Portland

 

Portland is only a 2 1/2 hour drive from Seattle, so James & I thought…why not?! Portland has also been on my bucket list for quite a while. If we’re already so close…it only makes sense! Besides, James has an aunt that lives in Portland…it was a perfect fit for our road trip.

My first impression of Portland – How GREEN! Granted, my first impression was Aunt Lisa’s yard..I couldn’t get enough of it! I think Utah’s winter has me green deprived, but I loved all of the flowers and cherry blossom trees. Her front porch even had blooming ranunculus…my favorite!

I was also a tad obsessed with their pretty kitty cat, “Kitty Girl”…only she moved too much to get a good photo of her cute face.

We were even welcomed with a beautiful Easter basket in our room at “Hotel Lacaden-Pfleiger”! So sweet!

Lisa showed us around Portland that day. We started by visiting the homes and schools that James’ dad grew up in and attended – Portland was home for him. I snagged a photo of one of the homes. Maybe he remembers it?!…

We didn’t do too much photo taking of downtown Portland. I was able to snap one of the famous “Portlandia” statue. The second largest copper statue after the Statue of Liberty…

We met up with two of Aunt Lisa’s kids – Minta and Hunter – for lunch at Elephant Deli. (SOO yummy!) The cousins then joined us at Powell’s. I’ve ALWAYS wanted to go to Powell’s….Portland’s famous bookstore. That place is HUUUUUGE! I was in heaven. 4 floors & I barely saw one….so so much. I could waste hours. I did find myself a couple steals…used books for cheap cheap!…

We wandered in shops for a couple hours, saw some of the local “pirates”…these people dress up (all out!) and believe they are pirates. Just keepin’ Portland weird, I guess. And Lisa treated us to Salt & Straw – only some AMAZING unique ice cream. I had Meadow Marmalade & Peaches and Freckled Woodblock Chocolate. YUM YUM YUM! How something can be salty and sweet and so delicious all at once just blows my taste buds away! It’s a Portland must, I’d say.

Our last stop before heading back to Lisa’s for dinner was the Pittock Mansion. A lovely old home with a backyard view of the city.

Back at Aunt Lisa’s, I spent a little more time admiring the yard and their chickens before dinner…

And look at how perfect it was…Lisa leaves her front door open & you can smell spring in the air while watching the breeze blow the cherry blossom petals. I loved it…

And the remainder of the evening was spent visiting with family. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any shots of Hunter and Wyatt…but James & Minta had a little fun together…

Lisa & her hubby, Chris, were perfect hosts! I was thrilled to finally meet all of the family & see Portland. What a great day! I’d love to see Portland again…but with more than 24 hours.

love, whit

Orcas Island & The Space Needle

Easter morning, James and I drove about 2 hours from Seattle to board a ferry to the San Juan Islands – Orcas Island in particular. It was another sunny day, but a little chilly on the ferry because of the wind.

James enjoyed his easter egg candy aboard…

Orcas Island was so beautiful! The little shops and markets by the dock were adorable. A local told us that the deli made the best sandwiches, so we purchased a couple and ventured to the tippy-top of Mt. Constitution for a picnic with a view!

We stopped at some mini beaches on the way up…

We were blown away at the incredible view once we made it to the top. We could see for miles and miles…

After a few hours on Orcas Island, the ferry loaded up again and we headed back to Seattle.

James made reservations for us for dinner. We thought that the Space Needle was a perfect end to our day and stay in Seattle. The food there was SO GOOD! The view was just as amazing. James devoured some tender lamb and I had delicious cod with these fancy pot-stickers. Even their hazelnut Italian sodas were to die for! It was a very memorable night for us. Or day actually. : )

love, whit

Pike Place Market – Seattle

Pike Place Market was one of the highlights for me in Seattle. I LOVE farmer’s markets! It’s one of the things I’m going to miss about Provo…they have one every Saturday in the summer just a few blocks from our apartment. ANYWAY, so many colorful and delicious things – FRESH! I was in heaven at Pike Place. We enjoyed fresh produce, dehydrated goodies, sweets, fish, and rows and rows of beautiful fresh flowers!!! Can you believe…a huge bundle of daffodils for just $5?! They spoke to me.

….As I gawked over the tulips of all kinds, I learned that James love loves Hyacinth! (the purple stems in the above right photo) Who knew!

I forgot to note the tasty crepes we picked up at “Yummy Crepes” (haha)…chicken + veggie and banana + strawberry + chocolate. Yummy indeed!

I had always seen videos of the Pike Place Fish Market… you know the one where they toss the fish around when someone purchases?!? I finally saw it! …And got a lens full of raw fish when they tossed it….

And also bought some fresh prawns…

…which we enjoyed for dinner the night we got back. …Along with some multi-colored carrots and purple potatoes we bought there too!

We ate up the plums we bought…and am still using the fresh basil…and am waiting to use the acorn squash! Like I said…I couldn’t get enough of the freshness there!

