Road Less Traveled Photography

Blog

2011-03-21T12:00:00.000-06:00

From now on, I will be updating my blog that I am actually paying for, instead of using this free one (which I have enjoyed)... Please bookmark this blog: http://www.roadlesstraveledphotos.info/ for all future updates unless otherwise noted.

Thanks!...

Product Review - Oribe Foundation Mist

2011-03-15T15:58:00.001-06:00

I must first tell you about my hair predicaments... I have staticy hair. For some reason in the last 2 months my hair has become so static-filled I have had to stop wearing it down. I had tried the old rub-a-dryer-sheet-on-you-head trick, but to no avail. I tried smoothening/sleeking shampoo and conditioner. I also tried a light serum that was supposed to make hair smooth and not staticy. Did any of them work? No. Boo!

Over the weekend I was in the neighborhood and went to Two Rivers Spa to buy some Moroccan Oil, which they have used on my hair and seemed to work well. I talked to one of the gals working there and she suggested trying this new Oribe Foundation Mist. She said it had only been on the market for sale for 3 days and thought it would work better and lighter on my hair (since my hair is fine).

This is a happy ending! I love this product sooo much. It has made my hair so soft, and you guessed it - no static. It's fabulous. I am totally sold. It also acts as a detangler. You can spray it on wet, damp, or dry hair and also protects your hair from heat. Plus, all Oribe products smell divine and make your hair smell so incredible - all day long! It's great. I haven't had to spray any touch-up areas for static because the product has lasted and worked the entire day. This is definitely a product I am singin' the praises for!

To read more about this product and the specifics, click here.

Culinary Critique - La Vie En Rose

2011-03-12T21:52:00.001-07:00

La Vie En Rose is a hidden gem in downtown Boise. I guess it's not really "hidden"... It is located in the historic IdanHa Hotel, built in 1901. When it was built, the hotel was the tallest building in the state of Idaho, and housed the state's first elevator. Some of it's most notable guests included Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft. (More interesting info on the history of the hotel can be found here.)

Walking into the restaurant I was a little surprised by how elegant it was. The atmosphere is divine and can be summed up as bright Parisian. You'll feel you have been transported to a cafe in France with beautiful chandeliers and large picture windows that let in innumerable light.

For breakfast/brunch I had the Traditional French Toast made with their homemade brioche and hash browns with Gruyere and jack cheeses - and a side of bacon. Whew. It was incredibly delicious and so filling. The brioche was so thick and heavy I couldn't finish it. The cheesy hash browns were admittedly cold, but still were some of the best I have tasted and had a slight spicy "kick". (So I can only imagine what they are like hot) :-) The coffee I had was also pleasant. Although next time I will definitely order their mocha (with Mexican-style chocolate sauce). Jeremy had the Asparagus, Tomato & Goat Cheese Frittata (which is totally his style). It also came with toast and hashed browns. He assured me it was also delicious.

We didn't feel rushed at all, even on a busy Saturday morning, and all of the servers/employees we came in contact with were both friendly and quick.

Grade: A- Take time to enjoy a little piece of France. La Vie En Rose is an idyllic brunch location.

Family Photos

2011-03-11T16:53:00.002-07:00

Well our church directory family photos are tonight... Of course I am having a terrible hair day and when I get home I only have 30 minutes to redo my makeup, make sure my jeans are dry(!), and completely fix my hair. Um... It's going to take a miracle to do that in 30 minutes. lol I wish I had a personal stylist to do this to my hair.

A Few of My Favorite Things

2011-03-11T16:20:00.003-07:00

Who doesn't love the smell of fresh oranges?

The rain we've been having makes me really want a pair of cute rain boots. Maybe like these... or the more traditional Hunter wellies.

And to go with the boots... why not an adorable hat made by local business The Old Crow?

How about an exquisite Colorado vacation that could involve renting a ghost town?

Have you seen BHLDN yet? ...Dresses and accessories for weddings and soirees of all kinds...

This sounds nice about now.

Have a wonderful weekend! Stay tuned for my Culinary Critique tomorrow!

