Thank-Full

This post is so long over-due (or maybe it's really early for next year?), I actually thought about not blogging about this. But then I thought....nope, I need to because I'm proud of my efforts. My mom came to visit from Upstate (well really Northern to be exact) New York. Yes, I know it's hard to believe that there really is more to NY than just the city. Google map it, I swear there is. Anyway, it was Donald and my first official Thanksgiving dinner that we were going to host for someone else, and although it would have been awesome to have all of our family members gathered around our table, we were very pleased to have my mother here to share it with us.

I began the morning before Thanksgiving by making the muffins that you see below. It was a twist on a family favorite...cranberry-orange bread. Although, this time around, I wanted to make something that would be a bit healthier than the recipe that we normally follow (thanks Ms. Betty Crocker for feeding me during my youth). I'm not going to post my version of the recipe now, for a few reasons. One, I usually leave the baking up to these two ladies. And two, I need to perfect the recipe a little more to get it exactly like I want. Then I'll post the recipe. They still tasted pretty good, and looked really cute. But I know I can do better.

Which leads me onto the main course. It was my first time making a turkey...and I'm proud to say, I nailed it! It was so perfectly golden brown, and juicy (and cooked to the correct temp! YAY!), gosh, it almost makes me want to go make another one right now. I think I had beginner's luck or something, so I'm really tempted to make another one for Christmas just to see if I really do know what I'm doing. Donald helped make dinner too.......his mashed potatoes were delish! And I'm proud to say, that all of the other food made it to the table without getting cold. That's something I don't do well with when it comes to multi-dishes in the kitchen....I am getting better, but there's almost always something on the verge of being cold when it hits the table, and more devastatingly, my plate!

It was a great Thanksgiving dinner, and my mom had a great visit. There's something so satisfying about being able to show my mom after all of these years that I have become quite an amazing young lady (that's right...I'm not afraid to give a little credit where credit is due).

So, this past Thanksgiving, I was very thankful to be able to have the chance to have another Thanksgiving with my mom, and do a little role reversal for once. And of course, I'm very thankful to have all of my family, friends, my canine daughters, and especially my Donald. Here's to wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday season!

Viva Las Vegas!

When I was younger, I wanted to be just like my sister Susan. If she did it, I did it too--or at least I tried really really hard to. Sure we could fight like we hated each other, but then two minutes later, we were best friends again. Well, she just turned 30 (ummm, I hope that wasn't a secret Suze), and although she wasn't exactly excited to hit the big 3-0, I think she makes 30 seem really cool, and really cool 30 year olds celebrate their birthday in Las Vegas. Sticking true to my younger days, I joined Sue, and one of my other sisters Michele in Vegas for the big celebration. We had such a great time, although it was only for a few days. Here are just a few of the highlights from the trip...

First of all, I have to mention that the Encore Wynn is an amazing hotel, and just so happens to be where country superstar Garth Brooks will be playing shows at for the next couple of years. If you ever get the chance to go to Vegas, I would HIGHLY recommend staying at this hotel. Absolutely STUNNING! It's very modern chic, and even if you're arriving in your "travel attire", you'll feel like a million dollars just walking through the doors.

The first photo, is just a little taste of what you'll see inside the Wynn resort. I really want the mosaic tiled floors in my house someday...or as a piece of art on the wall...there were many of those throughout the resort as well...again...stunning pieces of work!

We ate dinner at the hot on the scene, Asian-bistro restaurant Tao Las Vegas, located in The Venetian Hotel and Casino. The restaurant had a super cool vibe, and incredibly delicious food.
I wonder what the chance of a Tao opening in Nashville is?

I took the photo above from the staircase that led to the Tao nightclub (also a really cool place, but my sisters and I didn't stay very long...we all had long day of traveling and wanted to hit the casino floor before going to bed). Which brings me to my next photo....proof that I won it big in Vegas. Ha, yea, riiiiiiggghhhhttt. If I remember correctly, I only started with $10 the first night, so I didn't do too badly. Thankfully, I didn't get too carried away with the gambling, and I don't think I'll have to call any 1-800-I-Have-A-Gambling-Problem number anytime soon. Unfortunately, I also didn't come back to Nashville with a fat wallet either.