Because of the sun…EVERYone was out and about that day…

We sampled things here and there. Rub With Love had some killer BBQ that we shared!…

(…I think James is such a handsome stud in this picture!)

Every time we passed the original Starbucks, the line was out the door and a different street musician was out front. Pretty entertaining!…

dear Pike Place Market,

i love you.

Might I also add…Dear Tacos Chukis….i love you too!… (yes, that is a tamale. and yes, that is grilled pineapple). Lora and Dan told us about this hidden treasure. I need one a block from my house!

love, whit

Road Trip! – Seattle

A good while ago, James & I had mentioned how much we’d both like to visit Seattle one day. It’s always been on my bucket list. Then, when our good friends, Lora and Dan, told us they were moving there in August AND hearing how much they loved their brief trip out there a couple weeks ago…it was decided. We were going! Seeing as we’re moving back to Georgia at the end of this month, James and I had to make this trip happen soon! No need waiting to travel even FARTHER to do it later on. It took 13 hours in the truck from Provo, UT to Seattle, WA. We made it happen this last weekend & love love loved every minute of it!

I have a SLEW of pictures, so I may be doing this trip in separate posts…starting from the beginning!…

We stayed at the Marriott right on “Alaskan Way” (if you’re familiar with the area)…which is along the piers of Puget Sound. Our room with a view of boats, water, and flocking ‘gulls was perfect for the sunny weekend we stayed. We got there in the evening with enough time to wander along the piers and snag some fresh seafood for dinner at Ivar’s.

Even though we soon found out that Seattle (or maybe Washington in general?! lol ) is full of pretty weird people – Sorry to offend anyone, but there are interesting folk around that area! – We still loved the city!

Our first morning we spent walking to the Monorail for a ride over to the Chihuly glass sculpture exhibit below the space needle – which James and I thoroughly enjoyed!

Their monorail is – so I’ve been told – the oldest running alweg train in existence!  Been going for 50+ years! & is still running the ORIGINAL trains – no updates. Pretty cool!

Dale Chihuly – a Washington local – creates the most AMAZING  blown glass sculptures. I’ve seen some of his installations before: Once at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens and then a stunning ceiling installation in Vegas’ Bellagio Hotel.

The majority of these below were created to resemble his mother’s flower garden. His chandeliers, globes, and sea sculptures are phenomenal as well!

James’ favorite were these canoes…

…

Not only did it look beautiful…the gardens smelled INCREDIBLE!!! And the weather was perfect.

Later that day we found ourselves on the west side of Seattle for a scenic Segway tour! It was my second time on a Segway and James’ first. He was addicted!

We are so glad we did it. Not only because we got a great deal via Groupon : ) , but we got an ideal view of the city from across the bay. We probably would have never made it to the west side had it not been for this tour. It’s a ritzier end of town to live and very gorgeous.

The tour was only about 1 1/2 hours & I asked James if we could drive by again to snag some more pictures. It was difficult to get any on a Segway & our group only made brief stops.

Can I just mention again how PERFECTLY SUNNY the weather was?! The locals told us over and over again that we picked the best weekend to come…the warmest yet of the year!

…Because I’ve already posted a bleep-load of photos, I’ll make a separate one for the rest of our adventures at the Pike Place Market, on the Ferry, Orcas Island, and even a last minute day trip to Portland!

love, whit

B + M

Here is “part two” from my last post – The second half of our photo session with cute Bethany & Matt Petersen! There were SO many perfect ones of these two, it was hard to whittle down the batch for the ol’ blog.

It was such a chilly evening, being bundled up in the quilt was so natural for them. Check out their cute, cuddly selves!…

I just LOVEloveLOVE these two! …one of the saddest parts about our moving to Georgia, leaving them behind… : (

love, whit

Bethany & Matt – Sweet Tooth Fairy shoot

Meet Bethany and Matt – the cutest love birds on the block! It was a ton of fun shooting them because they are very dear friends of mine. James and I were so lucky to have Bethany fly out to Georgia and film our wedding! Check out her work….she is one TALENTED videographer to say the least – BP FILM.

Also, if you live in the Provo/Orem, Utah area – The Sweet Tooth Fairy has some of the best cake bites and cupcakes I’ve ever had! (try the lemon!)

Aren’t they so so cute?!

Stay tuned for more on this part of the shoot coming later…..

love, whit

what I’m learning being married

James & I will hit the 6 month mark of marriage this coming Easter weekend. 6 WHOLE BIG WHOPPING MONTHS. I know what you’re thinking…that’s NUTHIN’! But it seems that time is flying in a “6 months ALREADY? / ONLY 6 months!? Feels like we’ve known each other much longer.” kind of way. If that makes any sense at all.

I was prepped my whole life to know that “marriage is not easy & not always all romantic like the movies make it out to be.” (granted, I feel that these days movies are portraying more and more dysfunctional family situations than they used to. or is it just me?) Anyway, I’m grateful for going into marriage with realistic expectations. It has made me cherish every bit of it & have fun in the journey. I think marriage is GREAT and SO FUN and SO WORTH IT! Personally, I’m having a blast. That doesn’t mean it’s always all cherry pie and picnics though.

