Join the revolution! Be a voice for those who don't have one!!!

I am not going to spend a long time on this post because I think that most of you reading this already know about Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. I have been watching it since it started and it has made my emotions run even higher on the epidemic we currently have in our country.  Childhood Obesity!!

I struggle with Adult Obesity, but that comes no where close to how I feel about childhood obesity.  Quite simply, children do not have a choice or a voice.  They look to their parents for guidance and they copy EVERYTHING they do!!!  I am not a parent yet, but I am an aunt of 4 and have been a nanny and spent a lot of time around children.  So I know this is true about children.

When I see a child that is overweight, it breaks my heart.  I know that child does not have a voice.  They are not going to argue with their parent about the pizza for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Or the fried foods that saturate their plates.  Let’s be honest, that stuff tastes GOOD!  I eat it on occasion (key word: occasion!) Children will eat what you put in front of them.  Let’s stop this epidemic.

I know that by me posting this that it’s not going to change the world.  But we all can make a difference, by starting in our own homes.  If you are a parent, give your child one of the greatest gifts you can ever give them…..HEALTH.  Love is paramount and you are only loving them by giving them their health.  They want to live and they want to live it to the fullest. Give them that chance.

It’s so easy to cook fresh and to give a snack that will do the body good.  It’s just as easy as giving the crap that is so often fed to children.  Get into that kitchen of yours, roll up your sleeves, and start cooking!  There are hundreds of easy, quick recipes out there that your children will love and will gobble down just as fast as the french fries and crispy chicken you may have fed them last night.  I promise!!!  You just have to be willing to BE the change. Make the choice for your child and be a voice of health.

For those of you who are passionate about this topic, please take a second and sign Jamie Oliver’s petition.  It literally took me 15 seconds.  You never know what your voice can accomplish until you start using it!

God bless and eat fresh!!!

I feel like this photo shows the true spirit of firefighters! Strength, courage, honor, and sacrifice. Like they just got back from fighting a fire!

I would be lying if I said that firefighters didn’t make my heart beat a little faster every time I am around them….because it’s true, I seem to turn into a little school girl every time I see them.

And lucky me…..I got to marry my favorite firefighter last year!  He has always been my dream guy and since the age of 15 I have been madly in love with him.  He is a Godly man, faithful, full of life,  passionate, funny, strong and handsome , amongst many other things.  But when I found out that he was a firefighter, my love for him went through the roof!

Elijah (my husband) is not in these photos, because they were not taken at his station (there are five in the area).  I was very blessed to be asked to go and take photos at Station 5.  The Captain at this station was recently promoted and it was his last day with this particular crew.  So I had the wonderful opportunity to be a part of history; documenting this time in Captain Leighton’s life!  I secretly hope that one of these photos will end up in a frame on the wall in one of the stations.  It would make my heart sing. 

Firefighters put themselves in harms way every day, which is something to be recognized, honored, and celebrated!!  Though I have to admit, I pray every day when my husband leaves for work that he will be protected and kept safe.  It’s hard to know there is a chance he may not walk through the door the next day.  But I am SO proud of him for putting his life on the line for others.  He, along with his fellow firemen, run into burning buildings when others are running out.  They climb into structures that are on the verge of collapsing into a pile of rubble.  They pull people out of crushed cars when they have a chance of being injured by an airbag that releases after the crash.  There are any number of things that can go wrong on every call they go on!

I raise my glass to all firefighters who put their lives on the line so that we can live and continue to enjoy all that life has to offer!

Aaahhh.... the laughter of firemen....it's like the sound of angels.

A couple shots of the flowers I received from my husband this morning! Aren't they beautiful.

I know some of you might be feeling a little anti-valentine’s day, and I don’t blame you.  I use to feel that way a bit and those feelings usually come when we don’t have a significant other to share the day with.  I am not a fan of the commercialism of it.  I mean, do we really need a “holiday” to remind us to say I love you?! NOPE!

Well, once you get beyond any bitter feelings that you might have (and I’m not a negative person, I’m just stating the reality of the feelings we have, they simply aren’t all warm and fuzzy), remember that it’s a day just like all the rest…..all 365 of them.  A day in which we should be expressing our love to one another. As a mother, a daughter, a brother, a friend, a lover, a father, a co-worker, a pet owner, a garbage collector, a bee catcher, a professor, a pastor, a truck driver, (get my point) all of us alike should be sending out love on a daily basis.  Fortunately for us, love can be expressed in a multitude of ways.  I love you does not only come in a card or a box of chocolates or even in 2 dozen roses.  Those are the “extras”, the “bonus points” that make your heart smile just a little bigger.

But truly at the center of it all is love!  Love IS what makes the world go ’round.  It’s why we get up in the morning.   It’s really the only reason to take another breath, as we go about our busy days.  It’s our greatest gift in life; our great gift from God.

So go out and tell someone you love them and tell them that EVERY day!!!

With much love,

~Maija

Here is a picture of me and my sweet friend that she posted on her blog (it’s about 3+ years old, but I think we are still just as cute   )

I’ve always been nervous to post anything more than just my photos and a few thoughts about those photos.  But it has dawned on me that those of you who visit my blog actually might at least be an ounce interested in who is ‘behind’ the camera.  It truly does scare me to put anything else out there, but I have always been a woman to be vulnerable with life, so why not with my photography blog!   Brides-to-be are not only interested in a photographer who can take great photos, but are also interested in who they will be spending 8+ hours with on their wedding day.  We (being the photographers) really are the ONE vendor that you have to spend/share your whole day with. I say, you better like that person or you might be in for something you didn’t sign up for.

I’m excited about what 2010 has to bring.  God was so incredibly faithful to me last year.  In fact, He was beyond unbelievable and I owe everything to Him.  I won’t go into the story now, but I was blessed to marry my best friend/love of my life in my parents backyard on July 17th, 2009 (I will post photos later).  It was, to this date, the most amazing day of my life!!  I have an even deeper understanding and commitment to my job.  I have always been passionate about photography and desired to give all my clients the best I could give them.  Now that feeling has multiplied and I’m bursting with commitment to tell the story of a couples day. I am so looking forward to spending time with each of my couples this year…to share in all their joy!!

Thank you to everyone who takes the time to visit my blog.  Oh and P.S. I LOVE comments (what blogger doesn’t?), so if you have about five seconds, I would absolutely love to hear from you!

And along with returning to home, I have returned to work.  Yippy!!!  It kind of slipped my mind when I was planning this trip that January is one of the busiest booking months of the year for weddings.  So I was able to hear from several of you who are planning your weddings, while I was sitting on my deck with a view!    With that begin said, I only have a few wedding dates left that I will be booking for 2010.

One of my favorite images....mainly because it was literally taken from where I was laying on the beach. Great view!

And this is my second favorite! Such a stunning view we had.

Love the ocean.

Can't you just see yourself sitting on that bench?!!!

Taken on one of our drives to the beach.