Category Archives: john

Urban Family Photo Shoot

November 2, 2016

I LOVE taking photos! My husband, on the other hand, hates them! Probably like most men, but I always veto him and we take family photos! We try to do professional ones once a year, right around fall, just in time for Christmas cards, which I am OBSESSED with. Huge stationery fan right here! This year, I had basically been stalking Emily Mitton Photography since I saw a wedding photo of hers of a bride and groom under this huge gorgeous willow tree in the Dainty Obsessions magazine a few months back, and when she posted she was doing fall mini sessions, I knew I had to go with her! I was really excited to work with a new photographer with fresh new ideas! And she DELIVERED! So easy to work with and FABULOUS photos!

I really wanted to do something different this year. Each year we do the outdoors look in the sunset in a lovely field, and I LOVE those photos, but we’ve done that and I wanted something different. I decided on a more urban photo shoot and lurked through the hashtag #dtsf to find some cool walls around our downtown. I had two in mind and they were even more perfect in person! Love how these turned out! Thank you Emily! For capturing our family PERFECTLY! Ivy’s crazy girl personality and Leo giggling and being silly! Love them so much.

So many good ones! HOW am I going to choose one for a Christmas card! Already browsing Minted, which is who I use every year because of their FREE RECIPIENT ADDRESSING (timesaver!!!) and I am LOVING these: 1, 2, 3, 4 – usually always go with a more simple look, and these will really pop with the white wall photos I think I am going to use.

Love Christmas card shopping!

Again, thanks to Emily Mitton Photography for killin’ it!! So happy with all of our photos, you worked so well with our family! Thank you thank you thank you!

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B A H A M A S

February 11, 2016

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Vacation. Ahhhh. I relax just saying the word. And this vacation was perfect. Relaxing and fun in the most gorgeous setting I’ve ever seen. The BAHAMAS.

John and I booked this trip about three weeks ago after talking about it for months! We usually do a ski trip but this time we wanted HOT weather! I couldn’t wait to see some turquoise water and white sandy beaches. I’ve only ever been to Tulum Mexico so I am a tad sheltered!

(Abundance of pictures coming up. Sorry! I loved them all! It’s just so beautiful there!)

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Bikini Top // Bikini Bottom // Cover-up Bahamas-1

We stayed at the Sandals Royal Bahamian right in Nassau, Bahamas. It was a reaaaaally pretty all-inclusive with ten restaurants and seven pools, and even it’s own separate island! THAT was the best part! Absolutely gorgeous. I love all-inclusives. You don’t even have to THINK! And I am a fan of trying foods so I order just about everything on the menu! ;) I ate a lot of seafood. YUM.

Pools

The best restaurant was Gordon’s on the Pier. It was FABULOUS. We ate there our last night and definitely savored the romantic setting with a few glasses of wine and a delicious grouper dinner.

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Two of the days we spent time on the island. You took a boat over there and it was very private and so gorgeous. We got to snorkel in the water and we saw sea turtles and tons of fish around the coral reef! I LOVE to snorkel!

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Here are some more pictures from the island

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Fruity frozen cocktail #101 ;) Bahamas-53 Island

And not to mention those sunsets tho… WHOA.

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One of the days was not too great of weather, so we headed to downtown Nassau and the Fish Fry to see the town. I got my coconut drink and the best piña colada I’ve ever had with REAL coconut that I scooped out myself! That was cool :) Downtown Bahamas has a TON of jewelry stores and a neat market with lots of homemade gifts and decor. People are really talented down there!

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Overall it was AMAZING. Difficult to leave the kids, but very very nice to have a little getaway and some alone time with the hubs. That was much needed! Plus the SUN!! Hallelujah!