And for some reason, I just feel like sharing some things I’m learning along the way…

1. Don’t dwell on the little things/pick your battles. I’ve accepted that even though I have the mentality of branching out and trying new things…James will ALWAYS order the one thing on the menu that has”BBQ” in the title. Mundane? I think so. The man likes to stick with what he knows. He’s simple. I’m not so much. And I’m not just referring to our food preferences. I could easily let things bother me. Though I’m seeing that our combo is quite the perfect match. We balance each other out nicely.

2. James is male. I am female. well, DUH! But…I’d say we’re both learning to be accepting of the fact that I will always have to repeat myself a few times if I want to get a response out of him while he is watching TV, fiddling with his phone, playing a video game or basically doing anything with technology. Likewise, he has come to terms with the fact that I’m overly sensitive and could, at any given moment, start crying about who knows what that might not even have to do with him. So, patience is key because I highly doubt either of those things is ever going to change entirely…or at all.

3. Communication! We can’t read each other’s minds, so no use harboring ill feelings about something. I think this is mostly for me – the overly emotional one. Poor James won’t always know if I’d like him to help more with something. or WHY I’m acting cranky or stressed. or if there is something bothering me. I’m learning to speak up about it more. He does the same. I know it has brought us even closer together.

4. I’m super blessed! If I ever do bring something up to James or have a melt down, he is very sweet, tender, and caring to make things right & try to understand. He’s very quick to apologize. And I’m learning to be.

5. I am not perfect. Neither is James. I tend to overspend on groceries. James tends to buy too many gadgets on Amazon. I hate that he goes to bed so late most nights. He hates that I get tired so early practically every night. He hates eating dinner early. I hate that he gets hungry at 11:30pm. He loves being right and proving people wrong. I, also, enjoy being right and do not enjoy being proven wrong. He doesn’t like every article of clothing I pick out for him. He also doesn’t love every pair of shoes or colored tights I like to wear. BUT I’m (we are) learning that we can’t control each other, to accept differences, to accept faults because we both have them, but to also work towards improvement.

6. I am not always in the mood to watch the movie James wants to. I don’t prefer all of his music choices. He’s a constant cuddler. I like a little more space when I sleep. He can sit inside all day. I get antsy and cranky and want to go out. He doesn’t really like going out on walks with me. BUT…we are learning compromise. Loving someone & wanting to see them happy means we do things we might not always like or want to do.

7. Set goals and dream big together! James and I both like to dream big. He’s better than I am at making things happen, but that’s good. He helps me. We set goals together. We both are “in the know” with finances & other important matters. That unity is vital to making our “dreams” come true. It’s nice to be on the same page and work and grow together – To support each other in our endeavors. Especially when there are a lot of bumps on the road there.

 

I guess today I’m especially grateful for marriage. For my sweet husband. For the last 6 months. For how much we both have learned and grown. And mostly for the future we have ahead of us….I look forward to next weekend when we go to Seattle. I look forward to next month when we move home to Georgia. I look forward to a year from now and wherever that puts us. I look forward to when we decide to expand our little family. And I look forward to us being a gray-haired couple still crazy in love!

 

here’s to marriage!

love, whit

photoshoot!

One of my very good friends, Lora Grady, invited me to go “location hunting” with her on Sunday. She is an incredible photographer (she took our engagements and bridals, and I mention her often on here) & always on the look out for the perfect photoshoot locations. I took her up on the invite on Sunday, obvi! I like to think of her as my unofficial mentor who has been there to motivate me along and answer any of my questions when it comes to photography. Like I said, she is pretty bomb.com : ) She also invited another photographer friend of hers, Diane Moncion, to come along as well. Diane is so fun and a complete Jersey babe as you will soon find out!

We got on the interstate and headed south for about 1 1/2 hours. Lora was like a kid in a candy shop getting giddy over the perfect setting sunlight, rollings hills, and green that we found. Her passion for natural clean light makes me smile!

ANYWAY…it didn’t take us long to figure out that Diane is so drop dead gorgeous & has such a beautiful style that we’d be using her as our model til the sun went down.

So, here are a few of my favorites that I shot from Sunday evening’s outing! …

love, whit

Picnic in the park

We are loving this continuous sun! So today, James and I packed up a blanket, lunch, his new Helicopter toy, and found ourselves a park.

James really loves his new toy. As any boy would…because even Matt stopped by for a quick “Hi!” and they enjoyed themselves for a while…

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It was so perfect out. After some fun, we both spent time prepping our talks for church tomorrow & soaking up some rays.

Oh, and yesterday was so nice – We went up into the canyon in the evening for some campfire fun with friends…

Happy weekend!

love, whit

fashion diva

A few shots from a photography shoot with my dear friend, Elissa, last weekend in Salt Lake City. I just love her style!

love, whit