embrace the sunshine

champs.

2012-01-28T23:56:00.000-07:00

welp, i finally did it.

(okay, it's my first time playing intramurals, so the "finally" part was a bit dramatic...)
but i, along with my partner tyler, won a championship shirt!

we won our tennis bracket of mixed doubles this afternoon,

thanks to the support of our amigos (and my first-ever slow clap!)

it almost makes those three state championship final losses not quite so painful...

a day at versailles.

2012-01-26T23:49:00.000-07:00

i've spent the past five days literally in bed with a nasty sinus infection (okay, with a bit more mobility today),

and thus i have been thinking of happier, more europe-y times.

when will & i were in paris this past summer,

we spent a lovely morning in versailles.

after an early morning wake-up call, we took the two-hour metro ride from our hotel and found ourselves in the loveliest of neighborhoods.

we treated ourselves to a morning of royalty... strolls through the never-ending gardens, baked potatoes outside marie antoinette's chateau, and a stop in louis' hall of mirrors.
and speaking of potatoes... i ate the most delicious curry-topped potato (i know, sounds weird, but you can't judge it until you try it!).
it was easily the best meal i ate while in france.
and as i was eating it, the most precious little old french woman came up to me and exclaimed,
"bon appetit!"
i'm serious.
it was perfect and sweet and candid and made all of my little parisian dreams come true.

i thought versailles was really, really cool... i did.

but i must admit, i didn't fall in love with it.

i'm sure i was a bit biased, due to my two-in-a-row tour of the palacio real in madrid,

but i was a bit disappointed with the lack of upkeep at versailles.

and the fountains weren't even working!

but alas, if you asked me to go back tomorrow... i'd go.

plus, those macaroons are just oh so pretty to look at.

am i right?

the donut man.

2012-01-24T11:54:00.000-07:00

once upon a time,

i traveled to the city of angels for a friend's wedding (you know, the one i've mentioned about a million times...)

anyway.

after setting up for the reception for a few hours the night before the wedding,

we cruised the streets of glendora, looking for treats with the groomsmen (who were CA natives, mind you).

so we stopped by the donut man, a popular socal venue,

for some midnight donuts.

they were apparently delicious (but so, so full of gluten).

at least i have a great sense of smell & sight and a camera right?

i love living vicariously through my friends.

scripture sunday.

2012-01-22T23:59:00.000-07:00

i love this little promise right now:

"nevertheless, after much tribulation, the Lord did hear my crise, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an instrument in his hands in bringing so many of you to a knowledge of his truth."

-mosiah 23:10

i also love this.

happpppy sunday!

jammin'.

2012-01-21T23:59:00.000-07:00

the music scene in provo is blowing up this weekend.

first, we shared tacos on friday night with the one-and-only b money.

then, we downloaded the "i am t-pain" app and turned our favorite asian into a rap star.
then, mr. matt costa came to sing at byu... i know, i know. to PROVO.

and then, i was reminded of this little gem by my dear friend mckay.

this one's for you, homeboy...

really, though. doesn't this just make you want to come to provo?

nuevo.

2012-01-20T15:11:00.003-07:00

this is the most fabulous "happy friday" present!

new music from the shins, coming soooon!

another reason why 2012 rules.

padre's birthday.

2012-01-18T23:53:00.000-07:00

once upon a january,

i flew home for the weekend... to shoot a wedding reception.

and this wedding reception just happened to coincide with my father's january birthday.

so how did we celebrate?

with our favorite mountain pizza of course (also seen here & here).

i had flown home earlier that morning (hence the not-so-bright-eyed expression),

and bennett had was healing from a recent, nasty ankle sprain,

but we enjoyed each other's company (and the pizza... gluten-free pizza in my case!) nonetheless.

when your family members are your best friends... you know you've got it right.

youth.

2012-01-16T23:43:00.000-07:00

sorry i'm being a bit wordy lately.

words have just struck me lately... and i've been reminded why i used to be so fond of them.

when reading this earlier today, i came across the following:

"how beautiful is youth! how bright it gleams with its illusions, aspirations, dreams!"

-henry wadsworth longfellow

and then i thought back to this weekend.

to the two living-room forts i played inside,

to the raucous dance party held in a parking garage i boogied at,

to the frontyard bonfire i attended,

to the many, many tacos i consumed and the saturday night basketball game i cheered at,

to my impactful sunday at church.

and i realized that mister longfellow was spot on.

amidst the stressful studies, feelings of being overworked, and post-teen angst,

this time of life really is so bright.

i have so much to be grateful for from my past and in my present... and i have so much to look forward to in the future.

really though,

these feet have been to some pretty cool places in recent years... can't wait to see where they take me in the next little while!

so here's to a bright (sort of) senior year and 2012...

faith.

2012-01-15T23:49:00.000-07:00

this strengthened me today:

"my son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind forever."

-moroni 9:25

i am so grateful for a religion that brings me such comfort and joy.

i really do not know where i'd be without it.

pharmacy changes.

2012-01-15T16:05:00.001-07:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

for a person who gets sick fairly often (or in the past... at least!),

i know how frustrating dealing with pharmacies can be.

between the lines and the different insurance policies and the copayments, picking up medications can get complicated! well, walgreens is helping to simplify this whole process for everyone.

some changes have been made in walgreens pharmacies... many in-network patients will suffer from these changes because they will no longer receive the same benefits that they once did.

many customers are upset and have to drive much further to reach pharmacies that are within their network.

Walgreens and Express Scripts

however, walgreens is helping to ease the burden of these pharmacy patients by offering a special discount on an annual membership for their prescription savings club: Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens

for ten dollars a year, a family membership covers everyone in your immediate family (including a spouse), dependents aged 22 and younger, and pets. individuals may join for five dollars.

other benefits include: savings on more than 8,000 brand-name and all generic medications, discounts on flu shots, pet prescriptions, nebulizers, and diabetic supplies, as well as bonuses when you purchase walgreens brand products/photofinishing services.

you can support walgreens in their efforts by liking them on facebook and following them on twitter! Walgreens on Twitter &Walgreens on Facebook

a costa maya kind of afternoon.

2012-01-14T23:59:00.000-07:00

when we were down in mexico a few weeks ago,

we spent the most enjoyable afternoon in costa maya.

after a morning at the ruins, we headed into "town" for some lunch.

we were told that eating lunch at fernandos was a "must," so we made sure to stop by!

the restaurant was this little shack with nothing but sand for the floors, and fernando himself was the sweetest little man.

he gave us free, non-alcoholic grapefruit slushes, told us the secrets of costa maya, and just made us feel riiiight at home.

after some tacos and carne asada, we headed to the beach for some reading, swimming, and relaxation.

can you believe how beautiful this water is?

seriously, it still seems like a dream.

rupper wedding.

2012-01-12T23:58:00.000-07:00

i figured it was just about time to finally blog another one of my 2011 weddings; i only have about eleven i haven't shared with you yet...

and so do you remember this darling couple?

and this excellent event from last fall?

well their fall wedding at the salt lake city lds temple and wadley farms was just perfect.

lauren pulled off the blend of east coast prep and country flawlessly,

and dan was just googley-eyed in love with her alllll day long.

i loved the chance i had to be both a bridesmaid and photographer (and got an awesome workout, running around in four-inch heels all day!)

and i just love these two. thanks for letting me share your wedding day with you!

post script: and if you think this is an aesthetic overload, just wait until you see their formals! (to come... soooon.)
post, post script: can you spot me?!
post, post, post script: did you see the repunzel shot in the tower? lauren has always been dan's "blondie"...

anna gleave photography

{utah engagement & wedding photography}

peponi.

2012-01-11T00:17:00.000-07:00

i was shown this video tonight (thanks, jake!),

and couldn't help but share it with you.

this makes me want to go to africa and southern utah and australia allll at once.

and want to learn the cello.
now accepting all applications for cello teachers...

guilty pleasures, cruise edition.

2012-01-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

cruises bring this really deadly combination to your life for about ohhh seven days.

they expect you to look super hot in your swimsuit for fourteen hours a day, while feeding you this (along with four slices of gluten-free bread) for all seven meals of the day:

that being said...

more flourless cake please?

beth + matt wedding.

