What's better than a beautiful couple in a beautiful outdoor location? Well, all that, plus an adorable dog! Check out the images from Andy and Leslie's couples session at Palmer Park, taken in March of 2017.
The Greatest Valentine's Date Imagineable
There are so many possibilities for buying a Valentines Day gift that it can be hard to choose! Jewelry? Massage? Something for the house? Flowers? Chocolate? Some cute Etsy tchotchke? The list goes on and on. But have no fear, we're here to seriously narrow it down for you... to just one option; the best option to really woo your valentine this year: Dance Lessons.
But what is so special about learning to dance with the one you love, you might ask?
Here are 5 reasons that gifting your special someone dance lessons this year is the greatest idea you could imagine:
1) It shows your dedication to spending quality time with your partner.
Nothing says "I want to spend time with you" better than a gift that actually plans a future date! Whether your relationship is brand new or you've been married for 30 years, giving your partner a gift that promises another fun activity together in the future builds excitement in your relationship and helps your partner see how much you truly care about connecting. "Date night is an investment in the well-being of your relationship." - Winifred Reilly, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Click on the quote to learn more about why you should schedule more one-on-one time with your loved one.
2) Physical touch is healthy for your relationship.
Physical touch is one of the most important pieces of being a happy, healthy human. In early development, we actually need physical touch to survive and thrive in our environment. Whether or not physical touch is your #1 Love Language, positive physical touch builds trust, reduces stress, releases oxytocin, and leads to healthier relationships. Check out this article from PsychologyToday for more information.
3) Learning a new skill together helps you learn more about your partner.
Learning to dance has a lot of moving parts, literally and figuratively: connecting physically with your partner, moving your own body, listening to music, learning new steps and patterns, and of course just relaxing and enjoying the moment. As you go through this process of learning a new skill together, you'll also learn all kinds of things you never knew about your partner before! Maybe they have an affinity for 40's swing music you never knew about, maybe they love to dance but were always too scared to get on the dance floor until taking some lessons, maybe they feel truly fulfilled when they get to look you in the eyes and hold you close. The possibilities are endless.
4) Learning to dance teaches you real life skills to take into your relationship On and off the dance floor.
When you learn to dance with a partner, your success depends directly on the success of your partner, which is also true in a lot of "real life" scenarios. Learning to dance together is a low-stress environment in which to practice skills of open communication, supporting one another with positive affirmations, and being there for one another during moments of struggle. Being able to work together through a tough moment and come out on top during a dance lesson sets up a positive habit for future, more difficult, hurdles in life.
5) The skills you will learn literally last forever.
When you learn to dance with your partner, you can continue dancing with your partner forever. As long as you consistently revisit your dancing skills (i.e. go to a bar and whip out your sweet moves, get on the dance floor at weddings, etc.), the connection and moves you learn even in just one dance lesson will stick with you forever. A gift for one dance lesson is actually a gift for a lifetime of having fun dancing together at events or maybe just in the living room!
If you think dance lessons might be a good gift for your significant other this Valentine's Day, click here to find out more about our offerings at Love Springs Studios!
Who Doesn't Love A Baby Shower?
I had the pleasure of shooting a baby shower this past weekend, and what a precious event it was! There were countless supportive women in attendance, beautiful heartfelt words of wisdom and encouragement spoken, and many happy-tears shed. Baby Gilbert will undoubtedly be welcomed into the world with immense love! Here are a few photos we captured of a beautiful day in Old Colorado City at The Loft Collective.
J&R Adventure: Hiking at Garden of the Gods!
One of my favorite places to go in Colorado Springs since I was a little kid is Garden of the Gods! Back story: I grew up in Chicago but would come here to the Springs with my family to visit my Great Aunt Sally every few years. Colorado Springs holds so many happy childhood memories: feeding giraffes at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, the North Pole, Pikes Peak, Manitou Springs, and even brunch at the Broadmoor. I'm so blessed to be living here now! So, John and I took advantage of the beauty of our new home town and visited Garden of the Gods. Of course, Arroyo, our best and most favorite subject, came along for the ride. Enjoy the photos! (Click on any photo to enlarge)
We will be creating a nature & travel photography section of our website soon, but until then, check out our wedding & engagement photo gallery or our family photo gallery for more inspiration!