We had breakfast in Paris the next morning. Ok ok, not really Paris, France, but it sure felt like it! We ate at Mon Ami Gabi (a classic French bistro) and had fantastic quiche Lorraine, big skinny lemon pancakes, spinach and brie crepes, and cappuccino in a bowl (personally, I don't have the correct taste buds to enjoy cappuccino, but the bowl was super cute!)

...and of course when in Paris, you must see the Eiffel Tower!

On the last day, after Michele left for the airport to fly back home, Sue and I had some time to kill before we had to leave, so we took another stroll on the strip, and I was able to get these last two shots. The first one is outside of the Venetian hotel, and the second is of the fountain show outside of the Bellagio hotel (and yes, it really was like the fountain scene from "Ocean's Eleven"--I love that movie by the way). The fountain show was really spectacular...the water shoots practically just as tall as the hotel! It was amazing! I wasn't able to see the show at night, but I'm sure the sunset show is unbelievable!

Vegas is one crazy city. I don't think I've ever used the phrase "this is ridiculous!" more at one time than I did that weekend. Now I know why they call it "Sin City", and I'm happy to say, that I in no way, contributed to it's sinful reputation. I'd probably go back to Vegas only once more, but that's about it for this sweet and innocent girl! ;)

All in all, I think Sue had a great 30th birthday...I mean, hello, I was there to celebrate it with her, of course it was going to be a great birthday. Happy (belated) birthday again Suze...I love you so very much, and I can't wait to be 30....just like you. :)

Fall Back into Color (Multi)

For the final installment of my F.B.I.C. series, I present to you....
the multi-colored photos!

For this post, I encourage you to sit back, relax, and just take it all in.....kind of like what I was doing when I took the photos...except, you'll be in a much more comfortable position, and probably won't get a stiff neck.

Although the next photo is in a softer focus, I love the way it works with the pastel colors in the background. Sometimes, the "oopsie" photos become some of my favorites.

And here are a few photos with the red and green combination...just incase you're the type of person who likes to get in the Christmas spirit before Thanksgiving comes. Personally, I am not that type of person (no offense to you if you are that type of person)---
but the color combo still caught my eye.

Well, there it is....my first series. What do you all think of it?

I'm leaving tomorrow for a long weekend in "Sin City." I'm hoping that I can get some great photos while I'm there, and if all goes well, I should be coming home with enough money to go buy some more gear, and hopefully have some left over to put into savings. One thing is for sure though...I'm going to make sure my sister has an awesome 30th birthday!

Special Announcement!

I interrupt the previously scheduled series finale post to bring you a special announcement! I baked. Yup, that's right, I baked...cupcakes. Hmmm, what's the special occasion you ask? Well it's my dear friend Erin's birthday! Oh, did I mention she is having a birthday giveaway for YOU on her blog? There, I just did---so make sure you go
check it out AFTER you're done reading my post. ;)

For those of you who know me well, you know that when I think of a kitchen, I don't think of it as a place where food is prepared, but more of a place where food is stored and eaten. I'm certainly not as good at preparing delicious meals as the birthday girl is, but every once in a while I get the itch to really make good use of my kitchen. I really do love my small kitchen (I think the granite counter tops really make me feel like a gourmet chef or something crazy like that) and I believe my culinary skills have greatly improved over the past year.
These cupcakes certainly prove that theory.

Although these cupcakes weren't made from scratch they could have easily been passed off as if they were. What can I say, I'm a huge fan of convenience...just ask my George Foreman grill. The birthday girl is a huge fan of pumpkin (who isn't?!?), and I knew that she would love these Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese cupcakes
(thanks Jamie for recommending that I make this recipe!)

I tried to revise the recipe to my preferences, because I'm still trying to be good about the "bad" food I eat. Therefore, I made some substitutions of ingredients. For example, I used applesauce instead of vegetable oil for the cake mix, I used low-fat cream cheese instead of the full-monte kind of cream cheese, I also cut the sugar in half (trust me, it's plenty sweet enough!), and I went real light with the frosting (thanks Betty Crocker Whipped Cream Cheese frosting from a can). And yes, I am the guilty party who took a couple of bites out of this sweet treat before I had breakfast! Yikes, don't tell my mom!