Breakfast Date

2011-03-11T13:37:00.004-07:00

Tomorrow we are planning on a breakfast date! And, weather permitting, taking a "photo-walk" downtown. I'm excited. We'll be hitting up La Vie En Rose, a European bakery and bistro housed in the classic IdanHa Hotel. I've heard that on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, they serve breakfast all day. **I'll be starting a column called "Culinary Critiques" - tomorrow. When we visit a new restaurant in the Treasure Valley I'll give you the low-down on everything from atmosphere, service, and of course, food. If you know of a restaurant you'd like to see in "Culinary Critiques", please let us know. :-)

Photos Beckoning Spring

2011-03-11T13:12:00.010-07:00

Hello again! Here are some photos as promised... The lemons and flowers make me excited for springtime!

I will leave you with this pic of my Gatsby-pup. Isn't he a cutie?

Two Posts

2011-03-10T15:51:00.002-07:00

I'm not sure why I feel the need to post twice in a row when I do post, but here is another... :-)

Yesterday I was so inspired by different photographers' work that I had been viewing. I ran straight home to the grocery store and picked up a bunch of random fruit and a bouquet of flowers for my "prop" ideas. Who else spends $25 on fruit? I guess we'll have to make some lemonade with all the lemons I bought. :-) Anyhow, I'll post some of my favorite photos in a bit. Oh, I also took some of Gatsby too. He is growing so big and I can tell his face has matured a lot.

Well my lovelies... Tomorrow night we are getting our "family" photos taken for the church directory. Not my favorite thing to do. I'd rather be behind the camera, ya know? The hardest part I think, is finding coordinating clothing for Jer and I to wear together. Some couples just dress alike and match all the time. We are not that couple! It's a hard job I'm telling you. That is going to be my task when I get home. I might be rummaging in the closets into the wee hours of the morning. We shall see. :-)

Gray

2011-03-10T15:42:00.003-07:00

Today is a gray day... In fact I think it's getting gloomier by the second. But gloomy or not, I had a bright lunch with my husband! He called me at work and asked me out on a lunch-date. :-) I was pleasantly surprised and of course said "yes". He has been very busy studying and working lately and we just needed a few minutes to catch up with each other and chit-chat. It was a nice respite to a wintry workday.

Over the weekend my parents came to visit us. They were slated to return home on Monday, but actually got "snowed in" and decided to stay with us another day, which was terrific. :-) We always enjoy their visits and usually end up eating very well! We did a bit of shopping, playing games, chuch activities, movie watching, and actually furniture re-arranging. lol Brenda and Gerald came over Saturday and surprised us with two nice recliner chairs and a flatscreen TV that had all been in Grandma Wonch's apartment. Talk about a wonderful surprise! We are so thankful. So Monday morning we received the most snow we've had all winter- Kuna got dumped on more than anywhere else around us. It was crazy really. My folks decided to have a leisurely time and just hang out an extra day.

Visit

2011-03-03T10:04:00.003-07:00

Last night I had the pleasure of visiting a dear, dear lady in the hospital. She is having surgery on her hip this morning. Velma is easily one of the sweetest people I have ever known and has the most positive attitude and zest for life. Nothing seems to phase her and she loves everyone she meets. Every time we see her at church she is always so happy and excited to see us and calls us her "favorite couple". :-) She was in terrible pain on Sunday and was having a difficult time walking and didn't realize that her hip was broken. So I went to see her yesterday after work and brought her a pot of tulips. She told me, "Even when things like this happen- surgery and whatnot, well, that's just how life goes. When this happens I just thank God for everything he's given me. I have SO much to be thankful for!" What an attitude! I think Velma is the kind of person we all aspire to be. Even when she's in pain or having a rough time, she is always more concerned and sympathetic towards others. I know she challenges me every time I think of her and has been such a blessing in my life.

Back...

2011-03-03T09:45:00.002-07:00

So much has happened in this last year. I know I haven't been on this blog in quite awhile. Truth is, I started a new blog last spring and thought that would work out, but for some reason I'm having a lot of trouble with it. So here I am, back to my faithful Blogger blog. lol I'm not going to keep any promises about "Oh I'm going to be so much better at keeping up this blog now!" because really... we know I'll have spurts of writing and spurts of absence. That's just how it is! :-) But I'm here to say "I'm back"....

Yes, a lot has happened in this past year, but God is good and we are alive and well through the loss of both of my dear grandpas and the loss of our Boomer-boy. We rejoyce they are in heaven and in the meantime are happy to have our Gatsby puppy, who I refer to as Monster. :-) He is now 6 months old as of last week, and by now probably 80+ pounds. He's growing bigger by the day (a half a pound to be exact) and we hope he is maturing that fast too. Puppies will be puppies! He's pretty smart and really is the cutest thing ever. It's hard to stay mad at hime for long when he does naughty things because he is just too adorable.

