VLV Photography

Oh my goodnes, has the start of this week just totally kicked my butt.  Better yet, I set my alarm for 5am this morning to get some much needed photography stuff done.  When I went to turn my alarm off I totally felt like I had aged 30 years overnight.  I have NO idea what I did to my back but it’s a hurtin’.  My favorite chiropractor {Dr. Sara at Active Live Chiropractic} is in Bismarck, so I may just need to make a special trip before the wedding of Sami & Dion this Saturday.  Usually a little crack here and a little crack there is all I need and I’m good to go.  If you’ve never had your ankles adjusted/cracked, it’s really quite weird feeling but you never think how much easier your joints move when they’re adjusted-and that includes your ankles.

So anyway, my 4th was awesome!  I never really realize how much I need time off until I get it.  It hasn’t been easy crackin’ the whip and getting back to work though.  And I totally did not get this post done in a timely manner either.  Forgive me for being human.   But honestly, I realize too how pre-occupied my mind is on a daily basis.  I think about photography a lot.  I think about my business a lot.  And often times, I’m not living in the moment because I’m thinking about my to-do list a lot.  I absolutely love what I do and I love the freedom it provides me to be creative.  I love all the people I  meet and the permanent memories I can create.  However,  what I don’t love is the pressure I put on myself.  So it was very freeing to be able to let my t0-list go, not think about my business, and just live in the moment.  The fireworks display was absolutely amazing this year, as it has been the past few years.  And I really sat there in that moment and really appreciated where I am in my life, the family and friends I have, and the place in which we live.  Hague may be a little forgotten town to some but to me it’s home.  I’ve lived in several places but I never felt like I was home until I was in Hague.  And anyone who knows me thought you know what would freeze over before I would ever live in Hague.  Believe me, after almost 2 years of living here, my husband and I still look at each other at times and say out loud “I can’t believe we live in Hague, ND.”  There’s no place like Hague, ND.  And THAT should really be on a t-shirt!   Next year, if you’re reading this and you’ve never been to Hague for the 4th-come to our little slice of heaven on earth and check out a fireworks display like you’ve never seen before.  We sure know how to put on a good show for a little town!

And with that….I’ll close with some snapshots of my kiddos from the 4th.  I took these with my first descent point and shoot canon.  That’s right, I didn’t take my “big gun” and it was a little freeing.  I love that little camera-although the slow recycle time compared to my dslr drives me nuts-it gets the job done.

[Determination does pay off-finally got this image in this post.  Phew!  That only talk ALL stinkin' day to accomplish!]

I hope all reading had a great 4th and enjoyed being in the moment as I did.  And now to crack the whip-I’ve got a wedding to prepare for {seriously,  it feels like just yesterday the bride updated me that it was 19 days away-where did June go?}, images to edit, a to-list to tackle, and orders to ship!  Eek!  Check back next week for the sneak peek of Sami & Dion!  Enjoy the heat wave everyone!