Sisterly { Love }

You probably wouldn't guess that these two were sisters, but they are and they adore one another. Katie's step-mom and Hayden's biological mom is my good friend and {Pi Phi} big-sis Lexi. I took photos of Hayden a few months back and Lexi immediately decided that once Katie came home for spring break from WSU that I would take photos of them together. The weather wasn't perfect {a bit chilly}, but it lasted long enough to capture some fun photos of these two.













I'm in love with this Schwinn Roadster and can think of quite a few toddlers that need one just like this! It was the perfect prop for this shoot - I wonder if tricycles as cute as this come in adult sizes?

:: Puppy Love ::

My adorable little flower girl has the sweetest best friend any toddler could ask for - her puppy Joey. These two love each other like they've known one another for years...even though it's only been 17 months. Joey is so good to Addi and vice versa - they have a serious bond and I adore it. On Friday night I hung out with Megan, Addi and Joey for a few hours - enjoyed teriyaki and caught up on life. I just love hanging out with these girls. The lighting was not favorable so I was only able to capture a few photos but these two are my favorite.





I have quite a few posts to catch up on, but in the meantime check out my wedding photos that Shelby posted last night - I LOVE them!!! I realize Shelby and Rich don't need much introduction as their photos can tell you of their incredible abilities, but if you're looking for a wedding photographer, you should definitely reach out to them. I have so many favorites - it's going to be tough to figure out which ones to frame.

:: Happy Birthday Megs ::

Today is my beautiful sister Megan's 24th birthday.



With Megs permission, I have included the {hilarious} maid-of-honor speech that she wrote and read for all of us during the wedding reception. Not to brag, but she was an excellent public speaker and an even better writer. Megs - THANK YOU for the love and support that you have given to Steve and I and thank you for being the best sister any woman could ask for - Love you!

I would like to start off by thanking everyone for joining us in the marriage celebration of Erin and Steve. I know that my family, as well as the Rinabargers are very much appreciative of the time and energy that you all set aside to witness this marriage. It is truly evident from the number of people here that both Erin and Steve have remarkable friends and a devoted family.

Since I am the younger sister of the bride, it is appropriate to give a congratulatory speech to both Erin and Steve. However with this opportunity, I would also like to talk about the two of them as individuals. By now, all of us should be familiar with the odd scenario that led this pair from the airport to the altar. I would like to acknowledge the circumstances that brought together these two wonderful people. We must give recognition for their similar business schedules that allowed for travel to California, the LAX security line, Steve’s un-zipped bag, Erin’s watchful eye for that un-zipped bag, Erin’s nosiness of his Washington State Drivers License and Steve’s willingness to switch seats on the Alaska Flight to sit next to a near perfect stranger…but then again, this stranger did have liquor to offer. We can only imagine the subsequent, endless, no-nonsense, presumably noisy conversation that occurred during the 2.5-hour trip between Los Angeles and Seattle. Although Erin was unlucky with her lost luggage after arriving into Seattle, I know she is only grateful for the effortless conversation that was able to continue on with Steve. My sister and Steve experienced an incredible combination of circumstances that day. May 19th 2006 proved to be a day of chance and unbeknownst to the both of them at the time, they had met their other half.

I am so happy Erin has found her match but I am also so thrilled to have found a brother. For years and years I have had an image in my mind of what makes up a brother. They are supposed to protect, push, guide, defend, understand, listen, teach and stand by you. Steve does all of these things with a sense of charm. However, like all brothers do, he still cracks jokes, teases me for my coke-bottle glasses, convinces me to shoot a rifle, forces me into freezing Lake Washington and always remains sensationally sarcastic. But all kidding aside, I have always referred to Steve as my brother. This was natural, it made sense and I felt honored to do so. Steve comes from an incredible family. Mike, Mo and Scott are truly wonderful people. Erin could not have asked for a better second family. The Rinabargers are kind-hearted, giving, confident, full of laughter, warriors, an amazing support system and they see decency in everyone. Because of this, I know Steve will always be a supportive brother and Erin’s devoted husband.

