Full of Thanks and Turkey...

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  Today I am overflowing with thankfulness.  I have so many things to be thankful for that it truly astounds me.  How come I am so blessed?  How come I am so fortunate when there are so many who are struggling?  As I reflected on the meaning of this day I started making a list of things I am thankful for.  I decided I wanted to share them with you, partly just because, and partly to help me remember that no matter what storms may come my way that I am so blessed.  Blessed beyond what I deserve. 

As you know I am more of an organized list person than a lengthy paragraph person, so here is my list :)

• I am thankful for the grace God has given me in his Son, Jesus Christ.  This is by far the thing I am most thankful for.  God's forgiveness and love for me goes well beyond my comprehension and I am overwhelmed by his mercy.  I know that the sacrifice that Jesus made for me literally means the difference between heaven and hell.  For an eternity with my Saviour, I am so thankful. 
• I am thankful for my family.  I am so thankful that when I go home I can hug my grandparents, and still hear my parents speak the words "I love you" to one another.  I am thankful that my little brother is one of my best friends; and I am thankful for all my aunts, uncles, and cousins who would be there for me at a moments notice. 
• I am thankful for my amazing husband.  I often wake up in the morning and while Dwyatt is still asleep I think "how did I get so lucky that this wonderful man wanted to marry me?"  Dwyatt is my best friend and my partner in everything that we do.  We have been together for 5 years now (married for 2!) and he still brings me flowers, writes me love notes, and gives me foot rubs.  He holds me when I cry, and makes me laugh daily.  He has completed my life and with him I know exactly where I belong in this crazy world. 
• I am thankful for all of my friends.  Though we are now scattered all over the country I know what it means to have best friends.  The kind of friends where you can go a year without seeing each other and then within 5 minutes of talking, its like you were never apart.  These women are amazing and I know that I wouldn't be the same without them.  I love you girlies :)
• I am thankful for America.  I believe in America and the principles it was founded on.  I am so thankful for my freedom and that I was blessed enough to be born in this great nation. 
• I am thankful that my family is able to have such an extravagant meal on Thanksgiving when I know there are others who are suffering from hunger. 
• I am thankful for my health and the health of my family.  It seems to me that being healthy is often something taken for granted until suddenly it's taken away...then it means everything.  I know other families that are struggling with sick family members and again it makes me think, "why am I so blessed?"  I hope I can remember to be thankful for my health every day, and be a support to those who are struggling.
• I am thankful for my two little furry kittens who bring so much joy to my life :)  Even if that joy comes along with scratched leather furniture and pillows covered in hair...ugh! 
• I am thankful for my career and the opportunities I have had to grow and mange projects in my 2 short years of experience. 
• Lastly, I am thankful for cranberry sauce.  Even straight from the can this is one of my favorite Thanksgiving treats :)  And I'm thankful that my Grandmother knows this because she always buys me extra!! 

I hope that you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you are able to reflect of what you are most thankful for!

Contest Winner!

I want to say thank you to everyone who participated in my first contest!  I really enjoyed this contest and I appreciate all of you who participated.  CMP would be nothing without the support and interest of people like you :)   So, without further ado, the winner of the contest is... Moriah!  Congratulations girly, I will be in touch soon!

Today I am headed to Colorado to spend Thanksgiving with my family.  This is one of my favorite times of year!  Each year I am in awe of how many things I have to be thankful for...more on this tomorrow...  :) 

Have a safe day of travels everyone!

First Ever CMP Contest!

Yay, the first ever CMP contest is here!  I have been wanting to have a contest on the blog for the past couple months, but I have been struggling to figure out exactly what I wanted to do, or what prizes I should offer!  So, after much debate, and just in time for the holidays, the contest is here! 

To be honest, I have been so busy the last couple months that I feel I haven't really spent enough time focusing on my photography.  For those of you who don't know, I am currently working "my other job" as an engineer for Devon Energy, in addition to running this business.  To top it all off I decided to also go back to school for my MBA this fall, so time has been a rare commodity.  I finally feel like I am starting to find my balance, and while life it still really busy, I am ready to start pouring myself into Caitlyn.Marie.Photography again.  Besides I just got an awesome new iPhone, so now I can Facebook, blog, and check emails all the time!  Oh internet, I think I'm addicted to you!  :) 

Up to this point I have been very happy with the growth my little business has seen.  I have photographed several weddings now, and I have grown so much in just the last year.  That being said, I still have so much more to offer and big dreams ahead of me!  I am hoping to spread the word about Caitlyn.Marie.Photography and introduce myself to as many new people as possible.  My hope is that through the use of this blog, Facebook, and Twitter everyone can get to know the real me.  Thus the reason for this contest...

The contest will start today and end on Tuesday, November 23rd at midnight.  The winner will be announced on Wednesday the 24th. 

First and foremost:  the PRIZES!  A drawing will be held, and the winner will receive their choice of either:

          -  $30 Amazon gift card  (you can find anything here... even purchase other gift cards!)
          -  $75 off a portrait session with Caitlyn.Marie.Photography

Ok here is how you enter:  It's actually really simple... there are 4 ways you can gain entries:  

1. Go to my Facebook page and "like" CMP - 1 entry
2. Click on the "suggest to friends" button in the upper left hand corner of the page and suggest CMP to your friends - 1 entry for every 2 people
3. Update your Facebook status, or write a post on your blog, telling friends about CMP and this contest.  Please include a link to my blog - 1 entry
4. For those of you who know me, comment on this post a memory or fact about me that you think describes who I truly am.  I am not fishing for compliments here, I simply want to help others get to know me!   - 1 entry

Note that this is a "honest policy" contest.  I have no way to track how many people you ultimately suggest my Facebook page to, and I may not have time to look at everyone's blogs or Facebook status updates.  I ask that you please shoot me a quick email, telling me the total number of entries you have achieved through these four options, please be honest, and I will get you in the drawing!  

Finally, thank you all for taking the time to participate in this contest!  I know it will take a few precious minutes out of your busy day but I really appreciate your help spreading the word about CMP and I wish you the best of luck in the drawing! 

Colors of Fall

One thing I love about Oklahoma is the fall.  It is such a gorgeous time of year filled with crisp leaves, colorful mums, and perfect weather.  The thing I find so fascinating about fall here is that it seems to last for such a long time!  September, October, November they are all gorgeous months!  Growing up in Colorado I always loved the fall, and the changing colors of Rocy Mountain aspens was beyond compare, but it seemed like fall always passed within a matter of weeks.

One of my favorite things about fall is the leaves.  I'm sure most people say that, but I just love how they change colors, crunch under your feet, and dance in the wind.  Last spring Dwyatt and I planted a couple trees in our back yard.  One is a crab apple tree, another a maple.  This fall they are just so beautiful that I had to go snap a couple pictures of them to share with you all. 

I hope you are enjoying this special time of year as much as I am :) 



Starbucks: The cure for anything

I love Starbucks.  I absolutely love them.  Don't get me wrong, I love unique local coffee shops too, and they are usually my first choice if I have one, but Starbucks is just so darn dependable!  I love that I can find one just about every where I look.  Whether I'm on a road trip, on my way to work early in the morning, meeting with potential clients, or about to endure hours of shopping and lines at Target, Starbucks is there to save me. 

In fact I have gotten so good at ordering my "grande-nonfat-2 pump-toffee nut-latte" that I don't even stumble over the tongue twister of words anymore!  And on days like today, when I'm coming down with a cold, Starbucks is there to provide me with as much Passion tea as I can possibly consume. 

Thank you Starbucks, thank you...

Taken w/ my Blackberry