2012-01-08T11:50:00.000-07:00

so, remember this best friend's wedding that i've mentioned two or three (hundred) times lately?

well, i just might've made a little video of it.

you see, darling beth is a videographer by profession.

so it killed me when i found out that she didn't have a videographer for her wedding.

so i decided to whip out my camera (it went really well with my bridesmaid dress, you know)

and put together this little video for the bride & groom, with the help of another bridesmaid/dear friend, averill corkin.

i was surprised by how much fun i had shooting this footage and editing it.

it was so, so cool to see the day's events and the couple's love through a completely different perspective,

and i loved reliving all of the amor and fun over and over again as i worked on the project!

these two were simply radiant.
i'm still a little obsessed with all of the beauty of the day-- the perfect weather & lighting, the gorgeous temple, and the glowing couple.

so to matt & beth, i love you!

and to the rest of you lovelies, thanks for checking out my project!

winter wonderland.

2012-01-07T23:39:00.000-07:00

i spent most of the day hanging out with this lovely couple...

in this winter wonderland.

isn't this so dreamy?

so grateful for the opportunity i had to spend another weekend with beth, matt, & their 1940s romance!

can't wait to share more photos (and a video!) with you.

anna gleave photography

{utah & colorado wedding photography}

girls just want to have fun.

2012-01-06T23:40:00.000-07:00

when i was in LA last week, i had the greatest time.

celebrating beth's wedding week with her was so fantastic... busy, but fantastic!

we didn't have much time the night before the wedding for a bachelorette party (poor bethy was so tired!),

so we celebrated the end of her single-hood the afternoon before.

after browsing the fashion district of LA,

we headed to the original in-n-out for lunch,

where one of the girls tried her very first in-n-out burger.

needless to say, she was hooked after one bite.

though we were exhausted from mornings of travel,

we were all a little bit giddy and anxious for the wedding and so grateful to be out of the freezing temperatures,

which made for lots of light and laughter.

there's nothing like that california sunshine in the dead of winter!

later that afternoon, we headed the salon to get our nails done for the wedding.

i've never had a french manicure before (weird, i know)... and i might not ever get one again.

BUT it looked great on the wedding day, and the whole salon experience just added to our adventures for the day!

this is when you know that life is good.

sale!

2012-01-06T23:26:00.000-07:00

so, you all know by now how much i love shabby apple.

i was so excited when my darling friend, beth, decided to deck us bridesmaids out in shabby apple for her wedding!

the dresses were the perfect color and a classic style,

and they fit four different body types reaaaallly well.

we got so many compliments on them throughout the day!

so you can imagine how excited i was when i received an e-mail about shabby apple's new year sale!

20% off almost anything in their store?

don't mind if i do!

actually, i may have spent a little too much over christmas,

but if i had some extra cash around,

i'd just have to purchase this or this or this or this.

but really, don't these look good?

(i apologize for the middle-school-esque bathroom shot. we were a bit limited...)

i'm so excited to wear this dress again and again and again!

kind of unheard of for a bridesmaid dress, eh?

so don't waste time! click the link on the right and head over to shabby apple.

downtown dinner.

2012-01-06T01:13:00.000-07:00

it's weird to think that a year ago i was lying in bed, recovering for the most awful surgery of my life.

things looked pretty bleak.

and today, i'm feeling better than i have in a long while.

though i still fight little illnesses,

i had the greatest of winter breaks

and am optimistic about the future.

one of the best parts of my winter break at home was reuniting with my high school friends for a night on the town.

we hit up p.f. changs and then sweet action ice cream,

laughed hysterically,

and might've acted a little bit younger than our age.

gluten-free lettuce wraps + cinnamon roll ice cream + friends makes for one good evening.

miss you guys... can't wait for next time!

another sunset, another semester.

2012-01-04T01:38:00.000-07:00

school started today.

seventeen credits this semester.

i'm wishing i was back here, more than ever.

sunset over cozumel, mexico.

honduras, part two.

2012-01-02T23:53:00.000-07:00

back to some travel pictures/words.
because, you know, it's one of my favorite things... ever.

we spent the first (docked) day of our cruise on roatan, honduras-- this small isle off of the mainland.
it was absolutely stunning, and had that latin flair that i adore.
we spent the morning exploring the island, then parked it on a beautiful beach for a while.
after a nap at the beach and tacos for lunch, we were set for the afternoon!
we hopped on a boat and headed out to the reef for some scuba/snorkeling.
there's something really unique about being in the silence of underwater and seeing all of the beautiful fish and plant life. i always forget how awesome it is until i adventure back into the water.
after an afternoon of ice cream bars, hiking, swimming, and sun basking, we headed back to the boat.

i, for one, would love to go back to honduras.
care to join me?

p.s. how awesome/hilarious are the shots of my dad/jake in the scuba gear? priceless.

new year's eve.

2012-01-01T23:47:00.000-07:00

this is darling.

i spent new year's eve in northern l.a with some friends...

magic mountain-ing,

eating,

playing games,

and relaxing.

it was so great.

which is fitting, since i have a feeling that 2012 is going to be a great year!

what did you do new year's eve?

at year's end.

2011-12-31T04:20:00.000-07:00

i finished up this crazy, wonderful year in the city of angels,

taking part in a weekend of festivities.

festivities because this girl married her sweetheart.

and you see that smile?

it never went away... all weekend long.

and it kept the rest of us smiling, too!

more about my californian adventures to come.

hope you're having a safe, happy new year's eve!

make your day break.

2011-12-28T23:46:00.000-07:00

do you know what inspires me?

this beautiful world that we live in.

when i'm out traveling, exploring, i get this sweeping feeling of youth, of invincibility, of pure happiness.

i want to learn french in a parisian cafe, hear the songs of pan flutes in the peruvian andes, & watch the tribal dances in uganda.

i want to swim in the greek isles, camp in the amazon, and wander through old jerusalem.

there is little that inspires me more than visiting different parts of the world.

and i felt this exact feeling of inspiration... of happiness, as i sat in the back of a jeep in cozumel, mexico last week.

oh, what a world.

i feel so blessed to have traveled so much thus far in my life and can't wait for the adventures to come.

honduras, parte uno.

2011-12-27T23:16:00.000-07:00

you guys.

honduras was incredible.

ok.. well, really, my whole trip was incredible.
every place we visited is exquisite.

so beautiful, serene, scenic...
in honduras (... and belize... and mexico),

nikita went a little trigger happy.
okay, let's get real. that's a serious understatement.

i took about a bajillion photos (what else is new?),

so i might just have to split the event into two posts.

this first post is alll photos.

just so you can see how beautiful roatan really is.

family, friends, & the sea.

what more do you need?

post script: i know you're all wondering. yes, that is actually the color of the water. unbelievable, no?

christmas eve.

2011-12-26T23:54:00.000-07:00

did you see this year's modern family christmas episode?

you know, where the dunphys do "express christmas" (basically throw together a christmas in seven hours)?

well, we sort of did that this year.

our trip threw all of us off our game a little bit, but we managed to have a christmas-y few days at home!

after traveling for five-ish hours on only a few hours of sleep, we were all pretty exhausted when we got home yesterday.

but after a few naps, we kicked it into holiday gear and celebrated!

my dad and i realllly felt like the dunphys though when we found out the grocery store closed at 6:00 p.m. and we were leaving the house at 5:51 p.m.

we divided and conquered and may have even quoted said modern family episode...

"anna, you were born for this."

and then we spent last night doing some of our christmas eve traditions...

holiday ethnic food (red-and-green-christmas enchiladas, in this case) and treats, christmas music, and the opening of one gift (or all, in will's case... he just couldn't wait).

there is something so wonderful about christmas time... the remembrance of what we've been given, the love that surrounds us, and our incredible savior.

i, for one, feel like this month flew by... i don't want these christmastime feelings to pass!

anyone else with me on this?

in fact, it flew by so quickly that we didn't even get the chance to decorate the tree!
i guess the one part of "express christmas" we didn't pull off.
oh well... next year!

caribbean christmas.

