Sunrise with the Cherry Blossoms // Tidal Basin

Just breathtaking...

Inauguration 2013: From the Crowd

Below are scenes from the crowd on President Obama's Second Inauguration day.

What an absolutely amazing & historic day to witness. 

^ You absolutely cannot tell, but that's Obama in "The Beast!"

2012, I Sure Will Miss Ya

It's December 31, 2012. As I type this, I can hardly believe that 2012 has come and gone - in what seems like the blink of an eye. It's been a huge year for me. I moved from Florida to Washington, DC; I finally got the nerve to pursue my own photography business; I met incredible new friends but also realized how dear my old ones are. This year has been full of ups & downs, many MANY laughs, incredible times with my family, roadtrips, city explorations & new adventures. I am SO grateful for everything I've been blessed with this year and have so many wonderful people to thank for making it quite possibly the best year of my life thus far (you know who you are).  

I have to admit - I started 2012 in a rut. Thankfully, that rut motivated me to pursue my 365Grateful photo project. Every day this year, I took a picture of something I was grateful for. It started off as a way to bring me out of this so-called rut by bringing to light the wonderful little everyday things that I would often overlook. It ended as the perfect way to reflect on what turned out to be an incredible year. 

I've decided to highlight a few of my favorite things about 2012. It was so hard to pick!

1/ The amazing wedding of two of my best friends! 

2/ Beautiful Ocala.

3/ The Ocala Symphony Orchestra & its inspiring people.

4/ Tampa adventures with SP.

5/ The newest addition to our family - little Zooey! 

6/ A roadtrip through the South (Savannah, Charleston, Appalachians & all!) with my Dad.

7/ Fun(ny) evenings with the family in Southport, NC for the 4th of July week! 

8/ DC summer with the soulmate - Mary.

9/ Coldplay's 2012 concert. Absolutely amazing/wonderful/breathtaking.

10/ The Hardknocks - our kickball team! 

11/ Glen "ohmygoshiloveyou" Hansard's live show at the 9:30 Club.

12/ Life with the always amazing/supportive/fun/talented/hilarious Kati & Bridget

13/ My new Arlington apartment! 

14/ New friends :)

15/ A northern fall complete with brightly colored leaves, pumpkins, and perfect weather.

16/ The beginning of my pursuit of a photography career.

17/ The purchase of my first real Christmas tree! Whattacutie.

18/ Thanksgiving with my New England family.

19/ An inspirational morning of wreath-laying at Arlington National Cemetery.

20/ The most perfect Christmas at home with my family. 

21/ My first snowfall as an official VA resident! 

2012, I love you a lot & I'll miss you dearly. 2013, I can't WAIT to meet you. 

A New England Thanksgiving

I think it's safe to say that New England, or Massachusetts more specifically, is my home away from home. Ever since I was young, I've had a special place in my heart for that majestic rocky coastline, those cranberry bogs, and the Boston Red Sox. I feel so lucky to have been able to spend my Thanksgiving up there this year. As a special treat, my extended family, who all live in the greater Boston area, decided to head south to Newport, Rhode Island for the holiday. With it's cozy wharfs, winding colonial cobblestone streets, and that typical sleepy New England town feel, it was the perfect setting for a Thanksgiving reunion. 

On Thanksgiving's sunny afternoon (pre-feast), we ventured over to Fort Adams State Park for some fresh ocean air, breathtaking views of the coastline, and a brisk walk. 

We spent Thanksgiving evening at the Canfield House Restaurant. The atmosphere of this restaurant was almost too perfect of a setting for a holiday meal. Cozy fireplaces crackled in every room, deep red & green wallpaper covered the old Victorian's walls, and Christmas decor was already on display. And for the record, they have the most heavenly pumpkin cheesecake a gal can ask for.

To walk off our Canfield Thanksgiving feast, we spent Friday morning on the Cliff Walk, which is nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and dozens of the grandest 19th Century mansions you'll ever see.

After the Cliff Walk, we headed to one of Newport's most popular mansions, The Elms, which we heard had decked their giant halls. As I strolled through the mansion like the tourist I was - guided by audio tour - I couldn't help but feel like I was in an episode of Downton Abbey. (Mr. Carson, my tea, please.)

To top off our Newport visit, we spent some time at the Newport Historical Society chatting with a local historian about our Wickham heritage. My aunt has been researching our lineage and has found some AMAZING information about our ancestors. We recently discovered that many Wickhams once graced the streets of Newport - as prominent townspeople! 

And finally, to appropriately end my time in New England, I spent Sunday morning in Boston. We did some Christmas shopping at Quincy Market, ate some clam chowdah, and thoroughly enjoyed the Christmas decorations and twinkling lights that adorned the creaky old trees. 

Thanks for the wicked good time, New England! 

Neighborhood Explorations: Teddy Roosevelt Island

Is there a better way to end the weekend than a sunset adventure to a lovely little island 10 minutes away from where you live? I think not! Now don’t get your hopes up - I know I just made that sound a bit like a tropical island afternoon getaway. However, what I am actually referring to is the good ol’ Theordore Roosevelt Island situated in the middle of the Potomac River between Arlington and Georgetown. It is not by any means warm or tropical. 

As new residents of Arlington, B & I are finally getting our acts together and realizing that there is SO MUCH to do & see within 10 minutes of our home sweet home. Yesterday, when we realized we both were going to be off work at the same time (rare!), we jumped at the opportunity to go exploring. After getting slightly lost on the way there (…ummm…our “u-turn” on the GW parkway may or may not have consisted of us driving through the Reagan National Airport terminal to get back on track), we finally made it to the island just as the sun was setting. So scenic! It may have been cold & getting dark, but the evening was so golden with the deep oranges and browns of the late autumn leaves and the setting sun on the Potomac, I couldn't complain. We took a quick hike around the island, stopping for scenic views of the Arlington skyline, Key Bridge & Georgetown, & the riverside area. Who knew we had such a treasure just minutes (minus the airport “u-turn” detour) away from where we live! We are so lucky. 

The evening ended with our first annual lighting of the Christmas candle, a gory but AWESOME viewing of The Departed (Hello Leo? I love you.), a couple of Sam Adams “White Christmas” beers, and a visit from our other third, Kati. Who said Sunday evenings have to be depressing?!

Good Ol' Glen

Glen Hansard 

An Irish Lad. 

A Brilliant Writer. 

An Incredibly Talented Musician. 

And on top of all this, he's...dare I say...sexy. (I dare!)

This guy has a way with words, a voice like no other, and the charm of the irish. 

I just cannot get enough! I had the pleasure of seeing him live last night at the 9:30 Club in downtown DC. And it was UH.MAY.ZING. He blew me away. The power behind his voice and the depth of his lyrics are unheard of, in my opinion. With the exception of Coldplay and their galaxy-esque concert, I think Glen may top my favorite-concerts-of-all-time list. 

Check him out if you're into really awesome music! 

Here's Kati & I. We were in heaven at this point.

And of course, he ended the night with an Irish drinking song. 

This is just Glen and his guitar. Listen to that voice!

Oh My Sweet Carolina

I've been meaning to post these for SO. LONG. And here they finally are. 

My family and I traveled to Southport, North Carolina for 4th of July week. I'd never been to North Carolina beaches prior to this, and I just loved it. It's a solid mix of New England and the South. It's perfect! 

We had a full moon, beautiful sunsets, charming scenery & fireworks- a photographer's (or pretty much anyone's) dream!    A trip back is already in the works!