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Sorry I didn’t get these up earlier, but here is a preview of some of the photos from Jessica and Tysen’s Wedding.  I had such a great time with them. And they were really good sports, braving the frigid cold weather to take some outside shots.  I think all of us got a little frost bite.

Mom putting the final touches on the hair.  Got to look just right?!  So cute. :)

I liked this overall view of the getting ready room.  There is always so much anticipation.

Seeing each other for the first time.

How sweet are these faces?!

I don’t know..there is just something so cute about all these nicely dressed boys sitting together….casual. :)

Love these flowers.

Thank you Jessica and Tysen for inviting me to be part of your day.  I had such a wonderful time capturing your day.  Hope you are enjoying the married life.  Blessings to you. :)

There are many reasons why I feel blessed by my job and I just wanted to share with you one of the reasons I love my job!  It’s because of the wonderful people I get to work with!  And it’s the joy that I hope to always bring to each and every one of my clients when they receive their photos after a wedding or family session or newborn baby session.  It’s the smile on their faces, the tears in their eyes, and the joy in their spirit that make me come alive inside.  I am SO incredibly blessed to do what I do and I want to say thank you to all of my clients both past and future for bringing much joy to my life.

I received an amazing e-mail from one of my couples this past week and I wanted to share it with you all.  I am including a couple more photos from their day, which I posted in October of this year (they were married Sept. 20th, 2008).

Sara and Nick…you rock in every way!  And I am thankful I was able to be there to capture your day through my eyes.

And this is what they wrote:

“Dear Maija,

I want to extend by deepest appreciation and gratitude for you. We are simply blown away by these photographs! We are beside our self, we just can’t believe how incredible they are, each one a masterpiece in itself. You can feel how much energy you put into them, both at the wedding, and in the post editing. We couldn’t be happier, and we can not thank you enough. Going into this wedding the #1 thing I knew was that I wanted a photographer that would truly and beautifully capture the day, so that I could remember every little bit of our wedding for the rest of my life. You blew my hopes and dreams out of the water. You helped me relax from day one and it has just been a blessing to work with you. You were such fun and a wonderful addition to our wedding. ”

See what I mean…so cool!

I LOVE MY JOB!!! :)

I meant to post a few of these photos about a month ago, but as always the time has passed quickly and here we are about to celebrate Christmas (only 13 more days).  And it looks like it might actually be a white Christmas here in Wenatchee.  We got our first snow today!!! Yippy!  I have to admit I am not a huge snow person, but I do love how beautiful it makes everything look and it is fun to go out and throw a snowball or two.  :)

Well, here are some pictures I took of my sweet nephew Anthony out in the amazingly colorful autumn leaves that fell this fall.

Oh, such sweet cheeks!

Nothing like a little time in a tree to make you smile. :)

I think in this shot he was wishing I wasn’t pointing a big camera lens at his face….but I love all the faces that he makes no matter what. It’s fun to capture all sides of his personality.

The end……

I know this is my photography blog, but I also want it to be a place where I can express some things that matter to me in my life or to share some things that impact me in one way or another.  I was doing a daily devotional today and I wanted to share it with you all.  I’m not here at all to preach religion or faith, but I do think that no matter what we all need to stop every day and think about “What really matters in life!”  We live in a very hectic, busy, “what is happening next” kind of world and all to often we forget about what really matters.  And I am quite sure that this isn’t the first time that you have thought about this or have been reminded, but I know that I need a daily reminder to focus on what really matters.  My relationship with God, my family, my friends, and how I am growing in my character are what matters most to me.  But I still find myself getting frustrated when I spill my coffee in my car or when my dog Ellie decides to find the one spot on my bed to lay where her blanket doesn’t reach (she is a black dog by the way, and my bed cover is white) ;).  These are very trivial things when you look at the big perspective of this life we are living.

So I challenge you all today to take a moment to breath and think about what really matters in your life and then go tell someone about it. Don’t keep the joy of it to yourself. :) Leave a little bit of your legacy by sharing your joys and passions in life with those around you….strangers or loved ones.

Here is the devotional I read this morning…….