2011-12-25T19:48:00.001-07:00

merry christmas, everyone!

or, as my people say... FELIZ NAVIDAD!

i just might've snuck away from you all (unintentionally, i promise) and adventured to the caribbean for the last week with my family and our wonderful family friends.

and really, it was the best.

we spent the week in sunny honduras, belize, and mexico...

swimming, eating, relaxing, laughing, dancing, and adventuring.

we lucked out with perfect weather and a perfect execution of our travel plans.

we flew back to the snow (in denver) this morning, so we're moving christmas back a day.

you know, it's a bit difficult to do the christmas thing when you're busy snorkeling and stuffing your face for seven days straight (i'll get to that later).

sorry for leaving you for a week; i mean, i know you missed me and were seriously concerned about my whereabouts and well being...
it's not like you've been busy living your own, busy holiday seasons or anything!
KIDDING.

buuuut to make it up to you, i've got loads and loads of awesome stories, photos, and memories to send your way!

so to the gleave family... merry christmas "eve"!

we're celebrating tonight with our traditional mexican food, games, and christmas movies.

(okay, and a little NBA... you know us, after all).

and to the rest of the world... merry christmas!

i wish everyone love, warmth, and happiness this christmas season, as we remember Christ and his influence in our lives.

to catch the real meaning of the spirit of christmas, we need only drop the last syllable and it becomes the spirit of christ.

-thomas s. monson

photo ® anna gleave photography 2011. cozumel, mexico.

st. nick's.

2011-12-15T23:29:00.000-07:00

every year at christmastime, we go to st. nick's,

this precious little store that's packed to the brim with christmas goodies.

more ornaments, miniature snow-covered houses that light up, and glitter than you could ever imagine.

they've got something like twelve rooms full of trees!

and each tree has a different theme, whether it be james bond, travel, fishing, or harry potter.

you know, a little something for everyone.

we've gotten ornaments here all twenty-one years of my life,

and it's one of my favorite traditions of the holidays!

it's pretty fun to look back at all of the ornaments because each year's shows what i was really into at that point in my life...

i have soccer ornaments, cute little puppies, surfing santas, (lots) of tennis players, and gingerbread men!

and this year, i picked out a suitcase. mostly because i got to explore the world, but partially because i feel as if i lived out of one this year.

though i must admit, it was so tough deciding between the travel-y, sparkly suitcase and that classic cutie clarice...

will got a tim tebow ornament (no surprises there!), and bennett got a beaver... because of the whole benny the beaver thing, you know.

and one of the best parts? that giant santa hangs out on st. nick's' roof alllll year long!

the happiest reminder of christmastime to come!

what are your favorite christmas traditions?

a gentleman's christmas.

2011-12-14T23:24:00.000-07:00

annnnnd i'm baaack!

you know what that means... i survived finals! and a move. and a bridal shower. and a successful social christmas season.

wooooooooo baby, it's been a whirlwind.

i'm so excited to finally get my life back on track.

but somewhere in the midst of all of the craziness, i was able to fit in a little holiday shoot with my friend rafe & his roommates.

they are hilarious.

so, without further ado...

a classy christmas.

joyeux noël.

and a shout out to devs for letting us use her house/telling us when too much was just too much.

post script: after some confusion, i'd like to reassure you all that these photos are a JOKE. also these boys all have crushes on girls. don't you worry.

on the ninth day of christmas, my true love gave to me...

2011-12-09T23:56:00.000-07:00

this awesome video.

aaaand a (hopeful!) A on my humanities final.

seriously though... frosted tips, holiday cheer, family fun, AND awesome 90s special effects?

what more can a girl ask for?!

post script: sorry for another music video. it's still finals week. and i'm still not sleeping.

i belong with you.

2011-12-05T23:47:00.000-07:00

sorry i'm going so music crazy, as of late.

with all of this studying, music is what's keeping me sane.

(that, and physical therapy... but that's another story for another time.)

i'm really digging this video right now.

i won't lie; it kind of makes me want to drop all of this school stuff and run off to portland to just be anna the photographer.

but that in itself is inspiring.

and right now, i'll take any inspiration i can get.

post script: the shot at 1:15... oh my.

happenings.

2011-12-04T23:59:00.000-07:00

today i wore a giant sweater that is actually a dress.

my testimony was reaffirmed in another language.

i ate eggs-on-toast for dinner and cozied up alll day while studying.

i celebrated a lovely friend's twenty-first and ate far too many gluten-free cookies.

the snow didn't make me frown... nor did my new bff-heated-rice-bag thing.

i met a mutual-blog-admirer friend for the first time (shout out!),

and missed a cue on a photo, resulting in this:

awesome. awkward. solid sunday.

holidaze.

2011-12-03T23:43:00.000-07:00

do you know what makes life good?

homemade chili when it's cold out, awesome aunts & uncles,

dance parties in the gap dressing rooms, movie nights with the fam,

love notes from the brother on the table & gf pasta!,

best friends & cocoa, and thanksgiving.

that's what makes life good.

blue christmas.

2011-12-03T17:42:00.001-07:00

on the third day of christmas, my true love gave to me...

bravo, bright eyes. bravo.

diciembre.

2011-12-01T01:36:00.001-07:00

it's officially december!!!

i am celebrating by studying my hiney off and depriving myself from sleep.

oh, and i've listened to this 82948 times to celebrate, too.

zooey d + ukelele + christmas = heaven

also, rumor has it that this song was recorded when she was just relaxing & jamming...

not even practiced. crazy.

the hardest part.

2011-11-27T23:28:00.000-07:00

every time i come back to school, a little sadness sparks within me.

there's something about home that i just hate to let go of.

i don't know if it's my bed, easy access to an elliptical machine, all of the memories of home, or just all of that colorado-y goodness that gets me the most.

actually, it's these people that get me the most:

after living at home during my nine months of (the worst) illness, i've really hated leaving home.

there's something about spending so much time with the people that i love the most.

at home, i feel so safe and simply... content; when i'm at home with my family, i don't need anything else.

though "home" might be changing soon, it'll really always just be where my family is.

i loved this past week i spent in colorado.

knowing it could be one of our last holidays there made it extra special-- and extra hard to leave.

that, and the craziness i face over the next two and a half weeks, have made coming back to utah a doozy.

for the next little while,

i'll be piled under three presentations, six papers, a move, four shoots, five exams, the planning of a bridal shower, and maaybe a bit of christmas-y spirit in there somewhere.

so again, i apologize for being so absent from the blogosphere as of late.

it'll get better... i promise.

in the meantime, tell me... how were your thanksgiving weekends?!

photo taken in southern switzerland, summer 2011.

this makes me smile.

2011-11-25T23:20:00.000-07:00

Ben Dangerous from andrew+carissa on Vimeo.

really though. how can you not love this?

el día de acción de gracias.

2011-11-24T23:27:00.000-07:00

i love the spanish name for thanksgiving... the whole "action" part of it is pretty amazing... motivating, even.

it's funny, but in a lot of ways, i feel like gratitude has saved me.

when i first fell ill in 2008, i had no idea how long of a road i'd be in for with this sickness.

but i did know that the word "mononucleosis" did have a bit of longevity to it,

and so i prepared.

i decided that every day, i'd think about at least one thing that i was grateful for.

and i've done that, every day since then.

though negative feelings (often) creep in, i've always tried to tell myself that i still have something to be grateful for... that many others have it much worse off.

and my blog has actually played a big role in this;

i blog because i love to document my life and display my work...

i love to connect with others around the world,

and i am fascinated by this earth and by learning new things,

but really... this blog has helped me to stay positive-- to find the beauty in the little moments and in simplistic, everyday life.

i love that in the united states, we all get one day off a year to think about the abundance we have all been given.

because, you know, i think that gratitude is really important... even in the most difficult of circumstances.

so, this thanksgiving i am thankful for jesus christ. for my family, my religion, and my friends.

i'm thankful for my education, my interests and passions, my job, my health, and the opportunity i had to travel and experience so much this year.

i am thankful for the incredible power the human body possesses to endure and persevere.

i am thankful for my darling doggie, música, quilts, good literature, advil, and the office.

i am also grateful for today!

we spent the day with one of our closest family-friends situation and their extended family (who are also conveniently friends).

we ate, and ate, and ate.

and then we played... had some awesome games of football, soccer, and charades.

it was so fun because everyone got involved, even the dogs!

maybe some of us got a liittle too much into it... i may or may not have made a spectacle of myself by eating it royally (allll the way down the hill) as i made an in-bound kick.

my jeggings have the grass stains and my knee has a gnarly bruise to prove it.

anyway, it was a lovely little holiday.

i hope all of your días de acción de gracias were lovely, as well!

drooopy.

