Ronda & Tim | Matthews NC Wedding Photographer

Ronda and Tim and I met over coffee one evening last winter to discuss their upcoming wedding. I knew their wedding day would be simple, but full of love for their friends and family and each other. I love the unrushed moments of a simple wedding. It allows me to capture small details and truly capture each little moment with the attention that it deserves. 

 

You're a flower in bloom.
In the dark, in the gloom,
It's you who brightens my day.
How many ways do I need you?
Every day, every way, come what may.

This was one of my favorite images. As a mom, I know she'll feel the same way. Your children are never not your babies anymore.

 Another favorite. Va-voom. I love the angle and lighting on this one.

We had a little time so I played around with my lens, something I've been wanting to try. I definitely need some work...but I love the artsy feel of these with the blurriness. They feel almost vintage!

 Nothing more comforting than the support and loving touch of your husband.

My absolute favorite from the entire day. I love the detail. Her curl and lashes. The texture. The sweetness.
It's a perfect moment.

Thank you, Ronda & Tim, for entrusting me with your wedding images. What a beautiful day! I wish you both the most happiness and blessings in your marriage.

|| DETAILS ||

Wedding Venue: Morning Star Lutheran Chapel
Reception Venue: Savour Charlotte 
Limousine Service: Ride Sterling Limo

Ballantyne Hotel

Alanna | 9 months old | NC Baby Photographer

"We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." 

1 Corinthians 15:51

I made a piece of canvas art for a friend of mine with that exact verse for her newest son's nursery. Oh boy, do those words ever ring true! She has captured my heart, stolen my sleep....but has blessed our lives in ways I never knew imaginable.

And she's already nine months old.
I still can't figure out how it happens.
How time gets away from us so quickly.

I always think time will just slow down because I plead and beg for it to. I want to remember every little moment. And I'm trying to listen more to that voice in my head, God?, that is telling me "LIVE NOW!"
To look now...don't "wait just one second" for anything.

Say Yes.

Respond. Love. Laugh. Take pictures.

Soak every little bit in.

She's a constant reminder of grace of goodness.
She's every ounce of stubbornness passed down from her father, and well, yes, from me as well!
She's truly a little ray of sunshine and sparkle in the midst of a bunch of mud and tractors and BOY!

I love her.
She makes me thankful.
She makes me live life just a little harder and deeper.
With her in mind, I pray to the Lord and thank him for answered prayers.

"For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord."

1 Thessalonians 3:8

Making things difficult

Why I make things so difficult is beyond me. Seriously.

There are a few things I'm OCD over (like my sticky notes!) but for the most part....laundry goes unfolded, toys.are.everywhere, piles of unopened mail, half empty water bottles in the car (hey, you never know!)....that's me. It is what it is. Right now LIFE is so much more important. My kids will only be little once. I'll never get this time back being 30-something.

So WHY do I make things more difficult than they ought be?

So, before I even go any further with this blog, let me just clarify a few things:

1. The cute little blog frames. Gone. Done. Too much work!
2. Yes, I have a photography business, fancy equipment but NO I normally don't have it with me and even when I do, I still use my cellphone 98% of the time for taking pictures. And yes, most of my images are blurry and crazy but honestly, this blog is for fun. I'm going to keep it that way and NOT stress over the perfect blog pictures for now! And I'm refusing to feel bad about it. Got it, self? mmkay.
3. There will be no rhyme or reason to my posts. I will do them when I get the chance and hopefully I will figure out some sort of schedule later on. But for now, I'll be jumping all over the place with my posts. Sorry about that.
4. Well thought out posts - yeah that's tiring! 

Oh you didn't even notice the blog frames and you aren't seeing very clever posts? Yeah, chances are that's the case. And part of the reason for this stems from my business blog where I had to always be "on" for clients. Honestly, this post is for me and me only. Most people could care less. But it is off my chest and out there just in case someone wanted to judge me for being so totally "not together".

A famous man once said....“I am what I am, and that's all that I am.” He's so smart, that Popeye!

 

Do you see me? Yep, that's me, clinging on for dear life to life.

This blog will be fun and easy. No fuss. From here on out!

Just One Drop

It's been raining in North Carolina.
and raining.
....and raining!!

We've had an unusually wet summer. Normally we are under a major drought at this point but I think we are one rainbow shy of downloading plans to build us an ark!! "Hold on Noah, we're coming!"

We headed out to the Barnhouse to mow the other night. We knew we had very little time. We saw the clouds rolling in as we left our house and knew we had to be quick about this. 
 

