Personal Archive

Yesterday I had the honor of documenting a US Navy Commissioning ceremony.   The man getting promoted is Chief Dayton Swann, husband to my good friend and local wedding coordinator, Brenda Swann.   Below is just an overview of what the ceremony is like.

The ceremony was at the Veteran’s Museum in Balboa Park.

Brenda gave a witty and very emotional speech

I love how Dayton is looking at her 🙂

Brenda receiving recognition for being a Navy wife!

Dayton’s father

Dayton’s best friend got to be the first to salute him

And finally Dayton giving a speech. Don’t tell Dayton I told you this but there were a few tears shed.

The centerpieces were made by Christine at Fancy That Flowers and Gifts

Dayton explaining to his family what everything stands for

Thank you for inviting me to be a part of your day!  

Dayton leaves very soon for his 2nd Deployment, best of luck to him and I will be keeping his wife company back here in San Diego!

xoxo, M

At lunch today, my fortune cookie said “You will have many friends when you need them”. That couldn’t be more true today. The kind words I received today in emails, twitters, facebook comments and text messages really meant a lot.

Last night around 2:30am Tim and I were woken up by knocking on our door. My poor car had been hit by a drunk driver while it was parked on our street. He hit it with such force that it completely flipped my SUV. The driver (who I found out has multiple DUI convictions and was driving on a suspended license) was coming from a bar, hit my car, possibly rolled his as well and went home to bed. Hit and run. Thankfully he left a ton of clues behind at the scene (ATM statement, baby shower invite, hats and his headlight) and was arrested about an hour later.

No one was injured, we were asleep when it happened.  He may be injured but he was well enough to drive away.

This was what we walked out to find.  The debris in the front of the photo is from his Titan.

Here you can see the cement retaining wall that my car got smashed in to.  Luckily it barely missed the utility box!

Here is the tow truck tipping the car back on 4 (brand new, two week old, expensive) tires.

The major damage, where he hit the car.

Well, that is that.  Now I am playing the waiting game on his insurance company to get a statement when he is released from jail.  I am still pretty shaken up by this whole ordeal.

My 10 year high school reunion was this past November. I was busy shooting a wedding that night but snuck out for the last hour of it at Pala Mesa.  I saw some familiar faces, most of whom I hadn’t seen in, well, 10 years!

Back in 1998 our ASB had us write a letter to ourselves and they were given out at the reunion. My friend Amy didn’t know I was coming so she grabbed mine and took it home.  I just got it in the mail the other day.  What a trip!  

I had written a little bit about myself back then (who my friends were, some strong beliefs I had).  I also included what I want to accomplish in the last 10 years.  A lot of it was eerily  close to what my life is now.  I didn’t predict having my own business, but I still wanted to be in the photography field.  I mentioned being married and having kids.  Half of that is true!  I named off 4 people that I would still be in contact with and it is true w

ith all but one person!  Pretty trippy.

My best friend Nichole turned me on to a website that does this sort of thing for you!  You write an email to a future you and decide when you want it sent!  I think Nichole does this on a yearly basis.  I wrote one to myself to receive in 5 years from today.  I highly recommend visiting FutureMe.org and writing yourself a note for the future!  Trust me, you will thank me in about 10 years! 😉

And of course, I had to include an embarrassing photo of myself from high school!!

I’m on the right side and my best friend Allison is on the left, this is the day we graduated!   Allison and I are still close friends, she has made a few appearances on my blog recently!  (sorry for the bad scan! Haven’t hooked up my new printer/scanner yet!)

XOXO, M

Wow, 7 days and no blogging! At least I have a good excuse (you have to wait for it until later in the week…)

For right now, I just wanted to say, I hope you had a wonderful Holiday season and an even more wonderful 2008! Mine was very eventful! 2009 will be more eventful.

I want to thank all of my amazing clients, friends and family. I would be nothing with out you all!

Here is a little collage I put together from all of my awesome brides and grooms from 2008.  This includes my last two weddings from Saturday and Monday!  Those blog posts will be coming soon!!

I was originally supposed to fly to Indiana the weekend of Thanksgiving…but I am so glad the wedding got pushed up a week because it snowed there this week!!! 

I already posted the blog of the wedding but here are a few other photos I took of people I met up with!

I have known Heather since first grade.  It i so strange to think that her son is older than that now!

Here is Cody having fun during lunch at Old Spaghetti Factory in Lousiville, KY.

Cody and Heather:

Sunday night i met up with the fab photo duo, Cathy and David for some dinner and photo chat! (In Bloomington, Indiana)

My friend Rachel lives down there as well, so I got to meet up with her and shoot some Christmas card images with her hubby!

Their baby, Lacey

I enjoyed my trip back to the midwest!  I’ll be back out that way next year too.

XOXO,

M