2011-11-22T23:37:00.000-07:00

so, i know that i promised last week that i'd stop posting awkward photos of myself.

but today i realized that would be a) impossible b) a crime, because this is too good of a gem to hide from the public.

i know how horrific i look in this photo, but it makes me laugh.

and that is a good thing.

as is anesthetic for a root canal... 2 whole cartons of it.

let's just say the left side of my face was droopy for about four hours after my procedure this morning.

i may or may not have gotten some awesome stares from on-lookers.

or maybe just my parents.

also, i know it's trendy these days to be awkward and awesome on thursdays...

but can't a girl be awkward AND awesome on a tuesday?
annnd every other day of her life?

i vote yes.

downtown date.

2011-11-21T23:39:00.000-07:00

when your little brother asks you to go downtown with him to the new h&m,

you don't say no.

so i started off my thanksgiving break doing just that this afternoon.

it was aweeesome.

we jammed the entire way there,

then stopped for some peppermint hot cocoa ('tis the season!),

people watched,

and shopped.

bennett was pumped to get some new hipster gear,

and i was happy to just go along for the ride.

i may or may not have gotten a little christmas shopping done at the same time, too!

regardless, it was such a fun afternoon in the city.

denver really is so great.

as are the holidays.

and familias! of course.

on a side note,

it really was weird to be back in an h&m...

i think i've only been to one h&m in the states;

every other time i've been has been in europe.

maybe i like their clothes better when i'm feeling european?

who's to say.

also, on a completely unrelated side note,

i'm getting another root canal in six hours.

happy thanksgiving to meeeeeeeeee!

what are you doing this thanksgiving break?

ávila.

2011-11-20T18:15:00.001-07:00

okay, so i'm back to blogging about my european life (pathetic, i know).

but really.... europe > utah. any day.

and i still have so many little european goodies to share with you!

soooo without further ado, i give you... ávila!

on our way to salamanca back in may, we stopped in this amazing, mountainous (for spain) city in castilla y leon.

and oh my. it was such a sight!

the entire city is surrounded by those classic, medieval city walls.

i'd never before seen them in real life nor realized the enormity of them.

they're massive and so expansive.

and inside the walls is church after cathedral after church... after cathedral.

so much cool romanesque and gothic architecture!

we were only in ávila for a few hours, but we loved exploring the churches and city walls!

and the views were unbelievable!

don't believe me? take a look for yourself...

me encanta mucho españa. muuuucho.

holiday boutique.

2011-11-18T23:41:00.000-07:00

every winter, my oh-so-talented aunt and her fabulous daughters and friends put together a holiday boutique.

they deck the halls of my aunt's darling house with the most precious holiday goodies...

jewelry, fudge, scarves, notebooks, vintage linens, ornaments, holiday decor, & more!

it's always such a fun way to start off the christmas season,

and when we were up there tonight,

it snowed!

biiiig, fluffy snowflakes.

it was quite romantic... perfect, really.

i can't wait for thanksgiving & the christmas season to begin!

so, if you're in the salt lake area over the weekend,

head up to my aunt & uncle's place to pick up some holiday goodies!

november 19th

10:00-4:00 p.m.

1509 east michigan st.

please feel free to e-mail me with questions!
amgleave@gmail.com

november finds.

2011-11-18T01:10:00.001-07:00

cool things i've stumbled upon over the last few weeks...

google celebrating photogs everywhere!

hacking into my friend's itunes and discovering NOTHING but boy band music...

hanging out with the fam on google plus!

ordering this sassy holiday dress for 25% off,

using this code (today only!): day7

click on the "shabby apple" link on the right to find the dress!

what are your favorite things you've found online this november?

wing family portraits.

2011-11-16T23:48:00.000-07:00

when i was in san diego this summer shooting a wedding, i got the chance to spend some time with one of my closest amigas, whitney.

her two twin brothers are leaving this year for missions for our church,

so we had to get some family portraits in before i left!

so we headed down to the la jolla coastline (one of my new favorite spots!) and snagged some shots.

they are such a fun family... seriously, so much laughter. and it's obvious that those boys admire whit so much! (but then again, who doesn't?)

so glad we snuck in a shoot while i was there!

now, if i only lived a few (hundred) miles closer to the water,

i could have this amazing backdrop allll of the time!

anna gleave photography

{san diego, california photographer}

ramblings and a pregunta.

2011-11-15T01:37:00.001-07:00

so i promise i'll stop posting awkward photos of myself if you can help me out with something!!

migraines.

i'm terribly in need of some migraine advice...

i got chronic complex migraines for part of last year, and they've been back for the last month or so.

i'm generally pretty decent at coping with them,

but i feel as if they've started hindering my ability to even have a normal conversation over the past week...

you know, killing my personality.

and i kinda liked my personality, once upon a time.

so.

can anyone recommend anything that helps with their migraines?

medications? old-wives tricks? anything? bueller?

really, though. i am getting desperate, and am willing to try almost anything.
my neurologist just switched my meds, and this new one kinda makes me feel like an alien... not my favorite.

on a completely unrelated note, how awesome is beyonce?

seriously, if i could sing/move like this without a child in my womb...

OH! AND... shabby apple is having an awesome 12 days of christmas sale!

and i can hook you up with all of the deals...

today, receive 25% off of this stunning fall dress by using the code "day4".

click on the "shabby apple" link under my sponsors and search "cider" to get the deal!

today only for this specific dress!!

happpppy holidays.

& thanks in advance!

yikes.

2011-11-14T04:01:00.001-07:00

sometimes, when it's 3:59 a.m., and i've been up studying for an exam that i sorely underestimated,

i feel like my head is going to explode (halfway migraine-induced, halfway exhaustion-induced).

i look like this:

and i want to scream this:

college looks good on me, no?

happppppppppy monday!

p.s. i am completely aware that this photo isn't even completely in focus. my computer took it. don't judge me.

peppermint shake.

2011-11-11T11:25:00.000-07:00

my new favorite thing.

candy canes + sammy's = the happiest anna.

brand new day.

2011-11-10T23:08:00.001-07:00

i saw this guy open at a concert four years ago.

now he's my little bro's favorite artist.

i guess he's kind of a big deal?

all i know is i am diggin' this song.
and the video is pretty rad too.

el fin.

my life is glamourous.

2011-11-09T23:11:00.000-07:00

so, i'm a bit underwater at present.

meaning, my life is seriously lacking grace, & i'm feeling terribly disjointed.

yesterday i tried to spell "vaccine"... vacicine doesn't quite do the trick. and then today i spelled "park" with a t?

today, i tried to go running with a migraine and literally thought my head was going to explode after two blocks. you bet i looked super attractive for those next ten blocks!

i have eaten eggs for dinner nearly every night for the past month and a half... please apologize to my cholesterol for me.

my car hasn't been washed in a really long time. and i keep parking under trees. and you know what live in trees...

tonight, the third-and-final lightbulb in my bedroom's light fixture went out. guess who's doing her homeworkin the living room and will be using her cell phone as a flashlight tonight?

when i get out of bed, all i want to wear are yoga pants.

tonight, on a quiz, i declared that only 1,600 children die of pneumonia yearly. try 1.6 million, anna?

i've been watching really, really cheesy 1990s movies lately on netflix.

the library staff are starting to call me by name.

but do you know what's funny?

i'm happy.

potentially happier than i've been in a long time.

so i'm okay with all of this.

i'm quite sorry i've been neglecting you (and my little blog).

i'll get back on track... come december sixteenth...?

(kidding! hopefully before then!)

and now, an awkward photo for an awkward post:

how do you stay above water (and classy..) during times like these?

a nature walk and other little things.