 

We had a plan....Lukie-poo (eventually, he's going to hate that I call him that!) and I were going to ride on the Bacca-mobile and collect trash as the hubs mowed.

SIDE NOTE: By the way, WHY do people litter? I can't stand litter. The main thing we collect is beer cans and bottles...and McD's wrappers. What's up with that? Hey folks, have you ever thought that maybe you should drink your beer at home? GASP! And perhaps throw your garbage in your own trash can. Heck, you can even throw it in your own yard if you so choose. 

I shudder to think how many people are driving around drinking alcohol.

And I shudder to think what other peoples homes look like if they lack such care for our beautiful country. It makes me sad folks. And it's REALLY gross.

End rant.

Back on point.... instead of mowing, because hubs knew he had very little time, he decided to do a little roof and gutter maintenance. Check out my man! "Arrr Arr Arrr!" ;) Hey, there's nothing sexier than a workin' man with a back-pack leaf blower in shorts and boots!!

Well, there is a workin' man doing laundry.

or vacuuming. 

or putting the kids to bed.

or praying with our family!

But back to the point, it is a shame the disrepair of this place. The roof isn't that old but there are some yucky leaks and, get this, there are NO GUTTERS! No gutters. What house has no gutters? They are important and this is why......

If you don't have gutters, you understand these pictures. You get get a monsoon and flooding. Again... "STOP THE BOAT!!"

Which reminds me, I really need some rainboots. I should've hit the Tractor Supply when they had their horse-cowgirl-boot-rain-shoe sale! I could've been a REAL country girl! But nevertheless, I think I'll get me some of these instead! Deciding a color would be my downfall. There's that, and needing a loan!

Hunter ® Rain boots

 
And maybe these for when I'm feeling feisty this winter! Don't you love that color? 

Artic Adventure Muck Boots ®
Winter Boots 

 

....and it rained....

(Now, don't go minding all those electrical wires just floating around waiting for an innocent bystander! The power is disconnected, no worries!)

 After all was said and done, we picked up the garbage from the street, made a lap around the property for kicks and giggles, going as fast as we could.....

..................and then the bottom dropped out! We parked ole 'bacca just in time for the Lukester to make it to the Jeep safe-and-sound and with not a drop on him; while I, in the meantime, had to put away the keys, lock up the house and then make a mad dash to the Jeep.

I was soaked.
And it was fun.
Good times folks. good times.

This post made me think of a current fave on Christian radio these days. And the lyrics go a little like this...

I need you, and you need me
Left alone, we will never be who we could be
So take my hand and, don't forget that
We can do anything together
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Just one drop of your love
A single ray of sun
Just one thing to change the world
It's just you and me
Starting with a dream
And giving it all we've got
Only takes one drop
Come with me now, look and see how
There's an ocean overflowing with our hope so
Let's jump in and, take a swim, it's
You and me, yeah forever

Dear Hubs, 

This is the beginning of our dream. 
It's just you and me.
Let's jump in.
Let God be our single ray of sun.
Let's give it all we've got.
It only takes one drop.

You + Me = Forever

Love,
Manda Bear



PS. DON'T BE A LITTERBUG!

The Chewbacca-mobile

Yes, my parents bought a Toro "side-by-side" for "work purposes".
And yes, of course they named him "Chewbacca".
A very logical choice.
Lukie-poo loves Star Wars. So yes, it was a logical choice.
It rumbles. It roars. And it is hairy.

Ok, maybe it isn't hairy, but it does get covered in spiderwebs quite often as we fly through the woods at break-neck speeds.
(NOTE: Always wear flip flops while riding the Chewbacca-mobile. You never know when you might need a weapon of spider defense!)

The "Bacca" as we so lovingly call it, has already more than served his purpose on "the farm".
The kids love it. But the adults love it too.
He's a workhorse. He's fun.
He's dangerous.

Jazz has already tried to prove his Paul Bunyan skills and use the Chewbacca-mobile to take out a light pole.
The pole was a good road block. Thank heavens! Scared me to death. We could've had a mushed Jazz. We don't want a mushed Jazz.
The obligatory "You don't ever, ever, NEVER play on this. It is NOT a toy!" speech even took place. Poor kid.
Did you know that a Toro doesn't have to have keys to take it out of park?
Who woulda thunk it, right?
Well we know now.

The things Chewbacca can teach you!

The boys and their toys.
I have a feeling they will be the death of me.
But they sure are fun!!

We've got a lot to learn about living on a "farm".
Let's hope we keep all hands, fingers, toes and light poles in the process.