Tina and Scott

One great thing about going to Raleigh was that I had the chance to meet Tina and Scott! I am photographing their wedding in July up in Blackfoot, ID. They are both living in Fayetteville, NC (about an hour South of Raleigh). As soon as I planned my trip I contacted them to see if we could meet up and do an engagement session. I am now even more excited for their wedding!

Tina has dark red hair and electric blue eyes that compliment her fun personality. Scott is in the military over there and has a fantastic grin. They seriously fit together perfectly. It all started 4 1/2 years ago when Scott went to the bar that Tina worked at. Scott was head over heels from the get-go and it only took Tina 6 months before she agreed to go out with him. They've been dating ever since.

These guys are a hoot to be around, especially with Scott's sense of humor. It was all laughter and love. Thanks for taking the time to drive up to meet me :)

Raleigh, NC Miscellaneous

Remember this?



Well, this is what it looked like the next day:



And, the night before, April took this picture of me and Mendy in front of it:



Funny how things can change so fast.....I'll bet we were the last people to photograph it :)

So, I promised April I would post these pictures on my blog that she took. She said that I don't ever have pictures of myself and she's always taking pictures of me taking pictures. Plus, she is known for her crazy pictures. She always has us posing and making faces to really show what we were feeling at the moment.

This is right after I arrived in Raleigh from my no-sleep, red-eye flight.



This is when we picked the sweet, juicy mulberries that stained our fingers purple.





Photographing the fountain at the Rose Garden...



April wanted to take a picture of me with the dock in the background. Little did I know that the waves would rush up and soak my feet...







These are the poor shells that have been beaten and smashed to smithereens. April wanted me to show 'sadness.'



A little hair washing action...



April LOVES skating!



Here I am playing with the squishy, liquidy, slippery toy that slides out of your hand when you squeeze it. These crack me up!



Enter at own risk...



April on the bridge, scared for her life.



2 buses are careening towards me. This is seconds before they speed by me, shaking the bridge and freaking me out.

Josh

Back in April, Josh had a layover in Salt Lake. The mountains were looking particularly incredible that day, so Josh decided to stay. He sent out a message on couchsurfing.com and ended up staying in Salt Lake. A couple days later, he ended up at my friend April's house. He came to a toga party with us, met all our friends, hiked on the North mountains of the Valley with us, and became our good friend.

April, Mendy and I stayed with Josh on our recent trip to North Carolina. He treated us so well while we were out there. We all came and left at different times and he chauffeured us every time, willingly, to the airport. He showed us around town, had us meet his friends, and made sure we got to see what a great town Raleigh is.

Josh makes me want to be a better person. He's studying Gandhi right now -- internalizing and applying it to his own life. I feel more calm and relaxed around him because that's the way he is. He lives a simple life, making time for the things that matter most.

The night before I left, Josh reluctantly agreed to have his picture taken so I could blog about him. Thanks for everything, Josh!

Raleigh, NC - Day 2

Yesterday, on the way home from the coffee shop, I meandered around on my own. I was immediately intrigued by the array of colors on every block. From the rust dripping from a window sill, to the colored doors, to a small yellow light on a white wall.

And, all this was within a short, 6-block walk. Incredible.
















Last night, we hung out with some of Josh's friends at a BBQ. I felt right at home. Everyone was welcoming and friendly and it felt like we were hanging out with a bunch of close friends. Mendy even gave us a little mini concert and graced us with her beautiful songs. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures because I didn't want to freak anyone out with my ginormous camera -- it can be a bit overwhelming for strangers :) It was a picturesque evening, including eating mulberries straight from the tree. yum....


Today, we went to a rose garden. It was almost a shame that the sun was so bright....well, it just makes my job more of a challenge ;) but the flowers were gorgeous...and it smelled heavenly.

On our walk home, we noticed a small shop named Loco Pops. Curious and hot, we decided to go see what it was. Gourmet popsicles. I had a banana chocolate chip flavored one. It was a perfect treat for a super hot, humid day. Even after coming home, I haven't cooled off. It's like a blanket of heat is always around me, sticking to everything. I definitely appreciate Utah's dry climate :)