One Thousand: Thank you cards

Thank you so much Marissa and Kevin for your lovely card! It was such a nice surprise and really meant a lot to me. It was a pleasure getting to know you both! 

Gift #72: Thank you cards from clients

Shah Family

I wanted to take a moment to upload a few more photos from the Shah family photo session on Sunday. What a sweet family they are! Their daughter, Siya, is so precious and her parents are some of the nicest people ever. We loved spending time with them. 

Enjoy their photos!

(I have so many more to edit!)

One Thousand: Teaching, Madagascar macaroni, my first piano

Gift #69: Teaching friends about editing photo

I believe that if I can't make it as a photographer that I can at least teach people how to take photos and edit them! It's so fun. 

Gift #70: Madagascar shaped macaroni

Scott thinks I'm crazy because I loved cartoon themed macaroni and cheese. There's just something about the little shapes that I love! Who else agrees with me?

Gift #71: My first beautiful piano

Since I first began learning to play piano, my family has always had an electric piano. I've never had a real piano. Now I finally do! I know I have a photo somewhere else on this blog (I think) of my piano but I'd like to post another one. I was sitting on my couch looking at my piano and, boy, do I love this thing! I love the chipped paint and all the weird little quirks that my 1920's piano has. I'm so happy to finally have an actual piano.

Shah Family

Here's one photo from today's family shoot!

This little girl was so stinkin' cute! (I had to capture these adorable pig tails.)

Thank you so much for letting us photograph your family!

One Thousand: Pita Pizza

I am a huge huge fan of pizza. Every kid answers pizza to the question of what her favorite food is. Well, I'm starting to think that I never really grew out of that phase! I seriously enjoy pizza! However, if I were to eat that everyday I think we can all agree that I would have a very different shape.

I am so happy there are alternatives to normal pizza like yummy pita pizzas. Ok, maybe the bacon isn't so healthy, but still!

Look at that steam. Straight out of the oven.

Gift #68: Steaming hot pita pizzas

One Thousand: Pinecone

I love large pinecones!

Gift #67: Very large pinecones 

One Thousand: Losing a job

This is a slightly difficult post to write as I just lost my job yesterday. I've been contemplating whether or not I should blog about this but I feel that this project I'm endeavouring to accomplish requires that I be completely honest about the things that are gifts in my life, good and bad. It's hard though because I struggle with feeling that people will look down on me for this, especially people looking at my blog for the first time! However, with losing this job, while I loved it for the short time I had it, I've realised that the seemingly bad things can sometimes and probably always, be a gift. It just takes perspective. I know that God has something bigger and better for me to do. I have absolutely no bitterness about what happened because I focus on the unending love that God has for me knowing that He only wants the best. As I walked away from work yesterday there were tears, but there was also a smile because I knew I was created for something bigger. 

So here it goes...

Gift #66: Losing a job

I took this photo before I realised it was my last day. So the fact that I look sad is purely coincidence!

One Thousand: Game Nights

I feel like I've been slacking on my gifts lately! I think what is great about this project though is that I am able to do it whenever something strikes me instead of feeling pressured into doing it everyday like a 365 project. 

On Sunday night we spent time with two of our precious friends and whipped out the game of LIFE! I haven't played this game in years so it made it even more fun playing it as an "adult". When I was younger I never would have questioned that I'd have to pay $45,000 for a simply website to be designed! Seems a tad bit steep now. Maybe we can modify the game so that you can negotiate. 

It was so much fun though!

Gift #65: Game nights with friends

Ceara+Eddie {Part II}

Here are a few more from Ceara and Eddie's photo shoot. :)

Ceara+Eddie {Part I}

Here are a few little teasers from Ceara and Eddie's photo shoot yesterday. So cute! 

One Thousand: California Poppies

I've wanted to photograph these California poppies for so long!

Gift #64: Beautiful California poppies at work

Who are you?

I would love to know who looks at my blog! If you feel so inclined, leave me a little hello in the comment section. Also, let me know if there's anything you'd like to see more of! I do this all for you.

I'm so honored that you take the time to visit.

One Thousand: Blue skies, Headbands, Faces

Here are my last gifts for the day. :) I think I did pretty good. 

I honestly don't know what it is about this photo. I know it's just blue sky but there's something I love about it. When I stare at it I feel myself being sucked in as if I'm searching for something else...something within myself? I don't know. Something in space? I don't know that either. But something holds my eye.

Gift #61: Clear blue skies

There are some days like today when I do not feel like blowdrying my hair and I'm so thankful that I have headbands to make my hair look somewhat cute!

Gift #62: Headbands to make you cute

Lastly, a mashup of my face. When I'm alone, or with my husband, I complain about my face. But I really do consider my face to be a huge gift. Flaws and all.

Gift #63: My face

One Thousand: Hiking

I reached 60!

Ok this one was kind of cheating...I took this photo a couple weeks ago during a photo shoot that we did for two local businesses. It was never used so I though that it would be appropriate for this gorgeous 70F day! If Scott wasn't working today perhaps we would be out hiking. I just thought it was a perfect gift for today because this weather would be fantastic for hiking and I love the fact that we have some fabulous trails so close to us to hike on whenever we please.

Gift #60: Hiking on warm days

These photos aren't for my project but I thought that if I was going to share the photo above I would share some of the photos I took during the outdoor shoot. These two are from the running portion and I just love the mossy trees!

One Thousand: Gifts and Checks

I've taken the Love Languages quiz so many times and I'm always surprised that gift-giving and receiving is not closer to the top of the list! I love giving gifts and I love receiving them too. I pretend that birthdays aren't that important to me, but they totally are.

A couple of days ago Scott surprised me with a photography magazine focusing on wedding and portrait photos knowing that I'm in love with those. Yay! 

Gift #58: Unexpected gifts

I am excited to announce that I have received my first official payment as Simply Green Photography! So trivial but so exciting.

Gift #59: First official check as Simply Green

My favorite portraits

There are so many more that I love but I can only put so many!

One Thousand: Moon and flowers

What I am so excited about with this project of mine is seeing the end result and seeing whether there are common themes that run through the pictures during different periods of my life. Right now it seems to be food and plants. But I feel that that's OK since I do have 1000 photos to take! So here are a few more plants! 

I love when the moon comes out when it's still light out. And I think it's especially pretty when it's framed by flowers. 

Gift #55: The moon through the trees

I love pretty pink flowers.

Gift #56: Pretty pink flowers on trees

This photo was a complete accident. I have many more pictures of these flowers that are in focus but I love how this one looks like a painting. I just had to include it!

Gift #57: Pictures that look like paintings