A sneak peek ~Mr. and Mrs. Nelson~

You may or may not know I take wedding photos. My first summer wedding was last weekend. A college roommate and friend got married (they started dating when she and I lived together) It was a beautiful wedding held on the second floor of a historic building in Sheridan, complete with a wall of windows and padded benches down one wall. Photos were taken at a historic mansion and I was like a kid in a candy store.

We managed to dodge the two other wedding parties on scene (one for pictures and the other was holding their entire wedding/reception at the mansion) and got some great pictures. I've just started editing, and she would probably be embarrassed to see them all over the internet so I'm only sharing a couple (for now at least). A much larger selection will be available on my photography facebook page at the request of a bridesmaid.

I've only edited 20 photos of about 700 so far, which is why they are all in front of this old building and just of the bride or bride and groom.

My favorite things about the wedding include:
Her dress- and I apologize for only including a close up where I've blown out the dress. It was gorgeous!
Her desire to make pictures, fast and simple. We were done in and hour and a half and everyone cooperated and was great to work with!
Just seeing so many of the people again! There were several I hadn't seen in over a year. And in true style, the first thing the bride said was ,"Now Heather just tell me if I get a little b***** and I'll back off." as she laughs and climbs out of a little Honda car with her dress in her arms and proceeds to walk/skip down the sidewalk, still carrying yards of dress in her arms asking me how I've been and if I've hidden the groom (she wanted a quiet moment alone when he first saw her). I assured her she was anything but.
The laid back attitude- After pictures a bunch of us drank and visited at a groomsman's house prior to the ceremony.
The location- Sheridan is beautiful, the building where the ceremony is held was beautiful...a couple the groomsmen are pretty fun to look at also :) (just trying to give you some perspective)
The ceremony- Not too long, not too short, great scripture, serious but not stiffly so-very fitting of the couple.
The colors-Bright blue and dark brown. The groomsmen wore white shirts, bright blue vests and ties and suits that had very subtle stripes in two darker shades of brown (loved them!) Bridesmaids were in bright blue, knee length dresses.
The dance, and the other dance a friend and I crashed later....where there were more old friends, dancing and drinking into the wee hours of the morning.
Yay to wedding season!

National Prayer Day

It's National Prayer Day. I found this out by listening to K-LOVE Radio, which is a wonderful station. They even had one of their pastor's pray just before 8:00 this morning for everyone who wasn't able to attend a National Prayer Day event.
Here's what I am praying for on this national day of prayer:
(Please picture multiple pictures as we go. My computer isn't cooperating and won't let me upload for some reason)

First, I am so thankful for my family, friends, the way I was raised and being able to purchase a nice home. Also for the things my parents taught me, the fact that my brother is one of my best friends, my job and all the skills God gave me. I am so blessed to be born in this country where I am free and I will thank him for that too.

I will ask for guidance for all our nation's leaders. From the president to local officials and everyone in between. Our country, as a whole, appears to by pushing God away, and I will pray that this trend is reversed. I will also ask God to be with my friends, family, our military as they protect our great country.

I will ask for guidance in my own life.

I will ask for forgiveness of my sins, because I am constantly failing in that department, and I probably don't even notice many of them.

And many many other things as well. What will you pray about on the national day of prayer?

My weekend forecast

My weekend has been planned for a while and includes putting on a 45 minute (?!?!?) photography presentation to an unknown number of 8-17 year old 4-h kids in Douglas Saturday morning, then continuing on home to pour calves and hang out with the family. I was cool with this because:
A) There is rarely anything happening in Casper and after a few recent amazing weekends I'm sure the cool quota has been filled for a while.
B) The guy (or whatever you want to call him, this is just how I distinguish him on here) is gone this weekend. He's also sick.
C) There are new calves to photograph at home.
D)I offered to pick up some cabinetry for the parents and deliver it.
E)I will already be an hour closer to home after driving to Douglas for the photography workshop.

Then this happens:
A) Megan from Life of and Accidental Rhinestone Cowgirl is flying to Wyoming for the weekend and invites to Cheyenne to see her and some other fabulous girls.
B)Another good friend invites me to the Leachman/CSU bull sale in Fort Collins during the day Saturday in Fort Collins.
C)It would be wonderful fun to spent the day in Fort Collins and the evening/night in Cheyenne.
D)Christy and friends are also going out tonight in Casper.

But I cannot imagine speaking to children for 45 minutes hung over, and my mother has called repeatedly to make sure I'm actually coming (I think she really wants her cabinets and the opportunity to grill me about the guy). She has even implemented her dirtiest trick, which is having my sister ask me.

All I have to say is there had better be some really cute calves and those darn kids better love my presentation

Here's to best friends!

Tonight I am expecting a phone call from my best friend :) :) I have several amazing friends, but this girl and I just get each other. We don't talk much, don't ask me why, we just don't. We're both busy and that results in catching up every few months.

But when we do finally get ahold of each other and both of us have time to talk it typically results in 2-3 hours of conversation full of tears, laughter, stories, advice, questions, everything...it's wonderful.

We cover boys, shoes, work, travel, families and misc, usually in that order. She loves shoes. We can each tell the other all the hilarious, weird, maddening and discouraging guy-related stories and receive honest advice from the other. I can trust her and throw everything out there to be studied and solved and she does the same.

We met at a recruitment day for Laramie County Community College, in Cheyenne. I was there with my dad and she was there with her parents. We ended up at a table together and immediately hit it off.

Both of us thought about requesting the other for a roommate, but she couldn't remember my first name and I couldn't remember her last name. So our first year I ended up living with a pair of wild childs who were frankly annoying and immature. Her fate was worse, she ended up with a girl from California who went through the entire basketball team (you know what I mean) and showered bi-weekly. She left hair all over the bathroom and it was questionable what kind of hair it was. We both still have a bit of a hair issue after seeing that.

Our second year of college we got that taken care of and roomed together. It was roommate bliss for both of us after our eye-opening first year experiences. We were the only two girls to survive Mr. Pulse at LCCC. By complete accident we dressed alike at least a couple days a week, despite making efforts not to after a while. She's a fitness buff and just through making an effort to keep up with her (which I didn't, the girl runs marathons, I run errands) I ended up in the best shape of my life.

After community college she headed south to finish school and I ended up at Laramie. I was so discouraged by UW that she almost convinced me to transfer after the first year. But in order to be done in as little time as possible I stayed put.

Since our two years of college together we have communicated primarily by phone, with a handful of visits thrown in. These visits almost always involve shopping, a meal, and ice cream or coffee! We would love to own a combination photo, coffee, gourmet chocolate shop someday, and we would be awesome at that! She comes from a great family and so do I and our morals and beliefs are very similar.

So here's to best friends, may each of you be blessed to such amazing friends as I have!

And here's to our conversation tonight, I am definitely in need of guy and life advice!