2011-11-06T23:46:00.000-07:00

these past few days, i was lucky enough to spend a perfect weekend at home in colorado.

there's just something about being home with my lovely family that i can't get enough of.

families are just the best, you know?

well, my dad and i grabbed our pup and took a walk around the open space outside our house yesterday afternoon.

every time i hike around my house, i'm reminded how fortunate i am to have grown up in such an incredible environment.

and between the fallen leaves, the cool almost-winter air, the good conversation, and the sight of my little doggie in a boot, this walk was definitely ideal.

and of course, i couldn't resist snapping a few photos with my mom's camera...

other high points of the weekend:

-running shoe shopping with madre

-dinner at our favorite little restaurant

-a catch up with my best friend that lasted wayy too long into the night. even though it's only been a week since we last saw each other...

-office episodes (and consequential crushing on jim halpert) with the bff

-good news from the doctor

-nap times (!!!)
-business scheming with padre

-a serious lack of homework

-parks & rec with the little bruddah

-father-daughter date to the movies

-too much good food

-family. family. family.

now, it's back to reality & another long week of work and school.

but first... what made your weekend great?

check it out.

2011-11-05T23:52:00.002-06:00

hey, you guys!

so i've decided to offer you all a special discount, since the holidays are coming around and everything.
and you know how much i love the holidays.

you can receive up to $150 off of your photography packages, and it will only take about seven minutes of your time!
seven minutes!

so... check out my site, ask me about the discount's details, book your sesh, and drink some peppermint hot cocoa!

doesn't that sound good to you?

www.annagleavephotography.com
{denver & salt lake portrait and wedding photography}

happiness is...

2011-11-05T14:37:00.002-06:00

(this one's worth enlarging. i promise.)

photo ® anna gleave photography 2011.

st. moritz.

2011-11-03T23:41:00.000-06:00

once upon of time,
the gleave family explored switzerland.
after eating the best brats in the world, we headed to the famous ski town, st. moritz.
from the sports cars, to the chocolate, to the gondolas,
everything was perfectly... swiss.

see for yourself!

we had the greatest time eating pastries,
walking & enjoying the sites of the posh little alpine town,
listening to the cow bells (my mom's favorite!),
and enjoying each other's company.

oh! and did i mention we saw a st. bernard just roaming the streets in st. moritz?!
it really couldn't have been more perfect.

and though i'm proud of my swedish/welsh/british/norwegian heritage,
after visiting switzerland, a little part of me wishes there could be a little swiss in the mix!

if you ever get the chance,
go to swizerland. i mean it.
the world is beautiful.
life is good.

a cold & wet november dawn.

2011-11-01T23:51:00.000-06:00

today, this was the first song to come on shuffle on my ipod:

and i happened to be walking on campus.

in the cold, wet, november drizzle.

and it was perfect.

can you believe it's already november?

grown-up halloween.

2011-10-31T22:32:00.003-06:00

you know what i've realized?

halloween is cool... but only super awesome for little kids or people who want to wear as little clothing as possible.

unfortunately, i'm neither the former nor the latter, so i never get too excited about the holiday (except for halloween decorations. i love halloween decorations.)

though i had a party of a weekend and enjoyed the festivities, today hasn't been the most exciting of halloweens.

since i'm no longer a little kid,

i came to the library for seven hours.

i got a cat scan and flu shot.

i forgot to shower (scary, i know.)

and

i did not dress up.

but...

i did go to the gym (endorphins, anyone?)

i did eat a few fun-sized candies in the library.

and i did love hanging out with all of the little ninjas & pirates in the waiting room of the doctor's office.

i guess it really wasn't that bad of a day.

happy halloween, everyone!

p.s. i think grown-up halloweens will get a loot better in the future... when i have my own little nuggets to dress up in spiderman and belle costumes. you know?

the niños are so, so precious.

halllloween pumpkins!

2011-10-31T02:21:00.004-06:00

when your best friend comes to town for about 58 hours, you have to celebrate.

and since it was halloween weekend, we thought that being festive was a crucial part of this celebration.

so we grabbed a few friends, and they planned this awesome/creative/halloween-y activity.

we drank hot cocoa, caramel'd apples, carved pumpkins, & then launched them on campus (don't worry, we cleaned up the mess after...)

and our pumpkins were so awesome, we decided it was imperative to document our pumpkin posterity with embarrassing, awkward family photos.

but really, aren't they cute?

how have you been celebrating halloween weekend?

the gluten-free life.

2011-10-31T00:01:00.001-06:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Schar for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

most of you probably know that i'm gluten intolerant by now... you know, "gluten-free."

it's actually pretty exciting that people even know what gluten is these days. i mean, i remember when i first went gluten-free, three years ago, i asked a kid working at subway if he could make me anything gluten-free and he gave me the blankest expression and replied, "uhhh... we've got five dollar foot longs!"

hilarious/depressing, i know.

so i get so excited when i see new brands of gluten-free products coming out all of the time!

one of these brands is schar. schar is the leading brand of gf foods, and they just re-launched a line of products (sandwich rolls, ciabatta rolls, and baguettes).

the cooolest part about this brand is their Schar club. this club gives you exclusive news about new products, tips, recipes, and promotions.

and they're giving away 2,000 free sample kits! so you can try their products before you have to purchase them... how cool is that?

interested in this free sample? go to their website, and sign up for the club! after, go to the left-hand side and find a column that says "toolbox." underneath, you'll find the word "giveaways"... click on that link, and you'll be directed to the free sample page! badda bing, badda boom!

i'm so excited to try their baguettes... i haven't had a good gluten-free baguette since i was in italy! and i've actually never had a good one in the united states, so i'm stoked to give this a try!

to my gluten-free readers... leave me a comment and tell me what YOU'RE excited to try from your sample kit!

friends for the weekend.

2011-10-27T23:25:00.000-06:00

you know you've got a best friend when someone will stay up with you till three a.m., talking about life, watching ridiculous 80s movies, and taking even more ridiculous photobooth shots.

so happy this girl is here in utah with me for the weekend.

so happy.

p.s. please note how awesome i look... photo from last spring, after shooting the longest/windiest wedding on record. woo baby.

the third year.

2011-10-26T23:23:00.000-06:00

it has been

three

long

years.

i'm getting to the point where i can't really say anything more than i've already said.
i am so thankful for friends who have put up with me, for good medical care, and for the continual support and love of my family & of christ.

kyle & lindsey: engagements.

2011-10-25T23:56:00.000-06:00

i have so many shoots waiting to be posted... i know, i know, i'm so bad these days.

but life (mostly school) has gotten in the way.

what can i say? i'm trying to be a good student and everything.

but i've been missing colorado a bit lately and just had to post one of my favorite CO shoots from this summer.

i grew up in the same community with lindsey and was so excited when she asked me to do her engagements.

we had a great time talking about our big, grown-up lives and about spain...
lindsey lived there a few summers ago-- a woman after my own heart!

we lucked out with an amazing summer evening; the weather was perfect, the grass was still green, and the lighting was beautiful!

lindsey and kyle were so wonderful to work with, and i can't wait to shoot their red rocks wedding next summer!

anna gleave photography

{denver, colorado engagement photography}

autumn.

2011-10-23T23:51:00.000-06:00

delicious autumn!
my very soul is wedded to it, and if i were a bird i would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.

-george eliot

just because.

2011-10-22T23:52:00.000-06:00

because i'm in the business of love and adore the band phoenix...

things i like about today.

2011-10-21T23:53:00.000-06:00

-taco date with the hermano.

-beautiful seventy-degree weather that still had that fall crisp-ness to it.

-a solid score on my infectious disease midterm.

-fall colors at sundance.

-sundance, sundance, sundance!

-oh, and a successful engagement sesh, too.

-having a less-intense migraine-y day.... improvement.

-listening to a lot of shakira.

-fun friends, the 1920s, and childhood board games.

-that whole mooovie night situation.

-one week 'till cuban best friend comes to visit!

-a clean room and a warm bed.

hey today, thanks for being great to me.

i really, really needed that.

¡una vez más!