Although Erin and I are a few years apart, I have always admired her for several reasons. Erin is one of the most generous people I have ever met. She shows amazing compassion toward her friends and an honest concern for her family. One of the earliest memories I have of her kindness took place 17 years ago. I was in the first grade, and Erin in sixth grade. This was the only year we were in the same school, at the same time, together. I was celebrating my 7th birthday that day. I remember during a break from classes, Erin and her girl friends came down to the younger kids section, lifted me on the their shoulders and sang and chanted “Happy Birthday” to me as we strolled between the classroom buildings. That day, my sister left an impression on me. I was on cloud nine. She made my birthday extra special. This was a defining moment for me, and just one of the many instances that Erin would do something extraordinary for her younger sister. She also inspired me in many ways. Erin was always the leader, the athlete, the social butterfly and everyone’s friend. I followed her into ASB, played tennis, attempted basketball and soft-ball, both were short lived. I went to Washington State University, joined the same sorority and we graduated with the same degree. I always found light in what she did, which is why I followed in her footsteps. She has been my role model and given me encouragement. I could not ask for a better sister. I know Erin will make a wonderful wife to Steve. They will travel the world together, enjoy adventure, family, love and years of happiness and commitment. I am excited to see their life progress as husband and wife.

I would like to end with a few pieces of advice. Some of you may know that Erin is hooked on Discovery Health, Oxygen, TLC and other networks that discuss human abnormalities, diagnosis and lifestyles. One of these networks highlights the Duggar family. Best known for mom, Michelle, dad, Jim Bob and their 18 children. The couple has been married for 25 years and will apparently continue to have children until it is no longer possible. But as an experienced husband and father, I would like to share Jim-Bob’s tips for a happy marriage to both Erin and Steve.

Tip # 1
Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath. If you have any conflict, resolve them as quick as you can the day it happens before the sun goes down.

Tip # 2
Establish a weekly date night dedicated to going out together.

Tip # 3
The husband should cherish his wife and show her you love her by being respectful to her.

Tip #4
The husband should show his wife that he loves and cherishes by opening doors, going on dates with her, telling her love her and leaving her love notes around the house.

Tip #5
Ask your wife what home repair projects would be important to her and be sure to get them done!

Tip#6
Learn to listen to the heart of your wife and allow her to communicate her concerns and dreams with you on a daily basis.

Tip #7
Praise your wife and children 10 times more than you correct them.

Tip #8
Respect each other.

Tip # 9
Be fruitful and multiply.

Now 18 children might be a bit much for Erin and Steve, but regardless I wish you a lifetime of happiness, love for your family and a happily ever after. Congratulations!

Trash the Dress :: Accomplished

One of the items on my wedding "to do" list was to trash my wedding dress soon after our wedding day. I learned about trash the dress photoshoots about a year ago and immediately had mixed feelings about whether or not I would do something {as crazy} like this. Mainly for the photo opportunity and the interest that Steve expressed in taking part, we went for it.

We had planned on having our wedding photographers take these shots, but due to travel arrangement we weren't able to make it happen with Shelby and Rich. Instead we {thankfully} had Steve's good friend/groomsmen Josh Becker {professional cameraman and photographer} take the photos for us. We drove on down the Honoapiilani Hwy and found a great little spot right off the road. Passersby honked and friends driving by stopped and chatted with us. The experience was awesome and I highly recommend it to any woman that isn't too concerned with the outcome of the dress. I haven't taken my dress to the dry cleaners yet, but have a feeling that the cleaning/preserving could end up costing more than the price of the dress - still deciding if I like the dress better with or without the Maui sand.









Would you trash the dress?

And one more photo that Josh took after the wedding ceremony - absolutely love this one!



Original edits done by Josh Becker - secondary editing done by me

Beautiful Baby Amelia

On Saturday morning I did a photo shoot with this adorable, one-month old, baby girl - Amelia. I felt honored when her mom Karli asked if I wouldn't mind taking a few photos when she came to town - I happily obliged and met up with she and Amelia at her parents house. As you can see from the photos, Amelia was the perfect little angel.

















:: Congratulations Karli and Wade on your precious new addition ::

He Followed Me Home

And I'm definitely keeping him


We returned to Seattle on Tuesday evening after celebrating OUR WEDDING at the Olowalu Plantation House in Maui with over one-hundred of our friends and family. I keep reliving our ceremony and reception in my head and know in my heart that it was truly the greatest moment of my life {thus far}. Everything about the day was perfect. My bridesmaids took care of many of the last minute details and for that I am the most grateful. With each of them by my side, I was able to take a few deep breaths and cherish every moment of the afternoon. I am thankful for the support that my parents have given to Steve and I over the last few years and especially on our wedding day. I am elated to have become a part of the Rinabarger family and look forward to watching our two families grown together over the years. Our parents have both been married for 35 years and the love they share for one another is truly inspiring. We feel very fortunate to have such loving parents and without them the day would not have been possible.