So, cheers to you Erin! I hope you enjoy being 26 as much as I have so far.

Up next, the series finale of Fall Back into Color....for real this time.

Fall Back into Color (Purple)

This is the post that almost didn't happen, and I'll tell you why.

I had already taken the shots I wanted of the some of the other fall colors (i.e. brown/yellow, orange and red), and I was on the hunt for a dark purple tree to give me a good balance of bright colors and dark colors. I knew there was a purple tree near in the complex, but as I was walking around and saw it from a distance, it was totally in the shade and I was all bummed out because I thought it wouldn't make for very good lighting. Then, I snapped back into the creative side of my brain, and told myself that I needed to get closer because things always look different from a different perspective right?

Upon further investigation, I found that although most of the tree was in fact in the shade, there was a streaming beam of sunlight that was poking through the upper canopy of the tree, and creating a magnificent back-light, and therefore making these leaves absolutely glow! I was so excited, I felt like I had just won money (which is in no way what I have on my brain right now as I think about my upcoming trip to Vegas....yes, I know I have high expectations!)

I admit, I did a teeny-tiny bit of tweeking in Photoshop for the next two photos.
They were a little bit on the dark side, which I still really liked,
but just the slightest adjustment made a big difference.

If anyone knows what kind of tree this is, please let me know. I absolutely love the heart shaped leaves on it--especially with the red and purple coloring. I could totally see myself owning a tree like this someday......someday.......when I become a homeowner.

So there it is ladies and gentlemen...the second to last post in F.B.I.C. series.
Coming up....the series finale!! Oh the anticipation!!

Fall Back into Color (Red)

And now, ladies and gentlemen, for my next trick---uh, I mean, for my third featured color of the Fall Back into Color series--- and by popular demand....is RED!

Red is one of my absolute favorite colors! You can say, I pretty much *heart* red.

And now, a moment for me to tell you a sad, but true (and yet amusing) story...
For a short time in my life, I didn't wear any red clothing due to a traumatic experience in elementary school, involving a boy that I really liked, and my favorite red sweatshirt. Needless to say, he apparently didn't like me back very much, and when he yelled out "Hey Kool-aid" (in reference to the Kool-aid man)...I was humiliated! I never wore that sweatshirt to school again. After that day, grey and navy blue became my favorite colors to wear to school. Well...those days are long gone, and not only is red one of my most worn colors, but I now wear it with pride. And no, I don't answer to the name of "Kool-aid."

How does my "Kool-aid" story relate to my F.B.I.C. photos you ask? It really doesn't, but I guess I thought of it because of fall being the start of a new school year, and when I thought of school and the color of red, I thought of that instance. Although I really should have told you about how my college colors were red and black (Go Mansfield University!) and how it made for one good looking cheerleading uniform (well, minus the pleated skirt).

Anyway, when I see the color red now, three words that come to my mind are: love, passion, and life. These are definitely words that describe me and my photography. I love to be able to capture moments that go by so quickly in a split second, and hold on to those memories forever...in fact, I'm very passionate about trying to catch every moment...no matter how big or small, serious or silly it may be---they are all, in some shape or form, important moments in life.

If you'd like to see part 1 of this series, please go here.
Then, go here to see part two.
This post was part three (just incase you're keeping track).
Stay tuned for part four!

Fall Back into Color (Orange)

Leaves are autumn's version of snowflakes---they both fall, and there are no two that are exactly the same.

The veins of the leaves remind me of a fingerprint. As I sit here in the dark, with nothing but the light from my laptop shining on my hands, I admit that my hands have a really odd resemblance to the photo below with all of the little lines on my knuckles and on my palms. Then I remind myself that yes, winter really is right around the corner, and that I really should put some more lotion on to help keep my skin looking baby soft---something that I have a hard time keeping up with every single winter.