By John Grant
________________________________________________

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-5:1

On September 18, 2007, computer science professor Randy Pausch stepped in front of an audience of 400 people at Carnegie Mellon University to deliver a last lecture called “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.” With slides of his CT scans beaming out to the audience, Randy told his audience about the cancer that was devouring his pancreas and that will claim his life in a matter of months.

Randy’s lecture has become a phenomenon, as has the book he wrote based on the same principles, celebrating the dreams we all strive to make realities. Sadly, Randy lost his battle to pancreatic cancer a few weeks ago, but his legacy will continue to inspire us all, for generations to come.

As I read his book, I found it inspiring and causing me to think about what I would say under a similar assignment. Throughout history people have tried to determine what really matters in life. Socrates said it was knowledge; Aristotle said self realization and Epicurus said it was pleasure. I know that for me it is a moving target. What mattered to be in my younger years and especially before I became a Christian are totally different from what matters now.

Years back, I would focus on the material things…. Power, position and possessions. But now my focus is on family, faith friends and relationships. As Paul said to the church at Corinth, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

Randy’s last lecture was like that. It was a one of a kind lecture that made the world stop and pay attention. Knowing he had only weeks to live, he said “We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.”

As I read his book I thought, what wisdom would I impart to the world if I knew it was my last chance? If I knew I was going to vanish tomorrow, what would I want as my legacy? Randy’s lecture was not about dying; it was about living…. living a life that really leaves a legacy and one that makes a difference for the better in the lives of people left behind. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment because “time is all you have…and you may find one day that you have less than you think.” It was a summation of everything Randy had come to believe. It was about living.

The older I get, the more I realize that it’s the little things that count, but little things can move mountains when they inspire and motivate people and when I focus less on this life and more on the life to come.
(a thought on life from John Grant)
Question: Where is your focus?

I promised you all that I would post some photos from the Alvarado Family session…so here they are.

I love the Alvarado Family!  They are so much fun and super sweet.  I had the wonderful privilege to capture their intimate family wedding last summer in 2007. And it was beautiful!  They invited me back this year to photograph their family, but a little bit under sad circumstances.  There sweet dogie Coosa is dying and they don’t know when they might lose her.  Fortunately she is still with them today but every moment counts.  So we made sure we got the family session done in time to capture Coosa and preserve the memory of her sweet spirit.  And we had a blast doing it.  I even got the pleasure of looking a little silly as one of the tricks to get Coosa to look at the camera was for me to yell “Cookie” or “Coosa, do you want a cookie?” over and over and over again. It worked like a charm!! So fun….I’m willing to do just about anything to get the right shot.  Totally worth it to be silly!!

I hope you enjoy this little preview of their session.  We had a great time…even though all our fingers and toes were frozen by the end.  ;)

Meet Coosa!  How precious is this face?!

See I told you…such a fun family!  We laughed pretty much the whole time.  Thank you so much Alvarado Family for inviting me back to spend some time with you and capture your memories together.  I hope to see you soon. :)

I am the very first one to admit that blogging is sadly not one of my strong suits.  I really do try…but some how the days get away from me and before you know it a couple weeks have gone by.  So I am here once again to apologize for leaving you all hanging and wondering when I might post something.  I have been in the process of moving and getting settled into being back up in Washington.  But I am here now and the move went very smoothly and I couldn’t be more at peace with the decision.  On that note, I am going to try really hard at being more ontop of this blog of mine.  :)  Thanks for being patient with me and also for coming to visit me on a regular basis.

I wanted to share real quickly with you a few sweet e-mails I have received from my couples this summer as well as one from a mom.  That is the coolest by the way, when a mom takes a moment to write you.  I LOVE what I do and think I have just about the coolest job on the planet.  I don’t know how I got to be so blessed…but I’m taken it and runnin’ with it. ;) Here are a few messages I would like to share….

From Gina (Cortney’s mom):

“Hi Maija,I am Cortney’s mom and she showed me your “blog” and I was so impressed!   I can’t wait to see all the pictures but the ones I did see were incredible.  You are so gifted…Those pictures looked like they could be in a wedding magazine.  I’m sure you can tell I’m not the least bit biased either.

Thanks for a super job!”

