Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park

      I'm an adventurist, a life lover, an enthusiast of experiencing this lovely ol' world.  Sunday was one of the most beautiful days I've ever known, seriously.  I decided it was time to explore the OC and it's wonders, then I found this place: Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park.  Haven't been this smitten in a very long time, I could get lost in this park for HOURS and not see everything, meandering off the main path via Car Wreck Trail and Dripping Caves is a must.  The only thing I regret is not having a partner in crime and a serious picnic with a bottle of wine, cause really it was that pretty.  The walk in is deceiving, paved for a good 1.5 miles then you get into the heart of the wilderness.  I managed to do a 10 mile hike with some serious trail running and yes, I made it to the "Top of the World".  Also managed to polish off my day with a bike ride, hugging the coast of Trestles and loving Miss Electra even more.  Oh life, why you so good?

Twenty-Six in two months!

Twenty-six things to accomplish by my birthday.

1. Finish my Gigantic Canvas Photo Project
2. Surf
3. Music Video
4. Disneyland adventure
5. Random acts of kindness to complete strangers
6. Surprises to peeps in my life
7. Figure skate every other week
8. Run 12 miles a week w/Emma
9. Beach Picnic 
10. Hike the OC once a week
11. Get my Etsy site back up
12. Photo website
13. Finish reading World War Z
14. Make breadpudding for the first time, (w/bourbon of course)
15. Decorate living room & organize records
16. Acquire an Ice-O-Matic
17. Schedule my first ever backpacking trip
18. Re-learn the songs I wrote and forgot already
19. Business Cards
20. Dinner Parties once a month
21. Wine tasting
22. Open mic 
23. Finish decorating my in-home bar
24. Get a S.C. library card
25. Write a song on Ukulele
26.  Go Camping

Morning Sun

Days roll by

When tides turn in

Moving out and into

 

Years gone by

I’m getting older again

Go on living in the

Love we’ve had

My love my darling best friend

It’s you and me till the end

I’ve held you through dark times,

Oh the rains coming down

I’ve held you through dark times,

Oh it’s coming down

Just hold me, I’ll hold you

Just hold me, I’ll hold you

Morning sun

How quickly light appears

Within all of our fears of

What’s to come

Bodies weathered with time

Let’s go on doing just fine

Only now

Let love and live happy

Oh darling you and me

I’ve held you through dark times,

Oh the rains coming down

I’ve held you through dark times,

Oh it’s coming down

Just hold me, I’ll hold you

Just hold me, I’ll hold you

Mom's Birthday Lunch

Sunday I took Mom out for a Birthday lunch to El Mariachi and it was so delicious.  Magaritas were in order as well as Beef Taquitos and Chilaquiles.  Both were incredibly yummy, except I couldn't handle the red sauce at all and I typically love hot.  

Mom and I had philosophical talks on getting older, as well as milestones that one goes through in life and triumphs.  She's a wonderful wise woman, who is simply the most lovely person I've ever had the pleasure of knowing.  Her genuine personality and family values have truly made me the woman I am today.  I strive to be as patient, sweet, creative, and beautiful as her on a daily basis.

The weekend's almost here, I can taste it!  Have a wonderful day darlings...

Dog Gone Thursday

Emma, I adore you.  How did I ever get so lucky to adopt you five years ago off Craigslist?  Yeah you were difficult at first, I would be too if my old mommy had to get rid of me.  You've become quite the hiker, companion, tap dancer, and all around top dog!   Thanks for being the best cuddler ever, even though you take up 3/4 of the bed and try to push me off from time to time. 

You bring me so much happiness and joy, I love you.

I Know

I know life can be

Something special beyond belief

When your heart's been set free

Take away the you from me

You're headed under and I don't need you here

As far as I can see

Some boys will never know

Who they are and where they'll go

Till they bring a woman down

One day I'll find my peace

In a man who's meant for me

As our hearts collide

I don't know my darling

Where you'll go in the sunset, I don't know

I don't know my darling 

I'll let you go in the moonlight

I don't know, I don't know, I don't know

I'll let you go, let you go, I'm lettin you go

I know spring can be 

Fields of flowers blossoming 

Won't you meet me under the tree

Till summer's sun is here

Fate will have us entangled dear 

By the love that will soon appear

I have been on quite the song writing streak, apparently it's Spring my dears.  I'm so excited to record my EP in the coming weeks and can't wait to share it with you! 
Hope your Monday is marvelous...

Oh Sparrow

Oh sparrow why has the daylight come,

To bring upon the day so dear.

With trees so high, high above

Into the east, we'd be so near.

Oh Saturday it never comes,

Sittin, waitin for someone.

Well sing along, to days begun.

I'll fly into the ocean blue.

Wandering through the grassy meadows,

Moving fast and breathing in.

If I fell would you carry me over?

Lift me up to higher ground, 

So I could see what's there for you and me

Beyond the leaves.

Cherry blossoms in the rain,

I found myself and dove into.

A world anew, tall and true

Reflecting round, the ups and downs.

Buttercups blooming yellow,

Illuminating in the sun.

Oh 1, 2, 3, the birds and bees,

I've got the key for you and me.

Wandering through blankets and covers,

Getting lost in star filled skies.

If I let you love me someday.

Well lift me up to higher ground, 

So I could see what's there for you and me.

For you and me beyond the trees.

Here are the lyrics for one of my new songs, I hope you like them!  I can't wait to record it and share it with you...

Happy Friday my peeps!