I missed Ivy and Leo so much! But the grandparents sure had some quality time with the kids. I was so happy to see them and get them in my arms again! Leo didn’t take the bottle the whole time we were gone (YIKES!!) Even though he took it for John the whole weekend two weekends ago, what the heck! So that was nerve-racking, but thank goodness he’s good at feeding himself with baby-led weaning, so he survived! He was certainly ravenous for the boob when I got home though! ;)

Ivy even got to go to a Princess Ball with my friend Shannon. She LOVED to see all of the Princesses and gave lots of hugs! SWOON! I was kind of jealous I didn’t get to be there to see her all giddy!! : /

Princess Ball

Until we meet again, Bahamas. XOXO

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2 Years Married

July 20, 2014

July 20, 2014. Our 2 year anniversary. Seems like just yesterday I was feeling the obnoxious butterflies in my stomach, gazing up at my ultra handsome husband to-be at the altar, arm in arm with my loving Dad, on my way to becoming Mrs. John Koch. So much has happened over these two wonderful years! But what’s best, is still feeling the same love I had for him that special day 2 years ago. Over the 5 years of knowing each other, our love has developed into something extraordinary. I am pretty dang lucky to have him. Reliable, supportive, loving, kind, compassionate, charming, considerate, dependable, trustworthy, and so totally handsome are just some of the words to describe my man! (I have to admit, I googled “adjectives to describe your husband,” lol). I am so extremely happy to be his wife and cheers to many more! Happy Anniversary to my husband! This one’s for you :) xo. Thanks for all of the memories… so far…

Happy 2nd Anniversary

Our first ever picture together. This was the picture I sent out to my family and friends to show them the “new guy I’m dating.” Ha :)

Happy 2 year Anniversary, xxoo

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4th of July

July 7, 2014

4th of July is a holiday of celebration! The sparkling fireworks, waves and boating, bright sunshine, hot weather, sizzling grilling, juicy burgers, and cold beers. Summer at its best. This year, my sister Jillian and her husband Brian made the trip from Indianapolis to visit and have some family time. Also, my aunt Teresa from California made it and my friend Shannon came down for the weekend! We headed down to Yankton and Cedar Ridge Hideaway (our cabin) for the festivities. Like my man Zac Brown sang, “I got my toes in the water, ass in the sand, not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand, life is good today, life is good today.”

Our 4th of July in photos

Wednesday:

Brian and Jillian

The hubs and I

Stuffed after smoked ribs on the patio

Thursday:

We made it to Yankton in the Jeep! Maui Mat is on and we are ready for the lake!

Lewis and Clark Beach in Yankton

I must have told her something she didn’t want to hear. Oops. How many times will I be getting THAT glare in my lifetime? ;)

Uncle Joe just LOVES Ivy. He took her for a walk to show her the beach, sand, and waves

Daddy took her for a swim in the lake

Lifeguard on duty

Toes in the water, ass in the sand

Epitome of vacation

Delicious ribeye dinner!

Bloody Mary’s. Bada-bing!

Friday: 4th of July!!!!

Gettin’ cray cray

Aye aye, captain Ivy

America, you’ve been good to me. xxoo

Saturday:

My little sailor

Ivy loved crawling all over the Maui Mat

Deciding which boat she can commandeer

Thank Jillian and Brian for making the trip! Sure was fun – love you guys!

30 ain’t so bad

June 8, 2014

So, today is my birthday. I’m 30. 3 decades old. That sounds WAY too old for my mind. The question I got a million times, “how does it feel to be 30?!” Well, not much different, so far. Today, John, Ivy, and I were soaking in the hottub, and I looked out at my husband and baby girl as they were playing and smiling at each other and couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear. If this is what 3o is, it ain’t so bad at all. A husband that is caring, kind, loving, and so damn funny, and a baby girl that is curious, smart, cute, and also so damn funny, well, it just all makes me smile. I’d say my life isn’t so bad for 30. It’s sort of the age that you are just finally stable in your life. Stable with my family, friends, career, and mind. Like John and I were saying, the 30’s are where you just hit cruise control. All the mess and irresponsibility and passion and change and growth of my 20’s, is what led me to today. My 30’s. Pretty good, man, pretty good.

We celebrated my birthday yesterday with a big birthday bash! We always try to have a summer backyard shenanigan, so paired with my birthday was perfect. This party just made me laugh!!! We borrowed a friend’s bounce house and the kids just LOVED it. Looking out in the yard and seeing all these kids run around like crazy and babies playing on the blanket in the grass, just made me chuckle. Oh how the parties have changed :) But, I was glad I had my own little baby Ivy out there in the mix, playing with the other babies and watching the chaos around her. I love being able to get her in to social settings. All of our friends came and celebrated and we enjoyed good food, good beer, and good company. So, I just sat back as the sun peaked through the clouds, watched the party around me, cracked my refreshing Summer Shandy, and enjoyed being 30 :) Cheers…