2011-10-20T18:53:00.000-06:00

so, you guys are awesome.

really. i feel so lucky that people find my thoughts interesting enough to follow my blog and keep up a bit on my life/business.

so i just have to ask one more thing of you.

remember when you were so great and watched my contest entry video last week?

welllll, youtube didn't count my views... all week.

so now i'm stuck trying to play catch up.

so if you can do me a huge favor and watch my video one more time, i'd appreciate it.

i also want to try and get some dialogue going in my comment section, so please leave me a little comment on youtube... tell me your favorite part of the video, where you'd live if you could study abroad, ask me anything about spain!

and i'll be forever grateful.

maybe i'll do a little giveaway in the next month or so to prove how grateful i am for you all :)

thanks so much!

so, without further ado...

booted.

2011-10-19T23:55:00.000-06:00

i know i am a littttle bias, but i kind of think that i have the most precious dog in the world.

he's taken a bit of a beating over the last few years... remember this?

though his tail looks basically normal these days, the poor little guy has been getting cysts on his paw.

he's been limping around for a few months now,

and after numerous courses of antibiotics,

the parents texted me this photo last night:

he's got a boot!

apparently, it has treads on the bottom, and it looks like a little tennis shoe.

they say he sounds like a peg-legged pirate, wandering around the house.

at least this time he avoids the cone of shame... right?

wouldn't it be nice?

2011-10-18T02:06:00.003-06:00

this warms my heart.

tell me it didn't make you smile... i dare you.

lovely traditions.

2011-10-17T23:35:00.000-06:00

because my life currently consists of library sessions lasting until midnight, i thought i'd tell you about something a little bit cooler.

something czech.

while in prague, we came across this little bridge.

tradition holds that right after wedding, the two lovers lock up their love on a bridge and toss the key into the river below.

that way, their love will last forever...

eternal love, if you will.

i think this idea is really, really romantic (and you know i'm not huge on romance.)

and i'm thinking that someday i'll lock up my love in europe with some handsome man.

juuust give it a few years/decades.

what do you think?

faj.

2011-10-16T23:54:00.000-06:00

this guy is just the coolest.

especially when he's drinking coke light in costa rica.

yep, i'm aboooout ready to go back.

familias are forever.

amazing amigas.

2011-10-15T23:56:00.000-06:00

two notable facts about my awesome friends.

devaun is beautiful and gave me a shout out on her blog today. it made me smile, annnd just might help me win my contest. (speaking of which, maybe you should go leave a comment on my spain youtube video? i'd reallly appreciate it, and will stop begging in about a week!)

i was lucky enough to have a diego's date with devs today... it was only the best.

whit is also beautiful and worked so hard to plan this amazing service project for the weekend.

i was lucky enough to participate in her project, the byu experience, where college-aged kids with cognitive disabilities got the chance to come to byu and get the college experience-- including the cheerleaders, dance parties, cosmo, & the theater ballet company!

i loved seeing whitney interact with all of the kids and really am grateful for the chance i had to learn and be involved, as well.

happy friends = happy weekend.

falllllling in love.

2011-10-13T23:51:00.000-06:00

you guys!

guess what i ate yesterday.

pumpkin spice frozen yogurt.

yeah, i said it.
pumpkin spice + frozen yogurt + dark chocolate chips.

though i'm not looking forward to the coooooold winter,

i'm loving the fall colors, the pumpkin flavors all around, and the cozy sweaters.

what are you loving about fall?

p.s. this is my six hundredth post. what?!
i feel like i just started this little blog a few months ago!

sueños de españa.

2011-10-12T23:41:00.000-06:00

where is your favorite place in the world?

i have a lot of "favorites."

but one place i've been missing a lot lately (especially because of the whole video contest situation) is, of course, españa.

right about now, i just want to get lost in the prado

and have an elevator dance party with devaun.

i want to go running in the parque

and eat a giant spanish tortilla with a mcfit helado for dessert.

i want to walk the cobblestone streets of alcalá

and have endless, hilarious lunch-time conversations with blanca.
i want to be in spain...
and maybe bring my family along this time.

really, though. is that too much to ask?

photo taken in ávila, spain ® anna gleave photography 2011.

i need your help!

2011-10-11T23:39:00.000-06:00

to my wonderful readers,

i've delved a bit into the realm of video and entered a contest... i know this is a little bit out of my comfort zone, but i am happy with the way it turned out. and so i need your help in making it to the second round! i need the most views and comments on my youtube video to make it through, so if you could do me a huuge favor and watch my video, share it with your friends, or leave a comment, i would be so, so grateful! i'm also loving all of the feedback!
so, without further ado...

i love spain.

now, do you understand why?

bridal showered.

2011-10-10T02:02:00.001-06:00

remember how one of my closest friends got married yesterday?

well, last weekend, i had the chance to get together with her sister and throw a bridal shower for her!

it was so much fun.

we decided to base the shower off of her colors and her preppy style, and put blueberry muffins, caramel apples, pumpkin bars, fruit, & chips on the menu.

you know, a good little mix of sweet & salty.

we devoured these, played some awesome/hilarious games (thanks, caitlin!), and chatted.

it was a night of laughter (and calories).
need proof?

again, i'm so grateful for my wonderful friends...

and it might seem cliche, but it really makes me happy to see them so happy.

really.

love you, laur!

back it up, baby.

2011-10-10T00:01:00.001-06:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Carbonite for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

as a photographer, backing up my files is one of the most important parts of my job.

my computer crashes, and i lose about 21,000 images at any period in time.

so i am always looking for different ways to back up my files (i recommend at least two...)

i use an external HD (and have almost filled up my first terabite... eek!) and burn all of my shoots to a DVD, but I'm looking to find a new, online backup system... and that's where Carbonite comes into play!

this app helps with computer backup... it allows a majority of your files on your computer to be continually backed up, every time you connect to the internet!

the prices are extremely reasonable (when it comes to the safety of your precious files!), and if you hed over to their website now, you can receive two months free, with a purchase, using the code BLOGAD.

seeriously, though. i can't emphasize enough the importance of backing up the files on your computer. even if you've just bought the most expensive, top-of-the-line computer, it can/will fail eventually.

and what would happen if i lost precious images like this?

my best friend's wedding.

2011-10-08T23:55:00.000-06:00

today, i got to be in one of my best friend's weddings AND shoot it... all at once.

it was a crazy day to say the least.

i've never run around that much in three-inch heels in my life.

but i wouldn't have changed it... it was so fun to share lauren's special day with her and to get to capture all of the fun moments, as well.

we laughed, and danced, and ate delicious food, and took pictures... literally until the cows came home.

friends, love, & eternal marriage are really, really excellent.
congrats to the newlywed ruppers!

september madness.

2011-10-07T23:24:00.000-06:00

do you want to know how crazy my september was?

this may not seem like a lot, but considering i had a fairly large operation five days before the month started... yikes.

throw in a fight with allergies and an upper-respiratory tract infection in there, and you've got trouble.

but guess what?!

i survived.

and isn't surviving (what you believe to be) the impossible one of the greatest feelings?

that being said, maybe i'll start taking it a bit easier this month...?

yeah, you're right. that's unlikely.

happy apples.

2011-10-06T23:58:00.000-06:00

so i helped throw a bridal shower for one of my closest friends last weekend.

since it was officially october, i just had to make some caramel apples... had to start the season off right, you know?

these particular apples are a favorite of my friend... and they were a hit!

i've had a couple requests for the recipe, and they're so, so easy to make... so i figure i'll share the simple little steps it takes to throw together these bad boys.

apple pie caramel apples

ingredients:

6 granny smith apples

a tub of microwavable caramel (or caramel squares)... i know, realllly fancy

1 package cinnamon graham crackers

1 package white chocolate chips

6 popsicle sticks

baking sheet

cooking spray

instructions:

1. wash and dry apples while caramel is melting in microwave (follow melting instructions on package). roll apples in caramel using popsicle sticks until they're evenly coated, then let the excess drip back into the caramel bowl.

2. roll caramel'd apples across (crushed) graham crackers so that they're completely covered. make sure to do this immediately after dipping the apples in caramel, or else the graham crackers won't stick.

3. place apples on baking sheet.

4. melt white chocolate chips and drizzle on top of apples.