Ok, enough talk about winter already....I'm here to celebrate fall! Who's with me?! To help take the cool chill out of the air, let me help warm you up by presenting my fire-orange leaves in this second part of my series. So congrats to you if you predicted that the second featured color of the series is orange! If you missed the first part of the series, check it out here.

I absolutely LOVE the way the golden color of these leaves pop against the blue sky.

Please note that none of the photos from the Fall Back into Color series have been retouched in any way. I try to stay true to my blog title, and show you what really I see, "through Kristen's viewfinder."

The next photo reminds me of a large wave--I'm thinking Hawaii style of waves. Ahhh yes, the warm water splashing on a sun-soaked beach---that thought alone helps to make me feel all warm and cozy. I'm pretty sure waves rank right up there with the fingerprints, the snowflakes, and the leaves when it comes to each one having it's own identity. It doesn't matter how different they all are from one another, they still have one thing in common...

they're all beautiful small pieces of nature.

I'm sure we've all been guilty of being in too much of a rush in our everyday lives to stop and enjoy the simple changes that go on around us. So the next time you smell the aroma of wet leaves, or hear the crunching of leaves under your feet when you walk...look up or look down, and just take a minute or two to enjoy the beauty of fall, because winter is peering around the corner, just waiting to make an entrance.

Be sure to check back soon to see what part 3 of the series will include. Any thoughts about what the next featured color will be? Brown has already been done, and now you know it won't be orange.

Fall Back into Color (Brown)

After having such a busy few months, I was finally able to find some time this past weekend (an extra hour to be exact, thanks to the end of Daylight Saving Time) and I was inspired by all of the beautiful fall colors around Nashville to catch up on some much needed shooting.

So, without further ado, here's part one of my first series posting....featuring the colors of yellow and brown--perfect for autumn don't you think?
Thankfully, I didn't have to go far to find these beauties--they're literally in my backyard (technically, around the parking lot of my apartment complex, but whatever, you get the point).


I probably should have taken them a few weeks ago seeing as how most of the trees are no longer dressed in their colorful wardrobes. All things considered, I felt like I had found some real gems once the photoshoot was done. I'm going to consider these photos more in the citrine family, which just so happens to be the November birthstone of one of my favorite people in the whole wide world---Miss Susan who will soon be celebrating a very special birthday (and yes, you can fully expect photos of that very special occassion after it happens).


Can you guess what color will be featured in part 2 of the Fall Back into Color series? Stay tuned to find out if you are correct!

A Winning Photo!

I'm finally back! I know it's been almost two long months now since my last post...shame on me. But geesh, what a busy few months it's been! First, I was sick most of September (no, not with the H1N1 virus, but instead a nasty kidney infection). Then suddenly, it was October, which I'm pretty sure ranks as one of the busiest months for me so far this year.

I entered my first (but certainly not my last) photography contest at one of the local Oktoberfest celebrations, and WON 3rd place in the Sports & Action category! The winning photo is one of my very first photos taken with my Rebel almost a year ago. Personally, it's one of my favorite photos....and not just because my cute boyfriend is the model.

As you can tell from the photo, I'm very proud of my accomplishment.

In addition to the following photo, I also entered photos from the Code Blue post, Ulrika, My Love post, Sisterly Love in Beantown (the photoshopped portrait), and My First Post, into other various categories at the festival.

Stay tuned because I have lots of great photos coming this week---and it's my very first series posting! I'm so excited and I just can't hide it!

Drivers, start your engines!

I want to mention that I'm not much of a race fan, but it's something that my hunny, Donald, dearly loves (and dreams of being a professional driver), and therefore, I tolerate attending a race every once in a while with him. These photos are from the Champion Racing Association Series (CRA) Budweiser 150--Presented by The Kyle Busch Foundation, at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. Thankfully, Mr. Canon Rebel, a set of earplugs, a NASCAR driver (Kyle Busch), and a teenage lady racer, made it much more enjoyable for me to watch with him.