I feel extremely honored to call Steve my husband. Steve is the love of my life, my best friend, and the man I had always dreamed of marrying. Fate is a crazy thing and something I never truly believed in until I met Steve in the security line at LAX and knew from that moment that he would be my husband.

Today also marks our one year anniversary of the day that Steve proposed to me in Maui - saying YES (both times) was the best decision I've ever made.

Stay tuned for many more wedding celebration posts. And be sure to check out Shelby's blog {our wonderful wedding photographer} as I know she and Rich will be posting "sneak peaks" during the days ahead.

All photos included in this post were taken by our friend Josh Becker.

Time to pack...

We fly out on Sunday morning and have not even taken the suitcases out of the guestroom closet.

I can think of hundreds of other things I should be doing right now, instead I'm sitting at work DREAMING of Maui with zero concentration on what needs to get accomplished before I leave for a week and a half.


by Violator3
This photo may represent Steve and I when we refuse to depart from the Hawaiian Islands. However, my dress looks nothing like the one in the photo and Steve is wearing a khaki linen suit.

hope everyone has a wonderful {relaxing} weekend!
And for those of you that are traveling to Maui, please don't stress when it comes time to pack.

The Sweet Spot

Is oh so sweet, but definitely oh so painful. As a wedding gift from my dear friend Lisa Beth Spry, she gave me the gift of sugaring. Sugaring is similar to waxing, but consists only of sugar, lemon juice and water rather than the substances used to make hot wax. I have fairly sensitive skin, so waxing was pretty much out of the question for me. Spry is a huge fan of sugaring and now may have me hooked. For me, the pain was pretty intense and at one point (during the 45 minute procedure) thought I was going to have to stop, but I made it through alive and feel good today.



I highly recommend Sweet Spot in Fremont for anyone interested in hair removal.

Just add Diet Coke

To a box of chocolate cake mix and you've got a delicious chocolate cake!

No eggs, no oil and no water needed.
Directions:
Combine the chocolate cake mix and can of Diet Coke
Bake as directed on box





To maintain the "healthiness" of the cake, add fat free cool whip rather than frosting.

I didn't believe Steve the first time he made this recipe, but I've made it a few times since and have received excellent reviews.

:: Weekend Getaway ::

Our trip up to Victoria, BC was PERFECT and traveling by seaplane is definitely my new favorite form of transportation. It's simple and gets you to your final destination much faster compared to car, train, boat, etc PLUS it's beautiful! Even with the gray skies, it's so fun to look out the window and see familiar landmarks up-close.

Saturday morning, we flew to Lake Union from Kenmore (7 min flight) and then flew from Lake Union to our final destination of Inner Harbor, Victoria (45 min flight). On the way back yesterday, we received special treatment from a few of my sisters friends at work and enjoyed a scenic flight to Bedwell Bay, Vancouver, picked up four passengers and then headed back to Lake Union and then on to Kenmore (after a private tour of downtown Seattle from the sky).

If you ever decide to make the trip up to Victoria, I would definitely recommend staying overnight and booking your room at the Inn at Laurel Point - beautiful rooms and VERY reasonably priced.

Things to do and see in Victoria:

- Experience the Royal BC Museum

- Take in an IMAX movie at the museum

- Walk around the grounds of the BC Parliament Building

- Walk through Inner Harbor

- Check out the lobby (or stay the night) at the beautiful Fairmont Empress Hotel

- Explore the shopping along Douglas St. and Government St.

- Have a drink or watch a hockey game (no thanks on the latter) at the Sticky Wicket

- Walk through Chinatown

Almost two full days and one night was plenty of time for us to spend in Victoria, but we would definitely like to go back up during the Summer months and enjoy more outdoor activities like kayaking, bike riding, etc.

Here are a few of my favorite photos from the weekend - enjoy.





















* I'll share a few more fun photos from inside the museum later

Leaving on a Seaplane

Courtesy of my sister Megan, Steve and I will be flying to Victoria, British Columbia tomorrow moring on Kenmore Air (Megs employer for the past few years) for a weekend of relaxation. I'm thinking this is exactly the relaxation we'll need before we take off for Maui next weekend.

Photo taken by Megan Coffey

I haven't been to Victoria since I was a kid and I don't really remember it so I'm looking forward to exploring a new city. We're both most excited to a) experience a flight on a seaplane and b) to take photos, but to be honest, I'm a bit concerned considering the maximum luggage weight per person is 24 pounds - this could be an issue.

What are your plans for the weekend? Whether you're spending it with a loved one or friends, I hope it's a good one.

Did you know?

