Jenny is from North Dakota.  Greg, her fiancé is from Missouri.  They met in Arizona, and now they live in Southern California.  They’re getting married this summer in Jenny’s hometown in North Dakota.

Last month was the whirlwind that is WPPI.  It was my second year to be there, and I’m not sure that it was any less overwhelming than the first.  Las Vegas is one of those hit the ground running, catching up with old friends, meeting new friends, staying up way too late, waking up way too early, intaking an alarming amount of caffine, and running…literally running to be 7 places at once type of cities.  I can take it small doses, the way I can take apple cider  vinegar in small…extremely small doses.

This year Mike hosted a workshop, which was rad to style and be apart of, and then the next day we went to The Wade Vegas Shootout.  Gavin and Erin have become sweet friends, and it was so fun to see them in action. They pretty much owned it.  Side note, I had the absolute privelege of driving a car full of photographers out to the shoot, and I say privelege because Gavin got us a black Escalade, with tinted windows, complete with a legit system.  I may or may not have blared hip-hop music the whole way.  Oops.   (Just ask Trent , Dara, and Lindsey who so kindly put up with not only my music but my driving as well).

Once we were out in the desert, our model Kate, rocked it.  Although it was windy, and pretty cold, homegirl did not complain once. I was impressed.

I love the stillness of this first shot.

Kate.  Stop it.  You’re beautiful.

Arcade Fire and Billy Holiday on vinyl.

Homeade pizza.  Fresh Salsa.  Wine.  Old Friends.  New Friends.

Connecting.

Laughing.

Accepting.

Breathing Deeply.

Walking Slowly.

Singing Loudly.

At our own pace, and on our own time we woke up Sunday morning without an agenda.  In a life of calendars, alarms, and emails this is sweet music to my ears.

Jen, Nelly, and I laughed and told stories about the night before as we made French Press coffee, scones, and eggs for breakfast.  We lingered after we finished eating, and just talked and laughed.

We danced and sang around the house as we got ready, and then sang on our way out the door, and then more still on our way to the Pasadena Flea Market.  (Adele’s new album 21, if you’re dying to know).

Treasure hunting, and people watching we took our time at the flea market, and then made our way to LA’s finest coffeehouse Intelligentsia.

We sat.  We talked.  We laughed.  We watched.  It felt like my soul took in this huge breath, and was letting it out slowly and surely.

Going to Intelligentsia makes me feel like I’m cool like this girl on the right.

Nelly people watching…and then getting caught.

Jen and Nelly, and the rest of the First Ladies I absolutely adore y’all.  Thank you for welcoming me into your home and giving my body and soul just what it needed this weekend.

Rest.

Almost 3 years ago, I left home for Sunny California with hopes of chasing some pretty big dreams. I didn’t notice it at first, but after a few months I realized what it was…quiet.  Lots of quiet.  You see as a child of 6, I’m used to being in a house full of kids running around at all hours of the day:  singing, dancing, fighting, and laughing…lots and lots of laughing.  Moving out to California while I gained so much, I lost that.
Oh, but then I started working for Mike Colón.  There are so many amazing parts of my job, but one of the absolute best parts is getting to play with his kids!  Behind my closed office door while I’m editing away, at times I’ll turn down my music and just listen…listen for little barefeet patting away on the floor, Logan singing, Chloe screaming, and laughter…lots and lots of laughter.  I am thankful for this family for many reasons, but today I am thankful for their laughter.  Happy Friday:) Kat

PS.  Mike and Julie’s 6 year old Aidan is missing, because he’s at school during the day.  Aidan, I still love you!

Julie is such a beautiful mother.

After driving home from their first coffee date, she said she was ‘pleasantly surprised’.  As she says that I glance in the rear view mirror, and see her smile as she looks out the window.  It was this quiet and intimate moment.

Lindsay and Kyle were set up by mutual friends, and as we were driving to the engagement session they tell me all about their first date.  Lindsay is one of the four girls that I live with.  I love Lindsay.  I love Kyle.  I love who they are together.  There has been many a night where somehow it ends up being the three of us on our comfy red couch talking about life.  Those are the moments with them that I adore the most.

They love one another so well, and they love other people so well together.  This is a couple that I cannot wait to see where life takes them.  It’s been an absolute privilege to be apart of their journey. For their engagement session in Costa Mesa we went back to where their first date was.  The light was so beautiful that we decided to end the session at Newport Beach where Kyle proposed.