I wanted to cheer on Johanna Long, because not only was she the only female driver in a field of males, but I'm not exactly a Kyle Busch fan, especially after his antics from a recent victory he had here in Music City. Johanna Long is the driver of the #10 car, shown below, leading Kyle Busch around the track like he's a sad little puppy. If I remember correctly, she is only 16 years old. I must say, I was pretty impressed with her racing skills, although, I have no idea what makes a good race car driver...crossing the finish line first I guess?

Kyle Busch didn't finish the race that day. Apparently something needed to be fixed on his car during the last few laps. It was fun using my telephoto lens as my binoculars that day though so I could get a closer look at what his pit crew was doing to try and "fix" the car.

Ulrika, my love.

Everyone, please meet Ulrika. Ulrika, please meet everyone.
If you didn't already know, Ulrika (pronounced Ul-Ree-ka) is one of the loves of my life. Who knew that a furry, 60 pound, slobbery little girl would take hold so tightly of my heart and soul?

Rika is a very special canine, not only because she's my "daughter" but because she was born with a special purpose in life. Ulrika was born in The Netherlands to a black lab mom, and a white Swiss shepherd dad (yes, she looks very much like her daddy, but with her mother's eyes). She then traveled to America at twelve weeks old with only one of her brothers. Once in America, they traveled to the Guiding Eyes for the Blind (GEB) facility in New York where they would start their new journey to become a partner for someone who has a visual impairment.

A few days later, Ulrika and I met, and I never have believed in love at first sight--until I met her. I had the honor of caring for, loving, training, and being the person to give Ulrika a start at being the best Guide Dog she could be. I was a volunteer puppy raiser for GEB, and although I never would have thought it at the time, but puppy raising, and Ulrika, had changed my life...forever.

Around the time that Ulrika was a year old, I got a new job and relocated to Tennessee. Unfortunately, GEB doesn't have a puppy raising region in Tennessee, so I no longer could raise puppies for that organization, and therefore Ulrika couldn't come with me. I had to leave her in the care of another puppy raiser (who gave Rika the best care I could have asked for) until it was time for Ulrika to go back to GEB's facilities to finish guide dog training.

Ulrika spent a few months at "school" and was only a few weeks from graduating the program, when I got a call saying that she had suffered a seizure and was being medically released from the program. Then I was asked if I would like to adopt her. Well that was a no-brainer, and later that week I was driving 16 hours one-way from Nashville to Patterson, NY to pick up my little girl--this time, for good. Ulrika was coming home.

That was almost 3 years ago now, and Ulrika will be celebrating her 5th birthday on November 17th. Thankfully, her seizure at school seems to have been a one-time thing, and since she's been back with me, there hasn't been any known seizure activity from her. However, I do still take extra precautions with her (as you can see by her proudly wearing her life-jacket), especially when exercising, just in case she suddenly has one hit.


Ulrika is the best fetcher you'll ever meet! I'm thinking about entering her into competitions actually, as I know that she still has the work ethic in her and would LOVE to be able to be a "professional fetcher." Now that the summer will soon be coming to an end, I've been trying to get her to the lake as much as possible so she can swim...she LOVES the water and has really taken an interest in ducks (go figure, she is part Lab after all).

So that's my girl. I have another at home--her name is Stealer, she's my boyfriend's dog and she's not nearly as much of a ham to the camera as Rika is.
Let this serve as your warning that you will see more of Rika in future posts.

Code Blue!

I don't really understand football, but the aggressive, hard-hitting side of my personality has really taken a liking to the game recently. I'm trying to learn the ways of the game, but I still don't understand many of the rules or strategies. One thing is for certain though--I'm a Tennessee Titan fan! When I hear "Touchdoowwwwnnnn Titans!", one would think that I was one of the Titan's cheerleaders!

In honor of the upcoming 2009 football season, and the Tennessee Titan's 50th Anniversary, I'd like to give a little background information as to what the Titans were able to accomplish last season, and how it relates to the beautiful photos below. (Skip to photos now if you're not interested in football, or my reasoning for taking these shots, and you just want to look at "pretty pictures").

