK YOU to Heather and Mike for TOTALLY rocking our wedding photography!

ps-please be sure to leave some blog love (comments) on the Heartland blog! They TOTALLY brighten up a photographer's day! :-)