2.26.2011

Spin Until Your Legs Fly Off

I began my morning by noticing that my bottom half is beginning to tone up and "take shape" again. This made me happy, and put me in quite a good mood before training :)


To the Y for spin class!


My spin bike for the day.  We'll call her "Bertha."


Mentors, and my personal inspirations, Brad and Byron warming up.


Cutie Brandie saying hello.


Roni, Loni and Dacia ready to ROCK it!


Julie and Coach Daniel are so fast!


My feet are going to fly off :)


Ahhh... nothing like a little yoga after a good spin session.



Oh how I love my TEAM.  
The end.

2.25.2011

The capacity to Love

I spent last evening with my niece, and I cannot express enough how blessed I am to have her in my life. She continually reminds me of how simple and free life can be.

We met up with a friend of mine who's niece is just 1 month younger than Joie. We let them play at the library while we caught up, and took them to dinner. They were fast friends, and enjoyed running around, experiencing joy together.






On the way home she asked if she could hold my hand, so I was driving with one hand and stretched, reaching into the back seat so she could hold my other hand. She was looking out the window singing while absent-mindedly rubbing her thumb over my knuckles. My heart was on fire.

I'm so glad that my niece has an open and accepting heart and such a large capacity to love. I hope this quality stays with her forever, and she will continue to teach me for our lifetime.

2.22.2011

A Few Exciting Announcements

My new business cards came in the mail today...


I'd like to formally introduce you to Jamis...


And, I give you "flying baby"...

2.19.2011

Motormouth Studios

This blog is used as a journal of sorts. My personal experiences and thoughts that I would like to remember in days, months and years to come are cataloged here. If you were brought to this site looking for my photography, I invite you to view my two other sites.

I have a blog devoted to photography taken in my home city of Boise, Id - here




I also have a blog for my photo and design studio, Motormouth Studios - here



You are more than welcome to look around this site, but I have a feeling that if you don't really know me, you won't find it all that interesting. 
Happy looking!

Your Song

My dad took my mom on their very first date in 1974, and this song came on the radio. My dad, being the smart ass that he is, pointed to the radio and told my mom, "this is your song." My mom, being the naive romantic that she is, listened to the lyrics and fell hopelessly in love with my father.
31 years later, this song is still "their song" and I can't hear it without thinking of them.

2.18.2011

Barely holding it together

I just had my headshots taken for Eagle Magazine (I'm a writer on their publications team) by a young man I had never met before.  While setting up for my session, I noticed his shoes.  They were the same shoes I wore to train for, and eventually complete, my marathon in October.  I pointed this out.  Here's how the conversation went:

Me: "Hey, I have those same shoes!"
Him: "Yeah?  Don't you love them?"
Me: "Yes!  I ran my first marathon in them in October.  So know that they will hold up for you."
Him: "Wait, are you the staffer that wrote the story about the man who runs to raise money for people with cancer?"
Me: "YES!  That's the group I trained and ran with!  We train for endurance events in exchange for raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Have you heard of them?"
Him: "No.  But my daughter was diagnosed with Leukemia in October."

SLAM.

Me: "Oh, I am so sorry to hear that!  How old is your daughter?"
Him: "2."

DOUBLE SLAM

Stories like this are all too common.  It breaks my heart to hear that his daughter is living her life in a hospital, hooked to machines and receiving medication that causes so much good, but so much damage in her little body.  I hurt for his family, having to be strong, but having to deal with the unknown- what does this mean for her future, what does this mean for her family?  I can't help but focus on the fact that she is the same age as my niece.  Her father shared with me her blog that her mom is keeping as a journal.  I visited it after he left, and sat with tears at my desk. 


She instantly reminded me of my niece.  How would I handle getting the news that my niece, this little bundle of love that I treasure so much, is sick?  I pray that I never have to know.  I pray that no other parent, aunt, grandparent, cousin, brother, sister, friend or otherwise will ever have to hear that someone they love is sick.  I'm tired of it.  I'm ready for the world to be rid of cancer.

This is why I train.  I feel like I have to do something... anything.  I feel like by raising this money, and staying focused on the task at hand, I can somehow make a small difference.  And with the thousands of people across the nation who are making this same small difference, it adds up to one BIG difference.   
Together we can help.  Together we can make a difference.  Together we can save lives.

Would you like to make a difference with me?  Please do so, here.

Happiness is...

Random weather...


Good reminders...


Sweat it out, zen it out...


Comforting rain...


Healthy habits...


Lazy Sundays with family...


Eye candy and caffeine fixes...



Good talks with great friends...


TEAM support...


Winning...


Hot chocolate with cutie-pies...


Coffee and talks at my favorite spot...


That love doesn't see age, race, ethnicity, religion, distance, or time; 
because in every human the heart looks the same...


My beautiful city...

2.11.2011

Hipstamatic

My newest obsession with the iPhone. This app is awesome! Here is a compilation of some of my favorite photos I've taken with it

2.08.2011

Nike Women's Marathon Slideshow!!

I finally took the time to compile my photos in a slideshow. I can't stop watching it. I get butterflies each time and little jolts of excited energy. I can't wait to experience the next big go around with the cycle challenge in Tahoe this summer :D

Enjoy!