THE.CHRISTMAS.BOX

life with carlie.

i could write a novel... no... a series of novels... thats right, multiple volumes, on the subject. carlie is passionate & inspired. when an idea crosses her mind, nothing else on earth deserves her attention at that particular moment. whether it be going for a run, a new artistic tangent with our branding, or in this case, christmas decor, carlie knows what she wants.

well, she knows what she wants most of the time, but more accurately, is mostly figuring out what she wants as she goes. so, as we prepared for a visit from our family over thanksgiving, carlie got inspired.

in our new home, where would we put our christmas tree?

well... after 3 complete re-designs of the living room, including the shifting of the layout for most of our major furniture, carlie decided.

we aren't getting a tree.

what do you think about that? but don't worry, her new idea will probably evaporate once we unload the christmas box. i know most of you have one. and, if you have been in the business of being a family for very long, you probably even have an entire quadrant of your garage dedicated to the holiday. seeing as carlie & i are just shy of one-and-a-half years of marriage, we have a single, rather small, box of yule-tide accessories.

so, with turkey day behind us, and the holidays before us, pray for me. think of me. because, the exciting part of a small christmas box is that we still have room to be inspired, room to grow; the difficult part is, we are inventing ourselves with each step. and that is tough work.

STEPHANIE.AND.MIKE.::.THE.STORY.

while carlie & i strolled down the hallway, approaching the door to the bridal suite, i wasn't surprised to hear bubbling conversation & laughter creeping thru of the cracks of the entryway. stephanie is just that... bubbly! the day had arrived, with no detail spared, no individual left un-appreciated, and no bit of excitement left at home!

i stole away briefly, to meet up with mike & his posse, who had decided to paddle out that morning in newport. i found them just as they pulled up from their morning surf session, and the atmosphere here was a bit more calm... tranquil.

all in all, that surprisingly warm november day was perfect, from mimosa's in the morning, to stephanie & mike's first look, to the last dance. stephanie, i can't tell you how stoked i have been to see your comments sprinkled throughout our blog as we have gotten to know you, since that first meeting at the gypsy den last winter. and mike, i'm sad to say it hasn't happened yet, but we really do need to paddle out some time soon.

you guys rock!!! i hope you had an amazing time in st lucia, while carlie & i both pray that the images we captured honor your story in a way that you will be able to cherish them until your gray days.

enjoy.the.story.



carlie caught this brief moment, and decided to rock out a touch of mystery...

i know you like these ones, stephanie ;)

if looks could...



your bride, eta in 5, 4, 3, 2...

1...

i've yet to talk to a couple [including carlie & i] that regretted doing a first look. stephanie & mike, not long before they walk down the aisle.

hover-flowers by flower allie.







the newlyweds!





the reception hall oozed with class, thanks to dove canyon country club and the hundreds of candles strewn about the room.



and much thanks goes out to andrea martin with something blue stylists and richard wayne with extreme dj service!

DATING.MY.WIFE.

after a week long mancation with the mammoth men, she deserved it. so when i offered the notion of a lunch-date followed by a movie, her excited answer was...

can we stop by the candy store and sneak in some treats?

and, that was it. yesterday afternoon, my bride and i popped in the car and went on our first date in, well... i don't know how long. having only been married a short year-and-a-half, i wouldn't have expected the novelty to wear off so quick. but, yesterday, while simply enjoying a chipotle chicken panini [yum] and sharing a diet pepsi, i couldn't help but be struck by how in love i am with this woman. and, at the same time, i couldn't help but realize what an ass i can be some times, by simply not accepting the blessing that she is, and rather, focusing on the way things "should" be.

carlie, i love you. and i hope you will go on some more dates with me ;)

STILL.ROLLING.

in case you have been in a black-hole over the past week, or in st lucia [stephanie and mike, you are exempt], you know about the 24/7 shenanigans of awesomeness being dropped by the mammoth men. well, we are still on the road...

thus far, we have successfully hit the strip, blasted our ghats in colorado, discovered the tomb of stone henge, rocked out some chonies & socks football, and given the photo world a lesson in science.

at this point in time, we are chilling in las cruces, new mexico with tomorrow's plans for taking over a small town or two, between here and phoenix. so make sure to keep checking back at www.mammothmen.com for the unveiling of our story.

and as a heads up, the giveaways tomorrow are going to be extra insane, so it would definitely be worth your time to stop by and say hey.

rock.on.

ITS.HERE.

the day has arrived, for yet another adventure. over the next week, make sure to check our progress [or lack therof] at www.mammothmen.com, and as with the last trip, you can expect a double fist-full of posts each day... so, don't worry... we will give you your fill.

photo montage stolen from fred egan.

MAMMOTH.MEN.V3.

it isn't long before mammoth men enters your lifestyle.

ONE.PIECE.AT.A.TIME.

another gabriel.ryan. video from The Bui Brothers on Vimeo.