Tricks & Photos

Well. Halloween at the Central West End. Starting at 9:00am my friend Aaron (THANK YOU AARON!!) and I hung out in perfect Halloween weather to have front row people watching seats. Joe and a very prego Emily came by in the evening to help as well..Thanks Joe for helping with the hay:) While the booth went ok, the people I met, the friends I got to know better, and the fun costumes where worth 15 hours outside. Here are some of the characters:

The booth.

My Bee

Love these Beautiful Bunnies!

Their getting married in December!

Contest winner!! We all agreed, he was fantastic!

(missing his arms)

Some odd..

Some scary..

Even the wanna-be beautiful.

Fun.

Happy Halloween!!

Real Quick...

Emily took this a few weeks ago when mom was in town. I can almost pass as a Kitchen Goddess...well, at least I look the part!

Fall

Is it possible?? Fall has arrived in St Louis! My sis-in-law and her Rock Star-best friend-Super photographer Katie and I ran around one of my favorite parts of town to take advantage of amazing autumn light. I'm learning more about my complicated camera. I can't tell Katie how grateful I am to her expert advice. Best bit of knowledge: The un-crisp photo problem...wrong lens! I can't open the aperture enough to let in the appropriate light! Hallelujah! Your an Angel Katie!!

I also got to stop by and see one of my favorite stylist, and friends, Josh. He's set up shop across the street from the

Chocolate Bar...perfect location!

Thanks girls and Mr. Josh for a wonderful morning!

Emily & Katie

Do you think I could get him to switch sides?!

Katie doin her thing!

Love this! Thanks Em. I can't wait to see Katie's shots! (Anyone else notice I need to get my highlights re-done?! Jeez!)

Talented, talented women.

I can't get enough shots of Emily's perfect belly.

Last Day

Over and done. Happy day, my last day at Stonewater! I had a crazy staff meeting in the morning, but after headed to the Contemporary art Museum for a photo shoot with the Post Dispatch. Featuring some lovely ladies from local charities, we sat around, did hair and took some fun pictures of Chris and Bob.

All and all...a nice way to end a really rough relationship.

Chis and Bob (aka 'Luva')

Chris...soon to be his business card

Twins

Perfect, perfect babies! This brother and sister pair are Tracy Inmans, one of my dear stylists at work. After months of fertilization treatments, Brooke and Brayden are blessed to have Tracy as their mommy!

I took these this afternoon at Tracy's house. This is my first attempt at digital baby portraits. So suggestions, comments, and photoshop actions would be appreciated!

Love...

Too Gray?? Hmm...

Better...

So, stinkin, adorable (still too gray)...

20 toes to kiss...

& sweet Brooke...she needed a shot
all by herself.

Korea

How a year screams by! I'm in the process of scanning my Korea photos from last year. Here's a few with more to come.

A little side note: while I LOVE my new Canon, there is nothing like the warmth of film prints.

*Love these two*

*Little ones at the top of the 64 Building*

my heros

last week, to my pleasant surprise, i discovered the missionaries needed service hours. being generous natured, i allowed them to help me clean the back yard today. after an hour of hard work (it would have taken me at least 4 hours) i have a leafless back yard! happy day! too bad they both transfer out to different areas this week, or i'd have my fall leaf situation all under control...only costing me a lunch at subway.

thank you elder anderson & elder harmon!

a way to exhale

i've been working alot. too much. my life has revolved around 70 some-odd ladies and guy-ladies. this week i've made the first step to changing that. so here i am, sharing this transition with you.

to share why the end-of-twenties-crisis, here's one story:

my work is famous for mini-disasters and on-going dramas. those who have worked in a salon and spa know this. my little salon universe however, is a magnet for 'as the spa turns' moments. from tornadoes, russian stylist throwing mugs at gay make-up artists, district managers falling and breaking their wrist on the stairs, and waxed-off eyebrows, my job is, well, unpredictable.

so, this weekend, i had just checked in a lovely women for her manicure appointment, when my lead stylist comes to me in a panic because we're out of bleach. i dutifully grab my keys and jet off to the beauty supply store. i'm gone 15 min. as i pull up to the parking lot, i'm greeted by a long line of ambulances, fire trucks, and police cars. i'm thinkin, 'can't be us, it's a big mall.' then my manager instincts kick in and say, 'oh, you know it's you.' i get out of my car, walk down our quiet pathway, and keep telling myself that some old lady has slipped on the other side of the mall, and all is well inside my salon. yeah, no. i open the door to a swarm of screaming police officers, paramedics and a crying nail technician. that lovely women i checked in? she begun to act funny during her manicure...sweating, and feeling light headed...when after a fainting spell...and a 911 call...she woke up, and felt like attacking the paramedics who had come to help. i walked in just in time to see 3 police officers tackle her on to the couch. the next 30 min i witnessed what a diabetic 'fit' was. with 5 large men holding her down, the paramedic desperately tried to get her blood sugar levels and an i.v. started. i'm not going into more details. it involved alot of screaming, spitting, blood and a devastated nail tech. after a dramatic exit on a gurney, the salon was quiet. the 80's elevator music could be heard again, the phones kept ringing, and blow-dryers blew away client's memories. i'm telling you, after 30 seconds, it was like nothing had happened. i had a few young stylist come to me a little shaken up, but my tried & true folks, just another day at work, and another 'remember when?' story.

i was worried i made the wrong choice when i put in my resignation letter. this might have been God's little reminder of a good decision. he does that now and then.

so here we go. i'm not great at grammar. i stink at spelling. i'll show you polaroids, moments, of my universe. i promise to get better as i go.