That the best time to purchase a new mattress and box spring is at the end of February?
If no, then you are right there with me. I had no clue about this until two weeks ago when we went to Macy's to test out beds. Apparently, all of the new beds come out in March so the lowest prices are in February. Considering, I had one of the best nights of sleep last night on our new Sealy Posturpedic "Moon Scape" Plush Euro, Pillowtop Mattress with Memory Foam bed last night, I figured it was a smart tip to share with all of you. I don't think I've ever owned a "new bed" other than my crib or trundle bed as a child so this was a big step. Another tip I'd like to add is that you have the option for either a low-profile box spring, which is usually 5.5 in. or a standard which is 9 in. We went with the low-profile because the mattress is so thick and we didn't want it the height going over the end of our sleigh bed...and I'm short and didn't want to have to leap into bed.

Here's the bed - I would have taken a photo of the actual thing, but our room is a mess.

And here's the new duvet cover (from Crate & Barrel) that we received as a gift two weeks ago, but used for the first time last night - love it! And can't wait to get the matching pillow shams.

A little something for our wedding guests...

I will say it over and over and over again, but there are not enough words to express how thankful Steve and I are for our family and friends that will be making the trip out to Maui for our wedding in the next few short weeks. When we began planning our wedding, almost a year ago, we didn't predict the economic downturn that would be occuring and quickly reaized that we were planning a destination wedding during the hardest economical time most of us have ever been through. When we tell people that we have 105 guests making the trip out to Maui for us, they're shocked, as are we. We are so excited for the weeks ahead and as a tiny gesture of our thanks, we mailed out the below envelopes to all attending guests this past week.

The little "care package" of sorts includes:
- Personalized luggage tags
- A personal brochure (made by Steve and I) with important details about Maui, the wedding, etc.
- A helpful brochure from Maui Kannapali Villas, which is where most guests will be staying and where our welcome BBQ will be held on Wednesday night.

The countdown continues...and so does the snow...

I woke up to snow and freezing temperatures this morning. And to start my week, in an attempt to scrape the snow off of my windshield, I locked my keys in the car, along with my purse and cell phone, while it was running!! Usually, Steve leaves for work before me, but thankfully he was still home so he was able to unlock it with my spare. I don't mind that all of this happened and laughed instead of getting upset BECAUSE two weeks from today, I will be waking up to THIS!

Seafood Lovers Delight :: Cioppino

One of my goals of 2009, was to test out new recipes - well, last night I did just that. I made something for the very first time and received an excellent review. And not to toot my own horn, but it was one of the best seafood dishes I've ever had.

There is a bit of a story behind this choice for a meal. A couple of weeks ago, I took advantage of the Southwest Airlines 3-day sale and purchased tickets to San Francisco for Steve and I as his birthday present. I wasn't going to tell him about this gift until we celebrated his birthday in Maui, since it's three days after the wedding, but I slipped and forwarded him an email in which I had explained to a friend that we were heading to the Bay Area at the end of April for a few nights. That said, I figured a San Francisco style dinner was in need, so I immediately contacted the best amateaur chef, that I know, in San Francisco, my dear friend Jackie and asked what the best San Francisco themed dinner recipe she had. She immediately suggested Cioppino and I began working out my Whole Foods shopping list.

The recipe Jackie suggested came from All Recipes. I did some further research and made a few tweaks from other recipes I found.
3 tbsp butter
Half of a large onion chopped
3 cloves of garlic
1 can of stewed tomatoes
1 large can of crushed tomatoes (~2 cups)
1 can of chicken broth
1/2 cup clam juice
4 bay leaves
2 tbsp dried basil*
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 lb peeled and deveined large shrimp
1/2 lb cod, cubed
1/4 lb bay scallops
1 lb small clams
1/4 lb calamari, cut into small rings
1/4 lb crabmeat - ask the Seafood specialist for the largest pieces.

* All seasonings were purchased in the Whole Foods seasoning section - very chep way to go. I suggest the seasoning serving size to be based on taste - so, add a little and test it out.

1. Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large stockpot, add onions and garlic. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until onions are soft.
2. Add tomatoes to the pot (break them into chunks as you add them). Add chicken broth, bay leaves, basil, thyme, oregano and wine. Mix well. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.
3. Stir in the shrimp, cod, scallops, clams, calamari and crabmeat. Bring to boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes until clams open. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with warm sourdough bread!





The total time this took from start to finish was about an hour. The most time consuming part was probably the trip to Whole Foods, which I didn't mind at all.

With the leftovers, we plan on having it over linguini this weekend.