Last season, the Titans made it to the NFL playoffs (second round to be exact) and were reaching for a chance at playing in--and hopefully winning--the Superbowl. While on their journey to the playoffs, the Titans, and Nashville, were spotlighted as the home team in a Monday Night Football game against the Indianapolis Colts. It was Tennessee's first home Monday Night Football game in almost 5 years, so it was kind of a big deal here in Music City.

Titan pride was everywhere and Code Blue was in full force! Flags were flying on car windows, people were covered in blue body-paint, and the Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge in downtown Nashville temporarily turned the lights blue for some incredible and rare, photo ops.

I'm very pleased with the way the photos turned out--it definitely made the 30 degree weather, and brisk wind, totally worth it! Unfortunately, the Titans didn't reach the Superbowl last season, but hopefully we can get there this season!! GO TITANS!

UPDATED: Sisterly love in Bean Town

Over the July 4th holiday (Happy belated birthday America!) I met up with 2 of my 4 siblings in Boston. Michele, the sister on the left, used to live in Bean Town (if anyone is looking for a realtor in the Washington D.C. area, check out her site WestEndDC.com) and in her many years of living there, can you believe I never once visited?! Shame on me! Really though, I was in high school and college, and unfortunately vacations didn't exactly exist for me back then. Thankfully, I was finally able to enjoy another fun vacation with two of the best sisters (and yes, we all have the same parents) a girl could ask for. Susan, or "the one that looks like me" as I have been known to refer to her as when describing which one of my 3 sisters she is, flew in from Denver to meet up with us! Sue had a new hair color (which I love by the way!) and according to my sisters, my hair looks darker than it usually does, although I haven't done anything to it. However, after seeing us in the photo above, I suddenly look like a red-head! Which really is ok with me...I like the color, but it's just interesting how suddenly it's changed? Anyway, that photo shows us at dinner before we started chowing down on some delicious food.

I originally had a few pictures posted here, that showed my sisters and I indulging in dessert, however, I changed my mind about leaving them on my post, and decided to keep them in my personal photo file for blackmail later in life, or for when someone gets married, and I can pull out the photos of my sisters first love---chocolate eclairs....mmmmm hmmmm.

But I decided that I could leave at least one photo of our pig-out-fest here....I figured that I'm probably the only one that would be embarrassed by this photo...and surprisingly, I'm really not. But then, I'm the kind of girl that eats buffalo wings at a restaurant and wipes my face AFTER I'm completely done eating. I have manners, really I do...but sometimes, good food gets in the way of me and those lady-like manners.

Look at me shoving the eclair in my mouth...disgusting. And no, I don't believe I actually stopped to breathe.

During our trip, we did and saw more things than I can mention here in this post...but here are a few highlights from the trip....

We saw the Red Sox play the Seattle Mariners....unfortunately, there wasn't much to celebrate in Boston after the game. But don't they look good standing there in their uniforms?

And I couldn't tell you who is actually at bat in this photo...but I'm lovin' this shot, and it has nothing to do with the guy in the #3 shirt, or the ref for that matter.

Before we saw the fireworks over the Boston Harbor, it was a good time to have a fun photoshoot with some great models. Plus, I needed practice with my flash....I've had it for about two months now, and yet, still haven't actually read the manual that came with it. Whoopsie!


Unfortunately, I didn't get any photos of the fireworks. The bridge was sooooo crowded with people, and honestly, I just wanted to be able to "enjoy" them this time around. I'll get 'em the next time I'm in Boston for the 4th though.....which I'm sure will happen again in the future.

I was just walking down the street when I grabbed this shot of the John Hancock Tower. Simple? Yes. But sometimes those make for some of the best photos.

And then there's our little ride on the Swan Boat, where Sue took this self-portrait, and then I had some fun with it in Photoshop (which is another thing that I'm trying to get more experience with). So here's the before photo.....

....and then the after photo.

Sometimes, my viewfinder is the screen on my Blackberry. If only my Rebel was as small as my Blackberry, and if I could fit it in my pocket, I totally would. And sometimes, I see things that are totally photo-worthy, and all I have is my camera phone. Which was the case in the next few photos. It was my last day in Boston, and Michele and I were out for an early morning walk before catching our flights back to D.C. and Nashville. Not too shabby for a camera phone eh?