thanks for not giving up on me...

My grandmother has been telling me for years "you know sweetie I'm getting older" and that I should met her for lunch.  I've always known that lunch sounds great with my grandma, but the time for it hasn't come easy for me in the last few years.  I've worked crazy retail hours and my days off are filled with errands, photography or trying to rest.  This sounds like such a cop-out but truthfully I haven't made enough time in my life for most of my family.

This past Tuesday morning was a typical day off, I was scheduled for a dentist appointment.  I've kept my dentist that's about 20 mins away because I really like her.  I was about 5 minutes away from the office and I thought "shoot I'm gonna be late!".   I called the office to tell them I was really close & just 5 mins behind.  The receptionist asked me again my name and said I wasn't scheduled for an appointment and am not due until February.  "What?" How bizarre!  This "appointment" has been in my planner for months - go figure.  What to do?  Since I was in the neighborhood I thought i'd try calling my grandma and see if she had already eaten and if not if she wanted to go to lunch with me.

All good news- she wasn't busy and hadn't eaten yet & would LOVE to go to lunch with me.

I picked up Grandma, she finished tidying up her things at home, made sure she had her house key 5 times- but she had it, attached to that key was the key chain I made her with beads & Betty Boop charms I got on my trip to FL this past March.  Grandma has loved the cartoon since she was young & how she goes "boop boopy boop".  She showed off her keychain as she reminded me of her love of Betty Boop. 

We left and headed to Sunset Family Restaurant - one of Grandma's favorite spots- she likes the soup there. :)  We talked over hamburgers and fried onions about all sorts of stories- Grandpa & Grandma living in Las Vegas, me always wanting to spend a summer there but never had the chance to, advice that if I ever have children to keep a close eye on them- grandma will never forget a story about my aunt running away from her and if she didn't see her in time she could've gotten seriously hurt or she wouldn't know where she'd gone.   We also shared in common the fact of both wanting to live in the city, she said my grandpa had other ideas and wanted to live in the country (same as Ben) but grandma like me won that debate. :) sorry Ben.  

Our day ended with me telling Grandma that I hoped she has a good rest of her day & she said "my day already has been a good one".  My heart melted right then and there.  I Love you Grandma, thank you for always being there and not giving up on me.

Even if it only lasts a few days...

I asked Ben tonight, "Honestly, when's the last time I painted my nails?"  Hah, I have NO idea, and I know he had no idea!  Somewhere in between the time of working retail and learning that manicures don't last forever is when I gave up on even trying to upkeep a color on my nails. 

Something sparked me today... maybe it's my LOVE lately for Navy blue & Pewter - i mean seriously I LOVE IT! I wish I could get married all over again and have those be my colors! :)  I LOVE them together that much!  Or maybe it was just the fact that I haven't walked into Victorias Secret in like maybe a year.  But I was sold on my colors when I saw it on display!  The blues, the silvers and oooo the blue nail polish.  I held everything in me back to restrain from buying the entire collection! :)  I did however walk out with some new shades of eyeshadow. 

I got home tonight and dug through my many many bottles of nail polish and found it- a Navy blue nail polish! Whoot whoot!  And just like that in the many months- probably years since I've really painted my nails- I did it! :)  I love my blue nails even if it only lasts a few days. :) 

All to Save a Dollar...

I think it's funny to look back today at where I started and how I started this "hobby".  So about 10 years ago I decided I needed to learn how to cut men's hair. I've always wanted to be a hairstylist- but when I was younger my parents frowned upon that idea thinking that I would be around chemicals all day long. I actually even had an apprentice offer for a hair salon in Elm Grove.  Who knows where I'd be today. :)  I wonder if I'd end up with a Snookie bump and look like one of the gals out of Jersylicious?  Who knows. :) LOL. 