5. enjoy!

*this is not a gluten-free recipe, but it can be easily made gluten-free by purchasing gf graham crackers, then adding sugar and cinnamon to the crushed graham crackers. voila!

what's your favorite way to eat a caramel apple?

party rock is in the house tonight!

2011-10-05T23:42:00.000-06:00

so remember when i wrote this mushy post about my awesome little brother?

well, i realized that my older brother's birthday passed without me even acknowledging it...

my work in florida that weekend totally threw me off my game.

and since i know he secretly reads this blog (and LOVES it),

i think it's time to give my favorite twenty-three year old a shout out.

it's been an adventure growing up with an eighteen-month older brother, to say the least.
people would (and still will) always ask us if we're twins, or if we're dating... an awkward set of extremes, no?
growing up, sometimes we loved each other. sometimes we bickered a little too much. but we have always been there for each other.

will has helped me through some of the hardest times of my life and has shared some of the happiest times of my life with me.

living in spain with him this summer was one of the coolest things we've ever done.

i mean, there's nothing like watching a real madrid soccer game with your futbol-fanatic brother, right?!

he's so smart, talented, and good-hearted...
and when i say he's smart, i mean he's so smart. like, that reads-war-and-peace-for-fun kind of smart.
he's someone i've always looked up to.

aaand he's also a dancing machine.
play "party rock anthem," and he's out of control!

so here's to your 23rd year of life, guillermo. hope it's theeeeee best!

how to deal.

2011-10-04T23:58:00.000-06:00

sometimes, life doesn't make too much sense.

bad things happen to good people.
they happen every day.

i received some bad news today.
you know, the kind that changes your life in a lot of ways.

it's really quite unfortunate and still is a bit difficult to grasp.

but, i know that it isn't the end of the world.

things will work out. they always do.

more than anything, i just really needed a hug today...
and someone who'd listen.
and i was able to find a few lovely souls who stuck by me and did just that.
i realized (again) that i have some amazing friends and a reaallly amazing family.

and after a baby quesadilla, a few very appreciated visits from friends, and some long talks with my parents,

everything felt more okay.

and my friends even brought me pretty flowers.

did i mention that they're awesome?

life is hard.
but, life will go on.

style shoot, parte cinco.

2011-10-03T23:47:00.000-06:00

so i am excited to fiiinally share the final installment of my spain shoot from the summer.
audi and i decided it could be a little bit adventurous to take on the most all-american, girl-next-door type chica and get her waaay out of her comfort zone.

we wanted to go with a blend of boho and grunge to give her that (clean) "urban jungle" look.

annnd we weren't disappointed with the results!

aubs really ruled the camera with those stunning blue eyes... she was such a natural!

don't believe me? see for yourself...

hair & makeup: audriana turley
styling: devaun sheppard
top: gap
jacket: forever 21
shorts: kohls
shoes: bcbg
accessories: boutiques in spain

all images ® anna gleave photography 201l.

workin' for the weekend (or something?)

2011-10-01T23:54:00.000-06:00

what's made this weekend awesome:

-finally, a byu victory we can (sort of) be proud of! storming the field afterwards... not so much. but it was fun?

-not feeling quite so sick.

-actually hanging out with friends. acting my age, you know?

-conference. conference. conference.

-a successfully planned/executed bridal shower & lots of fun for your best friend.

-mom and dad coming to town, bringing loads of gluten-free goodies (and your new contact prescription!)

-brunch with said, awesome parents.

-finally having a partially decorated living room.
-playing with spain amigos (and other friends).

-a little bit of rest.
-laughing at the oh-so-strange social paradigm that is provo.

-the prospects of bringing out my halloween goodies.

what's making your weekend lovely?

the best gelato i ever ate.

2011-09-29T23:52:00.000-06:00

i don't know if has more to do with my current state of illness-and-stress-induced irritability or with the two-hour conversation i had with my roommate, reminiscing my european adventures,

but i could reaaally go for a little bit of this stuff right now.

that's right, a few big scoops of this mint chocolate chip and stracciatella gelato.

seriously, the best i ever tasted.

and it wasn't even italian!

back when i was in spain, we spent a weekend in the incredibly picturesque town of san sebastian, up near the french border.

we all went out for tapas and dinner as a group, and then our program directors treated us to one of the best desserts of the whole trip... gelato!
for a while, we were all hooked on the spanish helado, but after trying this, we could never turn our backs to gelato.

this stuff was so smooth and creamy, and it was delivered by the most hilarious little ice cream man.

seriously, this is how happy it made us:

post script: to all you utahns... did you know that the costco in orem has stracciatella gelato? i've never tried it, but i hear it's delish. and now that it's on my mind, i just might have to try it next time i take a costco trip...

east harlem.

2011-09-28T21:53:00.000-06:00

so i know that i've posted about these guys before...

specifically, here and here and here and here.
i even made a video to their music here.

(i know, i know... obsessed much?)

but i stilll can't get enough of them.

have you heard their new album?

well, now you have.

if you've run into me on campus in the past month, there's a 99.837% chance that this is what was playing through my headphones.

and i'm not embarrassed to admit it.

liebel wedding.

2011-09-27T23:52:00.003-06:00

so i came down with a nasty one of these today, which left me in bed allll day.

i figured it would be a good time to pull together a few posts from the 8923 (or it feels like it) weddings/shoots i haven't shared with you all yet while i wait for my meds to kick in!

it was so fun to go back through these images and remember this lovely april day.

so do you remember emily & spencer from their engagement shoot?

well, they got hitched last spring, right before i left for spain.

and their wedding was wonderful.

they were sealed in the morning at the draper, utah lds temple, and then they had a ring ceremony and reception in the afternoon at le jardin in sandy.

they really stayed true to themselves with all of the decor... i love how they incorporated their colors everywhere they could, and they included their favorite drink, dr. pepper, all throughout their reception!

i had a great time working with these two and wish them all of the best!

congratulations, spencer & emily! good luck with your future together!

anna gleave photography

{provo, utah wedding photography}

just talkin'.

2011-09-27T11:42:00.001-06:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Straight Talk for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

so, i know how tight money can be right now.

though i'm hoping for the best for our little (big) economy, i know that times are hard.

so it was pretty exciting to stumble across this new business idea... an idea that can cut cell phone bills in half!

this new company is called straight talk.

Hook, line and sinker Android on Straight Talk

i have a family plan with my lovely family back home, so i haven't gotten a chance to try these services myself, but i've heard great things about their nationwide service!

you can buy a huge variety of phones from many trusted manufacturers (LG, nokia, motorola, samsung, etc.), and there are no surprise bills... no contracts, even!

you can choose from refurbished phones (including camera, blue-tooth access, mp3 player, and web access) for only $10, or from smart phones of all capabilities (including voice navigation, app capabilities, video recorder, etc.)

Android on Straight Talk

aaand there are some great monthly plans:

- a plan for heavy phone users including 1,000 minutes, 1,000 texts, and 30 mb of data

-unlimited monthly service for only $45-- including calls, text, picture messaging, and web (this means unlimited everything for a year for only $499!)

-free 411 calls and free activation, termination, & reactivation

-there's also great opportunities for affordable international long distance, from different phones... i could've used this when living in europe this past summer!

Call a friend

for more information on straight talk's services, you can check out a video here:

so, what do you think? anyone have experiences with this company they'd like to share?

i think it's an awesome solution for us poor college students!!

one of those days + cake.

2011-09-26T23:59:00.004-06:00

sometimes, you wake up really, really exhausted.

and you've got 382 bug bites on your legs that are endlessly itchy.

and you drop your straightener on your toes and run your hand into your closet door.

and you burn out on minute 28 of your workout.

and you're tired allll through class.

and your throat turns bright red and head starts hurting again.

and you forget your book when you make it to the library.

and your realize that your jeans actually don't fit you any more.

and you figure out that you stilllll have so much work to catch up on.

and you think your meeting is at 7:30, when it's really at 7.

and so you show up when it's over.

and you think... "it's just one of those days."

but then you bake your friend a pretty little gluten-free, dairy-free birthday cake.

and everything seems all right for a few minutes.

it's not like i've got a sweet tooth or anything...

where do you turn for peace?

