I share a lot on social media. A lot more about myself than I used to! It took me a while to really open up and feel comfortable putting more of myself out there in the world. But the true connections I’ve made by doing so have made it absolutely worth it! No more hiding behind my work, friends! We’re about to dig a little deeper and unless you’re a family member or one of my closest friends, here are 12 things you probably don’t know about me. Ready? Here we go!

1. As a kid, I called my pacifier my nonie and I would freak out if I didn’t have one. I always hid them in toy boxes so my mom would get me more. Eventually, she stopped and I lost them all. Sad day, right!?
2. From the time I was 4 years old to 18, I lived, ate, and breathed soccer. I received a college soccer scholarship but wasn’t passionate about it anymore so I gave it up. My parents were NOT happy with me and I can’t really blame them. Luckily, I got a cheerleading scholarship instead!
3. When I was only 20 years old, I ruptured three discs in my back. It resulted in back surgery, followed by a nasty staph infection that made me feel like I was literally on my deathbed.
4. My childhood best friends and I would always get together and record our own talk shows! We thought we were pretty hilarious and honestly, looking back at it, it makes me think I should channel those talk show days into starting my own podcast! …riiiight?!
5. My parents always said I was such a fat baby that I had fat rolls in my fat rolls. They joked that I was the “Michelin Baby.”
6. You may find it hard to believe but was raised on donuts and candy by my papa. He brought me sweets nearly every single day! Most every picture of me as a kid is holding a donut (or two) or a piece of candy. I guess that’s why I looked like the Michelin baby!
7. Sleeping in my own bed was something I refused to do. I would always climb into bed with my parents and tell them that I better not wake up in my own bed the next morning! I was so sassy. Of course, they always ended up moving me to my own room after I had fallen asleep and I would wake up so mad at them! Can we say, issues?!
8. Believe it or not, I used to hate mornings with a capital H-A-T-E! For a while, my mom would just make me sleep in my clothes because I was “such a wretched creature” in the mornings. Her words, guys. I would make everyone turn off the lights in the kitchen because it was “too bright” and I’d lay my head down on the counter when my mom turned them back on.
9. Staying at other people’s houses as a kid was something I was weirdly uncomfortable with. If friends wanted to have a sleepover, they usually had to come over to my house, which is why everyone was so shocked when I moved by myself from Colorado to Texas in 2011.
10. Learning is so much easier for me if I can visually see it and do it. Simply listening to directions or how to do something is super hard for me. Seeing and doing is a must!
11. Parties are my FAVORITE! Parties and events are my jam, not for presents but so we could get people together and have a good time. I think this is a huge reason I love weddings so much. I love gatherings where people come together to celebrate and enjoy each other’s company. My family always has about 35 people at our holiday events because we love getting together, playing games and celebrating. It’s gotten to the point we even have tons of friends who come join us on our holiday celebrations, which is why I love the holiday so much. Our family doesn’t do presents. We enjoy being together and cooking together.
12. As I’ve grown into the person I am today, I’ve realized how much eating junk and sweets have impacted my health over the years. I’m not a nutritionist or a dietitian by any means, but I have started taking health very seriously and become super passionate about it. My health and exercise has become a huge priority in my life, not because I’m concerned about my weight or what I look like, but because I want to be able to live my best life, traveling the world and also have enough energy to push my creative boundaries and move through photographing wedding days with ease. I’ve taken it upon myself to become very educated about nutrition and much of our gut health is connected to our overall health. This is a HUGE part of who I am today. I think being active and eating the way I do makes me a much happier and more successful person than I’d otherwise be. Though, don’t get me wrong, I still have days where I indulge in some fluffy pancakes … like the pumpkin spice pancakes I had earlier this week with cream cheese filling …

Well, friends, there you have it! Did anything here surprise you?! Do you see yourself in any of these or am I alone in my crazy? I’d love to hear from you and connect further to see what we have in common!