Alyse French Photography | Houston-Based Wedding and Lifestyle Photographer »

My typical morning schedule? Get up. Check my Gmail. Facebook. Twitter. And MOST importantly Google Reader! We’ll call it GR from here on out.) Oh, and I also shower and stuff. ;) I know I’ve touched on my obsession with GR maybe once before. But let me further clarify: I am OBSESSED. GR is Google’s “web-based feed reader to keep up with blogs and news.” I myself, am subscribed to over 50 different blogs – all photography blogs. It is so, SOO important to keep up with how other photographers’ businesses are growing and changing. Most of my inspiration in terms of business, editing, AND blogging results from checking my GR multiple times per day. I actually try to leave a GR browser open at all times, so I don’t miss a beat!! OH! And another fun thing for us bloggers is that we can track how many people subscribe to our blogs! I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all seven of you. (That includes you, Alyse. Thank you..)

Why all this fuss about GR? WELL! Jasmine Star’s “Kisses and Disses“, [b]ecker’s “Miscellaneous Monday” posts, the Youngren’s “Recipe Sundays” and Bobby Earle’s “Before and After Wednesdays” have got me thinking. And this thinking has led to a FABULOUS new idea! Intro-ducing: Tidbit Tuesdays!! Which will honestly be nothing more than a bunch of random information and current musings from the brain of Alyse French, all in one fun post. :) I’m also toying with the idea of something similar to Bobby Earle’s, where I’ll demonstrate through before- and after-images how I use the totally AWESOME Totally Rad Action Packs to edit my images. And so without further delay.. Tidbit Tuesday begins NOW! :)

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I am currently watching Over the Hedge with my future hubsand, brother-in-law and two sisters-in-law. WOAH! When will saying those words ever seem normal??

There are a lot of cats in this movie. I miss my Mony-Moy. (Real name: Oliver – looong story!) Unfortch, (new word alert!!) Dylan is allergic to cats. So when we get married, Mony will just have to stay at my parents for forever. Until he dies. Then maybe I’ll have him stuffed. :-/

My momma just called to ask how Dylan is doing. If you read Sunday’s post on the blog, you’ll know he was as sick as a dog. Chills. High fever. Awful cough. Runny nose. Sore throat. Icky. Yuckly. Bleh. BUT! I am so thankful to be able to say he is feeling quite a bit better. He’s now an 8 out of a perfect 10. :) Now I’m just praying that all my hand sanitizing has been working, and that I don’t get sick..

Oh right, my momma.. I just want to honor her for the amazing woman she is. Every once in a while, it really hits home. HARD. Like, out of nowhere, bursts of tears in gratefulness to God for giving me such a mom. I am in no way exaggerating when I say that my mom knows EVERYTHING about me. And I love that closeness we share. She’s absolutely hysterical – no doubt I’m my mother’s daughter, hah! :P But she’s also incredibly sensitive and giving and so nurturing. I hope I can be like her one day.

Peach Snapple is SO good. ‘Nuff said.

I have a HUGE test in Communications Law tomorrow. One I should probably study for soon.

So, business has been pretty slow lately. I suppose school and planning a wedding have something to do with it. Maybe the winter season does too. But, if any readers are interested in scheduling a shoot with me, I’ll throw in a 15% discount for the month of November! Just mention this blog post, and you can be on your way to super-FAB Christmas greeting cards with YOUR face on them!

My feet are always so cold. Stupid, bad circulation. :(

But my dad did get me a Snuggie! Not sure if I mentioned it before, but GET ONE. Who care’s how ridiculous you look?

OH!! I’ve been meaning to tell the world! Dylan taught me the game of football! It’s been 21 years coming, but I think I finally understand it. Until next Monday, that is..

And I think that about covers it for Tidbit Tuesday #1. :) I decided to go with Tuesdays because nothing good ever really happens on Tuesday. Ya know? Think about it.. I mean, besides becoming engaged, of course, and now, Tidbit Tuesday, I bet you can’t think of many others.

Happy Tuesday!! Catch you later this week, when I’ll FINALLY have my precious Mac back! Some major editing awaits me, and I’m PUMPED.

As I write this, I’m at my home in Sharon Springs, wrapped up in a cozy little flowery blanket we’ve had since I was a little girl. I’m using Dylan’s computer, as mine is still in the shop. (Two extremely frustrating, bright green, vertical pixel lines had been screaming for attention every time I turned my Mac on; The frame around the screen was deeply-cracked on either side; and well, you know about my completely dead charger. I finally backed up everything and took it to the computer doctor. Should have it again come Tuesday. Thank GOD!)

Dylan and I came home for the weekend in attempts of getting some major wedding planning done. Meeting with caterers, going dress shopping with my girls, etc., etc., etc. But influenza had a different plan. :( My poor, sweet boy is so sick. I’m trying my best to help medicate him every four hours, make sure the wash cloth on his forehead is always cold, and make certain he’s drinking water constantly. But still, I’m so powerless to take the sick away. It physically hurts to see him feeling so awful. And I’d be lying if I told you I haven’t cried a lot of today. I just love him. In sickness and in health.

Speaking of marriage.. I think I promised at some point that I’d start documenting some wedding plans. Here’s my first real attempt. Where to begin??

What we know: We want our outdoor wedding to be unique, cozy, relaxed and a heck of a lot of fun spent with our roughly 220 friends and family members. But man, does that number scare me! As for decor, we’re thinking eco-chic meets vintage. If you don’t get what I mean, I encourage you to take a look-see at one of my all-time FAV wedding blogs, Ruffled. I’d be more than thrilled to mimic exactly, any one of the weddings featured there. Simply uh-MAZ-ing. We went antique shopping yesterday and came home with around 50 vintage vases in all sorts of colored glass (LOVE cobalt blue!!), as well as some antique tins, which all hold so much character. Think, old flour tins, sugar tins, tea tins, any tins with very unique and fun labels. The main decor for tables will consist of these vases and tins holding an array of peonies, dahlias, hypericun berries, ranunculus, and dusty miller. Add some old stacked books and a few other old things (candles with wax dripped down the sides, a few vintage cameras [photo-nerd], and a few old bird cages here and there) and you’ve got OUR wedding!

Seems like I’ve got it all figured out, huh? NO WAY. It’s taken me a month-plus to decide on a color pallette for my bridesmaids. Meaning, I’m still not sure. I really like muted tones with the real color being brought in through the girls’ flowers, jewelry, shoes, hair accessories, etc. With that said.. I’m thinking… Gray? I know it’s definitely not the first color you think of for a wedding. But, I’m thinking it’s what I want. Like, seriously.. How fabulous is this dress?!

I’m also thinking of just telling my girls to pick a shade of gray and go out an find a dress. I’m all about individuality when it comes to bridesmaids dresses. And I want them to be comfortable in a dress THEY like and can wear again.

As for my dress.. People keep asking me. And my answer keeps being “Nope, not yet.” I was hoping to do some hardcore shoppin’ this weekend, but it will have to wait. What I’m most interested in at the moment is J. Crew’s wedding line. Except, only select stores actually carry the line in stock. What does that mean? NYC, baby!! I LOVEEEE this dress. Too bad it’s out of stock due to its popularity. And do you really think I’d post the dress I might possibly get on here anyway?? Dylan reads this blog. Shhhh!

So, that is where wedding plans stand. Of course there’s a bit more to say, but I think this post is long enough. OH! One more thing before I go! The guys will either be wearing tan or gray suits. Not sure which. :-/ Help!