Gina

From Sara (married Sept. 20th, 2008):

“Maija, we are speechless!! I am laughing and have tears in my eyes at the same time. They are incredible. My goodness, I am in love with what I see!! The one of Nick and Moose in the field…even more amazing than I ever expected. And the one with Nick pushing his grandmother and chasing me. That’s getting blown up and mailed to her for Christmas! They are all precious and unique and just beautiful. You do amazing work, and we are SO thankful we found you!!

Thank you again and again, we absolutely can NOT wait to see the rest!”

Thank you so again,

Sara

From Ingrid (married Aug. 1, 2008):

hi maija!

i just wanted to reiterate again: how much i love the pictures! i got your cd in the mail today & i looked at them all again (over and over again) and i’m just so happy with the pictures you took & the work you did! thank you very much for coming to washington, spokane, staying for our whole wedding (even with another wed. the following day in another city!) and for all your hard work with the editing! i can not wait to hang up these pictures, make a photo album, etc. etc. :)

hope you are doing well! thanks again maija!!

ingrid

These are just a couple kind words that have been sent my way.  And I am humbled every day by the fact that I get to work with such fabulous people.  There is nothing like being able to live out your passion in life.  I’m thankful everyday.

I will post a few shots from a family session I did with the Alvarado family tomorrow, so be looking for those.

Thanks again for sticking with me.  Have a fantastic weekend….and don’t forget to take a few pictures along the way to preserve your memories.  :)

Oh what a joy it was to share the day with Nick and Sara.  They are such a good time.  I was blessed to be part of their celebration and to capture some of their special moments.  I mentioned before that I got the chance to shoot at Warms Springs Inn two weekends in a row.  So you will see some similar backgrounds in the shots.  But what I love about wedding photography is that each one has it’s own special moments that can only be created by that couple.  And I think you will see what I mean when you see some of these shots. :)

The beautiful and elegant Sara!

Aren’t they such a handsome couple?!  Made my job easy. :)

Okay…I have to say I was pretty excited to get this shot.  Talk about a moment in time.  They both looked my way right at that split second and I’m glad my finger was on the shutter button.  I could not have set this shot up better myself.  Way to go guys!!!

Alright…so this was another one of those unique moments to Nick and Sara’s wedding.  It’s a moment that flies by before you can even really think twice.  And this is why I do what I do and love it with a passion.  Nick and Sara, I hope you like this shot as much as I do!!  You both are too much fun!

I just thought Sara looked really sweet in this setting.  Snapped it when she wasn’t looking ;)

Fun shot with the ladies and their umbrellas!  I have to admit I really like when there are umbrellas involved. 

The whole crew!

Seriously…does it get any more fun than this?!  So cute!!!

Just beautiful is all I have to say….;)

I love the way they are looking at each other here while sharing their vows.  With loving eyes locked.

I grabbed this shot right after they threw blessing stones into the river that everyone put into a basket for them at the end.  It was a really sweet idea. 

Okay, so I have to say I am a little frustrated right now, because in my process of posting this blog I was not able to load a few extra photos that I wanted to add.  I don’t know why, it’s just simply technology deciding to tweak on me.  But I hope you all find what you see enjoyable and get a taste of how fun Nick and Sara were on their wedding day.

Thank you again Sara and Nick for being so ridiculously fun and inviting at your wedding.  I couldn’t think of a better way to end my summer months of shooting weddings.  Your wedding was a true celebration that I will always remember.  I look forward to seeing you again as your family grows.  ;)

Okay, I am back and FINALLY posting some pictures for you all. Again, this summer has just been a crazy one…and I am thankful for everyone that was part of the journey.  Cortney and Tim got married at the beautiful location of Warm Springs Inn down by the river in Wenatchee.  Such a sweet location….and in my next post you might notice some similarities because I had the chance to shoot there two weekends in a row!

Cortney and Tim were such a delight to work with.

There is something beautiful (well, of course that would be Cortney), enchanting and mysterious about this photo.  Almost like a dream.

Again…pure joy while getting ready.  This will always be one of my favorite things about a wedding day…put on the dress to complete the masterpiece of a bride.

I know…I know Cortney has her eyes closed, but that has never stopped me from loving a photo.  I thought this was a sweet moment of laughter.  :)

The beautiful Cortney….Tim was helping me make her laugh.  You can see her excitement to marry him.

