Monday, November 23, 2009

Mike + Jessi - San Diego LDS Temple

I never thought the day would come that I, as a photographer, would be entrusted with someone's wedding day.  From the very moment I bought my first DSLR camera, it was instant love.  BUT, I always said that I would never take pictures for other people.  The mere thought made my stomach churn with nerves.  Then people asked and I couldn't refuse.  (I'm terrible at saying NO)  I found out I actually liked it.  Loved it, really.

When Jessi first e-mailed me about shooting her wedding, I broke out into a cold sweat.  Not because I didn't think I could do it, but the pressure of only having ONE day to take perfect pictures made me jittery.  I said yes.  I am so glad that I did, and I hope she is too!

Congratulations to the new couple!
Aren't they gorgeous?















Thursday, November 19, 2009

ch-ch-ch-change will do you good.

I am such a lazy blogger right now, but that doesn't mean my head isn't swirling with blog ideas and to-do's.  I have so much to say and so little time to say it/blog it.

At any rate, I thought I should document a recent change in our lives.

It's actually been over a month since we moved.  We didn't go far.  We are still in the same neighborhood, in the same city, in the same ward (mormon lingo for congregation), and as happy as ever...though that last one seemed a little unsure for me for a while.

Let me explain.

I loved our house.  Like...really loved!  Not because it was the BEST house, or the cutest house, or in the most awesome location, but because it was our FIRST house.  It had memories.

When we decided to buy a house it was the most exciting thing EVER.  We drove out religiously from Dana Point every Sunday to check on its progress. We took pictures with it.  We walked around and assessed its progress.  We brought friends out to see it.  We just couldn't contain our excitement to be homeowners.  And the day we moved in was almost as exciting as the day our first child arrived.  


Then our first child arrived.  Shortly followed by the second.  And life just kept getting better.  In our house, our first house, we added our own personal touches.  Troy added the most beautiful woodwork to the walls.  We painted our kitchen cupboards white and never looked back!  We put photos on the walls and landscaping in the yard.  We planted a garden.  We decorated the rooms just the way we wanted.  We lived, and played, shared, laughed, grew closer together, built traditions and loved in that house.  But the day came that we knew we had to do something with it.

Troy's job has been in jeopardy for some time.  His company filed for bankruptcy last year and basically all the employees left are riding a sinking titanic.  We have NO idea how long we will be employed.  We have no idea what the company may or may not turn into.  And we have no guarantee for employment once the bankruptcy is settled.  And having seen many friends and family who have lost jobs and been unemployed for months in this economy, we decided we needed to put ourselves in a position where we could look for employment nationwide and have the flexibility to move anywhere if need be.

So, we decided the best way to have more flexibility was to rent until life is more certain.  So with a lot of tears (for me, especially) we said goodbye to our house.  It was very hard for me in the early stages of moving.  Each thing I took down or dismantled represented something to me.  But as the house got more empty and each box was hauled out, I looked around and thought...you know, this house is JUST a house.  What made it a home was US

 So now, without hesitation, I can say that we are enjoying our new HOME with US in it!  
So please come for a visit!  We would love to have you!

I will be sending out our address to my facebook friends, but if you need it otherwise, send me an e-mail at alidegraff@yahoo.com.

I leave you with pictures from our last pizza night in the house on Overboard.


(troy likes to take his shirt off when performing manly tasks such as dough tossing)
(actually he had just gone swimming)

Monday, November 9, 2009

God be with you till we meet again



My grandpa passed away last week in Laguna Beach Hospital.
I feel so blessed to have been able to spend one short hour by his bedside a few days before he passed.
He was heavily sedated and could not respond, but the love and peace felt in his room was overwhelming.  It made me so grateful to know that we will be seeing each other again, and that family members in heaven were most definitely anxiously awaiting his return home.   That is the beautiful thing about God's Plan...we know we can be with our families eternally.


Marc Harvey Sessions

Born: October 3, 1914
Died:  November 2, 2009



Memories of Grandpa:

* His dapper appearance - always wearing a bowtie and beret.
* As a Harvard grad, he put a lot of emphasis on education.
*  His commitment to his religion, but acceptance of others.
*  His love for my grandma.
*  His playfulness with his grandchildren...always having the neatest contraptions (push scooters, a garage hideaway, playhouses)
*  His entrepreneurial spirit - finding a way to squeeze in a business deal with anyone he met.
*  Going to stay with him and my grandma in their Catalina house.  (driving a golf cart around was any kids dream)
*Having dinners with him in his rest home.
*Introducing my kids to him.
*  Singing fun songs and hearing him play the piano.
* His somewhat unorthodox way of saying a prayer at my brother's missionary farewell (very characteristic of his unique personality)
*  His thumb that was cut off as a child.
* His birthday letters that were usually written in some kind of code (u R gr-8...he would have been a texting wizard!)
*  His jovial and cheery disposition.
* Words like, "Carry On"  "marvelous" "A++"


We will miss you Grandpa....until we meet again!








My last goodbye.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

out with the old, in with the new

Goodbye Halloween.  
and a GOOD bye it is.

We loved every minute of our October festivities...

candy, pumpkins, decorating, costumes, more candy, more costumes, music, more candy, etc. 





But now it's off to Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Yahoo!
(this time of year is the BEST!)