hang on sloopy.



i had a pretty rad weekend guys. sunday morning after having a great time seeing so many of my good friends, another friend of mine from my old job called me up and asked if i wanted to ride in a plane. the thing is, i'm scared of planes. growing up we didn't have a lot of money, when we left town we drove. i've flown to chicago and back twice. that's it. i nearly cried the second time, having to go it alone. 

i worked on offutt air force base for many years in college, and my friend crystal did as well - as she's been studying for her commercial pilot license. she got it nearly a year ago, and is now working on her instructor license. what an awesome thing to be.

so i've always wanted to get over this fear. since i've known crystal, i've asked her to take me up. and sunday she took pat and i both. i rode first with crystal and her original flight instructor, scott - hell of a funny guy. if he wasn't as funny as he was, i might have lost it up there.

riding in a plane doesn't seem like that big of a deal i'm sure. it was to me - such an awesome experience. 

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the weather has been so peculiar this december - almost like it knows. another christmas has gone by but it's the first since i've been living in this house. new things all about, slightly out of place. my mind often drifts back to the past, but more so around this time of year - always before the new year.

i am thankful for where i am, here in our home.  everyone who was away has come home and gone again already - and so begins that long arduous manner until it's time to see them again. 

it's hard to imagine ever being anywhere but here. 


you are all i see

as a person i feel like i'm constantly battling two things inside of me. there is the girl who is good - who wants to do good. at least, strives for it. there is a sense of power within the good - like i can do anything. it feels fearless.

but then there is another - darker, distant. not muddled, just harder to understand. the opposing force to the good. that twitch - constantly pricking at me to over analyze, alienate, and distrust. provoked.

do they overlap ? some middle ground between the two. they have to - even if what's blurred isn't what you thought you'd see.




i wanted to do something that sort of represented that in way - or at least, i tried to. i could not have asked for a better model in karah linn - that girl is out of this world. i'm hoping you will be seeing a lot more of her in my upcoming work. one of my closest friends - maddie doerr - is very gifted with a makeup and hair brush. i am also hoping to use her in a lot more upcoming work. so much thanks to you girls for spending your halloween with me and for all the things you helped me achieve with this. 

where we are.

pat's brother brought over some of the HOTTEST peppers i have ever had in my entire life. i had one bite of the little guy in the top left of the pan and nearly fried. the brother's dog ate one of these peppers and spent a good part of the afternoon running frantically around the backyard eating anything he could to get the taste out of his mouth. 

we're going to heaven ? oh - hell.

happy halloween guys ! here's a quick preview of a shoot i did with the very gifted model karah linn and my dearest friend maddie who did her hair and makeup. a full post to follow this week - but for now, click on the foto below for a larger view.

kadiy & mike

if ever there were two people meant for each other it would be them. it's a strange thing, finding that kind of love within a friend - because that's how they met. they were friends before dating each other. both hilarious and in charge of the room - it's hard to remember that i was shocked by this at first. they are so meant to be.

it was more than two years ago that kadiy packed up her things from omaha and followed her mike to chicago. and since then, they've built a pretty amazing life together. i feel blessed to have them as such close friends, and even more to have been asked as maid of honor in their wedding.

while visiting chicago this past september, as i've done every year since kadiy has left omaha; i photographed a trip with them downtown and to navy pier.


love you guys !