And of course the handsome Tim!!  I loved his brown tux.  It fit the surroundings and him perfectly!

This dilapidated barn is so perfect for photos.  One of the great back drops at Warms Springs Inn.

They danced down the isle together after the ceremony was done.  So Cute!

Okay, so I couldn’t decide with photo I like more of the “throwing of rose petals and blowing of bubble”…so I picked two just for the heck of it!  ;)

Sweet grandma! Classic!

They had a “treat table” instead of a cake.  That way everyone can have something different.  Very cool.

I thought this picture was so sweet, because Cortney pretty much sang the whole first dance song to her love Tim.

Thank you Tim and Cortney for inviting me to be part of your day.  I truly enjoyed the celebration and I so look forward to staying in touch. ;)

I am quickly posting this to my blog to make sure that all of you who are so kind as to follow my blog know that I am still alive.  I realize that I haven’t posted on my blog since Sept. 19th..yikes!!  No one told me that was almost three weeks ago.  :) jk.  Where does the time go?!!! This summer has been an immense blessing to me and I can’t thank everyone enough for making it so much fun and a learning experience at the same time.  I have grown much as a photographer and as an individual, which I am daily grateful for.  I have two weddings that I still need to post and hope to have those up in the next week so you can continue to view the fun from the summer.  :)

In some of my big news….I’M MOVING!!  Most of you who know me, know that I have been living down in San Diego, CA for the past 2 1/2 years, of which has been a joyful journey.  But life has lead me to making the decision to move back up to Washington State, where I am originally from. All I can say, is my family is ecstatic!  They can hardly contain themselves!!  Oh what a joy it is to be loved. :) Anyway, with that being said, I leave for San Diego tomorrow and will be in the process of packing up my life down there and finalizing all the details over the next two weeks.  Then I will be heading back up here in my trusty car stuffed to the brim with all I have to my name (which isn’t much by the way, and I have to say I am quite glad I have learned to live simply).  No U-Haul truck needed…..

I will fill you all in more later.  But for now, I just wanted to make sure everyone knew I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth…nor have I stopped doing what I love to do, which of course is capturing people’s life moments.  I am in the mix of editing thousands of photos as well as continuely taking more. 

Thank you all for stopping by and I will be back again soon…I promise it won’t be 3 weeks before my next post!!! :)

Cheers and God bless,

Maija

I can’t believe it has already been 9 days since my last post.  But here I am with bells on and some fun shots from Alysea and Luke’s wedding.  I was able to be a part of their sweet and intimate family wedding on Sept. 6th…and it was a joy to be there.  It brings such delight to my heart to watch two people so in love start on their journey together.  During the ceremony (and after) the tears were flowing for both Luke and Alysea.  It was beautiful.

I hope you enjoy (as always) this little preview.  Though I was with Alysea and Luke for a shorter time frame than most of my weddings, we were really able to get a good time in with just the two of them for photos.  Which is one of the reason it’s kind of fun to do the smaller, intimate weddings.  ;)

Ahhh…pure joy!

Oh, I could not have planned the moment better.  I love kids!

I love the sweet tears in her eyes.  There were a lot of tears from both of them….which of course I am a sucker for. ;)

Alysea’s mom had her fair share of tears as well.  Mom’s are so great…I know I am thankful for mine every day!

Isn’t this shot so romantic?!  We went out in the field right next to where they got married and had some fun.

Since Alysea and Luke had a very intimate wedding with just family, we had some extra time with just the two of them to get tons of fun shots.  I enjoy that so much, because I don’t always get this kind of time with my couples.  I was in my height of glory!

Oh…I LOVE this shot of Alysea.  So beautiful!  I really liked how she chose to wear an accent color for her necklace.

The very handsome Luke!

I just wanted to add this shot on at the end because it was the view from where they were married up at Mountain Spring Lodge.  So gorgeous up at this sight.  I highly recommend to anyone that is getting married to look into this location.

Thank you Alysea and Luke for inviting me to be part of your very special day.  You both were great to work with and easy to photograph.  I hope we can keep in touch and maybe meet up again to capture more of your life moments!!!