Let me start off by saying: I MISSED YOU!!! Seriously. I didn’t realize how vital CTM is to my week until I took a week off. I started to feel all discombobulated without it. Yes, I did just get to use that word and yes it was just as fun typing it as it is saying it. You should try it. Really. Say it with me now: discombobulated. Fun right??! Oh it’s good to be back ;)

The weather has been just about perfect here, which means everyone and their mom has been visiting lately! On Saturday the 26th, I got to see my bestie Steph. Her + I met when we were 8 years old at the dance studio we attended. We started playing a game of “paper baseball” in the hallway of the dance studio and just a few hours later we were putting scotch tape behind the dressing room mirror which symbolized that we were now best friends. Duh! And now 18 years later we are still best friends. Apparently the scotch tape worked! ;) Steph works for a dance company in Mexico so we rarely get to talk or see other. So when I heard that she was flying into AZ for a few days to visit her newborn nephew, I just about peed my pants. I could not WAIT to see her! We only got to hang out for about 5 hours but we’ve learned to cherish the time that we are given with one another. Love you bestie!!!

Not gonna lie, I have a lot of “photographer crushes”. “Photographer crush” definition: the extreme admiration and adoration of another photographer’s work and business which causes me to spend extended amounts of time on their blog and/or website accompanied with the feeling that we are “old pals” which may even result in me giving them a nickname ;). In all seriousness, I love love LOVE meeting other photographers. It’s so refreshing to be able to meet people that share the same passion as you as well as the same struggles. Last week, I got to meet one of my photographer crushes: Ashley Maxwell as well her husband Jason and their two adorable kiddos. Ashley + Jason are a husband + wife photography team based out of California. I have been following their work for a little while now and thought it would be great to meet them if the opportunity came about. Well when they came to AZ last week to cover a wedding, we set up a lunch date at my favorite spot: Joe’s Farm Grill. We sat outside on a beautiful Tuesday afternoon chatting for hours about photography and life. It was fabulous! I’m happy to say that Ashley has gone from internet photog crush to real-life friend and I’m pretty sure real-life friends are a little bit better than pretend ones ;).

After my visit with Steph + my girl crush Ash, the visitors kept coming: 4 visitors to be exact. Our friend Darius and his girlfriend stayed with us Tuesday + Wednesday, our new friend Kale Fitch was here Wednesday + Thursday and Joe’s mom was here visiting Friday through today. So we really have been busy! I wasn’t just neglecting you guys…promise! We had a great time spending time with family and friends, hanging at our fave restaurants, going to the dog park and just enjoying each other’s company.

Oh, before I forget I should tell you that I just changed my Facebook Fan Page to www.facebook.com/stacykokesphotography. Apparently if you have more than 100 people who “like” your fan page, you can’t change the name on it. And since I’m no longer “Stacy Lynn Photography”, I had to start a whole new page. Which means you need to go “like” my new page. Well, you don’t have to but I might cry if you don’t ;). So go like me HERE. Thanks!

We shaved Hope!!! She used to have the longest, craziest-looking fur. Now that’s it’s getting to be in the 90’s, we thought she might be happier without all that hot fur. We left the crazy fur behind her ears and on the backs of her legs.She looks so dopey! But I still thinks she’s the cutest dog ever :)

xoxo Stacy