Thanksgiving 2012

I love my extended family. It's always a joy seeing my mom's side because everyone is hilarious, crazy, and so fun to be around. I can honestly say I laughed more than I didn't the few days I was in North Carolina. Thanksgiving is such a wonderful time and each year I appreciate it more. Hopefully these pictures will do a better job of explaining what I can't.

But before that, while we're on the topic of thankfulness, here are 26 things I'm thankful for. Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are thankful not just one day of the year, but every day.

Affirmation that photography is what I should be doing
Bentley (my dachshund)
Christmas (it's coming soon and is such a happy time of year)
Differences between me and other people; it's what helps us learn
Electronics (so materialistic, I know; I just love them)
Food because it's my favorite
God and his everlasting love
Happiness 
Inspiration because I'd be nowhere without it 
Jeans because I wear them every day
Kindness
Leadership in others is something I admire so much
Mom
Nature's beauty and how it awes me each day
Opportunities I've had in the past four months 
Photography, of course
Quiet
Rest
Safety
Travel, something I hope to do more
Understanding people (people who understand) 
Vivaciousness that lights up a room 
Woods because they are so peaceful and contain beautiful living creatures
XL sweaters that keep me warm on these cold November days
Years that I've been alive to enjoy
Zero broken bones or serious sicknesses (for me)

Birthday time!!

Photo taken by my brother. Thanks, Webb!

Kylie | Charlottesville, Virginia Portrait Photographer

Some days I get this urge to take pictures, to go somewhere, to have a little fun. Sometimes I do self portraits if I have no one that's up for a spontaneous photoshoot but usually I prefer to photograph others. So conveniently, my wonderful friend Kylie was home on break and I hadn't seen her yet! Guess what happened?! We had a photoshoot in the beautiful town of Batesville.

Kylie is the very first person who hired me for portraits. I did her senior pictures about two years ago and let's just say I've learned a lot since then. I'm thankful I got a second chance to take pictures of this beautiful girl and I'm so excited to share these! 

Don't you just love her curly hair?!

Kylie | Sneak Peek

I'm headed to North Carolina tomorrow for Thanksgiving so before I have to wake up early and drive for four hours, I thought I'd leave on a happy note with a few sneak peek photos of my absolutely stunning friend. Meet Kylie.

Oh, and happy Thanksgiving! List one thing you are thankful for in the comments section to make me smile.

It's the Greatest Time of Year and It's Here

This time of year is my favorite. How many times do I have to say it? It's knowing I can wear flannel pants to bed and pull the covers up to my neck. It's walking out of Target and seeing the first snowflake of the year. It's spending hours in my room reading, huddled with a blanket on a beanbag. It's the slower pace of life due to cancellations from bad weather. It's learning to find things that inspire me when the cold temperatures make it a bit harder than usual. It's cooking when I'm bored. It's listening to She & Him every day just knowing memories from the year before will come flooding back. It's warm tea in my hands. It's knowing I get to see my brothers twice in a short period of time, once at Thanksgiving and once at Christmas. It's going on walks with my mom and dog, wrapped up in so many layers. It's all of the glorious food that we have a love-hate relationship with. It's decorations, it's blasting the heat in my car, it's buying the perfect gift, it's thankfulness, it's the end of fall and the beginning of winter.