I Dream of A Wedding | #sincerelylizphoto

Last Thursday, Valentine's Day, was the Second Annual I Dream of a Wedding event sponsored by Hill City Bride. This years couple, Gabe and Erika, were absolutely adorable, sooo in love, and super laid back... a perfect combination for planning a dream wedding with various preselected vendors! I was honored and excited to have been selected to shoot Erika's bridal portrait session on the grounds of the West Manor Estate. We met up last fall for this session so I have been holding onto these pictures for a LONG time. I'm super excited to share them with you! Thanks again to Jennifer, the heart and soul behind the I Dream of a Wedding project and for inviting me to be a part of the big event again this year! To see more from their wedding and planning adventures, check them out on Hill City Bride!

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Equipment used for this session:  canon 5d mark ii // canon 50mm f/1.2 lens // canon 70-200mm f/2.8l lens

Liz Cook is the owner and photographer of sincerely, liz: photography. She is a virginia wedding photographer and virginia portrait photographer who loves virginia weddings, family portrait sessions and couple photography.

To see more of Liz’s work, check out her latest work as well as some of her favorite weddings. To hire Liz, simply fill out this form.

Week 3 Meal Plan | #30daysofpaleo

One of the best ways to plan for success is to plan… I can plan 4.5 weekly menus…! Easy peasy! It’s following the plan that’s the hard part, of course.

Here’s my plan for this week:

I am starting the week off by cooking 1lb of ground beef and 1lb of nitrate-free bacon to have ready-to-go in the fridge (used most with breakfast omelets and lunch meals). I will reserve 1 spaghetti squash and 1 whole chicken for meals later in the week.

Sunday

Breakfast: Eggs with roasted garlic, spinach and ground beef Lunch: Grain-free porridge and roasted sweet potatoes to snack on later (I'll be at the Lynchburg Bridal Expo so this is quick and easy if prepared ahead of time!) Dinner: roasted whole chicken with vegetables (onions, carrots, broccoli) (plus rice for Tommy)

Monday

Breakfast: Eggs with roasted garlic and spinach, strawberries Lunch: Taco salad with salsa & avocado Dinner: Leftover chicken sautéed with brussel sprouts, white onions and grass-fed butter

Tuesday (early gym day, quick breakfast)

Breakfast: Grain-free porridge and fruit (Recipe can be found in practical paleo) Lunch: Spaghetti squash with tomato sauce & grass fed beef Dinner: almond breaded chicken with steamed vegetables

Wednesday (traveling mid-day, easy to-go lunch)

Breakfast: Omelet with ground beef, mushrooms and spinach, grain-free porridge (and fruit for Sunday) Lunch: Green smoothie (home made almond milk, spinach, frozen banana and almond butter) Dinner: Chicken breasts over strawberry and spinach/romaine salad

Thursday (early gym day, quick breakfast)

Breakfast: Grain-free porridge and fruit Lunch: Leftover spaghetti squash with tomato sauce & grass fed beef Dinner: taco veggie lettuce wraps (tortillas + cheese for Tommy)

Friday (traveling mid-day, easy to-go lunch)

Breakfast: Omelet with bacon + spinach, grain-free porridge Lunch: Green smoothie (home made almond milk, spinach, frozen banana and almond butter) Dinner: Sundried tomato bacon chicken salad crostini

Saturday

Breakfast: Paleo pancakes Lunch: Chicken breasts, strawberry and spinach/romaine salad Dinner: Leftovers

Renewed appreciation...

The weather here was beautiful yesterday. I am usually pretty good about enjoying the season I'm currently in - literally and figuratively. But I have had some major spring fever lately! I think it's the lack of snow around here. Anyone with me?! Regardless, I'm grateful for a few random spring days tossed amidst our winter! Today I have a list of random things to share with you. I love variety. :)

When it comes to food, I really have a hard time not obsessing over the way the French does things. Okay, maybe I just obsess too much over food in general (obviously). But I really do think the French are doing something right...

Did you send Megan your portrait for her to draw? She's drawing a portrait every day in 2013 and she still needs some faces! You can see mine here.

Are you still trying to find a way to celebrate Valentine's Day this weekend? Unclutterer offers the best non-clutter gift ideas!

'Tis the season for new website launches (and re-launches!). We have officially moved from the designing stage (Thanks, Allie!) to the coding stage (Thanks, Clif!) on my new site. It is now my job to populate all the new content for the site. Whew, you don't even want to see that to-do list! Task #1: Set a launch date.

This icon search engine has been super useful for me lately. Thought you might like it, too!

I'll be at the Lynchburg Bridal Expo this coming Sunday with Lynchburg Snapshot Studio! I'm running a contest, so if you're a bride and in town, stop by my booth to enter for a BIG giveaway!

Sunday received her first Valentine yesterday! Yes, I've already put it in her memory box. :)

And he sealed it with a KISS. Scandalous!