Twenty-five on the 25th

Well life is but a dream, a dream that I'm making come true on a daily basis.  It's amazing the things I've accomplished, seen, and lived being in this world for a terrific twenty-five years!  I'm always smitten by the way life has a way of working out, fate, and my destiny.  Really, there's nothing in my life I've ever regretted, it's always been a learning experience.

I couldn't have asked for a better journey thus far and my dears, it's getting better all the time.  It feels like everyday I'm blossoming and it's spring.  Getting to know me, has been extremely challenging and mastering myself and life itself, is a true art.

Fulfillment is kind of amazing and we're becoming best buds, I must say.  I have those days where the sun kisses my face just right, the wind touches my cheeks, and I'm happy just because.  The hard days, where I bite my tongue and sigh, make the good ones, far better.  I'm truly blessed to have the best family in the entire world and genuine friends who really make my world go round.

Growing is the best feeling I've ever known, here's to the mid-twenties!

Easter Sunday

 

Fantastic Family, lovely afternoon, and a wonderful Easter.  I hope yours was as good as mine!

And yes, the food was amazing, wipe that drool off your face already...

Taste the Rainbow

Someone decided to do some spring cleaning today and in the process I stumbled upon this old photograph.  It's safe to say my mom is beyond amazing and I know someday I'm going to be just as persistent in taking pictures like these.  The one's that document your life and fun little memories that totally made your day.  Apparently when I was five, I won a coloring contest for coloring my favorite 80's cartoon, Carebears.  What did I choose to buy with my gift certificate?  None other than a giant bag of rainbow skittles and a pretty pink Barbie, cause really that's all a girl needs to be satisfied.

Oh Monday, you're lookin marvelous...

Much To Give

I may not have much to give,

But what I have I'll give it to you.

Showing you world's of wonder,

I'll show you skies so high.

We'll take a train into the city,

To a place I used to know.

The hills are green, people are laughin.

I'll fly a red kite with you.

I'll fly a red kite with you...

We'll watch the clouds roll above us,

Wishing they'd carry us away.

To a place I've only dreamt of,

A place for me and you.

A place for me and you...

I may not have much to give,

But what I have I'll give it to you.

Showing you worlds of wonder,

I'll show you skies so high.

Sunset Lovin

Camping on the beach is awesome, it's that simple.

Quarter Century

 In exactly one month I will be 25.  I sure used to be cute back in the day, check out that pink OshKosh overall dress!  Was your mother as cool as mine when it came to cleaning off the beaters and licking the bowl?  I miss those days...

One of my favorite bloggers Joy the Baker has a birthday coming up, in which she wants to accomplish 30 things by the time she's 30. I'm totally for that and so I decided to make a list of 25 thing before I'm 25.

1. Keep life Simple
2. Make people swoon
3. Volunteer at Children's Hospital
4. Book my girls trip for May
5. Feature my headbands in local shops
6. Photograph two mock engagement shoots
7. Play my electric guitar every other day
8. Paint an accent wall Olive Fringe 
9. Cover up a HUGE canvas with something beautiful
10. Photo series of Los Angeles in Black & White film
11. Business cards
12. Sunset longboard-skateboarding sesh in Santa Monica
13. Finish reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
14. Get lost in a darkroom 
15. Random photo adventures
16. Happy Hour once a week with friends
17. Not complain at all for 25 days (this should be interesting)
18. Serious baking and creating in the kitchen
19. Build a magical fort of blankets and pillows
20. Take a bike ride along the coast
21. Surf Sanos
22. Record one original track and have friends accompany me
23. Say hello to random people when hiking and walking in my neighborhood
24. Handwritten letters once a week to people I love
25. Do sidewalk chalk art with original sayings to inspire people's days.

Have you ever made a Birthday Bucket list?

The Suburbs

Oh rainy weather, thank you for coming along on this fine evening and getting me to cover one of my very favorite songs.  Arcade Fire's The Suburbs pulls so hard on my heart strings, it hurts.  In a good way of course... It enraptures everything from a terrifying nuclear war, touching base on childhood memories, the desire to create life, and finding peace in this little thing called nature.

Have a listen, download it if you'd like.

Goodnight darlings...

Leiann Marie-The Suburbs (Arcade Fire Cover)

My First Engagement Shoot: Sabrina & Shane

Oh engagement shoots, I love you.  Pictured above are a few of my favorite images from last Saturday's shoot, at the Huntington with this wonderful couple.  For the past year I've been studying so many photo blogs, to give me an idea of how I want to shoot engagements and weddings.  Honing my art is a must and I really want to have fun with the couples that I work with.  Love is a magical thing my dears and I must tell their story through a series of images to make what they have stand out.

Take ONE has officially happened and I couldn't be happier, stay tuned for more to come!  If you happen to know anyone getting engaged or married and in need of an awesome photographer, contact me!  I will give them a super deal and undoubtedly they will enjoy shoots that are illustrious, exciting, cute, and anything but ordinary. 

Happy Friday!

Live and Let Go

I've heard of a far off place where wild things live free.
Off the shores to a perfect beach, where everything's within reach.
Take me there, take me there...

City living's got me in the dark, wishing for a sky so big.
I'd wondered what it's all about to be a farmer in the country.
Open space, open space...

Take a long ride with me,
To some place where we'll be free.
Take a long ride with me...

(Transition)
Don't you ever want it
Don't you ever need
Don't you feel it
When you're with me

Through the fields with the sun so bright, i'm smiling and it's true.
Deep inside everything I've held is gonna come out and be set free.
Let it go, let it go...

This is one of many new songs I have written, which I will record soon!  Stay tuned.