Anyways- I bought a Wahl haircut kit from Target or maybe it was Sally Beauty Supply that came with a video.  I started watching about 5 minutes of it and then gave up and got my little brother to come out and let me practice on him instead of watching a dumb outdated video.  I think back to that now and can't believe he trusted me to "practice" on his head!  Brian thank you for your trust in me! :) 

So believe it or not my haircuts turned out pretty good if I don't say so myself!  I've had LOTS of practice and have pretty much been cutting everyone in my families hair and have cut hair for MANY of our friends through out the years. 

When I first met Ben I told him I could cut his hair. He thought I was crazy and way too scared to let me cut his hair!  It was funny because I literally had to talk him into it. I said "listen I'm sooooo confident that I can cut your hair just like the pros that if I mess up or it's not to your liking I'll pay for you to go to ANY hair stylist to do it right!" And he agreed. :) He was shocked that I didn't disappoint him.  Yup just another little "hobby" of mine. :)

I just think I save us sooooo much money on him not going to get a hair cut every month that it helps make up for my hair cuts & hair dyes! :) 

So today I was giving Ben a haircut and Charlotte just sat there the entire time watching me.  (She normally tries to eat the hair that falls to the floor.) Today she was good.  When I was done with Ben's haircut she immediately hoped up on the chair and sat there like it was her turn to get a haircut. :) So I put the apron on her and she just sat there.  What a goofy cat.  I love her though.  Here's to saving on haircuts every month and a cute kitty to sit there and pose for the camera in her apron. :)

Happy Wednesday!

Ben's first haircut from me in September of 2008.  Him sooooo afraid! :)

Kitty ready for her haircut.

A Sparkle in her Eye..

I will never forget the day Erika surprised me at work for a visit "just to say hi" and moments later after chatting shared some exciting news- She pulled out her finger and showed off her gorgeous engagement ring! I think we both were crying and shrieking with excitement!  I was sooooo happy for her and knew she was going to marry the man of her dreams. :)

There's a sparkle in Erika's eyes every time she shares the story of how her and Mark met and that there was something special about this guy from the first time they met.  Everytime I'm around Mark & Erika I can feel the love they have for each other and for life.  They are both such a fun, loving couple that makes you happy you're with the one you love as well. 

I've had to privilege to photograph their engagement pictures and recently their wedding day. 

I was sooooo excited to photograph their wedding, Erika has been a friend of mine and from the beginning she's shared with me a ton of ideas and visions for her wedding day.  Erika is sooooooo creative and has amazing ideas.  I too am a very creative person and LOVE LOVE LOVE her creativity and the little touches of details that she put into her day!

I am in love with soooo many things from Mark & Erika's day.  Here's some of my favorite moments and details from their day...

We started the day at Elegance Salon & Spa in New Berlin the ladies there did a fabulous job on their hair & makeup!

Ceremony & First Look at Community United Methodist Church in Elm Grove

 LOVE LOVE LOVE a first look!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Thank you the amazing Iron Horse Hotel in Milwaukee- you're property is AMAZING for photos!!!

And the beautiful reception at the Merrill Hills Country Club in Waukesha

Mark & Erika- Thank you sooooo much for choosing me to capture your day!  It was absolutely beautiful!  Thank you again from the bottom of my heart! :)

To see the rest of the images from the wedding check out my smugmug:
http://nakasatophotography.smugmug.com/Weddings/markerika

A Better Reflection of Me...

So today I planned on doing a photoshoot of us.  I was pumped- yes- "no big deal it's only 37 degrees outside i'm sure it's fine"!  I got ready to go, dressed, make up on, hair did and made sure Ben looked nice- matchy matchy- of course! :) lol (poor guy).  My thought was black & purple for our little photoshoot of ourselves.  I made sure Ben had the tripod ready to go.  We headed out and went to the lakefront.

When we arrived I made our hike down to the lake & man was it COLD!!! NO JOKE!!! :( It was soooo windy down there I really don't think a tripod would have stayed grounded. 

Well needless to say the pictures of "us" wasn't gonna happen it was sooooo dang cold- so we headed up the hill by the car and did get in just a few pictures of ourselves individually. 