My parents are coming to town this weekend and I'm so excited for that.

IMG_9226

2010-01-26T10:32:00.001-07:00

IMG_9226, originally uploaded by Road Less Traveled Photography.

Casey & Casey

2009-11-24T14:16:00.009-07:00

Yes, I've been away from my blog for awhile... So sorry for that! But I'm back now and hopefully will learn my lesson and become a better blogger. :-)

As you see, the terrific couple from this wedding were BOTH named Casey. We teased them about being Casey squared... They had such supportive and loving family and had a good crowd of people on their big day at the Spokane Valley Church of the Nazarene. I had the priviledge of following the ladies of the bridal party around in the morning and hanging out in their hotel suite while they got ready. I had a blast watching them playing pool and even snuck the luggage cart down the hall for a joy ride. :-) The bride's father wrote all of the songs and music for the wedding, and a special song during the reception too... Very talented family. Wish them the best...

I'd love to add more photos, but it's taking my computer too long. If you're curious to see more, go check out my website in the Gallery page. www.roadlesstraveledphotos.com

Jeff & Tierney

2009-09-18T14:43:00.009-06:00

Jeff and Tierney's wedding dawned bright and early with hair and makeup appointments and lots of coffee! The wedding was held at Beacon Hill in Spokane, WA, a gorgeous ex-hunting lodge and a beautiful series of waterfalls and gardens. Deke, Skye, and I hung in there during the heat of the day, amid heat exhaustion and sickness. I don't think I've ever drank so much liquids in my life! Tierney and Jeff had put a lot of thought into details and their gifts for each other were very meaningful and sweet. They had a gorgeous ceremony with lots of great family and friends, supporting them. The food, flowers, and music were all terrific, and the couple had fun dancing the night away. Best to you both!

A few more...

2009-09-09T08:16:00.007-06:00

Here are a few more photos of Jason and Anna's wedding Deke, Josh, and I photographed in Chewelah. My computer is being a little twitchy with some of the photos so here are just a few random ones...

Sneak Peak! Wedding in Chewelah, WA

2009-08-25T10:46:00.001-06:00

Hey folks- I couldn't resist putting up a sneak peak of Jason and Anna's wedding. More to come!

Grandpa's 90th Birthday - Sneak peek

2009-08-13T16:10:00.005-06:00

Last Saturday marked my grandpa's 90th birthday. All of the immediate family were present and convened at my family's farm in Washington. We had a great time with a lot of laughs and photographs! Here are just a few teaser photos during the celebration. Grandpa really enjoyed getting to see all of his family and to share in his special day. More to come!

I did some individual portraits of each family too...

Marc and Katie - Chewelah, WA

2009-08-13T15:25:00.010-06:00

Marc and Katie were married on a gorgeous summer evening in Chewelah, WA. Chewelah's golf course and country club was the perfect venue for this outdoor-loving couple! The clouds burst out rain during their rehearsal the night before, but it only made things fresh and beautiful for their wedding day. You could tell Katie put a lot of thought into every detail and it did not go unnoticed! Her dad made the arbor for the ceremony (complete with elk antlers). Even the fathers-of-the-bride's shoes were pink and green. This wedding party was a lot of fun and we enjoyed getting to know them over the weekend. The families were all terrific, relaxed and a good time was had by all. Thanks for sharing your special day! Best to you, Marc and Katie!

2010 Seniors

2009-08-04T10:18:00.001-06:00

Hey Seniors!!! Road Less Traveled Photography has a HUGE promotion going on just for you!

Here's the scoop! $450 will get you a private senior session with me, Debbie. We give TONS of prints to you! You'll be blown away.

Bring another senior friend with you on your shoot and you EACH ONLY PAY $250, and that includes ALL the awesome prints. Each senior will also receive a personalized leather folio, as well as a master DVD of their best photos.

If you REFER a friend to me, you will receive a 16 x 20 canvas print! Questions? Drop me an e-mail! roadlesstraveledphoto@gmail.com

Homer Bound!

2009-07-02T09:29:00.003-06:00

haha Yes, I thought of this title all by myself as I was doing dishes last night. :-) Today's the big day! Jeremy and I are excited, and I'm sure we'll have a bazillion photos when we return! Have a wonderful4th of July, celebrating this great Country!

Yea!