Oooh, and it looks like our weekend will be filled with lots of walking practice…!

Happy Friday, friends! I hope you have a great weekend filled with love and a renewed appreciation for this season of your life.

Happy Valentine's Day, Sweetheart

Tommy,

In 2013, I am more grateful than ever that you are my Valentine.

I love how perfectly our personalities compliment one another.

I think it's awesome that you can make me laugh even when I'm super frustrated.

I really appreciate that you are more than happy to cook your own dinner when I really don't feel like it.

I love that you surprise me with home made dessert… often. :)

I am so grateful that you let me spend money on a gym membership, even if I go through phases of not using the membership.

I think you are really adorable.

I love witnessing your passion for your hobbies.

I am so glad you enjoy date nights as much as I do.

I think it's pretty awesome that we both enjoy being "at home" as often as possible.

I love your sparkly eyes - especially when you smile.

I also love watching you interact with Sunday.

Thanks for loving us so much.

And thanks for telling us how much you love us so often.

I'm excited to have 50 more Valentine's Days with you!

Love, Liz

 (Psst, friends! If you need a last minute Valentine's Day idea this morning, this is a fantastic list with a great ideas to redeem yourself for not preparing ahead of time! :))

Sugar addiction

Hello, my name is Liz and I'm addicted to sugar.

You think I'm being silly. But I'm not. This has been a rude awakening. A very rude awakening.

You all should hear the battle in my mind when I am trying to not eat (or break free from) sugar. I can do it... I did it... for a few days. (Do I sound addicted already?) No, seriously. I would like you to re-read this blog post as if I were talking about a real, hard drug. Because even though sugar is completely legal, it is a drug. So let me reword this.

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Hello, my name is Liz and I'm addicted to cocaine. I can totally not use it for a few days, so I am sure I have some control over it. But after a little while I can easily convince myself that it would be okay to just have a little bit. Unfortunately, that little bit just makes me want it more. And then before I know it I am totally binging. But, seriously, it's not that big of a deal.

It gives me mood swings and makes my body hurt. But that's okay. Those symptoms always go away eventually.

It makes me feel embarrassed and defeated that I don't have the self-control to give it up for ever and ever. But then I just brush it off and think "at least I'm not on heroine or something worse."

I get headaches if I haven't had any for too long. Good thing I can access it anytime I need to!

It keeps me up at night, but I still choose to have some before bed. It's just so, so good.

I know it's not good for me or my body, so when I have some I make sure my daughter doesn't see. I don't want her to have the same problems I have.

That white, powdery substance just makes you feel good. You can't get it off your mind, and you keep coming back for more. The more you have it, the more you want it! But even when you try to stay away from it, it finds ways to sneak into your life almost daily. What can you do? - Breaking Your Sugar Addiction

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I know, that sounds dramatic. But you all, it's serious. This has been a very rude awakening for me and I feel like I have absolutely no self control when it comes to sugar. It is completely bad for my body and after being off of it for a little while, I can totally SEE and FEEL what it does to my body.

Two nights ago I had a serious craving for cookies and cookie dough. I walked through the grocery store (Right after dinner, mind you. So this wasn't a hungry-grocery-store-run) and filled my cart with delicious whole foods, produce, and other essentials. I had just finished my paleo meal planning for the week and I was trying to stay focused. I was in the last aisle before walking to the register and I passed the cookie dough section. Twice. I grabbed a container of cookie dough and put it in my cart. Then I picked it up and read the ingredients. Hmmm... some things I can't pronounce. So, took it out. I decided, if I was going to cheat and if I really wanted cookie dough, then I could make it from scratch at home.

So I did just that. I returned home and made cookie dough. I didn't even bake cookies, you all. I just ATE THE COOKIE DOUGH FOR DINNER.

And here is what followed:

• I had to secretly eat it so as to not be questioned by Tommy.
• Then I started to resent my husband for being my diet babysitter. Ugh. Annoying.
• I tossed and turned all night.
• I woke up with a headache the next morning.
• My spirit felt low and defeated.
• I felt depressed and overwhelmed all day long.
• I could not focus on my work.
• I felt tired and lazy most of the day.
• I had mood swings and pretty much ignored Tommy and Sunday all evening. They were "bothering" me.

I was really, really shocked. I had no idea sugar took such a toll on my body. No wonder I've been a drama queen my whole life. I have been feeding myself drama drugs!!

So... where to go from here. I do not know. I do know that I am just about OVER dietary restrictions right now. I will get back on the saddle of this Paleo challenge and finish it out strong. After that I will try to manage my diet and truly eat in moderation. I don't know if I will need to attempt a Sugar Detox Diet or what... but I do know that I'm not even going to consider it right now. My mind is blown by this simple realization and in due time I will seriously approach the issue. But I'm not mentally ready to tackle it.

Recognizing the problem is the first step, right? (sigh)