2011-09-25T23:34:00.000-06:00

for me, it's here.

and here.

and here.

the hard times... they've gotta pass.
but until then, i'll keep holding tight to Christ and to those i love.

happy sunday.

photo ® anna gleave photography 2011.

untitled.

2011-09-24T23:50:00.000-06:00

photo ® anna gleave photography 2011.

the gorgeous gulf.

2011-09-23T23:04:00.001-06:00

i'm shooting a wedding here tomorrow:

yes, this is real life.

do you know what else is awesome about real life?

catching up with realllly nice people from your past.
so grateful to my elementary-school next door neighbors for letting me stay with them while i'm here!
i really love how my work allows me to reconnect/meet so many wonderful people.

i'm sure i'll have loads to share with you from my hot & humid florida adventures soon!

p.s. i lied to you all yesterday... this is the gulf of mexico. not the atlantic. thaaat's why it looks so uniquely beautiful.

photo ® anna gleave photography 2011.

so long, summer.

2011-09-22T23:59:00.000-06:00

so long to the craziest, most adventuresome and incredible summer of my life.

i can't believe it's over. can you?

though i'm prolonging the onset of fall by heading to the beach tomorrow (florida wedding, anyone?),

i decided that it was still essential to live it up today.

so naturally, i took the awesome-st flight home to denver ever... an 8:25 a.m. flight that doesn't require you leaving your house before 7:40 a.m. and provides the cushiest of chairs? awesome.

and then i spent the rest of my day with three of my favorite people on this planet.

my mom picked me up at the airport, but i was able to ship out some shoots and buy the coolest pixar-themed stamps while i waited. really though, what's cooler than a ratatouille stamp?

theeen, we headed to lunch at noodles, where we both devoured some pad thai. yum.

and it was only natural to hit up the gap next, to pick up some (free) clothes... free clothes=so, so good.

and next it was time to meet up with my dad and watch my little benny dominate in tennis. always a party.

we concluded the evening by stopping by our favorite, little, family-owned cocina for some mexican food and returned home to enjoy the new episodes of the big bang theory and the middle. hilarious.

though my health is still a little iffy, i haven't felt this alive & happy in a really long time.

maybe since spain?
even after only five hours of sleep.

regardless, it was so refreshing... and a life saver, really.

there's something about being home with my best friends (yep, you guessed it... my family) that makes me undeniably happy.

i'm so grateful for this little 22-hour layover at home and for the perfect end to summer 2011.

and now, onward... to the atlantic!

the bird and the bee.

2011-09-21T01:09:00.001-06:00

and while we're on the topic of gorgeous videography...

these guys come out with stunning work, time after time.

i'm always impressed.

The Bird and The Bee from IRIS AND LIGHT on Vimeo.

and the shot starting at 1:14 makes that nerdy little cinematographic part of my heart melt.

srsly.

wedding tip #5: coordination.

2011-09-20T23:49:00.000-06:00

so this one might seem so simple, but it's important.

you'll probably end up hiring three or more vendors for your wedding day, and it's crucial that they all get along.

i know, you're thinking, "okay, so what do i do about it?"

as a bride, i think it's really important to at least mention to each of your vendors who else you're working with, so that they know what to expect.

i love working with other inspired people who make beautiful weddings, but it's always a shock when i have to "share the stage" with a videographer or overbearing wedding planner, if i haven't been forewarned.

now don't get me wrong, i love working with videographers... and wedding planners... and florists... us creative people just click.

it's just really nice to know what to expect, going into it.

because i work a bit differently when working side by side with a videographer or day-of coordinator.

that's just how things go.

i've heard some pretty awful horror stories about vendors clashing, so i also think it's a wise idea to emphasize to both your photographer and videographer (or whomever else) that you really want great pictures and a great video and that you're spending good money on both.

that way, both vendors are on an equal playing field and will give their co-vendors the time and respect they need to do a fantastic job.

easy enough, right?

photo ® anna gleave photography 2011.

just around the corner.

2011-09-19T23:26:00.000-06:00

do you feel it?

the nights are getting a little bit cooler.

there's that feeling of almost frost in the mornings.

the leaves aren't quite as green... i've spotted a few colored fellas, even.

my roommate baked up a batch of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies tonight.

you know what this means... fall is in the air.

i still don't know exactly how i feel about it.

buuuut i do know i'm pretty excited about this part of fall time!:

(okay, and cardigans and scarves, too).
we've only got three days of summer left, people.
live it up!

dear utah,

2011-09-18T23:25:00.000-06:00

i don't really like you right now.

though i'm basically recovered from my surgery,

my sinuses aren't too happy.

and you're allll to blame.

it's my first time dealing with these allergy things.

anyone have good tips for even temporary relief?

go do.

2011-09-17T15:26:00.004-06:00

doesn't this song just make you want to go... run a marathon, climb a mountain, save the world?

well, it inspires me, at least.

dan & lauren: engagements.

2011-09-15T22:40:00.001-06:00

dan and lauren won my cutest couple contest this summer because, well, they're stinkin' cute.

they're two of my close friends, so we had a blast working together and goofing around out on the trails.

we wanted a really outdoors-y, summery shoot, and i think we succeeded!

annnnd i'm a little obsessed with all of the silhouette shots.
what do you think?

congratulations, dan & lauren!

can't wait for your wedding in a few weeks!

anna gleave photography
{utah engagement photography}

caras dulces.

2011-09-14T23:59:00.000-06:00

tell me these aren't the most precious children you've ever seen.

missing spain right now. and all of the wonderful people that i met.

birthday boy!

2011-09-13T23:34:00.000-06:00

i cannot believe my little benny is eighteen.

eighteen!

where does the time go?

bennett is such a rock star... so kind, smart, talented, & hilarious.

seriously the friendliest person i know.

he's one of the few people who will act like a five year old with me, and he'll never turn down an episode of the office or arrested development.

he's currently ruling his high school with student government and varsity tennis, all while wearing wolf shirts (only on wolf shirt wednesdays) and purple pants (only to homecoming.)

will and i can't wait for him to (hopefully) decide to join us at the Y next year!

how did i get so lucky to have such a great little bruddah?

really, though.

furaha ya kuzaliwa, benny!!

(happy birthday in swahili. he loves swahili, naturally.)

i sure love you!

post script: nine eleven.

2011-09-11T23:51:00.000-06:00

i just stumbled upon this video on a friend's blog, and i thought it was too good not to share.

it sums up some of what i was trying to say in my post below, in a much more real and eloquent manner.

it's a really, really beautiful story.

please take the eight minutes to watch it.

nine eleven.

2011-09-11T23:42:00.003-06:00

when the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.

-jimi hendrix

when i think about 9/11/2001, i am still a little bit confused.

i cannot even begin to fathom such human cruelty and hatred, such bigotry.

i hate how this event tore families apart, brought grief and torment to survivors' lives, and broke so many hearts.

how in a few hours, the world was taken over by uncertainty and grief.

i hate how it tainted the islam religion and created prejudices against innocent middle-easterners.

i hate the war that's ensued and the thousands who have died since.

but this isn't about hatred... it's about the opposite, in fact.

if we had a little more peace in the world, we could prevent these tragedies from happening again in the future.

i think about the columbine shootings and 9/11, the two tragedies that i spent hours watching news footage of, the two tragedies that shaped my childhood,

and i get worried.

i worry about what distaster will come next for us... will it be worse?

but i also know that all will be well in the end and we'll be taken care of, as long as we're faithful and courageous.

God will look out for us and has a greater plan for all of us.

but i still think that we can all take part in creating a more peaceful earth.

we can be more tolerant, less judgmental, and kinder.

we can smile a bit more, open our minds to learn about other cultures and faiths, love ourselves more, and love each other more.

i know that i can improve in these regards, at least.

9/11 was a tragedy... still is a tragedy for our nation and many others.

but we can learn from this experience and work hard to prevent this type of hatred from surfacing in the future.

i think this sums it up really, really nicely.

may God bless those who are mourning lost loved ones on this day and help us to love a little bit more.

*image taken in dachau, germany at a nazi concentration camp, ® anna gleave photography 2009.