2009-07-01T11:51:00.002-06:00

Since I am new to blogging, I enlisted the help of one of my good friends to help find me some cool blog backgrounds. This is the first! Thanks Beth! (Her blog: http://kyleandbethpettit.blogspot.com/)

Barns of Wallowa County

2009-06-26T09:22:00.001-06:00

I grew up on a farm in Eastern Washington and there grew my love for barns. The barn on our farm was/is a landmark in the area, and a beautiful tribute built by our ancestors. I've always loved old barns and their symbolism of America and hard work. They stand proudly, beckoning others to pass through their doors and sit on a bale of hay for a spell. Oh the stories those old barns could tell! Their musty smell of dirt, grease, leather, and barn cats don't make me turn away; I could spend a day inside, imagining people and animals before me using the barn, working, and enjoying its strong, encompassing beams. Of course, some barns are not so lucky. Time and weather have torn some barns apart, leaving just fragile pieces of boards and rusty nails behind.

On our trip to Wallowa Lake, Jeremy and I decided to do a "barn tour" on our way back home. The Wallowa County area has an abundance of old barns. Each time we stopped at a barn to photograph it I'd say, "hey, I can see 4 or 5 more barns just down the road!" We took in as many as we could before heading back to Idaho. Talk about gorgeous beauty. We both decided we want a house/cabin/ranch there some day. Those people are certainly blessed with some beautiful landscapes!

Views of Wallowa

2009-06-25T10:23:00.000-06:00

We got back from Wallowa Lake, OR on Monday. We enjoyed such a wonderful time with my entire immediate family. It used to be a summer tradition to stay at Wallowa Lake every year, but with people moving, getting married, having children, and busy farming schedules, it hasn't happened in awhile. This weekend was our attempt to revive the old tradition. Some of us stayed in a family cabin, and the others stayed in their RVs. We were blessed to have spent time together making new memories and enjoying the fresh mountain air and scenery.

My brother made this canoe last summer and was testing the waters at Wallowa. He's a very talented craftsman.

We rented a boat for a couple hours and cruised around the lake. It was getting stormier by the minute!

My two favorite guys...

Bekah asked, "is this as fast as it'll go?" Travis punched it up a notch and she got her turn at the wheel.
Brrr It was cold!!
Yes, deer do like cherries... This one was smart to spit out the pits too. :-)
Jeremy and I also went on a horseback trip in the mountains on Monday. More photos of that to follow, as well as Barns of Wallowa County.

A Little Bit of This and That

2009-06-25T09:34:00.000-06:00

This is a pretty random posting, but I wanted to share some of the food I've made lately. I love to cook and try new recipes and come up with my own versions of meals. Here are some of my latest creations...

The other Sunday we had some friends over for dinner. I made this lemon berry mousse parfait with dark chocolate shavings. Mmm This was a yummy treat.

Last night for dinner I made a prosciutto, pear, and carmelized onion pizza. It was quite divine and will definitely make it again! This photo is pre-cheese. :-)

Out of the oven!

Side salads

A pretty plate my grandmother gave me. I'm not sure how old it is, but it is special to me and matches my patriotic kitchen!

Going to AK

2009-06-24T15:17:00.000-06:00

Yes, we are going to Alaska in... EIGHT days to be exact. Yea! Jeremy and I met up during lunch today and got outfitted with some good waterproof jackets and layering. Here's my new jacket! (In walnut) http://www.hellyhansen.com/product/Jackets/WSeattlePackableJacket/52373/view/957
I've never been good at keeping things clean, so there is no way I could buy a white jacket in a million years. :-)

I'm also checking out some waterproof covers for my camera. In case you didn't know, we will be going halibut fishing on the 4th of July! Our good friend Heidi, a true Alaskan, is taking a group of us up there to visit for a few days! We were told to bring rain clothes and rubber boots. Now I do have a pair of irrigation boots that I got back in high school to wear while bathing my horse, but I really don't think those will fit in my suitcase. hmm

Welcome...

2009-06-23T16:24:00.000-06:00

Welcome to our new blog! This is what, my 3rd attempt at keeping a blog?... I tend to go in spurts. But I am resolved to keep this one updated and exciting! :-) Yea! My other attempts have been personal blogs, but this one is for our (my hubby's and I) photography business, Road Less Traveled Photography.

Stay tuned as I upload some new images from our recent trip to Wallowa Lake, Oregon. This is going to be one exciting summer!