I don't know if I was more excited to do our "us" pictures or if it was the fact that last night I was photographed with some photographer friends and totally did not get one decent looking photo of me outta that "fun".  I felt like I needed redemption for not looking sooo silly in front of the camera!  :)

Thanks baby for the pictures you captured of me today - a much better reflection of me and making me think about an indoor studio for days like this! :)

A day at the Zoo...

Autumn is definitely here and is in full swing.  I was nervous weeks ago when we had really windy days that all the leaves would be gone sooner than expected and that we wouldn't see much of the beautiful "fall colors".  I was also nervous for rain for this particular photoshoot. 

Turns out I had NOTHING to be nervous for, the day turned out to be absolutely perfect!

We met up with Ben, Candy & Charlie at Caribou coffee and I got to know them all a little better.  I was warned that "Charlie doesn't like his pictures taken", and come to find out dad doesn't enjoy pictures taken as much either. :)  I better bring my jokes and my A game for this session. :)

I'm sooo happy to say that I don't believe either claim was correct.  We headed to Milwaukee County Zoo and immediately found some great spots full of "fall color". 

The boys did great for the camera and I'm sooo happy with the pictures that came out of it.

So excited to see the prints we're ordering tomorrow from this session! 

To see more images from this shoot go to: http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/14421324_fEvce#1071081195_d93Vy 

Zena the Warrior of the Corn Maze...

Every year I tell myself we need to go to a pumpkin farm or apple orchard. I honestly haven't gone to one for over 2 years now.  It's a piece of fall I feel like I just need to have in my life or else I miss out on that season completely.  It does pass anyways like a blink of an eye.

So we went to Madison for a photoshoot on Friday morning.  We decided to stay at Ben's families' house on Thursday night to make the morning a little less stressful.  Well we were having so much fun having family time as well that we decided to stay until Saturday.  Saturday rolled around and we didn't have a plan of what to do until my sister in law mentioned a corn maze / pumpkin farm they went to the previous week.  UM SOLD! I LOVE it! 

My mind was made up - i'm totally in- i don't care what the weather looks like! :)

So we headed out to the farm! It fulfilled EVERY Fall wish that I had!

First I haven't done a corn maze in probably 6 years at least!  I was like a little kid in a candy store and I was dragging everyone else with me in on the fun! I was like "a corn maze- yup- the biggest one please, a hayride, ooooh i can't wait, buy a pumpkin, ok!, pumpkin launch- i want front row seats, kettle corn- Ben get the biggest bag!, carmel apple- load it up w nuts, sprinkles & reeses pieces please!" whewww!  There was LOTS to see & do! And you know me- we did it ALL!

First the Corn Maze! So fun- but so not organized- they didn't even have a map or anything to help guide your way- we had to walk out of the maze and ask them if they had something- finally the girl gave us some silly trivia questions that would help us.  Yikes!  So we split up- us girls and the guys through the maze. There were 2 phases. Phase one & two. Us girls took Phase 2 like pros- but felt totally defeated when we ended up out the entrance because we got totally lost.  When we met in the entrance the boys had already beat phase one! Double blow! :(  So we switched mazes. We went through maze one with a breeze came out to the finish - no sign of the boys. We headed back in phase 2 but we went in the exit to backtrack and find the boys! Much to our amusement the boys were completely LOST and had NO clue how to get out of the maze.  Right then and there I felt like Zena the Warrior of the Corn Maze!  Sweet victory.

Here's just a few of my favorite pics from our adventures...

Family Love

With Holidays right around the corner- I've been busy lately with family photoshoots.  The fall colors have been sooo perfect for shoots and the weather has been behaving itself! :)

Thank you Tammy & Kevin for the time we got to spend together on your photoshoot.  Jack and his "cheese" will remain on my mind for some time.  Or his face when he was "done" taking pictures. :) I LOVE his expressions and his energy.  Julie is such a little peanut and soooo precious! 

Here's just a few of my favorites from the day.

Photoshoot taken at home and a dog park in Racine, WI.